Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Xiao Ran sat on the bluestone bench in the courtyard, his fingertips still covered in the soil from digging up herbs, but his mind kept replaying Yu Shinan's words, "The tea is really good."

Zhang Erya had mentioned the hillside behind the village when she was cutting grass before; it was covered with many wild small tea trees.

The yield of wild-grown ones is probably not as high as that of cultivated ones.

"Fifth Sister, are there any tea plantations nearby?" Xiao Ran asked.

“Young master, there isn’t any tea near Chang’an City. The tea mainly comes from the south,” Li Lizhi explained.

“There are wild ones behind the village,” Zhang Erya reminded Xiao Ran again.

Xiao Ran nodded and continued to ponder.

"I was only thinking about drinking tea before, and forgot to try stir-frying it myself."

Xiao Ran stroked his chin, squatted down, and stared at the iron pot outside the kitchen. This pot was usually used to stew potatoes and sweet potatoes, but now it could be used to stir-fry tea.

As soon as the idea popped into my head, the process slowly began to flow smoothly in my mind:

First, you have to pick fresh leaves. There are no large-scale cultivations nearby, so you can only pick wild ones.

You can't stir-fry them directly after picking them; you have to spread them out to dry. Otherwise, the leaves will suffocate if they are piled together. If you have a bamboo sieve at home, you can lay it out in a well-ventilated area under the eaves. Let them dry until they are soft and you can no longer feel any moisture.

Next comes the crucial final step. He remembered that the process called for high-temperature stir-frying, but how to control the temperature of the iron wok?
Xiao Ran was a little troubled; this thing could only be done with experience and intuition.

Xiao Ran walked to the stove, placed the pot on it, and waited until the pot's surface turned slightly red before reaching out and testing it from about half a foot away.

The heat wave made my hands numb, so I quickly pulled them back. "That should be enough. Any hotter and they'll burn."

I started thinking about the rhythm of stir-frying again. I had read in an agricultural book that it was about "shaking and steaming together". Fresh leaves should be shaken quickly before putting them into the pan, otherwise they will stick to the pan and burn. After the leaves soften, steam them for a while to completely deactivate the enzymes. But how long is "a while"?

He could only keep it in his mind, watching the leaves turn from bright green to dark green, and when the raw, grassy smell was gone, he quickly scooped them out.

"You also have to be careful when kneading."

He got up and found a clean cedar plank, which was left over from Zhang Jinhe's previous furniture making; its surface was smooth and without burrs.

After the fresh leaves are blanched, they must be kneaded while they are still hot, otherwise they will harden when they cool down. But how do you control the force?

If it's too light, the tea leaves will fall apart and won't look right after brewing; if it's too heavy, it will break apart and make the tea soup cloudy.

He tried pressing lightly with his palm, imagining gathering the leaves into a ball and slowly rubbing them in one direction, "starting lightly and then pressing harder, kneading out some juice to adhere to the surface, and then they should be able to stick together into strips."

Finally, there's the drying process. He remembered that the instructions said not to dry it all at once, otherwise it would clump together.

First, pour the kneaded tea leaves into a warm pot, stir slowly over low heat until the surface is dry, then take them out and spread them out to cool. After they have cooled completely, stir them back into the pot, repeating this process two or three times, until they can be crushed into powder in your hand and are no longer sticky.

"It's okay if you burn it the first time. You can just pick some fresh leaves and try again."

Xiao Ran grinned. He wasn't too afraid of failure. He could just try more. The cost of trial and error wasn't high. Frying tea shouldn't be too difficult.

Xiao Ran's requirements were not high; he didn't need the food to be cooked to perfection, he just needed something drinkable.

No other seasonings are needed; you can simply brew it and drink it.

Thinking it was feasible, Xiao Ran wanted to give it a try.

Coal can be sold at affordable prices, and printed books are also inexpensive because the target audience is ordinary people.

It's too expensive; ordinary people can't afford it.

