Ye Ruhui, being of an older generation and having married daughters herself, understood Madam Yin and Ye Yaming’s thoughts best.

She stood up and said, “Now that Ming’er is married, your mother has been worrying about you these past few days. Your mother and daughter must have many private matters to discuss. We won’t disturb you and will wait in the outer courtyard.”

As she spoke, she rose and also pulled Ye Yayin and Ye Yayu, the two young girls, out with her.

With Ye Yaming newly married, there were certain things these young girls shouldn’t hear.

Once they left, Madam Yin grabbed Ye Yaming’s arm: “Ming’er, have you been mistreated at the Marquis’s mansion? Has your husband been good to you?”

“I haven’t been mistreated. He’s very good to me,” Ye Yaming replied.

“Really?”

“Really,” Ye Yaming nodded firmly.

Her daughter’s face was rosy, and she looked in excellent spirits. Madam Yin could see that she had indeed been treated well these past two days.

And while others might not notice, as her mother, she could see that her daughter was somewhat different from before.

In the past, Ye Yaming appeared beautiful at first glance, confident and poised at second glance, and cool and distant at third glance. Although she often smiled when speaking and was kind to others, deep in her heart, she kept people thousands of miles away, never easily opening her heart to anyone.

This was the impression Madam Yin had received from her daughter over the past two years as Ye Yaming became increasingly capable.

Now, however, Madam Yin noticed that her daughter had lost some of that coolness and gained a certain softness and charm. This was the state of a woman who was happy in her marriage.

“That’s good,” Madam Yin decided not to ask further.

She brought up another matter: “The day you got married, when the wedding party returned for the banquet, your Elder Aunt tested me, saying she liked Yin’er and if she became her daughter-in-law, she would certainly cherish her like her own daughter.”

“Today, when she came, she mentioned this again. You know your Elder Sister—she’s like her mother, always comparing and unwilling to lose out. As soon as she heard this, she quickly said that her husband’s nephew is handsome and talented, and that her sister-in-law is also a kind person. If Yin’er is choosing a husband, she could consider her husband’s nephew.”

Ye Yaming immediately disliked this.

She had originally had a very good impression of her Elder Aunt Ye Ruhui. But now her impression had plummeted.

She asked Madam Yin: “What do you think about it?”

Madam Yin waved her hand in displeasure: “How could I possibly agree? Thanks to you, Qing’er married into the Xie family. As your full sister, Yin’er should at least find a family better than Qing’er’s in-laws, shouldn’t she?”

She glanced at Ye Yaming, very much wanting to ask her to find a suitable match for Ye Yayin if she knew of one.

But Ye Hongsheng had warned her, saying that Ye Yaming had always cherished her sisters and would naturally arrange something if she found a suitable match. As parents, they shouldn’t pressure Ye Yaming. It was best not to mention this matter at all.

Seeing that Madam Yin didn’t ask her to find a good match for Ye Yayin, Ye Yaming felt somewhat relieved.

She said, “Don’t worry, Mother. If I find someone suitable, I’ll keep an eye out for Yin’er and Yu’er. You don’t need to rush. As for Elder Aunt and Elder Sister’s two marriage proposals, you can simply decline them.”

When Madam Yin heard the first part, her face immediately lit up with a joyful smile: “Good, good.”

“However, given the Ye family’s status, marrying into a noble family isn’t necessarily a good thing. If it weren’t for the Emperor’s decree, my marriage might not have happened at all. When the engagement was first announced, everyone who knew the circumstances pitied me. Have you heard about what happened to Zi Mo’s former fiancée?”

Madam Yin nodded: “Your father told me.”

At the time, as Ye Yaming’s marriage wasn’t suitable to discuss openly, Ye Hongsheng had told Madam Yin about the tragic fate of Lu Guanyi’s former fiancée, which had greatly frightened her.

“Not to mention me, but look at Elder Grand-Aunt and Elder Cousin—you’ve seen what kind of lives they lead. Second Cousin married into the Xie family, which seems like a good match since their status is higher than the Ye family’s. But living day to day is like drinking water—only the person knows if it’s cold or warm. It may look good to outsiders, but who knows what it’s like inside?”

“So for Yin’er and Yu’er’s marriages, I think we should consider not just status and family culture but also the character of the individuals. This matter shouldn’t be rushed; we need to choose carefully.”

Ye Yaming wanted to caution her mother in case she had excessively high expectations.

Madam Yin quickly replied: “I’ll listen to you and your father on this matter. Your judgment is always better than mine, and you’re both smarter than I am. Following your guidance won’t lead us astray.”

Ye Yaming nodded.

This was the good thing about Madam Yin—she listened to advice and didn’t act on her own.

The duration of a bride’s stay during her return visit to her parents’ home varied depending on circumstances. If the bride’s natal home was far from her in-laws’ home, she would naturally stay for a day or two; if they were close, she could return after just sharing a meal.

The Ye family residence wasn’t large, but many people lived there. Before her marriage, Ye Yaming had shared a courtyard with her parents and sisters. It wouldn’t be convenient for her and her husband to stay at her natal home now.

She and Lu Guanyi stayed at the Ye family home for a morning, had lunch, and then planned to return to the Martial Marquis’s mansion.

“Tomorrow I need to handle some matters at the Marquis’s mansion. The day after tomorrow, let’s go together to check on the new teahouse. It opens in five days, and if anything is amiss, we can fix it in time,” Ye Yaming told Ye Hongsheng before leaving.

The Ye family clan members planned to depart for Lin’an the next day. Ye Hongsheng’s family of three, plus Ye Yayu, would stay in the capital, returning to Lin’an with Ye Hongchang closer to the New Year. During this time, both Ye Hongsheng and Ye Yaming would be busy with the opening of the new teahouse.

Ye Hongsheng beckoned to Ye Yaming, pulled her aside, and said softly: “Ming’er, your Third Grand-Uncle’s grandson, Ye Jiaqing, wants to stay in the capital. Your Third Grand-Uncle asked me yesterday if his grandson could find a position at the Ye family teahouse.”

Ye Yaming frowned slightly.

The Ye family teahouses paid good wages, and a shop assistant who spent frugally could earn enough to support a family of four or five. Over the years, many clan members had wanted to work in the Ye family’s teahouses and tea shops.

Ye Chongming, however, was reluctant to employ clan members. When they first came in, family members would express endless gratitude, but once they performed poorly and you needed to dismiss them, both parties would immediately become enemies.

But to refuse would also lead to unpleasant words within the clan, saying you would rather employ outsiders than help your family members, calling you cold-hearted and neglectful of kinship.

This matter had given Ye Chongming many headaches.

“Please call Third Grand-Uncle and Cousin Jiaqing over. I’ll speak with them,” said Ye Yaming.

Ye Hongsheng immediately went to call Ye Chongxian and Ye Jiaqing.

Ye Yaming said: “My father has told me about Cousin Jiaqing’s situation. If it were anyone else in the clan, I would have to refuse outright. The reason is that this teahouse is in the capital, catering to powerful noble families. One wrong word, one small mistake, could bring fatal disaster.”

“It may seem that I’ve married into the Martial Marquis’s family, but in this capital, there are princes’ mansions and dukes’ mansions, high-ranking officials with real power in the court, countless people with more authority than the Marquis’s mansion. Moreover, the teahouse is a Ye family business, not a Martial Marquis’s business. People wouldn’t think twice about harming a shop assistant.”