Dad, don't be greedy! My brother climbed into the emperor's bed, and I became famous overn

Longmen City is not large.

A main street runs through the entire city from south to north, with houses on both sides arranged in a staggered and orderly manner.

The adobe walls were painted with whitish lime, and the roof was covered with coarse terracotta tiles. Although simple, it was kept very clean.

People were walking on the street.

Half of them were caravan workers and porters, and the other half were martial arts practitioners carrying weapons.

This place lacks the usual hustle and bustle of a city, but it exudes a more carefree and chivalrous atmosphere.

Gu Mingli looked around and found this place quite peculiar.

The town was a small, completely self-sufficient outpost.

It has everything: a winery, an inn, a blacksmith shop, a pharmacy, and a general store.

There was even a dilapidated tea stall on the street corner, with a few crooked wooden tables.

In the desolate Gobi Desert where the two countries meet, this city is like a tenacious plant growing out of a crack.

It closely resembles the Loulan Kingdom as recorded in modern ancient books.

"This place is interesting."

Gu Mingli turned his head and muttered something to Xiao Ye.

"It's like a paradise on earth."

Xiao Ye surveyed both sides of the street, his expression calm.

Although the people on the street came from different backgrounds, there was a subtle tacit understanding between them.

No one acted arrogantly or oppressed the people, and no one drew their swords to cause trouble.

Customers entering and leaving each shop lined up in a very orderly manner.

Although there is no government in this city, there is clearly some kind of force overseeing it, and everyone who comes here consciously abides by the rules.

When the group had walked halfway down the street, the brother and sister stopped at the same time.

There is a small wine shop on the left side of the street.

Business is booming.

There was a long line of people waiting to buy alcohol at the entrance.

A wooden plaque hangs at the entrance of the winery, with three large characters written in black paint on it.

Sanliangye.

Gu Mingli's eyes widened and his mouth slightly open.

Gu Mingyue also froze on the spot.

The brother and sister looked at each other.

Gu Mingli stepped closer to his sister and whispered in her ear:

"Mingyue, did you see that?"

"I saw it."

"San... Sanliangye".

"Hmm, that name sounds familiar."

"It's not Wuliangye."

"Two grains short."

"This was clearly brought by our predecessors from the same world!"

After saying this in unison, they both fell silent.

Gu Mingli's heart began to pound.

Xiao Ye noticed that the brother and sister had suddenly stopped, and followed their gaze to the wooden plaque.

"What's wrong?" he asked in a deep voice.

Gu Mingli snapped out of his daze, tugged at the corners of his mouth, and forced a vague smile.

"It's nothing serious. I've just never seen such clear, pure brewed wine before. Smell it, it smells wonderful."

He sniffed and tilted his head toward the distillery.

The air was indeed filled with a strong, mellow aroma of fermented grains.

Its flavor is spicy with a sweet aftertaste, quite different from the yellow wine and rice wine commonly found in Dayong.

Xiao Ye glanced at him but didn't ask any further questions.

There was a long queue outside the winery.

They were all江湖客 (jianghu knights/martial arts practitioners), some with knives at their waists and others with sword cases on their backs.

They lined up quietly, each carrying their own gourd and sheepskin wine bag, waiting to get their wine.

Gu Mingli glanced at the end of the line; it would take at least half an hour to get there.

"There are too many people, so we can't cut in line."

Gu Mingyue muttered something under her breath.

On the stone steps next to the group sat two men, their cheeks flushed from drinking.

One of them was shirtless, clutching an empty gourd in his arms, and glanced at them with a dazed look in his eyes.

"You guys look unfamiliar, are you from out of town?"

Gu Mingli smiled and nodded in response, "Just stopping by for a rest. This wine smells quite good, I'd like to try it."

The man let out a burp and pointed to the end of the street with his large hand.

"If money isn't an issue, go to the Dragon Gate Inn."

"They also sell Sanliangye liquor over there, priced by the bottle. It's a bit pricey, but there's no need to queue. The food is also authentic."

"Dragon Inn?!"

Gu Mingli gasped and exchanged a glance with Gu Mingyue.

Xiao Ye stepped forward and stood beside him, asking in a low voice.

