“But how did you find it?” she asked.

“After you mentioned it, I sent people to the south to search, and they finally found this type. I rushed the craftsmen to carve it into jewelry and deliver it here,” Lu Guanyi smiled. “There’s plenty more of this jade in the south. If you want more, I can have it sent later.”

Ye Yaming was deeply moved.

Transportation was difficult in these times. The journey from the north to the south was far, requiring crossing national borders, and then there was the matter of finding this specific jade—who knew how much effort this had taken.

She shook her head. “No need. This set is enough.”

She wasn’t sure if it was because the local sources were limited or because those searching didn’t know how to select properly, but this set of jadeite was only high ice-type rather than glass-type. Nevertheless, since Lu Guanyi had specially gifted it to her, it held extraordinary significance. In Ye Yaming’s heart, this set was more precious than the glass-type set she had owned in her previous life.

So, one set was enough. She didn’t want Lu Guanyi’s men to exhaust themselves and waste resources just for her small hobby.

Lu Guanyi held her hand tightly.

He understood her thoughts and was deeply touched.

Ye Yaming said, “I have a gift for you too.”

“What is it?” Lu Guanyi asked, his eyes brightening.

Ye Yaming stood up, took a box from a nearby table, and handed Lu Guanyi a key. “Open it and see.”

Lu Guanyi noticed that the box had a lock. He glanced at Ye Yaming, wondering what gift could be so valuable that it needed to be locked even within their home. Nevertheless, he quickly took the key and opened the lock.

The moment he lifted the lid, he froze.

He turned his head to look at Ye Yaming. “A military treatise?”

Ye Yaming nodded. “Yes.”

“The Thirty-Six Stratagems,” considered essential reading for CEOs in her previous life, she had read it thoroughly and memorized it, benefiting greatly.

Because she enjoyed it, she had also read “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu, though she hadn’t memorized that one.

Recently, she had noticed Lu Guanyi constantly reading military treatises. However, ancient military texts were quite limited—the same few volumes circulated repeatedly. Among them, “The Thirty-Six Stratagems” was not included, so she had conceived the idea of writing it down from memory as a gift for Lu Guanyi.

“I read this in a dream. The author is unknown.”

When Lu Guanyi heard it was a military treatise bestowed by immortals, he became extremely excited. He abandoned his meal, had the maid bring water to wash his hands, and immediately began reading.

Ye Yaming knew that once he started reading, he wouldn’t put it down. Fortunately, they had almost finished eating. She had the table cleared and said to Lu Guanyi, “Let’s go to the study to read.”

Lu Guanyi was reluctant to put the book down but followed her suggestion and went to the western study in the main courtyard.

Ye Yaming returned to the eastern chamber, bathed, and went to bed alone.

The next morning when she woke up, she asked Qingzhi, “Did the Young Master not sleep all night?”

“Indeed he didn’t,” Qingzhi handed her a handkerchief. “The light in the study burned all night, and he seems to be still reading. I just saw Antai bringing washing supplies over, but he was standing at the door, not daring to enter.”

After washing up, Ye Yaming went to the western chamber and indeed saw Antai standing there with the items.

Seeing her approach, Antai’s eyes brightened. He trotted over and said, “My Lady, please persuade the Young Master. He’s been reading all night and is still sitting there. I’m worried about his health.”

“Alright, I’ll persuade him,” Ye Yaming said as she entered the study.

Lu Guanyi was sitting at his desk writing something, not even noticing Ye Yaming’s entrance.

Worried that sudden speech might startle him, Ye Yaming deliberately made some noise.

“Go away, don’t bother me,” Lu Guanyi frowned.

Ye Yaming knew he thought it was Antai who had entered, so she said, “It’s me.”

Lu Guanyi started, turned around, and upon seeing Ye Yaming, his face immediately lit up with excitement as he reached out to her. “Ming’er, this book you gave me is truly excellent. It truly deserves to be called a divine text—it’s remarkable, absolutely remarkable!”

Ye Yaming walked over to look at his written thoughts and asked, “Are you using actual examples for this tactical analysis?”

“Yes,” Lu Guanyi replied. “All from the Great Jin’s previous battles.”

He enthusiastically pointed to a passage he had written. “Look at this battle example. If they had first used the ‘Lure the Tiger from the Mountain’ stratagem from the Thirty-Six Stratagems, followed by ‘Remove the Firewood from Under the Pot,’ they could have achieved a great victory.”

As he said this, his expression darkened. “Unfortunately, the commander at the time used the wrong strategy, resulting in ‘sending sheep into a tiger’s den.’ Out of twenty thousand troops, more than half were lost.”

Ye Yaming had extensively studied “The Thirty-Six Stratagems” in her previous life. Her success in the business world at such a young age, building her enterprise into a multinational public company, wasn’t due solely to her intelligence.

She excelled at learning, applying theoretical knowledge to practical situations with flexibility.

Looking at Lu Guanyi’s analysis of the battle, including personnel comparisons and battle conditions, she nodded and said, “After ‘Lure the Tiger from the Mountain,’ you could employ ‘Fishing in Troubled Waters.’ See, the Great Jin’s forces weren’t from a single tribe, and the tribes didn’t know each other. With their defenses weakened after using ‘Lure the Tiger from the Mountain,’ we could send an elite force disguised in their clothing to infiltrate and kill their commanders…”

Standing outside the door, Antai and Zi Yuan exchanged glances as they listened to the enthusiastic discussion inside.

Not only had the Lady failed to persuade the Young Master to come out, but she had also been drawn in herself.

However, Antai was delighted, extremely delighted.

He never imagined that the Young Master’s wife would have such insight, not only presenting the Young Master with a divine text but also discussing tactics from it with him.

Throughout the entire Great Jin, one couldn’t find a second woman like her. The Young Master’s marriage to such a wife was truly heaven’s blessing.

…

The banquets in the capital seemed endless. Households that hadn’t managed to host before the New Year would certainly hold banquets afterward, inviting relatives and friends.

Originally, the Marquis of Xianwu’s household was in an awkward position. Since Lu Zhongyong was stationed at the border year-round, people in the capital weren’t familiar with him. Previously, Madam Shi had represented the Marquis in social interactions. But even though Madam Shi hadn’t been executed or imprisoned, she had been labeled a criminal, and those who had once been close to her now avoided her.

Therefore, even though Marquis of Xianwu Lu Zhongyong had become a “new power” with military authority, people couldn’t find a reason to associate with the Marquis’s household or send invitations to its members.

Fortunately, Ye Yaming had opened a tea house. During the membership card registration period, she had interacted with the capital’s officials and nobles. Additionally, before the New Year, Princess Imperial Yuning and Yuan had introduced her to various ladies at banquets, expanding her social circle. As a result, more and more people invited her to their gatherings.

In the carriage on the way to a banquet, Lu Guanyi jokingly said to her, “I’m benefiting from your influence. Otherwise, I wouldn’t receive so many invitations.”

Previously, his position in the capital had been awkward. Due to the Duke Weiguo’s household’s power, the nobility had forbidden their younger generations from associating with him, so his social connections were poor.