Chapter 82

Outside the door, the ox cart was all prepared, and the soldiers were ready to set off at any moment. Yu Fan’s eyes were lost in thought, still not fully recovered from his disappointment, feeling somewhat reluctant to leave.

Mr. Kou whispered, “My lord, life and death are fated, and wealth and honor are determined by heaven. You cannot show such a demeanor, for people will see. Pull yourself together!”

Only then did Yu Fan come to his senses, and he smiled bitterly, “Thinking about leaving this county town, I did lose my composure, Mr. Kou—thank you in advance.”

In the end, after his disappointment, Yu Fan still regained his calm.

“My lord, you ordered me to investigate this matter, and I will do so. However, before I leave, I have a few words of advice.”

Yu Fan withdrew his gaze and bowed slightly, “Please speak, Mr. Kou.”

“My lord, although the Yu family is still stable, there are many internal and external troubles and crises. Everyone pins their hopes on you. Your success in the prefectural examination has stabilized the people’s hearts.

“Your establishment of the Pearl of Neglect Pavilion indeed has the suspicion of favoring the clan, but your top rank in the examination has suppressed this for now. If you can open a waterway, you can control the entire clan. Now that this opportunity has been missed, there will surely be doubts.”

Yu Fan listened, a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he was momentarily stunned, saying, “Please continue...”

“Yes, these words are not something I should say, but I must now!” Mr. Kou straightened his posture and bowed deeply, “My lord, after you return, you must not indulge in wine and women, for that would ruin your future. You must also not show any signs of weakness, which could provoke attacks!”

“The state examination is in August. You only need to wait three more months. Once you pass, you will break this deadlock.”

“A juren (scholar-official) is a prestigious title in the province, not to be taken lightly. It has the power to stabilize the clan’s fortunes. With it, establishing the Pearl of Neglect Pavilion, though still somewhat challenging, will not be a major obstacle and can offset half the impact of the waterway.”

“Once you have the juren title, my lord, you can then think about securing financial resources!”

“My lord, power and wealth, wind and water, are the main elements of fortune. They cannot be deviated from.” Mr. Kou’s words were firm and decisive, and he stopped abruptly, bowing deeply again.

Yu Fan pondered for a moment, then sighed deeply, “Having Mr. Kou is truly my good fortune!”

At this point, he felt a strange emptiness. He did not know that the Yu family had a saying, “Kou’s strategy, Lu’s governance,” meaning that Mr. Kou was the main strategist, while Lu Shangjing handled major policies. Now, he had lost half of that.

Still, he thought he was disappointed at losing this opportunity. He composed himself and went out to the ox cart. The driver, holding the ox whip, responded to the order, and with a crack, the cart set off.

A breeze blew, and the ox cart moved out. As it reached the city gate, Yu Fan’s body trembled slightly, and a faint green mist began to gather on his head, gradually becoming more intense, forming a green cloud. This cloud then split into several strands, each heading in different directions and disappearing into the sky.

In Pingshou County, at the Ye Family Manor

Ye Qing was reading when he suddenly felt a jolt in his heart, frowned, and sensed something. Upon closer inspection, there was nothing unusual, but a wave of sadness washed over him, “A year has passed, and I have returned again, without even realizing it!”

“Master, it’s all done!” Jiang Zinan’s voice suddenly came from outside. Seeing Ye Qing, he said, “Master... the clear wine you mentioned is all done!”

“So fast?” Ye Qing was surprised. He had been thinking about how to use technology to gain power and benefits, but the rules of this world were different.

One rule: the more macro, the more universal; the more micro, the greater the differences.

For now, he could only distill alcohol.

On Earth, whiskey is a distilled spirit, and the process was basically perfected by the 10th century. In China, distilled spirits also existed during the Song Dynasty.

In this world, such technology existed but was primitive and not systematized.

After passing the prefectural examination, Ye Qing began purchasing related primitive equipment and technology, improving and researching it. Initially, he produced small quantities, and this time, it seemed to be a major success.

Ye Qing said, “Let’s go and take a look!”

The sun was a fiery ball, casting a white glow over the land, and the heat was intense. Ye Qing continued forward to the courtyard of his 300 private acres.

He first observed the courtyard, which was elegant but had a strong smell of alcohol, and he smiled. Entering further, he saw Lu Shangjing, bowed, and said with a smile, “Mr. Lu, you have worked hard! Please come inside and speak.”

Lu Shangjing bowed and said, “When the master wanted to improve these, I thought it was unnecessary, but it turned out to be successful. I was indeed wrong.”

He bowed again.

Ye Qing smiled and looked around, saying, “Though you had doubts, you worked diligently and completed the task in just two months. This is truly remarkable... let’s go inside and take a look.”

Inside, he saw a crystal distillation apparatus. In this world, where Daoist magic was prevalent, making glass was as easy as a thought, but it was a matter of not breaking the idea.

“Master, this is made from the cheapest materials, fermented using sweet potatoes, which are usually only eaten by pigs and sheep. Unexpectedly, the alcohol produced is very pure,” Lu Shangjing said, taking a cup. Ye Qing looked at it, saw that it was colorless and transparent, and took a sip, finding it to be about 30 degrees.

