Glory

After the meal, Ye Yaming still went to Ye Yaqing's courtyard.

"Second sister, congratulations," she said cheerfully to Ye Yaqing as soon as she entered the room.

Ye Yaqing blushed and shot her a mock-annoyed look. "You rarely visit, and now you're teasing me as soon as you arrive."

Ye Yaming had been busy making Jasmine Tea recently and hadn't seen Ye Yaqing for over a month.

Noticing that Ye Yaqing had shed her previous melancholy, now wearing a joyful expression with slightly fuller cheeks compared to her former thin face, Ye Yaming knew she was quite satisfied with this marriage arrangement.

"Have they mentioned when the wedding will be?" she asked.

Ye Yaqing was seventeen, which was considered not young by ancient standards. However, the traditional three letters and six etiquettes would take about half a year to complete, so the wedding would likely be held over half a year later.

Ye Yaqing lowered her head shyly. "They've chosen an auspicious date. My mother selected the fifth month of next year."

"I'll definitely prepare a grand gift for Second Sister when the time comes," Ye Yaming said with a smile.

Remembering Ye Yaming's own uncertain marriage situation, Ye Yaqing looked up with concern, wanting to offer comfort but unsure how to begin.

Pretending not to notice her hesitation, Ye Yaming changed the subject. After sitting a while longer, she took her leave.

...

With apprentices now trained in making Jasmine Tea, Ye Yaming didn't need to labor over this year's Osmanthus Tea production. After just one demonstration, the apprentices could produce the tea competently.

Meanwhile, Ye Jia had already reserved next year's Spring Tea supply according to their usual acreage.

After the Osmanthus Tea season, the tea garden entered a rest period. Having been busy for most of the year, Ye Yaming finally found some leisure time.

She drew designs for lidded bowls and showed them to Qi Ji.

"This is called the Three Talents Cup. The lid represents heaven, the saucer represents earth, and the teacup in between represents humanity... The Three Talents Cup symbolizes the unity of 'heaven, earth, and humanity' working together to cultivate tea's essence," Ye Yaming explained the symbolism and meaning behind the Three Talents Cup.

Qi Ji had already experienced the benefits of tea "culture."

Hadn't their tea set sales flourished thanks to the "Tea Arrangement" book? "Tea Arrangement" had endowed tea utensils with "cultural significance," making them sought after by scholars and refined individuals, thus setting tea trends throughout the Great Jin dynasty.

Therefore, even for this simple lidded cup with saucer, Ye Yaming could elaborate on the entire set of cultural connotations, earning Qi Ji's profound admiration.

"Miss Ye, could you write another book? Specifically about this Three Talents Cup?" Qi Ji asked.

Ye Yaming thought for a moment. "Alright, I'll write another book then - about tea brewing methods and introducing the Three Talents Cup."

Although loose tea had existed for some time, it was previously used mainly by the poor to quench thirst without particular brewing methods - just pouring hot water directly.

But now that the court had abolished brick tea in favor of loose tea, nobles and scholars had started drinking loose tea. To bring out the best flavor, not only tea processing techniques mattered but also brewing methods. Otherwise, even the finest tea would be wasted if brewed incorrectly.

Recalling their first meeting at Chongshan Temple where Ye Yaming had brewed tea for them while explaining everything so knowledgeably that both he and Lu Guanyi were astonished, Qi Ji clapped his hands. "Excellent!"

"Does Qi Gongzi plan to purchase more tea mountains?" Ye Yaming asked.

Last year's purchases of tea mountains in Huizhou and construction of tea houses had nearly depleted their pooled funds.After finishing this year's Jasmine Tea production, Ye Yaming trained a group of tea-making masters for both cooperating parties. Qi Ji and a Housekeeper from Ye Jia then led them to produce tea on the tea mountains in Zhou Jiawang's area.

Previously, the Estate Holders on the tea mountains had to not only pick the tea leaves but also process them into Crude Tea, which was time-consuming and labor-intensive. Now, they only needed to pick the fresh leaves and hand them over to Qi Ji and his team. Once Qi Ji and the others finished processing the tea, both parties went through the formalities at the Tea Monopoly Bureau, and the batch of tea was traded.

