Taohuaxi

Chapter 60 Wine Shop Opening

Hua Lian looked at me straight.

There was no hint of timidity in her black and white eyes.

"I only know how to farm and catch snakes. I don't care about people."

I laughed: "All things are connected and everything follows. I said that the greatest truth is simplicity. The business world is complicated, but the business world is also the simplest. There are only two words: buying and selling. I like the simplicity in you. Just do things according to your own nature. .I don’t need you to flatter me, nor do I need you to change.”

She looked down at her straw sandals, still a little hesitant.

I said: "The monthly payment is four taels of silver. You can go home once at the end of the month. If you don't want to do this, just tell me and you can leave at any time."

She bit her lip, suddenly bowed to me, turned around and left without saying anything.

I said: "Nanmenwai Street, Zhu Mansion, I'm waiting for you."

She didn't look back, and the flower snake crawled out from her sleeves and wrapped around her waist, like a colorful ribbon.She touched the snake's head.The flower snake docilely slipped back into her sleeve.

One person and one snake gradually disappeared into the distance.

Qin Mingxu smiled at me and said, "Sang Yu, do you think this girl will come to you?"

I said firmly: "Yes."

He said: "This girl is very skilled. She grew up in the mountains and can tame snakes, insects and wild beasts. If she can stay by your side, she will be able to protect you."

I shook my head: "That's not the only thing I like. The most important thing is her unwillingness to admit defeat. Even if the enemy is strong and we are weak, and we are outnumbered, we still have the courage to fight. This is Reminds me of..."

I held my tongue and didn't say any more.

A few wisps of flickering clouds in the sky seemed to fly to my eyebrows.

Qin Mingxu said hurriedly: "Just now, the housekeeper of my house came to report that shopkeeper Liu of the Dongguan Street Vinegar Shop, because the young master is away in Shanxi to work as a magistrate, they plan to move their family to Shanxi, and the shop is about to be transferred. It is not far from Dongguan Street. It's the closest crossing, with easy access to river transportation and water, so it's an excellent location. I've asked the butler to make a reservation first. Sang Yu, let's go take a look."

I nodded.

The group of people got on the carriage again.

Zhu Xifeng muttered in my ear: "Bring the wild girl home, you will inevitably make me angry again..."

I glared at him, but he said nothing.

The carriage drove to Dongguan Street, and Qin Mingxu helped me down.

Shopkeeper Liu was waiting at the door. When he saw Qin Mingxu, he came over to greet him.

The location of Vinegar Square is indeed good.

When you go out and turn right, you will see the archway on Dongguan Street.There are three shops facing the street, with a courtyard and a warehouse behind.Not far away, on Dongguan Ferry, merchants traveling from south to north were bustling.

Shopkeeper Liu has emptied everything inside.The original counters, tables, chairs, etc. were sold at a discount.

Half of the courtyard was filled with flowers and plants, and a few persimmon trees still bearing winter fruits remained.

Shopkeeper Liu was eager to leave, and the price offered was very reasonable.

Soon, the deal was settled.

The housekeeper drew up the paperwork, Qin Mingxu handed over the banknote, and Shopkeeper Liu and I signed and fingerprinted.

The matter of the shop was settled.

Qin Mingxu and I stood under the persimmon tree.

The winter wind is thin, and the branches with fallen leaves are facing the desolate sunset. The persimmons hanging on the branches are like fire, burning out the warmth of the cold winter in the south of the Yangtze River.Those bright colors are better than lanterns under the eaves, lighting up my heart.

The reed flowers are broken and the persimmons are red with frost.

A new life, a new beginning, begins in the cold sunset of late November in Yangzhou.

Qin Mingxu stood on tiptoe, picked a persimmon, and handed it to me: "Sangyu, everything goes as you wish."

I took it with a smile and said, "Everything goes well. Thank you for having you."

There were soft ripples on his thick eyebrows, as if he was always smiling: "Sang Yu, if you're good, I'll be good."

Several masters who used to make Zhujia wine are still there.

When Lin Yue was in charge of the house, they followed their mistress' orders, cut costs and cut corners.I wish the taste of Jiahua Brewing gets better every day.Today, I took them with me to select the best ingredients according to the wine recipe.The boy drove the waterwheel to Guanyin Mountain to bring spring water.Select grain, cook, spread to dry, spread koji, make boxes, and culture bacteria.

