When Li Duan’s landlord told him the house needed to be reclaimed, Li Duan began to regret complaining to Pei Yan.

He went to find Shen Shanyan.

Unexpectedly, Shen Shanyan was packing his luggage, saying he was preparing to go to the capital. Zhou Zijin had written to him, wanting him to help serve as an advisor. He didn’t hide this from Li Duan, saying frankly, “The new prefect of Lin’an has a prejudice against me. I’m unwilling to stay in Lin’an watching his expressions. But returning to Hangzhou means quarreling with your teacher’s wife day and night. I thought about it and felt that perhaps going to the capital would be better—I’ll just consider it a long journey.”

Li Duan didn’t mention the rental matter for now and helped Shen Shanyan pack his brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone, saying casually as if unintentionally, “I heard the Pei family’s Second Master has returned to the capital. I wonder what position he’ll obtain this time?”

Shen Shanyan didn’t think much of it and said, “Now that Pei Xiaguang is not taking office and Zhang Shao has passed away, the Zhang family has many things that need to be reorganized. This is actually a good thing for Second Master Pei—perhaps the Zhang family will include him in their plans. Moreover, his mentor is no pushover either and will definitely find a way to arrange things for him.”

Li Duan’s jealous heart bled as he spoke of his own difficulties.

Shen Shanyan was very surprised, though on careful thought, it was also expected.

Just last year, in Tongxiang, people had died because of the county magistrate’s embezzlement. While everyone was filled with righteous indignation, it was understandable that they couldn’t accept the Li family’s matter.

He didn’t make the connection to the Pei family as Li Duan had intended. After a moment of stunned silence, he earnestly admonished Li Duan with some gravity, “You see, some things have bottom lines and absolutely cannot be done.”

This carried some criticism of Li Yi.

Thinking of how many more people would gossip about their family and his father behind their backs, Li Duan felt somewhat irritated. But facing Shen Shanyan, the only person willing to personally run around for him when he encountered hardship, he felt he should be more respectful. Thus, with a remorseful expression, he lowered his head and responded, “Yes.”

Shen Shanyan had no intention of saying more. He pointed this out to Li Duan and let it go, saying, “Since that family is unwilling to rent to you, just find another place. I have a friend outside secular life who serves as the abbot at Yongfu Temple. If you don’t mind, how about staying at Yongfu Temple for a while? After a couple of years when these matters have passed, things will be better.”

Li Duan planned to take the examinations in two years. What was important now was finding a quiet place to study. Although Yongfu Temple was austere, at least it was peaceful.

He quickly thanked Shen Shanyan.

Shen Shanyan shook his head inwardly, kept him for lunch, gave him his calling card, and only then saw him out.

Li Duan successfully moved into Yongfu Temple.

Lin Shi naturally had many complaints. Wanting to buy a house, Li Duan had to persuade her, “Father still needs money for bribes at his place of exile, and in two years I’ll need to go to the capital. We should save what we can now. Once I pass the examinations and achieve success, things will be better.”

But could he pass the imperial examinations in one try?

Lin Shi’s words reached her lips but she swallowed them back down, directing the old woman beside her to help hang the bed curtains and clean the rooms.

However, what people want, they usually find difficult to obtain.

After moving to Yongfu Temple, Lin Shi would occasionally go to the Buddha hall to burn incense, praying that Buddha would bless their family with peace in all matters. Inevitably, she would encounter some talkative worshippers.

On this day, she went to burn incense again and heard about Yu Tang and Pei Yan’s marriage, “It’s really a first for Lin’an City. I heard the dowry was purchased either in Hangzhou City or in Suzhou. There’s even a self-chiming clock—the kind that can tell time by itself. Even in all of Suzhou City, it’s the first of its kind.”

The people listening nearby exclaimed, “What kind of family is this Yu family? Not only is their daughter marrying into the Pei family, but she can also bring a self-chiming clock as dowry? Could they be some reclusive Jiangnan aristocratic family?”

“They only say the father is a scholar.” The person spreading the news wasn’t too clear either, but one could tell she found the Yu-Pei marriage quite interesting. “But they do have some family wealth. Plus, they treasure their daughter like a pearl. Since she’s marrying into the Pei family and they don’t want their daughter to suffer any grievances, they’ve spent their family fortune to prepare her dowry.”

Everyone praised this with clicking tongues, also saying, “What kind of family you marry into is secondary—what’s important is whether you’re loved and valued by your parents. Look at the Gu family marrying off their daughter—didn’t that become quite a joke? If you ask me, if I had a son, I’d rather marry a daughter from the Yu family than a daughter from the Gu family.”

Someone agreed, “Who says otherwise? Marriage is about uniting two families in goodwill. If the bride’s natal family is completely unwilling to help, what use is it even if they’re prominent? It’s better to marry someone whose family is ordinary but willing to stand up for you when there’s trouble.”

Most nodded in agreement, making Lin Shi’s anger flare up. She couldn’t help but snort coldly, “What good family is this Yu family? Just a poor scholar. A self-chiming clock—I think that’s just a rumor. Even if it’s not a rumor, it should be the Pei family giving face to their daughter-in-law, money going from the left hand to the right hand.”

The female worshippers looked at her as if seeing a madwoman. The woman who had spoken first even pulled her companion, saying, “Let’s go too! I saw it with my own eyes—there’s no need to explain in detail to these random people. Anyway, some people just can’t stand seeing others do well.”

After speaking, she looked Lin Shi up and down with a critical eye.

Lin Shi was immediately provoked by this attitude.

