Bai Luoshang never doubted that he was a very lucky person, if he hadn't been lucky for the good luck, it was estimated that he would have died a hundred times. But until now he is alive, which has proven his luck extraordinary.

Ochre was silent for a long time, and then led the white robe through the depths of the jungle along the row of stone lanterns, and stopped at the edge of a cliff.

The dense layers of the jungle are intertwined with branches, and even the sunlight is difficult to reach the ground. Coupled with the shrouded fog, it is easy to get lost in it. If it weren't for that row of stone lanterns, it would be really hard for people to get out.

But once you pass through the jungle, the clouds and fog will dissipate, and you will see the green mountains in front of you.

The thick fog only shrouded the woods behind him.

Bai Luoshang looked back in amazement that the winding road was hidden under the white of the mist, which gave rise to an indescribable sense of strangeness in his heart.

Different from the foggy woods, these tall mountains in front of you are a different kind of beautiful scenery.

Towering mountain peaks rise from the ground, cliffs shine, and green hills are green, like a huge barrier, falling from the clouds.

At the top, there is a blue sky and white clouds.

Under the mountain, the mist is rising, the mist is misty, and being in it makes people suddenly feel like the clouds and fog.

Pointing to the cliff opposite with her hand, Ochre asked Bai Luosheng, "Do you see those trees?"

Bai Luoshang smiled sideways, "There are many trees here, which one is the girl referring to?"

"The leaves are the red one. ”

Bai Luoshang looked up, and sure enough, he saw a giant red ancient tree.

The tree is ten feet high, the leaves are as big as palms, growing on the cliff, the wind blows the leaf pendant, the bent and vigorous branches are carved with the scars of the reincarnation of the sky, the trunk of the wind candle is full of wrinkles of the years, it seems to have died at a glance, but looking up, it is the green full of spring.

This ancient tree is 1,000 years old, and it is still flourishing and full of life.

It's an incredible ancient tree.

"See, is there anything special?" Bai Luoshang asked incomprehensibly.

"It was a tea. Ochre replied. "A very special tea. ”

Bai Luoshang looked at the tree, and really couldn't see anything special, "It's very ordinary, what's so special?"

"It's rare, it's expensive because it's small. Ochre said.

"Scarcity is expensive, and if the quantity is small, it will naturally be expensive. Bai Luoshang said with a smile, "I think this tree has a history of hundreds of years, and the thousand-year-old tree is very rare, not to mention that it is still an ancient tea tree." ”

"It's not just about growing for years. "This tea tree only grows in the area of Tonghu Mountain, and it is a unique tree species in this area, and the number is extremely rare. It grows in the sunny place of the cliff, and when the sun shines, it is as red as fire, so this tea is also called 'sun-red'. This tree is only grown in places where no one can climb it, and its number is scarce, so it is also the rarest tea in the world. ”

"I see, it's really rare and expensive. Bai Luosheng's eyes widened, looking at the huge red tea tree from afar, and exclaimed: "But this tea tree is born in such a high place, how can it pick tea?"

Ochre smiled and said, "Guess what?"

Bai Luoshang shook his head, "I can't guess, such a cliff is difficult for even a master of light skills to climb." ”

Ochre Aya chuckled softly: "Yes, people definitely can't climb up." ”

"This is interesting, could it be that the tea pickers are not people?"

"Not people. "As you said, even a person with a high level of skill may not be able to climb this cliff. Therefore, when picking tea every year, tea farmers use the fruit as bait and tame monkeys to pick it. ”

"Taming monkeys to pick tea? This is unheard of, but isn't it too hard to do so, and the leaves blown down by the wind can't be used to make tea? Wouldn't it be easier to wait for the leaves to fall by themselves? ”

"That's an old leaf, and the taste is not as good as a fresh leaf. What's more, you also said that things are more expensive than less, on the contrary, things that are easy to get hold and have a large number of things are cheap, and this old leaf is more than young leaves, and it is easier to get it, so it is naturally not as precious as young leaves. ”

Bai Luoshang touched his chin and thought about it, and felt that this was indeed reasonable.

