Yu Wen readily agreed, adding, “Should I accompany you as well? Your brothers are young—I’m afraid they might not host properly and fail in etiquette.”

Yu Tang smiled and said, “The family property will eventually be handed over to my brothers. You and eldest uncle need to give them opportunities to gain experience.”

Yu Wen smiled and nodded, informed Yu Bo, and the next day after breakfast, went to the Pei residence.

Pei Yan was accompanying Old Madam Pei at breakfast when he heard that the Yu father and daughter had arrived. Pei Yan muttered quietly, “Why are they only coming now?” The old madam was instructing a young maid to take Yu Tang to the flower hall and hadn’t heard clearly what Pei Yan said. She couldn’t help turning back to ask, “What did you say?”

“Nothing.” Pei Yan said seriously, as if Old Madam Pei had misheard.

Am I getting old?

Old Madam Pei wondered to herself, dismissed Pei Yan, and went to the flower hall.

Because she was coming to see Pei Yan, Yu Tang had specially dressed up. A water-green plain Hangzhou silk jacket, an oil-green moonlight skirt, with a row of freshly bloomed jasmine flowers inserted behind her double-coiled buns, carrying a faint floral fragrance—in the early summer dawn, she was as gorgeous as pomegranate blossoms about to bloom on the branch tips.

This young lady grows more beautiful each day.

Old Madam Pei praised silently in her heart, sitting with Yu Tang by the lattice partition in the flower hall with a smile.

Yu Tang stepped forward to pay her respects and presented the local gifts she had brought back from Hangzhou.

Old Madam Pei said politely, “You young ladies rarely get to go out—you should just enjoy yourselves. Why bring me anything!”

Yu Tang smiled and said, “Last time at Zhaoming Temple, I was under your care but never properly thanked you. This time I came not only to greet you but also to express my gratitude properly.” Finishing, she rose and respectfully performed a deep bow to Old Madam Pei.

Old Madam Pei accepted it with a chuckle. Once Yu Tang was seated again, she spoke with her about the Hangzhou trip.

She had already heard Pei Yan’s brief account of his affairs. What interested her were matters concerning the female family members of Qin Wei’s household, who would soon be going to the capital as officials, and the marriage alliance between the Yin and Gu families.

Yu Tang then told the old madam in detail about the matters she knew.

Old Madam Pei’s mouth kept twitching as she listened.

This son of hers truly showed no mercy when scheming against people, but what benefit did scheming against Gu Chang bring him? When harming others, one should benefit oneself—but his harming others without benefiting himself, could it be that his old habit had flared up again, bored with nothing to do, starting to cause trouble everywhere?

Old Madam Pei was deeply worried.

Second Madam and Fifth Miss came to pay their respects to the old madam.

Old Madam Pei quickly had them invited in.

When everyone met, there was naturally a round of warm greetings.

After the pleasantries, Yu Tang presented the local gifts for Second Madam and Fifth Miss.

Second Madam smiled graciously as she expressed thanks. Fifth Miss, however, joyfully exclaimed “I have one too,” her childish voice making everyone laugh.

Yu Tang handed the local gifts for the other Miss Peis to Second Madam, asking her to pass them along.

Second Madam thanked her on behalf of the several Miss Peis. Fifth Miss then pulled Yu Tang to play in her room.

Old Madam Pei always liked indulging the children. Not only did she agree with a smile, she also instructed Stewardess Ji, “Didn’t they send fresh lotus pods from the estate? Shell a plate of lotus seeds and send them over to the two children.”

Stewardess Ji agreed with a smile.

This time it was Yu Tang’s turn to be surprised. She said, “There are lotus pods at this time already?”

Old Madam Pei smiled and said, “It’s Third Son’s doing. I don’t know how he managed it—we just eat them.”

Second Madam then explained, “It was Third Master’s work.”

Could Pei Yan truly have a talent for farming?

Yu Tang thought about this and smiled.

