Fine beads of sweat appeared on Pei Yan’s forehead, yet his expression showed not a trace of panic. Inwardly, he pondered who would be best to arrange the marriage proposal.

This person must have very good private relations with Yu Wen and also be able to speak with the Pei family.

Unfortunately, the Yu and Pei families’ statuses were vastly disparate. Pei Yan ran through everyone in his mind but couldn’t find anyone suitable.

Just as he was wondering whether he should ask Old Madam Pei for help, he suddenly thought of Old Master Wu who’d been drinking with him at the Yu household today.

Wasn’t this a ready-made candidate?

Pei Yan instructed Hu Xing, “Go send a calling card to Old Master Wu of Green Bamboo Lane, saying Second Master requests his presence at home for drinks.”

Hu Xing acknowledged and left.

Pei Yan went to see Pei Xuan.

Pei Xuan was using a small spray bottle to clean the leaves of several pots of orchids he was cultivating. Seeing his younger brother arrive, he didn’t put down his spray bottle but tilted his chin to say “Sit,” then asked, “What tea will you have? I’ve got newly delivered Biluochun here, and also Xinyang Maojian.”

Both men had grown up in Lin’an, yet neither particularly drank West Lake Longjing tea.

Pei Xuan preferred Biluochun and Xinyang Maojian, while Pei Yan favored Fujian rock tea and Qimen black tea.

Pei Yan hadn’t come to drink tea with his brother, but he wasn’t one to shortchange himself either. He instructed Pei Xuan’s manservant to brew him a pot of Qimen black tea.

Since it wasn’t tea Pei Xuan regularly drank, the manservant searched for quite a while before finding the canister of Qimen black tea, and was complained at by A’Ming: “If you couldn’t remember clearly, you should have told me. I could run back to fetch it faster than you.”

It was fortunate Second Master and Second Madam were both gentle-natured. If this were in their Third Master’s quarters, he’d have been reassigned to sweep the courtyard long ago.

Pei Xuan discussed his reinstatement with Pei Yan: “I wrote a letter to my mentor. The old gentleman quite agrees with me seeking a position in the capital. But as you know, Fourth Great-Uncle’s third cousin has also recently intended to become an official in the capital. I don’t know your arrangements, and was thinking that after you finish your business in Hangzhou, we two brothers need to sit down and have a proper talk. Yet here you’ve come first. Then have lunch here at noon—I’ll have them make your favorite turnip sauce buns.”

Pei Wang’s third son was named Pei Feng. About the same age as Pei Xuan, he’d been prefect of Baoding Prefecture for several years. By rights, he should be transferred to the capital for office. But Pei Xuan and Pei Feng were clan cousins—Pei Xuan feared the Pei family would attract attention from other families because of this.

Pei Yan had never much agreed with the family’s so-called “keeping a low profile” approach.

Where people walked, they left traces. The Pei family wanted both wealth and feared lacking power as backing, worried about inviting covetousness and calamity. How could they truly fade from worldly eyes? The best method was naturally to engage with the world.

Besides, who could truly last a thousand generations?

When it was time to decline, decline; when it was time for renewal, renew. This was the true way of being human.

Hearing this, he said, “Elder Brother needn’t worry about such things. Even for Cousin Feng, I’ve already sent word for him to find Zhou Zijing. Zhou Zijing will be in the capital these days—have him find a way to help Cousin Feng secure a better position. Why should our family always yield and be cautious everywhere? Living like this too long makes people decadent. Look at the next generation—aside from Pei Chan and Pei Bo, who else warrants a second glance?”

Pei Xuan said nothing, feeling his brother was quite right. He felt even more that their father’s deathbed decision to entrust the Pei family to Pei Yan couldn’t have been more correct.

He personally brewed tea for his younger brother.

Having just lectured his brother so boldly, Pei Yan now had to lower his head to ask Pei Xuan for help, which made him somewhat embarrassed.

The two brothers drank two cups of tea in silence. Finally, Pei Yan mustered his courage: “Elder Brother, I have a matter I must ask your help with!”

Perhaps because he rarely asked anyone for favors, his tone was quite stiff. But with Pei Xuan’s understanding of his brother, he still knew this was something very important.

Pei Xuan’s heart tensed.

This younger brother of his was not only intelligent and strategic but also proud and haughty. He wouldn’t ordinarily ask anyone for help.

Not even his full brother.

He couldn’t help but sit up straight and say solemnly, “Speak!”

Pei Yan felt even more uncomfortable. He lowered his head and drank two more sips of tea before slowly saying, “It’s like this. The other day, didn’t Mother host a scripture lecture at Zhaoming Temple? People from the Song and Wu families came, constantly pulling Mother or pulling me to discuss my marriage. Fourth Madam Song simply moved in and still hasn’t left. I figured this wasn’t sustainable and planned to just marry a Lin’an girl as my wife. It so happened that a few days ago when I was conducting business in Hangzhou, the daughter of Scholar Yu’s family from Green Bamboo Lane accompanied Yin Mingyuan’s fiancée to Hangzhou. We met several times, and I felt that young lady was quite good. So I mentioned it to Mother, and Mother also thought it was fine. Now we just lack someone to raise this matter with the Yu family. That’s why I’ve come to ask Elder Brother.”

Pei Xuan listened in stunned disbelief.

When had his younger brother become such an honest, timid person?

He’d yielded just because the Song, Wu, and other families came with marriage proposals?

