Gu Xi hurriedly embraced Yuan’er in her arms, kissing him again and again.
With his mother’s comfort, Yuan’er gradually calmed down and said softly, “Mama, I want to play with the older brothers.”
He still wanted to go.
Gu Xi had no choice but to continue coaxing her son: “Look, there are so many people around the two young uncles. What if you get bumped into again like just now? Let’s wait a bit. Once the young uncles finish talking with the people around them, we’ll go find them to play, all right?”
Yuan’er had always been obedient and kept nodding at her words.
He occasionally accompanied his mother when visiting other families. Aside from visits to his maternal uncle’s home, when going to other people’s houses, those children didn’t really look after him, so he didn’t particularly enjoy playing with them either.
Gu Xi breathed a sigh of relief.
At occasions like this, she feared most when children made a fuss, making it seem like they had no proper upbringing. Normally she didn’t take her child out much, precisely because she worried that if her child had a conflict with others, suppressing her own child would pain her heart, but not suppressing her own child would make it seem like she was unwilling to discipline him.
Gu Xi gently patted her child’s back, and then she saw that Jiang’er had somehow become like the leader of that group of children. The children clustered around him and Xu Xuan’s eldest son, and Jiang’er was also holding his younger brother’s hand as they all rushed out of the warm pavilion in a flurry.
Yuan’er grew anxious and looked back at his mother: “Older brother…”
Gu Xi was also quite surprised.
It was still snowing outside!
If they slipped and fell or caught a chill in such conditions, neither would be a small matter.
She hesitated about whether to call out and stop them.
Who knew that Lady Fei, née Qin, who had been sitting quietly among everyone the whole time, would suddenly say to the elderly nurse beside her: “Go see if the young master is awake yet. If he is, bring him to play with Young Master Pei, Young Master Yin, and the others.”
Qin Shi had been quite old when she married, and Fei Zhiwen even more so. Having children in middle age, they doted excessively on their son and daughter. The children normally slept until they naturally woke, and whatever they ate or drank followed the children’s preferences—they never interfered. Moreover, because Fei Zhiwen had not only been promoted to Minister of Personnel, managing officials’ promotions and assessments, but was also a favored minister and confidant before two emperors, everyone was unwilling to offend him. Therefore, other children were instructed to play less with their family’s children. Qin Shi seemed oblivious to this and brought her two children wherever she went. Like today, when visiting the Yin family, other families’ children had risen early and, upon arrival, first paid respects to the various elders, then greeted children from families with whom they had generational ties before being taken away by their wet nurses depending on the situation, or performing for the entertainment of their elders, keeping them company with conversation. Only the two Fei family children had allegedly risen too early and fallen asleep again in the carriage. Upon arriving at the Yin residence, after groggily greeting the elders who had arrived before them, they asked Xu Xuan for a side room and had the managing nurse accompanying them take them to continue sleeping.
Who knows what kind of dissolute wastrels these two children would grow up to be!
Gu Xi curled her lips in disdain.
However, Xu Xuan feared Yu Tang might misunderstand and whispered to her: “Their family’s two children are actually very well-behaved, not as pampered as the outside rumors suggest. As for why they’ve ended up like this today, it’s because everyone feels that doing less means fewer mistakes, so they keep a respectful distance.”
Hearing these words, Yu Tang’s heart stirred.
In Lin’an, aside from the nephews and grand-nephews of the Pei family, Jiang’er and Xi’er had no playmates. Even when returning to the Yu family, Xiang Shi mostly treated the two children with reverence.
She suddenly felt like staying in the capital for a few more years.
Previously, because of the incident with Peng Shiyi, not only had she been frightened, but Pei Yan had been frightened as well. Not knowing whether she was in a Zhuangzi dreaming of being a butterfly scenario, whether this lifetime was also a dream, she thought that if this truly was a dream, then let her have no regrets in this dream. Whether it was caring for Pei Yan’s daily needs, soothing Pei Yan’s emotions, or indulging Pei Yan’s desires, Yu Tang did it all willingly and gladly, striving to do it well.
The two of them nestled in Lin’an, extremely sweet together.
However, Pei Yan felt that since Yu Tang’s dream ended when the new emperor ascended the throne, it meant that after the change of era name, Yu Tang should have smooth sailing and everything going well. Outside was after all other people’s territory, unlike in Lin’an or Hangzhou where any disturbance couldn’t escape his eyes. The best approach was to keep Yu Tang in the palm of his hand, where he could watch over her everywhere and guard her constantly to feel at ease.
As for the fame, profit, and turmoil of the outside world, whenever he wanted to get involved, it wouldn’t be too late.
Only when the current emperor sat upon the golden throne could he finally swallow that breath of worry smoothly.
After swallowing it down, he inevitably felt somewhat enthusiastic. It just so happened that Wei Xiaochuan was coming to the capital to take the imperial examinations. After thinking it over, he simply brought Yu Tang and the children to the capital together, letting the children broaden their horizons, get to know people, so they would have support whatever they did in the future.
He also wanted to take Yu Tang to Mount Tai!
Of course, this time was even better.
Besides Yu Tang, there were also the two children and his mother.
More complete than last time.
Perhaps because she had become a mother, Yu Tang preferred staying at home. Even when going to Mount Tai, it was more about managing Pei Yan’s emotions and wanting to let the two children see more.
She considered the children more.
The capital was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. The Pei family was formidable, but there were even more formidable families than the Pei family, so people wouldn’t just fawn over their family’s children regardless of right or wrong, and the children could more easily make like-minded friends.
