Chapter 37: The Scent of Tea and the Subtle Insight
Liu Yiyi's arrival was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating subtle ripples in Su Wanrou's heart. Although her cousin was always smiling and courteous, Su Wanrou, with her woman's innate intuition, could always detect a subtle, unsettling feeling beneath her flawless smile.
That afternoon, Su Wanrou had just finished dealing with a few household chores and was about to rest for a while when Liu Yiyi arrived gracefully with her personal maid, carrying an exquisite bamboo food box.
"Greetings, cousin-in-law." Liu Yiyi was wearing a lake-green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) today, which made her skin appear even whiter than snow. She greeted the woman with a smile, "Did I disturb your rest, cousin-in-law?"
"My cousin is here, please have a seat." Su Wanrou put down the account book in her hand, smiled and gestured for her to sit down. "How could I disturb you? I just happened to have some free time."
Liu Yiyi had her maid place the food box on the table, and then opened it herself. Inside were several exquisitely made pastries, including lotus flower pastries, almond Buddha's hand pastries, and a plate of crystal-clear cakes.
"These are some snacks that Yiyi made herself. I thought about how hard my cousin works taking care of the household chores every day, so I specially brought them for you to try. I don't know if they suit your taste." Liu Yiyi's tone was humble, but there was a hint of pride hidden in her eyes. She had always been very confident in her skills, and even the old lady from the palace had praised them.
Su Wanrou picked up a lotus-shaped pastry. The pastry had distinct layers, resembling a lotus flower, showing that it was indeed made with great care. She took a bite and nodded in praise, "Cousin, you have excellent skills. This pastry is crispy, sweet, and cooked to perfection."
Liu Yiyi covered her mouth and chuckled, "Sister-in-law, you flatter me. These are just some small, unrefined trinkets, nothing compared to your extensive knowledge." She then changed the subject, seemingly casually, "Speaking of which, Cousin Yan Gui has never liked sweets, but he can eat these almond and Buddha's hand tarts that aren't too sweet. When I made them before, he would occasionally be so kind as to have a piece or two."
Su Wanrou's hand, which was firmly in her grasp, paused slightly. Gu Yangui didn't like sweets? She hadn't really noticed that. When they dined together, he did seem to eat less of the sweet dishes, but he hadn't shown any dislike for the snacks she had prepared. It was Ding, she remembered; he seemed to prefer savory snacks. This subtle difference was something she hadn't noticed as well as her childhood sweetheart cousin.
A pang of bitterness swept through her heart, but Su Wanrou still maintained a polite smile: "Really? Thank you for reminding me, cousin. I was indeed negligent. I will pay more attention when preparing tea and snacks for my husband in the future."
Seeing that Su Wanrou did not show embarrassment or displeasure as she had expected, but instead handled the situation calmly, Liu Yiyi was somewhat disappointed, but her smile remained unchanged: "Sister-in-law, you work hard every day, so it's normal that you can't take care of these small things for a moment. Speaking of which, Cousin Yangui is very particular about tea, and is extremely picky. I wonder what kind of tea you usually prepare for him?"
Su Wanrou picked up the teacup beside her and took a small sip. It was pre-rain Longjing tea. She calmly replied, "My husband usually drinks Yunwu or Longjing tea, and occasionally some Pu'er tea."
“Longjing and Yunwu teas are certainly good, but my cousin’s favorite is still Wuyi Mountain Da Hong Pao.” Liu Yiyi’s tone was soft, yet carried a hint of secret boasting. “Especially the ones from those mother trees, with their domineering aroma and lingering sweetness, are most to my cousin’s liking. In previous years, when the palace bestowed some, my cousin would always send some to Songhe Hall for my grandmother, and my grandmother would always give me some to try. The taste is indeed incomparable to ordinary teas.”
As she spoke, her gaze seemingly casually swept over the teacup beside Su Wanrou, which contained fine pre-Qingming Longjing tea, but ultimately not the top-grade tribute tea. This glance, seemingly unintentional, was actually subtly pointed, intended to remind Su Wanrou who understood Gu Yangui's preferences better, and who had shared even rarer things with him.
Yunbin and Yuebai, who were serving nearby, were furious. This young lady kept mentioning the Duke in every sentence, implying that her relationship with him was extraordinary, clearly trying to upset the Madam!
