Glory

"Haha, it's nothing, nothing. Just a cut on my leg, and it's stopped bleeding now. Don't worry," Ye Jiaxing said with a laugh.

"You're still laughing! You scared me to death," Madam Guan complained.

Following Meng Chengwei's gaze, Old Master Ye had already noticed Ye Yaming.

Seeing Meng Chengwei's eyes lingering subtly on Ye Yaming, he frowned slightly and addressed the crowd, "Why is everyone still standing around? Hurry up and fetch a sedan chair to carry the young master back to his room! What kind of spectacle is this, with the whole family weeping and wailing here?"

Madam Guan flushed red and quickly called for a sedan chair.

Before leaving, Ye Jiaxing thanked Meng Chengwei once more and added, "Young Master Meng, since you have no place to stay in Baiteng County, if you don't mind, why not lodge at our humble home? We may not have much, but we have plenty of empty courtyards. You're welcome to stay as long as you like."

"How could I impose? I'll stay at an inn," Meng Chengwei demurred politely.

Had Old Master Ye not noticed Meng Chengwei's gaze toward Ye Yaming, he would have enthusiastically insisted on hosting him.

But now, he took Meng Chengwei's words at face value and said, "This is just a resting place at the Tea Garden. The accommodations are simple, the location is remote, and transportation is inconvenient. I'm afraid we would only be neglecting an honored guest. The Rugu Inn in the county is run by Jiaxing's maternal uncle. I'll have someone book a superior courtyard for you. You may stay as long as you wish, with no need to worry about lodging or meals—just make yourself at home."

Meng Chengwei was taken aback.

He had saved Ye Jiaxing, the Ye family had plenty of rooms, and it was already afternoon with the county still seven or eight li away. Shouldn't the Ye family be eagerly inviting him to stay? At the very least, they ought to offer him a meal. Why, after his polite refusal, was Old Master Ye practically shooing him away?

But since the host had spoken thus, it would be improper for him to insist on staying. He could only bow and say, "Old Master Ye, there's no need for such courtesy. I'll arrange for an inn myself."

Though Ye Jiaxing didn't understand, he keenly sensed his grandfather's coldness toward Meng Chengwei.

Not only were there ample rooms at the Ye family's villa near the Tea Garden with decent conditions, but there was also a residence in Baiteng County, just seven or eight li away, maintained by servants and ready for occupancy at any time. If they truly wished to thank Meng Chengwei, they shouldn't have him stay at an inn no matter what. Grandfather clearly did not favor this young master who had brought him home.

Ye Jiaxing trusted his grandfather's wisdom. So he said nothing more, merely thanked Meng Chengwei again twice, then left by sedan chair, never again mentioning the idea of hosting him.

Ye Yaming naturally left with him, along with her elder sister-in-law, cousin, and the rest of their group.

Once they had gone, only Meng Chengwei, Old Master Ye, and the servants remained in the hall. Pleasantries had already been exchanged, and since the Ye family showed no intention of hosting him, Meng Chengwei saw no reason to linger. He rose to take his leave.

Unwilling to be indebted, Old Master Ye had a generous gift prepared, arranged for someone to escort Meng Chengwei down the mountain, and booked a superior courtyard for him at the Rugu Inn.

Though Ye Jiaxing's horse had been startled, his attendants had protected him. He had only suffered a cut on his leg from a stone after falling, with a little bleeding. Meng Chengwei's so-called rescue amounted to nothing more than happening upon the scene, asking a few questions, and accompanying them back—hardly a life-saving favor.

The Ye family's actions had more than repaid this minor debt of gratitude, fulfilling all propriety with utmost thoughtfulness.Ye Yaming followed the eldest branch of the family out and saw them off at the entrance of their courtyard. She turned to Ye Jiaxing with a serious expression and said, "Elder brother, that man we saw earlier—I observed him to be shifty-eyed and not at all like a decent person. It would be best if you avoided any dealings with him."

