Wild chrysanthemums should not be roasted over an open flame. First, wash and steam the flowers, then sun-dry them until they are partially dry. Then, place clean river pebbles in the pot and bring them to a simmer. Remove from heat. Place the flower buds on the stones and roast them slowly using the residual heat. This way, the flowers won't burn and their fragrance will be preserved.
Boiling water poured into the bowl, and soon, golden soup emerged. The old woman covered it with a lid and then placed the tea leaves on a tray. Liu Mei brought the tea to the stern, and when Shan Bo opened the lid, the half-opened flower had already spread out golden threads, undulating in the tea soup.
He sniffed it and praised, "It smells good."
The old man smiled at him, then raised his hand and motioned him to try it.
Shan Bo picked up the bowl and took a sip. It tasted bitter, but after the tea dissipated into his internal organs, a sweet taste returned. He praised it as "good" and drank a few more sips.
Seeing that he was drinking happily, the two guards also picked up the tea and poured it into their mouths, but they immediately frowned because of the bitterness.
Shan Bo laughed heartily, then said, "This is not yet the age to suffer."
Hearing this, the old man couldn't help but open his mouth and laughed silently.
Xu Jiang tried to hold it back, but couldn't help herself and asked the old woman in a low voice, "Grandma, what's wrong with Grandpa's throat?"
The old woman's smile faded a little, and she sighed, "It was a year before the wedding. I was attending the Lower Yuan Festival to worship the gods, and my boat capsized and hit a sharp rock, and it was broken." Then she laughed again, "I almost broke off the engagement because of this, but I persuaded her to change."
Thinking about the dangerous Lantern Festival sacrifices of the Ba people, the old man was lucky to survive his boat capsize.
"It's okay if you can't talk. It's quieter and less noisy." The old woman brought another teapot and handed it to Xu Jiang.
Xu Jiang opened the teacup and smelled it. The faint fragrance of tea made her feel relaxed and happy. She took a deep breath and felt her internal organs were refreshed.
"Is this Acacia Tea?"
"Hmm." Seeing Xu Jiang taking out the tea, the old woman warned, "Put less in, this tea is intoxicating."
"Intoxicating?" Xu Jiang became even more curious and put an extra pinch into his own bowl.
The tea brewed and turned light green. Xu Jiang called Liu Mei over, handed her bowl, and then picked up her own bowl and started drinking.
It tastes light at first, then gradually becomes stronger. It is not bitter, but it leaves a slight astringency after passing through the throat and tongue. After the first brew is finished, the sweetness and astringency are intertwined, making you linger and unable to stop.
She couldn't help but make a second bowl.
"Good tea." Xu Jiang sighed, "I've tasted countless teas, but I've never heard of this kind of tea before."
The old woman said, "Because this tea is only available here, you can't get it anywhere else."
"But didn't you say that this tea was planted by a pair of lovers on Huangdui Mountain?" Xu Jiang met the old woman's clear eyes and suddenly realized, "Was it you and Grandfather who planted it?"
The old woman smiled and pointed to a mountain on the opposite bank and said, "That's Huangdui."
Xu Jiang looked at the mountain and couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.
Suddenly, two calls were heard from the river bank. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw two fishing boats coming up from downstream and entering the dock.
"The fisherman is back."
Shan Bo and others also came over from the stern of the boat, "They are the two people who were fishing just now."
The guard said, "Let's go and take a look."
Xu Jiang also stood up and followed, but for some reason she felt a little anxious in her chest, and then her feet became unsteady. She thought that the boat was being shaken by the waves, but after she fell off the boat, she realized belatedly that she was drunk on tea.
"Oh, my God!"
Xu Jiang's face hit the sand, and Liu Mei's scream came from behind.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