Fifth Miss walked hand in hand with her out of Old Madam Pei’s courtyard.

But just as they went out the door, they encountered A’Ming peeking around furtively.

“Miss Yu!” Seeing Yu Tang, his eyes lit up. He trotted over and said, “Third Master asks that you go to him after seeing the old madam. He has urgent matters to discuss with you.”

It must be about their family’s mountain forest.

Yu Tang guessed, and could only apologetically bid farewell to Fifth Miss.

Fifth Miss, afraid of delaying her business, urged her to go quickly: “When you’re free, come to the residence again to play with us. We also want to discuss with you about helping sell Buddhist incense for Ku’an Temple!”

Yu Tang couldn’t help asking curiously, “Are things not going smoothly for Shopkeeper Little Tong?”

“Very smoothly!” Fifth Miss said excitedly. “That’s why we want to discuss it properly and see if we can do even better.”

So they’ve been encouraged!

Yu Tang agreed with a smile and went with A’Ming to Pei Yan’s study.

Yu Wen surprisingly wasn’t there.

Upon seeing her, Pei Yan complained, “Why are you only coming now? What did you discuss with the old madam?”

Yu Tang looked at Pei Yan strangely and said, “It’s not that late! I wasn’t at the old madam’s place for even half a shichen!”

Half a shichen still isn’t long?!

Pei Yan thought—women together just talk too much.

He said, “Old Master Yu originally wanted to wait for you to come, but he said he needed to go see the Li family’s residence with Old Master Wu and was rushing to the dock. I couldn’t very well detain him, so I had someone escort him to the dock.”

Yu Tang didn’t notice Pei Yan’s change in how he addressed Yu Wen, but rather shook her head with some amusement and asked Pei Yan, “Do you think the Li family’s residence is worth buying?”

“That depends on the price!” Pei Yan said indifferently. “In any case, it’s not worth much money—just consider it making the old gentleman happy.”

Yu Tang quite agreed with Pei Yan’s assessment.

Pei Yan then arranged to depart that afternoon for Yu Tang’s ancestral home.

Yu Tang was stunned, saying, “Isn’t that too fast?”

If they departed this afternoon, they wouldn’t arrive until evening—wouldn’t they have to stay an extra night in Yu Family Village?

But Pei Yan said, “The sooner this matter is concluded, the better. Once the Dragon Boat Festival passes, nothing more can be planted.”

Yu Tang was persuaded.

She returned home and invited Yu Yuan.

Yu Yuan had received word last night and had packed a few sets of clothes. After Yu Tang’s side finished packing her trunks, they waited together at Yu Tang’s home for the Pei residence’s mule cart.

With nothing to do, the two chatted from the family’s mountain forest to the family’s lacquerware shop. Yu Yuan sighed, “Thank goodness for this opportunity—otherwise our family shop would never have had the chance to appear at Zhaoming Temple, much less receive over a dozen orders at once. With this beginning, I feel our family’s lacquerware shop will surely prosper more and more.”

They should thank Pei Yan for this.

Yu Tang asked, “What kind of people placed the orders?”

Yu Yuan smiled and said, “All housewives in charge, and some from wealthy households in Hangzhou and Suzhou, mostly ordering boxes for storing Buddhist scriptures, the same as Old Madam Pei’s.”

Yu Tang said, “Take it slowly. As long as we do good work and more families know about us, orders will increase.”

The siblings were both full of aspirations for the future, smiling warmly, when the Pei residence’s mule cart arrived.

Yu Tang and Yu Yuan bade farewell to Chen Shi. Yu Yuan led Yu Tang as they walked out, saying as they went, “Mule carts are still the best. I’ll work hard at business and try to add a mule cart for the family next year. Then you and your sister-in-law can take your nephew out for spring outings together.”

“So is elder brother buying it for me or for sister-in-law?” Yu Tang couldn’t help laughing, teasing Yu Yuan.

Yu Yuan’s face turned bright red.

