Could it be they had some matter requiring the Pei family’s help?
Yu Tang looked toward Second Madam, who happened to look back at her at the same time. The two sisters-in-law exchanged glances and began playing tai chi with the two Mrs. Yangs in perfect unison, naturally speaking in a watertight manner with their polite social pleasantries.
Fortunately, it wasn’t long before the banquet began.
Although Pei Yan held no official position, Pei Xuan was a high-ranking official of the third rank. Yu Tang benefited from Second Madam of the Pei family’s status and was seated at the same table as the wives of third-rank officials. This inevitably meant sitting together with Mrs. Qin again.
Mrs. Qin’s complexion didn’t look very good. Even when she smiled at Yu Tang and Second Madam, it seemed somewhat forced.
Yu Tang thought of how the Wu family had been pestering Mrs. Qin and suspected the Wu family wanted to marry Miss Wu into the Qin family.
She couldn’t help but click her tongue twice inwardly.
The Wu family certainly had quite ambitious aspirations.
However, this matter wasn’t for the Wu family to decide.
Mrs. Qin had taken a liking to Pei Dan and was determined to marry her as her eldest daughter-in-law. Therefore, when she saw Gu Xi, she was quite friendly. Seeing her scrambling to befriend those titled ladies, she simply helped her out and took her around for a circuit.
Mrs. Yang the Elder watched with even more envy and said in a low voice to Mrs. Yang the Second, “See that? A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. You were unwilling, but I’m actually worried we won’t be able to attach ourselves to the Pei family.”
Mrs. Yang the Second bit her lip and said nothing.
Early the next morning, together with Mrs. Yang the Elder, she personally went to the Pei residence.
Yu Tang was extremely surprised to receive this news.
She had thought that no matter what, the Yang family would at most send a proper nanny to deliver the invitation. She hadn’t expected both madams to come in person.
After all, they were Pei Tong’s maternal aunts. Yu Tang had someone inform Gu Xi and received the two Mrs. Yangs in the flower hall of her own quarters.
Mrs. Yang the Second completely changed her silent attitude from the Jiang family banquet and enthusiastically greeted Yu Tang, inviting her to visit their home when the time came.
Yu Tang readily agreed and chatted with them for a while before Gu Xi arrived.
She took the opportunity to rise and take her leave, giving her seat to Gu Xi.
However, just as she left the flower hall, she encountered Second Madam’s trusted Nanny Jin. Nanny Jin respectfully greeted Yu Tang and explained her purpose: “Second Madam asks whether preparations should be made for the dress and accessories for visiting the Yang family four days from now?”
Was she worried Yu Tang had agreed to visit the Yang family?
Yu Tang simply went to Second Madam’s quarters and said, “The two Mrs. Yangs came in person—it wouldn’t be good to refuse them like that. I plan to send someone over again tomorrow. If we really can’t postpone it, isn’t there still the eldest daughter-in-law? They’re family—they can talk much more easily than we can.”
Second Madam breathed a sigh of relief and quickly pulled Yu Tang into the study, showing her a letter she had just written, the ink still not dry: “I’ve asked my elder brother from my natal family to personally investigate the character of the Qin family’s eldest son. There should be no mistakes.”
Although Jinling was somewhat far from Hangzhou, Yu Tang felt that if it were her, she would also ask Yu Yuan to investigate.
She said, “That’s good then. It’s always better to be cautious. For a girl, marriage is like a second birth. If this birth doesn’t go well, there won’t be a single peaceful day for the rest of her life.”
Second Madam nodded repeatedly and brought up Lin Shi with Yu Tang: “…At that time, who didn’t say she married well? But what about now? I heard the Li family’s second son returned to Lin’an and took Mrs. Li away. Not to mention the long journey to the Northwest, the weather there is also very harsh. I don’t know if Mrs. Li will be able to safely reach her husband. I just feel sorry for that child Li Jun—first having such a father, then such an elder brother. This child’s life is ruined.”
Compared to his early death in her previous life, she wondered whether the ignorant fearlessness of that time was better, or the hardship and toil of this time was better!
Yu Tang sighed.
Second Madam also felt quite emotional.
When Yu Tang sent word to the Yang family that she couldn’t make it and wanted to reschedule, the Yang family adamantly refused, insisting that Yu Tang and Second Madam must come to their home for drinks. Only then did the two sisters-in-law visit once more.
This time, Yu Tang and Second Madam were prepared early. They went to visit Xu Xuan’s home and also brought Fifth Miss along.
They just hadn’t expected to encounter Mrs. Qin, who had also come visiting, at Xu Xuan’s place.
Yu Tang felt somewhat reproachful toward Xu Xuan: “Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you had guests here! We could have come another day just the same.”
Xu Xuan smiled bitterly and said, “Mrs. Qin came suddenly—she came with our family’s great-aunt.”
Only then did Yu Tang learn that Mrs. Li was also there.
Xu Xuan said helplessly, “Now you know why I wanted to visit your place, right? Whether it’s our family’s elder great-aunts or younger great-aunts, although they’re married, they still treat our home as their own—coming and going as they please. Bringing guests like this isn’t the first or second time.” Speaking of this, she became suspicious, staring at Yu Tang without blinking: “Tell me honestly—does Mrs. Qin have some matter to ask of your family? Otherwise, she wouldn’t possibly follow along.”
The Yin family’s great-aunts could treat their natal family as their own home, but Mrs. Qin was someone who understood propriety—she couldn’t possibly follow the Yin family’s great-aunts in making such a scene.
Yu Tang thought that Xu Xuan wasn’t an outsider and was also extremely well-informed, so she told Xu Xuan about Mrs. Qin’s intention to form a marriage alliance with the Pei family.
