Chapter 42 The Distiller

Coming out of the teahouse, Lv Xianger and Song Yuan took a carriage for half an hour before they came to a quiet courtyard. Counting the time, Lv Xianger was more convinced that Song Yuan specially took her to the teahouse to see the whole picture of Lu Mingyuan and what she wanted to say.

Although Song Yuan used some careful tricks, it was all for Lv Erniang, and finally did not hide it in the face of Lv Xianger's questioning. Lv Xianger did not leave a bad impression of Song Yuan in her heart, and treated him as usual. This made Song Yuan, who was secretly paying attention, quietly relieved.

As Xiaowu knocked on the wooden door, Song Yuan and Lv Xianger also focused on the family in front of them. Taking advantage of this time, Song Yuan briefly introduced the old craftsman living here to Lv Xianger, surnamed Yuan. Because of his good craftsmanship, Yuan Jiangren opened a shop to make daily wood products such as barrels when he was young. Over the months, the reputation of the store is getting louder and louder, the business is getting better and better, and it has also saved a lot of family money. As a result, Yuan Jiangren married a wife and had a son, and his life was also very happy.

However, after Yuan Jiangren's son grew up and learned this craft, he was sued to the government office because he hurt someone because of a quarrel with a guest. In order to save his only son, Yuan Jiangren scattered all his wealth, leaving only the yard in front of him. In the end, although he saved his son, he lost his old wife. Under the sadness, Yuan Jiangren also lost the hope of living and hid at home all day long. It all depends on his son's odd jobs and earning some meager money to spend the day.

It's really a coincidence that I can find this old craftsman this time. At the beginning, Song Yuan visited a friend in Jiangling Mansion. He accidentally learned about Yuan Jiangren's son, so he did some small help and was regarded as his benefactor by Yuan Jiangren. A few days ago, when Song Yuan came to Jiangling Mansion, he was seen by the son of Mr. Yuan. Yuan Jiangren's father and son specially invited Song Yuan to his home for a meal. Only then did Song Yuan remember that Yuan Jiangren was the person Lv Xianger was looking for. Therefore, he made a request to the craftsman Yuan, and he had today's trip.

"It's your kindness. Come in quickly." Hearing the footsteps in the courtyard, Lu Xianger looked at the wooden door. A young man in his twenties appeared in front of her and looked at Song Yuan with joy. And after seeing Song Yuan, he immediately opened the wooden door to welcome the guests.

"Musheng, how many times have I said that there is no need for so many gifts." Song Yuan shook his head and turned to Lu Xianger and said, "Xiang'er, this is Uncle Yuan's son, Yuan Musheng. He is the same generation as me, so you can call him Uncle Musheng.

"I know, sir." Lv Xianger nodded, took a step forward, saluted Yuan Musheng, and whispered, "Xiang'er has met Uncle Musheng."

"This little lady, I'm just a little craftsman. You don't have to salute me." Yuan Musheng was obviously at a loss about Lv Xianger's courtesy, and some didn't know where to put his hands. It was still an old voice from the yard that Yuan Musheng suddenly realized and helped Xiaowu drive the car into the yard.

Song Yuan pulled Lv Xianger into the yard and saw a 50 or 60-year-old man standing at the door of the main room. As soon as he saw Song Yuan, he immediately greeted him quickly, and his wooden face was more gorified: "The Lord is here. Hurry up and sit in the room."

"Well, Yuan Bo looks much better than a few days ago." Song Yuan followed Yuan Jiangren into the house with a smile. After a few words of greetings with him, he introduced Lv Xianger to him.

When Yuan Jiangren heard that it was Lv Xianger who wanted to find a 'retort', doubts immediately appeared in his eyes. He remembers that Song Yuan said that a winemaker wanted to make a distiller like a retor. However, Song Yuan said today that the little lady in front of him wanted to be a 'reed', and Yuan Jiangren didn't think she was the brewer at all.

"It seems that Yuan Bo doesn't believe it." Song Yuan smiled and said, "Didn't Uncle Yuan say that you liked the jujube wine the most last time? That wine was brewed by Xiang'er..."

After Song Yuan's explanations over and over again, Yuan Jiang believed that the young lady in front of him could actually brew such delicious fruit wine. While sighing at Lv Xianger's intelligence, the craftsman took the paper handed over by Lv Xianger. Seeing what was painted on the paper, Yuan Jiangren immediately frowned.

"Lv Xiaoniangzi, what you draw is different from the ordinary 'reon'." At that time, Song Yuan just said that he would make a special 'reed'. He confiscated it carefully, and Yuan Jiangren agreed without care. I didn't think about it. It looks like a 'rein' thing, but it has 'the universe' inside.

Lv Xianger saw Yuan Musheng and Xiao Wu coming in from the outside, so she said vaguely, "It's a little different."

Yuan Jiangren is a craftsman, but he has also opened a shop for 20 years. He immediately understood something and said to Yuan Musheng, "Musheng, your kindness is coming. You go to the street to weigh some meat. At noon today, the benefactor will stay at the old man's house for a casual meal.

