Chapter 112: No Reaction?

Chapter 112

No Reaction?

Once the tea ceremony concluded, Mu Rongying and the guests exchanged formal bows. Nie Shuang presented the academy with a set of tea brewing equipment. The headmaster praised the tea ceremony, unable to contain his admiration, and even requested that Nie Ying come to the academy to teach tea brewing. Students stood clustered behind their teacher, seemingly interested in his words, but in reality, their eyes were glued to Mu Rongying, who sat quietly behind Nie Shuang.

"If Lady Boss permits, the Huangjing Academy would like to invite Young Miss Nie Ying to provide instruction on tea brewing,"

The headmaster proposed. Naturally, his request was genuine, but the young male students’ faces lit up with barely concealed delight. Kang Wang’s hands, hidden beneath his sleeves, clenched into fists. But when he spoke, it was with a soft, gentle smile.

"Young Miss Nie is an unmarried young woman. It would be improper for her to teach in a place filled with young men. Lady Boss would only face undue trouble. Perhaps it would be better for the teachers to train at the tea house and then impart the knowledge to your students yourself."

The headmaster nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

"I had forgotten about the importance of a lady’s reputation. If one isn’t careful, rumors might spread. I am grateful for your wisdom, Your Highness."

Still, arranging a meeting with Lady Boss wasn’t easy. The headmaster quickly tried to seal the deal.

"In that case, would it be possible for me to send the teacher of ceremony department tomorrow for training?"

As this was already part of Lady Boss’s plan to promote the tea ceremony, she didn’t refuse. The headmaster then inquired about the tea brewing equipment.

"The academy must thank Lady Boss for the tea set gift. Although each piece is something one can usually find, the set you use appears far more exquisite. Does the Xiangyun Tea House offer these for sale?"

Nie Shuang gave a wide smile, the kind that Song Qilin and Kang Wang adored, her eyes curving like crescent moons. She gestured toward the display shelves.

"Please, take a look over here. We have prepared full sets of tea ceremony equipment in beautifully crafted wooden boxes. Each piece is meticulously handmade, perfect for use in ceremonies or as room decor or even as gifts."

The headmaster was already advanced in age, while Nie Shuang was close in age to his niece. Seeing her bright smile, he felt quite fond of her. As she enthusiastically guided him around the products, explaining them, he soon found himself purchasing three sets. On top of that, she ‘kindly’ waived the usual two-box-per-person limit for Mo Cha Fen and sold him ten boxes, making an exception just for the academy.

"Would you like them loaded onto the carriage, Headmaster?"

When a student turned to ask, the headmaster, stroking his beard absentmindedly, nodded. What would his wife say when she saw this? She’d surely scold him for being wasteful...

"I’ll take these to the academy. These will be used by all the students for their studies."

The students all bowed to the headmaster with gratitude. Each tea brewing set cost 200 taels, and the headmaster had willingly paid for them so his students could practice. This showed how important learning the tea ceremony was. Although the headmaster felt like his wallet had taken a hit, seeing the admiring and appreciative looks from his students made his heart swell with pride.

Well...Since Lady Boss was going to teach the tea brewing method, this could be his way of thanking her.

Kang Wang noticed the smile Nie Shuang gave the headmaster and couldn’t help but smirk, realizing another person had fallen into her carefully laid trap. When he saw the headmaster’s pained expression as though regretting the expense, he discreetly lifted a handkerchief to cover his own amused grin. Then, in his deep voice, he spoke,

"Lady Boss, have your people send ten sets of tea brewing equipment to me. Besides using them myself, I’ll send some to the royal palace as well."

"You’ve made a wise decision, Your Highness. Ordering now is best. There aren’t many complete sets available, and each skilled craftsman takes several days to finish a single set. Any delay, and even ten sets might be difficult to produce in time."

Hearing Kang Wang’s order made Nie Shuang’s heart swell with joy. Her products had gained popularity largely due to his influence. Anything that became popular in the palace inevitably became a trend among the nobility. Just look at her teas, Lü Cui and Hong Bao, which were now widely consumed in both the palace and among the capital’s aristocrats. She thought she would have to find a way to properly express her gratitude to Kang Wang soon.

When the headmaster overheard that the tea brewing equipment would be sent to the palace, his heartache eased slightly. Even though he had spent a considerable amount today, once the tea ceremony became popular, the academy would surely reap much greater rewards.

As people began to leave, some of the young men lingered, wanting to approach Mu Rongying to speak with her. However, she remained seated quietly behind Nie Shuang. When Nie Shuang stood up to help the headmaster with the tea brewing equipment, at some point, Kang Wang had sat in the way, blocking the scholars’ path. Although he didn’t actively stop them, they dared not walk past him, fearing it would seem disrespectful. Kang Wang seemed unaware he was obstructing them, but who would dare tell him to move? In the end, after the headmaster said his goodbyes, the young scholars reluctantly retreated.

"Tomorrow, Qilin will set out on his journey. Please stay for lunch at the mansion, Your Highness,"

Nie Shuang invited when she saw that Kang Wang was about to leave. Mu Rongying, who had been sitting by the wall, finally stood up. She lowered her head and followed the others, when suddenly, the person in front of her turned around, causing her to walk straight into a solid chest.

"Ah!"

She raised her hand to gently rub her nose. The small tip of her nose looked slightly red and amusing, and her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. Only then did she realize that the person in front of her was Kang Wang. He had abruptly stopped and turned, speaking to his attendant as if he had remembered something. Walking so close behind him, she had no time to avoid the collision. Even though it hurt, the gentle Young Miss Mu would never dare blame him.

"My apologies, Your Highness,"

She lowered her head and softly murmured an apology.

Kang Wang glanced down at her briefly, showing little concern, before speaking over her head to his attendant standing behind.

"Take me to Lady Boss’s mansion first, then return to transport the tea brewing equipment back to the palace."

After the attendant acknowledged the order, Kang Wang immediately turned away. The attendants were puzzled. Such a small matter, and yet Kang Wang felt the need to personally issue instructions? Usually, they handled these tasks without missing a detail. What was going on with Kang Wang today? Could it be that the tea brewing equipment were so special that he had to emphasize their importance?Meanwhile, Mu Rongying quietly held her nose as she made her way to the carriage, unaware of the slight, amused smile tugging at the corners of Kang Wang’s lips as he stepped into his carriage.