CH 116

Chapter 116 – Enquiry

Yu Tang and Yu Yuan both kept their heads down and remained quiet.

How would they have known that someone would drag Pei Yan into this?

Yu Wen was upset, but as they were standing in front of the Pei family’s gate, and the gatekeepers and passer-bys were all casting curious glances at them, so they couldn’t just remain standing there.

Yu Tang immediately took her father’s arm and shook it petulantly, while Yu Yuan quickly ordered the sedan bearer, who was standing at the gate, “Come here, we’re going back!”

The sedan bearer hurriedly carried the sedan over.

Yu Wen chuckled in helplessness, and got into the sedan chair with Yu Tang and Yu Yuan, one after the other.

Yu Yuan and Lady Xiang were newlyweds and still enjoying their honeymoon period. In the past, he would have stayed at his uncle’s house for a short while, or even have dinner before going back, but this time, as soon as Yu Wen and Yu Tang were home, he eagerly said his goodbyes to Yu Wen: “I’ll be going back now. Uncle can call me again if there’s anything.”

Yu Wen looked on and laughed, but as an elder, he was happy to see his junior doing well. “Hurry up and go back then! Lest you make your wife wait.”

He couldn’t hold back from making a little joke with his nephew.

Yu Yuan blushed crimson red, gave a bow to Yu Wen and hurried away. As a result, Madam Chen, who had heard they were back, came out and didn’t even see Yu Yuan’s shadow, she couldn’t help but laugh, “This child, he doesn’t know to show a little restraint.”

Many mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts were caused by the sons being overly fond of their wives.

Yu Wen smiled and remarked, “Sister-in-law is not such a person. However, it’s good for you to give Yu Yuan some words of advice, just in case!”

The couple had only exchanged a few words, and before Madam Chen could ask them about the Pei Family’s visit, she saw Yu Yuan come running back again.

He gasped, trying to catch his breath, and said with a flushed face, “Second Uncle, Second Aunt and Sister, Aunt Madam has brought over her little nephew, and Mother asked me to invite Second Aunt and Sister over to keep the guests company. She also said that when my father returns in the evening, she would ask second uncle to come over for dinner too.”

Aunt Madam?

Yu Wen didn’t have any sisters.

It took a moment for the three members of Yu Tang’s family to realize that the Aunt Yu Yuan was referring to was Lady Xiang’s aunt, Mrs. Wei.

In other words, Mrs. Wei had brought Wei Xiaochuan to the house as a guest.

During the New Year’s visit to the Wei family, Yu Tang met Wei Xiaochuan. Later on, when the local school opened, Madam Chen had old Aunty Chen bring over some homemade cakes for Wei Xiaochuan and invited him over for a meal when he was free, but Wei Xiaochuan said that he was too busy with school and wasn’t available, so Madam Chen left it at that.

Now was not a festive time, so why would Mrs. Wei bring Wei Xiaochuan to his elder cousin’s house?

Yu Tang and Madam Chen quickly changed their clothes and went to Yu Bo’s house.

Mrs. Wei and Madam Wang were sitting in the hall talking happily, while Wei Xiaochuan sat alone with his head hanging down, as if he impatiently waiting for something and his thoughts were indiscernible.

Yu Tang felt a sense of affection well up in her heart as she looked at him, and smiled as she gently called out “Xiaochuan”.

Those who were chatting in the hall looked over at the voice.

Mrs. Wei was the first to stand up and said with a smile, “Oh my, I feel like I haven’t seen Ah-tang for just a month, but she has grown so much taller and prettier.” After saying this, she came over and took Yutang’s hand and greeted Madam Chen with a smile.

Madam Chen and Mrs. Wei bowed to each other and everyone sat down again. While Lady Xiang instructed her maid to serve some tea, Wei Xiaochuan hesitantly sat down at the bottom of the table next to Yutang, and glanced at the women in the room. When he saw that Madam Chen was speaking with Lady Xiang, and his mother was speaking with Madam Wang, and no one was paying any attention to him, he let out a sign of relief and quietly tugged on Yu Tang’s sleeve, whispering: “Sister, my third brother is getting married, and is inviting you to come and join the wedding banquet.”

The Wei family was originally planning for their third son to become another family’s recruited son-in-law, but the sudden death of Wei Xiaoshan made the Wei family feel that things are unpredictable and that it is better for them to stay together, so they decided to let their third son find a wife as well.

Yu Tang heard about this during the New Year’s, but she didn’t expect the marriage of the Wei family’s third son to be fixed so quickly.

When she saw Wei Xiaochuan sulking, she pushed the pastries on the table towards Wei Xiaochuan and said with a soft smile, “You will soon have a new sister-in-law, be happy!”

Wei Xiaochuan took a bite of the pastry and muttered, “I’m so busy with schoolwork at the local school, but my mother still insisted that I come along to visit.”

In other words, he did not want to come at all.

Yu Tang hid a giggle and smiled, reassuring him, “Cheer up, I’ll find a way to send you back to the local school after we have eaten.”

Wei Xiaochuan’s eyes lit up.

It was not yet past noon, and given their families’ relationship, Eldest Madam Yu would definitely keep them for dinner before allowing them to leave, so he would have wasted the entire day. If he could leave after lunch, he could still spend the rest of the afternoon studying with his teacher.

“Sister, you must keep your word.” He repeatedly urged Yu Tang.

Yu Tang nodded and smiled, “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely keep to my word.”

Wei Xiaochuan relaxed, and only then did he feel like having tea and enjoying some snacks.

Yu Tang’s attention shifted to Mrs. Wei.

Only then did she realise that the lady engaged to the Wei family’s third son was a daughter of the Gao family in Banqiao Town!

