Transmigrating to the Qi Family - Chapter 166

The techniques for roasting tea are essentially flipping, grasping, rolling, and kneading.

After Jiang Miao pours the tea leaves into the iron wok, he quickly spreads them out with his hands to ensure even heating. Then, he rapidly stir-fries them by hand to prevent any areas from burning.

Before long, the fragrant aroma of tea, brought out by the heat of the fire, fills the air. Everyone present feels invigorated by the scent, as if their minds have suddenly cleared.

Most of the people here are ordinary folk. Even those with slightly better living conditions, who have experienced tea before, have only tasted the old, twig-filled tea that cannot compare to this fresh tea, just plucked from the branches.

The difference is immediately apparent from the aroma alone. For those who have never tasted tea, their excitement is evident on their faces.

The fragrance is genuinely enticing, and they cannot help but think, No wonder the wealthy are so fond of tea—this is far better than plain, tasteless water!

Thinking about how they could grow and process tea themselves in the future, all the villagers’ faces light up with hope. Although the price of mountain goods has risen sharply since Harvest Grain Shop opened, the dangers in the mountains are still life-threatening. Especially in summer, when the mountains teem with venomous snakes and insects, a single careless bite can render any amount of harvested goods meaningless. If the tea business succeeds, they will not have to risk their lives going into the mountains during dangerous seasons or bad weather.

Jiang Miao remains fully focused, continuously stir-frying the tea leaves. The wok is scorching hot, and only constant movement keeps his hands from getting burned. If he pauses for even a moment, the risk of burns increases.

Pei Che stands beside him, watching his movements intently. He thinks to himself that the sooner he learns this process, the sooner Jiang Miao will not have to endure this heat while stir-frying tea. As someone who practices martial arts, Pei Che believes his tolerance for heat is much greater than Jiang Miao’s.

After a long period of stir-frying and kneading, the color of the tea leaves gradually changes. From their initial vibrant green, they darken to deep green, and then turn almost black under the intense heat. By this point, most of the moisture in the tea leaves has been roasted away. The once-unfurled leaves curl tightly, and the tender buds now stand upright like needles. What was originally a large wok full of tea leaves reduces to a thin layer at the bottom.

Jiang Miao looks at the finished tea leaves with satisfaction. A surge of confidence wells up within him, making him feel energized and ready to take on anything.

The freshly roasted tea leaves are spread out in a clean basket to cool. During this time, Jiang Miao takes out a jar and places some lime powder inside. The mountains of Cangzhou are damp year-round, regardless of the season. Without lime to absorb moisture, storing tea leaves in jars risks them becoming moldy due to humidity.

After adding the lime, he lines the jar with two sheets of white paper to prevent the tea leaves from coming into direct contact with the lime. Once the tea leaves have cooled completely, Jiang Miao wraps most of them in paper and stores them in the jar, leaving only a small handful aside.

Nearly ten pounds of fresh tea leaves yield less than two pounds of dried tea leaves in total. Calculating it out, it takes about four to five pounds of fresh leaves to produce a single pound of dried tea. While the shrinkage is severe, the price of tea more than justifies the complex process.

Back in modern times, just 20 grams of Da Hong Pao tea from the original mother tree had been auctioned for 208,000 yuan—roughly 10,000 yuan per gram.

(Translator’s Notes: Da Hong Pao (大红袍) is a famous and highly prized variety of oolong tea from China, renowned for its exceptional quality, unique flavor profile, and rich history.)

Jiang Miao is shocked whenever he recalls this. The small shop he runs barely makes a net profit of 200,000 yuan a year after deducting rent, utilities, labor, and material costs. A whole year of hard work cannot even match the value of 20 grams of tea.

In that moment, Jiang Miao truly grasps the disparity of the world.

While the tea prices in ancient times do not reach the same astronomical heights as that legendary tree, premium teas are still exorbitantly expensive.

Take the tea Pei Che drinks, for example: he enjoys Junshan Silver Needle, which is said to be harvested from centuries-old trees. The annual yield is limited, with just one or two ounces costing over ten taels of silver, and a pound priced at more than 200 taels. The tea is procured collectively by the Duke of Zhongguo’s household, with different varieties bought to suit various tastes. Among all the teas, the one Pei Che prefers is actually considered relatively affordable.

Translator’s Notes: Junshan Silver Needle (君山银针) is a premium Chinese yellow tea grown exclusively on Junshan Island known for its delicate flavor, unique appearance, and rich history.)

Jiang Miao finds it hard to understand but realizes that for an established noble family, their lifestyle and possessions must match their status. If guests visit and are served cheap tea, they might think the hosts are being disrespectful—or worse, that the household has fallen into decline. Such rumors can damage both reputation and dignity. This is why many declining noble families insist on maintaining appearances, spending beyond their means to preserve their so-called honor.

Jiang Miao hopes that this batch of tea will win Pei Che’s favor. Just hearing about tea costing over 200 taels per pound makes Jiang Miao’s heart race.

Not being skilled in tea preparation himself, Jiang Miao usually brews tea by tossing a handful of leaves into a cup and pouring hot water over them—a simple and crude method.

Fortunately, Pei Che has a deep understanding of the tea ceremony. He orders someone to bring over some tea utensils, takes the small handful of tea leaves set aside earlier, and begins his performance.

With fluid and graceful movements, Pei Che mesmerizes everyone watching. His good looks, combined with his seamless actions, make it seem as though he is sitting in an elegant tea hall rather than beneath a budding old tree. The sight leaves the crowd in awe, with some unable to resist exclaiming their admiration.

