Wanjin Lady

Chapter 36 Private Visit on Weibo
Wen Jing was reluctant to accept the Treaty of Shimonoseki, but she couldn't resist the temptation of candy. She replied fiercely, "But you have to promise me that you won't bully my sister in the future!"

this…

It was Zhao Heng's turn to look embarrassed.

"If you don't agree to me, I will immediately complain to Dad and have him report you to the police!"

Although he is a little kid, he knows a lot.

Also knows how to bargain.

Zhao Heng smiled dotingly, "Okay, okay, I won't bully Wen Wan."

Little Wen Jing was not easy to fool. She stared at him with her sparkling eyes, "Swear!"

Zhao Heng stretched out his right hand, "I swear, I will respect and love her for the rest of my life, and I will never let her be bullied by anyone."

Wen Jing was satisfied, but she didn't forget to remind him, "Don't forget my red seal! My sister has a chest of drawers in the corner where she keeps all her valuables!"

After leaving Old Man Wen, Wen Wan called Chen Ma, Hongmei and Lu Ping to the winery.

When Aunt Chen walked out of the yard, she saw Wen Wan staring at the gate of the Wen family mansion in a daze.

The day before yesterday, a debt collector smashed a small hole in the elm door, and even one of the door knockers was stolen. The whole door revealed the decline of the Wen family.

Wen Wan pointed at the hole in the door and said to Chen Ma, "Find a craftsman to fix it."

Aunt Chen responded.

The four of them harnessed themselves to a carriage and headed towards the winery.

After passing through the vast Ping County and following the Taohua River up to a wide, flat area on the outskirts of the city, a large bungalow appeared before our eyes. Two or three smaller houses were built beside the river, supported by a few wooden frames. Hollowed-out bamboo tubes served as water pipes on the windowsills, conveniently used for winemaking.

The brook gurgles, and as the bamboo tube rises and falls, the water from Taohua River is led to the winery.

As we all know, winemaking requires water. The Wen family's winery is nestled against a mountain on one side and beside a river on the other, enjoying beautiful scenery. Its geographical location is truly unique.

Going further, there is a natural canal pond in front of the door. Lotus flowers are planted on the water surface, densely spread on the river surface.

The water surface is clear and round, and the lotus flowers are swaying in the wind.

When you get here, you can smell the aroma of wine and the subtle fragrance of lotus flowers.

The last few steps in making the Wen family's Bifang wine require a large amount of lotus flowers.

The lotus planted in the canal pond is only for viewing. It is not enough to make wine, so it has to be purchased from nearby villages and towns.

The Yunxian Zaji states, “In June, guests are invited to sit on bamboo mats made of chaff, leaning against fox-patterned tables. Fragrant rattan is woven into a sacrificial table, coconuts are hollowed out to make cups, lotus flowers are pounded, and Bifang wine is made.” Bifang wine is wine made by pounding lotus flowers and then soaking them in water.

Wen Wan sent Hongmei to explore the way first, and the group walked slowly behind.

The original owner had been to the winery several times.

The first two times I came, the guys were working hard, but now it was quiet and peaceful inside, with only the sound of loud conversation, but no one busy around.

Even the bluestone slabs under my feet had not been swept for a long time, and a few short strands of tender green hairs were peeking out from the cracks between the bricks.

Even Aunt Chen couldn't stand it anymore. "These people are so lazy while the master is seriously ill! A broken drum needs a heavy hammer! We need to teach them a lesson for their laziness!" Seeing Wen Wan's displeasure, Hongmei quickly said, "I'll go and invite Master Zhang over."

Wen Wan stopped her, "No need. Let's sneak in through the back door."

This is... a secret visit.

The group avoided the sight of the front yard and tiptoed around to the back door of the winery. As soon as they entered, they were met with a scene of desolation. The fresh lotus leaves sent by Hexiang Village were placed on the ground, one layer on top of the other. Because they were not steamed in time, water on the lotus leaves was dripping down, and the leaves underneath had begun to rot and emit a foul smell.

Mother Chen was so distressed that she wanted to pick out the rotten leaves immediately. "How can they be placed like this? It's so hot, the lotus leaves are all rotten. If they are put in the wine, won't they make me sick?"

The entire winery has stopped working, and the door of the warehouse is wide open, allowing people to come in and out freely. There are several open wine jars lying in the corner, and the aroma of wine is everywhere.

Wen Wan looked through the crack in the door.

It was a hot day, and most of the guys in the winery were sitting under the trees in the yard with their upper bodies naked, drinking wine with a plate of peanuts and side dishes, and talking about the gentle wedding of yesterday.

Hongmei glanced at them, her brows furrowed. "Why are they all drinking in broad daylight? They're all drunk, are they even going to work?"

Even Lu Ping, who was known for her good temper, was irritated. "The wine they drank was stolen from the warehouse!"

Wen Wan sneered softly but said nothing.

She just sat down at the top seat and listened to the noise outside with a cold face.

The voices of the guys outside came one after another.

"If you ask me, this winery should just be closed down! It's a shame that I've been an apprentice for three or four years and was about to graduate, but something like this happened! Ping County is such a big place, and there's no other winery. Our skills are wasted!"

"Not really. Isn't there a Cheng family in Bozhou City? Their business reaches all over the country, and the treatment of their winemakers is countless times better than that of the Wen family! They are a big family with a lot of business, so they must be short of people! We can go to the provincial capital and ask the Cheng family to take us in!"

"That's not good. The boss is recovering now, so maybe the winery will be in better shape in a few days."

"Oh, it's already August, and the corn and rice haven't arrived yet. The boss paid so many bills yesterday, so there's a good chance we won't be able to start work for the rest of the year. Not to mention that the Wen family is now run by that little bitch. What does she know about making and selling alcohol? And a girl who hasn't even grown all her hair yet thinks she can order us around?"

"I think what Old Brother Zhao said is right! If the Wen family is handed over to that little girl, it will be ruined sooner or later! Instead of lingering on, why don't we find another way out now!"

But someone disagreed, "Brother Zhao, you can't say that. Back when we were desperate, it was the boss who took us in and gave us a meal. Now that the boss is in trouble, we can't just walk away."

The man sneered, "Humph, he gave me a bite to eat, and I worked for him day and night for so many years! I didn't sell him to the Wen family as a slave! Besides, his two concubines ran away, so why shouldn't I run away too? Water flows to the low places, and people climb to the high places. If you want to work like a slave for the Wen family, that's your business, but don't hinder the future of us brothers!"

"That's right. We brothers have followed the shopkeeper for so many years, and now he's actually handed the winery over to a woman. If you want to obey this little woman's orders from now on, that's your business. With our skills, we can make a living anywhere, so why should we put up with this humiliation? Master Zhang, you are the master of the winery, and we all listen to you. What do you say we should do?"

Wen Wan pricked up her ears and looked through the gap at the winery's master chef Zhang Jiping.

This person... is the master chef of the winery and has followed Old Man Wen for at least ten years.

Wen Wan also wanted to know how many Shi Jinquans there were in this winery.

Zhang Jiping sat lazily on the armchair, surrounded by his disciples. He listened for a long time without saying a word, but just silently lowered his head and fiddled with his jade pipe.

"Master Zhang, please stop fiddling with your pipe. The shopkeeper is seriously ill, and the one in charge is a barely grown-out girl. The accountant has also run away, and this winery is definitely out of business for the second half of the year. What are we going to do? You're so knowledgeable, so please give us some advice."

(End of this chapter)