Wanjin Lady

Chapter 424 Flattery

Liu Dajian was naturally familiar with the Cheng family. Over the years, the Cheng family had been sending him gifts continuously. Even though he was within the palace walls, he lived an exceptionally comfortable life thanks to the Cheng family's arrangements.

Everyone in this family is very sensible and considerate.

Liu Dajian shook the handwritten letter from the elder lady, read it quickly, and then handed it to the person next to him: "In this clear and bright world, there are actually people in Bozhou City who dare to privately make wine yeast!"

The Great Chen Dynasty implemented a liquor monopoly system, with the imperial court setting up local koji bureaus to centrally manage koji. Privately making koji was a serious crime punishable by death and confiscation of property!

Lord Liu, the Imperial Censor of Wine, glanced at the letter, stroked his beard, and smiled, "Lord Liu, don't be angry. Whenever there's a competition for tribute, merchants will do everything they can to secure a place in the tribute. I remember... the Wen family winery and the Cheng family winery were competing for a place in the tribute wine competition this year, right? Perhaps this is a false accusation."

Liu Dajian was on good terms with the Cheng family, and he thought that the Cheng family would send someone to intercept him midway, so he must have the intention of letting him clean up the Wen family winery. As the saying goes, "one who eats someone's food is soft-mouthed, and one who receives someone's money is obliged to return it." Since the other party had even handed him the handle, how could he not take it?

So he snorted coldly, "Master Liu, the evidence is all here! Look, the delivery order from the Cheng family's Quyuan says that the Wen family hasn't bought any koji in two years since they bought a batch from Quyuan two years ago. Yet, the Wen family's winery has been making and selling wine for the past two years."

Lord Liu was a sincere man. After hearing this, he looked at the delivery order copied by Qu Yuan. Although he knew that this was a tactic used by the Cheng family to exclude dissidents, if it was the truth, they could not ignore it. "How about we ask the person in charge of the Wen family winery to report back after we enter the city?"

Liu Dajian waved his hand, "The evidence is irrefutable! Isn't the Marquis of Huai'an in Bozhou? Once we enter the city, we will immediately report the situation to the Marquis and ask him to send someone to arrest this man!"

"This..." If the shopkeeper of the Wen family is arrested, then the Cheng family winery will definitely be included in the list of tribute wines, right?

Liu Dajian squinted his eyes at him and said, "Making wine koji privately is a serious crime. Could it be that Master Liu accepted bribes from the Wen family to protect them?"

"No!" Lord Liu hastily defended himself. "Let's first contact the local wine officials and find out the truth. It's not good to wrongly accuse someone."

"We can still interrogate people even if we arrest them!"

Liu Dajian was determined to help the Cheng family resolve this matter. As the saying goes, a higher-ranking official can crush someone, so Liu Dajian could only nod vaguely. After entering Bozhou City, they didn't find Wei Zheng, and by chance they found Yan Shouli's place.

When Yan Shouli heard that the imperial envoy was going to arrest Wen Wan, he quickly detained her and questioned her carefully. He then learned that someone had intercepted the tribute wine team. After reading the letter, Yan Shouli looked embarrassed. "This... you two don't know, but these two families are the ones who caused the flood to flood the Dragon King Temple. They're fighting against each other."

Yan Shouli then explained the relationship between Wen Wan and Cheng Yunzhang, who were Wei Zheng's senior apprentices, and finally said, "The officialdom in Bozhou is complicated. Since you two are new to Bozhou, you should hold your ground for now. This Miss Wen is an extremely capable person. Some time ago, she celebrated Women's Day and donated all the profits from the city's shops to build riverbanks. The Wen family winery now enjoys an excellent reputation among the people. As for the illegal production of koji... there must be a misunderstanding. I'll send for Miss Wen now."

Yan Shouli explained the official situation in Bozhou in a calm manner, but Liu Dajian's heart was pounding when he heard it.

Yan Shouli said that family members were fighting each other, just to save his face.

