The Great Song Dynasty's Soul-Forging in Progress

Inside the flower hall, the rich aroma of wine grew stronger. Lü Sanjun was flushed with excitement, his obese body trembling slightly. He gripped the empty white porcelain cup tightly, as if holding a priceless treasure, his gaze fixed intently on Wang Zhonghua, his voice rising several octaves with eagerness:

"Zhonghua! My dear nephew! This wine... this is simply divine brew! What 'Lanling wine, fragrant as tulips, served in jade bowls, gleaming like amber'—it's all just sugar water compared to this! Cooperation! We must cooperate! What do you need? Location? My Hulu Bay brewery, along with its staff and equipment, is all yours! Capital? Name your price, and I won't haggle! Sales channels? Chenzhou, Kaifeng Prefecture, and even the entire northwest of Beijing—my Lü family's caravans can cover it all! Let's sign the contract immediately, and the profits... you'll take the lion's share!"

He spoke rapidly, as if he wanted to lay bare his entire fortune, just to secure this "ancient secret brew" that could turn lead into gold firmly onto the Lü family's carriage. The century-old Lü family might be able to rise to a higher level with this, or even... he could already see mountains of gold and seas of silver, and a bustling scene at their doorstep.

However, Wang Zhonghua did not respond immediately to Lü Sanjun's enthusiastic, even almost irrational, invitation. His signature smile, reminiscent of Louis Koo's—approachable yet somewhat aloof—remained on his face, but his gaze shifted slightly to Li Yulian beside him, whose expression was shifting.

He didn't look at Lü Sanjun; his gaze calmly fell on Li Yulian's face, which still held traces of surprise and resentment. His voice was clear and steady, neither too loud nor too soft, yet loud enough for everyone in the flower hall to hear:

"I appreciate your kindness, Master Lü. However..."

He paused deliberately, until both Lü Sanjun's eager gaze and Li Yulian's complex expression were focused on him, before slowly saying:

"The key to cooperation lies in integrity, in having no reservations about each other, and in working together wholeheartedly. What you just said, Madam, is a family concern and understandable, but it also reveals a fact—trust between us has not yet been established, and trust is precisely the foundation of cooperation."

Lu Sanjun was taken aback, then hurriedly said, "Nephew, what are you saying! I believe you! I believe you a hundredfold!"

Wang Zhonghua's smile faded slightly, revealing a perfectly measured mix of seriousness and regret. He shook his head: "The master trusts me, which is a matter of goodwill. But cooperation involves two families, with far-reaching implications and huge interests. If the partners harbor doubts and see me as a 'fraudster,' they will inevitably hinder us in the future, harboring suspicion throughout their lives. Even the best deal will likely be difficult to complete, and may even lead to disaster. I am but a humble man with limited power; all I seek is a stable and long-term future."

His words were reasonable and logical. They not only pointed out that Li Yulian's harsh words had created an obstacle to cooperation, but also showed that he was thoughtful, not greedy for immediate gains, and had a broad perspective.

Lu Sanjun's expression changed. How could he not understand the meaning behind Wang Zhonghua's words? He turned his head sharply, glaring fiercely at Li Yulian, his eyes filled with anger and urging: "Madam! What do you have to say!"

Li Yulian's face was alternating between pale and flushed. As shrewd as she was, she naturally saw the astonishing profits behind this "strong liquor," far exceeding the mere hundred taels of silver. Her earlier harsh words were partly an outlet for pent-up frustration, and partly an attempt to curb the arrogance of this country bumpkin, making it easier to manipulate him later. She hadn't expected him to ignore her, instead using a feigned retreat to outmaneuver her! If her few words truly ruined this enormous fortune, not only Lü Sanjun, but even the ancestors of the Lü family would likely blame her.

As soon as Wang Zhonghua finished speaking, he actually cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and made a move to pack up the wine jars and leave. Lu Sanjun was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead, and he kept giving Li Yulian meaningful glances.

