Glory

Ye Yaqing did not decline, offering Ye Yaming a deep bow. "Thank you, Third Sister."

In her heart, she secretly resolved that after marriage, she must earn more money. When it was Ye Yaming's turn to marry, she would not only return the gift Ye Yaming had given her but also give even more.

A dowry was the only legitimate opportunity for a woman to acquire independent property in her lifetime. Even if she were to separate from her husband later, she could take these assets with her to support her future life.

Thus, the two shops Ye Yaming had given her were not merely money or a gesture of goodwill. They were an additional safeguard for a worry-free life, beyond what her grandparents and parents could provide.

Old Madam Ye had always been partial—first favoring the eldest branch and her fourth son, and in recent years, she had grown particularly fond of Ye Yaming.

Seeing Ye Yaming’s extravagant gift, she felt both heartache for her third granddaughter and relief that Yin Shi was not present; otherwise, she would have been furious.

Even if Ye Yaqing intended to return the favor in the future, no amount of money could buy such shops.

People often said, "One shop can support three generations." A good shopfront truly had the potential to sustain descendants for generations. Yet instead of keeping such shops for herself, Ye Yaming had given them to Ye Yaqing as part of her dowry. This child was not only generous but also lacked foresight for her own future!

Moreover, if the shops remained in Ye Yaming’s hands, they would stay within the Ye family. By giving them to Ye Yaqing, they would eventually become the property of the Xie family.

The more Old Madam Ye thought about it, the more it pained her.

Tao Shi was also stunned by Ye Yaming’s generosity.

She and Ye Hongchang had gifted Ye Yaqing a manor worth ten thousand taels. But compared to Ye Yaming’s bridal gift, theirs seemed as if they were step-parents.

She knew Ye Yaming had earned a sum of money from selling a tea formula. But no matter how wealthy she was, it was rare to be so willing to give such valuable shops to a cousin.

Her emotions grew increasingly complicated, and she once again expressed her gratitude sincerely, "Ming'er, your aunt thanks you."

After presenting her gift, Ye Yaming prepared to take her leave. "Eldest Sister rarely returns. You should catch up. I still have matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now."

With a bow, she turned to leave.

"Ah, I’ll go back with you," Old Madam Ye quickly rose to her feet.

Ye Yaqing was to marry the next day, and Ye Yaxiu had traveled from afar to visit after years apart. They had invited her to sit and chat with the family.

But after witnessing the attitudes of Tao Shi and Ye Yaxiu, Old Madam Ye feared that staying longer would lead to an argument with the mother and daughter.

It was better to leave with Ye Yaming and take the opportunity to lecture the overly generous child along the way.

As soon as they stepped out of the eldest branch’s courtyard, Old Madam Ye began scolding Ye Yaming. "Grandmother knows you and your sister are close, but no matter how deep your bond, it would have been better to give Qing’er ten thousand taels for her dowry. Why give her shops? Those shops are so hard to come by..." and so on.

Ye Yaming simply smiled and listened to Old Madam Ye’s reprimands.

Only after Old Madam Ye had finished did she calmly explain, "Those shops aren’t that difficult to acquire. I had a reliable agent investigate carefully, and with a bit more money, they can still be bought. As for giving cash, it’s not only prone to attracting thieves but also easily spent if Second Sister isn’t careful with her finances. Shops are different—the monthly rent alone is enough for her incidental expenses, and in the end, the shops remain intact."

This was the truth.

She had bribed a group of loafers and beggars in Lin'an and the capital to serve as informants. It wasn’t difficult to track the movements of shop owners. Once she learned which shop owners were in financial straits, she would have her agent inquire, keep a close watch, and with enough money, she could always make a purchase."Moreover, the two shops she gave to Ye Yaqing were located in areas two or three grades below prime locations, so their actual value was quite limited."

"There’s no need to give away so much money. Even Da Bo and his wife, as her birth parents, only gave ten thousand taels, and the family fund only contributed twenty thousand taels."

"Grandmother," Ye Yaming called out to her, "Second Sister and I are close in age, and we’ve been good friends since childhood. Second Sister and Eldest Sister, as well as I and Fourth Sister, have a larger age gap. Even as biological sisters, our bond isn’t as deep as mine with Second Sister. If I were incapable, I wouldn’t mind, but since I have the means, I hope to give Second Sister more assets to rely on." This was indeed the reason Ye Yaming had taken pains to purchase two shops for Ye Yaqing.