Jiang Miao stares at Pei Che’s every move, his face unconsciously showing pride and admiration.

When Pei Che meets Jiang Miao’s gaze, he cannot help but chuckle softly, leaving Jiang Miao blushing furiously.

“Everyone, try this tea and see how it tastes,” Pei Che says, dividing the tea into many small cups and inviting everyone to sample it.

The villagers hesitate when they see the delicate white porcelain tea cups, feeling uneasy. They worry their hands might tremble and break the cups—something they cannot afford to replace. It is rumored that wealthy people’s tea sets are sold in complete sets, and if one piece breaks, the whole set will be thrown away.

Noticing their apprehension, Jiang Miao steps forward and personally hands out the tea, smiling as he says, “Don’t worry, everyone. Just drink. These cups will stay here from now on. Whenever we roast fresh tea, we’ll all have a taste first.”

Jiang Miao also picks up a cup of tea and first observes its color.

The tea, which appeared dark black when stir-fried in the wok, now regains its fresh green hue after being brewed with hot water. The brewed tea is crystal clear, with a tender green color that looks incredibly enticing. Its aroma is delicate and fragrant, less intense than during the frying process but more refined and suitable. He takes a small sip. The tea is fresh and delicate, akin to a fine wine. Initially light and refreshing, it leaves a sweet aftertaste as it goes down his throat. Perhaps it is just psychological, but Jiang Miao feels this tea tastes even better than the tea Pei Che usually drinks.

The other villagers, while not skilled tea connoisseurs, can tell whether the tea is good or not. Unlike the bitter, astringent teas they have previously tasted, this tea leaves their mouths feeling hydrated and their lips and teeth with a lingering fragrance.

Since Pei Che brews the tea himself, he naturally tastes it as well. As soon as the tea enters his mouth, his eyebrows rise slightly, clearly surprised by the flavor. From an objective standpoint, the tea still falls short of the quality of Junshan Silver Needle. However, on a personal level, Pei Che thinks this is the best tea in his heart.

After finishing the large pot of tea, the group feels even more hopeful about the tea business and appears visibly more motivated.

In the next few days, Jiang Miao stays in Tuyan Village, processing the freshly picked tea leaves into dried tea daily and storing them in the clay jar.

After Qingming, the tea-picking process becomes less intense. With the temperature rising, the tea plants grow quickly, often sprouting new shoots overnight.

Jiang Miao selects two skillful and sharp villagers from each village to take responsibility for frying the tea leaves.

Before teaching them, Jiang Miao makes it clear that each village’s tea will be sold separately, and they will bear the consequences of their tea’s quality, good or bad.

Hearing this, everyone becomes exceptionally serious, as their own interests are now at stake, and they approach the lessons with great focus.

The selected villagers vary in age and gender—some young, some old, men and women alike. The women are meticulous, while the men are bold, and their differing temperaments result in teas with unique flavors.

The grand tea-picking and frying efforts last until after the Grain Rain (Guyu) season. The processed tea is sorted into three grades, sealed in jars with labels, and set aside, waiting for merchants to come and buy them.

Jiang Miao discusses with Pei Che and decides to target the northern regions of Cangzhou, including the Liangjing area.

In previous years, tea had been purchased from farther south. Due to the arduous and distant journey, the tea was more expensive, and only the wealthy could afford it after it was transported north. Since their location is closer to these northern prefectures, they can slightly lower their tea prices, giving the merchants an advantage. This way, next year, the merchants will come willingly, without needing to be invited, and may even compete to purchase their tea.

As for handling business negotiations, that is naturally the responsibility of Manager Chen. He takes small jars of tea of various grades and leaves Cangzhou. Anyone arriving with a stamped note from a shop will be able to purchase tea from them.

After Manager Chen leaves, Jiang Miao feels excited for two days before quickly settling back into calm. With some free time, he realizes just how exhausted he has been recently.

It has been a long time since he has worked so hard, and combined with a sudden drop in temperature and a night of heavy rain and strong winds, Jiang Miao unfortunately falls ill.

This is his second time getting sick since arriving in ancient times—the first being right after he transmigrated. (Of course, the time he got beaten up doesn’t count as an illness.)

The first time he gets sick, he doesn’t have anyone by his side to take care of him—only an elderly neighbor who asks him a few questions. Back then, Jiang Miao didn’t think being sick was a big deal. Everyone gets sick, and you just recover, simple as that. He fetches his own medicine, cooks his own meals, and doesn’t feel particularly sorry for himself. After all, life is hard for everyone—what makes him an exception?

This time, however, he is surrounded by people constantly checking on him and expressing their concern.

Pei Che even does something rare—he takes leave from work to stay home and care for him. Pei Che takes on all responsibilities, big and small, refusing to let Jiang Miao exert the slightest effort.

Perhaps because it has been so long since he last got sick, this cold hits him hard. For days, he is feverish around the clock. Yet no matter when Jiang Miao wakes up, he always finds Pei Che sitting by his bedside with a concerned expression, ready to serve him medicine or help him eat.

Jiang Miao isn’t used to being taken care of. While it makes him feel uneasy, a wave of warmth fills his heart. Maybe it is because being sick makes people more vulnerable, but every time he opens his eyes to see Pei Che there, his heart softens completely.

In that moment, he lets go of societal prejudices and willingly accepts the fact that he will be tied to another man for the rest of his life. After all, isn’t that what people ultimately long for—one house, two people, three meals, and four seasons together? Having someone who truly understands and shares your heart is more important than anything else.

Though feelings can change easily, Jiang Miao believes that no matter what twists or turns life brings in the future, he will never regret the decision he makes at this moment.