Yu Tang said half-truthfully, “In my dream, I seemed to experience many things, but after waking, what I remember most clearly is Peng Eleven trying to kill me. The Li family, knowing the Pei family had bought land in Jiangxi, seemed to go through the Peng family’s connections to also buy land in Jiangxi. That Peng family member serving as governor in Jiangxi eventually became Minister of Personnel after the Second Prince became emperor, and the Peng family became very powerful. Li Duan also became an official.”

Pei Yan’s expression changed dramatically. He stood up, pushed open the window, looked left and right, instructed Qing Yuan guarding outside and A’Ming brewing medicine under the eaves to stand at the door, then sat back down on the edge of the bed, saying in a low voice, “You’re saying that in your dream, the Second Prince ascended the throne and became emperor?”

Yu Tang nodded, deliberately appearing nervous. “Is, is there something wrong?”

Very wrong!

The court was currently in turmoil, largely over which prince to establish as heir apparent.

The Second Prince, to this day, still had no male heir.

Only those wanting to fish in troubled waters would try to push the Third Prince forward to争 争 gain merit for themselves or their families as dragon-followers.

The young lady wouldn’t lie to him.

But the matter of establishing an heir… involved too many facets.

Was it possible the young lady had heard someone mention it and naturally assumed the court’s determination of an heir should follow primogeniture and seniority, mixing dream and reality, which led to such statements?

Looking at Yu Tang’s bewildered eyes, Pei Yan’s heart softened. After comforting her with “there’s nothing wrong,” he still asked rationally, “What else did you dream?”

Yu Tang didn’t dare say much.

Because of her rebirth, many things around her were already different from her previous life. Although she had punished Li Duan, she’d also implicated Wei Xiaoshan.

“What I can remember are roughly these two matters.” Her emotions were somewhat low as she said, “I may have dreamed other things, but for now, these are the two things I can recall.”

Pei Yan asked her, “Then do you know the Second Prince currently only has two daughters?”

The Yu Tang of her previous life certainly knew.

She not only knew but also knew that shortly after the Second Prince was established as Crown Prince, he had a son, for which the current emperor even proclaimed a general amnesty.

But this hadn’t happened yet and couldn’t verify what she said was true.

Moreover, she didn’t know what the Second Prince’s offspring situation was at this time in her previous life.

“I don’t know.” She shook her head and said, “In my impression, it seemed the Emperor fell ill, then the Second Prince devoted himself wholeheartedly to attending his sickbed, while the Third Prince ran around everywhere. Many people felt the Third Prince should be established as Crown Prince, but the Emperor got angry and established the Second Prince as Crown Prince instead.”

The current Emperor’s health was excellent. Last autumn, he had even taken nine concubines in succession and greatly expanded the inner palace.

How could the Emperor be ill? The Third Prince was intelligent—even if the Emperor fell ill, how could he not attend the sickbed, not let everyone see his filial devotion, but instead jump up and down competing for the heir position? Even if the Third Prince himself couldn’t restrain himself, those ministers around him couldn’t possibly let him do something so foolish!

Pei Yan thought for a moment and said, “Then do you remember how you knew the Second Prince ascended as Emperor?”

Of course it was through the imperial proclamation and change of era name.

But Yu Tang couldn’t say this.

She earnestly recalled her previous life and finally found something plausible: “Also because of the Peng family. In my dream, among the official gentry families of Jiangnan, some supported the Second Prince while others supported the Third Prince. But after the Second Prince ascended, he liked neither those who had supported him nor those who had supported the Third Prince. He liked those who remained neutral. That Peng family’s high official serving as governor in Jiangxi supported no one. After the Second Prince ascended, he particularly favored him. He even made him a Grand Secretary, and the Peng family leaped to become Fujian’s most prominent family.

In the dream, Peng Eleven once arrogantly said that even if the matter came to light, with his uncle there, naturally someone would cover for him…”

Pei Yan was shocked.

This wasn’t something a young lady could know.

Whether from inherent timidity or fear of being suspected by the strong-willed Emperor, the Second Prince had always disliked associating with court ministers, especially those from the scholarly societies. Not only did he himself detest them, he disliked those around him having dealings with scholarly society members.

Previously, his mentor Grand Secretary Zhang had thought the Second Prince didn’t want to be embroiled in factional struggles or used as a pawn. Only later did he discover the Second Prince genuinely believed the current court chaos was caused by these scholarly societies.

He had once discussed this matter with Grand Secretary Zhang, feeling that if the Second Prince became emperor, the first thing he’d probably do was suppress these scholarly societies…

What Yu Tang said perfectly matched the Second Prince’s temperament.

Not to mention she was just a girl from an ordinary commoner family—even someone like Yu Wen, a scholar who had studied and earned a degree, couldn’t possibly know such confidential matters, much less that Yu Tang could have accidentally overheard this somewhere.

Pei Yan now somewhat believed Yu Tang had truly had such an extraordinary dream!

Thinking that Yu Tang didn’t have mental problems and wasn’t speaking nonsense, he surprisingly felt like a heavy stone had fallen, letting out a long breath of relief.

Dreams—dreaming absurd and strange things was perfectly normal.

