Yu Tang opened her eyes wide and looked at Pei Yan.
She didn’t know how alluring her wet, wide eyes were. She was only thinking that she’d clearly heard Gu Xi say she could hear the sounds from their side—so how would Pei Yan explain this away?
Seeing her like this, Pei Yan was utterly smitten. He lowered his head to kiss her cheek again before whispering in her ear: “The cabin walls are all double-layered planks with padding in between. If we don’t open the windows, sound can’t pass through at all. It’s precisely because of this that when the windows are open, the sound is actually louder than in ordinary cabins.”
Yu Tang didn’t understand.
Pei Yan could only sigh, bite her pale, rounded ear in frustration, and say helplessly: “You just need to trust me.”
Yu Tang hesitated somewhat.
She trusted him in everything else, but in this matter, she always felt Pei Yan liked to tease her, like teasing a kitten or puppy—loving her, yes, but sometimes perhaps losing his sense of proportion.
Pei Yan was thoroughly annoyed. He lay to one side, arm across his eyes, saying sullenly: “I must be mad to let others hear my spring palace sounds.”
That’s right!
He didn’t even want people to know what he ate and when—much less matters like this.
Yu Tang’s face immediately flushed completely red. Feeling both guilty and ashamed, seeing Pei Yan looked very angry, she quickly crawled over to grasp his hand.
Pei Yan remained unmoved.
Yu Tang could only softly apologize in his ear: “I was wrong! It’s my fault! Don’t be angry! Just forgive me this once. I’ll listen to you in everything from now on.”
Pei Yan continued ignoring her, unable to be placated for a long while.
Yu Tang was at a loss. She bit her lip, threw caution to the wind, took the initiative to wrap her arms around his neck, and murmured softly in his ear.
Then she seemed to hear Pei Yan’s muffled laughter.
Yu Tang grew suspicious and tried to pull down Pei Yan’s arm to look.
Pei Yan’s arm was like a stone pillar blocking there, impossible to pry away.
But Yu Tang discovered his upturned lips.
Yu Tang felt embarrassed and indignant, poking Pei Yan’s arm with her fingertip: “You! You tricked me again. See if I’ll ever pay attention to you again…”
Before she could finish her sentence, Pei Yan’s arm swept around her waist.
Yu Tang cried out in alarm.
Pei Yan laughed heartily again, saying: “Who told you to be so silly? Now do you know you were wrong?”
Previously Yu Tang felt she was in the wrong, but now Pei Yan had also tricked her—shouldn’t they be even?
The two of them on the bed pulled each other here, scratched each other there, “fighting.”
The next day, Yu Tang definitely had to personally test whether what Pei Yan said was true.
Gu Xi lived on one side of her, while Second Mistress lived on the other. She naturally went to Second Mistress’s room. Running in and out, she discovered it was truly as Pei Yan said—if they closed their windows, not a sound could be heard from next door. But if the windows were open, what they said could actually be heard more clearly than from Second Mistress’s cabin.
Yu Tang marveled at this curiosity.
Second Mistress didn’t understand why and thought she was interested in such a large boat, telling her: “This boat was purchased from Jinling. For shipbuilding, Jinling is still the best. The Ministry of Works has a shipyard right in Jinling.” Then, like Fifth Miss, she expressed regret: “If only your second uncle had become a capital official, we could go to the capital together and rest in Jinling for two days on the way. I could take you to visit my natal home—my natal family has a small shipyard. Though they can’t build large ships, making three-masted boats like this is no problem.”
That was quite impressive too.
Yu Tang lavished praise on this.
Second Mistress was very proud of her natal family: “Apart from the official shipyards, our family’s shipyard is indeed the best. When the Song family builds ships, they sometimes have to borrow shipwrights from our family.”
No wonder the Song family tried to curry favor with the Pei family.
Then the Pei family’s boat was intercepted by the Song family in Suzhou.
