Glory

After Lan'er left, she stayed a little longer before taking her leave.

Not long after, Ye Chongming returned. Ye Yaming went to the main courtyard to have a meal with her grandparents and recounted what Yang Shu had said after her visit.

Old Mrs. Ye frowned immediately. "What does she mean by that? Does the Yang family want to propose marriage to you?"

"I'm not sure."

Ye Yaming couldn't quite discern Yang Shu's intentions either. However, judging by Yang Shu's behavior, her visit to the Ye family was definitely not as simple as hearing about the broken engagement and coming to offer consolation.

Ye Chongming said, "The Yang family's reputation isn't good right now. Marrying into our family could change that situation—that's one reason. Secondly, hasn't Meng Chengwei always coveted our Osmanthus Tea and wanted our secret tea-making recipe? Your father is the one who makes tea in our family. If you marry into the Yang family, wouldn't your father give them some pointers for your sake? In that way, the Meng family would indirectly obtain our secret tea-making recipe."

"Never mind that. Our family isn't going to marry into theirs anyway," Ye Yaming said.

She understood what Ye Chongming meant by saying this—it was to remind her that the Yang family's marriage proposal was not made with good intentions.

Old Mrs. Ye, who had been discreetly having people look for suitable candidates during this time, took the opportunity to ask, "What kind of groom who lives with the bride's family do you want to marry? Can you tell your grandparents?"

Ye Yaming thought for a moment and said, "First of all, this person must have a clear mind and not be foolish, so I don't have to get angry every day over his muddle-headed actions. That's the most basic requirement. Secondly, I hope he's good-looking, smart, and has a good temperament. Otherwise, if the child takes after him—ugly, stupid, and bad-tempered—wouldn't I be bringing trouble upon myself?"

Ye Chongming:

Old Mrs. Ye:

The requirements didn't seem particularly high, but could someone who was good-looking, smart, and had a good temperament really come to the Ye family as a groom who lives with the bride's family?

Moreover, when talking about marriage and having children, Ming'er remained calm and unruffled, as if she were discussing someone else's affairs.

This child...

For a moment, the elderly couple didn't know what to say.

Ye Yaming paid them no mind, finished her meal on her own, and then took her leave.

After the meal, she didn't return directly to her courtyard but went for a walk in the garden instead.

In the Jiangnan water town, the Ye residence had also channeled flowing water, dug a pond for lotus flowers, and piled up artificial hills and strange rocks. Trees and flowers were planted along both sides of the path, with a pavilion built at the corner. In spring and summer, the scenery here must be quite beautiful.

Unfortunately, it was already late autumn, and the pond was filled with withered lotuses; the path was covered with fallen leaves, and the deciduous trees revealed their sturdy, bare branches.

The path was swept clean every morning. But leaves kept falling, and by evening, the path was again covered with many fallen leaves, rustling underfoot.

The servants from each courtyard were busy in their own areas and had no reason to come here, so the garden was seldom visited. The rustling of footsteps and the occasional chirping of birds and insects only added to the tranquility of the place.

Ye Yaming loved this serenity.

Strolling here, she could empty her mind, thinking about anything or nothing at all. Even the bleak autumn scenery seemed perfect in her eyes.

Bai Rui and Lve E usually took turns on duty, so they wouldn't both accompany Ye Yaming. But after she took a couple of solitary walks, whenever Ye Yaming came to the garden for a stroll afterward, two people would follow her.

As they walked, they approached the vicinity of the third branch's courtyard. Suddenly, Ye Yaming said, "Let's go sit at the third branch's place for a while."

"Ah?" Both maids looked at her in confusion."I received gifts from everyone in the household to comfort me after breaking off my engagement. Both Third Aunt and Fifth Younger Sister sent presents. Although I returned the courtesy, I haven't had the chance to thank them properly. Since we've happened to come this way, why don't we stop by for a visit?" Ye Yaming said.

"Very well," her two maidservants replied.

Lve E stepped forward to knock on the door.

After a long wait, an elderly maidservant came to answer. She first opened the small window in the gate to peer outside, appearing quite surprised to see Ye Yaming.

"Third Young Miss." Perhaps from lack of practice, her smile seemed somewhat stiff. "What brings you here?"

Ye Yaming explained her purpose.

The maidservant hesitated before apologetically saying, "Our Madam has never been fond of receiving visitors. If I were to let you in without permission, I would surely be punished by Madam later. Please wait here while I inform Madam, then I can invite you inside."

Twelve years ago, when Third Master Ye Hongfan passed away, Old Madam Ye, concerned about her third daughter-in-law's grief, had asked Tao Shi and Yin Shi to frequently accompany Cai Shi - at that time, the fourth son Ye Hongrong hadn't married yet, and Zhang Shi hadn't appeared on the scene.

Since that time, Cai Shi had been keeping everyone at bay, refusing to let them in.

Back then, Ye Yaming could understand Cai Shi's behavior.

Just like after her own broken engagement, whether she was heartbroken or not, she didn't want people constantly coming to comfort her, preventing her wounds from healing. She preferred to have some peace and quiet.

Not only Ye Yaming, but Old Madam Ye and the others could also understand.

But when this continued for one month, then three months, the situation became concerning. Especially considering Cai Shi was pregnant at the time.

Old Madam Ye personally came to counsel Cai Shi; she also had Cai Shi's natal family come to comfort her, and even invited Cai Shi to stay with her family for a while.

Yet Cai Shi maintained her stance of not wanting to receive guests.

When her mother-in-law visited, Cai Shi didn't dare refuse entry, but she would keep her head down and remain silent. When Tao Shi and Yin Shi came, she simply wouldn't open the door.

Seeing that Cai Shi wasn't constantly weeping and her overall condition appeared stable, and considering this daughter-in-law had always been of a quiet disposition, Old Madam Ye eventually let her be. She only instructed the Herbalist to regularly check her pulse.

This situation continued even after Cai Shi gave birth to Ye Yayu without improvement.

By the time Ye Yayu grew to six or seven years old, Old Madam Ye found her granddaughter's temperament truly unsatisfactory - not only was she timid around people, lacking the bearing of a young lady from the Ye family, she was even less poised than daughters from rural farming families.

She immediately told Cai Shi to send her daughter to the main residence, where she would personally tutor Ye Yayu.

This proposal struck a raw nerve with Cai Shi, who cried so bitterly she nearly fainted, saying this was her only flesh and blood, and if her mother-in-law wouldn't even let her keep her daughter by her side, what meaning was there in living?

Old Madam Ye was quite frightened by this reaction and quickly said, "Never mind, never mind." From then on, whenever she saw Ye Yayu, she could only sigh secretly, not daring to mention bringing Ye Yayu to the main residence again.

For her granddaughter's sake, she asked the four older granddaughters to frequently seek out Ye Yayu to play. However, everyone was turned away at this very door. When Old Madam Ye questioned Cai Shi about it, Cai Shi explained that Ye Yayu was too frightened to go out and play.

What could Old Madam Ye do? She could only let the matter drop.

Whenever she thought of this granddaughter Ye Yayu, she would sigh: Would this granddaughter ever be able to marry? And when marriage came, could Cai Shi possibly accompany her daughter to her husband's household as an attendant?The three of them waited at the entrance for a long time, until Lve E couldn't help but frown, before the old woman finally arrived unhurriedly. She apologized to Ye Yaming, saying, "The mistress said she was merely expressing a small token of her regard, so you needn't be too polite. It's getting late, and it will be dark soon. You should head back now. The mistress won't invite you in for tea."