VBNWDW - Chapter 133

Chapter 133

"You, you…"

Zhong Jueyu was, for once, stammering. She paused before managing to get the words out. "You may."

Since they were there to discuss business, they naturally wouldn't order snacks first, nor would they have someone pour tea. The usual practice was to start with two cups of green tea and consider other things later.

The teahouse had served many guests over the years and understood these customs well. Zhong Jueyu had only said not to be disturbed for the time being, and they had understood, not sending anyone up to bother them.

But they hadn't expected Luo Yueqing to appear. She had gone downstairs to request pastries and tea, then refused the attendant's help. This led them to believe that some incredibly important matter was being discussed upstairs, making them even more hesitant to go up.

Regardless of what those two were thinking, Luo Yueqing wore a calm and composed expression as she began to brew the tea herself.

There were many subtleties in the art of tea. Green tea, black tea, and white tea each had their own brewing methods. This was especially true for fine tea leaves, which were particular about the water, the cups, and even the brewer's timing. Every step was a detail.

For instance, the White Hair Silver Needle that Luo Yueqing had brought was an extremely precious variety. The harvest period was only a dozen or so days before the Qingming Festival each year. Only the newly sprouted buds were picked, then sun-dried and baked. Even this teahouse only had a small amount in stock.

Zhong Jueyu, worried that she might not understand these things, kept her head turned to watch, afraid that Luo Yueqing might be scalded by the boiling water.

But how could Luo Yueqing not understand?

Throughout history, famous scholars had taken pleasure in drinking tea. The Luo Family called itself a prestigious house, so mastery of the tea ceremony was a must.

In Luo Yueqing's memory, the Luo Family would invite a tea master every year to teach these skills to the younger generation.

Therefore, she was even more proficient in this art than the masters in the teahouse who were specifically responsible for pouring tea.

She took out the prepared white porcelain tea set from the side and then the tea leaves. The leaves had a peculiar appearance, unlike the dark color of other teas. Instead, they looked like silver needles covered in a layer of fine white down.

Meng Yunshan knew very little about the tea ceremony. His mind was entirely focused on political affairs. His understanding of tea was limited to the fact that strong tea was refreshing and allowed him to handle more official business. As for anything else, he simply had no energy to spare. At this moment, he could only tell that the quality of the tea leaves was excellent.

Zhong Jueyu, however, did not spare a thought to explain. Her eyes were fixed on the hand holding the small kettle of boiling water.

Luo Yueqing's fingers were also beautifully formed. Her knuckles were fair and even, and her neatly trimmed nails had a faint pinkish hue. When she curled her fingers to lift the kettle, the slight exertion caused the rounded joints to press against the thin skin, revealing a touch of translucent white.

Zhong Jueyu didn't know what she suddenly remembered, but she turned her head, her gaze shifting away.

Luo Yueqing, however, didn't notice. She calmly poured the water into the teacups.

This White Hair Silver Needle was most particular about its water. Every day before dawn, someone had to be sent to fetch fresh spring water from the mountains, which was then carefully stored in a bluestone vat to preserve its clear, sweet quality.

Boiling water, steaming with white vapor, was poured into the white porcelain. The tea leaves were tossed about by the rush of water. Without even needing to skim the foam, the tea was immediately poured into the cups.

White tea did not need to be steeped. On the contrary, it would present its most fragrant and mellow flavor within an extremely short brewing time. Steeping it for too long would result in a very bitter taste.

"My lords, please."

Only then did Zhong Jueyu return to her senses. She glanced at Luo Yueqing's fingertips again, and after confirming there was no improper redness, she breathed a small sigh of relief and turned her attention to the tea.

Luo Yueqing's every move was perfectly controlled. She even knew the finest details, like how White Hair Silver Needle was best not brewed in a Zisha teapot and must not be steeped for long. The tea would certainly not be bad.

Zhong Jueyu gestured with her hand and said to Meng Yunshan, "Lord Meng, please try this tea."

