Chapter 158: Secrecy Is Paramount (First Update)

Everyone fell silent as winter cicadas. Zhao Jin's companions behind him were briefly taken aback before catching on; Chen Sheng drew his blade halfway out, then slid it back in.

The lamplight from the winery glinted off the flash of steel. The winery's craftsmen and apprentices all turned pale. Sun Dalei raised his voice and declared, "My elder brother is righteous, but he's no pushover. Anyone scheming petty tricks will bring disaster on their whole family. I'm not afraid to tell you—our brothers' elders all hold posts in the yamen. If you truly do something behind our backs that betrays everyone, never mind us, the authorities won't let you off either!"

These words made many faces turn even whiter, and several people trembled. Zhao Jin smiled and continued, "You can send word to your families, have them move over here to live. Your family members can also come work here, wages paid as usual. That should set everyone's minds at ease."

Watching the crowd's terrified expressions, Zhao Jin softened his tone a little and said, "I'm in the habit of laying things out plainly beforehand, so you know where the line is. Otherwise, if we really fall out, you'd feel wronged. Go back and think carefully about what I've said. Whether you can come to terms with it or not, it's no longer up to you!"

With that, he waved his hand and dismissed them directly. Everyone left with grim faces, all looking utterly dejected. Only Zhao Jin and his companions remained in the winery. Watching the people file out, Shi Manqiang opened his mouth but said nothing. Dong Bingfeng couldn't hold back and spoke up: "Brother, from what I've seen, these people work hard and are honest folk, of one heart with our winery. The things you said—won't they dishearten them?"

Before Zhao Jin could answer, Sun Dalei at his side gave a cold laugh and rushed to reply, "Brother's method is miraculous, but it's also simple. Anyone who learns it can make this kind of liquor. You think they aren't tempted? Just open a little winery outside, and the liquor they produce will earn ten or twenty times the profit. Even without capital, with this skill in hand they could buy in as a partner or be taken in as a son-in-law. They were all so happy just now—you think it was because the liquor turned out well? They were happy because they'd learned the craft themselves. If we really let them spread this skill around, what would we live on?"

Dong Bingfeng thought it over carefully and fell silent. Sun Dalei, now in full flow, went on at length: "Three years as an apprentice, three years as a junior hand, three years as a senior hand before you're allowed near the craft. Why that rule? Precisely because they know that once an apprentice learns it, he'll strike out on his own. So you have to use him for ten years, or you take a loss."

Everyone nodded thoughtfully. Zhao Jin smiled and chimed in, "If they can keep their patience, I won't keep them penned up for life either. After six or eight years, I'll let them go out on their own."

Sun Dalei grew anxious at once and blurted out, "Brother, this touchstone-to-gold skill must never be let out! When the time's up, we'll just swap in a new batch!"

As he spoke, he made a chopping gesture. Zhao Jin raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "That's a rather ruthless way of thinking."

The others' expressions showed disapproval as well. Sun Dalei realized he'd been too blunt and laughed awkwardly, explaining, "I'm only thinking of everyone's interests. Why give away a huge fortune to outsiders?"

"Six or eight years from now, we'll surely have bigger business to attend to," Zhao Jin said leisurely.

At that, everyone exchanged glances, their eyes shining with longing. Just then, Zhao Jin smacked his forehead and laughed self-deprecatingly. "We haven't even sold a single catty of liquor yet, and here we are thinking so far ahead."

The whole room burst into laughter, and the mood relaxed once more.

The winery's mealtime was much later than usual, because the arrangements had been made on short notice and couldn't be prepared in time.

Faced with white flour and fish, the craftsmen and apprentices who had been fearful and heavy-hearted slowly relaxed and grew cheerful. Zhao Jin's side also opened two jars of liquor for them.

"Fine liquor!" "Truly delicious!" The people in the winery drank with great excitement and praised it profusely. They ate and drank their fill; exhausted from the day, everyone soon dispersed to sleep.

While the hired hands drank, Zhao Jin and his group touched not a drop. Once the celebration feast was over, Zhao Jin finally spoke: "The guards here at the winery must keep the strictest watch. Once our liquor goes on sale, countless people will come prying for information—some may even try to get inside for a look. And it's hard to say whether someone inside might try to slip out. If we don't keep a tight watch, trouble is certain. Station thirty men here on rotation, but training must not be neglected either."

Everyone nodded gravely. Stepping out of the building and standing in the winery courtyard, they could see, by the light of the lantern hanging from a tall pole, some people outside the winery walls craning their necks and peering in. Zhao Jin smiled again and said, pointing, "I'd wager the whole of Xuzhou is waiting to see me make a fool of myself, all wondering what kind of liquor I can actually produce. These people probably couldn't contain their curiosity and came to sniff around."

Everyone laughed. Zhao Jin declared in a ringing voice, "Let them guess for now. The result will certainly astonish them!"

The next day, the streets and alleys of Xuzhou began buzzing with talk about the results from Zhao Jin's winery. It really had nothing to do with anyone, much less touched on any personal interest, but a dull life always needs a little diversion.

That morning, the winery transferred thirty household guards over. No one could even get close for a look, and no one could say for sure what was happening.

