Chapter 52: Agreement

Zhao Cheng saw that only one person had come, and he didn’t mind. Zheng Xi was already out of the picture in his mind, and without him, some things were easier to discuss. He accompanied Zheng Yu to the garden. At this time of year, there wasn’t much to see; the winter jasmine had already bloomed and only a few withered flowers remained on the branches, while some cold-resistant plants were just beginning to turn a light green. The two aimlessly ‘touring’ the garden for over an hour, Zhao Cheng didn’t hide the secret of the greenhouse from him and even invited him to take a look inside.

"Little Uncle, how does this wine taste?" After walking for a while, they came to rest in the warm pavilion in the garden. Zhao Cheng ordered some wine and dishes to be set up, and he poured a glass of wine for Zheng Yu, asking him.

Zheng Yu was sitting there in a daze, his face calm, but his heart was boiling. At the end of the year, something new happened in the capital. Fresh vegetables that only appeared in summer suddenly appeared on the market, not only in a wide variety but also very fresh, causing a sensation. The nobility, regardless of the high prices, scrambled to buy them. The Duke’s residence also sent people to buy, but they didn’t get the first batch. They had to pay a deposit and only managed to buy a few items at the end of the year, which they treasured like precious gems. At the time, he had marveled at the existence of such a remarkable person, never expecting to see it here today.

"This wine is distilled, right?" Hearing Zhao Cheng’s toast, Zheng Yu came to his senses, picked up the glass, and took a sip, asking in surprise. They had been in the residence for many days, and although there was wine at every meal, they had never tasted this legendary distilled wine.

"Exactly, Second Uncle and Little Uncle have been staying in my residence for many days, probably for this very reason!" Zhao Cheng took a bite of the dish, chewed, and said with a smile.

In the capital, it was rumored that the prince born to his sister did not like poetry or painting but was fond of various ingenious arts. After leaving the palace, he became even more eccentric and unruly, even daring to play tricks on the imperial envoy. However, after meeting him a few times, Zhao Cheng found that his nephew was not as bad as the rumors suggested. "This, this is indeed the case!" Zheng Yu, whose heart was laid bare by Zhao Cheng, felt awkward despite their familial relationship. Seeing the playful smile on his innocent face, he could only admit it awkwardly.

"I also have this intention. I want to partner with someone to start a distillery, specifically to produce distilled wine. I wonder if Little Uncle is willing?" Zhao Cheng stared at Zheng Yu and asked.

"Of course, I am willing!" Zheng Yu answered without hesitation. They had come for this very purpose, so how could they not be willing?

"Little Uncle, but I see that you lack sincerity. These past few days, you have met with several managers privately. Could it be that you just want to get the secret recipe for distilled wine and cut me out to enjoy it alone?" Zhao Cheng suddenly changed his expression and said.

"Cheng, we are all family. How could we..." Zheng Yu quickly defended himself, but seeing Zhao Cheng’s cold smile, his voice grew smaller and smaller, like a mosquito’s hum. Although most of the actions were taken by his second brother, secretly plotting to take a younger generation’s property was not a glorious thing. Now that Zhao Cheng had exposed it, he felt extremely ashamed for not stopping it.

"Little Uncle, although I am a prince, as you can see, I have incurred my father’s displeasure and have been 'exiled' to this remote place. Thanks to my grandfather and all the uncles for their care, I have been able to survive until today!" Zhao Cheng changed his tone and praised their kindness. "A gentleman does not forget a favor. Since I have obtained this recipe and informed my grandfather, I wanted both families to work together on this, to make money and become rich. But the two uncles have disappointed me!" Zhao Cheng said with a 'heart-wrenching' tone.

"Cheng, it’s all because of our greed, we have wronged your good intentions. Let’s end this matter here. I will return to the capital tomorrow and report to my father!" Zheng Yu felt that this was a shameful thing, and he no longer had the face to stay here.

"Little Uncle, I know you are a straightforward person, and most of the actions were taken by Second Uncle. If you return empty-handed, you will likely bear the blame, and your life will be even harder!" Zhao Cheng said, putting a piece of food on Zheng Yu’s plate.

"What can be done? In the Duke’s residence, everyone calls me 'young master,' but I have less authority than a manager. I have to listen to Second Uncle and can’t make decisions!" Zheng Yu drank the wine in his cup in one go and said with a bitter smile.

"Ah, we are not much different. Although I am a prince, I am not as free as a villager. Now that I have fled here, there are still people chasing me to kill me. Isn’t this all because of that trouble?" Zhao Cheng refilled his glass and sighed.

"Yes, we are like two bitter melons on the same vine, each with our own difficulties!" Zheng Yu drank the wine in one go, understanding his nephew’s words. He had an older brother born to the empress, and by right, the throne would not be his. But some people were still afraid that he would become a threat in the future and were trying to eliminate him.

Zheng Yu carefully examined his nephew, who, despite his young age, already had wrinkles on his forehead. He thought to himself, "No wonder my nephew is so perceptive. He lives in a world of intrigue every day, and his mother is not by his side. If he didn’t have a sharp mind, he would have been outmaneuvered long ago. Children without care grow up quickly!" Zhao Cheng’s words successfully resonated with him, and as an elder, he felt a sense of responsibility to protect him.