She had no intention of hiding Meng Yunshan's identity, but she was mindful that he didn't yet understand the relationship between the two of them, so she changed her form of address.

Meng Yunshan naturally complied. After a word of thanks, he prepared to pick up his teacup.

But on the other side, Zhong Jueyu froze.

This ancestor of hers was not so well-behaved. She had only been busy brewing tea just now, afraid of causing Zhong Jueyu to lose face in front of an outsider. That was why she had been so focused and hadn't caused any trouble. Now that her task was done, her mischievous intentions began to surface.

Beneath the low table, their robes brushed against each other. Then, a hand reached out and rested on the other's thigh. The pressure wasn't heavy, and it didn't even move around wantonly. It just rested there.

But that was precisely what made it feel dangerous. After all, based on Zhong Jueyu's understanding of Luo Yueqing, she would not let this go so easily.

She now felt like a person standing on the edge of a cliff, not knowing if the rock would crumble, a strong wind would blow, or some other accident would occur. Her heart was in her throat.

This was torture.

As it was summer, the fabric of their clothes was thin. The warmth from fingertips that had just been near boiling water could be clearly felt even through the cloth.

"My lord, why aren't you drinking? Do you find the tea I brewed unsatisfactory?" Luo Yueqing spoke again, deliberately lowering her eyes. With her pitiful and lovely appearance, her winding voice added to the sense of grievance.

Meng Yunshan thought she had some misgivings. After putting down his cup, he explained, "This White Hair tea has a light fragrance and a fresh, sweet, and mellow taste. It's slightly different from the strong tea I usually drink, but it's worth a try."

As his voice fell, the serving girl beside them seemed to be encouraged. She timidly raised her eyes again, looking at Zhong Jueyu with anticipation.

Her posture was like that of the willows by the lake downstairs, swaying in the wind—delicate and easily bullied.

Zhong Jueyu's back tensed. She wanted to speak but the words caught in her throat. She stiffly raised her teacup.

Luo Yueqing watched her, the smile in her eyes nearly overflowing, yet she was still forcing a pitiful expression.

The other woman couldn't voice her suffering. Just as she lifted the teacup, those fingertips lightly brushed over the spot they had just been covering.

The sensation was just like last night when she had been painted with a brush, sending a tingling, numbing electric current through her.

The teacup in her hand trembled for a moment, sending ripples across the surface of the water.

Zhong Jueyu took a discreet breath. The apricot-yellow tea reflected her face, which shattered in an instant.

The hand underneath was starting to get excessive. The entire hand came to rest on her, fingers slightly curled, like a shackle half-encircling her leg with a bit more force.

Zhong Jueyu finally raised her eyes to glare at her, warning her to stop.

But that person had been spoiled beyond measure. She hadn't even done the most outrageous things yet; how could she possibly stop with just this bit of hidden mischief?

Seeing Zhong Jueyu look over, she even blinked, looking like an innocent little white rabbit.

Zhong Jueyu glanced at the person opposite her. Meng Yunshan was growing more and more puzzled, not understanding what she was hesitating about.

She could only suppress her frustration and raise the cup to drink.

Although it was a little late, the taste was still excellent. But Zhong Jueyu was in no mood to savor it; her attention was entirely on the other person.

The tea went down her throat, finished in three gulps.

Just as Zhong Jueyu put down the cup, the other person began to lift the small kettle again. Silver Needle tea was like that; each infusion was stronger than the last, the flavor gradually intensifying, and the taste changing with it.

Meng Yunshan frowned. He knew this was a tea tasting, but their conversation had been interrupted halfway through, and he couldn't help but feel annoyed.

He was no fool. Of course, he wouldn't be naive enough to think they had only helped him that one time. There were the few times he knew about on the surface, but how many more were there in secret?

He knew his own character had flaws. Without someone to protect him, no amount of talent could be put to use. But he never expected that they had done so much behind the scenes. He had even laughably thought it was His Majesty who cherished talent, attributing part of the credit to the Emperor.

