Chapter Eight: Fine Wine

Seeing Lin Qingxuan’s wavering expression, Jiang Chen knew in his heart that he had already won over this young master. Without another word, he returned home and handed a secret recipe wrapped in oil paper to Wu Qingshan, asking him to deliver it to Lin Qingxuan.

Wu Qingshan, who had previously mingled with the local rakes and had his own network of information, was well aware of the Lin family’s movements. Observing Jiang Chen’s calm and leisurely demeanor, he felt a hint of doubt, wondering if his brother-in-law was merely putting on an act. But a few hours later, when Lin Qingxuan arrived, breathless and anxious, Wu Qingshan was finally convinced that his judgment had been right.

“Brother Jiang! You’re finally here. I’ve prepared everything you asked for—the grains, the jars, and all sorts of supplies. I’ve ordered my men to move them into the cellar at home,” Lin Qingxuan said, entering the courtyard and grabbing at Jiang Chen’s collar as if clutching at a lifeline.

“This is everything I could gather, Brother Jiang! I’ve already made my stance clear to the family—there’s no turning back now! You must not fail!” He stared intently into Jiang Chen’s eyes, as if searching for some hidden message on the youthful face before him. But the serene smile, so out of keeping with Jiang Chen’s age, blocked all attempts at probing.

“Rest assured, Brother Lin! You are my benefactor. Without absolute certainty, I would never drag you into such waters!” Jiang Chen replied. Lin Qingxuan still seemed hesitant, but finally asked, “Brother Jiang, can you tell me what your plan is?”

“To brew wine,” Jiang Chen said.

“What!” The word exploded in Lin Qingxuan’s mind like a thunderclap, leaving him dizzy and bewildered.

“Brother Jiang, are you muddled? Don’t you know that Zhao He built his fortune on selling wine?”

“Of course I know,” Jiang Chen replied.

“Then—then why?” Lin Qingxuan shook Jiang Chen’s shoulders in near hysteria. “Are you not setting me up for ruin? Everything in that cellar is all I possess. I can only last half a month now!”

“Brother Lin, calm yourself!” Jiang Chen said.

Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes slightly and raised his hand to pat Lin Qingxuan’s back—a technique he had learned in his previous life, capable of soothing agitation in an instant.

“When I was down and out, you took me in. Now you risk your life for me. How could I, Jiang Chen, ever leave you in a desperate plight? Rest assured! In half a month, I promise you a great gift!”

Half a month later, in a luxurious private room of a grand restaurant.

A middle-aged man dressed in a black mandarin jacket slowly picked up his chopsticks and divided the “Seeking Plum Blossoms in the Snow,” made from the finest bear’s paw, into three portions, placing them in the bowls of the two young gentlemen seated across from him.

“Gentlemen, you may rest easy. Everything is within the palm of my hand,” Zhao He said.

The Lin family’s eldest son, Lin Qinghan, and second son, Lin Qingfeng, accepted the bear’s paw from Zhao He, sharing a smile.

“Ah, Old Zhao, you’re clever as always. This time, our younger brother’s poor choice of friends is certain to bring him trouble,” Lin Qinghan remarked.

“Young men…” Zhao He sat down, shaking his head with a half-smile. “Everyone is bound to misjudge at times. Though I didn’t expect that kid Jiang Chen to come up with something like this, those delicacies that let us earn gold by the bucketful—placed in the hands of the poor—would be wasted! Only a noble family like yours, the Lins, can bring out their true value. But tell me, does your father know about your younger brother’s foolish deeds?”

At these words, the Lin brothers exchanged a glance, a sly smile curving their lips. This old fox was threatening them before the deal was even done. Though the Lin family had rules forbidding sibling rivalry, having made their move, they did not fear repercussions. In their minds, nothing they did could escape their father’s notice. He merely tacitly permitted it; from the very start, the Lin family had been raising vipers in their midst! As for Zhao He, he was nothing more than their pawn.

Despite their hidden schemes, the brothers raised their cups and offered compliments. Zhao He, seeing through their thoughts, lifted his cup with a grin that did not reach his eyes.

“Gentlemen, a mighty dragon cannot suppress a local snake. In this town, I am all-powerful. And don’t forget, I have two younger brothers backing me,” Zhao He said.

“Act as you please! As long as we all make money, the lives of the common folk are worthless—less than those of dogs, are they not?” He snapped his fingers, and a servant appeared.

“Have you investigated? What are Young Master Lin and Jiang Chen up to these days?” Zhao He asked.

“Reporting, sir!” the servant replied mechanically. “For the past half month, they have been collecting ingredients for brewing wine.”

“Hahaha!” Zhao He laughed, unabashed. “Gentlemen, did you hear? Jiang Chen has turned into a frightened worm, scrambling in desperation! He’s resorting to anything now. I, Old Zhao, built my fortune on wine; everyone for miles around drinks my liquor. What they’re doing is suicide!”

The two young men smiled in agreement. “Ha! Old Zhao, your wisdom is unmatched!”

“To our victory—cheers!”

In the Lin family cellar, Lin Qingxuan gazed at the fine wine being prepared and the strange machines surrounding them, worry still clouding his face. Watching Jiang Chen and his group laboring, he could not help but ask, “Brother Jiang… Though your wine is much clearer now, can these things really compete with Master Zhao?”

Jiang Chen did not answer directly; instead, he carefully poured the clear raw spirit into a cup according to precise ratios.

“Come, Brother Lin. Words are useless—try it for yourself.”

Lin Qingxuan, doubtful yet hopeful, took a sip. In the next instant, all the worry vanished from his face, replaced by astonishment.

“This… this is—!”

Jiang Chen patted his shoulder, a confident smile radiating from within.

“Half a month has passed. Tomorrow, let those commoners witness what true wine really is!”