After returning home, she discussed this matter with Pei Yan.
Pei Yan was indifferent and asked about Fei Zhiwen’s two children: “What did you think of them?”
He had been entertaining guests in the outer courtyard all day and didn’t know what had happened in the inner residence.
Yu Tang assumed Pei Yan had also heard the rumors about the Fei family raising both children too delicately. She took the tea cup from the maid’s hands, personally handed it to Pei Yan, and sat down beside him before smiling and saying: “Their son is one year older than our Xi’er. I observed that he’s just like our Xi’er—both have gentle, shy temperaments. When playing with our Xi’er, he even knew to hold our Xi’er’s hand, and when petting the cat, he knew to let our Xi’er pet it first. As for their daughter, she just turned one year old and is still being held by her wet nurse. She can’t even speak clearly yet. How is that being pampered? How is she so untouchable? I think those who say such things all have some ill intentions. Besides, if I had two children like that, I would certainly protect them like the apple of my eye too.”
Pei Yan was startled and said: “Xi’er played with cats again? Where did the Yin family get a cat?”
Yu Tang laughed: “Naturally it’s one they raise at home! If it weren’t a house cat, who would dare let the children touch it! Even if I agreed, Madam Yin wouldn’t agree!”
Pei Yan nodded.
Yu Tang remembered how Xu Xuan had teased Xi’er and told this matter to Pei Yan as a joke: “She insisted that Xi’er take their little girl home. Xi’er was so anxious he nearly cried.”
Pei Yan gave Yu Tang a meaningful look with a half-smile.
Yu Tang’s heart skipped a beat, and she looked toward Pei Yan hesitantly.
Pei Yan had never been one to be ambiguous. Seeing this, he simply laid the matter out plainly with Yu Tang: “I asked about the Fei family’s two children with this meaning as well. Minister Fei wants to form a marriage alliance with our family. If the daughter won’t do, the son will do. Xu Shi probably has the same intention. As for Lady Fei specifically having her eldest son play together with Jiang’er and the others, she and her husband have likely discussed this matter, and after Lady Fei met our two children, she felt they were very good, which is why she spoke up.”
However, Yu Tang had no intention of settling her children’s marriage matters so early.
No matter what, the children’s preferences were also important!
Back then, Old Madam Pei hadn’t interfered much with whom the Pei brothers married, which allowed her to form a beautiful marriage with Pei Yan. Although she didn’t have Old Madam Pei’s vision and magnanimity, she could learn from her!
She couldn’t help but feel somewhat troubled: “The children are still so young—it’s too early to discuss these matters.”
“That’s what I think too.” Pei Yan said, “So today I declined Fei Zhiwen, saying that our family’s children won’t discuss marriage until they reach the age of spoon dance.”
Yu Tang nervously asked: “Then what did Minister Fei say?”
“Of course he wants to form a marriage alliance with our family even more!” Pei Yan said, “Neither family’s children have made offerings to the Pox Goddess yet!”
Arranging betrothals too early—if there were any mishaps, it would be bad for the children’s reputations.
Yu Tang breathed a sigh of relief, then began worrying about the Pox Goddess: “Jiang’er is already six years old.”
Usually children began making offerings to the Pox Goddess at six or seven years old.
Pei Yan embraced Yu Tang and said: “Rest assured, I’ve brought experienced physicians and will watch Jiang’er’s condition closely.”
He often played with his two sons. If Jiang’er truly had to make offerings to the Pox Goddess, with Pei Yan’s attentiveness, he would surely know very quickly.
To divert Yu Tang’s attention, Pei Yan even mentioned a new idea that had occurred to him since coming to the capital: “These past two days I’ve been testing Hong’er on his studies and discovered that his foundation is particularly weak. Some common knowledge that I understood at his age, he’s never even heard of. This child has no talent for scholarship and isn’t interested in it either. So I wanted to discuss with you about letting Hong’er become the heir apparent.”
Yu Tang was shocked.
This meant giving the position of clan head back to the second branch.
Only ten years had passed since the last upheaval.
Would the Pei family elders agree?
She hurriedly said: “Does Mother know about this?”
Pei Yan shook his head and said: “I only thought of this while observing Hong’er these past few days. I’m planning to hear your thoughts first.”
The Pei family possessed considerable wealth. Whoever became clan head meant being able to control such a large fortune. Especially when the younger generation lacked talent for scholarship, wanting to have a say in clan matters made controlling such wealth particularly important.
But this way, the main branch would inevitably be suspected of grasping power and not letting go.
Yu Tang said: “I think you should still proceed cautiously. Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish—the clan head succession rights relate to the rise and fall of clan members and must also be handled prudently.”
Pei Yan nodded and said seriously: “This matter, I’m just discussing with you. Whether Hong’er can manage it or not, I still need to observe carefully. I won’t discuss it with the family elders so quickly.”
Yu Tang responded with an “Mm.”
However, Pei Yan thought more and more that this arrangement was better.
Why did the Pei family ancestor stipulate that the Pei family clan head was not allowed to enter government service? First, because clan affairs were trivial and complex—managing them well also required tremendous energy. Second, he feared the clan head would become embroiled in court disputes and ultimately bring catastrophic disaster upon the clan members.
Jiang’er was not only intelligent but also had no ambitions in that direction. He didn’t want to place shackles on his son so early.
Even if he didn’t choose Hong’er, he had decided to choose someone else.
It was just that choosing Hong’er would be better for the main branch.