"Tian Yi, you have been to Donghai County and even Yun'an County. Do you know the origin of this acacia wine?"
As the head of the family, Liu Lai, the Minister of Household Affairs, naturally spoke first to break the silence.
"Is it really as Xu Tianhua said, brewed by an immortal?"
"Shit!"
Tian Yi said angrily: "That wine was brewed by a rogue man in Xiping Village, Yun'an County. Over there, he sold a jar for only one thousand taels."
"How many?"
Hearing this, everyone was dumbfounded.
Looking at Tian Yi in surprise, he said in disbelief: "Tian Yi, are you drunk and talking nonsense here?"
"Acacia wine is so delicious, how can it only be sold for a thousand taels per jar?"
"It is indeed one thousand taels per altar."
Tian Yi said firmly: "The last time I went back to Donghai County to convey an order was when I appointed Zhao Ping as the Seventh Grade Wine Tasting Officer."
"It just so happens that my family is also from Donghai County, so I took a trip back to my hometown."
"I met my uncle from my family. Do you know what my uncle does?"
"Just a businessman."
Someone in the know said indifferently.
It is obvious that he is quite disdainful of Tian Yi's uncle Tian Fuhai.
He even looked down on Tian Yi.
Born as a merchant, even if he could enter the Hanlin Academy, it would be just wishful thinking to go one step further and become a Hanlin bachelor.
"good."
However, Tian Yi seemed not to hear the contempt in the man's words.
He continued: "My uncle is indeed a merchant."
"But it is precisely because of this that Zhao Ping came to my uncle and sold the acacia wine to my uncle."
"The price of the first sale was indeed one thousand taels of silver per jar."
"Later Xu Tianhua went to Donghai's house and stayed at my uncle's house. He tasted the acacia wine and said it was worth five thousand taels, so my uncle sold the acacia wine for five thousand taels of silver per jar."
"But if you buy wine from Zhao Ping, it's still a thousand taels per jar."
"It was Xu Tianhua who stopped my uncle. He thought acacia wine was better than tribute wine, and five thousand taels was too cheap."
"Then he brought the acacia wine back to Beijing to sell it. He started selling it for 10,000 taels of silver per jar, and now he sells it for 25,000 taels of silver per jar."
"Damn Xu Tianhua, isn't this cheating our money?"
Someone said angrily.
"Yes, he is driving up prices. I must report it to Your Majesty and ask Your Majesty to uphold justice for us."
"Justice?"
Liu Lai sneered, "How to host?"
"Do you know who gets all the money from the sales of Xiangsi wine?"
"To whom?"
"Isn't it the dog-like officer Gui Xu Tianhua?"
"Haha, the Xiangsi wine sold for so much money, does he dare to accept it all?"
Liu Lai said disdainfully: "To tell you the truth, all the money belongs to our Majesty."
"If not, will Your Majesty support him?"
"The wine shop is located in the capital. It sells ten bottles a day and then raises the price later. This sales model has been smashed countless times."
hiss!
Everyone gasped.
There is actually His Majesty's shadow behind the acacia wine, which is a bit difficult to handle.
They all looked at Liu Lai, waiting for him to give his idea.
"In the capital, we have no way to challenge His Majesty. For now, we can only change our goals."
Liu Lai thought for a while and said, "Xu Tianhua can cooperate with Zhao Ping, why can't he cooperate with us?"
"Xu Tianhua offers five thousand taels of silver, then we will offer six thousand taels, seven thousand taels, or even ten thousand taels."
"As long as Zhao Ping is not a fool, he will definitely choose us."
"As long as we cut off the source, aren't we the ones who have the final say on how to price the acacia wine in the future and who to sell it to?"
"This is a very clever plan."
Everyone applauded.
Just who to send to Xiping Village?
We are all important officials of the imperial court and are not allowed to leave the capital easily.
And Xiping Village is a remote place, and no one wants their children to suffer.
But Liu Lai has a way.
Of the six leaders, two of them sent their legitimate sons, and the other four sent their guards.
As the leader, Liu Lai sent his eldest son Liu Wenhao out.
The other family is Yun Chengze, the son of the Minister of War.
Yun Chengze, the second son of the Minister of War, liked to make some useless inventions and creations. He was regarded as not doing his job properly and was not treated well.
Yun Su, Minister of War, sent him out just to make up the numbers.
Liu Lai had no objection to this.
Yun'an County not only has acacia wine, but also soaps and frosting sugar.
These are cash cows.
