Madam Song the Fourth’s smile gained a few more traces of pride as she said, “That’s right! The wedding date hasn’t been set yet, but the Wu family already sent me word, wanting me to come lend them a hand. I figured I’ve never been to the capital in my entire life, so I came here shamelessly.” After finishing, she picked up a slice of honeydew melon from the plate beside her and forked it into her mouth. “This honeydew melon is really delicious. Sweeter than what we have back home.”
Yu Tang exchanged a few more perfunctory words with her, then invited Madam Song the Fourth to stay for dinner.
Madam Song the Fourth didn’t stand on ceremony and happily agreed.
Yu Tang had no choice but to send someone to ask the Second Madam to come keep her company.
As soon as Madam Song the Fourth saw the Second Madam, she happily grabbed her hand and asked with concern, “I heard Fifth Miss is getting married into the Qin family? How are things? Is the dowry prepared? Has the wedding date been set? Is there anything I can help with?” She then sighed with emotion, “I really never expected it—back when Minister Qin was serving as Zhejiang’s Provincial Administration Commissioner, I privately told the First Madam that Young Master Qin was absolutely first-rate in both character and scholarship, and Madam Qin was also broad-minded and gentle in temperament. I wondered which family’s daughter would have such good fortune to marry into the Qin family as the eldest young mistress. Who would have thought the one forming marriage ties with the Qin family would actually be Fifth Miss. You’ve chosen such a wonderful son-in-law!”
This was exactly what the Second Madam most loved to hear.
She immediately launched into an endless stream of conversation with Madam Song the Fourth about Pei Dan’s marriage.
Miss Song the Seventh quietly walked to Yu Tang’s side and said with a soft laugh, “Third Madam, since we parted at Zhaoming Temple, we haven’t met again. Are you well?”
Her expression was bashful, like a startled little beast, evoking pity.
She must be perfectly clear about the purpose of coming to the capital, and regarding what kind of husband she could marry—not based on talent or ability but on whether he would benefit the Song family—she must be feeling anxious in her heart!
Yu Tang sighed inwardly and couldn’t help feeling some sympathy for Miss Song the Seventh. She smiled warmly and said, “It has indeed been a long time! Is Sixth Miss well?”
Among the young ladies from back then, Miss Wu’s marriage was already settled. Regardless of how things were, Peng Ninth Master’s son was at least similar in age to Miss Wu. Gu Xi had already left the household. In many people’s eyes, Pei Tong could barely be considered a golden son-in-law, and now he had moved out to establish his own household. If she managed well, she might not lack good prospects.
Miss Song the Seventh’s expression dimmed slightly as she said, “Sixth Sister has also married out. She married far away to Shu, to a family in the medicinal herb business. Our family’s medicine shop in Suzhou ran into some trouble a while ago, and Sixth Sister’s husband’s family helped us out tremendously.”
In other words, Miss Song the Sixth had also married for family interests.
Yu Tang could only console her: “That’s not bad either. At least they’ve done business together before, so they know each other’s background.”
But Miss Song the Seventh smiled bitterly and said in a low voice, “Because of the medicine shop matter, our family and Sixth Sister’s husband’s family actually had quite an unpleasant falling out. Sixth Sister marrying into their family was compensation to them—that family no longer does business in the Suzhou-Zhejiang area and has switched to doing business with people from Jiangxi and the Two Lakes region.”
Could it be that the Song family had wronged the other family?
Yu Tang didn’t feel it appropriate to ask more questions. However, Miss Song the Seventh seemed to have many feelings, as if she had many words suppressed in her heart and had finally found an opportunity to confide. She continued in a low voice somewhat recklessly: “Sixth Sister’s husband had previously married a wife who bore him three sons and one daughter. Sixth Sister didn’t want to marry him, but the family said Sixth Sister had a bad temper, and if she kept being kept at home, she’d become a burden, so it was better to just marry her off like this…”
As she said this, her eyes grew moist, staring directly at Yu Tang as if this matter had something to do with Yu Tang.
