"How does it taste? Is it good?" Li Jingyun's eyes sparkled as she looked at Li Yin.
Li Yin closed his eyes and immersed himself in the experience. Like a connoisseur tasting wine, he savored it carefully. The milk flavor was more prominent on his lips and tongue, making the tea aroma seem a bit faint, but the taste wasn't strange. He thought that such a warm bowl of milk tea would surely attract some customers if sold.
"The tea aroma is a bit faint, but it's still very good. After all, people drink this for its novelty," Li Yin said truthfully.
"It's not just about novelty. We need to make them crave it and keep coming back for more. This is the business wisdom Sister Gaoyang taught me! Sister Gaoyang opened an ice house with my ice - making skills using saltpeter. I can open a warm drink house to complement hers. In summer, people can go to her shop to eat ice pastries and ice cream. In autumn and winter, they can come to my warm drink house for a bowl of freshly - brewed milk tea. Isn't that wonderful?"
Li Jingyun propped her chin with one hand and had already started daydreaming about her future life.
Her words made Li Yin burst out laughing. This younger sister had such a wild imagination. She dared to think of anything and do anything.
It was well - known that the ice house had been extremely profitable. It could make a net profit of ten thousand coins a day. And Gaoyang wasn't satisfied with just the one in Chang'an. She was already planning to open ice houses in Luoyang, Yangzhou, Yizhou, Wujun, Youzhou and other places. She was scouting for suitable locations and would rent the shops once she found them.
Gaoyang was now a well - known young millionairess.
"Hongxuan, what are you going to do next? Adjust the flavor of the milk tea?" Li Yin asked with a smile.
"Of course. Having just one kind won't do. There should be a variety."
Li Jingyun waved her little hand as if a variety of milk teas were already laid out in front of her: milk tea with wolfberries, chrysanthemums, roses, and jasmine. They must be sweet and fragrant, and people would surely love them.
The servants brought over the sugar, rose petals and other ingredients Li Jingyun needed. She lowered her head and continued to adjust the milk tea. The whole room was filled with a complex and rich aroma.
Li Jingyun was always good at sharing. She gave each servant a bowl of the variously - flavored milk teas she had brewed. Opinions were divided. The main issues were about how much sugar to add, whether to boil the milk, whether to put the tea leaves or the milk first, and whether to replace the milk with goat's milk.
At that time, goat's milk was surely easier to obtain than cow's milk. Cows were important farm animals for plowing. Even when a cow died, the owner had to report to the government, detailing how the cow died and how it was going to be disposed of. Sheep were mainly for meat, and more farmers raised sheep. Even in Li Jingyun's villa, there were four sheep, including Big Bleat and her kids, raised beside the printing workshop.
"Hongxuan, it's getting late. What did Father tell you?"
Two hours had passed, and Li Yin reminded her on time. Father had not only told Li Jingyun but also warned him seriously not to let his sister run wild outside. If they really wanted to have fun, they should wait until she was in her teens.
Li Jingyun paused with the copper stove in her hand. Her face instantly fell. "Father said I should go back early today."
Outside, the sky was filled with red clouds, and the sun was setting in the west. It would probably be getting dark by the time they got back to the imperial city. They had no choice but to head back.
She felt she hadn't accomplished much, yet it was already getting dark. Sure enough, after summer, the days got shorter.
"Sixth brother, can I live with you?" Li Jingyun pouted, and her eyes turned red. Tears were about to fall.
Li Yin quickly comforted her. "After you go back, you can brew the milk tea for Mother and the other concubines. What do you think? They must know more than me and can give you some suggestions."
"Hey? That's a good idea!" Li Jingyun immediately held back her tears and happily prepared to go back.
The little eunuch asked, "Princess, do you want to take these ingredients back?"
"There's everything in the palace. Don't bother yourselves. It's getting late. You can all rest."
Li Jingyun stepped onto the carriage briskly and urged, "Hurry back! Father and Mother are waiting for me!"