But tea is different. Li Shimin and Li Yuan's family were not short of money. The imperial relatives, kings, generals, and powerful families in Chang'an were not short of money either, so they had to sell it at a high price.

I don't feel uncomfortable making money off these people.

"Second Aunt, can we start picking tea now?" Xiao Ran asked.

"Sure, young master, shall we go now?" Zhang Erya asked excitedly. "What kind should we pick?"

Princess Li Lizhi and Xiao Yu also wanted to participate.

This kind of thing is interesting.

Another craft that was never seen in the Tang Dynasty is about to be unveiled.

“I previously thought that the young master’s tea was of a different variety, so it didn’t need to be boiled with any other seasonings and could be brewed directly,” Princess Yuzhang said.

"It's because the tea-making process is different," Xiao Ran said.

The tea of ​​the Zhenguan period was neither the "loose tea" of later generations nor the "exquisite compressed tea" of the Song Dynasty.

Instead, it mainly consists of coarsely processed steamed green tea cakes, whose core characteristics can be summarized as "shaped like cakes, coarse in texture, and astringent in taste".

Mostly round or square "tea cakes" are made by pressing processed tea leaves into cake shapes. They vary in size, may have simple mold marks on the surface, and are dark green or blackish-green in color with a relatively compact texture.

It facilitates long-distance transportation, since most of Chang'an's tea was transported from the southern Shu region and Jiangnan.

It belongs to the category of "steamed green tea", but the process is rough. The tea cake may contain a small amount of old leaves, tea stems, or even a trace of moisture from the steaming process. It is far less pure than tea products from later generations.

In the early Tang Dynasty, tea-making techniques were crude, and the steaming time was difficult to control, resulting in tea that was not steamed thoroughly and retained a raw, astringent taste.

Tea cakes may contain old leaves and tea stems, which will increase bitterness. In addition, without the "rolling" process, the tea juice is not released evenly, and drinking it directly after boiling will result in a noticeable bitter taste.

Adding salt, ginger, scallions, and dates can neutralize the bitterness.

Salt can enhance flavor and reduce bitterness, ginger can dispel cold and astringency, and dates can increase sweetness, making the taste more acceptable.

In the early Tang Dynasty, tea had not yet broken free from its "food" attribute and was more like a "tea soup".

During the Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, people had the habit of "adding dogwood and mint to tea", boiling tea with other ingredients and regarding it as a "health-preserving drink".

During the Zhenguan period, this tradition continued, and tea was not regarded as a "pure beverage" but as a "steamed soup that can fill the stomach and nourish the body," with adding seasonings being a natural choice.

The main tea-producing areas are in the south, and tea from Chang'an needs to be transported over long distances by land or water, taking anywhere from several months to half a year.

Tea cakes are easily affected by moisture and develop off-odors during transportation. Adding strong-smelling spices such as mint, dried tangerine peel, and dogwood can mask these "stale" smells and make the flavor of the tea more consistent.

Li Lizhi was overjoyed, "Does that mean that in the future, tea in the Tang Dynasty won't need any other additives, and we can drink pure tea?"

"That's about right. Let's go to the picking spot and try it out. I've never done it before, so I don't know if it will work."

Upon hearing Xiao Ran's words, Zhang Erya went to find Kaolao.

It's the same formula as before: coal, glass, printing technology. Xiao Ran said the same thing.

Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang knew that this time it was a sure thing.

Hearing that Xiao Ran and the others were going out, the three little girls also wanted to join in the fun.

They're never going to stay idle anyway.

The little princess gave Xiao Ran half a sesame cake.

The group went out together.

Xiao Ran wasn't very familiar with the area, so Zhang Erya led the way.

They encountered Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Jinnian on the road.

Zhang Jinhe didn't ask any questions and joined the group directly. Zhang Jinnian liked playing with the three little girls, so he naturally had to follow along.

At first, the two little princesses were a bit resistant to Zhang Jinnian, but perhaps because they studied together, they gradually accepted him.

