It turned out that behind the big banyan tree in this courtyard, there was a small attic. The Mandarin Duck Hall on the second floor, separated in the middle, becomes the east and west halves. The east half is the summer hall, the open structure, the smooth and shiny wooden floor is placed with exquisite mats, a case in the middle, the height is scattered and planted with a few green orchids, sitting here, the air in the north and south is smooth, the cool breeze is blowing, all the beautiful scenery in the courtyard is in full view, only makes people feel refreshed and happy.

Lin Xiaozhu and Zhou Ni, who is now Zhou Rou, sat down on the desk face to face, and said, "You make a cup of tea for me to drink first." ”

Zhou Rou didn't say much, she boiled water herself, warmed the pot and cup, divided the tea into the pot, poured it high and low, and made a pot of tea. It is really a flower and a willow, the posture is fluttering, and the movements are extremely soft and beautiful.

Lin Xiaozhu picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, raised his eyes and asked, "What are you thinking about when you are making tea here?" ”

Zhou Rou raised her eyes, looked at Lin Xiaozhu with some astonishment, and said, "Naturally, I want to make the movements more beautiful, and don't make a mistake." ”

"Then how do you feel when you drink the tea you brewed?"

Zhou Rou thought for a while: "I feel that my mouth and tongue are full of relish, and my teeth and cheeks are fragrant." ”

"Other than that, isn't there?"

Zhou Rou looked at Lin Xiaozhu strangely: "Then what else can there be?" ”

Lin Xiaozhu put down the teacup with a smile, shook his head, and said, "I guess you also know that time is pressing." I don't know if you will be able to comprehend what I said today, but you have to remember every word of it. If you can put what I have said into action when you use this tea-making skill to carry out the task, you will definitely be able to accomplish the task excellently. ”

Hearing Lin Xiaozhu's words, Zhou Rou stood up, gave a salute, and said, "Miss Ye, please speak." ”

Lin Xiaozhu was extremely satisfied with her attitude. Said: "When the market seller drinks tea, he pays attention to quenching his thirst; And when the scholars drink tea, they pay attention to their state of mind. When I was out running around for a day, dealing with all kinds of troublesome business, I had a lot of worries piled up in my mind. At this time, put yourself in an elegant room, raise your eyes to see the green trees and flowers, and your ears are the piano and zheng; Wash your hands, burn a stick of incense, and slowly make yourself a pot of bubbles. Watching the tea leaves slowly stretch in the boiling water, the fragrance fills the room, and the mist is thick, at this moment, he feels that his body has been relaxed. The soul has been rested, and a sense of tranquility and peace permeates the heart, which is the highest state of a person's tea drinking. ”

"But one person drinks tea. Sometimes I feel lonely. Especially when you drink good tea, you want someone to resonate with and share it with others. At this time, you must have one or two friends who understand tea. Sit opposite each other and enjoy tea together. Feel the elixir and jade liquid cultivated between heaven and earth together, and comprehend the wonder of this difficult to say to people, every time you go to the heart, only a look, a smile, you can understand the heart. This is the highest level of drinking tea with friends. Lin Xiaozhu said again.

She looked directly at Zhou Rou: "So when you make tea, you should be like water, and all the red and mundane things have nothing to do with you." You are only with the clear and sweet water, with the fragrant plants nourished by the breath of heaven and earth. Just want to dissolve the most elegant things in the world in the pot, so that it breeds the most wonderful taste in the world, this is the state of mind you should have. And when you have such a serene and serene verve. in order to pass on this state of mind to others. At this time, even if you don't say a word, he will be attracted to you. I will take you as a knower; is willing to make tea and drink tea with you, so that he can regard you as a harbor for him to avoid the wind and waves, and treat you as the most precious woman in the world, and treasure it in his heart. ”

After saying this, she stopped talking, only picked up the teapot, slowly poured herself a cup, and sipped it carefully.

Zhou Rou is already ice and snow smart, and the three years of study and life in the mountain villa have also made her reborn, from a girl in the mountains who can't read a word, to a girl who can do everything in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. Over the years, she has also read books, recited poems, and composed music. It's just that this era only focuses on the skill of making tea, that is, the art of tea; As for the tea ceremony, no one has proposed it (Note: The art of tea and tea brewing was introduced to Japan from China, but the tea ceremony was proposed and carried forward by the Japanese. Ling Shui wrote this, not to give the heroine a golden finger and nonsense). Therefore, for these things that Lin Xiaozhu said, she only felt like an empowerment for a while, her vision was broad, her heart was as if she had been washed by tea, and her quiet and far-reaching feelings rippled in her heart little by little like a lake.

"Wen Jun's words are better than reading a book for ten years. Thank you for your teaching. She stood up, raised her arms, prostrate on the ground, and bowed to Lin Xiaozhu.

Lin Xiaozhu knew that Zhou Rou had her mention this time, and she would definitely come out of a different scenery on the road of tea ceremony, and the future was limitless. immediately did not shirk, and accepted her gift calmly.

In the next few days, Lin Xiaozhu taught Zhou Rou how to choose the environment, decorate the elegant room, and how to create a quiet atmosphere; How to use sight, smell, and taste to distinguish the nuances of various teas.

