Glory

Hearing this, Ye Chongming laughed, his expression filled with delight.

His efforts over the past two days had not been in vain—he had managed to secure the tea order ahead of the Meng family.

"Alright, rest well. We’ll head down the mountain tomorrow," he said.

The next day, Ye Chongming descended the mountain and returned to the estate.

Ye Hongchang had been extremely worried during these past few days at home. As soon as he heard that Ye Chongming had returned, he urgently ordered the servants to carry him to the main courtyard and asked, "Father, did you manage to secure the tea order?"

"It’s done," Ye Chongming replied, fully understanding his son’s anxious state of mind, and proceeded to explain everything in detail.

Only then did Ye Hongchang breathe a sigh of relief.

Just as he was about to speak, a maid’s voice came from outside: "Old Master, First Master, Second Master has returned."

"Hongshang is back?" Old Madam Ye, hearing the announcement, hurried over from the neighboring room with surprise and delight.

Ye Chongming said, "Send someone to fetch Ming'er."

Old Madam Ye immediately instructed the maid to go.

A short while later, Ye Hongsheng entered.

Though Ye Chongming noticed a hint of fatigue in his son’s expression, his spirits were high, his eyes sparkling brightly, and his face beaming with a smile—clear signs of excellent news.

Sensing something, Ye Chongming asked, "Is it about the chrysanthemums…"

"Yes," Ye Hongsheng nodded emphatically. After paying his respects to his parents and elder brother, he turned to Ye Chongming and said, "Father, those chrysanthemums are truly exceptional—sweet in taste, fragrant and refreshing, and extremely beneficial for the body."

As he spoke, he turned around, took a small jar from the page, opened it, placed it on the table, poured out a dried chrysanthemum, and handed it to Ye Chongming. "Take a look, Father."

Ye Chongming accepted the chrysanthemum and brought it to his nose. A distinct, refreshing fragrance unique to chrysanthemums filled his senses.

He had complete faith in his second son’s discerning palate. If Ye Hongsheng praised it, the chrysanthemum’s flavor must be truly outstanding.

He asked, "How abundant are these chrysanthemums? And what is the price?"

"Quite abundant—the area is rich in chrysanthemums. This variety has the best flavor. I’ve already signed contracts with the locals to cultivate more, and next year we will purchase their entire harvest. The price is reasonable too—only fifty wen per jin."

"Dried?" Ye Chongming inquired.

Ye Hongsheng nodded. "Dried."

Ye Chongming’s face lit up with pleasant surprise. "How much did you buy?"

"About two hundred jin. I also purchased some other varieties of chrysanthemums, totaling around three hundred jin."

"Excellent, excellent, excellent," Ye Chongming couldn’t help but exclaim repeatedly.

Having sold tea for years, he was well aware of the market’s demand for beverages.

Although chrysanthemums were not tea leaves, their delightful taste and health benefits made them fully comparable to mid-grade tea. Even if they couldn’t fetch three or four hundred wen per jin, they could certainly be sold for at least two hundred wen. With a purchase price of fifty wen, the profit margin was substantial.

Most importantly, since chrysanthemums were not classified as tea, they were not subject to the Tea Monopoly Bureau’s regulations. He could sell as much as he pleased. With his existing sales channels, as long as he secured contracts with the locals for chrysanthemum supplies, this venture would yield steady profits.

He asked further, "How much did you pre-order?"

Ye Hongsheng shook his head. "The locals mostly grow them for personal consumption, and I sourced from scattered households. However, since I offered a good price, they’ve agreed to dedicate their land to chrysanthemum cultivation next year. As for how much each mu of land can yield, they aren’t certain. I’ve signed contracts with all those willing to grow chrysanthemums next year. As for the exact quantity we can purchase next year, there’s no fixed estimate yet."

Upon hearing this, far from being disappointed, Ye Chongming was even more delighted and impressed by his second son’s performance.The second son had never been much of a talker since childhood, only becoming eloquent when tasting fine tea or encountering someone who truly understood it. For this reason, he had never entrusted him with managerial duties.

Yet this time, Ye Hongsheng had handled the matter exceptionally well. Not only had he purchased all the chrysanthemums for this year, but he also had the foresight to place orders for next year's supply.

It seemed he was not a qualified father or grandfather—he truly hadn't understood the capabilities of this father-daughter pair from the second branch.

"You've worked hard. The second branch has rendered great service this time." He then explained the family's situation to Ye Hongsheng, particularly emphasizing Ye Yaming's contributions and lavishly praising her intelligence.

Even though he knew his eldest daughter was capable, Ye Hongsheng was still greatly surprised by his father's praise. He felt all his weariness vanish, replaced by immense joy.

"It's only because you were willing to listen to a child's suggestions. Otherwise, no matter how many ideas she had, they would have been in vain," he replied.

Ye Hongchang sighed with emotion: "Now I understand the saying 'Half a bucket sloshes loudly, a full bucket remains silent.' Ming'er usually stays quiet, but when it counts, she's someone who accomplishes great things."

While his words ostensibly praised Ye Hongsheng's daughter to her father, they carried an underlying message meant for Old Mrs. Ye.

Ye Hongrong always prided himself on being clever, using sweet words to please the old lady while looking down on his second brother Ye Hongsheng for being dull. Old Mrs. Ye shared this view, thus favoring her youngest son over the second.

But in Ye Hongchang's eyes, the second brother was far wiser than the fourth—his brilliance was internal. Though he spoke little, his understanding of human nature and affairs was remarkably astute.

That Ye Yaming was his daughter, displaying such extraordinary wisdom, while surprising to Ye Hongchang, wasn't entirely unbelievable.

After Ye Chongming went up the mountain that day, he returned to the inner courtyard and summoned his wife and son to recount everything that had happened.

He admonished them both: "Exceptionally intelligent people, regardless of gender, are destined for achievement. Ming'er, despite her youth, handles matters better than even Father and me. Someone like her has an unpredictable future ahead—don't be foolish enough to offend her. Maintaining good relations with the second branch can only benefit us, never harm."

Tao Shi retorted stubbornly: "Do you really need to tell me this? I'm not that kind of fool. I've always treated the second branch quite well." Yet she committed her husband's words firmly to memory.

When she later joined her husband in tasting the Osmanthus Tea made by Ye Yaming, her appreciation for his advice deepened further.

Though not a tea enthusiast, she found herself particularly fond of this Osmanthus Tea. She thought that even if money were tight, as long as she could afford basic sustenance, she would still buy some of this tea to enjoy life's pleasures. If she felt this way, one could imagine how noble ladies and young misses would respond.

This Osmanthus Tea could not only generate substantial wealth but also become the signature product of Ye Family Tea, establishing their reputation. What it would bring the Ye family extended far beyond mere financial gain.

As for Ye Jiaxing, he had already heard some accounts from his grandfather about Ye Yaming's outstanding recent performance.

Being the only adult male in his generation—his younger cousin being merely seven—with the entire family's hopes for prosperity resting on him, and possessing only average abilities himself, he often felt overwhelmed by the tremendous pressure.If Ye Yaming were a boy, he might have felt pressure and a sense of crisis about losing his position as the future head of the family. But since Ye Yaming is a girl and cannot become the next head of Ye Jia, she harbored no dissatisfaction toward her capable cousin. Instead, she was filled with nothing but surprise and delight.