Chapter 50

Behind the wine shop was a large courtyard, where there were three rows of wooden houses, not small in scale but quite simple. Han Yuan was very attentive to Chu Huan, personally leading him to the back courtyard.

According to Han Yuan's introduction, Chu Huan learned that this courtyard was where the workers of He Sheng Quan lived and ate. The rows of wooden houses were the living quarters, and on the left was a relatively spacious large house which was the kitchen.

When Han Yuan arrived, a middle-aged man, about forty years old, who looked like a meatball, came out of the kitchen, his face oily. He smiled and said, "Master, why have you come here? They said you wouldn't be eating at the shop tonight, so your meal wasn't sent to you." He then glanced at Chu Huan, seeing his coarse clothes, and nodded in greeting.

Han Yuan said to Chu Huan, "Second Son, this is Master Chen." Then he said to Master Chen, "I need to go to the distillery to check things out, I can't delay. Master Chen, please help Second Son find a place to stay... and get him a quilt. It's getting cold, he can't do without a quilt."

Master Chen smiled, "Master, you go ahead and do your business, I'll take care of it!"

Han Yuan said to Chu Huan, "Settle in here for now. Start working in the drying hall tomorrow... someone will come to take you there. Second Son, when you're here, observe and learn more, be quick, and don't break the rules... speak less, do more. If you have any difficulties, just find me!"

Chu Huan smiled, "Uncle Han, don't worry, Second Son knows what to do!"

Han Yuan nodded and was about to leave. Chu Huan hurriedly handed him the pastries, saying, "Uncle Han, your things!"

Han Yuan turned around, smiled, and took three out of the six pastries, saying, "Keep some for yourself to try!" Then he left without another word.

Master Chen turned and called, "Little Sanzi, come out!" Soon, a young apprentice, about seventeen or eighteen years old, came out, looking very agile. He asked, "Master, what's up?"

Master Chen pointed at Chu Huan, "This is the person Master brought. Help him settle in... go get him a quilt, Master said to do so!"

Little Sanzi nodded, glanced at Chu Huan, and said indifferently, "Follow me!"

Master Chen turned to go to the kitchen, but Chu Huan said with a smile, "Master Chen, wait a moment!" He handed over a pastry, saying, "It's not much, Master Chen, try it!"

Master Chen's face lit up, and he said, "How can I refuse, it's too kind, too kind...!" He then said to Little Sanzi, "Get him the thickest quilt!"

Little Sanzi led Chu Huan to a row of wooden houses, asked him to wait, and went to get the quilt.

Chu Huan noticed that there were seven or eight wells in the large courtyard and looked at the number of houses, estimating that there were at least a hundred workers in He Sheng Quan. He was somewhat surprised, realizing that He Sheng Quan was indeed very wealthy.

The courtyard was relatively quiet for the moment, as the workers had not yet returned from their work. It was already dark, and Little Sanzi soon came back, leading Chu Huan to a wooden house, opened the door, and handed him the quilt. The room was dark, and Little Sanzi lit the oil lamp, making the room bright.

The room was very simple and small, with two small wooden beds on each side, a total of four beds. Although it was early winter, the room was still filled with a strong smell of sweat, and the quilts on the beds were greasy and messy, piled up carelessly.

The two beds on the left were already occupied, and the bed on the right by the door also had a thin quilt, much thinner than the one Chu Huan had. It seemed that the pastries he gave had a significant effect.

Little Sanzi pointed to the empty bed indifferently, "You sleep there!"

Chu Huan put down the quilt and the things he was holding, and said with a smile, "Thank you for your help." He paused and asked, "By the way, what is the drying hall?"

He was curious about the drying hall, as Han Yuan had told him to start working there tomorrow.

Little Sanzi said, "You'll know after a while. Newcomers usually start by moving grain in the warehouse. You're already doing well to start in the drying hall."

He didn't say more and turned to leave.

Chu Huan spread out the quilt, stretched, and lay down on the bed, placing his hands under his head, deep in thought.

Although he had just arrived, Chu Huan knew that his future life in He Sheng Quan might not be smooth. He had already noticed that the workshop master Liang and the manager Yuan were in cahoots, and their relationship with Han Yuan was very strained. As Han Yuan's protégé, he would naturally be seen as part of Han Yuan's camp, and Chu Huan keenly felt that those two might make things difficult for him in the future.

He had not slept well for several days and was quite tired. He closed his eyes for a brief rest, but soon heard a commotion in the courtyard, and a sharp voice said, "Get some rest early, you have to work tomorrow. If anyone is late, their wages will be docked!"

Chu Huan recognized the voice as Manager Yuan's, who sounded very domineering. He frowned, reminded of the story of Zhou Bapi.

The door, which was slightly ajar, was pushed open, and two people came in. Seeing the light on and Chu Huan sitting up on the bed, they were somewhat surprised. Chu Huan stood up, clasped his hands, and said with a smile, "I'm the new worker, my name is Chu Huan!"

The two looked at each other, their tired faces breaking into smiles. They seemed to be honest and kind people, and both nodded. The tall one said, "I'm Huang Fu, he's Niu Jin!"

