Zhou Zijin was more than ten years older than Pei Yan. Since childhood, Zhou Zijin had enjoyed teasing this clever and proud younger brother from their family friends. As they grew up, he became even more fond of watching Pei Yan lose his temper, so he never spoke politely when talking to Pei Yan.
Hearing this, he immediately cried out in protest: “But I was supposed to go climb Phoenix Ridge! You were the one who said we should come to Tanzhe Temple. Tanzhe Temple is so expensive! If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have come.” After saying this, he turned to look at Fei Zhiwen, “Brother Fei, wouldn’t you say I’m right?”
Fei Zhiwen looked young, but was actually already over forty years old, several years older than Zhou Zijin. Moreover, he was learned and knowledgeable, composed in manner, and smooth yet effective in his methods. Zhou Zijin felt somewhat awed in Fei Zhiwen’s presence and didn’t dare be too casual.
“Then I’ll donate the incense money!” Fei Zhiwen smiled slightly, his voice mellow, his tone light and cheerful. “I also think coming to Tanzhe Temple is better.”
Only then did Yu Tang learn that after Pei Yan had visited Fei Zhiwen, he had planned to go to Phoenix Ridge with Zhou Zijin. When they were about to take their leave, they encountered Yin Mingyuan who had come to return some manuscripts. Learning that Yin Mingyuan was going to Tanzhe Temple, he asked Pei Yan if he wanted to go together, and mentioned that Yu Tang was also at Tanzhe Temple with Xu Xuan. Fei Zhiwen, who had originally planned to stay home reading, suddenly changed his mind, saying he hadn’t gone out for many days and that with the weather being so nice these past few days, he would go to Tanzhe Temple with them for a walk.
Although Fei Zhiwen was Pei Yan’s senior fellow apprentice, both his qualifications and age meant he should be considered a generation above them. Furthermore, since the death of Lady Fei, Fei Zhiwen had been melancholy and rarely went out. Now that Fei Zhiwen said he wanted to go to Tanzhe Temple with them, the two naturally couldn’t be more pleased and immediately changed their appointment with Zhou Zijin to come to Tanzhe Temple instead.
Was it because Fei Zhiwen wanted to come to Tanzhe Temple?
Yu Tang glanced at Pei Yan.
Pei Yan coughed lightly and found an opportunity to whisper to Yu Tang: “Otherwise, why would I have changed the appointment with Zhou Zijin to come to Tanzhe Temple? He loves climbing Phoenix Mountain most of all.”
Yu Tang laughed softly.
She felt that if Pei Yan had the opportunity, he would definitely find a way to be with her too.
Who knew that when she raised her head, she saw Fei Zhiwen looking at her.
She was somewhat surprised.
Fei Zhiwen was already smiling as he asked her: “You came from Jiangnan. Are you settling in well in the capital?”
He was about the same age as Yu Wen and was Pei Yan’s senior fellow apprentice. Yu Tang hurriedly replied respectfully yet candidly: “Quite well! It’s just that the weather is too cold. Only now is it like springtime where we come from.”
Hearing this, Fei Zhiwen was slightly startled, then laughed heartily and said: “Precisely because of this, summer in the capital is cooler than in Jiangnan. Since you’ve come to the capital, it’s a rare opportunity. You should properly experience the differences between the capital and Jiangnan.”
Yu Tang nodded and said: “My husband once told me that sometimes the snow in the capital can be knee-deep. My husband and I have discussed that we must at least see the capital’s snow scenery before returning home.”
Fei Zhiwen laughed heartily again, as if his impression of Yu Tang was very favorable.
The two had only exchanged these few words when Zhou Zijin came over, scrutinizing Yu Tang and also nodding with great satisfaction.
Yu Tang was completely bewildered, not understanding why Zhou Zijin would show her such an expression.
Pei Yan, however, was grinding his teeth in anger.
Zhou Zijin had been saying right to his face that he wanted to paint a small portrait of Yu Tang, and Pei Yan had stubbornly refused to agree.
