The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 47: Unique Ingenuity

After tasting it, Shang Zishu's eyes turned: "Third sister, this tea suits your temperament."

Biluochun is the fairy among teas, and her sister is also a fairy among humans.

"Thank you for the compliment, Second Sister." Shang Mingshu didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "I feel unworthy of it."

The ladies from the two nearby families looked at them with strange and surprised eyes. I guess they were thinking: How can anyone brag like this?
Shang Mingshu and Shang Zishu didn't care what they thought of them, and their attention was soon attracted by the stage again.

Next was the Shi family, and those who came on stage were from the second branch of the Shi family, the nephews and nieces of Shi Houqiong.

The tea leaves are tightly curled, uniform in thickness, neat and beautiful.

The Shi family uses crystal clear glass cups!
Such transparent glass must be imported. When the cup came out, everyone was amazed.

In the transparent glass cup, the graceful figure of Songluo tea floating up and down in the water is clearly visible, and everyone can appreciate the whole process of the tea leaves stretching.

For tea lovers, this is undoubtedly a pleasure.

"Old thief Shi really put a lot of effort into this moment." Shang Zishu curled her lips in dissatisfaction and muttered to Shang Mingshu in a voice that only the two of them could hear.

"Songluo tea cannot withstand stewing. To keep the leaves fresh and tender, a glass teacup is best." Shang Mingshu gave a fair evaluation.

The tea was handed over, and Xiao Yu gave it to them as usual, but Shang Zishu refused to take it. She didn't want to drink the old thief's tea for fear of being poisoned!

Shang Mingshu was helpless: "Second sister, only when you know yourself and your enemy can you win every battle."

Shang Zishu took a sip and said reluctantly, "It's just so-so."

Shaking her head, Shang Mingshu tasted it carefully: "It has a refreshing aroma and a rich flavor. It is top-notch."

Songluo tea has a unique olive aroma that is both rich and refreshing. A sip of it will invigorate your spirits, making it an excellent choice for refreshing yourself.

The Shi family's tea was praised by everyone, followed by the well-known Tieguanyin.

Fujian tea merchants use white porcelain covered bowls, which do not absorb odors and can best preserve the aroma of Tieguanyin. Tieguanyin has a strong orchid fragrance, which is different from the new tea discovered by Shang Zishu. The orchid fragrance also contains the aroma of roasting after baking, which is very unique!
"Third sister, I remember there is an extremely important step in the production of Tieguanyin - shaking the tea to enhance its aroma." Shang Zishu said thoughtfully after drinking it.

"Second sister's new tea has a strong aroma. There is no need to add fragrance, so as not to make things worse." Shang Mingshu understood what Shang Zishu meant and persuaded her.

The thing that needs to be overcome with new tea is the aftertaste of astringency.

Shang Zishu probably smelled a similar tea fragrance and felt a sense of crisis.

Duan's Pu'er tea from southern Yunnan has a bright red tea soup, a steady aroma and a mellow taste.

This was the first time Shang Mingshu had tasted such pure Pu'er, which was incomparable to the one Shang Jinliang brought back from southern Yunnan.

After tasting the Pu'er tea, Shang Zishu stood up and said, "I'm going to the toilet. Do you want to come with me, Third Sister?"

Shang Mingshu shook her head. She only took a sip of each cup. It was soon Zhao Wan'er's turn. She hoped that Zhao Wan'er would brew the Zhulanhua tea.

She County is rich in pearl orchids. Shang Mingshu was not without interest in this. She made her own scent, but it was incomparable to that of Liu from Suzhou.

Shang Zishu had a talent for tea making, but she didn't like scented tea and was too lazy to bother making a scented tea with the orchid flower. After drinking several cups of tea, a cup of scented tea was brought to her. It was particularly unique, with flowers like pearls hanging in the water, and the tea soup was a bright yellow.

The taste is mellow and refreshing, with a long aftertaste.

The fragrance is extremely unique. It seems to be absent when you smell it up close, but becomes more fragrant as you get farther away.

Putting down the teacup, Shang Mingshu tapped the tabletop gently and silently with her fingertips. She was thinking about how to learn how to scent the Zhulan flower.

