Glory

Worried that her father-in-law might think she was blaming him, she quickly added to Ye Yaming as if to make amends: "Your Da Bo lives his life seeking convenience, cutting corners wherever he can. He pays little attention to his meals and keeps irregular hours. The servants can't control him either. When he was young it was manageable, but now that he's older, he must take better care of himself. With him back home, I can keep an eye on him."

Over the years Ye Hongchang had stayed in the capital. Others might not care, but she had lived in constant fear that he might suddenly bring back a concubine or keep a mistress in the capital.

He was away in the capital year-round, in the prime of his life, separated from his wife. Even if he took a concubine or kept a mistress, Ye Chongming wouldn't be able to fault him much. In the end, she would be the one to suffer the grievance.

All these years, Tao Shi had never dared to look too deeply into whether Ye Hongchang had kept a mistress in the capital—if he only kept a mistress without taking a formal concubine, that was already showing her respect. If she discovered he truly had a mistress and couldn't control her emotions, exposing the matter, then the mistress would have to be made a concubine. What would she do then?

She had sons and daughters, even grandchildren now, and would never agree to a divorce. But if she made a scene, all marital affection would be lost, with a concubine standing between them. How could she live like that? Even if she remained in Ye Jia, her life would be miserable.

So it was better to live in blissful ignorance.

This time, Ye Hongchang's voluntary request to return to Lin'an had been a great comfort to Tao Shi—it showed he had no attachment to the capital and proved he likely hadn't kept a mistress after all.

Seeing that Tao Shi's gratitude was genuine, Ye Yaming felt relieved.

Tao Shi already held some resentment over Ye Yaming taking charge of household affairs. If she mistakenly believed Er Fang had driven Ye Hongchang back, there would be endless trouble.

Ye Yaming still hoped Ye Jia could remain harmonious, with everyone pulling together in unity. Only through unity and cooperation could they expand the family's enterprises. Once cracks appeared, others would exploit them, and trouble would arise from within.

Old Madam Ye glanced at her eldest daughter-in-law and asked Ye Yaming with a smile, "You set out a few days later than planned? If you hadn't sent someone to inform us, we would have been terribly worried."

Ye Yaming smiled back at her. "My apologies for worrying Grandfather and Grandmother. It was my fault." She didn't directly answer Old Madam Ye's question.

She turned to instruct Bai Rui, "Bai Rui, bring my gifts."

Bai Rui had the maids present all the gifts, and Ye Yaming personally distributed them to everyone.

"Grandfather, this is a tiger skin cushion from the north. Noble families in the capital specifically use these in their carriages during winter to ward off the cold. Since you're often traveling by carriage, this will suit you best. Grandmother, this is a cat's eye emerald. Didn't you say Old Madam Lin has one? It just so happened that Princess Consort Kang's jewelry shop received new stock before the New Year, so I managed to secure one for you."

"Father, Fourth Uncle, these are fox fur vests, tailored to your measurements." Then Ye Yaming turned to Tao Shi, "As for Da Bo's, I already gave it to him when I met him on the road."

Tao Shi's smile grew even more sincere. "Thank you, Ming'er."

Ye Yaming also presented silks and jewelry from the capital to Tao Shi, Yin Shi, and Zhang Shi.

Ye Yaming had always been thoughtful, and now with Xu Zan, Bai Rui, and others handling miscellaneous affairs for her, the gifts she gave naturally hit the mark for everyone.

Everyone in the room was delighted.

She then addressed Li Fu and Mama Lu, "Steward Li, Mama Lu, and all the servants in the residence have gifts too. Xu Zan and Bai Rui will distribute them to you later."Li Fu and Mama Lu quickly expressed gratitude on behalf of the household servants.

After Ye Yaming's marriage, the kind of life she had been living was described by Ye Hongsheng and Yin Shi upon their return.

Now, seeing her rosy complexion, relaxed brows, beaming smile, and the gifts she brought—all of which were items only the powerful and noble in the capital could obtain—it was clear she was living very well in the capital.

Old Mrs. Ye didn't press further and said to her, "Alright, you must be exhausted from the long journey. Hurry back to your courtyard and rest."

"Alright."

With many people around and gossip likely to spread, and considering there were still those in the capital to guard against, Ye Yaming didn't want to announce her pregnancy publicly at that moment.

Although the journey had been slow, she hadn't eaten or slept well, and she hadn't bathed for the entire seven days on the road. Back in her courtyard, she took a thorough bath and washed her hair, had dinner, and then went straight to bed.

The next day, she went to the main house to have breakfast with the elderly couple. After the table was cleared and the servants dismissed, Ye Yaming asked about the family's situation: "Is everything at home well?"

"Very well. More than well—it's absolutely wonderful. This New Year, we received many gifts, and when we attended banquets, your grandmother and I were highly sought after." Ye Chongming said, shaking his head self-deprecatingly.

When poor, no one visits you in a bustling city; when rich, distant relatives seek you out even in remote mountains.

Since Ye Yaming had married the heir of the Marquis of Xuanwu, the Ye family's status seemed to have risen. In Lin'an City, there were plenty of people eager to curry favor with them.

"But what about you? Is anyone giving you a hard time there?" Old Mrs. Ye asked with concern.

Although Ye Hongsheng and Yin Shi had reported that Ye Yaming was under the protection of Princess Yu'an and Princess Yu Ning in the capital and no one dared to bully her, Old Mrs. Ye didn't quite believe it.

Wherever you go in this world, there are always those who flatter the powerful and bully the weak, especially in the circles of the capital's elite. It was likely that Ye Yaming was only sharing the good news and hiding any troubles.

"No," Ye Yaming said with a laugh. "You know my temper. Even if someone tried, I'd push right back."

"That's true," Old Mrs. Ye nodded in agreement. "People tend to bully the weak and fear the strong. If you show you're not to be trifled with, those watching will think twice and hold back."

This was the wisdom of life passed down by the elderly. Ye Yaming acknowledged the lesson.

"You're a new bride now. Once you have a child or two, you'll firmly establish your place among those people." Old Mrs. Ye glanced at Ye Yaming's stomach. "Speaking of which, it's been three months since your wedding. Any news?"

Ye Yaming touched her belly: "It was confirmed just before I left the capital—I'm one and a half months along."

"What?" The elderly couple was startled.

Old Mrs. Ye had only asked casually, never expecting Ye Yaming to actually be pregnant.

"You reckless girl," Old Mrs. Ye lightly tapped Ye Yaming, then felt her words were unlucky and quickly spat twice to ward off bad luck.

She glared at Ye Yaming: "Since you knew you were pregnant, why didn't you stay in the capital instead of running around? Does the Ye family fall apart without you?"

Ye Yaming giggled, hugging her grandmother's arm and shaking it playfully. "A three-day journey took me a full seven days. Dear grandmother, I just missed you all so much!"

"Besides, if I stayed alone in the capital, who would I turn to when I craved certain foods or felt unwell and wanted to whine to you? How miserable would that be?"

"Hmph, don't try to sweet-talk me." Though she knew Ye Yaming was just being charming, Old Mrs. Ye couldn't help but smile. "Your parents are heading to the capital soon. I don't believe a word you're saying.""But even if they go to the capital, I still can't live with them. It's not like in Lin'an, where no one would say anything if I stayed at home."