Chapter 23: Pit

"Your Highness, could you teach us the brewing technique just as you did with the Ice-making Technique? We are willing to pay a high price to purchase it."

The Hui Ke Tang of the Prince Mansion.

A group of Rich Clans packed the small room.

After Zhao Xu arrived and exchanged a few brief pleasantries, some Rich Clans could not help but ask.

They were all well aware that compared to the Ice-making Technique, Yan Wang's brewing technique was the business that could truly make a fortune.

Zhao Xu's gaze swept over the crowd.

Most of the Rich Clans who participated in the Ice-making Technique last time were present, along with some unfamiliar merchants.

Even the Zhang Family, Huang Family, and Du Family had brazenly mixed themselves in.

Although it was a minor Rich Clan that asked the question, Zhao Xu understood in his heart that it was likely instigated by the major Rich Clans behind the scenes.

"You all have very sharp ears; I had only just ordered the wine to be distributed, and you already knew about it." Zhao Xu wore a faint smile on his face.

Although the Rich Clans' assets were mostly in the countryside.

They all had residences and servants in the city and usually lived in the city as well.

Especially after Zhao Xu introduced the Ice-making Technique, they needed to supervise the Merchant Association, so they spent even more time living in Yancheng.

"Your Highness's Fine Wine is so fragrant it drifts for ten thousand miles; we could smell it even at home," a Rich Clan member flattered.

As the crowd laughed in agreement, they nodded one after another.

At this moment, their attitude toward Zhao Xu was completely different from the first time.

In the eyes of some Rich Clans, the Yan Prince Mansion had established a Personal Army.

Now that he also controlled the County Soldiers and held Yancheng, he could be considered a Yan Wang in name and in fact.

They dared not look down on Zhao Xu as they had before, and instead, there was a bit more fear.

Zhao Xu laughed along with the Rich Clans and said indifferently, "I fear I will disappoint you all; this time, I am not selling the brewing technique, but I can sell the Wine."

Zhang Qian and the Huang and Du representatives mixed in the crowd exchanged glances with ugly expressions; they had guessed correctly.

The other Rich Clans were still delighted.

To them, it was good enough that the Prince Mansion could sell them Wine to take away and resell.

Dong An noticed the expressions of Zhang Qian and the others and felt a surge of joy in his heart.

They had been bullied by the Zhang Family for many years, and finally, there was a time to see them suffer.

For a moment, he felt even more that his father was wise to have chosen Yan Wang in time.

"It is said that the best Little Drunken Immortal in the Capital City sells for twelve taels of Silver per jar; I wonder how much Silver Your Highness intends to sell a jar for?" someone else asked eagerly.

To them, as long as they could get the Prince Mansion's Wine and transport it out to resell, they would definitely make a huge profit.

Zhao Xu pondered for a moment upon hearing this.

A jar of wine in the Great Song was basically about one jin.

And he needed more than three jars of Green Ant Wine to distill one jar of the new Wine.

Ordinary Green Ant Wine in the Great Song also cost three qian of Silver.

This meant his cost for the Wine was already one tael of Silver.

Thinking of this, he said, "It is fifteen taels a jar to take it from the Prince Mansion; I do not care how much you sell it for after you buy it."

"Fifteen taels."

"It is worth this price; this Wine is much better than that Little Drunken Immortal."

"That's right, if we transport it to Jinling City, it will definitely sell for twenty taels; it is common for the lords in the Jingshi to spend thousands or tens of thousands of taels of Silver on a single banquet."

"Indeed, they don't care about the Silver; they want the prestige."

"..."

The Rich Clans were very satisfied with Zhao Xu's pricing; there was profit to be made.

Someone said, "Your Highness, I want five hundred jars."

"I want two thousand jars."

"I want eight hundred jars."

"..."

Zhao Xu sat in the main seat, and the numbers the Rich Clans were shouting made him secretly happy.

The effect of this free wine tasting had completely manifested.

The Rich Clans who had personally tasted the Fine Wine were now deeply convinced of the Prince Mansion's Wine.

There was no doubt.

This distilled wine would become an important source of income for the Prince Mansion in the future.

After all, besides the Great Song, the drinking culture in the surrounding countries was also very prosperous.

It is said that the Beidi people on the Grassland are even more obsessed with wine.

