After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

"Indeed! How could someone who doesn't understand wine be worthy of using this once-in-three-thousand-years Du Kang Ruler!"

"That white-haired woodcutter has such descendants! He has lived a truly gratifying life!"

"If we had this Du Kang ruler...when this heavy snow comes, could we, like the woodcutters, wait for Du Kang to brew wine?"

"Tsk tsk tsk, Brother Xiao, if it weren't for that woodcutter's unwavering determination to find the old man even in his old age, what merit or ability would we have had to encounter such a miraculous event that lasts for a thousand years?!"

"Indeed! Indeed! I searched for a hundred years, from youth to old age, only to find that the person I was looking for... was me! How wonderful, how wonderful!"

……

Some people in the audience shouted loudly, some raised their glasses and cried out in grief, and some wiped away tears with their hands.

On stage, Fatty Chu wiped away his tears and shouted:

"A thousand cups of wine are not enough when drinking with a bosom friend! Today, I have found one!"

The crowd cheered loudly once again.

Beside him, a servant brought over a stove, placed a wine jug on it, poured in water, and added a jug of wine to the water.

At this moment, everyone in the audience held their breath and stared intently at the "Du Kang Ruler" that the fat man on stage was holding up...

The fat man looked devout.

He lifted the glass and placed it into the wine pot.

Seeing this scene, the images that everyone had been imagining in their minds over the past two days... the summit of Mount Hua, the snow pouring down, the wine sage brewing wine, the white-haired old man... in an instant, everyone was filled with excitement!

"Cui's temperature... thirty-six degrees..." The fat man, sweating profusely, stared intently at Du Kang's ruler and shouted loudly.

"Temperature of Cui... thirty-seven degrees..." Everyone took a step forward, staring wide-eyed at the fat man and the stove on the platform.

"Trident temperature... thirty-eight degrees..."

The fat man's shrill voice became distorted, and everyone's hearts jumped into their throats.

"Trident temperature... thirty-nine degrees!"

The fat man straightened his back, his large belly sticking out with a thud, and shouted loudly, "Du Kang wine...ready! Bring the wine!"

The servant shouted "Good!" and stepped forward to take the warmed wine out of the wine jug.

The crowd shouted, "Let me try it!" and jumped onto the stage...

……

"Tsk tsk tsk, Brother Chu, you're not good at academics, but you're a true genius in business!"

"Haha, this is also thanks to Brother Bai Xuan, who was willing to hire Brother Chu as the manager of Brother Bai Xuan's new business, Wanbaoge."

Ning Nan picked up a cup of tea with his left hand and said with a smile, "Brother Chu is quite like his father in business. He has the talent of Tao Zhu, but it would be a waste for him to spend his whole life studying the classics."

On the table in the private room of Fu Lai Tavern.

Tang Lianbin and Zhao Jing nodded in agreement.

Zuo Yong and Zou Tianju remained silent. They had both failed the provincial examination this year, and the next exam would be three years away. Naturally, they were not as relaxed and carefree as those who had passed.

Among them, Ning Nan and Tang Lianbin both passed the imperial examination, while Zhao Jing failed the provincial examination.

Ning Nan even achieved the highest rank in the provincial and metropolitan examinations, and not just once, but twice. Since the southward migration, only three people have ever achieved the highest rank in both the provincial and metropolitan examinations. Brother Ning was the third one to achieve this, which naturally made them extremely envious.

However, although Zuo and Zou were proud and arrogant, they were still quite young. Zuo Yong was even a year younger than Ning Nan. The two were quite easygoing, especially since neither Brother Ning nor Brothers Tang and Zhao looked down on them. After a while, they started chatting and laughing with everyone again.

Ning Nan occasionally listened to the "new product launch" being hosted by Chu Feixiong outside.

Upon hearing Fatty Chu say, "Today! I never expected there to be so many connoisseurs of fine wine! This Du Kang Ruler..."

The fat man hesitated for a moment, then smiled wryly:

"The production was difficult! Only three exist in existence today... These three... Wanbaoge intended to present them as a fine sword to a gentleman, to a connoisseur of wine... But you are all chivalrous heroes among wine connoisseurs, the best choice... This, this, this..."

Before Chu Pangzi could finish speaking, someone boldly declared:

"Manager Chu! As the saying goes, business is business! A fine sword is a gift for a gentleman, and a fine horse is a fitting tribute for a hero... I won't waste any more words, I'm willing to offer one thousand taels of silver for it!..."

Before the words were even finished, someone shouted, "I'm willing to offer two thousand taels!"

Ning Nan's gaze froze, and her heart jumped into her throat.

At this moment, another voice was heard saying, "I, I, I, I am willing to pay three thousand taels..." In an instant, the crowd outside suddenly became excited.

