Chapter 86 The Tea Ceremony Agreement and Crawling into Bed...
[Merit: 8,631]
Inside the Pagoda of Merit.
Looking at the remaining merit points that had been reduced by a full three thousand, Ouyang Rong sighed in loneliness.
In the end, he couldn't resist.
The main reason was that I couldn't help but be curious about what this blessing worth three thousand merits was.
"What if it's something beneficial for flood control? Sharpening your axe won't delay your woodcutting, right? Besides, if it's some kind of life-saving blessing, missing out on it would be a terrible mistake."
Someone muttered, "Good deeds can be accumulated again, but once you lose your life, it's truly gone."
Laughing to death is actually just self-comfort.
Standing beneath the Blessing Bell, now fully refilled and too lazy to even move a finger.
Ouyang Rong paced back and forth, stroking his chin as he analyzed:
"Three thousand merits. Last time I picked up a Wei Lai, I got a thousand merits plus five dou of rice. This time, it can't be another large-sized Wei Lai, can it? Laughable, I don't have a single copper coin left."
"Hmm, based on past experience, every time a new blessing comes, there should be a trigger. Looking back now, the trigger for the last blessing should be that my junior sister told me to go to the horse shop to choose a personal maid. At that time, I think I was thinking of getting a cheap one."
"The time before last, the blessing in the underground palace was a four-character stone inscription in the shadow of the lotus pedestal."
"And what about this time?"
"What was I doing before my good fortune arrived?"
"Eating spicy food...giving all my copper coins to four vagrants...mistaking someone for someone else...buying a martial arts tabloid for my junior sister...oh, and bringing Su Dalang along to fool around..."
"Is the new blessing coming from these few things?"
Ouyang Rong lowered his head and pondered carefully.
To try to figure out some kind of logical pattern in the merit tower.
It's like a wronged soul receiving a call from a stranger late at night, trying to figure out which ex-girlfriend is making a drunken rant on the other end of the line.
Just then, Ouyang Rong suddenly sensed that something was wrong with the outside world.
Why is someone turning him over?
Startled, Ouyang Rong quickly escaped the Pagoda of Merit and returned to reality. After opening his eyes, he saw a certain scene clearly.
He gripped his loosened belt tightly, frowning and asking silently:
"What are you doing? Didn't I tell you to make tea?"
"Young master, I'm afraid you're uncomfortable in your clothes, so I'd like to help you take off your coat."
"Then why did you turn me over?"
"I would like to put a blanket on the couch."
"Why would you put a blanket underneath for no reason? What does this have to do with tea ceremony?"
"I'm afraid... afraid it will get wet later."
"You make tea and the bed gets wet?"
"I'm afraid you'll get it wet, young master."
"Don't worry, I have a steady hand and won't spill it. Go and make some tea quickly. Don't try to be lazy and waste time."
Moreover, tea that costs a fixed price is so delicate that you have to savor every sip, and even a single spill would be a waste.
Ouyang Rong frowned, sighed, turned around, and sat down again.
"But……"
"But what? You only have 45 minutes. As a tea master, you have to come up with something special, right?"
Ouyang Rong glanced at her.
Cui'er looked a little sullen as she returned to the front of the table and began fiddling with the tea set.
Ouyang Rong looked around the room and, after confirming that there was no other movement, breathed a sigh of relief.
Furthermore, while outwardly observing the tea ceremony performed by the high-ranking tea master, one is actually anticipating good fortune in one's heart.
However, based on the previous experience, it seems that good fortune does not necessarily come immediately, or rather, there is a period of incubation before it finally reaches him.
Ouyang Rong felt a surge of anticipation, but then, seeing the actions of a professional tea master in front of him, his lips twitched.
Just the act of putting the tea cake into the pot caused two mouthfuls of tea to spill out.
It's such a simple tea-brewing method, and she couldn't even get the tea to boil three times, let alone two...
Cha-won, right?
My blood pressure went up.
Ouyang Rong took a deep breath.
