my brother-in-law is the prince

Chapter 261
Zheng Ci sat down in the middle hall, and taught people to invite the people from Zhangde Mansion.

The man bowed down, called Zheng Gong, and said: "Student Yang Xi, I have met Zheng Gong. My master is Zhu Wenjie from Zhangde Mansion. He has always been under the care of Zheng Gong. He is grateful and has nothing to repay. It has been cold recently. I ordered the students to escort some charcoal to offer, and I hope that Zheng Gong will not dislike it."

Say goodbye.

Zheng Ci sized up this man named Yang Xi. This man should be a down-and-out scholar and a close friend of Yang Wenjie.

He nodded, took a sip of tea, and said slowly: "These days, the capital is not peaceful..."

He could stop talking, just wait for Yang Xi to accept the move.

Yang Xi was sent by Zhu Wenjie to do this errand, so he is naturally very sophisticated.

"Yeah, the capital is not peaceful now. Thieves are being caught everywhere, and they have been interrogated several times. The students are thinking that the ceremony of the prefect Zhu will inevitably attract people's attention, so they pretend to be merchants."

"Shop dealer?" Zheng Ci stared at Yang Xi, his heart was full of curiosity, and immediately asked: "What's the trick here?"

Yang Xi knew that at this time, when he was not playing tricks, the other party was also a good person, so if he wanted to gain favor, he had to tell the truth.

So he said: "When the students arrived in the capital, they could hardly enter the city gate. But thinking of the magistrate's entrustment, they were really unwilling, so they asked around. At this time, someone gave the opportunity face to face and said... Since this road is blocked, why not find another way?" , and said that there is a kind of wine in the capital, the price is high, and the princes and ministers love it. So... the students exchanged some wine, but in fact, it is just a little bit of Zhu Zhifu's wish, only a dozen boxes."

At this moment, Zheng Ci seemed to understand something.

His mind began to calculate rapidly.

Five taels of wine is a good calculation.

A box of six bottles is 30 taels a box, and if there are more than a dozen boxes, the price is between 500 taels.

500 taels is not too much, but it is not too little.

After all, it's just Bing Jing Tan Jing, just like the Song Dynasty, such as Hua Shi Gang, Birthday Gang, etc., are actually just one of the names of gifts.

Moreover, the magistrate, nine out of ten, may not necessarily send it to a family.

The gifts received by Zheng Ci were not limited to one family.

Every year, when there is not an endless stream of gift givers, is there a bustling crowd?
It's just that Zheng Ci still has doubts in his heart.

He continued to stare at Yang Xi, his mood couldn't be better or worse.

You said okay, finally someone sent charcoal toast.

But you can't say it right, what does the old man want so much wine for?
After pondering for a moment, Zheng Ci still smiled and said, "Thank you."

After finishing speaking, he said to the manager at the side: "Prepare a meal for this gentleman, he has also worked hard all the way."

After hearing this, Yang Xi was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Thank you."

You know, in the past, when Yang Xi did these things for his prefect, they didn’t prepare meals for you. After all, you are just a servant, not to mention that even if the prefect Yang came in person, you might not be able to see Zheng Ci, the court minister, and yourself. There is a minister's appearance, how can the subordinates see it as soon as they say it?
You gave a gift, and the gift list can be sent to Zheng Ci, and Zheng Ci raised his eyelids to take a look. After seeing your name, your hard work is not in vain. How dare you expect anything else?

As far as Yang Xi was concerned, he had overfulfilled the task. When he returned to Zhangde Mansion, the magistrate asked him about it, and when he told him about it, he knew that the mansion would be overjoyed and must rely more on him.

Yang Xi was also very tactful, he didn't say much, he saluted again, and walked away obediently.

This Yang Xi left.

Zheng Zhong came out and said: "Father, I went to the warehouse to check, it is Qixia's wine, the kind of five taels of silver a bottle, according to the market price, there are 550 taels."

