County Magistrate Jiang drank a few mouthfuls of water and said, “The water in your house is sweeter than anything I have ever drunk. I don’t know if it’s because of this chrysanthemum or the water is simply just different?” After a pause, County Magistrate Jiang said, “I am the same age as Shijing. I am just a few months older than him, so in private you two can call me Kangning.”

“My lord?” Both of them were surprised. Jiang Kangning, however, showed a hint of shame and said, “Yunan, Shijing, I won’t go around in circles with you two anymore. I came here today to ask for something.”

 Jiang Kangning had already lowered his stance, so Shao Yunan said, “Brother Kangning, don’t say anything else, you just made the decision for my young brother. If you have any requests, just ask, I will do it.” Since you are willing to let me and Shijing call you ‘big brother,’ what was wrong with treating Shijing and I as your brothers?

Jiang Kangning, however, had some difficulty in opening his mouth. He tightened and clenched his teeth before he finally said, “Yunan, Shijing, can you sell me the recipe for that jam? Don’t worry, I won’t sell it within Yongxiu Province.”

Shao Yunan blinked, surprised. Wang Shijing was also stunned. Jiang Kangning exhaled and said, “I know my request would embarrass you and I also know that you and the Zhao family signed a contract. But I learned that although Yizhang Xuan restaurant also sold jam in the capital, the amount was insufficient and the numbers could not be guaranteed. My brother is doing business in the capital. He might not be as good as the boss behind Yizhang Xuan restaurant, but I want to find a business for him that can make money to ensure he has a worry-free life.  I only let my brother do business in the capital, so he will not compete with Yizhang Xuan restaurant for business.”

Shao Yunan was still blinking, so Jiang Kangning immediately added, “If it is really difficult, you two can just pretend that I did not mention this matter. I also understand that my request might be difficult for you.”

Shao Yunan instantly returned to his senses. “No, it’s not difficult. Brother Kangning, you must not misunderstand. In fact, the deed I signed with Uncle Lizheng’s family does state that I still hold the ownership of the recipe, so I can still sell it to other families if it won’t affect uncle Lizheng’s business.”

Jiang Kangning immediately looked shocked. “Then can you sell it to me? I heard that the Zhao family paid 300 taels of silver for your recipe, I’ll pay 500 taels.”

Shao Yunan almost burst into tears. “Brother Kangning, don’t rush. This jam does seem to be very profitable now, but if people with their heads straight do more research, sooner or later someone else will make it. I think that the owner behind Yizhang Xuan restaurant is not a fool, so I won’t believe he didn’t find someone to study this jam recipe. In fact, this jam can only be considered a small business, in terms of the level of craft, it is not as good as this chrysanthemum tea.”

Jiang Kangning smiled. “Then are you going to sell me the recipe for this chrysanthemum tea?”

“No.” Shao Yunan grinned. “It’s a recipe that makes more money than jam or than chrysanthemum tea. If there is big money to be made, why would Brother Kangning bother with this small amount of money?” Jiang Kangning raised his eyebrows, his gaze burning. “Why don’t you tell it quickly?”

“Haha.” Shao Yunan looked at Wang Shijing. “Brother Wang, please.” Wang Shijing knew what he wanted so he went down to get it for him. Shao Yunan said, “Brother Kangning, it’s a real coincidence that you came today. This is a big coincidence. I was worried about finding the right person for business cooperation and was about to go to you to talk about it. To tell you the truth, I don’t want everything to go through the Yizhang Xuan restaurant side. In the long run, it wouldn’t be a good thing for me.”

Jiang Kangning was so excited that he feigned anger. “Tell me what it is. Don’t sell it anymore. If you are not careful this official might gift you a board.”

“Why, isn’t it Brother Kangning?”

“…You, you.”

Wang Shijing first brought the tea set and tea tray, then he brought a jar of Longjing. After Wang Shijing sat down, Shao Yunan boiled water first and said, “I wonder if Brother Kangning knows that I collected tea leaves everywhere a while ago.”

“I’ve heard a little about it.”

