Chapter 24 Dionysus Festival 02 (1000 new...
By the time Zhu Yu completed a whole set of tedious disinfection procedures in the front yard and returned to the room, it was already very late.
She didn't even have time to change her clothes, and she fell into a deep sleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow.
Before she completely lost consciousness, Zhu Yu swore in a daze in her mind that when she really had enough power in the town of Arce, she would change the meeting time of the secret society to broad daylight. Otherwise, it would be too torturous to attend every time in the dark at night.
She slept until almost noon. If Maggie hadn't knocked on the door for the third time and carefully reminded her that the Archon had suddenly come to visit and was waiting for her downstairs, she would probably have slept for another quarter of an hour.
Zhu Yu closed his eyes and sat up, his voice still a little hoarse:
"The Archon? Why does he want me?"
She asked as she slowly put on her clothes.
Maggie came forward and helped her button her dress:
"According to him, he wants to discuss with you the preparations for the upcoming Dionysus Festival."
When he heard the keyword "Dionysus", Zhu Yu's sleepiness immediately disappeared.
"I didn't expect that he would come in person... It seems that this festival is more important than I thought."
"you do not say."
Maggie picked up a comb and combed her hair, smiling and saying, "The Dionysus Festival is a big festival held every three years. Not only our town of Arce, but also several nearby towns will participate. We missed the last one, but your 'Golden Cup' tavern has already gained a reputation in recent years, so the Archon naturally values you."
After hearing Maggie's answer, Zhu Yu realized that he had accidentally spoken out what was in his heart.
She pursed her lips and took this opportunity to get some information about the Dionysus Festival from Maggie.
It turns out that this so-called "Dionysian Festival" originated from the ancient sacrificial ceremony of "Iros, the god of wine".
According to legend, it was the god of wine Iros who gave mankind the first batch of wheat seeds and winemaking techniques, bringing joy and comfort to the world.
Later, people established this grand festival to commemorate the god of wine.
Although the town of Arce is geographically remote, it participates in every competition and even won a good ranking in one session with its ice honey apricot wine. It can be considered an old town with some heritage.
All participating towns will eventually select the most representative tavern or winery and go to the host city, Iros.
This city not only shares the same name as the god of wine, but is also the place where, according to legend, the god of wine Iros first bestowed wine on the mortal world. It is known as the "City of Grapes and Malt".
Zhu Yu silently memorized this information, then straightened his clothes and walked down the stairs.
At this moment, in the living room, a middle-aged man wearing a dark blue robe and a red and gold belt stood up to greet her.
The man had thick eyebrows, a slightly plump figure and a smiling face. He was none other than Albert Hatton, the current governor of the town of Arce.
"Good day, Miss Draka."
Hearing the footsteps, he immediately stood up, and when he saw Zhu Yu appear, he greeted him enthusiastically, "I apologize for my intrusive visit today."
Zhu Yu shook hands with him gently, exchanged a few polite words, and then asked directly: "I heard that you came here for the Dionysian Festival. But...with the plague, won't such a festival be affected?"
Governor Albert sighed, his smile slightly helpless: "It does have an impact. Several of the participating cities have also seen mild cases of infection, but at the moment, it has not affected the overall process. Our Arce...is one of the more seriously infected."
When he said this, his tone was obviously a little depressed, and a trace of anxiety appeared in his eyes: "In previous years, several old civilian taverns have been more or less affected by the plague. Now they are either short of staff or have given up on signing up because of the lack of raw materials."
Zhu Yu raised his eyebrows slightly, but before he could reply, Governor Albert changed the subject with obvious expectation in his tone:
"That's why we especially need taverns like your 'Golden Cup Tavern' to step up. I have personally tasted the popular rose wine that your tavern has created in recent years. It tastes sweet and mellow, with a floral aftertaste. I told the people around me at the time that if you hadn't missed the registration period for the last Dionysus Festival, this wine would definitely become famous and would have amazed everyone at the festival long ago."
