CH 128

Chapter 128 – Pretentious

Yu Tang got a little distracted by that encounter. She waited until it was late afternoon, but Ah Cam did not return. She had to leave for Lin’an City, so she instructed her fifth uncle, saying “If Ah Cam comes back, tell him that we will be heading home first. He can rest here for the night before returning.” She also instructed her cousin’s sister-in-law, who came to cook for them, to leave some food for Ah Cam.

The cousin’s sister-in-law nervously wiped her apron as she agreed, and Yu Tang then went back to the city.

Ah Cam came back the next day at around midday.

He was drenched in sweat and wiped his perspiration on his sleeve as he told Yu Tang, “Eldest Miss, I’ve looked into it. His family owns a grocery shop and he has a younger brother and a younger sister.” Speaking of this, he smiled, “Speaking of which, this person is somewhat related to our family. The Wei family’s third young master is married to their female cousin. However, this person doesn’t have a good reputation. They say that he grew up traveling all over the country doing business with merchants, and so he is rather slick and glib; and many people did not like him.”

Yu Tang stilled.

She didn’t expect that man to be Madam Gao’s older brother.

In her previous life, she heard that Madam Gao had a very capable brother, but for some reason or another, the brother wasn’t on good terms with Madam Gao’s father and left home and seldom returned. Every time Madam Gao mentioned this brother of hers, her eyes would brighten up and she would look at Yu Yuan with increasing displeasure, thinking that Yu Yuan was useless in comparison. As a result, Yu Yuan suffered a lot. Once he even got so drunk that he fell into the river and would have drowned if he hadn’t been found in time.

Yu Tang felt a little guilty and felt that she was being overly sensitive.

She replied Ah Cam, “I didn’t expect that he was actually the cousin of the Wei family’s third youngest daughter-in-law. To me, he just looked familiar. Perhaps it’s because they looked alike!”

Ah Cam laughed heartily.

That was how the incident passed.

Yu Tang just came back from the shop when she saw that some of the grapes growing in the backyard were already ripe, so she and Shuang Tao took a pair of shears and a bamboo basket and went to pick some grapes, but a heavily pregnant Ma Xiuniang came to visit her.

Yu Tang was so shocked that she hurriedly helped Ma Xiuniang to take a seat in the hall and got Shuang Tao to bring in a bowl of green bean soup cooked using well water.

Before Ma Xiuniang could even take the bowl, she was stopped by Madam Chen, who just found out that Ma Xiuniang had came over. “You two are too careless. Xiuniang is about to give birth and this green bean soup is cold, how can she drink it? Shuang Tao, give this bowl of green bean soup to Ah Tang, you go and bring a bowl of lotus seed soup over.”

Shuang Tao got so frightened that she almost broke the bowl. She  hurriedly gave the green bean soup to Ah Tang and ran to the kitchen.

“Auntie!” Ma Xiuniang was about to stand up.

However Madam Chen took three steps to Ma Xiuniang’s side and pressed her down, saying, “You’re heavily pregnant, so why are you still bothering with social decorum? Just sit, be careful of hurting your back.” She also instructed Yu Tang, saying “Go and get some of the dried fruit in the house and make some tea for your sister Xiuniang.”

Yu Tang went to get some dried fruit and brought it in.

Madam Chen sat with Ma Xiuniang and gently asked about the preparations for the newborn. “…… Have you washed and sun-dried the baby quilts and clothes? The water for bathing and the powders for cleaning are all ready, right?”

Ma Xiuniang smiled and replied to every question.

Yu Tang placed the box with dried fruits in front of Ma Xiuniang, and Shuang Tao also brought in the lotus seed soup.

Madam Chen smiled and said, “Have some. It will replenish your energy.”

Ma Xiuniang expressed her thanks.

Madam Chen then asked about her visit, saying “The weather is so hot today and it’s not convenient for you to walk around. If you’re bored, just have someone send a message to call Ah-tang over to be your companion. After the baby is born, you can come over with the baby and let Ah Tang take care of the baby for you.”

Ma Xiuniang smiled bashfully and said, “Auntie, I just heard some good news and couldn’t stop myself from coming here!”

“What good news?” Yu Tang and Madam Chen said in unison.

Ma Xiuniang raised her eyebrows and beamed with excitement, “Auntie, Ah Tang, I heard that the Gu and Li families have withdrawn the marriage!”

The Gu family and the Li family?

Gu Xi and Li Duan?

Yu Tang and Madam Chen couldn’t hide their surprise.

Ma Xiuniang laughed for a while and added, “It seems that Auntie and Ah Tang haven’t heard of this? The news is already spreading, but it still hasn’t reached your side. Although the Gu family withdrawn their marriage, Master Li’s career is going well. I heard that he was appointed as a official to reside in the capital. Their family is now so proud of that achievement. Even those who wanted to laugh at them for having their marriage withdrawn by the Gu family had no reason to criticise them. If not, you would have already received news!”

In her previous life, Li Yi also served in the capital after his term in Rizhao was completed, but he was not assigned any official position for a while. It was only until after Li Duan and Gu Xi got married, that he was appointed as one of the officials of the Tai Chang Temple, and after Gu Xi gave birth to her eldest son, he was promoted to the position as one of the chief advisors of the Tai Chang Temple, with the right to speak up when the imperial court is in session. This was also the time that the Li Family was finally accepted as part of genuine officialdom.

In this life, the Li and Gu family withdrew their marriage, while Li Yi was promoted to the position of Left Minister of the General Secretariat.

