Lu Fan found it very strange. This Pu'er tea tree was about ten meters tall, with a trunk diameter of over seventy centimeters. However, it could hardly be called lush. It even looked somewhat withered, with some branches almost devoid of leaves. Most of the leaves were clustered at the top. The aroma was profound, carrying a sense of reincarnation. Merely smelling it was endlessly evocative.
"Brother Yan! This is a high mountain ancient tea tree with a six-hundred-year lifespan. It doesn't seem to be native to this area, does it?" Lu Fan observed the Pu'er tea tree, shaking his head slightly.
"Of course not! While the environment here is good, it's not ideal for tea cultivation. I acquired this tree at great expense... Hmm? Brother Lu Fan, you can tell its age?" Yan Menghan was about to express his pride when he suddenly looked at Lu Fan. How could he discern the tea tree's age and that it had been transplanted, all while claiming to know nothing? Did he truly know nothing?
"Brother Yan! Although you brought a lot of soil when you transplanted this tree, and you've tried your best to create a suitable environment for its growth, even hiring specialists for its care, this tree is simply too old. It has also gone through a near-death experience. Therefore, such a large tree can only produce about a pound of tea leaves in a year. It's truly a pity," Lu Fan said, shaking his head.
"Brother Lu Fan! Because I'm particularly fond of tea, as soon as I learned of this tea tree's discovery, I used some means to bring it back and plant it in my own garden. I even specially hired an old tea farmer with decades of experience to tend to it. Alas! I never expected the tea yield to decrease year by year," Yan Menghan sighed softly.
"Right! Brother Lu Fan, you can grow such delicious wild vegetables and mushrooms, as well as peaches. Is there any way you can help me with this ancient tea tree..." Yan Menghan suddenly looked at Lu Fan, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.
When he knew the peaches Lu Fan sold came from his own cultivation, he had indeed considered asking Lu Fan for help. For this purpose, he had even gone to taste the dishes at Yixiangge. He just wasn't sure if Lu Fan had a solution!
"I'll try to think of something, but I can't guarantee success," Lu Fan admitted, looking at the ancient tea tree with a touch of temptation. Although he wasn't particularly fond of tea, who wouldn't want to drink tea worth millions?
"That would be wonderful! As long as this ancient tea tree can maintain a yield of one pound per year, I'll be satisfied. If it can produce more, I'll give it all to you, Brother Lu Fan!" Yan Menghan was overjoyed. The ancient tea tree's annual yield had already fallen below one pound in the past two years. His greatest concern was that the tree might die, which would be a huge loss. If the previous yield of one pound could be maintained, he would be content.
Lu Fan's heart stirred. Even an extra ounce of yield would be worth millions.
"Alright! Let me give it a try!" Lu Fan nodded, then clasped his hands together, muttering and circling the ancient tea tree with mock solemnity.
He didn't want Yan Menghan to know about the spiritual liquid. He understood the principle of "possessing jade invites trouble." Although he trusted Yan Menghan greatly, trust didn't mean he could reveal everything.
"Hmph! Menghan! Who is this great immortal you've invited?" A voice filled with disdain suddenly cut through the air, followed by the arrival of two women of considerable beauty.
The two women were one older and one younger. To be precise, the older one wasn't very old, and the younger one wasn't very young either. They were mother and daughter. The older one, around forty, clearly must have been very beautiful in her youth. This was Yan Menghan's stepmother, Zhao Xiaoyun.
The younger one was Zhao Xiaoyun's daughter, Yan Menghan's sister, Yan Mengxi, who was nineteen.
Yan Menghan didn't have a particularly good impression of his stepmother, but he didn't dislike her either. After all, she was his father's woman. However, he was quite doting on his sister, and Yan Mengxi also liked her brother very much.
But as they grew older, things took a subtle turn. As the eldest son and a male heir, the vast Yan family fortune seemed destined to fall into Yan Menghan's hands. How could Zhao Xiaoyun be content with that?
"Brother! Why didn't you let me know you were back! By the way, did you bring me anything good this time?" Yan Mengxi ran over directly, taking Yan Menghan's hand and acting spoiled.
