(Two chapters in one!)
How did people in the Tang Dynasty drink tea?
First, grind the tea leaves into powder and then boil the water.
After the first boiling, add salt. After the second boiling, you can pour in the powdered tea and continue boiling.
After boiling for the third time, pour the tea soup into tea cups.
If this doesn't work, you have to add onions, ginger, dates, orange peel, dogwood, mint, etc. according to your personal taste. Add whatever you like, and you can also add spices and the like.
The taste is so sour! Anyway, after Li Zexuan tasted it once, he avoided all the teas of this era!
Because where is the tea in this thing? It tastes even worse than traditional Chinese medicine!
In fact, when it comes to the ancient Chinese tea ceremony, it probably started in the Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Song Dynasty. After the invasion of the prairie tribes of the Yuan Dynasty, the Chinese tea ceremony had gradually declined. By the Ming Dynasty, it took on a different scene.
In a nutshell, tea was cooked in the Tang Dynasty and tea was ordered in the Song Dynasty. Regardless of making tea or ordering tea, people used crushed tea powder as the raw material for making tea. However, this method was completely changed in the Ming Dynasty. According to legend, Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, once visited the people to observe the public sentiment and saw that the people were laboriously making the dragon and phoenix tea balls that were presented to the imperial palace.
Therefore, in the 24th year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang issued an edict to abolish Tuan tea and replace it with tribute leaf tea (loose tea).
From then on, "Tang boiled Song Dian" became boiled water for making tea.
When Li Zexuan first traveled through time, he regretted why he didn't travel back to the Ming Dynasty, but after thinking about it later, he felt relieved. Since cooking powdered tea was popular in the Tang Dynasty, and fried tea was not popular, then he should lead the trend. !
However, since the beginning of spring this year, too many things have happened. Li Zexuan has no time to search for good spring tea for frying. As a result, today Zheng Yinhong took the initiative to send a batch of good, fresh, uncrushed Hangzhou spring tea. Tea, how could he waste it?
And this is Lingyin Temple’s spring tea!
Lingyin Temple, also known as Yunlin Temple, is backed by the North Peak and faces Feilai Peak. It was built in the first year of Xianhe in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Later, the mountain's northern peak was rich in tea. Lu Yu, the famous tea sage in the mid-Tang Dynasty, wrote the world's first tea monograph "Tea Classic", which recorded the tea produced in Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou. This tea is the predecessor of West Lake Longjing tea!
The spring tea after the rain sent by Zheng Yinhong can also be called Longjing after the rain!
Therefore, it is not surprising that Li Zexuan became so excited when he heard that the tea in the wooden box was produced at Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou!
"Haha! I have always heard that Hangzhou is a beautiful place, and the North Peak of Lingyin Temple is even more beautiful with beautiful mountains and clear waters. The tea produced in that place must taste very good! And to be honest, I don't like it either Crush the tea leaves before drinking, because this has deviated from the original taste of the tea leaves, and brewing the tea leaves with boiling water can better appreciate the true taste of the tea!”
Li Zexuan asked Pang Feiji to serve the tea, then looked at Zheng Yinhong and said with admiration.
"The Marquis is really very insightful, and Zheng feels the same way. When he was in the south of the Yangtze River, Zheng had heard for a long time that the Marquis was a master of both civil and military affairs. He never expected that the Marquis would have such unique insights when tasting tea. The Marquis is really Zheng A certain close friend!"
Zheng Yinhong secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then sighed with joy.
Li Zexuan was in a good mood after getting the good Rain After the Dragon Well. He said with a smile: "Haha! I and Zheng Zhuangzhu met too late. I will wait for you to make this wonderful Spring Tea after the Rain someday." Later, I will definitely invite Master Zheng to Yunshan to have a taste, I hope Master Zheng will be free by then!"
"With the invitation of the Marquis, Zheng will definitely go to the appointment on time. What's more, although I was far away in the south of the Yangtze River, I also know that the Marquis has superb attainments in food and wine. This Hangzhou Rain After Spring Tea has passed through the hands of the Marquis. , it will definitely be more fragrant! Then Zheng will be blessed!"
Zheng Yinhong smiled and cupped his hands, then stood up and said: "It's getting late, Zheng won't disturb the Marquis here anymore, take your leave!"
Li Zexuan raised his eyebrows imperceptibly, and secretly thought that Zheng Yinhong was a bit interesting. Usually people who come to give gifts will ask for something after giving gifts, but this old man immediately slapped someone on the butt after giving gifts, as if he was really It's really fun to just visit him!
