Gu Xi frequently visited Pei Manor, so the page recognized who she was and naturally told her everything he knew: “The Old Madam is coming to the capital for the New Year. Second Master has ordered the western courtyard to be cleaned and prepared.”

Pei Xuan had just been promoted and had requested an imperial patent for Old Madam Pei. Gu Xi hadn’t even known the patent had been issued.

But the people at Pei Manor had already changed how they addressed her.

Gu Xi felt her heart beat even more wildly, but she suppressed the strange feeling in her heart and said with an appearance of complete joy: “This is truly wonderful news! But I wonder when the Old Madam will arrive in the capital? Who will accompany her here?”

Years ago, Old Madam Pei and the Grand Madam had come to the capital together, planning to spend the New Year in the capital, then visit Mount Tai before returning to Lin’an. But then Yu Tang became pregnant. Old Madam Pei was overjoyed and kept Yu Tang in the capital while she herself went to Mount Tai alone, saying she would obtain a peace talisman for Yu Tang. After returning to the capital, she helped Yu Tang through her confinement month. Only after Yu Tang’s eldest son turned one year old and Pei Dan married out did she finally return to Lin’an.

Thinking of these things, Gu Xi’s arms holding her child tightened.

Upon hearing this, the page shook his head and said with a smile: “This humble one doesn’t know when the Old Madam will arrive in the capital, nor who will accompany her. The head steward only told us to work through these nights to clean out the residence.”

It was only mid-October.

Gu Xi asked a few more questions, but the page didn’t know much. Afraid that asking too many questions would attract attention, she smiled and said: “Thank you, young brother,” and signaled He Xiang to reward the page with a few coins. She and He Xiang continued toward Second Madam’s quarters.

Seeing Gu Xi’s poor complexion, He Xiang couldn’t help but quietly say: “Young Madam, if the Old Madam is coming, shouldn’t we prepare?”

Besides going with the Pei Manor people to welcome her, they would also need to prepare some uncommon items to show filial piety to Old Madam Pei. If they could invite Old Madam Pei to their home for a meal or something, that would be even better.

Gu Xi absent-mindedly hummed in agreement, wondering whether Yu Tang would come to the capital together with Old Madam Pei.

She didn’t know how the Pei family’s business had fared these past years, but the Yu family’s business had grown larger and larger. Just at the beginning of this year, Yu Yuan and a fellow townsman named Yao San had partnered to open a general goods shop in the capital. She had deliberately gone to look around.

The shop was located in the most prosperous section of West Street—five bays. Besides selling lacquerware, they also sold some imported goods. But unlike the Tao family’s luxury items, the imported goods in the Yu family’s general shop were all relatively cheap—clearly prepared for those seeking novelty and buying for fun.

Still, quite a few people bought from them.

How much had the Pei family helped subsidize this?

As Gu Xi pondered this, the two quickly arrived at Second Madam’s main chambers.

A little maid went to inform Second Madam. Nanny Jin came out personally with a face full of smiles to welcome them inside.

Second Madam sat on the arhat couch, speaking with several stewardess servant women. As soon as they entered, the conversation stopped. Second Madam even stood up and clapped her hands toward Yuan Geer, saying: “Oh my, our Yuan Geer has come!”

Yuan Geer came often and wasn’t shy. He rushed toward Second Madam with a grin.

Second Madam joyfully held Yuan Geer.

The attending maids hurriedly helped Yuan Geer remove his hat, scarf, and cloak.

The several stewardess servant women paid their respects to Gu Xi.

Gu Xi exchanged a few polite words and stepped forward to greet Second Madam.

Second Madam placed Yuan Geer, who had become much more lively after removing his outer garments, on the arhat couch. While giving Yuan Geer a kumquat to nibble on, she smiled at Gu Xi: “This isn’t some other place—no need to be so formal.”

Though she said this, Gu Xi couldn’t truly be improper.

Second Madam said to the stewardess servant women: “That’s settled for today’s matters. First do as I’ve instructed. If anything is inappropriate, come report to me again.”

