Just like last time, Nanny Ji received Yu Tang at the second gate and accompanied her all the way to the Old Lady’s courtyard.

On the way, she said to Yu Tang in a low voice: “The First Madam and Second Madam have come to pay their respects to the Old Lady. I’m afraid Miss Yu will have to wait in the warming chamber for a bit.”

When the younger generation came to fulfill their filial duties, she naturally shouldn’t get involved. Nanny Ji was being polite by putting it so tactfully.

Yu Tang thought of that time she came to the Pei household and encountered the First Madam by chance, and of those rumors when Pei Yan had just taken over the Pei household. She not only agreed with a smile but also changed the subject as if to avoid suspicion: “Nanny Ji, tomorrow is the Double Ninth Festival. How is it that the household hasn’t displayed any chrysanthemums yet?”

The Double Ninth Festival was precisely when chrysanthemums bloomed most beautifully. People in Jiangnan loved flowers—even families barely making ends meet would raise two chrysanthemum plants to display for the occasion. How much more so for a grand household like the Pei family? If they didn’t display a few dark chrysanthemums or pile up a few chrysanthemum mountains, they’d be embarrassed to say they were celebrating the festival.

Who would have known this statement was also inappropriate?

A trace of awkwardness flashed across Nanny Ji’s expression as she said: “It’s just that our Third Master doesn’t like all these flowers and such. Since Old Master passed away, the Old Lady has been unhappy at heart and hasn’t been in the mood to appreciate flowers or tend plants. We servants can’t very well take it upon ourselves to decide.”

The little person in Yu Tang’s mind wiped away sweat. She hurriedly said: “That’s certainly true. When my mother was unwell a couple years ago, our family also had no mood for festivals. The water chestnut cakes, snowflake crisps, and other pastries for entertaining guests at home were all bought from the market.”

Somehow this statement struck a chord in Nanny Ji’s heart. Nanny Ji sighed: “You can say that again. Since our Old Master departed this world, the Old Lady suddenly seemed like the sky had collapsed. Previously she loved beautiful things so much—the craftsmen from Jinlou would practically live at the household all year round making jewelry for the Old Lady. This past year, she hasn’t even made a single outfit, let alone had jewelry made. It was only a few days ago on Old Master’s first death anniversary when Second Master spent the whole day persuading the Old Lady that her spirits gradually began to improve.” Speaking to this point, she looked at the young maid leading the way ahead and lowered her voice to remind Yu Tang: “When you see the Old Lady in a moment, just make her happy. If you can get her to have jewelry made and clothes sewn, there won’t be a single person in the entire household who isn’t grateful to you.”

Yu Tang blinked her eyes.

So they didn’t value the peanut brittle she made—they wanted to find someone to amuse and engage the Old Lady!

It sounded like Second Master was indeed as the rumors said—quite filial. But where was Pei Yan? Why didn’t he try to persuade the Old Lady?

The entire household would be grateful to her—would the First Madam be grateful to her too?

Yu Tang sat down in the warming chamber and encountered another acquaintance—Lei Zhi.

She stood up delightedly and said: “Do you still remember me?”

Lei Zhi beamed at her and said: “I saw you when you came last time, but I was on duty in the tea room that day, so I didn’t have the nerve to greet you.”

Yu Tang saw her crisp blue Hangzhou silk vest as she held a crabapple-shaped red lacquer tray with silver and gold tracery, looking spirited. She smiled and said: “I didn’t expect you’d also come to serve by the Old Lady’s side.”

Lei Zhi smiled: “I’ve been here almost a year, still learning the rules. When I saw you coming, I found an excuse to come over.”

The two talked happily, and Yu Tang learned many things about the Pei household.

For instance, the Old Lady wasn’t someone who liked to impose rules on her daughters-in-law. When Old Master was alive, both madams had followed their husbands to their posts. After Old Master passed away, the Old Lady exempted the First Madam from morning and evening attendance, and the Second Madam only needed to come pay respects on the first and fifteenth of each month. The First Madam and Second Madam came today because the Double Ninth Festival was approaching, but the Old Lady had suddenly said she wouldn’t celebrate it and wanted to stay at a temple for a couple days. No matter how Second Master tried to persuade her, he couldn’t dissuade her. He wanted Second Madam to accompany and attend to the Old Lady, but the Old Lady wouldn’t agree. So the First Madam and Second Madam could only bring the younger generation of the household to pay respects to the Old Lady in advance.

Yet the Old Lady had agreed to see her?

Yu Tang was greatly startled and hurriedly asked: “When will the Old Lady depart?”

Lei Zhi said: “She’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning for Zhaoming Temple.” After speaking, she smiled with pursed lips again. “Otherwise, how would it be my turn to serve you tea? Several of the senior sisters in the Old Lady’s quarters are all busy packing trunks and boxes!”

Yu Tang felt she had come at an inopportune time.

Who would have known that just as this thought arose, a round-faced maid with a cheerful and obedient appearance lifted the curtain and entered. She smiled and curtsyed to her, saying: “Miss Yu, the Old Lady knows you’ve arrived and asked me to invite you over!”

Lei Zhi introduced her to Yu Tang: “This is Sister Pearl from the Old Lady’s quarters.”

This young lady looked even younger than Lei Zhi—either she had a youthful appearance or she was a first-class maid by the Old Lady’s side, and “sister” was an honorific.

However, the name Pearl really suited this young lady. She was indeed round and plump yet gentle.

Yu Tang also called her “Sister Pearl.”

Pearl was so startled she stepped back half a pace, repeatedly saying she didn’t dare, and said with a reddened face: “That’s just everyone joking around. Miss Yu mustn’t take it seriously, or Nanny Chen will punish me.”

