Delicate Flower – Chapter 156

Chapter 156 – Uncomfortable

Ever since Pei Yan invested a large sum of silver into Jiang Chao to revive his family business, Master Wu praised Pei Yan so much in private that even Mrs Wu viewed Pei Yan differently. After hearing her remarks, Madam Chen, who also harboured feelings of gratitude towards Pei Yan, similarly felt that Lady Gu was not worthy of Pei Yan.

Mrs Wu even went so far as to say to Madam Chen, “Your family’s Ah Tang goes to greet Grand Madam Pei regularly right? If Mrs Shen is here to play matchmaker for Lady Gu, just tell your family’s Ah Tang to keep her eyes and ears open when she goes over! Mrs Shen and Lady Gu are still living in the Pei Residence.”

Madam Chen didn’t want Yu Tang to get involved in this, so she politely refused, “She’s just a young unmarried girl, what does she know! It would be unpleasant if this upsets Grand Madam Pei instead.”

Although it was only an offhand suggestion by Mrs Wu, but upon hearing Madam Chen’s answer she became indignant and replied, “If Third Master Pei marries Lady Gu, I will definitely avoid running into Lady Gu in the future.”

Anyone would feel the same!

Madam Chen sighed deeply in her heart.

Initially, she haven’t given thought to the matter, but after listening to Mrs Wu’s words, when she thought that Pei Yan might become the son-in-law of the Gu family, she also felt uncomfortable. After sending Mrs Wu away, Yu Tang helped her mother to bring in the new clothes they prepared for the upcoming ancestral rites in the next few days. She couldn’t help but ask Yu Tang about this matter, saying: “On the day you met Mrs Shen, what did Mrs Shen say to Grand Madam? Did Lady Gu act differently in front of Grand Madam?”

Yu Tang stilled as if she was struck by lightning at the words, and didn’t return to her senses for a while.

Pei Yan and Gu Xi …… Who was it that spread the rumour? They’re too capable! Pei Yan and Gu Xi were generations apart!

No, it was her who didn’t connect the dots.

Pei Yan and Gu Chang were around the same age, and were once fellow officials in the same imperial court.

If it weren’t for her past impression that she and Gu Xi were the same, she wouldn’t have thought that there was a generation gap between Gu Xi and Pei Yan at all.

In that case, Gu Xi may really get married to Pei Yan!

But Gu Xi marrying Pei Yan …… Yu Tang couldn’t think of what that would look like.

But what if Gu Xi really married him?

Yu Tang instantly felt like she had swallowed a fly.

It wasn’t just disgustingly uncomfortable, it was also impossible to accept.

Pei Yan and Gu Xi …… how can that be right?!

Is Gu Xi worthy of Pei Yan?

What right did she have to marry Pei Yan?!

Yu Tang stood up abruptly, circling around the room like a trapped animal.

No, she couldn’t let Gu Xi marry Pei Yan!

Gu Xi was such a hypocrite, faking her generosity, someone with the lowest of character!

Pei Yan should not marry Gu Xi even if he were to marry!

No, she had to speak with Pei Yan.

Yu Tang thought adamantly, and her feet actually moved with her heart, as she stepped towards the door.

“What are you doing?” She was about to reach the door when she was yanked by Madam Chen.

Madam Chen’s face was full of bemusement, saying, “I was just speaking about Third Master Pei, but why did you suddenly turn around and leave, and even lowly muttering about things I have no idea of……”

This child, she can’t be possessed by a demon, could she? Madam Chen nervously examined her daughter.

Yu Tang came back to her senses due to the pain of her arm being tightly held.

What …… was wrong with her? How could she be so rash as to go and caution Pei Yan?

Besides, the feud between her and Gu Xi was only between them. Pei Yan is resourceful, Grand Madam is smart and capable, so which one of them isn’t that much more superior to her? What made her think that Gu Xi and Pei Yan aren’t suitable?

Whether Gu Xi and Pei Yan are suitable or not should also be determined by the Pei family, and not because she and Gu Xi didn’t get along. How could she be so self-righteous as to make the decision on behalf of the Pei family, personally thinking that Gu Xi and Pei Yan aren’t suitable?

Yu Tang took a deep breath as she supressed those tumultuous emotions deep in her heart, and said to her mother, “I was just overly surprised when I heard that the Gu family was interested in marrying into Pei family, and I lost my control of my emotions in the heat of the moment ……”

Madam Chen didn’t delve more into it, and said pensively, “It’s not only you, I too was shocked when I first heard. However, after thinking it over, it’s understandable for the Gu Family to want to form a bond through marriage. In the whole province, there weren’t many outstanding men of character and quality like Third master Pei. If I were Lady Gu’s mother, I would likely have the same thought. In the past, I heard people say, while Grand Elder Pei was alive, he once said that the Third Master Pei’s marriage had to be with a lady from at least a third rank official family. With Grand Elder Pei’s passing, Third Master’s marriage was put on hold…”

The Gu’s simply couldn’t meet Grand Elder Pei’s standards.

No wonder she felt uncomfortable inside.

Madam Chen and Yu Tang thought in unison, both finding a reason to explain their discomfort and managed to calm down.

Yu Tang vividly remembered the scene that day when she met Mrs. Shen and Gu Xi. “If you hadn’t mentioned, I wouldn’t have thought about it. Grand Madam was clearly reluctant to meet Mrs. Shen, and Lady Gu was acting a little too cheerful in and it felt like she was doing it intentionally to please Grand Madam.”

In reality, Gu Xi behaved quite normally in front of Grand Madam, it was only because Yu Tang had lived with Gu Xi previously, and Gu Xi married beneath her status into the Li family and thus considered herself to be superior to the Li family members. The things in this life and her previous life were very different now – Yu Tang was able to feel the changes immediately.

