“I know that. I’m someone who has run a shop before, so I have experience,” said Madam Yin.

Ye Hongsheng smiled, pleased with his wife’s transformation.

Compared to his wife, who used to stay at home feeling sorry for herself, he preferred seeing her vibrant and full of energy as she was now.

“Well…” Madam Yin became hesitant.

“Just speak directly,” Ye Hongsheng said. “Between us as husband and wife, what can’t be said?”

Madam Yin steeled herself and said, “I just wanted to ask, do we have to return to Lin’an? Can’t we just stay in the Capital? Look at your teahouse—it can’t function without you. Hasn’t your eldest brother been looking after the teahouse here all these years? Your teahouse is more important than the teahouse, and it makes more money. If he needs to stay and manage his, don’t you need to stay and manage yours?”

In Lin’an, she hardly went out. At home, she couldn’t find common ground with her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law, and had never made friends in her life.

Since coming to the Capital, not only had she gotten along extremely well with Princess Imperial Yü’an, but those ladies and young misses who patronized the pastry shop were also polite to her out of respect for Princess Imperial Yü’an and Ye Yaming. Here, she felt she had realized her life’s value.

Ye Hongsheng knew his wife wanted to stay in the Capital, but he still shook his head: “Fourth Brother is in Huizhou, Big Brother is here—I can’t possibly stay here too. Our parents are getting old and must have someone by their side. Besides, I still need to process tea.”

Teahouses were derivative industries; tea leaves were the foundation of the Ye family. Without good tea, the Ye family’s teahouses couldn’t compete with those owned by the Capital’s powerful families. This point was very clear to Ye Hongsheng.

Madam Yin also understood what Ye Hongsheng was saying, which was why she had been hesitant earlier.

Compared to her small business, the Ye family’s tea was the significant matter. Longjing was a tribute tea, and black tea had a contract with the imperial court.

She said: “I understand. I was just thinking aloud. Naturally, I’ll follow your lead.”

…

Princess Imperial Yü’an had been calculating the accounts with Madam Yin. Now she was sitting in Princess Imperial Yüning’s hall, sharing the good news with her sister.

“…I asked Madam Ye, and her shop in Lin’an only earns one to two hundred taels of silver daily, while ours is a full ten times that. The money itself isn’t important—I don’t lack money. It’s just that I feel very happy, exceptionally happy.”

Princess Imperial Yü’an didn’t know the term “sense of achievement.” She had never earned money in her life. Now that she was earning money through her efforts, even if just a copper coin, she would feel happy.

Princess Imperial Yüning was genuinely happy for her sister as she watched her.

Ever since discovering that her Prince Consort kept a mistress and after marrying off her daughter, Yü’an’s life had become deathly quiet. She neither socialized with friends nor had her hobbies. She stayed at home all day, eating and sleeping, barely speaking a few sentences in a day, exactly like what Ye Yaming called “waiting to die while eating free food.”

Princess Imperial Yüning hadn’t expected that a small business partnership would change Yü’an’s attitude toward life. When she had encouraged Yü’an initially, she had merely thought it would give her something to do, which was better than staying home alone.

But unexpectedly, Yü’an had found joy in this venture, discussing business with Madam Ye at the shop every day. Today’s opening had excited her like a child.

“Then keep at it,” Princess Imperial Yüning said. “But you should thank me for this. I don’t want anything else—just when the Ye family’s black tea comes out in spring, have Madam Ye quietly give you a few catties to give to me.”

Princess Imperial Yü’an rolled her eyes at her: “I have no problem with that, but I don’t know if the Ye family will have tea to spare. This isn’t something I can decide.”

Princess Imperial Yüning, having run a shop before, was concerned about a drop in business on the second day and wanted to prepare her Second Imperial Sister to avoid disappointment: “Many people came to support you on your opening day. Tomorrow there may not be as many. You should be mentally prepared.”

Princess Imperial Yü’an nodded: “Madam Ye told me about that. I understand.”

Although the Ye family were merchants, women in their circle were all addressed as “Madam,” and there was no need to specifically address Madam Yin as “Mrs.” Madam Yin was Ye Yaming’s mother, and Ye Yaming’s current status was higher than many ladies, so Madam Yin was considered ennobled through her daughter. Therefore, everyone addressed her as “Madam Ye.”

Everyone had expected the pastry shop’s business to decline on the second day, but they hadn’t anticipated the enormous temptation that desserts held for the young ladies of this era. The first day’s customers had taken pastries home and praised those dairy beverages as heavenly, so the next day, wealthy young ladies with plenty of leisure time flocked to the shop. The second day’s business was no worse than the first.

By the third and fourth days, when business remained the same, Princess Imperial Yü’an and Madam Yin received countless complaints: there were too many people, and friends couldn’t sit down to eat together because others were always waiting for seats.

Everyone was from the same circle, and even if they weren’t close, they recognized each other. Those of lower status had to give up their seats to those of higher status, and the young had to yield to the elderly. There was no first-come, first-served policy, and many people couldn’t enjoy their pastries in peace.

The lack of peace wasn’t the only issue—the entire shop was crowded.

Everyone was of noble status; how could they have experienced such a market-like atmosphere? Not to mention that some families had sent servants to make purchases, and mingling with servants—no matter how delicious the pastries were—didn’t make for a pleasant experience.

Madam Yin had been a merchant’s wife for over twenty years and had run a shop herself. In her partnership with Princess Imperial Yü’an, she was the decision-maker. Now facing this problem, she knew that opening two more branch stores would solve it, but she had reservations.

So she had to write another letter to Ye Yaming, asking her daughter to return to her maternal home when she had time.

Now that the teahouse was running smoothly, Ye Yaming had stepped back from managing it, leaving everything to the two shop managers. She was currently enjoying a sweet honeymoon life with Lu Guanyi.

Sometimes they would stay at home without going anywhere; other times, Lu Guanyi would take Ye Yaming out, introducing her to all the places he found interesting.

That day, Ye Yaming had gone with Lu Guanyi to a hunting ground in the suburbs of the Capital. Wearing red fitted clothes and riding horses, they had just returned home when they received a letter delivered by the doorkeeper.

“I need to go back home. My mother’s business has encountered some trouble,” Ye Yaming apologetically told Lu Guanyi.

Lu Guanyi was about to hand the reins to the stable boy, but upon hearing this, he pulled back his hand: “Let’s go together. I’ll go mooch a meal at my father-in-law’s place.”

Ye Yaming immediately smiled: “Then let’s mount up.”

The two got back on their horses and headed straight for the Ye residence.

Several old men chatting at the entrance of the alley saw the two approaching on horseback with a group of servants. Not only did the leading couple possess extraordinary looks and bearing, but the horses they rode were exceptionally fine, and even the servants’ horses were uncommon.