Ye Yaming didn’t immediately go to the main hall of Jihang Pavilion. Instead, she waited a while, estimating that the person Lu’E had gone to call should have arrived by now, before heading to the hall.

Ancient buildings had poor soundproofing. She entered the courtyard through a concealed side door next to a side room and stood under the covered walkway, where she could hear a shrill female voice coming from the main hall.

“Call your master here. I want to see on what grounds I’m denied a membership card. My coming here to drink tea is already showing respect to your master. She thinks she’s something special now? Marrying a fourth-rank military official doesn’t change the fact that sticking a phoenix feather on yourself doesn’t hide that you’re just a pheasant. Opening a shabby teahouse and thinking you’re something significant.”

The wife of Baron Yong’an, who had followed Lu’E, arrived just after Ye Yaming, entering through the side door almost at the same time. These words naturally reached her ears as well.

Her expression changed abruptly.

Seeing her, Ye Yaming curtseyed and apologized softly: “I’m sorry, Elder Madam Qian. All the guests at the teahouse are nobles, and if a scene erupts, it would be embarrassing for me as well as Madam Song and Madam Tang. I heard these two ladies are from your household, and since you happen to be here, I’ve taken the liberty of asking you to help mediate.”

With a pleasant demeanor, she requested, “I’ll go speak with the two ladies. If I can’t persuade them, perhaps you could say a few words on my behalf? Would that be acceptable?”

“Of course, if it’s inconvenient for you, then never mind. Since they’re married, they belong to the Song and Tang families now, so it’s understandable if you don’t feel it’s your place to intervene. I asked you here mainly because they originally came from Baron Yong’an’s household, and you happen to be here. At the very least, you should be aware if a dispute arises.”

Seeing Ye Yaming’s excellent attitude and sincere gaze, Madam Baron Yong’an felt the inexplicable anger in her heart dissipate somewhat.

She grasped Ye Yaming’s arm and sighed: “Good child, I appreciate your consideration. These two are my husband’s younger brother’s children, spoiled since childhood and disobedient even in their maiden days. I worry that even if I go, they won’t listen, making the situation even more unpleasant. If it’s not too troublesome, perhaps you could issue them membership cards. This old woman would be grateful.”

Ye Yaming expressed her difficulty: “As you can see, the teahouse is only so large and can’t accommodate too many people. If I issue a card to Madam Song, then in the future, when officials of the same rank as Mr. Song come, we couldn’t refuse them either. But once we do that, you nobles would likely lose your peace here.”

Officials who excel at networking are the ones who advance. Once lower-ranking officials learn that higher officials are drinking tea here, and that by coming they might chance upon them or even strike up a conversation, perhaps offering tea or small gifts, the higher-ranking officials and nobles would no longer have tranquility.

Without tranquility, the prestige would diminish, and they would likely stop coming. If they stopped coming, the lower officials would naturally stop coming too. After all, the consumption here isn’t cheap, and the location is distant—not something that officials without money or leisure can afford.

At that point, her teahouse would have to close.

So there had to be a threshold—at minimum, third-rank officials and marquises or higher noble families.

The reason Baron Yong’an’s wife received a calling card was a special exception Ye Yaming made to deal with Madam Tang and Madam Song. After all, Madam Tang’s husband was a third-rank official, and if everyone else received a calling card except him, Madam Tang, who was already disliked by Lady Shi, would use this as an excuse to cause trouble.

Sending the calling card that should have belonged to Minister Tang to the Baron Yong’an’s household caused no loss to the teahouse and prevented potential problems.

Now, this chess move was being put to use today.

The Baron Yong’an’s rank was already one level below the Martial Valor Marquis’s household, not to mention that the Lu father and son held military power and were the Great Jin’s new powerholders, who even the Emperor had to be wary of.

Even though Madam Baron Yong’an was older than Madam Yin, she didn’t dare put on airs in front of Ye Yaming. Her request was merely a gamble that Ye Yaming, coming from a merchant background and being a new bride, would be too thin-skinned to refuse her.

After all, if Ye Yaming couldn’t resolve the problem, she would have to step in. But the Baron Yong’an’s household had little power, and the two married daughters no longer respected her, so her words carried little weight. At that point, she would lose face.

Now, hearing Ye Yaming’s words, she realized that the young woman before her was no pushover, so she quickly smiled and said: “I’m sorry, I didn’t know your situation and made a request that put you in a difficult position. Why don’t you handle it first, and if it truly doesn’t work out, I’ll step in. Thank you for your trouble, Lady Lu.”

“Very well,” Ye Yaming nodded. “Then please wait a moment, Elder Madam Qian.”

She turned to instruct Zi Yuan: “Go and have someone bring a chair for Elder Madam Qian to sit on.” Then she led Lu’E and Qingzhi to the main hall.

Madam Song wasn’t a fool; she naturally knew that the teahouse’s customers were of noble status, most of whom she couldn’t afford to offend. She had sent her maids and old servants to guard the front door, ready to alert her if other guests arrived so she could quieten down.

But she didn’t anticipate Ye Yaming entering through the concealed side door nearby. The maids standing in the corridor were startled when they saw this group approaching silently. Only when they heard the teahouse attendant address Ye Yaming as “miss” did they relax, realizing that the person their mistress was waiting for had arrived.

“What’s going on here?” Ye Yaming entered directly and swept her gaze around the room.

“Miss,” Wen Xiu’s face was full of indignation, having been angered by Madam Song’s words. Seeing Ye Yaming enter was like finding a savior, and she hurriedly explained the situation to Ye Yaming.

Madam Tang and Madam Song were both in their thirties. The two looked Ye Yaming up and down, and Madam Song said with contempt: “So you’re Lady Lu?”

Ye Yaming had no desire to waste time and energy arguing with this woman. Even if she won the argument, she would gain nothing good from it, only acquiring a reputation for being “sharp-tongued.” This was the two women’s goal.

Her eyes darkened as she asked: “‘Sticking a phoenix feather on yourself doesn’t hide that you’re just a pheasant’—was that said by Madam Song?”

Madam Song was taken aback, only now realizing that Ye Yaming had likely arrived earlier. She opened her mouth to mock again.

But Ye Yaming gave her no opportunity to speak, continuing: “His Majesty strongly promotes officials from humble backgrounds, judging heroes by their abilities rather than their origins. Minister Tang and Official Song may not have particularly noble origins, but they have become third-rank and fifth-rank officials through their abilities. How is it that in Madam Song’s words, they have become pheasants with phoenix feathers? If these words spread, aren’t you afraid that all the officials of humble origin at court will take issue with you? Not to mention the nobles in the palace.”

When Madam Song heard this, she became anxious: “I was talking about you, it has nothing to do with others. Don’t twist my words.”

No joke. The nobles in the palace all came from minor official families and were truly “pheasants with phoenix feathers.” If these words reached the palace, both she and her husband would be finished.

Madam Song deeply regretted her careless words, which had given Ye Yaming leverage against her.