Writing ritual texts for His Majesty?!
Yu Tang was stunned and said: “He’s…”
Is he trying to curry favor with the emperor?
Pei Yan understood the words she hadn’t spoken and nodded, saying: “Senior Brother Fei is someone who, if he wants to accomplish something, will definitely be able to do it.”
Yu Tang was elated and hugged Pei Yan’s arm, saying: “Does that mean our strategy succeeded?”
Strategy? At most they had just dug a very obvious pit for Fei Zhiwen to jump into. And Fei Zhiwen, perhaps finding it interesting or perhaps finding it reasonable, had jumped in.
However, Pei Yan would never say such things to Yu Tang so directly—how discouraging to Yu Tang’s enthusiasm that would be! Like now, with Yu Tang’s eyes bright and shining, like a little cat that had eaten fish—just looking at her made his heart fill with joy. How wonderful!
“Mm!” He responded softly and said: “This time you’ve performed a great service. I’ve decided to reward you once. Go ahead, what reward do you want?”
This opportunity was too rare!
Yu Tang immediately said with great interest: “Any reward will do?”
“Any reward will do!” Pei Yan promised generously.
Yu Tang thought for a moment, let go of his arm and ran to the study. Before long, she brought over brush, ink, paper and inkstone, saying: “I haven’t thought of what reward I want yet. Write me a note saying you temporarily owe me, and when I’ve decided, I’ll take the note to redeem it with you. What do you think?”
This was actually quite interesting.
Pei Yan thought to himself, but his face was full of disdain as he said: “You’ve already brought the writing materials over. I figure if I don’t write it, you might threaten to die or make a scene, so I’ll reluctantly write it!”
Not giving an inch with his mouth!
Yu Tang muttered to herself.
If he hadn’t married her, whoever it was would have small quarrels with him every three days and big fights every five days.
As for herself, well, wasn’t it because both Old Master Pei and Pei Yan had shown her kindness? She’d just consider it repaying their kindness.
But Pei Yan couldn’t even write a note peacefully—he had to have Yu Tang grind the ink for him.
The two of them bickered back and forth for quite a while before this note was finally reluctantly completed.
Yu Tang found a carved red lacquer box to store the note in and even placed it together with her jewelry, saying: “This note is truly too precious. I must put it away carefully.”
Pei Yan curled his lips, ignored her, and went out to find Zhou Zijin.
Learning that Fei Zhiwen’s side had begun to show ambition, Zhou Zijin was very pleased. He dragged Pei Yan to drink and asked him how he had persuaded Fei Zhiwen: “With Fei Zhiwen’s participation, both Li Xun and Jiang Hua become less impressive. The Li Xun side is fine, but I’m afraid Jiang Hua, knowing you played a role in this, won’t let you off!”
Pei Yan was unconcerned and said: “Even if I didn’t offer advice in this, he still wouldn’t give me a pleasant look.”
Thinking of the rift that had developed between the two over political differences in those years, Zhou Zijin didn’t know what to say for a moment.
But the Pei household received an unexpected visitor.
Yu Tang looked at the calling card in her hand, examining it repeatedly, and once again sought confirmation from the person who had delivered the card: “You saw clearly—it’s my maternal uncle’s young master.”
“It’s the maternal uncle’s young master!” How would the person announcing visitors dare be careless? He hurried to say: “I’ve seen the maternal uncle’s young master. It’s impossible I would mistake him.”
Xu Xuan, who was waiting nearby to mooch lunch, said puzzled: “Your maternal family’s brother came to the capital on business and stopped by to see you on the way—what a good thing! Could there be something suspicious about it?”
“No!” Yu Tang put away the calling card and instructed the young servant to invite Yu Yuan in, then said to Xu Xuan: “My sister-in-law is currently pregnant. By rights, if my elder brother came to the capital, he should have told me in advance. Coming without a sound like this—I can’t help but feel uneasy.”
As she spoke, she touched her chest.
Her heart was jumping wildly with fright.
Xu Xuan hurried to comfort her: “If something had happened at home, the Pei family would have sent word long ago. Clearly this is just an ordinary visit.”
Yu Tang still felt it didn’t seem like that.
She settled Xu Xuan properly and went to see Yu Yuan.
Yu Yuan hadn’t come alone. Besides Sanmu, he had brought along a fellow townsman surnamed Gao, a man from Banqiao Town who supposedly dealt in salt in the northwest. They had met on the road this time, and he had helped Yu Yuan considerably. Hearing that he was coming to visit his sister and brother-in-law, this Mr. Gao had enthusiastically escorted Yu Yuan over. It was Yu Yuan’s first time in the capital, so naturally he was happy to have someone show him the way. Having arrived at the place, he conveniently invited this fellow townsman surnamed Gao to come in for tea and refreshments.
Yu Tang’s heart beat even more violently.
She had already been reborn, Yu Yuan had married and had children early—how could they still get mixed up with someone surnamed Gao?
She couldn’t help laughing and saying: “How did Shopkeeper Gao come to the capital? Is there some urgent matter? Did he come alone or did he bring family members along?”
In this life’s Shopkeeper Gao, the elder brother of the previous life’s Lady Gao, was a tall and large man with fair skin, sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. Standing there, he indeed had more presence than Yu Yuan.
He respectfully bowed to Yu Tang and smiled, saying: “I never expected Brother Yu to actually be Third Master Pei’s elder brother-in-law. It’s my fault—I haven’t returned home in several years and don’t know what’s been happening in the township. I came to the capital this time at a friend’s invitation, wanting to do some small business in the capital. As for my family, they also came to the capital with me. They went first to lodgings that my friend helped find. Once she’s settled, I’ll bring her to pay respects to Madam.” Then he took his leave of Yu Yuan and Yu Tang: “Now that you’ve safely found your sister and brother-in-law, I’m relieved. I still have a pile of matters at home, so I won’t delay you here. You know where I’m staying. When you’ve finished your business, come find me for drinks, and we two can discuss in detail whether there’s any possibility of partnering in some venture.”