Regardless of the deep affection the original host had for Ye Yaqing, after Ye Yaming transmigrated, aside from Yin Shi and Ye Yayin, it was Ye Yaqing who accompanied her, caring for her and asking after her well-being. When Ye Yaming said she wanted to go to the Tea Garden in the mountains to relax, Ye Yaqing had accompanied her without hesitation.

In her previous life, Ye Yaming had shallow familial ties and few close friends. After transmigrating to this unfamiliar world, Ye Yaqing’s pure, unadulterated sisterly affection warmed Ye Yaming’s heart.

In her past life, Ye Yaming had more money than she could spend, and in this life, she was not short of funds either. Thus, she held a rather detached view of wealth. With tens of thousands of taels at her disposal and the prospect of hundreds of thousands more in the future, giving Ye Yaqing two shops at this critical juncture in her life was, to Ye Yaming, not a decision that required hesitation.

"It’s not easy for women to establish themselves in this world. The only time they gain control over property is when they marry. A dowry is not just a woman’s confidence in her husband’s family—it’s her confidence in living in this world. Since I have the money, why not give more? The family fund is one thing—with so many grandchildren, it’s impossible to give each a dowry of over a hundred thousand taels. Once rules are set, they’re hard to change. But as for Da Bo and his wife, I can’t control how they manage things. Let each act according to their own heart."

If Ye Yaming hadn’t become the family head, she might have considered Ye Hongchang and Tao Shi’s feelings, as well as Ye Hongsheng and Yin Shi’s situation.

But now that she was the family head, and Tao Shi’s petty schemes were frequently revealed, she couldn’t be bothered to overthink it.

Wouldn’t it be better to spend that effort earning more money?

"Since you’re aware, you should plan for yourself. You’re not marrying into an ordinary family like the Xies. And as you said, the family fund’s rules are hard to change. Even if you’re given more silver, it won’t be by much. You should keep your hundred thousand taels for your own dowry. And those two shops—you should keep them for yourself. Second Sister’s husband’s family is in Lin’an, and with Da Bo and his wife keeping an eye on her, she won’t suffer."

Old Madam Ye knew that Ye Yaming had given silver to Yin Shi and helped Ye Yayin and Ye Yayu open shops. Since they were her birth mother and sisters, and Ye Yayu’s situation was particularly pitiable, there was nothing to say about that. But as for Ye Yaqing, she truly felt there was no need to give such generous wedding gifts.

"If I only had this hundred thousand taels, I wouldn’t be so generous," Ye Yaming said with a laugh. "But later, I’ll be selling several Tea formulas. At the very least, there will be three to five of them. Each one will sell for hundreds of thousands of taels, and Grandfather will give me a share of a hundred thousand taels for each. Think about it, Grandmother—would I care about ten thousand taels?"Old Mrs. Ye stared in astonishment: "You... you still have three to five tea formulas to sell?"

"Indeed," Ye Yaming replied. "Haven't you tried the Tieguanyin I brought back from Minzhou? And the Dark Tea I plan to sell to the border regions—you haven't tasted that either, have you? Next spring, Huangshan Maofeng and Qimen Black Tea from Huizhou will be available on the market. That makes four types of tea already. For each variety, I intend to sell the tea formula, not to mention the profits from selling the tea leaves themselves."

"Brother Shen!"

"Hmm!"

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

But regardless of who it was.

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

Regarding this.

Shen Changqing had long grown accustomed.

Because this was the Demon Suppression Division—an institution dedicated to maintaining the stability of Great Qin, whose primary duty involved slaying demons, monsters, and supernatural entities, though it also handled some secondary operations.

It could be said.

That every person in the Demon Suppression Division had countless bloodstains on their hands.

When one becomes accustomed to life and death, they naturally grow indifferent toward many matters.

When Shen Changqing first arrived in this world, he found it somewhat difficult to adapt, 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 formidable experts or individuals with the potential to become such experts.

Shen Changqing belonged to the latter category.

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

Every person entering the Demon Suppression Division started from the lowest rank of Demon Subduing Envoy,

then advanced step by step, with the ultimate prospect of becoming a Garrison Envoy.

Shen Changqing's predecessor had been a probationary Demon Subduing Envoy within the Division—the lowest tier among Demon Subduing Envoys.

Possessing his predecessor's memories.

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

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

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

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

After only a moment's hesitation, Shen Changqing stepped inside.

Upon entering the pavilion.

The atmosphere abruptly transformed.

The scent of ink mixed with faint traces of blood assailed his senses, causing him to instinctively furrow his brows before quickly relaxing them again.

The blood-soaked aura that clung to every member of the Demon Suppression Division was nearly impossible to wash away completely.