As a mature adult, Li Zexuan would certainly not foolishly think that Zheng Yinhong just admired his reputation and came here simply to see him. However, since Zheng Yinhong didn't say anything, there was no need for Li Zexuan to take the initiative to ask. Anyway, he just accepted it. I gave him a box of tea, and if he made any excessive demands in the future, I would just refuse to agree.
But having said that, he thinks that the old man named Zheng is not the kind of person who is ignorant of current affairs, and he should not make any excessive demands!
"In this case, I will not keep Master Zheng anymore, take care!"
Li Zexuan stood up and said goodbye to the guests.
"Take care, Lord Marquis, and say goodbye!"
After Zheng Yinhong said that, he took his son and went out neatly. He really waved his sleeves and didn't take away a single cloud!
"Ms. sir, why are you interested in tea? Didn't you hate drinking tea before?"
After Zheng Yinhong and his son left, Han Yuxi came out of the side hall, walked to Li Zexuan, and asked curiously.
Li Zexuan smiled and said: "Hey! That's because I haven't encountered good tea, and I haven't used the correct method of making tea. After these tea leaves are dried, I will make you a pot of good spring tea after the rain. ! Then madam, you will understand why my husband didn’t drink those tea soups before!"
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"Dad, are we leaving like this?"
On the concrete road at the foot of Yunshan Mountain, the Zheng family's carriage was running smoothly. The smooth cement road made the carriage almost bumpless. In the carriage, Zheng Qianjun looked at his father with some confusion and asked.
Zheng Yinhong sat on the brocade couch in the carriage and replied calmly: "What? It's already dark and we haven't left yet. Is it possible that you still want Marquis Yong'an to let you have dinner at Yunshan Mountain?"
After saying that, Zheng Yinhong closed his eyes and planned to close his eyes and rest.
Zheng Qianjun said helplessly: "No, dad, are you saying that you came to Yunshan today just to deliver tea to Marquis Yongan?"
Zheng Yinhong opened his eyes and said angrily: "What? Isn't it like that? Do you still want to exchange these tea leaves with the Marquis of Yong'an for some benefits? As long as you do that, I can guarantee that we, father and son, will definitely be expelled. come out!
This time, Marquis Yongan likes the tea we sent, which is great news for us! If we insist on anything else, it will only make Marquis Yongan think that we are just businessmen and not worth dealing with! Now at least we have a good relationship with Marquis Yong'an, which no one can ask for!
As for other things, when friendship comes in the future, even if we don’t mention it, Marquis Yongan will give us several ways to make a fortune! Look at Cao Wendong, Lin Wenyuan and the others who are following Yongan Marquis, aren't they getting more and more prosperous one by one?
Therefore, Qianjun, you still have to practice in this city to make friends with gentlemen, and you must not be too philistine! "
Zheng Qianjun nodded thoughtfully and said: "Yes, dad! I know! But dad, it is really too risky for you to send tea to Marquis Yong'an this time! But fortunately, you gave it right, and Marquis Yong'an actually did it. We like fresh tea leaves, we are so lucky!”
"Are you lucky?"
Zheng Yinhong smiled, then sighed and said: "Before my father came, he spent a lot of time sending people to collect the preferences of Marquis Yong'an and thinking about what to give him, but in the end he found out It’s not appropriate to give anything as a gift, because Marquis Yong’an doesn’t lack money, power, food and wine, and it seems he doesn’t lack women either!
After much deliberation, my father had no choice but to take such a risky move. Unexpectedly, Marquis Yongan, like his father, liked loose tea leaves instead of making soup with powdered tea! Speaking of which, we are also lucky! "
"The main reason is that you are courageous, dad. No one else would dare to take such a risk!"
Zheng Qianjun couldn't help but compliment him, and then he changed the topic and said with emotion: "My son went to Yunshan this time and saw Yanhuang Academy and the Yunshan Villa. It opened his eyes. Everyone said that Marquis Yongan is a god. My dear, I finally believe it now!"
Zheng Qianjun glanced at his son with a half-smile but said, "Your kid is about the same age as Yong'an Marquis. If he can be even 10% as capable as Yong'an Marquis, my father will die in peace. They say that when you see a wise man, you will be like him." After returning this time, Qianjun, you must study hard, our Zheng family cannot be the home of merchants from generation to generation!"
"...Yes, dad!"
…………………………
The next day, it was cloudless and it looked like another sunny day.
