Chapter 92

In the luxuriously decorated bedroom, the air was thick with the strong smell of medicine. Ye Mengxin, looking sickly, leaned against the head of the bed, and Lady Li personally fed him the herbal soup. Ye Mengxin, with his eyes slightly open, seemed to be in better spirits today.

"Recently, I've entrusted the family business to Mingzhi. I wonder if he can handle it!"

After feeding him half a bowl of soup, Lady Li gently wiped the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief and comforted him, "My lord, you should focus on getting better. Mingzhi has grown up and can manage the business. Please rest assured!"

"Rest assured? How can I rest assured?" As soon as Ye Mengxin thought about the business, he couldn't help but pound the bed with his hand, filled with sorrow and anger, muttering to himself, "If it weren't for that little demon Ye Yu, how would I have come to this?"

The name Ye Yu seemed to have become a taboo in the Ye family. When Lady Li heard these two words, she also became furious, her face turning cold.

She then said resentfully, "That little ingrate is truly ungrateful. If it weren't for your kindness in leaving him a private residence in Qingliu County, he would have been homeless long ago. Now, not only does he not think of repaying us, but he also opposes us at every turn! That scoundrel!"

"Enough, enough. What's the point of talking about this now? The situation is already out of our control! Besides, he passed the imperial examination with top honors, and his future is beyond measure!"

Whenever Ye Yu was mentioned, Ye Mengxin would think of his own son. As a parent, he couldn't help but compare his own child to others.

Ye Mingzhi failed the examination twice, and how could Ye Mengxin not be frustrated? He then sighed in disappointment, "What a disappointment! Go, bring me that disappointing son of mine!"

Lady Li wanted to argue a bit more, but seeing the anger on Ye Mengxin's face, she swallowed her words and instructed the maidservant to summon the young master.

At that moment, in Ye Mingzhi's room, a woman's soft laughter could be heard.

"No, no..."

A woman, dressed in a thin, translucent robe, revealed her snow-white skin. Her full breasts were especially alluring, hidden and revealed by the thin veil. She placed a hand on Ye Mingzhi's body, speaking in a sweet, delicate voice.

"Beauty, saying no now is a bit too late, isn't it?" Ye Mingzhi, breathing heavily, laughed lasciviously and lunged at the woman.

But the woman smiled coyly, then quickly avoided Ye Mingzhi's "devilish" hand, wrapped in a transparent veil, and ran to the table in the room.

She then picked up a bunch of grapes from the table and teased Ye Mingzhi, "My lord, let me feed you some grapes!"

The woman, holding the fruit plate, walked toward Ye Mingzhi, swaying like a snake.

Ye Mingzhi looked at her, and she smiled seductively at him. He lunged forward, pressed her onto the table, and kissed her lips, savoring the sweetness from her mouth.

The fruits in the plate scattered on the floor, and the room was filled with the springtime atmosphere.

The woman, breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling, said in a soft, intermittent voice, "My lord, if Lord Ye finds out that you secretly brought me into the house, what will you do... ah... my lord, please don't rush..."

Ye Mingzhi, caressing her smooth, plump skin, panted like a bull, "What's there to fear? My father is bedridden, who has the time to manage me?"

"Hehe... If that's the case, why don't you come to Xianyun Pavilion to enjoy yourself? This place isn't suitable for fun..."

"My father has entrusted the family business to me and asked me to behave properly. To let him rest easy, I, as a filial son, must endure some discomfort..."

As he spoke, Ye Mingzhi reached out and removed the woman's already scanty robe.

"Then... ah... why did you let me come..." The woman, seemingly aroused, raised her white neck and let out a moan of pleasure.

"I can't hold it anymore! I've been holding back for so long, I can't take it anymore!" Ye Mingzhi, without hesitation, prepared to proceed.

"Master, Lord and Lady are calling for you..."

At this critical moment, the maidservant's voice from outside the door made Ye Mingzhi's blood boil. If he continued, he would miss the call, but if he stopped, he would be in agony, leaving him in a dilemma.

"Master, are you in the room?" The maidservant gently knocked on the door and asked softly.

Ye Mingzhi, not wanting to respond, but fearing the maidservant would enter, coughed and said, "I heard you. Go back, I'll be there shortly!"

"Yes, Master..."

Hearing the maidservant's footsteps fade away, Ye Mingzhi let out a sigh of relief. He looked at the woman beneath him, suppressed his desire, and, with a bulge in his pants, quickly dressed himself. "Furong, A-Fu will send you out through the back door. Remember not to be seen..."

