Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Pei Ze, convinced his reasoning was sound, clung to his wishful thinking. Yet, upon hearing his words, Lady Pei’s expression immediately darkened. Seeing this, Pei Ze sighed deeply, not daring to press the matter further. He waved a hand in resignation, accepting the inevitable: "Alright, alright."

His reluctant demeanor made it seem as though he had made a grand concession.

The group chatted and laughed as they arrived at the classroom, where they happened to encounter several women from the clan who had also come to drop off their children. After exchanging pleasantries, they entered the small courtyard together. A glance through the window revealed that the Pei family had meticulously arranged everything, providing equal accommodations for all the children, which put their minds at ease. Their affection for Lady Pei and Ming Tang grew even more.

After a brief tour, the group moved to the flower hall to converse. Lady Pei had household matters to attend to, so she left Ming Tang to host the guests.

The Pei family had flourished for generations. The main lineage, inheriting the ducal title, consistently produced outstanding descendants, ensuring their place among the capital’s elite. While collateral branches held no titles, they benefited from the Duke’s prestige. The clan provided financial and material support to poorer families during festivals, ensuring that even the least fortunate lived comfortably. Naturally, however, social distinctions gradually emerged.

Among the three companions carefully chosen for Young Master Pei Ze, two were from middle-to-lower-ranking families within the clan. The third was the son of a military officer, whose rank was modest at best.

Thus, the mothers of these children regarded this opportunity with great seriousness. They had spent days instructing their children at home, and upon meeting in person, they realized that the main branch wasn’t merely seeking playmates for the young heir; these children would genuinely study alongside him. Their gratitude grew even more heartfelt.

One side was sincerely grateful, while the other—Ming Tang—simply saw herself as a kindergarten principal and parent. She had never experienced anything like this before and found the interaction quite novel. With neither side harboring ulterior motives, the atmosphere grew increasingly warm and cheerful.

As with any gathering of mothers, the topic naturally revolved around the children. Those present were all deeply involved in their children’s daily lives, so there was no shortage of amusing anecdotes to share. Laughter soon filled the hall.

While the others chatted, Ming Tang quietly rose and followed Wen He outside for a brief moment. After exchanging a few words and arranging the midday meal, she returned to the hall and took a seat to the side. Just then, a woman with a long face stood up and quickly approached her.

Ming Tang had often stood in for Lady Pei in dealings with the clan, interacting mostly with elders rather than women her own age. Still, she recognized this woman—she was Shi, the mother of Pei Yang, one of Pei Ze’s new classmates. She had come with her mother-in-law and had remained quiet until now.

Shi seemed aware that her approach might seem abrupt. She bowed properly, addressing Ming Tang as "Aunt," and thanked her sincerely. When Ming Tang, after a brief pause, helped her up, Shi sat beside her and hesitated for a moment before speaking softly. "Recently, I encountered something rather odd. I thought to let it pass, but I couldn’t dismiss the feeling that it was important. Aunt, you come from a distinguished family and now manage the household alongside Madam. Your insight far exceeds mine. Today, with this rare opportunity, I hope you’ll indulge me in sharing this as if it were just a story."

She then related the matter quietly.

Ming Tang had thoroughly investigated the backgrounds of these families while selecting Pei Ze’s classmates. She knew the Pei Yang family had a good reputation—they were considered upright and proper. Today, she observed that Shi’s attire, while simple, was immaculate. She comported herself with ease in the ducal mansion’s reception hall, though she spoke little, indicating a prudent nature.

Ming Tang naturally paid close attention to what a cautious person like Shi, after hesitation, chose to share. She listened intently, her brow furrowing slightly, only to feel a spark of surprise: though the matter seemed minor, upon closer consideration, its ramifications could be significant.

After finishing her account, Shi relaxed slightly, a touch of embarrassment in her expression. "Aunt, please don’t take offense. It’s a trivial matter, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. I hope I haven’t disturbed your peace."

"The fact that you thought to share this with me testifies to our close kinship. No matter how small the matter, I’m delighted—far from being disturbed. But you mustn’t speak of this to anyone else. It involves clan elders, and if word spreads, it would reflect poorly on all involved."