The little princess is quite young, and most of the others are older than her, but there is no situation where the little princess is bullied.

After all, the little princess is just young, not a vulnerable group.

Those who are bullied are usually children from poor families and have introverted personalities.

As we walked up the mountain path pointed out by Zhang Erya, the wind still carried the gentle warmth of early spring in Guanzhong.

Even the new grass along the mountain path has sprouted, its tender shoots brushing against people's trouser legs.

Before long, a patch of wild tea bushes suddenly appeared before my eyes. It wasn't the deep, dark green of late summer, but the light green unique to spring, as if it had been softened by spring rain.

"This is it!" Zhang Erya's eyes lit up as she pointed to the chest-high tea bushes at the front. "I came here a few days ago, and the buds have sprouted even more densely these past few days!"

Xiao Ran strode over and gently parted the new shoots at the top of the tea twig with his fingertips, and everyone immediately surrounded him.

At the top of the tea branch, clusters of tender, glossy buds and leaves were gathered. The very top bud was covered with a layer of fine white down, followed by one or two newly unfolded tender leaves. The tips of the leaves were slightly curled, and the serrations on the edges were so fine that they looked like they were embroidered. They felt soft to the touch, unlike the toughness of older leaves.

"Today we'll pick the kind with 'one bud and one leaf' or 'one bud and two newly unfolded leaves'."

Xiao Ran picked up a cluster of buds and leaves and handed it to everyone. "Look, the buds should be plump, the fuzz should be dense, and the leaves at the bottom should just be half-opened, with the tips still curled up."

"These spring buds are rich in amino acids and low in tea polyphenols, so the tea made from them won't be astringent and can be brewed directly."

Zhang Erya squatted down, reached out and tugged at the lower branches of the tea bushes, and asked in confusion, "Young master, why don't you pick these big leaves at the bottom? They look so fresh."

"Those are old leaves from last year, or mature leaves that grew earlier this year."

Xiao Ran smiled and shook his head, pointing to the dark green leaf. "Feel its edge, isn't it a bit hard? This kind of leaf has a lot of fiber, so it will be tough when stir-fried, and it won't have any aroma when soaked."

As Xiao Ran spoke, he demonstrated the picking technique: pinching the bud and leaf at the junction with the branch between his thumb and forefinger, he gently lifted it up, and with a soft "snap," the bud and leaf covered in white down fell into his palm.

"Don't pinch or pull with your fingernails, or you'll damage the buds—these tea branches can sprout new shoots again, but if they're damaged, you won't be able to pick them next time."

Li Lizhi stood beside another tea tree, carefully comparing them for a long time, then suddenly looked up and asked, "Young Master Xiao, if there are already three leaves under the bud, can we still accept it?"

"Three leaves are already a bit old."

Xiao Ran walked over and pointed to the cluster of new shoots with three whorls of leaves. "Look at this third leaf. The fuzz on the edge has lessened and the leaf color has deepened, which means it has matured and will taste a bit astringent."

Li Lizhi nodded. She hadn't done this before, so she didn't know.

This was the first time any of them had ever heard of such intricacies in tea picking.

The three little maids huddled together. The youngest princess, standing on tiptoe, couldn't reach the top of the teacup, so she tugged at Princess Yuzhang's sleeve and said softly, "Sister Niu~ I want some too~"

Princess Yuzhang did not pick the tea leaves herself, but instead pulled the tea tree down so that the little princess could pick them herself.

Children enjoy this sense of participation.

Zhang Jinhe didn't speak, but she had already silently learned Xiao Ran's technique and started picking the leaves. Her hands were steady, and she picked quickly and accurately. In no time, a thin layer of tender yellow buds and leaves had accumulated in the bamboo basket.
These tea trees look good, and there are quite a lot of them.

"Jinniang, whose family are these?" Xiao Ran pointed. If they belonged to the Mou family, they should be compensated.

