Time flew by in a flurry of activity, and before we knew it, the sun was beginning to set.
Inside and outside the workshop, the furnaces roared, craftsmen bustled about, steam rose from the large pots, and occasionally a craftsman's excited shout could be heard: "Look! The wine is ready!"
The wicked man pushed aside the busy group of craftsmen, stepped forward to examine the transparent liquid dripping from the end of the copper pipe, and eagerly scooped up a small spoonful.
He first sniffed from afar, and a hot, spicy aroma wafted up to his nose. Then he took a small sip—instantly, a fiery sensation went down his throat, making him gasp. Then, a sweet aftertaste lingered on his tongue, with a pleasantly mellow flavor.
"Hahaha, it's a success!" The wicked man was overjoyed and turned to give Xiang Lihe a thumbs up. "If we can adjust the heat and sealing a little better, the taste will definitely be even better."
“In my opinion, it can be improved further!” Xiang Lihe rubbed his chin, thinking about how to further improve it. “This first distilled wine can be distilled a few more times, and the alcohol content will be higher. However, we need to control costs and production volume to make a profit.”
"Liquor, liquor... what kind of liquor is it without water?" The wicked husband nodded repeatedly, rubbing his hands excitedly. "Time is of the essence right now, we need to quickly refine some high-proof liquor, then dilute it with water, add some soy sauce, and he'll be completely overwhelmed!"
"Then we'll categorize it into different grades, and the differences... will depend on how much water we add!"
Zhang Erhe and the others gasped in astonishment. "With this kind of grading, we can sell the same wine in multiple ways!"
“Even refined salt is rationed, but distilled spirits don’t need to be—as long as we can produce it, we can sell it all.” The wicked man laughed heartily. “Of course, we need to make a batch of pure spirits for the King’s wedding. We’ll drink it ourselves…we can’t drink the watered-down kind!”
"And the diluted version is given to these foreign envoys; I guarantee those barbarians will go crazy with pleasure after just one sip!"
Upon hearing this, the craftsmen couldn't help but grin at the sight. They imagined the scene of guests toasting and drinking, suddenly experiencing a fiery kick, paired with sweet wedding candies—it was simply unimaginable.
"Alright, everyone, let's get to work!" Taking advantage of the excitement, the wicked husband waved his hand and said, "We need to add dozens more distillers."
"Erhe, go ask Meng Can for some money. Also, send someone to Qi to quickly find some high-quality grains, rice, and ordinary wine—make sure there's enough of it, so they know we're going to make a big splash!"
As the order was given, the workshop once again came alive with activity. Watching the workers rushing about, the wicked man looked up at the setting sun, which had not yet disappeared from the sky, and a surge of pride welled up in his heart.
Salt, sugar, and wine—these seemingly ordinary "food and drink" items had already appeared, and under his planning, they had become powerful tools for the Qin state to seize profits.
"With wine flowing freely and ears burning bright, the clash of swords begins anew... This world is truly becoming more and more interesting."
A smile appeared on his lips as he picked up a small cup of freshly distilled liquor that he had casually scooped up, and drank it all in one gulp. He felt a burning sensation in his chest, his blood surging, and he felt as if he had endless energy.
Just half a month later, when the wedding banquet arrives, the distribution of strong liquor and wedding candy will once again shake the world, becoming a new tool for reaping wealth.
At that time, the Qin Dynasty will surely use this intense and mellow "fiery aroma" to make all foreign states willingly pay money to come and beg for its favor.
Thinking of this, the wicked man couldn't help but burst into laughter.
.........
"Still no news from the Grand Commandant?"
Ying Zheng sat upright on his large chair, his eyes sweeping over the assembled officials. When he saw that his wicked husband was still nowhere to be seen, he asked with considerable annoyance.
Meng Can said with a wry smile, "Your Majesty, he has already taken several thousand shi of grain and several thousand jars of wine from me, and money... he's taken several thousand taels of gold in just seven or eight days! That's gold!!!"
Speaking of this, Meng Can felt a pang of heartache.
This kid said he was going to plunder the wealth of the outsiders, but well, he hasn't even seen the money yet, and he's already lost a lot of it.
Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng frowned slightly, his fingertips tapping lightly on the armrest of his chair. The atmosphere in the hall grew somewhat heavy with the mention of "several thousand taels of gold."
After a long silence, he finally spoke: "Meng Can, have you asked him what exactly he's up to? Why does he need so much money and supplies?"
Meng Can smiled wryly and cupped his hands: "He only said that he needed the materials to brew the new type of spirit and expand production capacity, all of which would be showcased during the wedding. At that time, he was sure to make a fortune from foreign envoys and merchants. He also shouted something about 'invest first, then reap the rewards,' and guaranteed that after the wedding, our coffers would double."
"Otherwise... I could give it to him? He can only dream about it!"
At this point, he patted his chest, unable to hide his "heartache": "But this guy wants so much, and he hasn't been around for the past few days, which has made me very nervous and bored with eating and drinking."
"Your Majesty!" Meng Ao stepped forward. "I do believe the Grand Commandant has the ability. However, I've seen him working almost day and night in his workshop outside the city lately, rarely even returning to his residence. I'm afraid he'll overwork himself. Perhaps... this old minister should go and investigate?"
Upon hearing this, the senior officials in the palace cursed inwardly. Even a fool could tell what this old man was up to. He just wanted to sneak a taste of his wicked husband's strong liquor.
Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng's lips curled into a complex smile: "This fellow is truly working himself to the bone." He looked up at the assembled officials in the hall, "Gentlemen, why don't we come with me to the workshop and see for ourselves how he is doing?"
"Yes!" the ministers shouted in unison, "We are willing to go with Your Majesty!"
Ying Zheng got up and stretched his limbs, then walked straight out of the hall, with a group of civil and military officials quickly following him.
Meanwhile, at the workshop outside the city, the charcoal fire was burning brightly, the flames licking the bottom of the still, and the whole room was filled with a rich, mellow aroma.
After several days of experimentation and improvement, the first batch of high-purity distilled spirits has been produced. The craftsmen worked tirelessly, collecting the spirits from the condenser into earthenware jars, where they were then blended and graded.
"Grand Commandant, this is the first batch of raw liquor, extremely strong. Just a small cup will make you drunk." Xiang Lihe picked up a small pot and solemnly placed it on the long table. "Why don't you try some?"
"No, no, my stomach has been full of alcohol these past few days, my brain is practically on fire." The wicked husband waved his hands repeatedly, his expression excited but unable to hide his exhaustion. "But... never mind, just scoop some out for me, I need to make sure the taste is up to standard."
As he spoke, he picked up a small cup and took a small sip with the tip of his tongue. Instantly, he felt a burning sensation in his throat, a hot and spicy sensation with a hint of sweetness and a subtle aroma of grains. Judging from his expression, the wine had reached its ideal state.
After a moment of contemplation, the wicked husband suddenly said, "Have you ever tried distilling this wine repeatedly... to see if you could get that alcohol that's so spicy it's inedible?"
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