After ten or so days had passed like this, Yu Bo and Yu Yuan returned from Jiangxi.

Yu Wen was in the middle of painting when he heard the news and said in surprise, “How did they come back so quickly? Could things not have gone smoothly?”

From here, traveling by boat to Nanchang Prefecture in Jiangxi took over two months.

Yu Tang, however, thought the opposite of what Yu Wen was thinking.

If things had not gone smoothly, it would have required more time. If things went smoothly, they would instead return earlier.

“Uncle’s house is right next door,” Yu Tang smiled with pursed lips and said, “How about I go over and help you ask?”

Chen Shi was keeping Yu Tang company doing needlework. She laughingly scolded her daughter, “I think you don’t want to go help your father ask for news—you just want to slack off, don’t you?”

In her previous life, Yu Tang had missed her family, crying through countless nights until her pillow was soaked. Now that time had reversed, allowing her to bring joy to her parents, she wished she could gild a golden body for the Bodhisattva. How could she be like her former immature self, causing her mother worry and making things difficult for her father?

These past ten or so days, she had been honestly staying at home doing embroidery work, and had even drawn several popular patterns from her past life, making Chen Shi feel that her daughter had turned over a new leaf after this lesson, which filled her with gratification.

“Mother understands me best.” She entertained her parent cheerfully, nuzzling against Chen Shi’s shoulder and saying, “Mother, just let me go out for some fresh air! I haven’t left the house in several days.”

Chen Shi was most tender-hearted toward her daughter. Moreover, these past few days, using Yang Douxing’s medicine, she felt her chest was much more comfortable and her spirits were better. She felt that even if her daughter caused trouble, it wouldn’t be too much for Yu Wen to clean up the mess alone, so she smiled, “Alright! You and your father go to your uncle’s house together to take a look.”

Yu Tang cheered.

But Yu Bo and Yu Yuan came over together.

After everyone had greeted each other, they sat down under the tree canopy in the courtyard, and Shuang Tao served tea.

Yu Bo talked about this trip to Jiangxi: “We had very good luck! Just as we entered Jiangxi territory, we met a merchant from Guangzhou who had bought lacquerware and was planning to try his luck in Ningbo. I saw he had purchased quite a lot of goods, talked with him for ages, and he split half his goods to us. It just so happened that Manager Huang, who had placed orders with our family, didn’t care what goods they were—as long as they could catch the shipping fleet going overseas, it would work. So this business deal was made. However, our family ultimately broke faith with someone. I promised to compensate Manager Huang with fifty taels of silver…”

“That’s appropriate, that’s appropriate.” Yu Wen quickly said, “Elder brother can make the decision about this silver.”

The Yu family’s lacquerware shops were connected together. They did business together, shared money and goods, and only divided the profits when settling accounts at year’s end.

Not having to compensate so much silver made Yu Tang’s whole family very happy.

Yu Wen invited Yu Bo and Yu Yuan to stay for a meal.

Yu Bo declined, saying, “I need to hurry to the Pei family. I heard the Pei family wants to rebuild Changxing Street, and I need to go inquire about it.”

Yu Wen was rather surprised and said, “Is this news reliable? I’ve been staying in Lin’an City and haven’t heard anything. Elder brother just returned—how did you already know?”

Yu Bo smiled and said, “You only focus on reading the books of sages. These merchant matters—even if others told you about them, you wouldn’t pay attention. How could you compare to me, who’s been helping Father manage our family’s lacquerware shop since I was small?”

Yu Wen said, “Why did the Pei family suddenly think of rebuilding Changxing Street?”

Yu Bo said, “It seems to be the prefect’s idea. He specifically invited the Pei family’s Second Master over to discuss it. This matter then spread.”

Yu Tang listened from the side, feeling it was the same as in her previous life. The Pei family agreed to rebuild Changxing Street but also proposed that if those few shops that didn’t belong to the Pei family couldn’t afford the silver, the Pei family could buy their land foundations.

In her previous life, when she didn’t know the intricacies involved, she thought the Pei family was doing charitable work. Later, when she understood, she had secretly cursed the Pei family. In this life, she knew the intricacies, but had already received great kindness from the Pei family…

Yu Tang sighed inwardly.

She simply decided out of sight, out of mind, and returned to her room to do needlework.

The Yu brothers discussed this matter in the study.

Yu Wen proposed that each family sell one land foundation to the Pei family, and the Pei family would help them rebuild the shop fronts. This way, although the Yu family’s assets would be halved, at least they would preserve the other half.

Yu Bo worried the Pei family wouldn’t agree, saying, “Most of Changxing Street is the Pei family’s shops. They could easily leave us hanging, and we’d still have to sell all our land foundations to them in the end.”

Yu Wen was eager to try: “Elder brother, watch me!”

Ever since learning that Lu Xin had sold him a forgery that he hadn’t been able to identify, he had come to greatly respect Manager Tong’s appraisal abilities. He had invited Manager Tong to dinner with wine and food several times, occasionally asking for advice on antique appraisal techniques. He considered himself and Manager Tong to be half close friends.

Yu Wen felt he could work through Manager Tong’s connections.

Everyone in Lin’an City knew that Manager Tong’s family had helped the Pei family manage their pawnshop for generations—already seven or eight generations now. He was a respectable elder in the Pei family with influence.

Yu Bo wasn’t as optimistic as Yu Wen.

If Manager Tong were the type to be easy-going and bring everything to the Pei family, how could he have reached his current position?

