The water towns of Jiangnan were crisscrossed with waterways, and the common people relied primarily on water routes for travel.

Hangzhou had several docks of various sizes, with the three largest located near Wulin Gate, Yongjin Gate, and Qiantang Gate.

Wulin Gate Dock was in the northwest of the city, connected to the Jiangnan Grand Canal. It was a necessary waterway for travelers from both north and south. Because the thousand-year-old Xiangji Temple was not far from here, this dock was also called Xiangji Temple Dock.

Yongjin Gate Dock was in the west of the city, beside West Lake, serving as the main route to Taihu and Lin’an.

Qiantang Gate Dock was located between Xiangji Temple Dock and Yongjin Gate Dock. Nearby temples stood in clusters, with incense smoke wafting year-round and pilgrims gathering like clouds, giving rise to the saying “fragrant baskets outside Qiantang Gate.”

Yu Tang and her companions’ passenger boat docked at Yongjin Gate Dock.

They would disembark here and either transfer to small black-canopied boats or hire sedan chairs to enter the city.

Taking a boat was much cheaper and more comfortable than a sedan chair, and they could enjoy the scenery along the way. The only drawback was that it took longer than a sedan chair. Fortunately, Yu Wen and the others planned to stay in Hangzhou for several days and had plenty of leisure time, so he had decided early on to take a black-canopied boat into the city.

Perhaps from spending too long on the boat, when Yu Tang disembarked, her legs felt weak and she felt like everything was swaying.

Yu Yuan supported her, pointing to a large bowl tea vendor under a big locust tree ahead: “Do you want to have some tea and rest for a bit?”

The dock was crowded with people shoulder to shoulder, filled with the sounds of hawkers, shouts, calls, and arguments—each voice louder than the last. The cacophony was so lively it gave one a headache.

“No need!” Yu Tang said somewhat wearily. “Let’s hurry to the inn!”

Once at the inn, she could rest properly.

Yu Yuan nodded.

Yu Tang took the opportunity to survey the dock.

The steps made of bluestone were solid and sturdy, the seamless arched bridges were elegant and serene, and the waterway was filled with all kinds of boats.

She didn’t see the Pei family’s boat.

Yu Wen had already arranged for black-canopied boats—five wen per person to be taken to Ruyi Inn beside Xiaohe Imperial Street.

He said, “Whenever I come to Hangzhou, I usually stay there. It’s cheap and clean, the owner is nice, and the food is good too.”

Yu Tang and Yu Yuan nodded and followed Yu Wen onto the black-canopied boat.

The boat woman served them tea and snacks.

Yu Tang couldn’t help but quietly ask Yu Yuan, “The Pei family’s boat should have arrived before us, why haven’t we seen it?”

Yu Yuan laughed heartily, teasing her, “Didn’t you say that even if you looked a few more times, it was still someone else’s boat? How is it that you’re also concerned about their boat now?”

Yu Tang became embarrassed and angry: “Never mind then.”

Yu Yuan laughed softly a few more times before saying, “They probably entered the city from Wulin Gate.”

Yu Tang didn’t understand.

Yu Yuan explained, “Xiangji Temple Dock connects to Peach Blossom River leading into the inner city. They’re traveling on a two-masted ship, so they should have entered the city directly.”

Having your own boat was indeed comfortable.

Yu Tang pursed her lips.

Yu Yuan then pointed out the river houses and weeping willows on both banks for her to see: “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Fine willow leaves hung down like silk threads onto the river surface. The river houses were covered with wisteria vines, and beside stone tables and bamboo chairs, flowers of purple and red bloomed profusely. Vegetables and bamboo shoots were drying on the rooftop terraces. Little girls and boys in colorful clothes were kicking shuttlecocks and jumping rope at their doorways, and there were peddlers carrying their wares, calling out their goods of “peanut crisps” and “embroidery thread and scissors.”

“Very beautiful!” Yu Tang watched, entranced.

Yu Yuan said enviously, “If only we could move here—business would definitely be better.”

Isn’t there a saying that “people become worthless away from home”?