"This Yingri Red was originally a royal tribute tea. When Ochre Aya said this, her expression changed slightly.

"It turned out to be a tribute to the royal family for the emperor to enjoy the tea, which is quite big. Bai Luoshang rubbed his hands, and a happy expression appeared on his face, "I want to taste it." ”

"It's not time to pick tea yet, where can you get tea leaves for you to taste? Ochre smiled faintly.

"Isn't it time to harvest tea in early spring?"

"The time has not yet come. ”

"When will I be able to pick tea?"

"When did you pass through Tonghu Mountain in the past?"

Bai Luoshang tilted his head and thought about it, and then replied uncertainly: "It's probably in late spring and early summer, I can't remember exactly when." ”

"It's Gu Yu. "The harvest of Yingrihong is only three days before and after the Guyu, so Yingrihong is also called 'Guyu Tribute Tea'." In the three days before and after the valley rain every year, those who live in the Chenghuang Temple will come here to guard this tea tree. ”

"Just guarding?" Bai Luoshang asked strangely, "Aren't you going to pick tea?"

"No one collects tea anymore, and no one knows how to pick tea. Ochre Aya looked at the ancient tree with an inexplicable sad expression, "And no one wants to pick those tea leaves anymore." ”

"Why? Wouldn't it be a pity to let such a good tea be left like this? ”

Ochre lowered her eyebrows, was silent for a moment, and was about to speak, when she suddenly noticed someone appear behind them.

Qiu Lifeng was leading the horse and standing not far from them. It seems that he has been standing for a while.

Ochre Aya stared at Qiu Lifeng's indifferent and stunning face in a daze, and suddenly turned to Bai Luoshang and said, "If you want to go down the mountain, it's best to keep going, no matter what you see or hear, don't come back." ”

Bai Luoshang looked at her inexplicably.

Ochre Aya didn't explain much, but said coldly: "If you want to go down the mountain alive, you'd better take what I said seriously." ”

After speaking, he walked away without looking back, leaving Bai Luoshang alone in the same place for no reason.

"Look, your eyes keep following that Hanako, so it seems that your eyes are fine. Qiu Lifeng sneered.

"Why is the eldest prince here?" Bai Luoshang jumped over in surprise, not caring about his mean mouth at all.

"It sounds like I'm in the way here. Qiu Lifeng lazily raised his eyebrows and glanced at him, his expression was neither salty nor light, and he couldn't tell whether he was happy or unhappy.

Bai Luoshang touched his nose and explained: "Look at what you said, I just felt very surprised, I thought you had left first." ”

Qiu Lifeng sneered, "I'm leaving, do you think you can go down the mountain alive alone?"

Bai Luoshang was really unhappy when she heard this, jumped up, and loudly expressed her dissatisfaction: "What do you mean by this? Do you think I'm stupid? Can't I climb a single mountain?"

"Can you climb this mountain?"

"Someone promised to help me get down the mountain. ”

"That's the one called Hanako?"

Bai Luoshang straightened his face, "What is Hanako? ”

Qiu Lifeng said coldly: "I still want the phoenix blood jade, before you get the jade, don't want to run away alone." ”

When Bai Luoshang heard this, he became even more dissatisfied, "Didn't you say that after the ghost cave, we will go our separate ways, as long as we meet in Liangzhou, why do we have to go together?"

"Isn't it okay?" Qiu Lifeng interrupted Bai Luosheng's complaint with a cold face, "Anyway, if you go your way, do your business, and drink your wine, I will neither disturb nor interfere." We still go our separate ways, we don't go our own way, we just go the same way. ”

What is the difference between peers and peers?

According to Qiu Lifeng's personality, the same way is not only the same way, just think about everything that happened here.

Bai Luoshang scratched his scalp, not laughing, not laughing.

