When the visiting card from the Yu family was delivered to Pei Yan, Pei Yan was practicing calligraphy in the study room in the waterside pavilion.

As the autumn wind blew, willow leaves fell into the lake. A few koi fish poked their heads out and chased the floating willow leaves.

He opened the visiting card and glanced at it casually, then asked the boy who delivered it, "Did the Yu family say anything else?"

The servant lowered his eyelids and said respectfully, "He didn't say anything, just that he wanted to visit you tomorrow."

Pei Yan nodded, picked up Xiang Feizhu's brush again, and said calmly: "Go and tell the chief steward and let him make the arrangements."

The servant responded and left.

Ah Ming, who was grinding ink for Pei Yan, hesitated for a while and said softly, "Third Master, are you not going to check the accounts tomorrow? Do you want me to tell Mr. Chen?"

Mr. Chen's name is Chen Qi. He is an accountant hired from outside after Pei Yan officially took charge of Pei Mansion. He is now in charge of Pei Mansion's accounts.

Pei Yan didn't even raise his eyes and said, "No need, Ah Man knows what to do."

Ah Ming said "Oh" and went back to grinding ink.

The third master has to write 2,000 small characters every day. In the beginning, he could hardly lift his hands at the end of the day, but now he has gradually gotten used to it and finds it very easy.

In Qingzhu Lane, Yu Wen received the reply and went to invite Mr. Wu to come over: "Shall we go together tomorrow?"

Mr. Wu was secretly surprised. Last night, he had been drinking with a local gentleman named Huang. Mr. Huang wanted to see Pei Yan about the autumn harvest, but Pei Yan said he needed to check the accounts. If the matter was not urgent, he asked Mr. Huang to see Pei, the chief steward.

Yu Wen just delivered his visiting card today and will be able to enter the mansion tomorrow.

It can be seen that Yu Wen and the Pei family are much closer than he thought.

He recalled the scene when the Yu family shop opened.

Pei Yan came in person to congratulate.

Mr. Wu looked at Yu Wen calmly.

He still looks like a gentle and elegant scholar.

Did he underestimate Yu Wen? Did he underestimate the Yu family?

Mr. Wu rubbed his head and said, "I won't go with you tomorrow. It will be easier for you to talk without anyone else."

Yu Wen was a little embarrassed to meet Pei Yan.

Pei Yan helped their family so much, but before he could even warm up the silver, six thousand taels were gone. It would be better if Master Wu was not present tomorrow, in case he wanted to give Pei Yan an apology but was unable to do so.

The next day, Yu Wen hired a sedan chair and went to Pei's house.

After Yu Tang found out, he couldn't help but complain: "Dad went to Pei's house without telling me. The peanut crisps we made yesterday were even better than last time."

Chen smiled and said, "Then let Ah Tiao go to Pei's house again tomorrow."

Yu Tang nodded.

Pei Yan thought Yu Wen came for the six thousand taels of silver, and was thinking about how to convince him not to expect Ningbo to return much of his losses. Who knew Yu Wen would talk about Jiang Chao: "He's a nice guy, ambitious, and honest. He wanted me to help him make a connection and came to see you. I can't make decisions for you, so I came to ask." When he mentioned the six thousand taels of silver, he just said that he had let down his kindness, that he was not a businessman, and that he probably didn't have such good luck. He also said: "You see, although the auction of the painting was an unexpected fortune, it was gone in the blink of an eye."

The words are quite open-minded.

Pei Yan looked at him with new eyes and asked, "What does Jiang Chao want to see me for?"

Yu Wen also told him frankly: "He said he wanted you to say hello to the Ningbo prefect, but I think he probably wanted to get to know you. He also mentioned that your family has four Jinshi scholars. We locals have forgotten about Master Wang."

Pei Yan's mouth twitched.

It’s not that outsiders have forgotten Pei Wang, but that the Pei family deliberately downplays his existence.

"I understand." He said, "Since he has come to you for help, it would be bad if he didn't see me since we are from the same village. Just let him come back to see me in four or five days. I have to go to Hangzhou City to check the accounts in the next few days." Then he talked about the last time he met Yu Tang, "Did she go to the Li family to see the excitement?"

Yu Wen was embarrassed.

He and Master Wu wanted to buy the Li family's land without the knowledge of the Pei family, but they didn't expect that Master Pei San already knew about it.

"Watching the excitement?" Yu Wen felt guilty and didn't know how to answer Pei Yan for a moment. He laughed dryly and said, "How can you watch the excitement? Their fields are sold privately. She can't just run to the Li family's gate to watch, right? And even if she goes, the Li family's gate is closed, there won't be anything to see!"

Pei Yan looked at Yu Wen strangely.

Is the Li family's excitement just about playing around at the front door?

No wonder Miss Yu had to step in to deal with the Yu family's affairs. Although Yu Wen was a scholar, judging from his appearance, he had probably become a bit of a pedantic scholar due to all his reading.

I guess it's hard to say anything to him.

Pei Yan was too lazy to continue talking to Yu Wen and brought the tea.

Yu Wen didn't want to stay any longer, so he stood up and said goodbye.

Pei Yan went to Hangzhou City that afternoon.

Jiang Chao had no choice but to wait for Pei Yan to come back at Yu's house.

Yu Wen and Mr. Wu treated him to a lot of sightseeing. Unfortunately, Lin'an City was so small, and he didn't dare to go to places far away. After just two or three days, there were no new places to visit.

Jiang Chao has been traveling between Jiangsu and Zhejiang for many years, so he has some experience. Although the scenery in Lin'an is beautiful, it is not the best in the world. He was thinking about meeting Pei Yan in a few days, and he had no intention of continuing to play. He simply said, "After climbing the mountain for several days in a row, my legs are shaking. I am not as strong as my two brothers. I am so ashamed! I am so ashamed!"

