Chrysanthemum inebriated

Author: Gu Yue, Yu Xuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: During the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, the export of tea from China led to a long-term trade deficit in Sino-British trade, severely harming British interests. To reverse the situation, Queen Victoria specially ordered the Viceroy of India, Lord Dalhousie, to send the botanist Robert Fortune to infiltrate China, steal tea plant seeds and seedlings, and recruit Chinese tea planters. At that time, the Taiping Rebellion broke out, and the provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi were in turmoil, with Hunan and Hubei in crisis, and the court in chaos. Hu Ying, the young master of Tianquan Tea House, a tea magnate in Hunan, and his brother Hu Jiabao rushed south from Beijing to return to their hometown in Anhua, Hunan, to celebrate their father Hu Shigong's birthday. On the way to Yueyang Tower, due to Hu Jiabao's narrow-mindedness and impulsive nature, he fell into the plot of the villain Wu Sibao, accusing Hu Ying of being a member of the Taiping rebels. As a result, on the day of the birthday banquet, the entire family suffered a tragedy, and their home was destroyed in an instant, turning to ashes. Hu Ying was imprisoned and faced death; Hu Jiabao was driven mad and became a waste of life. Hu Ying was further deceived by his enemy Wu Sibao, who forced him to marry his fiancée, Hua Yuqing. When the Taiping Army captured Yueyang, Hu Ying was accidentally left behind in a nunnery's cellar. Fortunately, the young nun took good care of him, allowing him to barely survive. Robert Fortune learned of Hu Ying's whereabouts from the British Consul General in Shanghai and, after enduring countless hardships, rescued him. He then smuggled Hu Ying and the tea plant seeds overseas to the Assam Valley in the southern foothills of the Himalayas, hiring Hu Ying as the chief tea buyer for the British. Hu Ying demonstrated his extraordinary skills, helping the British successfully cultivate tea. Although Hu Ying suffered from the betrayal of villains, left his homeland, and enjoyed wealth and fame, his love for his country and longing for home never ceased for a single day. Outraged by the British Royal Cavalry's humiliation of his compatriots and killing of British citizens, he fled back to Xinjiang. Due to his unique role, he was continued to be hired by the British East India Company as a buyer. Wu Sibao had by then followed Zuo Zongtang into Xinjiang and became the wealthiest Hunan tea merchant in the region. Thus, centered around a battle of wits between Sino-British tea merchants, Hu Ying's path of revenge and exploration was laid out. National grievances, family hardships, and the depths of love and hatred converged, from the shores of Dongting Lake to the foot of the Kunlun Mountains, staging a series of rare tragic comedies of love and enmity. This book is the author's second successful creation of a new image of a Western tea magnate, following the "Golden Fleece," where the author successfully portrayed the fur merchant and great buyer Ge Xingjian. Hu Ying achieved success in his youth, full of vigor, yet repeatedly faced hardships, remaining steadfast in his devotion. Hua Yuqing married him reluctantly; the young nun followed him into exile; the devoted maid Ju Xiang died for him; and the Indian woman, Miranda, betrayed her husband. The book features a vast background, profound depth, ingenious plotting, captivating language, and intricate plots with well-developed characters. It is filled with the rich charm of Western culture and exotic landscapes, making it a pure and highly readable Western novel. It has been hailed by industry professionals as "China's Count of Monte Cristo."