On the waterwheel boat "Houlang" that was slowly heading south along the Grand Canal, Jiang Tian also watched Linghu Xiaomu, who was wearing a round-neck gown with a futou, cooking a cup of drink in a decent manner; and finally poured it. What came out was a cup of dark brown tea soup, and then it was presented to Jiang Tian with both hands.
As Jiang Tian gently blew away the foam and bubbles, he took a brief sip. Suddenly, he intuitively felt a familiar burnt and bitter taste, and the hot tea soup rippled from the tip of his tongue; then there was a peculiar fragrance of its own. Yes, this is the coffee introduced from outside the world at that time, called Kudou Tea.
Although it has been introduced for hundreds of years, and the merchants who brought the seeds to donate were also praised by Liang Gong, it still cannot change the daily tea drinking habits of most people in the Tang Dynasty; except for the Fanfang generals in coastal areas Apart from its characteristics, there is no other way to spread it.
Most of the time, it is introduced as a special medicinal material from outside the region and widely planted in Liangling, Annan, Champa, Zhenla, and Tianzhu; together with other imported fragrant medicines, it is used as some kind of refreshing prescription. . Therefore, the taste when taken daily is really touching.
However, for Jiang Tian, these coffee beans are more from the nostalgia and memories of another medieval century; as the hinterland of the Western Continent, the popular coffee in the Kingdom of Zealand was coffee produced in large quantities from North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula; Also a cheap comfort product for the poor.
As for tea, silk, and porcelain from the East, in the outer ocean full of risks and crises, under the threat of those endless giant marine creatures, they can only be provided by the intermittent trade of large-scale oriental ships. Instead, they have become a way to show off their products. The luxury of status privilege.
Although the Eastern Empire, as the successor to most of the Roman heritage, had not tried to plant it in the warmer Asia Minor and African enclaves; however, silkworms, mulberry trees, or tea trees that were seriously acclimated to the soil were all intended to be planted. The Royal Disappointment of Luxury Substitution and Monopoly.
Although the royal craftsmen and slaves also achieved certain results, the imitation silk jackets looked cheap and inferior because they were sparse and brittle. Dongze is a half-dead tea tree, which makes the royal manager worried and has become bald.
In the end, only in the process of imitating Oriental porcelain, through attempts at any cost, certain progress and results were achieved; but the final product was also far from the delicate and moist Oriental porcelain; it was more like a kind of surface colored glaze. The pottery is called purple chamber porcelain.
In contrast, the East-West trade in the time and space of the Tang Dynasty, whether it was the ocean route at sea or the traditional Silk Road/Golden Highway/Spice Avenue on land; because along the way there were princes, foreign vassals, and vassal states that had close relations with the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, they are all quite stable and prosperous;
Therefore, in another time and space line, many products that only appeared in the Age of Discovery were exchanged to Middle-earth thousands of years in advance. However, some of them were not born at the right time, such as the output of coffee beans, which has never been affected. It has become a large-scale tea production and tea drinking habit.
In addition to the vast number of guest vassals and naturalized people, in the overseas princes and foreign vassal territories, it was regarded as a cheap refreshment for the coolies and slaves. Others are completely lost to the public, with almost no impact or change; such as radish, carrots, and spinach.
Another example is the three-piece set of potatoes, corn, and sweet potatoes from the southern coast of Xinzhou, as well as peppers, tomatoes, tobacco, etc., which have adapted well to the soil and water environment of China and have become products that the people of the Tang Dynasty are accustomed to. In the peaceful years, it fed a larger population and made many contributions.
Therefore, when traveling by boat along the inland waterway in Jiangnan, you can often see large vines similar to melons, beans and yam planted in every corner of the mountain fields and corners; even green and white vines are planted on the pergolas in front and back of private houses. , yellow pumpkins and courgettes.
Even though there were rumors and records of famines, floods and droughts in successive dynasties, it had been a long time since the country had heard of the large number of people starving to death due to the cheap import of grain and large quantities of products from overseas. Thinking of this, Jiang Tian took another sip of bitter bean tea/coffee.
Immediately, I tasted the flavor of milk and frosting mixed in it, slowly exuding; even the somewhat sour and bitter taste that filled my taste buds was gradually transformed into another exciting and complex aroma. Jiang Tian also sighed again and stretched out his hand to let her fall down again.
It's really because he can't adapt to the mainstream tea ceremony of this era. Although Liang Gong, the predecessor of the time traveler, had already brought the popular custom of making tea with boiling water in later generations; due to a hundred years of peace and quiet, the custom of tea fighting to compare wealth became popular from the palace to the people, making traditional tea making popular.
This requires a set of rather delicate instruments and cumbersome and detailed processes; so much so that it has become a knowledge and skill that is taught exclusively by someone. Because it is necessary to grind and sieve the dried tea cakes and powder, then boil the tea soup in a small pot with a freshly boiling fire, and then settle and cool it.
Finally, according to personal taste and wealth, spices such as pepper, cinnamon, and bay leaves should be added; or onions, ginger, dates, orange peel, mint, etc., which are common seasonings in ordinary households; in the worst case, add A handful of fine salt can be used as a seasonal drink for the four seasons.
But the taste is simply indescribable, just like the darkness of ancient British afternoon tea. In contrast, Jiang Tian, who has become accustomed to staying up late and surfing the Internet in modern times, finds this kind of coffee/bitter bean tea easier to accept. Then, Linghu Xiaomu reported again:
"I am on the outskirts of the local Wude Division. Not only did I recruit a few new people, but I also got a lot of income. This Huaiyang territory is really worthy of being the richest man in the southeast! Just a merchant's home , you can put out thousands of coins, just to show up and leave your name."