In the past, when the relationship between the Great Song and the Beidi was stable and they traded with each other.

The Beidi people often used cattle, sheep, and horses to trade for the Great Song's Fine Wine.

However, although the Rich Clans were very enthusiastic, one fact stood before them.

He did not have that much Wine.

So he spread his hands, "I understand your feelings, but I have only just begun brewing this Fine Wine and cannot provide it to you all."

"This, this is too much of a pity." A Rich Clan member sighed deeply.

The Great Song is poor in the North and rich in the South.

Although the Rich Clans in the North have land, they do not have much Silver in their hands.

Therefore, to make up for this, they often do business in the South.

Of course, there were also the bold ones who disregarded the Imperial Court's prohibitions to trade with the Northern Di.

Although the profits were quite substantial, if they were caught by the Imperial Court, it would mean losing their heads.

"However..."

The disappointment of some Rich Clans was written all over their faces; Zhao Xu could see it.

But he truly could not produce that much Wine for the time being.

It was just that, since he had intended to attract the Rich Clans, he naturally would not let them leave just like that.

Well-versed in the trickery of modern business, he had a way to make these people pay Silver without even seeing the goods.

"However what? We ask Your Highness to speak clearly."

Zhao Xu seemed to have an ulterior meaning, and hope rose in the hearts of the Rich Clans.

"However, brewing Wine is fast; it will not take long before I can supply you all. But before that, if you wish to obtain goods from the Yan Prince Mansion, you need to pay a portion as a deposit," Zhao Xu said with a serious expression.

"A deposit?" The Rich Clans all looked at Zhao Xu in unison.

"That is correct. Whoever pays the deposit first will be supplied first once the Wine is ready. After all, this Wine is very precious; the Yan Prince Mansion will produce only as much Wine as you require, and we cannot produce it indiscriminately," Zhao Xu continued.

The wealthy gentry had another round of discussion.

They were naturally unhappy about giving Silver without even seeing the items.

Dong An intended to cooperate with Zhao Xu, so he shouted, "My Dong Family is willing to pay the deposit. Please, Your Highness, supply the Dong Family first."

Once someone took the lead, the other Rich Clans were suddenly no longer calm.

They all understood the principle that the first gets the meat, the second drinks the soup, and the third eats the dust.

Consequently, more Rich Clans began to clamor, "I will also pay the deposit."

"I shall go back and get the Silver right now."

"..."

Zhao Xu nodded with satisfaction.

He was not afraid at all that the Rich Clans would refuse to pay the deposit.

His business this time was aimed at the entire Great Song.

If they did not buy, there would naturally be others who would.

After all, he was running an exclusive monopoly business; this was the only place, and there was no other branch.

The reason he attracted the Rich Clans of Yan Commandery was merely to obtain a sum of Silver as quickly as possible.

At the same time, it was simply to openly and legitimately weaken their financial power.

He finalized this matter.

Zhao Xu called Qin Zhangfang over and had them tally the demands of the Rich Clans.

Before dark.

Just as they had with the Ice-making Technique, the Rich Clans sent over large amounts of Silver, land deeds, and grain.

Busy until the moon rose above the willow branches, Qin Zhangfang delivered the Account Book into Zhao Xu's hands.

"Your Highness, the Rich Clans ordered a total of forty thousand jars of Wine, amounting to six hundred thousand taels of Silver. Based on the thirty percent deposit required by the Yan Prince Mansion, they should have paid one hundred and eighty thousand taels of Silver. However, just like last time, they used a portion of land deeds and grain to offset it. This servant received a total of one hundred and ten thousand taels in cash, sixty thousand taels worth of land deeds, and ten thousand taels of grain."

Zhao Xu was eating dinner, with Feng'er and Luan'er standing by to serve.

Hearing this figure, Feng'er and Luan'er were not particularly surprised.

After all, the Silver from the Ice-making Technique last time was much more than this.

Zhao Xu smiled without a word.

This Wine business had only just begun.

As the reputation spread, more and more merchants would come to the Yan Prince Mansion to buy Wine.

At that time, the income from the distilled Wine of the Yan Prince Mansion would be counted in the millions of taels.

However, because of this, he had to immediately set up a Wine Workshop to expand production.

Only then could he ensure a continuous supply.