The first pot of flower wine was made, and the whole shop was enveloped in a strong aroma of wine.I seem to be back ten years ago, when my mother held my hand and passed by Zhujia Winery. I looked at the tall wine jars filled with fine wine, like plump dreams.

I'm in no rush to open.I go to the counter every day and take the masters to brew new wine over and over again. Based on the original recipe, I add cloves, snowflakes and other ingredients to the taste of Jiangnan people. I test the taste again and again and classify the wine.Each flower brew has a name.

Yun Si, Cui Cui, Hua Gan, Hua Shang, Green Tomb...

A cup of it brings a lot of interest.

One evening a few days later, I was returning home from the counter, smelling of alcohol, when a dark figure jumped up from the side.

I was startled, and then I saw clearly that the person coming was Hua Lian.

She was wearing a black Geyi, a pair of new cloth shoes on her feet, and she was carrying a cloth bag on her shoulder.

She cherished the shoes very much and dusted them off with her hands very carefully.This must be her best outfit.I can't bear to wear it on weekdays.

I asked, "How long have you been here?"

"Half a day."

"Why don't you go in?"

"I'll wait for you."

She opened the bag and found coarse rice inside, but it was sifted very clean.

"There is one bag of grain left at home. Half of the bag is given to sir and half to you." She said in a rough voice.

I ordered Xiaoyin to accept it and said with a smile, "Come in with me."

She followed me into Defu.

Zhu Xifeng saw her from a distance and quickly ran away.

I placed her luggage in the room nearest to my bedroom.

Then, he taught her how to read the ledger.

The flower snake in her sleeve poked its head out from time to time, and I stepped back.

She said: "Don't be afraid. It listens to my words and won't bite anyone casually."

She chirped a few words to the snake, and the snake hid itself in her sleeve and never came out again.

Hua Lian is extremely smart, especially when it comes to sorting out numbers.What you teach her will be remembered quickly.

The next day, she went to the cabinet with me.

Apart from being slightly kinder to me, she always has a sense of wariness that is hard to get rid of when it comes to others.The snake seemed to be connected with her mind. Whenever a stranger came three steps away, it would start to raise its head and spit out messages.I tried to persuade him many times and he got better.

She has an animal keenness.

The masters and clerks on my fate table call her "Flower Butler".She looked at everyone and didn't answer.

She is stronger than the average man.Carrying a big wine vat, you can come and go as you please.Work hard and be stubborn.If I don't let her stop, she won't stop.

Speak briefly and crisply.

What can be explained clearly in two words, I will never say in three.

The first day of the twelfth lunar month.

On the first day of late winter, Zhujia Wine Shop officially opened.

"A jug of wine among the flowers" written in my mother's handwriting, as graceful as a dragon, hangs on the door.

Qin Mingxu clicked on the hanging whip.

crackling.

It rang for half an hour.

I sat behind the counter and told the guys: No alcohol will be sold in the first month of opening.Regardless of whether the price is high or low, one or two bottles of wine are not allowed to be sold.

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked and didn't know why.

Qin Mingxu asked: "Open the door to welcome all directions. The purpose of doing business is to buy more and sell more. Sang Yu, which song are you singing?"

I smiled and said four words: "Knowing something is more valuable."

Qin Mingxu leaned against the counter, and I poured him a cup of Cui Cui. He drank it all in one gulp, and said with his hand, "Okay, I just don't know, how do you plan to end it in a month?"

I said: "I have already thought about it. Just wait and see."

When selling something, you have to have good stuff.But more importantly, we must make a name for ourselves.

Dongguan Street is full of passengers.

Zhujia Winery was originally inconspicuous among the clusters of shops.Moreover, there are many time-honored wine brands in Yangzhou. Zhujia Winery has no regular customers and no reputation. It is unremarkable in the market.

But because he refused to sell wine, it was unprecedented in the world, and everyone was surprised. In a few days, the news spread throughout Yangzhou.Passers-by only smell the aroma of wine but cannot taste the fine wine.Everyone in Yangzhou Prefecture knows that there is a strange "Zhujia Liquor Shop" on the streets of Dongguan. It opens its doors but does not sell wine, no matter how much money is given.

