She glanced at Ye Hongsheng: “You can either send my father or dispatch someone else. However, in our current situation, it’s hard to say who can be trusted and who cannot.”

“Moreover,” she became serious and looked toward Ye Chongming, “once these chrysanthemums sell well, others will certainly go to buy them too. The supply is already limited. If everyone competes for them, we won’t be able to get any, or if we do, it won’t be at the original price.”

“So I think the source location needs to be kept confidential. My father has a discerning palate and can select the best chrysanthemums. Since he’s family, we don’t need to worry about trust issues. He would be the best person to go.”

Ye Chongming’s gaze toward Ye Yaming grew increasingly bright, and his regret deepened.

She understood trade-offs, knew priorities, and considered problems thoroughly, deeply, and comprehensively. Most importantly, she was only fifteen. If she could train under him for a few years and had been born a man, the Ye family would have prospered for generations without issue.

“Very well, we’ll do as you say,” he said.

He had originally planned to have Ye Hongsheng stay at home with Ye Yaming to work on the osmanthus tea. Rather than relying on potentially non-existent chrysanthemums, he thought osmanthus tea would be more reliable. Besides, Ye Hongsheng had always been in charge of tea production for the family.

But after hearing Ye Yaming’s words, he felt it was better to send Ye Hongsheng to Tongxiang. It wasn’t far anyway; if nothing was found, he could return in two or three days.

Ye Hongchang was away, and Ye Jiaxing was injured. As for Ye Hongrong, it would be good enough if he didn’t cause trouble, let alone help the family.

Ye Chongming himself needed to remain in Linan. Moreover, he was too conspicuous; if he left the city, it would certainly attract Meng Chengwei’s attention.

Ye Hongsheng was different. He used to stay at the tea factory for several days at a time. Not being seen for a few days wouldn’t draw attention.

As for Ye Yaming, she was a girl who had already caught Meng Chengwei’s eye. How could they send her away? If she were kidnapped and violated by Meng Chengwei, the Ye family would truly be in his grasp.

So the only person who could be sent to Tongxiang was Ye Hongsheng.

“How do you plan to make this osmanthus tea?” he asked Ye Yaming again. “You’ll need to collect a lot of osmanthus flowers, right? Whatever materials and help you need, just tell me, and I’ll arrange it.”

Ye Yaming shook her head: “Our Second Branch has two osmanthus trees. Tomorrow morning, I’ll have the maids and servants shake down the flowers. If you could have someone send a few catties of loose tea, I’ll experiment at home first. After I succeed and you’ve tasted it and found it good, then we can collect osmanthus flowers from around the city and produce in larger quantities.”

Her approach again won Ye Chongming’s heart.

A good idea could be very valuable. The concept of infusing tea with flowers was a golden opportunity. If Ye Yaming went to the tea factory to make the tea and word got out, others might make it first, resulting in significant losses for the Ye family.

It was better to do it quietly at home.

Ye Chongming was now like a startled bird, truly unable to trust his subordinates.

“I’ll give orders shortly. Everyone in the household will follow your commands. I’ll also instruct your grandmother to manage the servants and forbid them from disturbing you in your courtyard,” he said.

Ye Yaming shook her head: “There’s no need for such a grand mobilization. I’ll first work with the maids and servants in my courtyard to make some for you to taste. If it’s successful, then we can discuss large-scale production.”

“That works too.”

Early the next morning, Ye Hongsheng quietly left for Tongxiang with two trusted attendants.

Although the Ye family wasn’t a noble or official household, they still had their rules. Every morning, everyone had to go to the main courtyard to pay respects. Men could be excused if they had business, but women and children had to attend.

According to Ye Chongming, the family was busy, the residence was large, and the various branches’ courtyards were separated by some distance. If they didn’t come to the main courtyard to pay respects, some family members might not see each other for a month. How would that be any different from strangers?

Coming to the main courtyard in the morning to pay respects, having breakfast together, chatting, discussing family and business matters—all this enhanced their relationships. If he and the elder lady had any instructions, they wouldn’t need to send servants to convey them; they could communicate directly, which was ideal.

After breakfast, adults would attend to their affairs, children would go to study, and women with nothing to do would return to their own courtyards or stay to keep the elder lady company.

The elderly couple wasn’t strict with the children. Although they rose early, the time they set for everyone to come pay respects and have breakfast was equivalent to around seven o’clock in modern times. In this era of early to bed and early to rise, this wasn’t considered early.

Additionally, during rain, snow, or bad weather, paying respects wasn’t required.

Ye Yaming, who was self-disciplined even in modern times and as the head of a company, fully approved of Ye Chongming’s practices.

In a situation where family concepts were extremely important and everyone shared common economic interests, team cohesion was crucial and could determine a family’s survival at critical moments.

Ye Hongsheng had left early in the morning without having breakfast with everyone, but no one was suspicious. Men had their affairs to attend to.

Ye Yaming went to pay her respects and had breakfast with everyone.

Though they were said to eat together, men and women were still separated, divided by a screen.

The Ye family didn’t have many male members. Previously, with the three Ye brothers and Ye Jiaxing present, it wasn’t too noticeable. But now, with the eldest and second son absent, Ye Jiaxing injured, and Ye Hongrong confined to bed after receiving over ten strikes with the board yesterday, only Ye Chongming and the Fourth Branch’s two little ones remained at the men’s table—seven-year-old Ye Jiarui and six-month-old Ye Jianing.

Looking at the desolate table, then at Ye Jianing crying in his wet nurse’s arms, and hearing the lively conversation on the other side of the screen, Ye Chongming sighed.

After the meal, Elder Lady Ye asked Ye Yaming: “Yaming, I heard from your grandfather that you want to make osmanthus honey, is that right?”

Ye Yaming nodded: “Yes, Grandmother.”

Elder Lady Ye looked around and addressed the daughters-in-law of each branch: “Those of you who have osmanthus trees in your courtyards, if Yaming needs osmanthus flowers, have your maids and servants pick them for her. Pick them, however, she instructs.”

Then she smiled at Ye Yaming: “Yaming helped the family greatly yesterday, going with her father to visit each tea customer, swallowing her pride to apologize, which was very tiring. Your grandfather has instructed that if you want to make osmanthus honey, you may command any household member. Not just today, but tomorrow and the day after, if you wish to continue, feel free to give orders.”

She winked at Ye Yaming, then turned to survey everyone, finally resting her gaze on the Fourth Madam, Madam Zhang: “If anyone is dissatisfied, they can come to me. I’ll be back, Yaming up.”

Seeing that the elder lady singled her out among everyone, Madam Zhang’s expression turned unpleasant.

She indeed didn’t hold the Second Branch in high regard. But now that Ye Hongrong had made a mistake, the Fourth Branch had become the target of criticism. She was already keeping a low profile; how could she mock Ye Yaming? She wasn’t stupid!