That the Song family had been declining somewhat in recent years was known to all the wealthy families of Jiangnan, but the Song family’s arrogance was also famous. The Wu family was a newly risen wealthy household—by rights, the Song family need not be so wary of them.
Could the marriage alliance between the Wu family and Pei family already be set in stone?!
Both Miss Xu and Yu Tang’s hearts tightened. They exchanged glances, and Miss Xu said somewhat impatiently with a smile: “There’s such a thing? As far as I know, the Pei family’s eldest young master is betrothed to Miss Gu, the second and third young masters are still young, and as for the other collateral branches…”
She left her words hanging.
She didn’t know about Pei Chan, but Pei Bo definitely wouldn’t become betrothed to the Wu family—Pei Bo was such excellent scholar material. Not to mention the Jin family of Jinling, even their own Xu family or the Yin family would compete for him. Pei Bo was currently only a Scholar—before passing the imperial examination, Pei Bo’s mother wouldn’t arrange a betrothal for her son.
Sixth Miss Song appeared quite annoyed by this matter. Frowning, she said: “Miss Wu might become betrothed to Third Uncle Pei.”
Pei Yan?!
This was truly fresh news!
Miss Xu glanced at Yu Tang.
Yu Tang happened to be looking back at her.
Both saw surprise in each other’s eyes.
The string that Miss Xu had been tensely holding, fearing Yu Tang had private affection with Pei Yan, suddenly relaxed.
So Yu Tang and Pei Yan didn’t have that kind of relationship—though it wasn’t necessarily certain. But at least right now Yu Tang wasn’t deeply involved. If she were deeply involved, she should be heartbroken or angry, not looking like this. This was good—staying calm, she could completely extricate herself from the quagmire that was Pei Yan.
She let out a long breath of relief.
Yu Tang’s heart, however, was extremely uncomfortable.
How was Pei Yan like honey that everyone wanted to come lick? Worse yet, not one of these people who came to lick had both internal and external cultivation, beauty and intelligence, to be worthy of him.
This time, Yu Tang couldn’t hold back.
She said: “Miss Song, a daughter’s reputation is most important. Has this matter already been settled by the elders of both families? You mustn’t speak carelessly.”
Perhaps the two words “speak carelessly” in her statement irritated Sixth Miss Song. Sixth Miss Song suddenly exploded, jumping up and saying: “What are you talking about? When did I speak carelessly? Miss Wu will bring half the Wu family fortune as her dowry when she marries out. Miss Wu is also beautiful as a flower—how could the Pei family refuse such a match? You come from common market origins and don’t understand, so you shouldn’t be spouting nonsense here.”
Hearing this, Yu Tang became extremely angry.
Her face darkened, and she said without courtesy: “Sixth Miss Song, though I come from common market origins, our family doesn’t marry wives for their wealth. What? Sixth Miss Song comes from a distinguished Jiangnan family, yet I didn’t expect your marriage standards would be like this. Moreover, you’re spreading everywhere that Miss Wu will marry into the Pei family—has the Pei family formally proposed to the Wu family? Have they formally engaged a matchmaker? Have they formally sent betrothal gifts? If so, please tell us which family proposed to which, who served as matchmaker, and when the betrothal gifts were set to be sent? If not, then calling you careless is me being polite to you as a fellow guest of the Pei family. Saying you’re spreading rumors and causing trouble wouldn’t be excessive. Is this the cultivation of your Song family? Your Song family’s way of being a guest? I think your Song family isn’t even as good as small households from common market origins like ours!”
“You—” Sixth Miss Song’s eyes turned red with anger, her finger pointing at Yu Tang trembling non-stop.
“You what?” Yu Tang didn’t yield in the slightest. She sneered coldly: “Didn’t your Song family hire etiquette nannies for you? Who taught you to point your finger at others when speaking? Don’t you know that when you point one finger at someone else, four fingers are pointing back at yourself? So uncultured and unmannered! The Song family’s reputation hasn’t been prominent these past two years—I see it’s all been ruined by people like you!”
Sixth Miss Song stammered “you” for a long time before finally trembling out the words “how dare you.”
Yu Tang’s quarreling skills had been honed in her previous life with Li Duan’s mother, Lin Shi. Someone like Sixth Miss Song simply couldn’t compare.
She pursued her advantage relentlessly, not giving an inch, raising her eyebrows mockingly: “What? Think I’m being presumptuous and want to go home and complain to your elders? That’s perfect—I’d also like to find a place to reason things out. Let’s not discuss anything else, but let’s first evaluate this marriage between the Wu and Pei families. How does it concern your Song family that you need to stand up for them and broadcast it everywhere as if afraid people won’t know? Let’s also tell the Wu family—they’re marrying off their daughter, so marrying off their daughter with half the Wu family fortune as a marriage proposal, what does that mean? When the daughter marries out, shouldn’t they first calculate the Wu family fortune to avoid not bringing half the fortune along, lest the new son-in-law feel cheated and harbor resentment?”
These words meant that whether or not the Pei and Wu families would form a marriage alliance, this blame would all fall on the Song family.
Seventh Miss Song’s face turned completely white.
Second Young Madam Peng and the two young ladies from the Peng family held their tea cups with mouths hanging wide open, not knowing how to close them. Only Miss Xu—the little person in her heart was laughing so hard she was doubled over. If it weren’t for her unreliable cousin being present, she would have already high-fived Yu Tang in assistance.
Previously she had only thought Yu Tang knew when to advance and retreat, but she hadn’t expected her to be so good at quarreling.
