Once the thought arose, Yu Tang’s mood became even more downcast.

She refilled Pei Yan’s teacup and said softly, “Miss Xu invited me sincerely, and they truly don’t have enough hands over there. I’ve already agreed, so I won’t go to Phoenix Mountain.”

This was a tactful rejection of Pei Yan’s suggestion.

If it were any other time, Pei Yan would certainly feel displeased and then find a way to make Yu Tang do as he said. But now, he seemed to have suddenly discovered feelings hidden deep in his heart all along, and the object of these feelings was a young girl he had always regarded as a junior… For all his previous belief that he was upright and blameless, no matter how illustrious his status, he was merely a young man encountering this situation for the first time—how could he not panic?

How could he hear clearly what Yu Tang was actually saying?

Pei Yan only wanted to return to his own room and think this matter through properly.

Had he merely gotten confused for a moment, or had love secretly grown without his knowledge…

“We’ll discuss this matter later.” Pei Yan hastily stood up, his tone unclear as he said, “I’ll head back first. Don’t leave the estate—have Nanny Tao and Qing Yuan accompany you.”

No matter what opinions Yu Tang might have about Pei Yan, she could still sense his protection of her.

She had never known how to refuse others’ goodwill.

Yu Tang nodded, thinking that if Miss Xu needed to leave the estate today for the Gu-Yin marriage alliance matters, she would simply decline. But when she looked up, she discovered that Pei Yan had already fled from the hall in rapid strides.

What was wrong with him?

Yu Tang felt somewhat worried.

His complexion had looked rather poor just now.

Had he encountered some unpleasant matter?

Yu Tang speculated wildly, thinking that since Third Madam Yang and Miss Xu usually took good care of her, and since they were so busy over there, she might as well go over early to lend a hand.

She changed into different clothes and prepared to leave with Qing Yuan.

But when she reached the door, she remembered Pei Yan’s instructions and turned back to call for Nanny Tao before heading to where Third Madam Yang and the others were staying.

Third Madam Yang was dictating the return gifts for the Gu family, while Miss Xu sat at the desk nearby writing out the gift list.

Seeing Yu Tang enter, both stopped their tasks simultaneously and smiled, beckoning her over to sit.

A’Fu was quick-witted and brought over an embroidered stool for her.

Yu Tang expressed her thanks. After sitting down and the young maids had served tea and refreshments, she asked Third Madam Yang and Miss Xu with a smiling expression, “Is there anything I can help with? Just say the word!”

Third Madam Yang spoke frankly and laughed, “Talking about giving orders is too formal—we’re already very grateful that you’ve come to help us.” She then didn’t stand on ceremony and said, “We originally planned to conduct the formal ceremony here, and wanted you to help us keep an eye on the servants coming and going. Now that we’ve decided to go to the newly purchased estate for the ceremony, the newly bought servants haven’t had time to learn proper etiquette yet, so we’ll probably still need to borrow help from the Pei estate. I’ve written a list—take a look. When the time comes, we’ll still ask you to bring Qing Yuan and help us keep an eye on those servants.”

Yu Tang took the list and saw written on it how many people were needed for the tea and wine room, how many for the kitchen, how many for inside and outside the banquet hall… All told, it required borrowing about a hundred people.

She was secretly astonished and asked, “How large is the new estate?”

“We don’t know yet!” Third Madam Yang laughed. “Fourth Steward is helping to find it. However, based on a ratio of two or three people serving one person, I’ve calculated rather conservatively.”

Miss Xu also added from the side, “There’s no help for it. I see that this estate doesn’t have many people either, so we can only make do for now.”

As the three chatted, Yu Tang soon stopped thinking about Pei Yan.

Meanwhile, Pei Yan, having returned to his own room, sat cross-legged on a meditation chair with a somber face, saying nothing.

The servants attending him were all frightened and trembling, not knowing what had happened.

A clever young servant even ran to report to Fourth Steward.

Fourth Steward was greatly alarmed and, unable to continue looking for brokers, came running over in small quick steps.

A’Cha was pacing anxiously outside the door. Seeing Fourth Steward arrive, he rushed over as if seeing a savior and said in a choked voice, “Fourth Steward, please think of something! Third Master drove us all out and is staying alone in the room. It’s been ages since anyone went in to attend to him. Look, we haven’t even had a chance to bring tea and refreshments yet!”

Fourth Steward looked sternly at the young servant behind A’Cha holding a tray. The young servant shrank back and lowered his head.

Because Third Master didn’t usually stay on this side, the people in this estate wanted to curry favor with Third Master but had no opportunity. He had been promoted to Third Master’s side by Fourth Steward after his arrival, and his whole family was still hoping he could make something of himself!

Fourth Steward said in a low voice, “Who did Third Master go to see before?”

A’Cha replied, “Miss Yu.”

“Did the two of them…” Fourth Steward looked at A’Cha with a penetrating gaze.

But A’Cha remained oblivious and said, “We don’t know what they talked about either. Third Master didn’t let me follow. I only know that Third Master went in high spirits, but came out with a stern face. After returning to his room and sitting down without saying a word, he drove us all out…”

So the issue lay with Miss Yu.

At this moment, Fourth Steward realized it was a great oversight not to have arranged a managing matron at Miss Yu’s place.

But arranging one now would be too late.

After thinking it over, he called over a trusted aide, gave him two pieces of broken silver, and told him to find a way to see Shuang Tao: “Find out clearly what Third Master and Miss Yu talked about?”

