Reversing Falsehood and Preserving Truth: All Gods and Gods Are in My Hands

As Zhao Zhenhong ran his fingertips over the words "Close Friend" on the purple clay tea canister, long-forgotten memories flooded back. He never imagined that this canister of pre-Qingming Longjing tea, which he had promised to have, would arrive so many years late.

He looked up at Lu Yu, his gaze complex and unreadable, containing both gratitude for his old friend and a hint of unseen gravity, as if this simple can of tea not only carried past friendships but also touched upon his unspoken feelings.

"Dad, the birthday banquet should start soon. Grandpa is still waiting inside."

Seeing that the atmosphere had eased, Zhao Lei quickly smoothed things over and secretly gave Lu Yu a "it's all settled" look.

Zhao Zhenhong composed himself and patted Lu Yu on the shoulder: "Good boy, thank you for your father's kindness. Come on, let's go see your Grandpa Zhao."

The banquet hall was already set up, with crystal chandeliers reflecting dazzling light and long tables laden with delicacies.

In the main seat, Old Master Zhao was dressed in a maroon Tang suit, his beard and hair were gray, but there was a hint of weariness between his brows that was hard to hide.

"Dad, this is Jianming's son, Lu Yu."

Zhao Zhenhong handed the tea canister to the old man in the main seat, his voice filled with emotion, "Back when we moved to Shanghai, his father specially collected this tea to give to me, but he missed it. I never thought that after so many years, the younger generation would continue this sentiment."

"Lu Jianming?"

Old Master Zhao's cloudy eyes brightened. Back then, the two families had a deep friendship, and Lu Jianming had even helped him repair his roof.

He reached out and took the tea canister, stroking its rustic surface. "This child is thoughtful."

The birthday gift presentation ceremony arrived as scheduled, with everyone presenting generous gifts: authentic works by renowned calligraphers, century-old wild ginseng from Changbai Mountain, and a blue-and-white porcelain vase with lotus scroll design from the Kangxi era, each of which was of considerable value, drawing exclamations of admiration from the guests.

After presenting the "Old Mine Icy Jadeite Buddha," Zhao Liping puffed out her chest even more, her gaze fixed on the tea canister in Lu Yu's hand, a mocking smile playing on her lips: "Zhenhong, I'm not talking about you, but although this tea is a gift from your friend's family, it's Dad's 80th birthday, isn't it a bit too shabby to serve it in a broken canister? I bet it's cheap stuff from the supermarket, costing a few dozen yuan a pound. Don't tell me you've been ripped off and are treating it like a treasure."

Zhao Xin was still embarrassed by Chen Mo exposing his fake watch, so he quickly chimed in, trying to save face by putting down Lu Yu: "There are so many scammers these days, they use these old jars to sell inferior tea to the elderly, calling it 'aged good tea,' but it's actually full of crumbs, and some even have added flavoring! Grandpa, why don't you open it and take a look? If it's inferior tea, you don't want to spoil your taste buds."

The two women, working in unison, instantly drew the guests' attention to the purple clay tea canister, and whispers rose and fell. Old Master Zhao's face darkened slightly. He had intended to smooth things over by appealing to their past relationship, but Zhao Liping and Zhao Xin persisted relentlessly, so he could only sigh helplessly: "Fine, since you put it that way, let's open it and see. Jianming's family's intentions are genuine; whether the tea is good or not is secondary."

Lu Yu remained calm, showing no sign of panic. Zhao Zhenhong paused, looking at Lu Yu's composed gaze, then glancing at Zhao Lei beside him, before finally unscrewing the lid of the jar.

The moment the jar was opened, a clear and mellow aroma suddenly burst forth—

It is not the thin bean fragrance of ordinary Longjing tea, but rather the freshness of pre-Qingming Longjing tea as its base, wrapped with the unique refreshing aroma of spiritual plants. The first scent is the mellow aroma of beans, the middle notes reveal the subtle orchid fragrance of Ning Shen Hua, and the base notes carry the warm milky fragrance of Yu Sui Zhi. The layers are distinct yet blend together perfectly.

