My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

The Institute of Physics gradually got on track, and all sorts of strange and unusual research and experiments were quietly carried out within its walls.

Meanwhile, news that greatly encouraged Ji Xuanyuan also came from another relatively independent "wine workshop" in the west of the city.

After months of repeated experiments and improvements, a key breakthrough has finally been achieved in alcohol purification!

Upon hearing the news, Ji Xuanyuan immediately rushed to the winery.

Upon entering the workshop specifically used for distillation and purification, a rich, sharp, and intense aroma, unlike that of ordinary spirits, immediately hits you, mixed with a unique, almost "sharp" scent.

In the center of the workshop, several meticulously crafted distillation apparatuses made of copper and iron stand quietly, still warm to the touch.

The head craftsman was a middle-aged man with a ruddy complexion and short, thick fingers. His surname was Du, and his family had been brewing wine for generations. He was discovered by Ji Xuanyuan and put in charge of this matter.

"My lord, I have not failed you!"

Pointing to the several specially made copper stills in the room and the bamboo tubes connecting them for condensation, as well as the clear, watery yet fragrant liquid in the earthenware jars below, he excitedly said, "Following the 'distillation' method you provided, and after repeatedly adjusting the ignition time, the temperature inside the stills, and the flow rate of the condensing water, this fifth batch of 'first liquor' is now almost free of impurities. It is extremely potent and ignites upon contact with fire, just as my lord said!"

Ji Xuanyuan approached, took a clean porcelain bowl, and asked the master chef to scoop out a small amount.

The liquid was extremely clear, and when shaken, it clearly clung to the sides of the container.

He carefully leaned closer and smelled it. The strong, pungent odor confirmed to him that it was close to high-purity alcohol. Although the purity might not meet the medical standards of later generations due to the limitations of the raw materials and processes of fermentation in this era, it was sufficient for the initial disinfection and cleaning of battlefield wounds, and might even surpass the infection prevention effect of any "wound medicine" of this era.

"Master Du, you've worked hard. Everyone, you've all worked hard." Ji Xuanyuan nodded, his face showing approval.

"I have a great use for this item, which concerns the lives of my soldiers. All those involved in this matter will be richly rewarded. The method of making this 'first wine' and its uses are classified as top secret and must not be disclosed."

The crowd responded with a resounding roar.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps approached from afar.

"What a strong aroma of wine! Senior brother, is this what you called distilled and purified alcohol?" Before he arrived, his voice preceded his arrival; Guo Jia's voice, carrying his usual laziness and curiosity, had already reached my ears.

He strode in, followed by little Zhen Mi.

As soon as Guo Jia entered, he twitched his nose dramatically a few times, his peach blossom eyes shining as he stared at the few jars of "first-run wine." He even reached for the wooden ladle used to scoop the wine, saying, "Let Jia try some; it smells potent enough!"

"Fengxiao, stop!" Ji Xuanyuan reacted quickly and grabbed his wrist.

"This is not a drink! It is alcohol, which is extremely potent. It can harm people if ingested, but can be used externally for disinfection."

"Disinfect?" Guo Jia was taken aback. He looked at the clear, watery liquid, then at Ji Xuanyuan's serious expression, and awkwardly withdrew his hand.

"Can't drink it? What a waste of something so strong..."

Ji Xuanyuan shook his head helplessly and led the two of them to a storage room next door.

The liquor displayed here is "drinking grade" high-proof spirit that has undergone two to three distillations and purifications, with an alcohol content of approximately 30 to 40 degrees.

The wine is slightly amber or yellow in color, with a rich and complex aroma, including different flavors such as date, honey, and sugarcane sweetness.

"This is the kind of wine you can actually drink." Ji Xuanyuan gestured to Master Du to open a jar of fine wine made from jujube wine. Instantly, a fragrance several times richer than ordinary fruit wine, yet more mellow and lingering, filled the air.

Guo Jia eagerly took the bowl, first carefully sniffing it, his eyes showing even greater surprise, and then took a small sip.

