Lin’an City was surrounded by mountains on three sides. The Tiao River leisurely flowed from east to west around Lin’an City, emptying into the Qiantang River, becoming the main route for the city’s common people to leave the city.

The Pei family’s grand estate was built in Xiaomei Alley in the eastern part of the city. The houses built along the mountain were arranged in well-ordered tiers, occupying the entire Xiaomei Alley. The small river that was diverted from the Tiao River, meandering down from the back courtyard of the Pei family estate and flowing into the Tiao River wharf, was called Xiaomei Stream by the common people of Lin’an City. Moreover, because this Xiaomei Stream was the only river in the city that led to the wharf and could accommodate boats, after passing the city’s prefectural office and prefectural school, both sides of the waterway began to be lined with riverside houses and crowded with vendors. Though it couldn’t compare to the prosperity of Changxing Street in the western part of the city with its full complement of shops, it had a liveliness that was not inferior to Changxing Street in the west.

On this summer morning, the sun had not yet risen, and the air was filled with the freshness of plants and dew.

Yu Tang wore white silk flowers, dressed in a plain-colored summer ramie jacket and skirt, supporting her mother as they walked through the riverside houses on both sides of Xiaomei Stream.

Xiaomei Alley was still far in the distance, but sweat had already begun to form on her forehead.

She took out a snow-blue Hangzhou silk plain handkerchief to wipe her sweat, only then belatedly looking toward her mother, Chen Shi.

Seeing that her temples were also damp with sweat, Yu Tang hurriedly passed the handkerchief over, saying in a low voice, “Mother, you should wipe your sweat too!”

Chen Shi shook her head, took out her own handkerchief to wipe her sweat, praised her with a “good girl,” and said, “You don’t need to worry about Mother. Just take care of yourself.”

Walking ahead of them, Yu Wen couldn’t help but complain a bit, “I said we should hire a sedan chair, but you said it would be disrespectful to the deceased. Your health has finally improved a little—don’t wear yourself down and collapse again. If you ask me, you shouldn’t have come. I could have brought A’Tang over.”

Chen Shi was thin and tall, with a pale complexion. Years of frailty made her delicate features always carry three parts of the pitiful charm of pear blossoms in the rain. She smiled and soothed Yu Wen, “Alright, alright, I know you care about me. I’ll act within my limits and won’t make you and A’Tang worry. The Pei family’s old master showed me great kindness. If my body were well, I should be prostrating every three steps to the temple to pray to the Bodhisattva for his early ascent to paradise. Walking over like this without pain or discomfort to offer him a stick of incense is merely taking advantage of his compassionate nature and slacking off.” At this point, her eyes even became dim.

Ever since learning of the death of the Pei family’s old master, Chen Shi had felt uneasy.

Yu Tang hurriedly comforted her mother, “Mother, you yourself said the Pei family’s old master was compassionate—he won’t mind these things. Later when we have the opportunity, we’ll go to the temple to pray for the Pei family’s old master.”

Chen Shi nodded.

Yu Wen instructed the mother and daughter, “The Pei family is large with extensive properties. Although the three branches split the household, they haven’t split the clan. The Pei family old master’s branch lives in the eastern section, and the Pei family ancestral hall is also in the eastern section. But because the Pei family old master’s body is lying in state and too many people are coming to pay respects, it’s been placed in the side hall by the main entrance in the central section. Male guests offer incense in the side hall, while female guests have two other places set up in the eastern section for offering incense. One is for the female family members of relatives and old friends, and one is for neighbors like us. When you go in, remember to follow the stewardesses—don’t go to the wrong place.”

After the three-day minor laying-out ceremony, the mourning hall opened to neighbors.

Because Chen Shi had some connection with the Pei family through her medical treatment, and Yu Wen had scholar status, he had gone to pay his respects in advance. These past days he had been helping at the Pei family, and only today was he bringing his wife and daughter to pay respects to the Pei family’s old master.

Chen Shi had never seen such a grand funeral ceremony before. Her heart felt a bit anxious as she nervously acknowledged him.

