Before long, the female family members of the Peng, Song, and other households also arrived one after another.

Seeing the seating chart, everyone was quite puzzled. But seeing that the Pei family members were all sitting calmly according to the seating chart without any disturbance, they thought that the Pei family was an established clan with a hundred years of heritage, living in seclusion in Lin’an—perhaps this was just their custom. So though puzzled, no one raised any objections. As if it were perfectly natural, each found their own place and sat down. Only after sitting down and examining carefully did they discover that the positions were truly not placed incorrectly—who should sit in the seat of honor, who should be next to whom, everything was crystal clear.

The young ladies of the Peng and Song families smiled cheerfully, finding it novel and interesting. However, Fourth Lady Song who led the Song family and the First Young Madam Peng who led the Peng family felt a chill in their hearts.

They were not like the gentlemen who traveled outside—who, in order to make a name for themselves, not only did not fear telling outsiders about their affairs but would even spread the word everywhere so others would know of their character and virtue. These female family members usually kept as low a profile as possible and avoided attention when they could. Yet the Pei family had managed not to make any mistakes in their seating arrangements. What did this indicate?

It indicated that although the Pei family lived in the small city of Lin’an, they knew everything about these aristocratic and wealthy clans.

Especially for First Young Madam Peng, who was not the future principal wife of the Pei family. She had been asked to lead people here this time because Grand Lady Peng valued her composure, astuteness, and adaptability. However, First Young Madam Peng feared arousing her sisters-in-law’s displeasure and dared not accept this task, so Grand Lady Peng had also included Second Young Madam Peng, letting Second Young Madam Peng of the Pei family, who held the title of young lady of the Yin family, attract everyone’s attention. But when the Pei family arranged the positions, they had placed Second Young Madam Peng together with several young madams and young ladies of the Song family, while placing her together with Fourth Lady Song in the positions of those in charge, seated together with several old ladies of the Pei family.

Although she greeted the female family members of the Pei family with a natural smile, she felt quite uneasy inside, not knowing what the Pei family meant by this arrangement. She wanted to probe Fourth Lady Song’s thoughts, but Fourth Lady Song’s gaze was attracted by Yu Tang, who sat right next to Second Lady Pei.

She remembered all the important female family members of the Pei residence.

Yu Tang was a new face to her.

She was also too beautiful.

She guessed this young lady should be the Miss Yu who had caused Sixth Miss Song to suffer a loss.

Fourth Lady Song quietly asked the elderly servant by her side, “Is that Miss Yu?”

The personal elderly servant nodded awkwardly.

Fourth Lady Song said nothing, looking at Yu Tang, wondering what she was thinking.

Just then, Yu Tang turned her head.

Their gazes collided.

Yu Tang smiled politely at Fourth Lady Song.

Fourth Lady Song also nodded politely.

The two had thus exchanged greetings.

Fourth Lady Song couldn’t help muttering in her heart, feeling that this young lady Yu Tang was not simple. To be able to sit in such a forward position at such an important occasion, she must be very well-liked by Old Lady Pei.

Sometimes “the county magistrate is not as powerful as the current administrator”—they dared not neglect even Old Lady Pei’s personal elderly servants and senior maids. If she could speak with this young lady, perhaps she could whisper in Old Lady Pei’s ear.

Thinking of Fourth Master Song’s hair that had nearly turned white with worry these past few days, she felt a bit like a desperate person trying any remedy. She wanted to strike up a conversation with Yu Tang, but then she discovered that although her seat seemed only separated by a few old ladies, wanting to speak across several old ladies and the Pei family’s female members was not easy.

She couldn’t very well call the young lady over directly in full view of everyone, could she?

Only then did Fourth Lady Song feel the seating arrangement was clever.

Even if you knew this person was very important, you still couldn’t take this opportunity to speak with them.

It seemed that when their Song family had matters in the future, they should also make such a seating chart.

Moreover, she had the seating chart arranged by the Pei family in her hand and could completely make minor adjustments based on it.

She took the Pei family’s seating chart to study it.

First Young Madam Peng felt it was no longer appropriate to speak directly with Fourth Lady Song. She could only look around, wanting to match the seating chart with people’s faces. As a result, when she looked up, she saw Miss Gu walking in together with the female family members of the Wu family.

Her brows furrowed slightly.

Why would Miss Gu be walking together with people from the Wu family?

One must know that Miss Gu was the future eldest grandson’s wife of the Pei family’s principal branch.

Could it really be as those people privately spread—that the Pei family intended to form a marriage alliance with the Wu family?

Thinking there might be this possibility, First Young Madam Peng became a bit anxious.

Grand Master Peng had made a temporary decision to form a marriage alliance with the Pei family.

Of course, it would be best if they could marry into a connection with Pei Yan.

However, whether it was Seventh Miss or Eighth Miss who came with her, neither seemed qualified.

If Pei Yan agreed, the Peng family would let the Pei family choose any suitable young lady from all of the Peng family’s eligible misses.

If Pei Yan did not agree, then they would see if they could select either Fourth Miss Pei or Fifth Miss Pei to marry into the Peng family.

If the Pei family had taken a liking to Miss Wu… that would be too disadvantageous for their Peng family.

First Young Madam Peng looked at Miss Wu’s peony-like beautiful face and quietly instructed her personal elderly servant to go inquire why Gu Xi had come together with Miss Wu.

The personal elderly servant acknowledged and left.

Gu Xi looked at her seating chart, completely unaware of what had happened.

She was seated together with the Song and Peng young ladies. Of course, she was not far from Miss Wu either. But such an arrangement could neither demonstrate her relationship with the Pei family nor allow her to become more intimate with Miss Wu.

