White tea legend

Chapter 259 Die together
Zhou Lang, one of Lu Yu's ten disciples.

Born in a family of scholars, he had a special liking for the world of tea outside of books. Although his home had thousands of books, to him, these words were far less real than a cup of tea. Therefore, he resolutely became a disciple of Lu Yu and became one of Lu Yu's ten disciples.

Under Lu Yu's guidance, Zhou Lang's tea art improved day by day. He not only learned how to taste tea, but also learned how to make tea.

Wangshanli fell into a predicament due to the crisis of vegetable tea. The vegetable tea grown by the villagers lost its way under the impact of Baihao Yinzhen, Bai Mudan, Shoumei and other teas made from Dabaicha and Dahaocha, and life became difficult. So the She people and Han people in Wangshanli went to Wanghaili to make a scene at the "Xiangming Yaxu". After Lu Yu learned about this, he helped them.

He used the only vegetable tea in Wangshanli as raw material, and after repeated experiments, he finally developed a new category of white tea - Gongmei. In order to benefit more people with this achievement, Lu Yu sent his disciple Zhou Lang to Wangshanli to guide the villagers in planting and making Gongmei.

Zhou Lang lived up to everyone's expectations. He went deep into Wangshanli, lived and ate with the tea farmers, and taught them the techniques of planting and making tea. Under his leadership, Wangshanli built the largest Gongmei tea factory, "Cuiyun Pavilion", and began large-scale production of Gongmei. The tea industry in Wangshanli was rejuvenated, and the lives of the tea farmers gradually improved.

Since Gongmei became the favorite imperial tea of ​​the saint, Wangshanli became the "hometown of Gongmei" in the Li Dynasty, and the tea industry in Changxi should have ushered in unprecedented prosperity. However, due to the sudden regulation issued by the court to ban private tea, the tea farmers in the entire Changxi lost their livelihoods and Wangshanli became silent.

Zhou Lang stood on the path in Wangshan, looking at the tea garden that was once bustling but now deserted, feeling filled with resentment.

Suddenly, a sharp cry broke the tranquility of the tea garden. Zhou Lang looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tea picker holding a child, sitting helplessly on the roadside. He hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Sister, why are you crying here?"

The tea picker raised her head, her eyes full of despair: "My child is sick, but my family has no money to see a doctor. Private tea is not allowed to be sold, and the price of imperial tea is very low. How can we tea farmers make a living?"

Zhou Lang looked at the sick baby, his heart aching. He understood that this was not just the plight of the tea picker, but also the plight of the tea farmers in Wangshan. He took out the Tongbao coins without hesitation and handed them to the tea picker: "Use this money to treat the child, and be sure to take care of yourself."

The tea-picking girl took the Tongbao and burst into tears: "Thank you so much, my dear, for your kindness. I... I don't know how to repay you."

Zhou Lang waved his hand: "Don't be polite, sister. This is what I should do. However, my power is limited after all. I still need to come up with a long-term plan."

After returning to Cuiyun Pavilion, Zhou Lang immediately summoned his servants and ordered them to go to various places in Wangshan to learn about the situation of the poor tea farmers. He was determined to use his savings to help these tea farmers overcome their difficulties.

A few days later, the servants brought back detailed investigation results. After hearing this, Zhou Lang became more determined to help the tea farmers. He took out all his savings, divided them into several portions, and asked the servants to deliver them to each poor tea farmer.

Tea growers were filled with gratitude when they received the relief money from Zhou Lang. They came to Cuiyun Pavilion to express their gratitude to Zhou Lang. Zhou Lang smiled and waved his hand: "These are what I should do. The difficulties are only temporary. In the future, Cuiyun Pavilion will still rely on you, the elders and villagers."

……

In the city of Chang'an, the "Ancient Imperial Forest" tea shop was shrouded in gloom and mist.

The "tea monopoly system" had already occurred in Yazhou. This was because the saints once loved Mengding Mountain tea, so Mengding Mountain tea became a tribute tea. Some people with ulterior motives were blinded by desire for convenience and disregarded the interests of tea growers and tea people. They prohibited private tea trading. Facts proved that "tea monopoly was not beneficial", so it was abolished.

In fact, how could ordinary people have so many bad thoughts?
Isn't it the evil hand behind the scenes that is causing all the trouble?

Lu Yu and Bai Cha knew that this time Changxi Bai Cha had followed in the footsteps of Yazhou Mengding Tea, and they were afraid that Rui Yu was behind it.

However, this time the imperial court only banned the private sale of Changxi white tea, which did not affect other types of tea in the Joseon Dynasty. Therefore, since their own interests were not harmed, the tea people of the Joseon Dynasty just stretched their necks to watch the fun, and did not have a sense of crisis that everyone would prosper or suffer together.

In Chang'an, the growth of Gu Yulin had made other tea shops jealous. At this time, the imperial court issued a "Tea Monopoly Order" targeting only Changxi white tea, which led to the closure of Gu Yulin Tea Shop, which made many of its peers applaud.

