1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 544 The Most Influential Wine Auction in Provence
Over the past year, Ronan has been tricked countless times by Pierre, the "King of Pranks," who sees Antoine and his friends' tricks as childish.

If Pierre were in charge today, he would definitely arrange for an 'actor' to impersonate a witch by the blue campfire, and perhaps even teach that person some frightening and obscure spells.

Because he had figured out early on that the 'elf' behind the prank was someone else, he was in the mood to ask such a ridiculous question as 'Who is more powerful, Camis or the Forest Witch?'

But Antoine's fear at that moment was so realistic that it made him hesitate.

If this was also part of a prank, he might have later suggested that Antoine give up farming and switch to theater.

Ronan looked back into the dark forest, thinking excitedly, "Could we really be encountering the ghost army of the Roman legions?"

Provence has a rich Roman history, with many towns containing ancient Roman ruins. Legend has it that on certain foggy nights, especially in the forested areas that were once Roman battlefields, one can hear the voices of ghostly legions.

According to the students, these are the most 'friendly' terrifying creatures; they only patrol aimlessly and will not attack passersby.

Ronan clung to the ground like a weight, refusing to follow Antoine. He wanted to see the 'Ghost Legion' so he could brag about it to the farmers for the rest of his life!
Everyone except the only girl knew that the blue campfire was a prank orchestrated by Antoine, but something seemed amiss at this moment.

Antoine actually dragged Ronan, the "sit-down cannon," for several meters, making the ground look as if it had been plowed by an ox.

So Antoine was really scared!

Finally, someone spoke up in the darkness, reminding everyone to 'evacuate' immediately:
"That sound is strange. Whatever it is, let's get out of here!"

The heavy footsteps grew closer and closer, and sounded like a large group of people. The clanging of metal against metal struck their hearts, making them instinctively want to run away.

Curses, screams, and prayers erupted simultaneously, making the atmosphere even more oppressive.

“We’ll turn back. The ‘Ghost Army’ will just patrol aimlessly; we can just avoid them.”

Soon, similar sounds came from the direction from which the noise and footsteps were coming—curses, screams, and prayers, like echoes.

However, the content of this echo was somewhat baffling.

“Let’s turn back. The Forest Witch won’t stray too far from the campfire; it’s her eye in the darkness. Don’t go near it.”

Antoine, who was clinging tightly to Ronan, paused for a second, then turned back and asked hesitantly:
"Elden?"

Another trembling echo came from the darkness:

"Antoine, is that you?"

Ronan: "."

Speechless, utterly speechless!

Even back at headquarters, Elden was still complaining that Antoine and the others weren't being fair.

After finishing their shopping, they actually went to the Lourmaran Handicraft Cooperative for a "visit" and even brought Ronan along. This made the people who stayed behind think that they had encountered some trouble in the forest, so they sent someone out to "rescue" them.

Ronan, brandishing a metal bar used for loosening the soil, asked with a wry smile:
"Your so-called rescue is just banging on these metal rods? I really want to find a chance to tell Professor Fernand that his students are no good at experiments and can't explain anything clearly, but they are quite good at dealing with the 'Dark Forest'."

Elden said matter-of-factly:
"But this is indeed one of the most effective methods; the creatures in the dark will retreat on their own when they hear a sound."

Ronan smiled and shook his head.

The people of Provence are friendly, and the creatures of Provence are all timid and fearful. If this happened anywhere else, they would come and eat you if they heard such a commotion.
Having just been greatly frightened, Ophelia didn't want to discuss the story of the Black Forest anymore, and righteously told the boys:

“If you continue to discuss this topic, go into the forest and beg the creatures there to help you fill your stomachs. No one should eat dinner tonight.”

“That won’t do!” Elden ran to Ophelia. “I haven’t eaten meat for a week!”

Antoine pulled Ronan over as well, excitedly saying:

"Ronan, this is the warmest welcome we can give you!"

Living and working in the field, the students usually endured a very tough life, especially in terms of food.

Summer is hot, and there are no refrigerators here, so we only have fresh meat to eat on the two days we go shopping.

