Glory

Ye Yaming chuckled softly.

So that was it.

She had thought it strange. No matter how wealthy Wang Kuan was, or how eager Prince Zhennan's household might be to trouble her, they wouldn't willingly spend so much money to hire tea-making masters or cooperate with a petty man like Wang Kuan when there was no chance of success.

The key lay here.

However, it was rather peculiar that people like the Chu siblings would resort to roundabout methods instead of drawing their swords directly.

"Don't worry," Ye Yaming said calmly. "I've made thorough preparations for these sold secret tea-making recipes. I'd be disappointed if they didn't cause trouble. Now it's perfect—this will let everyone in the Great Jin know that our Ye family's Dragon Well Tea is the authentic one."

She turned to Ye Hongsheng. "Father, have you packed everything? If so, we'll go up the mountain first thing tomorrow morning."

Though Ye Yaming spoke with such confidence, Ye Hongsheng still felt uneasy. He believed his daughter's assurance stemmed from never having witnessed Qin Sixiang's talent. That man's precise control over firing temperature was astonishing. Even tea personally roasted by his daughter might not surpass Qin Sixiang's.

Moreover, since his daughter was pregnant and shouldn't overexert herself, the Dragon Well Tribute Tea had to be roasted by him.

He had no confidence whatsoever in defeating their opponent.

When Ye Yaming claimed to have made thorough preparations, unless she had already secured tea-making masters more skilled than Qin Sixiang, it would all be in vain.

"Can your body handle it?" he asked.

Originally, he had planned to persuade his daughter to stay home while he went up the mountain to make the tea. But given the gravity of the situation, it would be better for her to go if her health permitted.

"No problem," Ye Yaming replied. "The reason for going up the mountain early is precisely for my health. I'll rest for two days before starting tea production."

This would also catch their opponents off guard.

She didn't know whether Chu Yuehua would be mad enough to send people to intercept her. Going up the mountain early to avoid confrontation was the safer choice.

She turned and instructed Ma Yun, "Send someone to the capital to inquire if anything has happened at Zhennan Wangfu."

Given the Chu siblings' arrogant nature, their primary target should be Lu Guanyi, not her. After all, if they killed one of Lu Guanyi's wives, he could always remarry. Even if Lu Guanyi had feelings for her, it would only cause temporary grief without fundamentally harming him. Meanwhile, targeting her would provoke the Emperor's severe displeasure toward Zhennan Wangfu due to the court's emphasis on Dark Tea.

Even if they did target her, given their temperament, they would likely send assassins rather than engage in such scheming.

She had prepared a trap, ready to ensure that anyone who came would never return.

Their current indirect approach suggested that something might have happened at Zhennan Wangfu. The Chu siblings, constrained by the court's focus on Dark Tea, probably wanted to first tarnish her reputation regarding Dragon Well Tea before moving against her.

Regardless, it was better to be safe than sorry. Ye Yaming took all necessary precautions and set off up the mountain by carriage with Ye Hongsheng the next day.

The journey proceeded without incident, and they arrived safely at the mountain tea garden.

Yi Wu dismounted first and thoroughly inspected the tea garden inside and out before reporting, "Madam, everything has been checked. The tea garden shows no abnormalities."

Only then did Ye Yaming feel at ease settling in.

Yi Wu led the manor guards to securely protect the small courtyard within the tea garden.

At this time, the tea leaves in the garden had not yet sprouted. Ye Yaming rested well on the mountain for several days.One day, Ye Hongsheng returned from the tea garden and said to Ye Yaming, "The weather is gradually warming, and the tea buds have grown enough. We can start making tea tomorrow."

"Ming'er, leave this matter to your father. Business can't always be smooth sailing—it's normal to encounter occasional setbacks. Your health is what matters most; you shouldn't overexert yourself. Even if Wang Kuan produces tea with a better flavor than ours, the court won't revoke our Tribute Tea status, especially considering our Dark Tea."

Over the past three years since Ye Yaming took over the Ye family business, she had advanced unimpeded and never suffered a loss. Ye Hongsheng worried that his daughter couldn't handle setbacks, especially during her pregnancy.

Ye Yaming smiled and said, "Don't worry, Father. I'll act within my limits. As long as the green hills remain, there'll be no shortage of firewood—I understand this principle well."

Only then did Ye Hongsheng feel somewhat relieved.

The next day, the manor serfs and hired estate holders went up the mountain early to pick tea. Before long, baskets of tea leaves were transported down, personally inspected by Xu Zan and Tang Song before being delivered to the small courtyard.

Bai Xin and Lve E directed the maids in spreading and airing the leaves.

"Ziyuan, you and Qingzhi bring that chest over," Ye Yaming instructed.

Without needing to ask, Ziyuan and Qingzhi knew exactly which chest Ye Yaming meant.

When Ye Yaming went up the mountain, she couldn't lack for food, clothing, or daily necessities, so they had hauled several chests containing her clothes and customary items.

Additionally, kitchen utensils for Jia Chun and Jia Qiu, along with rice, flour, and vegetables specifically for Ye Yaming, were also packed in chests and transported up.

After a few days of staying there, all the chests moved into Ye Yaming's room had been opened and their contents used. Only one chest remained locked, with the key in Ye Yaming's possession, its contents unknown.

Now that Ye Yaming gave the order, they quickly brought the chest over.

Ye Yaming took out the key and opened it.

Curious, Ziyuan and Qingzhi peeked inside and saw a gleaming silver pot?

"Take it out," Ye Yaming said. "Take two."

As Ziyuan lifted the silver pot, she realized there were four pots inside.

No wonder the chest felt quite heavy.

After the two pots were removed, Ye Yaming closed the lid, locked the chest again, and had them return it.

Ye Hongsheng, having inspected the spread tea leaves, returned intending to tell Ye Yaming they could start pan-firing. But his gaze was arrested by the two gleaming silver pots.

"What... what is this?" he asked in astonishment.

"This is my secret recipe," Ye Yaming said with a smile. "Tea pan-fired in silver pots tastes better than that made in iron pots. Even if Qin Sixiang's tea-making skills are no worse than yours, how could his tea compare to that pan-fired in silver pots? If you don't believe me, Father, just try it and see."

This was actually the secret technique discovered by the Great Monk Dafang when he invented pan-fired green tea.

In her previous life, Ye Yaming, curious about historical records, specially commissioned silver pots for tea pan-firing and found that using them indeed enhanced the tea's flavor.

It was likely because pan-firing tea in silver pots generated a large number of silver ions. These ions helped preserve the tea's tenderness and freshness while providing some sterilizing effects, ultimately improving the tea's quality.

However, silver was expensive, and crafting silver pots required substantial funds. A single tea garden needed several tea-making masters to pan-fire simultaneously. Who would use silver pots for such a subtle difference? Hence, the technique never became widespread in later generations.If Ye Jia's Dragon Well had not become Tribute Tea, and there were no concerns about other families' tea surpassing theirs in flavor, Ye Yaming would not have gone through the trouble of crafting this silver pot.