Though Yu Tang had lived two lifetimes, she had been confined to the inner quarters of the Li family estate. Whenever she went out, it was always sneaking around, so she hadn’t experienced such ceremonies either. However, she felt that having been tempered by those years in the Li family, she could be strong when facing strength. Even if she made some mistake that didn’t involve interests, the Pei family should still be quite magnanimous—she could correct it if she had erred, or take it as encouragement if she hadn’t. She wasn’t particularly worried.

Perhaps because many people in Lin’an City had received kindness from the Pei family, and today was the first day the Pei family opened the mourning hall, as they walked along, many vendors by Xiaomei Stream hadn’t opened for business, and there weren’t many shoppers either. When they reached the county school, she discovered that the county school hadn’t held classes and had even hung a white banner.

Yu Wen sighed, “If it weren’t for the Pei family old master’s support, how could the county school produce several scholars every few years? Now that the Pei family old master is gone, no one knows who will be in charge of the Pei family. Everyone’s hearts are uneasy, and most people probably have no mind for studying…”

Hearing this, Chen Shi said, “You don’t actually believe Lu Xin’s nonsense, do you? Passing over the primary branch to let the third branch take charge? That would cause trouble!”

Even the imperial court followed the principle of establishing the legitimate heir and the eldest.

Yu Wen hesitated for a long while, then said quietly, “If such rumors exist, it’s not surprising. The first master died of illness in his prime, and both his sons haven’t yet come of age. They haven’t had contact with the Pei family’s affairs before…”

Chen Shi argued, “Doesn’t the family have stewards? Who’s born knowing everything? As long as one is willing to learn, it’s fine!”

Yu Wen said hesitantly, “But I heard those people discussing that the Pei family’s two young masters’ maternal uncle’s family—the second master has never been good with numbers since childhood… perhaps that’s why these rumors have emerged.”

If this were the case, the Pei family would inevitably have troubles.

When brothers are united, their strength can cut through metal.

If internal strife emerged, even the largest tree could come crashing down.

Yu Wen and Chen Shi both fell silent simultaneously.

Seeing the atmosphere wasn’t good, Yu Tang smiled and tried to lighten the mood, “Father, why is the place where the Pei family lives called Xiaomei Alley? Xiaomei Alley doesn’t even have a single plum blossom tree, nor anything related to plums.”

She had wanted to ask this question in her previous life.

She just never found anyone to ask.

Yu Wen smiled, “Of course you can’t see it. I also heard from Manager Tong last time. He said when the Pei family’s ancestor brought his family to Lin’an to live in seclusion, he discovered a wild plum tree and built his house beside that plum tree to live, naming it Xiaomei Alley. But the Pei family prospered with many descendants and gradually expanded outward. That old plum tree long ago became part of the inner residence, difficult for ordinary guests to see. Only the name Xiaomei Alley remained.”

The family of three climbed the slope at a leisurely pace until they reached the Pei family.

Outside the main gate was a sea of white.

Family servants shuttled among them, busy but orderly.

Seeing Yu Wen, someone who looked like a steward came forward to greet him, “Master Yu has arrived. Please sit in the side hall.”

Yu Wen quickly gestured toward Chen Shi and Yu Tang, “My humble wife and young daughter received great kindness from the old master. No matter what, they must come kowtow to the old master and offer incense.”

There were too many such people.

That steward politely bowed to Chen Shi and Yu Tang, called over a stewardess wearing hemp mourning clothes, and had her lead Chen Shi and Yu Tang to pay respects to Old Master Pei.

After exchanging pleasantries, Chen Shi and Yu Tang followed the woman toward the east.

Only then did Yu Tang have the leisure to observe the Pei family’s grand estate.