Li Zexuan asked Xiao He and Xiao Xi to put the spring tea after the rain sent by Zheng Yinhong in a bamboo sieve to dry. It happened that early in the morning, two servants of the Zheng family brought ten boxes of spring tea to Li Zexuan. Yes, It was just ten boxes. I guess Zheng Yinhong moved all his inventory to Li Zexuan. Li Zexuan was very happy to see it. Anyway, it wasn't too much, so he let Xiao He and the others dry it together!
This process usually takes about half a day. The purpose is to reduce the grassy smell in the tea leaves, make the water content meet the requirements for frying, and prevent the new tea from clumping during frying.
After making arrangements, Li Zexuan went to Yanhuang Academy. There have been a lot of affairs at the academy recently. As the mountain chief, he naturally couldn't get away!
Around late afternoon, Li Zexuan had just had lunch and saw that the tea leaves were almost drying in the backyard. Then he got excited and asked someone to take the tea leaves to the kitchen. He wanted to "cook" the tea himself!
"Ms. sir, where are these tea leaves used for frying? Did you remember wrongly?"
When Han Yuxi heard that Li Zexuan wanted to make tea, she followed him to the kitchen in confusion and asked.
Li Zexuan smiled confidently and said: "Of course I remember correctly. The tea my master drank back then was roasted tea, not powdered tea. What's so good about powdered tea? Hey, madam, you came at the right time. Why? My husband hasn’t cooked for a long time, and I don’t know how far my cooking skills have deteriorated. Come and cook, and I’ll teach you from the side~!”
Before getting married, Li Zexuan's cooking skills were quite good in the Li family, but after getting married, he basically went into a state of eating and waiting to die. Han Yuxi cooked delicious food for him in different ways every day. If he hadn't practiced sword practice every morning, he would have become fat by now!
As a result, he is basically no longer good at cooking and has become a complete "King of Mouth"!
"Well! Since my husband insists on frying tea, I will come and help you fry it together!"
Han Yuxi nodded, and then asked someone to help her find the apron "invented" by Li Zexuan. After tying it, she walked towards the stove.
She would never refuse Li Zexuan's request. Some people said that Li Zexuan doted on his wife, but in fact it would be better to say that Han Yuxi doted on her husband!
"Madam, the whole tea-frying process is divided into three stages: green pot, resurgence, and Hui pot: the so-called green pot means that the tea leaves are initially shaped into flat shapes within a quarter of an hour, and the tea leaves are fried until they are 70 to 80% dry; next It is the resurgence of moisture. The tea leaves that have gone through the green pot step are spread out in the bamboo sieve to regain moisture. It takes about half an hour;
The last step is the Huiguo, where the rehydrated tea leaves are added to the pot and fried to dry, reducing the moisture to about 5% and further shaping. This process takes about a quarter of an hour. The finished tea leaves are ready to be cooled and can be brewed directly with boiling water! "
Li Zexuan came to Han Yuxi and roughly explained the steps of frying tea.
These were all things he had seen on TV before, but in practice, he had never actually fired them himself!
When Li Zexuan was talking just now, Han Yuxi was memorizing and thinking about the specific operation methods of each step in her mind. At this moment, after Li Zexuan finished speaking, she nodded thoughtfully and said, "Yes! Sir, I am concubine. You should understand, let me try it~!"
Li Zexuan said with a smile: "Haha! Madam, just try it, we still have plenty of tea, it doesn't matter if it fails! Oh, come on, come on, I will help you light the fire. With this combination of men and women, isn't it tiring to work!" "
Han Yuxi had long been accustomed to her husband-in-law being careless. When she heard this, she rolled her eyes at Li Zexuan and said, "Sir, don't you need to go to the academy in the afternoon? I heard that there are a lot of things going on at the academy recently, so you'd better go quickly. ! It’s enough to have my concubine, Xiaohe and the others here!”
Li Zexuan shook his head and said, "It doesn't matter. I'll go after it's done. The worst I can do is stay in the academy for my husband for a little longer at night!"
Seeing that he could not be persuaded, Han Yuxi had no choice but to give in to Li Zexuan's temper.
Over there, Li Zexuan has already started burning firewood. Speaking of which, in this era there is no gas, no natural gas, or even induction cookers, so we can only rely on firewood for cooking.
Xiao He had already helped Han Yuxi clean the pot. Seeing that the heat was almost done, Han Yuxi poured the tea leaves handed over by Xiao Xi into the pot and started frying tea for the first time in her life!
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. m.
