Glory

The tea factory was managed by Steward Cai.

The tea factory had always operated under an apprenticeship system where tea-making masters took on disciples. The masters were responsible for their disciples' conduct, tea-making skills, and even family circumstances. Since these new apprentices were selected by the masters themselves, Ye Chongming believed there wouldn't be significant issues here.

Therefore, when Cao Dazhu saw that Steward Cai had accepted gifts and given his approval, he considered the matter settled. Upon returning home, he instructed his grandson to relay the message to Cao Wu, telling him to prepare for entering the tea factory and to refrain from taking other jobs recently.

Upon hearing this, Cao Wu was overjoyed and brought two packages of pastries to thank Cao Dazhu.

After leaving Cao Dazhu's house, instead of going home, he went to his friend Chen San's place and said, "It's done. I'm going to be an apprentice."

Chen San was immediately delighted and took out a piece of broken silver worth half a tael, handing it to him: "This is for your expenses. Do your best and strive to be selected for making Jasmine Tea. When your elder cousin returns, don't forget to seek his advice."

He glanced around and lowered his voice: "If you can find out how to make Dragon Well Tea, they'll offer this much."

As he spoke, he held up a hand with all fingers extended.

Cao Wu's eyes lit up: "Five taels?"

"Hmph," Cao Wu scoffed at him, "Fifty taels. If you can learn the exact method and produce authentic Dragon Well Tea, five hundred taels wouldn't be a problem."

"But let me tell you," Cao Wu whispered, "even if it's not Dragon Well Tea but Jasmine Tea, if you can uncover the true production method, you could still get five hundred taels."

Cao Wu gasped in excitement and rubbed his hands together.

"Is there really no danger?" he asked uneasily.

"What danger could there be?" Chen San replied. "You tell me, and I'll quietly pass it on to others. No one will ever know. So many people in the tea factory know how to make Dragon Well Tea and Jasmine Tea—who could trace where the information came from?"

"If we don't say anything and someone else does, then someone else will take that money."

He glanced at Cao Wu: "You're twenty years old already. I'm only a year older than you, and my child is old enough to run errands, while you're still single. If you don't do this, when will you ever be able to afford a wife?"

He patted Cao Wu's shoulder: "If I weren't working at a tea house and quitting to learn tea-making at the factory would raise suspicions, I wouldn't need you to do this."

Seeing Cao Wu remain silent, he added, "You only have your mother to worry about, while I have a whole family. If I'm willing to take the risk, what are you afraid of? Let me tell you, in matters like this, the bold get rich while the cautious stay hungry."

These words finally made up Cao Wu's mind: "Alright, I'll do it."

...

Meanwhile, Ye Yaming, having finally dealt with her parents and seen off Lu Guanyi and Qi Ji, was preparing to make Jasmine Tea.

"What? You want to buy people?" Both Ye Chongming and Ye Hongsheng were baffled upon learning that Ye Yaming didn't intend to use the tea factory's existing personnel but instead wanted to purchase people from outside to make Jasmine Tea.

"Do you think the people at the tea factory can't be trusted? Then why are we still having them make Dragon Well Tea?" Ye Chongming couldn't understand.

"Besides, with so many people trying to uncover our Dragon Well Tea formula, aren't you afraid that outsiders might plant spies among those you buy?"

"I plan to keep the group making Dragon Well Tea up in the mountains until after we've sold the Dragon Well Tea formula, then let them come down," Ye Yaming explained.She looked at Ye Chongming. "Then do you know why I don't dare let them return home from the mountains?"

Ye Chongming thought for a moment, seeming to realize something, his expression changing. "Are you referring to their families? But they've been Manor serfs for generations, surely they wouldn't betray the Ye Family? Even if they had money, they wouldn't be able to spend it."

Like household servants, Manor serfs legally couldn't possess private property under the law—even they themselves and their children belonged to their masters.

However, from a practical standpoint, rewarding hard work was necessary to motivate people. Whether household servants or Manor serfs in the Ye Family, they could acquire wealth through their own diligence and intelligence, living better lives than other servants. Naturally, this bred some who sought gains without labor.

As for the Ye Family's tea, their original tea-making methods were largely similar to others', differing only in minor details during the process—differences that Ye Hongsheng controlled by feel. Even if someone came to spy, they wouldn't be able to discern anything significant.

Thus, Ye Chongming hadn't implemented particularly stringent confidentiality measures. Allowing the children of Manor serfs to move between the Tea House, tea workshops, and Tea Factory seeking work was a major vulnerability.

Seeing that Ye Chongming had figured it out himself, Ye Yaming said no more, simply stating, "Regardless of whether the people I purchased are spies for others, as long as they don't have contact with the outside world, there won't be any risk of leaking secrets."

"Moreover, I don't plan to make the purchase in the Ye Family's name, but to have the Qi Family do it for us. I've already discussed this with Qi Gongzi—he'll have the Qi Family's Housekeeper handle it for us, so we won't need to trouble Qi Zhifu or Qi Furen."

Hearing that the Qi Family would assist with the purchase, Ye Chongming had no further concerns.

Their business venture included shares from the Qi Family, after all. It was important to note that Ye Yaming had stated she wouldn't charge for the Secret tea-making recipe of Jasmine Tea but would gift it to them.

Those currently learning tea-making from Ye Yaming would be split in half by autumn, with some going to produce Osmanthus Tea for their cooperative business ventures.

"That's good. With the magistrate's family involved, I'm reassured."

At that moment, Lve E entered and whispered something in Ye Yaming's ear.

"Let him in," Ye Yaming said.

Lve E went out, and shortly after, Zan'er entered.

"How many have been identified?" Ye Yaming asked.

"Three."

"Which three? Tell me about their situations," Ye Yaming instructed.

"One is Wei Zheng's brother-in-law, a clerk at the tea workshop. Someone saw him drinking twice with Master Chen's Housekeeper from the east side of the city, and he's been quite flush with money lately."

"Another is Chen San, a clerk at the tea house. He's been in contact several times recently with the steward of a merchant from the capital. The third is Pan Dalin, the youngest son of Master Pan from the Tea Factory, who manages the storeroom at the tea workshop. He's been visiting pleasure houses with Master Zhang's Page from the west side of the city."

Ye Chongming's expression grew increasingly grim as he listened.

Although he had handed over the Tea Factory to his second son and the tea workshops to Ye Hongrong in recent years, he was very familiar with these Manor serfs who had served the Ye Family for generations. He himself had placed many of them in their current positions.

Now, these very people were biting the hand that fed them, helping outsiders steal the Ye Family's Secret tea-making recipe. And to think he had believed Manor serfs wouldn't betray the Ye Family and had opposed Ye Yaming's plan to purchase people from outside."Arrest them all, along with their families. I want to ask them exactly what the Ye family has done to wrong them, that they would act this way," he said angrily.

The Ye family had always treated their servants well. Compared to servants of other households, those serving the Ye family lived quite comfortably. Therefore, Ye Chongming believed that even if there were betrayals, they would only be isolated cases. Most servants remained grateful.

Yet, with just a casual investigation, three were caught—and this was only the beginning. If left unchecked, who knew how many more would be discovered in the future.

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