Zheng Ci stroked his beard, frowned, and then said: "Well, I know, the old man knows it's the wine, that guy Zhang Anshi..."

I wanted to scold at first, but after thinking about it carefully, forget it.

What's the point of scolding?The more you scold him, the more excited this guy might be!
People like to see the way you dance.

After pondering for a moment, Zheng Ci suddenly said: "There is so much wine, there is no point in keeping it. Keep one box, and the rest... find a way to deal with it."

Zheng Zhong said in astonishment: "Deal with it? This... this... son... has never done business!"

Zheng Ci glared at his son with hatred, and then said: "You can sell it cheaply, find a way to find someone, of course, we must avoid people's eyes and ears, and don't let people know that it is our Zheng family who wants to sell."

Zheng Zhong had no choice but to say: "Then... son, in the past few days, try to find a way."

"Hey..." Zheng Ci shook his head and said, "What kind of thing is this? A good minister, but now he also wants to do business."

He was angry and helpless.

Only the next day.

I also heard from the manager that some people brought wine.

Hearing this, Zheng Ci felt even more displeased, and said angrily, "Our Zheng family is not a wine shop... Humph, are we going to open a restaurant? Where is Zheng Zhong? Call me that guy Zheng Zhong."

Not long after, Zheng Zhong came happily. He was drunk, his legs were shaking.

"Father, father..." Zheng Zhong grinned drunkenly and smiled at Zheng Ci.

Zheng Ci was furious immediately, stepped forward, raised his hand, and slapped him crisply.

Snapped……

Zheng Zhong was woken up abruptly, covered his mouth, and was so wronged that he wanted to cry.

Zheng Ci said angrily: "You bastard, you don't do any good. You are told to sell wine. What are you doing? You drink all day long? You have never been motivated, so that's all. It's good now. Do you want to get into bad habits? brute!"

Zheng Zhong wailed, "Father... this wine... this wine, you can't sell it, you can't sell it."

"Can't sell?" Zheng Ci was taken aback, looked at Zheng Zhong, and asked suspiciously, "What do you mean?"

Zheng Zhongdao: "Father, my son was thinking about Father's order, and went out early in the morning to find out who would like to buy wine. But who knew... that Qixia's wine was sold out overnight."

"Sold out..." Zheng Ci was taken aback again, and couldn't help feeling jealous of Zhang Anshi again.

This bastard...he...he earned it again.

Thinking of Zhang Anshi earning money, Zheng Ci felt worse than killing him, and he shouted angrily, "So what?"

"Father..." Zheng Zhong said: "Although it's sold out, now everyone in the world knows that there is a kind of wine called Palace Royal Wine, and people everywhere are asking for it. When my son went there early in the morning, I heard... I heard that it has already At the beginning, some merchants put up signs directly, saying that they bought a bottle of six taels of silver."

"Six...six liang..." Zheng Ci, who was still in the fog just now, shivered suddenly.

He looked at Zheng Zhong in disbelief.

Overnight, the price increased by one or two taels. Before five taels of silver a bottle was already sky-high, how could it still go up?
"This must be Zhang Anshi...it's a trick they played. The old man knows a trick, which is to deliberately make people buy at a high price..."

"No." Zheng Zhong shook his head firmly and said, "This is not a trick. My son didn't believe it at first, but didn't someone come to our house to give gifts early in the morning? I asked them where the wine came from, and they said ... Qixia doesn't have any goods, they bought them with six taels of silver in the market."

"Father, if these people were ordered by Zhang Anshi, would they still come and give this wine to our family for free?"

Zheng Ci's body shook, and he was greatly shocked, but he couldn't understand it in his heart.

I saw Zheng Zhong said again at this time: "If Dad wants to sell it, then he should sell it. As long as he sells it now, he will not be afraid that he will not be able to sell it at a high price. My son will go now..."

"Come back!" Zheng Ci's face suddenly became more gloomy, and because he was anxious, he shouted: "It's not for sale."