You can only rely on yourself.

"We can't just sit there and wait for death." Zhuo Laosan paced back and forth in the tea shop with the door closed, his face full of anxiety.

Madam Yao Si tightly grasped the handkerchief in her hand, her voice trembling slightly: "I heard that General Gao has some influence in front of the saint. If we can persuade him, maybe there will be a turnaround."

Zhuo Laosan had some friendship with Gao Lishi by chance. Gao Lishi made an indispensable contribution to the fact that Gongmei appeared in the tea party where the sage entertained foreign envoys and became a tribute tea.

Chang'an City has always implemented a curfew system. One night, Zhuo Laosan was negotiating business with a businessman from afar in Xinghua Tower. He was delayed and trapped in the restaurant, unable to escape.

At this moment, a commotion came from the street. Zhuo Laosan looked down from the upstairs window of the restaurant and saw several masked gangsters chasing a ragged man. The man stumbled and was obviously exhausted. When he was about to be caught up by the gangsters, he jumped and flew into the restaurant window, meeting Zhuo Laosan face to face.

The criminals broke into the Xinghua Tower from the bottom floor, but they could not find any trace of the man after searching the entire building.

It turned out that Zhuo Laosan's chivalrous heart was aroused. He pulled the man out from the back door of Xinghua Tower, crossed an alley, and entered the "Gu Yulin" tea shop from the back door, thus escaping the pursuit of the gangsters.

"Thank you for saving my life!" The man panted and expressed his gratitude to Zhuo Laosan.

"No need to be polite, I just help when I see injustice."

On the street, the footsteps faded away, and the two men breathed a sigh of relief. Zhuo Laosan looked at the man carefully and found that although his clothes were torn in many places, he had an extraordinary temperament and did not seem like an ordinary person.

"May I know your name?" Zhuo Laosan asked curiously.

The man smiled slightly, with a deep look in his eyes: "My last name is Gao."

Zhuo Laosan never thought that the seemingly ordinary man in front of him was actually the powerful Gao Lishi. He also never thought that Gao Lishi would repay his kindness. He didn't know what enemy was chasing him that night. Anyway, that night, Zhuo Laosan brewed a cup of Gongmei for him to remove the bad luck. A few days later, the Gongmei appeared at the tea party where the saint entertained foreign envoys.

Changxi white tea suffered a heavy blow from the "tea monopoly system". Lady Yao Si asked Zhuo Laosan to bring a large sum of money to find Gao Lishi, hoping that he could say a good word in front of the saint.

"General Gao, you know that once this 'Tea Monopoly Order' is issued, life will be difficult for us tea farmers in Changxi. I hope you can say a few good words in front of the Saint and revoke the order."

Gao Lishi frowned and said in a cold voice: "Who do you think I am? How can we change the decision of the saint at will? You should go back and stop getting in the way here."

After saying that, Gao Lishi turned away, leaving Zhuo Laosan standing there in a daze with a pale face.

Zhuo Laosan didn't understand how Gao Lishi could turn against him so easily?
How could he know that people in the officialdom, especially those like Gao Lishi who were beside the saints and stood at the top of power, would never have any long-lasting feelings? Repaying a favor once was already a great conscience.

Lu Yu and Bai Cha knew that the "Tea Monopoly Order" targeting Changxi Bai Cha could not be controlled or changed by human power, because the instigator was not a human being.

Bai Cha calculated with his fingers and found that the evil spirit had returned to the direction of the palace unexpectedly.

So he brought sisters Ao Qian and Jasmine to visit Xingqing Palace again.

Lu Yu could only stay at home and worry about his wife's safety. Bai Cha and his party flew to Xingqing Palace and saw that the imperial concubine was still lying unconscious on the bed, and Ruiyu did not possess her.

In another palace, the saint was having a great time with An Xiaoshan.

The two first played hide-and-seek. An Xiaoshan hid his chubby body in a bush of flowers. His wide robe swayed slightly among the flowers. He tried his best to shrink his body, hoping to avoid the saint's gaze. The saint pretended to look for him, occasionally deliberately bypassing the hiding An Xiaoshan to make the game more interesting.

"An Xiaoshan, where are you? Why can't I find you?" The saint deliberately shouted loudly, his voice full of laughter.

An Xiaoshan covered his mouth, trying not to laugh out loud, his eyes twinkling with mischief. The saint quietly approached the flowers, gently opened the flowers, and suddenly shouted: "I found you!" An Xiaoshan screamed, and then the two hugged each other and laughed.

Then, An Xiaoshan pushed the saint away and went into hiding again.

"Your Majesty, come after me! Come after me!"

"Xiaoshan, I'm coming after you!"

The sound gave the people in the air a chill.

Bai Cha had already seen a wisp of black smoke from above An Xiaoshan's head, moving along with An Xiaoshan's running...