The short one, Niu Jin, smiled and nodded, walked to his bed, and took a yellowed towel, then went out. Huang Fu also took a towel and said to Chu Huan, "If you want to wash up at night, go to the well early to queue up. If you go late, there will be many people!"

Chu Huan smiled, "Thank you!"

Huang Fu didn't say more and went out.

As soon as he left, another person came in. Compared to Huang Fu and Niu Jin, this person was much taller and stronger, with a beard and a broad back. His clothes were very thin and old, and his hair was unkempt. He glanced at Chu Huan, frowned slightly, but didn't say anything.

Chu Huan knew that there were four people living in this room, including himself. Besides Huang Fu and Niu Jin, this man was also a resident. He smiled and greeted, "I'm the new worker, my name is Chu Huan!"

The bearded man ignored him as if he hadn't heard, walked to the bed next to Chu Huan, and without a word, got on the bed, covered himself with the thin quilt, and fell asleep, his head buried in the quilt.

Chu Huan was surprised by the bearded man's strange behavior.

Not long after, Huang Fu and Niu Jin returned and sat on the opposite beds. Huang Fu smiled and asked, "Chu Huan, where are you assigned to work? In the warehouse?"

"No," Chu Huan said, "I'll start working in the drying hall tomorrow morning."

"Drying hall?" Niu Jin was somewhat surprised, "Who brought you in? To start in the drying hall right away, you must have good luck."

Chu Huan smiled, "Master brought me in!"

"I see!" Huang Fu and Niu Jin were enlightened, showing a friendly attitude. Huang Fu said, "So you're Master's relative? Well, you'll have to take care of us brothers in the future!"

Chu Huan smiled faintly and asked, "By the way, I need to ask you two, what is the drying hall? I'm new here and know nothing about the wine shop. I hope you two can take care of me in the future."

Huang Fu smiled, "It's not your fault. Outsiders only know that the wine shop makes wine, but it's not that simple. The warehouse and the wine cellar are self-explanatory. The warehouse stores grains for brewing, and the wine cellar is for storing new wine. Besides, the workshop has several rooms where grains are turned into wine step by step!"

Chu Huan clasped his hands, "Thank you for your guidance!"

"Sure, the workshop has the koji room, the drying hall, the wine pit, and the distillery... The koji room is for making koji, without which wine cannot be made." Huang Fu spoke confidently, showing his experience as an old worker: "The drying hall is a large place where grains are stir-fried to half-cooked, then mixed with ingredients and koji according to the instructions of the junior master, and then fermented. After a few days of fermentation, they are sent to the wine pit, where water is added for further fermentation. Once the yeast is produced, they are sent to the distillery!"

"Junior master?" Chu Huan blinked, knowing that Han Yuan was the senior master, but not realizing there were junior masters.

"The koji room, the drying hall, the wine pit, and the distillery all have junior masters," Niu Jin said quickly. "I work in the drying hall, and Huang Fu works in the wine pit."

Huang Fu looked somewhat proud, "If you do well in the wine pit for a couple of years, you can move to the distillery."

Niu Jin said enviously, "If you work in the distillery for a few years, you might become a junior master..."

"Who knows!" Huang Fu smiled, "Niu, after this year, you might be transferred to the wine pit, and then we'll be together!"

Chu Huan understood something but still felt a bit confused. However, he realized that all the workers wanted to work in the distillery, which seemed to be the path to success.

Niu Jin smiled, suddenly thinking of something, "Let's not talk too much. The cellar will be opened in a couple of days, and there will be a lot of work. We should get some rest early, or our wages will be docked!" He climbed onto the bed and covered himself with the dirty quilt.

Huang Fu stretched, sighed, "I'm quite hungry. If I could have a steamed bun now, it would be heaven..." He knew it was a fantasy, shook his head, and was about to sleep.

Chu Huan heard this and said with a smile, "I have some pastries. If you don't mind, let's share them!" He took out a pastry, opened it, and inside were about a dozen plum blossom pastries, beautifully made, and the aroma was already spreading.

Huang Fu's eyes lit up, and Niu Jin sat up, his throat moving as he saw the pastries in Chu Huan's hand.

Chu Huan stood up and walked over, "Come, have a couple of pastries to fill your stomach!"

Huang Fu was somewhat skeptical. Although he was older, he had never seen such exquisite pastries. He doubted and asked, "You... you really give them to us?"

"Go ahead!" Chu Huan took two pastries and handed them to Huang Fu, who hesitantly took them. Chu Huan then gave two to Niu Jin and walked to the bearded man's bed, softly calling, "Brother, here are a couple of pastries. If you don't mind, have a couple!"

Niu Jin said, "Chu Huan, he can't hear you."

Chu Huan frowned, turned back, and looked puzzled.

"He's deaf," Huang Fu explained, "and mute, both deaf and mute. He can't hear others and can't speak. He's a bit strange, don't mind him!"

Chu Huan frowned, thought for a moment, and gently pushed the bearded man's quilt, trying to get him to wake up and eat a couple of pastries. However, as soon as he pushed, the quilt was suddenly thrown off, and the man sat up, his face showing anger, staring at Chu Huan as if he were an enemy.