C21 The Xiao Family's Second Room's Despair

The Wine Tasting Festival.

Today's weather was splendid, with the children having meticulously cleared every snowflake from the ground.

Wineries and cellars from all over convened, each one advertising and promoting their signature products.

In the Northern Song Dynasty, while wine was officially a government monopoly, wineries and distributors could be privately owned.

Private entrepreneurs leased government wineries, and once their wine was brewed, it was stored and exclusively sold by the official cellars.

Many businesses operated both wineries and taverns, sourcing wine directly from their own production at the cellars. This effectively made them private enterprises, albeit with a government intermediary.

Before Lee Cha even stepped into the event, the heady aroma of wine hit him.

Eager children approached, enthusiastically recommending the exquisite offerings from various wineries and inviting him to sample their fare.

Observing the scene, Lee Cha marveled silently at the ancient wisdom on display. The Song Dynasty's merchants conducted their trade with remarkable astuteness.

Upon paying an entry fee of one or two silver taels, Lee Cha was greeted by two neat rows of square wooden tables. At the head of each row stood two large boards, announcing the Eastern Market Wine Cellar and the Western Que Wine Cellar.

Beside each table, advertisement banners crafted from bamboo poles and cloth fluttered in the breeze, heralding names like Cao's Winery, Liang's Winery, and Rain Dew Wine Cellar.

The tables boasted an array of wines: pale yellow rice wines, rich brown fruit wines, cloudy rice wines, and even exotic varieties like snake and ant wines.

Lee Cha was awestruck. Were it not for the period attire, he might have believed he'd stumbled into a modern trade show.

The crowd was a vibrant tapestry of common folk, merchants, and dignitaries, reminiscent of a car expo captured in future documentaries.

Venturing further, he passed no fewer than seven wine cellars, each overseeing a multitude of workshops.

After a fifteen-minute stroll, he reached an elevated terrace. Here, the stalls were more spacious, and the clientele, in their refined attire and demeanor, exuded a sophistication unmatched elsewhere at the festival.

This was the heart of the wine tasting gala.

A multitude of young masters clad in fine silk, distinguished aristocrats, suave scholars, and prominent merchants mingled together, savoring wines and occasionally exchanging pleasantries that led to mutual admiration among the business folk.

At the North Wine Cellar, Xiao's Distillery was bustling with patrons. Xiao Mengde, the head of the Xiao family's main branch, sat behind a curtain, a look of smug satisfaction on his face.

He lifted his cup, took a sip, and a blissful expression washed over him.

Just then, his son Xiao Junjie approached, whispering, "Father, do you think we'll succeed this time? I've heard the second branch has spared no expense to bring in a master brewer from Kaifeng Prefecture, who's crafted an exceptional wine."

Xiao Mengde smirked dismissively, "What of a master brewer? I've prepared a little surprise for them—they won't know what hit them."

Across town at the Xiao's Distillery of Nancheng Wine Cellar, also part of the Xiao family but under a different stewardship, the scene was starkly different—almost deserted.

A few children loitered nearby, eagerly intercepting potential customers with persuasive words, redirecting them towards the bustling North Wine Cellar.

Such blatant poaching would usually provoke official intervention, but given the internal strife within the Xiao family and some well-placed influence, the authorities merely looked the other way.

Xiao Qingsong, fuming with indignation, said, "Father, their audacity knows no bounds. I'm going to confront them."

Xiao Mengchang, equally incensed yet more restrained, held his son back, cautioning, "Don't act rashly."

"We'll be finished if this continues," Xiao Qingsong said through clenched teeth, his usual unflappable demeanor nowhere to be seen.

Xiao Mengchang exhaled a weary sigh, acutely aware of the gravity of their situation.

Previously, the Xiao family's establishments would evenly split the wine from the cellars.

But just days ago, under the guise of the wine tasting event, the main branch had made a sudden, aggressive move.

If the wine champion is taken by our rivals, the Xiao family's Northern Kingdom establishment will cease sourcing wine from our distillery. Consequently, the Xiao family's Nancheng branch will see its sales nosedive, leading to its closure. Coupled with the relentless targeting of our other ventures, the second house will effectively be wiped out.

"Old Master, can you truly bear to watch the second house reduced to begging in the streets?" Xiao Mengchang quietly pondered.

...

"Ugh, what is this swill? Is it even fit for human consumption?" A young master, unfazed by the children's sales pitches, sampled a wine at the Xiao family's Nancheng location and promptly spat it out.

Xiao Qingsong's eyes widened in shock. "You!"

"What's the matter? You have the gall to serve it but can't handle criticism?" retorted the young master, visibly irate.

Onlookers, intrigued by the commotion, watched with interest.

Xiao Mengchang quickly intervened, pulling his son aside and addressing the young master with a smile, "Please, Young Master, forgive our poor offering. It's clear our wine does not meet your discerning taste, and for that, I am deeply embarrassed."

