Chapter 61 Peach Blossom Wine: Idle people are prone to trouble.

After driving away Zhang Dajiao and his gang, everyone cheered as if they had won a battle, and they even had extra energy to work on the mountain.

Ten people finished weeding in three days. Following Meng Yu's instructions, they packed the loosened peach blossoms into baskets. The more than two hundred peach trees filled more than twenty baskets with peach blossoms.

After washing the peach blossoms clean, Meng Yu dried them in the shade, divided them into jars, poured in the prepared liquor, and sealed them to ferment.

It's springtime now, and there aren't many fruits yet in Zhuoshan. Only a few mulberry trees are laden with fruit, but they haven't been tended to, and some of the fruit has been gnawed by insects. Meng Yu simply had someone pick the best mulberries and bring them back, and also brewed a few jars of mulberry wine.

For the next two months, Ren Ling and her hired workers spent their days weeding, fertilizing, pruning, and catching insects. Some of the more capable workers took on thirty fruit trees, and they took excellent care of each one.

Meng Yu often wore a straw hat to go up the mountain to check. As summer approached, the sun became more intense and the rain increased. Various pests also began to emerge. The insects were not too bad, as they would die from the heat. What troubled her the most were the birds flying in the sky.

Early summer is the time when fruit sets. Many fruits have just formed when birds poke holes in them, causing nectar to flow out, which naturally attracts a large number of insects.

Since there were no insect repellents like in her previous life, Meng Yu had no choice but to have people weave hundreds of scarecrows overnight and hang them on tree branches to scare away the birds.

When the harvest season arrived, she had spent almost all of her 280 taels of silver. If she didn't have any income, she was afraid she wouldn't even be able to pay next month's wages.

Fortunately, after brewing for more than two months, the dozens of jars of peach blossom wine in the cellar were ready to be sold, but finding buyers was another problem.

Most taverns and teahouses have established supply channels, so if she were to go door-to-door to sell her goods, they might not be willing to buy them.

But then she thought again, how could she know it wouldn't work if she hadn't even tried visiting people's homes? So the next day, she and Ren Ling took a jar of wine to all the taverns and teahouses in town to promote it.

The waiter was wiping the table when he saw them carrying wine jars in. He assumed they were there to eat, so he immediately put on a smile and cheerfully stepped forward: "What would you two like to eat? We have..."

“We’re not here to eat. Is your manager here?” Ren Ling interrupted him with a smile, lifting the wine jar towards him. “We’ve brewed peach blossom wine and would like him to try it. If he likes it…”

Before she could finish speaking, the waiter's face darkened. He took the white cloth draped over his shoulder, flicked it at them, and said impatiently, "Since you're not here to eat, then leave. Our manager is busy and doesn't have time to see you."

The two were pushed out the door, exchanged a slightly dejected smile, but quickly rallied their spirits. If this place didn't work out, they'd try the next one.

After walking around all morning, asking at every tavern and teahouse on several nearby streets, I was turned away without even getting a glimpse of the owner.

Under the blazing sun, the heat was unbearable, and the incessant chirping of cicadas filled the air.

Both of them had sweat on their backs, and the sweat on their foreheads had to be wiped away with their sleeves to prevent it from seeping into their eyes.

Meng Yu was hungry and thirsty. She remembered that there were two bowls of rice soup left at home when she got up early, so she planned to go back and heat it up and eat it as lunch. But when she turned her head, she saw Ren Ling covered in sweat. She suddenly remembered that Ren Ling had not complained at all along the way.

Just then, they passed by a wonton stall. She reached into her pocket and took a look, then quickly pulled her down to sit: "I'm so hungry, let's have a bowl of wontons before we go back."

After walking all morning, her legs were sore and aching. As soon as she touched a stool, she felt too tired to move. But Ren Ling still forced herself to stand up and said with a smile, "Why spend this money? My mother-in-law made chive buns today. I guess she made some for you too. We'll eat them when we get back."

She knew exactly what Meng Yu's situation was like now. All the money she had was invested in Zhuoshan, and there was practically nothing left. Even their monthly wages were earned through her frugal living and scraping together every penny. "Don't worry, I still have enough money for wontons," Meng Yu said with a smile, pulling her to sit down again. They ordered two bowls of wontons and asked the shopkeeper to bring two extra bowls.

