Chapter 77: Drinking Beyond Means

The Chunmu River is a renowned major river in Jizhou. It has its longest winding section within Chunhui Prefecture, flows through several prefectures in the province, and acts as a boundary marker, skirting the edges of two other large provinces before finally emptying into the sea.

The stretch of the river from Jiudaokou, outside Desheng Prefecture, to the city of Chunhui Prefecture is relatively straight. This, coupled with favorable southeastern winds common during this season, makes the journey from Desheng Prefecture to Chunhui Prefecture quite short.

Apart from the first night, when a passenger fell overboard and was rescued by an intelligent giant green fish who then requested wine, the subsequent two days of travel were entirely uneventful. Listening to the sounds of the small hills and forests along the river, they enjoyed a smooth journey and, on the fourth morning, saw the large pier outside the city of Chunhui Prefecture.

As they approached the main pier of Chunhui Prefecture, the number of boats increased dramatically. Ranging from small single-person skiffs to large multi-deck vessels, and from passenger and cargo ships to fishermen's boats, the pier's bustling activity far surpassed that of Jiudaokou County.

All the passengers stood on deck, gazing out. Beyond the pier, the towering city walls of Chunhui Prefecture were visible, as were the buildings within, some of which rose a story above the walls.

As they drew closer to Chunhui Prefecture city, the wind unexpectedly died down. The young boatman began sculling, and the passengers, having admired the city, turned their attention to the surrounding scene.

The clamor from the pier grew louder and more distinct, filled with the sounds of cargo being loaded and unloaded, and passengers boarding and disembarking. The small boat carrying Ji Yuan found a less crowded berth at the edge of the pier and slowly pulled ashore.

By this point, all the passengers who had traveled together for three days knew they would soon part ways. Since the boat fare had been settled on the day of departure, they were free to disembark at any moment.

"Distinguished guests," the old boatman announced, "the River God Temple is located south of the East Gate, just outside the city. After leaving the pier, simply head south without entering the city, and you'll find it. It's quite a sight in Chunhui Prefecture, and if you have the time, I recommend paying your respects to the River God!"

The old boatman secured the mooring ropes and, with a smile, offered his suggestion to the passengers preparing to disembark. It had been a smooth journey, largely thanks to the pleasant company on board, making it a truly comfortable trip!

"Good, we'll certainly take a look!"

"Indeed, we'll surely go and offer our respects with some incense!"

"Farewell, boatman!" "Until we meet again!"

Like the others, Ji Yuan bowed to the boatman at the pier. The boatman and his son had no reason to go into the city; they would simply purchase supplies at the pier, clean their vessel, and then display the sign for Jiudaokou, Desheng Prefecture, to pick up any passengers heading in their direction for the return journey.

The six passengers from the boat walked out of the pier together. One of the scholars immediately turned to Ji Yuan.

"Mr. Ji," he began, "my classmate and I plan to explore Chunhui Prefecture city and then visit the River God Temple. If you have no other arrangements, perhaps you'd like to join us?"

"Yes, Mr. Ji!" another chimed in.

Ji Yuan glanced at the group and bowed in return.

"Thank you for the kind offer," he replied, "but I have pressing matters to attend to. We shared a journey in this boat; perhaps fate will bring us together again another day. I'll take my leave here."

The group exchanged farewells and headed towards their respective destinations. Ji Yuan, however, quickened his pace, and a moment later, he was out of sight.

'It's the twelfth of May,' Ji Yuan thought, 'I wonder if Wei Wuwei has already arrived in Chunhui Prefecture and made all the necessary preparations?'

With that in mind, Ji Yuan's first task was to find out which establishment in the city was renowned for its fine wine, eager to taste just how exquisite it was to entice the old turtle out. After all, Ji Yuan hadn't experienced much of the world in this lifetime; the most he had drunk was the common Huadiao jar wine from Ning'an County, which was readily available everywhere and not a rare commodity.

In any case, waiting near the South Gate before May 15th should ensure he found Wei Wuwei. After all, with Ji Yuan's extraordinary hearing, he could recognize familiar people from afar, even by a mere hiccup. As for Wei Wuwei's attempt to meet the old turtle, Ji Yuan decided not to reveal himself, preferring to observe the event as a curious spectator. After all, besides the Wei family, the only others who likely knew about the matter were the "esteemed officials" from that particular night. Even if Ji Yuan chose to reveal himself, it wouldn't be an issue, as Wei Wuwei already considered him a person of great ability. For such a person to be aware of the situation wouldn't seem out of place.

***

Chunhui Prefecture's prosperity far outshone that of Ning'an County and Jiudaokou. Despite his poor eyesight, Ji Yuan navigated the city with his exceptional hearing and sense of smell, still feeling like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden, overwhelmed by its grandeur.

After inquiring for some time, Ji Yuan finally located the wine shop named Yuanzipu. A faint, pervasive aroma of wine seemed to confirm the establishment's well-deserved reputation.

The wine shop was not particularly large and had no second floor, with only a few tables inside. There didn't seem to be many patrons buying or drinking wine; only two tables in a corner were occupied by people enjoying small dishes with their drinks. Curiously, these accompanying dishes didn't appear to be from the shop but rather homemade, wrapped in lotus leaves. Despite the sparse clientele, there were quite a few shop assistants, all resting at the empty tables. The shopkeeper, meanwhile, sat behind the counter, continuously clicking his abacus and meticulously tallying figures in his ledger.

