XH 92 - roast the tea leaves

 

Tian Liang, the King of Munzhu, had led his soldiers to battle for more than eight times. He had experienced fear and nervousness, but this was the first for him to feel uncomfortable under a tiny girl's unnerving stare.

 

The stare was filled with curiosity but what disturbed him the most was the probing and dissecting way of her gaze towards him, the subject of her interest and completely ignoring the said subject's discomfort.

 

"The…The items you requested are here." The waiter finally got his courage to approach them with a tray filled with what they requested. Another waiter was behind him, holding onto another tray with similar items.

 

"Each tray per table please," Xiao Hua said. "The Tieguanyin tea is for my table and the Oolong tea is for the gentlemen over there."

 

Hearing himself being referred to as a gentleman, Tian Liang snorted in amusement. The waiters quickly placed the tray onto each table and made themselves invisible at a hidden corner to keep an eye on them.

 

The manager had told them to keep an eye on the group and to stop them if their argument turns physical, but the thug man looks dangerous! They can only pray that the hooligan guy does not cause trouble.

 

Seeing that both parties were ready, Duke Heng announced, "Start."

 

Tian Liang confidently started brewing using his own special method. He sneaked a glance at the tiny kid and noticed she was brewing in a basic way. Cleaning the tea herbs with hot water first was indeed a good method that most commoners and lower-ranked nobles did not have the luxury to do, but did the tiny kid think that she can defeat him with just that?

 

Confirming that the little kid has no other special method in brewing, he concentrated on his own brewing.

 

The brewing does not take long. Xiao Hua finished first and after a minute, Tian Liang completed as well.

 

"Duke Heng, you may start the tasting," Long Lian invited pleasantly but her eyes were anything but pleasant. She wanted to invite a few more testers to keep things fair but their identities were too sensitive to get more outsiders to involve with their little bet.

 

Long Lian was still skeptical about the hooligan's identity, but if he could get Duke Heng as his tour guide, his background should not be simple. But since that hooligan dared to insult her and her favorite tea, regardless of his identity, she wants him to be taught a lesson!

 

The only time Long Lian was given the chance to taste Xiao Hua's tea was during her visit to the Third Prince's manor. But Xiao Hua had only brewed the Third Prince's favorite tea and never Tieguanyin. Long Lian was not worried, for Xiao Hua to be able to brew the 'Lu' An Melon seed' tea into a delicious tea, she should be fine in brewing Tieguanyin!

 

Duke Heng tasted Tian Liang's tea first since it was closer to him.

 

"Oi, Heng. If you taste mine first, that would be unfair for that little kid."

 

"What are you trying to say?" Long Lian snapped, riled at his words.

 

Tian Liang smirked arrogantly. "Don't want the little kid to say I'm cheating and all when she lost."

 

"The victor is yet to be decided!"

 

"The little lord wins," Duke Heng announced. While the two of them were busy arguing, he had gone ahead to the next table and tried Xiao Hua's tea.

 

"What?" Tian Liang whirled and stared at Duke Heng in disbelief as Long Lian did a pumping fist.

 

Duke Heng ignored him and continues drinking the delicious Tieguanyin, even go as far as refilling his cup once it was emptied.

 

"Oi, Heng! Even if you are being biased to that little kid, you should not go so far as to insult the taste of my tea!"

 

"Ha! Unwilling to admit defeat?" Long Lian taunted gleefully.

 

"That does not even need to be said. My tea brewing is excellent!"

 

Long Lian snorted in disgust. "Dare to speak in such an arrogant manner even after losing. Even if you are not feeling embarrassed, I feel ashamed for you!"

 

Tian Liang gritted his teeth in anger and snapped at the cause of it. "Oi, Heng! Explain yourself!"

 

Duke Heng poured the Tieguanyin tea into an empty cup and pushed it to Tian Liang's direction. "Taste it yourself and you will understand."

 

Tian Liang's eye twitched when Duke Heng returned to his tea, sipping it in such a relaxing manner that doubt started to bloom in his mind.

 

The young King was not an arrogant man, but he would never believe a tiny girl would be better than him in tea brewing. He had used his spiritual energy to roast the tea leaves, and such a delicate process could only be done by a fire elementalist above Rank 3. The tiny girl was only a cultivator of the first rank and he did not sense any signs of element around her.

