Liver in Water Margin, outlaw madman

The scene was silent for a long time before only one businessman hesitantly reached out his hand.

His surname is Zhou, and he runs a general store selling goods from both the north and south of China. He is usually bolder than others.

He took out a string of copper coins and placed them on the table, picked up the bottle of wine, and hurriedly stuffed it into his sleeve.

He wasn't thinking about making money; he just wanted to spend a little money to build a good relationship and, incidentally, see if he could sell it.

No one else followed suit.

Zhang Shan stood there, a smile still lingering on his lips, but the smile had frozen on his face.

He had assumed that once the liquor was released, people would rush to pay for it.

After all that effort, they only sold one bottle.

a bottle.

He took a deep breath, swallowed his disappointment, straightened his back, looked around at everyone, and said in a steady voice, "Gentlemen, Liangshan needs food, medicine, cloth, meat and vegetables. Next time you come, you can bring some with you."

He originally intended to focus on the liquor business, but it seems that the distribution channels should be put on hold for now.

Setting up this trading business is a way to make money.

The merchants nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

They initially thought they were there to spend money, and arriving with an empty car made them feel somewhat cheated.

Now that Liangshan also has needs, next time they come, they can bring one truckload of goods and exchange it for another, making a good deal by not losing anything on either side.

Some people have already started planning what to bring next: grain or cloth, and which would be more profitable.

Steward Qin cupped his hands in greeting, exchanged a few polite words, and left with his men.

The rest of the people also gradually dispersed.

Zhang Shan had the table cleared away, and then returned to Liangshan in a sullen mood.

He kept his head down and didn't say a word the whole way.

One thought kept running through my mind: what went wrong?

He went through every step of his winemaking process, and also reviewed the time-travel stories he had read in his later lives. No matter how he thought about it, he felt that this was not the outcome.

Those predecessors all became famous overnight, so why is it that when it comes to me, I haven't even made a splash?

But no matter how hard he racked his brains, he couldn't figure it out.

What he didn't know was that there was so much knowledge in the world that no matter how much a layman pondered it, in the eyes of an expert, it was sometimes just a bunch of ridiculous assumptions.

It took several hundred years for baijiu to be invented and truly accepted by people.

Hundreds of years, not days, not months.

Moreover, for a very long time, baijiu was drunk by people who did hard labor.

Those who carried loads, pulled carts, or worked as porters would take a sip when it was freezing cold, and their whole body would feel warm and refreshed.

But what about the real high-ranking officials and nobles?

At most, one might try it occasionally for novelty, but when it comes to formal banquets, one would still serve warm and mellow Shaoxing wine.

When something new comes out, it's not that easy for it to suddenly become ubiquitous.

Unless, of course, it offers immense benefits to the higher-ups, benefits so great that they absolutely must use it.

Zhang Shan was unaware of these things.

He had no one to ask.

As I passed by the training ground, I saw Lu Zhishen carrying his 62-pound water-milled monk's staff, striking the wooden stakes one blow at a time, sending wood chips flying everywhere.

Zhang Shan stopped.

"Brother, do you like that 'Hero's Wine'?"

Lu Zhishen put away his monk's staff, propped it on the ground, wiped his sweat, and grinned, "I love it! This wine is good! After a few bowls, I feel like I'm floating on clouds. I've been drinking for most of my life, and this wine is the one that suits my taste the best."

He really likes it.

The old wines were so weak they were like water; it took several pounds to get any flavor from them.

If you drink too slowly, you'll be relieving yourself while drinking, and in the end it'll be as if you didn't drink anything at all, making you so anxious you'll want to stomp your feet.

Unlike this baijiu, one bowl down, and the exhilarating feeling is indescribable.

Zhang Shan nodded, then asked, "Brother, do people in the north like to drink it?"

Lu Zhishen didn't hesitate and waved his hand, "I love to drink! Back when I was in the Western Army, in those places like Western Xia and Liao, where it was freezing cold, everyone loved to drink, the stronger the better. If you took this wine up north, I guarantee everyone would be fighting over it."

After listening, Zhang Shan remained silent for a long time.

He didn't say anything more, turned around, and faced the vast lake below the mountain.

