Chapter 78 Fruit and Herbal Tea
Ji Yun knew that she was quick-witted, often had insightful views on medicine, and could apply what she learned to other situations.
Seeing that she could come up with such a clever idea from a mere drink, my deep-seated appreciation for her deepened even further.
“This plan is excellent.” Ji Yun nodded and continued, “According to you, fruits enhance the flavor, and medicinal herbs impart efficacy, which is indeed a novel approach. However, we must be careful, as the tannins contained in tea may clash with the properties of certain medicinal herbs, or even reduce their efficacy. For example, when used with products rich in iron, it is easy to form precipitates, which are not conducive to absorption.”
"When preparing a tea, one must first understand the properties of the tea and the medicinal herbs to avoid their incompatibility and achieve synergy. Alternatively, one can first decoct the medicinal herbs separately to obtain a concentrated juice, and then mix it with the brewed and cooled tea. This may reduce the conflict."
Meng Yutong nodded repeatedly, deeply agreeing: "Your consideration is thorough, and that makes perfect sense. Before preparing the medicine, one must carefully examine the properties and meridians of each ingredient, just as when prescribing medicine, one must ensure that the principal, assistant, and adjuvant herbs complement each other."
"For example, chrysanthemum, which is cold in nature, is best paired with warm goji berries and red dates; while mint, which relieves exterior symptoms, can be paired with tangerine peel, which regulates qi... By following this step-by-step approach, we may be able to find several reliable recipes that combine both flavor and efficacy."
The two chatted about the fruit and herbal tea, discussing everything from the compatibility of medicinal herbs to the harmony of flavors, from the preparation methods to the key points of storage. Their thoughts were broad and their insights were profound, giving the impression of kindred spirits discussing the same philosophy and appreciating each other's talents.
Ji Ming couldn't get a word in edgewise on this topic. He kept sipping his drink, his eyes occasionally glancing at the large watermelon.
He Haochuan, who was standing to the side, also praised the teahouse repeatedly. Although his teahouse was doing well and was always full of customers, it always needed to be replenished with new tea. The tea leaves that had a slightly stale taste were left untouched and piled up in the warehouse, which was a real waste.
If we follow Meng Yutong's method and combine aged tea with medicinal herbs and fruits to make a unique medicinal tea drink, wouldn't the stockpiled aged tea finally have a purpose?
"Sister Yutong, Young Master Ji, this method is truly ingenious!" He couldn't help but clap his hands in praise. "My family's tea shop has a lot of old tea from previous years in its storeroom. The quality is all top-notch, but the aroma is slightly inferior. If you don't mind, please feel free to use it to make tea!"
Upon hearing this, Meng Yutong first thanked him gently for his kindness, then said earnestly, "Xiao Chuan, I appreciate your intentions. However, since this is a long-term plan, it's not appropriate to take it for free. I will buy these aged teas from you at market price. Once I've tested and developed a few reliable and effective tea recipes, and see which ones sell well, I'll give those recipes to you and Brother Liu."
"At that time, Brother Liu can directly purchase your tea leaves, pack them into tea bags, and transport them to Qinzhou. In this way, your old tea can be used up, Brother Liu will get ready-made goods, and my Zhaoyutang can also use this opportunity to sell finished tea drinks and increase our income. It can be considered a win-win-win situation."
"Beautiful! Beautiful!" As soon as Meng Yutong finished speaking, two loud responses came from the front hall. The voices were bold and unrestrained, and it was clear that they belonged to Liu Sijun.
As soon as Liu Sijun's voice fell, Mei San and Cui Da echoed, "Be careful!" and "Slow down!"
These guys must have had a great time drinking outside again. A hint of helplessness flashed across Meng Yutong's eyes. Coincidentally, the bowl of tangerine peel drink that Ji Yun had given her was still untouched, and she could use it to sober up Liu Sijun.
She had just stood up when the group of people from the front hall entered the backyard.
Liu Sijun took three steps in two, his feet barely touching the ground, and stopped in front of Meng Yutong in the blink of an eye.
His cheeks were flushed, showing signs of intoxication, but his mind seemed clear. However, his tone carried a familiar reproach: "Tongtong, it's such a nice day, and the clinic is unusually quiet. I ordered some of your favorite dishes, but you wouldn't even accept my invitation to a feast. So you're just trying to find some peace and quiet here. What brilliant plan were you talking about earlier?"