 

"If you are not drinking it, I will." Long Lian reached out for the cup but Tian Liang quickly took it before she could.

 

"I never say I'm not going to taste it." He chugs the tea as he does with his wine. But once his taste buds start working, he regretted drinking the tea like water. The tea was already down the throat before he could stop his reflex.

 

Xiao Hua gaped when Duke Heng and Tian Liang started fighting for the teapot out of the blue. Duke Heng was sitting, but he could still block and protect the teapot from Tian Liang's heavy groping. His wide sleeve did not hinder his movement and even aided in beautifying the movement!

 

Seeing such intense glaring and close contact between two good-looking hunks, Xiao Hua's Danmei side slowly reared its head and squealed for more!

 

Tian Liang was very much suited to be the 'Gong', with the larger and muscular body. The 'Shou' would be suitable for Duke Heng that has a slender body with gentlemanly air around him.

 

Would Heise agree to write Danmei for her to read if she asked?

 

For now, she will help him gather information on the two potential main characters! Sadly, once exposed to Danmei, she could never return!

 

Suddenly An Jing stepped between the two grappling men with a speed that was as fast as the wind itself. Her sword was drawn and Tian Liang would have chopped off his head if he was to continue charging onwards. Duke Heng was facing An Jing's pointy fingernails, with his eyeballs at risk. If he had not stopped in time, the fingernails would stab right into his eyeballs.

 

Xiao Hua's heartbeat speeds up at such an imposing and masculine appearance of An Jing.

 

S-So cool! Σ>―(〃°ω°〃)♡→

 

"Pardon my rudeness, but please cease the fight. The shopkeeper and other guests are terrified."

 

Duke Heng coughed, a little embarrassed at his manners. He was too caught up and forgot where they were currently at.

 

But Tian Liang does not share the same embarrassment as he demanded righteously. "Heng, give me the teapot."

 

"Whatever for?" Duke Heng asked casually as he straightens his clothing, with the teapot still in his hand's protective cradle.

 

"I want to drink it, obviously," Tian Liang said in a way to make Duke Heng look stupid.

 

"Who was it that said his own tea is obviously the best? Your teapot is on the other table," Duke Heng retorted.

 

Both men looked as if they were going to jump onto each other again, which excited the 'fallen into the dark path' Xiao Hua, but An Jing snipped the bud by taking the teapot away at a speed that not even Duke Heng could guard against.

 

Duke Heng's stare on An Jing was contemplative as she handed the teapot to the smug-looking Long Lian.

 

"Only I, the older brother, can drink my little brother's tea as much as I like. The two of you are only entitled to one cup, but this lord felt generous and allowed Duke Heng more than one... which you had already drunk."

 

Tang Mei handed Long Lian her cup and the princess personally poured her own tea, in case her maid could not protect the teapot from the two men.

 

"Hey tiny," Tian Liang called Xiao Hua, but his manner was not as rude as before. "How did you do it?"

 

"Do what?" Xiao Hua asked innocently, despite knowing what he meant. She had clearly seen their reaction towards the tea she had brewed.

 

They looked as if they tasted heaven! It was exaggerated but it was still better than saying they looked like a drug addict, not that Le XiaoTing had seen one before, which means something must be wrong with her tea!

 

The Eighth Prince, Long Lian, and Old Madame MungLu had tasted her tea before, but they do not look as crazy as they do! No need to mention the Third Prince, he was the most addicted to her tea!

 

"That's the best I've ever tasted," Tian Liang honestly admitted. "I did not see any special method you had used, other than rinsing the tea leaves beforehand. What else did you do?"

 

Xiao Hua's mouth slowly formed into a smile filled with ridicule. "This gentleman, earlier you had insulted me and my elder brother, even going as far as insulting females in general. What makes you think I will tell you my secret instead of ordering my servant to beat you up?"

 

Snapping open his folding fan, Duke Heng used it to cover his snicker. He wanted to know how the Third Prince's little maid had brewed the tea as well, but he doubted she would tell him either.

 

Hmm, he could make use of 'visiting his little nephew' excuse to hang out at the Third Prince's residence.