Regardless of Yu Tang’s mood, time always moved forward, and soon it was the day of Old Master Pei’s funeral procession.

The Pei family’s ancestral grave was on the slope of East Tianmu Mountain, backed by mountains and facing a river. Everyone said it was a feng shui treasure site, which was why the Pei family had maintained wealth and honor for several generations without interruption.

The day before Old Master Pei’s burial, Yu Wen simply stayed overnight at the Pei residence. Yu Tang and her mother prepared paper money and incense candles early. The next day, before dawn had even broken, they got up to wash and dress, changed into plain simple clothing, and took Chen Pozi and Shuang Tao with them. Together with Madam Ma and her daughter, they rushed to Little Plum Lane.

They were going to send Old Master Pei off on his final journey.

The road was full of people.

Everyone gathered in groups of three to five, discussing Old Master Pei’s funeral.

“Even if the weather is hot, it shouldn’t be this shabby! Not only was the wake only seven days, but the coffin is also being buried directly in the ancestral grave. Whose idea was this?”

“I heard it was Third Master’s idea,” someone in the know said in a low voice. “The eldest young master of the primary branch got into an argument with Third Master over this matter. But how could a child argue with his uncle? The matter was settled just like that!”

“Didn’t Second Master Pei say anything? He’s also an uncle!”

“Right now it’s Third Master Pei who’s in charge of the family. What could he say?”

“That’s true too.” Someone sighed. “When the First Master passed away, the coffin even went around the city once, allowing everyone to set up roadside offerings. Now we can’t even offer some paper money to the Old Master. We can only send the Old Master up the mountain in such a simple manner.”

Some people were more concerned with their own immediate interests and whispered: “Do you all have any evidence that Third Master Pei is now in charge of the Pei family?”

“Did you see the Grand Steward come forward these past few days?” someone gossiped. “The Grand Steward used to be the First Master’s study companion. Which matter in the Pei residence wasn’t decided by him? And the Second Steward—have you seen him show his face these past few days?”

“I know about the Grand Steward, but what does this have to do with the Second Steward? Doesn’t the Second Steward always follow the Grand Steward’s lead year-round?”

“That’s what you don’t understand. Do you understand collective punishment? The Second Steward stands on the Grand Steward’s side. When the Grand Steward fell, what good could he expect?”

“Hey! The Liu family who makes fans has suffered a huge loss. They just married their daughter into the Grand Steward’s family.”

“She wasn’t married in, she was carried in as a concubine, right!” When it came to scandalous affairs, everyone perked up.

“Whether she was carried in or married, it’s true that Fan Maker Liu goes around outside calling himself the Grand Steward’s in-law…”

Yu Tang listened to all this gossip and thought again of Third Master Pei’s gloomy face.

Why create leverage for others to grasp?

Wasn’t it just posthumous glory?

It wasn’t as if the Pei family didn’t have money. They could just spend lavishly on it.

Or perhaps this was a strategy in his struggle with the primary branch?

As Yu Tang speculated wildly, they arrived at the Pei family residence.

Madam Ma pulled them into a general store at the lane entrance, saying: “This is a shop I’m familiar with. Let’s rest here for now. It won’t be too late to go out when Old Master Pei’s funeral procession begins!”

But before she had even finished speaking, there was a commotion outside, and someone shouted “The basin has been smashed.”

The surging crowd rushed toward the main gate of the Pei residence.

Yu Tang heard someone say: “How is it Third Master Pei carrying the memorial tablet? Where’s the primary branch? Even if the First Master is dead, there’s still the Second Master. Even by order of seniority, it shouldn’t be his turn!”

“Stop talking!” someone said. “Can’t you see? The rumors are true. From now on, Third Master Pei will be the clan head of the Pei family.”

Smashing the basin and carrying the spirit were all duties of the eldest son and eldest grandson!

Even though the First Master had passed, he still had two sons.

Although in her previous life Third Master Pei had eventually become the clan head of the Pei family, this life already had some slight variations from her previous life. For instance, in her previous life, the Pei family had only known to buy land and collect shops, never thinking of lending money to neighbors.

