Chapter 56 Bring the Water to a Boil
Zhang Baorong lost his voice and said, "Have you divided everything?"
"I will do my best to follow your Majesty's instructions." Chu Liuzheng looked at him. "If Eunuch Zhang doesn't believe me, just send someone to check."
Of course Zhang Baorong didn't believe it, so he went to the tea room to check it out himself.
I saw that the big teapot on the long table was still there, and next to it was a silver basin filled with round little incense pills.
He walked forward and opened the lid of the big teapot. At a glance, he saw that it was full of whole tea leaves.
He didn't believe it, so he immediately ordered someone to bring a clean basin and pour out all the tea leaves in the big teapot.
The reddish-brown tea leaves are complete, without any broken pieces.
Zhang Baorong looked at it again and again, but couldn't find any fault with it.
How is this possible?
He frowned and looked at the two eunuchs guarding the door, "How did she distribute the tea?"
The darker-skinned eunuch on the left pointed to the bamboo sieves in the corner and said, "The maid went around the small kitchen and brought in these three bamboo sieves. Soon, she had sorted out a jar of tea leaves."
Zhang Baorong immediately became furious and cursed, "What a bunch of lazybones! We told you to take everything away, why are you still keeping it?"
Normally, people in Huaqing Palace also had to separate tea leaves. In order to save manpower, they specially made a suitable bamboo sieve. Just pour the bamboo sieve over it and sift it to easily separate the incense balls and tea leaves.
After sifting twice, the particles can be separated very cleanly.
Before Chu Liuzheng came over, Zhang Baorong specifically ordered his subordinates to take the bamboo sieve away. Why is it still left here?
The young eunuch on the right had a bitter look on his face: "The two suitable ones have been taken away. Who knew that the palace maid would stack the two bamboo sieves and use them together?"
After Chu Liuzheng folded the tea leaves in this way, even the sieve with inappropriate holes became suitable, although it was a little heavy. After sifting all the tea leaves, she could hardly lift her arms.
"Idiots!" Zhang Baorong was so angry that he slapped the two young eunuchs and cursed, "Get out and kneel down. You are not allowed to eat tonight!"
He called a little palace maid in to put the tea leaves back into the jar, then hurried to the main hall. When he met Concubine Rong's gaze, he nodded slightly.
Concubine Rong immediately glared at him with disgust.
Trash!!
Eunuch Zhang felt very bitter. He had planned everything but never expected that his subordinates would be so stupid and let Chu Liuzheng take advantage of the opportunity.
Chu Liuzheng smiled at him and asked, "How's the investigation going, Eunuch Zhang? Have I cut corners?"
"No." Zhang Baorong said reluctantly, "The girl is very skillful. I'm afraid ten men can't be as good as her."
He did think about mixing the incense pills and tea leaves again to frame Chu Liuzheng for incompetence, but since Chu Liuzheng trusted him to investigate and didn't follow him, he must have had a backup plan.
He was afraid that his cleverness would backfire and he would fall into Chu Liuzheng's trap.
Chu Liuzheng...didn't hold back at all.
She was just gambling.
The more calm she acted, the more uneasy Zhang Baorong felt, and the less likely he would do anything unnecessary.
Obviously, she won the bet.
"Your Highness, please have some tea." Chu Liuzheng placed the tray on the small table beside the chaise longue and brought out three cups of tea, laying them out one by one. "I don't know what kind of water Your Highness prefers for tea, so I brewed one cup each of mountain spring water, dew water, and snow water."
"You are really thoughtful." Concubine Rong sat up, her fingers still wrapped in gauze, making it inconvenient for her to serve tea.
The little palace maid came over, picked up the cup of tea brewed with dew, carefully skimmed off the foam on the surface with the cup lid, and fed it to Concubine Rong's lips.
Concubine Rong didn't drink it, she raised her narrow eyes and looked at Chu Liuzheng, "Young lady, you can make tea, I think you can also serve tea."
Hearing the string music, Chu Liuzheng understood the elegant meaning. He walked forward calmly and took the teacup from the little palace maid. "Please have some tea, Your Majesty."
Zhang Baorong sneered and kicked Chu Liuzheng in the knee.