In the last sentence, Yuan Jiangren said to Song Yuan in a very respectful tone. Song Yuan also knew what Lu Xianger was going to do, and he didn't want too many people to know. Moreover, this thing seemed to be a little complicated, and he couldn't finish it for a moment, so he nodded and said, "In this way, I'm bothering Yuan Bo."

"No matter how polite the benefactor is, the old man will be ashamed." As he spoke, Yuan Jiangren took out a string of copper coins and gave it to Yuan Musheng. When Song Yuan saw that Yuan Musheng was leaving, he quickly gave Xiaowu a look and said, "Xiaowu, go with me and help get the vegetables."

Xiaowu nodded to show that he understood what Song Yuan meant. He turned around and followed Yuan Musheng and went out of the yard. After Yuan Musheng left, the craftsman looked at the things on the paper attentively and talked to Lv Xianger, but did not see Song Yuan's signal.

Lv Xianger didn't pay attention to it. She focused on explaining to the Yuan craftsman that this very retor is called 'distiller', which is specially used to make wine. Although Yuan Jiangren is a carpenter, he also knows how to brew some wine. He has never heard that he still needs these things to make wine.

Song Yuan didn't know much about the distiller that Lv Xianger was going to do, but he had heard of some before and didn't remember it. So when he heard the Yuan craftsman talk about the brewing of the current wine, he also had some doubts and couldn't help asking on behalf of the Yuan craftsman, "Xiang'er, is your still used to make wine?"

"No, sir, this still is used for 'purification'." Lv Xianger smiled and said confidently, "Although today's wine is delicious, it is very turbid, and some are very sweet. After being purified by the distiller, the wine will be as clear as water and more strong than the current yellow wine.

"To be clear, strong?!" Song Yuan was stunned and grabbed Lv Xianger in front of him. He asked in disbelief, "Xiang'er, what you said is true. Can you really make such wine?"

"Of course, this is what my father studied for a long time. However, that happened before he made the still. Lv Xianger slowly said the words that had been made up for a long time. In addition, with her expressions that she had practiced many times, Song Yuan and Yuan Jiangren were convinced.

Song Yuan is very clear about Lv Tai's research spirit. He had seen Lu Tai stay in the winery for a whole month because he wanted to make good wine. If it hadn't been for Lu Xianger to find him, he wouldn't have known how long he would stay. Moreover, in order to know the various flavors of wine, Lv Tai repeatedly left Qianzhou to visit the place where good wine was served in the Zhou Dynasty. This is also the reason why Song Yuan, who was seriously ill, was met by Lv Tai and rescued.

Song Yuan sat aside and remembered the past, but Lv Xianger began to introduce the components of the distiller to the craftsman Yuan in detail. Between her words, Lv Xianger also expressed what she was most concerned about to Yuan Jiangren. After listening for a long time, Yuan Jiangren understood that Lv Xianger wanted him to keep it a secret, so he took the initiative to sign a contract to ensure that the distiller would not be passed on.

Although Lv Xianger was a little embarrassed, she pressed her fingerprints in order to have a skill to survive in the Zhou Dynasty. However, Lv Xianger did not treat Yuan's father and son badly. In addition to paying the confidentiality fee of one hundred taels of silver, the confidentiality period is also stated on the contract for ten years. Ten years later, Yuan Jiangren or Yuan Musheng can publicly make this distiller for anyone. If Lv Xianger told others the secret of the distiller in the past ten years, the contract would have ended ahead of schedule.

In this regard, Yuan Jiangren is very grateful to Lv Xianger. And promise to work hard to help Lu Xianger make the best distiller. Song Yuan was a little surprised by Lv Xianger's practice. Ordinary people would not set a deadline to pass on their craft. What this means shows that Lv Xianger not only has 'talent', but also has a lot of 'power'.

Song Yuan watched Lv Xianger and the craftsman Yuan study the distiller, and sighed that if Lv Xianger was a man, he would be a rare talent. With a gentle sigh, Song Yuangang just wanted to shake his head, but suddenly remembered something, and his eyes were shining. Looking at Lv Xianger again, Song Yuan's eyes were full of expectations, and there was also a father's look like 'hoping for a son to become a dragon' on his face.

Lv Xianger, who was talking to the craftsman Yuan, suddenly felt a chill on her back and had the idea of getting sick. But thinking that since Jiangnan came, she didn't seem to have any illness, so she shook her head carelessly and continued to discuss with Yuan Jiangren whether the distiller was better or separated as a whole.

Lv Xianger and Yuan Jiangren began to study in the morning and didn't think about all the details until it was almost dark. Yuan Jiangren also hasn't bothered so much for a long time. He carefully picked up the paper, and his whole body was very tired. Lv Xianger also endured a string of yawns, and her eyes burst into tears.

Seeing this, Song Yuan got up and left the Yuan family with Lu Xianger. When Xiaowu came out of Jiangling Mansion with a carriage, it was completely dark. In order to return to Qingshi County as soon as possible, Song Yuan asked Xiaowu to take a remote path. Unexpectedly, I encountered something that I didn't expect.