Glory

Lin Zhensheng smiled and said, "Master Wan has gone to the capital? That book was just something our third young lady wrote for fun. It was taken to the capital by Second Master, and when tea house patrons saw it, they praised it highly, had it copied, and gradually it spread."

Everyone suddenly understood, "So that's how it was."

Wan Youde said, "It wasn't me, it was Master Zhu here who just arrived from the capital who mentioned it."

Master Zhu said, "The tea arrangement trend is flourishing in the capital, which shows how well your family's young lady wrote that book. I heard Master Zhineng went to your family today to propose marriage? Is it for your third young lady?"

Lin Zhensheng shook his head, "I truly don't know about this. Even if there is a marriage proposal, I only learned about it from your conversation just now."

"How could you not know? Marriage negotiations typically involve several rounds of discussion. Didn't your Old Master Ye tell you?"

There was a hint of provocation in these words. Some people always enjoy stirring up trouble, and Lin Zhensheng, having managed the tea house for many years, was well acquainted with their temperament.

He smiled and replied, "This is the master's family matter, and I never pry into such things. From what I just heard you say, the proposer is from a noble family, a fifth-rank official at that, possibly from the capital. If it was First Master and Second Master who negotiated the marriage in the capital, it's quite normal that I wouldn't know."

"Moreover, our Old Master Ye has always been discreet in his dealings. The term 'negotiation' implies it hasn't been finalized yet. If we were to broadcast it to the world at this stage, even a good match could be ruined, and it would damage our young lady's reputation."

Fang Youde nodded, "That makes sense."

"Indeed. The Ye family is a century-old distinguished family that values discretion. Only those newly rich, restless families would broadcast any minor achievement to the world."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

If they had daughters or granddaughters being considered for marriage, especially to families of higher status, they wouldn't announce it until the betrothal gifts were formally exchanged. Otherwise, if the marriage fell through, they would face ridicule, and their young ladies would lose face in society.

...

If this was the reaction among tea house patrons, one could imagine the responses within the various branches of the Ye family.

The most strongly affected was Madame Tao Shi, the wife of the eldest son.

Upon hearing her maid's report, she clutched her handkerchief so tightly that her nails dug into her palm without her feeling any pain.

She felt suffocated, watching the maid's lips move, the voice seeming to come from beyond the clouds.

She was the manager of the Ye household. Even if the next family head wasn't her husband, she, Tao Shi, still governed the inner quarters.

Why? Why would the second branch negotiate a marriage, with betrothal gifts already arriving, without her knowledge? Why was she sitting in her room hearing this news through convoluted channels from a maid?

Even Housekeeper Li Fu wouldn't be kept in the dark, deceived, and treated this way!

Why didn't Old Master Ye and Old Madam Ye give any hint? How could Yin Shi have the nerve to pretend to be worried about her daughter's marriage prospects just yesterday?

Deceivers, all of them!

Nanny Li, Tao Shi's personal attendant who had come with her from her maiden home, recognized the signs of her mistress's fury reaching its breaking point.

She interrupted the maid's incessant chatter, "Enough. Go find out exactly who came to propose to the third young lady."

Only then did the maid notice Tao Shi's pale complexion and hastily curtsied before retreating.Tao Shi's suppressed anger finally erupted: "What do they mean by this? Are they afraid my Qing'er will steal their precious granddaughter's marriage prospect? They're both granddaughters—this favoritism is just too much!"

As she spoke, tears began to fall, and she covered her face with a handkerchief, sobbing uncontrollably.

Mama Li knew she needed an outlet for her emotions.

Though Old Master Ye and Old Madam Ye appeared kind-hearted, they were strict about rules and could be firm when necessary, never allowing themselves to be manipulated. Otherwise, even after twenty years of marriage into the Ye family, Tao Shi would have fully taken control of the inner household. As it stood, most of the management authority still lay with Old Madam Ye.

This was only because the old madam disliked meddling in trivial matters, allowing Tao Shi to handle some affairs without reporting to her. Otherwise, by the rules, Tao Shi would have to seek the old madam's approval for everything, meaning the inner household would remain firmly in the old madam's hands.

