Chapter 249: Tasting Wine for Pleasure

"Daoist friend, what kind of wine is this?"

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan asked.

The wine had a dense, sweet, and moist texture. At the first sip, it was like pear juice, fragrant as spring dew and summer grass. As it passed the throat, there was a hint of sourness, like the wind of early autumn. When swallowed into the belly, a warmth spread, as if he were being thoroughly warmed from the inside out by the winter sun.

After the spiritual wine went down, a vast and pure spiritual energy transformed into magical power, surging toward various meridians and acupoints, making his whole body feel comfortable.

This was a wine that was both gentle and powerful.

Just like its owner.

"Macaque Pear Wine."

Zhan Tao Mingding Sanren replied.

"Oh?"

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile,

"How should I punctuate this? Is it pear wine brewed by macaques, or wine brewed from macaque pears? Let me guess: such fine wine, from mouth to belly, makes one feel as if they have experienced the cycle of the four seasons. Such wine, with craftsmanship that rivals nature, is difficult for humans to achieve. It must be Monkey Wine, right?"

Zhan Tao Mingding Sanren nodded with a smile,

"Either way is correct. This is macaque pear wine brewed by macaques. Your remark about the cycle of the four seasons hits the essence. From picking the fruit to brewing the wine, it takes more than five years."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan nodded, not surprised at all. Who didn't know that the top wine masters in this world came from the monkey clan?

"Truly good wine!"

He praised, simultaneously picking up the wine cup and taking another sip. In his heart, he thought that Monkey Wine in the Shu region was extremely famous, but he had also heard that the monkeys in Shu had extremely fierce temperaments. Apart from those few famous families, ordinary people couldn't taste it.

Did his wine come from one of those families?

After everyone finished tasting Zhan Tao Mingding Sanren's wine, it was Zhuyue Mingding Sanren's turn to provide wine.

"Fellow Daoists, please taste 'Huanhua Fragrance'."

Zhuyue Mingding Sanren poured wine for everyone.

This Mingding Sanren's wine was light green like early spring willow buds, clear to the bottom, with the fragrance of wild flowers and grass leaves.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan took a sip. The wine was very light, ice-cold on the tongue, with a faint floral fragrance. It was smooth going down the throat, without any spicy sensation. It felt cool in the belly, but it didn't make one feel uncomfortable from being invaded by cold air.

"This wine should be drunk in the heat of summer. Today, the timing is right, but the place is wrong. I have stayed in this cool paradise for two days, and all the heat in my body has been dispelled. It's a bit of a pity. If I had tasted this sip when I first entered the mountain, it would have been refreshing to the heart."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan said bluntly.

Zhuyue Mingding Sanren didn't mind, but instead said with a hint of apology,

"Daoist Brother Yunlai is absolutely right. Tasting wine also depends on the time. I usually like cold drinks, and I neglected everyone."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan felt a bit embarrassed hearing this and said,

"This is already extremely good wine. I am like a cow chewing peonies, just talking nonsense."

Daoist Mingding Mingding Sanren stopped Cheng Cheng Xinzhan's words upon hearing this,

"Yunlai, this is a wine tasting banquet, not a flattery banquet. Say whatever you taste; we don't go in for that kind of flattery here."

Everyone, including Zhuyue Mingding Sanren, nodded.

"Yunlai's wine evaluation is reasonable and appropriate. Come, taste my 'Fire Zeng Zeng Jiniang'. I want to hear Yunlai's opinion."

Daoist Tuo Yan Mingding Sanren smiled.

This woman's wine was bright red like agate, and one could see fruit pulp fragments.

Another sweet and moist fruit wine?

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan raised his head and drank it all in one gulp.

Hiss—

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan gasped.

Spicy!

Truly spicy! Cheng Cheng Xinzhan drank too fast, and his mouth, throat, and belly were all on fire, burning his face red.

"Hahaha—"

Daoist Tuo Yan Mingding Sanren laughed loudly and said,

"Zhuyue, there aren't many people who dare to drink my 'Fire Zeng Zeng Jiniang' in one gulp. Your cool wine is useful now; quickly share some with Daoist Friend Yunlai."

Daoist Tuo Yan Mingding Sanren covered her lips with her hand, laughing until she shook.

Zhuyue Mingding Sanren saw that Cheng Cheng Xinzhan was trying hard to remain calm, but his face was clearly red and his eyes were tearing up. She couldn't help but laugh and followed Daoist Tuo Yan Mingding Sanren's suggestion, pouring another cup of 'Huanhua Fragrance' specifically for Cheng Cheng Xinzhan.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan naturally didn't refuse and immediately drank the 'Huanhua Fragrance' in one gulp. Now, he truly felt like he was in the middle of summer.

"Yunlai, how is my wine?"