The gap between reality and imagination is more than just a chasm.

I finally learned a recipe for distilled spirits and put in so much effort to make it, but it didn't sell. Instead, I had to go north to try and sell it.

How much money can you make by selling just a few big fish?

With such a large family as Liangshan, numbering several hundred, they couldn't possibly survive without ten thousand taels of silver a year.

This is still a conservative estimate.

What if it grows even stronger in the future?

Zhang Shan stood by the lake, his robes fluttering in the wind. He stared at the water in the distance, his brows furrowed in worry.

thought long time.

Finally, he gritted his teeth and stomped his foot.

I need to go to the north myself and take a look.

He had originally decided to stay in the mountain stronghold and practice martial arts diligently, avoiding getting involved in the fighting and killing outside as much as possible.

But given the current situation, staying home is not an option.

"Brother," Zhang Shan turned around and looked at Lu Zhishen, "when are you going to find Brother Shi Jin?"

There are still too few capable people in Liangshan.

There are a few who are good at fighting, but when it comes to managing affairs, there are very few.

Those guys from Shaohua Mountain are all good helpers.

Lu Zhishen slung his monk's staff over his shoulder and said in a deep voice, "I'll leave tomorrow. I'll take some of the Hero's Wine with me."

He had wanted to leave for a long time and had been waiting for the liquor to be released.

If it weren't for this wine, he would have set off a few days ago.

Shi Jin, the eldest son of the Shi family, it's been a long time. I wonder how that brother is doing now, and whether he's been bullied.

Zhang Shan nodded, turned to face the lake, and looked at the boundless waves. He lowered his voice and said, "The government's wanted notice doesn't include your name or appearance. Take a few brothers with you and go quickly."

He hadn't expected Wu Yong to be so efficient and to spread the news so quickly.

In the case in the capital, the government did not list Lu Zhishen's name or appearance.

Lu Zhishen was taken aback, then waved his hand dismissively: "It doesn't matter if I have one, I'm not afraid!"

He had almost forgotten about it.

For him, fighting and killing were commonplace. Whether it was a wanted notice from the government or a bandit blocking his way, he had nothing to fear.

"Be careful, brother, and come back quickly." Zhang Shan thought for a moment, then added, "I'll have Song Wan go with you."

He was worried about letting Lu Zhishen go out alone.

Master Lu is prone to getting lost, drinking, acting impulsively, and hitting people.

But deep down he's a good person, the best person in the world.

Good people always need someone to look after them when they go out.

This time, Lu Zhishen did not refuse and replied in a low voice, "Yes, I understand."

He lowered his eyes, slammed his staff on the ground, and his voice suddenly softened: "Third brother, be careful while I'm gone, don't overwork yourself."

Zhang Shan was stunned.

He didn't expect Lu Zhishen to suddenly say such a thing.

This guy is usually very outspoken and loud, and he drinks like he's drinking water. How could he possibly say such soft and weak words?

But it was precisely this one sentence that silently pierced Zhang Shan's heart.

He opened his mouth, but his throat felt like it was blocked by something.

He hadn't been cared for in a very, very long time.

In both his past and present lives, he was always the one who was needed. His parents would turn to him when they needed him, his wife would rely on him when she was in trouble, and his children would depend on him for support. He had to stand there like a big tree, sheltering everyone from the wind and rain.

But no one ever asked him if he was tired, and no one ever said to him, "Be careful, don't overwork yourself."

The clouds on the horizon were reflected on the water, a deep red, as if they were on fire.

The lake water lapped against the rocks on the shore, making a dull sound.

Zhang Shan's eyes suddenly reddened.

He quickly turned his face away, pretending to look at the distant mountain shadows, not wanting Lu Zhishen to see him.

But the soreness in my nose was impossible to suppress, and my eyelids felt hot, blurring the water and sky in front of me.

Lu Zhishen didn't say anything, he just sat down next to him.

The two sat side by side, facing the vast lake.

A breeze blew across the water, carrying a damp coolness.

No one spoke.

Yet, there wasn't the slightest awkwardness between the two of them.

Just sit here quietly, listening to the sound of the waves, the sound of the wind, and the occasional bird calls coming from the distant mountains and forests.