The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 46 The Tea Competition Begins

When literary gatherings are held, literary talent is paramount.

At this moment, Shang Mingshu thought it was just another kind of engagement party.

The autumn examination is held every three years, and those who are able to take the exam are the best in the entire city, ranging from about 100 to 300 people.

In their private gardens, they talked about everything from poetry and songs to people's livelihood and country, or drank tea or wine, and when they were in the mood, they played the piano and composed poems, expressing their opinions freely.

Shang Mingshu and other female relatives were not bored either. They sat in the theater early to enjoy the opera. The Shi family maintained a famous opera troupe in Huizhou Prefecture, but they rarely went on stage. They only let the guests feast their eyes during grand banquets.

After two hours of opera, Shi Houqiong led Magistrate He and a group of scholars into the house, and the highlight of the tea-fighting competition began.

Shi Houqiong first ordered her maid to brew several pots of tea and serve one cup to each person. For a moment, the theater was filled with the faint aroma of tea and the air was filled with hot steam.

"Today, I, Shi, would like to thank you all for your kindness. I am a tea merchant, so I have put a lot of thought into this tea competition. Thanks to the support of friends from all over the world, we are fortunate to be able to experience famous teas from all over the world." Shi Houqiong stood in the center of the stage and raised his hands to the four directions. "To add a little fun, everyone here can add a prize and bet on who will come out on top."

This sentence piqued everyone's interest. Shi Houqiong hung eye-catching bamboo signs for those who came to participate in the tea competition this year. The signs clearly stated the type of tea, the tea house it came from, and who brewed it.

The servants carried it around the square building in circles for people to choose and add to the lucky charm.

Shang Mingshu grabbed a handful of gold beads from the sachet, passed over the West Lake Longjing, Wuyi Mountain Rock Tea, and Southern Yunnan Pu'er, and placed them on the Xiangmingzhai without hesitation.

"Third sister!" Shang Zishu pulled Shang Mingshu aside and whispered, "Just put two in there."

Looking at so many famous teas from all over the world, Shang Zishu was hesitant. Their tea was Caoxi tea, and Shang Zishu liked Jinshan Shiyu and Songluo tea more. The Shi family first chose Songluo tea, and Shang Jinliang, as a native of She County, made the final decision that they must choose Caoxi tea produced in She County.

Jinshan Shiyu is produced in Jixi County.

In addition to Caoxi tea, She County also has another kind of tea - Dinggu Dafang. This tea is a tribute tea and is deeply loved by the court. It is also available among the people. Unfortunately, the Shang family does not have Dinggu Dafang for sale, so they cannot use it in tea competitions.

"Winning or losing doesn't matter, as long as I'm happy." Shang Mingshu let go, and a handful of small golden beads fell into the porcelain bowl under her bamboo plaque. "Let me count, one, two, three... eighteen. Eighteen, what an auspicious number."

After the servant left, Shang Zishu seemed to want to say something but stopped herself.

"Look at that one." Shang Mingshu pointed the round fan in her hand at the handsome young man in a straight robe across from her. "Chen from Renhe."

The name of the Chen family of Renhe is known to everyone. They are the largest tea merchants in Hangzhou and control most of the Longjing tea. The Longjing tea handled by other tea merchants all leaks through their fingers.

"Could he be Chen Dalang?" Shang Zishu was just wondering about the unique roasting method for Longjing tea when she was immediately drawn to Shang Mingshu. "I heard the Chen family has few descendants this generation, only one son, who's about twenty years old."

"It doesn't look like it." Shang Mingshu shook her head.

“How come you see?”

"Guardians." Shang Mingshu glanced at the young man from the Chen family. "The Chen family is a wealthy family. It takes seven or eight days to get here from Renhe. They wouldn't bring a single child like him without a guard."

The young man surnamed Chen was accompanied by only one servant. "Look at his clothes, they are brand new and clean, but the fabric is the most popular fabric of last year."

"How do you know it's last year's cloth?" Shang Zishu looked at it carefully. She could only tell that it was new clothes. The fabrics and patterns of this man's clothes were basically the same.

