Han Lian came out of the house where wine was steamed in the backyard of "Zuixianju" and wiped his sweat. He looked up and saw someone flashing across the outside. Han Lian said to Du Xun, who was on the side: "I heard that the Wu family in 'Qixiangju' offered a reward and wanted to learn how to steam wine. It seemed like someone outside just now. Could it be that they were just here to learn steaming wine? This is the key to our business. Try to be careful in the future and don't be learned by others."

Du Xun nodded: "These days, 'Qixiangju' are very deserted. It's not surprising to think that these evil ways are not surprising. Be careful about this. When steaming wine, you will be able to patrol around and wait for the idle people to drive away."

Han Lian nodded repeatedly and said that it was exactly what he wanted. The restaurant business started and hired a few servants, but it was not short of staff. Now there are many people who are unemployed in the city, so hiring is very simple, especially servants, which is extremely easy.

As the two were talking, Du Zhongxiao came out of the steaming wine room and stretched.

When Du Xun saw it, he said to his son: "Dalang, the business in the restaurant is now like every day, and every day is just a chore. In the future, it will be better if you have time to take care of Brother Han and you. Do you still have time to study? I missed the last time and was seriously ill and it was difficult for me to embark on the imperial examination again. My son inherited his father's business, and the burden of studying for the imperial examination will fall on your shoulders. Don't put your mind on these chores anymore."

Du Zhongxiao agreed, but he didn't agree. In the past two or three months, his side has become more and more prosperous every day, and "Qixiangju" is about to fall. As the saying goes, "Those who do a hundred miles are half a dozen, and it is time to add a handful of force to push the Wu family down and let out a sigh of anger. How can you let go? As for studying, it's not too late to work hard after these few months.

Seeing that his son did not take his words to heart, Du Xun could only sigh in his heart. Du Zhongxiao started to arrange this restaurant, and everyone gradually got used to letting him make decisions, and other people's words became less and less useful. Life was difficult before, and both families were all thinking about how to make money. Now that life is gradually stabilizing, Du Zhongxiao is still working hard on it, and everyone feels uneasy.

Du Zhongxiao himself knew that he should focus on studying for the imperial examination, but he lived a hard life in the past few months, and having the opportunity to make more money almost became an instinct. Where can I stop for a while?

Han Lian didn't want to continue this topic, so he beat his waist and said, "Now there is more and more steaming wine every day, and relying on a few of us, I'm a little too busy. I always have to think of a way to find someone to help, and not let other restaurants know how to steam it."

Du Xun said: "This is a bit difficult. Steaming wine is so easy. As long as someone sees it, it can be steamed. Both of us are from small families, so where can we be reliable?"

Han Lian looked worried and could not think of a solution. Small families were not as good as big families, with fewer family members and fewer relatives. Han Lian moved from other places when he was young, and there were no relatives in the local area. Du Xun took the exam last year and borrowed money from his relatives. Later, there was no news, and all the relatives were in a tense relationship. He started paying off his debts in the past two months, but his relationship could not be restored for a while.

At this moment, Du Zhongxiao saw a figure flashing by and shouted: "Who is here to be a thief in my house!"

Han Lian and Du Xun were surprised and ran to the wall of the courtyard with Du Zhongxiao.

When he arrived at the wall, Du Zhongxiao jumped suddenly, grabbed the edge of the wall with both hands, and looked outside.

It was early morning, before the sky was dawn, and a man, with a very agile figure, ran quickly along the alley behind the house.

The courtyard wall was too high, Du Zhongxiao guessed it, and was afraid that he would get hurt if he climbed over the wall, so he had to jump down.

Han Lian walked up anxiously and asked, "Dalang, is there really someone?"

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "A man, I'm going to climb over the wall from here. I think we make money by steaming wine, but some people are jealous and come to peek. It seems that they have been planning for a long time, and I don't know how much they peek. Alas, if you are not good, the method of steaming wine will not be saved!"

Du Xun pondered and said after a while: "Eighty-tenth of the tenth are the other restaurants in the county, especially the 'Qixiangju'. We have snatched a lot of their business, and it is hard to protect their bad intentions."

Han Lian was so anxious that he said, "What should I do? What should I do? We rely on this method to make money by steaming wine. We were watched by others. In the future, how can we make money? Oh, this is bad!"

Du Zhongxiao frowned and thought for a while, comforting Han Lian: "Dad Han doesn't have to worry. Although we opened this restaurant by steaming wine, we don't rely solely on steaming wine now. Apart from 'Qixiangju', 'Yaojiazhengdian' sells our wine like the official restaurant. Isn't the business still far less than us? Others are not afraid of learning, it's just that we sell less wine."

Although Han Lian couldn't help but sigh. It was like a drowning person who grabbed a straw and went ashore. From then on, he didn't dare to put down the straw. In fact, the business of "Zuixianju" is booming now, not because of selling liquor, which can be bought in two other restaurants and some other restaurants. If there are restaurants who learn to steam liquor, it is simply that the profit of the liquor is lower and the restaurant business is not affected.

