Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

Willow River Bay was a small village in Yongzhou during the Western Han Dynasty, not a large one, with just fifty families nested deep in the mountains.

This is indeed what they say: "You live off the mountain if you're by the mountain, you live off the water if you're by the water." For the villagers of Willow River Bay, their greatest source of income was a few tea trees on the cliffs above the village, the leaves of which were highly favored by officials and nobles.

The village houses were scattered, the sounds of chickens and dogs intermingling. Columns of cooking smoke were curling upwards, signaling the villagers were preparing breakfast.

The half-grown lads were the naughtiest, ignoring their families' admonishments, grabbing their breakfast and running off wildly because they were going to be late for school.

Originally, a small village like Willow River Bay would have no school, but fortune is unstoppable when it comes. Some time ago, a gentleman in a green robe, riding a black donkey, arrived in the village, hoping to stay for a while.

The village chief, seeing the man's extraordinary demeanor and realizing he was a scholar, treated him with great courtesy and took the opportunity to ask if the gentleman could teach the village children.

In that era, knowledge was monopolized by the Noble Families and Clans, and for children born to humble families, learning to read and write was as difficult as reaching the heavens. The old village chief, having traveled far and wide in his youth, understood the importance of literacy all too well.

Unfortunately, there was not a single educated person in the village, and scholars from outside saw no appeal in this small place. Now that they had a visiting gentleman, how could they let the chance slip by?

The village chief had already braced for rejection, but this gentleman seemed easy to talk to, and he readily agreed to the chief's request, opening a school in the village's ancestral hall.

To the farmers, who had been toiling in the soil for generations, learning to read and write was a blessing. They were willing to support this cause even if it meant selling their pots and pans. However, the gentleman said he would teach the children without charge, his only condition being that he enjoyed good tea.

Thus, the villagers brought out their treasured tea leaves to offer to the gentleman, and from time to time, they brought various local specialties as payment for the tuition.

However, the opening of the school was tough on the youngsters. Under threat of stick and staff from their parents, they had no choice but to bid farewell to their cherished freedom, putting on the new clothes prepared by their families and going to the ancestral hall to learn early each day.

But it was only a short time before they grew fond of attending class. The teacher's lectures were extremely interesting; they never knew the outside world was such a place, with its princes and generals, its brotherhoods and feuds, even immortals and monsters.

Inside Willow River Bay's ancestral hall, Mr. Lu in his green robe was sitting opposite an elder, between them was a table made of yellow rosewood, simple and elegant.

A tea set rested upon the table, and one could see Mr. Lu washing his hands, appreciating the utensils, rinsing the teapot, brewing the tea, and then sealing the pot. His movements were as smooth as drifting clouds and flowing water, carrying a unique charm. No matter how many times the elder watched, he found it a delight to the eye, feeling his own heart become tranquil as well.

"Every time I watch Mr. Lu make tea, there is always an extraordinary feeling of natural harmony," complemented the elder as he stroked his beard with a smile.

"You flatter me, Chief, please have a taste," the gentleman in the green robe offered a cup of tea to the elder, the green tea leaves undulating in the cup, full of charm and character and a flavor all its own.

"It's not mere flattery. I have never seen such a way of drinking tea before. It's like a refreshing breeze, cleansing the soul. I wonder if Mr. Lu plans to share this method with the world?"

"It's merely making use of the wisdom of others. I too plan to write a book, detailing the characteristics of various tea trees, their cultivation methods, and the many existing ways of enjoying tea," said the gentleman with a smile, who was none other than Lu Yu.

"When the time comes, do not forget to praise our Willow River Bay's tea trees!" said the elder with a chuckle.

As the two enjoyed their tea and conversation, suddenly they heard a commotion outside. It turned out the children were using their break to fetch water for their teacher.

The children believed that only the clear spring water from the mountains was worthy of their teacher, Mr. Lu, whose appearance and demeanor deserved nothing less. The simple children, not knowing how else to express their gratitude to the teacher who imparted knowledge and resolved their confusion, chose to show their appreciation in this way.

Mr. Lu did not stop the children's actions, knowing that only by graciously accepting it would the children be happy. Moreover, making tea with the water from that mountain spring had a unique flavor.

"The children are back, did you have a safe trip?" the old man asked with a smile, concerned because the journey was somewhat long. Although the children traveled in groups, the elder inquired seriously.

"Village elder grandpa, we had a safe trip, didn't even see a snake, otherwise we could have provided a special dish for our teacher tonight," a child who grew up in the mountains said brazenly, still contemplating catching a snake to improve their teacher's meal.

"Big brother Zhu, you forgot about the new bride," a small child with a runny nose said.

The mention of a new bride caught the attention of Mr. Lu and the village chief, who was the first to ask, "Where did this new bride come from?"
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"We saw her on the way to fetch water, dressed in flowered clothes, standing at the entrance of the village, looking very beautiful," the oldest child, named Zhu, recalled.

Children from rural areas referred to attractive young women as new brides because, in their minds, no one was more beautiful than a bride.

"Did this new bride say anything?" Lu Yu asked.

"She just asked if the teacher was at home today."

"Whose daughter-in-law is this shameless, daring to set her sights on the teacher? Once I find out, I'll make sure to break her legs," the village chief was furious.

"Don't be in such a rush, village chief. What happened next, what did you say to her?"

"We told her the truth, that the teacher was at home, and then we didn't see her after we returned from fetching water."

Mr. Lu slightly furrowed his brow but soon returned to his usual composure, smiling and saying, "It's a minor issue, village chief. Don't worry about it. Shouldn't the children be hurrying over for their lesson?"

The children, who were just playing uproariously, now sat upright in the ancestral hall, listening intently to Mr. Lu's lecture. Seeing this, the village chief nodded in satisfaction and slowly walked out of the ancestral hall with his hands clasped behind his back. He needed to find out which family's daughter would dare to entertain thoughts about Mr. Lu, not considering her own virtue.

However, to his surprise, after making inquiries throughout the entire village, there was no such young woman dressed in floral clothing. This unsettled the old village chief; an abnormal event often foreshadowed the presence of monsters.

When this matter was brought to Mr. Lu, he was seen casually playing with two agate beads in his hand. These were found by his students in the mountains, who thought they were lovely and presented them to their teacher as if offering a treasure. Mr. Lu treasured them greatly and enjoyed fiddling with them.

"Do not worry, village chief. As the adage goes: 'The Master speaks not of strange events, demonic forces, or chaos.' How could times of peace and prosperity be troubled by monsters? Rest assured," Mr. Lu assured him. Despite not knowing why, the village chief felt instantly at ease after hearing Mr. Lu's words and could only remind Mr.

Lu multiple times to take care.