Chapter 39: Heart-to-Heart

Ye Hongchang heard the name Meng Chengwei while Ye Chongming was talking to Prefect Qi. He knew it wasn’t the right place to ask questions, so he held back.

Once they got home, he couldn’t wait any longer. As soon as they reached the study, he eagerly asked, “Father, who is Meng Chengwei? From what you said, did he send people to kill me? Why would he want to kill me? Do we have a grudge against him?”

Ye Chongming smiled bitterly. Seeing his son, though pale and exhausted, still able to hold on, he knew he had to explain everything clearly for Ye Hongchang to rest and recover.

He recounted the entire situation with Meng Chengwei. Naturally, he mentioned Ye Yaming’s name several times.

Ye Hongchang was completely shocked. “You mean he wants to cooperate with our family, so he tried to harm us?”

Ye Chongming nodded.

Ye Hongchang was speechless. What kind of logic is that? If Meng Chengwei wanted to cooperate with the Ye family, shouldn’t he be good to them? Why would he harm them instead?

But he had to admit, if they hadn’t seen through Meng Chengwei’s schemes from the start, allowing Ye Jiaxing to associate with him and letting Meng Chengwei “help” them during subsequent troubles, the Ye family would have already regarded Meng Chengwei as a benefactor and shared their tea-making skills with him.

Meng Chengwei’s methods, though despicable and ruthless, were far more effective than showing goodwill and deliberately befriending the Ye family from the beginning. If it were the latter, the Ye family would have been suspicious, thinking “no one shows kindness without reason,” and would have been on guard against Meng Chengwei. In that case, it would have taken Meng Chengwei three to five years of effort to gain the Ye family’s trust.

Thinking about how they managed to see through Meng Chengwei’s schemes thanks to Ye Yaming, Ye Hongchang felt both grateful and curious about his niece.

“Was it really Ming’er who warned us? Did she really come up with so many ideas and even make osmanthus tea?” he asked, finding it hard to believe.

Was this still the same third niece he remembered?

In his memory, Ye Yaming was a smart and well-mannered child, well-taught by her parents. But she was just an ordinary girl living in the household, similar to his daughter Ye Yaqing. This was completely different from the resourceful and almost magical Ye Yaming his father described. Perhaps, as his father said, she didn’t want to stand out when there was no trouble at home, so she didn’t show her abilities.

“Yes. If I hadn’t experienced it all myself, heard her analysis, and seen her come up with so many good ideas, I would have doubted my own ears,” Ye Chongming said with a smile, leaning back and relaxing.

Although Meng Chengwei hadn’t been brought to justice yet, with Ye Hongchang’s return and the tea silver safe, and Meng Chengwei on the authorities’ radar, it was only a matter of time before he was caught. The tension in Ye Chongming’s heart finally eased.

But only for a moment. He then sat up straight, his expression serious as he looked at Ye Hongchang.

“It was Ming’er who warned me that Meng Chengwei might target you and the tea silver. She also suggested I ask Guan Canghai and his men to meet you. She was worried that if the tea silver was stolen, it would cause big problems when we ordered tea for the Mid-Autumn Festival. She suggested I go to your uncle and borrow money from the bank and issue tea currency.”

“Now that you’re back and the tea silver is safe, I still need to discuss with her whether we should borrow money from the Mei family and issue tea currency.”

As he spoke, he observed his son’s expression.

If Ye Hongchang showed any displeasure, feeling that Ye Yaming was overshadowing his position and authority in the family, it would be troubling Ye Chongming as the head of the family.

On one hand, he had his granddaughter, whom he regarded as the family’s backbone. He believed that Ye Yaming’s keen insight and deep thinking were superior to Ye Hongchang’s. He didn’t dare to act without consulting her, fearing that his own oversight might bring disaster to the family.

On the other hand, he had his heir, the next head of the Ye family, his carefully nurtured and highly anticipated son. No matter how capable Ye Yaming was, the family’s legacy still needed Ye Hongchang, the adult male, to uphold it. If the two couldn’t get along and work together, he wouldn’t know how to balance their relationship.

Fortunately, Ye Hongchang’s character was beyond doubt. He noticed his father’s seemingly “secretive” but actually deliberate “observation.”

He smiled, “Father, are you worried that I might be jealous of Ming’er, thinking she’s stealing my spotlight?”

Ye Chongming replied frankly, “Yes, I am worried.”

Some things needed to be said. He didn’t hide it and shared Old Madam Ye’s concerns with Ye Hongchang.

Ye Hongchang shook his head and smiled, “Father, you raised me. Do you think my character is that bad?”

“Don’t worry. If it weren’t for Ming’er’s warning and you sending Guan Canghai to meet us, I might not be sitting here talking to you now. Calling Ming’er my savior wouldn’t be an exaggeration. How could I be unhappy with her excellence?”

“Besides, Hongsheng and I are full brothers. We are one family. I am not very capable, and Jiaxing is not outstanding either. I often feel anxious, worrying that I can’t maintain the family’s current status and prosperity, becoming the family’s sinner. Now that we have such an outstanding younger generation, I’m more than happy, not resentful.”

Ye Chongming believed his son’s words. His son had always been kind and generous. This should be his true feelings.

“It’s not you I’m worried about. It’s your wife and Jiaxing,” Ye Chongming said. “You need to guide them well. Even if we split the family in the future, you will still be one family, supporting each other. Isn’t that better than struggling alone?”

“Also, Ming’er helped the family through a difficult time and made osmanthus tea. When we divide the family assets or when she gets married, I plan to give the second branch or her more property. Do you have any objections?”

“No objections,” Ye Hongchang shook his head. “Father, don’t worry. I may be foolish, but I understand the importance of the second brother and Ming’er to the family. As for the fourth brother, please continue to guide him and prevent him from causing more trouble.”

“I will,” Ye Chongming also planned to guide his fourth son once these matters were settled carefully.

Currently, Ye Hongrong was recovering from a beating in the backyard, so there was no immediate concern about him causing trouble. But what about the future?

Even if he wasn’t involved in managing the family’s business, if someone like Meng Chengwei or anyone else wanted to use Ye Hongrong to create trouble, they could succeed.

Ye Hongrong was the weakest link in the Ye family. This shortcoming needed to be addressed.