In his previous life, he had participated in a tea ceremony club during his university years and enjoyed arranging tea and coffee. In this life, his academy teacher, Xie Xun, was a tea enthusiast, and through his constant exposure, he became even more proficient in the art.
Ouyang Rong put on a stern face:
Do you even know anything about tea ceremony?
Cui'er raised her face, her features delicate and charming, and said:
"Ah, I can, I'm very... very good at it."
After speaking, she glanced at the handsome young man in front of her with a hint of resentment in her eyes.
She is indeed very skilled in tea ceremony, but the young master is not cooperating with her to perform properly.
"You know nothing."
"..."
The next second, before Cui'er could react, she stumbled and was shoved aside by someone without saying a word.
Her small mouth was slightly open:
"Young master, what's wrong with you...?"
"Get out of the way, I'll handle this."
Ouyang Rong remained expressionless, unable to bear it any longer. He took over the tea set and began skillfully rinsing the bowl and ladling tea...
Cui'er was stunned.
"Tea, water, and fireware must be in perfect harmony... This is called roasting tea before brewing. You just brewed it without roasting it. Which teacher taught you that?"
Someone asked without looking up.
"..."
She remained silent.
However, this is only the beginning.
"Listen, the water is boiling like fish eyes, with a slight sound. That's what you call the first boil. Do you understand?"
"I heard...I heard it clearly."
"Look here, the edges are like a string of pearls flowing from a spring, that's the second boil, do you see?"
“I see…I see it.”
"Look closely... The water is surging and boiling, which is the third boil. This is to prevent the water from being overcooked. You need to add the ladle of water that was scooped out during the second boil to stop the boiling. This is called nurturing the essence. Only then is the tea soup ready! Do you understand?"
"I understand, I understand...right?"
She looked at the guest in front of her who was personally demonstrating the technique to her.
Cui'er, the top tea master on the third floor whose tea ceremony skills were always highly praised, was dumbfounded.
"What do you mean by 'understand now'? Do you understand or not?" Ouyang Rong frowned, his tone very stern.
"I understand, I understand." Cui'er nodded hurriedly.
“Okay, then you do it too.” He nodded.
"...!!"
Just as Cui'er was nervously shrinking her neck and hands in front of the stern-faced teacher, clumsily and cautiously brewing tea, the sound of the door opening next door suddenly came from outside.
"Huh? It hasn't even been 15 minutes yet, why is Ah Shan out already..."
Curious, Ouyang Rong got up, temporarily ignoring the top tea master who was on the verge of tears, and went to open the door to the private room.
It really was Liu Ashan.
However, even the taciturn man was somewhat surprised to see Ouyang Rong open the door:
"Master, what's wrong with you...?"
Ouyang Rong stepped aside: "You're still asking me? I'd like to ask you how you got better... Hmm, come in and tell me."
Liu Ashan quickly waved his hand: "Never mind, sir, I won't disturb your enjoyment. I'll keep watch outside for you..."
"What are you idly enjoying? Come in and have some tea. Don't overthink it."
Ouyang Rong shook his head and welcomed the tall, thin man who was slightly stunned outside the door into the room.
The two sat down in front of the stove.
Liu Ashan glanced at the high-ranking tea master next to him, who was honestly and earnestly brewing tea, and his expression was slightly surprised. He couldn't help but turn his gaze to his master.
The latter casually poured him tea and chuckled:
"I guess Ah Shan didn't have any tea next door, right?"
Liu Ashan looked a little embarrassed as he took the teacup from the master with both hands and looked down at his reflection in the cup:
"Well, I... am not used to these elegant things. I asked the counter to refund the money so as not to waste Young Master Su's money... How did you guess that, sir?"
Ouyang Rong smiled and said half-jokingly:
"Do I even need to guess? Ah Shan, Da Lang, Liu Lang, and I are all different."
"No, it's not different at all. On the contrary, I'm quite envious of Master, Young Master Su, and Brother Yan."
Ouyang Rong teased, "Then why not learn it and appreciate the art of tea?"
Liu Ashan hesitated for a moment, then answered truthfully:
“I am actually quite content with my life now. Outside, I can follow my master and do things that benefit the people. At home, I can support my mother and sister. I dare not ask for too much more.”