Truly worthy of being the colossal entity entrenched in Lin’an City—in this mountainous city with little land, they had a courtyard that could accommodate at least twenty or so carriages. The trees beside the courtyard were mostly thick enough to require two people to embrace them, with lush branches and leaves and canopies like umbrellas. The welcoming pines were even taller than people, with gnarled branches spiraling outward more than three feet. The winding corridors built along the terrain had green tiles and red railings, with blue-green patterns painted on top. All the pillars were wrapped in white silk, and among the verdant trees on both sides hung white silk flowers as large as rice bowls.

How much silver must this cost!

Yu Tang clicked her tongue inwardly.

Then she discovered something even stranger.

Along this entire route, she hadn’t seen a single flower of any color other than white.

Wealthy families all loved to plant flowering trees symbolizing many children and blessings, continuous prosperity. Especially in this season—it was the time when pomegranates and date trees bloomed. Not to mention these flowering trees, she hadn’t even seen common flowering trees like hibiscus, crape myrtle, or roses.

Yu Tang’s steps slowed slightly as she carefully examined the branches of trees extending from beside the corridor.

The woman who had been paying attention to the guests immediately noticed the anomaly. She also slowed her pace and said warmly, “Young miss, what are you looking at? Is there anything I can help with?”

Chen Shi also turned around in confusion.

Yu Tang quickly withdrew her gaze, took a few steps forward to catch up with Chen Shi, and fearing the woman might misunderstand that she was spying on the inner residence and lacked proper upbringing, explained, “I was looking at this tree—it seems like a pomegranate tree, but it’s not blooming…”

The woman was startled.

Perhaps fearing Yu Tang might misunderstand that the Pei family’s pomegranate trees didn’t bloom, she thought for a moment and said, “They were originally blooming, but didn’t the old master pass away? The several masters and young masters in the family felt uncomfortable looking at them, so they had them all cut.”

So that was the reason.

Yu Tang was astonished.

Chen Shi was also very surprised, saying, “They cut them all?”

The Pei family estate clearly covered a large area and had many flowers and trees planted. If they cut them all, how much manpower would that require!

That woman had probably deeply suffered from it. Hearing this, she smiled bitterly, “You’re telling me! Ever since the Third Master found the flowers too gaudy, for two whole days, the Third Head Steward had to be busy with the funeral arrangements while also directing people to cut the flowering trees. All of us, from top to bottom, following along—we can barely lift our arms anymore.”

“You’ve truly worked hard!” Chen Shi said sympathetically, “It’ll be better once you get through this period.”

Perhaps because Chen Shi spoke very sincerely, and when she softened her tone carried an incomparable gentleness, the woman carefully examined Chen Shi a few times, then actually said, “My husband’s family name is Ji, and everyone calls me Aunt Ji. If you have any matters, you can have someone come tell me.”

Someone who could be called “Aunt” was not an ordinary respectable servant woman. Most likely she was not only a hereditary servant who had served the Pei family for several generations, but also shrewd and capable, relied upon by one of the household branches, managing affairs in one area.

Chen Shi politely addressed her as “Aunt Ji.”

Yu Tang’s heart, however, was churning like stormy seas.

Chen Shi couldn’t hear it, but she could.

The one who disliked red flowers was the Third Master, and the one busy with funeral arrangements and directing people to cut flowering trees was the Third Head Steward. So what were the First Head Steward and Second Head Steward doing?

Could the Pei family really be like Lu Xin said—in places others couldn’t see, they had already changed course and reordered the hierarchy?

She remained composed, appearing innocent and full of curiosity as she drew out Aunt Ji’s words, “The Pei family truly deserves to be first in Lin’an City. There are three head stewards alone. How many ordinary stewards are there? My father knows Manager Tong. He says Manager Tong is very learned and capable. Is Manager Tong a steward or a head steward in your residence?”

Aunt Ji’s gaze became even warmer as she listened, saying, “Manager Tong is my in-law.”

In other words, Aunt Ji’s daughter had married young Manager Tong.

“Oh my, what a coincidence!” Yu Tang and Chen Shi exclaimed softly in unison. Yu Tang even described in vivid detail how she came to know the Tong father and son, praising young Manager Tong thoroughly.