114

When Zhang Rong found Uncle Zhang, the latter was in his room, leisurely sipping tea. Seeing Zhang Rong walk in with an anxious look, Uncle Zhang inwardly cursed, quickly setting down his teacup and hurrying forward to ask, "Has something major happened at the estate?"

"Zhang Bao is outside asking to see the Master, and he looks extremely anxious. Fearing something important had occurred, I rushed over to inform you, Steward," Zhang Rong quickly explained his reason for coming.

"Where is he?" Uncle Zhang grabbed Zhang Rong by the arm. Upon hearing that Zhang Bao was in such a state to see Zhang Zhong, his heart instantly tightened. The Zhang family distillery was the pillar of their livelihood; if something went wrong there, the family would be finished.

"He's still at the gate," Zhang Rong gestured toward the main entrance. No sooner had he spoken than Uncle Zhang hurried out, with Zhang Rong close behind.

At the gate, Zhang Bao had rested for a moment, and his condition had improved significantly; his breathing had steadied. By this time, Uncle Zhang had arrived in a rush. Zhang Bao was unaware that his presence had nearly caused a panic in the Zhang household.

"Bao-ye, what on earth has happened at the distillery?" Uncle Zhang asked the moment he saw him, his worry plain to see.

"Huh?" Zhang Bao was momentarily stunned by the question.

"Speak, man!" Seeing his expression, Uncle Zhang grew even more anxious and couldn't help but shout.

"Nothing is wrong. Who said the distillery had problems?" Zhang Bao asked, looking confused.

"But Zhang Rong said you came in such a hurry to see the Master."

"That's right. I do have an urgent matter to discuss with the Master, but I never said anything about the distillery having issues." Zhang Bao finally realized that his hurried appearance had frightened the doorkeeper. He quickly added, "This is my fault for not being clear. The purpose of my visit is not because of a problem, but because of a great opportunity." As he spoke, he shook the small wine flask in his hand.

"You..." Uncle Zhang let out a sigh, his heart settling, yet he stared at the small flask in Zhang Bao's hand with a flicker of suspicion.

"Come, let’s go in to see the Master," he said, leading Zhang Bao into the Zhang residence.

Inside the study, Zhang Zhong was engrossed in a scroll. Hearing a knock at the door, he frowned, set the scroll down, and asked with some impatience, "Who is it?"

"Master, it is I," Uncle Zhang’s aged voice drifted in from outside.

"Come in," Zhang Zhong ordered, rubbing his temples. He knew his old steward understood the importance of timing and wouldn't disturb him without good reason.

Uncle Zhang entered, with Zhang Bao following closely behind.

Seeing Zhang Bao behind him, Zhang Zhong was momentarily taken aback and asked, "Shou-ye, what brings you here?"

"Because of this," Zhang Bao said, shaking the small flask, his face filled with excitement.

"Oh?" Zhang Zhong looked puzzled, then nodded slightly at Uncle Zhang. Uncle Zhang took the flask from Zhang Bao and walked over to hand it to Zhang Zhong.

*The steward is in charge of the distillery, and he brings a bottle of wine—surely it’s about the spirits. Could it be that our family has brewed some new fine wine?* At this thought, Zhang Zhong couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. It was no wonder he thought this; the Zhang family lived by their wine, and while their self-brewed stock sold well, they had never rested on their laurels and were always seeking breakthroughs.

Picking up the flask, Zhang Zhong removed the cap and held it to his nose. Instantly, his eyes widened.

"This... this..." In his shock, he couldn't help but lose his voice.

Zhang Zhong’s stunned expression was exactly as Zhang Bao had expected; he hadn't been as composed as this when he first encountered the wine.

After a long while, Zhang Zhong finally snapped out of his trance. He hurriedly replaced the cap and told Uncle Zhang, "Close the door."

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Uncle Zhang quickly went out to shoo away the nearby servants before returning and shutting the door tight.

Once the room was sealed, Zhang Zhong asked impatiently, "Bao-ye, was this brewed at our distillery?"

Zhang Zhong was full of joy, but Zhang Bao shook his head, delivering a cold blow. "This wine was not brewed at the distillery."

"Then..." Zhang Zhong hesitated for a moment. But as the head of a clan, he quickly regained his composure and asked, "Then where did this wine come from?"

