Yu Tang was a very open-minded person.

Otherwise, during those years at the Li family, she would have been driven mad by Lin Shi long ago.

Since she had made a decision, she wouldn’t overthink it anymore.

She just had to act according to what they had discussed.

Master Qian said that restoring the painting and making forgeries for them—copying three paintings—couldn’t be completed quickly, and he added thirty taels of silver to the cost.

Yu Wen made a prompt decision and quietly borrowed thirty taels of silver from Shopkeeper Tong’er, agreeing to repay it after returning to Lin’an. Afraid that Shopkeeper Tong’er would mention this matter and make others suspect their purpose in coming to Hangzhou, Yu Wen repeatedly asked Shopkeeper Tong’er to keep it secret, saying, “I’m a scholar after all—if word of this got out, it would be too embarrassing. Please help me save face.”

In reality, he was afraid someone would suspect his purpose in coming to Hangzhou.

There were plenty of down-and-out scholars, and even some officials weren’t well-off. Shopkeeper Tong’er had seen much of this and smiled, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about this.” Then he had Yu Wen write a promissory note and hid it in the pawnshop’s storage room: “This place is more secure than the Hangzhou prefectural treasury. You can rest assured!”

If Yu Wen didn’t trust the Pei family pawnshop, he wouldn’t have come here to borrow silver.

He thanked Shopkeeper Tong’er profusely before returning to the inn.

Yu Tang had nothing to do at the inn. Over these two days, she not only made Chen Shi a begonia hair ornament with twin flowers joined together, but also made a pair of red velvet plum blossom hair ornaments for the innkeeper’s wife.

The innkeeper’s wife was very happy when she received them, praising how well-made the hair ornaments were, and said, “I haven’t seen such exquisite things in many years. Do you want to earn some personal spending money with these? If you’re interested, I can ask how much the Cai family’s cosmetics and hair accessories shop will pay for them. After you return to Lin’an, you can have Head Shopkeeper Tong from the Pei family pawnshop bring the finished hair ornaments over, and I’ll help you sell them to the Cai family’s cosmetics shop.”

In both her lives, Yu Tang had never thought of earning money this way. She couldn’t help hesitating and said, “Are my hair ornaments really that good? Would a cosmetics shop be willing to buy them? I don’t know how many hair ornaments I can make in a month—I feel uncertain.”

The innkeeper’s wife smiled and said, “If you’re truly interested in this business, go back and think it over carefully—see how many you can make in a month and how much it would cost. Once you have a clear idea, it won’t be too late to come find me. I’ll always be here anyway—you can find me whenever you come.”

Yu Tang thanked her repeatedly. During these idle days, she made seven or eight hair ornaments in a row. Yu Yuan happened to come back to change clothes, so she called him over to help her calculate the costs.

This really was a case of not knowing until you calculated—what a shock when you did!

These seven or eight hair ornaments cost less than ten wen, and at minimum thirty wen each, she’d already profit quite a bit.

Yu Yuan looked thoughtful and discussed with Yu Tang: “What do you think about us doing this business?”

Making a few hair ornaments occasionally when free to supplement the household income was fine, but Yu Tang had never considered doing this as a long-term business. However, she would support whatever Yu Yuan wanted to do.

“Then why don’t you go inquire about the market, Brother!” Yu Tang said.

Yu Yuan thought about it, but in the end sighed, his smile somewhat bitter as he said, “Forget it! Father is set on reviving our family’s lacquerware shop.”

Yu Tang had never wandered around Hangzhou city like this before and had always thought the family’s shop was quite good. Now having toured Hangzhou, she felt Lin’an was a bit small and understood why Yu Yuan was a bit “restless.” But some paths Yu Yuan had to walk himself, experience himself, choose himself, and strive for himself.

She smiled and asked about Master Qian’s situation: “You’ve been staying there these past few days—has everything been going smoothly?”

“Smoothly!” Yu Yuan said. “Master Qian’s craftsmanship is beyond question.”

When he brought back the completed work, everyone looked left and right but couldn’t see any difference from the original. Yu Wen marveled in admiration and very much wanted to meet Master Qian, but was very directly refused by Master Qian. Yu Wen was very disappointed, but knowing such matters couldn’t be forced, he packed his luggage and prepared to return to Lin’an.

