Chapter 19

Before Qiu Jinning could speak, Gu San could not help asking, “Sister Qiu, why does Cripple Qin need to inform you whether she comes to the county school or not?”

Could the rumors be true?

She did not know which loose-lipped person had started it, but a few days ago, people had been saying that Qiu Jinning treated Qin Chu differently. Not only had Qiu Jinning repeatedly gone to Class C to block her, she had even declared that she wanted to see Qin Chu every day and supervise her studies.

Gu San naturally did not believe such ridiculous gossip.

But now, seeing Qin Chu’s maid come and go, Gu San suddenly felt that perhaps the rumors were not that ridiculous after all. Could anything be more ridiculous than the scene before her eyes?

Had Qiu Jinning’s brain gone bad? Why would she bother supervising Qin Chu’s studies for no reason?

“Miss Qin came to say it on her own initiative. How would our Miss know why?” Luyao quickly glanced at her young lady and rushed to answer first.

There was still no definite conclusion about the matter between her Miss and Qin the Great Good-for-Nothing. Young people were always fond of novelty and quick to tire of old things. Perhaps one day, Miss would come to her senses and stop liking Qin Chu. Before then, no rumors could be allowed to spread and damage Miss’s reputation.

As the head maid, Luyao had the responsibility to protect her young lady’s reputation.

Qiu Jinning glanced at Luyao and said nothing, tacitly agreeing.

The entanglement between her and Qin Chu had begun with that cup of wine laced with gu, and with that Lantern Festival night…

And those things were not suitable for outsiders to know.

Gu San believed it. “Sister Qiu should have less contact with her. Cripple Qin’s brain has problems.”

Why would Qin Chu tell Qiu Jinning whether she came to the county school or not? Truly absurd.

“Miss Qin’s brain has no problems,” Luyao could not hold back from saying. No matter whether Qin the Great Good-for-Nothing was good or bad, she was still Miss’s beloved. How could outsiders be allowed to casually belittle her? The future son-in-law’s reputation also had to be protected.

If someone was sick, perhaps it was Miss. How had she taken a liking to Qin the Great Good-for-Nothing?

Gu San looked at the complicated expression on Luyao’s face and said irritably, “Your mistress hasn’t even spoken. What are you shouting about?”

Had she fallen so low now? One little maid after another dared to talk back without knowing the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth.

The Qiu family valued etiquette most, and Qiu Jinning was not someone who indulged her maids either.

Thinking this, Gu San looked toward Qiu Jinning, waiting for her to punish this completely unruly little maid.

Unexpectedly, Qiu Jinning only looked deeply at Luyao, then slightly curved her lips. “Double wages this month.”

She had spoken very correctly. Qin Chu’s brain was not sick.

That person was very clever. As long as she was willing to learn, she would not be inferior to others. For example, in arithmetic, she was even above Qiu Jinning.

“Thank you for the reward, Miss.” Luyao instantly stopped feeling wronged. She [unauthorized copy]had earned back the silver she had rewarded away. Eh, something seemed wrong. It seemed that either way, the silver came from Miss.

Forget it. In any case, she also received a reward, and she was not worse off than that plump maid. Miss really did like Qin the Great Good-for-Nothing.

Luyao no longer felt wronged, but Gu San did. A maid this lacking in propriety was not only left unpunished but even rewarded. How exactly did the Qiu family define etiquette?

Unfortunately, although she dared challenge others, she could not refute Qiu Jinning. Her elder brother was still counting on the county magistrate’s residence to help the Gu family at a critical moment.

Spring passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, April was over.

On the first day of the fifth month, the Qin residence held a grand banquet and invited everyone to taste the new wine. Almost every person of status in Jiuqu County arrived.

Although Eldest Miss Qin’s bad reputation was widely known, the Qin family was the richest family in the county and the largest supplier of yellow wine. Even for Master Qin’s sake, everyone had to come and see what was going on.

The hall was full of guests. When County Magistrate Qiu and Qiu Jinning arrived at the Qin residence, the atmosphere was instantly pushed to its peak.

“Greetings, Lord Qiu—”

“Lord Qiu, you came as well.”

County Magistrate Qiu waved his hand and smiled. “Today, this official is wearing ordinary clothes. We are not in court, so everyone need not stand on ceremony.”

The moment Steward Qin saw County Magistrate Qiu, he went forward to welcome him. “Lord Qiu, please take the seat of honor.”

Eldest Miss had instructed that when members of the Qiu family arrived, they had to be seated at the main table. What a joke—even Read on BaiLianTales without Eldest Miss’s instructions, he would have known that.

He had originally thought County Magistrate Qiu was not interested in merchant banquets and might not come. Unexpectedly, he had come this time and had even brought Miss Qiu. These were honored guests.

He only hoped that the new wine Eldest Miss brewed could win praise and not embarrass them.

Ruining the signboard was a small matter. Losing face in front of so many people would be the truly unbearable part. Steward Qin felt both delighted and worried.

As mealtime approached, dishes were placed on the tables one after another, but the tables were paired only with tea. No fine wine was in sight.

One of the Qin family’s old customers looked at Uncle Chen. “Manager Chen, stop keeping us in suspense. When will the Qin family’s new wine be brought out for everyone to taste?”

