Glory

Now the second branch has risen by their own ability to earn money from tea formulas, and this money remains within the Ye family—it is still obtained by the descendants of the Ye family. Ye Chongming didn’t see any real difference. The only change was that the money went to the second branch instead of the first branch.

And this was entirely due to the second branch’s own capability. They weren’t taking advantage of anyone; they were simply preventing the first branch from taking advantage of them. Even the first branch couldn’t bring themselves to say anything shameless about it.

So, on the way here in the carriage, he had made all this clear to Ye Hongchang in front of Ye Yaming.

He didn’t know what Ye Hongchang truly thought. But on the surface, Ye Hongchang appeared completely unbothered and even offered Ye Yaming a few words of encouragement.

Seeing that Ye Chongming had brought her into the conversation, Ye Yaming finally spoke up, addressing Lu Guanyi and Qi Ji: “I am a member of the Ye family. It is an honor for our Ye family to cooperate with you two gentlemen. So, rest assured—even if this tea-making recipe must be purchased, the price will not be high. After all, we are now considered one of our own.”

“For example, for teas similar to Osmanthus Tea, I would only ask five thousand taels from my own family. And given the substantial profits Osmanthus Tea has generated since its launch, as you gentlemen are well aware, five thousand taels can be earned back effortlessly.”

After a pause, she added, “If I were to spread word that I have such a tea recipe for sale, I might not get fifty thousand taels, but thirty or forty thousand taels would certainly be achievable.”

Since they were entering into cooperation with the Ye family, Lu Guanyi and Qi Ji had naturally taken an interest in the Ye family’s affairs. They had been deeply impressed by the Ye family’s Osmanthus Tea when they first encountered it at Chongshan Temple. And even if they hadn’t sent people to investigate its sales, the bustling scene at the Gathering Fragrance Pavilion when they arrived spoke for itself.

They had also inquired about the selling price of Osmanthus Tea and were aware of the cost of crude tea used in tea production. Doing the math, it was clear that if produced on a large scale, the Ye family’s Osmanthus Tea would bring in enormous profits.

This wasn’t just a one-time transaction—it was a sustainable source of wealth that could be passed down through generations. One recipe alone could support a family for several generations.

It was precisely for this reason that they had offered the Ye family such favorable terms for cooperation, willingly accepting a smaller share than the Ye family and agreeing to a subordinate role in the partnership.

Hearing Ye Yaming’s words, Qi Ji felt somewhat relieved and was about to express his modesty when Lu Guanyi interjected with interest, “Miss Ye, are you suggesting that you already have a new tea recipe similar to Osmanthus Tea?”

Ye Yaming nodded. “Yes, I plan to make Jasmine Tea. The method is quite similar to that of Osmanthus Tea. However, the jasmine blooming season hasn’t arrived yet. My idea is to wait until next summer when the flowers bloom to test whether it can be successfully produced.”

“Jasmine Tea?” Lu Guanyi thought for a moment about the fragrance of jasmine and nodded in approval.

He then asked curiously, “Aren’t you worried about revealing this to us? What if we decide not to cooperate with you and try to produce it ourselves instead? After all, we haven’t signed the contract yet.”

Ye Yaming smiled confidently. “First, I believe you two gentlemen would not compromise your principles for such a small gain. Your integrity and vision are far too broad for that.”

Hearing this, Qi Ji’s eyes lit up with admiration.

Ye Yaming continued, “Second, I have faith in the value of our Ye family’s tea and in the tea-making abilities of my father and myself. We are capable of continuously developing new teas. Given your wisdom, why would you give up an entire forest for the sake of a single tree?”"Well said."Qi Ji's eyes practically sparkled as he slapped his fan forcefully against his palm." "Truly well said."

Qi Ji hadn't grown up by Qi Zhifu's side but had lived in the capital since childhood with his grandparents, only coming to Lin'an last year. Because of this, he shared an exceptionally close bond with Lu Guanyi.

In the capital, he had encountered many daughters from prominent families and renowned talented women. But someone like Ye Yaming, who appeared delicate yet spoke with full confidence and every word carried weight - this was Qi Ji's first time meeting such a woman.

Of course, he absolutely wouldn't admit that his high praise was because Ye Yaming had spoken well of him and Lu Guanyi, doing so without any flattery and with remarkable skill.

Though Lu Guanyi didn't say anything, his eyes also revealed some appreciation.

He said: "Miss Ye's points are all valid. As long as the taste and aroma of the Jasmine Tea can rival that of Osmanthus Tea, we're willing to pay thirty thousand taels of silver to purchase its exclusive production rights from you."

Seeing how straightforward he was in handling matters, without any intention to take advantage of her tea-making skills just because she was from the Ye family, Ye Yaming felt pleased. She said: "I've created some tea utensils and developed special brewing methods that improve the flavor of loose tea. To demonstrate my sincerity in this cooperation, I can directly gift these tea utensils and brewing techniques to you."

She had only commissioned the kiln to produce the fairness cup, tea strainer, and water bowl, and didn't hesitate to give them away. Once everyone recognized the value of the new tea utensils, she would then introduce the lidded bowl and purple clay teapot. Of course, the latter two would require payment for their innovative designs.

Lu Guanyi's eyes brightened as he asked: "Miss Ye, have you brought these tea utensils with you? Could we take a look at them?"

Ye Yaming nodded toward Bai Rui, who then opened the rattan case and took out the three tea utensils placed on top, delivering them to the tea table before Lu Guanyi and Qi Ji.

Lu Guanyi picked up the three tea utensils and examined them, but instead of asking Ye Yaming about their usage, he turned to Ye Chongming and said: "Old Master Ye, weren't you thinking of inviting Master Zhineng to serve as agent? I've already sent someone to inquire about the master's opinion, and he's quite willing to take on this role as agent."

After saying this, he then addressed Ye Yaming: "Since Miss Ye has new tea utensils and brewing methods to demonstrate, why don't we move to Chongshan Temple now so Master Zhineng can also sample the tea brewed by Miss Ye?"

"Excellent, excellent." Ye Chongming agreed repeatedly.

This Young Master Lu truly lived up to his distinguished background - his actions were both considerate and transparent.

If Lu Guanyi had asked Ye Yaming to brew tea right then, while not entirely inappropriate given that she had mentioned her tea brewing skills herself, it would have made the Ye family somewhat uncomfortable to some degree.

It would be like visiting someone's home, hearing that the host's daughter is skilled in dance, and then asking her to dance for you - quite rude and disrespectful.

What would that make their daughter?

While the situation might not be that severe, the nature of it would be similar.

But having Ye Yaming brew tea for Master Zhineng was different. Ye Chongming and Master Zhineng were of the same generation and had known each other for most of their lives, making Ye Yaming essentially Master Zhineng's junior.

A junior brewing tea for an elder was perfectly appropriate. As for Lu Guanyi and Qi Ji, they would merely be enjoying a cup of tea by association, which couldn't be considered disrespectful to the Ye family's young lady.

Thus, the group descended the stairs, boarded their carriages, and headed toward Chongshan Temple.