The government was sending out wives, and I ended up with a princess from the previous dynasty!

“Brother Jia, you can’t blame me for this. If you had just sat there quietly and spoken properly, even if I sneezed or set off firecrackers, it wouldn’t have affected you. Don’t you think that makes sense?” Jia Daoshi said with a smile.

“What this young man says is absolutely right.” The old man beside him was secretly delighted. “Jia An, your actions have perfectly illustrated the saying that you lift a stone only to drop it on your own foot!”

His gloating was palpable!

"You..." Jia An's face burned with anger, and finally he stood up and said to Xia Wanlian, "Madam! Look! What just happened was clearly caused by this Li... Li Bai deliberately causing trouble! This boy! Insidious and cunning! Shameless!"

Xia Wanlian: "..."

How could she possibly explain this?

Anyone with eyes could see that Jia Daoshi did that on purpose, but if we brought it up now, it would be even more embarrassing for everyone!

That Jia An is really something, always bringing up the very thing he shouldn't have said!

Just as Xia Wanlian was in a dilemma, Jia Daoshi smiled faintly and said, "Alright, I won't pretend anymore. I did it on purpose just now."

"Hey hey hey! Did you all hear that? This kid did it on purpose!"

"mean!"

"Shameless!"

"bad!"

Jia An looked aggrieved and pointed at Jia Daoshi: "Well, you actually admitted it!"

Jia Daoshi shook his head: "Brother Jia, you can't blame me for this."

"You! You're talking nonsense! This isn't your fault, whose fault is it? You've gone too far!"

"As Madam said before, this is a comprehensive test. Since it is a comprehensive test, then you are my competitor. Brother Jia is very learned. In terms of knowledge, I am certainly no match for Brother Jia. Therefore, I can only use a little trick. Of course, if Brother Jia wants to continue speaking now, I will not stop him."

Jia An: "Well, you're quite honest!"

Xia Wanlian, who was standing to the side, was also taken aback when she heard Jia Daoshi's words.

She hadn't expected this kid to have such cleverness, and she couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. However, she nodded and said, "Not bad! Not bad! Mr. Li's reaction was unexpected, but I think that using trickery is the only way to control my unruly disciple. Very good."

"As for Mr. Jia, Mr. Li's actions just now were offensive. I will apologize to you on his behalf, and let's let this matter rest, how about that?"

Since Xia Wanlian had already said that, what could Jia An say? He could only shake his head with a wronged expression.

At this moment, the old man next to him knew that it was now his turn to perform, so he immediately stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and smiled:

"Madam Xia, your courtyard is adorned with bamboo and plum blossoms, representing two distinct forms of life, symbolizing resilience and beauty. This unique scenery also makes this pot of tea exceptionally fragrant! This fine tea must be from the coastal county of Dajing. It is sweet with a delicate fragrance, mellow and smooth in taste, and has a delicate tea soup. It is truly a rare and excellent tea!"

"The fact that Madam Xia could build such a beautiful courtyard in such a harsh and cold place as Yanzhou, where she can enjoy tea and appreciate the snow, shows that Madam Xia is also a tea lover and connoisseur. As for anything else, there is no point in me saying more. Madam knows what I mean!"

The old man talked at length, spouting a lot of nonsense, claiming to be Xia Wanlian's confidante. He not only praised Xia Wanlian but also boasted about himself, but it was all just empty talk. He was a real old fox.

This is a perfect example of how a single conversation with a wise person can be more valuable than a single lecture.

Upon hearing this, Xia Wanlian smiled faintly and said, "You flatter me, sir. I only know the basics of tea ceremony and am far from being as knowledgeable as you are."

"Madam Xia is too modest. I only know a little bit about this!" The old man said with a beaming smile, turning to Jia Daoshi. "Young man, it's your turn now. Although you just showed off a little cleverness, you need to have real skills as well as some cleverness!"

"Yes, Mr. Li, please feel free to share your insights." Xia Wanlian extended her hand, gesturing for him to speak.

Jia Daoshi remained calm and did not speak immediately.

He picked up the teacup, examined it carefully, and then took a deep sniff.

Finally, his gaze fell on the iron kettle on the small stove.

"Young man, Madam Xia invited you to taste the tea, so why are you smelling and looking at it like that?" The old man was getting impatient.

Jia Daoshi turned his head and glanced at him, as if he were looking at an idiot.

The look in that eye was intense, and the old man immediately felt deeply humiliated.

Just then, Jia Daoshi spoke up: "Madam Xia said earlier that she has a rudimentary understanding of the tea ceremony, but I cannot agree with that."

Upon hearing this, Xia Wanlian looked puzzled: "Mr. Li, what do you mean by that?"

“Madam Xia, I will now speak frankly,” Jia Daoshi said frankly. “From what I observe, you may only enjoy drinking tea, but you do not understand the art of tea, and you do not even know how to brew tea.”

Upon hearing this, Jia An and the old man immediately laughed.

"madness!"

"Trying to attract attention will only bring shame upon oneself!"

Saying such things at this time would be tantamount to offending Xia Wanlian.

Sure enough, the smile on Xia Wanlian's face vanished the moment she saw her!

She just said that she only has a rudimentary understanding of tea ceremony, but that was just a humble way of putting it. You should know that her favorite thing is drinking tea. She has collected all kinds of tea from the Great Jing Dynasty and has also studied the tea ceremony in great depth!

Now people are saying I don't know how to brew tea?

Isn't this a slap in the face to her?

However, as the hostess, she couldn't openly show her displeasure, so she could only quietly watch Jia Daoshi, waiting to see what he would say.

"Madam Xia, this tea is also known as Da Hong Pao. It is absolutely forbidden to use the same teapot as Tie Guan Yin! Da Hong Pao is roasted over charcoal during its production, and the brewed tea has a faint charcoal aroma, while Tie Guan Yin has a delicate fragrance. Mixing these two aromas together will cause both teas to lose their original flavor."

"As for the teapot used for brewing tea, the one Madam Xia uses is a Duan clay teapot. This type of teapot has a porous clay texture, which makes the teapot compete with the tea for aroma, resulting in a weaker fragrance!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Xia completely abandoned her contempt: "So that's how it is. No wonder the tea didn't smell as good as before. It turns out we were using the wrong teapot."

"Was the teapot that Madam used earlier a Yixing teapot?" Jia Daoshi asked.

"Exactly!"

“Madam Xia, please forgive my bluntness, but judging from your residence in this small courtyard, you must be a person of refined taste. In that case, you should also pay attention to the way of tea when you drink it. Only by following the nature of tea can the tea you brew be truly worthwhile.”

"To brew tea in accordance with its natural instincts?" Xia Wanlian's eyes revealed a thoughtful expression.