In April, the sky was a deep blue, and the gentle breeze was warm. It was a perfect day for drinking.
As the first rays of the morning sun peeked through, the Luoxue Pavilion bustled with activity.
Li Wanming set up three long tables in the courtyard, each adorned with three rows of wine bowls. She had been busy for the past month, finally perfecting three different recipes and brewing three distinct types of wine.
Xiao Jingnan came up with the idea of hosting a wine - tasting event, so everyone could sample the wines and determine which one was the most mellow and palatable. Li Wanming readily agreed.
She also instructed Chuntao to prepare special water for rinsing the mouth and tea sets, allowing the tasters to accurately distinguish the nuances of each wine.
Once everything was in place, Li Wanming invited everyone in the mansion. They exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.
They knew Li Wanming had been brewing wine in her courtyard, but they thought it was just a pastime to kill time. They never expected such a grand event... a wine - tasting?
"Wanming," the Princess of Ning said uneasily, "what are you up to?"
Li Wanming replied bluntly, "I'm trying to find the best recipe so we can sell the wine in the future!"
"You're going to... sell wine?"
"Not just me," Li Wanming corrected her. "Our whole family is going to sell wine!"
Everyone was stunned. She wanted them to sell wine?
Each face was a complex mix of shock, surprise, and panic.
The gatekeeper of a prime minister's mansion has the status of a seventh - rank official. They were from the Ning Prince's Mansion, well - known and respected. They were more prestigious than ordinary officials on a daily basis.
Now, she wanted them to peddle wine on the streets? Before, it was okay to play a role in the Pingkangfang with the Crown Princess. After all, once the gate was closed, no one knew who they were or what they were doing. But selling wine was different!
Selling wine meant showing their faces in public. What if they ran into someone they knew? Where would they hide their shame? How could they still maintain their status in the capital?
The Princess of Ning forced a laugh. "Wanming, if you like wine, just brew some for your own enjoyment. You don't need to make a living out of it..."
Li Wanming's eyes burned with determination. "Then, Mother - in - law, tell me, what kind of livelihood should we pursue?"
The Princess of Ning was at a loss for words.
In the past two months, Li Wanming had discussed family finances with her on several occasions, but each time, she had dodged the topic by saying she didn't manage the household and wasn't aware of the details.
She thought as long as Li Wanming and Xiao Jingnan had a stable relationship, they could move back to the Ning Prince's Mansion. She never expected Li Wanming to take the matter of livelihood so seriously and even plan to sell wine!
Xiao Jingnan spoke up. "Father, Mother, Uncle, Aunt, Wanming and I have discussed this. We plan to open a wine shop in the future. Our family will earn our living through hard work... There's nothing shameful about being self - sufficient."
The Princess of Ning still hesitated. "Even if we open a wine shop, we don't need the whole family to work there, do we..."
Although she had lived in the Pingkangfang for nearly two months, due to her poor health, she had only done some light daily exercises and no real work.
Just thinking about going to work in a wine shop made her shiver...
Li Wanming said, "Then who will do the work in the wine shop? You can't expect it all to fall on me and Chuntao, can you?"
Everyone fell silent. Each person's eyes shifted uneasily. Some stared at their toes, while others looked around, but no one answered her.
Li Wanming's anger flared up. She finally understood. These people were still living in a dream!
They might be able to manage some light exercise, but getting them to work outside was harder than climbing to the sky. One word: lazy! Two words: pretentious!
The whole family was living off the meager silver she had won in the gambling house. They didn't know when they would run out of money, yet they were still being so coy about going out to work?
It seemed like everyone in the family was living a peaceful life while she alone was shouldering all the burdens!
Li Wanming dragged everyone to the vegetable garden in front of the house and pointed at the sparse seedlings.
"Look at these vegetables. They're either yellow - leafed or growing all crooked. Is there a single one that's edible?"
"The other day when I took Uncle to the market to sell vegetables, he told me he couldn't bring himself to shout out and sell. Look around. Which farmer doesn't know how to hawk their goods?"
