I run a training class in Shu Han

Chapter 114 Zhuge Liang's Divination

After receiving the official appointment from the imperial court, Meng Huo immediately set off to return to Jianning County.

In addition to one hundred personal guards, the accompanying entourage also included students from the Imperial Academy's liberal arts, agricultural, and water conservancy engineering classes.

Not only that, Liu Shan also personally led all the officials to see Meng Huo off.

The scene was no less grand than when Liu Bei saw off Zhang Song, the Prefect of Yizhou.

"His Majesty......"

Meng Huo was so moved that he burst into tears and immediately knelt down.

"Prefect Meng, get up. I said you don't need to kneel."

After Liu Shan helped him up, he patted the dust off him and said, "I've seen you off for a thousand miles, but we must part eventually. I hope that after Prefect Meng returns to the south, he will be a good official and bring blessings to the people of the south. That would make me very satisfied."

"Your subject Meng Huo is determined to repay Your Majesty's kindness by sacrificing his life."

Zhuge Liang approached and said softly, "Your Majesty, it's getting late."

Liu Shan nodded and ordered someone to bring him a bowl of tea.

"Prefect Meng, the journey to the south is long and arduous. As the saying goes, one should not drink wine while riding a horse. Therefore, I will offer this tea as a farewell gift to Prefect Meng."

Meng Huo took the teacup with both hands, tilted his head back and gulped it down. He immediately felt refreshed and the tea tasted delicious.

"Your Majesty, this tea..."

Meng Huo's eyes lit up. This tea was different from the tea he usually drank. Even the tea he had drunk at the Prime Minister's residence was not as fresh and refreshing as this tea.

"This is the first batch of spring tea, Zhuyeqing, this year. Only whole single buds or one bud and one leaf are picked. It is processed by hand by students in the tea ceremony class. More than 30,000 buds are needed to make one pound of dried tea."

"The yield is low, so I have already ordered people to prepare half a jin, which has been loaded onto the cart."

When Meng learned how precious this tea was, he burst into tears on the spot.

"I have remembered Your Majesty's words. Today Your Majesty has bestowed upon me half a catty of tea. In time, I will return to Your Majesty a peaceful and prosperous southern region."

After seeing Meng Huo off, Liu Shan was about to return to the palace when Zong Yu stopped him.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

Liu Shan smiled, knowing his purpose, and beckoned to him, saying, "Come here."

After Zong Yu approached, he took the teacup that Liu Shan had just given to Meng Huo and sniffed it.

"Zongyu, you must not be disrespectful in front of His Majesty," Huo Ge said in a low voice.

Liu Shan didn't mind and said, "It's alright, let him smell it to his heart's content."

Zong Yu picked up the tea set again, poured the remaining tea into a cup, and began to taste it as if no one else was around.

When the ministers saw him like this, they couldn't help but laugh.

"You've come all the way to His Majesty to ask for tea? I've never heard of you, Zong Deyan, being a connoisseur of tea."

"This tea is so bland, like water. Isn't it bitter?"

"Don't talk nonsense if you don't understand. This is new tea made by students of the Imperial Academy's tea ceremony class, according to His Majesty's decree."

"If that's the case, I'd like to try the taste of saltiness."

"Haven't you heard? This tea is produced in small quantities; you probably won't even get a chance to get some."

Zong Yu paid no attention to the discussions among his ministers, but instead immersed himself in enjoying his tea.

"Your Majesty, the new tea is truly ready!" Zong Yu suddenly opened his eyes and shouted.

"It will naturally work," Liu Shan said with a smile.

"Then I will take this tea with me on my mission to Eastern Wu," Zong Yu said confidently.

Liu Shan said, "I have already ordered the new tea to be packed. You can go to the tea ceremony class to pick it up anytime. Also, Yizhou tea can be produced in three seasons a year, including summer tea and autumn tea. The processing techniques are not exactly the same, and the flavors are also different. You may have to make a few more trips this year."

Zong Yu not only did not complain at all, but was extremely excited and said, "Your subject will go and make preparations immediately."

"Also, there are several skilled tea-brewing girls in the tea ceremony class, personally taught by me. Take them with you. If you don't make a splash this time..."

"I bring you my head."

After saying this, Zong Yu bowed to Liu Shan with his hands clasped, then turned and left in a hurry.

Zong Yu's outburst sparked interest among the court officials in the new tea.

"Your Majesty, since it is newly made tea, and Prefect Meng brought half a catty of it, we cannot show favoritism."

Seeing the curiosity of his ministers, Liu Shan smiled and asked, "What's wrong? Do you all want to try something new?"

"nature!"

