Chapter 313 The Regent's Carriage
After all, the shop assistant had seen this many times, so he quickly put away his surprise.
"You are indeed an expert. I will find three kinds of Fu tea at different prices and ask the tea master to prepare them personally. What do you think of this arrangement?"
An Qinghe nodded, "Okay, okay, then find us a seat on the second floor."
Gu Xixi raised her hand to signal An Qinghe not to rush, and smiled to the waiter, "Boiling tea takes more time than brewing tea. We still have three kinds to try. It's not good to monopolize the Tea Doctor on the second floor."
"Otherwise, let's go to the private room on the third floor. Also, get some of the medium-quality Biluochun from that year for us to try."
An Qinghe looked at Xixi in surprise.
They just came here to explore and gain some experience, and after drinking the tea, they had no intention of buying other people's Fu'er tea.
Why does Xixi not only want to book a private room, but also want to drink different kind of tea?
There is naturally a minimum consumption for the private rooms on the third floor, so even if the guests just want to drink tea and eat snacks, the tea shop can still make a lot of profit.
The shop assistant made a deal, but he remained neither humble nor arrogant, smiling and politely giving way, "I'll take you two to the elegant restaurant to rest, and then make other arrangements."
The private room was indeed decorated extremely elegantly.
This was originally a place provided by some old customers of the tea shop, and the tables, chairs and furnishings were all excellent.
There are paintings and calligraphy on the wall, all of which are related to tea. There is a crystal cave next to the green gauze window, and a few koi fish are kept in a large lotus green porcelain vat below. There are also various green plants and flowers.
Opposite the guest seat, behind a crystal bead curtain, there is a long tea table with all the necessary tools. This is where the Tea Master makes tea.
The shop assistant said, "Wait a moment," and left.
An Qinghe turned his head and saw the door closed and the figure walking away, then he asked the question that was confusing him.
There was fried ginkgo nuts on the table as a treat.
Gu Xixi picked up one and peeled it, saying, "Since we are here, we must experience the most expensive private room here."
"Since we've already had tea here, we don't need to have dinner today, so it's not a waste."
An Qinghe suddenly realized, "Yes! This is called knowing yourself and knowing your enemy."
"When I came up just now, I also took a few more glances at the tea room on the second floor."
"There are quite a few customers, but each teahouse is farther apart and separated by bamboo curtains. This alone sets it apart from ordinary street teahouses."
"Not to mention the elegant room we are sitting in."
"A tea master brews tea alone, plus this environment and these expensive furnishings, no wonder the cheapest set of tea and snacks costs twelve taels of silver."
"We are eating tea and snacks, we are eating everything here!"
Gu Xixi smiled, "I knew that as long as I brought you with me, it would not be in vain."
Before entering the East Market, they looked at the teahouses along the way and found that the prices varied.
In an ordinary shop, you can buy a pot of mid-range tea for one or two taels of silver.
Soon, the snacks were served.
There are three small steamed dumplings with crystal spring bamboo shoots, dried tofu in chicken soup, crispy red bean rolls, and honey tea-flavored tofu. There are four colors in total, two sweet and two salty, and none of them looks too cluttered.
After the waiter came down, An Qinghe said, "This palm-sized plate only has a little bit of food in the middle."
"Don't even mention selling it for twelve taels of silver. Even if it's the same price as in the northwest, the size alone would make the customers flip the table."
The people in the Northwest have a rough customs, which is also reflected in their diet, where most of the food is served in large plates and bowls, and some are even served in basins.
Gu Xixi felt helpless when she saw these snacks.
"After all, this isn't a place dedicated to eating, so it shouldn't be like this in a restaurant."
An Qinghe nodded in agreement. "It's OK for us to stay at that inn. Although it's still a little expensive, I've heard that rice is expensive in the capital. It's OK if we spend a little more money and can eat our fill."
Fortunately, these exquisite refreshments taste good.
The Tea Doctor brought three kinds of Fu tea and two kinds of Biluochun.
Biluochun has a relatively light taste, so start with it.
Then comes Fu tea, which goes from the lowest price to the middle price and finally to the highest price.
Gu Xixi and An Qinghe looked at each other and had a rough idea in their minds.
An Qinghe stood up and bowed to Dr. Tea, who also stood up and returned the greeting.
Tea ceremony is an elegant affair, and every move is naturally centered around the word elegance.
An Qinghe said, "We'll have two more drinks and then leave. You've worked hard, you can go and rest first."
The tea doctor bowed again, and when clearing the tea table, Gu Xixi raised her hand and pointed: "Give me two taels of this Biluochun, and I'll go downstairs to pay later."
The Tea Doctor responded with a smile, filled the teapot on the guest table, and then left.
An Qinghe was puzzled again and whispered, "We brought our own tea, why do we need to buy more?"
"Even if you want to drink it, we can go to other small tea shops to buy it. There is no need to buy it here."
What An Qinghe said was not wrong.
Where is Dongshi? The land price is much higher than other places, and the taxes paid to the court are also higher.
Not to mention that this tea shop is located in the most conspicuous place on the main street and has a large storefront.
The cost is much higher than that of small tea shops in other places.
Gu Xixi smiled and said, "It's okay. This is my first time in the East Market, and I want to bring some gifts for Brother Zichu."
"At this critical time when he is reviewing for exams, green tea can clear his mind and refresh his spirit, which is just right for him."
Although An Qinghe felt a little jealous, he also knew that for the scholars of the Daye Dynasty, the Spring Examination was the most important event.
So he hummed and said, "Okay, for the sake of him taking the imperial examination."
"But you've already spent money to buy tea for him. If you buy him food later, you have to collect the money when you go back!"
Gu Xixi laughed, "Okay, okay, thank you for helping me so much and not caring about the money."
Going downstairs to the counter, Gu Xixi paid the bill.
The waiter who handed over the packaged Biluochun with both hands was not an ordinary oil paper package, but a tea can carved from bamboo roots.
The shape of the jar retains the shape of a bamboo root and is finely polished, giving it a simple and elegant feel.
There is a relief of wind blowing crabapple trees on the front, which is a perfect spring scene.
Gu Xixi took it and praised casually, "What a nice tea can. Thank you."
The owner stood at the counter and smiled, "As long as the guests are satisfied, you are welcome to come to Shunyi Tea Shop anytime."
After leaving the teahouse, An Qinghe looked back at the word "Shun Yi" on the plaque and asked in confusion, "Why does the shopkeeper look like he is sure that we will go again?"
Gu Xixi didn't care, "He's just a businessman."
She paused, a smile forming on her lips, "But I do want to do business with him."
An Qinghe turned to Gu Xixi and said excitedly, "You have also discovered that the goods we brought are not as good as his best ones, but compared with the middle-level ones, they are more than enough."
Gu Xixi nodded, looking at the sky ahead, her eyes far away, "There is a lot of potential in the future."
"But you can't just look at one, look at more."
An Qinghe was full of fighting spirit. “We should also go to teahouses of different grades to understand the tastes of the people in Beijing.”
The two bought what Jiang Mingyuan wanted to eat. Just as they walked out of the East Market, they saw a large carriage approaching.
Although there was no ceremonial guard leading the way, passers-by consciously retreated.
Seeing this, Gu Xixi hurriedly pulled An Qinghe to hide on the side of the road.
I found a place to stand and heard two scholars talking excitedly:
"Is this the Regent's carriage?"
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