On this day, when the two were about to deduce what kind of water and what kind of tea was good in the summer hall, the door of the house was knocked on by a middle-aged man. After a while, Yuan Sanniang came in and said solemnly: "Two girls, the situation has changed, and we don't have time to study anymore." Childe has an order, we are about to go to a place now, and we happen to meet that person. And only success, not failure. So in order to ensure that nothing went wrong, Miss Ye Qing also pretended to be a little maidservant. After Miss Zhou Rou's deed, you can leave, and someone will come to pick you up. ”

"However, there is no way to arrange the environment of the tea room......" Zhou Rou was embarrassed for a while.

Yuan Sanniang interrupted her: "What Miss Ye Qing has said in the past few days, Amei has been listening carefully to it. She had already consulted with someone the day before yesterday and arranged a place according to these theories taught by Miss Ye Qing. But let's go to a teahouse first, and when we meet that person, we'll go together. If there is anything wrong, Miss Yip Ching can make appropriate changes at that time. ”

She turned her face again and said to Lin Xiaozhu: "Miss Ye Qing, we have already told Miss Zhou Rou about the situation of the task object. I'll tell you about it at this point. That one, surnamed Chung, was a general, forty-five years old. Although he is a military general, he loves to play chess and drink tea, but these two hobbies, because of the relationship between military generals, are afraid that people will laugh at his vassal elegance, and rarely talk about it. And Miss Zhou's task this time is to get his attention and make him see her as a confidant. ”

"Yes, understood." Lin Xiaozhu shook his head.

"Then you come back to the yard with me, let's put on makeup and change clothes." Yuan Sanniang said.

Half an hour later, Zhou Rou changed into elegant clothes, veiled, took two maid rings and a grandmother, left the house by car, and appeared in a picturesque teahouse by the river.

I don't know if it's the wrong time, everyone is still busy making a living, or if this teahouse is not doing well, there are no guests in the teahouse at this time, only two juniors are slowly wiping the table.

"Xiao Er, come to a pot of Mingqian Longjing." As soon as Yuan Sanniang entered the door, she shouted.

"Come, come, a few upstairs, please." The fair-faced little two ran over and led them upstairs.

The atmosphere of this era is open, but it is a bit like the Tang Dynasty, and women who have not left the cabinet can freely go to the street to play accompanied by their family members or slaves. So for the appearance of Lin Xiaozhu and his party, Xiao Er didn't care.

Lin Xiaozhu didn't know if this teahouse was Yuan Tianye's property. It's not her singing the leading role today, so she didn't ask, just looked at the environment quietly, and saw that although the upstairs did not divide the space, the environment was extremely elegant, and there was a faint smell of soothing incense in the air.

She nodded with satisfaction and said to Xiao Er: "You just bring the stove, water, and tea leaves, and we will make the tea ourselves." ”

I don't know if someone has always made tea like this, or if this teahouse is specially prepared for today's business. When Xiao Er heard this, he didn't say much, and responded: "Okay." So he went downstairs.

"Xiao Er, don't be busy with things first, if a guest arrives in a while, you can bring it up." Lin Xiaozhu thought about it and said another word.

"Rest assured, girl." Xiao Er finally gave a sentence. Lin Xiaozhu knew that this teahouse belonged to the Yuan family, and the people were his own.

"Miss Zhou, someone will be here in a while, you take off the veil." Amei said.

Zhou Rou was about to take off the veil, but Lin Xiaozhu said: "In my opinion, this veil is still good to cover." ”

Yuan Sanniang nodded: "Everything is up to Miss Ye Qing." ”

Zhou Rou's hand was lowered again, she raised her head and smiled at Lin Xiaozhu.

Lin Xiaozhu looked at Zhou Rou, whose temperament was different from the previous days, and was extremely satisfied. A person's state of mind can completely change a person's temperament. At this time, Zhou Rou is quiet and elegant, and Zhou Ni, who quarreled with Wu Caiyun three years ago in order to see Yuan Tianye, is like two people.

The group sat quietly for a while, and then they heard the neighing of horses and the sound of a vehicle suddenly outside another window.

Then a male voice sounded: "What's going on with this carriage?" There was anger in his voice.

"Master, the axle is broken, you can come down first." This should be the coachman's voice, and then he said, "Why don't you go up to this teahouse and sit down, and wait for the little one to come and fix this carriage, and then you go home?" ”

The man paused and said, "It's fine." Then there was the sound of footsteps coming this way.

Yuan Sanniang was waiting for this voice, and gave everyone a look at the moment, patted Zhou Rou's shoulder again, gave her an encouraging look, and then stood up straight and stopped moving.

"This lord, are you here? Inside please. Xiao Er's enthusiastic voice came from downstairs, "I don't know what kind of tea my master drinks?" ”

"Good dragon well." That man, Zhong Yugui, who everyone was waiting for. He stepped into the teahouse, saw that it was empty, and nodded in satisfaction.

At this time, the other Xiao Er took what Lin Xiaozhu wanted, walked in front of him, and went upstairs. (To be continued)