Previously, he had thought Zhou Zijin had taken a liking to Yu Tang’s beauty, but now he felt that Zhou Zijin clearly just saw how much he cherished Yu Tang and was deliberately teasing him. But even knowing this, he had no way to refute Zhou Zijin in a joking tone.
What if Zhou Zijin was just waiting for him to say such things?
He wouldn’t let anyone else paint a portrait of A’Tang!
If anyone was going to paint one, it would have to be him.
Pei Yan glared at Zhou Zijin several times. Taking advantage of when Yu Tang and the others went to offer incense, he stood outside the Great Hero Treasure Hall talking with Zhou Zijin: “Elder Brother has watched me grow up, so I won’t beat around the bush with you. I asked Elder Brother out today at my teacher’s request. What are your intentions? Why don’t you tell me properly? Is it that you don’t want to suffer the burden of official documents? Or do you feel it wouldn’t look good to discuss family matters publicly? The Peng family is being aggressive, Minister Shen is duplicitous—the sooner the situation stabilizes, whether for the court or the common people, it’s a good thing.”
Zhou Zijin smiled bitterly and said: “It’s not that I don’t want to help the Zhang family. The main thing is I feel that even if I go to the Censorate, it won’t be of any use. Minister Shen clearly doesn’t want to give up his position. Whether it’s Minister Li or Minister Jiang, it will be very difficult for either of them to occupy that position.”
Pei Yan had also carefully analyzed this problem.
Li Xun’s connections were a bit poor, Jiang Hua’s qualifications were a bit lacking—indeed neither could really stabilize the overall situation. And the most important thing in all this was the emperor’s will. Whether Li Xun or Jiang Hua, His Majesty’s impression of them was mediocre, including Minister Shen. It was just that there were no more suitable candidates. On the contrary, Peng Yu—when he was previously at the Censorate, it wasn’t apparent, but now as Vice Minister of Justice, he had actually begun writing ritual texts for His Majesty. His Majesty had summoned him into the palace to serve more than once. At this rate, his entry into the Grand Secretariat was only a matter of time, and he might even become Chief Grand Secretary.
This was why Zhang Ying was anxious.
Unfortunately, Zhou Zijin really wasn’t cut out to be an official. As he talked, he went off track, saying: “How did Peng Yu change so drastically all of a sudden? Could it be that becoming a vice minister makes such a difference? Or is it that he never thought about becoming Chief Grand Secretary before, but now feels his chances are very good?”
Pei Yan was too lazy to discuss this with him and pulled the conversation back to its original track, saying: “Regardless, wouldn’t it be good for you to occupy a position at the Censorate first? As for who becomes Chief Grand Secretary, that’s the next step.”
Zhou Zijin had a different view. He said: “Even if I occupy the position, what use would it be? Not addressing the fundamental issue won’t work. The main thing is still to get the Chief Grand Secretary position into our hands.”
Pei Yan said: “Surely there have been cases of a second-ranking secretary overshadowing the chief secretary.”
Zhou Zijin said: “I’d believe it of others, but I don’t believe Li Xun and Jiang Hua have such ability.”
Pei Yan really wanted to roll up his sleeves and do it himself. But before he could speak, Fei Zhiwen walked over and said: “What are you two brothers talking about?”
Zhou Zijin laughed awkwardly.
Pei Yan simply gave up completely and said: “Anyway, all of you have your reasons. I can only help my teacher with a few matters without asking questions about right or wrong.”
Zhou Zijin hurried to placate Pei Yan: “It’s not like that. Aren’t I considering it? I haven’t flatly refused.”
But Fei Zhiwen thought for a moment and said to Pei Yan: “There are a few things I’d like to ask you. Would that be all right?”
This meant he wanted to speak with Pei Yan alone.
Zhou Zijin quickly found an excuse to withdraw and entered the Great Hero Treasure Hall.
Pei Yan said: “Senior Brother, what would you like to ask me?”
Although Pei Yan’s attitude was very respectful, Fei Zhiwen still thought for quite a while before saying softly: “Do you usually talk with your wife about things like whether it will snow or not?”