Song family’s Fourth Master and Fourth Mistress personally came aboard to visit them, but Pei Yan’s expression was extremely displeased.
Yu Tang knew he was anxious to hurry along. She could only quietly tug his sleeve and persuade him: “Since it’s already like this, don’t lose your temper. It’s better to send them away quickly.”
Pei Yan was still very angry. He restrained himself again and again before calmly accepting the gifts the Song family brought, declining Fourth Master Song’s banquet invitation, and traveling through the night to leave Suzhou-Hangzhou.
Yu Tang breathed a sigh of relief.
But Pei Yan sent someone with a calling card to the Jiangsu Provincial Administration Commissioner, mentioning the Song family intercepting his boat.
The Song family thought nothing of it—they were accustomed to doing such things. But if it fell into the eyes of someone with ulterior motives, it was indeed a matter—Fourth Master Song was neither a government office nor a garrison commander, so by what authority did he intercept boats on the Grand Canal?
This was a matter for later.
At this moment, Pei Yan was truly burning with anxiety.
The Three Judicial Offices had tried Sun Gao’s case back and forth for over half a year, and a verdict had finally been reached a few days ago.
Sun Gao’s entire clan had their property confiscated and were exiled.
But before this, Sun Gao had hastily married off both his daughters.
His second daughter was easy to speak of—she married one of his students. But his eldest daughter married into the Fujian Peng family, becoming Peng Yu’s second daughter-in-law. Moreover, the wedding was held in the capital while Peng Yu’s second son was still studying in Fujian and not present.
This was completely the practice of entrusting orphans on one’s deathbed.
Pei Yan felt very uneasy.
He called Mister Chen to his study to talk: “You said Chief Minister Shen will soon retire—is this your own judgment? Or Master’s judgment? Or have you heard some news?”
Mister Chen spoke confidently and at length: “It’s an inference Minister Zhang and I made. Chief Minister Shen can be chief minister entirely because of his seniority—he outlasted several other ministers. If not for several grand academicians in court constantly urging the Emperor to establish an heir, the Emperor wouldn’t possibly let Chief Minister Shen become chief minister at all. He simply doesn’t have the ability to be chief minister—he’s far too indecisive in handling matters. Previously when Old Minister Zhang approached him about Young Minister Zhang’s matter, he agreed readily enough, but once the Peng family pressured him, he changed his mind again.”
At this point, he showed a helpless expression: “You probably don’t know yet—Old Minister Zhang was extremely angry about Young Minister Zhang’s matter and went to see Chief Minister Shen. Then Chief Minister Shen changed his mind again, saying he would definitely help Young Minister Zhang compete for the Vice Minister of Works position. But just a few days ago, he had just promised Grand Scholar Li to let Grand Scholar Li’s student—that Jiang Chunhe who serves in the Hanlin Academy and was the provincial champion from Jiangsu that year—become Vice Minister of Works. That’s why our Minister Zhang wanted you to come to the capital quickly. Now that Minister Fei doesn’t much manage affairs, if we can’t hold the Ministry of Personnel, the situation may become even more unfavorable for us.”
Pei Yan’s gaze was distant as he looked at Mister Chen without speaking.
But Mister Chen felt a chill in his heart. He couldn’t help saying in a tense voice: “You—you think what I said is wrong?”
He had been by Zhang Ying’s side for several years. Every time he saw Pei Yan and Zhang Ying together, Zhang Ying was reprimanding Pei Yan while Pei Yan stood respectfully to the side listening, looking very obedient and teachable.
Therefore, though he received Zhang Ying’s request that he must bring Pei Yan to the capital by whatever means necessary, he hadn’t truly taken Pei Yan seriously, always feeling Zhang Ying had lost his eldest son and suddenly doted on Pei Yan, this youngest disciple-like closed-door student.
Mister Chen showed Pei Yan sufficient respect but insufficient reverence.
But Pei Yan was someone who, if he didn’t manage something, wouldn’t, but once he managed it, he had to do it well.