“I’ll let Brother Kangning taste the tea I made now and you can see if my tea can become a big deal.”

Jiang Kangning restrained his expression.

The water boiled and Shao Yunan scooped out the tea leaves. As soon as the tea leaves came out, Jiang Kangning’s expression changed slightly. After finishing scooping the tea leaves, Shao Yunan handed it over. “Brother Kangning, you smell it.”

Jiang Kangning took the tea leaves and smelled them, his expression changing even more. “This is tea?”

“It is indeed. I named it Longjing, it’s a green tea.”

 

 

Jiang Kangning was also someone who had tasted fine tea before, but it was his first time smelling such a delicate fragrance, and he immediately became very serious. Shao Yunan placed a measured amount of tea leaves into three blue-and-white porcelain cups and said: “I have four grades of Longjing tea: Special, First, Second, and Third. What I’m brewing for you now is First-grade tea. The reason I didn’t choose the Special grade is that, while its appearance is better, the taste of the First-grade tea surpasses it. I’ll brew the Special, Second, and Third grades for you to try in a moment.”

Jiang Kangning nodded seriously.

Shao Yunan patiently waited for the water to boil and explained how Longjing tea should be brewed. Just as he had demonstrated the other day, he once again showed Jiang Kangning the process of brewing Longjing tea. As Jiang Kangning watched the tea leaves slowly rotate in the cup and the tea gradually turn a vivid green, he felt his heart stir.

After setting down the teapot, Shao Yunan made an inviting gesture and said: “Tea is the simplest of drinks, yet no other beverage can rival it in beauty or charm. The beauty of tea lies not only in its taste but also in its essence. Smelling the tea’s fragrance, savoring its flavor, and enjoying its aftertaste while sitting by a winding stream with a few friends—watching as a cup of tea floats downstream and stops before someone who picks it up and sips it, reciting poetry that flows effortlessly—such a scene is truly captivating. Just imagining it brings great delight to the heart.”

It was as if a scene of drinking tea by a winding stream unfolded before Jiang Kangning’s eyes. He picked up the tea cup, gently tapped the lid twice, and took a slow sip. The moment the fragrant tea entered his mouth, Jiang Kangning felt almost dizzy as the joy from his taste buds surged to his head and spread throughout his body.

Shao Yunan blinked and said: “Brother Kangning, what do you think? With this ‘winding stream tea-drinking’ gimmick, this tea should sell very well, right?”

Still immersed in mental pleasure, Jiang Kangning was abruptly jolted by a strong sense of commercialism, leaving him thoroughly disillusioned. He set down the cup, angered, and said: “You’re truly wasting this good tea!”

Shao Yunan rubbed his nose and replied: “I make tea to earn money. If I had the sentiment, I could be studying at the Imperial College in the capital.”

“You!” Jiang Kangning was exasperated by his unruly behavior.

Shao Yunan shamelessly smiled and asked again: “So, Brother Kangning, how about the tea? I dare say it’s the only one of its kind in the Great State of Yan.”

Jiang Kangning took a deep breath, calming the disrupted scene in his mind, and said: “It is indeed unique. I’ve had plenty of so-called fine teas, but compared to this, they seem unpalatable in retrospect.”

Shao Yunan continued: “I don’t have much of this tea. Actually, selling it in the capital would be the most profitable, and since your elder brother does business there, that would be ideal.” He then hesitated and added: “I’m not boasting, but anyone with a business mind can see the value in this. I just worry—can you keep your brother safe? I don’t want to cause you any unnecessary trouble. That’s one reason I didn’t approach Yi Zhangxuan; making money is important, but so is safety.”

Jiang Kangning asked: “Have you given this tea to anyone else?”

“No. Only my family has had it, and the children won’t talk.”

Jiang Kangning appreciated Shao Yunan’s caution and said: “You don’t need to worry about my elder brother. Though his business isn’t large, my teacher, supports him, so no one would dare trouble him. My teacher is the grand tutor to two emperors and the head of the Imperial College in the capital.”

“Wow!” Shao Yunan exclaimed in admiration: “Sir, you’re truly someone who doesn’t show off!”