Ye Jiaxing was taken aback.

Although Meng Chengwei couldn't be called exceptionally handsome, he was at least a refined and upright young gentleman with clear eyes and well-defined features, carrying himself with grace and an air of nobility. There was absolutely no resemblance to the description "shifty-eyed." He had no idea how his cousin had come to such a conclusion.

Had their grandfather not unceremoniously driven the man away, Ye Jiaxing would have dismissed it as childish talk. But now, he began to have doubts.

Could it be that there was something genuinely untrustworthy about Meng Chengwei that he had failed to notice?

After saying this, Ye Yaming returned to her own courtyard without going to Old Master Ye to elaborate further. She knew that her brief appearance earlier was sufficient.

The original host of this body had snow-white skin, delicate features, and particularly beautiful eyes. In her memories, Meng Chengwei had been instantly smitten upon seeing her.

However, he was already married. The Ye family were merely large landowners and tea merchants in Jiangnan, without power or influence. Meng Chengwei looked down on the Ye family from the bottom of his heart, believing that if he proposed taking the original host as a concubine, the Ye family would gladly agree.

But Old Master Ye had already betrothed the original host to Song Yifeng, a scholar. The engagement had been made when Song was still a Tongsheng, and the Ye family had invested considerable resources in him. Now that Song Yifeng had just passed the provincial examination and become a Recommended Man, his future looked bright.

Even though Meng Chengwei's cousin's aunt was a current imperial consort and his family were Imperial merchants, they were still merchants. In Old Master Ye's eyes, Meng Chengwei was far inferior to Song Yifeng. Moreover, becoming a concubine would bring disgrace to the family's reputation.

Furthermore, currying favor with the powerful and betraying trust were not in the Ye family's nature. Old Master Ye immediately refused the proposal.

Meng Chengwei was a deeply scheming individual. After being rejected, he bore a grudge against the Ye family, though he showed no outward signs of it, earning Old Master Ye's great admiration. In the end, Meng Chengwei set a massive trap for the Ye family, using them to extricate himself while leaving them bankrupt and ruined.

In this lifetime, Ye Yaming was determined not to let Meng Chengwei's schemes succeed.

Early the next morning, Tao Shi and Ye Yaqing prepared to take Ye Jiaxing down the mountain.

The Ye family ancestral home was located in Lin'an Prefecture, in the opposite direction of Baiteng County. Although Ye Jiaxing's wounds had been treated by a Herbalist the previous night and he had taken medicine, feeling relatively well, injuries were most dangerous when they led to fever. The Herbalists in the prefecture were ultimately more skilled. He had followed Ye Chongming up the mountain to learn how to fertilize tea trees alongside his grandfather. Now that he was injured and unable to do anything, he decided to return to the city.

"Qing'er and Ming'er will go down the mountain with them tomorrow. With your elder brother and sister-in-law both leaving, I'm not comfortable with you two girls staying on the mountain alone. You should all return together." During breakfast, Ye Chongming unusually wore a stern expression.

The Ye family had always doted on and indulged their daughters. When Ye Chongming brought his grandson up the mountain to observe the fertilization of the Tea Garden, Ye Yaming had insisted on coming along to relax. Ye Jiaxing, not wanting to be separated from his newlywed wife, had persuaded Guan Shi and Ye Yaqing to join them, and Ye Chongming had agreed.

But now, with Guan Shi and Ye Jiaxing heading down the mountain, leaving the two girls alone in the sparsely populated mountains, Ye Chongming was genuinely uneasy—especially after witnessing Meng Chengwei's stunned and infatuated gaze the day before.In her previous life, Ye Yaming's family owned vast tea gardens and had dedicated teams researching tea cultivation and processing. She came up the mountain specifically to observe the tea gardens of this era and assess the condition of Ye Family's Tea Garden.

Over the past two days, she had gained a comprehensive understanding of the Ye Family Tea Garden's situation.