Thousand Dusts Ferry Me - Chapter 36

The teahouse was not far from the inn. The Chu siblings left their horses at the inn and walked to the teahouse with Yun Qing and the others.

The teahouse was built in an elegant classical style with a pond in the courtyard surrounded by many bamboo plants.

As it was autumn, numerous potted chrysanthemums of various kinds were displayed, competing in beauty and brilliance. Some were as peculiar as dragon claws, some as lovely as snow clusters, and one plant even had three different colors of blooms.

A servant had gone ahead to inform the teahouse, and now a gentle and elegant woman led two girls to welcome them attentively. Chu Yanchuan called her “Lady Qin.”

Yun Qing thought that this name wasn’t very good—one could easily mispronounce it as “Mother” and give her an undeserved advantage.

(TL: 琴娘 (Qín Niáng) = Lady Qin; “親娘” (qīn niáng)= biological mother” or “real mother” in English.)

Lady Qin led them to a private room. The room was decorated with pine, cypress, and orchid potted plants. Fresh flowers were arranged in vases, various antiques were displayed on black wooden shelves, and four paintings hung on the wall.

The woman in the paintings wore a golden crown with flowing ribbons around her clothing. She had a full figure and dignified features. She held a round, pure white pearl in her hand while looking down with compassion at a land about to be submerged by a flood.

This was Sheng Xi.

Sheng Xi was the most commonly worshipped deity among the commoners of the Central Plains. Ordinary people often made oaths saying, “I swear to Goddess Sheng Xi.”

The four paintings before them depicted the complete story of Sheng Xi controlling the flood, telling the tale of her divine intervention twenty years ago.

Legend had it that year, torrential rains had fallen continuously for two months. The water levels of the forty-eight main rivers across the land rose dramatically, and the entire Central Plains was about to become a vast wetland. At the critical moment, Sheng Xi appeared and held back the flood.

Why was it said she “held” back the flood? Because according to those who had witnessed the situation, the river water had visibly risen far above the banks, yet stood like a wall of water without spilling over into a flood.

Sheng Xi kept holding it until the water flowed into the sea, preventing a catastrophe.

Jiang Baiyu stood before the paintings, appreciating them meticulously, and praised, “Excellent brushwork.”

Chu Yanhe smiled, his chest puffing up with pride. “My eldest brother painted those.”

“Your eldest brother?”

“Yes! My eldest brother is the current city lord of Linglong City.”

Chu Yanchuan said, “Later, when we go boating on the lake for drinks, you’ll be able to see the marks of the water level during that flood, as well as the calligraphy left by Goddess Sheng Xi. I dare say it’s the only one of its kind in the world.”

Fu Xue’s eyes brightened. “Really? I’ve never seen writing by a deity before!”

Chu Yanchuan smiled, “Today you’ll have the chance to see it.”

He truly loved to smile.

Lady Qin, observant as she was, noticed how both the young master and lady of the Chu family showed genuine friendliness toward these handsome young men and women. She smiled and said:

“Young Master, Young Miss, I’m afraid I’ll have to neglect you today. I won’t ask what you would like to drink, but instead I’ll ask these honored guests—”

She turned to Yun Qing and the others with a smile. “May I ask what tea the honored guests would like?”

Yun Qing smiled and asked, “What good teas do you have?”

“Speaking of which, I recently acquired half a jin of Fulong Snow Pearl tea. I kept it at home and couldn’t bear to drink it. This morning when I got up, the porcelain jar containing the tea leaves suddenly made sounds without any wind, tinkling like a chime.

The maid was startled and hurriedly came to inform me. I told her not to panic, that it meant distinguished guests were about to visit, and my tea leaves couldn’t stay hidden anymore!”

Everyone laughed at her words. Chu Yanhe said, “Then bring it quickly.”

Lady Qin called for a young maid to bring the Fulong Snow Pearl tea. She personally brewed tea for everyone while small maids continuously brought in more than ten types of desserts.

After brewing the tea, Lady Qin tactfully withdrew, lowering the jade screen, and led several women to play zithers and flutes behind the screen.

Fulong Snow Pearl was one of the ten famous teas, produced on a steep hillside of Fulong Mountain. After processing, the tea leaves formed small round pellets about the size of yellow soybeans, with a thin layer of white on the surface, hence the name “Snow Pearl.”

The Fulong Snow Pearl had a fragrant aroma. It tasted slightly bitter at first but left a sweet aftertaste. As it reached the throat, it felt extremely refreshing. After a few sips, one felt clear-headed and reinvigorated. When paired with delicate and sweet desserts while listening to melodious music…

Fu Xue sighed contentedly and murmured, “With such a good life, why bother cultivating the Dao?”

As they drank tea and chatted, they naturally began discussing the ten famous teas. Of the ten famous teas, Chu Yanchuan had only tasted five or six, and when speaking of the others he hadn’t tried, he couldn’t help but feel eager to taste them.

Cheng Suiyan said, “I’ve tried them all. They’re just so-so. When drinking tea, what’s important isn’t how good the tea tastes, but your state of mind while drinking it, and also, with whom you’re drinking.”

After he spoke, he noticed everyone was silently staring at him.

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

Cheng Suiyan asked, “Did I say something wrong?”

Chu Yanhe asked again in disbelief, “You’ve tried all of the ten famous teas?”