Now that the eldest branch had lost power, even forfeiting the position of the next family head, and would only receive twenty percent of the property when the family divided, Tao Shi dared not utter a single word of complaint to the elders or the second branch, no matter how resentful she felt.

But keeping grievances bottled up was unhealthy; a good cry might help her feel better.

After weeping for a while, Tao Shi finally released the pent-up frustration in her heart.

"How could they do this? Yin Shi too. She always seemed so honest, but this time she's pretending as if nothing's wrong," Tao Shi said, her voice thick with nasal congestion.

In the past, Mama Li would have encouraged the madam to make a scene. But now that the eldest branch had fallen out of favor, and the servants had recently been disciplined by Old Madam Ye...

It was unclear why the old madam's surveillance had become so sharp. Just the other day, a maidservant whispered a few provocative words in front of Ye Yaqing, saying that the old master and old madam only doted on the third young lady and no longer cared for the second young lady as they once did, stirring up discontent. That very evening, the maidservant was slapped by Mama Lu and fined two months' wages.

So now, everyone kept their heads down, not daring to stir up trouble.

Mama Li said, "This old servant believes the old master and old madam aren't unwilling to speak of it—they simply don't dare. After all, our family's status is at stake. If this marriage matter were spoken of openly, with so many people in the mansion, it might spread outside. If the engagement falls through, our family would become the laughingstock of Lin'an City. Then, arranging marriages for both the second and third young ladies would become even more difficult."

Seeing Tao Shi's expression soften slightly, she added, "Moreover, I don't think Second Madam is pretending—I believe she genuinely doesn't know."Tao Shi was startled and instinctively retorted, 'How is that possible?" She's the birth mother! How could a marriage arrangement bypass the birth mother?"

Mama Li shook her head. "After more than ten years of interaction, you know Second Madam's temperament. She's an honest person with no cunning. If she had known about this marriage prospect the other day, she would have shown some sign of it. Neither of us noticed anything, which means she truly didn't know."

Tao Shi thought for a moment and nodded.

That was indeed true.

Regardless of other matters, Yin Shi was truly transparent, with no hidden depths. If she had known about the marriage, her behavior the other day would have been different.

With this realization, Tao Shi found it almost unbelievable: "How dare they settle the marriage behind Yin Shi's back like this? If it were me, I'd be furious to death!"Aunt Li sighed, "There's nothing to be done about it. If Yin Shi finds out, won't we know too? She can't keep things to herself, and manages the servants in her courtyard rather loosely."

With this thought, she couldn't help but sigh.

"Brother Shen!"

"Hm!"

As Shen Changqing walked along the path, he would greet acquaintances he encountered with either a verbal greeting or a nod.

But regardless of who it was.

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

Regarding this.

Shen Changqing had long grown accustomed.

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

It could be said.

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

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

When Shen Changqing first arrived in this world, he found it somewhat difficult to adjust, but over time he became used to it.

The Demon Suppression Division was vast.

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

Shen Changqing belonged to the latter category.

The Demon Suppression Division was divided into two main roles: the Garrison Envoy and the Demon Subduing Envoy.

Anyone entering the Demon Suppression Division started from the lowest level as a Demon Subduing Envoy,

then gradually advanced through the ranks, with the ultimate goal of potentially becoming a Garrison Envoy.

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

Possessing his predecessor's memories.

He was also very familiar with the Demon Suppression Division's environment.

Without taking much time, Shen Changqing stopped before a pavilion.

Unlike other solemn and murderous places in the Demon Suppression Division, this pavilion stood out like a crane among chickens, presenting an unusual tranquility amidst the blood-soaked Demon Suppression Division.

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

Shen Changqing merely hesitated for a moment before striding inside.

Upon entering the pavilion.

The environment abruptly changed.

The scent of ink mixed with a faint bloody odor assailed his senses, causing him to instinctively frown, though his expression quickly relaxed.

The bloody scent that clung to every person in the Demon Suppression Division was almost impossible to wash clean.