Hearing the governor praising his tavern to the skies, Zhu Yu coughed lightly, looking a little embarrassed, and interrupted awkwardly:
"Mr. Archon, you should have heard about the recent events in Belran City. Unfortunately, the supplier involved is the one who originally provided me with rose raw materials."
She spread her hands and added helplessly:
"So I'm afraid we won't be able to make rose wine this year."
Even before she left, Isabella successfully awakened her natural magic power, and the Colin family naturally replaced Lady Lucia and became the new supplier of Rocosa roses to the Golden Cup Tavern.
However, it will take at least a year for the new season of Rococo roses to mature and be harvested.
The high-quality "Rokosa" roses that had matured this year had either already been reserved by other taverns at high prices, or were destroyed in the disaster in Beleriand.
After hearing this, Governor Albert was slightly stunned. The enthusiasm on his face obviously froze for a moment, and then he sighed regretfully:
"Oh, that's such a pity. I know the quality of that wine. If it can participate in the competition, it will definitely get a good ranking."
Zhu Yu heard him sigh, lowered his eyes, and said after a moment of silence:
"But I will still participate in this Dionysian Festival."
She looked up at the Archon and said, "Although rose wine cannot be produced again for the time being, I have been trying to develop new wines. Perhaps this is an opportunity to launch new products and fight for the town of Arce."
"In any case, I will draw up a competition plan as soon as possible, and I hope you will support me then."
When Governor Albert heard these words, the regret on his face disappeared instantly, and his eyes brightened a little, as if he had been waiting for Zhu Yu to make this promise.
In fact, Governor Albert himself also runs a small winery, but he knows very well that the wines there are only enough to provide the townspeople with for festive occasions, and the wines brewed in recent years are not particularly eye-catching.
Some time ago, he had heard through his connections that the competition in this Dionysus Festival was more intense than ever before, especially since several senior winemakers in the city of Ilos were eager to try and would bring their new works to the competition.
If he personally brought his own wine to the competition, he might not only lose miserably, but it might also affect his usual reputation and channel cooperation.
As for the town’s old taverns, many of them had indeed suspended business due to staff shortages caused by the plague.
But there were a few others who were in a similar situation as him. They had already figured out the competitive situation in the outside world early on, and knew that their wine quality could not be compared with those of the winemakers in big cities, so they simply gave up their qualification to participate in the competition on the grounds of "inconvenience caused by the plague."
In comparison, the noble lady opposite, who had only been in the town of Arce for a few years and had not even participated in any Dionysian Festival, seemed very easy to "fool".
What's more, her Golden Cup Tavern is now on the rise and has gradually taken away a lot of the liquor business that originally belonged to them.
Now that the supply of rose wine has been cut off, even if the final performance of Golden Cup is not as good as expected, it will not do any harm to him. On the contrary, he may be able to take the opportunity to regain part of the market.
Being able to push her up would be a best of both worlds option.
Thinking of this, Governor Albert's tone became much lighter, even with a hint of relief:
"Since you are willing to represent the town in the competition, I will introduce the name of the Golden Cup Tavern. If you have new wine or good news, please inform me as soon as possible."
Zhu Yu nodded and said, "Don't worry, I will make arrangements."
After she finished speaking, she saw the consul standing up to leave, so she also stood up and walked him to the door.
The sun was shining outside the door. Zhu Yu stood on the steps and watched the consul get on the carriage with a happy face and leave the mansion.
When the carriage disappeared from sight, the smile in her eyes gradually faded and her brows furrowed slightly.
She was not unaware that throughout the conversation, Consul Albert had deliberately avoided giving a detailed explanation of the core content of the Dionysian Festival.
Whether it was the criteria for participating in the town or festival evaluation, or the struggle between other nobles, nothing was said in detail, and she was simply encouraged to "prepare well."
Zhu Yu slowly stroked the edge of his cuffs with his fingertips.
The more deliberate her concealment and attentive her attitude was, the more it showed that the consul had not told her the whole truth.
She had already listed several polite ways to refuse in her mind, but the next moment, a detail suddenly jumped out from the depths of her memory - when she said goodbye to Mrs. Janet last night, she had specifically mentioned the "Dionysus Festival".
