Glory

Ye Hongsheng and Ye Hongrong's in-laws had come to offer congratulations, and both were entertaining guests in the adjacent side hall. Upon hearing the news, they hurried out.

From the Yin family, Yin Shi's elder brother Yin Weiqian and his wife had arrived. Madam Yin had gone to the inner courtyard. Knowing his brother-in-law was a scholar who disliked socializing and crowds, and considering the Ye clan relatives were numerous and boisterous, Ye Hongsheng accompanied him in the side hall for conversation.

In the Zhang family, Zhang Shi was born of a concubine. Her father, Zhang Zhizhong, was a major salt merchant in Jiangnan. Originally, the Ye family's wealth couldn't compare to the Zhangs', and Ye Hongrong was an unpromising youngest son. Zhang Zhizhong looked down on both the Ye family and his inexperienced son-in-law.

When the Ye eldest branch married off a daughter, Zhang Shi assumed her family would merely send a brother to the wedding as a gesture of face. Her birth mother, being a concubine, couldn't attend social events—even if she wanted to show support or seize the chance to see her daughter.

She never expected her father to come personally, bringing along her eldest legitimate brother, the future family head.

When Ye Hongrong sent word, she was stunned. Disregarding that the front courtyard was full of male guests, she rushed over with her servants.

After Zhang Zhizhong paid respects to Ye Chongming and Ye Hongchang in the main hall, he learned that the Yin brother-in-law was in the side hall and joined them there.

Now, hearing that the prefect had arrived in person, Zhang Zhizhong had an idea. He cupped his hands toward Yin Weiqian from a distance and smiled, "Master Yin, shall we go see?"

Yin Weiqian, a scholar though without hope of advancement, deeply admired those who had passed the imperial exams and become prefects.

He hesitated, "Wouldn't that be too impolite?"

Zhang Zhizhong said, "There are many guests in this courtyard. Surely everyone will go greet the prefect. Not going out would be the real discourtesy."

Yin Weiqian found this reasonable, "I was mistaken. Please, Master Zhang."

"After you, Master Yin."

They deferentially stepped out and indeed saw many people standing under the corridor, discussing the matter in hushed tones, their excitement palpable.

Soon, Ye Chongming entered with his three sons, accompanying Prefect Qi and his son.

Seeing the crowd in the corridor bowing to him, Qi Zhipei quickly returned the courtesy, exchanged a few polite words, and followed Ye Chongming into the main hall.

The Ye clan relatives who had been in the main hall came out to watch the excitement and were then invited by Li Fu to the side halls and wing rooms.

Shortly after, the three Ye brothers emerged and separately invited the Ye clan leader, Yin Weiqian, and Zhang Zhizhong inside to talk.

About two ke later, Qi Zhipei took his leave with his son.

When the clan leader returned, the Ye relatives gathered around him, asking, "Clan Leader, what did the prefect say?"

The clan leader seemed dazed, "He just asked about our clan affairs."

His eyes focusing, he solemnly warned everyone, "From now on, no one is to comment on Chongming's household changing heads—not even in private discussions."

That prefect had clearly been more enthusiastic toward Ye Yaming than toward Ye Chongming, and the prefect's son acted quite familiar with her.

Ye Chongxian believed Ye Yaming's fiancé must be someone of prominent status to warrant such special treatment from the prefect and his son.

Meanwhile, Zhang Zhizhong was admonishing Zhang Shi, "You must treat the second branch well, especially your third young lady. She's a capable person. Your branch will do well to follow her."

He was astute; it was under him that the Zhang family had grown into major salt merchants.Ye Chongming and Ye Hongchang were people he had met when Zhang Shi got married. The reason he hadn't thought much of the Ye family was because he believed that with the capabilities of the Ye father and son, maintaining the status quo was already commendable, and further advancement was simply impossible.

Unexpectedly, the Ye family had produced a Third Miss.

News of the Ye family producing Tribute Tea and having a daughter engaged to a fifth-rank official reached Zhang Zhizhong's ears. He then summoned Zhang Shi's dowry Housekeeper back to inquire in detail about the Ye family's situation.

Thus, he had a basic understanding of Ye Yaming's circumstances.

During his recent meeting with the prefect, he had noticed that the prefect treated Ye Yaming completely differently.

It seemed that in front of the prefect, Ye Yaming held even higher status than Ye Chongming, the Old Master Ye of the family. For a fourth-rank prefect to show such special regard, it could only mean that either Ye Yaming's fiancé was of even more distinguished status than imagined, or this Third Miss was truly exceptional.

That was why Zhang Zhizhong felt uneasy and reminded his daughter.

Zhang Shi nodded: "Father, I understand. Don't worry."

With so many eyes and ears around at the moment, Zhang Zhizhong couldn't say much even if he remained concerned. Seeing Yin Weiqian, who had been greeting guests at the entrance, come in, he quickly went up and started chatting with him again.

Zhang Zhizhong, being a businessman, was extremely eloquent and had mastered the art of speaking appropriately to different people. Now that he intended to befriend Yin Weiqian, he naturally pulled out all the stops.

Although the Yin family were scholar-farmers, they were the poorest among the four daughters-in-law of the Ye family. Surrounded by in-laws dressed in gold and silver, attended by servants, and displaying great pomp, the Yin family inevitably felt somewhat inferior, though they didn't hold the typical scholar's disdain for merchants. Yin Weiqian's social circle was narrow, and he was quite naive by nature.

Now being warmly received by Zhang Zhizhong, who clearly intended to befriend him, Yin Weiqian felt rather flattered and responded with equal enthusiasm.

Before long, Zhang Zhizhong and Yin Weiqian were addressing each other as brothers and getting along famously. When servants came to invite guests to the banquet, the two entered arm in arm.

Yin Shi knew her brother's temperament, and since the Yin family was considered the "poor relatives" of the Ye family, she was very concerned that Yin Weiqian might be neglected in the front courtyard. She repeatedly sent servants to check on the situation.

When she heard from servants that the prefect had shown special favor to her brother, being even more enthusiastic than he was toward Master Zhang, and that Master Zhang himself had been exceptionally warm toward her brother, Yin Shi was momentarily stunned before suddenly breaking into a wry smile.

Of course. Their second branch was completely different from before. The Yin family, as her daughter's maternal relatives, had risen in status accordingly and now held an unusual position among the Ye family and their in-laws.

The fickleness of human relationships and the tendency to fawn on the powerful were simply like this.

After the banquet, Yin Shi politely urged her sister-in-law Lü Shi to stay: "Sister-in-law, it's been so long since we last saw each other. Don't rush back—come to my place for some tea before you leave?"

Lü Shi had clearly observed the changed status of the second branch during this wedding banquet.

When the eldest branch's Ye Yaxiu and Ye Jiaxing got married, she had also attended the wedding banquet. Tao Shi's maternal relatives had been polite toward both her and her sister-in-law Yin Shi, but their attitude had been rather lukewarm.

This time, however, they had been exceptionally warm toward both of them. Tao Shi's elder sister-in-law in particular had showered them with compliments that even made Lü Shi blush to hear.

"Alright, I'll come sit with you for a while," she agreed readily.

The two sisters-in-law went to Yin Shi's courtyard.

After sitting down and watching the maid pour tea before withdrawing, Lü Shi leaned close to Yin Shi and whispered: "Younger sister, given Ming'er's fiancé's status, he should be able to request imperial physicians for medical consultations, right?"Hearing this question, Yin Shi was puzzled.

Thinking of her parents' age, she immediately grew anxious and asked, "What's wrong? Who's sick?"

Lü Shi quickly waved her hand, "No, no, no one is sick."