Transmigrating to the Qi Family - Chapter 169

“Everyone, please follow me.”

A young man dressed as a servant sees that all the people summoned by the invitation have arrived, and he leads them inside as instructed.

Before they have time to feel disappointed that Mingzheng Pavilion turns out to be merely a large countryside house rather than the serene, elegant tea-tasting and philosophical retreat they had envisioned, they are stunned by what they see along the way.

From the main hall inward, every corridor is lined with large bamboo baskets, each propped on benches and filled with bright green tea leaves. The leaves are larger, with each bud bearing two or three leaves.

Beside each bamboo basket sits one or two people, their heads bowed as they meticulously sort through the tea leaves, picking out old stems, damaged leaves, or other impurities.

Once the moisture dries off, the leaves will be ready for the roasting pan.

The vibrant greenery pleases everyone’s mood. 

After passing through the first courtyard where tea is being dried, a wave of fragrant tea aroma overwhelms their senses. This is not the delicate scent of brewed tea but a much richer aroma, infused with the smoky intensity of roasting at high temperatures. The normally subtle fragrance of green tea becomes irresistibly tempting here.

A few tea enthusiasts can’t help but take a deep breath, their faces glowing slightly as if intoxicated by the scent alone.

Looking around, they see a large courtyard with seven or eight massive woks set over roaring fires. Even without getting close, the heat radiating from the scene is palpable.

A few workers stand by the woks, hand-roasting the contents. As their hands move, the enticing tea aroma grows even stronger.

It is only then that the visitors notice the tea leaves in the woks. Once green, they have turned black.

They have a rough idea that tea leaves are roasted, but none of them have ever witnessed the process in person. When they travel south to purchase tea, plantation owners go out of their way to shield their tea mountains from view, let alone allow outsiders to watch the production process. As merchants, they understand this secrecy. But these Cangzhou people—why are they being so open about it?

“Isn’t he afraid we’ll learn his methods?” someone whispers. After all, the unique products of his own store would never have their production techniques disclosed.

The person questioned shakes his head. “Learn what? And do what with it? Pluck some random leaves off trees and toss them in a wok?”

Uh… that’s true. Northern Cangzhou and beyond have never been known to produce tea leaves. Even Cangzhou itself has only begun growing tea this year. Otherwise, this region wouldn’t have remained impoverished for so many years.

Some people indeed find it strange—since there are tea plants growing on the mountains, why have they only been discovered now? But after some thought, it becomes clear. Those who go up the mountains are ordinary villagers who have never drunk tea, while those who know tea never venture into the mountains. Besides, tea trees and finished tea leaves look completely different; even if someone sees the trees, they likely wouldn’t associate them with tea.

This group watches the tea roasting process with great interest for quite some time. A few of the men even want to try their hand at flipping the leaves in the wok but are politely dissuaded.

After a reminder from their guide, they continue further inside.

The next courtyard is bustling with activity. Some people are cutting paper; others are using small balance scales to weigh the dried tea leaves, dividing them into half-pound, one-pound, and two-pound portions. Still others wrap the tea leaves in paper, tie them with string, and stamp a red seal on the packaging.

The seal bears the bold characters “Cangzhou Green,” likely because Manager Xu has sent a letter back instructing them to do so.

Everyone’s movements are quick and efficient, creating a seamless assembly line that greatly enhances their productivity.

The visitors are dazzled by the organized process.

After observing for a while, they move on, entering a smaller courtyard. In an open space, many chairs are arranged.

The guide invites them to take a seat and then withdraws.

The visitors choose seats according to their familiarity with one another and can’t help but start discussing the processes they have just witnessed. This trip is a true eye-opener and far more engaging than their original expectation of simply sitting around chatting over tea.

Some among them are struck by an idea. Since Cangzhou can grow tea, could they buy a plot of mountain land in Cangzhou to grow and sell tea themselves? That way, they wouldn’t have to worry about competitors snatching the market next year.

Amid these discussions, someone notices two men walking out side by side from a door on one side of the courtyard. One of them, though dressed in plain clothes, exudes an air of authority and possesses exceptional looks that no simple outfit can conceal. The other has a bright, smiling face, appearing lively and charming, giving off an approachable vibe like that of a beloved nephew or younger family member.

“Honored guests, you’ve traveled a long way. Please forgive Jiang for any shortcomings in hospitality,” the lively young man says, clasping his hands in greeting. The visitors quickly respond, “Not at all.”

If tea has been the hottest topic of conversation over the past few days, then the second most discussed topic is none other than Cangzhou’s Prefect Pei Che and his male spouse. Whether it is the imperial edict for their marriage or the stark difference in their social standings, both have fueled endless speculation.

The content of their speculations is much like that of people in Liangjing: merchants, ever cautious and prone to conspiracy theories, are more inclined to believe that this marriage has been forced out of necessity than to entertain other possibilities.

However, after seeing these two people, they realize that they are wrong.

