Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 118

Chapter 118: At Last, Her Wish Is Fulfilled

Only after speaking for quite some time did Steward Qin finally stop, though he still looked somewhat unsatisfied.

“This is the silver earned over these past days. When you return, take it back to His Highness.”

When Yu Yi saw the amount written on the banknotes, he could not help but be startled.

“So much?”

The tea house had not even been open for a full month, yet it had already earned this much silver?

A slight sense of superiority rose in Steward Qin’s heart. He glanced sideways at Yu Yi.

“It is only thirty thousand taels of silver. Is that worth making such a fuss over?”

Miss Mu was a golden treasure. With her here, no matter how much silver they needed, they would be able to earn it back.

Yu Yi swallowed. “Steward Qin, do you think we should also open a few tea houses in Yuexi?”

“The people of Yuexi are fortunate enough if they can eat their fill each day. If we opened tea houses there, who would go drink tea?”

“If Yuexi will not do, then somewhere else. There are so many wealthy cities in Jiangnan. If we open one in each place, Master will no longer have to worry about silver.”

“For now, let us first manage Buxian Tower properly. As for the rest, we still have to listen to Miss Mu’s arrangements.”

Steward Qin sighed inwardly.

He, too, wished he could immediately open Buxian Towers throughout the entire Dali Dynasty. Yet as for how it should specifically be arranged, he had no clue at all.

Still, as long as they served Miss Mu well, perhaps this wish would soon come true.

So he still had to write to Old Cheng and have him urge His Highness more often.

A tea-tasting trend swept through Jingling City, leaving Steward Qin smiling from ear to ear.

Meanwhile, within the imperial city of the Capital, Eunuch Xu was also so delighted that his face bloomed with smiles.

He had brought back the tea leaves Mu Yunyao had gifted him. Recalling the clear-minded feeling he had experienced after drinking tea in Jinxiu Garden, he could not help brewing some to drink whenever he had spare time. After drinking it, he would feel refreshed, and even the heaviness in his heart seemed to lessen somewhat.

The Chief Eunuch had caught a chill, so Eunuch Xu had temporarily taken his place and served at His Majesty’s side.

These past few days, a newly promoted noble lady in the harem had lost her child, then gone half-mad and fallen into a pond, where she drowned. The court had also been noisy with endless disputes, making His Majesty’s mood even worse.

If Eunuch Xu had not personally seen how seriously ill the Chief Eunuch was, he would have suspected that the other man had pushed him forward to avoid this dangerous period.

Therefore, when he served tea, he was especially cautious, afraid of provoking His Majesty’s displeasure.

Yet after His Majesty drank a single sip of tea, he abruptly set the cup down on the table. His sharp gaze swept straight toward Eunuch Xu.

“Inner attendants are not permitted to wear fragrance. Are you unaware of this?”

Xu Li could be considered an old hand in the palace. If this had been some ordinary little eunuch, His Majesty would have directly ordered him dragged out and beaten to death.

Xu Li hurriedly knelt, cold sweat nearly soaking through his entire body.

“May His Majesty clearly investigate. Even if this servant had heaven-sized courage, this servant would not dare violate palace rules. This servant has never used fragrance.”

“Then where did the lotus scent on you come from?”

The anger in His Majesty’s tone grew heavier. The weight of his authority pressed down so intensely that Xu Li wished he could prostrate himself flat against the floor.

Xu Li could not help trembling all over. Thinking of the cup of tea he had drunk before coming, he secretly cried bitterly in his heart. Had he known this would happen, even if he had been craving it to death, he would not have indulged that once.

“Reporting to His Majesty, the lotus fragrance you speak of should be from the tea this servant drank. It is all this servant’s fault for being greedy for a sip. When the craving for tea came, this servant failed to restrain himself. May His Majesty spare this servant’s life!”

“You say tea?”

The anger in His Majesty’s tone did not lessen in the slightest.

“How is it that I did not know the tea in the palace could carry lotus fragrance?”

“It was gifted to this servant by Mu Yunyao when this servant returned from Jingling City.”

“Mu Yunyao? The one who opened Niyun Pavilion and taught the women of Jingling City embroidery skills?”

Some time ago, the censorial officials had repeatedly submitted memorials because the Niyun Pavilion had been burned, as though the destroyed embroidery pavilion belonged to their own families. A few of them had used especially fierce words, blocking His Majesty’s breath halfway up and halfway down.

