In April of the 488th year of the Heart Constellation, Magistrate Huang Yulang was promoted to the position of Vice Prefect of Jiangning Prefecture in Langzhou, Jiangnan Circuit. The new magistrate was welcomed to Qingmang City.

On the official road leading to Qingmang City, two people riding fast horses walked slowly, which was quite different from the hurried footsteps and carriages around them, all of whom seemed to be in a hurry.

"Young master, there's a tea stall up ahead. Would you mind having a cup of tea?"

The older man among the two looked towards the small flag fluttering at the end of the official road, then turned to face the gentleman beside him, whose face was as fair as jade and whose body resembled bamboo. He wore a green robe, a jade pendant, and a fish-tail bamboo crown that tied his hair up.

"That's fine. We've had a long journey, so it's time for us to rest."

The young man had been looking around and asking questions from time to time. When he saw the tea stall, he felt a little thirsty and nodded in agreement.

After walking for a long time, the scaled horse could finally let loose. It launched itself into the air, kicking up dust that made everyone else spit out their mouths as it ran towards the tea stall.

The tea stall was doing very well, after all, there was a constant flow of people, so it couldn't be bad. The price list was placed in the most conspicuous place on the stall.

The cheapest tea costs only one coin for two pots, while the most expensive is the Xingmang tea, a specialty of Tianhan in Louzhou, which costs ten taels of silver for one coin, but it is worth it if it is genuine.

The young master examined the remaining items closely and found that several of them had names he had never seen before, but the prices were not too expensive. The most expensive one was only half the price of Starry Tea.

I smelled the tea that the other tea drinkers around me were drinking. Most of it was not some cheap, low-quality tea made from scraps. Instead, it was a rich and fragrant tea with a faint hint of blood.

"Would you two like tea or rice?"

The boy spoke ingratiatingly, knowing from the fabric of their clothes that they were either rich or noble.

"Tea is fine. By the way, what are the best and most delicious teas sold here? We are students from out of town, and we don't recognize several of the tea brands you're selling."

The young master asked gently, and his temperament naturally prompted the waiter to give his opinion.

"If it were a humble person recommending, I would definitely recommend our Qingmang City's specialty, Red Plum Blossom Reflecting Snow. It's the best-selling and most delicious tea in our shop. Don't be fooled by the many names on the outside; the only difference is the cultivation method."

The waiter spoke eloquently, explaining that the so-called "red plum" tea refers to the tea leaves that, after being brewed, resemble the color of red plum blossoms reflected in snow, possessing a subtle red hue while remaining translucent, and also exhibiting a unique aroma.

The tea has a slightly stimulating taste at first, followed by a rusty bitterness. After a while, it has a unique fragrance that fills the mouth and is incredibly sweet and refreshing. When drunk in the summer after it has cooled down, it is refreshing and thirst-quenching, which is very pleasant!

Listening to the waiter's endless praise, and hearing the hospitality of some regular tea drinkers around him as well, who also recommended a particular way to enjoy the tea, I was deeply impressed.

"Drinking tea while eating meat, especially sliced ​​pork, paired with Bloodtooth Rice grown in Qingmang City—that's true bliss!"

"Absolutely, absolutely! As the saying goes, when you come to Qingmang, you must drink tea, and if you drink tea, drink Red Plum Snow. If you eat rice, choose Blood Tooth Rice. If you want to constantly improve your martial arts, you must have a taste of meat!"

"I'm not good with words, just watch how I eat! It's delicious, so delicious!"

Many of those drinking tea were eating glistening, blood-red rice, while slices of sliced ​​meat were dipped in sauce and eaten with the rice. Some regulars simply mixed all three together, taking a bite with their chopsticks, and that was incredibly satisfying.

"Then let's go together."

Seeing their recommendation and smelling the aroma, the young scholar, who was traveling for studies, ordered one for himself and the old man beside him.

When the tea was served, he examined it with his own eyes. The tea leaves were dark red, and the brewed tea was similar to the black tea from Jiaozhou in Nanshan, but even darker in color, looking almost like diluted blood...

The taste was similar, but very bland. If one wasn't a martial artist, one might not be able to tell the difference, but that alone didn't mean there was a problem. Under the old man's concern, the young scholar took a few sips.

"Fengmu, how are you feeling?"

The old man looked at the refined young man, who nodded.

"No problem."

There's really nothing wrong with the tea; on the contrary, it's good for your health. For ordinary people, long-term consumption can ensure good health. If this tea were a magical plant, the effects would probably be even better.

He wondered what it was grown from. Thinking of this, the young scholar pondered for a moment. Then he tasted the dish that was said to have been developed by Changxing, the peerless genius of Qingmang City and the fallen star of Louzhou Fengyun Ranking.

Various types of meat are chopped and mixed together, then steamed with various seasonings. While still hot, the mixture is rolled up and frozen in an ancient well to set its shape. After being rolled up, it is sliced ​​with a knife and served with a spicy and sour sauce.

The taste is indeed as described: chewy, refreshing, non-sticky, and rich in layers. The ingredients are very flavorful. When you take a bite of the blood rice, it is refreshing, chewy, and plump, with a sweet aftertaste.

"Good meat, good rice, good tea, this Qingmang Daocheng is truly a wonderful person!"

The young scholar's comments brought a smile of satisfaction to those watching, and someone remarked...

"That's right, everyone in Qingmang knows who Master Daocheng is! Not only does he cultivate and distribute improved varieties to farmers in various villages for free, but he also regularly holds free clinics to defend against attacks from the Yue people in the mountains. Every year, he also gives away money to help people and offers all sorts of good things... such as a cart that plows the fields faster, and white pigs that eat more and produce more meat... The good deeds he has done are truly endless!"

"Of course, the county magistrate also deserves credit. He and Lord Daocheng worked together to make Qingmang prosperous to this day. It's a pity that the county magistrate's term has come to an end and he has to leave. I wonder if the new county magistrate is a good person."

The person who spoke sighed, a sentiment that evoked similar worries in the others. After all, Qingmang was doing very well, and if various restrictions were to be reimposed simply because of a change in leadership… especially if it turned out to be another corrupt official…

"Your Excellency can rest assured. I am familiar with the achievements of Magistrate Huang Yulang. He is honest, fair, and shares joy with the people. He is also exceptionally talented. With such achievements, how could the court not know? The next one may not be better than him, but he will certainly not be worse."

The young scholar reassured them, and his words, combined with the people's trust in the government because of the county magistrate, put their worries at ease, and they continued to chat happily.

After finishing their tea and meal, the two continued their journey. The closer they got to Qingmang City, the more prosperous the region became and the larger its population grew.

With the gradually developing beautiful houses and orderly paths, along with the vast rice paddies and the scenes of young and old enjoying themselves, anyone who comes here must say that this place is prosperous.

"It's a pity that Qingmang is prosperous and the Mu family has achieved five successes. That Dao Chengyi is quite capable. In just three years, he has turned the tide against all odds. But I wonder if my appointment will be a good thing or a bad thing."

"Of course it's good. With your talent and your family's influence, how can a useless person compete with you for power? It's just a waste of your talent."

The old man tried to comfort him, but his words did not make the young scholar happy. On the contrary, looking at the crows circling in the sky, he had a premonition that the other party already knew he had come.