The Zhang family is one of the leading tea merchants in Hangzhou, growing and selling Longjing tea. They have teahouses in five fertile areas including Shifeng Mountain, Lingyin, Wuyun Mountain, Hupao and Meijiawu, as well as near Longhong Spring. The largest pilgrim in Shoushengyuan. 【Read full text】
After Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Zhang got married, they started to join forces with the Zhang family and since then they have expanded the business of the Xu family. This is the reason why Mr. Zhang proudly exists in the Xu family.
Although the Zhang family's business has doubled due to this joint venture, in Zhang's mind, the improvement in the Zhang family's business is due to her brother's good management, while the expansion of the Xu family's business is entirely due to the Zhang family's credit.
Two days later, the weather was fine and the breeze was gentle. The Xu family went to visit the tomb in the early morning and began to prepare for the annual tea fight in the afternoon.
The tea fight during the Qingming Festival is extremely important to tea merchants. New tea has just been released. If you can win the first place in the tea fight, not only will the tea sales in the new year be very good, but it is also more likely to be selected as a tribute.
For more than 20 years, several tea merchants in Suzhou have taken turns hosting Qingming tea competitions, and this year it was the Xu family's turn.
The tea fight will be held in the largest tea shop in the Xu family. In the future, the major tea merchants will fight for tea in the main hall, and the backyard will be reserved for the ladies of each tea merchant.
There are two rows of apricot trees in the backyard of the tea shop. The branches are covered with snow-white apricot flowers, forming a natural screen that exudes a delicate fragrance.
Behind the apricot tree is a tea table with tea sets neatly stacked on it.
Flower arranging and the tea ceremony have always complemented each other. When the women who came to compete for tea came in and saw the flowers blooming so well, they all stepped forward and broke off two flowers and placed them in vases on their tea tables.
Xu Erniang was not interested, so she reluctantly picked up the flowers Xu Sanniang handed over and handed them to the maid.
On my grandfather's birthday the day before yesterday, my mother told my grandfather that she wanted to ration her to my cousin Ding Mo. My grandfather refused without thinking or giving any reason. Instead, he scolded my mother, who cried all night after she got home.
She has liked Ding Mo since she was a child. Two years ago, he won Xie Yuan and became famous, and the love in her heart became even stronger. At her begging, her mother made up her mind to ration herself to Ding Mo. Her mother knew that her grandfather would not easily agree to the marriage, so she kept delaying her marriage and refused anyone who came to propose marriage. Her mother told her that if she delayed marrying, her grandfather would feel sorry for her. If she told her about her desire to marry Ding Mo at the right time, her grandfather would definitely agree.
She stayed in the boudoir just to marry cousin Ding Mo.
However, the day before yesterday, my grandfather mercilessly rejected my mother's proposal, and he didn't feel the slightest bit sorry for her.
Xu Erniang compared her position in the heart of Mr. Ding to that of Ding Mo, obviously not seeing her identity clearly.
Xu Qian saw Xu Erniang's sad face, and a strong joy flashed through her heart. However, she walked over with worry and gently held Xu Erniang's hand: "Er Niang, what's wrong?" Yesterday, she almost lost herself in front of Ding Mo. I must repay you twice as much today.
Xu Erniang had no idea what Xu Qian was thinking. She turned around and saw the deep worry in Xu Qian's eyes. She thought that it was still her Fourth Mother who was concerned about her, and she immediately forgot Ding's instructions. Pulling Xu Qian to a side room, all the worries in her heart poured out.
Xu Qian felt extremely happy after hearing this. If Xu Erniang hadn't been here, she would have laughed out loud. She knew what the Dings and their daughters had planned, but she didn't expect that Mr. Ding would refuse so directly. It was so happy.
She was gloating in her heart, but she advised Xu Erniang: "The person you like is Mr. Ding, what are you doing with your grandfather? Get along with him more, let him see your advantages, and he will naturally like you slowly, not to mention the relationship between you. We still have many years of friendship between cousins." As she spoke, she touched Xu Erniang's arm.
