The Li Family main branch, after all, managed Li Family affairs and had to set an example for the entire clan. Although they had split from Li Duan’s branch, at this time they especially couldn’t add insult to injury and invite criticism. Knowing that Li Duan had returned to their hometown with Lin Shi, the clan head personally went to the Li residence with his eldest son.

Without the help of the Li Family members looking after things, those among Li Duan’s household servants with ulterior motives had long since absconded with Li Family property. Those who remained were all loyal hereditary servants. But such people were in the minority. The previously exquisite and magnificent pavilions and halls were now covered in dust, presenting a scene of decay.

Standing in the courtyard, the Li Family clan head couldn’t help but sigh softly.

For a family to prosper and flourish required several generations of effort, but ruin came in the blink of an eye.

He asked Li Duan: “Is there anything we can help you with?”

How could Li Duan have the face to ask the main branch for help? Moreover, when the main branch split from their family back then, the circumstances were suspicious. He had always suspected someone was stirring up trouble, but later he was preoccupied with affairs in the capital and had no opportunity to investigate. But at this time, it was even less appropriate to investigate—their family had already fallen. If it was proven to be someone from their own clan, who knew if it wouldn’t alert the enemy and cause those who already harbored ill will toward their family to take advantage of their misfortune, plunging them into even more difficult circumstances. If it was outsiders, guessing this way and that, it was just those few families. Even when their family was at its peak they avoided and respected those families, let alone now when their family couldn’t even protect itself.

Just as his father said, now was not the time to settle accounts. Only when he studied diligently and revived the family business could these accounts be properly settled.

Li Duan respectfully bowed to the main branch’s master and said in a low voice: “I can manage the household affairs for now. If I encounter difficulties, I’ll come seek your help then. That you came to see us at this time—we’re already deeply grateful.”

After all, he was a juren graduate. Who knew when he might make his fortune?

The main branch’s master consoled Li Duan with a few words and gave him an envelope of silver: “This is a small personal gesture from me. Please accept it. When you have the means later, it won’t be too late to repay me.”

Li Duan was indeed strapped for cash. Having determined that the Li Family main branch must have done something wrong to his family back then, after a few polite refusals, he accepted it.

The Li Family main branch’s master then took his leave with his son.

Lin Shi, supported by a maid, walked out from the hall and said: “Everything valuable in the house has been stolen away. Some things left by our ancestors for emergencies—I’ve already taken them out and packed them.”

The setting sun of dusk shone on her face, making the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and brows more pronounced. Compared to when they left Lin’an, she had aged more than ten years. Her posture was no longer upright either.

Li Duan felt somewhat heartbroken and stepped forward to support Lin Shi, saying gently: “Mother, you don’t need to worry about these things. I’ll handle them. You rest well tonight, and we’ll leave at daybreak tomorrow.”

They wouldn’t let more Lin’an people know they had returned.

But Lin Shi didn’t want to stay even a moment longer, saying: “We’ll leave overnight and spend the night on the boat. Have all the household arrangements been made? What should be discarded, discard. Don’t be reluctant. When faced with calamity, money is just worldly possessions. With life, naturally we can earn it back.”

Yet her expression was colder and more severe than before.

Li Duan nodded and said: “Everything has been entrusted to Li Si. When our family had troubles, he even had someone bring twenty taels of silver to our family.”

Li Si was a clansman of their Li Family, born of a concubine. After being separated out, by fortunate coincidence he became a broker. The Li Family found him for various pawnshop transactions.

Lin Shi nodded and said harshly: “Your uncle is truly heartless. Back then, who knows how much benefit he received from our family, but this time watching our family’s misfortune, he just stands by and watches. If you prosper in the future, you must never associate with them again.”

Li Duan hesitated for a moment, nodded and agreed “Alright,” but this drew Lin Shi’s displeasure: “Did you actually hear what I said? I’m not speaking to you in anger, but such families shouldn’t be associated with in the first place, let alone your uncle’s family. When there are benefits they draw close, but when trouble comes they run far away. If I find you associating with them again, be careful I won’t acknowledge you as my son.”

“I understand.” Li Duan answered, but felt somewhat uneasy inside.

Back then, he had taken a large sum of silver from the Peng Family and had done some shady things for them…

However, they were hiding in Hangzhou City, and Hangzhou was where several of Jiangnan’s great families had lived for generations. Those surnamed Peng surely wouldn’t dare act rashly.

Li Duan agreed with Lin Shi’s decision: “Then we’ll leave overnight.”

Lin Shi nodded.

Mother and son packed everything that should be taken onto the mule cart, and before Lin’an City’s curfew, quietly headed for Tiaoxi Wharf.

However, going to Tiaoxi Wharf would pass through Qingzhu Alley.

The quiet little alley—every household’s powder-white walls revealed lush green bamboo.

Li Duan couldn’t help but look a few more times.

Then he saw two sedan chairs with blue curtains stopped at the back alley of Qingzhu Alley. The sedan curtains opened, and Pei Yan and Yu Tang exited the chairs one after the other.

Li Duan’s hands tightened as he pressed himself against the cart window.

He saw Pei Yan take Yu Tang’s hand and say a few words to her. Yu Tang’s face was full of shy charm as she lowered her head. As if not satisfied, Pei Yan also gently smoothed Yu Tang’s perfectly arranged hair at her temples.

Not only was Yu Tang not annoyed, she even raised her head and glared at Pei Yan with a coquettish yet reproachful look.

Li Duan collapsed back into the mule cart.

Lin Shi asked with concern: “What’s wrong?”

Li Duan shook his head and didn’t make a sound for a long while.

