After figuring out her relationship with Song Ming, Tang Yumeng decided to have a serious talk with him. Of course, the negotiation site would definitely not be at the City Committee.

......

Vice Secretary's office at the City Committee.

"What did you say?" Song Ming looked at his secretary with a puzzled face.

"Vice Secretary Song, Secretary Tang has invited you to have tea at Eight Horses Tea House at three o'clock this afternoon." The secretary conveyed Tang Yumeng's words to Song Ming respectfully and in full detail without missing a word.

This made Song Ming even more curious. The two had already revealed their cards and knew each other's weaknesses and thoughts just a few days ago. Now, Tang Yumeng was inviting him to Eight Horses Tea House for tea, which clearly wasn't meant kindly, and it could even be a trap.

"Hmph, no matter what you are planning, I am not scared of you." Song Ming gave a cold smirk and said, "I, Song Ming, am not afraid of a woman. I'll face whatever comes my way like water off a duck's back."

Song Ming was determined to meet the appointment. Although he was unsure what tricks Tang Yumeng was going to play, he was sure she wouldn't dare to resort to anything drastic. Having established deep roots in Jiangbei City over the years, even someone from the Provincial Committee may not be able to shake his position unless someone was parachuted in from Central South Sea.

"Vice Secretary Song, what do you mean?" the secretary asked curiously.

"Tell her, at three o'clock, I, Song Ming, will be there on time," Song Ming responded loudly.

"Yes!" The secretary immediately nodded.

Three o'clock in the afternoon, Eight Horses Tea House.

This was Feng Taibao's territory, and he was a man who appreciated elegance, spending his days showing off his calligraphy, sometimes giving out his calligraphic works or landscape paintings as gifts. He even styled himself with a pen name: Zheng Banqiao. His pseudonym was "First Class Immortal."

But truthfully, Feng Taibao's brush writing was indeed impressive, resembling the beautiful calligraphy of Wang Xizhi, and his paintings were inclined towards Zheng Banqiao. He admired Zheng's bamboo paintings so much that after years of diligent practice, he managed to produce something quite respectable. Moreover, Feng Taibao had even become a member of the Provincial Artists Association, with his works included in the Association's office. Though a literati in his own right, he still carried a hint of money-mindedness.

"Secretary Tang, rare to see you have some free time," Feng Taibao, knowing that Tang Yumeng was coming to book a reservation at Eight Horses Tea House, came out to greet her immediately.

"Mr. Feng, you flatter me." Tang Yumeng glanced at the Eight Horses Tea House, which was uniquely decorated. Aside from the main structure made of reinforced concrete, the rest was built with bamboo, creating a distinctive character with bamboo curtains and walls covered with woven bamboo. The walls were adorned with Feng Taibao's ink paintings. Tang Yumeng smiled and said, "Mr. Feng really is a master of painting and calligraphy."

"Oh, I'm merely basking in borrowed elegance," Feng Taibao replied with an embarrassed smile, then said, "Secretary Tang, the private room you requested is ready, would you like to see it?"

"Prepare another pot of good tea," Tang Yumeng smiled. "Today, I am inviting Vice Secretary Song for tea, we can't be stingy."

"Ah?" Feng Taibao was stunned.

As far as he knew, Tang Yumeng and Song Ming were not on good terms. Why then was she inviting Song Ming for tea today? What did this indicate? This was definitely a sign of some maneuvering. If he could grasp it, it could be immensely beneficial. Feng Taibao didn't dare hesitate and hastily said, "Yes, yes, I recently acquired a batch of fine tea, including some Da Hong Pao. Though it's not as prestigious as the tribute tea from Central South Sea, it is certainly top-notch. I'll have it prepared right away."

"Good," Tang Yumeng nodded.

The private room was indeed exquisite, filled with sandalwood fragrance wafting throughout. The room was styled like a Japanese tatami room, with traditional sliding doors. Opening the door, there was a girl in a kimono inside who greeted Tang Yumeng warmly and then kept to herself in the room. This was a tea master specially for preparing tea in the private room. Tang Yumeng walked in slowly and knelt down on a cushion.

"You can leave," Tang Yumeng looked at the girl.

"Yes." The girl, feeling unable to make a sound, could only turn and leave the room.

Feng Taibao, seeing the tea girl he arranged to eavesdrop on the conversation being sent out, felt frustrated. The opportunity to secretly listen to their conversation was now impossible.

The tea arrived, and water was stored in a compartment beneath the floor. There was a faucet on the table, and the water came directly from a pipe below. The water, sourced from the mountain top, was naturally high-quality spring water. The tea leaves were kept in a jade caddy. Opening the jade container, a wave of fragrant tea aroma enveloped the room. Although not an expert in tea, even just the scent made it clear that this tea was extraordinary. Tang Yumeng gently placed the jade container down.

There are two ways to drink tea: one is boiling it, and the other is brewing it.