As the days passed, the guys became anxious and asked questions one after another when they saw that not a penny had come in.

Only Hua Lian stood beside me like a pine tree, blocking all my inquiries.

She believes me.Therefore, I feel that whatever I do is right.

One day in the middle of the month, there was a commotion outside.

Uncle Zheng Guo came in from outside, looked around, and set his sight on me.

He recognized me.

"Is that you?" he asked.

I nodded politely.

He ordered his entourage to take out a gold ingot. There were at least ten taels of gold ingots.

He said arrogantly: "I have always been a lover of wine. Today, I want to taste the taste of your Zhujia Huajiao wine."

"Not for sale." I said simply.

He seemed to have expected it, and ordered his entourage to bring up a plate of gold ingots: "Don't be pretentious. There is nothing in Yangzhou City that I, Zheng Tai, can't do that I want to do."

I leaned forward and said, neither humble nor arrogant: "My uncle is rich and powerful, but there is no reason to buy or sell by force. The wine is mine. If I say I won't sell it, I won't sell it."

Uncle Zheng looked at me: "You don't love money?"

"Natural love."

"Then why don't you sell me wine?"

"Young masters from high families and peddlers are all just customers to me. If I say I won't sell, I won't sell. If I break the rules for my uncle, there will be no rules. Du Kang made wine by chance. I sell wine now. , but also by chance. If Uncle Guo really loves wine, he should understand."

It seemed like it was the first time that he saw someone reject him like this. With a wave of his hand, several servants came through the door.

Hua Lian rushed forward and blocked me behind him.

She put on a desperate posture.

The flower snake flew out of his sleeves and crawled toward Uncle Zheng fiercely.

Uncle Zheng Guo was afraid of being bitten and left in a hurry.

When he reached the door, he turned back and looked at me deeply.The look in his eyes was like a handful of frivolous feathers, spreading out and touching me, it was weird.Makes people uncomfortable.

Yangzhou Mansion is by the canal.During the dry season, due to lower water levels, canal boats are easily stranded and damaged.Sluices keep water levels in rivers stable.Every time the canal boat rises and falls, the impact force is great and it is easy to damage the sluice.Therefore, at the end of each year, the government recruits craftsmen to repair the water gates.

This year, it's even more special.

The dam at the flood outlet needs to be repaired.The canal was suspended for seven days.

The government had posted notices early.

I stood at the door of the shop and looked at the hundreds of craftsmen from a distance, half immersed in the cold water, busy.

I said to Hua Lian: "Prepare two carts of wine and go to the ferry."

She quickly asked the guys to load the car.

Just when Qin Mingxu came, he was confused and went to the ferry with me.

On the ferry, several petty officials were supervising the work.

I asked: "My lords, when will the construction be completed?"

The clerk said, "That's fine tonight."

I smiled and raised my voice: "Zhujia Winery, I will reward you all with a hundred jars of fine wine without taking any penny. The river embankment is the support of my people and the threshold of Yangzhou. Thank you for your hard work!"

The clerk had certainly heard of the name "Zhujia Winery" these days. He was curious and excited. He gathered the craftsmen in the river and said, "Boss Zhu is sending wine! Come and taste it, everyone!"

The craftsmen arrived cheering.

A hundred jars of wine are opened, and the fragrance floats ten miles away.

Uncle Zheng Guo didn't know when he heard the news and came.The wine he couldn't buy with a lot of money, but I gave it to the craftsmen for free.He was furious.He took a bowl from the clerk and drank it. His brows moved, he forgot to criticize, and drank several bowls in a row.

"Good wine!" Uncle Zheng said.

Hua Lian and I were busy passing drinks to everyone.

Without paying attention, he was tripped by an iron hammer and staggered.

Qin Mingxu hugged me quickly with quick eyes and hands.

"Sang Yu, are you alright?"

He was so close to me.I heard his heartbeat, smelled the styrax on his body, and the smell of wine that spread everywhere, like a flower branch in my hand and a light rain of red beans.

Among the crowd, there was a craftsman wearing a big black hat. He drank all the wine in his bowl, turned around, jumped into the river, and continued working...

(End of this chapter)