Chapter 330: Leeks, So Green! [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

"Does Madam think this wine is too expensive?"

Wu Xian waved his hand, signaling the messenger to leave.

The lady of the house gasped, "Forty-six taels for a jar isn't expensive?"

Having managed the household affairs for so many years, she oversaw all the household's accounts, knowing the price and quality of every item. Even the finest wine in the mansion's cellar cost no more than twenty taels per jar!

More expensive wines are either very old or extremely rare, or they are tribute wines used to pay homage to the king.

You can't buy this kind of wine anywhere, even if you pay a hundred taels for a jar!

Wu Xian smiled and said, "It's not expensive, not expensive at all."

"What kind of wine is this?"

The wife became even more curious upon hearing this.

“It is naturally a fine wine that no scholar or warrior in the world can resist.” Wu Xian took the cloth handed to him by his wife, dried his feet, put on the newly made socks, and sat down next to his wife. He said in a casual manner, “I thought that once this thing was in Wen Zhu’s hands, it would sell for at least a hundred or eighty taels. I didn’t expect it to be sold for only forty-six taels. That was quite unexpected.”

The wife couldn't understand Wu Xian's attitude.

Selling a jar of wine for an exorbitant price—isn't that something Wu Xian would be extremely wary of? Why does he seem to be expressing regret instead?

She asked, "Isn't this a good thing?"

Wu Xian leaned against the armrest, looking languid: "How could this be a good thing? For every jar Wen Zhu sells, he has to pay a hefty market tax and wine tax... If he sells it for a low price, he'll pay less, and the fifty jars of wine Wen Zhu delivers will also lose their value..."

The wife was rendered speechless by what she was said.

She never expected her husband to have this idea.

Most alcoholic beverages are brewed from grains. When ordinary people could not even feed themselves, how could they have extra grain to satisfy their craving for alcohol? Whether in Tianhai or elsewhere, alcohol was a "light luxury" product with strict controls.

It's fine for ordinary people to brew wine on a small scale in private, but if they want to buy and sell it, they must pay high market taxes and special wine taxes. Simply put, if Shen Tang's wine is bought and sold here, he has to pay taxes to Tianhai!

Yes, it's still the kind where there's no tax refund in March every year.

Wu Xian was willing to give Xu Jie face and not interfere in the matter because of this. Why should he kill a good thing that could generate revenue? It's a win-win situation! Wu Xian had another plan in mind.

These powerful families in Tianhai are living too comfortably, and they've been secretly accumulating wealth, constantly testing the limits of the law. He can't openly reprimand them, but he can subtly reduce their wealth!

These ideas, of course, could not be discussed openly with his wife.

His wife was not only his first wife.

She is also the sister of his brother-in-law and his younger brother-in-law.

The daughter of my father-in-law and mother-in-law.

Wu Xianneng spoke less to the First Lady than he did to Consort Mi, and often could only touch upon the subject briefly.

He sneered, "I wonder what Shen Youli's expression will be when she finds out about Tianhai City's tax and liquor tax? Wen Zhu does business like this; next time we'll have to send more people to protect him, lest Shen Youli get angry and chase after him with her sword..."

To be fair, it wasn't that he didn't value Qin Li's suggestion.

Shen Tang's team was indeed a makeshift operation.

Shen Tang alone stood against Gong Xichou on the front lines, which shows how strong his individual combat ability is. If he really listened to Qin Li's suggestion and overturned the other party's stall, the other party would come to assassinate him with a sword. Wu Xian felt a chill down his neck when he thought of this scene.

Shifting the blame eastward or using someone else to do the dirty work is the best strategy.

The wife watched her husband habitually squint as if taking a nap, then hesitated, as if about to speak. After a long while, the air was so quiet that only the couple's breathing could be heard. Wu Xian asked, "Is something on your mind, Madam?"

Taking the opportunity, the wife said, "This morning, my sister-in-law suddenly sent me an invitation to the Plum Blossom Banquet..."

Wu Xian: "...Prepare congratulatory gifts, no need for anyone to attend."

The wife moved her lips slightly.

Wu Xian added, "The wine that Wen Zhu sent tastes quite good, let's add five more jars, and you can decide what to do with the rest."

The lady of the house said softly, "Mm."

Since the younger brother-in-law gave it to them, the elder brother-in-law couldn't be biased, so he simply had his wife send some to the other family as well. After lying down for a while, Wu Xian couldn't fall asleep, so he got up.

"I remember there are still some things to take care of, Madam, please go to sleep first."

Before his wife could say anything, he put on his clothes and left. Watching her husband's departing figure, his eyes nearly reddened with anger; he clutched his handkerchief, silently suppressing the stinging sensation in his nose.

The maidservant whispered, "Madam..."

After a long pause, the first wife finally said quietly, "He finally came all this way, only to be driven away in anger again..."

Outsiders all say that Wu Xian and her husband are a harmonious and loving couple. This assessment was quite fitting in the past, but things have changed drastically in recent years. One of the root causes affecting their marital relationship is her two good-for-nothing older and younger brothers.

