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墨書 Inktalez
Xu Zhen entered the estate through a side door, with the steward leading the way in small steps. They wound through deep courtyards, but Xu Zhen had no time to explore. After passing through a small garden, they arrived at a side room in the inner courtyard.
Upon reaching this place, even the steward dared not intrude, as it was where Yan Lide kept his secrets. Lord had warned the servants that this area was fraught with traps, and anyone who trespassed would face dire consequences, so the servants were cautious.
Yan Lide did not exaggerate; there were indeed many mechanisms here, as this room contained the culmination of his life's work. In Xu Zhen's words, it was both his treasure chamber and his private laboratory.
After dismissing the steward, Xu Zhen stepped onto the square tiles in front of the room. The tiles were arranged like a magic square, alternating black and white. Beneath them lay hidden mechanisms that changed daily; they were not fixed. A misstep could trigger a trap, startling those inside or unleashing a barrage of arrows that even a peak expert could not evade.
Xu Zhen had shared many contemporary ideas with Yan Lide, who trusted her completely. He had already informed her of the rules and tricks of navigating the magic square.
Calculating the date and time, Xu Zhen took three steps to the left and one step forward, winding her way carefully until she finally avoided the traps and reached the door. She rang the copper bell at the entrance to summon Yan Lide.
After a long wait without seeing Yan Lide come to open the door, she realized he might be engrossed in research and chose not to disturb him. She waited patiently at the door for a while until hurried footsteps sounded from behind it.
When Yan Lide opened the door, a rush of air greeted Xu Zhen, bringing her a refreshing sensation that instantly transported her back to her time on Earth!
“Brother Yan, have you succeeded in your research?!” Xu Zhen exclaimed in surprise, her face lighting up with joy. Yan Lide merely chuckled, stroked his beard, and nodded, saying, “I have lived up to expectations!”
Hastily entering the room, Xu Zhen saw on a curved-legged table a plump glass bottle with two ears and a narrow mouth. The bottle emitted a faint cool fragrance!
Despite Yan Lide's rotund appearance, he was quite skillful; outwardly rough but inwardly meticulous. The room was neatly organized and categorized, reflecting his rigorous attitude towards scholarship and research.
Xu Zhen quickly approached the table, used her pinky to scoop out a pinch of something resembling salt crystals from the bottle, tasted it, and her eyes brightened instantly. She turned to Yan Lide, exclaiming, “This is the flavor! Hahaha! This is it!”
Yan Lide was somewhat surprised; although this was just one of many formulas given to him by Xu Zhen, it was not difficult to make. With Li Chunfeng's assistance and ample materials at hand, he had managed to produce this simplest formula within days.
Although he and Li Chunfeng had discussed its effects privately, they had only speculated about it. Xu Zhen had not provided much detail either, only saying she wanted to give them a surprise.
Now that it was successfully made, Xu Zhen quickly asked Yan Lide to send someone to invite Li Chunfeng, while also instructing the servants to prepare some ice cubes and tribute sugar.
The ice cubes were easy enough to obtain; both Yan Lide and Li Chunfeng needed them for various experiments to preserve important items. However, tribute sugar was something that made Yan Lide feel somewhat pained.
The tribute sugar from the Tang Dynasty inherited its boiling method from India but lacked transparency in color. Indeed, there was tribute sugar stored in Yan Lide's estate given by the Sovereign; it came from foreign merchants who obtained it from India and was crystal clear like ice—truly an exquisite product.
Li Chunfeng heard that Xu Zhen had summoned him, so he hurried to Yan Lide's residence. Upon arrival, he found Xu Zhen and Yan Lide seated in the Pavilion. It was May, and the sun was blazing. Although his thin silk clothing was cool, he was still drenched in sweat.
Once inside the Pavilion, he noticed that between Xu Zhen and Yan Lide stood an ice bucket containing four Luminous Cups filled with Jade Nectar, a fine brew whose origin he could not discern.
"Li Darlong, you’ve worked hard. Please sit down and try my little brother's new drink!" Xu Zhen said as she stood up to retrieve a Luminous Cup from the ice bucket. Yan Lide and Li Chunfeng exchanged puzzled glances as they took the cups in hand.
At that moment, dew droplets glistened on the Luminous Cups, which felt icy to the touch. The liquid inside bubbled with effervescence, and if one listened closely, they could hear the soft fizzing of bubbles breaking the surface. A refreshing sensation immediately enveloped them.
"You called me over in such a hurry just to taste a new drink?" Li Chunfeng couldn't help but feel disappointed, thinking Xu Zhen had some new idea to share, only to find it was this...
Yan Lide shook his head with a wry smile. This concoction was a recipe given to him by Xu Zhen, labeled simply as Soda. He didn't quite understand its significance but knew that some of its ingredients were rather difficult to consume. If not for Xu Zhen submitting her new method of salt preparation to the court, which led to the establishment of a salt office in the northwest Salt Pans, acquiring the raw materials would have been quite challenging.
Li Chunfeng, drenched in sweat, paid little mind to these details. Feeling the coolness of the Luminous Cup in his hand, he gulped down a large mouthful!
Xu Zhen watched Li Chunfeng with a smile while Yan Lide brought his cup close to his lips, both eager to see Li Chunfeng's reaction. However, Li Chunfeng sat there wide-eyed and dazed, unable to regain his senses for quite some time!
It wasn't that he was stunned; rather, it was the first time in his life he had tasted such a peculiar yet delightful drink!
As soon as this nameless beverage touched his tongue, it felt as if thousands of tiny fish were swimming around in his mouth. An extremely refreshing flavor stimulated every taste bud, causing saliva to flow like a spring!
After swallowing the drink, it felt as if ice had been scraped from his neck all the way down to his abdomen—a wave of coolness surged through him. Li Chunfeng suddenly felt incredibly refreshed and even shivered in the heat!