She had not even married in yet, and Pei Yan was already starting to suppress her?

Gu Xi sneered coldly in her heart, but her face showed nothing of it. She still appeared very happy as she went with Miss Wu to pay respects to Old Lady Pei.

Old Lady Pei also did not know why Gu Xi had been arranged to sit together with the Song young ladies. In her view, although the Pei family should not openly favor Gu Xi at this time, they should not have arranged her so far away either. However, the seating chart had already been sent to each family. If she raised objections, it would only make people feel the Pei family’s internal disunity and lack of cohesion, damaging the Pei family’s reputation.

She smiled and spoke a few words with Gu Xi and Miss Wu, then had them return to their respective seats.

As soon as Gu Xi sat down, she discovered Yu Tang sitting beside Second Lady Pei, shoulder to shoulder with Second Miss Pei.

She was immediately so angry she trembled.

Why should Yu Tang sit there?

How exactly did the Pei family view her?

Could she really be inferior to an outsider like Yu Tang?

Gu Xi was unwilling to lose her composure. Pretending not to have seen, she greeted the Song and Peng young ladies and sat down.

Miss Wu was somewhat unhappy.

She felt she was sitting a bit far from Gu Xi and suggested that Gu Xi switch places with Eighth Miss Peng beside her.

Eighth Miss Peng didn’t mind and switched places with Gu Xi.

The two then began whispering to each other: “Miss Xu is quite formidable. At such an occasion, she simply doesn’t come if she says she won’t. It’s evident the Pei family must give the Xu family some face.”

Both Gu Xi and Miss Wu felt somewhat envious.

Miss Wu then said, “I heard that during the sutra lecture assembly there will be a two-quarter-hour break in the middle. Should we go find Second Miss Pei to play then?”

She had already accompanied Gu Xi yesterday to visit Second Miss Pei alone. The three had chatted quite congenially and had even made plans to go shopping at the small stalls outside the temple in a few days.

Gu Xi’s gaze inevitably fell on Yu Tang again.

The lady surnamed Ji beside Old Lady Pei was smiling and bending over, speaking quietly with Yu Tang.

She bit her teeth, glanced at Miss Wu, and said, “I wonder what Grand Lady Ji is saying to Miss Yu? Before today’s sutra lecture assembly, each family will donate items to Zhaoming Temple. I heard that besides helping Ku’an Temple make Buddhist incense together with the Pei family’s young ladies, Miss Yu’s family will also donate a merit box to Zhaoming Temple.”

At such large Buddhist assemblies, the temple would usually invite a scholar to write down the grand occasion of the day and erect a stone tablet. At the end of the inscription, the names of those who donated items to the temple would be engraved. This was an extremely respectable matter that could bring glory for several generations.

Miss Wu’s gaze toward Miss Yu immediately became somewhat sharp. She said pointedly, “Miss Yu is quite thoughtful? Our family is only donating a thousand taels of silver. She alone is donating two items.”

Gu Xi had originally wanted to redirect the trouble, but this Miss Wu was extremely bold. She feared that if she continued, Miss Wu might make a scene recklessly and the fire would burn back to her—that would be more loss than gain.

“She frequently visits the Pei family, so she has more opportunities than others,” Gu Xi said with an unconcerned smile, changing the subject. “However, Ku’an Temple’s Buddhist incense is made quite well. Do you want to go look later? Among the incense formulas Miss Yu gave to Ku’an Temple, there’s supposedly one that can produce a sandalwood scent. I’m planning to buy some to take back as gifts for my family. Do you want to buy some too?”

Miss Wu had not liked Yu Tang to begin with, feeling that she came from a poor small household, had no self-respect, and came to such occasions to show off. Seeing Gu Xi stop talking about Yu Tang, she also didn’t bring it up and smiled, saying, “Sure! Didn’t you say this matter was presided over by Second Miss Pei? I should support her. No matter what, I should buy some to take back.”

The two chatted and laughed, and the previous episode seemed like the wind had died and waves had calmed—as if it had never happened.

First Young Madam Peng was observing the Pei family’s young ladies, so she inevitably also saw Yu Tang.

She discovered that Yu Tang was very familiar with the people around Old Lady Pei, and the people around Old Lady Pei all seemed to like her very much, including Second Lady and several Miss Peis. As for the Pei family’s unbetrothed Fourth Miss and Fifth Miss, one was lively and one was gentle—she could not tell their merits at the moment.

Perhaps she could investigate this Miss Yu.

First Young Madam Peng rubbed the seating chart in her hand, thinking that the two young ladies of the Pei family needed to be carefully investigated.

She feared making a wrong judgment.

There had to be someone to help her share this responsibility.

There was also this Miss Yu—it would be even better if she could also be investigated together.

Grand Lady Peng thought for a moment and quietly instructed her personal maid, “Go ask Grand Master if Eleventh Master has come to Lin’an city and whether he needs to pay respects to the old ladies of the Pei family.”

Eleventh Master Peng was the person behind the scenes in charge of the Peng family. He had come to Lin’an together with Grand Master Peng but had not stayed at the Pei residence. Instead, he had brought a group of people and quietly stayed somewhere unknown.

It would be better to take advantage of this opportunity to let Eleventh Peng emerge from the shadows openly and generously come to pay respects to the Pei family’s elders, and remember the appearances of the two Pei family young ladies and Miss Yu.

Thinking this through, she handed the seating chart in her hand to her personal maid and instructed, “Before you speak with Grand Master, first give this seating chart to Grand Master.”

Since people knew even about the inner affairs of the Peng family, and Lin’an was the Pei family’s territory, Eleventh Peng had come to Lin’an—perhaps the Pei family already knew about it long ago.