Su Wanrou smiled, a gentle smile that seemed to dispel all gloom. She put down her teacup, her voice as soft as ever: "So my husband likes Da Hong Pao. It was my fault. There seem to be quite a few tribute Da Hong Pao teas bestowed by His Majesty in the storeroom. I saw that my husband has been busy with official duties lately, and I was afraid that the tea was too strong and would not be good for calming the mind at night, so I did not take them out. Thank you for reminding me, cousin. I will have someone brew some tonight so that my husband can taste the long-missed flavor."
Her words were subtle yet impactful. They clarified that she wasn't without the precious tea Liu Yiyi had mentioned, but had refrained from using it out of concern for her husband's health. Furthermore, they emphasized that only as his wife did she have the right to care about Gu Yangui's daily needs. Liu Yiyi's so-called "sharing" was merely a matter of benefiting from the old lady's influence, a way to enjoy some of the "shared" experience.
Liu Yiyi's smile froze slightly, then returned to normal: "My sister-in-law is so considerate. It was Yiyi who was too talkative."
Su Wanrou seemed oblivious to the slight unease in her words and instead asked, "From what my cousin has said about tea ceremony, you seem to be quite proficient?"
Liu Yiyi was looking for an opportunity to show off, but upon hearing this, she immediately smiled modestly and said, "I dare not claim to be an expert. I have only learned a little bit by observing my grandmother since I was a child. My grandmother often said that women can cultivate their character by learning about tea."
"Cousin, you're too modest," Su Wanrou said with a gentle smile. "My knowledge of tea ceremony is very limited; I usually just gulp it down to quench my thirst. But since I have some free time today, and there's good tea and water available, I wonder if you could demonstrate your skills and broaden my horizons?"
This was a strategic retreat. Wasn't Liu Yiyi trying to showcase her and Gu Yangui's shared "refined" taste, subtly implying Su Wanrou's "vulgarity"? Su Wanrou then conveniently provided her with a stage, openly admitting her own "shallowness" and "earnestly requesting" guidance. This both demonstrated her humility, giving Liu Yiyi ample face, and allowed her to regain control. If Liu Yiyi performed well, it would be because she, as the mistress, had generously given her the opportunity; if there were any flaws, it would be Liu Yiyi's own lack of skill, making her a laughingstock.
Liu Yiyi was indeed outmaneuvered. Her original intention was to verbally outdo Su Wanrou, but she didn't expect the other party to directly ask her to demonstrate. She was confident in her tea skills, but Su Wanrou's "sincere" invitation made her previous tips seem like a prelude to showing off, putting her at a disadvantage.
But having already spoken, she had no reason to refuse and could only agree: "If my cousin-in-law has given the order, how could I dare to disobey? It's just that my skills are rather rudimentary, so I hope my cousin-in-law won't laugh at me."
Su Wanrou then instructed Yunbin: "Go and fetch my set of famille rose teaware that I don't usually use, along with some pre-Qingming Longjing tea from this spring and a small jar of tribute Da Hong Pao tea. The water must be freshly collected water from the source."
"Yes, Madam." Yunbin acknowledged the order and left, secretly praising the madam's shrewdness. Using uncommon teaware was neither impolite nor overly formal or ingratiating. Bringing two kinds of tea at the same time was an even more ingenious move; she wanted to see how this young lady would "execute" it.
Before long, the tea set, tea leaves, stove, and spring water were all prepared. Liu Yiyi washed her hands, knelt before the tea tray, and became focused. It must be said that she had indeed put in a lot of effort; scalding the cups, placing the tea, pouring from a high position, skimming the foam, rinsing the lid, and pouring from a low position... a series of movements were as smooth as flowing water, graceful and elegant, with an elegance etched into her very bones.
She brewed Longjing tea first. The clear tea liquor was poured into the white porcelain cup, and the tender green buds and leaves slowly unfurled, releasing a refreshing fragrance.
"Please, sister-in-law." Liu Yiyi offered the teacup with both hands, her movements impeccable.
Su Wanrou took it, first observing its color, then smelling its aroma, and then taking a small sip. She nodded and said, "Cousin, you have excellent skills. This tea is brewed to perfection in color, aroma, and taste. The heat control is excellent."
A slight pride stirred within Liu Yiyi, but she humbly replied, "Sister-in-law, you flatter me." Then, she began preparing to brew Da Hong Pao. This time, her movements were more refined and steady, clearly showing her greater attention to this tea. The water temperature and brewing time were perfectly controlled, and a powerful yet mellow aroma instantly filled the air, even overshadowing the delicate fragrance of the Longjing tea from before.