Li Yulian took a deep breath, knowing she couldn't maintain her composure any longer. She forced an extremely unnatural smile, took a half-step forward, and softened her tone. Although she still retained her usual reserve, the sharpness from before was completely gone:

"Young Master Wang... wait a moment." She paused, each word seemingly difficult to utter. "Just now... I spoke rashly. As a woman, I am short-sighted and only spoke carelessly because I was worried about my husband and the family business. Young Master Wang is a young talent, capable of offering such a precious 'family-finding' clue and brewing such... amazing wine. You are no ordinary person. That one hundred taels of silver is both a reward and a deposit, how can it be returned? I... apologize to Young Master Wang."

As she spoke, she actually gave a slight curtsy. For her, this was already a huge concession and a condescension.

Wang Zhonghua stopped, turned around, and his Louis Koo-esque smile returned, bright and sincere, as if the previous aloofness had never existed. He quickly stepped aside to avoid a courtesy, his tone gentle: "Madam, you flatter me. I am young and may have acted without careful consideration. It is normal for you to have doubts for the sake of the family business. I am extremely grateful for your understanding."

He spoke eloquently, giving Li Yulian a way out, but his gaze was clear and calm, showing no sign of humility or pride despite the other party's apology.

Seeing that the atmosphere had eased, Lü Sanjun breathed a sigh of relief and quickly smoothed things over: "Alright, alright, it's good that the misunderstanding has been cleared up! Nephew, you see, my wife has admitted her mistake, so let's continue our cooperation..."

Wang Zhonghua waved his hand again, his smile unchanged, but his eyes revealed an unwavering determination: "Sir, Madam, trust is like a blank sheet of paper; once it's wrinkled, it needs to be carefully smoothed out. How about this..."

He looked at Lü Sanjun and said, word by word, "As for the matter of finding the person, I will do my utmost to reunite the master and his son as soon as possible, to prove that I am not a person who speaks empty words. As for this one hundred taels of silver..."

He turned to Li Yulian, his smile impeccably sincere: "Since Madam considers it a deposit, then it remains a deposit. However, this brewing collaboration is no small matter. To avoid future complications, I've decided to return the hundred taels of silver to the Lü family in full. We can discuss the 'Ancient Recipe Brewing' collaboration again when the Master and Madam feel I am truly trustworthy, and when both sides are ready to work together without suspicion. After all..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the jar of wine, a familiar smile playing on his lips—a smile that carried a hint of nonchalance and a touch of confidence.

"Good wine needs no bush. With this ancient recipe in hand, I'll take a stroll around Chenzhou city; perhaps I can find a discerning partner. Don't believe me? Let's give it a try?"

He said the word "try" casually, but it was like a needle gently pricking the most sensitive nerves of Lü Sanjun and Li Yulian!

Go to Chenzhou to find other partners? With the quality of this wine, once it hits the market, wouldn't the Chen family, the Zhao family... and all those rivals who are eyeing it scramble for it? At that time, the Lü family won't even get a share of the pie, and their existing wine business will probably be severely impacted!

Lu Sanjun was now truly anxious. Sweat rolled down his fat face. He grabbed Wang Zhonghua's arm with such force that even Wang Zhonghua was slightly surprised: "Nephew! Absolutely not! Why seek others? In this Chenzhou region, who is more sincere and capable of cooperating with you than me, Lu Sanjun? Trust! We have absolute trust between us now!"

As he spoke, he looked at Li Yulian almost pleadingly.

Li Yulian's mind was in turmoil. She finally understood that this smiling country boy was no ordinary person. His composure, his methods, and the "bargaining chips" he held far exceeded her expectations. Returning the hundred taels of silver, seemingly a concession, was actually a clever strategy of retreating to advance, immediately seizing the initiative and forcing the Lü family to show their utmost sincerity!

She knew that if she continued to play it safe, this cooked duck would really fly away, and fly into her opponent's pot! At that time, she, Li Yulian, would become a sinner of the Lü family!