Chapter 53: He Didn't Appear

Although Zheng Xi was furious, he couldn't change the current situation. He knew he had lost his father's trust and had also offended the imperial concubine and her sister. Returning home would not bring him any good. As he walked out of the Zhao residence's gate, he looked back at the triumphant Zheng Yu, feeling both regret and jealousy. His position was already shaky, and he feared that within two years, he would have to hand it over to Zheng Yu. Everyone understood that once the distilled liquor was on the market, its value would far exceed that of the other businesses in the residence, and it would inevitably receive his father's attention. Zheng Yu, who used to be just his follower, was about to turn things around.

They say that different industries are like different mountains. It wasn't until the distillery began to be set up that Zhao Cheng realized that making liquor wasn't as simple as finding a few experts to build a few rooms and start a distillery. There were many more layers to it, with numerous restrictions and barriers.

The first hurdle was the government's policy of patent monopoly in the brewing industry, which required obtaining government approval and an operating license. In the Song Dynasty, the brewing industry was divided into state-owned and privately-owned sectors, with state-owned breweries holding a monopoly, while private breweries were relatively scattered. This policy created a situation where only the government had a monopoly, similar to the modern petrochemical 'duopoly' and the telecommunications 'triple giants.' Of course, the profits in this industry were also enormous.

Obtaining a license was just the beginning. The distillery couldn't be built just anywhere. The government gave two options: one was to contract a state-built distillery, pay the contract fee, and have the state handle the sales or pay taxes based on production, then sell it. This policy applied to the vast southern regions of the Song Dynasty. The second option was to buy brewing yeast, which was controlled by the state. You had to pay taxes when you bought the yeast. If you didn't pay, the state wouldn't sell it to you. Some asked if they could make their own yeast, but that was a serious crime, punishable by beheading or exile. This policy applied to the northern regions.

Someone asked, "I have all the permits, I've bought the yeast, and I've paid the taxes. Can I start making liquor now?" The government said, "You can start making it, but this is the second hurdle. Once you've made the liquor, you can't sell it just anywhere. You can only sell it within the designated areas." If you said this was local protectionism and violated WTO rules, the officials would immediately show you the "Song Dynasty Law." The Song Dynasty had strict laws that divided the areas where state-produced liquor was prohibited, including the capital, various state and county towns, and rural areas. Selling liquor outside these areas was strictly forbidden, and violators were severely punished. Even more frustrating was that private brewing and selling were not allowed within these areas.

Of course, the government didn't just collect taxes without doing anything. Whether it was state-owned or privately-owned brewing, as long as it didn't violate the state's monopoly on liquor, it would be encouraged. Events such as the launch of new liquor and the presentation of tribute liquor to the capital would be held to stimulate consumption and help with sales.

They decided to set up the distillery on the old site of Chen Tang's village. This location was not only by the river but also had existing cellars and wells. They only needed to expand, add some equipment, and hire staff to start production. When Zhao Cheng heard Zheng Yu mention all these procedures, he became impatient. "These trivial matters are bothering me. I'm the CEO, not a footman. You and the household managers should figure it out. If you don't do it well, don't blame me for docking your pay." In fact, for a family of their status, these matters were just a bit troublesome but not impossible to handle.

Zheng Yu, backed by the Yenwang and Yiguo Gong residences, invited several local leaders for meals and sent some "local specialties." All the procedures were completed. The issue of prohibited areas was easy to handle. Although the law stipulated these areas, there were always exceptions. The judicial interpretation stated, "Outside the prohibited areas or if the liquor is not for sale, or if it is produced by the government, the imperial family, officials, or rural residents for personal use, it is generally allowed." The discretion was in Chen Tang's hands. He drew a line, moving the prohibited area ten miles closer to the state capital, placing their distillery just outside the red line. Since the law stated that the prohibited area could be ten or several dozen miles, this was not considered a violation. Besides, who would dare say that a prince was not part of the imperial family or that a national duke was not an official household?

They also came up with an idea: since the capital did not allow the sale of liquor from other regions, they could claim that it was produced by the Yiguo Gong distillery's branch in Gongzhou. Although the branch was far from the capital, it was to protect the environment and the health of the emperor.

Watching Zheng Yu and the three managers working day and night between the distillery and the state capital, Zhao Cheng, who was hiding in the workshop to develop distillation equipment, secretly rejoiced, deeply feeling that bringing his grandfather into the partnership was a "wise decision"!

It was another March 3rd, the birthday of the Great Emperor Zhenwu, the day of the Queen Mother's peach banquet, and a big day for the residence. Early in the morning, the people from the four villages on the dam gathered by the Bai River. The dam, originally expected to take fifty days to complete, was finished two weeks ahead of schedule. Today was the day the dam would officially be closed and the water stored.