"This tea is potent. The first infusion is usually used to awaken the tea and warm the cup, but the second infusion is where the essence lies," Liu Yiyi explained softly as she skillfully prepared the tea, like a patient teacher instructing a student. She poured the second infusion of bright orange-red tea into a cup and offered it to Su Wanrou again, "Sister-in-law, please try it. Is this tribute Da Hong Pao palatable?"
She deliberately emphasized the word "tribute," looking at Su Wanrou with a meaningful gaze.
Su Wanrou politely accepted the teacup and took a sip. The tea was mellow and rich, with a pronounced fruity aroma and a long, lingering sweetness—truly an exceptional tea. She put down the teacup and sincerely praised, "It is indeed a fine tea, and my cousin's tea-brewing technique is exquisite, bringing out all the advantages of this tea. I have truly learned something new today."
Liu Yiyi was feeling quite pleased with herself when Su Wanrou gently changed the subject, her tone still gentle: "Speaking of which, I just remembered my husband telling me a couple of days ago that even the finest tea needs to be shared with the right person to truly appreciate its flavor. If the mind is not calm and the intention is not focused, even the best tea leaves will inevitably have a hint of smokiness and harshness when brewed, losing the true essence of tea. It's clear that tea tasting is greatly related to one's state of mind. Cousin, don't you agree?"
The smile on Liu Yiyi's face froze completely.
Su Wanrou's words, seemingly casual conversation about tea, were in fact full of profound wisdom! She first subtly reiterated her close relationship with Gu Yangui ("My husband mentioned it to me just two days ago"), then subtly subtly touched on Liu Yiyi's feelings regarding "state of mind." While Liu Yiyi was seemingly focused on brewing tea, her mind was actually racing, trying to outdo Su Wanrou. Wasn't the tea infused with the restless, eager, and subtly scheming nature of Su Wanrou?
These words, like a gentle spring breeze, unflinchingly exposed Liu Yiyi's hidden thoughts. Her prized tea ceremony skills, under Su Wanrou's comments on "state of mind," ironically became evidence of her impure intentions!
Liu Yiyi's fingers tightened slightly as she held the teacup, her knuckles turning white. She tried to maintain a smile, but her voice was not as clear as before: "Sister-in-law...you're right. Tasting tea is like appreciating a person; when the mind is clear, the tea's true flavor shines through." Her words were dry and lacked their previous confidence.
Su Wanrou seemed oblivious to her embarrassment, and took another sip of Da Hong Pao tea with a smug look on her face. She smiled at Yunbin beside her and said, "This tea is indeed very good. Remember to brew some for the Duke tonight. Oh, and pack some for my cousin to take back so that the old lady can also have a taste."
She not only calmly defused Liu Yiyi's provocation using tea ceremony as a pretext, but also turned the tables on her, pointing out the flaws in Liu's mind. Finally, she generously offered tea as a mistress of the house, fulfilling both etiquette and demonstrating her magnanimity.
This silent "tea-scented debate" has now concluded.
Liu Yiyi forced herself to sit for a while longer before making an excuse that she had to accompany the old lady in chanting scriptures and got up to take her leave. Her departing figure, though still slender, revealed a stiffness that seemed forced.
Watching Liu Yiyi's figure disappear outside the courtyard gate, Yuebai couldn't help but chuckle and whispered, "Madam, you were really amazing just now! Look at Miss Biao's face, she's almost losing face."
Yunbin nodded with a smile: "That's right, our Madam is truly a hidden master. Miss Biao's little schemes are like Sun Wukong in front of Madam, unable to escape the Buddha's palm."
Su Wanrou's face showed little pride. She gently stroked the warm teacup, gazed at the swaying bamboo shadows outside the window, and sighed softly.
"What's so great about it?" Her voice carried a hint of weariness. "Life in this grand mansion is never truly peaceful. Today it's tea, but who knows what it will be tomorrow?"
She would rather prepare ordinary meals for Gu Yangui and sew ordinary clothes for Mingxuan every day than waste her energy on such scheming and intrigue. However, the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease. Having chosen this path and become the Lady of the Duke of Zhenguo, she must face and resolve some storms herself.
But I wonder if her husband, who is currently in the court or in the military camp, knows that undercurrents are already surging in her inner quarters.
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