Then several tea merchants or tea farmers took out their best teas. Some mixed a little bit of precious ingredients into their own tea, which was detected by the tasters at one bite. Others took a different approach and chose bitter and rough tea in an attempt to pass the test.

Shang Zishu caught the last one, but she had been gone for a long time and had not returned yet. Shang Mingshu was a little worried, and He Sui, whom she secretly sent to follow her, had not returned yet.

"The last person to compete in the tea competition today is Xiangmingzhai from the Shang family. Please invite the second lady of Xiangmingzhai to come on stage and make tea."

The Shi family's steward shouted on the stage. Shang Mingshu stood up and wanted to look for Shang Zishu. She happened to see Shang Zishu walking in a hurry. She changed her clothes and went straight to the stage. When she passed by Shang Mingshu, she gave her a comforting look.

Shang Mingshu then slowly sat down, glanced around, and finally her eyes fell on Shi Qingyu in front of her, and her five fingers suddenly tightened.

Shang Zishu was holding a bamboo tray. All tea sets were made of bamboo. The best tea sets for Caoxi tea were made of white porcelain, but with such a good choice in front of her, Shang Zishu had to take a different approach.

This is an old bamboo that Shang Zishu accidentally discovered. The bamboo is as thick as Shang Zishu's waist. When it was cut down, it gave off a bamboo fragrance. The old bamboo tea set is paired with Caoxi tea. At first, Shang Zishu and Shang Mingshu were worried that the bamboo fragrance would overshadow the other, but later it was specially treated by a craftsman.

Not only does it not take away the flavor, but it also makes the long and refreshing fragrance appear layered. Shang Zishu regards it as a treasure and does not show it to others easily. It seems that there are many masters in the tea competition today, which arouses Shang Zishu's competitive spirit.

Caoxi tea is shaped like a sparrow's tongue, and is solid and firm, with sharp tips and exposed hairs. It is ivory in color and has golden leaves.

"This tea... has a lingering fragrance..." When He Zhifu first drank it, he felt that it was undoubtedly a fine product. However, having tasted countless fine products today, He Zhifu was not amazed. Until he was about to put down the teacup, a belated bamboo fragrance spread.

It makes everyone's eyes light up.

Seeing Shang Zishu's turnaround, Shi Houqiong and the She County Magistrate exchanged a glance. The magistrate said, "This later fragrance must be the fragrance of bamboo. It has nothing to do with tea. It's no different from the tea farmers who used to mix coarse tea with precious tea. It's just a trick!"

The magistrate of Fengyang County and the magistrate of She County were at odds. Upon hearing this, he retorted, "Since ancient times, the flavor of tea has been closely linked to the teaware, the heat, and the water used for brewing. Mr. Shi's use of glass teacups is a feast for the eyes, while Madam Shang's use of old bamboo teaware preserves the tea's flavor and allows us to taste a uniquely flavored tea. Each has its merits, but if we must compare them, tea is something we consume, and its flavor should prevail. This county prefers the Shang family's tea."

After a pause, the Fengyang County Magistrate teased the She County Magistrate, "The merchants use products produced in She County, and the Shi family uses products produced in Xiuning. Lord Gao is not interested in the interior, but is devoted to Xiuning. If Lord Tang of Xiuning doesn't treat Lord Gao to a good feast and wine, I'm afraid he will be uneasy."

"Lord Chu, you are wrong. This county has always been about dealing with issues, not individuals," County Magistrate Gao said righteously. "Today's tea competition saw so many excellent teas that it was difficult to tell which was better. It was truly a grand event in the tea world."

He Zhifu discussed with several tasters: "Since this is a tea competition, there must be winners and losers. My tastes with you are inevitably biased by personal preferences. Each tea set is a treasure. Several tasters have their own arguments, and in the end, the one with the most favor will win. Shang's Caoxi tea is uniquely ingenious, with beautiful shape, brilliant color, rich fragrance, and mellow taste. It won by a tiny difference of one person's weight..."

"Sir, there's an assassin!"

"Sir, Constable Yanei has been poisoned and is unconscious!"

"Sir, run away!"

Before Magistrate He finished his announcement, several injured yamen runners stumbled in!

(End of this chapter)