CH 41

Chapter 41 – Humiliation

Late afternoon, Yu Yuan came back and they had nothing else to do except wait for Master Qian’s side and see if there was any news.

Yu Wen waited worriedly as he played chess with the innkeeper to pass the time. Yu Yuan couldn’t sit still, so he informed Yu Wen and wandered off onto the streets, wanting to check out what business was flourishing in Hangzhou, what everyone was doing and how they did business.

Yu Tang was in her room making flower head pieces.

Someone came in and asked, “Does Master Yu stay here?”

Yu Wen looked up as he replied, “Who’s looking for me?”

The visitor was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with red lips and white teeth, dressed in servant garbs. He smiled and said, “I am Master Zhou’s servant, our master asked me to see if you are in the inn.” Saying that, he ran away speedily.

Yu Wen was puzzled as he hurriedly called out to the boy, “Master Zhou? Which Master Zhou!”

No sooner had he said that, he saw the boy walking in with Zhou Zi Jin and Pei Yan.

Yu Wen smiled brightly as he went up to meet them, bowing and said, “I was wondering who would it be? It turns out to be First ranked imperial Scholar Zhou. Why are you here? Is there something you want to see me about?” He also bowed towards Pei Yan.

Pei Yan still held a disinterested look as he nodded towards Yu Wen.

Zhou Zi Jin said, “I heard that your daughter fell sick? We should have came yesterday to visit, but we had arranged a meeting with someone and the meal lasted all the way till late noon. I was also feeling a little tipsy, so not to seem discourteous, I didn’t visit yesterday. How is she now? Is your daughter feeling better? Is there anything we can do to help?”

Yu Wen was touched after hearing this and replied, “I’ve already taken Master Pei’s namecard to ask the imperial physician to come over and take a look. I’m sorry to have bothered you both. I was intending to go to the Pei residence in a couple of days to show my appreciation, but I didn’t expect both of you to come over first, I’m really sorry.” After speaking, he thanked Pei Yan alone again.

Pei Yan did not say anything much as he accepted Yu Wen’s thanks.

Yu Wen said, “What are First ranked imperial scholar Zhou and Master Pei doing later? Why don’t I be the host this time. We can find a restaurant or pavilion nearby and I’ll treat the two of you to a few drinks.”

Zhou ZiJin’s eyes lit up, obviously very interested in this, but the person next to him, Pei Yan answered before he had a chance to reply. “There’s no need for that. You must be busy with many things to do. Let’s drink together later when we have the chance.”

Yu Wen thought that PeiYan was refusing out of politeness, so his tone became more sincere. “We’ll talk about future matters when we meet in future. I don’t know how happy I am that you came to see my daughter. If you leave like this, how would you make me feel? Especially Master Pei, if it wasn’t for your namecard yesterday, my daughter wouldn’t have known what was it that she suffered!”

“That was also a coincidence!” Pei Yan said indifferently, insistent on leaving.

Zhou ZiJin wanted to stay, but seeing that Pei Yan did not seem to refusing out of politeness, he stepped in and said, “I’m really not trying to be polite with you. We just came to see your daughter today. Since your daughter is fine, we will take our leave.”

Of course, Yu Wen couldn’t let them go just like that and stopped the two of them from leaving.

Zhou ZiJin said helplessly. “It’s not that I don’t want to accede to your request, but it’s really that Xia Guang he …… caused your precious daughter to eat until she had a terrible stomachache. Because of this, he refused to let me go to the night market over at Little River Imperial Street …… “

Zhou Zijin had a very regretful look on his face.

However, just after speaking this, they heard the sounds of a door closing on the second floor guest room.

The people could not help but look upwards in unison, only to see the closed door of the room.

Yu Wen thought about it and laughed: “It’s probably my daughter, apologies!”

“It’s fine!” Zhou ZiJin laughed.

Pei Yan, however, did not even lift an eyebrow from the beginning to the end.

Yu Tang who was in the room, her face was red as she bit her nails and circled the room.

