Chapter 53: Exchanging Wine Recipes for People
Li Si came to his senses and looked at the wine in the cup that was not yet finished. He took another sip and it tasted mellow and spicy, which was different from what he usually drank.
Seeing him drink one glass after another, Zhao Yuanxi couldn't help but remind him, "Drinking is harmful to your health and will cause you trouble. Li Qing, it's better not to drink too much."
Li Si put down his wine glass awkwardly.
"If Li Qing likes it, I can give you a few jars. You can take them back and savor them carefully."
Li Si now finally understood why these people respected the Queen Mother so much. He just drank a few more cups, and the Queen Mother noticed his liking for him. This feeling really made him feel very wonderful.
It’s not because the wine is expensive, but because of the feeling of being valued, which is like a spring breeze on your face, making you feel comfortable and relaxed.
Li Si didn't understand why the empress dowager had changed so much after just a few months of not seeing her.
If it is said that the Queen Dowager Xuan had the ability to identify people and appoint them to the right positions, the current Queen Dowager Zhao may not be worse than the former Queen Dowager Xuan.
It’s a pity——
Li Si sighed lightly. The Qin State now does not need a virtuous queen, but only a smart and capable monarch.
He raised his hand in thanks, "Thank you, Queen."
"You're welcome. Today, thanks to Li Qing's willingness to help, otherwise I don't know how long it would take them to solve the problem." Zhao Yuanxi said with a smile, looking at everyone with high hopes.
Upon hearing this, Li Si said, "These students are all talented people. Given time, they will surely become officials. If the Queen Mother does not mind, I am willing to send one of them here to teach them and answer their questions."
When these words were spoken, not only Zhao Yuanxi was confused, but Li Si was also a little confused.
When would he be so devoted to anyone other than the King of Qin?
But now, there is obviously no room for him to regret.
"That's great! Then I'll leave it to Li Qing." Zhao Yuanxi clapped his hands and laughed.
Li Si responded with a complicated expression.
Zhao Yuanxi didn't care whether he would regret it or not. Even if he did, he had to send the person to her.
A gentleman's promise is worth a thousand gold, how can he go back on his word?
Zhao Yuanxi was very happy to have gained another talented person. He was so happy that he rewarded Li Si with many things, including the method of brewing wine.
Zhao Yuanxi said, "Although the Qin State prohibits private brewing, there must be a place for brewing in Li Qing's mansion. This recipe is suitable for Li Qing."
The Qin State had very strict control over alcohol. Brewing wine required a large amount of grain, and ordinary people were not allowed to brew wine privately. The homes of scholars, officials, and nobles were not restricted, but they also needed to obtain official permission.
Li Si really had no reluctance this time. Wines were divided into different grades, and so were the drinkers. Being able to drink the best wine was a recognition of his position as a prime minister.
It’s a pity that Qin’s liquor cannot be sold privately, otherwise the recipe in his hand would be a treasure worth a thousand gold.
Before leaving, Zhao Yuanxi saw him off to the door and said, "Take care on your journey, Li Qing. The Qin State still depends on you!"
Li Si was in a very good mood, and couldn't suppress the corners of his mouth at all. He bowed and said, "I dare not. I will take my leave. Please take care of yourself, Queen Mother."
Zhao Yuanxi nodded slightly and watched him leave.
Fusu has been observing the operation of the Great Mother.
Of course he knew Li Tingwei, but he had never seen Li Tingwei smile so sincerely. He was even happier than when he saw his father.
That’s not right. If his father gave him a reward, he would be very happy.
But apart from the method of brewing wine, a few pots of wine, and some paper, his grandmother gave him nothing else. How could it compare to the precious treasures and titles that his father rewarded him with?
What's more, he also promised to send someone to the grandmother. No matter how you look at it, he is at a disadvantage!
Fusu raised his head and asked, "Grandmother, is that winemaking method valuable?"
Zhao Yuanxi was stunned for a moment, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "It's not worth much."
Unofficial brewed alcohol cannot be sold, so when it falls into the hands of the nobles, it is just a way to add some spice to their boring lives.
As a court judge, it is unlikely that Li Si would knowingly break the law to sell alcohol and take risks for such a small profit.
This wine recipe can only be said to be a good thing that cannot be converted into cash.
"Then why is Li Tingwei so happy?"
Zhao Yuanxi smiled and said, "Of course I'm giving him what he wants! If you want people to listen to you, you have to cater to their preferences and give them the greatest emotional value."
"Sometimes emotional value is more important than material things. This is actually a way to win people's hearts without any cost."
As if thinking of something, Zhao Yuanxi added, "Of course, you can't just satisfy people emotionally. You also have to satisfy them materially. Only then will people trust you."
Fusu fell into deep thought for a long time, then said quietly, "So, this is how Grandmother got Teacher Chunyu to do the work for you?"
Zhao Yuanxi knocked Fusu's head and said, "Your teacher Chunyu did it voluntarily. I didn't force him."
What's more, Chunyu Yue was not working for her at all. He was clearly taking her money and working for himself. However, the ultimate beneficiaries were the people of Qin.
Fusu covered his head with his hands. His grandmother did not deny it, so that was the fact.
He felt as if he had learned something new.
When Ziying saw his elder brother being beaten, he chuckled. As a result, Zhao Yuanxi treated him equally and hit him too.
"It's not fair. I didn't say anything wrong, so why did Big Mother hit me too?"
Zhao Yuanxi snorted, "He should be punished for his gaffe, and you should also be punished for mocking others."
Ziying moved behind Fusu and snorted, "Grandmother has done it, but she won't let anyone talk about it. She should be punished as well."
Zhao Yuanxi was so angry that he picked him up. He was so anxious that his limbs flailing around and he screamed in fear.
"Don't cry. I'm your mother, so you are not allowed to question anything I do!" Zhao Yuanxi was unreasonable.
"But adults also make mistakes!" Ziying disagreed.
Zhao Yuanxi did not allow for rebuttal, "Adults may make mistakes, but Grandmother will not!"
When Jang Geum saw the Queen Mother competing with the two children again, she felt helpless and a little funny. The Queen Mother was obviously very steady in her daily behavior, but when she met the two little princes, she always liked to do childish things.
The final result, naturally, ended with Ziying's surrender.
On the way back, Zhao Yuanxi held one of them by the hand and casually asked, "What did you learn from Chunyu Yue today?"
She had already seen what Chunyu Yue taught in the lesson plan, and she asked this question just because she wanted to know what the two little guys had learned.
Fusu answered questions fluently and even put forward his own ideas.
But when Ziying was asked, the little guy hesitated for a long time and couldn't explain it clearly.
"It seems that you really don't want to learn. In that case, follow me tomorrow to learn how to farm!"
Ziying opened his mouth wide and stared at Zhao Yuanxi blankly, as if trying to confirm whether she was joking.
"Not willing?"
Ziying's face was tangled, and his desire to survive was overflowing as he reminded, "Grandmother, I'm still a child."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
