What a Damn Fine Wine

March third, the Wine Market opens

Fengchuan City was one of the most prosperous cities in Que Prefecture, renowned for its brewing tradition. The locals were skilled at making various sweet wines, which gradually gained fame. As a key connection between Ding Prefecture and Que Prefecture, the city attracted many merchants, making the wine business flourish, with wines even sold to other prefectures and counties.

The Wine Market was essentially a grand tasting event, a traditional event in Fengchuan City. Each wine shop would showcase their finest wines for guests to sample. If the guests were satisfied, they would place orders on the spot.

These weren't small orders of one or two barrels; they typically started at dozens of barrels. As long as you could produce good wine, there was no shortage of customers willing to pay.

The major wine shops in Fengchuan City were all concentrated on a street called Wine Immortal Lane. At one end was Tingyulou, and at the other was Dingsiangju, two well-known rivals across the street from each other.

Early in the morning, countless merchants and wine enthusiasts flooded into Wine Immortal Lane, packing the entire street. Due to the Three-Pot Head's growing fame, this year's Wine Market attracted an unusually large number of guests, who were squeezed together shoulder to shoulder.

All the wine shops had set up high platforms at their entrances, displaying their finest wines. The air was filled with the scent of alcohol. The shop assistants were shouting enthusiastically, trying to attract more customers. If they could secure a big order, they would certainly receive their commission.

Of course, most guests were heading to Tingyulou, all for the Three-Pot Head. But they were surprised to find that Tingyulou wasn't displaying Three-Pot Head at their entrance, but instead their old favorite, Ten-Li Fragrance. Immediately, some guests were unhappy:

"Where's the Three-Pot Head? Where's the wine?"

"Yeah, we came all this way, and you're trying to fool us with Ten-Li Fragrance? Hurry up and bring out the Three-Pot Head!"

"Quick, I'm craving it. This time I want to take home eight or ten barrels!"

In the past, Tingyulou's Ten-Li Fragrance was already considered a famous good wine, but now it had become yesterday's news. The guests wouldn't even look at it, only asking for Three-Pot Head.

Jiang Shu personally stepped forward, bowing apologetically:

"Please don't rush, esteemed guests. The Wine Market has just begun. Three-Pot Head is the main event and can't be revealed too early. It will be saved for the grand finale."

"Come on, it's time to stop teasing us."

"Manager Jiang, please, just bring out the Three-Pot Head. We'll buy it right away!"

But no matter how the guests pleaded, Jiang Shu refused to bring out the good wine, only smiling apologetically.

"Don't wait anymore. Tingyulou can't produce Three-Pot Head anymore. They only had a hundred barrels, which sold out long ago. Why not come to my Dingsiangju instead?"

Just as everyone was at a loss, Du Gang's clear laughter echoed throughout Wine Immortal Lane:

"Come and see, our shop's new wine is no worse than Tingyulou's! Guaranteed to satisfy everyone!"

The assistants at Dingsiangju were also shouting enthusiastically. With the street already bustling and Dingsiangju's reputation as the top wine shop, most guests soon rushed over, crowding the entrance.

"Welcome, esteemed guests!"

Du Gang bowed to everyone, smiling broadly:

"In fact, Tingyulou's Three-Pot Head is something we can also brew. We just didn't sell it earlier."

Behind him stood a high platform, filled with barrels of wine, all sealed with red clay, emitting a faint aroma.

"Manager Du, you must be joking. You can brew Three-Pot Head? Why didn't you sell such good wine earlier?"

"Good question!"

Du Gang shot an approving glance at the plant in the crowd:

"Because our Dingsiangju doesn't care about small profits. We only want to make a splash at the Wine Market! To let guests taste the finest wine!

The Fengchuan Wine Market has a long history. If we didn't have outstanding wine, how could Dingsiangju have maintained our position in the city for so many years?"

"Very well said!"

"Manager Du really knows how to do business!"

The crowd cheered, and Du Gang's smile grew even wider as he turned to point at the tall wine barrels:

"Esteemed guests, this is Dingsiangju's carefully brewed wine, made over half a year. It's called Thousand-Li Fragrance, an exquisite product!"

Thousand-Li Fragrance?

Everyone immediately understood the implication. Tingyulou had Ten-Li Fragrance, and now Dingsiangju had Thousand-Li Fragrance, clearly trying to outdo them, not just by a little, but by a lot!

"Manager Du sure has a lot of nerve, claiming it can be fragrant for a thousand li."

Suddenly, a light laugh came from the crowd: "I'm very curious how Dingsiangju managed to brew such fine wine. What great skill!"

The sarcastic voice drew many people's attention. A handsome man in black stood in the middle of the crowd, tall and graceful, with a cool demeanor, but his tone was clearly unfriendly.

The guests were curious. Who dared to embarrass Dingsiangju in public? Didn't they know Dingsiangju's background?

"Haha, who would have thought it's City Mayor Luo."

Du Gang's eyes flickered, but his expression remained unchanged:

"Let me introduce everyone. This is the new city mayor of Cangqi, who defeated the Xiqiang general Wanyan Chang at Yunyang Pass and defeated the Xiqiang army.

Luo Yu, City Mayor Luo!"

"Really him!"

"Good heavens, I can actually see such a person at the Wine Market today!"

"They say Wanyan Chang was very formidable, but the person who killed him is so young. Truly impressive!"

The crowd exclaimed in surprise. Luo Yu's reputation was well-known, and he received many admiring gazes.

Luo Yu paid no attention, only looking at Du Gang:

"I'm also very interested in Fengchuan's Wine Market, especially in fine wines. Why don't you tell everyone, Manager Du, what special brewing method could make wine fragrant for a thousand li?"

"Very well, I'll tell everyone!"

Du Gang naturally knew Luo Yu was deliberately making things difficult, but he was used to such situations. He spoke confidently:

"First, to brew this wine, we select the finest rice, ferment the best quality, then bury it underground for seven times seven days..."

Being a businessman, he could talk about brewing methods for hours without preparation. Du Gang wasn't worried about Luo Yu exposing him in public because Luo Yu had no evidence to prove that Thousand-Li Fragrance was actually his Three-Pot Head.

"Truly remarkable methods."

Luo Yu nodded frequently:

"Listening to this, the wine does seem extraordinary, quite intriguing."

"Manager Du has talked so much, why not let everyone taste it!"

Someone couldn't wait any longer: "Whether it's good wine or not, we'll know once we taste it!"

"Exactly, let's judge by tasting!"

Du Gang was in high spirits, waving his hand:

"Today, everyone will be the first to taste Thousand-Li Fragrance, which will soon be famous throughout the three prefectures of Longxi.

One bowl per person, on the house from Dingsiangju. In the future, one barrel of Thousand-Li Fragrance will cost twenty taels!"

Twenty taels was definitely a high price.

But the more expensive it was, the more everyone's cravings grew, their eyes wide open because they could already smell the fragrance wafting from the wine barrels.

"Open the barrels!"

"Serve the wine!"

Ten beautiful attendants worked together, opening ten barrels of fine wine and pouring exactly one hundred bowls for the guests at the front, one bowl per person.

Du Gang was extremely pleased, calling out loudly:

"Dingsiangju invites everyone to taste our wine!"

One guest volunteered:

"I'll go first!"

He raised his head and drank it all in one gulp. Everyone watched him eagerly.

In Du Gang's excited gaze, the drinker's expression changed from joy to confusion, then finally to anger, throwing the wine bowl to the ground:

"Damn!"

"What a damn fine wine, it's just water!"