In the study at the Tilling Garden of the Pei manor, Pei Yan and Shen Shanyan sat facing each other in silence.

After a long while, Shen Shanyan finally let out a long sigh and said: “I was too presumptuous. Speaking of which, my wife and I are quite alike—both the type without brains. I can’t even sort out my own family affairs, yet I came to advise you. Xiaguang, for the sake of your Second Senior Brother, please don’t hold this against me!”

Pei Yan’s expression softened slightly as he said: “It’s good that Scholar Shen has thought it through. It’s not that I don’t want to involve myself in the capital’s affairs—who doesn’t want to establish merit and achieve success? But some things aren’t simply a matter of what I want. Since I’ve become the Pei family patriarch, naturally I must take responsibility for the Pei clan. I can’t drag the entire family down because of my personal preferences. You understand this point best. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have chosen to come to Lin’an back then.”

Shen Shanyan nodded, his expression somewhat dazed, saying softly: “Your father… had vision, strategy, and courage. In the past, I underestimated him… I always thought Duke Yi was the wisest in your family. Now it seems the wisest was actually your father… This is also your Pei family’s good fortune!”

“Good fortune!” Pei Yan murmured. His eyes suddenly moistened, his throat seeming blocked, unable to make the slightest sound.

It was A’Ming’s appearance that broke the study’s tranquility: “Third Master, the young master and miss of the Yu family have come to visit you!”

Pei Yan didn’t want to see guests right now, but he also knew why Yu Tang and Yu Yuan were coming to find him at this time.

He had drawn the bow—he couldn’t just let go and ignore it!

“Show them in!” As Pei Yan spoke, he couldn’t immediately suppress the sorrow in his heart.

Instead, it was Shen Shanyan who, upon hearing this, said curiously: “The young master and miss of the Yu family? Don’t tell me it’s the nephew and niece of Yu Huili’s family?”

“Yes!” Pei Yan felt mentally exhausted and didn’t want to say another word.

Seeing this, Shen Shanyan was considering whether he should withdraw when A’Ming had already led Yu Yuan and Yu Tang inside.

The elder brother was a head taller than his younger sister. Both had fair skin and large eyes with delicate, refined features. One wore a bright blue plain Hangzhou silk robe, the other a water-green plain Hangzhou silk vest. Their movements were naturally graceful, easily creating a favorable impression.

“Scholar Shen is also here!” After bowing to Pei Yan, the two greeted Shen Shanyan.

Shen Shanyan nodded slightly, somewhat curious about what the two were looking for Pei Yan for. Seeing that Pei Yan had no intention of asking him to withdraw, he continued sitting there without moving.

Yu Yuan presented several boxes for Pei Yan to examine.

Pei Yan was already unhappy. Now seeing that after all his earnest exhortations, what Yu Yuan brought out still didn’t meet his requirements, he somewhat directed his anger at Yu Yuan, saying stiffly: “These things aren’t good enough. The lacquer is one thing—whether lacquer is good or bad accounts for a large part, and even if your family wanted to procure better lacquer, you probably couldn’t find the connections. But what about the carving work? I specifically instructed you several times before, yet look at what you’ve brought—it’s only improved by a sliver compared to before. If this is the level of your capabilities, you definitely won’t stand out.”

Yu Yuan’s face turned deathly pale at once, as if he’d been stabbed.

Yu Tang couldn’t bear it.

She had clearly also noticed these problems but hadn’t pointed them out in time, hoping that Pei Yan could guide Yu Yuan a bit. She hadn’t expected Pei Yan to speak so sharply, deflating her eldest cousin’s spirit with just a few sentences.

Yu Tang hastily tried to remedy the situation: “Hearing is false, seeing is true. When all is said and done, we’re still too inexperienced. Third Master, could you possibly help us find a sample to examine so we can broaden our horizons?”

Pei Yan considered for a while and felt Yu Tang’s words made sense.

However, the Emperor’s items weren’t so easily found, but Pei Yan just happened to have one.

He said: “Then wait a moment. I’ll have someone fetch a round box used for storing ink sticks that I obtained by chance previously. You can take it back to look at first.”

Pei Yan was helping the Yu family with their business? Pei Yan who was most impatient with such mundane affairs? When had the Yu family become so favored by Pei Yan?

Shen Shanyan was somewhat dumbfounded.

Yu Tang looked at Pei Yan with considerable surprise.

She didn’t know why, but although Pei Yan appeared no different from usual, Yu Tang vaguely felt that Pei Yan was extremely unhappy inside, and that there seemed to be a resentment lodged in his chest that wouldn’t dissipate, making Pei Yan increasingly irritable.

But with Scholar Shen present, Yu Tang didn’t ask more. After she and Yu Yuan obtained that small round box of carved red lacquer with intertwined branch flowers, they prepared to take their leave.

Pei Yan, looking at the worry between Yu Tang’s brows, felt a flash of hesitation in his heart.

Miss Yu had always received preferential treatment with him—she was either kept to drink tea or eat some snacks. This time she had entered the manor with Yu Yuan but encountered him in a bad mood. He hadn’t even given her a pleasant expression before directly sending her away.

He didn’t know if this young lady would overthink it after returning home.

She might even cry…

After brief consideration, Pei Yan called out to Yu Tang who was walking toward the door: “I also drew several more patterns in my spare time. Take them back to look at first. In a few days, I’ll have someone send over a few more.”

Because Pei Yan often changed his mind, Yu Tang didn’t think much of it. Seeing that Pei Yan’s expression seemed somewhat improved, she also curved her lips in a faint smile. Mindful of Shen Shanyan’s presence, she even bent her knees to curtsy to him before stepping forward to receive the several sketches Pei Yan had found on his desk. She lowered her head, bid farewell, and left.