"Cough! Cough cough!" As the wine entered his throat, a strong burning sensation and an unprecedented force rushed straight to the top of his head. Guo Jia was caught off guard and choked, coughing several times. His face quickly flushed red.

But after recovering, his eyes lit up: "Excellent wine! Strong! Smooth! Sweet and mellow aftertaste, incredibly potent! More than ten times better than any wine I've ever drunk before! Senior brother, this is truly the finest wine!"

Wines from the Han Dynasty were mostly low-alcohol fermented wines, with a sweet or sour taste and generally low alcohol content.

For someone as fond of wine as Guo Jia, the shock and delight he felt upon suddenly tasting this refined "strong liquor" is unimaginable.

Zhen Mi stood quietly beside Guo Jia, her small nostrils twitching slightly, her clear eyes gazing curiously at the amber liquid rippling in the bowl.

Guo Jia, still excited about tasting the new wine, saw his little apprentice's expression and, feeling playful, casually dipped the tip of his spoon into a tiny drop and held it to Zhen Mi's lips: "Little Zhen Mi, does it smell good too? Here, try it, just one drop."

"Fengxiao! Nonsense!" Ji Xuanyuan tried to stop him, but it was too late.

Zhen Mi subconsciously opened her mouth, and the drop of wine fell onto the tip of her tongue.

"Ugh..." The next moment, the little girl's usually calm and composed face suddenly wrinkled, her delicate eyebrows furrowed, she abruptly turned her head away, stretched out her little hand and kept fanning her mouth, her eyes were slightly red from the sudden spiciness, and she stuck out her tongue repeatedly, her appearance showing a rare touch of childishness and embarrassment that belonged to her age.

"Cough... It's spicy..." Her voice was tinged with suppressed sobs as she looked up at Guo Jia, her eyes full of accusation.

Ji Xuanyuan was both amused and annoyed. He quickly had Master Du pour a bowl of water for Zhen Mi to rinse her mouth, then turned to Guo Jia and scolded, "Fengxiao! Mi'er is only nine years old, how can she drink alcohol? Not only are you making a fool of yourself, but you also brought her to this place reeking of alcohol. What kind of behavior is this!"

Knowing he was in the wrong, Guo Jia scratched his head and said with an embarrassed smile, "Senior brother, please don't be offended. I was just overjoyed to hear that you had obtained such fine wine, and I got carried away for a moment. Besides, little Zhen Mi is intelligent, and it would be good to let her see the world."

Seeing Ji Xuanyuan's unfriendly gaze, he quickly changed the subject: "However, Senior Brother, such fine wine, if it could be sold, would surely be extremely profitable! Wouldn't those aristocratic families, literati, and scholars fight tooth and nail to get their hands on it? It might even rival the value of Liuli!"

Ji Xuanyuan glared at him, then looked at Zhen Mi. Seeing that her expression had eased slightly after rinsing her mouth, though her face was still wrinkled, he said gently, "Mi'er, are you feeling unwell? Don't try unknown things so easily next time, especially those given by Fengxiao."

Zhen Mi nodded slightly, her eyes still holding a hint of annoyance as she looked at Guo Jia, but she obediently stood a little behind Ji Xuanyuan.

After calming the child down, Ji Xuanyuan replied to Guo Jia: "The brewing of this wine is quite costly and requires special techniques. The initial output will not be too high. Scarcity makes it valuable and profitable. However, the primary task is to use the high-purity alcohol in the army to reduce the number of deaths from injuries and illnesses. As for selling it... we can discuss that after the matter of Liuli is stabilized. Right now, there are more important matters to attend to."

Before he could finish speaking, a guard rushed in and handed him an urgent message.

Ji Xuanyuan unfolded the document and saw that it was a message sent back from Luoyang by Guo Jia's intelligence-gathering secret guards through special channels.

The letter stated that the convoy of glass treasures escorted by Zhen Yan and Chief Hu had safely entered the territory of Sili and would arrive in Luoyang soon.