Yu Tang had Yu Yuan accompany her to the lane selling cosmetics and hair accessories, where she bought some materials and tools for making hair ornaments. Before departing for Lin’an, Yu Wen took them to thank Pei Yan.

But Pei Yan and Top Scholar Zhou had gone to Huai’an.

According to Shopkeeper Tong’er, Top Scholar Zhou’s nephew had been transferred to serve as Huai’an prefect, and Top Scholar Zhou had dragged Pei Yan along.

Yu Wen was very envious and said, “Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles. I wonder when I’ll be able to do the same.”

Traveling by boat or horse carried three parts danger—Yu Tang didn’t want Yu Wen traveling far.

She spoke frankly: “That’s because Third Master Pei and Top Scholar Zhou both have acquaintances. You should stay home and keep Mother and me company!”

Yu Wen laughed heartily, stroking his daughter’s soft, lustrous hair as he smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I’m just envious. If I had to leave you and your mother to go play, three or four days would be fine, but longer wouldn’t work.”

Yu Tang smiled with pursed lips.

They thanked the innkeeper and his wife, then boarded a boat at the small dock not far from the Pei family pawnshop.

With favorable wind and water, in just two hours, the Shao River dock came into view.

The large banner of the Pei family pawnshop still swayed in the wind, and the dock was as lively as ever.

Yet Yu Tang felt as if she’d been away for a year and a half—even the clamor felt dear to her.

She jumped off the gangplank.

Head Shopkeeper Tong called out to her from afar: “Slowly, slowly—careful you don’t fall in the water!”

Yu Tang giggled and stepped forward to bow to Head Shopkeeper Tong.

Head Shopkeeper Tong came forward with a beaming smile, greeting Yu Wen: “My younger brother said you’d return today. I was just wondering why you hadn’t arrived yet, and here you are. How was the Hangzhou trip?”

“Very good!” Yu Wen walked shoulder to shoulder with Head Shopkeeper Tong, heading forward while thanking him, “If it weren’t for your brother, our daughter would have suffered terribly.” He told Head Shopkeeper Tong about requesting the physician.

Yu Tang said huffily beside them: “Father, it’s fine if you tell Head Shopkeeper Tong, but you can’t tell a second person.”

Yu Wen and Head Shopkeeper Tong were taken aback, then burst into laughter, saying, “The young lady is embarrassed. We definitely won’t mention it again in the future, won’t mention it.”

Head Shopkeeper Tong invited Yu Wen into the shop to drink tea and rest.

Yu Wen was thinking about Chen Shi at home and politely declined.

Yu Tang gave several of the hair ornaments she’d made to the Tong family’s female relatives.

Both Madam Tong and Young Madam Tong were very pleased when they saw them. Knowing Yu Tang had made them herself, they took out handkerchiefs or embroidered socks as return gifts and urged Yu Tang to come visit with Chen Shi whenever she was free.

Yu Tang agreed with a smile.

After returning home, she generously began distributing the things she’d made.

Chen Shi, Chen Pozi, Shuang Tao, Ma Xiuniang, Madam Ma… She also sent a box to the female relatives of Old Master Wu’s household next door.

Everyone praised Yu Tang’s skillful hands. Only Chen Shi asked Yu Tang suspiciously, “Did you really make these? You didn’t buy them?”

Yu Tang made one on the spot for Chen Shi.

Chen Shi was very surprised and hugged Yu Tang, laughing, “My child, I didn’t expect you had such a skill. When did you learn this? How come I didn’t know?”

Yu Tang wouldn’t tell Chen Shi.

That evening, when Chen Shi whispered with Yu Wen, she felt somewhat self-reproachful, saying, “Although I’ve been ill and didn’t have the energy to manage everything about A’Tang, I was still too neglectful of her. I didn’t even know she could make hair ornaments.”

But Yu Wen was thinking about the map matter and responded vaguely with a sound, saying, “Go to sleep! Don’t worry about it. A’Tang has her own ideas now. In the future, she’ll be able to support the household. We might really get to enjoy her blessings.”