Chapter 133: The Wine Workshop

Boiling water was poured into a wooden basin, and the wine jars were placed inside to warm. After a while, once they were roughly heated through, Zhao Jin started drinking from the cheapest jar.

Wang Zhaojing sat to one side, his expression indifferent. Everyone else looked on with full curiosity, watching Zhao Jin pour a cup from one jar, take a small sip, and seem to savor the taste. Then he rinsed his mouth with water and moved on to the next jar.

He repeated this cycle over and over, and soon more than a dozen jars had passed. Although he only took a single sip from each, drinking so much still carried an alcoholic kick. Zhao Jin's face had turned red, but his eyes remained clear, and his movements were steady. Before long, all the wine had been sampled. Zhao Jin drank a few mouthfuls of water to rinse, then stood there with his head lowered, motionless.

Wang Zhaojing's indifferent expression shifted to curiosity. Seeing this, anyone could tell Zhao Jin was not indulging in drink — there had to be another purpose.

Zhao Jin let out a long breath, looked toward Wang Zhaojing, and said, "Zhaojing, your family is a prominent house in Xuzhou, and you've returned from the capital. You must have fine wine at home. If it's convenient, just bring me a small cup of each kind."

Hearing this, Wang Zhaojing smiled and said, "Once you take it out, the flavor will be lost. If Brother Zhao wants to drink, come to my home. My family's wine collection isn't large, but Brother Zhao may drink it all."

Zhao Jin nodded, then turned to Chen Sheng and Sun Dalei and said, "Your families should also have some good wine. I'd like to taste a little."

The two nodded instinctively. Chen Sheng then asked curiously, "Zhao Jin, why are you drinking so many different kinds?"

His question voiced everyone's puzzlement. Zhao Jin smiled, shook his head, and replied, "Once I have results, I'll tell you. It's useless to talk about it now."

Though not drunk, the alcohol was still hitting him. After saying this, Zhao Jin waved his hand and said, "Any white liquor will do. As long as there are no repeats, help me find them all. If you need money, just draw it from the accounts."

Seeing this behavior from the normally self-controlled Zhao Jin, everyone was somewhat baffled. Still, they could tell Zhao Jin was completely serious, so they all nodded in agreement.

It was time for everyone to head home. Before leaving, Chen Hong specifically instructed Ji Xiang and Shi Manqiang to keep a close watch on the room where the gold and silver were stored and to make absolutely sure no one exploited any opening. The three staying behind all gave solemn promises — with several thousand taels of silver stored there, no one dared be careless.

Zhao Jin had not walked far when he tripped on something, lost his balance, and nearly fell to the ground. Wang Zhaojing was quick — he dropped his bookcase and grabbed hold of him.

"I didn't drink much. How come I can't control my body?" Zhao Jin said self-mockingly.

Wang Zhaojing paused thoughtfully, glanced at Chen Sheng beside them, and then said, "Brother Zhao, drinking without restraint harms the body far too much. Brother Zhao harbors great ambitions — you must not let yourself suffer losses over such a minor matter."

Chen Sheng, at his side, also nodded in agreement and said, "My grandfather said that martial practitioners must not touch alcohol. If they drink too much, their hands and feet won't obey commands, and the whole person will be ruined."

"Great undertakings require great spending. We're recruiting so many people right now — food, clothing, and equipment all drain money like running water, to say nothing of our future plans. The silver we have on hand is enough for now, but it won't be once the scale grows. What can this bit of protection money do?" Zhao Jin answered something entirely different, speaking a few lines as he stood there.

Just as he was speaking, a cold wind blew into his face, making Zhao Jin shiver. He shook his head, smiled, and said no more.

Both Chen Sheng and Wang Zhaojing were mulling over Zhao Jin's words. The three of them pondered those remarks the entire way.

When they reached the front of Chen Sheng's house, Zhao Jin suddenly smiled and said, "As brothers, do you trust me?"

Wang Zhaojing and Chen Sheng barely hesitated before both nodded. Zhao Jin also nodded and said, "Since you trust me, then listen to me. I would never ruin myself!"

His brothers believed him, but his parents did not. When Zhao Jin returned home reeking of alcohol, He Cuihua's face immediately went cold. She scolded him outright: "Running wild outside isn't enough — now you've learned to drink like others? Do you even know your own limits?"

Scolding aside, his mother still brought out dinner. Zhao Jin did not talk back; he just sat there with his head down, not moving.

When Zhao Zhentang returned, He Cuihua went to meet him and said a few words. Zhao Zhentang's face darkened as he walked into the room and slammed the table hard. Before his father could erupt, Zhao Jin looked up and spoke first: "Father, do you know anyone who understands wine?"

That single question blocked all of Zhao Zhentang's words. Zhao Zhentang glared fiercely at Zhao Jin and barked, "You think you don't drink enough? You want to find an expert to learn from? You little brat, it's only been a few days — have you forgotten who you are?"

"Father, today I drank over twenty kinds of wine, just a little of each. I wasn't trying to get drunk, and I don't enjoy it. I truly have something I need to do."

Hearing that he had drunk over twenty kinds of wine, both Zhao Zhentang and He Cuihua's expressions changed. He Cuihua hurried over and said, "Xiao Jin, you can't be so reckless. You'll ruin your health. Quick, make yourself throw up."

"Mother, I'm fine. I only took a tiny sip of each." Zhao Jin explained. He Cuihua looked him over from every angle, then quickly stood up and said, "I'll make you a bowl of sour soup to sober up."

