Liang Xiao smiled and said, "I have an obsession with this wine. Let's call it Yi Zui Bai Nian (One Drunk Hundred Years) for now!"
"Yi Zui Bai Nian?" Everyone was baffled by the name, but they all praised, "What a great name!"
"As for the stock, it's pitifully scarce," Liang Xiao sighed.
He had received word from his guards that the convoy of carriages used by this group of magnates to transport the wine had already blocked the streets outside!
If he didn't fleece them thoroughly, would his conscience be clear?
Duanmu Xiu's eyes darted, and he said with a smile, "Second Young Master Liang, since we are all businessmen here, let's get straight to the point. What price are you planning to sell this wine for?"
Everyone cast admiring glances at Duanmu Xiu and chimed in, "Second Young Master Liang, this is not the Dongfeng Association here!"
The implication was, don't play the game of hoarding and speculating with us merchants!
Who would have thought Duanmu Xiu would change his tune again, "Speaking of the Dongfeng Association, I still remember the aroma of this Yi Zui Bai Nian wine I smelled that day! I only hope your wine doesn't sell for ten thousand taels per jar. If the price is reasonable, I'll buy as much as you have..."
As soon as Duanmu Xiu finished speaking, the wealthy people around him rolled their eyes at him.
As expected of the Duanmu family's fox, he was digging a pit for them, damaging Liang Xiao's good impression of them, and then seizing the opportunity himself.
Beast!
Liang Xiao, who had been smiling, suddenly scanned everyone seriously and casually uttered, "Five hundred taels, no bargaining."
Today, he was determined to fleece these wealthy people.
Everyone was startled.
Five hundred taels?
"Too high! At most one hundred taels!" a merchant protested on the spot.
There was much discussion, but without exception, no one offered more than two hundred taels.
Duanmu Xiu said sternly, "Please, Second Young Master Liang, tell us why this wine is worth five hundred taels, so that we can be convinced."
Gu Shaoyan and Mu Hong exchanged a smile, a tacit understanding between them.
Mu Hong stood up and said, "I've heard that the Duke of Dingguo's manor, belonging to the Qin Saint, is worth billions. A jar of peerless wine paired with a peerless poem is worth ten thousand taels. However, what is truly valuable is actually the Mulan Ci poem, not the wine."
"Yes, yes, yes!" everyone chimed in happily, but then quickly felt something was wrong.
This brat, why did he have to bring up such a sensitive topic!
Even without the accompaniment of a peerless poem, if a jar of wine were sold for five hundred taels, the Qin Saint might very well accept all of it!
Liang Xiao understood Mu Hong's meaning, laughed heartily, and said, "The Qin Saint is far away in the Tianqin Mountain. Even if he bought all my wine, it wouldn't be easy to transport it."
Everyone was bewildered, even Mu Hong and Gu Shaoyan were stumped.
Mu Hong, who was buying wine, seemed inclined to support the wine's price, while Liang Xiao, who was selling it, was undermining himself?
Even Duanmu Xiu couldn't fathom Liang Xiao's intentions. He dared not speak, and quietly watched Liang Xiao, wondering what trick he had up his sleeve.
Liang Xiao continued, "However, it seems you all have forgotten that the Songling wine in the palace is worth a hundred taels."
Everyone's breathing hitched.
Songling wine was nothing compared to this "Yi Zui Bai Nian," and for these merchants and wine connoisseurs, it was still incredibly difficult to obtain!
The wealthy in the capital did not lack money; what they truly lacked were things that could reflect their status and wealth!
Poetry and wine seeking kindred spirits had already made Liang Xiao's name, and also made this wine famous!
Liang Xiao sneered, "If I were to exclusively supply this first batch of wine to the palace, selling my loyalty, or even gifting it all to His Majesty, gaining titles and promotions would be no problem, right? After all, Songling wine is used to entertain envoys from various countries. If it were replaced by my Yi Zui Bai Nian..."
Everyone rolled their eyes, but had no retort.
Liang Xiao was not bluffing. He could easily sell the wine at a lower price to the palace, making it unattainable for the vast majority of the wealthy and wine connoisseurs for the rest of their lives!
Before imperial power, the strength of wealth appeared so fragile.
Liang Xiao saw everyone's reaction and laughed heartily, saying, "By the way, I must inform you all that if this wine is preserved properly, the longer it ages, the more mellow and fragrant it becomes."