"Not for sale anymore?" Zheng Zhong felt that his father was more difficult to serve than his mother-in-law.

Zheng Ci said: "All the wine is sealed up and stored in the cellar. If someone comes to deliver it in the future, it will be the same."

Zheng Zhong frowned and said, "Father, hide it all? Isn't our family going to expand the property next year and build a house?"

"Build a fart." Zheng Ci sneered: "The house is so spacious, why do you want to live in such a big place? You bastard, you only know how to enjoy it, you prodigal son!"

Zheng Zhong looked aggrieved.

Zheng Ci took a deep breath, and then said: "Prepare the court uniform for the old man. Today, the old man is going to be on duty, so he can't stay at home all the time. If he stays at home, his eyes and ears are no longer clear."

After all, he ignored Zheng Zhong and hurriedly prepared to go out.

Inside and outside the capital, it can be said to be the focus of attention.

Not only shops that sell liquor, even those that sell paper fans, and even those that sell pork, put up signs one after another, all of which accept liquor.

In Qixia's place, many vendors have surrounded the foreign contact shop of Qixia Liquor Industry.

"You're taking the goods to sell."

"I want I want……"

"Shopkeeper Liu, I'm the cousin of Mr. Zhu's third uncle's uncle's cousin...you have to be accommodating..."

"It's really out of stock. If you don't believe me, you can go to the warehouse at the back. It's gone. It's not just here, even the workshop is out of stock. Everyone, everyone... don't make trouble, if there is goods, At that time, we will definitely spread the word, everyone, don't crowd... ah... help, help, go and call the captain, people are here to make trouble, why are you still beating people, do you know where this is?"

There has been a mess here, the scene is noisy, and many people are impatient.

Whoever can get the goods can make money immediately after changing hands.

But there's nothing the business can do here. This wine...isn't conjured out of thin air.

Who would have thought that in one night, almost all the wines in the shops of various agents were sold out.

Zhu Jin had been hiding for a long time. Seeing this scene, he was really shocked.

What's even more frightening is... Now all of a sudden, his three aunts and eight aunts seem to have jumped out of the cracks in the rocks.

All kinds of relatives have already surrounded his house.

Zhu Jin dared not go home, nor did he dare to go to the wine shop.

He didn't even dare to go to the bank, so he simply hid in the coal yard, and when it was getting dark, he asked a guy to go out to check around to make sure no one was there, and then he came out.

He stooped, got into an ordinary carriage that couldn't be more ordinary, lowered the curtain, and said anxiously: "I want to see Duke Wei, I want to see Duke Wei."

…………

"Grand Duke Wei... the days are hard to come by, my own nephews are going to turn against me, there is a quarrel in the wine business, and a few guys were injured, these people are crazy, they are all crazy. "

Zhu Jin wiped away his tears with a grievance on his face.

He is just a seller, of course he is happy to earn money, but it is too dangerous, he is trading his life for money.

Zhang Anshi was obviously in a good mood, looked at him with a smile and said, "What are you afraid of? Have you ever been afraid when you saw me arresting the rebellious party outside? Manly man, he has long put his own life and death aside in pursuit of fame and achievements. ,do not be afraid!"

Zhu Jin said with a bitter face: "But if this goes on, it's not a long-term solution. The output is too limited. There are only a few thousand bottles a day. Can you think of a way to increase the output?"

But Zhang Anshi said: "Three thousand bottles a day, one hundred thousand bottles a month, isn't that enough? Do you think this wine is so easy to make? Our wine...is not crudely made, it is ninety-nine and eighty-one crafts. , are all handmade by young girls who are twenty-eight years old and very handsome! In our winery, there are so many rules in order to provide everyone with good wine. What kind of women who make wine are not allowed to work when they have menstruation? If you are pregnant, you have to be transferred, and you have to make sure you stay in your boudoir."

