The continuous spring rain was unsettling, weaving an endless, gray net that shrouded the water town with its black tiles and white walls. The canal's water level had risen high, turbid and swift, lapping against the stone-built banks.
Shen Yuewei stood before the carved wooden window on the second floor of "Shuyue Pavilion," watching the hurried pedestrians in the market below, their oil-paper umbrellas forming a flowing tapestry of color. In her hand, she clutched a secret letter she had just received, which had traveled from the capital. The letter was slightly crumpled from being crumpled.
It was Xiao Chengjing's handwriting. The strokes were still steady and restrained, but there was a hint of urgency and undeniable reassurance in them.
"I have made all the plans. Jiangnan is your paradise, so you can rest assured. The affairs of the court will soon be settled, and my return will not be far off. Remember, take good care of yourself, and don't worry or fret. I'll take care of everything."
The resolute tone in his words and the phrase "My return is not far off" acted like a reassuring pill. Shen Yuewei herself had never imagined that Xiao Chengjing had wanted to ascend to that high position so much in his previous life, yet in this life he could give up the high position that was within his grasp so easily.
Shen Yuewei stood by the window of a private room on the second floor of the tea shop, watching the endless stream of people flowing into the newly opened store below. Today, she wore a long Hangzhou silk dress in the shade of sky blue after rain, over which she wore a plain white gauze jacket. Her hair was adorned with only a single kingfisher feather hairpin, her simple elegance unable to conceal the serene radiance in her eyes, honed by the trials of life. This was her new battlefield, a leap from silk to tea, a testament to the strength accumulated by "Chen Ji" silk shop over many years, and another foundation she was laying for herself and An'an in Jiangnan.
"Boss, the first batch of 'Pre-Rain Sparrow Tongue' tea samples is ready. Please try some." Uncle Chen, the head manager of the tea shop and an old colleague she brought from Chenji Silk Shop, carefully carried in a white porcelain gaiwan. The lid was lifted, and steam rose. The delicate tea buds, like sparrow tongues, floated and unfurled in the water. The tea soup was clear and bright green, and a fresh, sharp bean aroma, mixed with the fresh scent of grass and trees from the mountain forest after the rain, instantly filled the elegant room.
Shen Yuewei took the tea and took a sip. The slightly hot tea soup slid over her tongue, fresh, mellow, sweet and refreshing, with a long aftertaste. Although the harvest was a little late due to the weather and road conditions, she made a decisive adjustment to the process, and the taste of this pre-rain tea unexpectedly had a unique mellowness and sweetness.
"Good!" Shen Yuewei's eyes flashed with approval. "Uncle Chen, pass on the word that this batch of 'Shuyue Yuqian Que She' tea should be re-printed with 'Jiangnan Chunxin' seals as originally planned, and given priority to our regular customers. Also, regarding Longjing Village, the promised compensation money must be personally delivered to the tea master today to appease them. Tell them that next year, I, Shen Yuewei, will personally go up the mountain to sign long-term contracts with them!"
"Yes, boss!" Uncle Chen's face showed genuine admiration. Who could have imagined that the flash flood that almost destroyed the pre-Qingming tea would be turned into a resounding success for the new tea shop by this young boss with his resolute courage and precise response? The "Shuyue Tea Shop" brand, along with the boss's reputation as a "righteous merchant," has firmly established itself in the Jiangnan business world.
She walked to her desk, spread out a sheet of plain paper, and dipped her brush in ink. Outside the window, the sounds of bustling people and the wafting aroma of tea filled the air, but her heart was set on a distant place. She wanted to send the news of the tea shop's successful opening, along with the bright sunshine of Jiangnan after the rain, to the person who had sheltered her from the turmoil of the capital.
"The moon shines brightly on the newly opened shop, and the aroma of tea fills the air. Spring is in full bloom in Jiangnan, and things are gradually settling down, so please do not worry. An'an misses her father dearly and asks about his return every day. I am also well, and I only hope that you will come so that we can drink the new tea together. Wei."
The ink was still wet, and a drop of ink spread out like a tiny flower next to the words "return date." She put down her pen, her fingertips gently brushing across the letter, as if she could touch that distant yet steadfast promise.
The candlelight flickered on the massive rosewood desk, illuminating the mountain of memorials and confidential letters. Xiao Chengjing had just finished reviewing an urgent document concerning the allocation of funds for river works; a lingering weariness etched on his brow, but his deep-set eyes shone with an astonishing light under the lamp. He put down his vermilion brush and retrieved a slightly worn letter from a locked rosewood box at the bottom of the desk.
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