Chapter 799: First Volume, Chapter 799: A Spoonful of Alcohol from Sai Bei

First Volume, Chapter 799: A Spoonful of Alcohol from Sai Bei

Jing Ci fell into deep thought: this nation had just endured a long war; if it won, it could conquer territory and receive massive war reparations from Liang Kingdom, sustaining itself through war—a natural progression.

Unfortunately, Da Di lost—and lost utterly.

What awaited this nation would be a series of disasters.

Deficits and shrinkage in people's livelihood, military strength, and economy—any one of these could kill the nation; compared to them, war reparations were merely the final straw that broke the camel's back.

This was why, since its defeat, Da Di had exuded an atmosphere of quiet peace, both outwardly and inwardly, embracing "benevolence and kindness"—because the nation had lost the capital to fight hard.

At this rate, it would take at least three to five years to restore national strength, and even that was the most optimistic outcome.

And this Qin Feng? His intentions were as plain as day.

He came to Da Di ostensibly to facilitate the follow-up of state peace talks, but in truth, his sole mission was to destabilize and disgrace this nation.

No matter how brilliant his poetry, no matter how lofty his ambitions, none of it could change the fact that he was Da Di's soul-snatching ghost.

Jing Ci knew clearly: no one could easily stop Qin Feng from harming this nation; the only question now was how far the damage would go.

Money!

Money, money, money!

Jing Ci and all of Da Di had never craved the word "money" so desperately.

After prolonged inner struggle, Jing Ci ultimately could not refuse the immense temptation of one hundred million tael.

She looked at Qin Feng, took a deep breath: "Besides the shopfront, what other price must we pay?"

Qin Feng's eyes brightened; for Jing Ci to ask such a question proved that, beyond her love for touring mountains and rivers and her fondness for poetry and song, she was indeed a doer.

At least, her sense for advantage and disadvantage was sharp.

As Jing Ci said, the shopfront was merely the beginning; Qin Feng intended to spend money to buy up all manner of operating rights in Northern Di, using hot capital to seize commercial dominance, forcing Northern Di to drink poison to quench its thirst until it fell into irredeemable ruin.

But this deeper "conspiracy," Qin Feng would never admit outright.

Or rather—even if Jing Ci placed a knife at his throat and laid irrefutable evidence before him, Qin Feng would still deny it!

Thinking and doing are two different things.

"Hehe, Princess, you overstate it. As I said, compared to titles and honors, I care more about wealth."

"The weapons and civilian tools crafted by Tianji Camp have long been renowned throughout Heaven. In plain terms, Tianji Camp is merely a tool for me to make money."

"Similarly, purchasing a shopfront in Northern Di is to lay the groundwork for future business; after all, once trade between our two nations begins, if I, Qin Feng, as the chief diplomatic envoy, fail to seize this unparalleled advantage and claim a favorable position first, wouldn't that be utterly unreasonable?"

"Rest assured, I truly mean to do business—and I can tell you, I plan to sell alcohol."

Alcohol?!

Hearing Qin Feng's plan, Jing Ci furrowed her brows; she racked her brain but could not imagine Qin Feng taking interest in the alcohol trade.

Could this be another conspiracy?

Qin Feng's lips curled slightly; seeing Jing Ci's disbelief, he waved his hand, and Ning Hu retrieved a jar of white liquor from the carriage, scooped a spoonful, and brought it to Jing Ci.

Merely smelling the rich aroma stunned Jing Ci; when her gaze fell on the liquor and she saw it was as clear as water, her shock deepened.

"This… what kind of liquor is this?"

Jing Ci took the spoon, examined it closely, and was left speechless.

Qin Feng beamed, unashamed: "This is white liquor I brewed myself. As you see, it has two major advantages: first, it's as clear as water, free of impurities, smooth on the palate; second, its alcohol content is extremely high—how high, you'll discover for yourself."

As a princess, Jing Ci had tasted countless fine wines.

She not only loved wine but understood it well—yet this white liquor shattered her understanding; compared to those murky, yellowish imperial wines, it was an entirely different thing.

After much hesitation, Jing Ci cautiously took a sip.

A sharp, burning sensation shot straight to her brain, leaving her frozen.

"Too harsh! This isn't liquor—it's fire oil! You're trying to kill someone!"

Though she verbally dismissed the white liquor as worthless, she couldn't help bringing it to her lips again; after slightly adjusting to its strength, she drained it in one gulp, feeling a warm stream flow through her entire body, leaving her utterly comfortable.

"This liquor… is strange…"

Jing Ci racked her brain but could find no word to describe this white liquor.

Seeing Jing Ci's flushed face, Qin Feng took back the spoon and handed it to Ning Hu, speaking casually: "Princess, you've drunk since childhood and are accustomed to alcohol, so you can accept white liquor. But drinking straight from a nearly fifty-degree white liquor is bound to catch you off guard."

Jing Ci's reaction boosted Qin Feng's confidence; he silently marveled: once this white liquor was introduced, it would become wildly popular.

After all, this was an era where everyone—men, women, young, old—drank alcohol.

Though most drank fruit wine or rice wine, which were more like champagne than true liquor.

Yet even so, prolonged consumption of alcoholic beverages gradually strengthened the body's resistance to alcohol, making acceptance of white liquor easier.

But those who had never touched a drop of alcohol would still regard white liquor as a monstrous threat.

An era with an extremely vibrant alcohol culture yet lacking high-quality liquor was an untouched virgin land; Qin Feng could hardly wait to unleash his full potential.

Jing Ci now believed Qin Feng's alcohol business at least seven or eight tenths.

After all, the aftertaste of the white liquor still lingered within her; she silently marveled.

"This man—how many skills does he possess? In warfare, he rivals General Chen Si; in poetry and song, he's a literary master—yet even these odd skills and tricks, he handles with ease."

"Could it truly be, as legend says, that Qin Feng is a complete genius?!"

Jing Ci shook her head firmly, casting aside these absurd thoughts that inflated his stature and diminished her own; she took a deep breath and rallied: "If you're merely selling alcohol, then the shopfront can be sold to you—but I have a condition."

Qin Feng gestured with a hand: "Princess, please state it."

Jing Ci did not hesitate: "I want to meet Yu Shu."