"Wang Bo. This wine was brewed by Wang Bo." Zhang Bao’s words were like a heavy bomb exploding between the three, stunning both Uncle Zhang and Zhang Zhong.

"It was him?" they exclaimed in unison.

"It was," Zhang Bao nodded, continuing, "When he placed this wine before me, I was just as shocked. I thought he was lying, but this is indeed what he produced."

"Hahaha!" Zhang Zhong roared with laughter. "Heaven helps me! Heaven helps me!"

"Master, you shouldn't be so pleased just yet," Zhang Bao said, pouring a bucket of cold water on his enthusiasm to advise caution.

"Why?" Zhang Zhong stopped laughing and stared at Zhang Bao, his authority as a clan leader erupting.

"This wine belongs to Wang Bo, not the Zhang family." Braving the pressure, Zhang Bao spoke with difficulty.

Hearing this, a shadow crossed Zhang Zhong’s face. He pondered for a moment, and a look of ruthless determination appeared.

Seeing this expression, Zhang Bao inwardly cursed. He hurriedly spoke up, "Master, you must not! I only know he brewed it; I don't know the method. Acting rashly will only leave us with empty hands. Although Bo is a child, he is very clever and stubborn. If you use force, I fear he will not submit."

Zhang Bao’s words softened Zhang Zhong’s resolve. Beside him, Uncle Zhang added, "The young mistress has a deep connection with that Wang Bo, and she has been talking about him constantly these days."

"Sigh," Zhang Zhong sighed at the mention of Zhang Xue. She was his weak spot.

"Fine. Since you were able to bring this wine here, it means that boy must have a solution."

"Yes, Master." Zhang Bao then explained Wang Bo’s proposal for cooperation.

"The kid is quite slippery," Zhang Zhong remarked strangely, though it was unclear whether he was praising or mocking him. "Go tell him I agree to his proposal. The Zhang family won't take the commission; we aren't hurting for that little bit of money. But I want him to sell half of his production to our distillery at a low price every month."

Zhang Bao did not try to dissuade him this time, believing this was the most acceptable price in Zhang Zhong's heart. Pushing any harder would likely lead to a total fallout, and if that happened, it might even cost Wang Bo his life.

Seeing the matter settled, Zhang Bao took his leave. Zhang Zhong did not ask him to stay, only urging him to speed up the process. The implication was clear: if Wang Bo was sensible, things would go smoothly; if not, Zhang Zhong wouldn't mind having never seen the wine, and he certainly wouldn't mind losing a distillery worker.

"I had underestimated that boy," Zhang Zhong said after Zhang Bao had left, though it was unclear if he was talking to himself or Uncle Zhang.

Throughout the conversation, Uncle Zhang had only spoken once. Now, unable to contain his curiosity, he pointed to the flask and asked, "Master, this wine..."

"Take it and smell it yourself." Zhang Zhong placed the flask on the table.

Uncle Zhang picked it up cautiously and held the open bottle to his nose. As an expert, a single sniff was enough for him to understand. His eyes revealed an incredulous shock.

"Well?" Seeing Uncle Zhang’s reaction, Zhang Zhong felt a sense of comfort—he wasn't the only one so undone by it.

"The best in the world; the king of spirits." Those eight short words were enough to show Uncle Zhang’s affirmation. If Wang Bo had heard this, he surely would have smugly replied, "Of course, my wine comes from hundreds of years in the future."

"This is an opportunity, the chance for the Zhang family to rise!" No sooner had Uncle Zhang said this than he roared with excitement. All the dignity of a family head vanished, replaced by a twisted, terrifying, and frantic grin. "Our family is withering, and our influence is not what it used to be. Without another opportunity, we will likely be erased from Zhending before long. Clearly, this opportunity is right in front of me. If I don't seize it, not even Heaven will forgive me." He laughed maniacally again. "Hahaha!"

"But Master, what about the Prefect?" Uncle Zhang asked worriedly.

*Bang!* Zhang Zhong slammed the table. "Do you think I don't know that old man's motives? He sees our family declining and wants to swallow our assets after I'm gone. How could I let him succeed?" A look of fury appeared on his face, his eyes reflecting a deep, burning rage.