The several stewardess servant women responded “Yes” and withdrew one after another.

Gu Xi had He Xiang give the pear syrup to Second Madam’s senior maid, saying with a smile to Second Madam: “This time’s pears weren’t as good as last time’s, so I added some dried tangerine peel. If Second Aunt finds it unsatisfactory after eating it, just have the maids tell He Xiang and I’ll make more to bring over.”

Second Madam smiled her thanks and said with some emotion: “You’ve put in such effort. You’re even more attentive than our A’Dan.”

How could Gu Xi dare accept such words? She quickly smiled and said: “A’Dan is young, and her children are at such a mischievous age—she has the will but lacks the strength.” After this response, she immediately changed the subject to what she’d seen when entering the manor: “I heard Grandmother is coming to the capital. I didn’t even know the imperial patent had been issued—this calls for celebration.” She added, “When will she arrive? You must tell me. Last time she even made a special trip to visit A’Tong—we’ve kept that in our hearts!”

Second Madam chuckled.

Though Old Madam Pei didn’t like her eldest daughter-in-law, she felt tender affection for her eldest grandson.

During her last visit to the capital, she had made a special trip to see where they lived and gave Pei Tong lengthy instructions.

Second Madam thought for a moment and said to Gu Xi: “It’s not your grandmother coming, it’s your Third Uncle coming. The Emperor has ascended the throne and proclaimed the first year of his reign. Your Third Uncle wants to come to the capital to see it. Your Third Aunt will certainly accompany him, and the Old Madam can’t bear to be apart from her two young grandsons, so she’ll come along as well.”

Ever since Gu Xi saw the pages cleaning the courtyard, she had been speculating whether Yu Tang would come.

Now that this news was confirmed, she actually calmed down.

She smiled: “Third Aunt and Third Uncle are still so close—wherever they go, they must go together. But it makes the Old Madam travel with them and suffer the hardship.”

After all, since the family branch had been divided, some things could be said while others were inconvenient to mention.

Second Madam smiled and said: “They’ve been husband and wife since youth after all—it’s natural they like to stay close together. From what your Second Uncle said, they’ll probably arrive by the end of the month. I’ll have someone inform you then, and you can come pay your respects to the Old Madam too.”

Gu Xi agreed with a beaming smile and asked about Yu Tang’s two sons: “Jiang Geer and Xi Geer’s birthdays are coming up soon, aren’t they?”

Yu Tang’s two sons—the eldest, Jiang Geer, was born on the second of November, and the second son was born on the sixth of December.

When they weren’t in the capital it didn’t matter, but now that they were coming to the capital, they as elder cousins and cousin’s wife should send birthday gifts no matter what.

Second Madam said in surprise: “You actually still remember!”

Gu Xi nodded with a smile, using her handkerchief to wipe her son’s chin, which was covered in fruit juice from his nibbling.

How could she forget?

Yu Tang’s eldest son Pei Jiang was four years older than her Yuan Geer. Then when Pei Jiang was three, Yu Tang gave birth to her second son, Pei Xi. Because of this, the Grand Madam had given her plenty of unpleasant looks. After suffering the Grand Madam’s anger, she still had to pretend nothing had happened while sending congratulatory gifts to Lin’an.

She would remember it for the rest of her life.

Second Madam tied a handkerchief around Yuan Geer like a bib and said with a smile: “So your Second Uncle said this is a rare opportunity—we must celebrate Jiang Geer and Xi Geer’s birthdays properly.”

If there were no accidents, Pei Xuan would remain in the capital for at least another twenty years. There wouldn’t be many opportunities to see Pei Jiang and Pei Xi.

Gu Xi could only put on an appearance of high spirits, saying with a beaming smile: “I’ll come help when the time comes.”

“Naturally.” As Second Madam spoke, she thought of Pei Fei’s marriage and said: “Still hasn’t been settled? What does your mother-in-law mean by this?”

Pei Fei had already reached the age of twenty this year, yet his marriage still had no prospects.