This tea was made by Lu Yu before he set off, using his father's pre-Qingming Longjing tea, mixed with a small piece of jade marrow mushroom the size of a pigeon egg, pure white, from the Hundred Herbs Cauldron, and then combined with fragments of calming flower petals. Although the process was simpler than alchemy, the nourishing power of the jade marrow mushroom neutralized the cold nature of the tea, adding a calming and moisturizing effect to the body.

The aroma traveled straight into my lungs through my nasal cavity, like a clear spring full of vitality, instantly washing away the perfume and cigar smells in the room.

The once noisy banquet hall instantly quieted down, and even the guests subconsciously softened their breathing, as if afraid of disturbing the enchanting aroma of tea.

"This aroma..." Old Master Zhao subconsciously took a deep breath, his cloudy eyes brightening slightly.

From the crowd, an elderly man in a Zhongshan suit strode out. He was Li Shuguo, an old comrade-in-arms of Mr. Zhao. Before retiring, he was in charge of tea quality inspection and had dealt with all kinds of tea all his life. He knew the properties of tea like the back of his hand.

Li Shuguo walked to the table, picked up a pinch of tea leaves with his fingertips, sniffed them carefully, and examined them against the light. His tone was certain: "Old Zhao, this isn't inferior tea, nor is it counterfeit with added flavoring!"

He pointed to the tea leaves and explained, "Look at this strip, it's neat and straight, the buds are plump with white down, the color is a natural tender green, and the leaf edges are slightly yellow, which are typical characteristics of pre-Qingming Longjing tea, without the dullness of artificial dyeing. And smell this aroma, it's layered, the fragrance of this tea comes from the veins of the leaves, it's long-lasting and has a hint of sweetness in the aftertaste."

Zhao Liping was a little embarrassed, but could only mutter indirectly, "That's true, but the tea packaging is too ordinary. Just by smelling it, who knows if they've added any advanced technology or fancy tricks..."

Li Shuguo, already tempted by the pure aroma of the tea, immediately chimed in, "You'll know if it's good or not after just one sip! This tea smells so pure, I'm really looking forward to trying it. Old Zhao, why don't you have someone brew a pot, so we can share in your good fortune?"

His words both gave face to Old Master Zhao and naturally expressed his desire to taste the food, without any hint of deliberate intent.

Seeing this, Zhao Xin quickly chimed in, "That's right! You'll only know after you brew it! I don't believe this tea in a broken jar can taste that good..."

Old Master Zhao had no choice but to have someone take it to brew.

A moment later, a pot of tea was served. The tea was a light yellow-green color, and the aroma of orchids and milk grew stronger in the rising steam. It was not pungent, but rather relaxing.

Grandpa Zhao took a small sip of the tea. The tea was sweet and mellow, without any bitterness. A faint sweetness rose on his tongue and slid down his throat, instantly turning into a warm current that spread throughout his body.

He had recently been experiencing a tightness in his throat and occasional coughing due to his advanced age, but at that moment his throat felt moist, the tightness in his chest dissipated, and his spirits were suddenly lifted.

"Excellent tea! Truly excellent tea!" Old Master Zhao couldn't help but exclaim, taking another large sip. A long-lost smile spread across his face. "Sweet and mellow on the palate, with a lingering sweetness and a refreshing aftertaste! Jianming, that kid, has brought out his best stuff."

Li Shuguo also picked up a cup, tasted it carefully, and nodded: "It's sweet and mellow without being astringent! What's most precious is that it has a warm and smooth feel. It doesn't irritate the stomach and intestines when you drink it. On the contrary, it can soothe the chest and abdomen. It's definitely a good tea that has been processed with special techniques. It's incomparable to ordinary tea."

Zhao Liping and Zhao Xin were unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.

The guests began to discuss among themselves, their gazes towards Lu Yu shifting from disdain to admiration. In contrast, Zhao Liping's jade Buddha pendant, with its greasy sheen, now appeared vulgar and unbearable.

Zhao Xin shrank back into the corner. The embarrassment of having his fake watch exposed hadn't faded yet, and now he was slapped in the face again. He wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Zhao Zhenhong stood aside, watching this scene with a gratified smile on his face. His gaze towards Lu Yu held a genuine warmth, but deep in his eyes, the hidden gravity did not dissipate. Instead, amidst the aroma of tea, there was a subtle, almost imperceptible struggle.