Over the next stretch of time, Shen Luo and Lu Huaming traveled back toward Chang'an, stopping and starting along the way, eating and drinking. It was rare for Shen Luo to enjoy such a carefree period.
However, as they neared Chang'an, Lu Huaming suddenly received a secret order from the authorities, instructing him to deal with other matters. Thus ended their pleasant journey together, leaving Shen Luo to continue on alone.
More than a hundred li outside Chang'an City, near the foot of Zhongnan Mountain, lay a vast peach grove spanning a thousand qing.
Every third month of spring, peach blossoms burst into bloom across the mountains. The thousand-qing peach grove became a sea of pink, its fragrance filling the fields and drawing countless swallowtail butterflies.
At this time of year, whether nobles and officials or ordinary commoners, people from Chang'an City would bring their families here for spring outings, admire the splendid scenery, then buy a few jars of Peach Blossom Wine brewed from the previous year's petals.
This had practically become Chang'an City's customary way of welcoming spring.
As a result, a small settlement centered on winemaking gradually formed outside the thousand-qing peach grove.
It was not late spring now, but already past midsummer and nearing the Beginning of Autumn. There were no tourists in Peach Grove Town, and even many inn and restaurant owners had shut their doors for lack of business.
Yet Shen Luo arrived in Peach Grove Town alone.
He was naturally not there to admire the flowers, but had come at Lu Huaming's request to find a tavern called Peach Blossom Cove.
The owner of this tavern differed somewhat from the others. Not only could she brew wine from peach blossoms, but she could also make a fruit wine from peach flesh. Its flavor