Since he’d decided to go to the capital, he would definitely clear all obstacles along this path.
Including Mister Chen.
He didn’t hide his attitude, saying with imposing manner: “You think Chief Minister Shen can be chief minister because of good luck? But do you know that luck is also a kind of ability? Outlasting his peers is also a skill. No wonder after Senior Brother Zhou went to the capital, you’ve everywhere been passively taking beatings. I think you were just too dismissive of the enemy.”
Mister Chen was stunned.
Pei Yan continued: “Promising the Zhang family, then promising the Li family, while still satisfying the Peng family—his fence-sitting methods are formidable! Just based on his attitude of supporting whichever wind blows stronger from east or west, as for retirement—I think as long as he can still breathe, he can continue sitting in the chief minister position. After all, he’s just a figurehead. Whoever among you is stronger, he listens to them. Right?”
Mister Chen was dumbfounded.
That was indeed what they thought.
Moreover, Zhang Ying didn’t want Li Xun to become chief minister, nor did he want Jiang Hua to become chief minister. Li Xun was too capable—he himself had served as chief examiner once and had his own students. If he became chief minister, the Zhang family might be marginalized. Though Jiang Hua was Zhang Ying’s student, in recent years Jiang Hua and Zhang Ying had developed great divergences in political views. If he became chief minister, Zhang Ying personally could reach the pinnacle of glory, but the Zhang family’s younger generation wouldn’t have easy days.
Previously, Zhang Ying used Fei Zhiwen to balance Jiang Hua.
Now that Fei Zhiwen was listless and making no progress, the balance was broken. Zhang Ying worried Jiang Hua would show his brilliance and form an alliance with other cabinet grand academicians.
Zhang Ying would rather let Chief Minister Shen remain in the chief minister position.
The more Mister Chen thought about it, the more frightened he became.
That was exactly what they had planned.
Cold sweat broke out on his back.
“Master Pei,” Mister Chen no longer dared slight Pei Yan. He bowed deeply to him: “You—you must help Old Minister Zhang. Old Minister Zhang has been mentally and physically exhausted over Minister Zhang’s death, aging ten years overnight. You—you’ll understand when you see the old man.” At this point, he shed a few tears.
No wonder Minister Zhang strongly recommended his elder brother to become Shandong Provincial Administration Commissioner.
Pei Yan nodded: “Since I promised Master to go to the capital, I’ll certainly do my utmost to help. I just fear my abilities are limited and I won’t be of much help.”
He wondered whether he could seize opportunities from the fire to also create a chance for his second brother.
Mister Chen was moved to tears. He discussed many matters concerning the capital with Pei Yan before withdrawing.
Pei Yan remained alone in his study for a long while, writing and drawing for quite some time. He personally burned the papers he’d written and drawn on before returning to his room.
Yu Tang had her eyes closed, listening to A’Xing read picture books.
Because of matters from her previous life, she looked after A’Xing very well. When she inadvertently discovered A’Xing was literate, she occasionally had her help read picture books, as encouragement to continue learning to read. She hadn’t expected her casual act would inspire Mei’er’s determination to learn literacy and begin studying characters with Qing Yuan.
Yu Tang didn’t interfere with them. As long as they liked it, she would encourage people in the Pei household to teach them.
These past days, whenever Pei Yan returned to the room, he heard reading sounds.
Seeing Pei Yan return with a grim face again, Yu Tang sent A’Xing away and asked if something had happened.
Pei Yan was full of grievances. He complained to Yu Tang at length, focusing on how Zhang Ying, being old, was too sentimental, how advisers like Mister Chen were very unsuitable yet still kept by his side, harming others and himself, and so forth.
Yu Tang could only comfort him: “Once Old Minister Zhang retires, the advisers by his side can’t possibly advance in their official careers. Those with ambition have all left—only those wanting to live out their retirement would stay. Don’t demand too much.”