The Great Song Dynasty's Soul-Forging in Progress

She gritted her teeth, no longer caring about saving face, and put on an unprecedented, almost ingratiating smile, her tone sincere to the point of humility:

"Young Master Wang! Please wait! All the blame lies with me! My shortsightedness nearly ruined the Lü family's grand plan, and I have also failed to appreciate your sincerity! That one hundred taels of silver was not a deposit, but a reward! It is what you deserve! This winemaking collaboration is a godsend opportunity for the Lü family; how can we let it slip away because of my momentary lapse in judgment? Whatever your conditions, please state them! The entire Lü family will cooperate fully without hesitation! I swear here and now that if you ever have even the slightest doubt again, just call me…"

"Madam, you flatter me!" Wang Zhonghua interrupted her at the right moment, his smile as warm and tolerant as a spring breeze. "Since the master and madam are so sincere, it would be disrespectful of me to refuse."

He gently patted Lü Sanjun's hand, which was gripping his arm tightly, to reassure him, then looked around at the two of them, his voice steady and powerful:

"In that case, let's discuss the details of this 'Ancient Recipe Brewing' collaboration. I'll provide the recipe and technology, and be responsible for the core brewing process and quality control; the employee will provide the existing distillery, some start-up capital, raw material sourcing, and sales network. Profit sharing..."

Looking into Lü Sanjun's tense yet expectant eyes and at Li Yulian's breathless expression, he slowly revealed his plan.

At this moment, the last trace of disdain Lü Sanjun felt for Wang Zhonghua's youth vanished completely, leaving only deep admiration and relief—relief that he hadn't misjudged him, and even more relief that the young man had ultimately chosen the Lü family. From this day forward, he, Lü Sanjun, and indeed the entire Lü family, would be inextricably linked to this unfathomable young man, sharing both glory and fortune.

After experiencing these twists and turns, Li Yulian's gaze towards Wang Zhonghua completely changed. She was still wary, but more so, she had a shrewd calculation after recognizing reality—she had to hold onto this "god of wealth" at all costs.

Seeing the complete change in their attitudes, Wang Zhonghua understood. He knew that only after this "feigned indifference" could the foundation for cooperation be truly solidified. His Louis Koo-esque smile grew even deeper and brighter.

Sometimes, taking a step back opens up a whole new world. Sometimes, trust only grows stronger through trials.

Don't believe me? We've already tried it.

Lu Sanjun abruptly stood up, disregarding his composure, and paced rapidly through the flower hall, his breathing becoming heavy, his obese chest heaving, as he uttered his biggest question: "Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! This thing... this thing can be mass-produced? What is the cost?"

"Yes. One jin of grain makes about four liang of wine." Wang Zhonghua said decisively, as if dropping a bolt of lightning. "But it requires some modifications to the 'Drunken Immortal' brewery under the master's name, adding a few special steaming and condensing equipment. I'll provide the core technology and the complete recipe, and be responsible for supervising the entire brewing process. The master will handle the workshop, all the manpower, raw material procurement, and advance the capital. The profits will be split 40/60, with the master taking 40% and me taking 60%. How about it?"

Li Yulian stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

"40%?" Lü Sanjun stopped, narrowing his shrewd eyes at Wang Zhonghua, his businessman nature on full display. "Kid, do you know how much real money was invested in the initial stages of 'Drunken Immortal Workshop,' including the site, cellars, manpower, and the subsequent purchase of grain and charcoal? You only provide a recipe, yet you want to take 60% of the profits? Isn't that... a bit too presumptuous?"

Wang Zhonghua stood firm, meeting his scrutinizing gaze with a calm and unwavering tone: "Sir, without this recipe, your 'Drunken Immortal's Workshop' would only produce ordinary wine found everywhere in the market, with meager profits and fierce competition. But this 'white wine' is unique in the world! Its profit is ten times, even dozens of times, greater than ordinary wine! I take 60%, not out of arrogance or to take advantage of you, but because the recipe itself is worth this price. This is the art of turning lead into gold! Moreover…" He paused, his voice lowering, carrying a seductive power, "If I can use this to quickly accumulate enough wealth and open more connections, wouldn't that be like adding wings to a tiger, greatly aiding in the 'search for the person'?"

This last sentence, like a precise arrow, struck once again at Lü Sanjun's deepest desire and Achilles' heel. His fat twitched, and his eyes flashed with a sharp light, clearly indicating he was undergoing intense deliberation.

Li Yulian quietly left and went to the back room. She made up her mind not to get involved in Wang Zhonghua's affairs anymore, lest something unexpected happen and she end up being disliked by both sides.

Lu Sanjun was silent for a moment, then suddenly stretched out five short, carrot-like fingers, almost stabbing Wang Zhonghua in the face: "Fifty-fifty! You and I each take fifty percent! This is my bottom line! And you must guarantee that this formula will never be revealed to a second party!"

Seeing the unwavering expression on Lü Sanjun's face, Wang Zhonghua knew the time was right. Further arguing might cause unforeseen problems, so he laughed heartily, cupped his hands, and said, "Sir, you are indeed generous! Very well! It's as you say, a fifty-fifty split, and this recipe is unique! I will do my utmost to make the name of this 'white wine' resound throughout the Song Dynasty! No, throughout the entire world! If you don't believe me, let's try!"

A smile finally broke through Lü Sanjun's tense face. He slammed his large hand on the tea table, making the teacups rattle. "Good! That's the way to it! I love your cleverness and decisiveness! It's settled then! I want to see how many more surprises you can bring me!"

With the important matter settled, the atmosphere in the flower hall immediately became even more harmonious. Lü Sanjun even personally poured Wang Zhonghua a cup of tea, although Wang Zhonghua's cup still contained that pungent "white liquor".

Taking the opportunity, Wang Zhonghua brought up another matter: "Sir, I have another request, and I hope you will grant it. The business of the spicy soup shop is doing well, enough to support my family, but it's tiring with trivial matters and takes up a lot of my energy. I'd like to purchase a few clever, sensible, and honest servants, train them, and have them take over the daily operations of the shop, so that I can free up my hands to focus on this important matter of brewing wine for you, and... that even more important matter of finding the missing person."

"Oh, this is a small matter, nothing to mention." Lü Sanjun was in a great mood at the moment, and waved his hand, "Later I will have the steward Lü Fusheng accompany you to the Chenzhou people market. He is an old hand in the household and has a sharp eye. He will definitely be able to help you find a suitable person. If you don't have enough money, just take it from the household account. Consider it a loan from me, no, a gift."

"There's one more thing. My house is too small. As our business expands, I'll inevitably need to accommodate some relatives and friends. If there's a vacant house, I'd like to ask you to help me buy one."

"Don't worry about that. I have a threshing ground about five miles southwest of here. It's about two miles in circumference. The house isn't very nice, but it can still provide shelter from the wind and rain. I'll give it to you."

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness, sir." Wang Zhonghua thanked him again. Now Qin's men had a place to stay, and he also had a base for starting his own business. He remembered another favor from Lü Sanjun.

Wang Zhonghua waved and turned, his joyful mood like "waving his sleeves" as he bid farewell to "the clouds over the Lü residence." He left behind a trail of songs as he walked.

The sun is shining brightly.

It illuminates my heart with light.

Folk songs are like the spring river water.

Singing all the way, the fragrance lingers...