Seeing Ming Tang’s sincerity and her refusal to dismiss Shi’s words due to her lower status, Shi felt a burden lift from her shoulders and smiled in relief. She thought to herself, *No wonder no one has criticized this aunt’s conduct since she entered the Pei household. Even those who gossip behind her back can only dwell on her inability to bear children—they can’t fault her for anything else.*

*As if Lady Pei and the Young Duke would have let her marry in if they cared about that!*

In other words, if those two overlooked the issue of childbearing, this aunt must have extraordinary qualities. Now, seeing her in person, it was clear that this was indeed the case.

With that in mind, Shi smiled at Ming Tang and whispered, "Aunt, don’t worry. I understand." Had it not been for the repeated conflicts between Aunt Ming Tang and Second Elder Pei Tang’s household—and the fact that Ming Tang had expressly excluded Pei Tang’s grandson from becoming Young Master Pei Ze’s companion—she wouldn’t have dared to gossip about them in front of her. After all, the Pei Tang branch was the closest to the main line, and any misstep could bring trouble.

Ming Tang committed Shi’s account to memory, planning to send someone to investigate discreetly after the gathering. The matter of Pei Tang’s steward associating with the Prince of Chu’s steward wasn’t necessarily significant, but it wasn’t trivial either—it all depended on the nature of their dealings.

In this era, clan loyalty was paramount. Pei Tang was, after all, the younger brother of the current Duke of Dingguo and Pei Yue’s blood uncle. If he were truly entangled in something serious, Pei Yue and the others would find it impossible to extricate themselves.

Though her thoughts were in turmoil, Ming Tang revealed nothing through her expression. She merely engaged Shi in casual conversation, earning silent admiration from the latter: *Aunt has such composure!*

While the elders socialized, the younger generation had their own way of interacting. Pei Ze had already known that he would have classmates joining him. He sat obediently in his seat for a while, but once the murmurs outside the window faded—signaling that his grandmother and the others had left—his innate curiosity quickly returned.

The small classroom’s class size had quadrupled. Pei Ze sat at the front, unable to openly turn his head to look around under the teacher’s watchful eye. Instead, he subtly shifted his gaze, surveying his surroundings, and happened to lock eyes with one of his new classmates. Instinctively, he burst into a wide grin.

The boy beside him happened to be Pei Yang, two years his senior. Seeing Pei Ze’s friendliness, the tension in Pei Yang’s face eased, and he smiled slightly, nodding as he whispered, "Greetings, Uncle Ze. I’m Pei Yang."

The main branch of the Duke of Dingguo’s family had seen few offspring in recent years, and Pei Ze was his parents’ late-life child. Thus, though young, his seniority was high. This was the first time he had encountered a junior close to his own age. Hearing Pei Yang address him as "Uncle," he froze, pointing at himself. "You’re calling me *Uncle*?"

Pei Yang nodded earnestly, counting off on his fingers with solemn precision. "Uncle Ze and my father share the same generation name ‘Shui.’ As my father’s son, of course I should address you as ‘Uncle.’"

Until now, the most vivid image the word "Uncle" conjured for Pei Ze was Pei Yue. It had never occurred to him that he, too, would one day be addressed this way. Recalling how Pei Yue usually treated him, he immediately adopted the manner of an elder, drawing himself up with dignity and nodding solemnly. "Mm. You must listen attentively to Mr. Lu’s lessons. When you grow up, you’ll share the burdens of your elders."

Pei Yang listened just as solemnly and replied earnestly, "Yes, Uncle. I will heed your instruction."

Nearby, Mr. Lu—who had given the children ample time to socialize before beginning the lesson—couldn’t suppress a chuckle.

Teaching one student had become teaching several. Since the age gap between them wasn’t large, Mr. Lu didn’t find it too challenging. After assessing their respective levels of early education and finding them roughly comparable, he proceeded as usual: first instructing Pei Ze and Pei Yang, assigning them tasks, then turning his attention to the other two students.