But seeing Yu Wen’s enthusiasm, he didn’t want to dampen his spirits. He simply encouraged his brother with a few words before leading Yu Yuan off to handle shop matters.

Yu Wen had lunch, changed his clothes, and went out.

When he returned in the evening, he told his wife and daughter with delight, “Manager Tong is really a good person. He agreed to help inquire for our family.”

Chen Shi was overjoyed.

Yu Tang was somewhat dazed.

Yu Wen took out that painting “Fishing in Seclusion at Pine Stream,” opened it under the lamplight, and while viewing it, sighed to Yu Tang, “So you see, one cannot be too calculating about gains and losses. Look, I bought a forgery, but it also helped me make a friend.”

Yu Tang pursed her lips.

If it weren’t for her finding a way to verify the painting’s authenticity, how could their family have established dealings with Manager Tong? However, just as her father said, Manager Tong was truly a good person.

Yu Tang thought again of her previous life.

According to Manager Tong’s meaning, this painting was peeled identically from the original painting, which meant those transmission seals were fine. Then where did that painting that fell into her hands in her previous life come from? Was it real or fake?

Yu Tang wanted to find an opportunity to consult Manager Tong, but before she could find the chance, Yu Wen told Chen Shi and Yu Tang with great joy, “Our family’s shop is saved!”

“What’s this all about?” Chen Shi put down her needlework and personally poured Yu Wen a cup of tea.

Yu Wen drank the tea in two or three gulps, beaming as he said, “Manager Tong sent me a reply, saying the Pei family’s head steward originally didn’t agree, feeling that two land foundations weren’t enough to rebuild two shops. Manager Tong thought about how our family was recently cheated of silver, and wanted to plead for our family, suggesting we add a bit more silver. But the head steward said this precedent couldn’t be set. Otherwise, what if all those families whose shops burned down followed suit? Who knew that while the two were discussing this matter, the Pei family’s Third Master passed by and overheard. He took it upon himself to agree to this matter. He also announced that for all families whose shops had burned down, the Pei family could help build the shop fronts first, with the Pei family advancing the silver spent, to be repaid over five or ten years in installments, with no interest.”

“Ah!” Yu Tang was astonished.

This way, all the families whose shops had burned down could smoothly get through this crisis.

“The Pei family are truly the Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva who relieves suffering!” Chen Shi clasped her hands together, repeatedly bowing toward the direction where the Pei family lived.

This was completely different from her previous life.

Could it be because of her rebirth?

When the Li family came to propose marriage, would their family refuse the match without her needing to do anything?

Would she never have to deal with the Li family again?

Their family had originally planned to take in a live-in son-in-law for her!

Thinking about this matter made Yu Tang’s heart feel delighted.

Chen Shi said with joy, “Then does our family not need to sell the land foundation?”

“That probably won’t work!” Yu Wen awkwardly touched his head and said, “Our family already proposed selling the land foundation to the Pei family before. The Pei family are compassionate and willing to lend silver to everyone—how could we break faith with the Pei family?”

Chen Shi’s expression dimmed, and she sighed disappointedly.

Yu Wen comforted Chen Shi: “This is already very good. You should think of it this way—if our family hadn’t asked Manager Tong to mediate, how would this matter have come to the Pei family’s Third Master’s attention? If the Pei family’s Third Master hadn’t spoken up, how would the Pei family offer to lend silver to these families whose shops burned down without charge? When you think about it, our family indirectly did a good deed.”

Chen Shi smiled and coquettishly chided, “Only you are so broad-minded.”

Yu Wen chuckled.

When Yu Bo, who had received the news, also thought their family’s shop foundation wouldn’t need to be sold and ran over to discuss with Yu Wen, he learned the full story. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but thinking the same as Yu Wen, his heart was very big. He said magnanimously, “Let’s just say our family didn’t have this fate.”

Since both Yu brothers had made their decision, the others couldn’t say anything more.

After a few days, while the Pei family was negotiating with these families whose shops had burned about how to rebuild the shop fronts, the Pei family’s old master suddenly passed away.

“This is impossible!” Yu Wen, who received the news in the middle of the night, stood in the courtyard wearing his clothes, listening to the insect chirping growing louder and louder. Holding Chen Shi’s hand, his face was full of shock. “When I went to the Pei family yesterday, I still asked about the old master. They said the old master was doing well—how could he just pass away like this?”

Chen Shi’s heart was full of sorrow as she said, “Could he have contracted some sudden illness? The Pei family’s old master was also past sixty years old, wasn’t he?”

“But this is too sudden.” Yu Wen still couldn’t believe it and instructed A’Tiao, “Go inquire again—could there be a mistake?”

A’Tiao wiped her tears while choking up and saying, “I already asked. The Pei family has struck the cloud board and already begun reporting the death to various families. Both Zhaoming Temple and Qingxu Abbey received the news, and the abbots of both places have already hurried over. The news can’t be wrong!”

Yu Tang leaned against the doorway, only feeling the night dew was heavy, penetrating to her heart and lungs with cold.

She had been very concerned about the Pei family old master’s health. Everyone said the Pei family old master was doing well—why would the Pei family old master still pass away?

Yu Tang deeply regretted it.

She shouldn’t have only listened to what others said. She should have gone to see for herself.

The Pei family had helped their family so much, yet she hadn’t been proactive in helping the Pei family.

Yu Tang walked over and took her mother’s arm, saying, “Mother, when the time comes for you to go offer incense to the Pei family old master, can you take me with you?”