157: Chapter 0157 Half a Day Is Better Than Ten Years

Lin Xiao pondered for a moment and said, "White cranes fly before Twin Apricot Mountain, peach blossoms drift on flowing waters, and river fish grow fat."

Upon hearing this, Hua Nongying and the other women's eyes lit up instantly!

What a wonderful poem!

To think that in such a short time, he could capture the beautiful scenery of Xinghua Village, blending motion and stillness, with the flowers, birds, and mountains leaping right before their eyes?!

But immediately after, Lin Xiao left them completely unsettled...

"The apricot blossom rain threatens to dampen one's clothes, the willow breeze brushes the face without a chill..."

"Listening to the spring rain all night in the small temple, selling apricot blossoms in Lincang tomorrow..."

"The people are idle as apricot blossoms fall, the night is quiet and the spring mountains are empty..."

"The late sun makes Apricot Mountain beautiful, the river breeze carries the fragrance of flowers and grass..."

"Picking chrysanthemums under the eastern fence, leisurely catching sight of Apricot Mountain..."

"Beyond the bamboo, a few branches of apricot blossoms, the ducks are the first to know when the Cang River waters warm..."

A series of legendary classic verses, slightly altered by Lin Xiao, were all transformed into descriptions of the scenery around Xinghua Village.

Prefect Cai Heng was initially recording them, but later, he stood dumbfounded, his pen pausing.

Fortunately, Hua Nongying was quick-witted and grabbed the paper and pen, swiftly taking notes.

Her fair hands wrote down the graceful calligraphy quickly, and a burning brilliance constantly erupted in the woman's eyes.

As a top courtesan, she had seen too many romantic scholars and was well-versed in the poems of various masters.

Yet, compared to the "Border War God" before her, who established himself in the world through martial arts, the poems of those literary giants were simply not worth mentioning?!

Could he be the Star of Literature descended to earth?!

How could he write so many brilliant and unparalleled verses in one breath?!

Plagiarism? Hua Nongying and the others didn't have such a thought at all.

After all, these were all describing Xinghua Village!!

"That's about it... that should be all."

After reciting a dozen lines, Lin Xiao felt that the inventory in his brain was basically emptied.

"Prefect Cai Heng! Hey! Wake up!!"

Lin Xiao shouted, and Assistant Minister Cai jolted awake as if from a dream!

"Ge... General, please give your orders!"

Lin Xiao didn't blame him; who told him to overdo his role as a literary plagiarist?

"You must carve all these poems on both sides of the mountain road entering the village. Remember, use fonts from different eras and styles."

"There is no need to mark the authors' names. Just use fire to burn, smoke to soot, mud and stone to smear, and find all sorts of ways to make them look aged."

Prefect Cai Heng was stunned. "Make them look aged? Why is that?"

Hua Nongying's eyes lit up, and she understood, saying, "The General wants people to think that these poems were written for Xinghua Village by various refined scholars throughout history?!"

"Miss Hua is indeed intelligent."

Lin Xiao laughed. "Whether this wine can sell for a high price depends, firstly, on the wine itself, and secondly, on whether one can tell a good story behind the wine."

"As long as the story is told well, there is no fear that the wine won't sell for an exorbitant price!!"

Regarding selling white liquor, Lin Xiao had no intention of targeting the low-end market; he wanted to go straight for the highest-end market!!

There is no best, only the most expensive!!

Because those who can afford to drink are the wealthy and powerful lords!!

Towards this group of people, Lin Xiao had zero psychological burden; he was definitely going to fleece them heavily!!

Of course, these people were not stupid. If the "wine culture" story wasn't told well, they certainly wouldn't buy it.

Since they like to feign refinement and are vain, he would satisfy them!!

"General, this... isn't this fraud? If it becomes known, what should we do?"

Prefect Cai Heng worried that it would tarnish the reputation of the Zhenbei Army.

"Haha, in this world, how many people know the history of Xinghua Village?!"

"Not to mention anything else, has that Prefect Wu Yonghe ever been here before?"

Upon Lin Xiao's question, Hua Nongying and the other women nodded one after another. Indeed, when they chose this place to shelter orphans, it was because they saw that no one paid any attention to it.

Prefect Cai Heng suddenly realized. So it could be done like this!?

Lin Xiao's train of thought completely overturned his views on commercial operations.

If Xinghua Village were a very well-known place, it would be impossible to promote it this way.

Yet, many locals didn't even know about this village, so it conversely cast a mysterious veil over Xinghua Village, allowing for free rein in creativity!!

"Doing the opposite... the General has great talent, this subordinate has learned much!!"

Lin Xiao waved his hand. "Alright, no matter how good the writing is, the quality of the wine must still pass the test."