This means that before she came back, Elena had probably already included "participating in the competition" in her plan and discussed the relevant matters with Mrs. Janet.
Elena has always been cautious in her work and rarely takes the initiative to participate in occasions that will attract a lot of attention from outsiders.
Especially since she is a wizard herself, she knew that the Dionysus Festival was a large-scale festival involving multiple cities, during which there would be envoys from the Inquisition and the Royal City sending people to observe, but she still chose to participate. Her purpose was definitely not as simple as simply expanding the reputation of the tavern.
There must be other hidden intentions.
Zhu Yu called Maggie and instructed her, "Go find all the information about the Dionysus Festival in the study. The more detailed the better. Also, send someone to inform Lambert and Betty that I will be going to the Golden Cup Tavern later."
After giving the instructions, she changed into a neatly cut dark grey empire dress, paired with light-colored riding boots, and simply tied her hair up.
The Golden Cup Tavern was not far from her residence, only about ten minutes' walk away, so there was no need to mobilize a large force and use a carriage.
However, for her personal safety, she still called 996 and George to accompany her.
When George heard that they were going to the tavern, he immediately became excited and adjusted the sword at his waist.
Not long after, the group went out in a mighty procession.
The Golden Cup Tavern is located at the end of the main street in the wealthy area of Arce. The overall building is in a typical medieval classical style, with dark green vines climbing up along the white pillars. The wooden exterior wall is embedded with a gold-plated sign. The center logo is a glittering golden wine glass with a simple line of words engraved below: "May every drop of wine be filled with sincerity."
Zhu Yu walked into the tavern with Lambert and Betty who greeted her at the door, and scanned the environment inside.
Perhaps due to its geographical location, most of the people sitting in the tavern are well-dressed wealthy businessmen and travelers.
Because Elena would occasionally come to the tavern to inspect it in person in the past, several familiar regulars recognized her at a glance when she walked in, and they raised their glasses to her or took off their hats to salute her.
Zhu Yu nodded in response, glanced across the bar, and asked the bartender to make her a few special drinks.
The bartender immediately stepped forward to prepare:
"Miss, do you still like 'Lily Under the Moon'? I am impressed by this cup."
Zhu Yu nodded in agreement. After a while, a cup of crystal clear "Lily Under the Moon" was pushed in front of her. The lavender liquid was glowing in the cup, and a few dried white orchid petals were dotted on the edge, with a rich and cool aroma.
Then the bartender mixed another drink called "Alchemist's Dream".
The wine was dark blue in color, with fine gold powder-like sediment at the bottom, and a faint scent of vanilla and herbs floating on the surface of the wine.
While drinking his own wine, Zhu Yu pushed the glass of "Alchemist's Dream" in front of 996, motioning him to taste it.
George took a look and came over with great interest:
"I want a cup, too—"
Zhu Yu glanced at him and said calmly:
"Are you of age?"
“Just a little bit more.”
"That's a lot worse."
Zhu Yu simply moved the wine glass a little further away.
George's face suddenly wrinkled:
"I'm old enough to go to the battlefield, but you didn't even give me a glass of wine..."
"Well, going to the battlefield and going to the drinking table are not the same thing. How about I pour you a glass of apple cider vinegar and add some sparkling water?"
Zhu Yu replied in a light tone, and the others turned their heads away trying not to laugh.
At this time, she looked at Lambert and changed her tone:
"Is there any stock of rosé in the cellar?"
Lambert nodded. "There's a small barrel left, the last batch brewed last fall. I'll go get it right away."
Not long after, he personally brought a well-sealed bottle of rose wine and poured a glass for Zhu Yu and 996 respectively.
The rose-colored wine ripples in the crystal glass, and an exceptionally beautiful rose is dotted on the wall of the glass.
Zhu Yu and 996 looked at each other, took a sip together in tacit understanding, and then communicated in their minds:
996: This taste is really the most outstanding variety in the pub.
