Glory

He entered the estate at thirteen and is now twenty-seven.

For over a decade, he had been by Housekeeper Lei's side, running errands and handling tasks for him. Over the years, he watched as Housekeeper Lei purchased people batch by batch, taught them the rules, and assigned them to various roles based on their temperament and abilities.

The Ye family, a centuries-old aristocratic house, naturally had clear and detailed rules, laid out one by one like a series of boundaries, letting people know what they could and could not do, and warning them not to overstep.

Ye Yaming first wrote down the rules and had the newly purchased individuals memorize them, much like the Ye family's method of training people. However, the subsequent Points system was the masterstroke.

When the Ye family's servants first entered the estate, having suddenly escaped the dire straits of potential starvation and entered a stable environment where they could eat their fill and dress warmly, they were naturally very grateful. But as time passed, they lost their original sincerity and began to fuss over how much work they did and how much money they earned.

Some were lazy in their daily tasks but, with smooth talk and a knack for flattery, caught their masters' favor and became the most favored attendants. Such occurrences were not uncommon and left the diligent workers resentful. This bred a culture of opportunism. Even though Old Madam Ye and the senior madam managed the household strictly, all sorts of unsavory incidents still happened from time to time.

But if tasks were broken down and scored item by item, it would be clear at a glance who did more or less work, and who did it well or poorly. These Points could then be converted into money, which could be used for food, clothing, building a house, marrying, and raising a family—all achievable through hard work and effort.

In this way, the opportunistic and crooked tendencies could be curbed. Those managing others would find it easier, and those being managed would feel more at ease—truly an excellent system.

"This system of yours is truly wonderful, Miss. Thank you," he said cheerfully.

"Copy this document and post it up, keeping the original for yourself. This batch of people is now under your management. If anything goes wrong with them, I won’t hold them accountable—I’ll hold you responsible. If you do well, you’ll specialize in this area. In the future, when we need to purchase people for work in Huizhou or other newly acquired tea mountains, I’ll send you to train them."

Hearing Ye Yaming’s words, Sun An felt both excitement and trepidation.

"I’m willing to give it a try," he said. "If I don’t perform well, Miss, you can replace me at any time. I’ll have no complaints."

Ye Yaming nodded. "Alright, begin the briefing."

She stayed at the estate for a little over half a day, checking on the jasmine flowers, before returning to the main residence.

As soon as she returned, Old Mrs. Ye said to her, "There’s trouble at the tea factory."

"Ah? What’s going on?" Ye Yaming set down the teacup she had just raised to her lips.

"I heard that you bought new people to make Jasmine Tea. The old-timers and apprentices at the tea factory are saying they’ve worked diligently for the Ye family their entire lives—why weren’t they chosen instead of bringing in new people? Over this matter, Master Pan and a few other tea-making masters specifically sought out your grandfather, demanding an explanation."

Ye Yaming laughed in frustration. "They became senior tea-making masters because the Ye family trained them from scratch. Now they act like great benefactors, daring to question the masters based on seniority. If we compromise this time, won’t the tea factory end up being run by them in the future?"

"Exactly. Your grandfather was furious too," Old Mrs. Ye said. "But it’s a matter of face spanning generations. I suspect that, no matter how angry he is, your grandfather will end up compromising a little and giving them a few spots.""No." Ye Yaming stood up. "For the Dragon Well Tea project, we've already selected all their apprentices—that was already saving their face. Yet they're still unsatisfied, even having the nerve to make trouble. Truly, greed knows no bounds. I'll go see what's happening."

With that, she ordered a carriage prepared and went to the Tea Factory.

Inside the Tea Factory, Ye Chongming's expression was grim as he listened to the tea-making masters alternating between soft words and harsh demands.

Hearing that Ye Yaming had arrived, he picked up his teacup. "We'll discuss this matter later. You may return to your duties for now."

The tea-making masters exchanged glances, bowed, and withdrew. Just as they stepped outside, they encountered Ye Yaming ascending the steps.

"Third Young Miss," they smiled and bowed to her.

Meng Ji was already waiting under the corridor eaves. Seeing this, he quickly said, "Young Miss, Old Master Ye is waiting for you inside."

Ye Yaming nodded to Master Pan and the others, then stepped across the threshold.

"Please proceed, masters," Meng Ji gestured to Master Pan.

Once everyone outside had descended the steps, Ye Yaming asked, "Grandfather, how do you plan to handle this matter?"

Ye Chongming smiled bitterly. "That's exactly what angers me. These masters hold our Ye family's secret tea-making recipe. Their sons, grandsons, or apprentices are currently making Dragon Well Tea up in the mountains. If we don't save their face, even if they don't sell the secret recipe outright, they'll surely create obstacles for us."