Pei Yan and Yu Tang… many things he hadn’t understood suddenly became clear.

He shuddered.

No wonder people say the green bamboo snake’s mouth and the wasp’s stinger at its tail are nothing compared to a woman’s poisonous heart.

Was she trying to avenge that young man from the Wei Family?

Li Duan’s mind was in chaos, recalling the events that had happened after he met Yu Tang. He didn’t know which things he had done wrong or where things had gone wrong, leading to today’s situation.

If he regretted it, was it too late?

And from what point should he begin to correct things?

Li Duan didn’t even know that.

Seeing his face suddenly turn deathly pale, Lin Shi didn’t believe his words at all. Instead, after thinking, she instructed the cart driver: “Turn around. I want to see what matter has made you so shaken.”

That last sentence was directed at Li Duan.

Li Duan quickly said: “It’s nothing. I just remembered something. Don’t go to such trouble. Let’s hurry and leave the city, hurry back to Hangzhou City! We’ve been away for so long, there must be a pile of matters waiting for us in Hangzhou City. There’s no need to waste time in Lin’an City.”

But the driver was Lin Shi’s confidant. With Lin Shi speaking so sternly, how dare he not listen?

Then Lin Shi saw Pei Yan help Yu Tang into her sedan chair. Pei Yan even squeezed Yu Tang’s hand. Only after Yu Tang’s sedan disappeared into the back alley of Qingzhu Alley did Pei Yan leave Qingzhu Alley in his own sedan.

“That vile woman!” Lin Shi said through gritted teeth. “No wonder your father was imprisoned! I want to kill her!”

Li Duan remained silent.

Lin Shi’s face contorted fiercely as she twisted Li Duan’s arm, hissing in a low angry voice: “Did you hear me? I want that vile woman dead! Did you hear me!”

Li Duan felt the pain but showed no reaction, responding lowly with “Alright.”

The Li Family’s mule cart swayed and rocked until it reached Tiaoxi Wharf.

Li Duan supported Lin Shi as they boarded the hired boat.

Pei Yan’s side immediately received the news.

“They still returned to Hangzhou City?” He put down the brush in his hand and asked Pei Qi. “Didn’t they say all the property in Hangzhou City was sold? Where are they living? Who helped them?”

“It was Master Shen.” Pei Qi frowned and said. “Master Shen rented a two-room riverside house for the Li Family near Xiaohe Imperial Street in his own name.”

Pei Yan sneered coldly, taking the cloth handed to him by a young servant to wipe his hands, and said: “So that means Shen Shanyan is still counting on Li Duan to study and become an official to revive the family business? Has he been too idle lately? Go and summon Hu Xing.”

Have Hu Xing find something to keep him busy, so he won’t have time to meddle in other people’s affairs.

Pei Qi acknowledged and left. Pei Yan also lost interest in writing his plan.

This summer, when he was in Lin’an, besides handling Pei Family household affairs, he had been stationed at Yu Family’s shop. Not only had he thoroughly understood the carved red lacquer craft, but he had also helped the Yu Family improve many unsuitable aspects. Not only had he enabled the Yu Family to successfully create new molds, but he was also preparing to write these into a manual for the Yu Family’s reference. With this manual, the Yu Family could attract some skilled craftsmen from the surrounding area to join them. This way, the Yu Family workshop’s production capacity would be greatly increased, and they could take on more orders.

He pushed open the window and quietly took a few breaths, feeling that he needed to go claim credit in front of Yu Tang. Otherwise, this little girl would surely forget all about him.

She had been back for two days already and hadn’t sent him any message.

It seemed their wedding should be moved up.

Gu Chang’s was on the twenty-sixth of the ninth month. They should set theirs for the sixth of the tenth month. Perform the ancestral rites and then marry. Their family could still have a good New Year celebration. How wonderful!

The more Pei Yan thought about it, the better it seemed. He simply went to check the almanac himself.

But he had only looked through a few pages of the almanac when Hu Xing arrived.

Pei Yan dismissed the servants attending him and plotted with Hu Xing about the Li Family matter: “The newly arrived Magistrate Wu is from Sichuan. He shouldn’t have any connection with Master Shen, but you should still investigate. Recently didn’t a case occur in Xinqiao Town where a daughter-in-law killed her mother-in-law? Master Shen is a great contemporary scholar and also the instructor at the county school. He should also bear the responsibility of educating the common people. County school matters can be set aside for now. As for the Li Family, wouldn’t the neighbors care about having the son of a corrupt official as their neighbor? And the Li Family residence in Lin’an—it’s so large, and at such a time of misfortune, the feng shui isn’t very good. It probably won’t be easy to sell, will it?”

Hu Xing understood, smiled broadly, acknowledged, and left.

Pei Yan took out the unfinished manual to review it once more. Finding nothing wrong, he returned to his room to change clothes and wash up, then went to Old Madam Pei’s quarters.

Old Madam Pei had just returned to the estate and was listening to the steward report on Mid-Autumn Festival gift matters.

Pei Yan said: “Why didn’t you keep Miss Yu here to help you?”

Old Madam Pei couldn’t help but tap her son a few times with the ledger in her hand, saying: “I’ve seen people play favorites, but never anyone as biased as you. I taught her the Dragon Boat Festival gift arrangements hand by hand. Surely she can’t have forgotten already?”

Pei Yan said shamelessly: “Isn’t the Mid-Autumn Festival perfect for letting her practice? Then at the Spring Festival you won’t need to manage these matters. You can just crack melon seeds and chat with Aunt Yi and the others. How leisurely and comfortable that would be!”