I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 188 This world is fantastical.

A spring banquet, a glass of green wine, a song sung.

The annual Spring Festival banquet in Lanzhou, though lacking in green wine, featured plum blossom wine generously sponsored by Tang Zhao.

Comparing the different carved wine pots on her and her brother's tables, Shen Jiahui asked curiously, "Are there any differences?"

The maid standing to the side poured wine while smiling and said, "Miss Shen, this wine pot carved with plum blossom fairies contains a low-alcohol beverage made from plum blossoms and fruits. No matter how much you drink, you won't get drunk."

The maid stood up and walked to Young Master Shen's table to pour wine. "But this wine pot carved with the Plum Blossom Immortal contains plum blossom wine that has been distilled five or six times. Only someone with a huge capacity for alcohol can drink more than five cups."

"Oh?" Young Master Shen put away his folding fan. "Then I'll have to try and see if this plum blossom wine can get me drunk."

As Shen Jiawen spoke, he picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

As soon as the mild, slightly cool liquor entered my mouth, my taste buds could taste the chilly fragrance of plum blossoms. As the liquor flowed down my throat and into my lungs, a warm sensation rose from within, making me feel light and airy.

"Fine wine!" Shen Jiawen had tasted many fine wines from all over the world, but they all paled in comparison to this plum blossom wine.

"Continued Cup!"

The maid poured another cup of wine.

Shen Jiahui advised, "There's a horse race later. What if my brother gets drunk and falls off his horse?"

“It’s alright, you know how good I am at riding,” Shen Jiawen said, tilting his head back and drinking it all in one gulp. “Besides, these kinds of scenes are for unmarried men and women to show off. I’m already engaged, why would I want to show off?”

“Brother is a heavy drinker, be careful I’ll tell Mother,” Shen Jiahui said, seeing that her mother’s name wouldn’t work, she had no choice but to bring up her future sister-in-law, “If brother gets drunk and makes a fool of himself, I’ll tell your sister-in-law after she marries into the family.”

Shen Jiawen paused in pouring the wine, reluctantly withdrew his hand, opened his folding fan, and muttered under his breath, "You ungrateful little brat, I've spoiled you for nothing."

Shen Jiahui poured a glass of plum blossom alcoholic beverage from her table for Shen Jiawen, "Brother, if you want to drink, drink this."

Shen Jiawen picked up the glass and took a sip. The wine was sweet, sour, and slightly cool, with a faint hint of alcohol that was barely noticeable unless you tasted it carefully.

"Too bland," Shen Jiawen thought to himself, shaking his head. "It's clearly meant for women and those who don't drink much."

Seeing his sister drinking cup after cup, Shen Jiawen did not stop her. While chatting with his sister, he looked around and saw that almost everyone was tasting and talking about the plum blossom wine, and some people with poor alcohol tolerance had already drunk themselves to death.

“After today, this Plum Blossom Immortal Wine will surely become famous throughout the world,” Shen Jiawen said, picking up the exquisitely carved wine pot on the table. “I wonder how much it will cost next time I want to drink it.”

This is a question that everyone is thinking about.

"May I ask, Your Highness, where did you purchase this wine, and how much did it cost?"

In the first month of the lunar calendar, the Crown Princess gave birth to the first grandson of the Xuan Prince's mansion. During her postpartum period, the Crown Princess took extra good care of her, and after three months of recuperation, her complexion and spirit were even better than before.

"In Jingyuan County, Ningzhou, there is a family surnamed Zhong. They have an ancient winemaking secret recipe. The current head of the family loves wine as much as his life and is also very studious. He went through many hardships to brew this Plum Blossom Immortal Wine."

Mr. Ming smiled sincerely, “I only heard about it by chance, and after trying it, I found it to be really good, so I wanted to share it with you all.”

"As for the price, I don't know. This wine was donated by the Zhong family after they learned that the Prince's Mansion was holding a spring banquet," the Crown Princess said, looking at the last seat. "If you want to know the price, you can ask the Zhong family."

