Chapter 52

The next morning, when everyone went to find Xia Hongsheng to tour the city of Luoyang together, Xia Hongsheng was already nowhere to be seen. The young waiter downstairs saw the students and informed them that Xia Hongsheng had already gone out early to take care of his own affairs, promising to return before the poetry gathering to cheer for his fellow students. Knowing that Xia Hongsheng had other matters to attend to in Luoyang, the group didn't say anything more and went off to tour the city on their own.

Xia Hongsheng left the inn early and made his way to the Southern Market, asking for directions along the way. The Southern Market, also known as the Fengdu Market, was built during the Sui Dynasty and retained in the Tang Dynasty. It was the largest commercial area in Luoyang during the early Tang period. Other large markets in the eastern capital of Luoyang, such as the Southern Market, had not yet been constructed. Xia Hongsheng was not in a hurry and leisurely strolled through Luoyang, observing the passersby and the shops and vendors in the market. Luoyang, as the eastern capital of the Tang Dynasty, was bustling with merchants and a large population, and it was also the center of the Grand Canal, making it a crucial hub for transportation in all directions. All of this aligned perfectly with Xia Hongsheng's needs. After seeing it firsthand, his resolve to expand his snack stand business to Luoyang, with Luoyang as the main focus, became even stronger.

The Southern Market was not hard to find. After asking two people, Xia Hongsheng knew how to get there. As he approached, he could already hear the cries of vendors from the market. Inside, the market was bustling with people, and various shops lined the wide streets. The roadside was filled with stalls set up by vendors, and the streets were crowded with people, shoulder to shoulder. In a moment of confusion, Xia Hongsheng thought he had stepped into a commercial street from the future. Xia Hongsheng entered the market, looking at the shops and stalls along the way, asking about prices, and haggling a bit, but he didn't buy anything. He was just trying to understand the situation.

As he wandered around the market, he saw many foreign merchants, including some Europeans who had come via the Silk Road. The occasional English words that slipped out in their broken Mandarin made Xia Hongsheng feel a mix of nostalgia and familiarity. Looking around more, he even saw foreign women. At that time, they were not called "foreign beauties"; in the Tang Dynasty, the Chinese were very confident and looked down on foreigners, referring to them collectively as "Hu people," "barbarians," or "savages," with a tone of disdain. Even farmers and servants, who were usually at the bottom of society, would act superior and look down their noses at foreigners. So these foreign women were called "Hu girls." Most of these Hu girls were Persian women, with fair skin, blue eyes, and golden hair, but their backgrounds were often tragic. Few came to the Tang Dynasty voluntarily; most were brought to places like Chang'an and Luoyang by slave traders to be sold.

However, after watching the group of Hu girls for a while, Xia Hongsheng noticed that the atmosphere around him was changing. The vendors stopped calling out, the foreign merchants stopped promoting their slave girls, and even the passersby stopped browsing, all of them staring at the other end of the street with a mix of disgust, contempt, and anger.

Xia Hongsheng turned to look and saw a group of burly men approaching. They were fat and muscular, dressed in rough fur and animal skins, with unkempt beards and hair that was curled into small braids, making them look like they had a head full of braids. They swaggered through the market, speaking in a gibberish language, pointing at everything and laughing loudly, their laughter filled with mockery. Xia Hongsheng frowned and stepped back. As the group passed by, he immediately caught a whiff of a strong, pungent odor, mixed with a sheep-like smell.

As the group swaggered past, Xia Hongsheng heard a small voice from behind him say, "Hmph! Tartar brats! We'll crush you eventually and make you beg for mercy!"

Xia Hongsheng turned to look but saw only a young man in fine silk robes leaving with his attendants, unsure if he was the one who had spoken.

The Weishui Alliance had been signed not long ago. The Turks, led by Khan Jiali, took advantage of the coup at Xuanwu Gate to launch a surprise attack on the Tang Dynasty, advancing all the way to Jingyang and threatening the capital, Chang'an. Thanks to Li Shimin's use of deception and the victories of General Yuchi Gong, the Tang forces managed to deter Khan Jiali, and the Weishui Alliance was signed at Bianqiao. The Weishui Alliance was a great humiliation for the Tang Dynasty, and even the elderly Yan Shigu, when mentioning the Turks, was filled with rage, wishing he could wield a sword and cut down the Turks. The Turks, in turn, looked down on the Tang people, entering and leaving the Tang state and prefectures, using their physical strength and height to bully the Han people, becoming a dominant force and causing widespread resentment among the people.

