As Jimmy’s condition gradually improved, Nirina and Maria embarked on a drive to Poole, nestled in the southern province.

This city, christened after the tea it holds dear, boasts a history spanning over a millennium. It’s not merely a post station along the ancient tea-horse road but also a significant hub for producing Pu-erh tea.

When Maria left Dali, she carried her parents’ ashes with her, finding their final resting place in Poole. It had been more than three centuries since Maria last set foot here, and the city’s former appearance eluded her memory.

According to her recollection, she had ferried her parents’ ashes from Dali, and when they were buried in Poole, she discreetly selected a feng shui spot for their graves. There were no coffins or gravestones, she had left them bare.

Locating two columbariums from over three centuries ago seemed a near-impossible task. Thankfully, Maria recalled that her parents lay beneath a tea-covered hill known as Erlang Mountain.

What’s more, she distinctly remembered interring the ashes beneath the largest, most opulent Pu’er tea tree on that very mountain.

Oddly, the current map offered no trace of Mount Erlang within the Poole area.

Nirina maneuvered the car into Poole, where he and Maria enlisted the aid of a few local historians. After thorough probing, they unearthed that indeed, a mountain named Erlang Mountain once existed on the outskirts of Poole. Yet, it had undergone numerous name changes over the past decades.

One shift occurred during the Republic of China era, followed by another after liberation. The 1960s saw a name change driven by political movements, and in the late 1970s, another was made after

those movements subsided.

More than two decades ago, the last renaming took place, christening it Celestial Mountain.

This shift was triggered by the sale of the entire tea-producing area to a company from the southern province. The rebranding paved the way for Celestial Mountain to evolve into their flagship tea garden.

Today, Celestial Group’s tea gained acclaim both domestically and internationally, specializing in medium to high-end Pu’er tea cakes. Their Cloud series, originating from Celestial Mountain, stood as the pinnacle product, often priced at no less than 10,000 dollars per piece.

Armed with knowledge about Erlang Mountain’s current state, Nirina found Celestial Mountain’s location on his GPS. Having developed it for over two decades, the road infrastructure proved sound, and they reached the mountain’s base from the city in just 40 minutes.

Having not returned to China for several years, Maria’s apprehension about Erlang Mountain’s possible deterioration was palpable. The sight of Celestial Mountain put her at ease, for the landscape hadn’t altered in three centuries.

Although Erlang Mountain bore a new name, it being a tea-producing region ensured that it hadn’t undergone drastic transformation. The most notable addition was a cement road that led from the national highway directly to the mountain’s base. At the foothills, Celestial Group had also established a tea processing factory on the flatland.

the lush green hill came into

beside Moses, found herself

hands, Nirina inquired, “Are you certain your

change, the mountain’s appearance hasn’t

is whether that Pu’er tea tree remains. If it’s

“Fear not. I’ll stand by your side until

eyes as she responded, “If that Pu’er tea tree still stands, it should be about a thousand years old.

escaped her lips, “Yet, it pales in comparison to the Mother of Pu’er with her ten-

chuckled, “A thousand years or ten thousand years,

Erlang Mountain came into

at a particularly dense tea tree near the peak and exclaimed, “If I’m

her words. There stood an imposing tree near the mountain’s crest. The entire hillside was adorned with uniform-sized tea trees, each standing around

wasn’t surprised. While this tea tree couldn’t rival

approach revealed

Erlang Mountain, with sturdy iron fences, surrounding

mountain’s base, a park gate blocked it a kilometer away. Nirina parked the car at

a nearby sentry box and hastened to their car window, demanding,

with someone in

become quite intricate for outsiders. Additionally, Nirina sought to honor Maria’s parents, so clandestine entry felt

Your affiliation? We haven’t received any visitor

and said, “I hail from East China. I’ve heard of Celestial Group’s reputation and its long- standing presence. I’m interested in the tea

“I’m afraid you can’t enter without an appointment. Even city officials need to notify in

strict management? It feels

enlighten you. Celestial Mountain’s entire tea area is a trade secret, especially the Tea King tree at its summit.

intruders trying to steal Tea King’s branches for grafting. They were nabbed before they

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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