Tianliangyuan

Chapter 124 Don't Be a Sucker

The emperor bestowed the name "Zhuangyuan Wine" upon it and praised it as a fine wine.

The news spread like wildfire, quickly becoming known to everyone in the capital.

Xu Zhaozhao had just come out of the palace and hadn't even had a chance to drink some tea and catch her breath when the Marquis's residence was overrun with nobles from all walks of life.

Xu Zhaozhao had no way to hide now, because many people saw her and Xu Han leave the palace, and given the short time, it was impossible for her to leave the city.

Well, we still have to pull ourselves together and face these gods of wealth.

Xu Zhaozhao specifically ordered someone to call Zhu Zi over, as he was better at dealing with nobles than Gao Da Kui.

After confirming some information with his master, Zhu Zi went to deal with the relatives of officials below the fifth rank. As for the taverns and restaurants, he would discuss them again tomorrow.

In this way, the number of guests who need to speak is reduced by nearly half.

For the families of officials of the fifth rank and above, Xu Zhaozhao directly separated them into a group of imperial relatives, and then the three of them gave an explanation to this group first.

“My dear niece, I don’t care about anything else, but my Leyang and you are good friends. You can’t just leave your uncle without drinking, can you?”

Before Xu Zhaozhao could speak, Xu Han said with a displeased look, "Your Highness, your family is so wealthy and powerful, don't even think about harming the children!"

King Qi choked for a moment, then laughed angrily, "Is that what I meant? I'm not drinking your wine for free, you have to send it to me first anyway."

"And what about me! We're family, after all!"

The Prince of Pingnan also objected; he had come to ask for wine as well.

As imperial relatives, Xu Zhaozhao naturally couldn't afford to offend them, and she basically didn't need to say anything. She simply ordered someone to pour each of them a bowl of "top scholar's wine," and they drank it with great relish.

"Excellent wine! No wonder the Emperor named it 'Top Scholar Wine,' this wine truly is the champion among wines! It deserves its name!"

Xu Zhaozhao sighed helplessly; that wasn't how she came up with the name of her wine.

But it doesn't matter, nobody cares.

"However, my dear niece, why is your wine the same as water?"

After King Qi asked his question out of curiosity, the Prince of Pingnan was equally puzzled: "Yes, at first glance this wine looks like plain water, but upon closer inspection, it seems to be thicker than water. This clear wine tastes much better than cloudy wine, and it's also stronger!"

Can't it be big?

The liquor you drank before was only ten or twenty degrees, but this "Top Scholar" liquor was specially blended by her and is estimated to be around thirty-eight degrees.

This wine tastes the best, and most importantly, the wine she brews doesn't cause headaches even when you get drunk.

After wave of guests left, the three of them were finally able to sit down and catch their breath.

Dingxiang brought over the hot tea again, and Xu Han gulped it down in one go.

"One more cup, please!"

Dingxiang suppressed a laugh and quickly brought out another cup.

Wang Ruolan and Xu Zhaozhao weren't as busy as he was, since most of the people who came today were men. However, considering that the wine was brewed by Xu Zhaozhao, she also had to be present. Otherwise, he really wouldn't be able to explain the intricacies of the wine.

"Now that His Majesty has bestowed this name upon us, this 'Top Scholar Wine' will surely sell like hotcakes in the future."

Wang Ruolan glared at him irritably: "My daughter is capable. She brews excellent wine. Even without His Majesty's name, she has no worries about sales."

This is the truth.

Emperor Yong'an was aware of this, but there had never been such a clear, water-like wine on the market before. So, with his name, it immediately aroused the curiosity of the nobles and instantly elevated the wine's status.

Moreover, given that it contains the words "top scholar" (状元), this wine will surely be snapped up by everyone when there are future imperial examinations.

"My Zhaozhao is so promising!"

Xu Han slapped his thigh and laughed heartily.

However, Wang Ruolan's thoughts were ultimately more delicate.

“My lord, this orchard is Zhaozhao’s private property, and the winery has always been based on that estate. Therefore, the winery and recipe should be given to Zhaozhao as part of her dowry.”

"Okay, I have no objection! But Zhao Zhao, even if you get married in the future, you'll still be supporting your father's drinking."

Xu Zhaozhao chuckled: "Look at what Father is saying, as if I'm no longer your daughter after I get married! Even if I'm not here, you and Mother still have to be here."

That sounds so comforting!

Wang Ruolan was also happy, but since it involved property and money, it was best to clarify things first.

"Zhaozhao, since your second and third sisters-in-law are not yet married into the family, let's settle this now to avoid future disagreements."

“Mother, although this Hundred Fruit Garden is mine, it is because you and Father trust me that you are willing to lend me a hand. As for the Scholar’s ​​Wine, I have already thought it through. If I make money in the future, I will give half of it to you. As for whether you give it to Father or keep it all for now, I have no objection.”

"This is inappropriate!"

Wang Ruolan immediately rejected it.

She wasn't someone who had never seen money before, and she knew her daughter was smart and particularly good at making money.

But this was all earned through my daughter's hard work, how can I let others benefit from it for nothing?

"Mother!"

Wang Ruolan raised her hand, stopping Xu Zhaozhao from continuing.

“Listen to me first. It’s good that you care about your parents and brothers. But money has always been a temptation. Right now, things are fine because your second and third brothers are not married, and your second uncle has not had a new bride either. But as time goes on, there will definitely be disputes. It’s better to nip it in the bud from the beginning.”

Xu Zhaozhao fell silent.

In fact, she understood that her mother was right.

But if she didn't contribute a single penny, she would always feel a little guilty.

"This is easy to handle!"

Xu Han said directly, "If Zhao Zhao feels uncomfortable, you can bring back some wine from time to time. You should also take care of your second uncle. That way, no one will say that you only care about profit and not about feelings."

"Yes, my daughter has learned a lot."

Wang Ruolan told her all this today because she was worried that at such a young age, once she could earn money all at once, she would start to be recklessly generous.

She's just a teenager, she has a long life ahead of her, who knows when she might encounter a situation where she desperately needs money.

Furthermore, people's hearts are not what they used to be, and when it comes to money, one should never test people's nature.

Rather than giving others some benefits first and then gradually building up their appetite, it's better to simply not show any intention to share the spoils from the beginning.

Wang Ruolan looked at her husband and knew he was truly craving the wine.

"When you send wine home in the future, you should be careful not to send too much. The same goes for your maternal grandfather's side. Just show the gesture. You can't possibly cater to everyone."

"Yes, mother."

Seeing that she had truly listened, Wang Ruolan was satisfied: "You are still young, and your mother just wants you to live a more carefree life. It's not easy for us women, and it will be even harder after we get married. We'll have elderly parents to care for and young children to raise, and there will be many places where you'll need money!"

Whether you want to do something for someone or do them a favor, you should act within your means. Being generous is one thing, but being taken advantage of is quite another!