Bai Cha picked up a ball of magic light with her fingertips, waved it towards An Xiaoshan, and then pulled it back, and Ruiyu was pulled out of An Xiaoshan's fat body.

On the ground, An Xiaoshan's three hundred-pound body fell heavily to the ground and he fainted.

"Xiaoshan, Xiaoshan...quickly call the imperial physician!"

The saint's distressed voice was so heartbreaking that it shook the entire Xingqing Palace.

At this moment, he had no memory of the unconscious Concubine Yang on the bed. The only thing in his eyes was An Xiaoshan who could dance the Hu Xuan dance.

……

In the sky above Chang'an City, Bai Cha, Ao Qian, Momo and Lili once again started a fierce battle with Rui Yu. The magic power of these four people is so strong that every duel will trigger thunder and fire in the sky and cause fluctuations between heaven and earth.

Although Momo and Lili were also fairies who had practiced for many years, their strength seemed so insignificant in front of Ruiyu. With a light spell from Ruiyu, the energy of the two was sucked away by him, and they instantly turned into two withered jasmine flowers, falling to the ground powerlessly.

Bai Cha and Ao Qian were both surprised. After not seeing her for a few days, Rui Yu's power had become even stronger and so terrifying.

I don't know how much evil power this will arouse in humans for him to absorb.

If this evil is not eliminated, the world will be in danger.

The two of them worked together to attack Ruiyu more fiercely.

But Ruiyu's figure flashed and turned into the appearance of the Third Dragon Prince. Ao Qian's heart tightened, and the magic power in his hand also hesitated for a moment...

Ruiyu turned to Baicha, and the two fought for a while. After one confrontation, Ruiyu was defeated and turned around to escape.

Bai Cha chased after her without hesitation, she couldn't miss the opportunity to defeat Rui Yu.

He runs away and she chases him, he runs away and she chases him...

Suddenly a black wind blew up and carried the white tea away from Chang'an City.

When Bai Cha opened her eyes again, she was already in a desolate place.

Ruiyu was just pretending to fail to lure the enemy deeper into the territory and deliberately lead Baicha here.

The sky was gloomy, with thick clouds hanging low, lightning flashing and thunder rumbling. The red river water exuded a pungent smell of rust, there was no grass growing on both sides of the river, the soil was dry and cracked, and the cracks spread like spider webs.

This is the place where Prince Danzhu was exiled in the past: Danshui!!!
The red water of the Dan River reflects a strange luster in the sun, as if it is flowing blood. Bubbles emerge from the river from time to time, making a gurgling sound when they burst, adding a sense of gloom. The air by the river is filled with an unsettling atmosphere. Even birds are reluctant to fly over it. Only occasionally one or two lonely crows circle on the shore, making hoarse calls.

Baicha stood by the Dan River, confronting Ruiyu who was on the other side of the dangerous river.

Ruiyu stood by the Danshui River, his face looked particularly gloomy under the reflection of the red river water. His voice was filled with an unquestionable indifference, his eyes penetrated the wind and rain, staring at Baicha.

"Bai Cha, do you still remember how you and Lu Yu killed Ma Mo and Prince Danzhu? Today, I will avenge them and make you pay with blood and die in this elixir water!!!"

As Ruiyu complained, the air around him seemed to freeze, and the red river water became more turbulent, as if it was also grieving for the loss of Ma Mo and Prince Danzhu. Black air began to gather around Ruiyu's body, and his magic power became stronger in anger.

Ruiyu's hands had condensed into a dark ball of light, which was flashing with energy like electric sparks...

"Bai Cha, prepare to die! After I kill you, I will go and kill Lu Yu!"

As Ruiyu roared, the ball of light flew towards Baicha rapidly, carrying with it the power of destruction.

Bai Cha immediately cast a protective spell to block the fatal blow.

Then, Bai Cha fought with Rui Yu with all her might. She knew that today, on the bank of Danshui River, it was either she or Rui Yu who would die!!!
The dark clouds in the sky grew thicker and thicker, as if they were about to swallow up the entire world. The red river rolled under their feet, emitting a bloody smell...

Bai Cha took a deep breath, and a brilliant light gathered in her palms, each ray of light contained a powerful spell. Rui Yu was not to be outdone, his dark magic formed vortices around him, trying to swallow up all the light.

The collision of the two forces caused energy fluctuations throughout the sky, and the entire Danshui was shaking. Their figures intertwined in the fierce battle, as if two lightning bolts were passing through the air.

The power of the two people reached a critical point in the constant collision. Finally, after the last fierce collision of power, the sky of Danshui bloomed like fireworks, the black light was melted by the dazzling white, and the dark clouds in the sky of Danshui dissipated, but the figures of Ruiyu and Baicha disappeared.

Inside the Gu Yulin Tea House, Lu Yu jumped up in shock. He held his violently beating chest, and an ominous premonition rose from the bottom of his heart...