Upon hearing this, Yu Tang immediately became anxious for Third Master Pei.

This wasn’t making him the clan head—this was roasting him over an open flame!

What kind of will had Old Master Pei left behind?

Even if Third Master Pei was to become the clan head, couldn’t they wait until after the funeral for the brothers to sit down and discuss it properly before deciding? Why did they have to openly slap the primary branch’s face at the funeral? It looked as if they were trying to turn the primary branch into a side branch. Who could stand this?

Yu Tang stood on tiptoe to look inside.

Third Master Pei had already been helped out by someone.

His head was lowered.

The slanting rays of the early summer sun fell on his mourning cap, forming a shadow that blocked his face.

“Filial sons, kowtow.” Following the master of ceremonies’ call, the Pei family’s filial sons and grandsons all knelt on the ground in a rush and kowtowed three times.

The people who had come to pay respects to Old Master Pei began setting off firecrackers and inserting incense sticks.

The master of ceremonies called out “Raise the coffin.”

The coffin was lifted and moved three steps.

The master of ceremonies called out again “Filial sons, kowtow.” The coffin stopped, and the filial sons and grandsons kowtowed three times again.

Madam Ma gripped Ma Xiuniang tightly and said to Chen Shi: “Let’s quickly go burn the paper money. Otherwise, when everyone starts setting off firecrackers, getting hit by them won’t be fun.”

This was Chen Shi’s first time bringing her daughter to participate in a roadside offering.

She nervously nodded and followed closely behind Madam Ma.

The sound of firecrackers kept going off, and choking smoke drifted everywhere in the air.

Yu Tang and her mother had just taken their positions when they saw a tall, thin man rush toward the Pei family’s funeral procession and fall to his knees with a “thump” in front of the Old Master’s coffin, crying and shouting: “Old Master! You must open your eyes and look carefully. You’ve chosen an ungrateful wolf! He’s trying to squeeze the young masters of the primary branch until they have no way to live…”

The crowd exploded.

“It’s the Grand Steward!”

“It’s actually the Grand Steward!”

“What’s going on here?”

“Could there be another hidden story behind Third Master Pei becoming clan head?”

Third Master Pei raised his head and glanced at the Grand Steward.

Cold, weary, lifeless.

Yu Tang was greatly startled.

Someone came forward and dragged the Grand Steward away.

As he struggled, he shouted something. Unfortunately, the firecracker sounds were too loud, and Yu Tang didn’t hear it.

Someone loudly wailed “Old Master, may you go well,” and everyone was startled, then remembering Old Master Pei’s kindness to themselves, they all began to cry.

The funeral procession resumed its previous order and soon began moving again.

The firecrackers seemed even louder.

Yu Tang felt that this wail didn’t seem accidental.

She searched among the funeral crowd for the person who had wailed, but came up empty.

Yu Tang stood on tiptoe again to look for her father’s figure.

The crowd was packed, and looking out, there were heads everywhere.

She didn’t know where her father was busy?

Yu Tang sighed.

After parting with Madam Ma and her daughter, they returned home. It was already past noon.

Yu Tang’s entire body was covered in sweat, and her inner undergarments were sticking to her body.

She took a good bath, changed into a light thin Hangzhou silk jacket, ate her midday meal, and slept until sunset.

Yu Wen had also returned home. In the hall, he was eating his meal while chattering to Chen Shi about the Pei family’s affairs: “The Grand Steward can be considered a loyal and brave man. For the sake of the First Master, he staked his entire family’s lives. Ah, what a pity.”

Yu Tang’s heart jumped upon hearing this. She quickly walked in, saying: “Father, what are you talking about?”

Chen Shi was sitting beside her husband helping him fan himself. Upon hearing this, she said: “A child—when adults speak, just listen. Don’t meddle in affairs you shouldn’t. How is the handkerchief you were supposed to embroider coming along? Didn’t we say Xiuniang would come visit in a couple of days? You promised her ice and sweet melons—have you prepared everything?”