Then who was the one who years ago made the Zhang and Li families unable to save face?

Pei Xuan couldn’t help scrutinizing his younger brother carefully.

Only then did he notice Pei Yan’s ears were a bit red.

Haha!

Pei Xuan laughed heartily inwardly.

What pressure from marriage proposals—his younger brother had taken a fancy to that Scholar Yu’s daughter!

And what about Mother agreeing?

Mother had probably been infuriated enough to take to her bed by now.

Ever since his eldest brother married Lady Yang, what Mother most detested was private romantic entanglements. Not breaking up lovebirds was already generous—and she’d agreed?

This was the first time Pei Xuan had seen Pei Yan so awkward. He found it enormously interesting, his playful nature rising: “Don’t worry, this matter is in my hands. I’ll go discuss it with Mother right away. Just wait for my news.”

Let’s see how Mother deals with him then!

Pei Xuan couldn’t wait to see Old Madam Pei.

Seeing his brother pat his chest in assurance, how could Pei Yan imagine Pei Xuan wasn’t thinking this at all? He was not only grateful but also felt he hadn’t paid enough attention to Second Brother’s affairs. He said bashfully, “Then I’ll trouble Elder Brother.” He even helped Pei Xuan with suggestions: “Scholar Yu has excellent private relations with Old Master Wu who lives next door to them. If you go to the Yu household, you might bring Old Master Wu along as company.”

He’d thought of every method!

Pei Xuan immediately agreed. But when he turned to see Old Madam Pei, he said, “Mother, what has younger brother been busy with these days? He’s asked me to help arrange a marriage proposal, saying he wants to marry the daughter of Scholar Yu’s family from Green Bamboo Lane. Does Mother know about this? We have no relations with the Yu family—should we inquire in advance about what kind of situation the Yu family is in?”

Who knew that upon hearing this, Old Madam Pei didn’t produce the scene he’d anticipated. She merely glanced at him coolly: “Your younger brother asked you to be the matchmaker? Then go ahead and inquire.”

Pei Xuan scratched his head, not knowing what to say.

Old Madam Pei knew this son of hers. He seemed honest and dutiful, but when mischievous, he was more troublesome than an ignorant child.

“This is your younger brother’s matter,” Old Madam Pei urged Pei Xuan. “As his elder brother, you must handle his affairs well and not let people laugh at our Pei family.”

Pei Xuan was dumbfounded.

His mother actually knew about this matter and had agreed to Third Brother’s marriage!

No kneeling outside the bedroom for half the night like Eldest Brother? No being whipped with an oil-soaked whip until he couldn’t get out of bed?

How had Third Brother managed it?

Why could he always accomplish whatever he wanted to do?!

Pei Xuan thought with no small amount of jealousy: The old lady was just biased!

He left Old Madam Pei’s courtyard dejectedly, waiting for Old Master Wu to arrive for “tea” as Pei Yan had instructed.

After learning Pei Yan had come to her home, Yu Tang had indeed deliberately avoided him. She hadn’t done anything outrageous, just stayed in her room making hair ornaments, planning to give them as gifts to family relatives and friends during the Qixi Festival. So much so that when Ma Xiuniang came to check on her out of concern, she found her surprisingly calm and composed—a far cry from the day she’d come to see her, as if she’d become a different person. Ma Xiuniang couldn’t help doubting whether she’d misheard.

“You didn’t say anything to my mother, did you?” Yu Tang asked Ma Xiuniang with some unease.

Ma Xiuniang glared at her: “Am I the type without sense?”

If Pei Yan hadn’t yet managed things with his family and she’d blabbed, and if any rumors spread, how could Yu Tang face people in the future!

Yu Tang raised her eyebrows and smiled: “I won’t speak up for him. If he needs me to step in for even these matters, clearly he lacks sincerity.”

This meant not interfering with Pei Yan, letting him struggle—if this match could succeed, fine; if not, she wouldn’t force it!

Ma Xiuniang gently pinched Yu Tang’s cheek: “Don’t be contrary. Who was it that was so anxious before me?”

Yu Tang blushed and admitted it, but still didn’t plan to speak up for Pei Yan: “He can’t possibly lack even the courage to bring this up, can he? That’s certainly not something I should do.”

That was true.

Ma Xiuniang nodded repeatedly. But ultimately she felt Yu Tang wouldn’t encounter a better match than this. Somewhat worried about unexpected complications, even after returning from the Yu household, she had Xique monitor the Yu household’s movements.

But for several days running, there was no activity at the Yu household.

Just as she was hesitating whether to visit the Yu household again, Yu Wen had already exploded.

He glared furiously at Old Master Wu: “What did you say? Third Master Pei wants to marry our daughter?! What’s his age? What’s our daughter’s age? No way! This is absolutely not happening!”

Old Master Wu was startled by his decisive tone: “Third Master Pei is merely famous from youth. He’s only six or seven years older than your daughter. Isn’t this quite good? The girl won’t have to suffer hardship with her husband. She’ll immediately become a jinshi’s wife. What could be better than this?”

“Still no way!” As soon as Yu Wen thought that Pei Yan had been so good to their family with ulterior motives, that even the money he’d thought he’d earned himself was charity from others, he wanted to run before Pei Yan and throw all the silver he’d eaten and drunk in the past right in Pei Yan’s face. “Our daughter isn’t unable to marry. Besides, our family plans to keep our daughter and take in a son-in-law.”