Once you get one, it can be passed down for many generations without fading.
His eldest son Liu Wenhao stepped in and took full responsibility. When the time came, he would pack it up and take it away, while the rest would just drink soup.
Of course, for safety reasons, he also sent out guards.
Guarding Liu Wenhao's safety secretly.
The few people discussed some details before dispersing.
Before leaving, Tian Yi asked weakly, "Master Liu, is there any sign of your roommate here?"
"Um?"
Liu Lai frowned and said in a deep voice: "Tian Yi, what do you mean?"
"Although you brought Tian Rou to my palace, she had no intention of getting married and ran away privately."
"I didn't pursue you for teasing me. It's a good thing that you blamed me for losing your sister. Do you want to blackmail me?"
"I don't dare, I don't dare."
Tian Yi hurriedly apologized, "It's just that two days ago, Li He sent an order to let his sister-in-law come to the palace to see him."
"I have been searching for a few days with no results, so I want to ask Mr. Liu about his situation."
Um?
Liu Lai was stunned, "Your Majesty wants Tian Rou to come to the palace to see you?"
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Tian Yiyan replied in two words concisely and comprehensively.
As a Hanlin, he knows very well that the unknown is the most dangerous.
Let them guess.
It is best to think that His Majesty will accept Tian Rou as his concubine.
See who is anxious in the end?
Sure enough, Liu Lai thought about it for a while and figured out the key.
Tian Rou came to Beijing, brought here by Tian Yi, with the purpose of marrying his eldest son Liu Wenhao.
Before the marriage took place, Tian Rou ran away.
Your Majesty must not know.
If you want to meet Tian Rou under such circumstances, it is most likely a random encounter that makes His Majesty fall in love with Tian Rou at first sight. He wants to take her as your concubine, so he specifically ordered Tian Yi to look for her.
Be good.
Tian Yi's sister is going to become a concubine?
It's scary to think about it.
Liu Lai didn't dare to make excuses anymore and hurriedly said with a smile: "Congratulations to Tian Hanlin, congratulations to Tian Hanlin."
"If my sister is appreciated by His Majesty and wants to be canonized, from now on Tian Hanlin will no longer be Hanlin, but Uncle Tian Guo."
"I am here to wish Uncle Tian Guo that he will be promoted to a noble rank and become an important minister beside His Majesty."
"Don't forget to support your subordinates when the time comes?"
"Mr. Liu is just kidding, we haven't even figured out the horoscope yet."
Tian Yi was very proud in his heart, but he did not show it on his face. Instead, he said calmly: "What's more, the sister-in-law hasn't been found yet, so I'm very anxious. I hope Master Liu can help me find her."
"Easy to say, easy to say."
Liu Lai readily accepted.
He also asked Tian Yi for a portrait and asked everyone to help find it.
Everyone heard that Tian Rou was going to become a concubine, and they were all interested.
If you can help His Majesty fulfill his wish, you will receive many rewards.
Likewise, there are others in the discussion.
For example, the three giants of the Dawei Dynasty were Xu Chun, the minister, Zhuge Yuanlang, the Hanlin scholar, and Su Wencheng, the cabinet scholar.
The three of them also gathered together and discussed how to deal with the ridiculously expensive acacia wine.
Everyone is not a fool.
If the acacia wine was a tribute wine from other countries, they would be relieved to spend one to twenty thousand taels, or even one hundred and eighty thousand taels to buy it back and keep it as a family heirloom.
The key is that Xu Tianhua has shipped back two batches.
The first batch was fifty altars, and the second batch was nearly three hundred altars.
With such a large amount, the brewing technique is a bit more complicated, but definitely not much more complicated.
But the wine is really delicious.
Even if you can't sell a jar for 25,000 taels of silver, you can still make a profit if you sell it for 5,000 taels.
This industry must be in our own hands.
As soon as the three of them gathered together, they sent people to Donghai County to find Zhao Ping to discuss cooperation.
If you can talk, everything will be fine.
If we can't reach an agreement, we have to find another way.
The goal must be achieved no matter what.
Similarly, people around the prince also gathered together, led by the prince and Taifu Muchen, who were also discussing how to seize the operating rights of Xiangsi Wine.
At that time, the capital sent out several troops and rushed to Donghai County.
Zhao Ping was completely unaware of this.
After arranging the task of suppressing the bandits and finishing the reorganization, he rushed to Qingzhou with Zuo Zhigang and others to meet with the prefect Chen Xinghe.