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan was already drunk by now, and he replied,

"There are three times when it is most suitable to drink Daoist Friend Daoist Tuo Yan's wine."

"Oh? Which three?"

Daoist Tuo Yan Mingding Sanren asked repeatedly.

"First, when it is freezing cold, you have been sitting for a long time, and your blood and Qi are not circulating."

Daoist Tuo Yan Mingding Sanren nodded upon hearing this and said, "Not bad."

"Second, when you want to drink 'Huanhua Fragrance'."

Daoist Tuo Yan Mingding Sanren laughed, "That also counts as correct."

"Third, when you are lost, confused, and hesitant."

"Oh? How so?"

Daoist Tuo Yan Mingding Sanren asked with a smile.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan said,

"Your wine, Daoist friend, is like fire and a knife. It stimulates the blood, strengthens the heart, and emboldens the spirit. Therefore, I say it can be drunk when one is hesitant."

Daoist Tuo Yan Mingding Sanren clapped her hands in joy upon hearing this and said repeatedly,

"Yunlai truly understands wine!"

Subsequently, Cheng Cheng Xinzhan tasted Daoist Tanbai Mingding Sanren's 'Jinjiang Autumn Moon'. Its color was clear like a spring, with threads of golden yellow. It smelled of faint osmanthus fragrance, and it was slightly cold at the entrance, making one's heart and spirit calm.

"The cold dew of the western pool is full last night, the osmanthus flowers blow the fragrance in the moon."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan evaluated it this way.

Next was Master Huqing Mingding Sanren's 'Sword Throat', which Cheng Cheng Xinzhan had just tasted two days ago in the stone pavilion outside the mountain, like drinking wind and snow.

Finally, it was Daoist Mingding Mingding Sanren's wine, called 'Bitter Chrysanthemum', which was also very interesting—it was actually medicinal wine.

This wine was bitter with a hint of sweetness, and it had a strong aftertaste. After you felt the bitterness was gone, a spicy taste would surge up.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan's evaluation was still sharp,

"This is wine drunk by the elderly when reminiscing about the past; young people don't need to drink too much."

Daoist Mingding Mingding Sanren laughed loudly upon hearing this, feeling it was deeply true.

Next, it was Cheng Cheng Xinzhan's turn to invite everyone to taste wine.

At this time, Daoist Mingding Mingding Sanren said again,

"Yunlai, you must not use your true fire and solar essence. That is not wine; it is simply spiritual liquid condensed from solar fire!"

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan smiled and nodded upon hearing this, pouring another kind of wine for everyone.

The wine was turbid, not looking like good wine.

But these old wine bugs were clearly not people who only looked at appearances, and they all picked up their cups to taste it carefully.

"Hiss—"

Everyone gasped in unison.

"Such fierce wine!"

Master Huqing Mingding Sanren said. The taste of this wine was very similar to his 'Sword Throat', and he liked it very much.

"It's like 'Sword Throat', even more like swallowing a knife, but the fragrance of the five grains is richer. After drinking flower nectar and fruit brew, and jade liquid and nectar, drinking a sip of this wine suddenly makes one feel that this is the true taste of wine."

Daoist Tuo Yan Mingding Sanren shook her head and said, her flush becoming more and more obvious.

"Daoist Tuo Yan is right. This wine is called 'Burning Knife'!"

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan laughed loudly and said,

"This is wine brewed by my mortal friends, how is it? Heh, 'Do not mock the turbid wine of the peasant's year-end, for in a bountiful year, guests are welcomed with plenty of chicken and pork.' Back then, because of this 'burning saber' liquor, I pestered the people in their village for months without leaving, until I finally emptied out their entire cellar!"

"Daoist Friend Yunlai, have another cup with me."

For such fierce wine, the first person to toast wasn't Daoist Tuo Yan Mingding Sanren, nor Master Huqing Mingding Sanren, but Zhan Tao Mingding Sanren, who liked monkey fruit wine. He handed over his empty cup.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan naturally filled it up.

Zhan Tao Mingding Sanren closed his eyes this time, sipping and tasting carefully as if no one else was around. After a long while, he said,

"Exactly, exactly. Daoist Friend Yunlai's two lines of poetry are sincere and touching, as if made by heaven. I have a feeling and would like to add two lines to follow yours. Please don't laugh at me."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan looked at Zhan Tao Mingding Sanren and said,

"Daoist friend, you are too modest. I am all ears."

Zhan Tao Mingding Sanren seemed drunk. A flash of confusion and reminiscence passed through his gentle, water-like eyes. He only heard him chant,

"Do not mock the turbid wine of the peasant's year-end,"

In a bumper year, there is enough chicken and pork to keep guests.

If you can hold a cup with an old friend,

Even if the wine is turbid, it feels mellow."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 250 =====