Glory

Although the aroma of Dragon Well Tea is not as overpowering as Osmanthus Tea, which can fill an entire room with fragrance when brewed at one table, it possesses a unique scent and a mellow, sweet taste that far surpasses Osmanthus Tea. Those who have tasted it cannot stop praising it. Seasoned tea connoisseurs who truly understand tea have genuinely appreciated its flavor.

Even those wealthy individuals who usually treat all teas indifferently have lavished praise on this tea.

After all, the appeal of having the Emperor, Crown Prince, and princesses enjoy it, along with its high price, is undeniable. To claim it doesn’t taste good or isn’t worth it would only reveal one’s own lack of discernment. Are their tongues more precious than the Emperor’s?

Thus, the scene from when Osmanthus Tea was first launched repeated itself. Those who could afford it and genuinely liked the tea would buy an ounce or two to share with friends. Wealthier individuals even purchased several pounds at a time to give as gifts.

As a result, despite its high price, Dragon Well Tea continued to sell out rapidly. Both the capital and Lin’an faced a situation where supply could not meet demand.

…

In the capital, at the Meng family residence, the sound of crashing and shattering echoed from the main hall.

A maid who was about to bring tea and snacks to the hall immediately halted and quietly approached a page standing under the corridor, asking, "What’s wrong with the young master this time?"

Ever since the young master returned from exile at the border half a month ago, his temper had grown increasingly volatile. His gaze had become sinister and unsettling, frightening those around him. Maids and pages who made the slightest mistake would be subjected to his fists and kicks.

Now, the servants attending to Meng Chengwei lived in constant fear.

"I heard it’s because the Ye family’s Gathering Fragrance Pavilion is selling tea like hotcakes," the page replied.

The words "Ye family" had become taboo among the Meng family’s servants.

Who would have thought that the young master, who once had everything his way and thrived in the capital, would end up being bested by a small merchant from Lin’an with no influential backing?

Because of this, the Meng family had become a laughingstock in their social circle.

Moreover, due to the account books and the case involving the attempted murder of the eldest son of Marquis Xuanwu, the Crown Prince’s faction had seized the opportunity to launch a fierce attack, directly targeting Meng Chengwei.

Meng Chengwei, already a convicted criminal, had committed further offenses during his punishment, aggravating his crimes. Min Fei had paid a heavy price to spare his life, but Meng Chengwei had suffered greatly as a result.

Although he had now returned, he walked with a limp and bore a small, permanent scar on his face.

Consequently, his temperament had drastically changed, becoming even more unpredictable. For nearly a month since his return, he had confined himself to his courtyard, refusing to see anyone except his parents. A careless word or glance from a maid or page could provoke his furious outbursts, bringing undeserved calamity upon them.

Hearing the words "Ye family," the maid hesitated.

She knew that if she entered now to deliver the tea and snacks, she would inevitably become the target of the young master’s wrath, and her fate would be uncertain.

Yet, not delivering them was not an option either.

She decided to linger there for a little while.

Glancing around to ensure no one was nearby, she asked, "Isn’t the Ye family just an ordinary merchant from Lin’an? With no backing or connections, couldn’t the young master crush them as easily as stepping on an ant?"

"A merchant who can present their tea to the Emperor and earn his praise—do you think they’re ordinary? Just after the Emperor praised the Ye family’s tea and considered making their Dragon Well a Tribute Tea, if anything were to happen to the Ye family, wouldn’t the young master be inviting disaster? If the imperial guards were to investigate, what couldn’t they uncover?"

The maid nodded. "You’re right."

She sighed. "I just hope the young master can live peacefully from now on and avoid stirring up more trouble."Life in the Meng household had become difficult, and the first to suffer were the servants.

The page shook his head. "Impossible."

Meng Chengwei had been vengeful since childhood, holding grudges over the smallest slights. Having suffered such a major setback, it wouldn't be like him not to seek revenge.

The two exchanged a glance and sighed in unison.

Inside the room, Meng Chengwei was grinding his teeth. "Ye family, I won't let you off easily."

Madam Meng, who had rushed over upon receiving the servants' report, happened to hear these words.

She advised, "My son, let it go. That Ye family seems to be your nemesis. Think about it—wasn't everything you did smooth sailing before? But ever since you went to Lin'an, every plan you made ended up the opposite of what you intended, and you've ended up in this state. What else could it be but a clash of fates?"

"So I beg you, can we just leave the Ye family alone?" As she spoke, tears fell from her eyes.

"No," Meng Chengwei said. "This is the greatest humiliation of my life—how can I not seek revenge? If I don't destroy the Ye family, I'll never be at peace."

After a moment's thought, Madam Meng said, "Every time you suffered backlash, it was when you used underhanded methods. What if we try an overt scheme this time?"

Meng Chengwei asked curiously, "What overt scheme?"

"The ones skilled at tea-making in the Ye family are Second Master Ye from the second branch and Third Miss Ye. I heard Third Miss Ye was rejected in marriage and still hasn't found another match. Why don't we put in some effort to spread the word about her? Isn't the fifth young master of the Duke of Ying's household, Jiang Wugongzi, still looking for a suitable candidate to remarry?" Madam Meng lowered her voice.

Meng Chengwei narrowed his eyes.

The Imperial consort of the third princess, born of Min Fei, was the second young master of the Duke of Ying's household. Because Min Fei greatly admired Meng Chengwei's intelligence and methods, she had taken him under her wing as her daughter's support outside the palace. Consequently, the third princess and Meng Chengwei, being cousins, maintained a good relationship.

This also meant they knew more about certain matters in the Duke of Ying's household than others.

Outwardly, this Jiang Wugongzi appeared to be a man of talent and refinement. Unexpectedly, less than a year after his marriage, his wife died covered in bruises.

The wife's family was prominent and doted on their daughter. After investigating the cause, they caused a scene at the Duke of Ying's residence. Only then did everyone learn that Jiang Wugongzi was impotent, which made him paranoid, leading him to torment his wife in bed.

The matter was eventually settled only after the Duke of Ying's household offered substantial compensation.

With no other choice, the Duchess of Ying arranged for her son to marry the daughter of a county magistrate from another region. This girl was beautiful, and the Duchess hoped her son would treat her kindly and avoid another tragedy. Moreover, her family background was humble, so even if something happened, it wouldn't cause much trouble.

Perhaps Jiang Wugongzi's psychological issues had worsened, or perhaps he felt less restrained without an influential in-law family. In less than half a year, the magistrate's daughter passed away tragically.

The magistrate came from a humble background with no powerful connections. He had initially agreed to the marriage hoping to climb the social ladder. Having lost a daughter, he didn't dare utter a word of complaint. His wife wept secretly a few times, and that was the end of it.

But the disappearance of the fifth young mistress of the Jiang family couldn't be hidden forever. During the New Year banquets when she never appeared, and as more people inquired, the Duchess of Ying had no choice but to claim she had died of illness.

While no one said anything to their faces, behind closed doors, everyone speculated about the real cause of this "illness."

As a result, finding another wife for Jiang Wugongzi became even more difficult for the Duke of Ying's household.After Meng Chengwei was imprisoned and exiled, Lady Meng sent someone to thoroughly investigate the Ye family. Upon learning that Third Miss Ye was exceptionally beautiful, she came up with this terrible idea for her son.

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