Everyone's expression changed, and their breathing became rapid.
The longer wine ages, the more fragrant it becomes. This was the characteristic of most wines!
Buying a few jars to store, to show off their wealth in the future, or to entertain distinguished guests, demonstrating sincerity.
Or perhaps to age it for ten or twenty years, then subtly bring it out, to surprise the world.
Wouldn't that be wonderful!
"Second Young Master Liang, please stop talking. Five hundred taels, I'll buy it, I'll buy it, alright!" Duanmu Xiu said with tears he couldn't shed.
He was now somewhat afraid that Liang Xiao might change his mind on the spot and demand an exorbitant price!
"Let me have a few jars..." everyone made up their minds.
"My Duanmu family wants forty jars!" Duanmu Xiu immediately prepared a thick stack of silver notes.
Everyone eagerly took out their silver notes, wanting to purchase a large quantity.
Liang Xiao frowned, "The amount you're asking for combined is at least four hundred jars, right? Do you really think my wine is that easy to brew?"
Only then did everyone realize and look around the hall.
There were over fifty wealthy individuals gathered here!
"Second Young Master Liang, how many jars do you plan to sell?" Duanmu Xiu asked.
"Besides what I'm keeping for myself, there are only two hundred jars left. After today, I will not sell any more wine for at least a month, not even for ten thousand taels! If the grain harvest continues to be poor this year..." Liang Xiao replied without hesitation, only finishing his sentence halfway, while secretly laughing in his heart.
The wealth of these rich families far exceeded his expectations, and he felt no qualms about fleecing them!
However, his current production capacity was indeed limited, and he did not want to stimulate competitors to research and compete in brewing, indirectly raising grain prices and affecting people's lives.
Everyone's hearts raced, and they took out their silver notes, scrambling to buy.
Mu Hong and Gu Shaoyan, also entrusted by others, wanted to buy five jars.
After Liang Xiao sold them a total of ten jars, he had everyone register their names and origins, and began allocating quotas.
Duanmu Xiu, after much pleading, managed to secure a quota of thirty jars.
Since Liang Qing was the Left General, everyone did not worry about Liang Xiao acting recklessly and paid their money, waiting anxiously.
Looking at Liang Xiao, who seemed to be smiling yet not smiling, everyone was filled with envy, wishing they could hit him with a shoehorn.
This person was exceedingly cunning!
After a while, carriages began to arrive outside the main hall.
The aroma of wine wafted from afar, and everyone suddenly stood up, their faces filled with eagerness.
"The fragrance of wine fears no deep alley, that's exactly what this 'Yi Zui Bai Nian' is!" Duanmu Xiu, no longer caring about his image, dashed out like lightning, afraid his wine would be intercepted.
Everyone followed closely behind, rushing out and looking at the jars of wine, their throats bobbing, their faces full of anticipation.
Exquisitely fragrant!
Watching the jars of wine being taken down, they finally showed smiles of satisfaction.
No more would they have to crave the wine from those two scoundrels, Mu Hong and Gu Shaoyan!
Everyone took their wine and hastily bid farewell to Liang Xiao.
Liang Xiao kept Gu Shaoyan and Mu Hong behind and privately refunded the price difference to them at two hundred taels.
Gu Shaoyan said with a wry smile, "Liang Xiao, this time we were entrusted by our elders. If we were to pocket the remaining money, it would be a betrayal of our elders. If our elders were to buy your wine at two hundred taels, making you resentful of other buyers... in any case, we would feel guilty. It's better not to return it."
Mu Hong also nodded with a wry smile, expressing his full agreement.
Liang Xiao laughed heartily, "You two are true gentlemen. In fact, the wine I sold you earlier was at a friendly price of only one hundred taels, not two hundred. I will make up for the wine I owe you!"
With that, Liang Xiao ordered two jars of wine to be brought and handed them to the two.
The two understood, expressed their gratitude, and also returned with their subordinates and the wine to report.
Liang Xiao, carrying a box of silver notes, returned to the courtyard.
Liang Yun and the steward Liang Wen were waiting there excitedly.
Liang Wen had initially thought that with his age and experience, he should accompany Liang Xiao, but Liang Xiao had refused.
He couldn't help but worry.
Would the second young master be heavily undercut?
"Second Brother! How was the profit?" Liang Yun hurried to greet Liang Xiao upon seeing him.
"Made a small profit."