Chapter 178: Not This One
One bottle of Wuliangye only filled the waterskin halfway. After pouring in a second bottle, it was just about full.
Gu Fei carried the waterskin to the rear courtyard.
Handing the waterskin to Zhang Ze, Gu Fei said apologetically, "I’m so sorry, we really couldn’t find a proper wine bottle in the house. This is so impolite of us."
Zhang Ze waved his hand. "You’re too kind, Miss. I’m the one who is being impolite, coming all this way to ask you for a drink."
"By the way, where is the person who brews this wine now?"
Gu Fei quickly shook her head. "This wine was a gift from someone my father met by chance many years ago. We later heard that the person had passed away. He didn’t have any children, so this brewing technique wasn’t passed down."
"What a shame, what a shame." Zhang Ze shook his head again and again. "Right, does this wine have a name? I’ll need to give my master’s uncle an answer when I see him."
"Wuliangye—it’s called Wuliangye. It’s said to be brewed from five different grains."
Zhang Ze asked again, "Do you know which five grains, Miss?" He scratched his head sheepishly. "My master’s uncle is a true wine connoisseur, and I’m afraid he’s going to ask me."
"Wheat, sorghum, corn, glutinous rice, and regular rice. But as for the proportions, I have no idea." Gu Fei vaguely recalled hearing someone mention it once when she was drinking in her past life.
"Thank you, Miss." Zhang Ze took out a one hundred tael silver note. "This is the Silver for the wine."
Gu Zhang quickly tried to push it back. "Buy it? What for? It’s just a little wine, how could we take money for it?"
"If your master’s uncle enjoys it, then the wine has found a true connoisseur. Please, take the Silver back."
Zhang Ze and Gu Zhang went back and forth a few times, but seeing Gu Zhang’s firm stance, Zhang Ze had no choice but to retract the silver note. "Mr. Gu, my master’s uncle is waiting for my report, so I’ll take my leave now."
After seeing Zhang Ze out, Gu Zhang turned and quietly asked Gu Fei, "Is that wine really so good? Is there any more? Let your old dad have a taste."
Gu Fei smiled. "There’s still some, but not much. It’s truly excellent wine. I’ll pour you a cup at dinner tonight, Dad."
Gu Zhang licked his lips. "Just one cup?"
"That’s right. This stuff is incredibly expensive. We have to drink it sparingly. Once it’s gone, it’s gone."
’Even in modern times, a bottle goes for one or two thousand yuan. Of course it’s good.’
Meanwhile, Zhang Ze returned to the Prince Qi Mansion. He didn’t run into the Prince this time, so he went to Su Chen’s courtyard first.
He recounted what had happened. When Su Chen heard that Gu Fei had been keeping the plum blossom vase for her own enjoyment, his brow furrowed involuntarily.
Reading the situation, Zhang Ze quickly held up the waterskin. "While this waterskin might not be as beautiful as the plum blossom vase, it’s the one Miss Xiao Fei uses to drink from. Or... should I transfer the wine to a bottle before giving it to the Prince?"
Su Chen spared it a cool glance. "That’s not it. The cap on the waterskin she drinks from has a red thread tied around it."
’The Young Master has truly taken an interest in Miss Xiao Fei,’ Zhang Ze thought in amazement. ’He even noticed the waterskin she drinks from.’
"Find a bottle for it anyway," Su Chen said coolly. "This waterskin is unseemly. It would be a waste of good wine."
Zhang Ze acknowledged the order and went out to call a maid to find a new bottle.
Su Chen sat by the window, gazing at a cluster of banana plants outside. His mind conjured the image of the plum blossom vase. The thought that a vase Little Fei had held and admired was now in Xiao Yu’s hands made his brow furrow involuntarily once more.
Just then, a maid’s voice came from behind him. "Young Master, the Young Master Heir has sent over a pair of Ru Kiln vases. Should we put them in the storeroom or display them in the study?"
Su Chen turned to see two maids carrying a brocade box and setting it on the table.