"Miss Hua, let's go and discuss the specifics of how to brew the wine."

Hua Nongying's confidence had increased greatly, so she naturally agreed hurriedly.

The group arrived at several wooden tables by the stream, where Hua Nongying had already had someone place several jars of wine.

"General, these few jars are all unfiltered wine that I brewed with my own hands. Please, have a taste."

So-called unfiltered wine is wine made from rice, wheat, fruit, etc., fermented through wine starter, without distillation.

Lin Xiao tasted them one by one and felt that they were around ten-plus degrees, and many still had the taste of sweet wine.

"Miss Hua, is the wine starter for these wines made by yourself?"

Hua Nongying nodded proudly. "Exactly."

She hurriedly brought out a jar of wine starter to let Lin Xiao take a look.

Lin Xiao actually didn't understand it very well; he only knew distillation techniques and didn't really know how to brew wine.

After pretending to examine it, Lin Xiao asked, "When this wine starter was being made, did you use your feet to tread on it?"

"Use... use feet?"

Hua Nongying's pretty face flushed, and she hurriedly shook her head. "How would I dare, General, please don't think too much."

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao looked regretful. "No wonder this wine starter is lacking; top-quality wine starter must be trodden out by the feet of young maidens!!"

"Ah?!"

Hua Nongying and the group of women were all dumbfounded.

Prefect Cai Heng and the group of men were eye-opening; there was such a saying!?

Lin Xiao said leisurely, "From today on, you shall start by improving the wine starter."

"You have a women's army here anyway, let them tread it; these will all be selling points in the future!!"

"Our wine is good because from the very source, it has the fragrance of pure women..."

The group of courtesans heard this and couldn't help but flush red.

Pure? What a fresh term!!

Lin Xiao and Hua Nongying asked about the steps of making the starter. After all, Hua Nongying was a brewer and was very professional.

Filling the warehouse and turning the warehouse were actually just more microbial reactions. Lin Xiao felt that saying it this way wouldn't do, and directly had someone record it as "bathing in the essence of heaven and earth."

Things like this, he beautified and packaged the entire process. Hua Nongying couldn't remember it all either, so she had to pick up a pen and record it.

After a discussion, Hua Nongying felt that she wasn't brewing wine, but simply brewing the nectar and jade liquid that immortals drink!!

Prefect Cai Heng, who was beside them, listened in a daze, his heart shocked beyond measure!!

A group of courtesans became pure young maidens!! A dilapidated mountain village became a fairyland where countless refined scholars lived in seclusion!! A pot of wheat wine became immortal nectar!!

All the originally unfavorable factors became favorable!! This is turning decay into magic!!

When Lin Xiao left the village, the courtesans and villagers were already full of admiration.

Hua Nongying's gaze had even become reluctant to part.

The woman completely understood why Lin Xiao could rise strongly in just a few short months, and why he could have peerless beauties by his side...

A top courtesan like her simply couldn't match such an extraordinary man.

On the way back, Prefect Cai Heng kept his head down, deep in thought, silent.

"Assistant Minister Cai, the matters I entrusted to you must be handled as soon as possible."

Lin Xiao urged, "'Northern White Liquor' will be the pillar industry of Lincang Prefecture in the future; do not be slack!!"

"As the General commands, this subordinate will naturally do his best, but... this subordinate is wondering, doing this... will it really not violate morality?"

Prefect Cai Heng was a bit conflicted; if this wine were sold, it would inevitably be at an exorbitant price, but it was clearly false advertising!!

"Morality?!"

Lin Xiao asked with a smile. "Do you think people who can spend a large amount of money to buy wine care about the 'morality' you speak of?"

Prefect Cai Heng was stunned and remained silent.

"What they want is simply 'they have it, while others don't.' What they are buying is a pleasant story, capital to boast about, and not just the wine itself."

Lin Xiao said sternly, "The so-called morality should be using the money from selling the wine to let more poor commoners eat their fill, and to make Xinghua Village, Lincang Prefecture, and even the Northern Territory prosperous!!"

"Humanity is the Heavenly Way. We, the Zhenbei Army, the 'Northern Trade Alliance,' and 'Northern White Liquor,' are acting on behalf of Heaven!! It's just telling a story, is that excessive!?"

Prefect Cai Heng felt his scalp tingle, his heart was struck with awe, and a surge of admiration welled up!!

"This subordinate has learned much; it was this subordinate who was muddled!! General, please forgive me!!"

Prefect Cai Heng felt that spending half a day with Lin Xiao was worth more than ten years of study!!

Just as the two returned to the city, they saw a fast horse galloping over; it was actually Qin He, who looked anxious!!