"Also..." Zhang Anshi said: "During the production process, there are special Confucian scholars who read "Book of Songs" and "Spring and Autumn" to them. They are finally brewed by listening to the sound of reading aloud!"

After Zhang Anshi finished speaking, he said heartbrokenly: "Chaste girl, as well as the culture of our ancestors, the four books and five classics of the saints, how did they come to you? They are so worthless? Not to mention, every bottle of wine is worthless before it leaves the workshop. There is a consecration ceremony by the monks of Jiming Temple. If this wine is not consecrated, how can it bring good luck to the drinkers? If you sell wine that can’t make people spirited and family happy, are you unvirtuous or not?”

Zhu Jin was dumbfounded when he heard it.

The manufacture of the distillery is an absolute secret, even Zhu Jin doesn't know about it.

Listening to it now, I just feel that this thing is too mysterious.

He couldn't help muttering: "A few days ago, my lord, you asked me to call some old girls who couldn't get married, some scholars who had failed, and wild monks who couldn't find a place to stay in the temple. This?"

Seeing that Zhang Anshi's face suddenly darkened, Zhu Jin seemed to wake up suddenly and shivered suddenly.

He immediately apologized and said with a smile: "No, no, grandpa, you...you are so merciful, I understand now, that's right, there is nothing wrong with that, we sell wine, we must have a conscience, and we can't put our eyes on money. This wine...cannot be crudely made. If it is not made by a chaste woman, who has never heard the sound of reading aloud, and has never been consecrated, can this kind of wine be drunk by others? My father-in-law is an honest man, and my young heart can only admire it."

Zhang Anshi's face finally calmed down, and then he said triumphantly: "What's more, the water we use to make wine is a special spring water, which is my Qixia's clear spring..."

Zhu Jin immediately thought of the well that was dug when he built the wine workshop.

Zhang Anshi continued: "This clear spring only produces so much water every day. We've tried our best. Three thousand bottles, that's five hundred boxes. It's a little less, but it doesn't matter. The second batch of goods is on the market. We can raise the price. That’s good, a bottle of ten taels of silver can be done in one step, so that everyone won’t scramble for it.”

"I saw many people scrambling for this wine, and I felt very uncomfortable. There are too many disputes in the world, can't peace be the most important thing? Now that the price is set at ten taels of silver, at least there will be fewer people scrambling for it. Many, the world is much more peaceful, for the sake of world peace, this is the only way to go."

Zhu Jin frowned, and said with concern: "Will it not be sold at the Twelfth Party?"

Zhang Anshi was calm, and said: "It depends on the situation, you can secretly release the news first."

Zhu Jin was taken aback: "Let's release the news first?"

Zhang Anshi smiled and said, "Just let it go, try it and you'll know."

Zhu Jin didn't have any better ideas, so he didn't say much, and nodded.

.........

"Father, father..."

Zheng gave the value.

When I was in the Ministry of Rites today, no one talked about wine, as if that wine had never appeared in the capital.

Everyone in the Ministry of Rites was happy and happy. When they heard that Zheng Ci had recovered from his illness, they all came to congratulate him. When they saw Zheng Ci, they only worried about the country and the people, or talked about poetry, or about romance.

Only... For this wine, almost everyone avoided it tacitly.

Zheng Ci didn't mention it either, it seemed that everyone had reached some kind of agreement in advance.

Zheng Ci returned home with his hands behind his back. He had just arrived at the middle hall of his home when he heard his son yelling hysterically again.

He frowned unhappily, feeling that his son was hopeless and unsteady.

Look at those young people in the Ministry of Rites, which one is not as immovable as a mountain?Even if the house is on fire, you can still talk and laugh happily, and behave like a ritual.

Could this not be his son?

A thought popped up, which Zheng Ci couldn't get rid of.

"what happened again?"

Zheng Zhong also just came back, and he couldn't hide the joy on his face at this time, excitedly said: "It's gone up, it's gone up, and now it's all collected in eight taels of silver."