“Young man, this land belongs to the village and doesn’t belong to anyone,” Zhang Jinhe said.

"Second Aunt, go back and ask Grandpa later. We need to buy all these trees and transplant them to the hillside behind our house. Ask Eldest Brother to find someone to help."

If Xiao Ran were to ask, Zhang Mingde and the villagers would definitely be willing to give it away for free.

Before the tea-frying technique was developed, this stuff wasn't actually very expensive.

But Xiao Ran didn't want to take advantage of that.

The money given to the village should be kept in the reserve fund.

"Okay, I got it!" Zhang Erya nodded.

This thing has great potential.

It's definitely more profitable than growing millet; there's no doubt about that.

We can get the villagers involved in this later.

With so many people, they quickly picked all the fruit in the area.

The group then went back.

Back home, Xiao Ran immediately started preparing.

Zhang Erya and Zhang Jinhe also helped prepare the necessary items.

Unfortunately, the sun isn't quite strong enough right now, so it will take a long time to dry them.

Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya also went to see Zhang Mingde to discuss the matter of buying tea trees.

Upon hearing that Xiao Ran was buying tea trees, Zhang Mingde knew that something good must be happening again.

They didn't say it was free; they charged me a little based on the normal market price.

Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya also mentioned that Xiao Ran wanted to stir-fry tea.

Zhang Mingde also drank it several times and was deeply impressed by Xiao Ran's tea.

The next day, just as dawn broke, the fresh leaves in the bamboo sieve under the eaves had already shrunk and become soft to the touch, with no moisture remaining, except for the white downy tips of the buds which still carried a bit of dampness.

Xiao Ran placed the iron pot on the stove, added some coal, and the flames licked the bottom of the pot. Before long, the pot's surface turned a light red.

Li Lizhi brought over the bamboo sieve, while Princess Yuzhang and Zhang Erya squatted by the stove, staring at the iron pot and not daring to breathe.

Xiao Ran reached out to test the temperature; the heat made his fingertips tingle. He quickly nodded, "It's done!"

Li Lizhi immediately poured in half a sieve of fresh leaves, and the iron pot instantly made a soft "sizzling" sound, releasing a tea aroma mixed with the scent of grass.

At first, Xiao Ran was a little slow in stirring, and the leaves near the edge of the wok quickly turned brown. He felt a pang of anxiety and quickly sped up his wrist movements, shaking the tea leaves along the edge of the wok with both hands. "I have to be quick, don't let them stick to the wok!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhang Erya handed over a clean wooden spatula and helped gather the tea leaves from the edges towards the center.

Once the leaves had turned from bright green to dark green and the grassy smell had mostly dissipated, Xiao Ran quickly placed the tea leaves onto a cedar plank. He pinched them between his fingertips; they were soft and elastic, thankfully not completely burnt.

The kneading went smoothly from there. Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang followed Xiao Ran's example, pressing their palms lightly against the tea leaves and rubbing them in one direction.

Although the leaves weren't kneaded into perfectly shaped strands, they were still formed into loose little balls, with tea juice soaking into the surface, giving them a faint sheen.

When drying, Xiao Ran turned down the heat, poured the tea leaves into the warm pot and slowly stirred them. After stir-frying for a while, he took them out and spread them out to cool. He repeated this process twice, and by evening, the dried tea had finally taken shape.

The color is uneven, ranging from light green to dark brown, with some scorch marks. The strips are also crooked and twisted, but they can be crushed into powder when held in the hand, and they are no longer damp.

Xiao Ran took some dried tea leaves, put them into a rough porcelain bowl, and poured in hot water.

The tea leaves slowly unfurled in the water, turning the tea soup a pale yellow. Gone was the astringent taste of the early Tang Dynasty tea cakes; instead, it carried a fresh and invigorating fragrance.

Li Lizhi took a sip, her eyes lighting up: "It's much more refreshing than boiled tea! You can drink it without adding ginger or salt!" (End of Chapter)