mesbooks Chapter 166 Bring some milk
Chapter 166 Bring some milk
Startled by the Emperor's sudden question, the Empress quickly composed herself, rose gracefully from her seat, and gave an elegant bow before respectfully replying, "Your Majesty, I have noticed that the Crown Prince often appears melancholy and listless when alone. Seeing this, I suggested that he invite the Fifth Prince and the Little Princess to dine with him. This would not only alleviate his boredom but also add a touch of liveliness and joy."
As soon as the Empress finished speaking, the Emperor nodded slightly in approval. A faint smile gradually appeared on his originally serious face, and his eyes revealed a hint of appreciation. Then, he said slowly to the Empress, "Yes, the Empress is very thoughtful. This arrangement is excellent. It will not only deepen the bond between the children, but also showcase the harmonious and loving family of our royal family." After speaking, the Emperor slowly shifted his gaze from the Empress and refocused on the warm scene of brotherly love and laughter before him. His deep eyes were now filled with a sense of satisfaction and contentment.
However, at this moment, no one among the crowd realized that the empress, who outwardly wore a gentle and warm smile, was actually experiencing a turbulent storm in her heart, almost rolling her eyes to the heavens.
By this time, the banquet was more than halfway through, and everyone was enjoying the fine wine and food, as well as the joyful and peaceful atmosphere. Suddenly, Zhang Wang, the head of the envoys from the Kingdom of Nanshi, stood up, bowed respectfully to the emperor on his high throne, and then said loudly, "Your Majesty, the King of Canglan, I have come from afar with a heavy responsibility. To be frank, I represent my monarch to propose a friendly initiative to establish trade between our two countries."
The Emperor's gaze fell on Zhang Wang, and he asked with a puzzled expression, "The two countries of Canglan and Nanshi have always maintained trade relations. I wonder what is special about this time?"
Zhang Wang bowed respectfully to the Emperor and then replied calmly, "Your Majesty, the goods we are trading this time are a newly cultivated tea variety called 'Ink Tea.' This tea is a treasure of our Southern Stone, with a unique flavor, and I believe it will satisfy Your Majesty."
When Su Nuannuan, who was sitting to the side, heard the words "Ink Tea", she couldn't help but frown slightly. She began to try to recall the various types of tea she knew in her previous life, but she couldn't find any information about "Ink Tea".
Since returning from the palace that day, Su Nuannuan had carefully studied the geographical location of the Southern Stone Kingdom. After some comparison, she was surprised to find that it was quite similar to the Yun Province where she lived in her previous life, with only some minor differences.
At this moment, Su Nuannuan seemed to suddenly remember something and quickly turned to Yaoqin beside her and whispered, "Yaoqin, quickly go and get some fresh milk."
Upon hearing this, Yaoqin was slightly surprised, but she nodded without hesitation and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty." After saying that, she turned and quickly left to prepare the milk.
At this moment, when the emperor heard that "Ink Tea" was a new variety, he became very interested and couldn't wait to ask, "Oh? Did your envoy bring this Ink Tea here? I would like to taste this novel tea as soon as possible and see what makes it so unique."
It's worth noting that a full half of the tea consumed by the Azure Kingdom each year comes from the Southern Stone Kingdom. Moreover, even the top-grade teas used in the palace are all carefully selected and presented as tribute by the Southern Stone Kingdom.
"Your Majesty, I have brought with me the rare tea unique to the Southern Stone Kingdom. However, this tea is quite different from others; it is not in the shape of common leaves, but rather in the form of fine powder." After speaking, Zhang Wang bowed slightly and then waved to signal the people behind him to present the ink tea that had been prepared.
When Zhang Wang carefully took out the mysterious ink tea and displayed it before everyone, Su Nuannuan, who had been sitting regally in her high seat, couldn't help but smile. It turned out that this so-called ink tea looked so familiar—wasn't it the coffee she knew so well from her previous life? In her memories of her past life, Yun Province was indeed renowned for its high-quality coffee beans. She never imagined that in this strange new world, the Nan Shi Kingdom would also possess the same resources.
However, the raw, unprocessed flavor of black coffee is probably hard for most people to accept. If handled properly, the sour and astringent taste can be removed; but if handled improperly, the extremely bitter taste and lingering sour aroma are enough to make people afraid to even look at it and unable to swallow it.
Fortunately, Su Nuannuan had the foresight to instruct Yaoqin to prepare fresh milk in advance. Otherwise, given her personal taste preferences, she probably wouldn't have been able to enjoy the pure black coffee. After all, she was already slim and didn't need it to achieve her weight loss goals.
Before long, Zhang Wang skillfully completed the process of brewing coffee. The palace maids who had been waiting for a long time filed in and gracefully served the fragrant cups of coffee that Zhang Wang had prepared to each of the guests.
Of course, not everyone present received such treatment. Apart from the three who sat firmly on the high platform and the four concubines, only those powerful and influential ministers were granted a cup.
The emperor picked up the dark, fragrant teacup in front of him, but found it difficult to drink.
Just as he was hesitating, a startled cry rang out—it was Consort Qing. She exclaimed, "How can this tea be so bitter? It even has a sour taste!" Before she finished speaking, she hurriedly ordered the maid beside her to bring a cup of water so she could rinse her mouth.
In an instant, the entire hall was filled with the sounds of rinsing mouths, as if a unique melody was playing. Upon seeing this, Consort Qin and Consort Li exchanged a glance, and then simultaneously and quickly put down their teacups, afraid of wasting even a moment.
However, among this group, Su Nuannuan stood out from the crowd. With a calm expression and without the slightest hesitation, she resolutely raised her teacup, tilted her head back, and drank it all in one gulp. Only after the liquid had completely entered her throat did she realize that everyone's eyes were fixed on her.
"Why are you all staring at me like that?" Su Nuannuan asked, her face full of doubt.
"Consort Zhuang, how could you possibly swallow such bitter black tea?" Consort Qing stared at Su Nuannuan in astonishment, as if she had seen some kind of monster, and asked incredulously.
Su Nuannuan slowly put down her teacup, a slight smile playing on her lips. She blinked her clear, bright eyes, which were as bright as stars, and looked innocently at Consort Qing, replying softly, "Of course I drink it with my mouth."
Consort Qing: Of course I know it's drunk with the mouth.
However, at this moment, Su Nuannuan's attention was no longer on Consort Qing, but had turned to the Emperor sitting above her.
Su Nuannuan smiled and looked at the Emperor with bright eyes, saying in a sweet voice, "Your Majesty, although this black tea is bitter, it will taste much better if you drink it with a little milk."
Upon hearing this, the Empress laughed with interest and asked, "Oh? Is what Consort Zhuang said true? If it is as miraculous as you say, we might as well give it a try."