Chapter Nine Tea

  Inside the tavern, Nie Zheng sighed and said, "Song Kai, you really have read books until you've become foolish."

  A Fu also sighed and said, "Dalan, forget it. Liu Niangzi is not someone we can afford to marry after all. With this gold, buy some betrothal gifts, and I'll find you another suitable match."

  Song Kai waved his hand and said, "Alright, tonight we can have a good meal. At the dinner table, I'll tell you about our next plan."

  The dishes were served, Song Kai took a sip of wine, frowned, this wine was indeed hard to drink, but it's also unknown whether the Tang people now like those high-degree re-distilled wines, if they do, the store will have a new attraction, hmm, wait till tomorrow to make some and let Ah Fu taste them.

  Nie Lingdang is a standard foodie, as soon as the dishes are served, she starts eating enthusiastically.

  Song Kai said, "Today is my mistake, underestimating the current severe situation, which led to our defeat today. Next, we need to re-plan, understand the enemy's situation, clarify the rules, and develop a complete battle plan to make Red Dust Inn's reputation resound."

  A Fu felt dizzy and sighed in his heart, after all, the young master of his own family was a scholar, and when he spoke, even he himself couldn't understand.

  Nie Lingzhong just focused on eating, as for what Song Kai said, as long as he could make money, it was fine. Now that he had ten taels of gold in his hand, he could sneak out to buy some clothes tomorrow.

  "First, we must operate our own wine shop well. Tomorrow I will go to other wine shops to take a look and learn from their successful experiences. In addition, there are recruitment and advertising matters. Recruitment notices should be made bigger and hung in front of the city building. Now it shouldn't need advertising fees yet, huh? Let's also put up some advertisements on the surrounding streets..." Song Kai muttered to himself.

  A Fu listened for a few sentences and couldn't understand, so he lowered his head to eat. As for Nie Lingdang, from start to finish, he didn't lift his head.

  Song Kai spat out a mouthful of saliva and said a lot, seeing that the old and young people had no reaction, he sighed in his heart, indeed they were pig-like teammates.

  "After dinner, Nie Lingdang said: 'I haven't taken a bath for a long time, Song Kai, do you have any spare clothes at home?'"

  "Are you wearing yours?" Song Kai gave Nie Lingdang a white eye.

  Nie Lingdang smiled and said: "Aren't you rich now? Can you help me buy a set of clothes?"

  "Not good," Song Kai thought for a moment, "unless you and I sign a contract."

  "What contract?" Nie Ling Tong was puzzled, and the silver bell on his wrist rang out in response.

  "Uh, that's what I mean. I can provide you with food, a place to stay, and clothes, but you have to work in my store for three years. Uh, about three years should do it. And I'll also think of a way to clear your name," Song Kai said.

  "What! You want me to be your slave!" Nie Lingdang glared with anger, her killing intent rising, "Auntie is a dignified..."

  "Halt!" Song Kai interrupted Nie Ling's words, "Not a slave, just a shop assistant. You think, with your sensitive identity now, I'm taking risks to take you in, don't I deserve some returns?"

  Nie Ling's eyes rolled around, "Being a partner is fine, but you can't let me give you a bath or serve you like that."

  Song Kai flipped his eyelids and said, "You look so stinky, who would want you to serve them?"

  "I killed you..."

  A Fu coughed twice and said, "Dalan, if you want to buy clothes, you should hurry up. After a while, the store will close."

  "Alright then, Fu Bo, you boil some water in the shop, I should take a bath too," Song Kai wiped his mouth and headed out.

  Nie Ling rushed up calling out and grabbed onto Song Kai's sleeve.

  "What's wrong?" Song Kai turned back and asked in puzzlement.

  Nie Ling's face turned red for a moment, "Do you know...do you know what kind of clothes to buy?"

  "Of course I know, skirt, underwear, plus bellyband, isn't that all?" Song Kai nodded slightly.

  Nie Ling's face turned even redder, thinking that this Song Kai must not be a serious scholar.

  Out of the store, Song Kai first went to the gold shop to exchange some gold bars and copper coins. During the Tang Dynasty, silver was not widely used among the people, one or two gold exchanged for five or six silver, but this exchange rate was always changing, generally transactions were made with copper coins, or gold bars.

  Entering the clothing store, after a circle, Song Kai was really heartbroken. Nowadays, clothes are too expensive. Ordinary ones cost two or three hundred coins per piece, and good ones mostly cost seven or eight hundred coins, or even one thousand coins.

  He had originally planned to buy a set for himself and Fu Bo as well, but after seeing the price, Song Kai retreated and only bought a set of inner and outer clothes for Nie Lingdang.

  Then Song Kai went around the Wen Fang Si Bao store again, spent one guan of money to buy top-quality white paper and ink, before returning to the inn.

  Prices are really high.

  Song Kai Xin sighed in relief, fortunately, the food was still relatively cheap.

  Nie Ling took the clothes bought by Song Kai and ran back to her own room with a red face.

  Song Kai was puzzled, this girl usually seemed quite crazy, how could she blush so easily.

  Nie Lingdang returned to her room, flipping through the clothes Song Kai had bought for her. Her heart was racing with excitement at the thought of a man seeing her underwear, which was already embarrassing enough. Now that he had even touched them, she couldn't help but think that if this got out, she would be too ashamed to show her face in public again.

  Song Kai didn't think that much, he took a bath, slept comfortably, and the next day got up to wash his face and prepare to go to other wine houses to see their business strategies.