Seeing her smile, Pei Yan felt slightly reassured, thinking that when the young lady didn’t smile she always carried some melancholy, but when she smiled she looked quite nice—like flowers blooming suddenly in spring, quite colorful and vibrant.

No wonder that Li Jun had seemed to lose his soul upon first seeing her.

However, the Li family now was probably struggling to protect itself—their days were about to become difficult.

He clicked his tongue secretly with some schadenfreude.

Then he thought of Miss Yu’s petty nature.

Not only did she want to make the Li family lose a good marriage match, she also borrowed his hand to uproot the Li family entirely, even refusing to spare Miss Gu.

Thinking of this, Pei Yan rubbed his temples.

He had thought of everything he could think of, prevented everything he could prevent. He could only hope that on the day of the Buddha Bathing Festival, Miss Yu wouldn’t have an opportunity to stir up some trouble for him to clean up!

Pei Yan sighed softly, turned around, and continued discussing the capital’s situation with Shen Shanyan: “Who did the Censorate send as censor this time? Is it truly just to investigate the accounts of the Gaoyou canal?”

Shen Shanyan didn’t make a sound, his expression clearly somewhat shocked.

Pei Yan was surprised, not knowing what was wrong with him, and asked again.

Only then did Shen Shanyan say “Oh,” coming back to his senses: “Who they’ll send hasn’t been decided yet. Rumors in the capital say it’s aimed at Gaoyou’s canal, but the person being sent is from the Zhejiang circuit—no one can say clearly for the moment. We can only wait for them to arrive and see whether they rest in Suzhou or Hangzhou.”

Pei Yan said nothing.

Shen Shanyan had Shen Shanyan’s connections; he had his own.

If someone from the Ceremonial Directorate also came this time, it would probably be more than just a case of embezzlement.

He remained silent, but Shen Shanyan couldn’t help himself. He said: “You… what’s going on? How did you start managing that small lacquerware shop of the Yu family? Even Yu Huili only looks in on it out of fraternal affection when his elder brother isn’t home…”

Yet Pei Yan was personally handling everything, doing the work of a chief steward.

This wasn’t the Pei Xiaguang he knew!

Upon hearing this, Pei Yan instinctively felt somewhat displeased and said: “The lacquerware shop is quite interesting. I’ve recently obtained several pieces of carved red lacquerware and wanted to see how they’re made.”

Shen Shanyan was somewhat skeptical.

Although many aristocratic sons like Pei Yan enjoyed various miscellaneous pursuits, taking pride in understanding astrology, geography, and mathematics, even writing books and establishing theories, this ultimately wasn’t the proper path. Pei Yan didn’t seem like this type of person.

But he hadn’t had time to think carefully, because Pei Yan had already said: “If someone from the Ceremonial Directorate leaves the capital, who would they send?”

Shen Shanyan’s heart jumped. How could he still concern himself with these trivial details? He hastily said: “You’ve heard that someone from the Ceremonial Directorate will accompany them?”

Pei Yan nodded, surprised at himself.

They were discussing the Yu family’s affairs—why had he told Shen Shanyan this information?

He had originally planned to use this as a trump card!

Pei Yan’s brows furrowed.

After Yu Tang and Yu Yuan left the Pei manor, Yu Tang kept speculating about why Pei Yan was unhappy.

She felt Pei Yan’s emotions were definitely related to Shen Shanyan.

This wasn’t the first time she’d encountered Shen Shanyan visiting Pei Yan.

Shen Shanyan was a scholar living in seclusion in Lin’an. Apart from the matter with Mrs. Shen last time, what other matter could keep him entangled with Pei Yan?

Yu Tang tilted her head and pondered for a long while.

Yu Yuan, however, held the small round box in his hands as if holding a treasure bowl. His face alternated between worried expressions and delighted ones, making Yu Tang increasingly concerned, wondering if Yu Yuan might be too happy and suddenly go mad.

Yu Tang tried asking Yu Yuan: “Has my little nephew’s name been decided?”

Following the saying that cheap names were easier to raise, Yu Yuan’s eldest son was called Da Bao.

From what her eldest aunt meant, if they had another child it would be called Er Bao, followed by San Bao, Si Bao…

Yu Yuan immediately looked back at her alertly: “Has Second Uncle thought of another nice name?”

Yu Wen had previously suggested that according to Da Bao’s generation, birth time, and five elements, they should give him a name like Shunyi.

Everyone felt this name sounded like a servant’s name, but Yu Wen was the most learned in the family. They also feared this name might truly be good for Da Bao’s fortune, so even Yu Bo hadn’t immediately objected.

Yu Tang believed her elder brother’s mind was fine now.

The two returned to the shop where Xia Pinggui was eagerly waiting for them to return. Hearing that the carved red lacquer small round box Yu Yuan held was given by Pei Yan as a sample, he immediately walked over trembling, not even daring to touch it. He examined the small round box carved with bamboo leaves while it remained in Yu Yuan’s hands.

Yu Tang didn’t understand these things and was still worried about Pei Yan’s emotions earlier. After listening to Xia Pinggui and Yu Yuan mutter for half an hour, she became somewhat impatient: “Elder brother, why don’t I go back first? When you’ve figured something out, I’ll go to the Pei manor with you again.”

Seeing Yu Tang was somewhat lacking in energy and feeling sorry she had accompanied him in running around, Yu Yuan immediately said: “Then you go back first! Rest well. Going to the Pei manor is tomorrow’s matter anyway.”

Yu Tang left with Shuang Tao.

Because several men were examining lacquerware at the front shop, she and Shuang Tao took the back door.

Unexpectedly, just as she and Shuang Tao stepped over the high bluestone threshold of the back door, they saw Pei Yan’s carriage.