Gu Xi sneered inwardly but showed nothing on her face. Her tone was even gentler than usual: “It’s not that there aren’t good families willing to form a marriage alliance with our household. But my mother-in-law is single-mindedly determined to find someone who can help him. Unfortunately, these past years my brother-in-law hasn’t even passed the prefectural exam. The marriage matter is somewhat difficult.”

Not just somewhat difficult!

According to the Grand Madam’s standards, unless some family had lost their minds, who would marry their daughter to Pei Fei?

When all was said and done, this matter should be blamed on the Yang family.

Back when they saw the family had received one hundred fifty thousand taels of silver, and Second Master Yang and Third Master Yang still needed the Pei family’s help with arrangements, after the Grand Madam arrived in the capital, they proposed having Pei Fei become a son-in-law in their family.

The Grand Madam, feeling empty inside because of the branch division, agreed immediately upon hearing this and even had Gu Xi take five thousand taels of silver as betrothal gifts to the Yang family.

Who knew Pei Fei would prove so disappointing—he failed the prefectural exam several times. The Yang family probably didn’t think highly of him. Moreover, after Seventh Miss Song married the nephew of the Jiangsu Provincial Administration Commissioner, the Song family secretly gained many benefits. The Yang family daughters were beautiful, so marriages were easy to arrange. Several Yang family daughters were betrothed to excellent families, yet they never settled on which of their daughters would actually be betrothed to Pei Tong.

This matter dragged on and on. After Pei Tong failed the spring examinations for the second time, the Yang family never mentioned the marriage alliance again. But Pei Fei’s age had been dragged up, making it less easy to find a family for him.

Second Madam had advised the Grand Madam at the time to lower her standards and find a scholarly farming family—even a scholar’s daughter would do. But the Grand Madam felt Second Madam was mocking her. She took these words to heart and single-mindedly wanted to find Pei Fei a daughter from a third-rank official’s family. Some were willing to agree for Pei Xuan’s sake, but they wanted to marry off concubine-born daughters, which angered the Grand Madam into another bout of illness.

Now Pei Fei’s marriage prospects were neither high enough nor low enough. Because there had been so many marriage viewings, word had spread, making it even harder to find a suitable match.

Second Madam also recalled this old case. Even after several years, she still felt angry and somewhat dissatisfied: “I only speak frankly because I still consider her my sister-in-law. Yet she single-mindedly only believes the Yang family.” At this point, remembering that Gu Xi was a junior, she felt embarrassed to continue complaining and instead asked about the Yang family: “Didn’t the Emperor grant a general amnesty when he ascended the throne? I don’t remember clearly—was it the Yang family’s Third Miss or Fifth Miss who married into the family of a junior minister at the Court of Judicial Review as a daughter-in-law? Their Second Master and Third Master should be returning soon, right?”

“It’s their Fifth Miss.” Gu Xi had originally come this time wondering if she could find an opportunity to discuss this matter with Second Madam. When Second Madam brought it up herself, she was secretly delighted, though her face showed an indignant expression: “If you hadn’t mentioned it, I wasn’t planning to bring it up. You don’t know how despicable those people are. When arranging matters for Second Master and Third Master, they came to our household to borrow silver—and asked for fifty thousand taels right off!

“My mother-in-law actually wanted to lend it to them!

“I had no choice but to ask my mother-in-law whose fifty thousand taels this was and from which accounts it would come.

“My mother-in-law brought up the one hundred fifty thousand taels of silver Old Master allocated to us.

“I said, of those one hundred fifty thousand taels, fifty thousand was given by Second Uncle—it belongs to the main family. The other one hundred thousand taels are what we’re entitled to. Between the two brothers, they should each receive fifty thousand taels by rights. I calculated all our household’s various expenses over these years for my mother-in-law to hear, then called my brother-in-law over and asked if he agreed. If he agreed, we’d take twenty-five thousand from his portion, add the five thousand taels given to the Yang family, and when he marries in the future, I’ll turn over his twenty thousand taels to him.

“As long as he doesn’t later say I embezzled his silver.”