She added some water to the other dish, turning the soil into mud, then added baking soda. She observed a “hissing” sound, though it was relatively faint, leading her to conclude that it was acidic soil, specifically slightly acidic.

Looking at her test results, Ye Yaming was very satisfied.

She said to Lu Guanyi, “I think this location is suitable for establishing a tea garden. Let’s go back down the mountain and find someone at the government office to purchase this area.”

“Don’t you want to look further up?” Lu Guanyi asked. “Climbing doesn’t tire me. We could go higher. If necessary, I can take Uncle Huang and the guards to look further up while you all head back down.”

Ye Yaming shook her head, “I don’t think we need to look any further. We’re not buying just a small piece of land, but half a mountainside. As long as the soil is suitable, some complexity in the terrain isn’t an issue. Even if you climb up and look, you’d only see the small area you pass through, which isn’t very meaningful.”

Lu Guanyi didn’t insist, and the group descended the mountain.

Their round trip had taken most of the day. Everyone briefly ate some dry rations when they returned to the carriages.

People in ancient times had a slower pace of life. After half a day of exertion, both Qi Ji and Ye Hongrong felt they should rest and go to the government office to buy the mountain the next day.

But Ye Yaming had a decisive and efficient nature. She said, “It won’t take long. Why postpone until tomorrow what we can finish today?”

“Since we went to look at the mountain today, Master Wu’s side will know about it. Even if they don’t compete with us for the mountain, they might create obstacles, which would be troublesome. We’d better buy it immediately.”

This reasoning was very sound, so the group had no choice but to go to the government office.

With the steward sent by Lü Xuanlin present, there was no need to invoke Lu Guanyi and Qi Ji’s identities. Once the steward revealed his identity, the county magistrate personally opened the land registry book.

The tea industry in this part of Xin’an had not yet developed, and mountains were everywhere. Those who bought mountain land to grow tea wanted convenient transportation, so even if they bought land, they only wanted the slightly sloped areas at the foot of mountains.

The area Ye Yaming had chosen was still wilderness, naturally unpurchased, and the price was extremely low—only five qian of silver per mu. Ye Yaming made a grand gesture and directly purchased the entire area of Chongtou Yuan and Tangkou.

By the time everyone returned to the inn, they were holding freshly issued land deeds.

“Tomorrow we’ll rest for a day, and the day after we’ll go elsewhere,” Ye Yaming said before entering. “But first, let’s discuss the subsequent management matters so we can instruct people on their duties tomorrow.”

Qi Ji was fine; he had experienced some hardship before the New Year when he went to Xinping to make tea utensils. Ye Hongrong, having lived a life of privilege, had never experienced such hardship. His face immediately showed a look of despair.

But the decision-makers were Ye Yaming and Lu Guanyi. As soon as Ye Yaming spoke, Lu Guanyi changed direction and walked toward the courtyard where Ye Yaming and her party were staying.

After sitting down in the hall, Ye Yaming first asked Lu Guanyi, “When forming our partnership, did you and my grandfather discuss who would manage the tea mountain after purchase?”

Lu Guanyi nodded, “Each side will appoint a steward. Our steward will manage the people, while your steward will decide on specific matters regarding the tea garden. Between the two, your side’s steward will take the lead.”

“Have you brought your steward?”

“Lu Zheng,” Lu Guanyi called out.

A man in his early thirties stepped forward and bowed to everyone.

Having traveled together for so many days, Ye Yaming had certainly seen Lu Zheng before. His temperament was similar to his master’s—he didn’t speak much and focused on practical matters. The guide Huang Hansheng from today was found by him last night.

“From now on, you will stay here, hire people to clear all the trees and weeds from that land. Then plant thorny bushes around the perimeter to enclose the area.”

Qi Ji, having grown up in the city as the son of an official, couldn’t help asking, “Why plant thorny bushes? Wouldn’t a wall be better? Or a fence?”

He had seen that Master Wu’s tea garden was enclosed with a fence.

“Both walls and fences require labor to build and annual maintenance and repairs. Thorny bushes, after two or three years, form a dense barrier that is difficult for both people and wild animals to penetrate. They grow increasingly lush without requiring further care.”

Qi Ji suddenly understood.

He had learned something new.

Seeing that Ye Yaming, at such a young age, excelled not only in brewing and making tea but also in tea garden planting and management, Lu Guanyi’s eyes suddenly brightened, and his gaze toward Ye Yaming carried an affection he wasn’t even aware of.

“Yes, Miss Ye,” Lu Zheng respectfully agreed.

Ye Yaming turned to Lu Guanyi and asked, “Whether to build a manor house for the tea garden and how many servants to buy will be up to Master Lu and Master Qi to decide. There’s no rush; completing the clearing work by April will be fine. I’ll come back in May or June to direct the servants in planting tea trees.”

Lu Guanyi asked puzzledly, “Why not plant in spring? Are you concerned they won’t clean thoroughly in time? If necessary, they could clear half the area, plant that half first, and plant the rest after the clearing is complete.”

“No,” Ye Yaming shook her head. “When the tea trees here sprout, I need to spend time selecting the best ones for cuttings and will use a new method of planting that produces better-tasting tea with higher yields. But I won’t have time during the warm spring; I need to stay in Lin’an to make tea.”

“Tea trees can be planted in spring, summer, or autumn. Summer temperatures are high, there are more available shoots, the branches are strong, and within half a month after planting, they develop roots—the effect is best. It also doesn’t conflict with spring tea production, and Lu Zheng and his team will have ample time to clear and reclaim the wasteland. That’s why I’ve chosen summer.”

“Additionally, tea trees only produce a yield in their third year after planting, so delaying planting by two months has no impact. This year I want to produce a new loose-leaf tea that is no less valuable than osmanthus tea, so I must attend to that first.”

Confident and earnest people, regardless of gender, are the most charismatic.

As she spoke, Ye Yaming was filled with confidence. Her delicate face seemed to be surrounded by a halo, her eyes shining brightly, making it impossible to look away.

Qi Ji suddenly understood why Lu Guanyi had developed feelings for Ye Yaming. He turned his head and saw Lu Guanyi’s eyes full of infatuation.

But Lu Guanyi remained rational; the emotions surging in his heart were suppressed, and his eyes quickly regained their clarity.

He nodded, “Very well, I’ll follow your lead in everything.”

He took a deep breath, “I will arrange the personnel and handle all the trivial matters so you can focus on your work. What you do is the most important.”

Ye Yaming nodded, “Good, then the day after tomorrow we’ll go to Qimen.”

As she spoke, she opened the map that Qi Ji had obtained from Lü Xuanlin, pointing to Qimen, “I inquired while in Xin’an and learned that Qimen tea is also excellent, and the tea variety is different. I want to go see it. If there’s suitable land, I’d like to buy it.”