In a short while, the master slowly woke up. Du Zhong hurriedly leaned forward to inquire.
"Master, how are you feeling now? Is there anywhere that still feels uncomfortable?"
He was a quick - witted man. Ever since he learned Lu Xunguang's identity, he had already sensed that there might be something wrong with Lady Lianji. Immediately, he pulled a long face and glared at her angrily.
"Lady Lianji, the master has always treated you well. Why did you resort to such a cruel act!"
The master had suddenly coughed up blood after drinking her soothing tea. With so many people watching, such blatant poisoning was impossible to deny.
Lianji seemed to never have expected that he would point the finger at her. Her eyes were instantly filled with glistening tears.
"Dear husband, Lianji has always been truly devoted to you. I have never had any ill intentions. Heaven and Earth can bear witness!"
Du Zhong showed no good temper. He snorted and said, "Humph, who knows what tricks you played in that soothing tea!"
Lianji's face flushed bright red. Seeing the master's gaze wandering over her, she "thumped" to her knees and crawled tearfully to the bedside of his bed. She sobbed, "This health - strengthening pill is what you usually take, and the soothing tea was also brewed by my own hands. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it!"
As if to prove her innocence, Lianji snatched the half - cup of leftover tea on the table and drank it all in one gulp. Then she said pitifully, "After this self - proof, will you believe me, husband?"
The doctor from the clinic also said, "Shopkeeper Du, you're over - worrying. The master shows no signs of poisoning. He has just been getting up early and going to bed late, over - exerting himself. His body is depleted. If he takes good care of himself, there is still a chance of recovery. But if he continues to work so hard and exhaust his mind and body, I'm afraid... even medicine will be of no avail."
He stopped there, not daring to say more, and left first, leaving everyone in the room looking at each other in dismay.
Finally, it was the master who spoke first.
"Lianji, get up."
Lianji shook her head like a rattle and stubbornly said, "Although I have cleared myself of the false accusation, I have another request. If you don't agree, I will kneel here forever!"
Li Ying frowned slightly. As expected, Lianji said seriously, "I'm bold enough to ask you to take good care of your health. Hand over the management of the bank to someone else and recuperate well!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was in an uproar.
Lianji straightened her back and said word by word, "Please think it over, husband!"
Li Ying snorted coldly in her heart.
Du Zhong nodded in approval and chimed in, "That's right, master. Your health is not good. You really should rest quietly. Now that we've found the young master, it's just the right opportunity to hand over the management of the bank to him."
How could Lianji watch her plan go to waste for others? She put on a sincere look and said softly, "It would be great if A Xun could share your worries. But he has been away from home for a long time. Now that he has suddenly returned and has never been involved in the management of the family affairs, it might be difficult for him to get started."
"I've been managing the family for many years. Why don't I manage it on your behalf first? After A Xun gets familiar with it, I can hand it over to him later."
The master pondered in silence. After a long time, he said calmly, "The future of the Ping'an Bank is no trifling matter. We can't be hasty. Since the two of you are at odds over the right to manage the family, then prove yourselves to me."
Lianji had planned everything perfectly, but she didn't expect Lu Xunguang to be a variable. At this point, she had no choice but to agree obediently.
The two immediately made an agreement. Using autumn - season fruits and vegetables as ingredients, one month later, the one whose shop made more profit would succeed the master and take charge of the Ping'an Bank.
The relationship between the Lu father and son was already delicate. Now that he knew the master was in good health, Lu Xunguang put away the worry on his face. He bowed slightly and got up to return to the fishing village to make preparations.
Li Ying knew that with his character, he would surely rely on his own abilities to defeat Lianji in a fair fight and make her convinced. So she didn't ask too much and just let him lock himself in the room, tirelessly improving the flavors of his "specialties".
Lu Xunguang used a little sweet peach wine as the base, added bright red hawthorns and brown sugar. The sweet - and - sour juice brewed from them was poured into a hand - brewed coffee with a strong fruity aroma. On top was the finely whipped jujube milk, dotted with a little golden osmanthus.
At first taste, there was the strong aroma of the flowers and jujubes. In the middle, the hawthorn juice made the slight acidity of the coffee even cleaner and brighter. At the end of the drink, a faint hint of mellow alcohol was mixed into the fresh juice taste. The collision of flavors was novel and ever - changing, leaving a deep impression and worthy of being a signature drink.
After Li Ying tasted it, she thought for a while and wrote the words "Cape No. 7" on the bamboo sign as the main offering.
The second drink was made by fully shaking freshly brewed nine - infused jasmine tea with coffee and coconut milk. It was then poured into a bamboo tube and topped with a thick layer of stir - fried and ground pumpkin seed green sauce.
The herbal freshness of the bamboo and the mellow fragrance of the nuts complemented each other, adding a wonderful silky texture to the coffee. The rich fragrance of jasmine made the mouth water. This "Green Collar" drink was lighter in taste than the ordinary coconut latte, but not insipid.
The third drink was made by pickling perilla leaves with dark plum and cherry tomatoes together. The syrup was filtered out and mixed with coffee, then dotted with fresh perilla leaves and crushed dark plum sauce.
The unique aroma of perilla added flavor to the coffee. The cherry tomatoes on the rim of the cup were crystal - clear after being soaked in the sugar juice. Facing the sunlight, every vein in the pulp was clearly visible, like delicate jewels.
Both the perilla leaves and tomatoes were summer - season fruits and vegetables. Lu Xunguang did the opposite. Compared with the previous two drinks, the taste was even more intense, carrying the remaining warmth of late summer. Although it was named "Endless Long Summer", it made people feel the faint coolness of early autumn more vividly.
After Li Ying tasted the three specialty drinks, she said with sincere admiration, "Brother Lu is truly a natural barista. The combination of various flavors is full of ingenious ideas. It's really admirable!"
As expected, such novel flavors were very popular as soon as they were launched.
The customers had never tasted such a fresh drink that was like both tea and wine. They all scrambled to buy it.
Mao Mao, leading a group of kittens, took the art of acting cute to the extreme. The small coffee shop was bustling with activity, with an endless stream of customers.
In Lianji's tea shop, they stewed lily, fritillary bulb, and snow pear. They were very careful and did not dare to be negligent, boiling the sweet soup until it was soft and palatable.
However, now that the fishing village was a bit famous, many of the people who came to visit were wealthy families from nearby towns. This stewed snow pear was ordinary. Their own cooks could make it too. There was really no need to buy it specially to taste.
Lianji watched as the pot of stewed snow pear cooled down and was heated up again. It was almost turning into mush. She couldn't help but frown tightly.
She couldn't let things develop like this. She had to come up with a countermeasure!
Two little girls passed by outside the door, chatting and laughing. They were saying that the latte in the coffee shop had a new latte art in the shape of cats and dogs, which was very interesting and cute.
In a flash of inspiration, a term flashed through Lianji's mind.
Tea artistry.