Gu Xi sneered twice and said: “From now on, let’s meddle less in the eldest young master’s affairs. If he wants to make a fool of himself, let him make a fool of himself—just don’t drag us in and make others think we’re as lacking in judgment as he is.”
Lotus Fragrance didn’t dare respond.
Gu Xi was about to snap the wooden comb in her hand.
On the second day of the new year when she returned to her natal home, Gu Chang had found her for a private conversation.
During that conversation, her elder brother told her that when she didn’t have the power to change or contend with Pei Yan, it was best not to challenge Pei Yan’s authority. He also told her that if anything came up, she might as well seek Yu Tang’s help. He said Yu Tang had a gentle temperament, was sensible and understanding. Since First Madam couldn’t rely on Old Madam Pei, and Pei Tong’s relationship with Pei Yan was difficult to truly become close because First Madam stood between them, she might as well take Yu Tang’s route, get along well with Yu Tang, and when relations were tense, hope Yu Tang would speak a few words on her behalf.
When Gu Xi heard her brother speak of Yu Tang this way, she was stunned. She wanted to ask her brother “which eye did you use to see that Yu Tang has a gentle temperament?” But when she saw her brother continue to chatter on about Yu Tang’s virtues, she suddenly understood—her brother had an unusually favorable impression of Yu Tang, and these beautiful feelings likely stemmed from that chance fleeting glance at Yu Tang’s face, which was prettier than ordinary girls’.
Her brother, who had studied diligently in cold rooms for ten years, was well-versed in Confucius and Mencius, proficient in the Spring and Autumn Annals and Analects, yet like those common men in the marketplace, because of Yu Tang’s face, unilaterally decided Yu Tang was a virtuous and refined beauty!
Were all men like this?
Gu Xi was too disappointed.
She didn’t even know what Gu Chang said to her afterward. She only remembered that her eldest sister-in-law, several years younger than herself, had entered with a bright smile carrying a plate of fruit, enthusiastically inviting her to eat fruit, and even told her: “My eldest brother and I are departing for the capital after the tenth. I heard before that your husband wanted to come study in Hangzhou City. I still have a residence in Hangzhou that’s sitting empty—if you decide to come to Hangzhou, have the steward give you the keys later. You can move in there and won’t have to rent a place outside. Not only is it inconvenient, but you’d be wasting silver for nothing.”
Gu Xi quickly stood to express thanks, asking why Yin Shi was going to the capital so soon, suppressing that feeling—whether it was contempt for Yu Tang or dissatisfaction with her brother—deep in her heart.
The laughter from next door released all the emotions she’d buried in her heart.
For her to seek Yu Tang’s help—that was impossible.
But her brother was also right.
Before she had sufficient power, she shouldn’t provoke Pei Yan’s displeasure—that was the foundation for survival in the Pei family.
She wasn’t like Pei Tong, who even now still believed in his mother’s methods, thinking the Yang family would be unconditionally good to them, support them without reason.
Hadn’t Yang Grand Madam proposed at their wedding that the Yang family marry into the Pei family again?
What “no daughters of suitable age”—in her view, it was because marrying Pei Fei again would be of no help to the Yang family. If they wanted benefits from the Pei family, it would be best to come from more powerful supporters in the Pei family, such as Pei Xuan, or perhaps Pei Yan’s own children.
Poor her mother-in-law, that woman not only couldn’t discern this but had offended Old Madam Pei again for the Yang family’s sake.
Truly more loss than gain.
However, going to the capital this time meant she could meet with her brother and sister-in-law—that wasn’t entirely a terrible thing.
Her sister-in-law was no simple person either. After marrying in, she not only quickly became familiar with the main branch but thoroughly trampled her stepmother underfoot. Perhaps she could offer some advice about Pei family matters!
Thinking this, Gu Xi’s mood improved.
She drank down the tea in her covered bowl in large gulps, stood up and said to Lotus Fragrance: “Come, the boat is boring. Let’s visit Third Aunt and join the fun.”
Lotus Fragrance couldn’t react for quite a while.
Gu Xi had already selected seven or eight kinds of pastries from the tiered food box for a little maid to carry, saying: “Also bring some good tea. I remember the young master has some Huangshan Cloud and Mist tea that his classmate brought from the capital some days ago—bring some of that.”
The little maid responded and left.
Lotus Fragrance carried the items to the neighboring cabin.
Fifth Miss was telling Yu Tang about Third Miss: “She’s quite dejected. If not for Third Uncle going to the capital, we might have been able to attend her betrothal ceremony before leaving!”
Yu Tang said in surprise: “She’s formally getting betrothed? Why didn’t I hear her mention it before?”
Fifth Miss pouted: “I heard that the old madam on their side suddenly became paralyzed on one side some days ago. The old madam feared delaying their marriage, so she specially sent someone over saying they’d marry first and consummate later. Great-aunt agreed. She probably felt embarrassed about it and didn’t tell you in advance. Who knew you’d suddenly head north with us—she must feel terrible about it!”
Yu Tang hadn’t expected Third Miss would marry so soon either.
She was about to ask about Fourth Miss’s marriage when Gu Xi came to visit. Yu Tang thought Gu Xi had some matter and cut off her topic to invite Gu Xi in.
As soon as Gu Xi entered, she said with a smile: “I heard someone laughing in the cabin and guessed you were here—I didn’t expect you’d actually be here.”
Fifth Miss smiled bashfully and quickly invited her to sit.