But when the two went out the door, they discovered Hu Xing accompanying Pei Yan standing beside the Pei residence’s mule cart.

Yu Yuan was startled and stepped forward anxiously, saying, “How did you come personally? How could we trouble you to make this trip! Please come inside for tea!”

Pei Yan glanced at Yu Tang, noticing she had changed into a bright blue jacket embroidered with moon-white branching flowers and wore small pearl earrings. She looked fresh and neat. He nodded inwardly with approval and said briskly, “We’re all going to your ancestral home together—isn’t traveling together perfectly normal? What’s surprising about that? I won’t have tea. While it’s still early, we should hurry on our way. It might be a bit hot on the road though, so make sure to drink plenty of water.”

Yu Yuan respectfully agreed.

Hu Xing quickly lifted the curtain for Yu Tang.

Yu Yuan couldn’t help looking at Hu Xing suspiciously.

Pei Yan’s face immediately darkened somewhat as he said, “I saw Miss Yu found Qing Yuan quite convenient to use, so for this trip to Yu Family Village, I’ve brought her along as well.”

As he spoke, Qing Yuan poked her head out from the carriage and happily called out “Miss” to Yu Tang.

Yu Tang had kept her company during this period and was already very familiar with her. Seeing her naturally made Yu Tang happy too, so she said nothing more and was helped into the mule cart by the accompanying matron.

Pei Yan then invited Yu Yuan to ride with him.

Yu Yuan felt tremendous pressure but couldn’t very well refuse, so he could only steel himself and board the cart.

In the front carriage, Yu Tang and Qing Yuan chattered away. In the rear carriage, Pei Yan searched for topics to ask Yu Yuan about Yu Tang’s affairs but was rebuffed.

Pei Yan touched his nose, not expecting that the seemingly very gentle Yu Yuan had his own principles—saying what should be said and absolutely refusing to say what shouldn’t be said, no matter what. In this respect, he surpassed many sons of aristocratic families.

With such a cousin, even if Yu Tang couldn’t become wealthy and noble, she wouldn’t be held back or have trouble caused for her.

Thinking of this, Pei Yan felt somewhat of a headache coming on and pressed his temples.

Although Yu Yuan’s presence was within his and Hu Xing’s expectations, the moment he saw Yu Yuan, Pei Yan was still a bit unhappy. However, they also had Hu Xing—getting Yu Yuan out of the way wouldn’t be difficult.

Pei Yan felt somewhat better and began discussing with Yu Yuan the characteristics of fruit groves in various regions.

The group swayed and jolted along until they arrived at Yu Family Village.

The village head had received word in the morning and after hastily eating breakfast had been waiting here. Now seeing the Yu siblings, he hurried forward to pay his respects.

The Yu siblings weren’t polite and accepted their formal bows. After meeting several family elders, they began telling everyone why they had returned.

The old clan patriarch didn’t care much. In his view, several generations of the Yu family hadn’t been able to think of any way to increase the mountain forest’s income. He wasn’t as clever as his predecessors, so he didn’t think about this matter. Therefore, when the Yu family proposed staying in the village for several days and needed to invite familiar people to lead them into the mountains and such, these were all trivial matters to him that weren’t worth mentioning.

Pei Yan was quite pleased—he hadn’t expected things to progress so smoothly.

He chose a side room closest to Yu Tang’s to stay in. The person the Yu family had assigned to watch the forest and Wang Si heard the news and hurried over. Wang Si was in a better position—having gotten engaged to Shuang Tao, no matter what, the Yu family would look after him to some degree. The forest guardian who had arrived before Wang Si was different—he had no outstanding abilities and didn’t know if he could stay on.

In her previous life, Yu Tang had gone to the Li family and frequently dealt with these servants. She knew what the forest guardian was worried about and tactfully told him that the family planned to plant more fruit trees in the mountain forest—not only would they not reduce staff, they would hire a few more people. Only then was the forest guardian appeased.