Great families with flourishing descendants had many affairs and educated their children from a young age not to let their emotions show on their faces. Second Madam also came from a great family, and Nanny Chen had served Old Madam Pei since childhood. By rights, neither of them should display their emotions so openly.
Yu Tang and Miss Xu looked at each other in bewilderment.
Then they saw Nanny Chen quickly step forward, grasp Second Madam’s arm, and speak a few words to her in a low voice.
Second Madam’s angry expression intensified as she responded to Nanny Chen in low tones.
Nanny Chen then alertly looked around.
Because she had her back to them, and because Yu Tang felt that although she and Miss Xu had unintentionally ended up standing there, they had after all witnessed someone else’s private matters and felt uneasy, when Nanny Chen looked around, she pulled Miss Xu to hide behind the camphor tree. Not only did Nanny Chen fail to see them, but after thinking for a moment, she pulled Second Madam toward the camphor tree.
Yu Tang groaned inwardly.
Miss Xu gripped Yu Tang’s hand even more tightly, her palm clammy and trembling.
Clearly she had never done such a thing before.
Yu Tang felt she had implicated Miss Xu and quickly put her arm around her shoulders, giving her a reassuring look.
Only then did Miss Xu feel a bit better.
Yu Tang breathed a sigh of relief.
She heard Nanny Chen, who had walked over, softly persuading Second Madam, “Why be angry with their family? They’re all frogs at the bottom of a well, accustomed to being domineering in that small place of Fuzhou, not knowing there’s a sky beyond the sky and people beyond people. Just treat it like dogs barking—hear it and forget it, don’t take it to heart. Didn’t you see that even the Old Madam’s expression changed? Only their family’s womenfolk are shameless enough not to notice. Our Third Master definitely won’t let their family off. You can rest assured.”
After this back-and-forth, Second Madam seemed to have calmed down. She nodded and said in a suppressed voice, “There’s no need to tell Third Master. After all, everyone maintains appearances. It’s not worth falling out over this small matter. I was just so angry I feared I couldn’t control myself and would say something improper, so I came out to avoid that. I’m much better now, so don’t worry. I’ll stand here for a bit then go back in. Mother-in-law has many matters that need you busy, so don’t worry about me.”
Nanny Chen smiled and said, “What could be more important than your matter? We all know you’re considering everyone’s face by not having an outburst. I’d better stay and talk with you. Once you vent your anger, your mood will improve.”
Second Madam nodded. Her expression was more peaceful than before as she said, “I had heard in the capital before that the Peng family people were very domineering, but I never imagined they could be domineering to this extent. If they want to form a marriage alliance with our family, they should properly send someone to our door to propose. How dare they summon both our Fourth Miss and Fifth Miss for their family to choose from? Aren’t they afraid of biting their tongues?”
Having said this, she seemed to suddenly remember something and became agitated again, saying, “No, I must tell my natal family’s father and brothers about this. A woman acting this way couldn’t possibly be making decisions on her own—this might very well be the Peng family’s intention! Now that our Pei family has no one serving as officials in the capital, the Peng family probably thinks we have no one left, otherwise they wouldn’t dare speak such wild words. When you get down to it, it’s still because our master isn’t ambitious, blindly following some principle of non-interference. Now look—people are picking and choosing among our family’s daughters like this. If he still doesn’t care about anything, I won’t care about his dignity either and will just have the children’s maternal grandfather and uncles step forward.
“I also need to tell Fourth Miss about this.
“Even if their Peng family’s eldest son and grandson came with the position of principal wife to seek marriage, our family cannot agree to marry our daughter to them. Otherwise, wouldn’t it mean our Pei family daughters are there for the Peng family’s young men to randomly select from? My family’s daughters aren’t so contemptible.”
Yu Tang and Miss Xu couldn’t help but exchange glances.
No wonder Second Madam was this angry.
Even Old Madam Pei must feel terrible inside!
How was the old lady doing?
The two simultaneously glanced at the main hall.
Nanny Chen, however, was deeply anxious.
If Second Madam told the maternal uncles in Jinling about this matter, things would really blow up.
Of course, Second Madam’s natal family wasn’t to be trifled with either, but if the Pei family daughters still needed their maternal family’s protection, if word of this got out, how could the Pei family show their faces?
Nanny Chen coaxed and persuaded until she finally convinced Second Madam, saying, “Even if you don’t know the Old Madam’s temperament, you must know Third Master’s temperament, right? This matter won’t be left at this.”
Second Madam made a sound of agreement and said, “I see they didn’t come to build goodwill but to make enemies!”
Nanny Chen couldn’t comment and responded vaguely a few times. After hearing Second Madam complain about the Peng family a bit more, the two finally composed their expressions again and entered the main hall.
Yu Tang and Miss Xu couldn’t help but let out long sighs of relief, only then discovering their shoulders were stiff.
“Good thing we weren’t discovered!” Miss Xu patted her chest, saying with great relief.
Yu Tang, however, felt this was a place of many troubles and, just as Nanny Ji had said, wandering outside was indeed unsafe.
“Let’s go back to the tea room!” she said. “Listening to Third Madam Yang talk about how to make pastries is quite interesting.”
