White tea legend

Chapter 277 Extra : The Tea Making Family "Gu Yulin" Part
Deep in the cellar, a sickening musty smell permeated the chilly air.

The surrounding walls were covered with wet water stains and mottled rust. The dim light flickered, casting distorted shadows and shrouding the dark space in a depressing atmosphere.

In the center of the basement, a worn iron bed stood quietly, covered with a piece of dirty rags, which was the prisoner's only comfort. One end of the iron chain was tightly locked in the iron ring on the wall, and the other end was wrapped around the prisoner's slender ankle. Every slight movement would cause a harsh metal friction sound.

In the corner, a rat unscrupulously gnawed on the leftovers, which were the prisoners' only daily rations. Behind the heavy door, there were always the guards' cold laughter and threats.

There are no windows and no fresh air here. Time seems to have stood still in this enclosed space, with only the sound of the prisoners' breathing being heard.

The door of the secret room clanged open.

A man walked in.

It's John.

John stood in front of the prisoner and looked down at him, his tone full of threats: "Master Zhuo, are you really unwilling to stay in the United States? If you want to go back to China, it's not impossible. As long as you tell me the secret recipe of white tea making, I will let you go back to China!"

Master Zhuo remained silent. John was furious and ordered the torture. The whip whistled in the air, and every blow was like carving a deep mark on Master Zhuo's heart.

Under the torture, Master Zhuo's body almost collapsed, but what was more painful was the longing and worry for his family. His voice was weak but firm:
"Mr. John, you may be able to use torture instruments to make my body yield, but you cannot destroy my spirit and faith. The secret recipe of white tea is not only a tea-making skill, but also a treasure passed down from generation to generation in our family. I cannot and will not give it to anyone."

John's face was gloomy. He didn't expect that Master Zhuo would still insist even in such pain. He tried to break Master Zhuo's determination in another way: "Master Zhuo, don't you think it's not worth suffering like this for a secret recipe? Tell me, you can end it all immediately."

Master Zhuo took a deep breath. Although his body was in great pain, his eyes revealed a calmness and determination: "Mr. John, don't waste your time. Either you kill me or you can't get any secret recipe of white tea from me."

John clenched his fists, obviously very dissatisfied with Master Zhuo's answer. However, facing the old man's firm attitude, he began to realize that simple threats and violence would not allow him to achieve his goal.

John ordered the torture to stop.

He stood in the dim room, his eyes flashing with complex light. He looked at the tenacious old man in front of him, and a twisted admiration arose in his heart. Although Mr. Zhuo's body was covered with scars, his eyes were still as firm as before. This kind of backbone of not fearing power and sticking to faith was something John had never seen in the United States.

However, despite his admiration, John's original intention did not change. The white tea making skills he wanted were the key to open the door to wealth, and he could not give up.

He lowered his voice, with a hint of unquestionable coldness in his tone, and said: "Master Zhuo, your courage and persistence are indeed admirable. But do you know that there are many things in the world that are more painful than death? If you don't volunteer, I also have hundreds of ways to make you tell me the secret recipe."

Master Zhuo smiled slightly, that smile contained both helplessness towards life and sympathy for John's ignorance: "Mr. John, do you really think this skill can be coerced? Even if I tell you, without the wisdom of Chinese tea people and the spirituality of heaven and earth, what you get is just a piece of empty paper."

John clenched his fists. Master Zhuo's answer was undoubtedly a direct challenge to his greedy thoughts. He didn't want to admit it, but deep down he knew that there was an irrefutable truth in the old man's words.

The conflict in his heart made John fall into a brief contemplation. In the end, he realized that only by taking more extreme measures could he break the current deadlock. As the night deepened, a resolute shadow appeared on John's face, and a sinister plan quietly took shape.

As the night deepened and the moonlight shone through the narrow window onto the cold, hard floor, John issued his cruel order. A group of dark shadows approached Master Zhuo's cage silently. Although Master Zhuo was physically exhausted, his senses were still sharp and he sensed the threat of death.

Facing the impending end, Master Zhuo was unusually calm. He was not thinking about the fragility of his own life, but about his responsibility to his family and to traditional tea art.

"Xiao Jingqiu, I leave the Ancient Imperial Forest to you, my granddaughter."

As the shadow of darkness descended, Master Zhuo's life passed away in silence...