Just for this alone, she wanted to properly befriend Yu Tang.
These words were too satisfying!
She needed to support Yu Tang.
As soon as the thought occurred, Miss Xu immediately stood up with a cold expression and said: “Sixth Miss Song, matters have varying importance—not everything can be casually spoken of outside. So many people came to Zhaoming Temple today. If the marriage between the Pei and Wu families comes to fruition, everyone will only consider it a fine tale. But if it doesn’t, have you thought about how to handle the aftermath?”
Only then did Sixth Miss Song realize things had gotten out of hand.
She mumbled for a long while without being able to produce any coherent explanation.
Miss Xu laughed uproariously in her heart.
Seventh Miss Song came to her senses and knew that Sixth Miss Song had been caught by the tail. If not handled well, the Song family daughters’ reputations would be lost here, and the Song family’s century-old honor would be damaged because of them. When they returned to the Song family, even if the Song family didn’t punish them, they could forget about marrying into good families in the future.
She immediately pleaded for Sixth Miss Song: “Miss Yu, Miss Xu, this matter is all my sister’s fault. It was unintentional on her part. It’s also because Miss Wu always boasted in front of her—she was angry for a moment and spoke without thinking, blurting out what was in her heart. Speaking of it, it’s also because she considered you two young ladies as her own people, otherwise she wouldn’t have said just anything. Please be magnanimous and forgive her.” After speaking, she even rose and solemnly performed a curtsy to Yu Tang and Miss Xu.
Yu Tang had rattled off so much that the bit of sullenness in her heart had gradually dissipated. Now looking at Seventh Miss Song taking the blame for her sister, she couldn’t be too harsh with her. Hearing this, she glanced at Miss Xu.
After all, Miss Xu had spoken up for her—whether to let it go or continue pursuing it, she should at least seek Miss Xu’s opinion.
Miss Xu found Yu Tang increasingly interesting.
She knew not to abandon her playmate.
Whatever happened, they should advance and retreat together.
She wanted to help Yu Tang even more.
Miss Xu gently shook her head at her and gave her a meaningful look, meaning not to fuss about it now—if there was anything, they could discuss it later.
Yu Tang then stepped forward to help Seventh Miss Song up, saying warmly: “It’s hard on you as the younger sister to have to clean up your elder sister’s mess.”
These words nearly brought tears to Seventh Miss Song’s eyes.
Sixth Miss Song and she were cousins, but Sixth Miss Song’s father was capable and served as a county magistrate outside. Her own father just relied on the public estate for idle support. Though she was the younger sister, she still had to defer to this elder sister in everything.
“Thank you, Miss Yu!” she said in a voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz.
Sixth Miss Song felt uncomfortable hearing this. She stepped forward to continue arguing with Yu Tang, but was stopped by Second Young Madam Peng, who had come to her senses: “Sixth Miss, is it true that the Wu family wants to form a marriage alliance with the Pei family? Who did you hear this from?”
The two Peng family young ladies also stared at her intently.
She could speak carelessly in front of Yu Tang, but she didn’t dare speak carelessly in front of the Peng family members.
“It was, it was from what my eldest aunt said.” She stammered: “The Wu family asked the Tao family to come forward to help arrange the match. My eldest aunt said Third Uncle Pei has a very good relationship with the Tao family. For the Tao family’s sake, Third Uncle Pei won’t refuse. Moreover, the Wu family is also afraid the Pei family will look down on them as nouveau riche, so they’re preparing to provide two hundred thousand taels of silver as dowry… I thought two hundred thousand taels must surely be half the Wu family fortune…”
So the so-called marriage alliance, the so-called half fortune dowry, were all Sixth Miss Song’s own assumptions.
Not to mention Yu Tang and Miss Xu—even Second Young Madam Peng and the Peng family young ladies didn’t know what to say. Second Young Madam Peng even rarely showed kindness and said to Seventh Miss Song, “You should still mention this matter to your eldest aunt and have her send a few more people to attend to your sister”—so when something happened, there would be someone sensible who could intervene.
Seventh Miss Song tearfully responded “yes,” feeling that with Second Young Madam Peng’s words, she could account for today’s events. Her face wasn’t as stiff as before.
However, having received such news, Second Young Madam Peng could no longer sit still. After exchanging pleasantries with Yu Tang and Miss Xu, she rose to take her leave.
Yu Tang and Miss Xu naturally wouldn’t detain them.
But their departure was different from their arrival.
When they came, not one of them had regarded Yu Tang with any importance. When they left, each one respectfully performed a curtsy to Yu Tang. Though their attitudes were somewhat distant, they were very solemn.
After they left, Miss Xu laughed endlessly, pulling Yu Tang and saying: “Who would have thought—you’re usually so quiet, but when provoked, you’re also relentless! But善人被人欺,善马被人骑—you did the right thing. Look, now none of them dare slight you anymore, right? I was worried before that you’d suffer, but it seems I worried for nothing.”
Yu Tang treasured all others’ goodwill.
She smiled and took Miss Xu’s arm, saying: “You were concerned about me, which is why you were so worried. One mustn’t have the intention to harm others, but one must have the intention to guard against others. If others don’t provoke me, I certainly won’t go out of my way to bully anyone.”
Like Gu Xi, for instance!
Miss Xu nodded repeatedly, pulling her toward Third Madam Yang’s inner chamber: “Let’s go tell her—she’ll definitely be very interested.”
Yu Tang’s feet followed her, but her heart was thinking of Pei Yan.
She wondered what he was doing right now?
If he knew about the farce here, what kind of expression would he have?