Zhao Zhentang sat down with a grim face, his tone still unpleasant: "You want to drink? Your father here knows how. What are you trying to do?"

"That's not what I meant. Your child is looking for someone who can discern the quality of wine, someone experienced and knowledgeable."

As Zhao Jin grew more detailed, Zhao Zhentang's anger subsided. He thought for a moment and then said, "Adviser Wang understands wine. He's drunk everything from inside and outside the city, and he's even had people bring back wine from afar. Every time he drinks, he can talk about it with great expertise."

"Your child would like to ask for his help," Zhao Jin said.

Zhao Zhentang nodded. Just then, He Cuihua walked in carrying a large bowl of hot soup. Zhao Zhentang dropped the previous topic and simply pointed at Zhao Jin, saying, "Your son is really something now. South of the city, he scared off dozens of men all by himself. It's spread all over town."

"Living peacefully at home is better than anything. I spend every day at home worried sick," He Cuihua muttered before sitting down.

That night, as he slept, the full force of the alcohol truly surged up. He sweated nonstop, and his throat was painfully dry. If not for the warming weather of mid-May, he likely would have caught a cold.

The next day, the number of people signing up at the goods yard only increased, with some even coming from outside the city. The reason was simple: everyone knew a hero had emerged in the city, and this important figure was recruiting household guards. Following him surely meant no disadvantage.

Seeing this lively scene, Wang Zhaojing could not help but recite once more the passage his father Wang Youshan had mentioned:

"Bold and of immense strength, the people delight in plunder. At the slightest displeasure, an overbearing and domineering heart arises — it does not stop at mere violence. Han Gaozu, Xiang Yu, Liu Yu, and Zhu Quanzhong all came from within a few hundred li of Xuzhou. The people here take pride in this; a spirit of heroism has accumulated into custom."

However, the quota of one hundred household guards had long been filled. Ye Wenshu was merely recording names and addresses there, and many people left disappointed.

Xu'an Trading Company also opened for business that day. A plaque was hung, and firecrackers were set off. Although Zhao Jin and his group did not wish to invite outsiders, merchants and jianghu figures from all over the city still caught wind of it and came to offer their congratulations.

Using the trading company's opening as an opportunity, Zhao Jin invited Adviser Wang of the Xuzhou magistrate's office. In a private room at Yunshan Tower, before the banquet began, ten cups were arranged on the table, each filled to the brim with white liquor, for Adviser Wang to sample.

Zhao Zhentang also spoke frankly, saying that his boy had heard Adviser Wang understood wine but didn't believe it, so he'd taken this chance to buy some fine wine and ask Adviser Wang to test it.

Zhao Jin was now a figure of some standing in Xuzhou. Being invited to drink by him, and at the finest establishment in the city, Adviser Wang felt it brought him face. Hearing this, he laughed heartily, finding it amusing.

Adviser Wang indeed understood wine. He drank cup after cup, critiquing the merits and flaws of each. In fact, Adviser Wang went even further — he even named the variety and label of most of the wines. After that, both sides thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Zhao Jin requested a piece of calligraphy for his trading company, presenting a brushwork fee of fifty taels of silver, and said he would need Adviser Wang's continued patronage in the future. Both parties were well pleased.

Building connections with officialdom was beyond reproach, but Zhao Zhentang still asked why Zhao Jin had arranged those ten cups of wine.

Zhao Jin's answer left Zhao Zhentang even more confused: "Your child wanted to know if his own palate was accurate. Now I know my palate is very accurate, and I can also discern good from bad."

Hearing Zhao Jin's words, Zhao Zhentang was speechless for a moment. In the end, he only said, "Your body is your own. You know what you're doing."

That evening, Wang Zhaojing invited Zhao Jin to his home as a guest. In Wang Zhaojing's own room, wine and dishes were laid out. Six celadon wine flasks were arranged, all warming in a porcelain basin. Once Zhao Jin arrived, that Uncle He filled the cups one by one. Interestingly, each flask held only half a cup's worth.

But Zhao Jin could not even manage half a cup. He only took a tiny sip, then rinsed his mouth and drank the next cup. After finishing, he wolfed down two bowls of noodles before finally speaking: "This wine tastes purer than the local Xuzhou brews. Was it brought back from the capital? What grade would this wine be considered in the capital?"

It was Uncle He who answered: "Two of the flasks are from the private reserve of a eunuch's household. My master only received two flasks when he left the capital, and today both have had their clay seals opened. As for the other flasks, they were worth my master carrying them back over hundreds of li from north to south — naturally, they are no common wares."

The Wang family was truly generous, bringing out such fine wine for him to drink. Zhao Jin smiled and thanked Wang Zhaojing, saying, "Uncle has been far too extravagant. My way of just taking a sip is a terrible waste of such treasures."

"Right now, everyone is very curious about what Brother Zhao is trying to do. This wine would have been brought out to drink sooner or later anyway," Wang Zhaojing replied with a smile.

The following days passed in much the same way. Every day, Zhao Jin would drink a couple of sips. The Chen, Sun, and Dong families all had different wines. Shi Manqiang and the others, not to be outdone, asked acquaintances to bring back rustic firewater brewed at estates outside the city. Zhao Jin sampled each one.

As it neared the sixth month, everyone finally learned what Zhao Jin was up to. Zhao Jin asked his companions — apart from Wang Zhaojing — to help search Xuzhou for master brewers who knew how to make wine, and to find out if any wine workshops in the city were up for sale. So it turned out that Zhao Jin had drunk so many kinds of wine in order to brew his own.