At the command of the chief manager, the second manager and the heads of the villages and elders turned the winches, and the gate slowly lowered, cutting off the river. The surging river collided with the dam, circled, and obediently settled in the reservoir. At this moment, hundreds of firecrackers were lit, and dozens of drums and gongs sounded. "Long live the Emperor, long live, long live for ten thousand years!" Someone shouted first, and immediately, all the people gathered on the riverbank knelt facing north, shouting "Long live," pushing the ceremony to its climax. This was a genuine expression of gratitude, as everyone knew that the dam was funded by the second prince, the Prince of Yen, and the credit naturally went to the emperor.

Next was the distribution of wages. As several carts of shiny copper coins were brought to the site, everyone felt their breathing quicken and their blood boil. The managers had said before the work began that anyone who worked diligently and made reasonable suggestions would receive a bonus, and today was the day to兑现.

"Lei Dahu from Dachen Village, the captain of the transportation team, was the first to arrive at the site and the last to leave every day, working diligently. In addition to his wages, he will receive an additional ten guan as a reward!" Chief Manager Zheng Fu announced loudly.

"Wow, the reward is three times the wages! The prince is really generous!" The previously silent meeting became restless, with people whispering. No one expected the reward to be so generous.

"Lei Dahu, don't just stand there, come up and collect your money! Bring more people, you can't carry it alone!" The manager in charge of distributing the money called out with a smile.

"Haha, I can carry it, I can carry it. My whole family is here," Lei Dahu said, leading his wife and two children to the front, laughing. As he pressed his fingerprint and collected over ten strings of coins, everyone patted his shoulder in approval. His performance during this time was evident, and everyone was satisfied that he received so much money. Many others were filled with anticipation, calculating how much they might receive based on their performance.

"Lei Dahu, let's use this money to repair our house. After the wheat harvest, we'll arrange a marriage for our eldest son. This marriage can't be delayed any longer!" Lei's wife said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"Mother, there's no need to rush to repair the house. Didn't the prince say that after the dam is completed, the main canal will be dredged, and the roads will be paved, and new houses will be built for everyone before the New Year? Our old house doesn't need to be repaired. We'll arrange the marriage after we move into the new house!" her son said, looking up.

"Don't talk nonsense. How much will that cost? Is the prince just fooling us?" Lei's wife said, somewhat disbelieving.

"Women are short-sighted. Did you think the prince would reward me so much? I went early and came back late every day, and you nagged me all the time. Now, in just over a month, I've earned over ten guan. Is the prince fooling us?" Lei Dahu scolded his wife.

"Yes, yes, I was wrong," Lei's wife said, for the first time not arguing with her husband, as the money in front of her left her no choice but to believe.

"Zhang Tongshuan from Xiaocheng Village, a mason, worked meticulously and always exceeded his tasks. He will receive an additional ten guan as a reward!"

"Li Erping from Dachen Village, not only completed his tasks on time but also made multiple reasonable suggestions. He will receive an additional ten guan as a reward!"

"Song Changshan from Xiaozhao Village, as the team leader, organized effectively and led his team to exceed their tasks multiple times. He will receive an additional eight guan as a reward!"

"Ah, I didn't expect that silly Erba would also receive three guan as a reward. How am I any worse than him?" A man who only received his wages and no bonus grumbled.

"San Gou, you eat more than anyone and do less than anyone. Getting your wages is already good. You want a reward?"

"Exactly, why don't you take a look at yourself? Erba may be simple, but he works hard. I think he's better than you, who always try to take shortcuts!"

"Get lost, don't embarrass yourself. If you keep this up, you won't even have a home to go back to!" San Gou's wife pulled him away, her face red with embarrassment.

"Uncle Niu, will you leave after the wheat harvest?" A young man holding several strings of coins asked a middle-aged man.

"Leave? Where to? I'm not leaving. The dam is completed, and the harvest will increase by at least two tenths. I've heard they will build new houses for us tenants. Where can you find such a good landlord? I'm not leaving!"

"Uncle Niu, I don't want to leave either, but I don't know if my father will agree."

"Shuanzi, you just received so much reward and want to leave? How can you face the prince? I'll talk to your father!"

Standing on the dam, Zheng Fu, Zheng Shou, and the other managers watched the joyful crowd, listening to their continuous expressions of gratitude, feeling moved. The completion of the dam was a significant achievement, and if Wang Yong could see and hear all this, he would be very happy. From the beginning, the prince had been a "behind-the-scenes hero," not only using money but also "wisdom" to win the trust of the villagers, giving them hope and revitalizing the community. However, he was not present here.