Chapter 6

Cai Yong's residence.

"Teacher, I've come to see you." As soon as Liu Yao entered Cai Yong's residence, he shouted loudly.

"Hey, Yao, how did you get out?" Cai Yong, hearing the report from his servant, walked out of the inner hall.

"Hehe, Teacher, I've brought something good for you this time." Saying this, Liu Yao lifted a jar of wine and presented it to Cai Yong as if it were a treasure.

"Is this... wine?" Cai Yong looked at the jar in front of him with doubt. Seeing Liu Yao nod, he drank it with a face full of satisfaction.

"Good wine, excellent wine! I've never tasted such good wine before." Cai Yong shouted loudly, startling everyone.

"Teacher, do you think such good wine could fetch a good price?"

"Hmm?!! Could this wine be made by you, Yao?" Cai Yong understood Liu Yao's intention.

"Exactly, Teacher. I came this time to ask you to produce this wine on a large scale and to establish a business based on it." Liu Yao explained his idea.

Cai Yong frowned upon hearing this, "But, scholars and farmers..."

"Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Merchants are the lowest of the four classes, a group of people who only seek profit. That's what you were going to say, right, Teacher?" Liu Yao directly interrupted Cai Yong.

Cai Yong was taken aback and nodded.

"Teacher, you are too narrow-minded. Without merchants, where would you buy food and clothes? These things need to be done by merchants. Only by doing so can we earn enough money to prepare for the chaos to come, and not all merchants are unscrupulous."

Cai Yong was stunned by Liu Yao's words. He always thought merchants were deceitful and petty, but he had never considered these points. "Sigh!! Yao, tell me, what should I do?"

"Teacher, do you have any small workshops under your name?"

"There are a couple, but they are not used much." Cai Yong stroked his beard.

"Good, I will give you the method to make the wine later. I'll leave this to you to manage." Liu Yao said with a hint of guilt.

"I have already said I will do my best. Yao, you don't need to worry so much. But, if you want to establish a business, do you have someone in mind to manage it?" Cai Yong asked.

"Uh!" Liu Yao was caught off guard, "That... "

"Ha ha ha." Cai Yong laughed heartily, seeing Liu Yao's awkwardness for the first time. "Alright, I do have someone in mind."

"Who is it?"

"Zhang Fang, come in." Cai Yong called out. Soon, a man in his thirties walked in, "Master, what do you need?"

"Yao, this is my steward, who has been with me since he was a teenager, for about twenty years now. He is absolutely reliable and has solved all the problems in my household. Entrusting the business to him will be no problem."

Liu Yao sized up the man, who had an ordinary appearance and a loyal face, the kind that would be easily forgotten. He then looked at Cai Yong and said, "Teacher, I trust your judgment."

"Good, Zhang Fang, this is the current Crown Prince. He will be your master from now on." Cai Yong said, somewhat moved.

Zhang Fang looked at Liu Yao in surprise and then performed a kneeling bow, "I pay my respects to my master."

"Please rise quickly." Liu Yao personally helped Zhang Fang up, "I will entrust you with the future. The main matters will be explained by Teacher."

Zhang Fang, a commoner, was deeply moved by the Crown Prince's respect and said, "I will serve my master with all my heart and soul."

"Alright, you may go now." Liu Yao said.

"Yes."

After Zhang Fang left, Liu Yao said to Cai Yong, "Teacher, let's call this wine 'Fire Cloud' from now on."

"Good name. This wine feels like a burning fire in the stomach, the name fits perfectly." Cai Yong praised with a squint.

"Also, Teacher, this wine needs at least fifteen days to be made. Before that, we can do this..."

The hall was soon filled with Liu Yao's mischievous laughter and Cai Yong's exclamations of surprise.

A noon quickly passed, and the two had completely forgotten the time.

"Rumble, rumble." Two sounds interrupted their conversation. Liu Yao touched his stomach in surprise and looked at the setting sun. "Teacher, I didn't realize it was already so late!"

"Yes, I didn't expect your ideas to be so interesting, I lost track of time." Cai Yong nodded.

"Master, the meal is ready. Please come to the dining table." Zhang Fang had been in the hall for some time but did not interrupt them.

"Understood. Yao, it's getting late. Why don't you stay at my residence for the night?" Cai Yong asked Liu Yao.

"Sure, Teacher. I had already told my father that I would stay at your place for a few days." Liu Yao said with a grin.

"Ha ha, you rascal, let's have dinner then." Cai Yong laughed and scolded him, then turned to Zhang Fang, "Zhang Fang, bring the young miss out."

"Yes."

"Cai Yong's daughter, that must be the famous beauty and talented woman Cai Yan from the Three Kingdoms period. So, Cai Yan was already born at this time." Liu Yao thought to himself, but said, "Teacher, you already have a daughter?"

"Yes, I have only one daughter, named Cai Yan. She is four years old, two years younger than you." Cai Yong said casually, but in his mind, he thought, "My disciple is so talented, he will surely be a great man in the future. Yan is also very smart, though still young, she is a beauty in the making. Her age is just right, it would be good to match them up." He kept staring at Liu Yao with this thought.

Liu Yao, feeling Cai Yong's gaze, felt a chill run down his spine, sensing a plot. "This old man isn't thinking of how to trick me, is he, to get back at me for always winning at chess?" If Liu Yao knew Cai Yong's real intention, he might have kissed the old man.

At the dining table, after a short wait, a small figure darted over and jumped into Cai Yong's arms, cooing, "Daddy."

"Cough, cough, Yan, be careful, there are others here." Cai Yong said, somewhat embarrassed. He hadn't expected his daughter's unladylike behavior to be seen by his future son-in-law, and he glanced at Liu Yao nervously, relieved when he saw no reaction.

"Ah!!" Cai Yan only then noticed there was someone else. Her face turned red, and she hid behind Cai Yong, pulling his sleeve and peeking out with a small head, examining Liu Yao.

As Cai Yan examined Liu Yao, Liu Yao also examined her. "Indeed, she is one of the famous beauties of the Three Kingdoms. Even as a little girl, she is already a beauty in the making."

Cai Yong pulled Cai Yan over and introduced Liu Yao, "Yan, this is my disciple, Liu Yao. You can call him Brother, and he is the current Crown Prince."

Cai Yan said shyly, "Crown, Crown Prince, Brother, hello. I'm called Yan." She then turned to Cai Yong, sucking her finger, "But, Daddy, I know what Brother means, but what is Crown Prince? Can it be eaten?"

Cai Yong and Liu Yao were stunned by Cai Yan's words, then they looked at each other and burst into laughter, tears streaming down their faces.

Cai Yan, confused by their laughter, looked at them in puzzlement.

After a long time, Liu Yao stopped laughing, "Sister, can I call you Yan?"

"Sure, Daddy calls me that." Cai Yan nodded her small head in confusion.

"Yan, the Crown Prince is me, I am the Crown Prince, understand?" Liu Yao said.

"Oh, I understand, the Crown Prince is just Brother." The smart Cai Yan quickly grasped the concept.

"Ha ha, that's enough talk. Let's eat." Cai Yong said.

"Oh." x2. They ate in silence, as Cai Yong's household rules were strict. After the meal, Cai Yong prepared a room for Liu Yao to rest.

In the following days, Liu Yao stayed at Cai Yong's residence. No matter what he did, Cai Yan, the little follower, would always be by his side. Liu Yao also liked this beautiful and smart little girl and enjoyed playing and studying with her.

Cai Yong, watching this scene, couldn't help but smile, feeling his plan was working.

Two days ago, Cai Yong had already sent out invitations.