This was the method for making vodka, using the cheapest materials. Ye Qing put down the cup, remained silent for a moment, walked a few steps, and then turned his gaze back to Lu Shangjing, saying, “This is the original distillate, colorless and tasteless. We can produce more and select the best for multiple fermentations to achieve a pure and fragrant taste. Once completed, we can contact various merchant guilds to promote this wine.”

“How much can the workshop produce?” Ye Qing asked.

“About a thousand pounds per month!”

“A thousand pounds, that’s too little. We need to move the location and keep it confidential!” Ye Qing thought for a moment and instructed, “Find Uncle San and tell him I need to see him.”

Ye Zifan was in his office when he heard Ye Qing wanted to see him. Over the past year, Ye Qing’s performance had greatly pleased him. Initially, he was worried that Ye Qing, having passed the prefectural examination, might be young and impetuous, interfering in clan affairs. However, over the past two months, Ye Qing had been calm and composed, managing family affairs efficiently, and had recruited Lu Shangjing, who had a keen eye.

As he thought, he arrived at the courtyard and entered the side hall, where the smell of alcohol greeted him, causing him to frown.

“Uncle, try a sip of this wine. What do you think?”

Ye Zifan took a few steps closer and sipped, “Hmm, this wine isn’t particularly good, but it’s fiery and sharp, like a knife. Where did it come from?”

“It was made by Mr. Lu, whom I commissioned!”

“What?” Ye Zifan was stunned.

Ye Qing explained the production process to his uncle, “Uncle, as you can see, the raw materials are sweet potatoes from the mountains, which cost nothing. The main expense is the distillation equipment, which requires Daoist magic to create.”

Ye Zifan frowned, “This wine has a unique character, but it may not be suitable for formal occasions. Qing, it’s May now, and the state examination is in August. You mustn’t be distracted!”

Ye Qing smiled and turned, “Is that so? Mr. Lu, please explain to Uncle!”

Lu Shangjing’s eyes lit up, and he responded, “Yes!”

“This wine may not be the best, but it has a unique character, fiery and sharp like a knife. However, it’s not without a market—look to the north.”

“North of the Beimang Mountains is the Great Wei, a region of nomadic tribes. Winters are harsh, and our wine would be like a gift in the snow—perhaps even worth one tael of silver per pound!”

“This...” Ye Zifan was shocked, a look of surprise and confusion on his face.

“There’s nothing wrong with that. In the past, it might have been considered treason, but thirty years ago, an edict allowed certain trade, and this wine is included.”

Lu Shangjing smiled and took a sip, finding it somewhat unpalatable, “To be honest, the technology isn’t difficult, but it’s unexpected. If sold in the interior, the profits would be significant, and it might be reverse-engineered within a year or two.”

“But selling it to the grasslands, where Daoist magic has declined and they worship deities, would be different. The gold and silver they rob have little value on the grasslands, but now they can be exchanged. I can say that within three years, we can earn 500,000 taels of silver, and perhaps more.”

Ye Qing smiled, “That’s an underestimate. If the entire clan works together, we can earn a million taels within three years. After that, we can submit the formula to the government, which will reward us and eliminate any hidden threats!”

Ye Qing’s calculations were ruthless. After three years of profit, submitting the formula in another two or three years would coincide with a major crisis. Once the crisis hits, the entire economy will collapse, and the technology will be useless.

Ye Zifan finally understood, looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and said, “If that’s the case, earning for only three years seems too little, doesn’t it?”

Ye Qing bowed and said, “Uncle, one must know how to avoid trouble and maintain balance. The technology isn’t difficult. In the first year, we can keep it secret, but by the second year, it will start to show, and by the third year, it will be impossible to hide.”

“Even if we don’t submit it, it will be reverse-engineered. It’s better to submit it to the government, transferring the risk and earning praise. This is the best course of action.”

Ye Zifan thought carefully, dismissing his doubts, and said, “You’re right. I was being greedy. How do you plan to proceed?”

“Within three years, we must keep it secret. The workshop must be within the manor, and we need trustworthy people to operate it. Uncle, let’s be frank—this technology was developed within my household. I can submit it, but I must have my people supervise, and I will take 30% of the profits!”

“30%?” Veins bulged on Ye Zifan’s neck as he looked at Ye Qing, “Isn’t that too much?”

“Do you think so?” Ye Qing smiled coldly, “I’m offering this to the clan out of the blue. Do you think I can’t do it on my own?”

“Of course, if the clan thinks it’s too much, 20%, 10%, or even nothing, I have no objections.” Ye Qing smiled warmly. As a穿越者 (穿越者 means "穿越者" in Chinese, which translates to "time traveler" or "穿越者" in English), he had little genuine affection for the clan.

Giving 70% was already generous. If he received nothing, Ye Qing would not complain. He could submit the technology and leave with his household, considering it compensation—after that, there would be no further ties.

Ye Zifan was startled, sensing the hidden coldness in Ye Qing’s words. After a moment, he sighed, “I understand. I will ensure you receive 30% of the profits.”