He then presented another porcelain bottle, "This is our Xiao's Distillery's finest from last year, offered as an apology to you, Young Master."

The young master scowled, "Do you think I'm concerned about this trivial drink? The Xiao family's Nancheng branch is becoming increasingly disappointing..."

With that, he stormed off, his sleeves billowing behind him.

Furious, Xiao Qingsong exclaimed, "The audacity! To think they'd stoop to sabotage. Do they want to see us utterly destroyed?"

Watching the young master's retreating figure, Xiao Mengchang was lost in thought. He recognized that young master—a connoisseur from a prestigious family, with considerable influence. It seemed unlikely that he would be swayed by the eldest branch.

With this in mind, Xiao Mengchang cautiously tasted the wine on the table, only to spit it out immediately.

"Father, what..." Xiao Qingsong was bewildered.

Xiao Mengchang's expression grew stormy, "The wine's been tampered with!"

It had a burnt, acrid smell.

"Someone switched it!"

Xiao Qingsong's face fell, "The Wine Appreciation Festival is about to start. I'll send someone right away—no, I'll go fetch the wine myself."

Xiao Mengchang heaved a deep sigh and lamented, "It's too late..."

I fear even my own servants have turned against me.

Even if my son and I went to fetch the wine ourselves, we'd face endless hindrances. The main branch has been scheming for so long; they won't let us of the second branch succeed easily.

The clamor of drums and gongs filled the air as soldiers began to establish order, clearing the center of the stage for what was to come.

Then, a procession of distinguished nobles with an air of elegance entered the venue, led by a middle-aged man donned in a long purple robe with a leather belt and a silver fish-shaped pouch hanging from it.

He was about fifty, his demeanor stern, exuding authority without a word.

This was Liang Keng, the Prefect of Yingchang Prefecture.

He took his place before the crowd and launched into a grand speech, extolling his own accomplishments and promising a brighter future for Yingchang Prefecture.

Lee Cha struggled to stay awake through the speech. Song Dynasty officials had a penchant for verbosity, and he wondered if the common folk could grasp their lofty words, especially with some in the audience incessantly shouting their praise.

But soon, the highlight of the event commenced.

Select distilleries from esteemed wine cellars took the stage, each presenting their finest brews, awaiting the appraisal of the dignitaries.

Prefect Liang, accompanied by a retinue of officials and literati, sampled each in turn.

When the judges from the North Wine Cellar approached Xiao's Distillery, they delicately lifted the elegant cups, took a sip, and then closed their eyes, savoring the moment.

One judge, clad in a crimson robe, remarked, "Rich in flavor, the taste lingers delightfully."

"Refreshing and refined, akin to the dew on morning blossoms," added another.

Prefect Liang nodded in agreement, "Xiao's Distillery is indeed a gem of Yingchang Prefecture. I deem it superior. Do you all concur?"

The consensus was unanimous.

Xiao Mengde, beaming, bowed repeatedly, effusive in his thanks.

"Boss Xiao, such a premium brew deserves to be shared with all the esteemed guests here," Zhang Ming hinted to Xiao Mengde with a knowing glance.

Xiao Mengde immediately beamed and said, "Lord Zhang speaks the truth. I've instructed our distillery to deliver this batch of wine to your residences. I hope you'll savor it and offer your valuable feedback."

The judges, stroking their beards, looked on at Xiao Mengde with contentment.

Boss Xiao certainly knew how to play his cards right.

Before long, the judges made their way across to the other side, where Prefect Liang was taken aback. Xiao's Distillery again?

At that moment, despair washed over Xiao Mengchang and his son.

Xiao Qingsong was seething with frustration. The memory of the heated argument he overheard outside the old master's room that night fueled his anger.

The Xiao family, in name, was led by the old master, but the eldest branch had a firm grip on most of the business dealings.

Should the eldest branch win this round, even the hope of a modest exit for the second branch would be a luxury.

They wouldn't be allowed to cling to survival; the eldest branch would seek their utter ruin.

No one would have sympathy for the two down-and-out father and son.

Just then, a raspy voice from behind him asked, "Young Master Xiao, are you content with this?"

Xiao Qingsong turned to see who it was and froze.

"Mr. Lee?"

Despite Lee Cha's disguise, he recognized him instantly.

"Do you wish to win?" Lee Cha pressed on.

A jolt ran through Xiao Qingsong. "Mr. Lee, can you help me win?"

"Do you have any other options?" Lee Cha replied with a wry smile.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Qingsong responded earnestly, "If Mr. Lee helps me win the title of top wine, the second branch will meet any demand you have."

Lee Cha produced a fist-sized porcelain bottle adorned with a fairy and lotus flowers and passed it to him.

"Riches and honor, begging on the streets, life or death—it's all in your hands, Mr. Xiao..."

At that moment, the judges had already lifted their wine cups.

Xiao Qingsong clenched his jaw, snatched the porcelain bottle, and called out loudly, "Hold on."