Zhu Yu: Well, compared with other wines, this wine has a mild aftertaste and rich floral aroma, and is suitable for a wider range of people. It is indeed the best-selling wine for a reason.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but sigh.
Rocosa Rose Wine is indeed the masterpiece of the museum... It's a pity that she doesn't have enough to participate in the Dionysus Festival activities.
It is indeed quite difficult to find a new wine that can replace or even surpass it in a short period of time.
Zhu Yu had something on his mind and soon finished two glasses of wine.
Although the bartender didn't make her a big drink, Zhu Yu still felt a little tipsy. The alcohol flowed down her neck to her heart, and her mind was clearer than usual.
She rubbed her forehead, stood up and said:
"Betty, take me to the wine cellar."
"To the wine cellar?"
Betty was a little surprised, but she immediately nodded in agreement, turned around and led the way.
The cellar of the Golden Cup Tavern is located behind a gray stone side house at the back, and the small corridor leading there is quiet and narrow.
On both sides are storage rooms and spare kitchens. The air is filled with the slightly damp woody aroma of oak barrels and the aftertaste of fermented aged wine, mixed into a warm and slightly sour aroma.
After arriving at the location, Betty squatted down and lifted the iron-locked wooden cover on the floor. The cover opened with a "click", revealing a spiral stone staircase.
"Miss, watch your step."
She walked ahead holding an oil lamp, the light casting a slightly swaying shadow on the wall.
Zhu Yu, 996 and George followed closely and entered the wine cellar one after another.
The footsteps echoed in the silent underground. When they landed steadily, Betty hung the lantern on the hook on the wall. The entire wine cellar suddenly became much brighter, and the full picture of the wine cellar finally emerged in the light.
Zhu Yu glanced over and was stunned, his eyes widened slightly.
The huge wine cellar space, which should have been filled with neatly stacked oak barrels, now seemed unusually empty.
There were only a dozen or so barrels of wine piled up in the corner against the wall, two of which were labeled "to be scrapped". The wooden boards were swollen and it was obvious that they could no longer be used.
Is this amount of inventory enough to meet the needs of such a large pub?
Zhu Yu frowned slightly, with a look of confusion in his eyes.
George, who was standing next to her, had already imagined a whole tavern theft tragedy in his mind.
He drew out his sword with a clang, stood straight, and looked around with an extremely serious expression:
"Sister, your tavern must have been robbed, right? Do you want me to rush out and call the police right now?"
Before Zhu Yu could speak, Betty turned around and explained helplessly:
"Master George, there's no need to be so nervous. The Golden Cup Tavern's wine supply mainly comes from the young lady's winery, and is delivered to the tavern by a special person every few days. This wine cellar is usually just a distribution point, and the storage capacity is not too much. The current stock is already the recently rotated stock."
After she finished speaking, she turned her head to look at Zhu Yu, with a hint of verification in her tone:
"Miss, is that right?"
Zhu Yu, who was about to be exposed, nodded calmly as Betty said:
“Yes, these are indeed just the blended stock. The barrels from the main batch are still at the winery.”
After listening to the conversation between the two, George realized that he had completely misunderstood the situation.
He put back the sword he had just drawn with an embarrassed look.
In order to cover up the awkward atmosphere, he quickly squatted down and pretended to look at the wine barrel next to him, with an expression as serious as if he could taste the year from the texture of the barrel wall in the next moment.
Zhu Yu fell into a brief contemplation.
No wonder Betty reacted so strangely when she heard that she was going to the wine cellar. It turned out that this underground space was not the main place to store wine. It was indeed unreasonable to propose to come here to check the wine inventory.
Normally, if she really wanted to check on the wine, she should go to the winery first.
Fortunately, Betty obviously thought that she just came to see him because she was drunk and in a good mood, and didn't think much about it.
However, when mentioning the winery, Zhu Yu recalled that before she came to this copy, the original owner Elena was attacked and seriously injured while inspecting the winery.
Since she entered this copy, she has been dealing with various emergencies and has not been to the manor once until now.
Thinking of this, Zhu Yu narrowed his eyes slightly and made a prompt decision:
"Let's go to the winery."
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