Sixty percent of the family business was lost in their hands.

Later, Wu Xian discovered that the two brothers were secretly instigating his two legitimate sons to fight each other and mistreating their younger brother, which happened to be Wu Xian's taboo. Even more bizarrely, when their first scheme failed, the two brothers came up with another plan and became close to Wu Xian's other brothers.

There were other unsavory tactics as well...

The relationship between the two companies is very strained.

The wife felt sorry for her elder brother and younger brother, which strained her relationship with Wu Xian. After an impromptu hunting trip that ended in an assassination attempt, Wu Xian rarely visited the wife anymore.

It's rare for me to come to the backyard, and I usually stay in someone else's house.

It's not that Wu Xian suspects his wife of plotting against him; he knows his wife well enough—as a married woman, with unreliable brothers and her family declining year by year, her husband is her and her children's greatest support.

However, it is highly possible that she trusted her brother too much and inadvertently revealed Wu Xian's current situation.

Wu Xian couldn't force her to sever all ties with her family or completely abandon her two good-for-nothing brothers; given her temperament, she couldn't possibly do that. So, things remained at an impasse.

Actually, as long as the wife doesn't mention her troublesome brothers, the couple still have a lot to talk about.

Wu Xian braved the wind and snow to go to the study.

The attendant asked, "Does the master really intend to spend the night here?"

Wu Xian said irritably, "Do you expect me to spend the night in another lady's room, and then the whole mansion will know we had a fight the next day? Enough nonsense, go find something else you can do."

Attendant: "..."

But it wouldn't sound good if word got out that the parents had come out of the wife's room and were pitifully huddled in the cold study.

Unlike Shen Tang, who was struggling with the cutthroat competition, Wu Xian had a complete team that could generally finish tasks on the same day, and they even had paid leave every now and then. The attendants searched around but couldn't find any mundane matters that needed Wu Xian's attention.

This is the difference between people.

Wu Xian could only pass the time by reading local gossip.

The attendants could only sigh at this sight—the family was having a hard time, and the wife was also facing difficulties. Instead of correcting their ways and revitalizing the family, the two good-for-nothing brothers were plotting something, relentlessly pressuring their married sisters to cry, make a scene, and even threaten suicide.

After more than ten years of ups and downs...

Even the most devoted couples can be torn apart.

The first batch of ten jars of wine unexpectedly turned out to be a disappointment.

The second batch did break through the 500-two mark.

The height gradually increased in subsequent batches.

However, the total price was not too outrageous.

After deducting city taxes and liquor taxes, as well as costs such as labor, profit sharing, and transportation, Xu Jie manipulated the abacus to settle accounts and convert them into approximate amounts of seedlings, farm tools, and oxen.

Of course, this also requires Wu Xian's consent.

After all, we can't leave Qin Li with any leverage.

Wu Xian gave his permission after just one glance.

Considering how much tax Shen Tang paid for him.

Wu Xian's gentle smile these past few days has been so warm and welcoming that people who don't know the situation might think his family has welcomed another new member.

He handed the list back and instructed Xu Jie, "Go back and ask Brother Shen if He Yin is short of food. If he is, Tianhai can share some at a lower price. The two sides should help each other. If you have any difficulties, just tell us, don't be shy."

He perfectly embodied the phrase "deep affection between brothers," making even his own brothers wonder who his true brothers were.

Xu Jie's lips twitched slightly.

He said, "Yes."

"As the saying goes, 'A common man is innocent, but he is guilty of possessing a treasure.' The Tianhai and He families are related, so naturally no one would covet the brewing recipe in Brother Shen's possession. However, if it gets out, it's hard to guarantee that other people with ulterior motives won't have any bad intentions. Not only should we keep it a secret, but Brother Shen should also carefully choose his partners. Brother Shen is young and often makes mistakes. When you go there this time, remember to remind him."

Xu Jie replied, "Yes."

Wu Xian then went on and on, giving many more instructions.

Xu Jie wrote them down one by one.

After he left, Wu Xian summoned his trusted attendants.

"I have a task for you."

What mission?

Naturally, we would bring wine to Kenggu Ren and Zhanghe.

Especially Zhang He, that fellow is very wealthy!

When Xu Jie arrived at Fugu City for the second time, he found that the city had undergone tremendous changes compared to before. Most of the snow from a few days ago had melted, and although it was freezing cold, busy figures could still be seen in many places.

Xu Jie introduced himself and was taken to the administrative office.

He arrived just as Shen Tang returned.

"The annotations are back already?"

Xu Jie: "..."

That sounds a bit strange.

He still said aloud, "Yes, Shen Junan is well."

"Hehe, I'm doing great. How was your trip?"

Xu Jie took out several volumes of account books from his sleeve and handed them over. The accounting method he used was still very old-fashioned, and Shen Tang had some difficulty reading them. There were clear records of how many jars were sold and how much money was made on each day. After Shen Tang did the math, he realized that he had made a fortune!

But the smile hadn't even appeared yet...

Her smile vanished instantly when she saw the final settlement.

"Wait a minute—Wenzhu, this account isn't right!"

