Glory

Meng Chengwei knew the true situation of the Ye family and understood that the rumor was merely a petty tactic. Apart from briefly irritating the Ye family, it would have little real impact. Once the Ye family produced a large sum of silver to pre-order tea, the rumor would collapse on its own.

Yet the Ye family's response left him utterly frustrated.

Young Master Meng had never experienced such humiliation in his life, and the fact that it came from a mere merchant made the anger churn in his chest, leaving him unable to swallow his pride. If he didn’t cause some trouble for the Ye family, he wouldn’t feel satisfied.

After dismissing his servant, he turned to another attendant and said, "Find Fifth Uncle for me."

Soon, Meng Liang arrived. Meng Chengwei instructed, "Leak the news to Yang Tai that I plan to drink at Taibai Tower tonight."

Meng Liang was overjoyed.

Did this mean Meng Chengwei had changed his mind and decided to cooperate with the Yang family?

"Understood, sir. I will make sure Yang Tai receives the message," he replied cheerfully, bowing before taking his leave.

...

Previously, Ye Chongming had been unaware of who was targeting the Ye family, leaving him on the defensive. Now that he knew Meng Chengwei was behind the schemes, he naturally had people closely monitoring Meng Chengwei and his entourage.

As the saying goes, "A powerful dragon cannot crush a snake in its own territory."

The Ye family had been in Lin'an City for over a century. Not only were they acquainted with government officials and clerks, but they had also dealt extensively with local ruffians and street thugs. These individuals were the most well-informed and skilled at surveillance.

That very night, as Meng Chengwei and Yang Tai were enjoying drinks and conversation at Taibai Tower, the news reached Ye Chongming.

Ye Chongming went to Ye Yaming’s quarters and informed her of the developments.

Seizing the opportunity, Ye Yaming inquired further: "What is the situation with the Yang family? Among the tea merchants in Lin'an City, which ones are on good terms with you? And which ones are at odds with you?"

The original host had known nothing about these matters, and Ye Yaming had previously hesitated to ask Ye Chongming directly. Some things needed to be approached gradually, allowing them to unfold naturally. Once her capabilities earned Ye Chongming’s genuine recognition, he would voluntarily share such information with her.

And now, the opportunity had arrived.

Ye Chongming explained the landscape of Lin'an’s tea merchants to Ye Yaming in detail.

During this era, a "trade association" functioned similarly to a modern chamber of commerce but held greater authority and exerted more control over its members, despite being a non-governmental organization.

The head of the association was equivalent to the chamber president.

Where there are people, there are conflicts—especially in the business world. Among the fifty or sixty tea merchants in Lin'an who were part of the tea association, disputes were frequent, and internal factions were numerous.

Driven by the power associated with the position, many coveted the role of association head. One such individual was Yang Tai’s father, Yang Hong. Outwardly, he flattered and ingratiated himself with Ye Chongming, even frequently proposing marriage alliances with the Ye family. Secretly, however, he constantly schemed to oust Ye Chongming and take the position for himself.

Initially, Ye Chongming had worried that Ye Yaming’s intelligence might only manifest in minor details and that her broader perspective might be limited due to her gender and life experiences.

Therefore, as he explained these matters, he paid close attention to her reactions.

To his great surprise, Ye Yaming not only listened with keen interest but also asked pointed questions from time to time.

Her inquiries were consistently astute, demonstrating remarkable sharpness, depth, and comprehensiveness in her analysis—qualities that left him in awe.

In recent days, he had privately discussed Ye Yaming with his wife on multiple occasions.Though inwardly astonished by Ye Yaming's cleverness that had escaped her notice, Old Mrs. Ye would never admit to her husband that she had misjudged. She had never paid much attention to the second branch of the family, nor had she truly understood the two girls from that household.

She explained to Ye Chongming this way: "Neither of the second branch's couple stands out, and as the eldest daughter in a family without sons, Ming'er naturally bears more responsibility than most girls. But because the second branch remains inconspicuous, she also conceals her abilities to avoid drawing attention from other branches."

"With both parents alive, doting on her, and a fiancé who appears faultless on the surface, why would she need to display her intelligence? The family never lacks for food or clothing, and the business remains stable as always." Seizing the moment, Old Mrs. Ye even took a sweeping jab: "If not for Meng Chengwei's lecherous gaze suggesting he might target her, and the impending marriage with the Song family—which is no good match—forcing her to find a way to break off the engagement, she probably wouldn't have revealed her shrewdness. Don't you men always demand women to be quiet, chaste, reserved, and virtue over talent? Isn't she the very model of a gentlewoman by your standards?"

This left Ye Chongming speechless, dispelling all his doubts and suspicions. Now, witnessing Ye Yaming's exceptional performance, he felt nothing but pleasant surprise.

After grasping the general situation of Lin'an Tea Guild, Ye Yaming said, "Meng Chengwei's collusion with the Yang family is both good and bad. The advantage is that Meng Chengwei won't target us in the short term, so our family is relatively safe."

With the Yang family dragged into this, the previous life's scenario—where the Ye family was used as a public front for illicit tea trade, only to be framed when the scheme came to light—would not repeat itself. At this moment, the Ye family had already escaped the fate of their past life.

"The downside," she continued, "is that with Meng Chengwei's backing, the Yang family's power will surely surge. Since Yang Hong has long coveted the guild leader position, he will likely take actions against you to pull you down. You must be prepared."

Ye Chongming had reached the same conclusion. Hearing Ye Yaming's analysis align perfectly with his own, he relaxed completely, stroking his beard with a smile. "At my age, I don't care much about being guild leader. I'm content as long as the family is safe and we can conduct our business properly."

Though Ye Hongchang was his eldest son, he fell far short in every aspect compared to his father. If Ye Chongming were gone, Ye Hongchang lacked the capability and seniority to hold the guild leader position. Thus, there was no need to desperately cling to it.

Moreover, though Ye Chongming had been in business all his life, it was in the Jiangnan region where merchant ethics were emphasized—honesty was the foundation of trade. Even with rivalry, it was based on fair competition and left traces. He had never experienced such baseless, underhanded attacks aimed at destruction.

Old and weary, he only wished for his family's safety. If sacrificing the guild leader position could protect his loved ones, he would not hesitate to let it go.Ye Yaming nodded and cautioned, "But we still need to be careful. From what I've observed of Meng Chengwei's behavior, he's someone who holds grudges over the slightest offense. Even when we hadn't provoked him before, he repeatedly attempted to harm us. Now that we've rejected him time and again, his retaliation will likely be even more severe. Coupled with the fact that the Yang family is no pushover either, I'm afraid it won't be easy for our family to remain unscathed afterward."

She was worried that once Meng Chengwei was summoned by the authorities and spent a few days in jail, the Ye family might let their guard down, giving others an opportunity to strike. These words were also meant to keep Ye Chongming on high alert.