Hearing Yu Tang ask this, Miss Xu proudly raised her eyebrows but pretended to be nonchalant as she waved her hand, saying, “Oh well, we’re just an ordinary official family. During our great-great-grandfather and great-grandfather’s time, there were a few capable officials. Now, we just have a few uncles muddling along in the court.”
This didn’t look like muddling along at all!
Yu Tang smiled with pursed lips, wondering whether Miss Xu would feel offended if she asked more deeply. She couldn’t help but hesitate for a moment, creating a brief silence between them.
Miss Xu was young after all and couldn’t quite contain herself. She also worried that Old Madam Pei would see them soon and she wouldn’t have another chance to talk with Yu Tang like this, so she grew anxious and said, “Our ancestral home is in South Zhili—speaking of which, we’re from the same place as Second Madam of the Pei manor. However, our family moved to the capital during my great-grandfather’s generation. Although we know Second Madam of the Pei manor, we don’t have much contact.”
She thought that with this explanation, Yu Tang would surely figure out who their family was.
Because at this time, no matter how high an official position you held elsewhere, after retirement you had to return to your ancestral home—unless you had achieved great merit and were granted permission to reside in the capital.
And meeting these conditions, since the founding of the current dynasty, among those surnamed Xu, there was only their family.
She had already humbly boasted about her family history.
But Yu Tang happened to be the one who didn’t know.
However, she was clever and knew that Miss Xu was probably too embarrassed to boast directly, and her earlier words had actually already told her the Xu family’s origins.
Miss Xu was quite an interesting girl, and Yu Tang rather liked her personality. She figured that even if she asked her carefully now, some matters would still require someone who knew aristocratic genealogies to explain. Seeing Miss Xu’s eyebrows dancing as if everyone should know what kind of family the Xu family was, she felt playful and suddenly wanted to tease Miss Xu. Pretending not to understand, she said without changing expression, “Oh,” then said in surprise, “How complicated! Young Master Yang’s stepmother and your family are relatives, your family is also related to the Li and Peng families, and now you’re also old acquaintances with Second Madam’s natal family… I also heard that Young Master Yang’s stepmother is also related to Old Madam Pei.” As she spoke, she looked at Miss Xu admiringly. “If it were me, I probably wouldn’t even know how to address each other properly.”
Miss Xu’s large eyes blinked several times.
Shouldn’t Sister Yu express some admiration for their Xu family? Why did she suddenly start sorting out the family relationships?
Looking at Miss Xu’s expression, Yu Tang could barely suppress her laughter and continued speaking nonsense with a straight face: “Your family is from South Zhili, which means close to Jiangnan. I’m not surprised your family is related to the Yang and Qian families, but how did your clan sister end up marrying to Fujian? Did your clan sister’s family move to Fujian?”
Miss Xu grew extremely anxious and quickly said, “No, no. Both the Peng family and our family have people serving as officials in the court. My clan sister’s father-in-law and my second uncle were in the same examination cohort, and later both served as officials in Luoyang together, which is how the marriage alliance was formed.”
Yu Tang didn’t let her continue. Hearing this, she immediately interrupted, saying, “I know the Pei family’s Grand Madam is from the Yang family, and Second Miss Pei’s in-laws are also surnamed Yang. I wonder if Grand Madam’s natal family has any relationship with Second Miss Pei’s in-laws? I heard the Yang surname is also very common. Presumably Grand Madam’s natal family is also a powerful clan? When Fifth Miss asked me to teach her how to make silk flowers, I thought Second Madam’s natal family only had brothers serving as officials in Jinling, but looking at Second Madam’s bearing, she shouldn’t be from an ordinary family either, right?”
Upon hearing this, Miss Xu gave her a sidelong glance with an expression that said “who told you such nonsense?” and said, “How can Grand Madam’s natal family compare with the Yang family of Tonglu? The Yang family of Tonglu’s ancestors once produced a first-rank official. Their Dingyuan Yang family was just silk merchants three generations ago, yet they pretend to be a scholarly family. Their rise through the civil service has only been a matter of these two or three generations, and that was only because they formed a marriage alliance with the Pei family and received the Pei family’s support to progress so smoothly!” At this point, she showed the excitement of wanting to share gossip with Yu Tang and whispered to her, “I’m telling you, don’t be fooled by Grand Madam’s appearance as a refined lady from a good family, being the daughter of an Imperial Academy Rector. Actually, she’s not very good at scholarship. When she was in the capital, there was once a flower-viewing party at the Zhang family where they played drinking games with poetry. Not only did she barely pass each time, but later when she really couldn’t come up with anything, she actually pretended to be drunk and was exposed. She was able to marry the Pei family’s First Master entirely because of her face. That’s why my father doesn’t think much of their First Master…”
The implication was that Grand Madam was somewhat foolish.
In these brief two hours, Yu Tang had learned more than she had known in two lifetimes combined.
She chuckled and really couldn’t comment on Grand Madam, saying, “Different strokes for different folks—who can say clearly about such things?”
Yu Tang felt her words were very diplomatic and found no fault with them. But who knew that as soon as she finished speaking, Miss Xu became even more animated, saying, “So you know about that too!”
About what?!
Yu Tang was somewhat bewildered, not knowing which nerve she had touched in Miss Xu. Miss Xu was already chattering away: “I once heard my mother talking with Madam Zhang, saying that the Pei family’s Grand Madam appears dignified and solemn on the surface, with an inviolable air, but in private, she’s very good at acting coquettish. Even walking a few extra steps, she’ll go back and tell the Pei family’s First Master her feet hurt. My mother said that’s why she’s been able to live so smoothly.”
