Chapter 2: Drinking Top-grade Tea, Supreme Grade is Drinking Flowers

  After a simple exchange of pleasantries between the two, Ling Yuancheng finally turned around and made a brief introduction.

  Unexpectedly, the girl's name was Xiao Chengyan, who was the eldest daughter of the Xiao family. The man on her right side was her elder brother, Xiao Chengye, while the young man on her left side was simply introduced as Baili Yu, without mentioning his identity at all.

  After exchanging greetings, Xiao Chengyan was the first to speak up: "Judging from your appearance, sister Guan, it seems like you have some innate deficiencies?" Although there was a hint of concern in his words, they were mostly filled with eagerness to try.

  She didn't expect her to suddenly ask such a question, and Ling Yu looked at her with a hint of surprise before smiling lightly: "Sister has good eyesight!" At this moment, she had completely understood the reason why Ling Yu suddenly decided to visit her.

  She had heard people mention before that this young lady of the Xiao family did not like needlework or poetry, but was quite fascinated by medicine. Unfortunately, this young lady came from a noble background and the Xiao family had high hopes for her, so they would never allow her to practice medicine openly. This time, Ling Yuancheng brought friends to Miao Fengshan Villa for a short rest, and if she didn't speak up, Ling Yuancheng might not have thought of having a sister like her. But instead of keeping quiet, she pretended to be ill and attracted the kindness of this young lady.

  She was thinking in her heart, but Ling Yuqing had already smiled and said: "Now that it's autumn, this house is near the mountain, but it's even colder than outside. Ninth sister is also unwell, it's better to talk inside!"

  As soon as these words came out, everyone nodded and stepped into the small hall.

  The house where Yu Dai lived, although located in a remote area and the house was slightly small, she had been living here for several years. The furniture and utensils were not luxurious due to the limited conditions, but they were elegant and clean, making people feel refreshed. The few pots of flowers on the corners of the house and on the table were extraordinary, with a faint fragrance that made people feel carefree and joyful.

  That Ling Yuqing and Xiao Shi's siblings were still okay, but Bai Lianyi's eyes had condensed for a moment, with a hint of strange color in his eyes, but he remained silent and didn't speak. As the crowd sat down in the small hall, maids brought tea over. Xiao Xian, who was sitting next to Yuqing, saw the tea being served and couldn't help but reach out to take it, lift the lid, and elegantly sip a mouthful with a composed demeanor.

  That tea was just one sip, the taste is extremely light and refreshing, like plain water. Xiao Xian, after all, came from a wealthy family, and her daily expenses were not ordinary goods. Although she had never been concerned about these desires of the mouth and stomach, but suddenly drinking this tea, she couldn't help but frown slightly.

  However, she was gentle and polite, and didn't want to lose face over such a small matter, so she reluctantly swallowed the tea. But unexpectedly, although the tea tasted bland at first, once it entered her throat, a refreshing fragrance slowly rose from the base of her tongue and the bottom of her throat. In just an instant, her mouth was filled with a fragrant aroma, and not only her lips and teeth, but her entire body felt refreshed and comfortable, especially under her arms, where she felt a cool breeze. Even Xiangyun, who was born into wealth and luxury, couldn't help but exclaim: "Good tea!"

  Ling Yuan, Qing, and San sat on a row of armchairs to the left of the small hall. The three of them had already drunk a cup of tea outside earlier, so they didn't touch their tea at this moment. Suddenly, they heard Xiao Chengyan's praise, and couldn't help but look at each other in surprise. They also picked up their tea and took a sip. As soon as the tea entered their mouths, the three of them looked at each other with an involuntary change in expression, and there was a hint of surprise in each other's eyes.

  Putting down his tea cup, Ling Yuan Qing smiled and said: "This tea of Ninth Sister's is fragrant and full-bodied, but it doesn't seem like an ordinary tea product. I wonder where Ninth Sister found it?"

  As soon as Xiao Cheng drank tea, Yuan Dai had already raised her cup and taken a sip. At this moment, hearing Ling Yuancheng's inquiry, she couldn't help but secretly sigh in her heart, and finally slowly said: "Sixth brother is wise, this tea is actually floral tea!"

  The four of them heard that it was floral tea, and only then did they reveal a look of sudden realization. As they were born into wealthy families, even the tribute goods were not rare to them, but today's tea was truly unheard of and unseen, so they couldn't help but be curious. Now that they heard it was floral tea, they finally felt relieved in their hearts, because such an unconventional tea as floral tea is usually not included in the list of tribute teas.