Wasn’t Pei Yan here to see what imperial censor? Why did he come here for? The Meijia Bridge and their Ruyi Inn, one was in the north and the other one in the west.

However, the Pei family pawnshop was here.

Could it be that he came to the Pei family pawnshop for business and was pulled over by Zhou Zi Jin on the way?

How come she didn’t think of this?

It’s so humiliating!

She ate something and caused herself to have a stomachache.

This incident was enough for Pei Yan to laugh for the rest of his life, right?

Yu Tang felt that she was too ashamed to meet with others.

Especially just now – when she heard someone shouting her father’s name, she ran out to see what was going on. She ended up seeing PeiYan and panicked. She lost her footing when she closed the door, making a loud noise …… she really wanted to disappear into a crack in the ground!

Yu Tang was filled with chagrin, and suddenly was a little glad that she was still fasting.

This way she can hide in her room and not go out.

Yu Tang breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she should make her flower head pieces properly, and if she was quicker, she might be able to make one for her mother.

However, even though she had the needle in her hand, she didn’t know where to put it, her mind was caught in a mess and she was full of conflicting thoughts. She was wasn’t in the mood to sew anymore and decided to leave it aside , thinking that she’d do them later.

When she calmed down, the sun was already setting, and the innkeeper lady sent her some warm water.

Yu Tang suddenly felt so hungry that she could not sit up straight.

She asked, “Where is my father?”

“He’s downstairs playing chess with our boss!” The innkeeper lady smiled and said enviously, “Yesterday when I saw second supervisor Tong with Master Pei’s namecard, I thought that your family and the Pei family were on really good terms. I didn’t expect that Master Pei actually came in person to visit the sick today. You’re from a respectable family in Lin’an, right? But Master Yu’s attire is very simple – as expected of a scholar’s family, low-profile and modest.”

Yu Tang was stunned.

Her father did not invite Pei Yan out for a meal?

She couldn’t help but ask, “You, you also know the third master of the Pei family?”

“Know? Of course I know him!” The innkeeper lady cheerfully answered, “Who in our area wouldn’t know the three masters of the Pei family! We all rely on the Pei family to make a living. This inn is owned by the Pei family, and the street where you bought the materials for the head flower pieces is also owned by the Pei family. However, this is the first time Third Master Pei came to our door. The Third Master is so handsome! The last time I saw him, the grand elder was still in his prime, and he was only 13 or 14 years old. The grand elder came over here to check the accounts in the pawnshop, and Third Master Pei accompanied him. However he seemed to be in a bad mood, sitting outside on the stone railing by the imperial river. Everyone had never seen such a beautiful young man, so they all wanted to take a closer look, but didn’t dare to, so they found some reason to walk around him. Only the young lady from the Cai family from the streets behind was bold enough to throw a flower to him. He only looked at it without saying a word. Everyone thought it was amusing, so several people followed the Cai family’s young lady’s example and threw flowers to him, as well as throwing their handkerchiefs.

“He got so angry at this and ran away in a huff.

“To this day, I can still remember his expression then .”

“Really?!” Yu Tang laughed out loud with delight just thinking about it.

“Really!” The innkeeper lady also laughed and her gaze became gentle, “So many years have passed, and the third master have only grown more and more handsome, however, it seems that his temper is also getting worse.”

“That’s right!” Yu Tang speedily agreed, thinking of his expression when she met him several times, and then after reflecting on the innkeeper lady’s words, not only did she not feel afraid of him anymore, but also felt a strange sense of camaraderie with him. She said, “When did Master Pei leave? Didn’t my father ask him to stay for dinner?”

“Your father did ask.” The innkeeper lady, surmising that she could rarely talk to people about Pei Yan, so she laughed and continued, “However, master Pei did not agree, and First-ranked imperial scholar had to follow. He’s still as unapproachable as before.”

Yu Tang pursed her lips and smiled, the gloomy feeling in her heart was swept away, and she didn’t care so much about eating until she had a stomachache anymore.

After all, compared to PeiYan being thrown flowers by the young girls and running away in shame, this wasn’t much, right?