Ronan is visiting tonight, and Ophelia, the best cook among the students, has volunteered to be the chef.

Dinner was lamb pasta and honey grapefruit juice nut salad. Antoine and his friends also secretly bought some wine. Although it was simple, everyone enjoyed the meal very much. The main reason was that Antoine and the others kept telling everyone about what they had seen that day.

“We hadn’t been to the Lourmaran Crafts Cooperative, but every pedestrian on the street knew where it was, just like asking where the Mirabeau Avenue was in Aix-en-Provence.”

“You didn’t see how the people in the courtyard reacted when we said we were looking for Ronan. They brought us chairs, wine and glasses, and lots of delicious food, laying out a whole table. They treated us like honored guests who were about to be received by the king.”

“Those men looked as big and strong as oxen, but they looked at Ronan with such respect that it was hilarious.”

"What a pity, I really wanted to explore Lourmaran properly."

Ronan finished the last piece of pasta on his plate:
"Once you've finished this round of experiments, I'll treat you to a good time in Lourmaran, and then we'll have a big meal at my restaurant."

Golden licked his lips and said:
"The food at Ronan's restaurant is absolutely delicious!"

Antoine happily said to Ronan:
"But before that, let me treat you to my great-great-grandmother's secret recipe of charcoal-grilled mutton pie! You can go back tomorrow afternoon, and try my cooking for lunch first."

The students are taking turns monitoring the experimental subjects in the forest 24 hours a day. Tomorrow at noon, it will be Antoine's group's turn to cook.

Ronan had finally come, and the professor had already left. Everyone was reluctant to let him go so easily.

Ronan put down his plate and said apologetically:
"I'm going back early tomorrow morning. I'll definitely try it next time."

“Then the day after tomorrow!” Antoine continued, “I’ll cook the day after tomorrow too.”

The students really love Ronan. Even though they were terrified in the forest, Antoine didn't forget to run with Ronan.

Ronan spread his hands out:

"The day after tomorrow won't work either. I have to go to Châteauneuf-du-Pape for a wine auction and won't be back for three days."

Elden's eyes widened immediately:
"What kind of auction is this? It takes three whole days to go?"

Ronan shrugged; he had the same expression as Elden when he received Mr. Jacques' call.
“I’d like to ask that question too.” The next day, Ronan went home, packed some toiletries, and immediately went to the village to find Cornell.

During Ronan's three-day trip to Papal Neuf, things couldn't stop in Lourmaran, especially the wedding venue setup.

He instructed Cornell that if he encountered any problems while setting up the castle, he could go to Zoe, who had designed it with the artists and knew everything. If he encountered a problem that Zoe couldn't solve, he could ask Sylvie for help.

After arranging this important matter and taking a look around the weaving compound, he finally felt relieved and drove to Bonigno.

Afterwards, Ronan got into Mr. Jacques' Mercedes and went to Papal Neuf to meet Theodore.

On the way, Ronan asked Theodore many questions, which was one of the three purposes of his trip.

Ronan had three purposes for attending the auction at Papal Newcastle.

The first is to pave the way for the future development of Stella Rosé Winery towards the high-end market.

The second thing is to find a suitable person in charge of brewing, as this position has been vacant for too long.

The third objective was to get to know Theodore as much as possible, something Jerome had specifically instructed him to do before going to Madrid.

Unfortunately, Mr. Jacques also didn't know much about Theodore. It seemed that the sommelier was unfamiliar with anyone in the association and wasn't very active in attending gatherings.

It's only because of Jerome's 'retirement' that he's been appearing at parties so frequently lately.

“What an amazing guy,” Ronan said, tapping his knee. “Not only is he mysterious, but as a sommelier, he doesn’t drink alcohol. He drank juice at the last two parties.”

Theodore would only let the wine pass through his mouth briefly before ruthlessly spitting it out.

Mr. Jacques patted the steering wheel:

"Past experience tells me that if I want to leave Papal Newcastle alive in a few days, there is one thing I must learn, and that is to vomit. Ronan, you must learn this skill as soon as possible in the next few days."