Having lived two lives, Yu Tang never knew Yu Yuan had such courage.

Was it because life had been too difficult in the previous life that he didn’t dare to dream? Or was it because she had been too preoccupied with her own troubles to notice?

Yu Tang’s smile gradually faded.

Yu Yuan was still gazing at the scenery on both banks, excitedly talking: “The first time I came to Hangzhou with Father, I thought this place was wonderful. Even just selling small dried fish, there are more customers here than back home. Our town is just too isolated—the same people coming and going, the same things being discussed over and over…”

Yu Tang listened quietly, slowly drinking her tea.

The black-canopied boat reached the shore. On both sides were shops with three to five storefronts. The tall shop signs were either embroidered with gold thread or edged with silver trim. The pedestrians on the road mostly wore silk and satin with servants following them. The entire street looked bright and splendid.

But where was Ruyi Inn?

While Yu Wen was paying, Yu Tang held her bundle and looked around.

Then a shop sign with a large character for “pawn” and the name “Pei Family” embroidered in gold thread beneath it caught her eye prominently.

Yu Tang was dumbfounded.

The Pei family’s pawnshop?

Wasn’t it supposed to be at some Fangren Lane on Shiyao River?

Weren’t they going to Xiaohe Imperial Street?

Then where was she now?

Yu Tang hurriedly tugged at Yu Wen’s sleeve, pointing at the Pei family’s shop sign: “Father, look!”

But Yu Wen seemed unsurprised, smiling at her: “You have sharp eyes. That’s the Pei family’s pawnshop. It’s a pity Manager Tong isn’t here, otherwise I’d take you to visit later.”

Then what were they doing here?

Yu Tang’s eyes widened.

Yu Wen realized what was happening.

He laughed heartily, saying, “Silly girl, the river in front of us is called Shiyao River, and the road we’re standing on is called Xiaohe Imperial Road. The area where the Pei family’s pawnshop is located is called Fangren Lane. See that small alley next to the pawnshop? From there to our side is Jishang Lane. Ruyi Inn is inside that alley.”

In other words, they were staying behind the Pei family’s pawnshop.

Yu Tang was indignant.

Even after arriving in Hangzhou, she kept running into people surnamed Pei everywhere!

Yu Wen found his daughter’s expression amusing and pointed to a bookstore next to the Pei family’s pawnshop: “See that? That’s also the Pei family’s. And next to it, the antique shop, the rouge and powder shop, the fake hairpiece and hairpin shop—all their family’s businesses. Fangren Lane, Jishang Lane, and the neighboring Ziwa District and Dingmin Residence are all theirs.”

Then what wasn’t theirs?

Yu Tang asked, “Does Third Master Pei also live around here?”

“How could that be?” Yu Wen laughed. “They have a villa by Phoenix Mountain, and residences near Qingbo Gate, Meijia Bridge, and Mingqing Temple. However, since they entered the city through Xiangji Temple Dock, they’re either staying at the villa by Phoenix Mountain or at the residence near Meijia Bridge.”

Yu Yuan asked curiously, “How does Uncle know this? This is the first time I’ve heard of it.”

Yu Wen said somewhat proudly, “Manager Tong told me. According to Manager Tong, the residences near Meijia Bridge and Qingbo Gate belong to Third Master Pei himself—they were left to him by his maternal relatives and aren’t Pei family property.”

Yu Yuan was surprised: “Which family was Old Madam Pei’s daughter from?”

“A daughter of the Qian family of Qiantang,” Yu Wen said. “The Qian who was the royal surname of the Wuyue Kingdom.”

The Qian family ranked first among Jiangnan’s four great families.

Yu Yuan asked, “Didn’t Third Master Pei’s maternal relatives have any sons?”

“They say there was a son who died of illness before reaching adulthood,” Yu Wen said. “Later, although they adopted a nephew from the clan, half of the family property went to Old Madam as her dowry, and the other half was divided among grandsons and nephews. When Old Master Qian passed away, First and Second Masters Pei had already married, and only Third Master Pei was young. Old Master Qian worried that Third Master Pei would be at a disadvantage when it came time to discuss marriage, so he left him quite a lot of property.”

