Chapter 92
Questioning

Advisor Wu was aware that Song Yifeng was Ye Yaming’s fiancé. Upon hearing the gatekeeper’s words, he thought that Ye Chongming wanted to introduce his future grandson-in-law to Lu Guanyi and Qi Ji and to make some connections.

He was also willing to give Song Yifeng, this young scholar, some face, so he smiled and said to Ye Chongming, “What a coincidence, Young Master Song is here. Why not invite him in to meet everyone?”

Ye Chongming, however, apologized to him and Lu Guanyi, cupping his hands in a gesture of respect, “I’m sorry. Since Li Yue said he has something important to discuss, I’ll talk to him next door first. If it’s nothing major, I’ll bring him in later to greet everyone.”

Li Yue was Song Yifeng’s courtesy name.

“Please go ahead, Old Master Ye,” said Lu Guanyi.

Qi Ji also followed suit, feeling quite curious about Song Yifeng. After all, the three meetings with Ye Yaming had left him deeply impressed. Such a brilliant and outstanding girl. What kind of extraordinary man would be worthy of her?

Ye Chongming first instructed the gatekeeper, “Lead Young Master Song to the side hall.” Then, he apologized to everyone, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and left for the side hall on the left.

The gatekeeper went out, returned along the left corridor, and then led Song Yifeng back the same way, directly to the side hall.

The main hall was generally used to entertain distinguished guests. Since Song Yifeng was considered family, Ye Chongming would either receive him in the study or the side hall. So, when the servant led him to the side hall, he didn’t mind.

Moreover, his thoughts were preoccupied at the moment.

Ye Chongming pretended not to know Song Yifeng’s intentions and greeted him kindly as usual, “Li Yue, long time no see. How have you been? Is your mother well?”

Song Yifeng looked down on the Ye family from the bottom of his heart.

Previously, due to various reasons, he had to maintain respect towards Ye Chongming. Now that he was about to break off the engagement, he had no intention of pretending in front of Ye Chongming. He didn’t bow or respond to Ye Chongming’s greetings. Instead, he stared at him coldly and questioned, “Old Master Ye, I agreed to the engagement with your family because of the Ye family’s upright conduct and integrity…”

In the main hall, after Ye Chongming left, Ye Hongchang took on the role of host, inviting everyone to have some snacks and specifically asking Nanny Yu to brew osmanthus tea for everyone.

At this moment, everyone was silent, eating snacks and watching Nanny Yu brew tea. The hall was very quiet.

Although Nanny Yu was old and no longer attractive, her tea-brewing was calm and composed. She had recently received guidance from Ye Yaming, and the tea she brewed was no less than that of the young monk Jingchen from Chongshan Temple.

At first, everyone didn’t pay attention to the conversation next door, but Song Yifeng, under the banner of righteousness, wanted to overpower Ye Chongming from the start, making the Ye family appear weak and achieving his goal of breaking off the engagement. He spoke with an aggressive tone, and his voice was loud.

With the main hall being so quiet, everyone could clearly hear Song Yifeng’s words. Everyone was shocked and couldn’t help but listen attentively.

Song Yifeng continued, “I never expected that your Ye family would engage in the illegal tea trade for profit, disregarding the laws of the court. As scholars, we are deeply grateful for the emperor’s grace, and it is our duty to uphold the laws and promote righteousness. Even though I am related to your family and you are my elder, I cannot ignore the greater good for the sake of this engagement. For the sake of justice, I should report your actions to the authorities.”

“However, I have received your family’s kindness for many years and cannot bear to do so. Loyalty and righteousness cannot coexist. I am here today to remind you, Old Master Ye, that you must not engage in activities that violate the laws of the court. Tea may be a beverage, but it is closely related to the laws and politics of the court. As the head of the guild, you should abide by the law. I cannot associate with you in wrongdoing. I am here to inform you that our families’ engagement is annulled. Do not claim that I am your grandson-in-law in public. From now on, we have no ties.”

“Whether you agree or not, this matter is settled. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to report your illegal tea trade to the authorities. I believe you do not want it to come to that, Old Master Ye.”

Song Yifeng had prepared this speech for a long time, and he delivered it smoothly and passionately, with a sense of righteousness. After finishing, he cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and said, “Farewell,” intending to leave.

Ye Chongming seemed to come to his senses and quickly called out, “Wait.”

Song Yifeng had planned to leave quickly before Ye Chongming could react, avoiding further argument. He knew that if the argument continued, he would lose ground. If the Ye family was not involved in the illegal tea trade, his accusations would be baseless, and the engagement would not be annulled. A swift resolution was the best approach, not giving Ye Chongming a chance to speak.

However, Ye Chongming was prepared and waiting for him to come. Song Yifeng’s plan fell through.

As Song Yifeng reached the door, he was stopped by a servant.

Ye Chongming’s voice echoed behind him, “Young Master Song, you came here today specifically to annul the engagement, didn’t you? Now that you have passed the imperial examination, does my merchant family no longer match your noble status? Otherwise, why would you rush here based on a rumor, accusing me without giving me a chance to speak? Are you in such a hurry?”

Worried that the people next door couldn’t hear clearly, he started speaking in a normal tone, but his voice grew louder and more emotional as he continued.

“When you were seven, your mother brought you from the village to Lin’an, struggling to survive. You were hungry and cold, living in a makeshift shelter. After work, you would eavesdrop on Scholar Yin’s private school. Later, he took pity on you, accepted you as a student without charging a fee, and gave you paper and pens. Seeing that you were hungry, he gave you food. Education is expensive, and he couldn’t support you financially, but he admired your intelligence and arranged the engagement between our families. The Ye family supported your education and living expenses, and you were to marry a Ye family girl when you grew up. Since you were ten, the Ye family has given you two hundred taels of silver every year. When you were sick, participated in the imperial examination, or attended poetry gatherings, we spent an additional one or two hundred taels each year. Now you are eighteen, and we have given you over three thousand taels of silver. When your family needed to buy a house, most of the money came from the Ye family. In total, we have spent thousands of taels on you, and now you repay us with ingratitude?'”