Along the way, they encountered a group of unidentified bandits who coveted their territory, but they were all repelled.

One detail mentioned in the letter made Ji Xuanyuan's eyes narrow slightly:

"...The bandit leader was fierce and led dozens of men to attack the convoy. When the guard Hu Che'er saw this, he did not wait for orders and went to meet the convoy on foot with a knife. His steps were like those of a galloping horse and his strength was astonishing. He killed seven men in succession and beheaded the bandit leader. The remaining bandits were terrified and scattered. Young Master Zhen was amazed and praised his bravery..."

"Hu Che'er..." Ji Xuanyuan murmured the name.

It seems that history has proven him right; this man's courage and strength have indeed begun to emerge.

With him protecting them, the convoy's safety was at least guaranteed.

Guo Jia leaned over and glanced at the letter: "Hu Che'er? Is that the nephew of Steward Hu that Senior Brother promoted the other day? He seems to be a good prospect. Although Zhen Yan is good at scheming, he has good judgment. To have earned a word of praise for bravery from him, this boy's future is limitless."

Ji Xuanyuan put away the letter and pondered, "It's good that the caravan is safe. Next, let's see how the Zhen family operates that 'auction' in Luoyang."

Guo Jia laughed and said, "Don't worry, senior brother. I, Yuan Hao, and Gong Yu have already made plans. We have arranged the invitation list, the promotional rhetoric, and even the people who will bid for it. Zhen Yi is a business tycoon. With such a great profit at hand, he will definitely do his best. At that time, I'm afraid the treasuries of the powerful and wealthy in Luoyang will be emptied by this 'Heavenly Glass'."

"Money is important, but it's even more crucial to use it to establish connections with powerful figures and even people in the palace," Ji Xuanyuan said slowly.

"In the current court, powerful aristocratic families hold sway, and His Majesty's attitude is ambiguous. We need a voice from Luoyang, even if it's from some greedy and self-serving 'our own people,' rather than being surrounded by enemies."

"Senior brother's insight is brilliant." Guo Jia nodded, then suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, about that strong liquor... should Jia arrange the military's trial use of 'alcohol'? Jia guarantees he won't drink it secretly!" He raised his hand, making a solemn vow, but the shifty look in his eyes greatly diminished the credibility of his words.

Ji Xuanyuan said helplessly, "I will entrust this matter to Yuan Hao, who will handle it together with the military medical officer. You..."

He glanced at Guo Jia, who was secretly sniffing the wine jar next to him, and was quietly pulled back to his sleeve by Zhen Mi. He sighed and said, "You should keep a close eye on your student and make sure she doesn't touch alcohol again. Also, you need to keep an eye on the Institute of Physics. Some of your brilliant ideas might lead to other insights."

"I will obey my senior brother's orders!"

Guo Jia chuckled and agreed, then turned to Zhen Mi and said, "Did you hear that? Your senior uncle told me to make sure you don't drink alcohol. Come on, let's go back. I'll explain to you how alcohol can disinfect... Although I don't quite understand it myself, I can make something up... uh, we can discuss it!"

Zhen Mi gave a soft "hmm," glanced at the cool "alcohol" again, her curiosity still lingering, but she subconsciously touched her still slightly hot lips and followed Guo Jia with small steps.

Ji Xuanyuan watched the two figures leave, shaking his head and chuckling.

My gaze returned to those few jars of clear, pungent "alcohol," but my thoughts had already drifted far away.

Glassware is used to amass wealth, alcohol is used to save lives, new cavalry equipment is about to be deployed, and all sorts of whimsical ideas are being conceived within the Institute of Natural History.

The road ahead remains shrouded in mist, and hidden dangers may still be lurking in the shadows. But the chips in our hands are gradually increasing.

He walked to the window and looked up at the northern sky.

"The frontier... once everything is in place, all that's needed is the opportune moment for the tiger to be unleashed."