“Wow!” Yu Yuan’s eyes sparkled. “This truly shows that emperors favor eldest sons while common people love the youngest. Third Master Pei is really lucky!”

“Indeed,” Yu Wen chatted with Yu Yuan. “Manager Tong said that the residence near Meijia Bridge alone requires over a hundred servants. The one near Qingbo Gate is even larger. Usually, no one lives there, but just maintaining these two residences costs quite a bit. Moreover, these expenses are all managed by Third Master Pei himself, which shows he has his own properties. But where are these properties? How much are they worth? Nobody knows. Because of this, when Old Master Pei was alive, the eldest branch of the Pei family always suspected that Old Master Pei had secretly acquired private property for Third Master Pei…”

Yu Yuan said, “If it were me, I’d also be suspicious. Third Master Pei is so young…”

Anyway, the point was that the Pei family was very wealthy!

Yu Tang had become numb to it.

She didn’t want to talk anymore.

Following her father through twists and turns to Ruyi Inn, Yu Tang had lost even her curiosity. Following the waiter directly to her room, she didn’t even carefully examine Ruyi Inn before collapsing on the bed and falling asleep.

It was Yu Yuan who woke her up: “Uncle says he’ll take us to the night market at Beiguan. Change your clothes quickly. Uncle says we’ll leave in a quarter of an hour.”

Yu Tang had never been to a night market in all her years, so she finally had some energy. She changed into a short jacket, wrapped her head, and went out with her father and brother.

The sky was approaching dusk, and they headed north, but the number of pedestrians on the road increased rather than decreased.

Yu Yuan told her, “We’re going to Wulin Gate. The North Gate night market is outside Wulin Gate.”

They wouldn’t run into Pei Yan, would they?

Yu Tang asked, “Is this the only night market in Hangzhou?”

“Hangzhou has several night markets, but the one in the north is the most famous,” Yu Yuan smiled. “Most people who come to Hangzhou will go visit it. But those who live in Hangzhou long-term prefer the night market at Xiaohe Imperial Street—there are fewer people there and things are more expensive. The Beiguan night market is mostly frequented by traveling merchants or boatmen.”

Yu Wen, walking ahead, heard this and picked up Yu Yuan’s words: “Mainly because you haven’t been here before, I want you to see it. For young ladies, after marriage you won’t have the freedom you have now. Take advantage of this time to see more places—people need to have experience to have courage. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the night market at Xiaohe Imperial Street. Let you see how the two night markets differ.”

Someone like Pei Yan, even if he went to a night market, would probably go to the Xiaohe Imperial Street night market, right?

Yu Tang became interested and asked her father with a smile, “What’s good to eat at the Beiguan night market?”

Yu Wen smiled, “Guan San’niang’s grilled fish, Wang Pozi’s osmanthus wine-fermented rice balls, Tang Er Shazi’s steamed cakes… there’s plenty. Just don’t eat until you’re stuffed.”

Yu Tang said, “Next time we’ll bring Mother!”

Yu Wen smiled, “Your mother and I came here a couple of times when we were newly married. Later, when her health wasn’t good, I didn’t dare bring her out anymore. Even with you, I was afraid your mother would worry, so I didn’t take you out much.”

The three of them chatted and laughed as they passed through Wulin Gate.

Yu Tang hadn’t expected the Beiguan night market to be so far from where they were staying—her feet were starting to hurt.

Yu Yuan looked at the crowd so packed you couldn’t squeeze through, and after searching for a long time, finally found an eatery with available seats. He consulted with Yu Wen: “Should we rest for a bit first?”

Yu Wen was somewhat hesitant and said in a low voice, “With such good business, yet they have empty seats—clearly their food isn’t very good. How about we walk a bit further?”

They couldn’t just sit at someone’s place without ordering anything, could they?

Yu Tang thought so too. Just as she was about to speak, she looked up and saw Pei Yan and Zhou Zijin standing beside the eatery.