Glory

After all, both Lu Guanyi and Qi Ji came from distinguished families and possessed looks that attracted admirers like bees to honey. Ye Yaming still remembered when she went with her father to Lu Guanyi's residence to retrieve the pressed tea, his page had guarded against her as if she were a thief.

If Madam Wu were to become suspicious, thinking the Ye family had used their influence to force Song Yifeng into submitting the divorce papers so that Ye Yaming could marry either Lu Guanyi or Qi Ji, their collaboration would likely fall through.

Therefore, Ye Yaming forced a strained smile toward Old Mrs. Ye.

To Madam Wu, this appeared as a woman putting on a brave face in front of outsiders despite her heartbreak. She was immediately filled with compassion.

"Grandfather, may I keep the divorce papers myself?" Ye Yaming approached Ye Chongming and asked softly.

Ye Chongming looked at his granddaughter with pity and handed her the document stored in a paper tube. "Alright, you hold onto it."

Ye Yaming passed the tube to Bai Rui, then made a deep bow of gratitude to Madam Wu. "Thank you, Madam Wu, for coming today to bear witness for me."

"Good child," Madam Wu said affectionately, taking Ye Yaming's hand and patting it gently. "Out with the bad, in with the good. That Song fellow was not a suitable match. Breaking off the engagement does you no harm, only good. Don't be sad. Tomorrow, have your grandmother select a better one for you."

Ye Yaming had only come to show her face and thank Madam Wu. Worried about revealing her true feelings, she didn't dare stay long. After exchanging a few more polite words with Wu Yuniang, she took her leave.

Madam Wu also announced her departure.

Old Mrs. Ye had already prepared gifts—more generous ones for Madam Wu and slightly lesser for Zhang Yuniang. Despite their protests, the two women had no choice but to accept the gifts and leave the Ye residence.

Upon returning home, Madam Wu recounted the day's events to Master Wu and asked, "What have you found out about Song Yifeng? Did he genuinely want to break off the engagement, or was it a scheme by the Ye family?"

It seemed too coincidental that their visit to the Ye family for dinner had coincided with Song Yifeng's arrival to submit the divorce papers. As a seasoned advisor, Master Wu was accustomed to thinking several steps ahead. Concerned that he and his wife might have been used by the Ye family to cause trouble for Lu Guanyi and Qi Ji, he had dispatched people to investigate the matter since their return yesterday.

Master Wu replied, "I've looked into it. Ever since Song Yifeng passed the imperial examination and became a Recommended Man, he has looked down upon the Ye family for being merchants. His mother, Yu Shi, has repeatedly disparaged the Ye family and Third Miss Ye in conversations with neighbors."

"Song Yifeng's literary talent has earned him high regard from Education Intendant Wang. Wang has expressed regret on multiple occasions during gatherings with friends about Song Yifeng's engagement, saying that if he were not betrothed, he would certainly take Song as his son-in-law."

"Hmph," Madam Wu sneered. "He sure knows how to seize an opportunity. But with such a man as a son-in-law, isn't he afraid Song Yifeng might one day treat him the same way he treated the Ye family?"

If Education Intendant Wang truly admired Song Yifeng, she found it hard to believe he was unaware that Song's education and success in becoming a Recommended Man had been funded by his fiancée's family.

Master Wu shook his head, unwilling to dwell on Education Intendant Wang.

He asked, "Based on your observations, does the Ye family harbor any unrealistic intentions toward Young Master Lu or Third Young Master Qi?"

Madam Wu shook her head. "It doesn't seem so. After Song Yifeng left, I inquired with Old Mrs. Ye about their plans for Third Miss Ye's marriage. I even offered to help find a suitable match if needed."

Her offer wasn't genuine assistance but rather a probe into the Ye family's intentions."Old Mrs. Ye mentioned that her second daughter-in-law injured her body while giving birth to their second daughter and can no longer bear children. Since the second branch has no son and the Ye family doesn't traditionally take concubines, Third Miss Ye, as the eldest daughter of the second branch, will remain at home for a matrilocal marriage now that her engagement has been broken off. They plan to help Third Miss Ye find a groom who will live with the bride's family."

Upon hearing this, Master Wu felt relieved and said with a smile, "That's good. As long as they don't set their sights on either of the two young masters, we should help where we can."

Madam Wu nodded, "I quite like Third Miss Ye. When I attend the gathering tomorrow, I'll make sure to spread word about that Song fellow."

"We need to act quickly," Master Wu added. "If Education Intendant Wang actually betroths his daughter to that Song fellow before we speak up, our words would then be seen as slapping Wang in the face."

Although Master Wu served as Qi Zhipei's advisor and didn't need to defer to Wang Wenzhi despite holding no official rank, Wang Wenzhi was still Qi Zhipei's colleague. As the saying goes, officials shield each other - it wouldn't be proper for them to undermine each other over outsiders.

Understanding this reasoning, Madam Wu nodded, "It just so happens that Old Lady Li's birthday banquet is in two days. I'll speak with everyone then."

"But by showing such partiality toward the Ye family," she continued, "when news of Young Master Lu and Third Young Master's collaboration with the Ye family eventually spreads, people might think poorly of us."

The news of Lu Guanyi and Qi Ji's collaboration with the Ye family hadn't circulated yet due to the short time frame. Once their interactions become more frequent and their tea and tea sets hit the market, their current actions would be seen as clear evidence of currying favor. They would likely face criticism then.

Master Wu dismissed the concern, "As the prefect's advisor, countless people envy me and make sarcastic remarks. Those who passed the imperial examinations but only secured seventh or eighth-rank positions have to smile and flatter me out of respect for the prefect, yet heaven knows how much contempt and jealousy they harbor toward me."

"If I cared about all that, I wouldn't be able to accomplish anything. To take it a step further, even if I did nothing and remained an aloof scholar living in seclusion in the countryside, there would still be those mocking me for being incompetent and talentless, having studied for so many years without obtaining any official position."

Madam Wu felt relieved, "Those who aren't envied are mediocre. Besides, regarding Song Yifeng's matter, we're sticking to the facts without fabricating lies - we have nothing to feel guilty about. Actually, Official Wang should thank us. Without our intervention, he would have married his daughter to such an ungrateful wretch."

Master Wu nodded, "Exactly."

...

At the Ye residence, Ye Chongming and Old Mrs. Ye were also discussing how to deal with Song Yifeng next.

Although the engagement had been broken off, they wouldn't be satisfied until Song Yifeng was thoroughly disgraced. After all, the Ye family had been taken advantage of and had even given Song Yifeng several hundred taels of silver.

However, since Ye Yaming had been handling this matter throughout, Ye Chongming and Old Mrs. Ye, despite their eagerness, felt it inappropriate to ask her about the next steps.

Ye Yaming had naturally prepared contingency plans, which was why she had Zhou Xiang investigate Zhong Ming and Wang Wenzhi's detailed circumstances.

If Lu Guanyi, Qi Ji, and Master Wu's efforts proved ineffective, she would arrange for Zhong Ming to accidentally overhear about Song Yifeng's misdeeds, preferably when Wang Wenzhi was also present.

Unexpectedly, Master Wu proved quite diligent. The very next day, he invited some friends to a meal where he brought up the matter of Song Yifeng.Normally, loafers and petty troublemakers under Zhou Xiang's command couldn't infiltrate such official banquets held in government residences to gather information. Yet Zhou Xiang, through remarkable ingenuity, managed to obtain the details of Master Wu's conversation during the feast.