"Then Master, aren't you afraid of Wang Bo?"

"Him?" Zhang Zhong paused, then recalled how Wang Bo had acted when they last met, and he smiled confidently. "It doesn't matter. As long as I am still alive, I can handle him."

While Zhang Zhong was contemplating how to marry his daughter to Wang Bo, our protagonist was resting his chin in his hands, fantasizing about coins rolling toward him. His eyes gleamed, his face flushed, and if one looked closely, there was even a trail of drool at the corner of his mouth.

*Creak.* The sound of the door opening startled Wang Bo, and he subconsciously wiped his mouth. Seeing it was Zhang Bao, he jumped up and asked, "How did it go, Steward? What did the clan head say?"

Seeing Wang Bo, Zhang Bao felt a twinge of worry. He had been so excited by the distilled spirits that he hadn't realized the danger. Wang Bo was like a child holding a priceless treasure, unaware that it could bring about a fatal disaster.

"What's wrong? Is it a no?" Seeing Zhang Bao's expression, Wang Bo's heart sank. He assumed Zhang Zhong had rejected his request, never suspecting the danger of his actions. To him, even if the Zhang family didn't want it, he had plenty of other paths to take.

"The Master thinks highly of your wine. But he has some conditions, and if they aren't met, he will be angry." Zhang Bao spoke vaguely, mentioning only the anger and not the consequences, fearing he would scare Wang Bo.

"What are the conditions?" Wang Bo asked quickly. He had thought the deal was off, so a chance was a surprise. Since there was a chance, he wouldn't give up easily; he wanted to repay Zhang Bao. Without him, who knows where he would be, let alone all the changes that had occurred since entering the city.

"The Master said he will only be responsible for selling half; the other half you must sell to the distillery at cost price." Zhang Bao felt a pang of guilt. Though it was a forced deal, that was life. "I hope you can agree, Xiao Bo, otherwise I really have no other way."

"Is that all?" Wang Bo said dismissively. "That's no problem."

"Uh..." Zhang Bao was stunned. To him, this was a difficult negotiation, yet it was agreed to so easily. Of course, businessmen were driven by profit, and Zhang Bao viewed Wang Bo through a merchant's eyes, assuming he wouldn't agree. But Wang Bo was driven by gratitude. Even if it was only half, it would bring him incomparable wealth. Repaying a debt while making money—why wouldn't he agree?

"Xiao Bo, what did you just say?" Thinking he had misheard, Zhang Bao asked again.

"I said, I agree to the clan head's terms!" Wang Bo shouted directly into Zhang Bao's ear.

Zhang Bao dug at his abused ear, staring at Wang Bo in shock.

"What's wrong, Steward? Is there something on my face?" Wang Bo touched his face.

"Nothing. But Xiao Bo, this isn't fair. This wine is yours; you should be able to sell it to whoever you want. If you sell it to the distillery at a low price, you'll earn half as much." Mentioning money, Zhang Bao reverted to his miserly self, completely forgetting Zhang Zhong's threat.

Feeling the care in Zhang Bao's words, Wang Bo felt even more certain of his decision. Looking at the fat man, he couldn't help but smile. "Steward, no need to persuade me further. My mind is made up."

"Since that's the case, I won't say more." Zhang Bao had been about to continue, but suddenly remembered his objective and quickly changed his tune, though he inwardly blamed himself. *I meant to convince him to agree, how did I end up arguing against it? My cursed brain—I almost ruined him.*

Looking at Zhang Bao's changing expression, Wang Bo was a bit scared. Could his "Lion's Roar" technique have been so powerful it scrambled the steward's wits?

"Steward, are you alright?" Wang Bo asked weakly.

"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" Zhang Bao collected himself. "Since you've decided to sell half to the distillery, let's discuss the price." When it came to business, Zhang Bao changed again, transforming from a miser into a cunning merchant. His eyes gleamed with intensity, and his presence grew.

But Wang Bo didn't care, for this distilled spirit was one of a kind. Even if Zhang Bao wanted to negotiate, as long as Wang Bo stood his ground, the steward could do nothing. Besides, all of Wang Bo's business acumen had come from Zhang Bao himself—how could he not know what the steward was planning?