He smiled and said, “You shouldn’t mention such discussions about the imperial family in the future. Since it was a dream, once you wake, it disperses. You don’t need to pay too much attention, and don’t tell others, lest you worry your family.”

Actually, what he feared most was someone with ulterior motives hearing it, assuming she had some ability to predict the future, becoming coveted, exploited, and harmed.

Yu Tang nodded.

Such an important matter—of course she wouldn’t tell others.

The information she revealed was all very important. No one would immediately believe her. That Pei Yan didn’t treat her as a lunatic already showed he greatly trusted her. This was already very good.

Haste makes waste.

As long as her rebirth didn’t affect other matters, Pei Yan would sooner or later believe the information she revealed.

With Pei Yan’s intelligence and talent, in her previous life the Pei family had safely weathered storms—in this life they certainly could avoid them too. She just didn’t want Pei Yan’s future days to be too difficult.

This was enough.

Yu Tang smiled embarrassedly and said, “My courage is too small—that’s why Peng Eleven frightened me.”

Seeing her calm down and seemingly recover her former liveliness, Pei Yan felt gratified and smiled, “Then rest well. While you were unconscious, you terrified your mother. My second sister-in-law accompanied her to find a master to perform Buddhist services for you. After you drink your medicine and rest briefly, your mother should return.”

He absolutely didn’t dare tell her about Chen Shi fainting, fearing she’d worry and harm her health.

Only now did Yu Tang think of her mother.

She couldn’t help blushing deeply with shame, softly responding “alright.”

Pei Yan was accustomed to seeing her angry and spirited side. Suddenly seeing her obedient and docile appearance, he found it quite novel and looked at her a few more times.

Glossy black hair, fair rosy skin, bright clear eyes, red soft lips… she was growing more beautiful!

Like flower buds in the third month, not only releasing fragrance but boldly blooming brilliant petals.

Pei Yan’s heart disobediently skipped several beats.

His ears immediately grew hot. He coughed awkwardly twice, quickly standing up and saying, “Then you rest first. I’ll go see how things are at the dharma hall. I’ve been here nearly an hour—who knows what’s happening there. Elder Master Peng also plans to discuss grain transport matters with me over lunch. We have too little grain here. I’m planning to trade salt, preferably borrowing the Wu family’s fleet. Elder Master Peng has the same idea…”

Was Pei Yan explaining to her why he absolutely had to leave now?

But he was the Pei family patriarch who could do whatever he wanted—was it necessary to explain to her?

Yu Tang felt quite puzzled yet also experienced a few points of secret joy.

Could it be because they shared a secret, Pei Yan now considered her one of his own?

She pondered this in her heart.

Suddenly felt this was actually quite good.

She quickly said, “Then please go quickly! I have Miss Qing Yuan here, A’Ming, and the servants you dispatched—I’m very safe.”

Pei Yan thought the most unsafe element was Peng Eleven. He had to quickly deal with this person, otherwise no matter how many people he posted to guard the young lady, she would still be afraid.

“Then I’ll go first!” Pei Yan felt somewhat urgent and told Yu Tang things like “be careful, if anything happens have someone inform me,” then left.

Yu Tang’s entire body relaxed, going limp on the somewhat hard daybed.

Qing Yuan entered with light steps, softly calling “Miss Yu,” asking if she had any instructions.

How could Yu Tang presume to use Pei Yan’s maid?

She also wasn’t accustomed to sleeping in meditation rooms where masters contemplated and performed their devotions.

She said somewhat embarrassed, “I feel much better and want to return to my own lodgings to rest. Could I trouble Miss Qing Yuan to help see where my mother is now and bring her a message?”

When Pei Yan left, he’d already sent someone to see if Chen Shi had awakened. There was no reply yet, so naturally Qing Yuan didn’t dare tell Yu Tang. She smiled and agreed, using a consultative tone with Yu Tang: “I’ll send someone to find Madam Yu right away. It’s just that A’Ming’s medicine will be ready soon—would you like to drink the medicine before returning to your own lodgings?”

Yu Tang felt this arrangement was good and nodded, thanking Qing Yuan.

Hearing this, Qing Yuan said very respectfully, “The Yu and Pei families are close friends—Miss Yu must not be so formal with us. Just call me by my name. If you keep calling me ‘Miss’ like this, you’ll put me to shame. If the Old Madam heard, she’d say we don’t observe proper etiquette.”

Having lived a second life, Yu Tang didn’t much like exchanging pleasantries with people. Since Qing Yuan said this, she went with the flow and began calling Qing Yuan by name.

Qing Yuan then relaxed.

Having attended Third Master for so long, she’d never seen him have such patience with any young lady. With the intelligence and quick-wittedness that allowed her to pass numerous tests to become Pei Yan’s personal maid, she could guarantee this Miss Yu was certainly an especially important figure in Third Master’s heart. She’d better be respectful.

Yu Tang drank her medicine, thanked A’Ming, and Qing Yuan received news about Chen Shi.

Chen Shi had awakened. Learning Yu Tang was safe and sound, she wept tears of joy and was about to rush over in her shoes, but Second Madam Pei persuaded her with “Miss Yu will worry seeing you like this.” She was now washing and grooming again. Shortly, Second Madam would accompany Madam Yu over.