“Yes, what about it?”

“Many of the ten famous teas are imperial tributes. Other people don’t even have a chance to see them.”

“Well, even imperial tribute tea can be acquired through certain channels if you’re willing to spend money.”

Cheng Suiyan appeared a bit uncomfortable as he said this, quickly changing the subject. “But there is one tea in this world that money can’t buy, no matter how much you have.”

Although his topic change was rather abrupt, Chu Yanhe was still curious. “What tea? Tell us about it.”

Cheng Suiyan smiled, “The ‘Four Seasons Tea Play’ records four seasonal teas: spring’s Clear Peach Tea, summer’s Embracing Lotus Tea, autumn’s Chrysanthemum Play Tea, and winter’s Snow Plum Tea.

Of these, Clear Peach, Chrysanthemum Play, and Snow Plum can all be stored, so you can drink them even out of season.

Only Embracing Lotus Tea is available exclusively when lotus flowers bloom in summer. If you want to drink it in autumn, you can’t buy it no matter how much money you have. Wouldn’t you say that makes it priceless?”

Fu Xue asked, “What is Embracing Lotus Tea?”

“In the evening, tea leaves are placed in the stamen of lotus flowers. At night, the lotus flowers close, and the tea leaves are infused with the flower’s fragrance overnight. They are taken out the following morning.

When you drink it, the tea and flower fragrances intertwine as if you’re wandering through a lotus field and sleeping embraced by lotuses—hence the name Embracing Lotus Tea.

Some say it refers to the lotus petals embracing at night. Embracing Lotus Tea is best consumed on the day it’s made; it loses its flavor as time passes.”

Yun Qing imagined the combined fragrance of flowers and tea and felt a sense of longing.

She wondered if burying Jiang Baiyu in a tea urn would produce the same effect.

She felt that this thought of hers was a bit, uh, indecent?

…..

After they had their fill of tea, they went boating on Jade Ring Lake at noon, and had lunch there as well.

There was an island in the middle of Jade Ring Lake. When viewed from above, the lake water formed a ring shape, hence its name.

The painted boat belonged to the Chu family. It had two levels and was quite large. By the time Yun Qing and the others arrived, wines and dishes had been prepared on the boat, along with a group of dancing and singing girls, all very beautiful with melodious voices and graceful dance movements.

Fu Xue said she suddenly understood why incompetent emperors didn’t like attending court. If it were her, she wouldn’t like it either.

Amid the oriole-like singing, Yun Qing drank cup after cup. After a while, her face became flushed with heat. She stood up and walked to the outside of the cabin, leaning against the red railing, watching the pedestrians on the shore.

The weather was bright and pleasant today, and many people had brought their families out to enjoy themselves. The surface of Jade Ring Lake was covered with many decaying autumn lotus leaves, under which the silhouettes of wild ducks or mandarin ducks occasionally appeared.

On the shore, people threw things at the ducks to tease them, laughing joyfully when the ducks were startled. There were also vendors selling candied haws and roasted seeds, always surrounded by groups of children.

Just looking at this scene, it felt like a peaceful city.

Jiang Baiyu walked to her side, leaning on the railing with one hand, facing her, and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

“I was thinking,” Yun Qing gazed at the lotus leaves and the lotus seed pods that hadn’t been cleared from the lake surface, sighing softly, “that I didn’t get to taste Embracing Lotus Tea this year, which is a pity. I must try it next year.”

“Do you want it?” he asked softly.

“Hmm?” Yun Qing didn’t understand his meaning and turned to look at him.

He was somewhat tipsy, with a hint of smile in his gaze, quietly looking at her as if he was genuinely asking her. This made her feel somewhat puzzled.

“Even if I want it, so what?” she said, thinking that she couldn’t possibly really bury someone in a tea urn.

“If you want it…” he smiled again.

Yun Qing shook her head helplessly. “Baiyu, tell me honestly, how much have you had to drink?”

But Jiang Baiyu didn’t answer. He raised his right hand, palm facing up, his gaze fixed on his palm as he slowly gathered power.

Soon, some light spots slowly rose from the lines on his palm. The light spots grew more numerous, eventually gathering into a thumb-sized, luminous pellet.

The pellet nimbly jumped to his fingertip. He bent his finger and flicked the pellet into the lake water.

It was like a small white star falling into the sea.

The pellet entered the water surface without making any splash.

A moment later, an invisible force spread out.

“Ai Ge, look quickly!” Chu Yanhe’s scream came from the other end of the deck.

On the lake’s surface, the previously decaying lotus leaves seemed to regain their vitality, and new lotus leaves extended and opened at a visible speed.

Then, buds grew rapidly, took shape, bloomed, and swayed.

Red ones like beauties, pink ones like young girls, white ones like immortals.

One flower next to another, one patch connecting to another.

On this clear autumn day, they formed a vast sea of flowers that didn’t belong to this season.

The autumn breeze brought the unique fragrance of lotus flowers, and people on both the shore and the boat marveled at this miracle.

Exclamations, screams, commotion, panic due to the unknown, kneeling in reverence, crying from emotion—various complex reactions intertwined.

Yun Qing stared blankly at the lake surface. She had never seen such abundant lotus flowers, so abundant that they could even be described as “crowded.”

In her ear came Jiang Baiyu’s smiling voice. “I hope you like it.”