It couldn’t be the same Gao family from Banqiao Town that she knew about, could it?

Yu Tang’s eyes widened.

She heard Mrs. Wei remark, “Originally, I wasn’t too keen on it. They have a younger uncle who does business in the town. He is honest and keeps his promises, but he is very calculating towards his family. I had someone ask around and found out that their family didn’t have much contact with that uncle, and since our third son is not the eldest, we would be living separately from them after helping the newlyweds settle in for three to five years.”

In other words, the Wei family’s third son had be marrying a cousin of her former sister-in-law Madam Gao.

Yu Tang breathed out a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, she did not know about the Wei family in her previous life, and had little knowledge about Madam Gao’s maternal relatives, so she was not sure if the Gao family was also related to the Wei family in her previous life.

Come to think of it, Lin’an City is really small, even if the mountains remain unmoving, running water still flows; there is always a chance to meet with secondary acquaintances.

After lunch, Yu Tang suggested that she should send Wei Xiaochuan off to the local school, saying “It’s good that he has progressed so well in his studies, Aunt Wei really shouldn’t delay Xiaochuan’s studies any further.”

Of course Mrs. Wei wanted her son to advance in his studies. However, Wei Xiaochuan didn’t attend Yu Yuan’s wedding, and this time if she came to report to the Yu family without Wei Xiaochuan, she was worried that the Yu family may consider them as being disrespectful.

Now that this was brought up by Yu Tang, she was happy to go along with her suggestion.

“How could I let you escort him!” Mrs Wei said politely, “He’s not a two or three year old little child; he can go by himself.”

But in Yu Tang’s heart, a two or three-year-old child was not as cute as Wei Xiaochuan, so how could she let Wei Xiaochuan go to the local school alone?

She insisted on seeing Wei Xiaochuan off and he too wanted to speak to Yu Tang alone and thus wanted her to walk with him.

Unable to go against the pair of them, Mrs. Wei only reminded Wei Xiaochuan to “behave” and allowed Yu Tang to take him to school.

Wei Xiaochuan was like a little bird released from its cage, chattering away to Yu Tang about the happenings in school.

While listening, Yu Tang and Wei Xiaochuan reached the school.

Shuang Tao followed behind them, carrying the snacks that they had prepared for Wei Xiaochuan.

When they reached the entrance of the school, they saw Shen Shanyan talking to some students.

Yu Tang could not walk any closer, so she helped Wei Xiaochuan to straighten his lapel and asked Shuang Tao to hand the basket to him, carefully instructing him, “Of course, you have to study hard, but you are still young. There are still many years to go before the examination, so you have to balance your health and studies, or else you will run out of energy in a few years’ time when you need it the most. Also, remember to share the snacks in this basket with your classmates, so that others can try them too.”

Wei Xiaochuan nodded his head repeatedly.

Yu Tang waved her hand and saw Wei Xiaochuan enter into the school gates. However, when she turned around, she saw Li Jun sitting alone on his horse, looking at her from across the street with an indiscernible expression.

Li Jun returned?

I wonder when that happened?

Yu Tang had no intention of inquiring further, so she nodded towards him as a greeting and turned around to leave the school with Shuang Tao.

Shuang Tao also saw Li Jun and she nervously held onto Yu Tang, saying quietly, “Miss, should we hire a sedan chair?”

Yu Tang thought about it and nodded her head.

Shuang Tao was relieved and was on her way to hire a sedan chair when she came across San Mu.

When San Mu saw Yu Tang and Shuang Tao, he almost leaped for joy, he ran over and said, “Miss, Sister Shuang Tao, Second Master wants you to return quickly. He said that someone from the Pei Family came asking for you.”

It should be regarding Gu Chang.

Yu Tang nodded. They hurriedly left for Qingzhu Lane.

A sudden commotion was heard behind them.

Yu Tang couldn’t help but look back, only to see Gu Chang, who was surrounded by several attendants, heading for the local school.

It was as if time had reversed.

In her previous life, when Gu Xi’s firstborn son was a week old, she, as the widowed aunt, shouldn’t be attending it. But when Gu Chang arrived, Madam Lin couldn’t help but want to show off to everyone and had her come to greet the Gu family’s brother in law.

Of course, the so-called greeting was merely a way for her to stand among the ladies and look at them from afar.

The scene then was so similar to this moment.

It was spring. Among the blooming flowers and lush foliage, Gu Chang wore a green brocade robe, surrounded by a few attendants as he walked past the curved columns of the Li family’s residence. When she arrived, she only saw his silhouette, walking towards Madam Lin, who greeted him respectfully.

Only, this time, it was Shen Shanyan who greeted him.

She stopped in her tracks and froze for a few moments.

Gu Chang had stopped to greet Shen Shan Yan, who was surrounded by several students.

Yu Tang turned back and left the place with brisk steps.

This time it was Yu Wen who accompanied Yu Tang to meet Pei Yan.

As soon as he saw down, he asked Pei Yan anxiously, “What did Eldest Young Master Gu say? It couldn’t have really been to inquire about Li Duan’s character, could it?”

The fact that the marriage was already fixed and he still wanted to check on the soon to be brother-in-law’s character again showed how dissatisfied he was with the match, and how much this marriage was a source of contention.

Pei Yan gave Yu Tang a grim look.

Yu Tang was sitting there looking as proper as she could.

Pei Yan scoffed.

She could still remain so calm and collected!

However, at least she had a good attitude in admitting her mistake without saying a word.

He felt his mood improving. He looked at Yu Wen and said, “You guessed right, Gu Chaoyang came to Lin’an City this time, specifically to inquire about Li Duan’s affairs.”