Shang Mingshu smiled but said nothing.

"Today's tea-tea competition begins—" Steward Shi arrived and banged the gong. The tea-taker from each household drew lots to determine their place. Shang Zishu was the merchant. There were a dozen people on stage, three of them women. Besides Shang Zishu, there was a woman in her forties and a newlywed who looked like she had just gotten married. Shang Mingshu recognized both of them.

The woman is Mrs. Li, a tea merchant from Suzhou. After her husband's death, she took over her husband's family business and has become famous in recent years.

The bride's name was Zhao Wan'er. She was originally from Huizhou Prefecture and married into the Liu family, a tea merchant family in Suzhou, two years ago.

Mrs. Li brought Biluochun, a famous tea from Suzhou, and Zhao Wan'er brought Huqiu tea, a unique Suzhou tea.

Huqiu tea is famous for its scented tea. There are records of it in the Tang Dynasty. Jasmine tea, chrysanthemum tea and jasmine tea are the most popular. Shang Mingshu likes jasmine flowers and often drinks jasmine tea on a daily basis, which was purchased by the Liu family.

Shang Mingshu was a little looking forward to it, but she didn't know what kind of tea Zhao Wan'er brought this time.

"The first person to serve tea is Chen from Renhe." The ranking results came out, and Chen was the first.

"My name is Chen Jin, from Renhe." Chen Jin had a smile on his face. He had a handsome face, a medium height, and his harmless fangs showed, making him look approachable.

He brought a celadon teapot, opened the tea can, took out some and presented it to the judges including He Zhifu, and asked the servant to carry some around the square platform.

The tea leaves are flat and shiny, with a tender green color.

He personally boiled the water, controlling its temperature. Shang Mingshu wasn't as good as Shang Zishu in this regard; she could only see the water boiling. As the boiling water poured in, the tea leaves relaxed in the water, like emerald green willow leaves, with a faint bean fragrance wafting through the air...

The tea was divided and served by a servant. Chen Jin was very good at dealing with people. While the tasters were drinking tea, he brewed a few more pots and ordered the servant to deliver ten cups to each party. Shang Mingshu was lucky enough to get one cup.

"It tastes fresh and refreshing, with a sweet aftertaste, a strong aroma and a mellow taste, and the sweetness lasts long." Shang Mingshu sighed.

"Let me have a taste." Shang Zishu, who was standing next to her, didn't get any, but she didn't care. She took the teacup from Shang Mingshu and took a sip, her eyes shining. "Third sister, your guess might be right."

This is the kind of sweet aftertaste she wants in her new tea, and a long-lasting sweet aftertaste!
Next was Wuyi Mountain Rock Tea. Judging from the man’s attire, he was brewing it in a purple clay teapot.

The tea leaves are tight and dark in color.

The tea leaves roll in the water, and the tea soup is amber in color with a unique rock flavor.

This time Shang Mingshu didn't get a share, so Xiao Yu handed her cup to Shang Mingshu. She never liked tea very much.

Shang Mingshu asked Shang Zishu to drink first, as it was Shang Zishu who wanted to compete in tea drinking.

"The tea soup is thick and has a fruity aroma." Shang Zishu drank it with a look of aftertaste on her face.

Shang Mingshu also tasted good, it was the king of rock tea, but she didn't like it, so she just nodded to Shang Zishu with a smile.

Next came Madam Li, who used a white porcelain teapot. The Biluochun tea leaves curled into a snail, their white tips visible: "Grown from the shores of Taihu Lake, picked just before the Qingming Festival."

Mrs. Li's brewing technique is delicate. The tea leaves stretch like spirals in the water. The tea soup is as green as jade and has an elegant aroma.

Shang Mingshu and Shang Zishu got to drink Xiao Yu's tea again.

"Biluochun tea has a beautiful shape." Shang Zishu praised it before even drinking it. She took a sip and squinted her eyes. "The aroma is elegant and refreshing. It deserves to be called the fairy of tea."

(End of this chapter)