Chapter 169

Nowadays, except for a small amount of tribute fruits in the palace, fresh fruits are hardly seen in other markets in the capital.

Therefore, in the newly opened milk tea shops, there are currently no fruit products available. They can only wait for shipments or the next season.

Even so, there are still many varieties of milk tea, listed on the wooden menu board hanging inside the shop.

"Red rice milk tea, five wen."

"Red rice and love pea milk tea, seven wen."

[Red rice, is that blood glutinous rice?]

Xiao Chuchu, being held by Xiao Yunzhou, was wide-eyed with curiosity.

[Love pea, that's red bean?]

Xiao Chuchu was amused, [The milk teas named by Elder Shen Mian all have a literary flair. One cup for the scholar and his lady~]

"Highland barley milk tea, five wen."

"Golden oat milk tea, five wen."

"Double Happiness milk tea (taro ball, choose one more ingredient), eight wen."

"Three Rams Bring Prosperity milk tea (taro ball, choose two more ingredients), ten wen."

"Family Reunion (choose five ingredients), fifteen wen."

[Wow, this is almost no different from modern milk tea shops.]

Held by Xiao Yunzhou, Xiao Chuchu soon saw many students staying in the capital, as well as servants and maids from wealthy merchants' and officials' families, queuing up to buy and try this novelty.

"This is quite interesting. Drinking tea with so many things added. Is this drinking porridge or eating tea?"

Onlookers and frugal commoners chatted among themselves.

"If the things added inside can fill you up, this price is reasonable. Didn't they say they added sheep milk and cow milk from Wu Yun Country? The tea on East Street costs two wen a bowl."

"If you go further out, tea shops outside the city charge one wen a bowl."

"For a meal, five wen isn't expensive, right? After all, it's imperial food."

Farmers who came for the market were still quite poor, calculating if they could afford to buy just one cup of the cheapest option, wondering if it would fill them up.

But the wealthy officials in line were lavish without concern for money, "Give me one Family Reunion."

"I'll take one of everything!"Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com

These particularly extravagant customers usually queued at the front.

Soon, they set an example for the observing commoners.

The shop assistants quickly became busy.

A crisp bamboo tube, about the length of a small arm, was placed on the table. The assistant added half a cup of clear tea, then snow-white cow's milk, and a large spoon of red bean syrup.

In no time, it was delivered to the counter for the waiting servants outside.

This stirred up the watching commoners.

"Five wen for so many things?"

"Is it sweet? Did they add sugar?"

The servant who just bought it turned and answered, "They add sugar, and even asked if I'm afraid of it being too sweet."

"I'm buying it for the young master and miss, and I'm afraid it might be too sweet for them, so I didn't dare to ask for more sugar."

The cashier nodded, "Then how about 70% sugar for two cups, and 100% sugar for the other one?"

The two 'talented scholars' exchanged a glance, their eyes flashing with interest, "That's fine."

"With so many cups, how can you remember who wants how much sugar?"

The cashier looked up at them, chuckled, and then used his brush to make circles and marks on three empty bamboo tubes.

The two 'talented scholars' immediately blushed, realizing they had asked a silly question.

It turned out the staff wrote it on the empty bamboo cups.

The milk tea-making assistants, looking at these marked annotations, would know how to prepare the drinks.

Convenient and accurate.

"Is this imperial shop really run by the court?" the scholar with the beauty mark under their right eye couldn't help but ask again.

The cashier quickly collected the money and gave them a wooden tag with the three milk teas written on it, "Yes, it is. Please wait in the empty space to the side. Next customer, step forward!"

The scholar immediately blushed, realizing they had affected the cashier's speed.

But when she turned her head to look, she was startled. When they had arrived earlier, hardly anyone had been willing to queue up to buy from this milk tea shop.

Upon observation, it was mostly well-dressed people from wealthy families.

But now, quite a few common folk in plain clothes had started to line up.

At this moment, the queue had even extended to the front of the neighboring calligraphy and painting shop!

"Miss, it seems the national treasury of Jing Country is truly desperate for money," Yuan the maid remarked in a hushed voice. "In our Chu State, the court has never sold food to the common people. And this cup is quite expensive."

Ordinary folks obviously couldn't afford to drink it every day.

Those who could frequent the shop were likely merchants and officials' families.

The court was clearly after the silver of these wealthy people!

How desperate for money they must be!

Yuan the maid promptly clutched her own purse tightly.

"The Jing Country court is really good at extorting money. Miss, I think we'd better head home soon..."

But she quickly received their three cups of milk tea from the nearby counter.

As Yuan spoke, she lowered her head to take a sip from the 'Family Reunion' bamboo cup. "If we don't leave soon, all our money will be snatched by Jing Country..."

But after just one sip, she couldn't continue speaking.

The warm, fragrant, and delicious milk tea instantly slid across her lips and teeth, silky smooth with a lingering sweet aftertaste.

Because five different toppings had been added, there was an abundance of ingredients. This single sip brought forth the soft and glutinous red beans and the chewy rice balls.

As she instinctively chewed in her mouth, the sweet and smooth textures, along with the springy softness, added sweetness upon sweetness, instantly capturing her heart!

She had never tasted such delicious tea and snacks before!

Why did it have to be in Jing Country!?

"If we're to leave, it should be after we see the result of our bet with that scholar," said the beauty with the mole by her right eye. "Yuan, don't be in such a hurry."

Yuan was currently using her spoon to scoop up rice balls, mixing them with the milk tea, and had already taken two big mouthfuls. At this moment, her cheeks were completely puffed out.

Mmm...

"Mmmph... Young Miss, I'm... not in such a hurry anymore..."

"???"