1980: I have a spiritual spring

Chapter 58 This lecher

On the way from Qiaojiawan to the commune, Qiao Erhe carried eight jars of wine and lees, and a net bag of eggs in his hand, chatting with Su Jinxiu as they walked.

"Comrade Qiao."

Upon hearing Su Jinxiu's address, Qiao Erhe interjected, "We're already true friends, so let's stop calling each other 'comrade.' You can call me Brother Qiao or Second Brother, it's fine."

Su Jinxiu nodded and said, "Okay, then I'll call you Brother Qiao. You can call me Jinxiu, that's what my family calls me."

"beautiful."

"Brother Qiao."

The two looked at each other and smiled.

Looking at the wine and lees that Qiao Erhe was carrying, Su Jinxiu said with a big smile, "Brother Qiao, you gave me so much sweet glutinous rice wine this time. When I take it home, my parents will be overjoyed."

Qiao Erhe said with a smile, "This glutinous rice wine is nothing special. When my family builds a new house next year and has enough space, I will brew some high-proof liquor. The taste will absolutely surpass all the liquors on the market. For people who appreciate fine liquor, this is an invaluable treasure."

Su Jinxiu's eyes widened as she asked, "Brother Qiao, you also know how to brew baijiu?"

It's no wonder she was so surprised. Brewing glutinous rice wine and brewing baijiu (Chinese liquor) are completely different concepts. The brewing process of glutinous rice wine is relatively simple, and many rural people know how to brew it. At most, there are some differences in taste.

However, the brewing of baijiu (Chinese liquor) is more sophisticated, requiring the use of distillation equipment, which presents a certain barrier to entry and is not something everyone understands.

Qiao Erhe laughed and said, "Of course I understand. I even studied winemaking under a master."

Su Jinxiu couldn't help but ask, "Brother Qiao, if you were to brew baijiu (Chinese white liquor), would its effects be comparable to those of sweet glutinous rice wine?"

Qiao Erhe shook his head and said, "The liquor I brew will definitely not harm your health and has certain health benefits, but it can't compare to sweet glutinous rice wine."

He had already thought it through. Ordinary glutinous rice wine already has good effects; it's a good thing for nourishing the body. So, if he amplifies these effects, even if others are shocked, it will still be within their acceptable range.

However, baijiu is less effective in nourishing the body. When Qiao Erhe brews it, he will adjust the dilution ratio of the spiritual spring water to a lower level. As long as the taste of the baijiu can beat other baijiu, it will be satisfactory. As for the effects, it will be perfect as long as it can be consumed without harming the body.

Su Jinxiu was not disappointed upon hearing this and nodded, saying, "I've already said that drinking alcohol is bad for your health. Brother Qiao, the baijiu you brew is not harmful to your health. This is already better than all the baijiu on the market. Moreover, you also said that the taste can beat all the baijiu on the market. If you were to sell your baijiu, you would definitely not have to worry about selling it."

Qiao Erhe laughed and said, "There's no rush to brew and sell wine. The current social environment isn't the time for that. The reason I dare to boldly engage in egg-laying chicken farming is because we rural people have the explicit support of Deng Xiaoping for raising chickens and ducks. Moreover, there is a big difference between us professional farmers and those speculators."

The state has long had clear regulations regarding speculation and profiteering:

1. Private merchants resell and wholesale goods, transporting them over long distances;
2. They set up underground factories, shops, and inns, engaged in usury, and exploited workers through hiring and subcontracting.
3. Black market brokers, who buy and sell short, profit from the transaction, and share the spoils.

4. Organizing speculative groups, colluding with internal and external parties, engaging in smuggling, bribery, and theft of state assets;

5. Hoarding and speculating, driving up prices;

6. Speculating on livestock;

7. Speculating on state-purchased and resold goods and industrial products allocated by the state;

8. Forging or reselling tickets and certificates, and trafficking in gold, silver, and foreign currency. However, rural people raising chickens and ducks and selling the eggs they produce are clearly not considered part of this speculation. This is the main reason why Qiao Erhe dared to boldly engage in animal husbandry but was unwilling to brew and sell alcohol.

If it weren't for the existence of this crime of speculation and profiteering, the profit from brewing and selling wine would definitely be dozens or even hundreds of times higher than the profit from raising laying hens.

Coming from a family like Su Jinxiu's, she naturally understood the difference between professional farmers and speculators. She nodded and said, "Brother Qiao, you're right. In the current environment, it's best to be careful to avoid giving someone with ulterior motives a handle to use against you."

Qiao Erhe laughed and said, "Although I can't brew wine to sell now, I can still brew some for myself and give to relatives and friends. When I brew baijiu next year, I'll give some to your father to try. I guarantee he'll like it."

Su Jinxiu smiled and said, "Then I'll thank you on behalf of my father, Brother Qiao."

Now that the conversation had reached this point, Qiao Erhe said, "By the way, Jinxiu, I have another favor to ask of you."

Su Jinxiu said, "What is it? Brother Qiao, just tell me. I will do whatever I can."

Qiao Erhe said, "It's like this, I plan to soak tiger bones and tiger penis in wine. I need tiger bones, tiger penis and some rare medicinal materials. I don't know if your father has the resources for this. If he does, I would like to ask him for help. I can send him some of the medicinal wine that is made from it. Its effects will definitely not disappoint him."

Su Jinxiu's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and she asked, "Brother Qiao, is this medicinal wine even more effective than sweet glutinous rice wine?"

Qiao Erhe laughed and said, "Of course, its effects are at least ten times stronger than glutinous rice wine. For minor ailments like your father's back pain, just drinking a cup of tiger bone medicinal wine can completely cure them. It will also cure other minor ailments one by one."

Even if someone has an incurable disease, drinking this medicinal wine offers hope of a cure.

Moreover, healthy people who drink it can also prolong their lives.

In addition, this wine has excellent aphrodisiac effects, making it a highly sought-after item for men.

Unfortunately, this medicinal wine requires a great many rare herbs, including valuable items like tiger bones and tiger penises, which is beyond my ability to collect.

Tiger bone and tiger penis, rare medicinal herbs—these are all just excuses Qiao Erhe came up with to justify the amazing effects of his medicinal wine.

Only medicinal wine made with countless rare herbs can have convincing effects, and this is also a way for Qiao Erhe to protect himself.

Su Jinxiu grew increasingly excited as she listened, until Qiao Erhe brazenly mentioned aphrodisiacs in front of her. Her pretty face flushed red. This lecherous man…

After he finished speaking, Su Jinxiu said seriously, "Leave this to me. You list out the rare medicinal herbs needed to make the medicinal wine. When I get back, I'll talk to my dad and see if he can get the things you mentioned."

Qiao Erhe laughed and said, "Okay, when we get to the station, I'll borrow some paper and pen to write down the medicinal herbs for you. If your dad can really gather all these herbs, tiger bone and tiger penis, then my medicinal wine will have a chance to be released."

Su Jinxiu said, "I'm not sure about this either. I can only say that I'll let my dad give it a try. Don't have too high hopes."

Qiao Erhe laughed and said, "It's alright, I'm not in a hurry. I'm just making preparations in advance. At the earliest, I won't start soaking the medicinal wine until around the Dragon Boat Festival next year. Besides, none of the medicinal herbs I listed are indispensable, and the age of the herbs is not fixed."

In short, even if some medicinal herbs are unavailable or not aged enough, they can still be steeped to make medicinal wine; the only difference is that the effect won't be as strong.

Su Jinxiu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's good. I will definitely pass on your words to my father."

(End of this chapter)