Their delegation had just arrived in Bozhou and was not aware of the nepotism between the wealthy families and merchants in Bozhou. But the Cheng family chose to send a letter to instigate them at this time. Aren't they using him as a tool?
Didn't you see that the prefect was wavering and he reported both the Wen and Cheng wineries? In the final analysis, it was all about looking at the face of Wei Zheng. It's a matter of flesh and blood. The two families were fighting among themselves, and no one could be blamed for winning or losing.

But if he rashly intervened...

Liu Dajian wiped the sweat off his face, secretly cursing the Cheng family for their lack of morality. He was even more grateful for Yan Shouli's subtle reminder. He nodded quickly and said, "We were reckless. Please ask Miss Wen to come here quickly. We can get to know the truth and report back to His Majesty."

Yan Shouli summoned his trusted aide and whispered, "First, send a fast horse to inform Lady Wen. Then send the slower one to invite her." Yan Shouli felt this arrangement was quite appropriate, offending neither side.

Wei Zheng went on a killing spree in Bozhou some time ago. Even the old woman Sun Qunfang was beheaded and her female relatives were sent to the Jiaofang Bureau.

At this moment, he was walking on thin ice and could only be extremely alert and careful.

If you don't serve this gentleman well, you will lose your head!
"The tribute wine delegation has arrived in the city?" Wen Wan was shocked when she received the news. "They want to see me now?"

The man who came with the express horse bowed and said, "Manager Wen, my master sent me here to report to you first. Please prepare in advance. You can follow the soldier behind you later."

"Thank Lord Yan for me." Wen Wan casually took out some silver and sent the servant away. Zhao Zhao had a fever these past two days, so she stayed at home to accompany the child, but she did not neglect the affairs of the Red Mansion at all. At this moment, when she suddenly heard the news that the delegation had arrived in Bozhou, she was inexplicably excited and nervous.

My cheap father came over. The old man was in high spirits, his cheeks were rosy. Although he had been to jail, he looked more energetic than before.

"The envoys want to see you. Is there a solution to the issue of Ruiguo pulp being included in the tribute wine?"

Wen Wan smiled and said, "We still have to pass the wine tasting doctor's 'three-test method' assessment. Our family is still far from being a tribute wine."

Moreover, Wen Wan always felt that the young man who reported the news had a serious expression on his face, and she had a vague premonition that the tribute wine matter would not go smoothly.

Wen Weiming didn't think so. The small profiteers had only taken over the winery for more than a year, but they had already expanded the market to Bozhou and even had connections with the royal family!

It’s definitely not far from Ruiguojiang becoming a tribute liquor!
Wen Wan had already prepared a plan in mind. She arrived late after washing up, but she still shocked the delegation members!
Not to mention that the person in charge of the Wen family is a woman, but this girl is too young!

He looks no more than twenty years old.

But those eyes were smiling, and the two shallow dimples on the lips made her look more approachable, giving people a feeling of being bathed in spring breeze.

Especially this young lady, who, upon entering the house, was loaded with bags and bags, and offered sweets, snacks, and tea without stopping, looking attentively attentive. "My lords, you have come from afar and must have been very hard-working. I should have gone to greet you, but I was afraid of delaying your work and giving you something to talk about. So, I immediately come to you, lords, with the typical Bozhou manner, to apologize. I beg you to forgive my youth and ignorance."

As she spoke, the maids behind Wen Wan rushed in with food boxes like fish into water.

"These are Feng's dim sum. Their signature dishes are the sugar-coated lion and the honey-pickled carved flowers. They're only sold for an hour in the morning, and demand can't keep up with supply. When Shopkeeper Feng heard the officials from the envoys had come to Bozhou, he immediately called in a master pastry chef who hadn't made them in years."

Wen Wan lied fluently, "And this glass cup is filled with Red Mansion's milk tea, the first of its kind in the entire Tianshui Prefecture. This milk tea has a rich milky flavor, overflowing with tea fragrance, and is sweet in the mouth—"

Before Wen Wan could finish her nonsense, she heard someone sighing comfortably, "It tastes good! Sweet and fragrant!"

Another person was interested in the glass cup and studied it.

Liu Dajian coughed softly and thought to himself that although this young lady was young, she was experienced in her work.