Hearing this, Xu Xuan laughed heartily and said, “Do you know that the remarriage candidate the Fei family is looking for Fei Zhiwen is Minister Qin’s cousin?”
Yu Tang was dumbstruck and pulled Xu Xuan to hear the gossip.
Xu Xuan told Yu Tang: “Minister Qin has achieved his current position with considerable help from his clan uncle. But that clan uncle had difficulty with heirs—only one daughter survived to adulthood. Unfortunately, that daughter’s luck wasn’t too good either. Her father and mother died one after another, and several betrothal discussions encountered mourning periods. What with one thing and another, her age kept increasing. To repay this clan uncle, Minister Qin wanted to arrange a good marriage for his cousin. Through various connections, somehow Fei Zhiwen’s elder brother found out, then told Old Madam Fei. For this matter, Old Madam even specially sent people to meet Miss Qin. But Fei Zhiwen has been unwilling to agree, which is why this matter has been delayed.”
Speaking of this, she said with some schadenfreude, “If Minister Qin didn’t care about his cousin’s life or death, he wouldn’t be busying himself running around for this matter. If Fei Zhiwen did as he previously said—retire from office, resign, and wander the world without staying home—Minister Qin definitely wouldn’t want his cousin to reluctantly marry into the Fei family to be a living widow. But the problem is, Fei Zhiwen somehow listened to whatever nonsense your family’s Pei Yan told him. Not only did he not resign, he’s even running to write Daoist liturgical texts for the Emperor. This is flattering the throne—it means he wants to compete for Grand Secretary! Then he definitely can’t treat a wife he marries as decoration. He definitely can’t escape this marriage! Don’t you think your family’s Pei Xiaguang dug a pit and jumped into it himself?”
Yu Tang’s mind was still somewhat muddled. She said, “What does this have to do with our family’s Pei Xiaguang?”
Xu Xuan tapped her forehead and smiled, “You! If that Miss Qin truly marries Fei Zhiwen, the Qin family will be in the same camp as the Zhang family, and the Pei family will definitely seriously consider a marriage alliance with the Qin family.”
This was also because these Jiangnan prominent families went back and forth—there were only those few surnames, right?
This was the conclusion Yu Tang had reached during that period of learning family genealogies with Xu Xuan.
The two chatted idly for a while. When they returned, Second Madam indeed had a thoughtful expression.
She didn’t know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing.
That evening, when Yu Tang brought this matter up with Pei Yan, Pei Yan didn’t take it seriously and said, “Ultimately, it still depends on whether the Qin family’s eldest son is decent. Otherwise, there’s no need to look only among these few limited families in Jiangnan. A slightly inferior family background wouldn’t matter much.”
As she sat at the dressing table combing her hair, she was still pondering this matter.
Pei Yan became somewhat unhappy and said, “Why are you worrying about these things? You didn’t even ask me what I did today?”
Yu Tang immediately asked him, “What did you do today?”
Pei Yan became even more angry. He threw off the covers, lay down, and turned his back to Yu Tang without speaking.
Yu Tang reflected on herself.
Could it be that her tone of voice just now was too perfunctory?
She quickly rushed over to coax him: “Are you tired? Let me pour you a cup of tangerine water. Drink it before sleeping, alright?”
Pei Yan had a habit that Yu Tang didn’t know how to describe—he liked to drink water steeped with dried tangerine peel.
Pei Yan closed his eyes and didn’t speak.
Yu Tang had no choice but to continue coaxing him: “I’m all confused by these genealogical relationships. Tell me, if our A’Dan really marries into the Qin family, won’t our family and the Fei family also become in-laws? I heard Old Madam Fei has already met Miss Qin. I wonder what Miss Qin thinks about it?”
Pei Yan shrugged his shoulders as if to shake Yu Tang off.
Yu Tang wasn’t afraid of him at all. She pushed her luck and embraced Pei Yan’s shoulders, continuing to murmur in his ear: “Is Minister Qin handsome? Minister Fei obviously likes beautiful appearances. If Miss Qin looks very ordinary, tell me, will Minister Fei disdain her? Old Madam Fei should know that Minister Fei likes beautiful people, right…”
Why was she talking about Fei Zhiwen over and over again?
Thinking about how Fei Zhiwen was already in his early forties yet still had the face of someone under thirty, Pei Yan’s heart felt uncomfortable. He suddenly sat up and said, “Can you stop always fixating on these messy matters? The Dragon Boat Festival is coming up soon—have you prepared the festival foods? Have you prepared the offerings for ancestral worship? Fei Zhiwen, Fei Zhiwen—why do you care about his business?”
Yu Tang looked at his mercurial face and really wanted to laugh, but she still forcefully suppressed it and pounced on Pei Yan again, saying, “Aren’t I just trying to get you to help me make a decision? I’m afraid that if our family truly forms a marriage alliance with the Qin family, and the Qin and Fei families are at odds, it might implicate us…”
Pei Yan glared at her huffily for a long while.
Yu Tang restrained herself again and again, pretending to have an expression of “what’s wrong,” and blinked at Pei Yan.
Pei Yan laughed in exasperation and said harshly, “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”
“Doing what on purpose?” Yu Tang said innocently. “I’m truly worried that if the Fei and Qin families become bitter enemies, which side should we stand on?”
Pei Yan smiled coldly and pressed Yu Tang down onto the bed in one motion, saying, “You’d better think about how to save yourself first!”
Yu Tang cried out in alarm…
The early summer breeze blew in. The lamplight on the table swayed and swayed, bursting into a string of lamp flowers, softly crackling in the quiet night—truly beautiful to behold.