Yu Tang suspected that the Gu family had played a part in this.

Otherwise, how could the Li family have agreed to withdraw their marriage so easily?

She pulled Ma Xiuniang aside and asked, “When the Gu family withdrew the marriage, didn’t the Li family say anything?”

Ma Xiuniang grimaced and said disdainfully, “What could the Li family say? Can they say that their son was disliked by the Gu family or that there was something wrong with the Gu family’s young lady? Since they can’t say anything about either side, they can only swallow their grievances. To outsiders, it was stated that the characters of the two were not compatible with each other, and the master of Zhaoming Temple was asked to resolve their incompatibility signs several times, but could not do so. Later, the sixth master of the Gu family asked a senior monk in the capital to read their fortunes, saying that the two should not be joined in union and that if they did not withdraw from the marriage now, there would be tribulations in the future. When the two families heard this, they simply withdrew the marriage.”

Speaking of this, Ma Xiuniang laughed coldly and said, “That Mrs. Li even tried to make herself look good, saying that although the marriage didn’t work out, the Li and Gu families were still considered relatives. Sixth Master Gu and Eldest Young Master Li have formed a brotherhood, so if the Li family has any problems in the future, they can go straight to Sixth Master Gu!”

For Madam Chen, her world was only limited to the Yu Family’s residence. In her eyes, the rift between the Yu and Li families was already settled by Pei Yan stepping in as an intermediary, so whether the Li family withdrew their marriage or moved up the ranks, it had nothing to do with the Yu family, so she did not take it to heart and smiled without saying a word.

However, Yu Tang was dying to know if this was a result of the ruckus she created that the Gu family withdrew the marriage and even helped Li Yi get a good official position in exchange for the Li family’s silence and concessions on the marriage withdrawal.

Unfortunately, her father was not at home.

No, even if her father were home, he would not talk to her about this, and would probably think that she had ruined someone’s marriage and tell her never to bring it up again.

The only person …… who can speak to her frankly about this seems …… to only be Third Master Pei.

Should she go and meet Pei Yan?

Yu Tang hesitated, but in the end she couldn’t control her feelings of schadenfreude. She took two boxes of tea she bought in Suzhou City and had someone deliver a message to Pei Yan, saying she wanted to meet him.

Pei Yan was resting at home and did not think too much of her request, so he agreed to meet Yu Tang at the gardens of his private residence.

As she was meeting Pei Yan, Yu Tang was all dressed up in formal attire. She wore a silver and white silk cloth robe, a white silk skirt, her hair was done in a double bun with intricate beaded flowers, and applied some rouge to her lips that she bought in Suzhou. However, the weather was too hot. She was feeling too stuffy and uncomfortable in the sedan chair on the journey there, and she had walk with the attendant boy all the way to the gardens. By the time she reached the entrance of the garden, she felt as though her back was drenched in sweat.

A small stream trickled past the stone paved pathway, and a cool breeze brushed pass her face, cooling her immediately.

She breathed a sigh of relief and wondered if she should quietly find a place to wipe off her perspiration before meeting Pei Yan, but as she turned around, she saw Pei Yan, dressed in a fine white muslin Taoist robe, lying comfortably on a rocking chair in the pavilion beside the stream, reading a book, with two servant girls standing on each side with bright, clear eyes, fanning the folding fans. Various colourful nuts and fruits were arranged on crystal plates on the table beside him, and she could feel his comfort and relaxation even from a distance away.

Comparison was really the thief of joy!

How could this man be so capable at enjoying life?

Yu Tang inwardly groused. Pei Yan was still somewhat distanced from her, and so it’s not suitable for her to say certain things to him.

Her interest in talking waned and her face inevitably showed some hesitancy, and her steps slowed down.

Ah Ming, who guided her in, had no idea what she was thinking. Upon seeing her reaction, he whispered concernedly, “Lady Yu, is there something wrong? Are you feeling fatigued from walking? We’ll be there soon. The garden is in the south of the residence, which is a little far from the gate.”

Yu Tang mustered up her spirits at his words.

She came all the way here, and it was too late to speak about leaving at this point.

“No,” she said to Ah Ming with a smile, “I just saw that the view was good, so I slowed down to have a look.”

Ah Ming waved his hand in disbelief and said, “What’s so great about this place? It’s all trees, and only the Third Master likes it. It’s better where our Grand Elder lived, It had flowers blooming and produced sweet and vibrant red fruits all year round.”

Perhaps what looked a beautiful and charming landscape to others was nothing much in the eyes of the Pei family who had seen it all!

Yu Tang smiled and was about continue their small talk with Ah Ming when he suddenly stopped in his tracks. He bowed respectfully and called out “Third Master”.

She followed Ah Ming’s gaze and looked over.

Pei Yan had stood up from his rocking chair at some point and was looking at them with his hands on the railing of the pavilion.

“Third Master!” Yu Tang also greeted him.

Pei Yan nodded his head.

Ah Ming led Yu Tang into the pavilion.

Pei Yan leaned on the railing. He casually gestured and said “Sit”.

Yu Tang looked around.

In this pavilion, apart from the rocking chair where Pei Yan was sitting on, there was only the table next to the rocking chair.

She couldn’t sit on the rocking chair he was just reclining on, could she?

Yu Tang was thinking about whether she should politely say “no”, when a man appeared from nowhere and placed a chair behind her.

Yu Tang blushed and hastily pushed those thoughts out of her mind and sat down on the chair with seemingly good composure.