But once her husband was gone, her days began to get difficult!
Yu Tang felt it was somewhat excessive to say such things at this moment, so she just made an agreeable sound along with Miss Xu, while thinking about Pei Yan’s situation.
The Li family had gone to such lengths—why wouldn’t Pei Yan agree to a marriage alliance with the Li family?
Were the Li family’s young ladies too plain-looking? Or did they have bad temperaments?
But if they could get along well with Miss Xu, they shouldn’t be like that.
She couldn’t help but ask, “Are the Li family’s young ladies beautiful?”
Miss Xu hadn’t reacted yet and said half-sighing, half-helplessly, “Do you know why my mother talks about the Pei family’s Grand Madam? Because my eldest brother is just like the Pei family’s First Master—he also found a woman who has nothing but her face. My mother fears her two grandsons will be like the Pei family Grand Madam’s sons, so she’s kept both my nephews under her own care… Because of this, my eldest brother has suffered plenty of grief from both my mother and my sister-in-law. My sister-in-law is from a branch of the Li family!”
This little girl dared to say anything!
Yu Tang didn’t know what to say.
Miss Xu, however, misunderstood that Yu Tang hadn’t comprehended and said urgently, “You know that Minister Li was the Third-Place Scholar of his examination year, right? When he took the spring examinations back then, he was only in the thirtieth-some rank. What the Li family is most famous for isn’t producing Minister Li as a Grand Secretary—it’s being known for producing beauties!”
Such a thing existed?!
Then why wouldn’t Pei Yan agree?
If it were anyone else, they would surely think Pei Yan’s brain wasn’t working properly. However, Yu Tang trusted Pei Yan very much. She felt there must be other inside information about the matter between Pei Yan and the Li family.
She just didn’t know if she would have the opportunity to learn this inside information.
Thinking this way, Yu Tang felt somewhat melancholic.
However, Miss Xu really knew so much.
If she wanted to understand aristocratic genealogies, perhaps she really would need to listen to Miss Xu.
Yu Tang was about to adopt a proper attitude and ask her a few questions when she saw Second Madam, having seen off the guests, leading Nanny Ji toward the tea room.
This meant they were being summoned to see Old Madam Pei.
The two quickly stood up, straightened their collars, and hurried into the tea room.
Second Madam had indeed come to invite them over for tea. Seeing Yu Tang and Miss Xu coming in from outside, not only did she not suspect anything, she even asked with concern, “Where did you go? I noticed the back courtyard of this compound has several rose bushes planted that are blooming quite nicely. When you have nothing to do, you can go look at them.”
Both felt rather guilty and didn’t dare say more, respectfully responding affirmatively and following the elders to Old Madam Pei’s place.
The main hall’s latticed windows were wide open, a gentle breeze drifting through, filling the room with coolness.
Old Madam Pei reclined against the large welcoming pillow on the arhat bed, her expression gentle, her eyes smiling, appearing comfortable and carefree, showing not a hint that something had just occurred here that had driven Second Madam away in anger.
“Did you sleep well last night?” Old Madam Pei asked kindly. “I’ve kept you waiting. Did Nanny Ji serve you good tea?”
“Not only was the tea good, the pastries were good too,” Chen Shi said with a slight smile.
She was older than Third Madam Yang, and Third Madam Yang very modestly let Chen Shi represent them in responding to Old Madam Pei.
Setting aside everything else, just this demeanor alone showed the extraordinariness of that Yin family.
After everyone chatted for a while, the Pei manor’s several old madams, madams, young madams, and young misses all came over.
Everyone exchanged pleasantries again.
Yu Tang saw the Pei family’s Grand Madam.
She was supported by a very beautiful maid and wore a serious expression.
The Pei family’s womenfolk also intentionally or unintentionally excluded her, not talking much with her.
Yu Tang quietly noted this in her heart.
After everyone sat down again, Old Madam Pei had someone invite the eminent monk Wuneng who had been invited from South Shaolin Temple.
He was a dark-skinned, thin man in his fifties, wearing a very ordinary gray coarse cloth monk’s robe. His expression was serious, his speech concise, his voice like a great bell, deafening, startling all the womenfolk present.
Yu Tang felt that when he lectured on sutras, everyone would certainly be able to hear quite clearly.
Wuneng had known Old Madam Pei’s intentions beforehand. Without saying much, he first told everyone a relatively brief Buddhist story, then had an accompanying young novice bring several protective amulets on a tray for them to choose from. He scheduled the blessing ceremony for noon the next day: “It’s a small dharma assembly that will be finished in an hour and a half. Today all the madams and misses need to purify and bathe, abstain from meat and fish, and eat vegetarian for one day.”
Everyone naturally agreed in succession and carefully examined the protective amulets Wuneng had given.
Wuneng then took his leave with the young novice.
Everyone began discussing whether to prepare the vegetarian feast themselves or have Zhaoming Temple prepare it tomorrow.
Only then did Yu Tang learn that when the Pei manor’s womenfolk came up the mountain, they had even brought cooks along.
No wonder Third Master had them follow the Pei manor’s womenfolk into the temple.
Food and lodging were much more convenient!
Yu Tang felt fortunate in her heart.
The Wu family of Huzhou had also arrived at Zhaoming Temple at this time. The Wu family’s womenfolk sent a servant to deliver calling cards to Old Madam Pei.
Old Madam Pei smiled and said, “In the temple, let’s not be so formal. Have them come in!”