The trusted aide rushed off.

Fourth Steward could only wait outside the door.

As the early summer sun gradually rose to midday, Fourth Steward’s trusted aide came back sweating to report: “Shuang Tao went with Miss Yu to Third Madam Yang’s place. The one on duty with Miss Yu and Third Master at the time was Qing Lian.”

Which meant they wouldn’t learn anything at all!

Fourth Steward was anxious and worried, but could only wait.

Over there, the broker took the Pei household’s junior steward to view several estates. The junior steward felt each had its advantages and disadvantages, privately ranked them in his mind, and planned to return to report to Fourth Steward, then bring Yin Hao over in the afternoon to view them and settle the estate matter. Who knew that Yin Hao was an impatient person? After waiting a while, he became restless, personally went to find Fourth Steward, and happened to run right into the junior steward returning with news.

Seeing that Fourth Steward hadn’t gone himself at all, Yin Hao was immediately furious. Without a word, he came to find Pei Yan.

And everyone just happened to meet at Pei Yan’s door.

Yin Hao was stunned and asked Fourth Steward, “What’s going on here?”

Fourth Steward was at a loss. Seeing Yin Hao, his eyes immediately filled with hope. He told Yin Hao what had happened—though naturally, he concealed the fact that Pei Yan had gone to see Yu Tang. Finally, he asked Yin Hao worriedly, “Has something happened with Eunuch Wang?”

In Fourth Steward’s view, only such matters could possibly make Pei Yan show his emotions so openly. As for Yu Tang, while it was possible, this time it seemed more like a coincidence.

Yin Hao scoffed at Fourth Steward’s judgment.

He said, “Your Third Master even confronts Grand Secretary Zhang whenever he wants—would he fear Wang Qibao?”

Yin Hao asked about the course of events again in detail, found nothing unusual, went through the events of recent days once more, and still found nothing that would trouble Pei Yan. Only then did he say to Fourth Steward, “I’ll go take a look!”

Fourth Steward was deeply grateful and saw Yin Hao to the door.

Yin Hao didn’t stand on ceremony and pushed the door open directly. He saw Pei Yan sitting cross-legged on the meditation chair like a monk in deep meditation, eyes closed, his wooden expression bizarrely revealing traces of dejection. Hearing the movement, his eyes and brows didn’t even twitch.

This Pei Xiaguang!

The last time he’d seen him like this was when the Pei family’s eldest son had suddenly died.

What major incident had he encountered this time?

Yin Hao boldly pulled over an armchair and sat across from Pei Yan, saying, “All right, there’s no one else here. Say whatever you want to say!”

Pei Yan didn’t even open his eyes and said listlessly, “I don’t want to say anything, and don’t ask. I want to be alone.”

Yin Hao made a sound of exasperation and said, “You think I want to sit here with you? I have no choice! Hundreds of people up and down your estate are all waiting outside. I can’t get anyone to attend to anything I want done. Otherwise, why would I come to see your sour face!”

“Isn’t it just Gu Chang’s trivial matters?” Pei Yan opened his eyes, looking at Yin Hao with disdain, and said, “If he can’t even handle the broken remnants of the Gu family, such a son-in-law isn’t worth having anyway!”

Yin Hao was so exasperated he laughed and said, “Wasn’t this marriage alliance something you strongly promoted?”

“Aren’t we victims too?” Pei Yan began striking out, “His sister will be marrying into our family in a few days. Whatever your family encounters, our family will encounter the same. Moreover, your family can still break off the engagement now, unlike our family’s idiot who plunged in headfirst and can’t get out, still thinking he picked up a precious treasure.”

Yin Hao didn’t know what to say.

But Pei Yan still felt displeased and wanted to continue mocking Gu Chang a few more times, but suddenly felt it was meaningless.

Although he still didn’t know how Yu Tang had met Gu Chang in that dream, Gu Chang must have had designs on Yu Tang—otherwise, Gu Chang wouldn’t have spoken so warmly with Yu Tang.

Perhaps Gu Chang, unable to have her, had developed wicked thoughts toward Yu Tang, which was why Yu Tang had dreamed of him.

Pei Yan speculated with some malice.

No wonder he had felt so uncomfortable watching Gu Chang talk with Yu Tang.

Speaking of which, his rift with Yu Tang was all caused by Gu Chang—if he hadn’t been so warm toward Yu Tang, he wouldn’t have felt so uncomfortable, wouldn’t have sarcastically criticized Yu Tang without even realizing it himself, and Yu Tang wouldn’t have felt wronged and gotten angry with him.

At least Gu Chang had some sense to agree to the marriage with the Yin family, otherwise…

Otherwise what?

Could he actually fight Gu Chang over this?!

Thinking of this, he couldn’t sit still.

Yu Tang couldn’t possibly know about Gu Chang’s little designs on her, could she?

So was her dejected mood because he had made her angry? Or was it because Gu Chang had climbed up and become engaged to the Yin family?

No!

He had to go ask.

Pei Yan clearly knew Yin Hao was here and should exercise patience. He could completely hand Yin Hao over to Fourth Steward and go to Yu Tang’s place after he finished with the estate business. But he couldn’t wait even a few moments—he had to get answers right now.

Pei Yan slipped on his shoes and was about to walk out.

Yin Hao grabbed him and said, “What’s the meaning of this? I arrive and you leave—if I leave, will you come back? I haven’t offended you, have I? Why are you acting like you’ve swallowed a firecracker?”