Chapter 249: The Mysterious Grandfather and Granddaughter Appear Again
Jiang Chen didn’t mind this kind of socialization, but he reached out a hand to stop Tian Shao when he went to get wine.
“Old Tian, what kind of wine do you have? You must drink mine if it comes to wine.” Jiang Chen took out two jugs from his storage ring.
In those jugs was the Nine Magnificence Dew Wine, and of the spirit rank at that!
Jiang Chen had originally brewed ten jugs. He’d given two away to s.h.i.+ Xiaoyao and another to Ye Chonglou during his birthday banquet. He’d kept the rest and didn’t drink them.
Since they were going to drink wine, Jiang Chen naturally wouldn’t hesitate in bringing out a few more jugs.
“This… can this be the Nine Magnificence Dew Wine?” Tian Shao’s eyes stared fixedly at the wine jug. He had accompanied Ye Rong to the tutor’s banquet that day, and the events of that day had given Tian Shao quite a shock.
It had been precisely this jug of wine that had enabled their gift to be selected as the best at the banquet, winning Tian Shao the opportunity to ask the tutor one question.
Tian Shao would remember it for the rest of his life. The day had been that memorable.
“That’s right, this is the Nine Magnificence Dew Wine. However, it’s not on the same level as those on the market. This is the spirit rank version. Its ingredients are quite costly, the process to create it is more tedious, and the difficulty to create it is more than ten times that of creating a mortal rank version.”
“A spirit rank version?” Zhou Kai’s eyes were gleaming. Although he wasn’t quite as much of an alcoholic as s.h.i.+ Xiaoyao, he still looked forward to the contents of the cup.
Particularly after s.h.i.+ Xiaoyao had boasted, all along the way back from the trip to propose marriage, that his experience in tasting the spirit rank Nine Magnificence Dew Wine was something imprinted on his heart for the rest of his life, and on a completely different level from a mortal rank version.
Zhou Kai had also purchased and tasted a mortal rank one before. In his heart, it was an irreplaceable king amongst wine.
However, after listening to s.h.i.+ Xiaoyao’s boasts, Zhou Kai quite yearned for a spirit rank version of the wine and thought about it day and night.
Who would’ve thought that a chance to taste it would arise so unexpectedly today!
They couldn’t find cups of ancient vines on such short notice, so they could only use wooden cups as a replacement. If one immediately poured and drank the spirit rank wine however, it wouldn’t affect the spirit qi embodied within the wine that much.
Zhou Kai and Tian Shao’s expressions froze as the spirit rank wine traveled down their throats.
A marvelous sensation the like they’d never experienced before immediately suffused their bodies.
In that moment, they suddenly understood why s.h.i.+ Xiaoyao had kept up a constant litany of boasts along the way, and why he said that the mortal rank version couldn’t measure up to the spirit rank version at all.
It indeed couldn’t measure up at all; they were on completely different levels.
The two didn’t speak for the longest time after the wine settled in their stomachs. Zhou Kai sighed, “This wine should only exist in the heavens. How many times can we taste this in the mortal realm?”
“Young master Chen, if this wine were to be sold in the market, it would fetch unimaginable prices. No wonder the honored tutor would say this gift was first amongst them all that day. The honored tutor does indeed have a different eye for appraisal from others, and it’s not anything that we can measure up to.” Tian Shao sighed with emotion.
Zhou Kai and Tian Shao didn’t act gracefully after that as the two of them drank cup after cup, completely cleaning out the two jugs and leaving not a drop behind.
Jiang Chen was also quite content to see the two of them have such a good time. After all, it was a joyous thing that his friends would happily drink of the wine that he had crafted.
After drinking, Zhou Kai used his tipsiness as an excuse to chuckle, “Young master Chen, I heard old brother Fei mention at the Southern Palace marriage proposal banquet that the Nine Magnificence Dew Wine, Heavenly Karma Pill, and Four Seasons Eternal Spring Pill all came from you. I went home and boasted about it to my woman, but actually ended up causing a world of trouble. I’m a bit leery of returning home every day now, and have quite a headache about things.”
“Oh? Old brother Zhou, what makes you say this?” Jiang Chen smiled when he saw Zhou Kai was slightly exaggerating.
“Ai, it’s my fault for being a blabbermouth and mentioning the Four Seasons Eternal Spring Pill. When my woman heard that Elder Ning’s looks became at least 10 years younger after taking the pill, she went completely nuts and asks me about it day and night. She brings up this matter to me whenever I go home these days. Young master Chen, you gifted the recipe to the Southern Palace. Do you know when they’ll be able to ma.s.s produce it?”
Jiang Chen smiled as he understood Zhou Kai’s meaning.
It was a good thing that there were still a few leftover pills from when he refined the Four Seasons Eternal Spring Pill last time. Although he was out of upper rank pills, there were still a few mid rank ones left.
He took one out immediately. “Old brother Zhou, the Southern Palace would probably take a bit to start selling it on the market. But I happen to have one left and offer it as a gift to your wife. This is just a little token to show my respect to you.”
Jiang Chen didn’t think much of this kind of pill at all. They were like fruits and nuts to him, without the slightest bit of value.
If he could repay someone’s favor by gifting them one of these, then why not?
Zhou Kai became a bit fl.u.s.tered, “How... how can I accept this? This is worth several cities, I can’t accept it! How about I pay for it?”