Those present were taken aback, and one of them blurted out, "This wasn't made by Princess Zhaoshan?"

“Of course not,” Madam Ming said, glancing at the lady who had asked the question with surprise. “Why does Madam have this question?”

The lady chuckled dryly and explained, "In recent years, anything new has invariably come from Princess Zhaoshan's handiwork, so..."

Ming understood, "The princess is exceptionally talented, but she's not good at everything."

The others nodded in agreement. Indeed, being able to make glass, cement, braised dishes, tofu, and soybean oil was already impressive; if they could also brew wine, wouldn't that be like a god descending to earth? The Zhong family was merely a commoner family; members of aristocratic families wouldn't lower themselves to speak with them, so they sent a servant to inquire about prices.

"A pot of plum blossom alcoholic beverage costs one tael of silver, while plum blossom wine is more expensive, costing sixty taels per pot."

Sixty taels? Shen Jiawen paused, his hand holding the wine cup still. Why didn't he just snatch it?
This pot weighs less than a pound.

"The Zhong family said that the process of making plum blossom wine is complicated and tedious. The most important thing is the shortage of materials. Now that the plum blossom season has passed, it is no longer possible to make plum blossom wine. The next time to make it will have to wait until winter."

Therefore, it is not only expensive, but also limited in quantity, and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Shen Jiawen was anxious. "Quickly, go buy five more pots, no, ten more."

The servant hurried off, but returned empty-handed. "Young master, the Zhong family's plum blossom wine is all sold out."

Shen Jiawen: . . . .

Shen Jiahui looked at her brother's petrified face with sympathy and stopped stopping Shen Jiawen from savoring the less than half-full pot of plum wine on the table.

"Prince Xuan and Princess Xuan have arrived!"

Everyone bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Highness and Your Highness!"

"No need for formalities!" King Xuan helped his queen to sit at the head of the table. "Please, everyone, be seated."

“Brother, Prince Xuan has never attended the Spring Banquet in previous years,” Shen Jiahui whispered in her ear, “Why did he suddenly come this year?”

Shen Jiawen also felt something was strange; there must be something fishy going on. "Let's wait and see."

As expected, after making a few opening remarks, King Xuan praised several outstanding and famous young men and women, and naturally brought up Gu Xuan, praising her highly.

Princess Xuan was extremely surprised and suspicious.

Consort Qin was unhappy. In the past, Prince Xuan always praised Fu'er. When did it become Gu Xuan's turn?
"I wonder what the Seventh Miss has done to earn such high praise from the Prince?"

The others were also eager to know, and they all pricked up their ears.

“Xuan’er has been spoiled since childhood, but I never expected her to be so ambitious, volunteering to join the army as a military doctor,” Prince Xuan said with emotion. “She used to be terrified of blood and wounds, but now she can stitch up wounds and care for the wounded without batting an eye. She truly deserves to be a child of Prince Xuan’s mansion!”

"If all women in the Northwest were like Xuan'er, how could my Northwest Army not be strong? How could the borders of my Great Yu be unstable?"

King Xuan raised the bar high, then appealed, "If any of you here wish to contribute to the Northwest Army like Xuan'er, please sign up at the Northwest Army Medical Department."

"Alright, that's all I have to say. The Northwest Army still has military affairs to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave now."

Everyone: ...

So King Xuan came here to praise his daughter and, incidentally, to recruit doctors for the Northwest Army.
Princess Xuan took a deep breath, breaking the awkward atmosphere, "It's a rare sight to have such a beautiful spring day, everyone, don't stay cooped up in the courtyard, let's all go out for a walk."

"Yes!"

The ladies and scions of prominent families in Northwest China each have their own social circles, and in the past, their topics of conversation varied widely. But today, they are all talking about the same thing.

Gu Xuan, the seventh young lady of the Xuan Prince's Mansion and the legitimate daughter of the Xuan Prince's wife, not only entered the military camp as a woman, but also lowered her status to become a military doctor.

Most importantly, King Xuan and his wife actually supported and approved of it.

This world is surreal.