Chapter Thirty-Two: The Drunkenness of Venus

Su Chen was still thinking about Yang Wan'er from the day before. She was indeed an extraordinary woman, though she had likely already departed from Chang'an. He wondered when they might meet again.

Life in the medical clinic remained peaceful for the next few days. With no other pressing matters, the "Xiaoyao Pill" was selling quite well. It had become a go-to remedy for a variety of minor ailments, primarily because its function of soothing liver qi gave it a wide range of applications. Zhou Taifu handled most of the management in the clinic; for him and the other imperial physicians, working in such a place was a waste of their talents, though it was fortunate they had brought their apprentices along. The apprentices were able to learn various medical techniques and prescriptions from Su Chen—opportunities they would not find anywhere else.

Su Chen visited Li Jing’s home once, bringing several doses of the "Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction" and providing acupuncture for both Li Jing and his wife. After these few sessions of treatment, both their conditions had significantly improved. Upon returning, Su Chen remained focused on his workshop, which he viewed as the key to substantial future earnings. He had little energy left for other distractions.

"Chumo, come with me to the workshop; it should be nearly ready."

He headed toward his workshop with Cheng Chumo in tow. The facility was still quite rudimentary, as funds were tight. Over the past few days, Cheng Chumo had effectively become Su Chen’s shadow. Back home, his father, Cheng Yaojin, had no patience for him and insisted he follow Su Chen to learn something useful. Cheng Yaojin was perplexed; they used to run around with Su Chen all the time, so why was Su Chen now so capable while his own son remained the same? Naturally, he was unhappy and pushed his son to stay by Su Chen’s side to gain some real skills.

"Brother, it’s not that I want to lecture you, but this brewing business is really unnecessary. My family has plenty of wine; it’s hardly a way to make a fortune, so why waste our time on it?" Cheng Chumo said, not caring in the least.

The Cheng household had servants who handled brewing, as they owned a large tavern in Chang'an that sold such products. Cheng Chumo didn't see the profit in it. How much could one really make? And brewing was not something that could be completed in a day or two. He viewed Su Chen’s workshop as a waste of time—a trivial pursuit that led to the neglect of one’s aspirations.

Explaining things to them now was useless; they would only believe what they saw with their own eyes. "In two days, you’ll understand. This is where the real profit lies; everything else is not even worth mentioning."

The Tang Dynasty lacked high-proof spirits; what they drank was mostly coarse rice wine. What Su Chen had arranged for Song Laosan and the others to produce was high-proof distilled liquor. Only such spirits could quickly capture the market and command a high price. Cheng Chumo didn't understand this, but he followed along nonetheless, despite his reluctance, because his father had ordered him to stick by Su Chen.

Upon entering the workshop, they were greeted by a pungent, stimulating aroma. It was the scent of alcohol, and even Cheng Chumo felt a bit dizzy from the intensity. "Why is this wine scent so strong? How much wine is in here?"

Cheng Chumo’s curiosity was piqued. He had been mocking Su Chen just moments ago, but the moment he stepped inside, his attitude shifted as if he had discovered a new continent. The aroma was exceptionally rich. Both Cheng Yaojin and his son were connoisseurs of fine spirits. If the liquor was truly good, they would naturally want to sample it themselves. However, Su Chen wouldn't let them drink it so easily. He needed this capital to jumpstart his various ventures. Developing weapons required more than just craftsmen; it demanded space, materials, and immense investment.

"Song Laosan, how is it going? Can we produce the first batch today?" Su Chen summoned him.

After Su Chen had cured his father, Song Laosan had stayed to assist him, working with great diligence and sincerity. Since the others in the workshop were also craftsmen, he integrated well. Su Chen treated them exceptionally well, providing housing and allowing them to bring their families to live nearby. The only downside was their restricted freedom, but for these craftsmen, they had never known much freedom in the palace or the Crown Prince’s estate anyway. Now, they were treated well and could eat whatever they wanted—a luxury they could never have imagined before. Several of the craftsmen had already decided to work for Su Chen indefinitely.

"Answering to the Young Master, we can certainly produce the first batch today. We have already prepared all the porcelain jars as you instructed. We just aren't sure what to name it yet."

Everything was ready, from the packaging to the product itself; the only thing missing was a name.

"That’s easy, just call it 'Su Family Wine,'" Cheng Chumo interjected. Since Su Chen made it, the name seemed fitting. The craftsmen were pleased, thinking it would help build the Su family's reputation.

But Su Chen shook his head; the name was too plain.

"Life, when successful, must be enjoyed to the full; do not let the golden chalice face the moon empty. Heaven made me with talents that must be used; a thousand pieces of gold scattered will return again..." Su Chen muttered to himself.

Cheng Chumo and the craftsmen felt the beauty of the lines, though they were confused by the meaning.

"Call the others over. We shall name this wine 'Taibai Drunk.' I will have a poem carved and stamped with ink onto the outside of the jars, and we will affix the 'Taibai Drunk' label beneath it."

Su Chen decided to name the wine "Taibai Drunk" and include two lines from the poem *Bringing in the Wine* on the bottles. Each jar held ten catties of liquor. With the name printed on paper and the poem stamped in ink, the final presentation was complete. Following Su Chen’s instructions, the group set to work. Carving the characters was simple, and soon, two lines from the poem were ready to be stamped onto the jars.