Chapter 184 – Busy
The feeling of returning home was extremely different from staying outside. The food at the Pei’s residence was much better than in the Yu’s, but no matter where Yu Tang ate at the Pei’s residence, even if she was alone, she would still feel a little self-conscious. However, in her own home, even if she were to live with Eldest Uncle and Aunt and had to behave appropriately by keeping silent at mealtimes, speaking softly before bedtime and going to sleep when it was time, she would still feel comfortable and relaxed. However, in the Pei family, where she had a luxurious black lacquered four poster bed, she would still be tossing and turning every night, and it took a long time for her to fall asleep. However, when she was lying on her own bed covered with a plain gauze net and smelled the light and warm smell of her sun-dried bedding, she fell asleep immediately, and even slept until mid-afternoon the next day.
When Yu Tang opened her eyes, she happened to hear Shuang Tao speaking to Old Auntie Chen: “…… That persimmon cake, it’s really delicious, not bitter at all, sweet and silky, it’s the first time I’ve eaten persimmon cakes that were so good. According to Liu Shu, the white frost was caused by condensation due to sun exposure, as it was speedily transported by horseback from Fujian. Young Miss likes to eat them, and this time when Young Miss returned from the Pei Family, they sent us two small baskets of persimmon cakes. Speaking of which, the Pei family’s maids are really capable. Like Liu Shu who was assigned to serve us, it was said that in the Pei family, she was only a second-tier servant, not at all outstanding, but she was very attentive and meticulous in her work. Just like with this sending of persimmon cakes, I heard that it was her who told Chen Daniang. When I first arrived, I thought that such details were too trivial, but after interacting with Liu Shu, I’m quite grateful to Young Miss for letting me follow her and learning more about rules and decorum.”
Such things shouldn’t be disclosed so casually, right?
Wasn’t this exposing your own shortcomings to everyone?
Yu Tang rolled over and there was a slight rustling sound in the room. Shuang Tao immediately stopped the conversation and whispered to Old Auntie Chen, “It should be Young Miss waking up, I’ll go have a look. You can leave these pastries here first, I’ll come over and tidy up after I’ve checked on Young Miss.”
If it was in the past, Shuang Tao might not have paid attention to Yu Tang’s movements, and even if she did, she wouldn’t be so proactive as to come over and check if she had any requests.
Evidently, after Shuang Tao followed her along to the Pei Residence, there had been some improvement.
Yu Tang pursed her lips in a smile, and was attended to by Shuang Tao as she freshened up.
Madam Chen came over.
She was holding a red lacquered box and her expression was a little tense when she saw Yu Tang. “Ah Tang, did you look at the Pei family’s gift list beforehand? I was checking the things sent over and I found this box.” Saying that, she opened the box.
Flashes of golden light burst forth, almost blinding one’s eye.
“It’s all gold jewelry.” Madam Chen was distressed as she continued, “Your father and I roughly estimated that there must be at least 1.5kg worth of gold. This, this is far too expensive! Why did you accept it without question?”
Yu Tang was also stunned and stood up to receive the box, carefully inspecting it, “I really don’t know. At the time, the Pei family’s gift list was placed inside an envelope, and it wasn’t until after I went to send my regards to Grand Madam Pei that the steward gave it to me. How could I be so thick-skinned as to open it and look at what was written on that gift list in front of the Pei family’s people? I was also rushing to return home. I thought that I could just receive them first and return their kindness with suitable gifts later, therefore I didn’t open the gift list to check.”
The box of gold jewelry included a full set of headwear. In addition to the centerpiece, hairpins and so on, even the side pieces were all gold. Not mentioning the others, just the pair of side headpieces, were the size of wine cups, made in a peony flower style. They were intricately made, petals as thin as paper, with each petal different from the other. The technique was highly skillful, and it was not something that could be crafted using ordinary gold.
This was not about how much gold was used, but rather how much silver it took to make.
No wonder her mother felt uneasy.
She was greatly perturbed too.
“What did father say?” It was impossible for her mother not to consult her father about such a major issue.
Madam Chen replied helplessly, “What did you expect your father to say? He’ll just say something like, ‘We’ll just repay them in the future’, but what can our family do to reciprocate the Pei family’s gift? Anyway, I told your father that in a few days I’m going to take you with me to greet Grand Madam Pei, so what gifts to send over, we’ll just let your father wreck his head thinking about it.”
Yu Tang smiled mischievously, imagining her father scratching his head and not knowing what to do.
Madam Chen took the box and said, “I’ll store it for you. Such precious items have to be safely kept as part of your dowry.” After speaking, Madam Chen exclaimed, “Dear Me! Look at my memory! Your cousin sent someone early this morning to check if you were up, saying that he had something important. He then asked me to inform him once you were awake – I had totally forgotten about it. I’ll send someone to inform your cousin now, and have your Eldest uncle, aunt and your sister-in-law to come over for dinner; it’s rare that you’re at home, and it’s almost the New Year’s, so there’s no need to be so strict about family lines.”
Yu Tang nodded in agreement.
She also had something to ask her eldest aunt.
The husband of Eldest Aunt’s older female cousin seemed to be surnamed Zeng, and she had a mole at the corner of her mouth. She asked several people at the Bitter Nunnery, but no one knew about this woman.
Additionally, when she mentioned about visiting Bitter Nunnery yesterday, her eldest aunt did not say that she had a cousin living there.
Could it be that her memory was wrong?