Tian Shao smiled, “Vice director Zhou, young master Chen is quite good to his friends. If he says he wants to gift it to you, he’ll become unhappy if you try to give him money for it.”
“Old Tian makes sense. Old brother Zhou, you treat me as a friend and helped me with such a large matter. You talk of money for a mere pill? You’re looking down on me!”
Zhou Kai chuckled as he finally accepted the pill beneath Jiang Chen and Tian Shao’s ribbing.
Although Zhou Kai was highly esteemed and influential within the Dragonteeth Guard, he ranked number two at home. His wife was the real boss at home.
At the thought of being able to take the pill home and make his wife happy, and being able to speak with an upright back in front of her and having her serve him, Zhou Kai’s heart lurched wildly.He couldn’t wait to go home and strut with pride.
After they concluded their drinking session, Jiang Chen suddenly remembered something and pulled Tian Shao aside, giving him another jug. “Old Tian, give this jug to the general director for me.”
Drinking the Nine Magnificence Dew Wine in the Dragonteeth Guard would make it to Shangguan Yi’s ears sooner or later, and the fact that it’d been a vice director and a general who’d tasted it. This was a small matter, but it wouldn’t do to overlook the general director.
Jiang Chen wasn’t afraid of anything himself, but Tian Shao still worked for Shangguan Yi after all.
A jug of wine would act as a lubricant for their relations.h.i.+ps.
After leaving the Dragonteeth Guard, Jiang Chen made a trip to the Myriad Treasures Palace and consigned the lot of the spirit ingredients over to them, making it a rather large business transaction.
Jiang Chen traded for as many items he needed from the Palace, and asked the Palace to sell all that was left. He didn’t want money, he just wanted to convert it all into items he would need in the future.
The Myriad Treasures Palace didn’t dare take a cut from this transaction, so it was a trade at almost equal value.
After the transaction was concluded, s.h.i.+ Xiaoyao kept hanging onto Jiang Chen no matter what, wanting to drink with him. Jiang Chen knew that this fellow was likely still thinking of the Nine Magnificence Dew Wine.
Therefore, he had to gift another jug again.
After obtaining a few spirit ingredients he needed, Jiang Chen returned fully loaded.
Tian Shao delivered a thousand flight tokens later that afternoon. This efficiency was ridiculously high, and Jiang Chen was quite satisfied.
“Young master Chen, the general director was very happy to receive your wine and invites you for a visit whenever you’re free.”
Tian Shao’s words to Jiang Chen were full of respect. He had finally understood why Jiang Chen had gifted the general director with a jug for himself.
The wine was secondary, the more important thing was that it would improve relations.h.i.+ps, clear up estrangement, and smoothen their interactions.
Jiang Chen summoned Gouyu after receiving the flight tokens.
“Gouyu, I have a mission for you. Take these flight tokens and bring in the Swordbird army from the borders.”
The Goldwing Swordbird army had lingered around the borders for quite a while. Jiang Chen found that he rather missed them.
Tian Shao spoke up on the side, “Young master Chen, this trip to the border will pa.s.s through Northern Palace territory. They might keep an eye on your comings and goings. Why don"t I take some Guards with me and accompany Miss Gouyu? We can take care of each other along the way if anything happens.”
Jiang Chen recalled the unhappy experience with the Northern Palace and nodded his head. “Old Tian, does this put you in a difficult position?”
Tian Shao smiled, “Young master Chen, you’re now one of the key personnel we protect in the Guard. Serving you is one of my duties!”
“Haha, old Tian, you’ve learned how to talk glibly as well.”
Jiang Chen was more at ease given that Tian Shao would be making the trip as well. To be honest, he’d felt a bit uneasy if Gouyu was going by herself.
The Northern Palace were renowned for being thieves. They were completely lawless in their territory. Add to that the matter of the recent marriage proposal, and it was likely that they hated Jiang Chen with all their might.
Tian Shao and the Guard’s presence would be a good precaution.
……
In a quiet corner of the Skylaurel Kingdom, a mysterious person had rented out an exquisite courtyard half a year ago.
There were many flowers and gra.s.s planted in the front of the yard. A girl with an ethereal presence wearing robes whiter than snow had rolled up her sleeves, displaying the palest of arms as she watered these plants.
An old man was holding a pair of pruning shears in his hand and was clipping away at branches.
“Huang’er, it’s been half a year since we’ve taken up residence in the Skylaurel Kingdom. Is everything to your liking?” The old man asked merrily as he looked at the young girl with eyes full of love.
“As long as we are far away from all the conflict and can quietly enjoy this suns.h.i.+ne, Huang’er will be happy anywhere we live.”
The girl’s movements were as if faint clouds covering the moon, a light breeze flurrying up the snow. She seemed to possess a faintly divine aura as her words and laughter filled the courtyard with life, like a fairy realm.
“Ai, you’ve suffered much these past years.” The old man sighed lightly as his tone became slightly heavy. He immediately changed the topic. “However, it’s not like we haven’t gained anything since coming to the Skylaurel Kingdom. This Jiang Chen has arrived for less than a year and thoroughly upended the situation within the kingdom. This kid is truly not simple.”
“If Elder Shun thinks he’s not simple, then there must be a certain uniqueness to Jiang Chen.” Huang’er smiled faintly. Elder Shun had often mentioned Jiang Chen in the past year, so although she’d never seen him before, she still had an impression of this person.