Meng Yutong smiled slightly and handed over the bowl of drink in her hand: "Brother Liu, have a bowl of drink first to sober up."
Liu Sijun took the earthenware bowl, tilted his head back and gulped it down in a few mouthfuls. He then wiped his mouth with his sleeve and waved his hand dismissively, saying, "Look at what you're saying. I have no appetite for drinking tonight since you're not here."
"Yes, yes, I didn't drink any alcohol, just ate that Shaoxing wine-infused chicken, and my face turned this red." Mei San joked from the side.
Liu Sijun turned around and gave him a playful kick: "You talk too much!"
Meng Yutong then patiently recounted the fruit and herbal tea idea that she had just discussed with Ji Yun to Liu Sijun.
Ji Yun stood quietly beside Meng Yutong, his gaze seemingly passing over the empty bowl in Liu Sijun's hand, his thin lips pressed together almost imperceptibly, without uttering a word.
Ji Ming finished his drink, then slid off the stool. He looked at his brother, then at Meng Yutong, who was chatting happily with Liu Sijun. The little boy seemed to sense something, and he leaned close to Ji Yun, gently tugged at his sleeve, and whispered, "Brother, Sister Meng gave the drink you gave her to Brother Liu. Are you unhappy?"
Ji Yun lowered his eyelashes, glanced at his younger brother with a dark look in his eyes, and expressionlessly pulled his sleeve back from his brother's hand, his voice cold and calm: "Don't make wild guesses."
Ji Ming pouted. Brother Liu drank the beverage like it was water, downing it in one gulp. What a waste! If he had known, he would have given it to him.
"Your spleen and stomach are weak, drinking one bowl is already too much." Ji Yun saw through Ji Ming's thoughts at a glance and said quietly, as if telling him not to dream.
Ji Ming's mouth became even flatter.
By this time, Meng Yutong had finished explaining to Liu Sijun.
Upon hearing this, Liu Sijun's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands in praise, "Excellent! Excellent! I was just worried about not finding the right tea to bring back to Qinzhou!"
As he spoke, he raised his hand with great interest and instinctively reached out to put his arm around Meng Yutong's shoulder.
Ji Yun's brows furrowed suddenly, and he took a half-step forward almost imperceptibly, blocking Meng Yutong's path. As a result, Liu Sijun's arm landed squarely on Ji Yun's shoulder.
Liu Sijun turned his head and suddenly met Ji Yun's cold and aloof face. His movements froze instantly, and the slight intoxication he felt was instantly dispelled.
Ji Yun met his gaze calmly, his tone so indifferent that it betrayed no emotion: "Young Master Liu, it is late at night, and you are still under the influence of alcohol. You should behave more prudently."
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Liu Sijun's face, and he awkwardly withdrew his hand, saying, "I already told you I didn't drink any alcohol."
Ji Ming squeezed in and interjected, "I know, it's drunken chicken, which has alcohol in it! If Brother Liu can't hold his liquor, don't eat this dish next time. Bring some back for me to eat, I love chicken the most!"
Upon seeing this, everyone burst into laughter.
A crescent moon hangs in the sky, its gentle light flowing quietly, enveloping the pomegranate tree in the courtyard, which has already borne small fruits, and the old persimmon tree with its lush foliage.
Meng Yutong stood among the crowd, a gentle smile playing on her lips. Ji Yun stood quietly to the side, his gaze falling softly on her smiling profile, his usually cold and hard features softening slightly in the moonlight.
A gentle evening breeze carried the fragrance of grass and trees. In the birdcage hanging under the eaves of Meng Yutong's bedroom, the pigeon seemed to have been confined for too long. It let out a few muffled coos, then suddenly flapped its wings and frantically thrashed about in the cage, making a rustling noise.
Liu Sijun looked over upon hearing the sound, then smiled and said, "Tongtong, after raising it for so long, my pigeon's leg injury should be much better now. Keeping it in a cage all the time might just make it feel stifled. Why don't we let it out and let it relax in the yard for a while?"
As he spoke, before he had even finished speaking, he strode forward and reached out to lift the birdcage hanging under the eaves.
Meng Yutong shook her head slightly: "It was badly injured before, so it's best to let it rest for a few more days."
The pigeon fluttered more and more violently in the cage. Liu Sijun lifted the cage and held it up in front of Meng Yutong, laughing loudly, "Look at how energetic it is, it doesn't look injured at all. Thanks to you for taking care of it these past few days, I'll let it out for some fresh air."