In the Tang and Song Dynasties, boiling tea was prevalent. The method involved crushing the tea leaves into small pieces, shaping them into a compact mass, and then smashing the tea into crumbs when drinking, which were cooked along with scallions, ginger, orange peels, mint, dates, and salt among other seasonings. Another method was to finely sieve the crushed tea leaves and then mix with water to form a paste for consumption, hence it was called "eating tea." Boiling tea was not only cumbersome but also failed to preserve the original flavor of the tea leaves. After the Song Dynasty, people shifted from boiling to brewing tea without adding any seasonings, thereby discovering the true fragrance of tea. From the Ming and Qing Dynasties onward, brewing tea prevailed, and people favored drinking from lidded bowls.

The methods of brewing tea can vary from simple to complex, and should be chosen based on specific circumstances and the nature of the tea. However, no matter how the art of brewing tea changes, some fundamental steps are consistent. To brew a good cup of tea, besides preparing the tea, choosing water, boiling water, and selecting utensils, one must follow these essential steps of tea brewing.

Although Tang Yumeng doesn't understand tea, she has studied the art of brewing tea. As someone deeply interested in traditional Chinese culture, how could she not study the intricacies of tea brewing?

Tea brewing consists of six steps. The first is warming the utensils; rinse the teapot with hot water, including the spout and lid, and also rinse the teacups before drying them. The purpose of warming the utensils is to maintain a relatively stable temperature after the tea leaves are brewed, preventing the temperature from dropping too quickly, which is particularly crucial for brewing coarser and older tea leaves.

Second is inserting the tea leaves; based on the size of the teapot or teacup, a certain amount of tea leaves are placed inside. After adding the tea leaves, one can appreciate the shape and color of the leaves inside. If a white lidded bowl is used for brewing, the tea's color contrasts beautifully with the white, adding visual delight.

Third is brewing; after placing the tea in the pot, pour boiling water into the pot according to the ratio of tea to water. When pouring water, besides overflowing water from the spout in the case of oolong tea, it is generally advisable to fill the vessel up to eighty percent full. If brewing in a glass or white porcelain cup, one can pay special attention to observing the tender tea leaves, filling up to about seventy to eighty percent. When pouring water, there is a particular method called "Phoenix nodding three times," involving tilting and lifting the kettle three times - this not only serves as an acknowledgment from the host to the guests, but also allows the tea leaves and water to circulate, achieving a consistent concentration in the brew.

Fourth is pouring the tea; the brewed tea should first be poured into the tea server and then from there into the guests' cups. The tea server is also known as the Public Justice Cup, symbolizing fairness in tea distribution. It's undeniable that this room holds significant importance in Feng Taibao's eyes; the cups are famous products from Jingdezhen made of blue and white porcelain, which under the light, are brilliantly transparent and shine with a gem-like luster. This demonstrates that the price of this tea set must be exceptionally high.

Fifth is serving the tea; the tea is carried on a tea tray and placed in front of the guest's right hand. During serving, the host should also make a gesture inviting to drink the tea while the guest can bring their right index and middle fingers together, slightly bend them, and gently tap the tabletop to express gratitude.

The last step is tasting the tea; after the tea is brewed, one should not be hasty in drinking it but should first observe its color and form, then smell its fragrance from the cup, and finally sip the brew to appreciate the flavor. When tasting, let the tea soup flow from the tip of the tongue along the sides to the root of the tongue and back, repeating this process two or three times to let the fragrance and sweet aftertaste linger.

After Tang Yumeng had warmed the tea utensils with boiling hot water, Song Ming had already arrived at Eight Horses Tea House, personally led to the private room by Feng Taibao.

Song Ming, dressed in a Sun Yat-sen suit, appeared spirited and ruddy-faced, as if he had deliberately dressed up for the occasion.

"Vice Secretary Song, you've arrived?" Tang Yumeng smiled.

"Yes," Song Ming nodded, saying, "Secretary Tang has invited me, how could I not come?"

"Please, have a seat." Tang Yumeng didn't stand up but made a welcoming gesture; opposite her, there was a cushion.

However, this Japanese-style sitting and the small cushion indeed made Song Ming feel somewhat oppressed and uncomfortable. Nevertheless, since he had come, he reluctantly proceeded. Song Ming took off his shoes and entered, then sat down opposite Tang Yumeng.

"Secretary Tang, may I ask what is the important matter for which you have summoned me?" Song Ming asked curiously.

"I invited you to drink tea." Tang Yumeng smiled.

Boiling hot water was poured into the teapot, which already contained some tea leaves. Under the brewing of the boiling water, the curled leaves unfurled beautifully, like numerous expanding cells, spreading a refreshing fragrance throughout the room.

"Ah, good tea," Song Ming, who understands tea, immediately couldn't help but praise after smelling the aroma.

"It seems Secretary Song is indeed a connoisseur of tea." Tang Yumeng smiled: "It's a pity that I don't understand tea; I hope Secretary Song won't hesitate to enlighten me."

"I have been drinking tea for decades and indeed understand quite a bit about brewing tea," Song Ming said meaningfully, glancing at Tang Yumeng.

Tang Yumeng smiled, saying, "Then I hope Vice Secretary Song will not be stingy in imparting your knowledge."

While speaking, Tang Yumeng divided the tea using the Public Justice Cup and then served it to Song Ming with both hands.

Song Ming accepted the tea with both hands, saying, "Secretary Tang, being a person is like brewing tea."

Tang Yumeng fixed a penetrating gaze on Song Ming, partly understanding and partly puzzled: "What do you mean by that?"

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