Some speculated that perhaps the winery had failed to produce any liquor, and the ever-dominant Young Master Zhao, unwilling to lose face, had simply sealed the place off to keep his disgrace from spreading. Other idlers said that around noon, constant shouts and cheers had erupted from the winery, as if over something very astonishing. Still others had seen, from a distance, winery hands carrying the stacked wine jars from outside inside—and never bringing them back out. Some even claimed to have caught the scent of quite excellent liquor.

Carrying jars inside means they must be filling them with liquor? A fine aroma of liquor must be from Piaoxiang Winery's own brew? It's always easy to cast doubt on something.

The next day, training and the rest went on as usual, only the number of household guards had shrunk again—ten men at the Zhao residence, thirty at the winery, leaving only sixty drilling on the goods yard.

Curious Xuzhou idlers who wanted to dig for news found, upon arriving, that they had no one to ask. They discovered to their astonishment that Zhao Jin kept his subordinates under such strict discipline that not a word would be spoken to outsiders.

As darkness fell, the companions each went home. Zhao Jin, however, made a round at the winery and left carrying a small jar of liquor, strolling leisurely back home.

"Now that your heart's set on roaming, it's not easy for your mother to even catch a glimpse of you." Once home, he inevitably received a few complaints from his mother, He Cuihua. Seeing Zhao Jin carrying liquor and some cooked food he'd bought, she couldn't help smiling and added, "At least you're filial—you remembered your father loves to drink."

When Zhao Zhentang returned and saw food and wine laid out on the table, he exclaimed in pleasant surprise, "What's the occasion today? Why so sumptuous?"

"Father, this is liquor from our family winery. I brought some back for you to try fresh," Zhao Jin said with a smile.

At that, Zhao Zhentang's mouth twisted. He asked, somewhat skeptically, "This is made from sorghum, isn't it?"

Zhao Jin nodded. Zhao Zhentang sat down and said with a rueful smile, "Just one cup, then. I have official business tomorrow."

At the winery, Zhao Jin had tasted the sorghum liquor before the "head and tail cutting" process—it was indeed sour, harsh, and fiery, practically undrinkable. Seeing his father's attitude, Zhao Jin found it amusing and smilingly cracked open the clay seal of the wine jar.

The moment the jar opened, a rich aroma of liquor wafted out. Zhao Zhentang sniffed hard, swallowed involuntarily, and said, "Truly fragrant..."

After that, Zhao Zhentang looked at Zhao Jin with considerable suspicion and asked, "You didn't go buy some fine liquor off the street to fool me, did you?"

Zhao Jin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Just then, He Cuihua brought the dry staple to the table. She smelled the aroma first and said, astonished, "It smells wonderful. Your son is being filial, and here you are endlessly picking faults."

"Father, would your son bother fooling his own family?" Zhao Jin said with a laugh.

Zhao Zhentang laughed too. He eagerly picked up a small wine cup, thought for a moment, then swapped it for a large bowl. "Pour it here," he said.

He'd probably figured that since he'd said he'd only drink one cup, but now felt the liquor was good enough to warrant more, he might as well use a bigger vessel. Smiling, Zhao Jin filled his father's bowl. Knowing his mother also had some capacity for liquor, he filled the small cup for her as well.

Zhao Zhentang raised the bowl, smelled the aroma first, and an appreciative look came over his face. Then he took a sip. The moment the liquor entered his mouth, Zhao Zhentang froze. Zhao Jin watched his father's reaction intently—he very much wanted to hear his parents' assessment. Zhao Zhentang was stunned for a moment, then raised the bowl again and took a large gulp. He closed his eyes, a look of intoxicated bliss spreading across his face. Finally, he opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

Setting the bowl down, Zhao Zhentang's expression turned very serious. He turned to Zhao Jin and asked, "Jin, don't lie to your family. If your winery couldn't produce any liquor, that's fine. But don't, for the sake of family pride, go out and buy fine liquor costing over a hundred wen a catty to pass off as your own."

Zhao Jin had just picked up a flatbread and taken a bite. At these words, he nearly sprayed it out. Covering his mouth, he coughed for a long while, then said, torn between laughter and tears, "Father, this really was made at Piaoxiang Winery. Is your son the sort to pass off fakes?"

He Cuihua had also taken a sip. After swallowing, her face was full of surprise. Hearing this exchange, she couldn't help saying, "Jin isn't one to lie. You don't even trust your own child now?"

Zhao Zhentang shook his head, raised the bowl, and took another drink. Smiling, he said, "I do believe him. But this liquor is just too good. Only that liquor a plaintiff brought back from Shanxi three years ago had this flavor. Pour your old man another bowl."

He no longer mentioned anything about only drinking one cup. After the third bowl, Zhao Zhentang's face was a little flushed. He shook his head and said with a smile, "Fine liquor indeed. I won't ask how you made it, boy. Anyway, you'll just say your second uncle taught you."

He Cuihua had also drunk two cups and merely laughed at this. Zhao Jin hastily buried his head in his meal, pretending not to hear. He really had been thinking of using that as an excuse—saying that Second Uncle Zhao Zhenxing had discovered a secret recipe while minding the shop and had secretly passed it to him.

Zhao Zhentang did not pursue the subject. Instead, he rather gravely advised Zhao Jin that the method for making this liquor must on no account be leaked, or it would soon become worthless.