After saying that, he raised his hand to fiddle with the brass latch on the birdcage door.
As if sensing something, the pigeon in the cage suddenly began to flap its wings violently, the flapping sound rapid like drumming, bringing with it fine down and a faint, fishy smell unique to birds. It anxiously pounded against the cage bars, as if it would break free at any moment.
Meng Yutong was about to speak again when she keenly noticed a subtle change in the breathing of the person beside her.
She turned her head and saw that although Ji Yun tried his best to maintain his usual calm expression, his eyelashes were lowered, his gaze was fixed on the bluestone slab under his feet, fine beads of cold sweat had seeped from his forehead, his thin lips were tightly pursed, and his breathing was noticeably more rapid than usual, indicating that he was trying his best to suppress something.
She was close enough to clearly feel the sudden stiffness that gripped his body, and the barely suppressed tremor he was trying so hard to keep quiet.
Meng Yutong quickly raised her hand and gently pressed down on Liu Sijun's movements. She then pushed the cage forward with him, taking two steps away from Ji Yun. She then said in a gentle voice, "Brother Liu, this pigeon seems to have a rather fierce temperament. If we release it now, I'm afraid it will run amok and I alone will not be able to handle it."
Liu Sijun suddenly realized, slapped his forehead, and looked like he hadn't thought of that. He immediately said, "If you're worried that it won't listen to you, I'll teach you a pigeon training mantra that's perfect for dealing with these unruly, feathered creatures! If it doesn't obey, just blow the whistle in this way, and it will obediently return to your side."
As he spoke, he placed the birdcage on a stone bench to the side, then bent his index and middle fingers, brought them close to his lips, and with a moment of concentration, blew out a clear, melodious, and rhythmic whistle.
Strangely enough, the pigeons that had been fluttering about anxiously gradually quieted down upon hearing this sound, folded their wings, and obediently nestled against the edge of the cage, no longer making a fuss.
Liu Sijun then explained and demonstrated to Meng Yutong the key points of the whistle, including the intensity, speed, and breath control.
Meng Yutong listened intently with her eyes lowered, occasionally nodding.
After he finished explaining, she tried it herself. At first, her breath was not flowing smoothly and the whistle sounded a little hesitant and out of tune. But she was clever and after only three or four tries, she had grasped the key and could blow out a continuous and clear tone, which attracted the pigeons in the cage to turn their heads and look at them as if they were listening.
Ji Ming had been secretly watching his elder brother. Seeing that his expression was strange, he quickly reached out his warm little hand, gently took Ji Yun's slightly cool fingers, shook them, looked up at him, and asked in a low voice full of concern, "Brother, are you alright? Don't be afraid. Sister Meng knows you're afraid of pigeons, so she won't let it out."
The warmth of the child's palm seeped through his skin like a gentle current, gradually soothing his tense emotions.
Ji Yun looked up and saw Meng Yutong's slender back, which completely blocked the birdcage.
He only saw her slightly tilting her head, listening intently to Liu Sijun's words, imitating the way pigeons whistled.
Just then, a night breeze swept through the courtyard, rustling the leaves. The cold sweat on his back was cooled by the wind, but deep in his heart, he felt a warmth and comfort he had never felt before.
Ji Yun held his younger brother's soft little hand in return, his voice gentle and soft without him even realizing it, a tenderness that Ji Ming had never heard before.
A faint but genuine warmth appeared on his lips as he whispered, "I know."
After chatting for a while, as night deepened, they said their goodbyes and dispersed.
After Meng Yutong finished washing up and removing her hairpins and jewelry, she was about to turn off the lamp and go to bed when she suddenly heard Bai Zhi push open the door and come in, carrying two rather exquisite wooden boxes. Her face showed a hint of curiosity: "Miss, I was just tidying up the front hall and saw these two pieces of jewelry on the counter, a jade hairpin and a pair of earrings. I wonder who left them here. Would you like me to help you put them away?"
Meng Yutong's gaze lingered on the two boxes for a moment. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting soft shadows on her serene face. Her expression remained calm, and she merely nodded slightly, her tone indifferent: "Hmm, I'll keep them at the bottom of my dressing case for now."
"Yes," Bai Zhi replied, carefully carrying the box out after putting the items away.
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