Revisiting the past

How many people like the spiciness of wine when they drink it? They all like the sweetness after the spiciness. The feeling of lingering fragrance and endless aftertaste is the secret to attract wine lovers.

In the past thousands of years, the taste of wine was close to "sweet water", how could it be as direct as the strong wine in front of us? It's like a silver needle piercing the taste buds, first there is a slight sting, and then there is the purest refreshing and aftertaste.

Madam Liu is a businessman, and she can't escape the businessman's pattern in speaking and doing things. After tasting it, she looked at the unprepossessing wine pot in front of her and couldn't help but be slightly moved.

"Mr. Xia, where did you get this?"

"Mr. Xia made some improvements on the Xia family wine and created the Wuliangye liquor in front of us. It takes the essence of the five grains and also represents the beautiful expectation of a good harvest."

Mrs. Liu always thought that this was a rare thing introduced from foreign lands, but she didn't expect that it was brewed by Xia Shang himself. She was shocked: "Mr. Xia, did you really brew this yourself?"

Xia Shang nodded and poured another cup for Mrs. Liu.

Mrs. Liu looked at the wine pot with a serious expression, and a few strands of silk trembled gently in the wind.

"This is a hundred times more delicious than the previous Xia family wine! With this wine brewed by Master Xia, the prosperity of the Xia family is just around the corner! But I wonder why Master Xia came here today..."

"To be honest, I have heard from many sources that the tea from Liuzhuang is shipped to Suzhou, Hangzhou and other places. I just want to see if I can use the trade route of Liuzhuang to send Wuliangye to Hangzhou? Of course, I will not let Madam Liu work in vain. I will give Madam Liu 10% profit."

"10% profit?"

Xia Shang was afraid that Madam Liu would think it was too little, so he was anxious. He hurriedly explained: "Madam, this 10% profit is already a lot. According to my estimate, within three months, Madam can earn an extra 2,000 taels per month, and there will be more in the future."

Madam Liu shook her head and chuckled: "Mr. Xia, let's talk business. The opening of Liuzhuang's business road has gone through all kinds of hardships, and I know the hardships best. Let alone the 10% profit that Mr. Xia said, even if it is 50%, it will be difficult to move a woman."

Xia Shang knew that it was too early to talk about this matter. He had not made sufficient preparations, and he did not have the capital to negotiate with Liuzhuang. He talked to Madam Liu just to see if the other party would remember what he said at the beginning about treating him as a benefactor of the Red Flower Society and give him a favor, but now it seems that he was a little naive.

"Forget it." Xia Shang sighed and stood up and bowed. "In this case, I will bother you. This bottle of Wuliangye is a gift for meeting you. I hope we can cooperate again in the future."

Xia Shang wanted to leave, but Madam Liu stood up and raised her lotus arm to block Xia Shang: "Mr. Xia, please stay."

"Hmm?"

"It's not that I don't want to help today, but it's that our two families have lost contact... If you can join the Red Flower Society, you and I are from the same family, then Liuzhuang's business will naturally be convenient for the Xia family."

Red Flower Society...

After being saved by Madam Liu, the other party mentioned it once. At that time, I thought it was just a casual remark, but Xia Shang politely refused. Today, the other party mentioned it again, and tempted with benefits, which must not be a casual remark.

Madam Liu was also an extraordinary person. She saw the doubt in Xia Shang's heart at a glance. She stood up and walked to Xia Shang, leading the way while saying in detail: "Mr. Xia, I know a little about your deeds. It took only two or three months for the Xia family to recover from its decline, and it was all due to Mr. Xia's contribution. It can be seen that Mr. Xia is very wise. How could the Red Flower Society not recruit a person like Mr. Xia?"

As they talked, the two had already left the path in the middle of the lake and returned to the willow forest.

Madam Liu was still calm, with only a slight hint of coquettishness. Her words were like the breeze blowing through the willow branches, soft and gentle, making people feel comfortable.

"Our Red Flower Society puts benevolence and justice first. Your action of exchanging ten thousand gold for your wife is exactly the benevolence and justice that our Red Flower Society advocates. Mr. Xia's nature is in line with the teachings of our Society..."

"Xia is just an ordinary person. He does not know those benevolence and morality, nor does he want to be disciplined. He likes to travel. I appreciate Madam Liu's kindness."

Seeing Xia Shang's determination, Madam Liu flashed a trace of disappointment, sighed and did not elaborate.

...

At this time, the most crowded markets in various counties of Yangzhou seemed to have the same story as the West Lake in Yangzhou. Jars of fine wine fell to the ground, and the strong aroma of wine drifted into thousands of households. No propaganda could be more effective than the direct taste impact.

For a time, the same words were circulated throughout Yangzhou.

What kind of wine is this?

Where did this come from?

These broken wine jars seemed to have become bombs thrown into Yangzhou, and "Wuliangye" and "Wugu Jingcui" quickly became the main theme of public opinion.

Perhaps Yangzhou had been quiet for too long, the appearance of Wuliangye spread throughout the streets and alleys in just half a day, and there were long queues in front of the Wugujingcui store.

But the price of Wuliangye was jaw-dropping!

Twenty taels of silver for one tael of wine!

That is, one tael of gold for one tael of wine!

According to the exchange fluctuations of gold and silver, one tael of wine should be more expensive than one tael of gold.

While the people were still arguing about the price, the rich had already taken the fine wine home.

At night, when everything in Yangzhou was calm and the people were sleeping peacefully...

"This wine is excellent. If I present it to my father on his birthday this year, he will be very pleased."

On the bed with red silk curtains, King Yong, wearing a brocade nightgown, stared at the wine pot on the table in the middle of the bed and couldn't let it go. He couldn't help but pour a glass and take a sip.

I don't know how much he has drunk, but I can see that his face is red, his eyes are sweating, and he is swaying and showing a carefree attitude.

Sitting opposite him is the princess Nangong Chu, who is also wearing a brocade shawl coat, gently covering her graceful body, and is also looking at the wine on the table thoughtfully.

I don't know what he is thinking about, but I can see that the prince drinks one glass after another without stopping.

Until the pot of wine in front of him could no longer pour a drop, the prince put down the wine glass, moved the table to the bedside, and sighed: "Time is always available, but good wine is hard to find. Madam, take a rest quickly."

After saying that, he rushed towards his beautiful wife in front of him with a smell of alcohol.

Nangong Chu frowned, pushed the drunkard away, straightened his clothes and left the bed.

"How dare you say that! Time flies, time flies, precious time never comes back! Look at you, you have been in Yangzhou for several months, but you have accomplished nothing. Now such precious wine is placed in front of you, but you only care about drinking it, but you can't think of the huge benefits hidden behind it!"

"Husband... Madam, come... come and rest."

Nangong Chu shook his sleeves: "Go to sleep. I'll go outside to get some fresh air."

...

In a dim room in an unknown place, there was only a flickering light.

"The remnants of the Xia family are not dead! What kind of Wuliangye is it! Lord Chai, how are you going to explain it to me now?"

In front of him was a middle-aged man in casual clothes, about forty years old, wearing silk and satin, gold-lined, with a jade ring on his hand, a cloud brocade belt around his waist, and a square hat with green jadeite. He looked rich and powerful, but he was born with an eagle nose and a crooked mouth.

County Magistrate Chai was also dressed in casual clothes. Although he had no gold or silver, he was clean and proper in going out.

After hearing the question, County Magistrate Chai bowed and said, "Sir, please take a look at this."

After that, County Magistrate Chai took out a small brocade box and placed it on the table. When he opened it, the person in front of him couldn't help but change his face.

In an instant, the whole room became transparent.