Yu Tang naturally had no idea what was happening in the main hall.

At this moment, she sat in the Pei family’s flower hall, staring unblinkingly at the row of gold-leaf painted glazed panel doors, lost in thought about something or other.

Yu Yuan gently tugged at the corner of Yu Tang’s garment.

Yu Tang came back to her senses and heard Old Master Wu making sporadic small talk with the servant attending them, inquiring about Pei Yan: “…So you’re saying Third Master Pei is someone without any particular hobbies?”

The servant apparently felt this wasn’t quite right to say, but couldn’t think of words to refute it. He pondered for a moment before saying: “You can’t put it that way. I’m just an errand boy in the outer courtyard. Even if Third Master has hobbies, how could I possibly know about them!”

Old Master Wu felt his question had somewhat embarrassed the servant, and hastily said: “Aiya, we’re just chatting casually! If you ask me, you served the old master, and given Third Master’s filial piety, he’ll naturally regard you highly. Just wait patiently—once Third Master finishes his mourning period, he’ll surely make arrangements for you.”

The servant probably thought the same way himself. Hearing this, he was so delighted his mouth couldn’t close as he said, “I’ll take your auspicious words.”

He’s just a servant—surely there’s no need to butter him up this much?

Yu Tang asked Yu Yuan in a low voice: “What’s going on?”

Yu Yuan smiled bitterly: “Old Master Wu is truly formidable. In just a few words, he’s already exchanged names with this servant and even invited him to bring a few good friends to pick walnuts in the Wu family’s mountains when he has time.”

Able to bend and stretch—Yu Tang was quite impressed.

Yu Yuan quietly asked her: “What were you thinking about just now? I called you twice and you didn’t hear me.”

“Nothing!” Yu Tang glanced at the two young maids standing in the flower hall, feeling this wasn’t the place for conversation. “We’ll talk when we get back,” she said, then turned to look toward the Wei father and son.

Master Wei and Wei Xiaoyuan sat there quietly drinking tea, listening to Old Master Wu chat with the servant. Their expressions were calm—they appeared to have recovered from their earlier grief.

Yu Tang’s heart lightened.

Pei Man walked in accompanying Yu Wen.

“Father!” Yu Tang exclaimed joyfully, scurrying forward to greet him.

“Master Yu!”

“Uncle Yu!”

“Uncle!”

Seeing them, Old Master Wu and the others all stood up as well.

Yu Wen hastily bowed to everyone, saying: “Third Master Pei just asked me about the rift between our two families and the Li family. I answered truthfully. Seeing the hour is getting late, I took my leave.”

This served as an explanation to everyone.

Old Master Wu and the others greeted Pei Man.

Pei Man returned each person’s courtesy, his attitude as always neither excessively warm nor excessively cold. Trying to discern Pei Yan’s intentions from his expression was completely impossible.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Pei Man personally escorted them out.

Yu Tang’s curiosity, however, had reached its peak.

After passing through the corridor hall, they reached the side gate of the Pei residence.

Once through the side gate, they would be out of the Pei residence.

She followed behind her father and brother, but as her foot crossed the threshold of the corridor hall, she couldn’t help but look back.

Among the lush greenery, she could only see the high upturned eave corners at both ends of the gray tiled ridge of the Pei residence’s main hall. She couldn’t see the five-bay red-pillared main hall, nor the two armspan-thick camphor trees in front of the hall.

Truly, the courtyard was deep beyond measure.

Who could know what was hidden among this greenery?

Yu Tang turned her head and followed her father and brother out of the Pei residence.

Chen Shi and Wang Shi had been eagerly waiting, standing at the gate early on.

Yu Tang had already learned on the road what Pei Yan and her father had discussed. As soon as she stepped down from the palanquin, she headed straight for her mother and eldest aunt.

“Mother, Eldest Aunt,” she stepped forward and took her mother’s arm, saying warmly to Wang Shi, “Everything’s fine now. Third Master Pei upheld justice, threw those two vagrants and the Li family’s head steward who ordered them to kill into prison, and is even going to drive the Li family head steward’s relatives and associates out of the Li residence. From now on, no one will dare help tyrants commit evil anymore.”