I thought it was a sure thing, but Chu Liuzheng seemed to have eyes on the back of his head. He suddenly stepped aside and knelt down first.
Zhang Baorong almost sprained his waist after his kick missed.
[Bah! I knew you, a damn eunuch, were going to trick me! I kneel down in respect!]
Chu Liuzheng knelt straight, holding the cup of tea in his hand steadily without spilling a single drop.
Concubine Rong's eyes darkened. This little vixen actually has some skills.
"Your Highness, tea brewed with dew water must be drunk while it's hot. It loses its flavor if it gets cold." Chu Liuzheng lifted the lid of the teacup and raised the tea bowl high. "Your Highness, please have some tea."
"Wait!" Zhang Baorong took two steps forward and glanced down at the tea bowl, which was only seven-tenths full. "The Empress loves perfection the most. Someone, boil the water and bring it over to fill the tea bowl."
[Drinking tea is not like drinking alcohol. Who doesn't drink tea until it's 70% full? ]
Chu Liuzheng beat Zhang Baorong, the damn eunuch, to pieces in his heart.
After a while, a little palace maid came with a kettle and was about to pour water into the tea bowl.
"Give it to me." Zhang Baorong reached out and snatched the kettle from the little palace maid, then smiled down at Chu Liuzheng, "The servants are clumsy and might hurt the girl, so it's better for us to come in person."
Even from a distance, Chu Liuzheng could feel the heat from the kettle.
She stared at the teapot, pursed her lips slightly, and a flash of fear passed through her eyes.
[It's over! I'm going to suffer a lot today!]
…
At the same time, Changchun Palace.
Xiao Anzi stood at the door of the hall and looked inside. Zhou Yuande saw him, stepped back, and walked out silently.
"What happened?"
Xiao Anzi whispered, "Miss Caiyue just came to tell me that an hour ago, Concubine Rong sent a nanny to invite Miss Liuzheng to Huaqing Palace."
Zhou Yuande was shocked, because that was the Poisonous Beauty.
Xiao Anzi glanced into the hall and asked anxiously, "Master, should this matter be reported to His Majesty?"
"Your Majesty is in a good mood now..." Zhou Yuande frowned and hesitated.
Although Your Majesty does treat Chu Liuzheng a little differently, he has never taken him into the harem, and it doesn't seem like he has that intention.
He was not sure whether he should go in and disturb her with this matter now.
Little Anzi, remembering how kind Chu Liuzheng was to him, wanted to go in and report. He called out eagerly, "Master."
Zhou Yuande glanced at him and sighed, "Forget it, I'll do as you wish."
Xiao Anzi immediately smiled and watched his master turn around and go in.
In the hall, the emperor and empress were talking. It was rare for Zhou Yuande to see his majesty so relaxed, and the words that were on the tip of his tongue could not be uttered for a moment.
However, Xiao Jingfan noticed that his expression was different and asked casually, "What happened?"
When he asked this question, Zhou Yuande had to tell him.
"Your Majesty, I just heard that Concubine Rong was curious about Miss Liu Zheng's tea-making skills and specially sent someone to invite Miss Liu Zheng to Huaqing Palace."
"When did it happen?"
"About an hour ago."
Xiao Jingfan's brows furrowed immediately. "She's not on duty at Wenhua Palace, why is she running around?"
Zhou Yuande sighed inwardly, Your Majesty is so high and mighty, how could he understand the difficulties that the little palace maid is facing in this palace?
Concubine Rong has sent someone to invite her, so how could Miss Liu Zheng dare to be so arrogant and not go?
"I've heard that Liu Zheng is an excellent tea-maker. I didn't realize she had such a talent when I was in Changchun Palace. It shows that Your Majesty is really good at training people." Empress Zhong's eyes turned and she smiled lightly. "I haven't seen her for a long time. Why not invite her here now so that I can have a taste of her cooking skills?"
Xiao Jingfan twirled the Bodhi beads in his hand without saying anything.
Queen Zhong turned around and ordered, "Gao Yongfu, go there."
Gao Yongfu was about to leave when he heard Xiao Jingfan say, "Zhou Yuande, you go too."
Queen Zhong was slightly stunned, and she gently curled her hand holding the chess piece, and the chess piece fell onto the chessboard with a light "click" sound.
(End of this chapter)
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