Transmigrated as A Farm Girl Making Her Family Rich

Ye Shiqi and her elder sisters were appraised by an old eunuch, a being both man and not. Although his gaze wasn't lecherous, it was still difficult to look him in the eye.

She pondered what the purpose behind the old eunuch's scrutinizing gaze might be.

The old housekeeper, faced with the situation, stepped forward to invite Chief Eunuch Li to sit in the living room.

Then he had a maid serve Chief Eunuch Li chrysanthemum honey tea.

Ye Shiqi continued to observe the Eunuch Chief. Just like in the dramas she had seen in her past life, his appearance was masculine, but he spoke with a somewhat feminine tone and even affected a dainty finger pose.

It seemed it wasn't an exaggeration of the dramatists' description of how eunuchs spoke; he simply was in such a state naturally, adopting an even more feminine demeanor than women themselves.

It felt somewhat incongruous, yet it was impossible not to understand, nor dare one laugh in his presence.

His clothing seemed to be custom-made; his hat was notably unique, such that one couldn't find similar attire and hats outside.

Yet he wore boots in the sweltering heat. Wasn't he hot?

Were these boots a mandatory attire for officials?

Ye Shiqi speculated that the Empress and concubines in the Imperial Palace surely had their clothing custom-made too, including their shoes, right?

"Delicious, sweetly fragrant!"

Eunuch Chief Li smelled the chrysanthemum tea and initially felt that the Ye Residence, surprisingly, didn't serve him with fine tea leaves.

Then he figured that these rustic girls must be used to drinking such coarse tea.

As a Eunuch Chief dispatched by the Empress, shouldn't he be considered a person of standing?

And they serve him with such coarse tea too?

However, Chief Li just pondered this to himself. A few days ago, he had heard that these girls served tea to ladies and ladies of wealthy families in the same way, and there had been no complaints about their hospitality afterward.

Upon smelling the chrysanthemum tea again, its sweet fragrance was somewhat special, compelling one to want to take a sip involuntarily.

The old eunuch took a sip and couldn't help but drink all the tea he had prepared, feeling a refreshing coolness throughout his body in the dry heat of summer, quenching his thirst instantly.

He had tasted the finest teas in the Imperial Palace, bestowed by the Emperor and the Empress, but he had never imagined that ordinary chrysanthemum tea could surpass the finest tea leaves.

At that moment, he thought to himself, could it be because chrysanthemum relieves heat? Or does it contain medicinal properties?

Yet, the sweet fragrance of the tea wasn't merely emanating from the chrysanthemum; its scent was more intense than that of other chrysanthemums.

He appreciated it internally, considering the journey worthwhile!

"Hmm, old housekeeper, is this chrysanthemum brought back from the countryside? Not bad at all, bring me another cup, no, make that two!"

Housekeeper Ye…, are you treating tea like a meal? Isn't one cup enough, asking for two more?

At the moment, it wasn't only the old eunuch who thought so; the eunuchs who had come with him to deliver gifts were also fortunate to have a cup of such chrysanthemum tea.

While they had their thoughts, it was embarrassing to express them, and even more so, to ask for another exquisite cup of tea.

They watched earnestly as the old eunuch drank one cup of chrysanthemum tea after another, involuntarily swallowing their saliva.

Ye Shiqi…, came to realize that even those serving the Emperor in the Imperial Palace were lacking in food and couldn't indulge in exquisite delicacies, nor could they freely sample any tea.

Her elder sisters also believed that such chrysanthemum tea and honey, which they could drink on any ordinary day, were accessible not just to the master of the house but to the workers as well.

It seemed that the treatment of workers in their household was much better than that of the people in the Imperial Palace.

How could the Eunuch Chief know the thoughts of the young girl and the other girls?

In the past, they believed the best tea was the one supplied to the Emperor, which was considered the finest in the entire nation.

Tribute tea, who would have thought that ordinary chrysanthemum-infused tea could be better than the finest tea?

The old eunuch now thought that perhaps it was because of the sudden heat wave; chrysanthemum could relieve the heat, which might be why he had such thoughts.

Although he had drunk three cups of tea, and his stomach felt full of water, he still wanted to drink such tea again in the future.

As the old eunuch thought, so he acted, shamelessly asking for some tea leaves: "Old housekeeper, where did you buy this chrysanthemum? Could you spare some for this old man?"

The old housekeeper, when asked by Chief Eunuch Li, could share the chrysanthemum tea usually drunk at home, but he had to explain.

"Chief Li, these chrysanthemums were brought back from our Lady's hometown, and most importantly, the honey used in the tea was also brought back from there. The reason it's so delightful and effective is entirely because of the combination of the chrysanthemum and honey, which cools one down, nourishes the skin, and protects the eyes."

"Honey? We also purchase honey in the Imperial Palace, but it's not as good as this type!"

Chief Li did not say that the nobles in the palace would not drink such ordinary tea as chrysanthemum, nor would they infuse it with honey.

It's not that the physicians are unaware of the benefits of chrysanthemum; it's that they, being nobles, think such ordinary tea beneath them to drink.

"I heard that our Lady's estate in the countryside breeds bees. They don't produce much, only enough to supply the family and relatives or to gift to the closest friends."

The old housekeeper did not dare to conceal that the honey produced by their countryside estate was so good, but there was another reason.

Many people thought it was due to the countryside's fresh air and the sweet water quality that the bees produced such fine honey.

Ye Shiqi indeed brought this honey back from the countryside to Capital City, but she always kept her own space's honey hidden.

Unless it was to save someone, she would take it out to give to others, or if that person was physically unwell and pregnant and also a relative or a friend, then she would gift it.

Now, Ye Shiqi was in the Capital City, and there was another person from another time; amidst much caution, she kept many secrets hidden.

When the Chief Eunuch Li heard the housekeeper speak, it was evident from the other Lady Ye's expression that the workers here could also drink such tea, especially the honey.

He thought again that without superior honey combined with the tea leaves, the taste would be greatly reduced, and the cooling and other effects would not be as good.

Thinking of how he had aged over the years, with many of his bodily functions declining, he also needed to nourish his health.

Thinking of himself, he thought of the Empress, and even more of the Old Emperor.

So, without shame, Chief Eunuch Li requested honey as well.

"Such fine honey and chrysanthemum, having tasted it today, I'd also like to take some back for the Emperor and Empress to try. Do you still have such honey available?"

Old housekeeper... you wanted it for yourself, and now for the Emperor and Empress; if they get it, wouldn't the other concubines or the Prince and Princess also want some?

And then it would spread to the ministers; our honey is not like rice that can be produced in large quantities all at once.

It was right to return a gift since the party represented the Empress in giving a gift, but they couldn't disclose that there was a lot available, only that this time they brought back six catties of honey from the countryside.

The house also had little left, reserved for entertaining guests with the tea.