Yet against these censorial officials, who could not be punished merely for their words, he had no good method. In the end, he had simply said that they should ask what Mu Yunyao wanted, and he would issue an edict to compensate her. This had infuriated those censorial officials so badly that they had nearly stamped their feet.

“It is precisely her. Miss Mu Yunyao is not only highly skilled in embroidery; her tea-brewing skill is even more unique. This servant once had the fortune to drink tea brewed by her. After drinking it, it was like sipping a mouthful of clear lotus. All worries vanished, and the entire body felt soothed. That is why this servant could not resist secretly drinking a cup before coming on duty. The tea fragrance then lingered on this servant’s body. This servant will never dare do so again. May His Majesty spare this servant’s life.”

“All worries vanish, and the entire body feels soothed? Is this tea some immortal pill or miraculous medicine?”

His Majesty’s interest was drawn out by his words, and his anger lessened somewhat.

“Go bring some here. Brew it and present it to Us. We, too, will taste whether it is truly as good as you say.”

Since His Majesty had spoken, the servants below hurried into a flurry of motion. They practically moved half the Imperial Medical Academy over. One by one, the imperial physicians carefully inspected the tea leaves. Only after confirming there was no problem did they allow Xu Li to brew the tea and bring it before His Majesty.

“Your Majesty, the tea has been brewed. Please have a taste.”

Fortunately, the palace also had some dew collected from lotus flowers and lotus leaves. However, as Xu Li smelled the tea fragrance, he still felt it was several degrees inferior to the tea Mu Yunyao had personally brewed.

The moment the tea was brought in, His Majesty smelled that unique fragrance.

It was indeed similar to the tea fragrance on Xu Li’s body, but fresher and more distant. He could not help lifting the teacup and taking a light sip. At once, he felt lotus fragrance fill his mouth, and his spirit rose. His brows eased slightly.

“It is indeed uncommon.”

Xu Li released a heavy breath of relief. At this moment, he was also happy to sell Mu Yunyao a favor.

“This servant’s hands are clumsy and cannot compare to Miss Mu Yunyao’s tea-brewing skill. When she brews tea, she can transform flowers and grasses within the cup. That day, this servant had only just lifted the teacup when he saw the tea leaves gather at the bottom in the shape of a lotus flower. With the slightest shake, they transformed again into flying birds. Clear vapor rose, mist and rosy clouds curling upward. It was truly astonishing.”

The Emperor’s interest grew even stronger. Looking at the cup before him, he felt a faint sense of regret.

“Does she not run an embroidery pavilion? How is it that she has also opened a tea house?”

Xu Li could not grasp His Majesty’s thoughts, so he spoke even more carefully.

“Presumably, she wished to spread the art of tea brewing as well. Many people have been recruited into the tea house to learn alongside her. Moreover, the name of the tea house is quite interesting. The tea house is clearly opened within a garden, yet it is called Buxian Tower.”

“Buxian Tower?”

“This Mu Yunyao does have thoughtfulness. Speaking of it, Jingling City is the hometown of the Tea Sage Lu Yu. He once composed the Song of Six Envies: ‘I envy not golden wine vessels; I envy not white jade cups. I envy not entering the Secretariat at dawn, nor ascending the Terrace at dusk. A thousand envies, ten thousand envies, all for the waters of the Western River, which once flowed down beneath Jingling City.’ To use Buxian Tower as the name can be considered evidence that she has put some thought into it.”

“Yes. That Miss Mu was overwhelmed with gratitude after receiving His Majesty’s rewards. She kowtowed several times toward the direction of the Capital to thank His Majesty for his grace. She also once said that she would work even harder and strive to open Buxian Tower in the Capital as soon as possible, so that she might have the chance to enter the Capital and kneel outside the palace city to thank His Majesty.”

“She asked for nothing else and only requested a piece of calligraphy from Us. That can also be considered thoughtful. Prepare the brush and ink.”

“Yes.”

Xu Li quietly wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead and hurriedly ordered people to prepare them.

Before long, Xu Li walked out holding two pieces of large calligraphy: Niyun Pavilion and Buxian Tower.

“Lord Su, His Majesty has passed down an oral decree. These two pieces of calligraphy are to be sent to Jingling City and handed to Miss Mu Yunyao.”

“Please report to His Majesty, Eunuch Xu, that this subordinate will immediately send His Majesty’s calligraphy to Jingling.”

Xu Li smiled and nodded.

“Is Lord Su going personally? Then you may as well bring a message to Miss Mu on my behalf. Tell her that her tea leaves have already been delivered before His Majesty.”

Su Qingwu’s heart stirred.

“I will certainly convey it.”

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