Glory

"But how did you find it?" she asked.

"After you mentioned it, I sent people to search in the south. They finally found this type and rushed to have craftsmen carve it into jewelry to send over," Lu Guanyi said with a smile. "There's plenty more of this jade in the south. If you want more, I can have people send it later."

Ye Yaming felt deeply moved.

Transportation was inconvenient these days. The journey from the north to the south was long and arduous, requiring crossing national borders, not to mention the effort needed to locate this specific jade. She couldn't imagine how much work it must have taken.

She shook her head: "No need, having this set is enough."Whether it was because the local area didn't have better quality or because those searching for the jade didn't know how to select properly, this set of jadeite was only high ice type rather than glass type." However, since Lu Guanyi had specifically gifted it to her, it held special meaning. In Ye Yaming's heart, this set of jewelry was even more precious than the glass set from her previous life.

Therefore, this set was sufficient. She didn't want Lu Guanyi's subordinates exhausting themselves day and night for her minor preferences, wasting resources and effort.

Lu Guanyi tightened his grip on her hand.

He knew what she was thinking. He was deeply moved by her consideration.

Ye Yaming said, "I also have a gift for you."

"What is it?" Lu Guanyi asked, his eyes lighting up.

Ye Yaming stood up, retrieved a box from the nearby table, and handed Lu Guanyi a key: "Open it and see."

Lu Guanyi noticed the box had a lock. He glanced at Ye Yaming, wondering what gift could be so valuable that it needed to be locked even at home. Nevertheless, he smoothly took the key and unlocked it.

The moment he lifted the lid, he froze.

He turned to look at Ye Yaming: "A military strategy book?"

Ye Yaming nodded: "Yes."

"The Thirty-Six Stratagems" - in her previous life, it was considered essential reading for CEOs. She had thoroughly studied and memorized it, benefiting greatly from it.

Because she enjoyed it, she had also read "The Art of War," though she hadn't managed to memorize it.

Recently, she had noticed Lu Guanyi constantly reading military strategy books. However, ancient military texts were quite limited, with only a few circulating repeatedly. Since "The Thirty-Six Stratagems" wasn't among them, she conceived the idea of writing it down from memory to gift to Lu Guanyi.

"I read this in a dream; the author is unknown."

Upon hearing it was a military text bestowed by celestial beings, Lu Guanyi became extremely excited. He stopped eating immediately, had a maid bring water to wash his hands, and began reading the book.

Ye Yaming knew once he started reading, he wouldn't put it down. Fortunately, they had almost finished their meal. She had the table cleared and said to Lu Guanyi, "Go read in the study."

Lu Guanyi didn't want to stop reading at all, but he still listened to her and went to the west chamber study in the main courtyard.

Ye Yaming returned to the east chamber, bathed, and went to sleep by herself.

The next morning when she woke up, she asked Qingzhi: "Did the young master stay up all night reading?"

"Indeed," Qingzhi handed her a towel. "The study lamp was lit all night, and it seems he's still reading now. Earlier I saw An Tai bring washing supplies but he stood at the door, not daring to enter."

After finishing her morning routine, Ye Yaming went to the west chamber and indeed found An Tai standing there holding the items.

When An Tai saw her, his eyes lit up. He hurried over and said: "Madam, please persuade the young master. He's been reading all night and is still sitting there now. I'm worried his health can't take it."

"Alright, I'll talk to him," Ye Yaming said as she entered the study.Lu Guanyi was sitting at his desk writing something, so absorbed that he didn't notice Ye Yaming entering.

Fearing she might startle him by speaking suddenly, Ye Yaming deliberately made some noise.

"Get out, don't bother me," Lu Guanyi said with a frown.

Knowing he mistook her for An Tai, Ye Yaming spoke up, "It's me."

Lu Guanyi paused, turned his head, and upon seeing Ye Yaming, his face lit up with excitement as he reached out to her. "Ming'er, this book you gave me is truly remarkable. It's indeed a divine book—incredible, absolutely incredible."

Ye Yaming walked over and glanced at the reflections he had written. "Are these tactical analyses based on real examples?"

"Yes," Lu Guanyi replied. "They're all historical battle cases from the Great Jin Dynasty."

Enthusiastically, he pointed to a passage he had written. "Look at this battle. If they had first used the 'Lure the Tiger Out of the Mountain' strategy from the Thirty-Six Stratagems, followed by 'Extract the Firewood from Under the Cauldron,' they could have achieved a great victory."

At this point, his expression darkened. "Unfortunately, the general at the time used the wrong stratagem, resulting in the troops falling into a trap and losing more than half of their twenty thousand soldiers."

Ye Yaming had once studied the Thirty-Six Stratagems extensively. Her ability to dominate the business world at a young age and build her enterprise into a multinational listed company wasn't solely due to her sharp intellect.

She excelled at learning, applying theoretical knowledge to practice with flexibility.

Reviewing the troop comparisons and battle analyses Lu Guanyi had written, she nodded. "After luring the tiger out of the mountain, you could employ 'Fish in Troubled Waters.' Look, the Great Jin's forces weren't from a single tribe; the tribes didn't know each other. Plus, after luring the tiger away, their defenses would be weakened. We could send an elite unit disguised in their uniforms, infiltrate their ranks, and eliminate their commanders..."

Outside the door, An Tai and Ziyuan listened to the lively discussion inside and exchanged glances.

Not only had their mistress failed to persuade the young master to come out, but she had also gotten herself drawn into the conversation.

However, An Tai was delighted, extremely so.

He never expected the young mistress to possess such insight—not only could she gift the young master a divine book, but she could also discuss tactics with him based on its contents.

Throughout the entire Great Jin Dynasty, there wasn't another woman like her. It was truly a blessing from heaven that the young master had married such a wife.

...

In the capital, it seemed there was no end to the banquets. Those who hadn't hosted feasts before the New Year were sure to hold them afterward, inviting relatives and friends far and wide.

Originally, the status of the Xuanwu Marquis Household was quite awkward. Because Lu Zhongyong was stationed at the border year-round, people in the capital were unfamiliar with him. In the past, Shi Shi had represented the Marquis Household in social interactions. But now, even if Shi Shi hadn't been executed or imprisoned, she was branded as a criminal, and those who had once been close to her kept their distance.

Thus, even though Lu Zhongyong, the Xuanwu Marquis, had become a "newly influential" figure with military power, if people couldn't find a reason to connect with the Marquis Household, they had no way to send invitations for banquets.

Fortunately, Ye Yaming had opened a teahouse. During the days when membership cards were being issued, she had interacted with many nobles and officials in the capital. Additionally, at the pre-New Year banquets, Princess Yu'an and Princess Yu'ning had introduced her to various matriarchs, expanding her social circle. As a result, more and more people invited her to their feasts.

In the carriage on the way to a banquet, Lu Guanyi teased her with a smile, "I'm benefiting from your connections. Otherwise, I wouldn't receive so many invitations."His position in the capital had always been awkward. Due to the influence of Duke Wei's estate, influential families forbade their younger generations from associating with him, which left him with few friends.