Chapter Fourteen: A Bloody Incident Sparked by Celestial Wine

The next day, Du Chengfeng woke early, feeling refreshed and clear-minded. Although the air of Great Tang was crisp and invigorating, the food was scant and the cooking methods simple, leaving him somewhat disappointed. At present, the variety of vegetables and meats was limited; even if he wished to improve the fare, there was little to work with—no matter how skilled the cook, one cannot make something from nothing.

Still, he could at least refine the way dishes were prepared. He decided to wait until he had purchased a courtyard in Chang’an before considering any improvements. Affairs in Du Family Village progressed smoothly; he had nearly finished teaching the rice cultivation techniques, and the workshop was now managed by Uncle Dazhu, so no major issues were expected.

It was time for him to visit Chang’an and inspect the courtyard; after all, it was hardly fitting to remain long in a mud-brick house. Hastily eating a small meal to fill his stomach, Du Chengfeng prepared to set out for Chang’an to discuss the purchase with Manager Lu—when an uninvited guest arrived, dampening his spirits.

Leaning against the door, Du Chengfeng regarded the middle-aged man before him with a dark expression, thinking: Is this another attempt to negotiate cooperation?

Indeed, the visitor was none other than Qian Feng, steward of the Zheng family in Chang’an.

“Young man, may I ask if you are Du Chengfeng? Did you brew the Immortal Wine?” Steward Qian inquired in a low voice.

Looking at the handsome, stern-faced youth before him, Steward Qian felt inexplicably suppressed.

Du Chengfeng raised his eyebrows and replied coldly, “Yes, I am Du Chengfeng. Who are you, and what brings you here?”

“I am Qian Feng, steward of the Zheng family in Chang’an. At the behest of the young master, I wish to discuss a partnership regarding Immortal Wine,” Qian said, mustering courage, his tone turning somewhat cold.

Sensing the chill in Steward Qian’s voice, Du Chengfeng began to feel repulsed, sneering, “Oh? And what sort of partnership?”

“Hmph! Hand over the brewing process for Immortal Wine. Let our Zheng family produce it, and you’ll receive twenty percent of the profits,” Qian declared, as if delivering an ultimatum.

“What did you say? Repeat that!” Du Chengfeng erupted in fury, as though a powder keg had been ignited. Now the ugly intentions were revealed, and his anger blazed.

He had not expected Immortal Wine, only a day after its launch, to attract such brazen attempts at strong-arming, especially from the Zheng family—one of the Five Noble Clans.

Relying on their family’s official influence, they sought to bully him, clearly counting on his lack of any backing or connections.

“You brat, don’t be ungrateful! Steward Qian is offering you twenty percent profit for your brewing technique. That’s more than generous!” A follower accompanying Steward Qian shouted loudly in rebuke.

“Splendid! Truly splendid!” Du Chengfeng gritted his teeth, fury erupting—how dare even a mere servant act so arrogantly!

Turning to glare at Steward Qian, Du Chengfeng spoke each word with icy intensity: “Let me ask again—is this your master’s idea, or yours?”

Stunned by Du Chengfeng’s fierce gaze, Steward Qian shivered involuntarily, as though plunged into an icy pool. He could not fathom how a village orphan could possess such terrifying presence.

“Speak!” Du Chengfeng roared, his anger surging like a storm within his chest.

If Steward Qian could not provide a satisfactory explanation, Du Chengfeng was prepared to teach them a lesson they would never forget.

“It… it’s the will of Zheng Xing, our eldest young master,” Steward Qian stammered, his courage faltering under Du Chengfeng’s shout. Yet, recalling that Du Chengfeng was but a minor villager, his confidence returned.

“Our young master is already merciful, offering you twenty percent profit. That’s enough for a lifetime of luxury. Don’t be ungrateful—do you dare refuse, or even resist?” Qian raised his head, forcing himself to speak boldly.

The very embodiment of arrogance borrowed from power!

“Merciful, my foot!” Unable to restrain his fury any longer, Du Chengfeng spun around and delivered a side kick straight to Steward Qian’s chest, sending him flying four or five meters before crashing into a large stone, then sliding to the ground, fate uncertain.

Had Du Chengfeng not held back, Steward Qian would not have seen the next sunrise.

Qian never expected Du Chengfeng to suddenly explode in violence; several ribs were broken, blood sprayed from his mouth, and he curled on the ground in agonizing torment.