The peach blossom wine had been brewing for nearly three months, and the moment it was poured out, its aroma was incredibly fragrant.

Meng Yu touched her bowl, smiled, and raised her hand: "Since we can't sell it, it's not a waste to keep it for ourselves."

She laughed heartily, without a trace of bitterness, and the words of comfort she wanted to say couldn't be uttered. Ren Ling could only pick up her bowl and clink it against hers.

The wine has a rich and fragrant aroma, with the pure scent of peach blossoms. Soon after it enters the mouth, the spiciness and burning sensation gradually transform into a soft and smooth texture. One sip is not enough; you drink more and savor it, and the more you drink, the more fragrant and mellow the wine becomes, and the more you drink, the more your appetite increases.

Every autumn, Ren Ling's mother-in-law would brew a jar of wine and bury it under a tree. When the year ended and the family reunion dinner was on New Year's Eve, she would dig it out, eat it with dishes, drink the wine, and stay up all night to welcome the new year.

However, the wine brewed by her mother-in-law was really not as good as this, and she got tired of it after only two sips.

Perhaps because they had been drinking, or perhaps because they were too hungry, the two of them started eating as soon as the wontons were served, without saying much.

"Where did you buy this peach blossom wine, young lady? It smells so good. I'd like to buy a jar to try too." The soup pot was steaming, and the shopkeeper was washing vegetables when he suddenly asked.

Meng Yu paused in her scoop of wontons, looked up, and met Ren Ling's gaze.

***

The wine cellar's twenty-odd jars of wine were emptied in an instant. A small stall selling roast chicken bought more than a dozen jars, and the rest were all bought by another small stir-fry stall.

Both stall owners made an agreement with Meng Yu that if the peach blossom wine sold well, they would order it again next year.

To everyone's surprise, just two days later, Uncle Ge from the stir-fry stall came to visit: "Miss Xi, you didn't see it, but as soon as you opened your peach blossom wine, people on the street came by the smell. These past two days, my stall has had several times more customers than usual. Besides peach blossom wine, do you have anything else here?"

Although Uncle Ge was over sixty years old, he was in excellent spirits. He spoke in a loud voice that could be heard through two doors, and he often had a smile on his face. You could tell at a glance that he was a very easy person to get along with.

Meng Yu shook his head and raised his hand: "There are only a few jars of mulberry wine left. After a while, when the peaches, cherries, plums and loquats are ripe, I will make some more fruit wine. If Uncle Ge wants some, I will save it for you."

"Yes, yes, I'll order them all," Uncle Ge said happily without hesitation. "Miss Xi's winemaking skills are superb, so the fruit wine she makes must be just as good. I just wonder how much it will cost?"

"Peach wine is slightly more expensive than peach blossom wine, costing two hundred coins per dou (a unit of volume). Wines such as cherry wine and plum wine are only twenty coins more expensive than peach wine. Please go back and think about it first. If you think the price is right, we can sign the contract."

Uncle Ge waved his hand and smiled, "No need to consider it. Compared to other families, Miss Xi's price is already very reasonable. Moreover, the raw materials used by Miss Xi are all of the highest quality, so it is naturally worth the price."

With Ge Bo as a sales channel, Meng Yu felt a little more at ease. In the following days, she continued to go up the mountain with Ren Ling to tend to the fruit trees as usual. However, it was summer, and the sun was scorching. She got a tan in just two days.

***

For nearly ten years, Daqi has not waged wars abroad, and its borders have been strictly guarded. Even when neighboring countries provoke it, it is quickly quelled.

Except for a few areas where bandits caused trouble, the entire Daqi region was peaceful and prosperous.

However, idle people are prone to causing trouble.

In the afternoon, Lu Xiuyi suffered a headache and was about to rest when a commotion broke out outside the curtain. Before he could ask, Chu Ze lifted the curtain and came in to report: "Young Master, the Sixth Prince has arrested one of our soldiers and brought him back, saying that he deliberately caused trouble in the market, bullied people, and beat up civilians."

Lu Xiuyi was sitting on the couch with one knee bent, his hand supporting his brow. Upon hearing this, his expression hardened, and he immediately put on his clothes, got off the couch, and left the tent.

The clatter of horses galloping across the sand and the swishing sound of their bodies being dragged across the sand mingled together, emanating from the crowd of onlookers.

