In the Qi residence, seeing his father remain silent for a long time after hearing his report, Qi Ji anxiously said: “Father…”

Prefect Qi turned his gaze toward his son.

Seeing his father looking at him with a peculiar expression, Qi Ji inexplicably felt uneasy: “Wh-what’s wrong?”

When his father looked at him this way, it usually wasn’t a good sign.

“You and Zimou met the Ye family’s third daughter at the same time. Zimou fell in love with her and sought to marry her. Why didn’t you take a liking to her back then?” Prefect Qi suddenly asked his son an unexpected question.

Qi Ji was bewildered: “What?”

When he realized what his father had asked, he immediately jumped up: “Father, what are you thinking? One doesn’t covet a friend’s wife…”

“Silence!” Prefect Qi sternly interrupted him. “Answer my question.”

Qi Ji had been punished many times by his father due to his poor academic performance, and he became fearful whenever his father’s expression darkened.

Seeing his father angry, he immediately behaved himself and, recalling his father’s question, honestly answered: “Third Miss Ye is too formidable. I know how she dealt with Meng Chengwei and then with Song Yifeng. With someone so intimidating, if one day I did something to wrong her, wouldn’t she make my life worse than death? In comparison, I still prefer gentle and virtuous women.”

Prefect Qi snorted lightly and scolded: “Useless.”

Qi Ji found this amusing and laughed carelessly: “Hehe, back then Zimou asked me the same question, and I told him the same thing. He responded with the same two words as you just did: ‘useless.'”

Prefect Qi no longer wanted to speak with his foolish son: “Fine, go back to your room first. Wait until I’ve consulted with Advisor Wu, then I’ll give you an answer.”

“Yes.”

Shortly after Qi Ji left, Advisor Wu hurried back.

Upon learning that the young eunuch was targeting the Ye family, Advisor Wu had gone out to gather information. Although the spearhead was pointed at the Ye family, the Qi family was a partner; moreover, Dragon Well was tribute tea, and the Ye family was in Prefect Qi’s jurisdiction. Both officially and personally, he couldn’t stand idly by.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Advisor Wu told Prefect Qi about how Xiao Lizi had connected with Wang Kuan and how they had come to the teahouse early in the morning.

What Ye Yaming could deduce, Prefect Qi and Advisor Wu naturally could as well.

“It seems this Xiao Lizi deliberately sought out Wang Kuan, just to say those words in front of Ye Chongming,” Prefect Qi half-closed his eyes. “I don’t know who his master is behind him, but it isn’t the Third Prince.”

If the Ye family only had the Dragon Well tribute tea, perhaps it wouldn’t be enough to tempt the capital’s powerful figures. But now, under the Ye family’s name, there were vast tea plantations in Huizhou and Minzhou, and occasionally they would reveal astonishing tea recipes that amazed the world. Such a large piece of fat meat would make not only ambitious princes but also lords and noble relatives covetous.

So while the Second Prince was a suspected mastermind, others couldn’t be ruled out.

Prefect Qi rubbed his brow: “When Ji wanted to do business with Zimou and chose the Ye family, I truly didn’t expect the Ye family to develop their business to today’s scale.”

If he could have foreseen this, he might not have agreed to let Qi Ji get involved.

The Qi family had no interest in court struggles, didn’t lack money, and only wanted to serve as officials peacefully. Now drawn into this whirlpool, it would be difficult to extricate themselves.

Advisor Wu didn’t see it that way: “By not taking sides, while you avoid risks, it’s also difficult to advance. In my opinion, partnering with the Ye family in this business can become a stepping stone for your promotion without the risks of taking sides. For you, sir, this is a benefit rather than a detriment.”

Prefect Qi thought about it and nodded in agreement: “Your thinking is more thorough.”

Then he asked: “So you think I should help the Ye family?”

“Not helping the Ye family, but helping yourself.”

When Advisor Wu discovered that Xiao Lizi had deliberately sought to befriend Wang Kuan and intentionally revealed to Ye Chongming that his master was the Third Prince, he had already calculated the pros and cons of this matter on his way back in the carriage.

“Young Master Lu’s confidant has already taken the dark tea to the border. Anyone with the intent to investigate, considering the betrothal gifts when Third Miss Ye got engaged, could easily connect Young Master Lu with Third Miss Ye. Their engagement won’t remain secret for long.”

“Moreover, Young Master Lu is now nineteen, and Third Miss Ye is already seventeen; the Shi family has fallen, and Young Master Lu’s position as heir is confirmed. Their marriage is imminent, and there’s no need to conceal this relationship anymore. Young Master Qi and Young Master Lu are together daily, and once the engagement between the Lu and Ye families becomes public, anyone investigating would easily discover our cooperation with the Ye family.”

It’s worth noting that Qi Ji had personally gone to Huizhou and Minzhou, meeting the local prefects under the name of being Prefect Qi’s son. Only because those places were remote, news would not easily reach the capital unless someone was deliberately investigating, which was why the cooperation between the Qi and Ye families remained unknown.

The cooperation between Lu, Qi, and the Ye family was initially concealed only from the Shi family, to protect the Ye family from being suppressed by Lu Guanyi’s stepmother, Madam Shi, not to hide it from everyone.

Although the dark tea recipe was provided by the Ye family, both the Qi and Lu families have a share in this business. That being the case, you might as well take this opportunity to reveal that the Ye family’s backing is you and Young Master Lu. After all, on the surface, Young Master Lu is His Highness the Crown Prince’s man. Whether Xiao Lizi’s master will connect this to the Crown Prince is beyond our control. As long as they don’t come to provoke the Ye family, it has nothing to do with us.”

Prefect Qi nodded: “Agreed, let’s do that.”

He bowed to Advisor Wu: “I’ll have to trouble you to handle this matter for me.”

Naturally, he couldn’t personally intervene; Advisor Wu would need to find Xiao Lizi and explain the Ye family’s “background.”

Advisor Wu quickly avoided the bow: “You’re too kind, sir. Serving you is my duty; there’s no need for such formalities.”

…

At the Ye family’s side, Ye Yaming returned to her courtyard for a meal and then enjoyed a pleasant afternoon nap.

Having stolen half a day of leisure, she didn’t want to do anything else. She took a travelogue that Bai Rui had newly purchased for her, read for half the day, then went to the main house to accompany her grandparents for dinner. Only then did she receive Lu’E’s report.

“Miss, Young Master Qi has arrived. The Old Master asks you to go to the study in the front courtyard.”

When she arrived at the study, Qi Ji was indeed there.

Seeing Ye Yaming enter, without waiting for her to ask, he volunteered: “My father sent Advisor Wu to speak with that eunuch. The man was completely surprised and then said the Third Prince merely liked the Ye family’s tea and wanted to see if he could do business with the Ye family. Since this business is jointly operated by the Marquis Xuanwu’s heir and me, the Third Prince likely won’t interfere anymore. He was very polite and repeatedly showed goodwill to Advisor Wu.”

Ye Yaming and Ye Chongming exchanged glances.

Ye Yaming personally poured a cup of tea for Qi Ji, then poured one for herself. Raising her cup to Qi Ji with a smile, she said: “I use tea instead of wine to thank Prefect Qi for his help.”

Qi Ji laughed heartily: “The business is ours together. Isn’t it only right that my father should help?”

Ye Chongming looked at Qi Ji with great affection.

Indeed, simple fellows like Qi Ji and Ye Jiaxing were normal. His granddaughter, who was like a prodigy, must have been enlightened by immortals, which was why she was so extraordinary.