The accompanying followers, seeing their steward felled and writhing in pain, immediately revealed their ferocity, charging at Du Chengfeng with threats: “You brat! How dare you resist? We’ll teach you a lesson you won’t forget!”

“Hmph! Just you lot?” Du Chengfeng sneered. Without hesitation, he rushed forward—bang! bang! bang!—each follower received a swift kick and joined Steward Qian on the ground.

He then darted to Steward Qian’s side, planted his foot on Qian’s chest, and, towering above them, issued a stern warning: “Go back and tell your master—do not provoke me again, and stay away from Immortal Wine. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Now get out!”

“You… you…” Steward Qian’s face was pale with pain, unable to speak, staring in defiant silence.

“Hurry up and leave!” Du Chengfeng barked, raising his foot as if to kick again.

The followers scrambled up, helped the injured steward, and staggered out of Du Family Village.

Watching their pathetic retreat, Du Chengfeng spat in their direction, his mood thoroughly ruined. Yet, they were but minor characters; he paid them no heed. Calling over a clone soldier, he instructed them to secretly protect the workshop and villagers, then set off toward Chang’an himself, determined to settle the matter of the courtyard.

At the main hall of Wangjiang Pavilion, Du Chengfeng watched the bustling Manager Lu and the busy waiters, smiling with satisfaction—Immortal Wine had made a sensational debut in both Chang’an and Luoyang.

Manager Lu soon spotted Du Chengfeng and hurriedly squeezed through the crowd.

“Brother Chengfeng, here to see the courtyard?” Manager Lu asked warmly, beaming with delight.

“Yes, I happen to have time today. I’ll trouble you to show me the way,” Du Chengfeng replied with a smile. He had a good impression of Manager Lu, and always treated him courteously.

“Brother, you flatter me! You’re a benefactor to Wangjiang Pavilion. It’s my good fortune to assist you!” Manager Lu replied, eyes crinkling with joy.

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony. Can we go now?” Du Chengfeng asked.

“Certainly, certainly. Of course we can,” Manager Lu nodded eagerly.

“Let’s be off, then.”

Leaving Wangjiang Pavilion, Manager Lu summoned the establishment’s best carriage for Du Chengfeng, personally taking the reins and not even calling a waiter to accompany them, a clear sign of his respect and regard.

Du Chengfeng merely smiled at Manager Lu’s attentiveness, thinking: Manager Lu is becoming ever more adept at dealing with people.

At this hour, Chang’an was just past dawn, the streets still quiet with few carriages or pedestrians. They reached the Eastern Market after only a short ride.

The Eastern Market was the economic heart of Chang’an, the commercial hub of the empire, and a vital site for domestic and international trade. Merchants gathered here, shops lined the streets, goods dazzled the eye, and commerce flourished.

The courtyard Manager Lu mentioned was about three hundred meters from the East Gate, making it extremely convenient—something that greatly pleased Du Chengfeng.

Under Manager Lu’s guidance, Du Chengfeng toured the premises. The courtyard was an oasis of tranquility amid the bustle, its perimeter separated from the street by blue-stone walls, and spanning roughly forty-five hundred square meters—a sizable property.

Clearly, its previous owner had held high office. Du Chengfeng mused that even the mansions of princes were not much larger.

The layout was excellent: pavilions, gardens, artificial hills, all present. The central residence was a traditional quadrangle, suggesting the former owner had invested considerable thought—but now, it was Du Chengfeng’s good fortune.

Du Chengfeng was exceedingly pleased—he would settle here. This would be his first true home in Great Tang.

Three thousand strings of cash was a bargain, an incredible value; compared to modern real estate prices, Du Chengfeng felt a pang of frustration.

“Manager Lu, I’m very satisfied with the courtyard. Let’s finalize it,” Du Chengfeng said.

Manager Lu was delighted to hear this, quickly calling for a broker to complete the contract and hand it to Du Chengfeng.

The previous owner’s maids, servants, and steward remained on staff, sparing Du Chengfeng the trouble of hiring new help for now.

He planned to return to Du Family Village, bring Uncle Dazhu to see the route, and construct a large cellar in the courtyard for storing distilled Immortal Wine. At last, he had a real foothold in Chang’an.

Of course, the mud-brick houses in Du Family Village would eventually be renovated. Du Chengfeng intended to redeem the technologies for steel smelting and cement production in a few days.

These two technologies would be essential for future construction. He had no fondness for Tang’s wooden or blue-stone structures, despite their antique charm.