"However, according to my private inquiries and investigations, behind the officials and people who want you to leave Guangling this time, I am afraid that the driving force of the Dugu envoy is indispensable. The reason is also very simple. This envoy is People who are determined to do something, but Yangzhou is too critical."
"Although this prince is the leader of the military and political affairs in the southeast, he is not the only one in Huaiyang. In addition to Yangzhou Mansion, which is directly responsible for the central government of the court, there are also three ministers and four envoys of his own country; respectively, they belong to the River Affairs, Cao Gong, and Salt. There are more than a dozen yamen such as the courtyard, the Qianjian, the palace, the market, etc., and they are all intertwined."
"But the most important among them are the few that can form a control over the governor's office." Speaking of this, Linghu Xiaomu added another example: "The censors who patrol Huaiyang have always been impeccable since ancient times. The enemy's patrol envoys have also been hunted down, and the next step is not to make a big fuss out of this."
"The captured members of Dayun Cult now spread across all three religions and nine streams, including civil servants, officials, and gentry, and even pending leaders are in custody, just waiting to be implicated. Therefore, if the officials continue to stay in Huaiyang, there will inevitably be some obstacles. But also How about mobilizing all parties and sending generous gifts out of the country?"
"Therefore, even these bitter beans in front of me were specially collected." Then Linghu Xiaomu poured a cup for himself and took a sip; his beautiful eyebrows suddenly raised slightly, and he slowly tasted it again. , he stretched out his small tongue and licked his lips, turning into a vaguely pleased color and said:
"So, is this the taste that ancient monks like the officials liked? I thought that those qi-refining alchemists in ancient legends all ate wind, drank dew, and swallowed clouds to subdue qi? Unexpectedly, Do you also have such research and experience on things imported from outside the region?"
"Haha, otherwise, what else do you think you can do after practicing in ancient times?" Jiang Gao chuckled when he heard this: "Of course, after a long period of dormant meditation, he would also go out to look for opportunities and make further progress. To understand, with the vastness of the world, there is naturally plenty of room for exploration.”
"As the saying goes, all things in the world and all phenomena in the world have their own laws and ways of survival; they can be used as references or as external forces to rely on. From this, in ancient times, many cultivation methods and all kinds of cultivation methods were born. The legends of miraculous and immortal ways.”
"As for the so-called eating wind, drinking dew, swallowing clouds and subduing qi, that is actually a slightly skewed statement. In the beginning of the ancient ancestors' cultivation, it was impossible not to rely entirely on external objects; they just followed the changes in the body and the heaven and earth. Gradually attune, gradually reduce worldly needs, and instead pursue higher levels.”
"The so-called eating wind, drinking dew, swallowing clouds and absorbing qi are just a way of absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, or a way of expressing energy. The specific process of cultivation is to find ways to deduce and seek to absorb and use this kind of heaven and earth more efficiently. , the methods and techniques of the power of all things.”
"The purpose of actively cutting off most worldly desires is just to avoid wasting accumulated energy; because excessive communication with most external objects will inevitably be tainted with some impurities; it can easily affect one's own inspiration and character. Stable, even turning into a monster."
"Therefore, cultivators are undoubtedly the biggest thieves in the world, but they steal not ordinary wealth and resources, but the spiritual foundation of heaven and earth for their own nourishment; but they are also unavoidable to do what others want, and they will inherit it from generation to generation as masters, disciples, and Taoist companions. The more people there are, the more people will be affected, so in the end they cannot escape the backlash from the world."
"Therefore, after the Jedi Heavenly Power, the vast majority of those who practiced in the hidden world either hibernated in the land of Jiuquan in anticipation of the future; or they gave up their skins and other foreign objects, and used their spiritual wisdom and soul to transcend boundaries and soar, leaving this spiritually exhausted land. Heaven and Earth have gone to a higher level of other worlds.”
"Then, what's the situation like, sir?" Linghu Xiaomu said with a swaying voice: "It is said that you are a ray of soul that has returned and awakened in this body after another life. Do you think you should be in this world? But I don’t know if my concubine and others will hinder and implicate you?"
"Are you worried about me, or are you worried about your future?" Jiang Tian laughed again, reached out and gently pinched her slightly pointed chin and said: "In a sense, you are all mine. The cause and effect of creation is also part of the calamity of the world, and we cannot stay away from it."
"So, you are not a burden to me, but you are implicated in this disaster. Of course, everything in the world has losses and gains. Don't you feel the subtle changes in yourself? Even if this is The unintentional overflow of your body will also have subtle benefits for you."
"..." However, after hearing the last sentence, Linghu Xiaomu couldn't help but feel vaguely relieved, but he bit his red lips gently, and his face turned faintly crimson and charming: "Could it be that this is among the Taoist scriptures of the past dynasties? Does it involve the magical effects and truth of Yin-Yang dual cultivation and Fangzhongshu?"
However, at this time, the sound of vocals, drums and horns outside interrupted this mouth-watering ambiguous atmosphere, which made the scene want to go further. Jiang Tian couldn't help but push the window and look out with some annoyance. He saw the boat slowly docking, and drums and music were playing loudly under a colorful archway at the pier in the distance.
At the foot of a certain mountain in the north, troops and horses gathered together, golden drums were beating, and flags were like a forest; the atmosphere was tense just as the war was about to break out. It's just that the enemy as an opponent has not yet appeared. There are only vast mountains and forests in front of them, whistling one after another with the hunting mountain wind.
However, amidst the faint neighing of men and horses, little plumes of smoke suddenly rose in the distant mountain forest; then, it turned into a rapidly dispersing smoke, and followed the mountain wind little by little to cover most of the deep forest. Mi Mi; also began to roar endlessly as if it disturbed some existence.
It’s time to enter a new copy