"My lord, I can't take it anymore..."

"Even if you can't take it, you must endure it!" Ye Mingzhi's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he grabbed Furong's neck with his right hand, saying coldly, "If I find out you seek satisfaction from other men, I'll ruin you!"

Seeing the pitiful look on the woman's face, he moved his hand from her neck and, in a lecherous manner, caressed her chest. "Wait for me tonight..."

...

When Ye Mingzhi, dressed, entered the bedroom, Ye Mengxin had already finished his soup and was chatting with Lady Li by the bed.

"Father, you look much better today. It seems you will recover soon!"

"Yes, much better! The steward said you've been more responsible lately, which comforts me greatly! It's more effective than this soup..."

"Father, I know your efforts. Please rest assured, I will not let you down!"

Lady Li, seeing her son's maturity, added, "Look, my lord, Mingzhi has grown up!"

Ye Mengxin glanced at Ye Mingzhi, then asked, "By the way, how is the family's tea business doing recently?"

"Father, ever since that bastard's Mao Feng tea became a tribute tea, it has overtaken our family's leading position. The major tea merchants who once followed our family have now defected to Ye Yu! Despite my best efforts to salvage the situation, it has been..."

Ye Mingzhi originally wanted to say something positive to his father, to reassure him and show his business acumen, but he changed his words at the last moment.

He knew his father had never recognized his abilities, so it was better to act like a good son, which would make his father more willing to entrust him with the business.

After hearing Ye Mingzhi's response, Ye Mengxin closed his eyes and sighed, "Is Ye Yu trying to drive me to the brink of despair?"

"Father, that bastard has destroyed the foundation of our family. We cannot let this go!"

"What can we do if we don't give up? You, my son, are also a disappointment. I had hoped you would pass the examination and restore our family's prestige! But you..."

"One mistake, and everything falls apart! Before you passed the examination, I still had a chance to turn things around. Now that you have, even officials in the capital are on his side..."

"Fine! I will admit defeat. When he passed the provincial examination, I didn't go to congratulate him. Now, he is going to the capital for the imperial examination. Mingzhi, prepare a generous gift for your cousin and wish him success. I hope he will stop here..."

"Father! We cannot admit defeat!"

Ye Mengxin looked at Ye Mingzhi, his eyes flashing with a fierce light, and said coldly, "Do you think I want to admit defeat? If I were willing to admit defeat, I wouldn't have taken such risks in the past!"

"But..."

"Ye Yu is far more cunning than you, even more ruthless than your uncle! If I don't show weakness, he will never stop pursuing us! Sometimes, it's better to endure a short-term loss for a long-term gain. This is not the time for rash actions!"

"Father, it's easier to avoid an open attack than a hidden one. Why don't we..." Ye Mingzhi made a gesture of killing.

Slap!

A slap left Ye Mingzhi's face red. Ye Mengxin, furious, said, "You really are brainless! When you secretly hired over ten assassins to attack him, what was the result? Ye Yu still lives a carefree life!"

"Those assassins were skilled, but they couldn't even touch his clothes. This shows that Ye Yu was well-prepared and had capable people around him! He didn't pursue the matter, which surprised me. He must still consider himself a member of the Ye family. Otherwise, do you think you would still be here?"

"..."

"Enough, you may leave! In the next few days, go and visit him. As members of the Ye family, we should prioritize harmony!" Ye Mengxin seemed tired and waved for Ye Mingzhi to leave.

Ye Mingzhi, with a sullen face, said respectfully, "Father, please rest. I will take my leave."

After Ye Mingzhi left the bedroom, Ye Mengxin sighed heavily, muttering to himself, "He is still young and lacks composure!"

"Lord, Mingzhi has a point. If we have become enemies, why seek reconciliation? It would only be embarrassing," Lady Li, seemingly displeased with her husband's scolding of their son, spoke in support of Ye Mingzhi.

"Hmph! You women know nothing! Ye Yu is a shrewd businessman. There are no permanent enemies in this world! If I take the initiative to reconcile, although I may face difficulties and ridicule, I won't be rejected! After all, our family's tea business has been firmly established here for decades, and Ye Yu knows this better than anyone!"

"Are we just going to let it go?"

"Hmph! A true man can bend and stretch. Today's humility is for tomorrow's dominance! I need a chance to catch my breath. Otherwise, being constantly pursued by that boy is not a long-term solution..."

Page AD starts

Page AD ends