The late emperor established this rule to observe the etiquette of the daughters of high-ranking officials at the spring banquet.
Therefore, one can also see the influence of their family upbringing and their level of refinement by observing how a person brews tea.
Many sons of high-ranking officials were observing the intricacies of the event. To them, it was less like a competition and more like a contest to select a concubine.
There are also many key points to consider when brewing a good cup of tea.
First, tea is most easily tainted by other odors, therefore it must be kept away from other odors, especially alcohol;
Second, tea must be stored in a dry and cool place. You can store the tea you use often in a small jar and the rest in a large jar, and open it when you need it.
Third, the water used for drinking tea is very important. Spring water is the best, followed by river water, then well water, while tap water will ruin the flavor of the tea.
Fourth, one should have a few good friends when enjoying tea, but the number of people should not be too large;
5. The normal color of tea is generally pale yellow (except for black tea);
Sixth, the best tea has a lingering aftertaste, which can only be felt after about half a minute, when the chemical components of the tea interact with the salivary glands.
7. Tea must be brewed and drunk immediately; do not let it steep in the pot for too long.
8. Tea must be brewed with freshly boiled water;
9. It's best not to eat other foods while drinking tea;
10. Good tea is like a good woman. As Su Shi said, "Fine tea is like a beautiful woman." The taste of good tea is like the aroma of baby meat.
Yan Xue wasn't actually very confident in her tea-making skills.
However, she had accidentally picked up an old book while shopping alone earlier.
The book contained the secrets of tea brewing, so Yan Xue learned the techniques described in the book and made rapid progress in a short time.
Tea brewed using this method is just like West Lake Longjing tea, intoxicatingly fragrant and irresistible.
Yan Xue then had some expectations for herself to come out on top.
This was an opportunity she had worked so hard for, and she wouldn't give it up easily.
Yan Xue wore a light blue dress today, which stood out among the many pink and green outfits, but because she deliberately did not wear makeup, no one noticed it.
Yan Xue kept the method recorded in the ancient book firmly in mind.
Warm the teapot, place the tea leaves, warm the cups, pour from a high position, steep from a low position, serve the tea, and smell the aroma.
The final step was tea tasting, which was naturally reserved for the Emperor and Consort Shu. Yan Xue, being well aware of the etiquette, would not make any rash moves.
Yan Xue followed these steps one by one, and when she finally finished, fine beads of cold sweat had formed on her forehead.
Ruan Ci had been watching Yan Xue's movements closely, and seeing that she seemed to be stopping, he became a little anxious.
Some couldn't help but lower their voices and ask, "Yan Xue, are you done making the tea?"
Yan Xue knew she couldn't hide anything from Ruan Ci. In any case, during the tea-making competition, no one's actions could be concealed from Emperor Anqing and Consort Shu.
So she readily admitted it, only changing her words slightly.
"I've finished making it, but I forgot a few steps in brewing the tea, and I'm making up for it now."
Ruan Ci breathed a sigh of relief when Yan Xue admitted that she had made a mistake.
"So what if you made a mistake? You don't need to be that great anyway. You just need to come and go through the motions. You should know how good I am to you, bringing you to the Spring Banquet. So you should obediently be my supporting character."
Yan Xue wasn't stupid; she naturally knew what Ruan Ci meant by those words.
But aren't most things achieved through one's own efforts?
Yan Xue dared not directly deny Ruan Ci, so she could only say, "I know, but participating in this tea-making competition is the highest honor, after all, this is the first time I have met the Emperor."
"If I can remember, I will try my best to remember."
Ruan Ci was about to try to persuade Yan Xue, but seeing that the incense burning in front of her was almost finished, she thought that Yan Xue should remember this.
That was probably beyond saving.
After thinking for a moment, he fell silent and focused on preparing his tea.
Although Ruan Ci came from a prominent family and her father had once hired a tea master to bring her over, she felt that she was not cut out for it and was not interested, so she did not learn it properly.
Ruan Ci glanced at Yan Xue, thinking that no matter how badly she did, Yan Xue would be there to make up for it, and she felt instantly relieved.
The time it takes for an incense stick to burn is neither short nor long.
Seeing that the incense ash was almost gone, the palace maid immediately shouted.
"Time's up—"
The palace maids standing nearby immediately walked up to the ladies and handed them the tea they had prepared one by one.
Emperor Anqing and Consort Shu appeared listless on the stage.
"Consort Shu, the outcome of this competition is now in your hands."
Emperor Anqing said calmly.
Consort Shu nodded: "Alright, Your Majesty, please rest assured for now."
Emperor Anqing knew that Consort Shu came from a distinguished family and was more knowledgeable than anyone else about the skill level of tea brewing.
In addition, Consort Shu was a famous tea lover, so Emperor Anqing entrusted the matter to her with peace of mind.
Consort Shu looked at the many teas on the table; naturally, she couldn't possibly drink them all.
You can tell who brews the best tea just by smelling it.
Consort Shu rejected those that smelled unpleasant.
Yan Xue breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the teacup with her name on it hadn't been eliminated.
Ruan Ci's attention wasn't on Yan Xue this time, so she naturally missed Yan Xue's little action.
She stared nervously at the teacup in front of her, and felt somewhat uneasy after discovering that her teacup had been selected.
She glanced at it again and was slightly surprised to find that Yan Xue's name was not among those who had been selected.
I instantly felt a little annoyed.
"Yan Xue, did you manage to remember the steps at the last minute?"
Yan Xue was still feeling relieved when she was suddenly pushed by Ruan Ci, catching her off guard.
She did indeed deceive Ruan Ci.
But even if it was a lie, so what?
Yan Xue replied calmly, "When I was working on it, I did remember some things. Perhaps I was lucky that Consort Shu didn't notice anything amiss with me."
Everyone knows that Consort Shu comes from a distinguished family and was born into a prestigious clan. Ruan Ci was somewhat suspicious after hearing Yan Xue's words, but she still didn't say anything.
Sometimes, these kinds of lucky events really do come as a surprise.
Ruan Ci planned to continue observing.
After Consort Shu ordered some tea that smelled off to be taken away, her complexion improved considerably.
There were still five cups of tea left on the table.
Among them was Yan Xue's tea.
Yan Xue and Ruan Ci were both on tenterhooks, wondering which cup Consort Shu would ultimately keep.
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