At this point, he added another line to endorse Ye Jia: "It is probably because Ye Jia is a family that accumulates good deeds and focuses solely on tea-making that this allowed Young Friend Ye to be born into their household, advancing the development of tea in Great Jin."
Princess Yuning looked down at the teacup in her hand, lost in thought.
Master Zhineng then said to Fan Yu, "It is rare for you all to take an interest in tea-making. However, the period from Pre-Qingming to early summer is the busiest season for Ye Jia's tea production. Although Young Friend Ye has surpassed her predecessors and become even more skilled than her father in tea-making, Second Master Ye is likely still occupied. He can probably only accompany you for about three or four days."
"Moreover, the reason Ye Jia's tea tastes better than others' must lie in their unique secret techniques, which are not to be disclosed to outsiders. When you visit their tea factory, be careful not to act recklessly."
Princess Yuning and Fan Yu, being juniors in his presence, stood up along with Tan Xuan to listen respectfully.
"Thank you for your guidance, Imperial Uncle," Princess Yuning said with a bow.
Ye Hongsheng and the other two were unaware of what had happened after Laonu and Zan'er left. The next day, they descended the mountain and returned to the estate, summoning the two to inquire.
"Has Imperial Consort Fan and the others arrived?" Ye Hongsheng asked with pleasant surprise.
He said to Ye Chongming, "After reading The Classic of Tea, they became particularly interested in the growing conditions of tea trees and the methods of tea-making described in it. Their visit to Lin'an at this time is likely to see the tea gardens."
In the past, Ye Chongming would have been overjoyed.
Ye Jia had no background or powerful backing, yet they were quite wealthy and engaged in the tea business, making every day feel like walking on a cliff's edge. Being able to connect with nobility and build some relationships was extremely important for Ye Jia.
But now, he was troubled.
Why did they have to come at this time, of all times? Didn't they know this was Ye Jia's busiest season?
In previous years, with the experienced tea-making masters around, Ye Hongsheng could have stepped away. But now, with Ye Yaming having just introduced pan-fired green tea, Ye Hongsheng needed to personally oversee tea production and train the apprentices—he truly couldn't spare a moment.
Yet, they couldn't afford to offend the nobility.
These people were unaware of the hardships of common life. If you told them that skipping work this season would leave Ye Jia struggling to survive for the year, they wouldn't understand and would simply think you were being ungrateful.
"Ming'er, what do you think we should do?" he asked Ye Yaming.
Ye Yaming, however, showed only delight, without a trace of worry.
She said, "The Pre-Qingming tea leaves are scarce. I can handle the pan-firing alone. Father, you should go accompany Imperial Consort Fan and the others. Hosting their party well will greatly benefit our family's tea business in the future."
Worried that Ye Chongming might not fully grasp the implications, she added, "Grandfather, think of it this way: without the endorsement of Imperial Consort Fan and the others, our Dragon Well Tea could only sell for two hundred taels per jin at most. But with their support, it could fetch up to a thousand taels per jin. Would you prefer a yield of one hundred jin sold at two hundred taels per jin, or a yield of fifty jin sold at a thousand taels per jin?"
"Definitely the latter," Ye Chongming said decisively.
Ye Yaming smiled.
In her time and space, West Lake Dragon Well Tea became Tribute Tea as soon as it was introduced. This was because its production techniques were developed specifically for tribute purposes from the very beginning, allowing it to immediately become a tribute item for the Qing court. That was its remarkable strength.Now, she possessed the finest Dragon Well Tea production techniques, employing the pan-firing method that surpassed the steamed green tea processing of the Great Jin Dynasty. If they could gain the guidance of royal members like Master Zhineng, Princess Yu Ning, and Imperial Consort Fan Yu, this Dragon Well Tea would inevitably become a Tribute Tea.
Once it became a Tribute Tea, the Ye family would catch the Emperor's eye. Who would dare to scheme against the Ye family then?
Although cooperating with Lu and Qi could intimidate some petty individuals, the Lu residence was only a Marquis's estate, and the highest official in the Qi family was merely a third-rank official. In the capital, there were countless nobles higher than a Marquis and officials above the third rank.
At present, pressed tea dominated the market, while Osmanthus Tea remained a small-scale venture with limited time to attract the attention of top-tier nobility.
With the emergence of pan-fired green tea, nobles higher than the Meng family would inevitably take notice of the Ye family.
At that point, Lu and Qi would be unable to protect the Ye family.
Having committed to ensuring the Ye family's peace and prosperity, yet unwilling to bear the burden of the entire Ye clan for life, making Ye family tea a Tribute Tea became her long-term strategy for the family.
However, it was still too early to count on this, and raising Ye Chongming's hopes prematurely would be unwise, so she kept silent about it.
With his concerns alleviated, Ye Chongming became cheerful.
He had one more question: "What if they ask to see how the tea is made?"
Ye Hongsheng also looked at Ye Yaming.
"They can observe the tea production process at the tea factory," Ye Yaming said. "The basic techniques for producing loose tea are generally similar. Even if our family has unique secrets, outsiders like Imperial Consort Fan Yu would only see the surface without understanding the intricacies. There's no need to worry."
"As for Dragon Well Tea, one look would reveal it's pan-fired. You can directly tell them it's a Ye family secret not open for viewing. If they wish to experience tea picking firsthand, Father, you can have Steward Li arrange with estate holders outside the city. Pay them some silver to allow the experience there, saving the long journey."
The Jiangnan tea market was thriving, and slopes and small hills unsuitable for grain crops outside the city were often planted with tea. Thus, there were several tea gardens of varying sizes beyond the city walls.
"Would this offend them?" Ye Chongming worried.
"They should understand. If not, it doesn't matter—they wouldn't punish us for this. Besides, Master Zhineng is there."
Mention of Master Zhineng put Ye Chongming at ease.
Ye Yaming looked seriously at Ye Hongsheng and said, "Father, remember this: we had Ye family tea and Dragon Well Tea first, which earned us the regard of Imperial Consort Fan Yu and others. Tea is the foundation of our family's existence. As long as we hold onto Dragon Well Tea, we will never lack favor from the nobility. We must not confuse the means with the end."
Her words were actually meant for Ye Chongming.
Ye Hongsheng had a pure heart. In his eyes, those nobles were less important than his tea. Thus, even when facing someone like Fan Yu, he maintained his composure, neither feeling inferior nor acting obsequiously.
This was likely why Fan Yu and others were willing to associate with him.
But Ye Chongming was different. His mind was more complex, and he prioritized the Ye family's interests above all else. Ye Yaming feared he might make inappropriate moves to curry favor with Imperial Consort Fan Yu and his circle.
"I understand," Ye Hongsheng said.
Ye Chongming also seemed thoughtful.He had originally considered whether to invite Fan Yu and others to the Ye residence. Having royalty, imperial consorts, and prominent Beijing dignitaries visit Ye Jia would be an experience he could boast about for a lifetime.
Yet Ye Yaming’s words made him hesitate.
“Do you think we should invite them to our residence? They’ve come all this way—it might seem impolite if we don’t extend an invitation, don’t you think?” he asked.
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