Xu Jie feigned shock and confusion: "What's wrong?"

Shen Tang said, "Look, the first batch was 460 taels, the second batch was 530 taels, the third batch... Let's take an average and say each batch was 500 taels. Each jar should have 50 taels... But how come there's a surplus..."

She pointed to the pitiful two thousand three hundred taels at the end. Although two thousand three hundred taels was a huge sum of money for her, it was still far from the amount she had expected!

Xu Jie had no choice but to patiently explain.

The city tax plus the liquor tax in Tianhai is almost half of what he has to pay. In order to get his lord Wu Xian to agree to sell strategic materials such as seedlings, cattle, and farm tools, he also secretly gave him a sum of money. After deducting other miscellaneous expenses, that's about it.

The seedlings are all good seedlings.

Although the farm tools weren't brand new, their low price made them a good deal.

The oxen used for plowing have served for many years and are highly experienced.

Shen Tang's hands were trembling as she held the account book.

While inwardly cursing Wu Xian's ancestors to the eighteenth generation, she outwardly maintained a kind and understanding demeanor, perfectly embodying the image of a sincere, innocent, and naive girl. Was Wu Xian harvesting leeks? The thought of being that leek made Shen Tang's blood pressure soar.

In terms of sheer blackness, Tianhai is definitely the best.

The city tax and liquor tax are paid in double amounts, with a 50% cut-off for every 10%.

Xu Jie also relayed Wu Xian's earnest instructions.

But to Shen Tang, it sounded like a combination of persuasion and coercion. If Shen Tang accepted, the business would continue, everyone would make money in seclusion, and she wouldn't have to worry about the treasure being exposed and attracting outside covetousness. If she didn't accept, the consequences would be unpredictable.

A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.

Scholars with literary minds and warriors with martial prowess are found all over the world.

Shen Tang swallowed the blood that was stuck in his throat.

He originally intended to swindle Wu Xian, hoping to empty his pockets without any investment. However, Wu Xian turned the tables and used the opportunity to make a fortune.

Shen Tang was certainly not afraid of so-called external covetousness.

At worst, I'll just be honest about the wonderful uses and true nature of those wines.

The crisis can naturally be resolved.

But you can no longer try to exploit people or take advantage of them.

The wine produced by the power of words is not worth such a high price.

In the blink of an eye, Shen Tang had made her decision.

Why not take money that's been obtained without any investment?

Two thousand three hundred taels is pure profit!

How many seedlings can we buy?

Shen Tang's ability to change his expression was also superb. He looked ashamed and said, "Oh, I misunderstood. I forgot about the city tax and wine tax. Please forgive me, Wenzhu. Brother Zhaode's concerns are not unfounded. Don't worry, I will only do business with one store from now on."

I'll only swindle your family!

My molars were grinding together in my heart, making a crunching sound.

Xu Jie was surprised to see that Shen Tang had no objection.

He had expected to see Shen Tang fly into a rage, since Wu Xian's actions were indeed quite malicious.

"only--"

Shen Tang changed the subject.

She complained in a low, aggrieved voice.

"This liquor tax is way too high..."

Xu Jie said, "This is unavoidable. It's the same everywhere. Grain is scarce. If it's not controlled, the common people will all start brewing alcohol for huge profits, which will lead to even more people starving to death and grain prices skyrocketing... which is detrimental to people's livelihood and stability..."

He spoke from the heart.

Shen Tang pondered deeply: "Isn't there a way to legally avoid taxes?"

Xu Jie: "Legitimate...tax avoidance?"

Shen Tang slapped his thigh and said, "Yes."

Xu Jie couldn't figure out how to exploit the loophole.

Shen Tang said, "You can't be as rigid in doing business as you are. If the tax on wine is high, then sell wheat and rice. Buy a bushel of wheat and rice and get a jar of wine for free. The wine is a free gift, not a sale. You should only pay the market tax on wheat and rice, and you can avoid the wine tax, right?"

Xu Jie: "..."

Shen Tang tentatively asked, "Won't this work?"

Xu Jie said with difficulty, "This...this..."

He thought about it and realized that it was indeed possible to do that.

Shen Tang sneered inwardly. She had a hundred legitimate ways to avoid taxes if she tried to play tricks on her!

She put her arm around Xu Jie's shoulder, and the two of them secretly plotted like buddies: "Besides selling wheat and rice, we can do something else. Let's play the 'bundled purchase' game. You let customers deposit money, which means they give you the money in advance, and then spend it. For example, deposit a thousand taels to buy things in your shop. Once they buy a certain amount, they can buy a jar of wine at a low price, like one tael. If that doesn't work, we can do a blind box lottery, one hundred taels per draw, and ten draws will guarantee a jar of wine..."

(σ)σ:*☆

The next chapter is about the spring plowing ceremony. Guess which incantation will be used?

P.S.: I carefully read the reader comments from the last chapter. *sobs* (that's the lovely Yin Dian!) probably wasn't in heat. She was probably, maybe, just plain insulting me all night. _(:з)∠)_

(End of this chapter)