Miss Xu was somewhat reluctant, saying, “Second Madam and the others definitely won’t come back out. Even if she does come back, we won’t need to panic like just now. Let’s sit here for a while! After what happened with the Peng family, I’m afraid the Old Madam won’t be in the mood to talk with us anytime soon.”
They would probably have to wait quite a while.
Yu Tang felt she made good sense.
Miss Xu had already shifted the topic with a smile, talking about the Yang and Yu families: “You must know about our family—it’s because my cousin is going to be engaged to Third Branch’s Second Miss of the Pei family that we came to the Pei manor. But I heard from people in the manor that your family is here because your father has a good relationship with Third Master, and you also by chance gained the Old Madam’s favor, which is why you often visit the Pei family. Is that true?”
Yu Tang nodded.
Miss Xu asked again, “Then can you often see Third Master Pei? What kind of person is he? I heard others say he’s extraordinarily handsome—is that true? Is he engaged?”
From her tone, she was very interested in Pei Yan.
Yu Tang couldn’t help but look at her a few more times.
Miss Xu was indeed very perceptive and guessed her thoughts from her expression. Miss Xu smiled with pursed lips and said, “It’s not for me! I’m already engaged. But our family and the Li family are maternal cousins, and I get along very well with several of my Li family cousin sisters. Back then my uncle wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Pei family but was rejected by Third Master Pei.” At this point, she curled her lips. “My uncle even said the Li family daughters were there for him to choose from, which so angered Old Madam Li that she summoned my uncle and severely scolded him. Later, my third and fourth cousin sisters’ marriage prospects became somewhat difficult. Also because of this remark, my fourth cousin sister even used schemes trying to marry Third Master Pei and was locked in the ancestral hall by Old Madam Li.” Then she said, “What’s so interesting about sutra lectures? I only insisted on coming along because I wanted to see what Third Master Pei looks like!”
Yu Tang’s mouth went dry. She felt as if she had unintentionally opened a secret chamber—she understood each thing Miss Xu said separately, but when they were connected, she couldn’t understand a single sentence.
Seeing Yu Tang apparently shocked, Miss Xu giggled and said quietly, “You don’t believe it either, right? Everyone outside says the Li family looks down on the Pei family—that’s the Pei family giving the Li family face. If the Pei family had truly wronged the Li family, could the Pei family still be doing so well now? Seeing you know nothing, I’ll tell you the truth. Third Madam Yang, who is my cousin’s third aunt, is Old Madam Li’s niece from her natal family—that is, a daughter of the Yin family of Huayin. The current Prefect of Huai’an is Third Madam’s elder brother. Not long ago, the Pei family had the Peng family’s ships detained through the Yin family. Otherwise, why would the Peng family want to form a marriage alliance with the Pei family?”
Yu Tang discovered her brain was completely inadequate.
She covered her forehead and said, “Wait, I think I need to study aristocratic family genealogies.”
Miss Xu laughed even more cheerfully.
She said cunningly, “Good sister, if you take me to see what Third Master Pei looks like, I’ll draw you an aristocratic family genealogy to let you know which family has what relationship with which family!”
Yu Tang had only said that casually. She felt she probably had no connection with aristocratic family genealogies and would have no use for them.
She simply teased Miss Xu: “Second Madam’s natal family must also be very impressive, right? I think if I ask Second Madam for advice, she’ll definitely tell me too.”
Miss Xu laughed dismissively and said, “She definitely wouldn’t make it as interesting as I would! I can also tell you many interesting things!”
Yu Tang said, “Anyway, I don’t know anything, so I don’t know if what you’re saying is correct.”
Miss Xu was quite patient too, saying, “How about you wait a few days and see if anyone knows more than I do, then we’ll talk?”
Very confident.
Yu Tang laughed heartily.
Miss Xu suddenly tugged at her sleeve and made a gesture for her to be quiet.
Yu Tang instinctively looked toward the courtyard.
She saw Second Madam, attended by Nanny Ji and Nanny Chen, seeing off several noblewomen adorned with pearls and jade.
Miss Xu leaned close to Yu Tang’s ear and whispered, “See that woman in the bright red brocade vest embroidered with gold all over? That’s the Peng family’s Grand Madam. However, she’s not very shrewd and only knows how to be forceful in handling matters. She’s actually not as formidable as the Peng family’s Third Madam—the woman beside her wearing the sapphire blue brocade vest embroidered with gold all over. She’s been outmaneuvered by her own sister-in-law and doesn’t even know it. That plump, round-faced woman is the Song family’s Grand Madam—she’s quite agreeable. But in the Song family, it’s Fourth Madam who manages things. She’s the one talking with Second Madam, looking all gentle and delicate. My mother says she’s very formidable and shrewd. When Fourth Master Song rose to power back then, she contributed half the credit. Among the Song family madams and young madams, there isn’t a single person who dares provoke her. And that young woman wearing pink plain Hangzhou silk with a kingfisher feather hairpin—hehe—she’s my clan sister. She married into the Peng family and is the Peng family’s Second Young Madam. The others I don’t recognize.”
Yu Tang looked at her without saying anything.
Miss Xu then blinked at her, as if to say, “See, I know a lot—why don’t you quickly seek my advice?”
Yu Tang smiled radiantly.
This Miss Xu was truly very interesting.
She said, “What’s the background of your Xu family?”