The older cousin had once mentioned that she was chased out by her husband’s family because her son had lost his footing and drowned. If she still hasn’t entered the Bitter Nunnery yet, would it mean that there was still time for her son to be saved?
Yu Tang got a little anxious.
Thankfully, Eldest Aunt came early.
She left Lady Xiang to her mother, who accompanied her for a chat, and quickly pulled Eldest Aunt to the side to inquire about Madam Zeng’s affairs.
Eldest Aunt looked bewildered and replied, ”I do have a cousin who married the Zeng family, but she died in childbirth more than ten years ago. It’s impossible for her to be a nun at the Bitter Nunnery! Are you sure? Also, I shouldn’t have mentioned my cousin’s affairs to you. If you didn’t bring it up, I wouldn’t have remembered much about this matter too.”
Yu Tang was greatly perplexed.
She asked, “Then what is the surname of your cousin who married into the Zeng family?”
“Surnamed Zhang.” Madam Wang replied, “I only have this one cousin.”
Yu Tang prodded, “Then is it possible that any of the Zeng family members, who didn’t want people to pay attention to their affairs, speak vaguely to me, saying that she was your cousin?”
“That’s possible.” Eldest Aunt thought for a moment before replying, “If that’s really the case, then I’d better send someone to check, perhaps something really happened? It’s better to help if we can.”
Yu Tang nodded her head, and her eldest aunt then asked her about the Bitter Nunnery, “According to you, the Pei family’s women decided to help the residents of Bitter Nunnery support themselves? I think this is really a wonderful idea. If there’s anything you need me or your mother to do, just say the word. Unwedded girls like you perhaps wouldn’t know just how many women suffered after getting married, and were kicked out and basically have no way of surviving afterwards. If this matter at the Bitter nunnery is done, it would be immensely helpful to many women. “
“Without the Pei family’s support, how could I possibly accomplish such a thing?” Yu Tang replied humbly to Eldest Aunt, but in her heart, she was overcome with anxiety about the son of the woman from the Zeng family and urged Eldest Aunt to send someone quickly to the Zeng Family.
Eldest Aunt called Wang Si in.
Yu Tang was surprised.
Eldest Aunt smiled and remarked ”During the time you were gone, Wang Si was a great help. Your Eldest uncle even accepted him as an apprentice!”
This way, he would become a member of the Yu family.
Yu Tang looked at Wang Si, who was quick on his hands and feet, and his eyes shone with intelligence. He was no longer the same person as when he arrived.
Perhaps it would be good to keep him in the Yu family.
The Yu family was too limited in terms of manpower.
Yu Tang smiled and greeted him.
He respectfully bowed to Yu Tang and left to do as instructed.
A little while later, Yu Yuan rushed over.
He wanted to discuss the lacquer store’s business, saying ”The drawings done by Gentleman Zhang were very popular, it’s only been a few days, and we have sold these designs for almost thirty taels of silver. I was thinking it’s better if you were to visit the Zhang family over the next few days, as it was you who had arranged this with Gentleman Zhang’s wife. If you were able to convince Gentleman Zhang to give us a few more paintings, that would be great.”
What else could Yu Tang do? She could only agree to do it. However, she too entrusted Yu Yuan with one task, to make a suitable red lacquered box for the Pei family’s second young lady, as she would be giving it to to her to add to the dowry. Yu Tang spoke, “Think about it, the Pei and the Yang family are tying the knot, when the dowry is laid out in the sun, there would definitely be plenty of people observing the ceremony, and if our lacquerware can make those people look at us in a favorable light, it will definitely bring business for our family’s store.” Yu Yuan was very much in agreement, and he also believed that no matter what kind of opportunity, as long as there was one, then they should seize it.
He said, “You can leave this matter to me. I’ll make a few and you can pick one when the time comes, one that Second Young Lady Pei would like.” Thereafter, he spoke about their countryside’s fields and the sea buckthorns: “Thanks to Wang Si’s meticulous care, the trees are doing well, and they’ll definitely grow nicely next year, so we can continue to gather some more saplings to plant. As it involves further planting of seedlings, we should ask second uncle to decide when the time comes.”
The siblings talked for a long time about various matters, and Yu Bo also returned from the store.
Both of them went to the hall together, and the whole family ate a sumptuous reunion dinner. Over the next few days, Yu Tang was so busy that she didn’t have time to rest. She first went over to Gentleman Zhang’s residence to see Little Zhang Qing, and politely asked if Gentleman Zhang would continue to paint a few more for their family. Ma Xiuniang refused her request some difficulty. Yutang was mentally prepared to face rejection, so although she was a little disappointed, she accepted the decision. After that, she went to the countryside to take a look at the sea buckthorn trees and saw that they were growing very well as reported by her older cousin, Wang Si and the other helpers contributed greatly. Yu Tang rewarded them with a few silvers, and as for Wang Si, she rewarded him after he came back, and of course, as compared to the others, Yu Tang rewarded him with a few more silver.
He took the silver and thanked her repeatedly, before sharing information about the matter he was entrusted with, “Eldest Aunt’s female cousin has an aunt, about the same size as her, and married someone in the same village. Just like what you have described, she has a mole at the corner of her mouth, but she gave birth to five girls after marriage, and she doesn’t have a son. She is still living with her husband and his family. I don’t know if it is the same one you were inquiring about.”
xkurohana 
Some mysteries make sense. With her changes, she’s causing more changes (like Gu Xi not marrying into the Li family) but this one makes no sense (yet!) because there’s no one that seems to be the cousin? Looking forward to more and I love how her instinct is to save a life wherever possible.