Chu Ze frowned and shouted sharply, "The general has arrived!"

The crowd automatically parted to form a path.

The unrestrained figure of the Sixth Prince Rong Xun immediately came into view. A soldier was being dragged behind a horse with his hands bound. His clothes were torn by stones, and blood mixed with dust clung to his body, making his clothes dirty and tattered.

Rong Xun sat with his legs crossed in the armchair, looking at him with a defiant expression.

Lu Xiuyi glanced at the soldier expressionlessly, then coldly moved his gaze upward: "He is from the Western Camp. Even if he did something wrong and angered Your Highness, Your Highness should hand him over to me for disposal, rather than resorting to private torture in front of everyone."

As he spoke, Lu Xiuyi gave Chu Ze a wink, and Chu Ze immediately stepped forward to untie the soldier's hands.

But before he could bend down, a sharp shout rang out from above: "Do not explain! This man, relying on his status as a member of the Western Camp, beat up civilians in the street. If I hadn't happened to pass by and stopped him, he would have committed murder."

Seemingly severely tormented, the soldier, who was already drowsy, still mustered all his strength to murmur upon hearing this: "I, I didn't. It was that old scoundrel who was bullying the people with high prices. I, I couldn't stand it, so I took action. Please, please, General, see the truth."

Rong Xun glanced at him and sneered, "This is sophistry. No matter what your reasons are, everyone knows that you beat up the rice shop owner in the street. How can you deny it? Guards, continue."

The sword blade gleamed coldly in the blazing sun. Before the rider could even crack his whip and drag the horse along, he suddenly felt a lightness behind him and turned to look.

Lu Xiuyi cut the rope with a single sword stroke.

Chu Ze immediately ordered his men to help the soldier up.

Rong Xun's face darkened, and he immediately stood up: "General Lu, are you trying to bend the law for personal gain?"

“Your Highness is too kind. I cannot bear such a statement. Even when the Ministry of Justice conducts a trial, it is important to consider both personal witnesses and physical evidence,” Lu Xiuyi said calmly as he tossed his sword back into its sheath. “Your Highness has neither personal witnesses nor physical evidence, yet you have privately tortured yourself in public. It is Your Highness who is the one who has violated the law.”

Rong Xun sneered: "Who said I have no witnesses? Everyone on the street saw your subordinate beat up the rice shop owner. That's witness testimony. The injuries on the shop owner's body are physical evidence. With both witness testimony and physical evidence, General Lu still released the perpetrator. Isn't this a contempt for the laws of our dynasty?"

"This is only Your Highness's side of the story. If we were to take a life based solely on Your Highness's words, that would be a blatant disregard for the laws of our Great Qi." His headache worsened, as if a thousand silver needles were piercing his brain. Lu Xiuyi couldn't help but frown, but he still managed to steady himself.

Rong Xun felt a lump in his throat from his retort, unable to breathe it out or suppress it, and he felt extremely uncomfortable.

The rice shop owner was brought into the western camp. Lu Xiuyi glanced at him and saw that his cheeks were swollen, his eyes were dark, and his neck and shoulders were covered in bruises. Just by looking at him, he knew that the soldiers had used lethal force.

Just then, the soldier applied the wound medicine and gradually regained his senses. When he saw the shopkeeper standing in front of him, his eyes immediately turned blue, and he kicked out. But the shopkeeper dodged quickly, and he missed. He hurriedly tried to chase after him.

Upon seeing this, the shopkeeper shrank back towards Rong Xun with a look of fear on his face: "Your Highness, save me! Your Highness, save me!"

"Stop." Rong Xun was about to shout sternly when Lu Xiuyi said in a deep voice.

The soldier immediately stopped, knelt on one knee, and bowed to him, replying, "Reporting to the general, I was on leave today and intended to go home to visit my elderly mother. However, on the way, I encountered a rice shop owner who not only deliberately raised the price of rice but also severely injured an old woman who was buying rice. I couldn't stand by and watch, so I intervened."

Lu Xiuyi frowned slightly and asked the shopkeeper, "It's reasonable for rice and flour to occasionally have a premium. If you don't want to buy that old woman, just kick her out. Why hit her?"

The shopkeeper kept his head down, his eyes darting around rapidly.