Yu Yuan smiled his thanks and personally escorted him out the door before returning to the flower hall where Yu Tang was receiving him.
Yu Tang grabbed his arm and said: “What exactly is going on?”
Yu Yuan wasn’t someone without sense—he wouldn’t bring just anyone to the Pei household.
“I owe so much to Shopkeeper Gao this time.” Yu Yuan sighed and told Yu Tang about encountering river bandits on the road, nearly losing his life, and being saved by Shopkeeper Gao.
Yu Tang didn’t quite believe it and said: “A mere shopkeeper—he has the ability to save you?”
“Wasn’t it just a fortunate coincidence?” Yu Yuan said. “At the time we were passing through Cangzhou Wharf. He fished me out of the river. My travel documents and funds were all gone. He was the one who took me to the yamen, vouched for me, and helped me apply for new travel documents.”
No wonder he had invited him into the house.
Yu Tang said: “Have you met his family members?”
Her voice was somewhat strained.
Yu Yuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and said: “What are you saying? How would I go meet their female family members?”
That’s good, that’s good!
Yu Tang breathed a long sigh of relief and hurriedly asked about his journey: “How have you been these past few days? Do you still owe Shopkeeper Gao money? What business did he invite you to partner in? How did you come to the capital?”
She asked one question after another, looking as if she couldn’t wait to get everything clear immediately.
Yu Yuan knew she was worried and hurriedly said: “I was just about to tell you about this. I borrowed ten taels of silver from Shopkeeper Gao, then spent about fifty taels on reapplying for travel documents, taking boats and eating. I need to borrow some silver from you first to repay him.” Speaking of this, he lowered his head embarrassedly: “I’m afraid I’m causing you trouble, and I’ll need to stay at your place for some days.”
“As long as you’re all right—why talk about such things?” Yu Tang chided him.
Yu Yuan laughed sheepishly without saying more, and explained his reason for coming: “Father is watching the shop at home, Uncle went to Suzhou, and Yao San and I looked around Hangzhou City. Thinking that in all the world, nothing compares to the capital, and thinking you were in the capital during this time, I mentioned it to Father and Uncle, planning to come to the capital to see if there’s any possibility of opening our family’s lacquerware shop in the capital. I never expected that before I could achieve success, I’d meet disaster first, encountering river bandits on the road.”
As for the business Shopkeeper Gao mentioned, it was the salt certificate trade.
Although Cangzhou’s folk customs were fierce, ever since His Majesty ascended the throne, the four seas had been peaceful and calm—how could river bandits suddenly appear?
Out of instinctive wariness toward Shopkeeper Gao, Yu Tang rather doubted the authenticity of these river bandits.
But regardless, she had to settle Yu Yuan properly first.
She accompanied Yu Yuan for lunch, personally took him to the guest room to rest, and had him rest for a while on his own: “When Third Master returns, he’ll accompany you for a few drinks and properly welcome you. As for the silver, I’ll have Qing Yuan bring it to you later. I’ll also assign two young servants to follow you. If you have any matters, just direct the two young servants. Sanmu isn’t familiar with the capital, so he can just attend to you personally.”
She had to discuss properly with Pei Yan the business Shopkeeper Gao mentioned.
She always felt there was more to this than met the eye.
Yu Yuan had indeed been frightened and worried all along the journey and was very tired. Now being able to relax and rest properly was very pleasant. He fell asleep shortly after lying down.
Yu Tang returned to her own quarters.
Xu Xuan was waiting for her, asking with concern what the situation was and whether there was anything she could help with.
Yu Tang, thinking that Xu Xuan was someone with good judgment, deliberately sought her counsel and told Xu Xuan about the family matters.
After hearing this, Xu Xuan also had some doubts about Shopkeeper Gao and said: “Do you know that nowadays, salt certificates all need to be registered and sealed at the Ministry of Revenue before the Nine Borders will recognize them? This Shopkeeper Gao’s appearance is far too coincidental.”
It wasn’t that she was overly suspicious—she had seen too many people like this.
Some methods were unimaginable and impossible to guard against.
But Yu Tang’s knowledge came from her previous life’s experience. She pondered and said: “Then we’ll take it one step at a time.”
She also suspected the Peng family’s hand might be in this.
Hadn’t it been said before that Lady Gao’s brother had gone to the northwest with Peng Eleven? Shopkeeper Gao couldn’t possibly leave the Peng family so easily to do his own business.
When Pei Yan returned that evening and learned that Yu Yuan had come, thinking that Yu Yuan was after all his elder brother-in-law and that it wouldn’t be bad if the Yu family’s lacquerware shop could establish itself in the capital, he kept Yin Mingyuan who had come to fetch Xu Xuan, to keep them company and welcome Yu Yuan.
Yu Yuan was already somewhat trembling with anxiety meeting Pei Yan, let alone with Yin Mingyuan present. Fortunately, he was somewhat like Yu Tang—the type who rose to the challenge when facing strong people. He pulled himself together and not only didn’t show timidity in front of Yin Mingyuan but, because he was down-to-earth, left a very good impression on Yin Mingyuan, who gave him one of his own calling cards.
Pei Yan felt his face had gained glory. Seeing Yu Tang, he kept praising Yu Yuan and even said: “If that Shopkeeper Gao has no problems, having Second Brother seal it for him is no big deal.”
He couldn’t let his brother-in-law lose face.