Yu Tang was stunned and wanted to ask what she meant, but was suddenly pulled by the arm by the Second Madam. The Second Madam’s laughing voice reached her ear: “The main thing is that we’re quite far from the Jiang family. The eldest young master and his family just moved out, and there are still some things left in the courtyard here that haven’t been properly sorted out. If it weren’t for this matter of dividing the ancestral lineage, we could have just sent someone to tell him. Now that we’ve divided the lineage, if we go tell them, those who know will think we want to make room for you, while those who don’t know might think we’re using it as an excuse to rush them to move out completely. It’s really difficult either way!”
“Look at what you’re saying!” Madam Song the Fourth said with a beaming smile, showing no trace of offense. “We’re guests of the Wu family, and the Wu family is famous among the Jiangnan families for their generosity. We definitely must take advantage of them!”
Only then did Yu Tang understand—it turned out Madam Song the Fourth had subtly indicated to the Second Madam that she wanted to stay at the Pei residence during her time in the capital, but had been equally subtly refused by the Second Madam.
She felt the Second Madam had done absolutely right.
From Pei Yan’s tone, the Pei and Song families would fall out sooner or later. Since that was the case, there was no need to get too close, otherwise when the time came, helping would be wrong and not helping would also be wrong.
The Second Madam didn’t know about these matters. She refused Madam Song the Fourth purely because she felt Madam Song the Fourth was eating from the bowl while eyeing the pot.
After seeing off Madam Song the Fourth and Miss Song the Seventh, she said to Yu Tang, “When talking about the Wu family, she was all animated and excited—she should go find the Wu family then! Taking advantage of our family without saying a single good word—what kind of behavior is that!”
Yu Tang gave her a thumbs up and said, “Second Sister-in-law thought it through so thoroughly. I didn’t expect they would have such designs. But even if it were me, I wouldn’t like having them stay in our home either.”
The Second Madam nodded repeatedly.
After Yu Tang parted with her at the crossroads, she didn’t return to her own residence but went to Pei Yan’s study instead.
He was discussing salt certificates with Shu Qing.
The manor in Jiangxi should have a good grain harvest this year. They planned to transport grain to the Nine Border Regions together with the Yin family and exchange it for salt certificates.
Originally this plan was quite good, but unfortunately Pei Xuan had become Vice Minister of the Ministry of Finance. No matter how one looked at it, the Pei family should avoid the ministry where Pei Xuan served as an official, so the Pei family’s salt certificate business had become difficult to operate.
Shu Qing suggested they transport the grain directly back to Suzhou-Zhejiang to sell.
In the Suzhou-Zhejiang region, grain prices had always been quite high.
But certainly not as profitable as the salt certificate business.
Pei Yan was hesitating when he saw Yu Tang. He stopped the discussion, deciding to talk with Shu Qing about this matter tomorrow.
Shu Qing smiled and greeted Yu Tang before leaving.
Yu Tang was still reserved at first, nodding at Shu Qing. As soon as Shu Qing’s figure left the study, she immediately ran to Pei Yan’s side, grabbed Pei Yan’s sleeve, and said urgently, “Xianguang, I need to tell you something. Miss Wu is marrying into the Peng family. The two families have kept this matter tightly concealed. If Madam Song the Fourth hadn’t come to our home as a guest today, I still wouldn’t know. Did you know about this?”
Pei Yan was obviously also very surprised, frowning as he said, “I knew the Wu family was looking for in-laws, but I didn’t expect the Peng family would agree. If Madam Song the Fourth has already arrived in the capital, then this matter must have been planned for a long time.”
Yu Tang’s heart immediately tensed up as she said, “You hadn’t heard any rumors about it before?”
Pei Yan said, “I previously heard the Wu family intended to form marriage ties with the Li family, but the Li family didn’t have children of suitable age.”
So they chose the Peng family.
Yu Tang said hesitantly, “That’s not right! Shouldn’t it be other families choosing the Wu family, not the Wu family choosing other families?”
