The Great Song Dynasty's Soul-Forging in Progress

She paused, her gaze sweeping across Wang Zhonghua's young yet composed face like a knife. Her sharp words, each one piercing, were deliberate and piercing: "They're clearly taking advantage of your desperation for a child, using that fraudulent scheme to swindle you out of your money! Now that they've squandered most of it, they shamelessly come knocking again. They must have come up with some new story now, haven't they?"

As she spoke, she glanced at the wine jar again and sneered, "So this time you're going to sell some kind of 'celestial brew'? What a joke! What kind of fine wine hasn't my Lü family seen? What good stuff can a peasant like you possibly concoct?"

He glanced at Wang Zhonghua again, his eyes filled with indifference and disdain:

"Hmph! He looks perfectly respectable; these days, con artists are getting younger and younger!"

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly turned cold and even stagnant.

The servants and maids who had led Wang Zhonghua in held their breath and lowered their heads, not daring to speak. Lü Sanjun's face flushed red and then turned pale. Li Yulian's words not only exposed his hidden worry that the hundred taels of silver might be wasted, but also embarrassed him in public, making him seem like a fool easily deceived by a country bumpkin. He wanted to reprimand her, but over the years, he had always harbored some fear and guilt towards his wife, who came from an official family, was shrewd, and had devoted much effort to managing his household. For a moment, he choked on his words.

Wang Zhonghua remained unmoved, even sporting a faint, composed smile. Meeting Li Yulian's piercing gaze without flinching, he first respectfully bowed and said, "This humble one, Wang Zhonghua, greets Madam Lü."

His manners were impeccable. He then straightened up, his gaze clear and composed, his voice calm yet clear: "I dare not refute what you say, Madam. I have indeed accepted the one hundred taels of silver and am deeply grateful. The search for this person is fraught with difficulties and cannot be accomplished in a day; I dared not make any guarantees on the day of my search. But I swear to God, I have not uttered a single falsehood to deceive you, sir and madam. All the clues I have obtained have been verified and are indeed true. This matter concerns human relations and natural justice; even if I had the audacity of the heavens, I would not dare to use this to deceive."

His words were sincere and his demeanor upright, making Li Yulian's aggressive accusations seem somewhat unfounded.

Lu Sanjun's expression softened somewhat.

Wang Zhonghua changed the subject, gently patting the wine jar on the table. He looked at Li Yulian, his tone still calm, but with a hint of barely perceptible confidence: "As for why I've come today, it is indeed for the contents of this jar. However, I am not here to 'sell' wine, nor am I making up a story. I am here to cooperate with you, sir, to jointly develop a new industry that could change the wine industry in Chenzhou, and even further."

"Cooperation? A new industry?" Li Yulian's sneer deepened. "You? A guy who sells spicy soup?"

"Madam," Wang Zhonghua raised his voice slightly, his gaze sweeping over Lü Sanjun before finally settling on Li Yulian, "a soup vendor, if he has real skill, need not fear being looked down upon. Master Lü's businesses span Chenzhou, and his vision and knowledge far surpass those of ordinary people. I am but a humble man, and my words alone are hardly credible. Therefore, I have brought 'proof' today."

Without another word, he reached out and slowly broke the clay seal on the wine jar. As the seal fell away, an extremely rich, pungent, and pure aroma of wine, like a swarm of birds and bees that had been imprisoned for a long time, suddenly broke free and filled the entire flower hall!

This aroma is unlike the sweet and glutinous fragrance of ordinary yellow rice wine, nor is it as rich as any fruit or flower wine. It is an extreme, fiery, and intensely concentrated essence of grains, mellow and domineering. It is pungent at first, but upon closer tasting, it reveals distinct layers, rushing straight to the brain and then sinking deep into the lungs.

"Ugh!" Lu Sanjun sat up abruptly, his nose twitching as he involuntarily sniffed, his eyes flashing with disbelief! He was a connoisseur of wine, with countless bottles stored in his cellar, but he had never smelled such a peculiar and impactful aroma!

Li Yulian was also overwhelmed by the sudden, strong smell of alcohol and subconsciously took a half step back, covering her mouth and nose. However, the thick mockery and disdain in her eyes finally turned into confusion and surprise.

Wang Zhonghua took two clean white porcelain cups from the table, which were originally used for drinking tea, and steadily poured a small half-full cup into each. The wine poured out was incredibly clear, like a mountain spring, gently rippling in the cup and clearly clinging to the sides.

He presented one of the cups to Lü Sanjun with both hands, and calmly pushed the other towards Li Yulian (though he knew she might not drink it). He then took a step back and made a "please" gesture.

"Sir, Madam," Wang Zhonghua's voice sounded particularly clear amidst the rich aroma of wine, "This wine is the result of an ancient recipe that I stumbled upon and tested many times. It is extremely potent, yet its taste is exceptionally mellow. I dare not say more, for fear of exaggerating its effects."

His eyes shone brightly, radiating the sharpness and certainty unique to young people, as he uttered those long-brewing, provocative, and confident words:

"How good this wine is, words alone cannot prove it."

"Don't believe me? Why don't you try it?"

Lu Sanjun was already itching to drink because of the aroma of the wine. Without hesitation, he picked up the wine glass, first observing its color, which was clear and bright; then smelling its aroma, which was crisp and mellow; and finally, he carefully took a sip.

The next moment, the wealthy man, who had tasted fine wines from all over the country and considered himself a wine connoisseur, suddenly widened his eyes and his face flushed instantly!

Upon tasting the wine, a burning sensation explodes on the tongue! This is followed by an exquisite aroma and complex warmth that fills the mouth and flows down the throat like a hot yet comforting current to the stomach. Then, a long and lingering sweetness and warmth slowly rise from the lower abdomen, leaving one feeling completely relaxed!

"What...what is this?!" Lü Sanjun was both shocked and horrified, staring at the crystal-clear liquid in the cup as if it were a dream that could weave the most beautiful ideals. "So potent! Like an ice blade scraping the throat, like a raging fire burning the intestines! This...this is really wine? Young man, this...this is really something you made?!"

"To be honest, this is a 'white liquor' that I stumbled upon by chance using a fragment of an ancient recipe from a previous dynasty. I've devoted all my efforts to improving it," Wang Zhonghua said calmly, as if discussing a trivial matter. "Its characteristics are as clear as water and as fiery as fire. Do you think that, given its unique qualities, it might be worthy of the phrase 'immense wealth'?"

Unbelievable wealth! Unbelievable wealth!!!

Lu Sanjun was indeed a business prodigy. After decades of navigating the treacherous waters of the market, his initial shock and discomfort quickly gave way to a keen business sense that was immediately activated! He clearly recognized the enormous profits hidden within, enough to shake up the entire liquor industry! This liquor was so unique, so potent, so clear, so… so unrestrained. Once it hit the market, it would undoubtedly attract a frenzy of pursuit from those seeking the ultimate thrill, soldiers,江湖儿女 (people of the martial arts world), and even literati seeking novelty and refinement! Its value far surpassed that of ordinary liquors with similar tastes and low alcohol content!

This is a one-of-a-kind deal!

Although Li Yulian did not touch the glass of wine, her husband's outburst and the undeniable, extraordinary aroma of the wine in the air completely shook the contempt and doubt on her face. Instead, she looked up and down at the still calm and smiling young man in plain clothes with a deep sense of astonishment and a re-examination.

Wang Zhonghua knew that this first step had been successful.

He glanced almost imperceptibly at Li Yulian, then met Lü Sanjun's excited and eager gaze, and calmly nodded:

"Sir, now, can we properly discuss this 'cooperation' and 'new industry'?"