"Phew..." Upon hearing the price of 'three thousand taels', Master Ning's eyes relaxed and he felt relieved... The first two were prepared 'shills', and the last one was the real client.

Once he has a client, he doesn't need to listen to anything else.

Although a thermometer was made, the glass workshop would be of little use if it was only used to ensure that the house where penicillin was made was kept at a constant temperature.

To support the glassworkers who make thermometers, technology needs to continue to advance, and talent needed to be found to help them solve problems... making money is essential.

People nowadays have the concept of "hot and cold," but not "temperature." The story of how fine wine must be boiled to just the right temperature of "39 degrees Celsius" creates demand and prompts a slight promotion of thermometers...

……

After several rounds of drinks...

The group ate, drank, and chatted about this and that until late afternoon, when they finally finished their meal.

Zhao Jing took the hot towel the waiter wrung out for him, wiped his face, and said with a hint of resentment:

"Brother Ning, Brother Tang, you two have the palace examination tomorrow. You should go back and prepare early."

Ning Nan and Tang Lianbin smiled and realized it was time to prepare to leave.

When they arrived on the first floor.

Some diners seemed to have enjoyed drinking Dukang wine to their heart's content, and were still talking loudly and in a daze.

When people talked about Du Kang, they praised the great talent of the ancestor of wine.

When the topic turned to woodcutters, people envied their deep connection to the immortals.

When people talk about Mount Hua and its stunning scenery, they say that its verdant peaks and lush greenery are truly breathtaking.

"Yes, the heavy snow on Mount Hua... the snow scene on Mount Hua... I long for it... I long for it... it's just a pity, a pity..."

Someone smiled bitterly,

"It's a pity that Mount Hua is located in Shaanxi, during the Northern Dynasties. In our lifetime..."

He downed a glass of wine and said sadly, "I'm afraid I'll never be able to go..."

The men at the table, quite drunk, laughed and said, "Hey, buddy, that's not necessarily true..."

"Our Great Liang is about to form an alliance with the Northern Dynasty... Hehe... The Northern Dynasty has no choice but to form an alliance... The Rakshasa people are very fierce... very fierce..."

"That Prince... south of the Huai River... betrothal gifts... second place in the metropolitan examination... previously achieved the minor top three honors... stumbled in the provincial examination... so what? He still got second place in the metropolitan examination..."

"Hehe... I heard it's just waiting... waiting for Prince Bei to pass the imperial examination... and then he'll mention it to that person... and then the matter will be settled... settled..."

"..."

Once one table got into a good mood, the others at the other tables started raising their glasses and laughing together.

Ning Nan and his companions listened to these drunken ramblings, walked through the tables, and arrived outside Fu Lai Tavern. They saw that the snow had stopped, and the world was clear and bright.

Tang Lianbin frowned at what he had just said and glanced at Ning Nan, who had also passed the imperial examination.

Since tomorrow's discussion will likely involve strategies related to an alliance between the two countries, I would like to ask Brother Bai Xuan for his opinion.

But remembering that Brother Bai Xuan always refrained from discussing state affairs, he stopped himself from speaking, only smiling and saying, "Brother Bai Xuan, see you tomorrow!" He then said to the other three, "Gentlemen, I hope to see you again at Qingyun tomorrow!"

The men's eyes widened in surprise, and they all smiled and clasped their hands in greeting.

……

……

After three days of heavy snowfall in Jiangnan, the colors of the world became much brighter.

It was evening.

The wind wasn't blowing as strongly anymore.

Cui Cui's wife has been coming home early these past few days, and even earlier today. She even went home and had dinner with him.

We've had a meal.

Two eunuchs came to the mansion to teach him how to enter the palace and perform the proper etiquette. Ning Nan obediently learned for a long time.

It will be at the hour of Hai (9-11 PM).

Master Ning sighed, rubbed his face with his left hand, and stared blankly at the soft moonlight outside the window for a long while, his mind still somewhat dazed... Tomorrow... Tomorrow is the palace examination...

After thinking for a while, he glanced to the side and saw that his wife, Cui Cui, was reading a book. He looked down at it and saw that it was "A Study of Land Tax in the Later Zhao Dynasty." He then said "Oh" and coughed lightly, noticing that Cui Cui was looking over at him.

The two coughed together, and without a word, put down their books and went to sleep.

……

……

The 25th day of the twelfth lunar month.

At the end of the Yin hour, it was still pitch black outside. Master Ning, who was still asleep, was woken up by his wife.

Zhu Cuiwei shook his shoulder, then slapped his face repeatedly, saying:

"The imperial examination is about to begin! Get up quickly! Take a bath and burn incense! ...Ugh...Hurry up...I have to go now..."