Liu Shan suddenly grinned mischievously and said, "Want to drink my tea? Don't even think about it! You'll have to prove yourself."

"Your Majesty, what truly constitutes real skill?"

"Good question. The real skill lies in your first-quarter performance targets. Those who meet the targets will be rewarded with half a catty (250 grams). Those who don't will only get a taste of the aroma."

Although they couldn't drink the new tea for the time being, the courtiers were amused and burst into laughter.

"Since Your Majesty has already set the stakes, we will certainly work hard to achieve our goals."

As the assembled officials were brimming with confidence, Jiang Wan approached Zhuge Liang and asked, "Prime Minister, have you tasted this new tea...?"

Zhuge Liang smiled and said, "When this tea was made, His Majesty and I tasted it. It was sweet, mellow and fresh, a top-grade tea. His Majesty even bestowed two catties upon me."

After saying this, Zhuge Liang proudly raised two fingers.

Two jin!

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wan swallowed hard, wondering how to get some of the new tea from Zhuge Liang to try.

Zhuge Liang saw through Jiang Wan's little scheme and said, "This tea only needs to be brewed with boiling water. The tea soup is bright yellow-green and has a lingering aftertaste. Gongyan, don't try to take advantage of me. Just do your job well, and His Majesty will reward you."

"Yes!" Jiang Wan bowed awkwardly to Zhuge Liang.

Liu Shan was preparing to return to the palace by carriage when he saw Zhuge Liang approaching, and knew that he had something to discuss with him.

"Prime Minister, please get in the carriage and return to the palace with me."

After Zhuge Liang got into the carriage, he first talked to Liu Shan about Zong Yu's mission to Eastern Wu.

"Your Majesty, Zong Yu has discussed with me that once the new tea gains Gu Yong's appreciation, all tea produced in Yizhou will be tied to Zhibai coins, just like Shu brocade."

The essence of improving tea-making techniques was to make money and enrich the national treasury.

"Your Excellency, the new tea is different from traditional tea in its production and taste, and it will surely be welcomed by the people of Jiangnan. However, what I am worried about is that there are many talented people in Eastern Wu. They will soon be able to figure out the tea-making process through our new tea. At that time, our tea will no longer be unique."

Although tea is not popular in the north, it is often grown in the south. However, due to the backward tea-making process, tea has not become mainstream.

"Your Majesty, I have also considered this matter. If the craftsmanship is not unique, then we should strive to make our tea unique."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shan's eyes lit up, and he said, "My lord, you and I share the same view. The world is vast, and there are many kinds of tea, with ever-changing flavors. We should select the most special and rare tea varieties and regard them as the finest, exclusively for those aristocratic families."

Not to mention ancient times, even in modern times, there are countless types of tea on the market, and their prices vary greatly.

There are inexpensive, common teas, as well as affordable everyday teas, and then there are the high-end teas that cost thousands or tens of thousands of yuan per kilogram.

These superb teas come in many varieties.

Those who appreciate fine tea will spare no expense to buy their favorite teas for personal enjoyment or as gifts.

What Liu Shan needed to do was manage the business of selling those expensive, high-quality teas.

After discussing the art of tea for a while, Zhuge Liang changed the subject and slowly said, "Your Majesty, there is something I am unsure whether I should say it."

Liu Shan raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

People who say such things are usually saying things they shouldn't say.

But I couldn't refuse.

"Please speak, Your Excellency."

Although there were only two people in the carriage, Zhuge Liang still used a feather fan to shield them and prevent any leaks.

"Your Majesty, you and the Empress have been married for several years, but you have yet to give birth to a prince, which has caused some controversy in the court."

On the surface, this prince was seen as an auspicious sign of a long reign and a prosperous royal family, but in reality, he was a tool for court officials to protect their own interests and the inheritance of their family's glory.

Empress Zhang represented the interests of the Jingzhou faction, and they naturally hoped that she would give birth to a legitimate eldest son as soon as possible and then be made crown prince to stabilize their position in the court.

"Prime Minister, it's not that I haven't tried hard enough, this child's fate is what matters."

Liu Shan did try very hard to conceive again, and he even consulted the imperial physicians. Both he and the empress were in good health, but they just couldn't conceive.

Zhuge Liang was naturally aware of this matter and quickly said, "Your Majesty, if we have done everything we can and still cannot get what we want, we might as well ask Heaven."

"Ask God? How can you ask Him!"

"I have dared to perform a divination, and it seems that Heaven has already made its arrangements."

"What is the arrangement?"

It is said that Zhuge Liang was skilled in divination and astrology, and Liu Shan firmly believed this.

"I obtained a divination result, which is 'Returning Maiden,' a very inauspicious divination."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shan gasped in shock.