Chapter Fourteen: Everything Under Control

Since the county magistrate held his grand birthday banquet with eighteen tables at the Drunken Immortal Tavern, the name “Jiangyuebai” had spread far and wide. This exquisite wine, praised to the skies by officials and wealthy merchants alike, had effortlessly stolen the limelight from the Zhao Family Winery’s famed Erdao Spring, and its popularity only seemed to be growing more intense by the day.

The reason Jiangyuebai captivated so many hearts, apart from its peerless taste and alluring aroma, was the layer of mystery that shrouded it. Few people knew where this wine truly came from or how it was brewed; its flavor was simply too unique—once tasted, it was impossible to forget.

That morning, the Drunken Immortal Tavern had already welcomed over a dozen groups of patrons, all coming specifically to purchase Jiangyuebai. Lin Qingxuan watched these people flocking in with such fervor that his heart ached with every passing moment. Jiang Chen had told him that the wine could not yet be sold openly; those who wished to taste it had to dine in the tavern, and each table was limited to a single pot of Jiangyuebai.

Leaving such easy silver unearned—what on earth was Jiang Chen thinking? No wonder Lin Qingxuan was so anxious: the money was right in front of his eyes, yet he couldn’t reach for it. And to make matters worse, Jiang Chen had not shown himself for days; no one knew where he had gone.

Meanwhile, a lavish sedan chair had been waiting outside the tavern for quite some time. Its occupant had not shown himself, instead sending a servant inside to inquire, who then hurried back out.

“Master, I found out—Drunken Immortal Tavern isn’t selling Jiangyuebai for now. If you want to drink it, you have to dine inside, and each table is limited to one pot.”

The owner of the sedan was Zhao He. That very morning, he had flown into a rage, for customers who had placed orders at the Zhao Family Winery were now coming in droves to cancel them. They said that Erdao Spring was no longer the finest wine; whether for private enjoyment or grand banquets, Jiangyuebai was the only worthy choice.

The delicious and mysterious Jiangyuebai had whetted everyone’s appetite. Even though it couldn’t be bought in large quantities yet, people were willing to wait patiently for their chance. As Jiang Chen had predicted, thanks to his strategy of scarcity, Jiangyuebai would soon become a symbol of status and spread rapidly among the upper circles.

“Not selling in quantity? That makes no sense—who gives up money unless—” Zhao He trailed off, deep in thought.

Seeing his master hesitate, the servant ventured, “Master, why don’t we just go eat there? That way we can taste Jiangyuebai ourselves.”

“Smack!”

Zhao He slapped the servant so hard he reeled, nearly crashing headlong into a horse’s hindquarters.

“You fool, stop adding to my troubles! If you’re not careful, I’ll have you drinking horse piss instead!” Zhao He, a veteran in the world of business, keenly sensed a hidden opportunity—surely they couldn’t brew this wine in large quantities yet. If he interfered now, perhaps he could sabotage their efforts.

“Jiang Chen, I know it’s you trying to trip me up. Last time I ruined your congee and steamed bun business—this time, I’ll make sure your Jiangyuebai is destroyed once and for all! Just wait and see!”

On the other side of town, Jiang Chen was busy instructing his helpers as they set up equipment and prepared materials. The courtyard was nearly overflowing with all manner of tools and burlap sacks.

Wu Qingshan approached him. “Brother, we’ve got most of the stuff ready, but don’t you think we’re a bit short-handed?”

“If we want to brew Jiangyuebai in large quantities, these seven or eight people are nowhere near enough.”

Jiang Chen replied without turning around, “This is just right. They’re all trustworthy, and with fewer people, the process and recipe are less likely to be leaked. Besides, Jiangyuebai isn’t meant to be just any common wine you can buy on every street corner.”

“Some things lose their value once they become too common.”

Wu Qingshan nodded, half-understanding, but his respect and admiration for Jiang Chen grew even deeper. He felt that as long as he followed Jiang Chen with a sincere heart, wealth and success would surely follow—there was nothing this man couldn’t accomplish.

As preparations continued in earnest, Gu Jun hurried over from afar, bringing news worth noting.

“Lin Yuanzhou has returned from out of town.”

Jiang Chen’s lips curled in a faint smile. “What perfect timing. Let’s just sit back and watch the show.”

That evening, in a private room at the Drunken Immortal Tavern, Lin Qingxuan’s older cousin, Lin Yuanzhou, sat with his legs crossed, watching his kinsman with indifference.

“Cousin, I really have no way out. If you don’t help me, I’ll lose this tavern sooner or later.” Lin Qingxuan poured out his woes, describing how their other cousin, Lin Lidong, had oppressed him, driving away business and leaving him in dire straits.

“All right, enough. I don’t have time for your pointless complaints. Whatever Lin Lidong is up to, it’s no concern of mine. Besides, we’re all members of the Lin family—he wouldn’t drive you to ruin completely.” Lin Yuanzhou stood as if to leave, but Lin Qingxuan suddenly spoke up.

“If I lose the tavern, so be it. But the real question is—who will end up with it? If Lin Lidong takes it from me, wouldn’t that be a problem for you as well?”

Lin Yuanzhou paused. That question had hit the one point he cared about most. If not for Jiang Chen’s instructions, Lin Qingxuan would never have found the words to sway him; everything was unfolding just as Jiang Chen had planned.

“There’s more. I’ve recently heard a piece of scandal that could strike Lin Lidong right at his weak spot and ensure he never dares show his face again.”

Lin Yuanzhou pretended indifference, but inside, he was already eager with anticipation. All this time, he and Lin Lidong had joined forces to pressure Lin Qingxuan, all for the sake of swallowing up this branch of the family’s property. But if Lin Qingxuan were truly finished, the two of them would inevitably turn on each other. Lin Qingxuan was hardly a threat, but if he could take down the more dangerous Lin Lidong first, wouldn’t he be able to rule the Lin family single-handedly?

“What did you hear? Tell me.”

“It’s like this…” Lin Qingxuan leaned in, lowering his voice. “Recently, Lin Lidong has been getting very close to a certain widow. The two of them have been carrying on an illicit affair—this is a disgrace to the Lin family’s reputation!”

Lin Yuanzhou was aghast. “Do you know whose widow?”

“I think she’s the daughter-in-law of the Zhai family in Willow Alley outside the East Gate. People call her Pretty Jiao.”

At the sound of that name, Lin Yuanzhou’s face turned deathly pale. Cold sweat poured down his brow like a waterfall.

“Er… something urgent just came up. I’ll be going now—we’ll talk again another time!”