The teacups were filled once more, and the fragrance of the tea gradually spread through the air.

This time, Zhong Jueyu didn't need to be reminded and picked up her cup on her own.

But the hand underneath was still misbehaving, lifting the corner of her robe to explore elsewhere.

Zhong Jueyu immediately put down the teacup. Her lowered hand grabbed the other's wrist. She offered a stiff smile to Meng Yunshan, who was looking at her, and explained, "It's too hot."

Meng Yunshan, who had planned to drink it all in one go to end this tea tasting quickly, was taken aback. For a moment, he didn't know whether to continue or put his cup down.

Zhong Jueyu squeezed the other's wrist, not daring to use too much force. It looked like a stern reprimand, but in reality, she was gently rubbing it. She still remembered the bruises on that wrist; even in a situation like this, she didn't forget to rub it.

The other person knew she couldn't break free, so she didn't make a useless effort. Instead, she curled her fingers again and scratched the other's leg.

Zhong Jueyu let out a muffled grunt. She unconsciously tightened her grip on the other's wrist, then hastily let go when she realized what she was doing, afraid of hurting her even a little.

But the other person felt not a shred of guilt. She took advantage of the gap to slip her hand under the other's robe again, her fingertips pressing against her waist.

By this point, their actions were getting a bit excessive. Luo Yueqing had completely shifted over to Zhong Jueyu's side, even turning to face her, not sparing a single glance for the person opposite them.

But Meng Yunshan had matters weighing on his mind. His mood was complicated and chaotic, and he was in no state to pay attention to such things, so he didn't notice right away.

Fingertips traced the faint lines, climbing upward. Because of the ink marks, the skin was not as smooth as usual, but this made Luo Yueqing smile faintly.

No matter how much Zhong Jueyu indulged her, she couldn't remain indifferent at this moment. She shifted slightly to the side, avoiding the other's hand, then picked up her teacup and took a sip to hide her expression.

After a while, it was afternoon. There were more customers now, and the teahouse was filled with endless chatter.

The clear sky outside remained cloudless. The brilliant sunlight fell, scattering across the overlapping green leaves.

Zhong Jueyu averted her eyes. The lobes of her ears, hidden beneath her hair, were red enough to bleed.

Although the two of them had done the most intimate things, those had always been in a room with just the two of them, not in a bustling teahouse with an oblivious person sitting right in front of them.

She put down the teacup, about to speak, but saw Luo Yueqing starting to pour water again.

She didn't know if it was a deliberate choice, but of all the teas, she had to pick the most troublesome one.

Zhong Jueyu wanted to sigh but could only hold it in, watching helplessly as the teacup was filled once more. Then the water overflowed the rim, spilling onto the tabletop, sliding to the edge, and dripping down.

"My lord!" Luo Yueqing feigned alarm and cried out.

Zhong Jueyu tried to back away but was still splashed with water.

Luo Yueqing immediately put down the teapot and threw herself onto her, explaining frantically, "I'm sorry, my lord! My lord, please move away quickly."

She said that, but her hands were pressing against the other's waist. On the surface, she was wiping away the spill, but in reality, she was taking every advantage.

How could the Grand Princess have imagined that she would be so shameless? She wanted to escape but had nowhere to go, forced to let the other press against her and stroke places that shouldn't be touched.

"Your Highness!" Meng Yunshan, opposite them, finally reacted. He immediately looked up, his expression tense.

Zhong Jueyu was trying to grab the other's wrist while also having to explain, "I am fine."

Luo Yueqing felt no guilt at all. She added, "I really didn't do it on purpose, Your Highness!"

The moment she used that form of address, even Meng Yunshan sensed something was wrong. His eyes darted back and forth between the two of them.

But Luo Yueqing ignored him and said, "The shop has spare robes…"

She hadn't even finished her sentence when she heard Zhong Jueyu cut in, "I'll go down with you!"

If she didn't listen to this person now, who knew what other trouble she would stir up.

She stood up, pulling Luo Yueqing with her. Grabbing her wrist, she walked out, looking almost as if she were fleeing.

