Chapter 205: Chapter 204: Which Tastes Better—Savory Tea or Sweet Tea?
Lin Wanwan leaned over the second-floor deck of the ship’s cabin and shouted to Xiao Chong and the others, "Dear cousins, come up quickly, today I will make tea for you."
Without hesitation, Xiao Chong ascended the stairs with Xiao Ce and Shu Qi. Lin Wanwan left her seat for a moment, and after Xiao Chong and Xiao Ce were settled, she returned to her seat to show respect.
Lin Wanwan was already accustomed to Xiao Chong’s lateness; laziness was one of Xiao Chong’s few flaws.
Lin Wanwan continued to perform the tea ceremony, which she had learned from Old Cao. Although she was still a beginner and not very fluent, she would not err in the etiquette and procedure, so she appeared confident.
This time she was brewing the authentic "Longjing Tea and Tiger Spring Water." In the fourth year of the Tang Dynasty’s Zhenguan reign, the nobles had yet to discover this holy water source at Tiger Spring.
It is said that it wasn’t discovered until the 14th year of the Tang Yuanhe reign when High Monk Xing Kong came to spread Buddhist Law and found this underground spring.
For this reason, High Monk Xing Kong even created a myth, claiming that in a dream, he was instructed by an immortal, and two tigers, transformed by Nanyue Immortals, dug ground on the mountain to release the spring, thus naming it "Tiger Digging Spring."
Then, High Monk Xing Kong, with his mysterious skills, persuaded the local nobles to donate money and materials, and a Daci Dinghui Zen Temple was built next to the spring’s site.
Thus, Tiger Digging Spring (later changed to Tiger Spring for easier pronunciation) came into existence and was used by the nobility for brewing tea, integrating into the tea-drinking culture of the Great Tang upper class.
Ordinary people could only enjoy Tiger Spring a thousand years later, not starting until the Republic period. In modern times, some elderly locals in Yu City fetch water from Tiger Spring at five in the morning, and it has become a sight in Yu City.
The water Lin Wanwan used was still obtained by buying a modern map, marking the position, and making several trips back to the Tang Dynasty following the map until she found it. To get the most natural and pollution-free spring water, it was not easy at all.
Tiger Spring filters through multiple layers of quartz sandstone naturally from the underground to the spring eye, ensuring pure water with few impurities.
The modern provincial geological society and the bureau of geology and minerals have published reports on Tiger Spring’s composition, and it is rich in more than thirty trace elements, among which selenium, zinc, and silicon, beneficial to humans, are abundant.
When Old Cao was still around, he praised the tea brewed with Tiger Spring water, saying it was excellent. Though Lin Wanwan’s tea artistry was not refined, she had a positive attitude, which pleased him. He put more effort into teaching Lin Wanwan and, upon leaving, took three large jars of Tiger Spring water with him.
At this time, Lin Wanwan also brought six jars of Tiger Spring water!
After completing the process, Lin Wanwan let the tea cool for a bit and then poured a cup for both Xiao Chong and Xiao Ce.
"Dear cousins Zifang and Shiheng, please enjoy."
"Thank you, cousin."
Xiao Chong raised the white jade tea cup to his nose, took a small sniff of the tea’s tender aroma, and then sipped it, savoring the taste for a moment. With the fragrance lingering on his lips and teeth, he couldn’t help but praise, "The soup is clear, the color green, delicate but not strong; this flavor, though flavorless, reaches the height of flavor itself. Cousin’s tea artistry is improving."
Lin Wanwan smiled and said, "I dare not claim the credit; it’s all due to good tea, good water, and good ingredients."
Xiao Ce remarked, "Good tea with good water creates mutual brilliance. Cousin Wanwan is too modest."
Xiao Chong looked at Lin Wanwan with a smile and said, "Cousin, I noticed you usually don’t drink tea. Why are you interested in burning incense and making tea today?"
Lin Wanwan nonchalantly replied, "It doesn’t matter if I don’t love drinking it, but as a noblewoman of the Great Tang, how could I not know how to make tea?"
Xiao Chong and Xiao Ce laughed heartily at her words, raising their cups and drinking their tea in one go.
After successfully brewing the Great Tang’s mainstream salty tea and receiving praise from the two scholars, Lin Wanwan called Hua Nong to bring up a new set of tea utensils. This time, she planned to brew the milk tea she loved.
First, she boiled tapioca pearls, scooping them out once cooked, and set them aside. Then she washed the vessels, replaced the tea leaves with rich fermented black tea, and still used water from Tiger Spring.
After simmering for a quarter of an hour, she filtered out the tea leaves and added fresh chilled pasteurized milk and white sugar bought in modern times, stirring them well. She then incorporated tapioca pearls and prepared mango pieces, pouring the mixture into clean glass cups, and a rich and fragrant fruit milk tea was ready.
Qingyu, who was on deck playing hide-and-seek with Rongrong, caught the scent and ran inside, "Mother, Mother, what did you make? I want some too."
Even before finishing the sentence, the little one had already spotted the milk tea in the glass cups on the tea table, eagerly grabbing one with cheer, then looked up at Lin Wanwan, "Mother, may I drink it?"
Lin Wanwan laughed, "You and Rongrong can each have half; kids shouldn’t drink too much milk tea."
Little Qingyu immediately agreed, "Okay, Mother. Tell me where I should drink up to."
Lin Wanwan took the glass cup from her, poured half into another empty cup, and handed it back to Qingyu, "Here, take it, but remember not to run while drinking, okay?"
Little Qingyu nodded vigorously, "Yes, Mother, I promise not to run."
The little one’s promises came easily, but whether they could be kept was another matter.
Yun Shang bowed and said, "Mistress, I’ll go watch over the little miss."
"Alright, go ahead, but make sure the two little ones don’t play too wildly."
Once they exited the cabin, Lin Wanwan turned to Xiao Chong and Xiao Ce, "Do either of you gentlemen care to try some milk tea?"
Xiao Chong had been curious about Lin Wanwan’s dazzling operations all along, smiling as he replied, "Very interested, thank you, cousin."
Xiao Ce, who typically followed Xiao Chong’s lead, naturally echoed, "I’d like to try some too."
Lin Wanwan proceeded to pour them each a cup, and Xiao Chong curiously examined the glass straw in the glass cup, saying, "Cousin, it seems you have more glassware than pottery; what is this glass tube for?"
Lin Wanwan took her glass, sipped it, swallowed, and smiled, "Look, you drink by sucking through the straw. The milk tea and fruit pieces enter your mouth simultaneously, creating a unique taste."
Xiao Chong and Xiao Ce, imitating Lin Wanwan, picked up their glass cups and sipped through the straws. As the milk tea entered Xiao Chong’s mouth, his eyes lit up, visibly satisfied, while Xiao Ce furrowed his brows, seemingly unaccustomed to it.
Xiao Ce put down the milk tea and began, "I have heard that the Tiele tribes of West State enjoy boiling tea with milk; today, I’ve finally seen it and indeed it differs from our Great Tang tea ceremony."
Lin Wanwan smiled, "I see that cousin Shi Heng is not interested in this. Hua Nong, you can share the remaining milk tea in the pot and clear these items, then bring back the previous tea."
"Yes."
"Cousin Shi Heng, you may help yourself. You are much more skilled at brewing tea than I am, so I won’t make a fool of myself." After saying this to Xiao Ce, Lin Wanwan continued with Xiao Chong, "Cousin, do you prefer the savory oil tea or the sweet milk tea?"
Xiao Chong released the glass straw and responded smoothly, "Each has its merits; I find both quite good."
"Haha, cousin, you are a true foodie!"