Chapter 326: Teaching the Ancient People How to Make Tea

Upon hearing that, the few tribe members were stunned, set down their axes and all turned to her, "Um, we can't cut this tree, can we? Do we also need a bridge here?"

Nan Qinghuan couldn't bear it, "No, we can't cut it, this is a good thing."

"Good thing? Isn't this just a leaf, what good thing?"

The tribe members didn't understand, and Ying didn't understand either.

Nan Qinghuan hurriedly hand‑picked some fresh tender leaves; she never expected to find traces of a tea tree on this cliff.

"Great! From now on we won't have to drink plain water; the Ancient Land will be filled with tea fragrance again."

"Qinghuan, why can't this tree be cut down?"

Ying also didn't get why, so Nan Qinghuan quickly handed the tea leaves to him, "Look, these aren't ordinary leaves; this is a tea tree. We can't cut it, we must protect it, because these leaves can be made into tea, a very tasty drink that quenches thirst and generates fluids; drinking it gives strength and keeps you from drowsiness. In short, tea leaves are a treasure, a good thing."

"Tea leaves?"

Ying had never known what tea leaves were; he had seen these trees before, but didn't know the leaves could be eaten. "Goddess, can these leaves be eaten?"

The tribe members, hearing it was a good thing, naturally wanted to eat it.

"Of course they can. Quickly, help me count how many tea trees are here so we can protect them, bring a few women to help harvest the tea leaves, I'll teach you how to make it."

That day, Nan Qinghuan and Ying discovered tea trees in the mountain; Nan Qinghuan personally led the women to pick the leaves, and the tribe members—including Axi, ChaoJi and Ayina—came to help.

Everyone also wanted to see how these leaves could become something edible and what they would taste like.

Everyone was very eager.

Eager for the delicious thing Qinghuan spoke of.

As dusk fell, the Ying Tribe's camp was already lit with candles; Nan Qinghuan had people bring the tea leaves back to roast beside the fire, because she wanted everyone to taste the tea quickly, so she skipped sun‑drying and roasted them directly; after the leaves curled, she immediately had them set up a big pot to stir‑fry the tea leaves.

Stir‑frying tea leaves is a technical skill; no one had ever seen these leaves being fried. A Mu was also helping; in front of a big pot she took out some lard to add, "Qinghuan, how much oil is appropriate?"

Nan Qinghuan, stunned, immediately stopped her, "A Mu, you can't add oil."

A Mu, dumbfounded by her shout, put down the bowl of lard and looked at her doubtfully; now the tribe people already knew how to stir‑fry, and although the flavor wasn't great, it was far tastier than before.

The tribe members also fell in love with the taste of stir‑fried dishes.

"Qinghuan, will it burn without oil?"

Axi's face was full of confusion; can tea leaves be tasty without oil? Nan Qinghuan sighed deeply, it really was like talking past each other.

They had thought stir‑frying tea was like stir‑frying vegetables and required pork… they quickly corrected it.

"Listen to me, these tea leaves must not have oil; watch me."

Although she had never made tea leaves herself, she had once asked the internet how tea was made, so now she tried using the knowledge she knew.

One raw, two cooked; there has to be a first time.

The roasted tea leaves had curled just a little; Nan Qinghuan kept kneading them to fully release them, then began high‑temperature stir‑frying.

She kept flipping and kneading; though it was hard work, she did it earnestly.

She even felt she was born to do farm work.

So many tea leaves were being kneaded and tossed by her alone; everyone waited nearby, wanting to see what the tea leaves would taste like, and whether they could be eaten right away.

Ying saw she was overexerted and hurried to stop her, "Qinghuan, let me do it, I've learned it."

Nan Qinghuan was surprised by his interference, "You, come?"

"Let me, I've learned it; you just stand aside and watch."

"Ha ha, Ying can't bear the Goddess suffering labor at all; Ji Lei, watch carefully, treat me like Ying does, otherwise I'll return to the Matriarchal Tribe."

Ayina teased Ying, which terrified Ji Lei; Ying's jokes aren't made lightly.

Originally they thought Ying would get angry, but Ying just gave a low chuckle and ignored them; then, under Nan Qinghuan's direction, he rolled his hands among the tea leaves, and soon the crowd was startled by a fresh fragrance they had never smelled before.

It smelled fragrant, like a forest.

"Ah, how fragrant, Qinghuan, can we eat them now?"

A Mu thought tea leaves were meant to be eaten like that.

Nan Qinghuan just shook her head, "A Mu, don't rush; after stir‑frying they still need to be sun‑dried. I see everyone is eager to taste, but tomorrow the sun will be out so we can dry them first. Rest assured, I'll definitely treat you all to the first cup of tea from the Ancient Land."

"Tea?"

Axi was a bit confused; if they're eating the leaves, how is it tea? "Everyone go back; tomorrow I'll treat you all to tea."

Although the group wanted to taste the tea leaves, hearing that they couldn't finish tonight meant they had to go home; Youchao Xuan, who was nearby, was also very curious.

"Goddess, do these tea leaves need hot water to steep?"

Look, only Youchao Xuan here knows a bit more.

Nan Qinghuan was very interested in his question, "How did you know?"

All the tribe members here, including Ying, thought the tea leaves were to be eaten directly; how could Youchao Xuan know they need hot water? Youchao Xuan smiled, about to say something, when a wailing cry came from the forest.

"Woo…"

It was an animal's cry, and very familiar.

It was an animal they knew.

Hearing the sound, Youchao Xuan became alert, and after listening carefully, the wail continued.

"Not good, that sounds like Jingang's voice."

Jingang kept calling, as if summoning its master.

This made Nan Qinghuan think something was up; she recalled that Jingang's wife was due to give birth soon.

She immediately set aside her work, "Ying, Jingang's wife is about to give birth, shall we go check?"