This was already the best outcome they had discussed beforehand.

“Amitabha!” Chen Shi and Wang Shi couldn’t help but press their palms together, chanting Buddhist prayers. “May the Bodhisattva protect us!”

Yu Tang smiled with pursed lips.

Yu Wen and Yu Yuan walked in, greeting Chen Shi and Wang Shi.

“Come inside quickly, come inside quickly!” Chen Shi said. “I’ve prepared pomelo tree leaves.”

Yu Wen’s face darkened as he said: “It’s not like anything happened to me—why prepare pomelo tree leaves!”

“Didn’t our family encounter villains?” Chen Shi said righteously. “We need to dispel the bad luck too!”

Yu Wen thought for a moment and laughed: “Your reasoning is sound. That Li family is indeed nothing but bad luck! We must dispel it, we must dispel it!”

Wang Shi watched and laughed, then took pomelo tree branches with Chen Shi to pat the dust off them, which counted as dispelling bad luck.

Chen Shi put away the pomelo tree branches and looked behind the two of them, saying: “Why don’t I see Old Master Wu? I prepared some for him too.”

Yu Wen said: “He had matters to attend to and didn’t return with us. You can send someone to deliver the pomelo tree branches to his house.” Remembering how much Old Master Wu had helped today, he instructed: “Also bring a few boxes of pastries and sweets.”

Chen Shi repeatedly agreed, arranging for someone to deliver the pomelo tree branches, pastries, and sweets. Yu Wen, Yu Tang, and Yu Yuan each returned to their rooms to wash up, then gathered together again for the midday meal.

Only then did Wang Shi and Chen Shi learn what had specifically happened at the Pei residence. The two women thoroughly cursed the Li family, then praised Third Master Pei repeatedly. Chen Shi sighed once more: “It’s such a pity our family can’t help the Pei family with anything! It would be best if we never have the opportunity to repay them in this lifetime.”

Never having the opportunity to repay them would mean the Pei family remained smooth and prosperous—this was another kind of blessing for the Pei family!

The two families sat together and happily ate their midday meal. Yu Wen said: “Everyone’s tired today. Rest first, and if there’s anything to discuss, we’ll talk tomorrow.”

Yu Tang and Yu Yuan agreed in unison. Yu Yuan returned home with his mother, while Yu Tang returned to her room and lay on the bed but couldn’t fall asleep no matter what.

With great difficulty, she drowsily fell asleep, only to be quickly awakened by voices talking outside.

She called for Shuang Tao and asked: “Who’s talking outside?”

Shuang Tao said cheerfully: “It’s Madam Ma. Miss Ma from the Ma family is about to be married, and Madam Ma came personally to invite Madam and the young miss to the residence for the wedding banquet. She also wants to invite the young miss to be Miss Ma’s companion.”

This had been agreed upon with Ma Xiuniang all along.

The only blame lay with her having been so busy with Wei Xiaoshan’s matter these past few days that she’d forgotten about it.

Yu Tang patted her forehead, got up and had Shuang Tao help her dress, saying: “Did Madam Ma come alone? I should go greet her.”

Shuang Tao helped her change clothes while saying: “Madam Ma came with the matchmaker. She said she wanted to invite Madam Wu to be the ‘perfectly blessed woman,’ but when they arrived, they discovered Madam Wu had returned to her maiden home and won’t be back for a couple of days. Madam Ma plans to come back in a couple of days to invite Madam Wu.”

Madam Wu was a famous ‘woman of complete fortune’ in Lin’an City. Many people invited her to serve as the ‘perfectly blessed woman.’ In earlier years, she would accept anyone who asked, but now that her reputation had spread and more people were requesting her, she no longer agreed readily.

Yu Tang went to the reception hall, where Madam Ma and Chen Shi were chatting and laughing happily, very warmly.

Seeing Yu Tang, she beckoned her over and gave her a red envelope, saying it was for buying snacks.

This meant she was inviting her to be a companion.

Of course she readily agreed.

Chen Shi and Madam Ma chatted about Ma Xiuniang’s dowry for a while. Madam Ma still had many matters to attend to and couldn’t sit still. After instructing Chen Shi several times, “You must come on that day,” she took her leave together with the matchmaker.