  With a creak, Nie Ling's door opened and a woman walked out with elegant steps. She was wearing a white dress that was rumpled and creased in every direction, her hair was loose and tied back behind her head, and she was yawning, looking very beautiful.

  Song Kai stared at her with a hint of surprise. He knew that Nie Ling was very good-looking, but he hadn't expected that she would look so beautiful in women's clothes.

  "Hey, beautiful!" Song Kai waved his hand.

  Nie Ling Tong's face turned red again, and he glared at Song Kai, "You good-for-nothing!"

  "Ah?" Song Kai was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing, "I'm just telling the truth, I didn't expect you to be so beautiful, no wonder the old man from outside the city wants to buy you as his concubine."

  "Hum! As a noble lady of a prestigious family, you are naturally born with elegance and refinement..."

  Song Kai waved his hand and walked out of the store after washing up. He headed towards a wine building about 3,000 meters away.

  The wine house is called Tianfu Wine House, this name is more domineering than Hongchen Guest House.

  Song Kai sighed and entered the wine house, where many people were sitting inside, bustling with activity. Some had ordered a pot of tea, some pastries and melon seeds, chatting and discussing matters, while others sat around a table, drinking and eating meat.

  Song Kai walked into the wine house, observing the environment inside, feeling very unconvinced in his heart. Although he said he wasn't a businessman, he was at least a crosser. If he couldn't even compete with these businessmen, it would be too humiliating for a crosser's identity.

  On the wooden wall hangs poetry and painting, the wine waiter has a white towel on his shoulder, warmly welcoming guests. The hotel environment is not bad, and you can see the Qinglou Huafang not far away. Eating here is both a mood and a symbol of identity.

  Song Kai walked towards the second floor and was about to find a table to sit down when he heard a voice calling out from behind, "Young Master Song!"

  Song Kai turned his head and saw an old man sitting by the window with a teapot in front of him, accompanied by a plate of peanuts.

  "Uncle Xue!" Song Kai walked over and bowed his hands slightly.

  Sitting there was Xue Weihai.

  Xue Weihai pointed across and said: "Sit! What a coincidence, Song Lang, we've met again."

  "Haha... " Song Kai smiled and said, "As soon as I saw you, old man, I knew that today I could eat delicious food for free."

  Xue Wei Hai stroked his beard and laughed, "You scoundrel, your face is quite thick, never mind. Today I'll splurge and treat you to a meal. First, let's have some tea, the tea master here is very skilled, every morning I come here to drink tea and eat breakfast."

  As he spoke, Xue Weihai picked up the teapot and poured a cup for Song Kai.

  Song Kai took a sip, it was a bit bitter, and the refreshing aroma had decreased a lot. He furrowed his brow, is this really good tea?

  "How is it?" Xue Weihai smiled and looked at Song Kai.

  Song Kai shook his head, "Xue Lao, this tea... hehe, to be honest, it's really not that good."

  "Haha," Xue Wei Hai seemed to have expected Song Kai to say that, "You, after all, can't appreciate the goodness in this. Usually, you only drink those teas with scallions, ginger, garlic and vinegar."

  "Huh?" Song Kai was puzzled. "Tea soup? Oh, you're talking about tea soup with seasonings, haha, of course not."

  In the Tang Dynasty, people liked to add seasonings when drinking tea. However, by the end of the Tang Dynasty, many people had already started to regard tea as a refined taste and began to like drinking plain tea.

  "Isn't it?" Xue Lao smiled like an old fox, thinking that Song Kai was just making excuses.

  Song Kai shook his tea cup and said, "This tea tastes too bitter."

  "This is life, tasting tea like life, from the tip of the tongue to the throat, it's naturally bitter, but after the bitterness, there's a hint of fragrance lingering on the lips. Xue Weihai smiled lightly, he usually didn't like talking about these things with people, but when he met Song Kai, he could open up more, perhaps because Song Kai was straightforward and refreshing, with a thick enough face."

  Song Kai shook his head, "Bitter first and then sweet is also a truth of life, but this bitter taste has been too long, losing many good things. This tea was originally very good, but after picking, it was only dried in the sun without stir-frying, so the bitter taste became especially long."

  "What? Stir-fry greens? What does it mean?" Xue Weihai was somewhat surprised.

  "Before the Qingming Festival, I picked these tender leaves, dried them slightly and then stir-fried them. The flavor is bitter but has a long aftertaste. I think that's what life is like - it may be bitter, but ultimately it's fragrant."

  Xue Weihai furrowed his brow, deep in thought.

  "Xue Lao, Xue Lao," Song Kai knocked on the table, "How about we serve the dishes?"

  Xue Weihai came back to his senses, hearing this, his old face smiled wryly and said: "Good, good, serve the dishes. By the way, can the method of making tea you mentioned still be used now?"

  "Now what's been made is summer tea, with a strong flavor, slightly less sweet and fragrant, but the tea flavor is robust, quite unique. Besides, now we can also make fermented red tea, which is not bad either. After my guest house opens, I'll take you to make some tea leaves together, and my guest house will exclusively serve these teas. You must come to my shop every day to drink tea."

  Xue Weihai burst out laughing, "Yesterday I heard that the young lady from the Sun family said your inn was about to go bankrupt and close down. How is it that you still want to reopen? I think you're not cut out for doing business."

  Seeing old book friends coming to support, I am deeply moved. I will work hard with you all, just like this life, maybe there is bitterness, but ultimately it will be sweet after the bitter. Thank you for your selfless support and rewards, although I still can't do it without worries, I will persevere, thank you for the support and rewards of the two of you who have been reborn, I will also rise from the ashes!