"Yes." The coachman replied obediently. On the surface, he showed no reaction, but in fact, he was curious about what had happened today. Why was the little princess so happy to return to the palace?
The carriage slowly drove out of the princess mansion.
Less than an hour later, they were back in the imperial city. While reviewing memorials, Li Shimin happened to look up and saw Li Jingyun standing in front of him. He exclaimed in surprise, "You're back so early today."
"I missed you, Father!" Li Jingyun approached him skillfully and started to act coquettishly without any hesitation.
This made Li Shimin even happier. "Okay, okay. I still need to review these memorials for a while. You go back and sleep first. You're not any less busy than me. Our little princess has a lot of things to do."
"A lot of things? What does that mean? I've sorted out ten thousand books before, and I'll sell over ten thousand bowls of milk tea later." Li Jingyun said with a smile. "It's not even the first watch yet. Father, I'll go back and continue to adjust the milk tea. I'll bring you a bowl when it's ready."
"Sure."
Li Shimin was touched. His daughter had grown up and knew how to care about him. She even rushed to bring him the freshly - brewed milk tea.
In the backyard of Taihe Hall, where Li Jingyun used to make ice with saltpeter, there was now a rich and mellow aroma, a combination of milk and tea.
At first, only Li Mingda came to find her and sat beside her to help brew the milk tea. Then Concubine Yang, Concubine Yan, Concubine Wei and Lady Wei all came one by one. Concubine Wei even brought Prince Ji, Li Shen, who had just started to walk.
Li Shen was chubby. He smelled the fragrance and wanted to climb into the copper stove where the milk tea was being brewed. It took a long time for everyone to calm him down. He stared intently at the soon - to - be - ready milk tea.
Princess Xinxing, Princess Jinshan, Princess Changshan, who were still living in the palace and unmarried, and the young Princess Xincheng also came to join in the fun.
Empress Zhangsun was absent. Although her illness had been cured, her body was still weak. Taoist Priest Sun Simiao had prescribed a diet and a daily routine for her to recuperate.
Li Jingyun was quite confused. "Does the smell of the milk tea travel so far? Why has everyone come?"
"We all know you're making something new. We're just curious. Milk can make the skin fair, black tea can quench thirst, and roses are nourishing. Put them together, and the effect will surely double," Concubine Wei said seriously. Everyone nodded in agreement.
This thing was very attractive to women. Li Jingyun seemed to see a large amount of money flowing towards her.
"Sister Hongxuan! Can we drink it now? I want to be the first to try it!" Princess Xincheng waved her little hand excitedly.
"No! I got here first!" Li Shen was unhappy. He had been staring at it for so long. Why should Princess Xincheng be the first to drink it?
"I'm the closest to Sister Hongxuan! It should be me!"
Princess Xincheng was equally unyielding. Most of the daughters of the Li family were sharp - tongued and rarely backed down.
In the copper stove, the milk was mixed with tea leaves and rose petals. As Li Jingyun stirred it from time to time, it slowly emitted a fragrance. The milky - white liquid was dotted with green and red, making it even more appetizing.
Li Jingyun smiled and scooped out the milk tea. Without removing the tea leaves and rose petals, she directly served it to them. She had brewed a lot, enough for each person to have a small cup.
Everyone praised it. Just as they were about to savor it, Li Shimin appeared behind them with a rather aggrieved look on his face.
His concubines and daughters were having a celebration, completely ignoring him.
He was still wondering why there were so many concubines in Taihe Hall today. It turned out they weren't here for him! They were here for Hongxuan's milk tea!
"I was the first to drink Sister Hongxuan's milk tea! It's so delicious!" To provoke Xincheng, Li Shen took a small sip without caring about the heat. He quickly swallowed it and deliberately showed off in front of Xincheng.
"Ouch, it's hot! Hot!"
Only after swallowing did he realize how hot it was. Li Shen cried out a couple of times and quickly stuck out his tongue to cool it down.