Chapter Fourteen: The Jinling Tavern, A Relentless Battle of Wills

Zhao Yide nervously followed behind Ye Xiu, carrying his load, and together they arrived at the Jinling tavern.

Only this establishment could swallow up all the supplies in one go.

The shopkeeper and the waiter were busy settling accounts.

Suddenly, the interior of the shop darkened.

Looking up, they saw a burly man with a face full of scars and a fierce expression cautiously stepping inside.

The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

The few busy assistants inside quietly drew their waist-length staves.

The shopkeeper’s scalp tingled more and more as he stared at Zhao Yide, carefully asking, “Sir, are you here to buy wine?”

But Zhao Yide remained silent, staring wide-eyed at everyone.

This young man had risen from a lowly soldier to a squad leader, having slain dozens of Japanese pirates along the way.

A man who had killed bore a different gaze, and his killing intent could not be concealed.

Everyone inside felt a chill run down their spines, as if facing a grave enemy.

One of the assistants even dropped his staff and fled in a panic.

Though it was official business, Zhao Yide’s presence still made the shopkeeper’s legs go weak, his voice trembling, “Brave man, let’s talk matters calmly. Please don’t harm anyone in this humble shop…”

But Zhao Yide remained unmoved; the more silent he was, the more frightened the shopkeeper and others became.

As the saying goes, a hero does not suffer losses lightly; a wise man knows when to act. The shopkeeper immediately produced a silver ingot, saying, “Valiant sir, everything can be negotiated. This is some tea money.”

Just then, Ye Xiu stepped out, smiling warmly at the shopkeeper.

Zhao Yide set down his load and stood properly behind him.

“Oh! So it’s the young master,” the shopkeeper exclaimed.

“Where did you find such a servant? Truly terrifying!”

The shopkeeper instantly recognized Ye Xiu and quickly hid the silver ingot.

“Bring the tea! The finest tea!” he shouted. “Fetch my treasured tea—I want to drink with the young master.”

The shopkeeper was exceedingly cordial, and the two men acted like long-lost half-brothers.

Ye Xiu sat down, gently lifting the tea lid. The broth was golden and rich like amber, with a natural orchid fragrance wafting through the air. The tea leaves were plump and round, heavy and uniform, shaped much like a dragonfly’s head.

“Red Bud Crooked Tail Peach?” Ye Xiu smiled at the shopkeeper. “Mr. Liu, I’m quite surprised you’d serve Anxi tribute tea.”

“Young master, you truly know your tea,” Liu the shopkeeper replied.

“This was a gift of two taels from the prefect a year ago; I’ve never dared to drink it.”

“Young master, you’ve come this time surely for a big deal with this shop?”

Liu the shopkeeper gave a thumbs-up—this was his test of Ye Xiu, as not everyone knew about tribute tea.

Moreover, he mentioned the Jinling Prefect to let Ye Xiu know this was actually the prefect’s property.

“How did you guess that?” Ye Xiu asked in return.

“You came here a few days ago, paying close attention to the Forget Worries White wine, but your gaze held suspicion and disdain. When you left, your excitement was barely concealed. Now you’ve brought a brave man with you—it’s clear you’re here for business.”

Indeed!

The ancients were truly clever; from now on, one must be more mindful.

Being uncovered by Liu meant the other party had the advantage.

To change the situation, Ye Xiu stopped pretending. “Mr. Liu, how much did you say Forget Worries White costs last time?”

“Ten taels of silver per jin,” Liu answered calmly with a smile.

“I have wine better than Forget Worries White. Want some?” Ye Xiu said bluntly. “My wine is richer, stronger, and clearer!”

“As long as your goods are good quality, I’ll definitely buy,” Liu said nonchalantly, confident he held the upper hand.

Ye Xiu waved his hand, and Zhao Yide took wine jars from the basket, placing them on the table one by one.

Liu’s eyes widened. Better than Forget Worries White, and more than thirty jin at once?

The distiller producing Forget Worries White made only about a hundred dou annually.

The noble families of Jinling each received only a pound or two, and rarely drank it.

Soon, an unhappy flicker appeared in Liu’s eyes. “Young master, are you mocking me?”

“I’m giving you a chance to get rich, but you’re useless!” Ye Xiu stood up, feigning anger. “Brother Zhao, let’s go to another place!”

Zhao Yide quickly picked up a wine jar to put back into the basket.

Liu’s face changed drastically. He had intended to control Ye Xiu but did not expect such behavior.

“Young master, please don’t be petty,” Liu smiled apologetically. “Don’t blame me for being suspicious. You suddenly show over thirty jin of wine claiming it’s better than Forget Worries White—it’s hard not to doubt.”

“Hmph!” Ye Xiu sat back down, and Zhao Yide replaced the jars.

Opening the seal, the aroma of the wine filled the air.

The rich fragrance made the shopkeeper instantly serious as he carefully poured a cup.

The wine was crystal clear, utterly free of impurities.

Taking a gentle sip, Liu’s eyes suddenly widened.

The strong liquor burned down the throat like wildfire.

That intense heat spread through the esophagus, leaving a lingering aftertaste that was utterly addictive.

It was leagues above Forget Worries White.

No, comparing Forget Worries White to this wine was an insult to the latter.

After a long moment, Liu slammed the table hard. “This damn good wine!”

Ye Xiu rose to taste some Forget Worries White.

Neither the waiter nor Liu stopped him.

Soon, disappointment clouded Ye Xiu’s face; it was only about twenty degrees alcohol content.

Though filtered, the wine still had a faint green tint.

It was far inferior to his own brew.

Its high price was due first to being tribute wine, and second to rarity.

Officials, merchants, and noble families competed to show off their wealth, which kept the price high.

In an instant, Ye Xiu’s mind was made up.

Looking at Liu, who smacked his lips with apparent relish and seemed ready for another cup, Ye Xiu stopped him.

In contrast, Liu looked dispirited.

He realized that in the face of absolute quality, his supposed advantage was futile.

This wine would soon become wildly popular in Jinling; whoever got it first would make a fortune.

“How much can you supply?” Liu sighed and asked.

“At present, only thirty jin. Another seventy in half a month.”

“One hundred jin, I want it all,” Liu feigned generosity. “Three taels per jin, how about that?”

“No sale!” Ye Xiu stood and turned to leave.

Liu hastily grabbed him. “Young master, don’t be hasty.”

“You’re a miserly shopkeeper,” Ye Xiu pretended to be angry. “Forget Worries White is ten taels per jin, but you want to buy mine at three? Are you trying to fool a child?”

“Five taels per jin, no more,” Liu said, wincing. “Yours isn’t tribute wine and has no reputation. Selling rashly, this shop can’t set too high a price.”

“Good wine is priceless!” Ye Xiu scoffed, his words firm and unwavering. “My wine far surpasses Forget Worries White. Many in Jinling will pay handsomely. If you miss this chance for wealth, I’m curious how you’ll explain it to Xu Yougong.”

At the mention of Xu Yougong, Liu broke out in a cold sweat, frozen stiff on the spot.