As a woman who has not yet left the government, she has no reason to contact Ding Mo. But Xu Erniang, who is a cousin to Ding Mo, does. Through Xu Erniang, she can get along with Ding Mo more, not to mention that her own advantages will be more prominent in comparison with Xu Erniang.
The tea fight started in the front hall, and the tea fight also started in the backyard.
The tea tasters chosen for the tea competition in the front hall are all very experienced in tea drinking. The tea competition in the backyard lady's tea competition is half entertainment and half competition, and the selection of tea tasters is not so strict.
Xu Guyu selected four tea tasters, and the four came one after another.
After Xu promised to wait for the tea contestants to take their seats, the first tea taster came in style. She was wearing duck egg green with big sleeves, a collar embroidered with black piping with branch patterns, a lotus-colored short jacket and a brown long skirt. Apart from a simple wooden hairpin, there was only a white jade comb in her hair, and her earlobes were clean and there was nothing.
Even her plain attire could not conceal her bright beauty and snow-white skin.
The person who came was none other than the twenty-first lady. She wanted to give up gold and silver when drinking tea. She was dressed up very nicely.
Those who came next were Zhu Shang, Ding Mo, and Ji Xuan.
Xu Nuo couldn't laugh or cry after seeing it. She actually knew them all.
Xu Guyu chose the twenty-first aunt because of the status of the Qian family and the Lu family, and because Qian Weiyan was the uncle-in-law of Liu Guifei's brother Liu Mei. Ding Moding was chosen because his father Ding Wei's current official position was to participate in political affairs, but why did Zhu, Shang, and Jixuan appear here?
After Ding Mo stood still, he first offered his hand to Twenty-One Niang: "Mrs. Qian, how are you these days?" Apparently, the few people had not spoken before they arrived.
Twenty-one Niang laughed and said lightly: "What's wrong with not seeing each other for two days, but I still want to thank you for taking care of me along the way." She met Ding Mo on the way to Suzhou, and they traveled together for a few days.
"I dare not take it seriously." Ding Mo smiled gently, not minding the indifference of Twenty-One Mother at all.
After finishing speaking, Ding Mo said hello to Zhu Shang again and took out a book from his sleeve: "Mr. Beijiang, Mr. Tongshu asked me to give this book to you."
Yan Shu, twenty-one years old, cousin named Tongshu, is currently the Han of Taichang Temple and is temporarily responsible for Yingtian Academy.
Xu Nuo was not surprised that Ding Mo knew Yan Shu, but was surprised that he compared Zhu Shang and Yan Shu, and that Yan Shu even sent a book to Zhu Shang thousands of miles away.
How could a gambling shop owner know a great scholar who was born as a child prodigy?
Zhu Shangfeng's eyes were still narrowed, he cupped his hands, smiled, took the book and put it in his arms, then turned around and said to the lady who was about to fight for tea: "Everyone, let's start."
Zhu Shang said that at first, Xu Nuo had the illusion that he was preparing Sic Bo at Tiansheng Casino.
Throw away distracting thoughts, promise to boil water, clean tea sets, grind tea cakes...
There were three rows of girls sitting opposite. Ji Xuan couldn't help but feel a little reserved. Although he sat upright, he lowered his head and raised his eyes from time to time to look in the direction of the promise. Her hands are steady and her eyes are quick, her posture is graceful, and her every move is confident and airy. Her whole body reveals the respect that a tea person should have for tea.
It turns out that in addition to her tough temper, she also has such elegant moments.
The thought flashed through his mind, and a blush appeared on his face.
Ji Xuan hurriedly looked away, but when he turned his head, he saw Zhu Shang's mocking eyes, and the red color on his cheeks immediately spread all over his face.
---
ps: I recommend the article by my friend Xiao Mohan 01 [bookid=="The Strange Journey of an Ordinary Girl"]: There are thorns along the way, just to survive, and do everything worth doing according to your own heart.
...