Zheng Ci frowned and looked at Zheng Zhong and said, "It's so expensive? If that's the case... it's... it's... you can sell some, you go out and find some buyers..."

Zheng Zhong shook his head like a rattle drum, and said anxiously: "Father, you are so confused. Although the price outside is eight taels, but... in fact, no one sells it at all, only fools sell it!"

Zheng Ci asked suspiciously, "Why?"

Zheng Zhong lowered his voice and muttered, "I heard the gossip, it is absolutely accurate, it is said that this wine... Qixia's price is going to increase, from now on... ten taels of silver per bottle."

After hearing this, Zheng Ci felt a little dizzy.

Twelve... This is a bit shameless.

Wine at such a price must at least be a fine wine that has been stored for decades to be possible.

Zheng Ci couldn't help scolding: "That Zhang An Shi, he is crazy about money."

"They don't have to worry about selling." Zheng Zhong said: "I heard that because of the spring water and other factors, the output is very low, and almost one bottle can be sold quickly. Those damn profiteers outside are only eight Two charges. Dad, just wait and see, in a few days, you will get ten taels. I heard from the youngest son of Zhao Shilang’s family at the end of the street that the supply is still in short supply. His father is from the Ministry of Industry. I am most familiar with it, this is good water, but it is very little.”

After Zheng Ci heard it, he said: "Hey, it sounds reasonable...but I always feel that something is wrong..."

Zheng Zhong happily said: "Father, don't care if he is right or wrong, anyway...you can make money. I also heard..."

Having said that, he lowered his voice: "The Censor of Liudu, someone found a way to buy a batch of silk. As a charcoal respect, guess what the Censor of Liudu will do? Just return the gift. .”

"Backed back?"

"Father, you don't understand this. As long as you have silver, where can you not buy this silk? But this wine, you go out and buy it. Rare things are more expensive! I also heard that many sell The merchants of the wine are reluctant to sell it, and in the future when new products are released, they can only find Qixia Commercial Bank's own distributors, otherwise...you can't even think about buying a bottle of wine."

The more Zheng Ci heard it, the more mysterious it became. This is not wine, it is simply... an elixir.

Although he felt that there seemed to be a problem.

But it seems that everyone around him is happy with it.

His own son is also like a baby, he no longer mentions the expansion of the house, he starts to talk vividly about the consecration, about the concoction of the big girl, about "Spring and Autumn" and "Book of Songs".

"Listen to this, this wine can also increase knowledge?"

Zheng Zhong said very seriously: "Everyone is saying this, saying that the great Confucian was invited to read the Four Books and Five Classics, and he still used elegant accents, every word and sentence, and he couldn't make a mistake. The great Confucian who studied, every morning, had to Bathing three times, not eating meat every day, and focusing on blandness, such a great Confucianist...is very exhausting, and basically...will have a short life of ten years."

The more Zheng Ci thinks about it, the more he doesn't like it.

But in his mind, there seemed to be another voice.

It could be true, it's true... after all... no one can disprove it.

So, he started telling himself over and over again.

Zheng Ci himself didn't know what was wrong with him. He felt that he was a very smart person, but the voice in his heart became stronger and stronger.

He doesn't seem to realize that even a person like him is constantly hypnotizing himself. The reason may not be that he is not smart enough, but because...he really has a lot of this kind of wine.

Sure enough, what Zheng Zhong said was not wrong at all.

In the early morning of the next day, people began to buy it for nine taels of silver.

All kinds of rumors and rumors are spreading.

Whether applauding or scolding people, it seems that they are proud of owning this wine.

And this price is more and more like Qixia's price increase.

…………

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..." Yi Shiha hurried into Zhu Di's bedroom.

Early in the morning, Zhu Di, who was combing his hair, couldn't help showing disgust at this Yishiha.

He raised his head, glanced at Yi Shiha, and said: "Why are you in such a hurry, don't disturb your mother..."'

