Glory

Qi Ji was taken aback: "So troublesome?"

"Troublesome?" Lu Guanyi shot him a sidelong glance, "Didn't you suffer plenty on your previous trip to Xinping?"

"Who doesn't endure hardships when traveling?" Qi Ji retorted.

Though he had traveled by carriage, "braving wind and dew" was the norm on journeys. He had brought ample guards, so safety wasn't an issue. But when passing through desolate areas with no inns, they had no choice but to camp in the wilderness, finding random spots to set up pots and cook.

However, Qi Ji caught the implication in Lu Guanyi's words and said in surprise, "You don't actually think Miss Ye's arrangements mean we'll avoid hardships on this trip, do you?"

Lu Guanyi replied, "After hearing their travel plans, I find them quite reasonable. We probably won't suffer too much."

Qi Ji neither agreed nor disagreed, tossing a pastry into his mouth: "We'll see as we go."

Chewing the pastry, he pointed at the carriages behind them: "But what I meant earlier wasn't about the itinerary—it's about all these belongings."

"The rear carriages are for the Manor Guards and Guards to rest in," Lu Guanyi explained. "In this bitter cold, riding horses is miserable. They'll rotate every half-hour or so—one group returning to the carriages to rest and warm up."

Qi Ji stared in astonishment: "Was this also Miss Ye's idea?"

Lu Guanyi nodded: "That's what the Ye family said."

Qi Ji shook his head and fell silent.

Born into wealth, they considered themselves considerate masters, but Manor Guards and Guards were paid to protect their employers. Well-fed and housed normally, they were expected to endure wind, frost, and exposure during travels.

They had never made a habit of reserving extra carriages specifically for guards.

Qi Ji interpreted Ye Yaming's gesture as a soft-hearted woman's excessive kindness, feeling it unnecessary. But over the following days, he began appreciating the benefits.

With extra carriages, his pages and servants could take turns resting in them when space allowed, giving him ample room to stretch out comfortably in his own carriage.

Moreover, the guards, spared excessive hardship, remained in good spirits and morale, attending to duties more diligently. They would ride ahead to secure lodging, ensuring hot meals, water, and clean rooms awaited the party upon arrival.

Combined with the itinerary Ye Yaming had prepared in advance—though sometimes requiring predawn departures or late arrivals—they never once had to camp rough en route.

Beyond this, Qi Ji discovered the value of Ye Yaming's modified carriages.

Without rubber or advanced metalworking for springs and shock absorbers, she devised a makeshift solution: placing a wicker-and-bamboo mattress-like pad over the carriage boards, topped with thick blankets.

This significantly reduced jolting.

But both wicker pads and woolen blankets were flammable. Winter travel necessitated charcoal stoves inside carriages, risking stray sparks and compromised safety.

Ye Yaming had recently sent for asbestos cloth, lining not only the blankets but also the carriage interiors with it.

Asbestos cloth, woven from fire-resistant mineral fibers, provided crucial flame retardation.In addition, the originally wooden table fixed in the carriage had been replaced with an iron one for safety, with an iron stove in the middle.

Paired with rattan sofas on both sides—which could be used for sitting or lying down and were layered with cushions—the comfort level of Ye Yaming’s carriage could be considered exceptionally high by ancient standards.

Ye Hongrong, being someone who loved comfort, was given an identical carriage by Ye Yaming when she outfitted her own, as part of her strategy to win him over.

Thus, when Qi Ji got off the carriage for the first rest stop and noticed that the Ye uncle-niece pair showed no signs of the backaches and soreness he was experiencing, he grew suspicious.

After all, he had practiced martial arts under Lu Guanyi’s guidance. Though not exceptionally skilled, he was at least physically stronger than the average person.

Yet Ye Hongrong, a pampered dandy, and Ye Yaming, a sheltered young lady, appeared more at ease than he did after a full day’s journey—a fact he found baffling. Due to gender separation, Ye Yaming did not dine with them but instead had meals brought to her room, where she ate with Bai Rui, Lve E, and Guan Ting.

Qi Ji took the opportunity to ask Ye Hongrong about it during their meal downstairs.

Ye Hongrong immediately puffed up with pride and took Qi Ji and Lu Guanyi to inspect his carriage. “Extremely comfortable,” he declared, “hardly any jolting, and very warm to boot.”

He patted the sofa. “Lying on this thing is even more comfortable than sleeping in a bed at home. I spent half the journey asleep.”

Both Qi Ji and Lu Guanyi came from prominent families; their carriages were crafted from expensive wood and textiles, and even featured a chess set with magnetic pieces and an iron board. While these items were costly, they couldn’t match the Ye family’s carriage in terms of comfort.

Qi Ji marveled at the ingenuity. Later, in private, he remarked to Lu Guanyi, “I am utterly impressed by this Third Miss Ye. How does her mind work? How can she be so clever?”

Lu Guanyi glanced at him. “Haven’t her previous actions already demonstrated that? Are you only convinced now?”

“Convinced, convinced—I’ve been convinced for a while. But now I’m even more admiring.” Qi Ji shook his head, his face full of admiration.

The journey from Lin’an Prefecture to Xin’an Prefecture—modern-day Hangzhou and Huangshan—spans just over 200 kilometers today, a mere three-hour drive. Yet in ancient times, it took Ye Yaming a full six days.

Fortunately, the trip proceeded without incident, and they arrived safely in Xin’an City.

“We’ll rest here in Xin’an tomorrow and set out for Yishan early the day after,” Ye Yaming announced. Yishan is modern-day Huangshan.

Qi Ji was taken aback. “Shouldn’t we first visit the local authorities to inquire about the mountainous terrain in Huizhou?”

Lu Guanyi also turned his gaze to Ye Yaming.

That was how they had gone about purchasing tea mountains before.

Without prior knowledge, their approach made sense—gathering information before acting was surely better than wandering aimlessly. After all, some areas that might become excellent tea gardens in the future were currently overgrown with towering trees and appeared desolate, their potential hidden.

But Ye Yaming had visited Huangshan numerous times in her previous life and was quite familiar with the tea gardens there. Moreover, she had read in Great Jin’s travelogues and miscellaneous texts that tea was already being cultivated in the area. She believed it was more practical to see the land firsthand than to waste time on inquiries.She said, "The reason we're staying here for a day is precisely to gather this information. It would be even better if we could obtain maps of Huizhou or Yishan. But our time is limited—we should make the most of it and not linger here too long. One day should suffice, right?"

Qi Ji turned to look at Lu Guanyi.

After a moment of contemplation, Lu Guanyi replied, "Agreed."