If not for this situation, how would Master Pan and the others—a group of servants bound by life contracts—dare to threaten their masters? They simply knew the Ye family couldn't sell them off and couldn't bear to have them beaten to death, leaving no choice but compromise.

Ye Chongming was so furious he felt internal injuries brewing.

"These are the people who've been contacting outsiders, trying to sell the secret recipe," Ye Yaming took out a piece of paper and placed it before Ye Chongming.

"For those who betray the Ye family, we should punish them one degree more severely than previous cases. Send Master Pan and the others along with their entire families—young and old—to the tea gardens in Huizhou. Have them reclaim wasteland and cultivate tea plants for three years. If they still refuse to repent, then sell them off. By that time, if we sell the Dragon Well Tea secret recipe, what they hold will become worthless."

Ye Yaming knew prominent families had their methods for dealing with traitors—the ruthless would have them beaten to death directly; the merciful would administer a potion that rendered them mute before selling them to northwestern mines. Those who could write might even have their hands crippled, ensuring they could never leak the family's secrets in any way.

As the saying goes: "Compassion doesn't command troops, sentiment doesn't establish affairs, righteousness doesn't manage wealth, kindness doesn't govern officials."

While managing such vast family enterprises, if one shows mercy when servants try to undermine the family's foundation, major trouble will inevitably follow.

"Good," Ye Chongming felt greatly relieved.

When handling the Cai Shi matter previously, he had noticed Ye Yaming clearly showed mercy. If he and Mei Shi had been slightly more ruthless, she might have developed reservations.

For a teenage girl without much experience, being kind-hearted was natural. But as the head of such a large family enterprise, showing mercy toward traitors was not beneficial.

Fortunately, Ye Yaming knew when to be kind and when to be stern, able to distinguish between priorities and right from wrong. Ye Chongming felt profoundly comforted.

"I'll handle this immediately," Ye Chongming stood up, telling Ye Yaming, "There's no need for you to come along. If word spreads about your severity before you even take over family management, it wouldn't be good for you."Apart from this, Ye Chongming was also worried that a reputation for ruthlessness might hinder Ye Yaming's marriage prospects.

Lu Guanyi had already returned to the capital, where he would report the marriage proposal to the Crown Prince. Master Zhineng would personally deliver the betrothal gifts and follow the formal rites of the three letters and six etiquettes. In this process, Ye Chongming did not want any mishaps to occur.

"Brother Shen!"

"Hmm!"

As Shen Changqing walked along the road, whenever he encountered someone familiar, they would greet each other or exchange nods.

But no matter who it was.

Everyone's face bore no extra expression, as if they were indifferent to everything.

Regarding this.

Shen Changqing was already accustomed to it.

Because this was the Demon Suppression Division, an institution responsible for maintaining the stability of Great Qin. Its primary duty was to slay demons, monsters, and supernatural beings, though it also handled some side tasks.

It could be said.

That everyone in the Demon Suppression Division had much blood on their hands.

When a person becomes accustomed to life and death, they grow indifferent to many things.

When Shen Changqing first arrived in this world, he found it somewhat hard to adapt, but over time, he grew used to it.

The Demon Suppression Division was vast.

Those who could remain in the Demon Suppression Division were either highly skilled experts or individuals with the potential to become experts.

Shen Changqing belonged to the latter category.

Within the Demon Suppression Division, there were two main roles: the Garrison Envoy and the Demon Subduing Envoy.

Anyone who entered the Demon Suppression Division started from the lowest rank of Demon Subduing Envoy.

Then, step by step, they could advance, with the ultimate goal of becoming a Garrison Envoy.

Shen Changqing's predecessor was a probationary Demon Subduing Envoy within the Demon Suppression Division, the lowest tier among the Demon Subduing Envoys.

Possessing the memories of his predecessor.

He was very familiar with the environment of the Demon Suppression Division.

It didn't take long for Shen Changqing to stop in front of a pavilion.

Unlike the other solemn and murderous areas of the Demon Suppression Division, this pavilion stood out like a crane among chickens, presenting a unique tranquility amidst the blood-soaked atmosphere of the division.

At this moment, the pavilion's door was wide open, with people occasionally entering and exiting.

Shen Changqing hesitated only for a moment before stepping inside.

Upon entering the pavilion.

The environment abruptly changed.

A scent of ink mixed with a faint smell of blood assailed his senses, causing him to instinctively frown, but he quickly relaxed.

The bloody odor that clung to everyone in the Demon Suppression Division was almost impossible to wash away completely.