How did a plant guarded for thousands of years in China's mountains end up fueling Britain's tea obsession? This is the story of industrial espionage, empire, and one man's dangerous mission into forbidden territory.

In Part 2 of The Great Tea Heist, Robert Fortune makes his way deep into China to secure the future of the British tea industry. We explore the sights and realities of 19th-century botanical espionage—from the winter markets of Shanghai to the bustling nurseries of the Fa-tee Gardens. Along the way, Fortune debunks long-held myths about "poisoned" seeds, discovers a bizarre packing secret involving burnt rice husks, and orchestrates a massive logistical operation to ship 13,000 young plants and 10,000 green tea seeds to India.

But Fortune’s metic ...