Chapter 394 The Caravan Master Comes Again

A few days later, in the Wei family's main hall.

"Master Chen, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Zhao Yuping and Yun Mengyi took Xiaotuanzi out, and Ji Shaohan was left at home to entertain the guests. After Shen Xiangwan entered the main hall, he immediately apologized with a smile on his face.

"Mrs. Wei, you are too polite. It is I who came here unexpectedly to disturb you."

Turning around and seeing him, Chen Dangjia stood up and said with an unprecedented humble attitude. There was no way. He didn't know their specific identities before. He only knew that they came from a prominent family and had great ambitions. They even dared to sell snowflake salt in large quantities, and could brew sorghum wine and grape wine, and batch-produce various glass products. But when the government office was interrogating the four major grain merchants and wealthy families that day, Wei Chengyi was sitting openly in the court. After inquiring, they found out that they actually controlled the military power of the entire Chenzhou, and judging from the attitude of the government, maybe even the political power was in their hands. Therefore, he dared not underestimate them anymore, and his attitude became humble unconsciously.

It wasn't that she didn't notice his slight anomaly, but Shen Xiangwan's face didn't waver at all: "Let's not be polite, Master Chen, please take a seat."

"Um."

Nodding, Chen Dangjia secretly ordered himself to face her as calmly as possible, but the effect seemed not ideal, and his heartbeat was still a little fast.

"What brings Master Chen here today?"

Taking the tea bowl brought by the servant, Shen Xiangwan asked while lifting the cup lid to shake off the floating camellia flowers. His movements were slow and his demeanor was remarkable!

"I wanted to ask about the wine."

After staring at her blankly for a moment, Chen Dajia quickly calmed his nerves and took a deep breath before continuing, "Last time I came, we agreed to supply 20,000 bottles of wine per month, but recently you said you can't supply that much anymore. I'd like to know what's going on and how we can continue the supply."

Their wine was crazily sought after by the royal families and nobles of the countries outside the Great Wall. Even with 20,000 bottles per month, it was basically in short supply. He wanted to discuss with her about increasing the purchase, but he didn't expect that the person who came to get the wine this time would go back and tell them that the Wei family could not supply them with so much wine for the time being. The maximum was 10,000 bottles per month. From 20,000 to 10,000, it was too much of a rip-off, forcing him to come and inquire in person.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Chen, this is a one-sided issue on our part. The winery has temporarily stopped operations and won't reopen until February or March next year at the earliest. We estimate we won't be able to ship wine until April or May, so we can't provide as much wine for the time being. I hope Mr. Chen can understand."

Next year they will not only have to stop the attacks of the Western Hu people, but also have to cripple and hurt them, so the battle will not be over in just a month or so like this year. The longer the battle lasts, the greater the casualties will be, and the frequency of alcohol use will be very high. Before that, she must prepare enough alcohol. Moreover, there will be a snow disaster this winter. Once it snows heavily, not to mention the wine, the sorghum wine and ointment workshops will also have to stop working. It is estimated that only the papermaking and printing workshops will continue to operate.

Although Shen Xiangwan seemed polite, his attitude was extremely firm, and he had no intention of giving in.

“···”

Chen Dangjia really wanted to ask her why the winery had to temporarily stop operating, but considering her status, he remained silent for a while. After a long while, he said with a hint of helplessness, "Madam Wei, can't you be flexible?"

It is already October, and the Chinese New Year is two months away. This is the time when the demand for alcohol is the highest. If the supply is drastically reduced at this time, the loss of profit will not be a small amount.

"It's really not possible, and..."

Shaking her head in response to his gaze, after a brief pause, Shen Xiangwan still said truthfully: "Starting from the end of the month, we will no longer supply sorghum wine."

"What?"

Not only was the price of wine ripped off by half, but even sorghum wine was gone?

Chen Dangjia was a little upset and couldn't hold back his expression. Although the profit of sorghum wine could not be compared with that of grape wine, it was produced in large quantities and was very popular among the people of the countries outside the Great Wall. Even if it was sold at one or two taels of silver per catty, it was very popular and created a lot of profits for them. It was one of their best-selling products. The only thing that could be compared with it was snowflake salt.

"Master Chen, it's not just you. My own winery in Datong County will also be closing at the end of the month."

I knew he would react like this, Shen Xiangwan said helplessly. There was no constant temperature equipment in this era. The temperature was too low. Not only could the wine not ferment, it might also freeze into ice lumps. She had no choice, otherwise she would definitely try her best to ensure the supply of sorghum wine. After all, when the weather is cold, strong liquor can also keep warm.

"Why?"

In the end, Chen Dangjia asked the question. He just couldn't understand how she could just say no to such a profitable business?

"Why..."

Shen Xiangwan deliberately prolonged the ending of her words. She definitely couldn't talk about the snowstorm. After a moment, she continued, "Because we need to prepare for the invasion of the Western Hu people at the end of the year or next year."

"ah?"

What is the reason?

Chen Dangjia expressed his confusion, his forehead full of naked question marks, but Chen Xiangwan did not intend to explain further: "In short, the wine inventory can only supply you with 10,000 bottles per month, and the sorghum wine will no longer be available by the end of the month at the latest."

“···”

She had made her stance clear, and it seemed she had no intention of wavering. Master Chen was silent for a long time before he raised his head and said, "According to Madam Wei, you still have enough wine to last us until around April of next year. Can I just take the remaining few months of wine? Madam Wei is probably aware that during the Lunar New Year, wine consumption is enormous, and profits are higher than usual. We want to sell these tens of thousands of bottles of wine before the New Year."

Chen Dangjia's mind worked quickly and he immediately made a new request. He was afraid that she would suddenly stop supplying him in the future, and he also wanted to make a fortune during the Chinese New Year.

"No problem. How about this, to compensate you, I'll give you 100,000 bottles at once."

They have always maintained a good cooperative relationship, and Shen Xiangwan is embarrassed to bully the other party too much. One hundred thousand bottles of wine is her maximum limit.

"Thank you, Madam Wei."

Hearing this, Chen Dangjia finally smiled again. "Also, Madam Wei, how much sorghum wine can you provide us this time? I want to take some back with me, too."

Since they last discussed the supply of wine, they have come to pick up wine three times a month, three to four thousand bottles of wine and fifty thousand kilograms of sorghum wine each time. They have come twice this month, and only one time is left. Instead of waiting until the end of the month, it would be better to take it all back today. Anyway, they will not supply it again by the end of the month at the latest.

[End of this chapter]