In her natal family, she had been one of the most valued daughters. After marrying into the Li family, she was a presented scholar’s wife. When had she ever been looked down upon like this, as if she were some common market woman who had never seen the world or read books?

Lin Shi’s face flushed red as she stepped forward to argue with the female worshipper. But those people, upon seeing her, scattered like fleeing from a plague.

She was so angry she couldn’t say a word, her hands trembling. Just as she wanted to return to her room, suddenly her limbs wouldn’t obey her and she collapsed to the ground… By the time Li Duan rushed over and called for a doctor, the physician said this was a stroke. She could only be carefully nursed, must not be upset, must not become angry, and so on.

Li Duan had no choice but to personally brew medicine and serve it to Lin Shi. Lin Shi, already half-paralyzed, still didn’t forget to instruct Li Duan, “Cannot, cannot, let go, the Yu family!”

His heart felt bitter as he nodded in agreement, placating Lin Shi.

Meanwhile, Yu Tang, having received the self-chiming clock, circled around it several times, staring at it fondly for quite a while before asking Yu Wen, “Father, how did you get this? This is the first time I’ve heard of such an item.”

It was enough to give her considerable face.

Yu Wen said proudly, “This wasn’t my idea—it was Old Master Jiang’s.” Then, quite pleased with himself, he recounted his recent trip to Suzhou. “He knew the Pei family intended to elevate him and was very happy. He specifically found this self-chiming clock. Old Master Wu and I felt embarrassed, so we gave him another ten percent.”

When they went to Ningbo last time, Jiang Chao had said he wanted to consider it. This time, however, he proactively invited them to Suzhou—he had probably investigated the Pei family’s situation.

Chen Shi came in carrying a tray and happened to hear the end of the conversation. She couldn’t help but say, “Did he say how much the clock costs? We must give him the money. Even between close brothers, accounts should be clear. Only when accounts are settled can business continue long-term, and it also avoids owing him a favor that Third Master Pei would have to repay. He’s already helped our family plenty. This is also Big Brother’s meaning. He says if the Pei family helps us like this and our family still can’t prosper, then we simply don’t have that fate. In the future, we shouldn’t trouble Third Master Pei anymore.”

Although Pei Yan was already her son-in-law, she still felt somewhat uncertain and didn’t dare casually address him.

Yu Wen had always been generous with money. Hearing this, he laughed, “You nag in my ear about this every day—how could I not give the money to Old Master Jiang? Rest assured, he’s a clever man. Two thousand taels of silver—he’s already accepted it. I don’t care whether it’s truly worth this amount or not—I’ve given the money.”

Only then was Chen Shi satisfied. She handed the bird’s nest from the tray to Yu Tang, “Drink it quickly. I asked Madam Wu to help buy it.”

Yu Tang didn’t particularly like drinking these things, but as the wedding date approached, her mother began stewing various beauty-enhancing supplements for her to drink. She had even invited Imperial Physician Yang to check her pulse once, asking if he needed to prescribe anything.

Imperial Physician Yang also knew of the marriage alliance between the Yu and Pei families. He was even more courteous to the Yu family than before, finding Yu Tang’s health excellent and requiring no prescriptions. Only then did Chen Shi give up.

Yu Tang drank the bowl of bird’s nest in one gulp as if taking medicine.

Chen Shi smiled with relief, had Shuang Tao take the bowl, and spoke of the two maids who would accompany Yu Tang in marriage, “Xing’er is easy to manage—I find her very clever. But that Lanhua doesn’t understand anything. I’m thinking whether to send her to Madam Wu for a couple days of training?”

The Yu family didn’t have many servants, and they treated their household servants quite gently. Chen Shi truly wasn’t skilled in these matters.

The husband and wife kept discussing matters related to Yu Tang’s marriage.

Yu Tang listened from the side, instead becoming an outsider.

She couldn’t help but smile with pursed lips.

When one is busy, time passes especially quickly.

In the blink of an eye, it was the first day of the tenth month—the day to worship ancestors.

Yu Wen felt this year was particularly different from previous years for their family. Not only had they gained a grandson, but Yu Tang’s marriage was also settled. The offerings for ancestor worship were more abundant than usual, and they even held a Buddhist ceremony at Zhaoming Temple.

At this time, Pei Yan, traveling light and simple, met with Jiang Chao.

The two settled some business matters, and only then did Jiang Chao formally visit the Yu family.

Yu Tang’s wedding preparations officially began.

Setting up tents, establishing gift rooms, hiring kitchen masters, hiring opera troupes—except for Yu Tang, everyone else in the Yu family was so busy their feet barely touched the ground.

Yu Tang listened to the clamor outside, feeling her room becoming increasingly quiet.

She rose and caressed the bright red wedding dress hanging on the clothes rack, joy evident at the corners of her eyes and brows. She even quite childishly used her hand to carefully stroke along the gold thread for quite a while.

On the sixth day of the tenth month, the sun shone brilliantly.

Yu Tang rose from bed as usual. Lunch was brought in by Xiang Shi, who also smilingly asked Yu Tang for a large red envelope.

After lunch, Madam Wu arrived with her eldest daughter-in-law.

She was the woman of complete blessings that the Yu family had invited.

Bathing, threading the face, combing the hair, eating sweet rice wine—Madam Wu and her daughter-in-law helped her into the wedding dress.

Radiant and dazzling, bright and richly colored.

Even Madam Wu, who had seen Yu Tang frequently these days, was stunned by her beauty and praised, “Truly beautiful.” Chen Shi, who had peeked from outside the door, began to cry.