Yu Tang asked her: “Is there some urgent matter?”
Gu Xi laughed: “Can’t I visit you without a reason? You’re our Third Aunt now! Right, A’Dan?”
As she spoke, she smiled and leaned against Fifth Miss.
Fifth Miss giggled, finding it quite amusing that Yu Tang had become their aunt.
But Yu Tang felt uncomfortable inside.
Previously, Gu Xi was like this too—no matter who she was talking to, once Gu Xi arrived, she had to seize control of the conversation and attract the attention of whoever was talking to her.
Yu Tang decided to ignore her and just smiled at her.
Gu Xi began discussing going to the capital: “Are we traveling through the night? Will we stop in Suzhou? The Song family is in Suzhou—will we visit the Song family?”
Fifth Miss never concerned herself with such matters. She had elders with her and just followed them.
She could only look toward Yu Tang.
Yu Tang smiled: “We probably won’t stop in Suzhou. We need to hurry to the capital.” She instinctively guarded against Pei You’s branch, not wanting to tell Gu Xi the reason for going to the capital, and continued: “Your Third Uncle is going to the capital because Minister Zhang summoned him.” She added with a worried expression, murmuring: “I wonder what’s happened in the capital that they specially sent Mister Chen over.”
Gu Xi hadn’t planned to inquire why Pei Yan was going to the capital.
For her, if there was an opportunity, one should definitely go to the capital—the capital had far more opportunities than other places. Even if Pei Yan retired at home, being able to frequently associate with these dignitaries in the capital could intimidate Hangzhou’s officials and the Three Provincial Offices of Zhejiang. Going to the capital was very necessary.
She continued chatting with Yu Tang: “I heard the eldest young master say our family has a residence in the capital. Where is that residence? Is it near Chang’an Street? When we enter the capital, can we go shopping in the streets?”
Discussing these matters, Yu Tang was quite familiar.
She roughly sketched a map of the capital, telling them where the imperial palace was, where Chang’an Boulevard was, where the Six Ministries’ offices were, where they lived, including where they would disembark and which gate they’d enter the city—all clearly explained. Even people like Gu Xi and Fifth Miss who had never been to the capital could understand at a glance.
Fifth Miss said admiringly: “Third Aunt, you’re so impressive! You must have read many books?”
Yu Tang’s face flushed red, and she actually stammered: “Not at all, these things—your Third Uncle told me about them.”
He even tested her.
If she answered incorrectly, he’d continue “drawing” on her body, making her wish for death. Just thinking about it made her wish for a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Fortunately, neither Fifth Miss nor Gu Xi understood the “severity” of this relationship. Fifth Miss’s eyes sparkled as she said enviously: “Third Uncle treats you so well! Those days I asked A’Hong how we’d get to Shandong, and I bribed him with a box of fine wolf-hair brushes before he impatiently told me offhandedly, leaving me still confused to this day.”
Yu Tang couldn’t tell the difference at first either.
It was Pei Yan who first taught her how to read north, south, east, and west on maps before she gradually got some understanding.
She comforted Fifth Miss: “Maybe A’Hong doesn’t really understand either?”
Fifth Miss snorted coldly and complained: “But he shouldn’t pretend to understand! When I see Father, I’m going to tell Father and have Father severely punish him by making him write five hundred extra large characters every day.”
Yu Tang smiled with pressed lips.
But Gu Xi felt somewhat dazed.
Since childhood, she’d never been tattled on like this, never been punished like this… She hadn’t expected Pei Xuan to be so good to his children… hadn’t expected Pei Yan would tell Yu Tang such things… Between her and Pei Tong, aside from daily greetings, they rarely discussed other matters…
Gu Xi quickly collected her emotions and continued smiling at Yu Tang: “I heard my sister-in-law say they live near Fuxing Gate. Is that far from our family’s residence?”
Near Fuxing Gate—didn’t Miss Xu also live in that area?
Could it be Gu Chang lived on Yin family territory in the capital?
Yu Tang didn’t want to inquire in detail and said vaguely: “It should be quite close. We also live in that area. It’s near the Six Ministries—convenient for going to the offices and for handling affairs.”
Gu Xi was somewhat surprised.
She’d thought Pei Yan had only given Yu Tang a rough overview, but now it seemed he’d been quite detailed.
Even after entering the capital, Yu Tang wouldn’t be completely in the dark like her, knowing nothing.
Pei Yan was such a cold person—she hadn’t expected that after marriage he’d be so good to his wife.
Gu Xi couldn’t describe what she felt inside. She absent-mindedly chatted with Yu Tang and Fifth Miss, passing the time on the boat.
But Yu Tang was forced by Pei Yan to continue studying the capital’s maps, with him saying things like “so you won’t get lost after entering the city.” When she went out, she’d have maids, matrons, drivers, and guards following her—how could she get lost? He was clearly just using this as an excuse to “punish” her.
Every time she thought about how Gu Xi had come to visit after hearing Fifth Miss’s laughter, she couldn’t help but clutch the bed corner tightly, not daring to make a sound. But Pei Yan most enjoyed bullying her—the more she acted this way, the more unrestrained he became. Finally one day Yu Tang lost control and burst into tears, weakly kicking Pei Yan several times before he learned the reason.
He couldn’t help but laugh heartily, kissing Yu Tang’s sweat-dampened temples, saying warmly: “Silly girl, how could your husband bear to make you lose face in front of Gu Xi? Have you forgotten how I helped you before?”