Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms

Chapter 2

A little thatched hut that Fourth Brother had helped Zhe Yan build was still standing precariously next to the Jade Pool. Whenever I came to the peach grove, this was where I stayed. It had always seemed run down, even back when I was coming to the grove regularly. Tens of thousands of years of blustering wind, pouring rain, and blazing sun had stripped the hut of any beauty, but still it stood.

I pulled out the night pearl to cast some light inside the dark hut. The glow of the pearl revealed that Zhe Yan was still meticulous about everything and that the bed in the little hut had been made up just how I liked it.

There was a stone plow leaning against the wall next to the door, which I had used to dig holes and plant peach seedlings when I was younger. I laid my fingers on it again now, those two bottles of peach blossom wine not far from my mind.

The moon in the Ninth Sky was unusually round, and under the light it spilled, it was easy to find the wild ginger tree that Zhe Yan had told me about.

I used the stone plow to dig into the earth beneath the plant and found myself in luck. Straightaway I could see the aventurine wine pot shining through the loose yellow soil, its glittering green reflecting onto some of the wild ginger leaves. I gleefully pulled out the bottles and leaped up onto the roof of the hut with them in my arms. The hut shook a little before steadying again.

The night wind felt cool up there on the roof, and it made me shiver. After a bit of fumbling with the tightly sealed bottle spout, the cork eventually shot out the top, and the aroma of Ten-Mile Peach Grove wine overwhelmed me. I closed my eyes and took in a deep lungful, ever admiring of Zhe Yan's talent.

I had not been given many opportunities for romance in this life, but I did have one great love, and that was wine.

When drinking, it was important to complement the wine with the right blend of natural conditions, scenery, and company. This evening's moon was full, and there were bright clusters of stars overhead. The Eastern Sea peach grove provided the scenery, and there were several crows perched on the roof of the hut beside me, giving certain company. I took a few slurps from the mouth of the bottle, smacking my lips and letting the wine wash over my tongue. I sensed something slightly different about the flavor of this bottle of peach blossom wine.

I took swig after swig, and although I did not have any snacks to accompany it, looking out at the cold moon reflected onto the surface of the Jade Pool provided a nice diversion, and before long I had finished half a bottle.

The wind was picking up, and tipsiness was starting to creep over me, blurring the edges of my mind. There seemed to be a flimsy pink curtain fluttering over the gleaming black night, while a fire began to swell inside my body. I tossed my head from side to side, and with shaking hands I tried to unfasten my lapel. Despite the cold breeze, I grew hotter, eventually my bones seemed to radiate, the marrow inside red with glowing embers. My head was foggy and my thoughts muddled, but I had the vague sense that this was not mere drunkenness. I could no longer deal with the heat, but I did not feel lucid enough to cast a spell to disperse it.

I swayed about before I managed to get to my feet. I wanted to dive into the Jade Pool to cool myself off, but I stumbled and stepped into thin air before plummeting down from the hut roof.

I braced myself for a painful fall, but strangely enough, there was no thud as my body hit the ground. Instead I felt myself being embraced by something very cold, a soothing balm that cooled my body.

After some struggle, I managed to open my eyes, and made out a blurred figure in front of me, wearing a black cloak. Immediately I knew it was not Zhe Yan.

I felt giddy as my head spun. The moon's white light spread out over the entire peach grove, illuminating the flowers and the luxuriant leaves on the branches, making it look enchanted. The layer of mist hovering above the surface of the nearby Jade Pool suddenly transformed into a raging fire.