The Han family and the Du family were worried about the secret method that might have been leaked, but Wu Kejiu was overjoyed in the "Qixiangju".

After grabbing the shoulders of the thin man who came in, Wu Kejiu's eyes shone: "You said, do you see clearly how to filter the wine in the 'Zuixianju'?"

The man smiled and said, "That's natural. I have been waiting in the alley behind their restaurants for only one day. Today they are alert and have seen through my hiding and can't hide anymore. But it's okay, I can see their methods clearly, and they are all in my eyes!"

This person is a casual man in the county, named Teng Dalang. He is thin and flexible, and often does things like flying over the eaves and walls. Such people are famous in the county government. When a robbery case occurs, he will be arrested and asked questions first, so he dare not commit crimes in his hometown. Wu Kejiu had the idea of ​​stealing the secret method of "Zuixianju" to filter wine, so he spoke to find these people, and it finally got rewards for more than a month.

Teng Dalang was asked to sit down and then have tea. Wu Kejiu said, "Dalang, please tell me this method, just talk about how much money you have."

Teng Dalang took a sip of tea slowly and said, "Xiao Junwai, 'Zuixianju' makes wine from the lees of wine, with almost no capital, but the wine is twenty cents per pound, and the money earned is really amazing. With this method in the restaurant, money comes in like flowing water-"

After hearing this, Wu Kejiu calmed down a little, sat on the chair, looked at Teng Dalang and said, "No secret words are spoken. Now, the only one of the four restaurants in the county is not selling strong wine. Your method is useless, the Yao family and the official wine service are useless. They are selling the wine from "Zuixianju" and it is nothing more than just suppressing the price. Only here I will pay the silver to buy this secret method. Dalang, don't be too greedy! Tell me a reasonable price, I will give you cash here without anyone knowing it. If not—"

"So what else? With this secret method, I can't make money!"

Wu Kejiu smiled coldly: "Where do you go to make money? Do you go to other prefectures and counties to open a restaurant? It's not that I look down on you, because of your family's background, I can't afford to open a restaurant anywhere! Besides, I know that you stole the secret method of "Zuixianju" and don't sell it to me, which one can you hide?"

Teng Dalang looked at Wu Kejiu, and after a while, Zhan Yan smiled: "Little Master, why bother say something depressed? I have spent a lot of effort to read this secret method, which is meant to offer it to you. Usually, the young master is taking care of me, how can I not repay my kindness? But this method is not easy to come by. I hope the young master is pitiful, so I will give you more money and I will buy wine."

"That's good. We each get the best of both worlds." Wu Kejiu knocked on the table, "You owed three or five jin of wine in my restaurant, right? As long as you make wine, you will write it off. I will make up a few more jin of money with you and owed ten jin of money. Ten jin is not a small amount of money. Dalang, it's enough for you to have a few months of happiness. What do you think?"

"Tian Guan--" Teng Dalang shook his head repeatedly. "Xiao Junwei, it's not easy for me to do things. What's worth for Ten Guan! This happened today, and the 'Zuixianju' must be more careful. If you want to find someone to see you, you can't."

After hearing this, Wu Kejiu became angry. What is his status in the county? If it were the past, these idle men would do errands for their family, and it would be good to have wine and meat. Who would dare to talk about money? There are people from the Wu family in the yamen, so they would be honest when they were caught in and beaten a board. But now they are different from the past. The officials in the yamen are gone and replaced. The new magistrate is very careful, and the Wu family has lost its former prestige. Unexpectedly, even Teng Dalang and others dare to raise prices here.

After suppressing his anger, Wu Kejiu said, "Okay, Dalang tell me the price!"

Teng Dalang stretched out his palm: "Xiao Junwai, you won't bargain if you have fifty jin of money! You can't make it back soon if you only have a few hundred kilograms of wine!"

"Hundreds of kilograms-" Wu Kejiu took a breath. "How many kilograms of wine are sold in my restaurant a day now! Forget it, I won't be petty with you, even if it's thirty kilograms. As long as you make the wine, I will give you it immediately!"

Seeing that Wu Kejiu was already angry, Teng Dalang pushed the boat: "Okay, thirty stakes are enough, but you just need enough money!"

The usual routine of 770 ci, and Teng Dalang wanted enough money, so he was nearly 40 ci. Wu Kejiu gritted his teeth and stopped calculating with him, so he agreed. The method of steaming wine is to have a long-term business and can always make money back.

After drinking tea for a while, Wu Kejiu said: "The magistrate and his wife had said before. Except for the official wine service, all wine lees in the county were sold to the 'Zuixianju' to make wine. Today there are no wine lees in the restaurant, so we have to wait for tomorrow, and we will use your secret method to make wine. If you don't go out today, you will rest in my restaurant. Naturally, you will have good wine and meat. Just wait for the early morning of tomorrow, let's make wine together!"
Chapter completed!