Yi Shiha came to his senses, so he crept to Zhu Di's side quietly, and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, there is news outside the palace... the wine... is sold out."

Zhu Di was taken aback.Looking at himself in the bronze mirror, with a little more Huafa, Zhu Di felt a bit of self-pity, as if he was beginning to show signs of aging, and the hero was a little short of breath.

But all of a sudden, his eyes were like torches, and he was fierce.

Those eyes, looking at the bronze mirror, seemed to shoot out two beams of light.

Zhu Di said: "What's going on? How could so much wine be sold out overnight?"

He shouted very loudly.

On the couch in the distance, there was a slight noise, and Zhu Di realized that he had woken up Empress Xu.

So, ignoring combing his hair, he pulled Yi Shiha out of the bedroom with disheveled hair, and walked down the long corridor with his hands behind his back: "Say."

"Slave... I don't understand, if I understand, I..." Yi Shiha glanced at his crotch in shame.

Zhu Di frowned: "Is it so fast? The day before yesterday, that guy Zhang Anshi only sold [-] bottles. How could it happen in a blink of an eye... Well, it's useless to ask you, you know nothing."

Yi Shiha said aggrievedly: "The servant girl actually asks people to inquire, but people talk about Qingquan, Lao Shizi's eldest daughter, and what kind of Confucianism... The servant listened very carefully, but the more I listened... this... It's getting more confusing."

Zhu Di said: "Call Zhang Anshi, call Zhang Anshi immediately, you bastard... go."

Yi Shiha didn't dare to neglect, and went in a hurry.

When Zhang Anshi heard the summons, he seemed to be ready. With a planning book and account books between him, he immediately entered the palace to have an audience.

When I arrived at Wenlou, I saw Zhu Di looking at me with a smile.

In Zhu Di's eyes, the old father looked at his son's intimacy.

There is a slight smile on the corner of his mouth, which is a smile that Zhu Di rarely shows. Most of Zhu Di's smiles are rough and wild, without such subtlety.

"Come here, Zhang Qing's family, look at you, I just called you here, why are you in such a hurry, look, you are covered in sweat, young man, you must cherish yourself, when I was young, I just don't care about my body, look at now..."

Zhang Anshi said: "Your Majesty is as powerful as a dragon and a tiger, and is still very strong. You can kill me with a single punch."

"What kind of words are these?" Zhu Di said slightly angrily, "You are my humerus, how could I be willing to kill you, and I will never say these words again, it's too late for me to cherish you."

For a moment, Zhang Anshi didn't know how to answer.

If the brother-in-law said this, Zhang Anshi would not feel any sense of disobedience.

But His Majesty...

"Come on, give me a seat. Oh, serve a cup of tea to Zhang Qing's family. He must be thirsty. You slaves, why are you so incapable of doing things? Do you have to explain everything one by one? How did I say, Zhang Qing's family is not only the emperor's relatives, but also my right-hand man, I know his monarch and ministers well, and the relationship is extraordinary."

The eunuchs were so frightened that their faces turned ashen, some served tea and some passed water.

Zhang Anshi sat down, feeling a little hairy in his heart, and said cautiously: "Chen...Chen..."

"Take a break, take a rest, don't rush to answer first, I had a dream last night, I dreamed of you, I think back then, Zhang Qing's family was still young at that time, although it was only a few years ago, but the calendar can tell you In the eyes, the so-called thinking day by day and dreaming at night, if I don't see Zhang Qing's house for a day, it will be like three autumns."

Zhang Anshi shivered: "I have a merciless request."

"Zhang Qing said, Zhang Qing knows, I will never reject Zhang Qing's family."

Zhang An Shidao; "Can... can you speak well?"

After hearing this, Zhu Di pulled his face down: "Fuck you, you have to be scolded by me to feel comfortable, right?"

Zhang Anshi lowered his head in shame.

Although the reality seems to be a little bit cheap, to some extent...for Zhang Anshi, it is indeed the case.

(End of this chapter)