Yu Tang couldn’t gauge the depths of the Old Lady’s quarters, so she said no more. She smiled and made a few teasing remarks before following Pearl to the Old Lady’s quarters.

The Old Lady’s spirits seemed quite good. She sat on the luohan bed and beckoned to Yu Tang: “Bring them here for me to see—what silk flowers have you brought?”

The First Madam, Second Madam, and the others had all left. The tea cups and fruit plates in the room had been taken away, but several embroidered stools still surrounded the luohan bed. It wasn’t clear if they hadn’t had time to put them away or had intentionally left them there.

Yu Tang smiled and stepped forward to pay respects to the Old Lady. At the young maid’s indication, she sat on the embroidered stool closest to the Old Lady and handed the box in her hands to Pearl.

Pearl opened the box and presented the silk flowers inside for the Old Lady to see.

The Old Lady’s eyes lit up.

On the bright red velvet cloth were two camellia flowers, two chrysanthemums, two cape jasmine flowers, two magnolias, all the size of wine cups, made from camphor velvet that made one feel warm just looking at it in this season. The petals were layered upon layers, lifelike—if one didn’t know beforehand, one could easily mistake them for real flowers.

“These are truly…” The Old Lady took one of the camellia flowers in her hand and examined it carefully. “When I saw the twin lotus flowers on your head last time, I thought they were very good. I didn’t expect these flowers to be made even better. How did you make them?”

Yu Tang smiled: “Actually, what’s sold outside isn’t any worse than what I make. It’s just that what’s sold outside is made by specialists, while I make these to pass the time. Being able to make them as well as others makes the Old Lady think I’m remarkable, but actually everyone is about the same.”

The Old Lady nodded, but suddenly let out an “eh?” Her finger touched the camellia petals for a long while, then she looked toward Yu Tang.

This time, her gaze at Yu Tang held a few more degrees of solemnity, startling Yu Tang so much that she stuttered: “Wh-what is it?”

Upon hearing this, the Old Lady broke into a radiant smile.

That smile was like ice and snow melting—the atmosphere around her became warm and gentle.

“Your silk flowers are very well made,” she said with a smile, the smile flowing from the depths of her eyes rather than, like last time, remaining shallow at the corners of her mouth and lips. “I only thought they looked like real flowers before. Just now I discovered that the camphor velvet you use for making silk flowers has shorter pile than ordinary camphor velvet, which makes it appear denser. The petals look like real flowers—they have thickness yet appear smooth and lustrous. How did you achieve this? Did you re-trim them with scissors? Or is there some other method?”

She asked with great interest.

Yu Tang suddenly became excited, experiencing a kind of joy like “presenting rouge to a beauty.”

“You discovered it!” She smiled. “Previously when I made silk flowers, I always thought about making something different—either making dew drops on the petals or having a dragonfly perched there, or adding glass beads for eyes. But later, I increasingly felt that being able to achieve ‘authenticity’ was the most difficult. How flowers bloom at noon, how they bloom in the morning, what flowers look like at night… When I made camellia flowers, not only did I buy the finest camphor velvet, but I also found ways to cut the pile shorter… But if cut too short, sometimes the cloth backing shows through… When I went to Suzhou last time, I specifically consulted with the clerks at the silk shop… and ordered a bolt of fabric from them… It’s a bit expensive, but everyone says the silk flowers made from it are good, just like real ones… Like these two in your hand—they’re camellia flowers blooming at noon. If they were evening ones, the petals would curl a bit more… I’ve even been thinking about whether to have different flowers to wear for morning, noon, and evening.”

“You’re quite right. Making silk flowers—being able to make them indistinguishable from real ones is true skill!” the Old Lady said with pleasure. “Then this cape jasmine flower is one that blooms at night, and the chrysanthemum blooms in the morning?”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Yu Tang’s eyes smiled into crescents. “I thought if the Old Lady receives guests in the evening, she could change and wear them.”

The Old Lady had served as clan matriarch, and women from the clan would come find her for matters, so there was no distinction between morning, noon, and evening.

“You, young lady, truly are clever and dexterous,” the Old Lady praised. She turned her head to instruct Pearl to put the flowers away carefully, and said to Yu Tang: “I’m going to stay at Zhaoming Temple for a few days tomorrow. When I return, I’m planning to have a few winter outfits made. Come help me look at them then.”

Did this mean she had passed the test?

Yu Tang found this amusing and said: “I don’t really understand clothing design and cutting.”

The Old Lady chuckled and said: “Being able to make silk flowers like these shows you have inner refinement. When the time comes, just pick whatever is beautiful. I’ll send a calling card to your household then.”

If this matter could make the Old Lady happy, she was willing to do it.

Yu Tang answered more of the Old Lady’s questions about silk flower-making techniques. Using the excuse of needing to return home to prepare for the Double Ninth Festival family feast, she declined the Old Lady’s invitation to stay for a meal before rising to take her leave.

It was still Nanny Ji who saw her out, but halfway they encountered A’Ming.

“Miss Yu, I’ve been waiting for you for quite a while.” He smiled and ran up to Yu Tang. “Our Third Master invites you to drink tea in the pavilion.”

Now that the wind felt quite cool on one’s body, shouldn’t they go to a warming chamber for tea?

Yu Tang grumbled internally but didn’t say it aloud. She followed A’Ming to the pavilion.

The pavilion she went to this time wasn’t the one by the stream from last time, but rather one built in a small mountain hollow called “Tea Inscription” or something like that.

Yu Tang asked A’Ming in a low voice: “How many pavilions does your household have?”

A’Ming stretched out his fingers and counted in a murmur for a while before saying: “There should be seventeen. But it might not be accurate—I just counted the ones I remember. There might be some I missed.”

Alright then, her family didn’t have a single one.