Master Wu understood what he meant and laughed, "We are also at the end of our strength and we are willing to sacrifice our lives for you. Since Brother Jiang said so, we will take a break for two days and wait for Master Pei San to come back."

Jiang Chao rested at Yu Wen's house, thinking carefully about what to say when he met Pei Yan, and how to impress Pei Yan and make him think that he was a useful talent.

An opportunity like this may only come once in his life.

After a whole day of calculating all sorts of things in his mind, he couldn't help feeling a little dizzy in the afternoon. Thinking that dinner would be soon, he took his servant Azhou to the hall.

Passing by the courtyard, he saw a little girl about sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing a silver-red plain silk jacket and a white embroidered skirt, with black hair and white skin. She was instructing the old woman and maid of the Yu family to pack a box. While packing, she said, "Be careful! No corners can be bent. She is a very particular person. If she sees a bent corner, she will probably think it has been stored for several days and will not even taste it."

Jiang Chao's eyes fell on those boxes.

At first glance, it was a box for snacks. It was clean and white, without even a word or pattern on it.

When giving gifts, they should be put in a red box, right?

This kind of box seems to be used... for sacrifices.

He couldn't help but look at it a few more times.

The little girl turned around.

He saw a good face.

A pair of eyes, like water, black and white, clear and bright. A smile was on the corner of his mouth, as cheerful as a bee surrounding a flower.

"Is this... Miss Yu?" he asked Azhou in a low voice.

Ah Zhou stood on tiptoe to take a look and then laughed, saying cheerfully, "Yes, it's the eldest daughter of the Yu family. She is really good at making snacks, and the peanut crisps she makes are especially delicious. Ah Tiao gave me one two days ago."

Miss Yu is very beautiful.

Jiang Chao thought that it was inappropriate for him to stand here like this. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, Yu Tang's eyes swept over him inadvertently.

This person is Jiang Chao!

Yu Tang looked at him secretly.

He is handsome, but he is different from Jiang Ling. One is thin and weak, while the other is tall and confident.

Maybe this is the difference between men and women?

Yu Tang thought about it and nodded politely to Jiang Chao.

Jiang Chao hurriedly bowed to Yu Tang, left the patio, and quickly went to the hall.

Yu Wen is not here.

Jiang Chao whispered to A Zhou: "Do you know what Miss Yu is doing? Where are those snacks delivered?"

Ah Zhou smiled and said, "It's the peanut crisps made by Miss Yu, sent to the Pei Mansion. I heard that the third elder of the Pei Mansion likes to eat it very much. Last time when the chief steward of the Pei family came to deliver the Mid-Autumn Festival gift, he specifically mentioned it. The Yu family received new peanuts, so Miss Yu made this peanut crisp specially and sent it over."

Jiang Chao said "Oh".

The relationship between the Yu family and the Pei family is so good!

When he saw Yu Wen again, he became more enthusiastic and confirmed Pei Yan's personality with Yu Wen: "I asked around, but no one can explain it clearly. It seems that the third master of the Pei family was not in Lin'an very often before. It was after the death of old lady Pei that he took over the Pei family and lived in Lin'an permanently. I heard that he is a bit moody. Is it true?"

Yu Wen frowned upon hearing this and said unhappily: "Who told you that Master Pei San is moody? This is all a rumor! Master Pei San is chivalrous and kind-hearted, just like Old Lady Pei, he is very willing to help others. It's just that he is young and a bit hot-tempered..."

Jiang Chao listened absentmindedly to him praising Pei Yan, not quite believing it.

If Pei Yan is really such a person, then why is Miss Yu so careful even with the box for the snacks?

Either Master Yu is trying to flatter Pei Yan, or he simply doesn't understand Pei Yan.

Yu Tang's big smiling eyes suddenly appeared in his mind.

Maybe Miss Yu knows more?

He was moved and said, "Brother Yu, I saw Miss Yu preparing snacks for the Pei Mansion. Do you know whether Mr. Pei San likes sweet or salty food? When I go to the Pei Mansion, what can I give him that is not impolite but can leave a deep impression on him?"

Yu Wen coughed twice. It was really hard to give him any advice.

"I'll go ask my family," he said. "I don't usually care about these things!"

Jiang Chao thanked him with a smile and winked at A Zhou.

After dinner, when they returned to the guest room, Ah Zhou whispered to Jiang Chao, "The list that Mr. Yu just gave you was for Miss Yu to ask."

It turned out to be just as he had expected.

So should he find a chance to talk to Miss Yu?

Jiang Chao walked back and forth in the house for most of the night, and finally asked Yu Wen to show Yu Tang the gift list he was going to give to Pei Yan.

Yu Wen didn't think much about it and gave the list to Yu Tang.

Two pieces of Xuetao paper, two inkstones from Li Jiahui, two boxes of Wu Jiahu pens, two sets of Hu family flower-scented ink tablets, a pair of Liu Fangzhai's yellow poplar wood weighting paper...all of them are rare treasures among the four treasures of the study.

Yu Tang laughed and said, "Didn't they say that Master Jiang didn't even have enough clothes to change into? How could he be so generous as to send things to the Pei family?"

"It can be seen that he would rather go without food or drink to save his spare energy to be ready to turn things around at any time!" Yu Wen said with emotion: "That's why my father wants to help him!" He added, "I think Mr. Pei San likes the things you send every time. You can help him check the gift list. Just now, Ah Tiao came back and said that the steward of the Pei family took the peanut crisps they sent directly to the inner house."