"Actually, this recipe is nothing. If the two uncles ask for it, I would give it to you. It’s my way of showing respect to my elders. But Second Uncle shouldn’t have used such underhanded methods, which has disappointed me. We are still family, after all!" Zhao Cheng looked on the verge of tears, then suddenly stood up and instructed Jian Xi, "Jian Xi, go get the recipe and give it to Little Uncle to take back!"

"Wait, Cheng, if you do this, how can Uncle ever enter your residence again!" Zheng Yu grabbed Jian Xi, who was about to leave, and said. His face was red, whether from the wine or from shame, he didn’t know.

"How can you say that? Uncle can come here anytime, and I will always welcome you with open arms!"

"Cheng, listen to Uncle for a moment!" Zheng Yu pulled Zhao Cheng back to sit down and drank another glass of wine. "Cheng, you are young and don’t know the value of this distilled wine. With it, even a beggar could become a wealthy man in half a year. Your Second Uncle was tempted by this and forgot that we are family!" Zheng Yu finally spoke the truth.

"I indeed didn’t know, but a man’s word is his bond. If I give it, I give it. Jian Xi, go get it!" Zhao Cheng was 'unmoved' and still gave the order.

Jian Xi responded, but his movements were as slow as a snail. He thought to himself, "If you didn’t know, then you’re the one who’s crazy. When you were setting it up, you said it was a golden goose! Now you’re pretending to be ignorant, acting so righteous, just to play with your uncle. Besides, this thing is something you created; there’s no recipe. Where am I supposed to get it from?"

"Cheng, actually, when we left, my grandfather had already instructed us. If you are willing to partner in the distillery, that’s best, and both sides will benefit. If you want to run it alone, he is willing to provide the manpower and resources to help you set it up, as long as you sell some of the wine to us." Zhao Cheng had said so much, and Zheng Yu felt so embarrassed that he wanted to find a hole to hide in. In a hurry, he revealed the bottom line.

It seems that the old fox is still the old fox. If the two uncles had followed the old man’s instructions from the beginning, he would have been grateful and wouldn’t have let them leave empty-handed. That would have been a win-win situation. Besides, although he was currently out of favor, who knew when the emperor might be pleased and the throne might fall to him. At that time, he would repay the favor and wouldn’t take advantage of him. Zhao Cheng sighed, thinking that the old Duke not only had a high vantage point but also a broad mind, and a relaxed attitude towards wealth.

"Oh, did Grandfather really say that?" Zhao Cheng 'seriously' asked, and Zheng Yu nodded affirmatively.

"Ah, Grandfather’s kindness is truly beyond repayment. I will follow his instructions. We will partner in the distillery, with a 50-50 split!" Zhao Cheng knew he had said too much, and Little Uncle was a straightforward person. If he didn’t quickly find a way out, he might be stuck. So he immediately agreed.

"Cheng, no, we will split it 70-30, with you taking 70% and me 30%. We will also provide the funds to build the distillery. This is a great deal for us!"

"Ah," this time it was Zhao Cheng’s turn to be stunned. He liked to play the game of 'if you are not righteous, don’t blame me for not being righteous.' He thought there would be a dispute over the shares, but now that his uncle had offered to give in, his backup plan was useless, like a punch hitting a pillow.

'If you show me an inch, I will show you a foot.' Zhao Cheng was not afraid of hard people, but he was afraid of soft ones. After much persuasion, they finally reached an agreement. Zhao Cheng would take 60% of the shares, providing the technology for distilling the wine, the site for building the distillery, and some working capital. The Zheng family would take 40% of the shares, responsible for building the distillery, recruiting the necessary personnel, and marketing the wine.

"Little Uncle, what if Second Uncle doesn’t agree?" Zhao Cheng suddenly thought of this problem.

"Cheng, don’t worry. I will take charge of this matter. I will write to Grandfather immediately to inform him of what has happened here. He will certainly agree!" Zheng Yu said with a smile, feeling a sense of satisfaction he had never felt before, finally taking charge of something.

Zhao Cheng secretly smiled, thinking that wine does indeed embolden the timid. This distilled wine was 50 degrees, and Little Uncle had probably drunk too much today. However, this arrangement satisfied both sides, leaving only Second Uncle Zheng Xi in a difficult position.

That day, Zheng Yu and Zhao Cheng each wrote a letter and sent them to the Duke’s residence by a reliable guard on horseback. In his letter, Zhao Cheng expressed his gratitude to his grandfather and recommended his Little Uncle Zheng Yu as the chief manager of the new distillery, giving him full authority to handle all matters related to the distilled wine.

The capital was only a hundred miles from Xiangyi, and a fast horse could make the round trip in two days. By the third day, the old Duke’s letter arrived almost simultaneously with Zheng Xi. Zheng Shen fully agreed with the cooperation agreement between Zheng Yu and Zhao Cheng. The personnel and funds from the residence would follow, and Zheng Yu was instructed to stay at the prince’s residence to manage everything, while Zheng Xi was ordered to return to the capital immediately without delay.

---

The page flip ad begins.

The page flip ad ends.