Xu Zhen seemed to have anticipated this reaction; she chuckled lightly before returning to her seat and reclining against the armrest while savoring her drink. Yan Lide quickly asked, "Chunfeng brother, how does it feel?"
Li Chunfeng swallowed hard again and eagerly took another sip. This time he savored it slowly, letting the liquid linger on his tongue before exclaiming in delight!
"This is indeed a holy remedy for heat!"
Seeing Li Chunfeng so taken aback, Yan Lide couldn't help but taste it himself. His reaction mirrored Li Chunfeng's exactly; in fact, he was even more exaggerated—his round body trembled as if he had just tasted the most delicious thing in the world!
“Xu Shaojun, what is the name of this new drink, and how does it possess such marvelous effects?” the two asked almost in unison.
Xu Zhen chuckled and took another sip before leisurely replying, “This is called Soda Water, a secret brew from my hometown. You two brothers must not spread the word!”
“Soda Water?”
Yan Lide and Li Chunfeng were taken aback, especially Li Chunfeng. He had traveled the world and was well-versed in various customs and cultures, yet he couldn't recall any information about Soda, which made him regard Xu Zhen with newfound respect.
Yan Lide had initially complained that extracting the Soda had taken him considerable effort. He had even arranged for the Ministry of Works to burn expensive glass bottles and glass tubes based on Xu Zhen's designs. If it weren't for the abundance of talented craftsmen in the Tang Dynasty, such a remarkable item would have been impossible to create.
“Besides Soda, there must be other refreshing ingredients in this Soda Water, right? From the taste in my mouth, I sense that there should be Peppermint...” Li Chunfeng remarked as he savored the Soda Water.
“Indeed, Brother Chunfeng is quite observant. Yes, Peppermint juice has been added; otherwise, how could its color be so vibrant green?” Yan Lide replied with a chuckle, nodding proudly.
However, he quickly shifted his gaze and asked Li Chunfeng, “There’s one more ingredient; can you identify it?”
Seeing Yan Lide's intent to test him, Li Chunfeng felt reluctant but took another careful taste. After a moment of furrowing his brow, he finally relaxed and exclaimed, “Wonderful! There’s actually Dragon Brain in here?!”
Yan Lide burst into laughter and gave Li Chunfeng a thumbs up. “Brother Chunfeng is indeed knowledgeable; it is Dragon Brain! Hahaha!”
Li Chunfeng raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching slightly at the thought of using such a rare ingredient to make a drink. It was likely only these two could pull off something like this. Nevertheless, he couldn't deny that this Soda Water was truly exceptional!
The three were enjoying their conversation when suddenly a commotion arose from the front yard. An elderly man with white hair barged into the back courtyard, walking briskly while shouting, “Is Dr. Li in the house?”
Upon hearing this voice, Li Chunfeng nearly spat out the Soda Water he had just sipped. Afraid of wasting such a divine concoction, he forced himself to swallow it down, turning his face blue in the process.
Yan Lide sighed deeply as he heard the voice and muttered to himself, “Here we go again...”
Xu Zhen looked over and saw the burly Wei Chi Jing De, Old General, striding in confidently, which made her smile wryly.
Although Wei Chi Jing De was reckless, he was wise in a foolish way. Knowing that his territory was secure, he set aside the Armor of Blades and refrained from competing with others for achievements. For thousands of years, he had been superstitious about divine elixirs, grinding metals and stones, swallowing Healing Powder, and inviting many musicians and dancers to entertain him, closing his doors to guests for as long as sixteen years.
Since the Xu Zhen rose to fame, he became entangled with her. Whenever he had free time, he would visit the Xu Zhen's residence to seek divine elixirs and magical techniques. Unable to resist, the Xu Zhen could only pass him on to Li Chunfeng.
Wei Chi Jing De knew that Li Chunfeng had a close relationship with the Xu Zhen. Even the Sage sought divination from Li Chunfeng, which suggested that Li Chunfeng indeed had some abilities. Thus, he began visiting Li Chunfeng's residence every day.
Today, upon arriving at Li Chunfeng's residence, he heard that Li Chunfeng was in a hurry to visit Yan Lide's mansion. Wei Chi Jing De followed him there.
Seeing Wei Chi Jing De's demeanor, the Xu Zhen suddenly came up with a plan. She had been troubled by how to advise the Sovereign but now felt enlightened and hurriedly instructed Yan Lide and Li Chunfeng to hide the Luminous Cup.
Upon hearing that Li Chunfeng was in a rush, Wei Chi Jing De left and went to Yan Lide's mansion, where he also learned that Xu Jun Gong was present. He secretly speculated that perhaps the Xu Zhen was passing on her teachings to Li Chunfeng and Yan Lide.
Although both Li Chunfeng and Yan Lide were well-known figures, it had to be acknowledged that since they became close with the Xu Zhen, their careers had been remarkably smooth. Now that he had stumbled upon them, it truly felt like a great opportunity!
Wei Chi Jing De hurried over and saw the Xu Zhen and the two men hiding away, further confirming his suspicions. Upon entering, he found the three of them gathered around an ice bucket containing a green drink that looked vibrant and full of life!
"Great! I finally caught you! You are indeed sneaking some Jade Nectar! Let me taste this divine wine too!" Wei Chi Jing De was straightforward and spoke without restraint even in front of the Sovereign. The court officials feared his fiery temper; accustomed to being direct, he grabbed the Luminous Cup and drank it down!
"Oh no! I forgot there was still a cup in the ice bucket..." Li Chunfeng and Yan Lide exclaimed in surprise. However, the Xu Zhen merely smiled slyly at Wei Chi Jing De as if she were looking at a beautiful young lady on Chang'an Street!
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