Madam Chen replied, ”If this comes to be, it is clear that the old adage is true. Those who are bold survive while the timid ones die of starvation. Then I should be bolder and ask Mr. Shen to help pick a decent man among the Shen family’s children to be your husband. If we don’t try it, we’ll never know.”

Is Gu Xi’s situation opening Madam Chen’s eyes to new ideas?

Yu Tang pursed her lips in a smile, but internally, somehow, a faint sadness filled her heart, which she couldn’t comprehend the reason why.

On the first day of the tenth month, after the ancestral rites, families will then start preparing for the New Year’s.

Hu Xing and Ji Daniang made a sudden visit to Madam Chen at the Yu Family’s home. They explained that Grand Madam Pei was going to stay at the other residence at Northern Tianmu Mountain for a few days, and they were here to invite Yu Tang to come along and wanted to obtain Madam Chen’s consent.

Madam Chen was reluctant to let Yu Tang stay in someone else’s residence. However, Ji DaNiang came personally to request her permission and used a lot of persuasive words like “Grand Madam is especially fond of Lady Yu, the Second Madam and the Fifth Miss would also be going along, and they would return in around ten days, with the longest being half a month at most. You can just treat it as if Lady Yu is visiting friends and family”. This made Madam Chen feel bad about refusing, and she asked Yu Tang if she wished to go.

In their home, although they had a fire place, but it was still very cold if they were a distance away from the fire place.

Yu Tang thought of the floor heating in Grand Madam’s room and so had the intention to go.

Madam Chen didn’t know if she should cry or laugh. She poked Yu Tang’s forehead, chiding ”If you’re greedy to obtain a small advantage, you might end up losing a bigger advantage instead. If your body becomes heaty, don’t come back crying for me to make you some cooling chrysanthemum tea.”

Yu Tang grinned, but internally she wondered if Gu Xi and Mrs. Shen had returned to Hangzhou City. Was it really the case that Grand Madam Pei missed her company and thus wanted her to come along to stay at the other Pei residence? If Gu Xi and Mrs. Shen were still here, how should she act when she encountered them?

Her mind was wandering in all sorts of directions as she instructed Shuang Tao to pack her clothes, and on the appointed day, she took Shuang Tao and was escorted by Ji Da Niang out of the house.

Pei family’s other residence was built in the middle of Northern Tianmu mountain, which was only half a day’s journey from Lin’an city.

As they went along the road, there were lush green towering trees, secluded and tranquil stone paths. If one did not lifting the curtains of carriage to look out and let in a bone-chilling wind, one would think that it was the peak of summer right now. The other Pei residence was situated under a lush canopy of trees, with white walls, gray tiles and black Ruyi doors. There was only one doorway for a carriage to go in and out of. However, inside, after passing by an inverted “Fortune” word on a wall, it was a completely different world.

Deep green fake mountains, a majestic looking hall, winding paths, exquisite pavilions …… it was not at all inferior to the Pei family’s main residence.

Ji Da Niang led the way in front and she looked back from time to time, chatting to Yu Tang: ”In the early days, the Pei family members lived here. Later on, as it was getting inconvenient to travel up and down the mountain, they built the current Pei residence at Little Plum Lane. As the new residence was located in the city, it became more convenient for the masters to do their business there, and for the young masters to study as well. Gradually, people would only stay here if they wanted to meditate or escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. As this was an ancestral property, this residence was owned by the patriarch house, and thus even fewer people came to live here. But when Grand Elder was still alive, he liked to come here to stay, and Grand Madam also liked it here. At the time when Grand Elder just passed away, Grand Madam wanted to move to this place to live, but as third master was unmarried, the family affairs of the various branches in the family clan will have to be managed by Grand Madam for a period of time, and thus it was not convenient for Grand Madam to stay here, so this visit has been delayed until now.”

Yu Tang looked at the painted columns and walls at her side, which were spotless and well-maintained, she estimated that a lot of silver was spent every year on repairs and fixes. She couldn’t help remarking, “Then, if Grand Madam really moved over, wouldn’t you all have to follow her here as well?”

Ji Da niang nodded. She replied “That’s why after Grand Elder’s passing, all those young or insecure servants were released, and those serving Grand Madam were mostly servants like me who served the family for generations. There’s also those like Zhen Zhu, Hu Po who grew up at Grand Madam’s side.”

As the two of them chatted, they soon arrived at the main room in the east courtyard where Grand Madam was resting.

Yu Tang first went to the east wing of the courtyard to settle the things she brought.

Upon entering, a gust of warm air greeted her.

Even her guest room had floor heating.

Yu Tang was pleasantly surprised, the joints all over her body felt relaxed and made her feel cosy, so comfortable that she even wanted to directly lie on the floor.

She quickly freshened up and changed, before following Ji Daniang to greet Grand Madam.

Grand Madam looked a little tired, with seven or eight maids serving beside her, and she was holding a bamboo stick and teasing an oriole bird.

Yu Tang quickly went forward to pay her respects.

Grand Madam placed down the stick in her hand, and there was a young maid who came forward to lift the birdcage elsewhere, and pass Grand Madam a handkerchief for her to wipe her hands.

“You came.” Grand Madam’s expression was kindly as she wiped her hands and invited Yu Tang to sit down on the embroidered stool next to her, saying, “Is your mother’s health alright? She must be reluctant to part with you when I called you over. Let me state my apologies to her here first.”

“You are too polite.” Yu Tang stood up again and respectfully answered, “Indeed, mother was a bit reluctant to let me go. It’s not that she doesn’t want me to come and stay with you, rather, it’s because she felt that the weather is getting cold, and that every family needs to use charcoal for heating, so she’s afraid of troubling you.”

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