……

……

The ship slowly sailed out of the port, and the sound of the waves seemed to accompany Boss Wu's grief. He stood on the deck, looking at the gradually blurry land, his heart was empty as if it had been emptied. The news of Master Zhuo's death hit his heart like a heavy hammer, making it difficult for him to breathe.

He recalled his first encounter with Master Zhuo, when Master Zhuo's tea art had already amazed him. The two shared the same ideals and decided to promote Chinese white tea to the world together. Wu Jinji's white tea business in Europe was inseparable from the strong support of the "Gu Yulin" tea company led by Master Zhuo and the tea farmers in Wanghaili.

It was precisely in order to ensure that the Baihao Yinzhen tea selected by Wu Jinji successfully won the international award that Boss Wu invited Mr. Zhuo to accompany him to San Francisco. Now the gold medal trophy for Baihao Yinzhen has been moved back, but Mr. Zhuo will never come back.

The sea breeze blew on Boss Wu's face, the salty breath mixed with the salty taste of tears. His hands tightly grasped the side of the boat, and his fingertips turned white from excessive force.

Thinking of Mr. Zhuo's persistence and efforts during his lifetime, Boss Wu felt increasingly heavy-hearted. Mr. Zhuo's unexpected misfortune and death in a foreign land made Boss Wu feel indescribable grief and powerlessness, and he felt indescribable guilt towards Mr. Zhuo.

He knew that he had to shoulder their common dream and carry forward the white tea culture, which might be the best commemoration of Master Zhuo.

However, at this moment, he just wanted to let himself sink into sadness for a while. The waves beat mercilessly against the hull, as if telling the sorrow of things and people being different.

Boss Wu looked up at the boundless sea, tears sparkling in his eyes.

As the ship moved forward, Boss Wu's figure was gradually surrounded by the light of the rising sun. Although his mood was still heavy, there was a determination flashing in his eyes.

Mr. Zhuo left in the spring, and his ashes were sent back to the Zhuo family by Boss Wu in the winter.

Boss Wu knelt down in front of the Zhuo family and kept saying "I'm sorry".

On the day of the funeral, the sky over Tianzhu Village was covered with thick clouds, with a few rays of sunlight occasionally shining through the gaps in the clouds onto the paths of the village, as if the heaven and earth were also bidding farewell to Master Zhuo. The young and old in the village all wore white clothes, the women sobbed quietly, and the men had solemn expressions, the atmosphere was solemn and sad.

Mr. Zhuo's coffin was placed in the open space at the entrance of the village. On the coffin were his favorite white tea and some tea sets he often used. According to local customs, these were for him to enjoy in the other world. The elders of the family recited scriptures to pray for Mr. Zhuo's soul.

Following an order, sixteen strong men lifted the coffin and slowly moved it to the family cemetery. The funeral procession passed through the village path, and everyone followed silently, scattering yellow paper money along the way to express the children and grandchildren's condolences and respect for Master Zhuo.

The cemetery is located in a bamboo forest, quiet and peaceful, with bamboo leaves swaying gently in the breeze, making rustling sounds. When the coffin was gently lowered, everyone knelt down and kowtowed to bid farewell to Master Zhuo. Boss Wu was also in the crowd, his eyes were red and swollen, and he was very emotional, but he suppressed his grief and silently vowed in his heart that he must complete Master Zhuo's unfinished wish.

Mr. Zhuo's last wish was to make good tea and be a good person.

In front of the tombstone, a little girl placed a pack of Baihao Yinzhen dry tea she made by herself. The little person knelt in front of the tomb, worshiped devoutly, and asked for concentration.

Boss Wu asked, "Who is that?"

"It's Jingqiu."

Boss Wu has heard of Jingqiu's name.

When Mr. Zhuo was alive, every time he delivered tea to Fuzhou, he would mention his granddaughter Jingqiu to Boss Wu. He was quite proud of her and said that she was very talented in making tea at a young age.

"Boss Wu, my Jingqiu has had an amazing understanding of tea making since she was young." Master Zhuo often smiled and shook his head in admiration, "The white tea she mixes has a pure aroma and a mellow taste. Even an old man like me is ashamed of myself."

Every time Boss Wu heard such compliments, he would respond with a smile: "Master Zhuo is too modest. It is a blessing for the Zhuo family and for Baicha to have such an outstanding successor."

