In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

Li Yuanchang spent a whole afternoon at Jiuxianfang, valuing distilled spirits above all else.

He was also well aware of the despicable nature of business warfare and the ugliness of human nature, and the sudden emergence of distilled spirits was destined to create a miracle in the commercial history of the Tang Dynasty.

At that time, those who covet it and are envious will be as numerous as carp crossing a river!

To ensure his monopoly on distilled spirits, Li Yuanchang officially dispatched a 30-man guard to Jiuxianfang, under the command of the Imperial Household Department.

These thirty people are mainly responsible for the distillation and purification area and protecting trade secrets.

As long as that area remains undiscovered, there won't be another person in the world who understands distillation!

Secondly, he handed over most of the tiger skins and bones to the Qin family, instructing them to sell them at high prices and then use the proceeds to purchase large quantities of sorghum and other raw materials.

Buy it at any cost!

Otherwise, once distilled spirits are introduced, someone will inevitably start raising prices, or even causing trouble.

After dusk.

Li Yuanchang hosted a banquet at Jiuxianfang, entertaining eighteen managers from the Qin family, each responsible for a specific aspect of the distilled spirits business, essentially acting as a senior executive.

Qin Keyu was also present, but Qin Zun was out and unable to attend.

Li Yuanchang completely abandoned the outdated notions of the hierarchical relationship between ruler and subject, and drank with these merchants and servants at the same table.

Operating this "initial team" with a modern mindset, not only treating them well in terms of benefits but also respecting their status, has greatly enhanced the cohesion of Jiu Xian Fang.

Around 3:45 PM.

After a hearty meal, the managers all took their leave, not daring to drink too much, as they still had matters to attend to.

In the end, only Li Yuanchang and Qin Keyu remained in the small building.

Qin Keyu's face was already flushed; she was no longer just slightly tipsy, but rather drunk.

"I told you, this wine has a very strong aftereffect, but you wouldn't believe me."

"Alright, I'll send someone to take you back," Li Yuanchang said with a smile, noticing that it was getting completely dark.

"I'm not going back!" Qin Keyu blurted out, her eyes showing some resistance, perhaps due to the influence of alcohol.

Li Yuanchang put the wine away.

Having lived a second life, he could tell at a glance that Qin Keyu had something on her mind.

"What's wrong? Who upset you?"

Qin Keyu didn't speak, but her feelings were written all over her face, her curved eyebrows furrowed tightly.

"Tell me, there are no outsiders here anyway, and perhaps I can help you."

"Will you help me?" Qin Keyu asked, looking drunk.

Li Yuanchang nodded.

"Then Your Highness, please kill someone for me."

Li Yuanchang's eyes widened; this delicate young girl was about to kill someone.

"Who?"

"My father's wife."

"Huh?" Li Yuanchang's voice rose, then he remembered that Situ Lan had once said that the reason Qin Keyu liked to run around in men's clothing was because she had conflicts with her family.

Her birth mother died long ago, and now the mistress of the Qin family is another young woman.

"You broke your promise!" Qin Keyu said angrily, tears welling up in her eyes.

Li Yuanchang smiled wryly.

"What did your stepmother do to offend you?"

"She didn't offend me, but I just hate her, and I hate my dad!"

"After my mother died, she usurped my place. She has no shame, even though she's only three years older than me!"

"My father has also forgotten my mother. He has forgotten who gave him his first money in business. If it weren't for their help, my mother wouldn't have died young from overwork."

"Now look what's happened! He's found a young and beautiful woman, while my mother lies buried in the ground!"

At this point, Qin Keyu gritted her teeth in anger, her eyes filled with a thousand grievances.

This was the first time Li Yuanchang had seen such a quirky and clever woman like Qin Keyu reveal such her true feelings.

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly; in truth, none of it was wrong.

Remarriage is normal, and after so many years, Qin Zun has done a relatively good job. In ancient times, most men would remarry immediately after their first wife died.

Qin Keyu couldn't blame her, after all, she was only sixteen years old.

As for asking Li Yuanchang to kill that woman, that was clearly drunken ramblings; Qin Keyu was obviously not that crazy.

"So that's why you're going against your father?"

Qin Keyu's tears fell like pearls, and she tried to snatch the wine, but Li Yuanchang moved her aside.

"Do you also think I'm wrong?" she suddenly asked, her voice choked with sobs, looking utterly pitiful.

Li Yuanchang shook his head and looked at her tenderly.

"You didn't do anything wrong. You're worried about your mother. What's wrong with that?"

One sentence instantly hit the most painful spot, and Qin Keyu could no longer hold back her tears, sobbing uncontrollably on the table.

Li Yuanchang couldn't help but smile. He neither spoke nor offered any words of comfort, but simply sat there, keeping her company.

Qin Keyu cried for quite a while.

It's fortunate that this is the second floor; if it were on the first floor and people outside heard this, they would think that Li Yuanchang had been drunk and had committed adultery.

a long time.

The candlelight flickered, and the crying stopped.

Qin Keyu, who had been keeping her head down, suddenly turned her head, revealing a bright red eye, as if trying to peek at where Li Yuanchang was and why he hadn't spoken.

As a result, he was greeted by Li Yuanchang's smile.

Qin Keyu seemed a little evasive, inexplicably embarrassed.

Why didn't you comfort me?

"I've been here all along, isn't that just to offer some comfort?"

"No!" Qin Keyu seemed to have calmed down a lot; she was fine after crying.

"Then how do we determine that?"

"Let's drink until we're completely drunk!"

Li Yuanchang raised an eyebrow: "Grandma, it's getting dark. If we drink any more, it won't be appropriate for a man and a woman to be alone together."

"That's inappropriate. You even peeked at me while I was bathing last time!" Qin Keyu said, dissatisfied.

Li Yuanchang covered her mouth with his hand, his face full of black lines.

"Grandma, you can't say things like that. When did I ever peek?"

Qin Keyu pulled her away abruptly, saying irritably, "Your Highness wasn't peeking, you were looking openly and honestly!"

"They dare to do it but not dare to take responsibility!"

She deliberately spoke very loudly.

Li Yuanchang was speechless for a moment. He really shouldn't drink too much of this wine.

"Alright, alright, stop talking, I'll drink with you."

"But it's a deal, how much to drink is up to me!" He said seriously, after all, this distilled spirit was so incredibly pure, even diluted it was better than the spirits of later generations.

He estimated the alcohol content to be around 60%, and that drinking too much would definitely cause trouble.

After all, apart from him, the entire Tang Dynasty had no concept of distilled spirits.

Qin Keyu's lips curled into a sly smile as she stretched out a hand, which was fair and beautiful.

"liquor!"

Li Yuanchang rolled his eyes at her, who was crying one minute and laughing the next.

As soon as he took it out, Qin Keyu snatched it away and poured out half a bowl.

"Let's do it!"

"Dry??"

"Fuck you, put it down!"

The two struggled, causing the table to shake and creating a series of chaotic noises.

Guo Chao and his bodyguards at the stairwell clearly heard the commotion, and their expressions turned somewhat strange.

"Lord Guo, this... how about we avoid this place?"