Chapter 8: Brewing Wine

After Su Jin and Zhongli Chen left Huang Bo's blacksmith shop, they began wandering the streets again. It looked as if Su Jin was just strolling, but in reality, she was looking for grapes. Su Jin walked through several streets without finding any fruit sellers; could it be that there was no fruit in this time and space? Seeing Su Jin looking here and there as if searching for something, but noticing she hadn't spoken, Zhongli Chen didn't feel it was appropriate to ask too much. After walking through several streets and seeing that Su Jin still hadn't said anything, he couldn't help but ask

"Su Jin, what are you looking for?"

"Me? I'm looking for grapes and other fruits."

"So you were looking for fruits and vegetables. Come, I'll take you. The fruit and vegetable sellers are on another street; that entire street is dedicated to them." As Zhongli Chen spoke, he led Su Jin through various turns and alleys until they arrived at the fruit and vegetable street. When Su Jin stepped into the street, she saw that it truly was a street full of fruit sellers, and the variety was no less than in the modern era.

Su Jin walked past several stalls and chose one that sold particularly fresh produce, buying ten catties of grapes and one catty of snow pears. Then, she went to a pharmacy to buy smoked plums, hawthorn, jujubes, and schisandra berries, and also bought some white sugar and rock sugar. The two of them returned to Qinxianju carrying many large and small bags.

"Su Jin, can you even finish all those grapes you bought?"

"This... you'll see the use of them once we get back to Qinxianju." Just as Su Jin and Zhongli Chen stepped into Qinxianju, Xiao Li Zi saw his master and Su Jin carrying so many things and hurried forward to help carry them.

"Miss Su Jin, you went out once and came back with so many things!"

"Yes, all of these things will be useful." Su Jin placed the items on the table.

"Xiao Li Zi, go and bring me a clean, empty wine jar."

"Miss Su Jin, what do you need an empty wine jar for?"

"Su Jin told you to get it, so just get it. Why all the nonsense?" Seeing Xiao Li Zi being talkative, Zhongli Chen immediately scolded him.

"Yes, yes, Young Master is right. Xiao Li Zi will go get it right away." Scolded by Zhongli Chen, Xiao Li Zi hurriedly ran inside to the wine cabinet, brought out a wine jar, and placed it in front of Su Jin.

"Xiao Li Zi, go help me bring out a large basin and place it by the well in the backyard. Then, fill the basin halfway with water. Also, find a large, clean bamboo sieve. Once I've used the scissors to remove the stems from these grapes, I'll put them in the basin to wash. After they are washed, I'll need to put the grapes in the sieve to drain."

"Understood." This time, Xiao Li Zi didn't ask any more questions and immediately went to do the tasks.

Painter Chen continued painting the dishes, while Su Jin was busy cutting the grape stems. Since Xiao Li Zi had gone to find things, Zhongli Chen saw everyone busy while he was just standing there doing nothing. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he quickly grabbed a pair of scissors and sat opposite Su Jin, preparing to learn how to trim the grape stems.

"Su Jin, how do I cut these?" Seeing Zhongli Chen coming to help, Su Jin quickly put down her scissors to teach him.

"Use the scissors to stay close to the stem end like this, then cut the grapes off one by one. You must leave a little bit of the stem. Leaving the stem is to avoid damaging the skin. Do you understand?"

"Mm, I understand." Zhongli Chen nodded and tried following Su Jin's method. It wasn't bad. With Zhongli Chen's help, the ten catties of grapes were finished in no time. Su Jin carried the trimmed grapes to the backyard, where Xiao Li Zi had already prepared everything.

Su Jin put the grapes in the water to wash them and then placed them in the sieve to drain. By the time she finished these tasks, it was already noon.

"Painter Chen, which dishes are not yet finished?"

"Miss Su Jin, the dish I am painting now is the last one."

"Alright, then I'll take these dishes down to reheat them and we'll just eat them like this. They haven't been touched anyway. What do you think, Zhongli Chen?"

"Mm, that works." Hearing Zhongli Chen's response, Su Jin carried the dishes into the kitchen. Zhongli Chen followed her, carrying two bowls of food. Su Jin started the fire and casually reheated a few dishes, then invited Painter Chen to sit down and eat with them. At first, Painter Chen tried to decline, but unable to resist Su Jin's enthusiastic invitation, he eventually sat down to eat.

After Su Jin and the others finished eating, Painter Chen continued working on the final piece. After Su Jin cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks, the draining grapes were almost dry. Su Jin poured all the grapes into a clean, dry basin, washed her hands, and then used her hands to crush them one by one. The grape skins, seeds, and pulp all remained in the basin. She then added white sugar at a ratio of one catty of sugar to six catties of grapes, stirring them evenly. Once the sugar had completely dissolved, she poured the grapes into the pre-prepared wine jar, covered the mouth with a cloth, and then applied a layer of mud over the outside.

"Miss Su Jin, the pit you asked me to dig is ready."

"Good, put this in the pit for me. Be careful." Su Jin carefully handed the wine jar to Xiao Li Zi. Xiao Li Zi held the jar with great caution, fearing he might accidentally break it.

"Miss Su Jin, the last dish has been painted."

"Alright, wait a moment, I'll be out shortly." Su Jin handed the wine jar to Xiao Li Zi and hurried outside.

"Miss Su Jin, please take a look." Painter Chen handed over his finished rice paper.

"Mm, not bad. How about this, Painter Chen: take this back and paint about a dozen more of each. Is that alright?"

"It is, it is. I will bring them over to you once I have finished painting them."

"Great, thank you for the trouble."

"It is no trouble at all. Then, I shall take my leave. Until we meet again."

"Take care, Painter Chen." After seeing Painter Chen off, Mu Ning walked into the backyard, where Xiao Li Zi had already finished burying the wine jar.

"Zhongli Chen, come here for a moment. I will dictate, and you write it down."

"Alright."

"Go ahead." Zhongli Chen held a brush in his hand.

"Zui Xian Lou will open on September 1st, offering various exquisite cuisines... With this voucher, you can enjoy a fifty percent discount and receive one free drink."

"Done. Su Jin, take a look."

"Uh... I don't need to look. I can't read," Su Jin said with extreme composure.

"...."

"Xiao Li Zi, take this paper and print a thousand copies. Then, in the days leading up to the opening, go out and distribute them as flyers."

"Su Jin, what is the use of this?" Zhongli Chen asked, puzzled.

"These are coupons. They allow for discounts. For example, if a vegetarian dish is four copper coins, with this coupon, you only charge two copper coins and can even give a free glass of juice. Understand?"

"Won't that result in a loss, Miss Su Jin?"

"Xiao Li Zi, you're so silly. We won't set the prices too low; we'll mark them up slightly and then offer the discount."

"Look at how foolish you are. Hurry up and take them to be printed."

"Yes, Young Master!" Xiao Li Zi hurriedly ran out and soon disappeared from sight.

"That kid..." Zhongli Chen shook his head as he watched Xiao Li Zi's retreating figure.