After the group of Turks passed, the market gradually returned to its previous bustle. The vendors and customers put aside their anger and resumed their business. Xia Hongsheng continued to wander, turning a corner and suddenly seeing a large sign that read "Mingxiangju." Below the sign, there were two wooden plaques. The left one read, "The essence of tea, naturally formed." The right one read, "Clouds and mist, clear springs, indescribably wonderful." Inside, there was a screen with a painting of a misty mountain peak, a tranquil spring, and elegant ladies pouring tea. Around a green stone, several old men were sipping tea. On the screen was a couplet: "The fragrance of tea from the high mountains, the sweetness of water from the clear springs, the frost as the soul."

Impressed by the first impression, Xia Hongsheng nodded and stepped inside.

Almost as soon as he entered, a servant ran over, bowed respectfully, and said, "Sir, our shop sells tea made with a new method of stir-frying, preserving the natural flavor of tea. There is a seat over there. Please taste the tea first before making a decision."

Xia Hongsheng looked over and saw a wooden table and several stools carved from root wood, with a servant boiling water nearby. He walked over and sat down. The servant, very politely, bowed to Xia Hongsheng, then gently took a small amount of tea from a wooden box and placed it in a cup, pouring water over it using the "three nods of the phoenix" technique, a graceful and elegant movement that, combined with her beauty, was indeed a pleasure to watch. The tea's fragrance rose from the cup, and Xia Hongsheng took a sip, feeling a slightly bitter taste that soon gave way to a subtle and indescribable aroma, leaving a lasting aftertaste.

"Sir, look at the tea leaves in the cup, rising and falling with the water, eventually settling down. Isn't this like a person's life, with its ups and downs, but ultimately finding peace? The slight bitterness followed by sweetness is also a taste of life," the servant said with a smile, her lips parting slightly.

Xia Hongsheng nodded in satisfaction and then called over the servant, asking, "I want to buy some of this tea. What is the price?"

"Sir, tea varies in quality, and the price reflects this. What kind of tea would you like?" the servant explained respectfully. "Our shop offers four grades of tea: Special, First, Second, and Third. The flavor and price decrease with each grade. We also have some loose tea, which, while not as good as the Third grade, is cheaper and still acceptable. Currently, we have a promotion where if you buy tea from us, we will give you a folding fan, which is very elegant."

As he spoke, the servant who was brewing the tea showed Xia Hongsheng a folding fan.

"Is that so? My family is poor, so I probably can't afford it," Xia Hongsheng said, shaking his head with a look of regret.

The servant, still smiling, respectfully took out an iron card and presented it to Xia Hongsheng, saying, "Sir, since you love tea, why not consider getting a VIP card from our shop? This VIP card requires a small annual fee, but it allows you to enjoy discounts, participate in tea tasting and poetry gatherings, and meet tea enthusiasts from all over. Additionally, we offer special promotions on certain teas each month, which are only available to VIP card holders. The card also grants access to various other services that others do not have. I can assure you that the annual fee for the iron card is within your means."

Xia Hongsheng chuckled and asked, "Besides the iron card, are there other types?"

The servant, seeing that Xia Hongsheng was asking questions, remained calm and respectful, smiling and saying, "Yes, there are copper, silver, and gold cards, each with different privileges. The higher the card, the more privileges and better service you receive. Even your daily needs, such as food, clothing, and accommodation, can be taken care of if you hold a gold card at any of our Mingxiangju shops in the Tang Dynasty. All these privileges are listed here, and you can take a look if you want to know more."

As he spoke, the servant flipped open a booklet, detailing the different privileges of each VIP card. Xia Hongsheng carefully read through it and was very satisfied. Not only did it include everything he had originally written, but it also included many things he hadn't thought of.

"Very well," Xia Hongsheng nodded, took out a letter, and said to the servant, "Please deliver this letter to the shop owner and tell him that Xia Hongsheng from Luanchou has arrived."

The servant, unsure of Xia Hongsheng's intentions, hesitated for a moment but then took the letter, bowed, and said, "Please wait a moment, sir."

He then hurried off to the back of the shop.

Xia Hongsheng picked up the tea in front of him and took a sip. He couldn't help but admire the wisdom of the ancients. He was very satisfied with the tea shop, as his ideas had been implemented in a way that was suitable for the Tang Dynasty, which made him very happy.

---

**End of Page**