"What's wrong? Is there some kind of explanation about the Dragon Gate Inn?"

"No," Gu Mingli laughed and waved his hand, "I've only heard of this name in storybooks."

"Should we go take a look?"

Xiao Ye nodded.

Inns have always been places with the highest flow of people, gathering and exchanging information among all walks of life.

People from all over the country come and go; you can hear all sorts of gossip and schemes there.

Let's go sit down and find out more about Longmen City and the background of this "Sanliangye" liquor.

The three of them tacitly changed direction and led a group of guards toward the end of the street.

The group hadn't gone far when they came across an inn at the city's largest crossroads.

The plaque above the entrance reads "Dragon Gate Inn".

The three exchanged a glance and went inside.

The scale of the Dragon Gate Inn far exceeded their expectations.

The entire building is constructed using mortise and tenon joints made from robust logs unique to the Western Regions, and its overall shape resembles a giant "回" character.

The two-story corridor is surrounded by carved wooden railings covered with hidden wounds left by swords and knives.

Sunlight streamed down from the atrium at the top, falling directly onto the somewhat weathered bluestone floor of the lobby on the first floor, giving it a sense of age and history.

It was just past lunchtime, and there weren't many people in the inn.

There were five or six tables of guests scattered around the lobby.

Most of them were merchants and wandering travelers who had finished eating and were picking their teeth, drinking tea, and taking a break.

They chatted freely about their respective topics.

As soon as Gu Mingyue and her group crossed the high wooden threshold, a woman in her early forties immediately came out from behind the counter to greet them.

The woman was extremely plump and wore a neat blue satin short jacket.

Her face was fair and clean, though she wore no makeup.

But when he smiles, the fine lines around his eyes reveal a touch of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) charm and warmth.

"Oh, please come in, esteemed guests!"

"Gentlemen, you are all quite distinguished. Would you like to sit in the spacious area downstairs, or perhaps enjoy some peace and quiet in a private room upstairs?"

Gu Mingli and Xiao Ye looked around the lobby.

The location downstairs is bright and spacious, with a superb view, and you can keep an eye on all sorts of people coming and going from the inn.

The two exchanged a glance.

They were there to gather information, so naturally they had to sit in a crowded place.

"Let's just go downstairs, it'll be lively there," Gu Mingli said with a smile.

"Alright!"

The proprietress deftly led them to a large square table by the window, then casually pulled a rag from her shoulder and vigorously wiped the already spotless tabletop twice.

He rattled off the names of the dishes in rapid succession.

"Gentlemen, you must be tired from your journey. Our specialty is our uniquely prepared roasted lamb leg, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sizzling with oil!"

"And that beef shank, simmered in aged brine for years, sliced ​​thinly and arranged on a plate, dipped in a garlic and vinegar sauce—it's incredibly delicious!"

"As for the wine..."

The proprietress raised her eyebrows, a hint of smugness in her expression.

"Would you like a pot of our inn's special 'Sanliangye' liquor?"

"To be honest, this is brewed using a secret method from our own distillery."

"Even the nobles and royalty from the Northern Barbarians, and the bearded merchants from the Western Regions, will travel hundreds of miles specifically to place orders!"

Gu Mingli's heart skipped a beat, and he deliberately feigned great interest, flattering her as he followed the conversation:

"Oh? This wine is so highly sought after even by foreigners, it must be a rare delicacy."

"It's just strange, the Great Yong is an incredibly prosperous region, so why have I never seen anyone selling such fine wine there?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the proprietress paused slightly in her wiping motion on the table.

Although it was only for an extremely brief moment, Xiao Ye and the Gu siblings both keenly noticed it.

Then, the proprietress smiled again, her tone frank.

"Alas, sir, you are unaware that to enter Dayong, one must pass through Anyang Pass. Anyang is heavily guarded, and the inspection of goods entering and leaving is extremely strict."

"Most importantly, in the Jizhou region, no one who does large-scale business can avoid the Cui family, a powerful clan that controls the Dayong business community and monopolizes the canal transport."

The proprietress slung the rag over her shoulder, put her hands on her hips, and raised her chin slightly.

"We in Longmen City will not associate with the Cui family. We won't sell them a single drop of wine!"