Buy Clear Water Instead?

"Bang!"

The shattered wine bowl left everyone stunned. After tasting the so-called Thousand-Li Fragrance, they all discovered it was just water. Instantly, curses erupted:

"Damn it, it's really just water!"

"Manager Du, is Dingsiangju treating us like fools by selling water for twenty taels per barrel? Are we fools or are you blinded by greed?"

"They say big stores bully customers, but to use water to trick us at Fengchuan City's Wine Market? What a lesson today!"

"Looks like Dingsiangju doesn't want to do business anymore!"

The deceived guests were furious, their curses never-ending. While Dingsiangju had connections, they couldn't ignore public outrage. Besides, many guests came from other prefectures and weren't afraid of Dingsiangju.

"Water?"

Du Gang's smile froze as he pushed aside a maid, drank a bowl, then spat it out:

"It's really water, how could this be!"

Du Gang no longer cared about the chaos, hurriedly calling his assistants: "Quick! Open all the wine barrels!"

"Water, all water!"

"Boss, there's no wine!"

The two hundred barrels of supposed fine wine had all turned to water. Du Gang stood there like a wooden chicken, dazed and confused:

"How, how could this happen?"

"Manager Du, what have you done?"

Luo Yu's light voice reached his ears: "Didn't you say it was brewed from premium grains? Didn't you say it was buried underground for seven times seven days? How did it turn into water?"

Du Gang snapped out of his daze, staring viciously at Luo Yu:

"You, it's you!"

"What me?"

Luo Yu feigned curiosity:

"Didn't Manager Du just confidently claim this was Dingsiangju's secret recipe? Why are you blaming me now?"

Du Gang was speechless, bitter as gall. He thought he was cleverly buying two hundred barrels of premium wine for six hundred taels, tricking Luo Yu. Instead, he was the fool, spending six hundred taels for two hundred barrels of water!

No wonder Luo Yu had instructed his steward that the wine needed more fermentation and couldn't be opened easily - he was afraid of being exposed.

Luo Yu moved closer to Du Gang's side, speaking in a whisper:

"Are you wondering why there was still a wine aroma? Because I soaked all the red clay seals in Three-Pot Head.

You and Yao Lin are just two fools trying to trick me?"

"You, you..."

Du Gang almost fainted, stumbling to the ground.

"Clang clang clang!"

"Bang bang bang!"

Before the farce was over, the sound of gongs and drums erupted at Tingyulou's entrance:

"Esteemed guests, Three-Pot Head is now here! Please come and taste!"

"Three-Pot Head is finally here!"

"Let's go, let's go, or we'll miss it!"

The crowd rushed to Tingyulou, leaving Dingsiangju like an abandoned old woman, ignored by all.

Tingyulou's generosity was impressive, setting out hundreds of bowls of wine, offering free samples to anyone who came.

"This is what real wine tastes like, miles better than Dingsiangju's water!"

"Three-Pot Head lives up to its reputation. This wine will surely be famous throughout Longxi! This trip was worth it!"

Whether they had tasted it or not, everyone praised it, occasionally throwing sarcastic remarks at Dingsiangju. The contrast between the two wine shops was clear.

Jiang Shu walked to the front of the stage, bowing:

"Esteemed guests, there's no need for me to explain Three-Pot Head's quality. Everyone knows how good it is."

"Manager Jiang, stop beating around the bush. Just tell us the price, we'll buy it!"

"Right, hurry up!"

Other shopkeepers envied this scene - when had business been so easy that customers came running?

"Since everyone is so eager, I'll be straightforward."

Jiang Shu announced:

"Three-Pot Head's original price was fifteen taels per barrel, but today at the Wine Market, we're giving you a special price of twelve taels per barrel! Buy ten barrels, get one free!

I know this price might seem high, but such fine wine is worth it!"

"Thirty barrels, I'll take thirty barrels!"

"Twenty barrels for me!"

Calls rose and fell as prepared merchants immediately claimed the first batch of wine, but some guests were still hesitating. Twelve taels per barrel wasn't cheap for them.

Many were actually wine merchants from other prefectures, buying Three-Pot Head to resell and make a profit. They had to consider their margins.

Luo Yu seized the moment, shouting:

"Buy! What are you waiting for? Would you rather spend twenty taels on Dingsiangju's water?"

"Right, we're not fools!"

"Buy!"

The crowd erupted, rushing to place orders.

Far away, Du Gang finally couldn't take it anymore. His vision went black as he fainted:

"You damn brat, Dingsiangju will never forgive you!"

...

At Tingyulou's window, Luo Yu and Jiang Shu watched the street below. From morning till dusk, guests kept coming to buy wine, the noise never ceasing.

"City Mayor Luo truly has remarkable skills," Jiang Shu smiled. "A small trick made Dingsiangju lose face, impressive."

"Hmph, from the moment they appeared, I knew Du Gang was up to something. Thinking he could trick me? He's still too young. Dingsiangju relies on the city hall for business, Du Gang always looks down on others. Why would he willingly pay double the price for wine?

There had to be something fishy!"

Why wasn't he worried when the wine was seized by the city hall? Because he was prepared. Meng Hu and Lu Qingyun transported water, while the real Three-Pot Head was secretly delivered to Tingyulou by Dong Chuan under cover of night, waiting for the Wine Market to expose Dingsiangju's fraud.

Luo Yu's strategy and foresight impressed Jiang Shu. Not everyone could stay calm when faced with double the normal price. Even if Luo Yu had chosen to cooperate with Dingsiangju, he couldn't do anything but accept it.

"Manager Jiang's marketing skills are also exceptional."

Luo Yu laughed. "Selling wine at a low price and the buy-ten-get-one-free offer boosted Three-Pot Head's sales. The two hundred barrels of wine I gave you probably won't be enough, right?"

"Definitely not enough. That's why we're only taking deposits today, with delivery later by Tingyulou. City Mayor Luo will need to brew more wine."

Luo Yu grew even more impressed with Jiang Shu. Through his management, Three-Pot Head's popularity more than doubled, especially with Dingsiangju as a black-hearted contrast. Customers naturally knew which wine to buy.

"I have one question."

Jiang Shu's expression suddenly turned serious:

"City Mayor Luo made Dingsiangju lose face today. Aren't you afraid of their retaliation? Dingsiangju might not be much, but they have the Yao family behind them.

Aren't you afraid of inviting trouble?"

"Tingyulou has been competing with Dingsiangju for years," Luo Yu countered. "Aren't you afraid?"

"Haha."

Jiang Shu shook his head. "In this world, being afraid is useless. You'll just be eaten to the bone."

"Exactly. If you're not afraid, why should I be?"

Luo Yu played with his wine glass:

"Why shouldn't we earn money that others can?"

"Ha ha ha!"

The two laughed together, a strange sense of camaraderie forming between them.

The old steward appeared behind them at an inappropriate time, bowing:

"A guest in the next private room has invited City Mayor Luo for a drink."

"Invited me for a drink?" Luo Yu frowned. "Who?"

"The guest didn't want to reveal his identity, but he wears a black robe and says he's your friend."

"Black robe?"

Luo Yu's gaze instantly darkened:

"I know who it is."