Why would the Peng family agree to marry a Wu family girl?
Yu Tang speculated: “Could it be that the Wu family’s dowry is generous?”
Pei Yan, seeing her anxious little appearance, felt playful and couldn’t help scraping Yu Tang’s nose as he said, “It’s not entirely about the dowry. Most likely there’s some kind of cooperation involved.”
Yu Tang had something on her mind and couldn’t be bothered to tease with Pei Yan. She said anxiously, “When two families form a marriage alliance, there must be some cooperation involved. I’m afraid it might have some impact on our family. Minister Jiang and you don’t get along, and now the Wu family is forming marriage ties with the Peng family.”
She still remembered how they had used “Fishing in Seclusion by Pine Stream” to cut off the Peng family’s source of income.
But Pei Yan didn’t seem concerned at all. He smiled and said, “Isn’t this actually better! Like now, when we and the Peng family clearly have conflicts but still have to pretend to be intimately close—that’s quite irritating.”
That was true.
Yu Tang reminded Pei Yan: “You be careful! I just have a bad feeling about this.”
“Don’t worry!” Pei Yan said with a smile, embracing Yu Tang. “I now have a family and household. I don’t dare act recklessly. Otherwise, what would you do!”
Yu Tang’s face felt hot while her heart felt sweet. She felt that saying anything would ruin the atmosphere, and with her emotions stirred up, all the strength in her body seemed to have nowhere to go.
She tightly embraced Pei Yan’s waist…
Within a few days, news of the Peng and Wu families’ marriage alliance spread throughout the capital.
When Yu Tang attended the hundred-day celebration for Xu Xuan’s eldest son at the Yin residence, quite a few people pulled her aside to ask, “Is it the Wu family girl who married into the Jiang family?”
“Yes!” Yu Tang answered with a smile.
Most of those who knew had a dismissive attitude, some even saying with considerable contempt, “To marry off daughters the way their family does is quite something.”
Clearly the Wu family hadn’t gained any good reputation from this.
Even Xu Xuan, who had been forcibly pressed by the numerous aunts of the Yin family to rest at home, privately discussed this matter with Yu Tang: “I heard Miss Wu’s dowry this time is one hundred thousand taels of silver. Peng Ninth Master is a playboy who’s often short of money—only he would agree to this marriage.”
Wasn’t it because the Peng family had Peng Yu, that rising star in official circles?
Xu Xuan scoffed: “The Peng family would probably rather marry Miss Sun into the family than marry Miss Wu. It’s too obvious and easily gives people something to gossip about.”
Yu Tang didn’t know what had happened in this matter and naturally couldn’t comment casually. She changed the topic to Madam Song the Fourth: “Did you send her an invitation?”
Xu Xuan couldn’t remember and had someone summon the steward nanny to ask, then said to Yu Tang, “I personally wrote the invitations for you, Miss Zhang the Eldest, and A’Dan. I need to ask about the others.” She then asked curiously, “Why are you asking about this?”
Since the Song family intended to marry Miss Song the Seventh to a family that could help the Song family, they would certainly try to get into such occasions.
Yu Tang was just asking casually.
She felt that as an inner household woman, her failure to discover the Peng-Wu marriage alliance was somewhat derelict of duty.
So she was paying more attention to the Song family’s movements.
“I just haven’t seen her, so I’m asking.” Yu Tang felt too embarrassed to tell Xu Xuan about her dereliction of duty and answered vaguely.
Fortunately, Xu Xuan didn’t press further.
After a while, the steward nanny came over and reported anxiously, “The First Young Mistress didn’t specifically instruct us before, so we didn’t send them invitations.” She then defended herself: “Although the Song family is a Jiangnan aristocratic family, their highest rank is only fourth grade. The Song family also sold their residence in the capital, and Madam Song the Fourth is currently staying with the Wu family. We didn’t send invitations to the Wu family either.”
The implication was that the Song family didn’t yet have the qualifications to attend their family’s eldest young master’s hundred-day celebration.