Jingqiu grew up surrounded by the fragrance of tea. Her sensitivity and knowledge of tea far surpass those of her peers. Whenever Master Zhuo made white tea, she always liked to stand by and observe, carefully learning every step. She not only imitated, but also added her own insights and innovations.

Once, Master Zhuo asked Jingqiu to make a batch of tea by herself. As a result, the finished product surprised everyone who tasted it. Her tea seemed to have a fresh and unworldly vitality, which made people linger on the taste.

"This child will definitely inherit and develop our white tea culture in the future." Master Zhuo looked at Jingqiu, his eyes full of expectation and pride.

Jingqiu is also aware of her responsibilities. She not only loves tea making, but also has an innate sense of mission to pass on the white tea craftsmanship of the Zhuo clan.

Grandpa never treats her differently just because she is a girl.

Grandpa treats all grandchildren in the family equally, regardless of gender, and he only favors those who are diligent and intelligent.

Grandpa has always had a preference for Jingqiu.

Now that grandpa is dead, Jingqiu cried the most sadly.

Grandpa's preference for Jingqiu is well known in Wanghai. He always jokes that Jingqiu is the pearl in his hand and the future white tea princess. Whenever Jingqiu shows amazing talent in the tea making process, Grandpa's eyes are always filled with endless pride and joy.

Jingqiu has been learning tea making from her grandfather since she was a child. Her every progress and every achievement is the result of her grandfather's hard work and expectations. Under the protection of her grandfather, Jingqiu has grown into a gentle and tough girl.

Grandpa told everyone that Jingqiu would inherit the "Ancient Imperial Forest" in the future.

Now that grandpa is dead, it feels like the sky has fallen for Jingqiu. She feels an unprecedented loss and grief, a deep sadness that almost makes her unable to hold herself back. Jingqiu's tears flow from the corners of her eyes like beads that have broken off the string.

Standing in front of her grandfather's tombstone, Jingqiu's heart was filled with pain. She recalled the days and nights she spent with her grandfather, those conversations about tea, those visions of the future, which now became eternal regrets.

"Grandpa, you once said that I am your pride and the future of white tea." Jingqiu sobbed, her voice trembling. "I will continue to study and work hard to live up to your expectations. Please bless me in heaven, so that I can inherit your legacy and carry forward the white tea of ​​our 'Gu Yu Lin'."

Jingqiu's tears dripped onto the white tea in the memorial ceremony, as if it was the last communication between her and her grandfather. She knew that even though her grandfather had left, his love and expectations for her would always accompany her and become her strength to move forward.

"Jingqiu, good child, don't cry."

Boss Wu handed Jingqiu a handkerchief.

Jingqiu looked up, looking at Boss Wu with tearful eyes, and asked with sobs: "Boss Wu, can you tell me how my grandfather died?"

"The country is in turmoil, and the common people are being bullied!"

Boss Wu's words made Jingqiu bite the handkerchief in her hand hard.

……

……

Jingqiu is the first child in the Zhuo family to study abroad, and she is a girl.

The Zhuo family was originally unwilling to comply, but they could not resist Jingqiu's hunger strike.

Jingqiu stood on the coast of San Francisco, the sea breeze blowing her hair, and her mood was as turbulent as the waves.

Jingqiu insisted on studying abroad because she had a bigger dream in her heart - saving the country and the people. The country was in turmoil, with internal and external troubles, and the people were suffering. In such a situation, how could Jingqiu live peacefully and just be a tea lover?
It is a crime to possess a treasure, and you will die in a foreign land like your grandfather.

Jingqiu chose to study in San Francisco because it is a place where advanced ideas and technologies from all over the world converge, and also because this is where her grandfather died.

During her time in San Francisco, Jingqiu studied hard. She not only studied hard in class, but also went deep into local communities and institutions to communicate with Westerners from different cultural backgrounds. She knew that true knowledge lies not only in books, but also in practice and experience.

Whenever it was late at night and everyone was asleep, Jingqiu would always stand in front of the window, gazing at the starry sky in the distance, missing her grandfather while thinking about her mission and future path.

After finishing her class at school, Jingqiu was walking on the playground. Her mood was as heavy as ever, making her look very depressed.

"Hi, Jingqiu! Are you done with class?" Her classmate Jack greeted her with a smile.

"Yeah, just finished." Jingqiu smiled back.

"Jingqiu, I would like to invite you to my home." Jack invited warmly.

He has invited many times before.

Jingqiu nodded: "Okay."