  The ancients had a clear view of tea made from flowers and grasses, calling it: the best drink is tea, the ultimate drink is flowers. This phrase alone shows its extreme praise. However, for the Great Zhou Dynasty in the north, flower and grass tea was only a newly emerging and rarely seen type of tea product.

  Among the four, Xiao Cheng had a young and elegant medical skill, and he understood some of the ways to nourish life with flowers and plants. At this moment, when he heard that it was flower tea, he was quite interested in uncovering the lid of the cup and carefully examining the flowers and plants inside. However, Yuan Dai's tea was made using a special technique, and now that it had been brewed, all one could see was that the color of the tea was a deep green, its leaves like flowers but not flowers, like leaves but not leaves. From its appearance, it was impossible to tell what kind of flowers or plants were used as raw materials.

  Since the shape can't be seen, Xiao Xian had to raise her cup and take a sip. After savoring it carefully, she smiled and said: "Sister, this tea is absolutely delicious, but for now, it's hard to describe. However, from what I see, this tea should have pine needles... green bamboo... and there's also this cold fragrance, could it be that this tea also has winter plum?"

  Yan Dai saw her being so attentive and couldn't help but smile: "Don't be modest, sister, this tea is called Sui Han San You!"

  Three Friends of Winter, refers to pine, bamboo and plum blossoms. Just by looking at the name of this tea, it is clear that Xiao Chengyu's guess was correct.

  Xiao Chengxian, knowing that she had not guessed wrong, felt even more delighted in her heart. With a smile, she asked: "This tea is indeed the best among floral teas, but I wonder where did you get it from, sister?"

  Her eyebrows trembled slightly, and Yu Dai laughed quickly: "To say it might be a joke to sister, this tea is made by my own hands, if sister really likes it, I'll have the maids pack some for you to take away!"

  As soon as the words came out, Xiao Chengyan was stunned for a moment, and her bright eyes also swept over the three people sitting opposite her, especially taking a closer look at Ling Yuancheng. It could be seen that Ling Yuancheng's face was full of astonishment, it was very clear that he did not know that his ninth sister would make tea either.

  Suppressing the urge to ask further, Xiao Cheng smiled and said: "But this is too much trouble for sister!"

  Yan Dai smiled, just about to speak, when Ba Li Yi, who had been walking in with a lazy expression and hadn't said a word, suddenly spoke up: "I'll join you too!" His voice was clear and crisp, like the sound of a bell, but it didn't quite match his youthful appearance.

  He opened his mouth, and Ling Yuancheng also asked with a smooth tone: "I wonder if there is still some 'Sui Han San You' tea left here?" His words also had a hint of sharing.

  Yan Dai couldn't help but smile wryly: "Sixth Brother doesn't know, this tea is not easy to make, and I've only just learned it recently. I've tried many times, but succeeded only twice, with only three or two left over. If it weren't for the honored guest arriving today, I wouldn't have taken it out either!"

  Ling Yuancheng heard the words and immediately nodded his head, asking: "No wonder! No wonder! I was just thinking, in the past I had never heard that Ninth Sister knew how to make flower and grass tea, so why did I suddenly get to taste sister's personally made tea today!"

  Xiao Xing'er listened to this, and her heart was slightly moved. She wanted to ask about the secret of making tea, but she felt that since they had just met, it would be too abrupt to ask directly. So she restrained herself and only smiled: "I came today because I heard that my sister's body is not feeling well. I have some basic medical skills, if my sister doesn't mind, may I take her pulse?" Her words already contained a few parts of concern.

  Yan Dai had long known her intention, and after hearing this, she hurriedly thanked her and apologized to Ling Yuanqing and others before inviting Xiao Zhengyan into her own room. After a while, she took her pulse and wrote a prescription, then sent Xiao Zhengyan out again.

  The four of them came this time because Xiao Cheng wanted to try out her medical skills, and she volunteered herself. As the eldest daughter of the Xiao family, she was of high status and took the initiative to speak, so Ling Yuqing couldn't refuse. That's why they came to visit. Now that they've had tea, taken pulses, and prescribed medicine, this trip has not been in vain. Moreover, as the sky is already late, the four of them naturally stood up to bid farewell.

  Xiao Chengyan left, but still didn't forget to say a few words about meeting again in the future. Yan Dai naturally smiled and humbly replied with a few words, agreeing wholeheartedly. Meanwhile, Wenping had already prepared the "Three Friends of Winter" tea leaves, placing them in three small lacquer boxes. Seeing that everyone was about to leave, he hurriedly brought them out, and the four people from the three families accepted them without hesitation.