Pei Ze clutched his custom-made brush, carefully tracing characters on the paper with great focus. Yet his attention kept drifting toward Mr. Lu, his strokes slowing as he listened to the unfamiliar content of the lesson.

Upon returning to Jinghua Hall, Lady Pei was puzzled to see Pei Ze head straight to the study to practice his calligraphy instead of coming to play and cuddle as usual. *What could have spurred this change?*

Pei Ze’s sudden diligence made time fly. By evening, when Ming Tang arrived for dinner, he still hadn’t appeared. The two women sat at the table, and Ming Tang couldn’t help but ask, "Where’s A Ze?"

"Probably something at school motivated him. He’s been working late into the night writing characters since he got back," Lady Pei replied, suppressing a smile.

Just then, Pei Ze arrived, having washed his hands under his nursemaid’s supervision. Unaware of their conversation, he calmly took his seat.

By now, he was quite adept with chopsticks, though his short arms still couldn’t reach dishes placed farther away. His nursemaid served him portions onto his small plate, and he ate with focused diligence. Though no one had formally taught him table manners, Ming Tang—accustomed to the household’s refined atmosphere—noted that he now carried himself with a grace reminiscent of Lady Pei, a far cry from his earlier mealtime chaos.

The Pei household had no strict rule against speaking during meals, and Ming Tang had always enjoyed chatting at the table. Lady Pei, often dining with her, had grown accustomed to it. Noticing Ming Tang’s frequent glances at Pei Ze, she had a hunch about what was coming.

Sure enough, the next moment, Ming Tang smiled and asked Pei Ze, "Your grandmother mentioned that someone was unusually diligent after school today. Did something interesting happen in class? Would you like to share it with us?"

"Nothing special," Pei Ze replied, setting down his chopsticks to carefully review the day’s events. As far as he could tell, it had been perfectly ordinary: he’d just gotten new classmates, handpicked by his grandmother and aunt.

"I heard Mr. Lu taught you separately today. Did that make you feel like you were falling behind?" Ming Tang rested her chin in her hand, watching him with a smile.

Pei Ze pondered this, then shook his head and earnestly repeated Mr. Lu’s words. "Mr. Lu said the two older brothers started their studies earlier and have learned more, so he’ll teach us separately for now. Once we catch up, we’ll all learn together."

He had eavesdropped on their lesson earlier, but six out of ten words had been incomprehensible—much like the books Ming Tang read to him at bedtime.

Still, this was only natural. Pei Ze took it in stride. "Mother said before that since you’re all older than me, of course you know more. Now, everyone in class is older than me, so they must know more too."

He said this matter-of-factly, but Lady Pei and Ming Tang exchanged surprised glances, realizing their earlier guesses had been off the mark.

*Not because he felt behind?*

Ming Tang thought for a moment, then suddenly understood and laughed. "Then it must be because A Ze is now an elder himself and wants to set a good example. Am I right?"

Pei Ze showed no embarrassment, nodding righteously. "Of course. As an elder, I must lead by example."

He even emphasized the word "elder" with extra volume.

If he couldn’t surpass his peers, he certainly couldn’t lag behind his juniors! Recalling Ming Tang’s usual demeanor, Pei Ze swelled with pride, clenched his fists, and nodded firmly.

A child’s ambition was always commendable. Though the sight of this tiny figure playing the elder was utterly amusing, Lady Pei didn’t tease him. Instead, she praised him solemnly, barely suppressing her laughter. "What a determined boy!"

Encouraged by his grandmother’s words, Pei Ze grew even more resolute, completely forgetting his earlier plea for a celebratory holiday. Now, all he could think about was upholding the dignity of his newfound seniority and setting a proper example for his nephew.

When Ming Tang had playfully taught Pei Ze his early lessons, she’d already noticed his sharp intellect. Now that he was formally enrolled and had adopted a serious attitude, his progress was remarkable.

Those who saw him daily might not have noticed, but when Pei Yue returned home and saw him, he was stunned after just a few words. Watching his usually clingy little nephew reluctantly tear himself away to return to his studies, Pei Yue immediately asked in a low voice—echoing Lady Pei’s earlier words:

"What on earth has gotten into A Ze?"