Chapter Thirty-Six: Distilled Spirits!

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At the Gu residence, in the study.

Gu Liancheng’s expression was frighteningly grim. Gu Ting had taken a beating so severe that several of his teeth had been knocked out, yet Jiang Han had emerged completely unscathed.

“Father, are we really going to let this go? I refuse to accept this!” Gu Ting was covered in bumps, with bandages wrapped all over his body.

“Of course we are not letting this go! But County Clerk Huang is no longer of any use…” Gu Liancheng said heavily. “As far as I know, Zhongli You went to the county office, which was why Jiang Han was released from prison without a scratch. Could Jiang Han truly have such a deep relationship with Zhongli You?”

“Father, as far as I know, Jiang Han came to know Zhongli You because of the three poems titled ‘Longing for You’ that emerged from the Emerald Cloud Pavilion. Poet Laureate Li Qiushui said so herself, so it should be true.” Gu Xirou frowned slightly. “I know Jiang Han inside and out, and I can say with certainty that he does not possess such talent. Therefore, I suspect those three poems were actually written by Jiang Zhensheng!”

At this, Gu Liancheng formed a theory of his own: Jiang Zhensheng had written the poems and passed them off as Jiang Han’s work, allowing Jiang Han to make Zhongli You’s acquaintance.

Zhongli You valued his talent, which was why she had stepped in to save him this time.

Gu Ting opened his mouth. He had originally wanted to say that he had encountered Jiang Han at the Brilliant Beauty House, and that Jiang Han had even composed a poem titled “Waves Scouring the Sand.” But on second thought, there was no guarantee that Jiang Han had written that poem either.

Yin Rong, seated to one side, gently waved his folding fan.

“My father and I have already discussed this matter. Since Jiang Han made a name for himself through his father’s poetry and thus earned the esteem of the great scholar Zhongli, all we need do is set him a topic in public and force him to compose a poem. Then the truth of what an empty-headed fraud he is will be exposed!

“Once Zhongli learns that he is a shameless impostor who has stolen fame he does not deserve, do you think she will continue protecting him? Not only will she stop protecting him—she will not let him off easily!”

Gu Liancheng nodded.

“Master Yin is right. Jiang Zhensheng truly has some nerve, daring even to deceive Zhongli You! My son cannot have suffered this beating for nothing!”

Yin Rong smiled faintly.

“That goes without saying. I have already arranged for the Yunyang Poetry Society to hold a literary gathering on the Qingming Festival, and Jiang Han will be invited to attend… However, I doubt he will come willingly. He must understand that attending the gathering carries the risk of exposing him. That is why I need Miss Gu’s help.”

“How would you have me help, Master Yin? Just tell me,” said Gu Xirou.

Yin Rong gently waved his folding fan.

“Jiang Han was once betrothed to Miss Gu, and he harbored a foolish infatuation with you. Though the engagement has now been broken, he still seems unable to let you go.”

Gu Xirou’s face filled with pride as she lifted her chin.

“Hmph. He made that Dark Fragrance Dew to win me back. I simply refused to pay him any attention.”

In her eyes, why else would Jiang Han have made the Dark Fragrance Dew? He had learned that the Gu family had accepted the Yin family’s betrothal gifts and that the Yin family dealt in scented balms. Out of spite, he had concocted that so-called Dark Fragrance Dew.

Yin Rong’s expression suddenly darkened.

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After all, Gu Xirou was now his fiancée. No man could tolerate another man remaining infatuated with his future wife.

Yin Rong narrowed his eyes.

“That is why I hope Miss Gu will appear in person and invite Jiang Han to attend the literary gathering held by the Yunyang Poetry Society. If you extend the invitation yourself, he will certainly come. Once there, we will set him a topic on the spot and force him to compose a poem. If he fails, the truth of what an empty-headed fraud he is will be exposed! Zhongli will surely be enraged. Even if she does not punish him, she will never spare him another glance!”

A cold glint flashed through Yin Rong’s eyes as he continued in a grim voice, “When that time comes… once he loses Zhongli as his protector, we will no longer need to act with such caution. I can have my third uncle invent a charge and throw him into the Jingzhao Prefecture prison. Once he is inside, we can shape him however we please—flatten him or make him round. His life and death will be ours to decide! And your son’s revenge will be complete.”

“What a splendid plan, Master Yin!” Gu Liancheng praised with a nod. “If you can avenge my son, I will owe you my deepest thanks.”

“Now that I have formally proposed and presented the betrothal gifts, I will soon marry Xirou. Our two families will be one family, and family members need not stand on ceremony with one another! Gu Ting is my younger brother as well. Avenge him? That is only my duty.”

Yin Rong turned toward Gu Xirou, his expression tender.

Gu Xirou lowered her head shyly.

“Yin dear…”

“Master Yin is right! Our two families will soon be one. By the way, I heard that you intend to sit for the entrance examination of White Deer Academy?” Gu Liancheng asked.

White Deer Academy was one of the highest institutions of learning in the Great Yu Empire. The academy was home to many great scholars, and all who gained admission were renowned talents.

Anyone who graduated from White Deer Academy could at the very least become a sixth-rank official. Many officials in the imperial court had studied there.

A smile appeared on Yin Rong’s face.

“That is correct. One of my teachers holds a position at White Deer Academy. He told me that, given my present learning, I am already certain to pass its examination.”

“Then allow me to congratulate you in advance, Master Yin!”

“Xirou, about inviting Jiang Han to the literary gathering…”

“Leave it to me! If I tell him to go, he will certainly attend.” Gu Xirou was extremely confident about this. Jiang Han had always obeyed her every word. If she gave him a single command, he would rush to the gathering with eager devotion.

Yet lately, Jiang Han had stopped pestering her, and for some inexplicable reason, this left her increasingly irritated.

It was not that she had suddenly discovered she loved Jiang Han. It was simply that a man who had clung to her day after day had abruptly stopped, leaving her feeling vaguely unbalanced.

You made the Dark Fragrance Dew for my sake, didn’t you? Why haven’t you sent any to me?

You must be trying to play hard to get. Do you really think I will fall for you just because of some Dark Fragrance Dew?

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Gu Xirou let out a cold laugh inwardly.

…

Jiang Han spent the entire day working in the courtyard.

He was distilling highly concentrated liquor.

As Jiang Han worked, Wu Wenhua stood beside him and watched, scratching his scalp in bewilderment.

What was his young master doing?

And what were all these strange vessels for?

When the first liquor emerged, Jiang Han ladled out a spoonful and took a sip. It carried a slightly astringent taste and seemed to be only a little over twenty percent alcohol.

Highly concentrated liquor was best distilled twice. The liquor produced during the first distillation was called the head liquor. It still contained many impurities and was far from pure, with astringent and sour notes that made it unpleasant to drink.

Jiang Han continued with the second distillation.

When the second batch had finished distilling, Jiang Han ladled out a spoonful and tasted it. He nodded in satisfaction. This liquor was far smoother, without any sour or astringent flavor, and was probably around thirty to forty percent alcohol.

Although its strength was still not particularly high, in this world it could already be considered hard liquor. Even the renowned Drunken Celestial, famous throughout the realm, contained only a little over ten percent alcohol.

Wu Wenhua inhaled the fragrance of the liquor from the side.

“Young master, what wonderfully fragrant liquor!”

“Have a spoonful.”

Wu Wenhua ladled out a spoonful and took a sip. It was as though he had swallowed a piece of burning charcoal, the heat searing from his throat all the way down to his stomach. His eyes lit up.

“Excellent liquor! Young master, I have never tasted anything this good!”

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