Uncle Chen smiled without speaking, not worried at all. He and the senior managers had tasted that beer. It was clear and refreshing on entry, with the taste of malt and the fragrance of wine. It was not very intoxicating either, and the mouthfeel was excellent.

Compared to yellow wine, which needed to be warmed and was best sipped in winter, beer was more suitable for the hot summer. He believed they could definitely overcome this difficulty.

Qin Chu walked out at the right time. Behind her followed a row of little maids, with Guanzi at the front. Each carried a tray with six clear glass cups on it, but there was nothing inside them.

The glass cups, much larger than ordinary wine cups, were placed one by one before the guests. Everyone stared blankly. Were they supposed to drink air?

Even if they knew that Qin the Good-for-Nothing probably could not brew any decent new wine, there was no need to fool people like this. Wasn’t this treating them all like idiots?

When someone was confused, naturally someone asked aloud.

“What kind of new wine is this? Isn’t [stolen content]this a new wine cup? Did Eldest Miss Qin invite us here to taste wine or to taste cups?” Gu San received a signal from her elder brother and asked loudly.

Her elder brother had said that she was young and a girl, so even if her words were impulsive, no one would mind. Some words were just right for her to say.

Qin Chu ignored Gu San and directly looked behind her. “Bring in the wine.”

Beer had to be poured in front of everyone, so they could see the foam rise to the mouth of the cup.

The row of little maids withdrew, and a group of manservants came in, each holding an exquisite wooden barrel about half the size of a water bucket. They entered in order and poured beer into the cups as instructed.

Novelty flashed through the guests’ eyes. Those who loved wine lifted their cups as soon as they were full. “Can this foam be drunk too?”

Qin Chu smiled. “It can.”

That person no longer hesitated. First, he took a shallow sip, then switched to large gulps.

“How was this wine brewed?”

Most of those who had come were in the wine business. They would not claim to be able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, but the wines they had personally tasted could fill a pond.

Yet they had never drunk a wine with such a refreshing taste.

Qin Chu continued smiling. “This is made from malt as the raw ingredient, brewed through processes such as crushing, saccharification, filtering, and boiling. It takes little time, tastes excellent, and on a blazing summer day, even immortals wouldn’t trade away a cup of it.”

Listening as her young lady explained everything one by one, Guanzi could not help tugging at Qin [bailiantales.com]Chu’s sleeve. “Miss, you’re telling them the secret recipe.”

What kind of logic was there in telling people the recipe before they even asked?

Hearing this, Qin Chu did not mind. “It’s fine. Beer is the Qin family’s main new wine for this summer, and its price is half that of yellow wine. To repay everyone for supporting the Qin family all these years, our old customers may all take ten barrels after the banquet for free to test-sell. One more thing: everyone also knows that yellow wine sells relatively less in summer. If anyone is interested in switching to this new wine, then with your previous orders from the Qin family’s wine shop, you may exchange them for double the amount of beer. Those who register for the exchange within ten days can also receive another ten percent discount.”

These words were beautifully spoken. Merchants valued profit.

With this, not only did she solve the problem of being unable to supply wine after losing Qinghe Winery, she could also take the opportunity to promote beer.

It achieved two goals at once.

“Eldest Miss Qin, are your words true? I’m willing to exchange half first.” A small wine merchant was poked by a brocade-clad young man beside him with a folding fan and immediately made a decision. The Qin family was being generous this time. He had still been worried that since he had already ordered yellow wine, he would not have enough money to buy the new wine. And since this was also on his new master’s instruction, he would do it.

Some larger wine merchants did not make decisions so quickly. They planned to take ten barrels back first and test the waters. Ten days was enough time to determine whether this new wine could be accepted by customers.

Qin Chu looked toward Steward Qin. “Bring the account books. Father taught me that the most important word in business is ‘honesty.’ Only by being fair to both children and elders can one be a merchant. What I said today can absolutely be fulfilled. Besides, with so many seniors watching, I wouldn’t dare trick everyone.”

Everyone voiced their agreement. Only the Gu family silently darkened their faces. If all these wine merchants agreed to switch to the new wine, then the scheme they had put so much effort into by obtaining Qinghe Winery would come to nothing.

Not only had they failed to pry away the Qin family’s old customers, they had even allowed Qin Chu to win more people’s hearts.

Unfortunately, at this moment, they had no way to act. Eldest Young Master Gu gloomily drank a cup of beer and tasted only bitterness.

The feeling of drawing water with a bamboo basket and getting nothing was not pleasant. He had not expected this good-for-nothing to be capable read the original at bailiantales.comof reaching this point. If the Gu family wanted to win this battle and turn things around, they had only one opportunity: the new wine.

Either they had to make the Qin family’s new wine develop problems, or they had to brew the same new wine as soon as possible. Only then could they turn passivity into initiative.

“With such a grand banquet, why is Brother Qin absent?” Eldest Young Master Gu thought it over and then asked aloud.

Compared to Qin Chu, whom he had not interacted with much, that muddleheaded Qin Mo was easier to deal with. Perhaps he would be the entry point for the new wine.

Qin Chu looked at him and had no intention of covering for Qin Mo. She said mildly, “My elder brother was beaten by Father and is still lying on the bed. It is inconvenient for him to receive guests—Miss Qiu, you should not drink.”

Halfway through speaking, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of someone slowly lifting a wine cup. Qin Chu’s words abruptly changed direction, and she looked toward Qiu Jinning beside her.