Yan Mengxi said this not only because Yan Menghan always brought her gifts when he returned from trips, but also to ease the awkwardness of her mother's earlier remark.
"Of course, I have good things. I'll get them for you later. Mengxi, let me introduce someone to you first." Yan Menghan pointed at Lu Fan and said, "This is my friend, the young divine doctor, Lu Fan! I invited him to treat Father. Lu Fan! This is my sister, Yan Mengxi."
"Hello!" Lu Fan politely extended his hand. Since she was Brother Yan's sister, she was his sister too.
"He...???" Yan Mengxi's mouth fell open. A divine doctor? How old was this kid? And his clothes didn't look like those of a wealthy person... Yan Mengxi quickly withdrew her small hand behind her back.
"Brother! He's so young, how can he be a divine doctor? If he were truly a divine doctor, wouldn't he be dressed better than this?" Yan Mengxi pouted. Although she didn't agree with her mother's attitude, she genuinely didn't think this fellow looked like someone of status.
What the heck...! Am I dressed shabbily!? These are new clothes Shen Xinyi bought for me. In my hometown, this is considered the best. How do they look like beggars in their eyes? Lu Fan felt utterly dejected!
"Yun Yi! Your father's condition is getting worse and worse, and you've brought back someone who's clearly a charlatan...?" Zhao Xiaoyun said with some anger. Yan Menghan had ignored her appearance. Hmph! He was becoming increasingly ill-mannered.
"Aunt Yun! Please don't insult my friend! He is the young divine doctor I invited..." Yan Menghan's voice was laced with anger.
"Heh heh! Still a young divine doctor? He is indeed young, hasn't he weaned yet!?" Zhao Xiaoyun chuckled, glanced at Lu Fan, and added, "Still muttering and circling around the big tree, how amusing! What kind of great immortal are you? Can you even cure a tree's illness?"
"Heh heh! You're right, I can indeed invite great immortals! And I can really cure this tree's illness!" Lu Fan was amused by her words. He had been invited here, and was this attitude not a bit excessive? If it weren't for Brother Yan's sake... Hmph!
"Snap..." As Lu Fan spoke, he suddenly snapped his fingers.
"Squeak... squeak..." Suddenly, a plump mountain rat, squeaking continuously, approached them cautiously.
"Ah...!"
"Ah...!"
Zhao Xiaoyun and Yan Mengxi shrieked and immediately hid behind Yan Menghan, their legs trembling with fright. How could there be such a creature in the garden? It was too terrifying!
"Tsk! So even rich people are afraid of rats! Hmph! But it's not here to scare you! It's here to help me diagnose the tea tree!" Lu Fan sneered, then suddenly pointed at the old tea tree.
Whoosh... The plump mountain rat suddenly scurried to the base of the tea tree, circled it three times, then stood on its hind legs and squeaked at Lu Fan, gesturing with its paws. Then... it ran off.
"It... it... what did it say just now?" Yan Mengxi, seeing the rat leave, cautiously emerged from behind Yan Menghan, still shaken, and asked.
"Don't mind its ugly appearance, it's a special errand runner for the mountain god of this mountain! It's seen a lot!" Lu Fan sneered and continued to spout nonsense, "It told me that this tea tree is in an alien land and is not acclimatized. It will be cured with a dose of medicine!"
"You... can really invite great immortals? But... I've never heard of rats becoming immortals! Nor have I heard of trees being unable to acclimatize!" Zhao Xiaoyun's eyes suddenly showed a hint of doubt as she asked.
"Heaven be alert, Earth be alert, I borrow the Guanyin's jade vase... Whether you say it works or not, it will work," Lu Fan muttered something with mock solemnity, then reached out and grabbed something in the air. A delicate jade vase suddenly appeared in his hand. He approached the hundred-year-old tea tree and dripped two drops of water onto its roots. Whoosh... the vase vanished from Lu Fan's hand.
"Holy cow... what an awesome immortal! He can even borrow Guanyin Bodhisattva's jade vase!"
Yan Menghan and the other two were stunned.