Ronan glanced in alarm at Jacques, who was driving, to see if he was joking or serious:
"Spit it out? Like Theodore, just taste it and spit it out?"

“Like Theodore,” Jacques said, looking very serious. “I know it’s very difficult, because for people like you and me who enjoy drinking, even if your brain commands you to spit it out, your mouth will still swallow it on its own. But believe me, just a little betrayal of the body will bring you a sharp mind, the ability to speak fluently, and most importantly—”

He glanced at Ronan briefly:
"The reputation of a civilized person."

Ronan now has a very high alcohol tolerance.

Of course, there are no men in Provence with a low alcohol tolerance.

Mr. Jacques's words undoubtedly challenged a man's competitive spirit.

Ronan's noncommittal reply:
"I'll see how things go. If I really can't drink anymore, I'll stop."

Ronan has never attended a wine auction, but if he wants to sell a wine at a higher price, he would definitely arrange a tasting session beforehand.

How much can you drink at once when it's just a sample?

Mr. Jacques adjusted his glasses and said with a smile:
"Do you know how many kinds of wine I tasted during last year's auction?"

Hearing that tone, Ronan guessed it must be an astronomical figure.

After considering it for a moment, he replied:
200 kinds?

Jacques shrugs:

"There are over 450 kinds of drinks. If you swallow every single one, you definitely won't last until the end. I swear I will never drink so many kinds of drinks again this year. So this time I will only keep them for two days. I believe you and Theodore will be familiar with each other by the third day."

Mr. Jacques also came with a purpose this time.

The main mission is to find high-end wines for his Michelin-starred restaurant, while the side mission is to help Ronan and Theodore get to know each other.

In fact, he could have chosen not to come in person this year, but he was worried that Ronan and Theodore were not familiar enough with each other, which might affect the tasks arranged by Ines.

Ronan finally asked the question that had been bothering him:

"Will this auction last for three days? And will the same procedure be followed every day?"

Mr. Jacques first gave Ronan a background lesson on the auction:

"The wine auction we are going to participate in will be held in a hospital in Papal Neuf. When the hospital was first established, it was very difficult to operate. Later, it was only with the help of a foundation that relied on income from vineyards that it was able to maintain its daily expenses. To express its gratitude, the hospital holds a charity wine auction every year to thank the foundation for its help."

He paused briefly, carefully studying the road signs:

"Later, the auction became more and more successful, and many vineyard owners and wine merchants from Châteauneuf-du-Pape joined in to provide assistance to the hospital. Gradually, the auction became the largest and most influential wine auction in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and also the largest and most influential wine auction in Provence."

Provence has many famous wine regions, among which Châteauneuf-du-Pape is certainly the most legendary.

In the 14th century, Pope Clement V moved to Avignon and ordered vineyards to be planted to supply the papacy with drinking water. The task was undertaken by Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a neighboring city less than 20 kilometers from Avignon.

Moreover, Châteauneuf-du-Pape was the world's first AOC appellation, 19 years earlier than Bordeaux!
Therefore, Châteauneuf-du-Pape's largest and most influential wine auction is also the largest and most influential in Provence.

After explaining the background, Jacques then explained why he wanted to stay there for three days:
"The largest auction in Provence will attract hundreds of wine merchants and vineyard owners from the entire region. There will be some activities organized in the days leading up to and following the auction to build relationships. As you should know, this is the custom in Provence. The official auction will only be held tomorrow."

Ronan nodded, understanding the connection, and pressed for further information:
"So, our next step is to 'build rapport'?"

Jacques smiled and shook his head:

“Unfortunately, neither Theodore nor I are people who like to ‘connect’. We just have some friends to meet. Theodore said there’s a very interesting vineyard in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and we’d like to go check it out.”

Ronan grows his own grapes and runs the Stella Gard winery, so he was really eager to participate in this kind of "experience-building" activity. He happily said:
"Okay, let's go check it out!"

Jacques smiled and reminded him:

"Remember to spit out the alcohol later, so as not to affect your condition tomorrow. This is from the bottom of my heart."

(End of this chapter)