From the moment they enter, the nobleman from the illustrious duke’s family does not once shift his gaze away from his male spouse. With a faint smile, he watches the charming young man who is engaging with the guests. The natural tenderness in his expression is unmistakably genuine—something that can never be feigned.

“…Guest, please have some tea.” The servant holding a tray softly reminds the dazed guest, who seems lost in thought and hasn’t noticed the tea being offered right in front of them.

Embarrassed, the guest smiles and takes the teacup.

The tea must be freshly roasted—it shimmers in the white porcelain cup with a clear, vibrant green hue, looking exceptionally appealing.

Taking a sip, they find it tastes even better than the tea they previously sampled at Manager Xu’s place. It has a subtle, indescribable flavor that is undeniably delicious.

“You’ve traveled far, undoubtedly drawn by Cangzhou Green. I won’t waste time with small talk. Our tea is divided into three grades—top, middle, and lower—each priced differently. Because you are Cangzhou’s very first customers, as a gesture of welcome, we’ve decided to offer a promotional discount to ensure your trip is worthwhile,” Jiang Miao says with a smile, his expression genuinely sincere.

The merchants seated below respond enthusiastically, calling out compliments and eagerly asking about the details of the discount.

Jiang Miao doesn’t rush to answer. Instead, he claps his hands. At the sound, a person enters through a side door and distributes a sheet of paper to each guest.

As merchants, all of them are literate. Contracts are a regular part of their business, and those who can’t read have long since been swindled into bankruptcy.

They examine the “contract” carefully, growing more astonished the longer they read. Rather than a simple discount, it is more like a bundled sales strategy. The pricing scheme is tiered, with various prices listed in a way that leaves their heads spinning.

Some, feeling overwhelmed, pull out their pocket abacuses and begin calculating. Soon, the courtyard is filled with the clattering of abacus beads.

It doesn’t take long for them to figure it out. Buying the top-grade tea alone is the most expensive option, but purchasing all three grades together turns out to be cheaper overall, with prices becoming increasingly favorable the more they buy. Comparing the prices of Cangzhou Green to other teas from the southern regions, they discover that regardless of quality, it is cheaper across the board.

This realization fills them with delight, though they maintain a facade of skepticism and begin voicing doubts.

One says, “Cangzhou Green is a newcomer to the market. It’s unlikely to be as popular as more established teas. If it ends up sitting unsold in our warehouses, wouldn’t we take a loss?”

Another remarks, “This tea tastes a bit mild. Northerners prefer stronger flavors and might not like it. If we transport it up north, we’ll likely have to cut prices, making it unprofitable.”

“…”

They chime in with various concerns, but their intentions are clear: they are trying to drive down the price of Cangzhou Green to buy it at the lowest possible cost and then sell it back home at a much higher price.

Jiang Miao listens to their concerns with a smile, not interrupting. After everyone finishes speaking, he finally says, “Not long ago, my caravan returned from the south with grain and brought back some news. This year, the south experienced an early heatwave. Before the Qingming Festival, the tea trees grew excessively fast. The tea plantation owners were unprepared and caught off guard, forced to watch helplessly as the tea leaves on the trees aged. As a result, the southern tea harvest has decreased significantly this year, especially for top-grade tea, which is now exceedingly rare. The wealthy in the north may be plentiful, but there are also plenty of rich people in the south. It’s likely that these tea leaves have already been snapped up by them. Even if they haven’t, the prices for what’s available will undoubtedly be much higher than in previous years. In the end, the cost of purchasing and selling such tea may not be worthwhile.”

Hearing this, everyone is taken aback. If what he says is true, then many merchants heading south this year might end up making the trip in vain.

“As for Cangzhou Green, though it’s appearing before you all for the first time, its quality is evident to all. Those who truly understand tea will surely recognize its value. Even if people are initially unfamiliar with it, after trying it a few times, I believe it will attract a loyal customer base. It’s highly unlikely to become dead stock and cause losses. Moreover, the current prices were set as a special offer for you, Cangzhou’s very first customers. Those who come later won’t get these rates. I hope you’ll make your decisions quickly. We’ve just received word from Manager Xu that another group of guests has arrived. While you deliberate, we’ll take our leave.”

With those final words, Jiang Miao and Pei Che, who has remained silent throughout, leave the courtyard.

As soon as they step outside, Pei Che asks, “Manager Xu sent word?”

“Not at all, I was bluffing,” Jiang Miao replies. “If we don’t put a bit of pressure on them, they’d deliberate until tomorrow. And if they take too long, what’s to stop them from uniting to drive the price down?”

Pei Che says, “You really have a way with things.” He enjoys seeing Jiang Miao’s confidence and mastery when conducting business, as if everything is firmly in his control.

“Of course,” Jiang Miao says with a proud grin. “After all, I’ve been in business for many years and picked up some negotiation skills along the way. But let’s be honest—this works because tea is scarce right now. If it were anything else, persuading them would be much harder.” He is self-aware enough to recognize that he is still inexperienced in dealing with these old foxes.

Fortunately, the tea trade is a seller’s market, sparing him the headache of negotiating extensively.