Chapter Thirty: Grape Wine in Luminous Cups

Ye Xiu was busy calculating the household expenses. From purchasing and renovating the small courtyard to acquiring the distillery, almost all the silver in his hands had been spent. The remaining loose change had been used to buy nutritional supplements for Ye Wuji. To ensure Ye Wuji succeeded in his prestigious examinations, Ye Xiu had even specially ordered fresh cow's milk.

"One never knows the cost of daily necessities until one manages a household," Ye Xiu sighed, closing the ledger. "Indeed, raising a scholar is not cheap."

"Do not worry, young master. Many of these are one-time expenses," Zhao Yide comforted him. "There won't be such heavy spending every month."

"Money is meant to be spent; there is no point in hoarding it for the grave," Ye Xiu replied with a carefree attitude. "Besides, we still have the bank notes from Heshengyuan that we haven't touched yet."

"Young master, we have distilled another two hundred catties of Imperial Jade Nectar, why haven't we sent it over?" Zhao Yide asked, puzzled.

"Wait a little longer," Ye Xiu said with a mysterious smile. "The time is not yet right."

"Is weaving stories and creating hype really that effective?"

"Of course," Ye Xiu said with absolute confidence. "Now, it all depends on Shopkeeper Liu's marketing skills."

At the Jinling Tavern, Shopkeeper Liu had originally been following Ye Xiu's plan for promotion and sales. However, upon learning that Ye Wuji had composed the poem "Immortal at the River" at Linggu, he immediately upgraded his strategy. He organized a grand wine-tasting event right in front of the tavern and had the brokerage agency spread word that the Jinling Tavern had developed a new spirit even more delicious than the renowned "Forget-Sorrow White."

Over a dozen famous scholars and esteemed wine connoisseurs gathered at the tavern. The crowd was packed three layers deep inside and out, clogging the street. The local magistrate's office even dispatched two squads of guards to maintain order.

Under the gaze of the masses, Shopkeeper Liu pulled the wooden stopper from the bottle. A rich, intoxicating aroma instantly erupted, making every judge’s nose twitch uncontrollably. It was no wonder Shopkeeper Liu had promised them a liquor the likes of which they had never smelled or seen before.

Renowned taster Zhao Qiansun stood at the front. He raised his cup and took a light sip. Everyone held their breath, waiting for his verdict. Unexpectedly, after swallowing, Zhao Qiansun closed his eyes and stood perfectly still.

Among the onlookers, the impatient ones began to urge him, "Master Zhao, what do you think of this wine? Say something!"

But Zhao Qiansun acted as if he had heard nothing, his eyes still closed. After a long while, he finally opened them, his face filled with shock. "This wine... this wine..."

"Well, how is it?"
"Master Zhao, are you trying to drive us mad?"
"Exactly! Is it good or not? Tell us!"

Zhao Qiansun suddenly capped the bottle and let out a heavy sigh. "Such music should only exist in the heavens; how often can one hear it in the mortal realm! I, this old man, am unworthy of such wine!"

Good heavens! What kind of wine could elicit such a mystical assessment from Zhao Qiansun? The other connoisseurs and scholars looked at one another and poured themselves a cup. The moment the strong spirit hit their throats, their faces flushed bright red, and their eyes widened in shock. It took them quite a while to calm their racing hearts.

"Heavens! Heaven has had mercy on me, allowing me to taste such divine nectar!"
"The liquid flows like a river through my mouth; there are no words in this world to describe it! Help! I have never tasted such incredible wine in my life!"
"Why, why, why! Why let me drink such a rare treasure if I can never have it again?"

"I believe you have all heard of 'Immortal at the River' by now," Shopkeeper Liu’s voice rose. "To celebrate the launch of our new product, Jinling’s greatest talent, Ye Wuji, has specially composed a poem for our shop."

Shopkeeper Liu clapped his hands, and a large sheet of rice paper was unfurled. Everyone turned their eyes to it, their gazes instantly burning with fervor.

"The fine wine of Jinling smells of tulips, poured into jade cups, it glows like amber. If only the host can make the guest drunk, he will forget that this is a foreign land."

"This poem is serene in its imagery, praising the mellowness of the wine while speaking to the prosperity of Jinling City and the warmth of its people," the crowd murmured. "The last two lines are particularly profound; they are both expected and yet surprising. Though I am not from Jinling, its prosperity and the hospitality of its people have long made me consider this my second home."

"The style is bold and unrestrained, perfectly reflecting his uninhibited personality. Truly, Master Ye deserves the title of Jinling’s foremost talent!"

Since ancient times, people have enjoyed drinking and composing poetry; wine had become an indispensable companion to elegance. Combined with the new poem "Traveler's Song," it resonated with everyone instantly, driving them into a frenzy for the spirit.

"Such fine wine cannot be matched even by the tribute spirits of the capital. Wait..." Zhao Qiansun asked suspiciously, "Shopkeeper Liu, why are there characters on the bottle?"

Shopkeeper Liu smiled and replied, "It is a poem. The characters on the bottles can be arranged freely to form a poem, and if you do, you can exchange them for a free bottle at our shop."

Those who love literature and poetry are, by nature, obsessed with appearing refined—it is almost a pathological fixation.

"It can truly form a poem?" Zhao Qiansun immediately looked at the dozen bottles on the table. The characters on them made his eyes light up. "Then let me show my clumsy attempt!"

After a moment of contemplation, Zhao Qiansun arranged the thirty-odd characters: "Fine grape wine in glowing cups, urged to drink by the pipa from atop the horse..."

*Hiss!*

Everyone present gasped: "What a poem! What a poem!"

But soon, Zhao Qiansun frowned. "The imagery is perfect, but the final line... where is it?"

"Since it is a combination," Shopkeeper Liu smiled meaningfully, pointing to the shelves inside, "you must find more characters on other bottles to complete the more evocative verses. Gathering them all is, in itself, a unique reward."

Hearing this, everyone’s eyes glittered. But Zhao Qiansun couldn't help but ask, "Shopkeeper Liu, what if I am unlucky and keep buying wine but cannot piece together a full poem?"

Shopkeeper Liu laughed heartily. "Books can be borrowed and read, so why shouldn't trading wine bottles be considered an elegant endeavor?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd began to whisper excitedly. Zhao Qiansun was the first to speak up: "Shopkeeper Liu, how much stock do you have? I want it all."

"No, no! Sharing is better than enjoying it alone. Master Zhao, you cannot be so greedy."
"Exactly, exactly! Let everyone have a share..."

Shopkeeper Liu pursed his lips, his heart blooming with joy. The enthusiastic interaction on the scene had exceeded all his expectations. He had never imagined the power of "refinement" would be so potent. The more fanatical the people were, the better the sales.

"This wine is called Imperial Jade Nectar, twenty taels of silver per catty. We only have one hundred catties in stock." Shopkeeper Liu brought out a cardboard box. "As the saying goes, there are many wolves and little meat, so let us draw lots. The next sale will be in three days."

At twenty taels per catty, no one felt it was expensive. They scrambled to reach into the box, fumbling for the paper balls. Those who drew a winning slip cheered with joy, while those who didn't looked dejected. In the blink of an eye, the hundred catties were sold out. Those who failed to purchase the Imperial Jade Nectar left their silver as deposits for the next batch.

Shopkeeper Liu had his staff prepare the silver notes and a carriage, then rushed toward Wulong Lane as fast as he could. The true mastermind was Ye Xiu; whether they could truly dominate the market depended on him!