"I know your ancestors were wealthy, but there's nothing left in the house to sell. If we keep going like this, we'll have to sell the house!"
"Selling the family property is not only heartless but also shameful!"
"Fine! If Uncle can't sell vegetables, I won't say anything. After all, he's never been a very good farmer... But we need a way to make a living!"
"The fact is, we can't support the whole family by selling vegetables. Other than selling wine, what else can we do?"
"Of course, if you're willing to go out and wash clothes for others or do hard labor at the dock, I have no objections!"
Caiwei, Qinglan, and Zifu were horrified at the thought of washing clothes for others. They all looked pitifully at the Princess of Ning.
Xiao Jingnan said, "Father, Mother, in my studies of political treatises, I once read that wealth lies in strategy, not in physical labor; profit lies in position, not in hard - tilling. Although our dynasty is based on agriculture and sericulture, wealth ultimately comes from commerce. We can't underestimate the business world."
"The reason the South of the Yangtze River is so prosperous is that the confluence of the five lakes makes trade thrive."
"My wife's plan to open a wine shop, although small - scale, is still a business venture. If we can get involved, it will be beneficial for our economic and official careers."
The Prince of Ning pondered for a moment and then nodded in agreement. "Since you've made up your minds, do it your way!"
He understood what Xiao Jingnan meant. In a couple of years, the emperor would take over the reins of power, and there would surely be a political upheaval in the court.
The Xiao family appeared neutral, not siding with either the empress dowager or the emperor. But he knew that Xiao Jingnan had always had a good relationship with the young emperor and was actually on his side.
His plan to sell wine with Li Wanming was to use it as a wedge to get a feel for the business network in the capital. For a scholar, without getting involved in the real world, all his strategies for governing the country would be castles in the air.
Although the Princess of Ning was aggrieved, she no longer opposed when she heard the Prince of Ning's words. The others also mustered their spirits, stood in front of the long tables, and began to taste the wine as Li Wanming instructed.
Aunt Liu was the most supportive of Li Wanming. She took a bowl of wine and said, "Oh, this wine is so sweet. It's different from any I've ever had before! Our Third Miss is really capable!"
She would whole - heartedly support Third Miss in whatever she did!
The Cheng family members were so idle and aimless... They didn't know how hard - pressed Third Miss was to earn a living!
Poor Third Miss, such a hard - working, capable, smart, and straightforward girl. How did she end up in such a lazy, gluttonous, and overly fastidious family!
Li Wanming asked, "What about the other two bowls? How do they taste?"
Aunt Liu rinsed her mouth, took another bowl, sipped it for a while, and said awkwardly with a smile, "I can only tell they're both fragrant and sweet. I can't tell the difference..."
Aunt Song laughed simply. "It's easier to drink than the sorghum liquor we usually have. Other than that, I can't tell either..."
After Caiwei and Qinglan drank, their eyes lit up. "It's really sweet. It's better than the pear - blossom white we had before!"
Li Wanming asked, "Do you like it?"
Caiwei said, "It has a fragrant and sweet taste when it goes in. I think it's great!"
Qinglan hesitated. "It seems a bit strong..." She blushed after just one sip.
After getting along for more than a month, Caiwei and Qinglan had recognized Li Wanming's status in the family. They no longer dared to cause trouble for her and even secretly admired her.
Only Zifu still always tried to get close to Xiao Jingnan.
"Cousin, I feel dizzy..."
Zifu staggered and leaned towards Xiao Jingnan.
Li Wanming grabbed her. "Drink the wine first! After you tell me how it tastes, you can lean on him all you want!"
She stuffed a full bowl of wine into her hand. "It'll be even more natural for you to lean on him later when you're tipsy. Why are you so clueless, girl..."
Zifu blushed when her intention was publicly exposed. "I didn't..."
"Didn't what? It's just a cousin crush. Don't think I don't know!"
Li Wanming didn't care at all and just stared at the wine bowl in her hand. "As long as you drink this bowl of wine, everything will be fine!"