Chapter 47: Old Man Li's Distillery
“Dad, the distillery I’m looking for requires a trustworthy owner who can handle a large amount of work. Can the place you mentioned meet those requirements?” Qin Feng expressed his doubts. He couldn’t rely on his unreliable father for reliable advice.
Qin Jian’an stroked his chin and thought carefully, “The owner’s surname is Li. He’s a straightforward person, definitely trustworthy. As for whether he can handle a large amount of work, I can’t say for sure. Why don’t you meet him in person and see for yourself? He’s in the innermost house on New Spring Street in the southern part of the city.”
New Spring Street was a remote area near the outskirts of the city, rarely visited by people.
“Well, I guess that’s the only option.” Qin Feng nodded. Suddenly, he remembered something, “By the way, Dad, I’ve managed to revive the Moonlit Residence. When will our family’s treasury…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Qin Jian’an slapped his forehead and interrupted him, “I almost forgot, your stepmother needs to see me urgently. I have to go quickly. What did you want to tell me? Well, forget it. Let me know when you’re free from your busy schedule.” With that, he hurriedly left, leaving behind a hasty figure.
Qin Feng shook his head and muttered to himself, “Forget it, I didn’t expect to get money from dad so easily. I should go to New Spring Street first.”
On his way to the lakeside pavilion of the Qin residence to find Miss Lan, Qin Feng happened to witness an amazing scene. He saw Liu Jianli, dressed in white, making a gentle gesture with her right hand. A ball of clear water in the lake was wrapped around a goldfish that was leisurely moving toward her.
The goldfish swayed its tail, but couldn’t escape the confines of the water ball, and could only stare wide-eyed at the incredibly beautiful woman in front of it.
Qin Feng was astonished. It was rumored that after Liu Jianli’s failed tribulation, her cultivation had plummeted. However, this control over spiritual energy alone surpassed most sixth class martial artists.
“Could it be that her cultivation is still at the fifth realm?” Qin Feng speculated to himself.
In the Lakeside Pavilion, Liu Jianli’s delicate and beautiful ears twitched slightly. She waved her right hand, and the water ball with the goldfish reentered the lake.
“Go,” she said, her lips parted slightly.
Puzzled, Lan Ningshuang turned her head to see Qin Feng in the corridor. Her expression brightened for a moment, but quickly faded.
“Miss, I’ll go protect Young Master. Don’t forget to eat your meal today,” she said.
“Okay.”
Qin Feng and Lan Ningshuang left. As they walked away, Qin Feng couldn’t help but glance a few more times at the lonely figure. He wondered if it was his imagination, but compared to the initial encounter, the person seemed to have gained some vitality.
“As a sword is sharpened by grinding, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitterness of winter,” Liu Jianli recalled the poem Qin Feng had mentioned. The sword scabbard placed beside the lake pavilion trembled slightly, creating ripples on the lake’s surface.
Qin Feng and Lan Ningshuang left the city center and arrived at New Spring Street in Jinyang City. Very few people passed through this area, and most residents wore patched clothes, indicating their financial situation.
The dilapidated houses and impoverished people gave the street a desolate atmosphere. After walking the entire street, they arrived at the innermost house.
From the outside, it didn’t look any better than other places on the street.
Is this the distillery Dad mentioned? Qin Feng couldn’t help but grimace; it seemed like a wrong choice from the beginning.
But perhaps holding onto a glimmer of hope, Qin Feng didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he knocked on the door. The door creaked open without being locked.
Glancing inside, he saw a small courtyard, surprisingly neat. Brewing tools were well-equipped, but there was no sign of anyone.
There were baskets of peeled grains, and beside the baskets was a pile of unprocessed sorghum.
There was a large pot for cooking grains and a wooden stick for stirring, still inside the pot.
There were fermentation pits and sealed wine jars.
The scene before their eyes suggested that there had been a group of people brewing alcohol moments ago, but where were the people now?
Crash! With a sudden sound, the two of them hurriedly looked in the direction of the noise. In one corner of the courtyard, a broom had fallen for no apparent reason, as if it had been blown over by the wind.
“Is anyone there? I am Qin Feng, the eldest son of the Qin family. I was introduced here and wanted to discuss a deal,” Qin Feng called out.
As his voice faded, they heard noises coming from inside the house.
Clatter, clatter. The sound of a hard object hitting the stone floor echoed. The door inside was pushed open, and a middle-aged man with gray hair stepped out.
Qin Feng was extremely surprised. He had seen this person yesterday near the Listening to Rain Pavilion. They had a brief encounter; it was the limping middle-aged man!
This man was already in such a state, and he was still running a winery. Father really had no sense of judgment.
Just to be sure, Qin Feng confirmed, “Are you the owner of this winery, Mr. Li?”
Mr. Li didn’t answer right away. He walked directly to a stone stool in the courtyard and slowly sat down with the help of his crutch. He poured himself a cup of wine from the table, drank half of it, and spilled the rest directly on the courtyard floor.
Due to his strength, the spilled wine almost landed on Qin Feng’s shoes.
This guy doesn’t seem very hospitable. Qin Feng thought to himself.
“You!” Lan Ningshuang frowned, about to say something, but was stopped by Qin Feng’s hand.
“What do you want?” The middle-aged man admitted his identity, but his tone was unfriendly, seemingly displeased with Qin Feng and Lan Ning’s uninvited visit.
Really him, Qin Feng thought as he mentally scolded his untrustworthy father. He then clenched his fists and said, “I came here to ask you to brew wine for us at Moonlit Pavilion. However, our order is quite large. If it’s just you, I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle it. Sorry for the inconvenience, and I’ll take my leave.”
Qin Feng and Lan Ningshuang turned to leave, and Mr. Li sat there with no intention of stopping them.
But just as they were about to leave, he sniffed the air and suddenly opened his eyes.
With a bang, the old decrepit door closed by itself!
Lan Ningshuang’s eyebrows furrowed as she immediately turned to shield Qin Feng behind her. This inconspicuous middle-aged man was not as simple as he seemed!
“What are you trying to do?” Lan Ningshuang demanded.
Qin Feng looked confused. What’s going on?
“Young man, where did that smell of alcohol come from?” Mr. Li’s face lit up with excitement. The faint aroma of alcohol in the air was incredibly rich and smooth, obviously…stronger and more delicious than the strong liquor he brewed himself! How could he let it pass?
It was because of the aroma of alcohol! He was indifferent to me before, but now he’s in a hurry?
Qin Feng leisurely took out a tea cup from his spatial ring, and the rich aroma of alcohol instantly filled the air.
Mr. Li sniffed the air eagerly, his face showing ecstasy. “It’s this, it’s this!”
Leaning on his crutch, he hopped over to Qin Feng, his tone urgent. “Let me taste it!”
“You want to drink?” Qin Feng looked at him strangely.
Mr. Li nodded.
“No.”
“…”
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