If Wang Shijing weren’t present, Jiang Kangning would have given Shao Yunan a flick on the forehead.

“My teacher has always been upright and honest. As his student, I must uphold his reputation. How could I boast that my official position is due to him?”

“I understand, I understand.”

Shao Yunan then adopted a more serious tone and said: “Brother Kangning, I have another business proposition. The reason I haven’t brought this tea to you until now isn’t that I wanted to keep it a secret, but because the time wasn’t right. I was planning to present it to you along with this other business.”

“What is it?”

“Wine. I’ve made wine from ‘sheep milk fruit,’ also known as red sour fruit.”

“Fruit wine?”

“Yes, fruit wine. Brother Kangning, have you heard of grape wine?”

Jiang Kangning nodded: “I’ve tried it. My teacher has many fine things, and I often sneaked some, but it wasn’t very good.”

“Ahem… you didn’t need to share that.”

Shao Yunan took a sip of tea and said: “The wine I make will taste good. But it’s not yet ready to be opened; it’ll take about ten more days. I was planning to present both the fruit wine and the tea to you at the same time. The longer this wine is stored, the better it will taste.”

Jiang Kangning replied: “I believe your wine will be different. But Yunan, are you sure you want to entrust your tea to my brother’s business? His business is limited to the capital. Although I have my teacher’s support, I can’t always rely on him for personal matters. But the backer behind restaurant is different. The owner is the second son of the Wei family from Marquis Hengyuan’s household in the capital. His business is vast, spanning across the Great State of Yan. If you partner with him, you’ll earn far more than you would with me.”

Shao Yunan was unmoved and simply said: “His business may be large, but I don’t know him. I know you, Brother Kangning, and I’m counting on you to continue being my family’s backer as you rise in rank.”

Shao Yunan’s straightforwardness touched Jiang Kangning deeply. He took a deep breath and said, “You and Shijing can just call me brother. This ‘Brother Kangning’ is exhausting to hear.”

Shao Yunan immediately took the opportunity and said: “Brother!” He then nudged Wang Shijing, who mumbled, “Brother.” It was hard to see how Jiang Kangning could be older, but Jiang Kangning, sensing Wang Shijing’s confusion, explained, “I’m twenty-six this year, born in March.”

Wang Shijing was also twenty-six, born in July, so Jiang Kangning was indeed older.

Shao Yunan remarked: “You’re really young.”

“Heh.” Jiang Kangning chuckle: “I only look young.” But his heart felt old.

Shao Yunan, not wanting to pry, continued the previous conversation: “Brother, whether it’s jam, chrysanthemum tea, or my tea leaves and wine, these things will never remain exclusive to just one or a few people. One day, these techniques will spread and become common. When that happens, it will be a matter of skill as to who can sell and market them best.

For the Great State of Yan, this is actually a good thing. The more people who know how to do something, the more intense the competition will be. With fierce competition, each family will rack their brains to improve, to sell better, and to fetch a better price. This will create a healthy cycle for the entire industry. If these skills and recipes remain monopolized by a few, without competition, the quality will inevitably decline, leading to a negative cycle for the industry.

I don’t believe that my tea-making skills should remain with me alone; I plan to pass them on in the future. My goal is that, regardless of how many people know how to make tea, my tea will always taste the best and be the most sought after. It’s like running a tavern; there are countless wines in the world, but only a few become famous. As long as I can guarantee the quality of my tea, I won’t worry about finding buyers or selling at a good price. The same goes for wine.”

Jiang Kangning listened attentively, deeply stirred by Shao Yunan’s words. Wang Shijing, meanwhile, couldn’t take his eyes off his radiant spouse.

“So as long as I can ensure the quality, it doesn’t matter who I partner with. I know you, Brother, but I don’t know that Marquis’s son. I want you, Brother, to continue being my family’s backer, so I choose to work with you.”

Jiang Kangning’s throat tightened. He wasn’t at all upset by Shao Yunan’s straightforward request for support; in fact, he found it deeply comforting.

 

 

Edited by: Jaisland

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