Chapter 50
How to Handle the Engagement Withdrawal?

He then turned to another maid and said, “Go and invite the First Master and Second Master.”

“Yes.”

Hearing this, Ye Jiaxing realized that his grandfather had seen through his thoughts and quickly said, “I know Grandfather is considerate of my father’s injury and Second Uncle’s fatigue from travel. I didn’t think much of it, really. Third Sister is capable, and it’s fine for Grandfather to discuss this matter with her. I have no objections.”

This was a classic case of trying to cover up the truth, and Ye Chongming couldn’t bear to look at him. How had he not noticed before that his grandson was so foolish? He had no subtlety at all, revealing his thoughts without a word from him.

He patted his grandson’s shoulder, “No, it’s not about being considerate. When I heard the name Meng Chengwei, my first thought was to consult your cousin. I’m afraid of falling into Meng Chengwei’s traps. In this entire household, only your third cousin can see through all of Meng Chengwei’s schemes. Neither I nor your father can.”

Well, that straightforward statement shattered the little bit of unease in Ye Jiaxing’s heart.

Wasn’t it true?

Even Grandfather admitted that he wasn’t as capable as Third Cousin. Father probably thought the same. Why should he be pretentious about it?

Soon, Ye Yaming and Ye Hongchang arrived one after the other. The main house was closer to the main courtyard, while the second house was a bit farther, so Ye Hongsheng was the last to arrive.

Ye Chongming showed them the letter and asked Ye Yaming, “Ming’er, what do you think?”

Ye Yaming replied, “Just find an excuse to refuse.”

Meng Chengwei was under the watchful eye of Prefect Qi and wouldn’t last long. A cornered dog would jump over the wall, and with the Mid-Autumn Festival tomorrow and the day after being the time to pay taxes and get tea permits, followed by registering the red contracts with the Li Zheng at the yamen, there was no need to confront him directly now.

The key was to delay.

Worried that Ye Jiaxing might not understand her meaning and fall into Meng Chengwei’s trap, she patiently explained her analysis to everyone.

If the Ye family hadn’t faced major challenges, Ye Jiaxing could have managed. But compared to Meng Chengwei, even three Ye Jiaxings wouldn’t be enough.

Ye Chongming shared the same thought. Now, with Ye Yaming’s confirmation, he decided, “Let’s do that.”

Although it was just writing a reply, since it was to Meng Chengwei, Ye Chongming didn’t dare be careless. He personally wrote a reply in Ye Jiaxing’s tone, saying that he had caught a cold after returning and had been coughing badly. Although he had been to the teahouse, he didn’t dare interact with people for fear of spreading the illness. He thanked Meng Chengwei for his concern and said he would visit once he recovered. Writing that last sentence was just to placate Meng Chengwei; he had no intention of letting Ye Jiaxing visit.

After finishing, he had Ye Jiaxing copy the reply.

“It’s late now. Send the reply tomorrow. The longer we can delay, the better,” he said.

Ye Jiaxing nodded.

Seeing that the matter was settled, Ye Yaming said, “Grandfather, there’s something I want to discuss with you.”

Ye Chongming quickly put down his teacup and sat up straight, “Go ahead.”

“Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the day after is the tea pre-order. If Meng Chengwei wants to spread rumors, it will definitely be tomorrow. I think there’s no need to clarify these rumors.”

Ye Chongming and Ye Hongchang were puzzled and asked in unison, “Why?”

“Because when rumors spread and you don’t clarify, people’s behavior will change. There’s a saying: ‘True feelings are revealed in times of adversity.’ We don’t have to wait for a disaster to see people’s true colors. This is an opportunity to distinguish between good and bad. A bad situation can turn into a good one.”

As she spoke, Ye Yaming gave them a meaningful look.

Neither Ye Hongchang nor Ye Jiaxing had experienced major challenges. They had inherited the family business smoothly and received flattery. They couldn’t distinguish between genuine and deceitful people around them, making them vulnerable to traps.

If Meng Chengwei spread rumors, it would actually be beneficial for the Ye family. Just like in the entertainment industry, when negative news spreads, those who continue to believe in and support you are your true fans. Those who care about the Ye family despite the rumors and even offer support are true friends.

The Ye family, especially Ye Jiaxing, needed this kind of “education.”

Realizing Ye Yaming’s good intentions, Ye Chongming once again felt fortunate to have her in the family. At this moment, he even hoped that Meng Chengwei would spread rumors as widely as possible. As for whether these rumors would affect future business, he didn’t worry about that. Without osmanthus tea, he might have been concerned. But once osmanthus tea hit the market, many people would flock to Jixiang Lou for it. The Ye family’s reputation would soar, business would flourish, and the rumors would be dispelled. There was no need to worry. Moreover, allowing his descendants to experience challenges, improve their judgment, and weed out deceitful people around them was worth any potential impact on business.

“Alright, let’s do that,” Ye Chongming said. He glanced at his children and grandchildren, finally focusing on Ye Jiaxing, “You’ll come with me to the teahouse tomorrow.”

Worried that Ye Jiaxing might fall into Meng Chengwei’s trap, he had initially planned to keep him at home until Meng Chengwei was brought to justice. But now, he felt his grandson needed to face the challenges and be the first to experience them.

After the discussion, Old Madam Ye called Ye Yaming to her room, “How do you plan to handle the engagement withdrawal? Do you need Grandmother’s help? Just let me know. I may not be able to do much, but I have a few people who can help with gathering information or other tasks.”

Ye Yaming replied, “I’ve been busy with tea production these past few days and haven’t had time. Today, I’ve almost finished making the loose tea, so I sent Nanny Xia to deliver some items to the Song family and gather information.”

She had recently discovered in the original owner’s wardrobe that the original owner had made autumn clothes for Madam Yu and Song Yifeng. One set was half-finished. She used the excuse of being busy with tea production and not having time to finish the clothes, saying they were Mid-Autumn Festival gifts, and had a maid from Madam Yin’s courtyard complete the unfinished part. Today, she sent Nanny Xia to deliver them.

She didn’t want to send anything to the Song family, but the Mid-Autumn Festival was a major holiday, and not sending gifts would arouse suspicion. Since the matter wasn’t settled yet, she couldn’t alert them.

Sending Nanny Xia to deliver the gifts also allowed her to gather information from the Song family’s maid, Xiao Xiang.

The Song family had few servants. The young servant boy took care of Song Yifeng; the cook was busy in the kitchen and with household chores, staying home most of the time; only Xiao Xiang served Madam Yu and went out daily to buy groceries and run errands, making her the most likely to have information.

Among the three servants, the young boy was loyal to Song Yifeng; the cook remained neutral and swayed based on benefits. Only Xiao Xiang, who loathed Madam Yu and Song Yifeng due to their harsh treatment, liked Ye Yaming.