Seeing her husband remain silent, she finally softened and said, “Ming’er’s meaning is half and half, I suppose. The family can’t produce the silver; this is the best solution, and at least the wealth stays within the family. Master Lu and Young Master Qi want to partner with us to do business, saying they’ll buy tea from other regions, but who knows what the situation is? What if they can’t buy any? If we continue our tea business in Linan as usual, the impact won’t be significant. Contributing half shows our sincerity, and Master Lu and Young Master Qi can’t say anything against it.”

“And it’s normal for Ming’er to have her interests at heart. Without her ideas these past few days, without the osmanthus tea she created, who knows what situation our family would be in now? She has contributed so much; how could all the money earned go to the main branch? Even if we adopt her current suggestion, the second branch would only get twenty percent. She’s not being greedy.”

Ye Chongming said, “I can understand Ming’er’s interests. Even if she hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t have shortchanged her and the second branch. But now, the family business is becoming the daughters-in-law’s business, which I feel is inappropriate.”

“Since you say you won’t shortchange her, let’s do this: the public fund contributes twenty thousand, the main branch contributes fifteen thousand taels, and the second branch contributes ten thousand taels. The father and daughter of the second branch have worked hard mentally and physically to create osmanthus tea and chrysanthemum tea, which counts as shares worth five thousand taels of silver. This way, we’ll gather fifty thousand. As for the third and fourth branches, let each hold five thousand taels’ worth. And these shares shouldn’t be called the daughters-in-law’s shares, but rather the shares contributed by each branch. This way, the wealth stays within the family.”

By reason, the fourth branch had caused such big trouble that they shouldn’t be included this time.

But the fourth branch’s daughter-in-law, Madam Zhang, was truly a troublemaker, and the elder Mrs. Ye got a headache just thinking about her fuss. In her heart, she also favored her youngest son. Other branches could earn private money, but if he couldn’t, and then had no money to use, wouldn’t he come to bother her?

So she showed favoritism once more and included the fourth branch.

With this private money, Ye Hongrong would have no reason to ask his mother for more in the future. Money from the public fund could no longer be freely withdrawn by him. Perhaps the main and second branches would be willing to accept this arrangement.

Hearing this, Ye Chongming smiled bitterly again, “If the main and second branches could produce ten or twenty thousand taels of silver, I wouldn’t have been so worried several days ago. In the main branch, Madam Tao might gather ten thousand taels from various sources; borrowing more from the Tao family, fifteen thousand taels would not be a problem. But the second branch doesn’t have that much silver; ten thousand taels would be difficult.”

“Don’t worry about that. Just relay this message to them and see what Ming’er says about the second branch. Since she dared to suggest the involvement of the women from each branch, it seems that Madam Yin must have some silver, at least ten thousand taels.”

Out of the sixty thousand that needed to be raised, the family could produce twenty thousand taels of silver. According to Ye Yaming’s suggestion, each of the remaining four branches would contribute ten thousand. So she should be confident in producing this ten thousand tael.

Ye Chongming was puzzled, “The second son is honest and has never embezzled from the public fund, and besides, he doesn’t handle business matters. Madam Yin’s natal family isn’t wealthy either. Where would Ming’er conjure up ten thousand taels of silver from?”

The elder Mrs. Ye shook her head, “I can’t figure it out.”

This granddaughter of hers was becoming increasingly incomprehensible to her.

After thinking for a while, she said, “The second son and Madam Yin are both frugal, and they’ve probably saved three to four thousand taels of silver over these years. Madam Yin’s jewelry, if pawned, could fetch a few hundred taels. Ming’er and Yin’er’s jewelry could also add up to a few hundred taels. As for the rest…”

She frowned deeply for a long time, but still shook her head and said, “I don’t know.”

Ye Chongming asked again, “You have some silver on hand, don’t you?”

The elder Mrs. Ye laughed when she heard this, chiding, “You’re always thinking about my little private savings.”

She nodded, “Ming’er has indeed made a great contribution. And compared to the main branch, the second branch is indeed too poor. I’ll help them contribute the silver they lack, as a loan to them.”

She paused: “It’s a loan, not a gift, so the other branches can’t say anything.”

Ye Chongming was relieved and promised, “If they’re not short by much, I’ll repay you once the osmanthus tea is sold. If they’re short by a lot, we’ll have to wait until next year’s spring tea is sold.”

Although selling osmanthus tea would bring in silver, the managers and clerks of the tea factory, tea shop, and tea house needed to be maintained. The hundred or so people in the Ye family residence had daily expenses, and at the end of the month, salaries had to be paid. Silver was needed everywhere.

So Ye Chongming could only gradually repay the money owed to his wife.

“This matter can’t be delayed; we need to give Master Lu and the others an answer soon.” Ye Chongming looked at the time and thought it was too late to call Ye Yaming over, so he hesitated.

“Let Stewardess Yu go instead,” the elder Mrs. Ye suggested.

Ye Chongming had no objection.

Stewardess Yu went to Ye Yaming’s courtyard and told her, “The master thinks the suggestion the young miss proposed is excellent. However, after discussing with the mistress, he has decided that the public fund will contribute twenty thousand taels of silver, the main branch fifteen thousand taels, and the second branch will contribute ten thousand taels of silver plus the merit of osmanthus tea and chrysanthemum tea, which counts as shares worth fifteen thousand taels. Additionally, the third and fourth branches will each contribute five thousand taels.”

After saying this, she added, “The mistress said that if the young miss is short of money, she can help gather some.”

Ye Yaming silently gave Ye Chongming’s idea a thumbs up in her heart.

His idea was truly that of a proper businessman.

Ye Hongrong of the fourth branch had caused such a disaster, resulting in huge losses for the family. The other three branches didn’t make him responsible for that silver, and now they were including him in a good business opportunity, giving him a share—on what grounds?

As for the third branch, the elder Mrs. Ye pitied the third daughter-in-law for becoming a widow at such a young age and often provided additional support and rewards. Ye Yaming also deeply sympathized with the third aunt and cousin. She wouldn’t object to however much the elder Mrs. Ye gave them, and even if they received an extra share when the family divided, she would find it acceptable.

But in business matters, each matter should be handled separately, and rewards should be given based on contributions. Otherwise, who would be willing to work hard mentally and physically while letting others reap the benefits without effort?

But after all, they were family, and it would be somewhat unreasonable not to include them in an opportunity to earn private money. The couple from the fourth branch were troublemakers, and the third branch was pitiful. If the fourth branch caused trouble, and the third branch accused the Ye family of bullying orphans and widows, it would be problematic.

So letting them invest, but with a smaller proportion, was a consideration from all aspects.

She had originally said the second branch would hold shares worth ten thousand taels of silver, but the second branch truly couldn’t produce that much actual silver. However, she remembered that Ye Hongsheng had once exchanged for an inkstone that appeared plain in style and ordinary in quality on the surface. In her previous life, because the original owner frequently used that inkstone, Madam Yin included it in her dowry when she got married, allowing her to bring it to the Song family.

Later, Song Yifeng discovered that the inkstone was an antique, which was purchased by a colleague who admired it for eight thousand taels of silver. Yet he lied to the original owner, claiming that he had accidentally broken the inkstone.