Yu Tang smiled cheerfully as she went over to massage Yu Wen’s shoulders, saying: “Mother, aren’t I here to ask Father? I only have two taels of silver in personal money left. If I buy ice and sweet melons, I won’t have any pocket money!”

“That’s what you get for being so free-spending usually.” Chen Shi scolded, but still instructed Chen Pozi: “Go to my room and get a few taels of silver for A’Tang.”

“Mother is the best!” Yu Tang rushed over to massage Chen Shi’s shoulders.

Chen Shi was both amused and exasperated. She pulled her daughter’s hands down from her shoulders and said: “Stop being so playful. Go massage your father’s shoulders. Your father has been helping at the Pei residence these past few days. He’s worked hard.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Yu Tang went to massage Yu Wen’s shoulders again, saying: “Father, I’m good to you, right?”

Yu Wen looked at his wife and daughter before him, his eyes smiling into crescents, saying: “Good, good, good! Our A’Tang is the best!”

“That’s great!” Yu Tang held out her hand to Yu Wen. “Then you should also subsidize me with some silver! So I won’t lose face in front of my friend.”

“Yu Tang!” Chen Shi said with mock anger.

Yu Wen hurriedly appeased his wife: “Don’t get angry, don’t get angry. Imperial Physician Yang and Imperial Physician Wang both said you can’t get angry.” Then he scolded Yu Tang: “If you dare do this again, be careful or I’ll confine you to your quarters again and punish you by making you write a thousand large characters.”

Yu Tang had originally wanted to amuse her parents, but it had backfired. She was very regretful and hurried to coax her mother.

Yu Wen called out Chen Shi’s given name: “Xiuyan, look, A’Tang’s face has turned white with fright. Stop being angry! Besides, A’Tang is our only child. The family business will all be hers in the future. There’s no difference between us giving it to her now and giving it to her later. Don’t you agree?”

Chen Shi sighed helplessly and instructed Chen Pozi again: “Give her a small ingot of snowflake silver.” After speaking, she shot her husband a glance and said: “Are you satisfied now!”

“Satisfied, satisfied!” Yu Wen said with a beaming smile, making eyes at Yu Tang. “Look at your mother—how good she is to you. A few days ago I saw a box of Lake Brushes I liked that cost two taels of silver. Your mother wasn’t willing to buy them for me, but you ask for ten taels of silver and get it.”

“Thank you, Mother!” Yu Tang cheerfully thanked her mother.

Chen Shi shook her head helplessly.

Yu Tang asked her father about the Pei family’s affairs: “Father, just now you were talking about the Grand Steward of the Pei family? What happened to him?”

Yu Wen, afraid Chen Shi would keep harping on about the few taels of silver, followed his daughter’s lead in changing the subject, saying: “I was just talking about him. After he went back, he hanged himself!” Speaking of this, his expression darkened, and he continued: “When I was coming back, I heard that because of this matter, Third Master confined the entire primary branch household in the Tinglan Water Pavilion, and no one is allowed to see them. Didn’t the Grand Madam’s sister-in-law and nephew from her natal family not leave yet? They made a scene on the spot.”

Chen Shi was only now hearing of this. She let out an “Oh my,” saying: “Third Master Pei is too, too…”

For a moment she couldn’t find an appropriate word to describe what Third Master Pei had done.

Yu Wen also shook his head, saying: “Everyone is saying the same thing. Seeing that trouble was brewing in the Pei family, I made an excuse about being concerned for your illness and came back early. Scholar Tang and several others are still staying at the Pei residence.”

Yu Tang thought of the conversation between Grand Madam Pei and Madam Yang and frowned directly, feeling that what her parents said was all wrong: “How can you blame Third Master Pei for this? As the Grand Steward, he should put the Pei residence first in everything. Today was the day of the Old Master’s funeral procession, yet he actually hanged himself—what was he trying to do? If I were Third Master Pei, I wouldn’t even prepare his body for burial. I’d send him straight out.”