The disgraced official I took care of was actually Zhu Houcong's childhood friend.

Chapter 453

As the prefect of Shaoxing, Dong Rui was from a place not far from Lion Peak Mountain. The top-quality tea produced by Lion Peak Mountain each year would definitely be given priority to local officials like Dong Rui.

Officials in the capital will also receive a batch, but it will be a little later. After all, the pre-rain Longjing tea has only been harvested for a short time, and it takes time to circulate. At least Yang Yiqing, the Grand Secretary, has not yet received this year's new batch of pre-rain Longjing tea, but it should be soon.

Many top-quality resources, such as the finest pre-rain Longjing tea, are rarely found in the general public. Those who truly possess these things do not need to spend money; those who want to buy them cannot.

"After all, I'm already buried up to my neck in the yellow earth. There aren't many things I've ever liked in my life, but the Longjing tea from Lion Peak Mountain is one of them."

Yang Yiqing said with some self-satisfaction.

"The local people haven't delivered this year's Longjing tea yet, but we got to try some fresh ones at Lord Zhou's place."

Yang Yiqing looked at Zhou Chu and said meaningfully.

Zhou Chu smiled when he heard this.

"I just came back from Shaoxing. Shaoxing is only about a hundred miles away from Lion Peak Mountain. These teas were sent by the Shaoxing prefect. I don't know much about tea, so I'm just offering them to him today."

Yang Yiqing nodded upon hearing this.

"That's true. Actually, I envy Xie Qian. That old guy is always the first to get the newly harvested Longjing tea every year, just because his hometown is Yuyao, while I have to wait a long time."

Yang Yiqing sighed.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chu remained noncommittal and did not continue the conversation. Yang Yiqing was playing coy with him, so he wasn't in a hurry, since Yang Yiqing wasn't his grandson anyway.

Yang Yiqing looked at Zhou Chu's calm and composed demeanor and smiled helplessly.

"Lord Zhou is sometimes unlike a young man; his composure is no less than that of an old man like me."

"Lord Yang, you've gone too far. I'm just invincible because I have no desires."

Zhou Chu had no concept of the Dao.

Upon hearing this, Yang Yiqing thought it made sense. It was unrealistic to expect the other party to speak first when he was the one making the visit.

“What Lord Zhou says is absolutely right. I came here for my good-for-nothing grandson. Now that he has become your disciple, I will not say a word if he is beaten or punished at your behest. I will not interfere with whichever path he chooses to take. As his elder, I naturally have to visit Lord Zhou to fulfill the proper respect for a teacher.”

Yang Yiqing said.

Zhou Chu nodded upon hearing this.

"Shengzhai may not achieve much in studying Confucianism, but his talent in the study of things is exceptionally high. The study of things is the only true knowledge that can be applied to practical matters. Whether our Great Ming Dynasty can truly prosper in the future still depends on the study of things."

Zhou Chu had no reservations about Yang Yiqing. He could tell from Yang Yiqing's attitude towards Yang Shengzhai that although the Grand Secretary in front of him was nearly seventy years old, his vision and perspective had never been rigid or stagnant.

Otherwise, Yang Yiqing would not have allowed his grandson to study in Yuyao, nor would he have offered advice to Yang Shengzhai after learning that Yang Shengzhai had been appointed as a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Zhou Chu liked to communicate with intelligent people because they were better able to understand the meaning of what he said.

Zhou Chu had no desire to communicate with fools.

As expected, Yang Yiqing did not question it immediately upon hearing this.

"What are those experiments that Lord Zhou is doing called? I have heard of them, and they are truly amazing. I have no knowledge of natural science, but I trust Lord Zhou's vision. However, it is easier said than done to make the Ming Dynasty prosper again."

Yang Yiqing sighed.

"It's all up to human effort. Some things always need to be done. Even if it's smashed to pieces, if it's meant to be done, matter is indestructible; it's just shattered."

Zhou Chu smiled calmly.

"Matter is indestructible... matter is indestructible..."

Yang Yiqing kept repeating these four words, and the more he said them, the more he felt that they contained some profound truths.