Tea Province had been a famed destination since ancient times, so besides its many traveling merchants, plenty of people came expressly to tour its scenic sights.
That night of fireflies filling the sky became a favorite topic of conversation throughout Mingzhou City.
More wondrous still, judging by Mingzhou City's climate and flowering seasons, the golden osmanthus trees most common there ordinarily needed another month or so before they bloomed.
Yet after that night, the city's osmanthus trees began flowering one after another.
Tea Province was, after all, a homeland of tea, and not just one variety. Every golden autumn, people also made osmanthus tea, so there were plenty of osmanthus trees within the city, and entire groves outside it.
After that night of sky-filling fireflies, the fragrance of osmanthus drifted throughout Mingzhou City and its surroundings, and the making of osmanthus tea began somewhat earlier than in previous years.
Some time later, Qingyuan Teahouse had already hung up a sign advertising "This year's fragrant osmanthus tea," but its proprietor had been rather worried of late.
At this very moment, for instance, business inside the teahouse was decent, but many of its customers had not actually come for tea.
"Proprietor, why isn't the storyteller here yet?"
"That's right, proprietor. Yesterday you told us to come back today and see, but there's still no sign of him!"
The proprietor hurried to soothe his customers.
"Ah, hahaha, please be patient, everyone. Mr. Yi never used to come every single day, either. Perhaps something has kept him occupied..."
Someone complained:
"You said exactly the same thing yesterday!"
"Proprietor, we've come all the way to Mingzhou City expressly to hear the storytelling. You can't deceive us!"
"Exactly! Isn't this supposed to be Tea Province's sixteenth marvel? We came to see it for ourselves!"
The proprietor's