Pei Yan looked at Fei Zhiwen strangely and said: “Isn’t that just everyday domestic talk? Senior Brother, don’t you and Sister-in-law discuss such things?”
Before he had even finished speaking, he realized he had said the wrong thing.
Others might not know about Fei Zhiwen’s marriage, but he was in the know.
Asking this way would certainly make Fei Zhiwen uncomfortable.
But he couldn’t say anything about it, or Fei Zhiwen would surely suspect he knew something.
Fei Zhiwen indeed didn’t comment on this, but smiled and said: “I’ve noticed you usually have quite a proud temperament. I never expected you would actually accompany your wife in discussing such domestic trivialities, much less that your wife would consult with you about when to return home.”
Pei Yan immediately realized why Fei Zhiwen had come to Tanzhe Temple with them.
Although he felt Lady Fei’s death was foolish and annoying, he also felt Fei Zhiwen must have been at fault too. Otherwise, if a man treated a woman well enough, she wouldn’t be willing to leave him.
Like himself—Yu Tang might feel some regret about Wei Xiaoshan in her heart, but since he spent every day with Yu Tang, she had gradually begun to grow attached to him.
This showed it was still because Fei Zhiwen lacked ability.
He couldn’t help saying: “She comes from a humble background, but I’ve never felt there’s anything wrong with that. After all, one can’t choose one’s birth. But our family is different from hers, so before she married in, I told her all about our family matters, so that when she married over, she wouldn’t be completely in the dark. Then I take her with me wherever I go. Whatever she says, I nod and praise in front of everyone. I call her family’s brothers ‘Elder Brother’ in proper order. When others see how much I respect her, they dare not slight her even more. Her courage has grown bolder and bolder, and now she dares to make her own decisions about everything…”
Fei Zhiwen managed a large government office.
He naturally understood the importance of confidence.
He couldn’t help falling into deep thought.
What had he done when his wife married in? When was their sweetest time? And from what point, and why, had they begun to drift apart…
Fei Zhiwen’s face went blank, and he didn’t speak for a long while.
Pei Yan sighed inwardly.
Fei Zhiwen suddenly said: “Could you help me ask your wife what women want most?”
How should he act to make up for his mistakes?
Pei Yan felt this senior fellow apprentice of his wasn’t bad—at least he didn’t blindly push all the blame onto the dead woman.
He said generously: “Leave this matter to me.”
Fei Zhiwen nodded and smiled: “I’m a bit tired. I’ll head back to rest first and won’t join you for dinner. You all enjoy yourselves.”
Pei Yan didn’t press him to stay. He found Zhou Zijin and continued their verbal sparring.
However, that evening before bed, when he mentioned this matter to Yu Tang, he complained: “He was so scatterbrained about it—who knows what answer he’s looking for? But I think we should make him suffer a bit, so he doesn’t cause more trouble when he remarries in the future!”
Yu Tang asked curiously: “Didn’t you say he wasn’t planning to remarry?”
Pei Yan scoffed: “If he were from a collateral branch, it might be possible not to remarry. But he’s not only from the main line, he also holds the highest official position in the family. Even if he doesn’t want to, with the Fei family’s domineering ways, they could hold up a rooster and marry him to a wife. What he’s doing now is just to make himself feel better, but it will still harm others!”
Yu Tang thought and thought, then said: “So how do you think I should answer?”
“Just tell it straight!” Pei Yan said dismissively. “Anyway, when someone like him is being stubborn, he’s truly stubborn. If what you say doesn’t strike a chord in his heart, he definitely won’t listen. Whatever you say would be wasted words.”
Yu Tang felt that in this area, Pei Yan was stronger than her, so what Pei Yan said must make sense.
She said with a grin: “How about saying something that benefits you?”
Hearing this, Pei Yan stroked his chin and said: “Something that benefits me—that would be getting him to continue as an official!”
Yu Tang’s mind was very nimble. She immediately picked up the thread: “Then I’ll say that what we women care most about is reputation and official rank titles. Do you think that will work?”