Her steps were hurried on the floorboards. Without pausing for breath, the two of them headed directly for the staircase in the corner.

There were only a few tables of guests on the fourth floor, all seated by the windows, far from where they were. Bamboo curtains also provided separation, so people inside would at most know someone was going downstairs but couldn't see them clearly.

They were only halfway down when Zhong Jueyu suddenly stopped. She turned and pressed Luo Yueqing against the wall, lowering her eyes and demanding in a low voice, "What do you think you're doing?"

Although she indulged her, it had to depend on the place. How could they do something so bold outside?

The other person simply hooked an arm around her neck and whispered, "Luo Yueyin brought me to meet someone else."

As soon as those words fell, Zhong Jueyu froze.

The other person then stood on her toes, tilting her head up to press against the corner of her lips.

Long-standing habit made Zhong Jueyu subconsciously cooperate, but her mind was still echoing with the other's words.

Meet what kind of someone else?

Having witnessed the true colors of the Luo father and son, Zhong Jueyu would never think well of them. To bring a marriageable-aged woman of the family to meet someone else at this time—nine times out of ten, they wanted to arrange a "good match" for her.

Zhong Jueyu's expression darkened. She raised a hand to grip the other's waist, pressing her tightly against the wall, and said in a low voice, "Who did you meet?"

Because her mouth was covered, her words were a bit muffled, but it didn't diminish the chill in her tone.

Luo Yueqing smiled and teased, "King Yama, calling the roll?"

As the person involved, she was surprisingly nonchalant.

This infuriated Zhong Jueyu, who bit her hard.

Luo Yueqing didn't get angry. Her fingertips stroked the back of the other's neck as she smiled again. "The tea this servant brewed is indeed quite good."

Zhong Jueyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She pressed back in and said in a low voice, "Then you should taste it carefully."

No matter how well it was brewed, she was in no mood to savor it. This person, however, was getting the better end of the deal.

Luo Yueqing moved closer to her, easily prying open her lips. The faint fragrance of tea still lingered between them. The initial bitterness had faded, leaving only a light sweetness.

The surroundings were still noisy. An attendant led a guest up to the second floor, greeting them warmly.

Someone on the third floor suddenly burst into loud laughter, as if they had heard something hilarious.

The hand Luo Yueqing had hooked around her neck slid down and slipped into her robes, stroking over and over the characters she had written.

Breaths became ragged. The bamboo curtain was lifted by the wind and quickly fell again. A secret thrill spread through the narrow space.

Reason told Zhong Jueyu to leave quickly, but she was pinned in place, unable to move.

Teeth grazed over soft flesh, bringing a slight pain.

Luo Yueqing looked up at her, her dark, moist doe-like eyes reflecting her image.

But Zhong Jueyu raised a hand and covered her eyes, saying in a low voice, "Don't look."

This person was always like this—outwardly proper, yet while not daring to let people see her, she would cooperate and indulge.

After a long moment, Luo Yueqing finally pushed her shoulder, creating a little distance, and asked in a low voice, "Are you still coming tonight?"

If Luo Yueqing had asked this morning, Zhong Jueyu would have had to hesitate. After all, she had been burdened with many matters these past few days and needed to rest well. But now…

Zhong Jueyu nodded and said, "I'll come over a little later."

She didn't know what else Luo Yueyin might do. It was better for her to go and stand guard every day.

Luo Yueqing smiled. "Then I'll wait for you."

Zhong Jueyu still wanted to pursue the previous issue, but Luo Yueqing pushed her away, telling her to hurry back up. She had finally remembered the long-abandoned Prime Minister Meng.

Zhong Jueyu gritted her teeth, deciding to have Ruan He and Li Shigui investigate thoroughly later. Then, she turned and went upstairs.

On the other side, Meng Yunshan's expression had returned to normal. He looked puzzled when he saw that Zhong Jueyu hadn't changed her clothes, but he pretended not to notice and spoke.

The topic continued.

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