"Did you sleep well?" Qiu Lifeng asked casually.

"Good. Bai Luoshang replied a little listlessly.

"It doesn't seem good. Qiu Lifeng looked at him.

"Yes. Bai Luoshang rubbed her eyes, her expression gloomy.

Qiu Lifeng lost the horse rope, paced to the edge of the cliff, looked at the red tea tree, and asked in a low voice: "Do you know which country has a tribute tea system today?"

Bai Luoshang didn't have to think about it to answer: "Move to the bamboo country." ”

Qiu Lifeng said: "Yes, at present, all countries, only Qianzhu has a complete set of tribute tea system, and the emperor of Qianzhu can be said to like to drink tea from generation to generation." ”

"The kings of every country have the habit of drinking tea. ”

"It's just like, and it doesn't form a system. ”

"That's just as well. Bai Luoshang looked around, "Could it be that this Yingri Red was also a tribute from the Southern Xia Kingdom to the Qianzhu Kingdom before?"

"Not bad. Qiu Lifeng said indifferently, "Yingrihong has been favored by the emperors of Qianzhu, and therefore imposed a heavy shackle on the tea farmers of Tonghu Mountain. ”

Then, Qiu Lifeng solved Bai Luosheng's doubts.

At the beginning, it was precisely because of some people who coveted fame and position, and knew that everyone in the royal family of Qianzhu State, which was the most powerful at that time, liked tea, so they flattered and did what they liked, and contributed the scarce number of Yingsun Red to the emperor of Qianzhu State, in order to be promoted and make a fortune.

Unexpectedly, the emperor of Qianzhu Kingdom actually liked Yingsunhong too much, and asked the Southern Xia Kingdom to pay tribute to Yingsunhong every year.

Because the monarch of Southern Xia was afraid of the national power of Qianzhu, he had to comply, so he increased the control of Tonghu Mountain Camellia.

Due to the direct management of the government, the Gongcha superintendent is even more refined, but this is undoubtedly the cruel exploitation and oppression of tea farmers. Therefore, the tribute tea system of Qianzhu State indirectly caused a disguised tax system to the tea farmers of Southern Xia Kingdom.

The tea farmers of Tonghu Mountain stayed awake day and night, day and night, just to be able to make tea that could win the favor of Emperor Qianzhu.

The scale of production continued to increase, with 30,000 laborers, more than 1,000 craftsmen, and tens of millions of dollars, in order to avoid wars and conflicts.

Because the productivity has to be invested in tea production, men waste farming, women waste weaving, resulting in tea farmers have no food and clothing throughout the year. And I have to go hungry to pick tea and make tea, so I am also miserable. In addition, the government is extremely picky about collecting tea, and even the tea with extremely scarce production has to be one out of ten. During this period, many bureaucrats also took the opportunity to buy and sell tribute tea, extorted money, and harmed one party, and many tea farmers went bankrupt.

Although it was not a battlefield filled with gunpowder, Tonghu Mountain was still starved because of perennial oppression, and many tea farmers had to leave their homes, and because of this, tea production declined.

The harvesting method of Yingsun Red is very special, and the taming monkey tea picking can be said to be the only way that can be thought of at that time. Due to the death of experienced tea farmers and the escape, the method of picking tea in the end was also lost, and the ability of taming monkeys to pick tea was also unsuccessful, and the Southern Xia Kingdom finally reached the point where there was no tea to pay tribute.

"Then in the end, did the Qianzhu Kingdom really meet with the soldiers of the Southern Xia Kingdom?" Bai Luoshang asked urgently.

"What do you think?" Qiu Lifeng replied lightly.

Bai Luoshang was silent.

Because in the past, there was really an incident about Qianzhu marching into Tonghu Mountain to attack Southern Xia.

The end of that battle was that the army of Qianzhu Kingdom was completely wiped out, which is why there were rumors of "Cannibal Ridge".