Yu Tang and her husband chatted and laughed together, deciding to visit Tao Qing ahead of schedule.

Pei Yan had Pei Wu inform Tao Qing in advance, then helped Yu Tang into the palanquin and went to the inn near West Gate where the Tao family was staying.

Tao Qing personally welcomed them at the entrance and brought Yu Tang many imported goods, including a box about a foot tall. Tao Qing said it was a Western doll that sold particularly well in Guangdong and Fujian, so he had brought one for her as well.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

Yu Tang smiled and thanked him, accepting the gift and thinking she would open it first when she returned home to see what this Western doll actually looked like.

Tao Qing then spoke with Pei Yan about Tao An, who was far away serving as Governor in Jiangxi: “It truly is a case of predecessors planting trees for successors to enjoy the shade. Many policies that Minister Zhang didn’t have time to implement were completed with A’An’s help. Your purchase of estates also attracted many wealthy people nearby to acquire land and cultivate wasteland, helping A’An tremendously. A’An said that if nothing unexpected happens this year, Jiangxi will have a bountiful harvest. Then the grain sent to the Nine Border Garrisons will be even more abundant, and his political achievements will surely advance further. Moreover, even if this year’s grain harvest is poor, I’m prepared to send a batch of grain from Guangzhou to help A’An complete his tenure as governor smoothly over these few years.”

When his term expires, if he doesn’t become a Minister or Vice Minister, he could become a chief official at the Censorate or the Court of Judicial Review.

Being appointed Prime Minister and entering the Cabinet would be just around the corner.

Thinking about it, Tao Qing felt that coming to find Pei Yan back then was an extremely correct decision. He couldn’t help but sigh emotionally and said to Pei Yan: “Are you really planning to let things be like this? What exactly did the Old Master say before he passed? If you trust me, tell me properly—perhaps the Old Master only meant for you to temporarily manage the ancestral household, and things could change once the storm passes. Don’t stubbornly stick to one path.”

Pei Yan said: “If I didn’t trust Elder Brother, I wouldn’t have brought my family to visit you like this. The Old Master indeed told me not to pursue an official career anymore. He felt my ambitions were too great, and with the court in such turbulent times, he feared I was young and hot-blooded and would be deceived and drawn into the succession struggle. I also think the Old Master’s words made sense—if I were an official in the capital, given the current situation, who knows how many people I would offend!”

Tao An exclaimed what a pity it was, and couldn’t help but offer advice: “Residing in the capital isn’t bad either. Properly educating the children in their studies—who’s to say you couldn’t achieve ‘three imperial scholars from one family’ again?”

Pei Yan chuckled, not taking it seriously.

He and Yu Tang had been married for nearly half a year, and Yu Tang still showed no signs of pregnancy. He felt that having children might be somewhat difficult for them.

However, nothing in this world is absolutely perfect. If something seems perfect, there’s surely a big pitfall waiting ahead. Rather than not knowing what might happen, it would be better to just live life slowly with Yu Tang like this. Children would come naturally when the time was right; if they didn’t, he wouldn’t force it.

As long as their husband and wife could love each other deeply, that was the best outcome.

Pei Yan asked: “Is your visit to the capital this time for next year’s Longevity Festival?”

Tao Qing nodded and said: “I want to see if there are any opportunities.” Then he added, “The Li family also came this time. They’re in the tea business, hoping to see if they can get their tea sent into the palace.”

Pei Yan didn’t concern himself much with these business matters. The Pei family’s businesses were all managed by the Head Steward. In his view, families like theirs had countless ways to make money, and there was no need to compete with the common people for profit in everything. At most, when the Head Steward couldn’t make a decision, Pei Yan would help decide on a plan.

Yu Tang, however, was pondering this in her heart.

Only after arriving in the capital did she discover that people in the capital all preferred to drink green tea.

In her previous life, the Second Miss’s husband’s family’s tea had become a tribute item.

She just didn’t know when it was selected.

Should she perhaps inquire about this?

But she needed to discuss this matter with Pei Yan first, lest she presume too much and bungle things through excessive cleverness.

They had lunch at the Tao residence, and in the afternoon, accompanied personally by Tao Qing, they visited the Tao family’s general store in the capital.

She saw the Western dolls.

Low-cut, backless dresses, porcelain-fired faces, eyebrows and lips painted with color, green eyes, golden hair… truly quite bizarre.

But also very rare.

She bought one.

Thinking she liked them, Tao Qing had the shopkeeper wrap two for her, giving her both dolls the shop had in stock.

Yu Tang insisted on paying, saying these were meant as gifts for friends.

Tao Qing smiled and said: “I only brought five back this time in total. They make excellent gifts. Since you like them so much, given the friendship between our two families, there’s really no need to be so formal.”

Yu Tang glanced at Pei Yan.

Pei Yan nodded slightly at her.

Yu Tang accepted them with a beaming smile, expressing her gratitude profusely, thinking she would look for suitable return gifts for the Tao family in the future.

Afterward, she selected some fragrant oils, balms, powders, and gemstone jewelry, mostly intended as gifts for others.

Pei Yan didn’t accompany Yu Tang on her shopping but was pulled by Tao Qing to sit in the accounting room in the back to continue discussing matters in the capital: “I heard the Yang family got caught up in trouble this time? What are your family’s plans? If you ask me, you can’t just watch them fall to ruin like this. After all, it’s your eldest brother’s in-laws. Now that your eldest brother is gone, even if just for the sake of your two nephews, you should extend a helping hand.”

Pei Yan smiled slightly without speaking, lowering his head to sip his tea.

