There was only one road from Linan City to the mountain. Ye Chongming, suspecting Meng Chengwei might cause trouble, had already sent people to speak with the family who ran the tea pavilion at the foot of the mountain.

Old Wang, who ran the tea pavilion, also had tea gardens on the mountain. However, his family was large and their tea gardens few, so being resourceful, he opened a tea pavilion to serve passing tea merchants and tea-picking workers who needed refreshment and rest. Old Wang was acquainted with Ye Chongming and they had quite a good relationship.

Meng Chengwei, not trusting Meng Liang to handle matters, sent his confidant Liu Qilin to the mountain.

Liu Qilin knew that the villagers were familiar with the Ye family. As a stranger, if he went into the village spreading ill of the Ye family, he would certainly be driven out with clubs.

So he planned to start with the tea pavilion.

Whether it was a tea pavilion, teahouse, or tea tower, these were all places where gossip spread. If the people at the tea pavilion knew about the Ye family’s affairs, it meant all the tea garden owners on the mountain would know as well.

So dressed in silk and satin to appear wealthy, he brought two attendants to the tea pavilion. By this time, another steward disguised as a tea merchant had already arrived.

The two men pretended to be strangers who had both come from the Capital City and began chatting idly, eventually discussing the latest news from Linan City.

“It’s all over the city—the Ye family’s tea silver was robbed, and recently they made an unprofitable deal, losing a large sum of money. So they can’t produce the funds to reserve tea leaves.”

They dared not mention the Ye family’s private tea, also because Ding Jian had been arrested. If the matter were investigated further, Meng Chengwei himself wouldn’t escape punishment.

So Liu Qilin and his companion dared not speak of this.

At this point, Liu Qilin, as if suddenly remembering something, asked Wang Youcai, Old Wang’s son: “By the way, which tea garden owners here have reserved their tea for the Ye family? Now that the Ye family is in trouble, you haven’t reserved your tea for them yet or signed contracts with them, right?”

Wang Youcai exchanged a glance with his wife Madam Wang, pretending to be very surprised, and said to Liu Qilin: “Really? But… but… we’ve already signed contracts with them!”

He then displayed an extremely anxious expression and asked his wife: “What should we do?”

Madam Wang suggested: “Why don’t we send Dali down the mountain to inquire about the news? If this is true, we should notify others as well, so they can make early arrangements.”

“Good, good, good.” Wang Youcai threw down the cloth in his hand and made a bow to Liu Qilin. “Thank you for the reminder, sir.”

Then he called loudly: “Dali, Dali!”

A sturdy young man about twenty years old ran in and said in a deep voice: “Father, what is it?”

“Go down the mountain and inquire about the Ye family’s situation.” Wang Youcai gave him detailed instructions.

Wang Dali agreed, untied the donkey tethered nearby, mounted it, and rode down the mountain.

Liu Qilin exchanged a glance with his companion, put down his teacup, and said: “Take your time resting, brother. I’ll be going now.”

“I’m also rested.” His companion stood up as well, and both parties left the tea pavilion together.

They weren’t worried about the tea pavilion people making inquiries. After all, in the city, Meng Liang had been somewhat effective, hiring a group of ruffians to spread rumors everywhere. As long as the shop owner went into the city, he would certainly hear about the Ye family’s decline.

Meanwhile, Wang Dali went down the mountain directly to Jixiang Tea Tower and told Ye Chongming what had happened.

Ye Chongming smiled and asked: “Aren’t you afraid that what he said is true?”

“How could that be possible?” Wang Dali, eating snacks brought by an attendant, said casually, “My father said that your Ye family is financially strong. Never mind that your tea silver wasn’t robbed—that’s just a rumor—just selling one of your shops in Linan City or the Capital would be enough to advance payments for all the tea garden owners on our entire mountain. You issuing that tea currency is just doing Baofeng Bank a favor.”

Seemingly finding his mouth dry, he picked up the teacup beside him, drained it in one gulp, wiped his mouth, and said: “Besides, the bank’s owner isn’t stupid. If your family were declining, he wouldn’t partner with you to issue any ‘tea currency.'”

Ye Chongming couldn’t help but laugh, reaching out to pat Wang Dali’s head: “You’re quite clever, young man.”

“Right? Yet my parents keep calling me stupid every day,” Wang Dali complained.

“Then would you like to work as an attendant in my teahouse?” Ye Chongming asked.

This time the Wang family had been a great help to him, and he naturally should repay them.

Previously, he had thought Wang Dali seemed a bit simple-minded, but hearing him speak now, he was quite impressed and thought he could train him as an attendant.

Attendants in Linan City’s teahouses earned quite high wages, at least better than the income from Wang Youcai’s tea pavilion. Most importantly, they interacted with many people, which was very good for personal development.

Besides, the tea pavilion had Wang Youcai and his wife, which was enough; they didn’t need Wang Dali.

Young people always yearned for prosperous places, and Wang Dali’s eyes lit up when he heard this: “Can I do it?”

“I’ll have someone guide you first, and you can try it out,” Ye Chongming said, not wanting to make promises he couldn’t keep.

Being an attendant in a teahouse required not only physical strength and agility but also alertness and good communication skills. Otherwise, if someone got scalded or offended, it could cause big trouble for the owner, so not just anyone could do it.

“The day after tomorrow, after you’ve discussed it with your parents, have your father bring you to the teahouse to find me,” Ye Chongming said. “I’m going out for a while. Take your time eating; there’s plenty. When you go back later, take some for your grandfather, grandmother, and parents.”

“Yes,” Wang Dali replied obediently and continued eating snacks.

As Ye Chongming went out, his eyes turned cold.

“Manager Lin, go to my home, call Jiaxing, and go up the mountain with him to explain the situation to everyone, to prevent panic. Tell the garden owners that if they help my Ye family through this difficult time and don’t go to the bank to redeem their currency, for every tael of silver in tea currency, I’ll add an interest of one hundred wen when they exchange it next spring.”

“Yes,” Lin Zhensheng replied.

“Bring more escorts from the security bureau,” Ye Chongming further instructed.

Lin Zhensheng, well aware of the injuries to Ye Hongchang and Ye Jiaxing, father and son, was extremely cautious. He immediately went to the security bureau to request escorts, then to the Ye residence to call Ye Jiaxing, and together they went up the mountain.

…

The rumors spread by Meng Chengwei were only targeted at the customers in the teahouse. These customers were wealthy people with leisure time, and even if they spread gossip, such gossip wouldn’t easily reach the Song family.

To plant a seed, Ye Yaming had Nanny Xia make another trip, deliberately letting Xiao Xiang know about these rumors.

So after buying vinegar, Xiao Xiang hurriedly ran back and told Madam Yu, who was instructing the cook about the Mid-Autumn Festival dinner, that the Ye family’s tea silver had been robbed, the Ye family’s Elder Master was seriously injured, and the Ye family was going to go bankrupt.

Yes, as the rumors spread back and forth, they became “the Ye family is going to go bankrupt.”

Madam Yu was delighted upon hearing this, clapping her hands and saying: “Oh my, heaven truly blesses us! Let’s see if they still dare to look down on people. I must light an incense stick for my husband.”

With that, she hurried to the Buddhist shrine and lit an incense stick for her husband.

Xiao Xiang couldn’t help but purse her lips in disdain.