"Shopkeeper," Ji Yuan inquired, stepping into the shop, "I hear your 'Thousand-Day Spring' is a renowned wine in Chunhui Prefecture, with no other branch selling it. How much does a pot cost?" The shopkeeper finished his calculations before looking up at him.

"Our shop sells only two types of wine," the shopkeeper replied, "Thousand-Day Spring is two taels of silver per jin, with a small discount if you buy a whole jar. Jianghua wine is one hundred wen for a five-jin jar."

"Two taels?" Ji Yuan echoed in surprise. The price was astronomically high—two taels could buy numerous meals. It seemed that exorbitantly expensive wines weren't just a feature of his previous life but were plentiful in this one too!

"Are you interested in the Jianghua wine, sir?" the shopkeeper asked, his voice flat as he returned to his accounts, making Ji Yuan feel slightly awkward.

"Um, shopkeeper," Ji Yuan ventured, "since this Thousand-Day Spring can be sold by the jar, can I just buy a single cup to taste?"

"A single cup?" the shopkeeper repeated. Such a request was truly uncommon; indeed, no one had ever had the audacity to make it at Yuanzipu. The shopkeeper couldn't help but look up and examine Ji Yuan closely. He wore a wide-sleeved gray robe, a red wooden hairpin in his hair, and carried a satchel and an umbrella. His attire was simple and neat, and his seemingly casual hairstyle looked remarkably natural. He didn't appear wealthy, yet neither did he seem like a troublemaker. When the shopkeeper noticed his eyes, which were only half-open, he clearly paused in surprise.

"Have you just arrived in Chunhui Prefecture, sir?"

"Yes, I arrived today. I heard of Thousand-Day Spring's reputation and wished to try it."

"Come, come..." The shopkeeper nodded and, gesturing to Ji Yuan, took a small jar from a shelf behind him and unsealed it. He placed a small porcelain cup on the counter, then dipped a delicate miniature ladle into the jar, drawing out enough amber liquid to perfectly fill the cup. As he withdrew the ladle, a fine thread of liquid briefly connected it to the cup's rim before breaking cleanly with a slight flick of his wrist.

"Please, sir, try it," the shopkeeper offered. "Kindly taste this Thousand-Day Spring and give your opinion. Consider it payment for the wine!"

Ji Yuan approached the counter, inhaling the wine's fragrance. Without a word, he picked up the porcelain cup and tasted it. To his surprise, there was no initial bitterness to adjust to. Instead, the flavor was rich and mellow, with a delicate hint of sweetness, and its potency was slightly higher than the Huadiao wine he had previously consumed. With another sip, he finished the small amount of wine. Only then did a slight bitterness and an alcoholic tang prick his nose, which then softened into a rich, bittersweet taste. After swallowing, the sweet, fragrant aftertaste lingered delightfully.

In his previous life, Ji Yuan had never enjoyed drinking, considering all wines unpleasant. He never expected to discover such a profound appreciation for taste in this lifetime.

"Excellent wine," Ji Yuan declared, "truly worthy of the name Thousand-Day Spring!" Instead of further explicit praise, Ji Yuan simply took two standard one-tael silver ingots from his robes and placed them on the counter. "A single sip of this wine is truly not enough," he stated. "I must buy a jin, even if it means skipping a few meals."

The shopkeeper's face broke into a broad smile; this was the highest praise he could receive. "One moment, sir!" After taking the silver and weighing it, the shopkeeper took a small wine bottle from the shelf behind him and handed it to Ji Yuan. "One jin of Thousand-Day Spring."

Ji Yuan took the wine and surveyed the shop, realizing that this wine was likely supplied to major restaurants and inns, and that merchants would undoubtedly transport it far and wide. Yuanzipu, he concluded, was probably just a flagship store for their brand.

"Ah, shopkeeper," Ji Yuan sighed with a smile, "your wine is so expensive that even immortals couldn't afford it! Well, I'm off..." With a chuckle and a wistful sigh, Ji Yuan, comparing himself to an immortal as if in jest and expressing a subtle yearning, stepped out of the shop, carrying the wine bottle. To any outsider, his words would have sounded like a mere joke.

The shopkeeper smiled and shook his head, in excellent spirits after Ji Yuan's appreciative tasting and his determined purchase of the wine. As he reached out to tidy the small porcelain cup, his right hand suddenly froze. Thousand-Day Spring was renowned not only for its excellent taste but also for its thick consistency, which caused it to cling to the cup. Even the smoothest ceramic cup would retain some liquid, requiring several licks to clean it completely. Yet the porcelain cup before him was pristine inside, without a single trace of wine. The shopkeeper reached out a finger and swiped the interior, his expression turning to utter astonishment.

'It's dry?' he thought. Could he have been a highly skilled wanderer? But recalling the man's unhurried way of drinking, and then his parting words, the shopkeeper's heart inexplicably skipped a beat. He immediately looked up and around, a faint "Sir..." escaping his lips. But Ji Yuan was already nowhere to be seen.