A night had passed, and Pei Tong was still arguing with Gu Xi, ignoring her.

Gu Xi didn’t care.

She had barely slept last night, thinking about what Pei Yan and Pei Xuan had said.

Extracting her small household from this mess was now impossible, so she could only let Pei Tong make the choice. Given Pei Tong’s personality, she feared the Yang family would play the sympathy card. If… Pei Tong stood on the Yang family’s side, the Pei family definitely wouldn’t spare their branch. What would she do then?

Gu Xi went to Pei Tong’s study and asked her husband: “When are you planning to meet with the two uncles today?”

Pei Tong’s expression changed completely, and he said sharply: “What do you mean by that? Are you rushing me to take a stance? Don’t worry, I won’t implicate you. Even if I help my maternal family, I’ll keep you out of it.”

Gu Xi really wanted to ask “how will you keep me out of it” or “what gives you the right to keep me out of it,” but if such words left her mouth, their marital affection would probably reach its end, wouldn’t it? She restrained herself again and again, and finally smiled and said: “If I’m going out—Madam Yin said a few days ago that the pickles I made were delicious, so I sent some to Madam Yin and plan to take some to my sister-in-law as well. If you’re meeting with the two uncles this morning, I’ll go another day. But if you’re planning to meet them this afternoon, I’ll make the trip while I’m free this morning. Otherwise, if sister-in-law learns I sent food to Madam Yin but didn’t think of her, she’ll feel uncomfortable.”

The First Madam had always disdained these household trivialities; after Pei You died, Pei Yan took over.

He felt he had misunderstood Gu Xi, but to lower his head and admit his mistake to her, thinking of Gu Xi’s making a mountain out of a molehill yesterday, he still had some resentment in his heart and couldn’t bring himself to humble himself.

Gu Xi didn’t expect him to humble himself either. When all was said and done, they had only formed a matrimonial alliance—mutual respect was enough.

Seeing he didn’t answer, she smiled and said: “Then I’ll go to my sister-in-law’s first. I’ll come back early, and we’ll have cold noodles for dinner tonight.”

She didn’t mention visiting Pei Yan and Pei Xuan again.

Pei Tong breathed a sigh of relief.

Gu Xi went to Gu Chang’s house.

Gu Chang hadn’t returned from the yamen, and only Yin Shi was home.

Gu Xi hadn’t counted on being able to see her brother anyway. She told Yin Shi everything that had happened at home in detail.

Yin Shi listened and frowned deeply.

No matter how capable a woman is, she fears encountering a husband who won’t listen to advice.

She asked: “If your husband-in-law really chooses the Yang family, what do you plan to do?”

They couldn’t divorce over this matter, could they?

Without divorce, they were ultimately one family and could only share honor and disgrace together.

Gu Xi smiled bitterly and said: “That’s why I came to find Elder Brother, hoping to hear his thoughts!”

Yin Shi didn’t stand on ceremony either and said: “Alright, then you can talk with your elder brother later.” She also kept her for dinner.

Gu Xi shook her head repeatedly and said: “I still need to hurry back. It’s a turbulent time at home, so it’s not good to stay out too long. Just pass along a message to Elder Brother for me.”

Yin Shi agreed and asked Gu Xi: “What are your own thoughts? We as your elder brother and sister-in-law will naturally consider things from your perspective.”

Gu Xi didn’t want to keep running back to her natal family over this matter, mainly because even if she didn’t mind the trouble of running to her natal family, she still might not be able to see Gu Chang.

She said thoughtfully: “I will definitely stand on the Pei family’s side.”

No matter what the Yang family said, she felt that given the Pei family’s connections, it was unlikely they would be convicted. But if they truly were convicted, the Yang family couldn’t possibly have the ability to extricate themselves cleanly. In any case, their life and death were tied to the Pei family, so she might as well not worry about the Yang family and just wholeheartedly pray to Buddha to bless the Pei family to turn danger into safety.

Gu Xi said: “If he can’t distinguish priorities even at such a critical moment, I estimate I’ll find it difficult to enjoy his good fortune in the future. I think I should proactively request to return to Lin’an to fulfill filial duties to the Old Madam on behalf of my mother-in-law and husband.”

It would be best if she could have a son.

With Old Madam Pei’s protection, without this impulsive husband, she might live even better in the Pei family.

Old Madam Pei had married into the Pei family with a trousseau stretching ten li.

Gu Xi touched her belly, which showed no changes yet.

Yin Shi greatly admired her sister-in-law’s decisiveness and said: “It’s excellent that you can think this way. I dare not say anything else, but if it truly comes to that day, even though you’ll have the Pei family looking after you, your elder brother and I will also do our part.”

Having achieved her purpose, Gu Xi felt relieved and returned to the Pei residence.

Pei Yan and Yu Tang hadn’t returned yet, having gone out shopping, it was said.

Gu Xi was dumbstruck, her mouth agape enough to fit an egg. After a good while, she finally recovered and said: “Third Uncle just took Third Aunt out to the street like that?”

The woman who answered her had followed from the Pei family’s old estate and had previously served Old Madam Pei. Hearing this, she was rather displeased and said: “Third Madam was also wearing a veiled hat, and they were visiting the Tao family’s shop, accompanied by Third Master—how could they not have brought anything?”

“Oh.” Gu Xi quickly collected her scattered thoughts and spoke wholeheartedly with the woman: “Did Third Uncle and Third Aunt say when they would return?”

The Yang family matter needed to be resolved as soon as possible.

She was already feeling somewhat suffocated.

If the Yang family matter still wasn’t resolved, she feared she would explode, stamp her feet, and quarrel with Pei Tong again.