At this point, Liu Ashan suddenly tilted his head back and drank the tea in the warm cup in one gulp. He wiped the tea leaves from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and couldn't help but tell his story:
“Master, our family is doing better and better. I saved up money and bought a house in the suburbs, and also bought two acres of land. The day before yesterday, I went to pick up my mother and Qing from the mountain. I will save up some more money and then redeem them from their lowly status…”
"But my mother said that redeeming me from my servitude is not in a hurry. She said she wants to find me a marriage partner first, so I can marry a reliable woman... But I've been thinking about it these past few nights. I'll work harder and save more money to see if I can get both of these important things done at the same time. I can't let either of them fall behind!"
Ouyang Rong was slightly taken aback, noticing an indescribable gleam on the dark face of the taciturn man before him.
There is satisfaction, high spirits, and hope.
It's a bit like the sunrise over the dark sky at dawn; even if the viewer is in a bad mood, seeing it will inevitably inspire a similarly uplifting feeling.
"Okay, then I'll wait for your good news."
Ouyang Rong chuckled, but his tone was somewhat reproachful:
"However, why didn't you tell me when you picked up your mother and sister from the mountain the other day? Hmm, next time I'll bring your aunt and sister along and have a meal together at Meilu Garden."
The taciturn man nodded hurriedly, but it was unclear whether he had actually listened.
He hesitated for a moment, but still hoped to ask:
"Sir, if I find a wife and get married, would you... would you have time to come over for a drink?"
Ouyang Rong initially wanted to agree immediately, but then paused, carefully choosing his words:
"If I were in Longcheng, I would definitely be there."
He clenched his fist and covered his mouth: "Ahem, but Ah Shan, you have to hurry."
Liu Ashan was taken aback, thought for a moment, and quickly nodded:
"Rest assured, sir, it will definitely happen during your term, perhaps even this year."
Ouyang Rong smiled and said nothing more.
He carried the teapot and poured tea for the taciturn man.
...
Unbeknownst to Ouyang Rong, while he was upstairs drinking tea and chatting idly...
A Persian merchant with a hooked nose and green eyes was walking in at the entrance of Yunshui Pavilion on the first floor.
The Persian merchant calmly waved away the enthusiastic waiter who had come forward, then walked straight to the corner of the lobby on the first floor, to the one-armed youth who was lying drunk on the table.
He picked up a pot of osmanthus wine that had fallen to the side on the ground, sat down at the table, and placed the pot in front of the one-armed youth's dazed face.
"Hey, isn't this Brother A-Jie, the famous one-armed swordsman from the 108 Wards of Chang'an? What brings you to a small place like this for a drink? Could it be..."
The Persian merchant seemed to realize something belatedly, and a look of sudden realization crossed his face as he asked in great surprise.
The one-armed youth seemed not to hear, propped himself up like a limp rag doll, and continued to drink drunkenly from the wine jug.
The Persian merchant feigned indignation as he said:
"That Yunmeng Sword Marsh is really something. The peach branches in the valley are covered with famous swords from ancient and modern times, and they still forcibly seize them every year. They even take away Hero A-Jie's only beloved sword... Sigh, this world is truly a case of the rich dying of thirst while the poor are drowning in water..."
The atmosphere at the table fell silent.
The one-armed youth who was murmuring a ballad paused, then softly uttered a single word: "Get lost."
The Persian merchant was not annoyed; he smiled and said:
"What a coincidence! I have a friend in Dragon City who greatly admires heroes. He's currently worried that his family's newly forged sword doesn't have a hero to match it..."
"I took a look, and although I'm not a master sword appraiser, just by looking at the steam rising from the sword furnace, I estimate it's far superior to your Gui Niang sword, sir."
The young man, who was drinking from a wine jug with a severed arm, paused in his actions.
Immediately, beneath his drooping, blue eyelids, a pair of eyes stared intently at the Persian merchant.
"Walk."
...
I slept until 4 PM, I'm like a pig... Next chapter at 12 PM...
(End of this chapter)
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