Thus, the three cooperating parties—Lu, Qi, and Ye—managed to reap the profits from the tail end of the summer tea and the entire autumn tea. Combined with the considerable income from tea sets, the silver previously spent was recouped.

Recouping the investment in less than a year highlighted the industry's high profits, and Qi Ji was naturally tempted.

He asked, "Where does Miss Ye plan to buy tea mountains? Still in Huizhou?"

"No, in Minzhou," Ye Yaming replied.

She had her eyes on Minzhou's oolong tea.

When it came to tea brewing artistry, the oolong tea ceremony was the way to go. By then, purple clay teapots could be introduced to the market.

Qi Ji hesitated.

If Lu Guanyi were home, and they could go together like last year, that would be ideal. But now, with Lu Guanyi absent, if he went to Minzhou with Ye Yaming—even with Ye Hongrong accompanying them—he worried his friend might grow jealous after such prolonged close contact.

"The journey is arduous, and Minzhou is even farther than Huizhou. Miss Ye, you've worked hard all year. Why not leave this matter to me? I'll take people there."

The two were not meeting alone; Ye Chongming was also present.

Hearing this, he agreed wholeheartedly: "Yes, Qi Gongzi is right. Let them handle it, Ming'er. You should rest at home."

Ye Yaming was also somewhat daunted by the transportation and hardships of travel in this era. In modern times, regardless of planes or high-speed trains, even self-driving in a car allowed for breaks and supplies at service areas along the way. If one grew tired, they could always exit the highway and find a hotel to rest.

In ancient times, however, such conveniences were nonexistent.

Moreover, she understood Qi Ji's concerns. Although she did not fear gossip and believed Lu Guanyi was not the petty type—if he were, it would be better to find out early and call off the engagement upon his return—she could not disregard the friendship between Lu Guanyi and Qi Ji. She also had no desire to let others use her reputation against her, putting herself in a passive position.

She said, "Very well. I'll recall my fourth uncle and Fang Xing to go with you."

She would write down the specific locations and descriptions of the tea trees for Ye Hongrong and Fang Xing, trusting they could purchase the tea mountains she wanted.

Ye Chongming added, "If Ming'er isn't going, Qi Gongzi, there's no need for you to go now either. Minzhou is far, and you might not make it back for the New Year. Traveling in winter is truly miserable. It would be better to wait until next spring when the weather is warmer. After all, you don't need to oversee tea production, and other matters can be handled by the Housekeeper. With more flexible travel time, taking the water route would be much more comfortable."

"Exactly," Ye Yaming agreed. "I suggested it now because I only recently found the time. I originally planned to go myself. Since I'm not going, you should wait until next spring."

As a noble young master, Qi Ji naturally preferred to avoid hardship if possible. With both the Ye grandfather and granddaughter advising this, he readily agreed.After discussing this matter, he proactively said to Ye Yaming: "There might be some changes in the capital recently. However, it won't affect Lin'an here, so you don't need to worry."

Ye Chongming immediately became tense upon hearing this: "What kind of changes? Should I tell Hongchang to withdraw first?"

"Brother Shen!"

"Hmm!"

As Shen Changqing walked along the road, he would greet or nod to acquaintances he encountered.

But regardless of who it was.

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

Regarding this.

Shen Changqing had already grown accustomed.

Because this was the Demon Suppression Division, an institution that maintained the stability of Great Qin, with the primary duty of slaying demons, monsters, and evil spirits, though it also handled some other side operations.

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 he first arrived in this world, Shen Changqing was somewhat unaccustomed, 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.

Within the Demon Suppression Division, there were two main professions: one was the Garrison Envoy, and the other was the Demon Subduing Envoy.

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

then gradually advanced, with the ultimate hope of becoming a Garrison Envoy.

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

Possessing the memories of his predecessor.

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

Without taking much time, Shen Changqing stopped in front of a pavilion.

Unlike other solemn and murderous places in the Demon Suppression Division, this pavilion stood out like a crane among chickens, presenting a different kind of tranquility within the blood-soaked Demon Suppression Division.

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

Shen Changqing only hesitated for a moment before striding inside.

Upon entering the pavilion.

The environment suddenly changed.

A mix of ink fragrance and a faint bloody scent assailed his senses, causing him to instinctively frown, but he quickly relaxed.

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