Chapter 41: Born

Chapter 41

Born

Since the grand opening, the Xiangyun Tea House became a frequent topic of conversation among the people in the city. Previously, many had scoffed at the idea of opening a tea house in a city where tea was produced, claiming it wasn’t a wise decision. However, most of the customers who visited turned out to be locals themselves.

If someone from out of town asked about Lü Cui tea and they didn’t know about it, how embarrassing that would be!

Everyone in the city had to deal with merchants from other cities, and no one wanted to seem behind the times. Not only did the locals go to try the tea to experience its flavor, but sometimes they even boasted about it themselves.

"Lü Cui tea, hmm? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Don’t think I’m bragging, but even if you visit Huangjing often, I doubt you’ve ever tasted it. It’s incomparable to the bulk tea you buy from the Chun Shui Shop. Lü Cui has a rich aroma and color. Kang Wang loved it after his first taste and bought twenty jin to take home. I, too, was invited to sample it. I would’ve bought several boxes, but high-quality tea like this is produced in limited quantities each year. Even if you have money, you can’t buy more than two boxes per person."

Talking about Lü Cui tea gave people a sense of prestige and sophistication. Scholars began frequenting the tea house regularly, even inviting their teachers along. They felt that sitting and having a light discussion in the relaxed atmosphere, the beautiful scenery, and the refined tea at an affordable price offered a pleasure they couldn’t find in a classroom. Here, they felt free, and conversations with their teachers were more comfortable than those held in the academy. Moreover, the tea house had the Four Treasures of the Study available in one corner: paper, ink, brushes, and inkstones—all of which were high quality. Scholars could practice calligraphy or jot down ideas from their discussions. If someone’s handwriting was particularly beautiful, they could display it for other guests to admire, giving them a platform to showcase their talents. Even the works of renowned academy teachers were rotated on the walls.

Eventually, Nie Shuang had to expand the tea house to the second floor. She took the opportunity to create private rooms and add a shaded patio beneath the trees. Large paper umbrellas were placed to shield guests from the afternoon sun, creating a chic and cozy atmosphere.

The high-born ladies of the city also took notice and joined in. They dressed meticulously, booking private rooms on the second floor for their gatherings. As these young misses ascended the stairs, they often slowed their pace as they passed the scholars’ tables. Many of the scholars came from prominent families and had bright futures ahead of them. If they caught the eye of one of these young women, it could lead to a favorable marriage match. For these groups of women, snacks were particularly popular. In addition to soft red bean-filled glutinous rice cakes, Nie Shuang had the chef fry delicate rice crackers as a complimentary treat. The ladies enjoyed chatting and munching on the crispy snacks. The more they ate, the thirstier they became, and the more tea they ordered.

Ding Tao, seeing how people now spoke of Lü Cui tea as if it were some precious treasure, and how his own tea shop was viewed as merely ordinary, became increasingly resentful. Even though the Xiangyun Tea House mainly catered to a wealthier clientele and hadn’t yet significantly impacted his Chun Shui Shop’s sales, he couldn’t rest easy. He was determined to discover the secret of Lü Cui tea production. Once he did, he vowed to crush the Xiangyun Tea House completely.

Ding Tao had someone secretly purchase a box of Lü Cui tea. He meticulously examined the packaging, the inner paper wrapping, and the tea leaves. The box clearly indicated that the tea was from the Jiang family’s plantation on Mount Dushan, near Lake Changbai, which was known as the Heavenly Lake. Everyone knew that tea grown on Mount Dushan was of the highest quality. It was a shame that he hadn’t been able to force the Jiang family to sell their plantation earlier; otherwise, he would not have to be so terrified now! If he hadn’t pushed the price too low, Jiang Zilu would likely have sold it by now.

Ding Tao was convinced that the secret to the tea’s production lay with that Lady Boss. Otherwise, how could the Jiang family’s plantation have kept this a secret for so long? He considered sending someone to sneak into the mansion to spy, but he feared they’d be caught by the Shen Nong Protection Agency, which was located on the same grounds.

Since noticing Ding Tao’s behavior on the day of the tea house’s opening, Nie Shuang hadn’t let her guard down. She had Yan Zhan station people to monitor the tea house constantly while also keeping an eye on Ding Tao. This man would resort to any means necessary. He was a scoundrel, and it was clear that he was plotting something against the Xiangyun Tea House.

Hmph...if he thought he could monopolize the market, he’d have to see if he could compete with others. Even if he owned all the tea plantations in the land, without the ability to develop superior products, others would surpass him. What value would the tea in his hands hold then? Ding Tao was very narrow-mindedness. His approach of crushing competitors without mercy left no room for others to grow. How could the tea business thrive like this? Let’s wait and see. If he dared to play dirty with her, she’d make sure he regretted it.

However, before Nie Shuang could take her next steps, her time for childbirth arrived. One night in the middle of the fourth month, chaos erupted in the Nie family’s mansion. The midwife, herbal doctor, and wet nurses had already been summoned and were on standby. Nie Shuang began experiencing labor pains in the early evening, but it wasn’t until the Zi hour, near midnight, that the pushing began. She was in excruciating pain. Her thoughts were consumed with memories of Song Qilin. If only he knew she was about to give birth to his child—how happy he would be. Her mind was in turmoil, yearning for him to be by her side.

The elderly midwife had been delivering babies her whole life and was an expert. Seeing that Nie Shuang was just a young girl giving birth to twins, she comforted her.

"Don’t be afraid, little one. They’re not too big; you shouldn’t have too much trouble delivering them."

She gave Nie Shuang a ginseng and red sugar tonic. Nie Shuang obediently followed every instruction the midwife gave her. When told to push, she pushed. What else could she do in such a situation? The room was hot and stuffy, filled with steam from the hot water that had been brought in. All the doors and windows were tightly shut. Although Xiao San and Xiao Tong were scared, they stayed in the room with her, assisting the midwife’s helpers. After straining for a while, Nie Shuang finally heard the loud cry of a newborn.

"He’s out, he’s out."

Xiao San exclaimed with joy.

“It’s a boy.”

The midwife quickly and skillfully cut the umbilical cord, handed the baby boy to an assistant, and then returned to focus on delivering the second baby. Xiao Tong brought the baby boy over for Nie Shuang to see.

"Look, Young Furen, he’s so beautiful!"

Nie Shuang was too exhausted to speak. She glanced at the baby in Xiao Tong’s arms, finding new strength. Xiao San handed her another large spoonful of the red sugar tonic, and then she continued pushing.

The cry of the baby echoed through the room once more, and Nie Shuang collapsed in utter exhaustion. It was finally over. She was completely drained, too tired to even listen for whether the second child was a boy or a girl. The midwife carefully felt her abdomen to check if the placenta was still inside. Suddenly, the midwife’s excited voice broke through.

"Don’t fall asleep yet, dear. Push again quickly."

Nie Shuang had Xiao San feed her another spoonful of red sugar tonic and tucked some ginseng under her tongue. She had heard that if the placenta wasn’t fully delivered, it could cause severe bleeding. She had to hold on. Just a little longer, and it would be over.

The room was filled with the cries of newborns. Nie Shuang felt something slip from her body, and the midwife exclaimed joyfully.

"All done! Congratulations, dear. You’ve had a..."Nie Shuang couldn’t hear the rest of the sentence. Overcome with exhaustion, she lost consciousness.