89 First Lesson

Zhou Xiaoli knew that Yuan Zhengchun was not really angry, so she was not afraid at all.

She walked into the courtyard and asked, “Aiyaya, Master dotes on me so much. Why would you bear to punish me?”

“Hmph.” Yuan Zhengchun could not help but snort. He stood at the door with his hands behind his back. His face was stern, but there was no anger in the depths of his eyes. “You’re glib-tongued.”

Zhou Xiaoli chuckled and said, “I’m telling the truth. Doesn’t Master dote on me the most? How can that be considered as being glib-tongued?”

Then, she waved the oilcloth bag in her hand. “I brought you the good tea I mentioned today. I’ll make you a cup now to offer tea as an apology. How about that?”

When he heard that it was good tea, Yuan Zhengchun wanted to scold her with a straight face, but he couldn’t. “You little girl, you’re so cheeky. You know that I love a cup of good tea, so you are bribing me with tea leaves.”

Zhou Xiaoli could not help but smile. “Master, how can this be called bribery? This is called filial piety. Isn’t it right for a disciple to be filial to the master?”

Yuan Zhengchun said, “It’s as though your little mouth had honey smeared on it. Alright, alright. You make it sound so nice. Hurry up and make tea. If it’s not as good as you say, I won’t let you off.”

“Hehe, don’t worry, Master. I guarantee that you’ll be satisfied.”

Zhou Xiaoli chuckled and slipped into the room.

However, she saw that Yuan Zhengchun had already boiled water on the charcoal stove.

Zhou Xiaoli could not help but ask curiously, “Eh, Master, when did you get a charcoal stove here? Wasn’t it not here yesterday?”

After Zhou Xiaoli entered the room, Yuan Zhengchun sat under the corridor and waited for his disciple to serve him tea.

Hearing the girl’s question, he said, “Oh, there has always been a charcoal stove, but there was no coal before. Your junior brother just sent the charcoal over. He said that in the future, you have to boil water often. This would make it convenient then.”

“Ah? Wei Chiyu came? Where is he?” Zhou Xiaoli couldn’t help but be surprised.

“Hm, he just left the house when you arrived,” Yuan Zhengchun said leisurely. “I don’t know where he went.”

Zhou Xiaoli nodded and thought to herself, “Wei Chiyu is quite thoughtful.”

No wonder he disappeared after lunch while she was sharing the candied plums with Uncle Liu’s and Uncle Village Chief’s families.

He had come to the master’s place in advance.

Zhou Xiaoli sighed, but her hands did not stop in making the tea.

However, as soon as she started, she paused. She did not know the traditional tea brewing procedures here at all as Zhou Xiaoli found it very complicated.

In the end, she had no choice but to do it the simple and crude way. Afterall, she had already stir-fried the tea leaves. She could just boil water and pour it into the tea leaves.

Zhou Xiaoli carried the cup out with satisfaction as she smelt the tea fragrance. She came to Yuan Zhengchun and said respectfully, “Master, please have some tea.”

Looking at the disciple whom he had searched for most of his life, Yuan Zhengchun stroked his beard with a satisfied and proud expression.

After taking the cup of tea, he took a small sip and his eyes lit up.

He took another sip and scolded, “You wretched girl, your crude tea-making skills have ruined the good tea leaves.”

Yuan Zhengchun had a regretful look on his face. “Don’t we have some tea tools in the room? There are anvils, tea mills, tea strainer, and tea tray. How can you be so crude?”

As he spoke, he lifted the lid and knocked on the rim. When he saw that the cup of tea was made by pouring the hot water over the tea leaves, he felt that it was such a waste of the good tea leaves.

Yuan Zhengchun’s voice had raised a little. It could be seen how much his heart ached for the tea.

Zhou Xiaoli smiled in embarrassment. “I know there are tools, but I don’t know how to use them.”

She had seen this method of making tea many times in television dramas.

However, in the era she lived in, this tea-making culture was no longer popular, so she only watched for the fun of it and never thought of learning it.

Seeing that Yuan Zhengchun’s heart was aching over it, Zhou Xiaoli could only say in a hurry to appease him. “Master, if you like this tea, I’ll send it to you after you have finish it.”

Despite Zhou Xiaoli’s words, Yuan Zhengchun still felt that it was a pity. His only order was that Zhou Xiaoli had to learn the tea-making culture from him.

“From now on, if you serve me tea every time in such a manner, I’m afraid my heart will ache.”

Zhou Xiaoli went along with Yuan Zhengchun’s words, coaxing Yuan Zhengchun until he beamed with joy.

“Alright, alright. You knew how to make your Master happy. Hurry up and sit down. We’re going to start the first lesson.”

Yuan Zhengchun had already set up two tables under a tree in the courtyard. Hearing this, Zhou Xiaoli obediently ran over and sat down.

Yuan Zhengchun first went to his room, and after a while, he took out a few books and handed them to Zhou Xiaoli. “Although you have some foundation, your abilities are not systematic. Take these books home and read them properly.”

Zhou Xiaoli flipped through it. It was the Book of Changes, Laozi, and Zhuangzi.

On the other side, Yuan Zhengchun had already started to speak while stroking his beard. “In Laozi’s chapter, it says, ‘Mysterious and mysterious, the Door of Profundity’. Mysterious is the general law of all things in the world, which is ‘Tao’…”

“There are five techniques in metaphysics, which is what you’re going to learn next. That is, mountains, medicine, fate, divine, and physiognomy. Mountain is the science of achieving immortality, which includes cultivation and alchemy. This is also the most difficult part of the five techniques. Very few people would be able to understand it.”

“Medicine is medicine. It uses meridian science to treat illnesses using prescriptions.”

“Divine is divination. There are Taiyi, Qimen, Six Ren, Meiyi, Six Yao, and so on. Physiognomy is the study of facial features, which is also a major Tao element. There is the Heavenly Resonance Technique, which includes the Stars physiognomy, the Human physiognomy; and the Earth physiognomy, which is also known as Feng Shui…”

Although Zhou Xiaoli already knew about this, she listened attentively.

Among the five techniques, she only knew a little more about physiognomy. The rest were just in the beginning stages.

Hence, when she heard Yuan Zhengchun’s explanation, she was a little dazed.

Although Yuan Zhengchun’s small mountain courtyard was simple and crude, it was located in a place with excellent Feng Shui. In addition, Yuan Zhengchun had set up a Feng Shui formation in the courtyard.

The entire courtyard was filled with spiritual energy. Staying here could clear one’s mind and make one feel very comfortable.

Therefore, one taught earnestly while the other learnt earnestly. They did not feel tired at all.

The wolf cub was also extremely obedient. It lay at Zhou Xiaoli’s feet and used its tongue to comb its fur and did not disturbed her at all.

When Wei Chiyu carried the log in, he saw this peaceful sight in the courtyard.

Zhou Xiaoli and Yuan Zhengchun were so engrossed that they didn’t notice Wei Chiyu’s return. Only the wolf cub raised its head and looked at Wei Chiyu when he came in.

Afraid of disturbing the two of them in the lesson, Wei Chiyu gently put down the log and raised his hand to motion to the wolf cub.

The wolf cub looked up at Zhou Xiaoli, who was engrossed in her studies, and then at Wei Chiyu. Finally, it stood up slowly and walked towards Wei Chiyu.

Then, a wolf and a human stood outside the door.

Wei Chiyu nodded slightly and looked at the wolf cub. “Do you want to give Little Li a surprise?”

The little wolf cub sat in front of Wei Chiyu and looked at him with pursed lips.