Chapter Thirty-Four: The Wine Merchant

Wei Renshi’s words brought a look of reminiscence to the Lady Dowager’s face. After thinking for a moment, she replied, “When I married your father, the Wei family had already fallen from its former glory. Still, we owned a hundred acres of good farmland, had several long-term laborers in the household, a steward, a few maidservants, and dozens of tenant families working our estates.”

Her words startled Wei Renshi. He thought to himself that his father had squandered a mighty inheritance; how could such a vast estate be reduced now to a few old houses and scant fields?

The Lady Dowager continued, “Your grandfather was even more formidable in his day—half of Chang Valley belonged to us. The residents here, tracing back three generations, were either our tenants or those of the Li family across the valley. But your grandfather and father poured all their energy into scholarship and the civil examinations, neglecting the affairs of the household. The land was sold off bit by bit, sometimes to former tenants, sometimes to outsiders. Both died young, and our family declined to what you see today.”

Wei Renshi asked, “Among the old servants and tenants, were any particularly loyal to our family, who might still be alive?”

The Lady Dowager frowned and asked, “Why do you ask, my son?”

“Our household lacks hands, and as a scholar, there are things I cannot conveniently do myself,” Wei Renshi explained. “So I thought, if there’s anyone trustworthy, I could bring them back to serve.”

The Lady Dowager shook her head, saying, “They’ve all been released. How could they be summoned back?”

“Were any of them wine-makers?” Wei Renshi asked casually.

“Certainly,” she recalled. “Years ago, your grandfather took in a family fleeing disaster. He rented them land, and they farmed and brewed wine. The wine your father drank was from their hands. After their release, they lost their land and moved to Fuchang City, where they opened a small shop and now brew only coarse wine.”

Wei Renshi was secretly delighted—surely fortune was smiling upon him!

He quickly pressed, “How is their character? Were they loyal to our family in the past?”

The Lady Dowager frowned again. “What exactly are you planning, my son?”

Seeing her concern, Wei Renshi decided to lay everything bare. “Our family has fallen and endured many years of hardship. Now, I am determined to restore our fortunes. After much consideration, I see no way but commerce. I have many ways to earn money, but as a scholar, even though merchants are not as harshly regarded as before, my reputation would still suffer if I were openly involved. Yet for the sake of our family’s well-being, the business must be done. So I need someone trustworthy to act on our behalf.”

She hesitated. Wei Renshi continued, “I’ve already partnered with the Jiao family in Fuchang City in a condiment business. I provide the method, they provide staff and a shop, and profits are split four-to-six—I take four, they take six. Outwardly, it’s their business, but secretly, I have a share of the income. This is a stable source of revenue, but the profits are modest. I possess a unique method for distilling spirits, but since there is a government monopoly on alcohol, I cannot brew it myself. If we have a tenant who is a wine-maker, we can brew and sell under their name, splitting the profits.”

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The Lady Dowager pondered, “No one will know you’re behind the business?”

“Mother, do you know of any ministers in the court who lack their own enterprises? Don’t they all conduct business in the names of servants and retainers?” Wei Renshi said. “And what of our clan in Chang’an? Do you think they don’t have their own ventures?”

The Lady Dowager thought it over and finally said, “That family’s character is decent. They only accepted release at the end, and afterwards occasionally helped us out with what little they had. Their shop is small, so they couldn’t help much, but their goodwill is genuine. Still, now that they’ve been released, they’re free people—why would they return to be tenants?”

“As long as their character is reliable, there’s no need for them to be tenants again,” Wei Renshi replied confidently. “I can make them the leading wine-makers in the capital. Mother, where is their shop now?”

“I know!” Xier answered from the side. “It’s right on the edge of Fuchang City!”

The Lady Dowager nodded, “Their wine isn’t bad, but they’re too honest. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have struggled for so many years.”

Winning his mother’s approval, Wei Renshi felt a weight lift from his heart.

That night, lying in bed, he mulled over how to make distilled spirits.

There were two conditions: finding a wine-maker, and obtaining a distiller. The first seemed manageable—since this wine-maker was once their tenant and honest, he ought to be persuadable. Honesty doesn’t mean stupidity; he should recognize the value of distilled spirits and be willing to cooperate.

Wei Renshi had decided to work independently. If the wine-maker wasn’t a former tenant but had his own small wine business, all the better—the smaller the scale, the more Wei Renshi could intervene and claim a larger share of the new enterprise.

As for distillers, they should be available; the emperor favored alchemists, and many Daoist priests across the land practiced alchemy and possessed distillers. Though not directly suitable, these could be modified to meet the requirements of distilling spirits.

Wei Renshi turned his thoughts over all night, and at dawn he got up, taking Xier straight to Fuchang City.

He didn’t go directly to the wine-maker’s shop—being early, he and Xier sought breakfast first. Passing Old Wang’s flatbread stall, he noticed the business was thriving. There were small tables and stools, and many customers sat enjoying flatbread with soup.

Wei Renshi caught the aroma and instantly knew there was meat broth.

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He chuckled and turned in that direction.

Old Wang had switched to a larger cauldron, boiling mutton soup. The meat was chopped, seasoned, and sprinkled onto flatbread before baking. He also ladled soup with mutton, following the method Wei Renshi had demonstrated days before.

Wei Renshi thought the old man lacked scruples. He’d deliberately left some leftover condiments for Old Wang so as not to disrupt his business, and now here he was, selling mutton soup in imitation. Even if Wei Renshi had no intention of selling mutton soup himself, surely Old Wang ought to have mentioned it?

But, well, at least everyone could enjoy mutton soup now—a good thing.

“Xier, go find a seat. I’ll get us two bowls of soup,” Wei Renshi said.

He joined the queue, and when his turn came, he ordered, “Two flatbreads, two bowls of mutton soup.”

“Right away!” Old Wang responded, then looked up. Seeing Wei Renshi, his face broke into a grin. “I thought the voice sounded familiar—it’s Young Master Wei!”

Without waiting for Wei Renshi to speak, Old Wang called out, “Xiao Sui’er, Young Master Wei is here—bring out the goods!”

Wei Renshi was puzzled. He saw Wang Xiao Sui’er run out with a cloth pouch, which Old Wang took, leaving her to serve the customers while he beckoned Wei Renshi, “This way, Young Master Wei!”

Wei Renshi was unsure what Old Wang wanted. “Let’s sit outside; I haven’t eaten yet and I’m starving.”

“Very well!” Old Wang followed Wei Renshi to the table Xier had secured, set the bowls before them, and said, “Young Master Wei, eat while you listen—this old man has something to say.”