Chapter 500. White Dew Liquor (4)
As far as I knew, the Taiyin Ice Sea Divine Art was an extremely secretive martial art. That was why only a handful of places in the empire allowed one to witness it.
But what surprised me wasn't just the presence of that energy infused in the liquor.
Neither Yeong Gu-jin the artisan nor Maeng Hyeon showed any trace of having cultivated the Taiyin Ice Sea Divine Art.
To infuse energy into liquor, one had to pour it in directly.
And among those around here who had cultivated the Taiyin Ice Sea Divine Art, there were only me and a few escorts and leaders from the Changin Escort Agency.
But they knew full well they had to hide their identities, so there was no reason for them to do such a thing.
Which meant either Yeong Gu-jin the artisan or Maeng Hyeon must have infused the Taiyin Ice Sea Divine Art's energy into the liquor...
How was that possible?
While I was reeling in shock, those who had drunk the liquor let out exclamations of admiration.
Of course they would.
Having drunk liquor infused with the Taiyin Ice Sea Divine Art's energy, their bodies must have been tingling with that refreshing coolness.
"This is even better than the one we had last time!"
"Yeah, tell me about it. I'd love to drink this more often."
"You know, this liquor actually clears your head the more you drink."
Exactly.
The Taiyin Ice Sea Divine Art had the effect of sharpening the mind, preventing drunkenness.
Praise for the White Dew Liquor continued like that.
Once the tasting was over and I'd exchanged greetings with the guests alongside Head Merchant Go, I returned to find Yeong Gu-jin the artisan and Maeng Hyeon tidying up.
"You've all worked hard."
"Ah, Young Branch Leader. I'm glad everyone seemed to like it."
"It's thanks to all your hard work. How about dinner together later?"
"Of course."
"I'll send someone for you then."
I planned to casually ask them about that liquor over dinner.
A short while later.
At a tavern near the Beijing branch.
I arrived right on time, and the tavern owner rushed out to greet me.
"Welcome."
"Thank you for coming out yourself."
I guess being a big spender has its perks. Who knew the owner would wait and greet me personally?
"We've prepared a table on the top floor as requested."
"I appreciate you always looking out for me."
I headed up to the top floor and scanned the surroundings.
My guard warriors checked every corner and reported no issues.
I sat at the table and waited, and soon Palgap arrived with Yeong Gu-jin the artisan and Maeng Hyeon.
"Welcome."
"Thank you for inviting us to such a fine place."
Maeng Hyeon in particular, who seemed to be visiting a spot like this for the first time, had his eyes wide as he gawked around.
"This is my way of thanking you both for your efforts today. I hope the food suits your tastes."
"Thank you."
The food soon began arriving, and we started eating.
This wasn't a casual gathering for drinking and fun—it was more of a business dinner.
So Palgap and the guards stood watch at their assigned spots instead of joining us.
They didn't seem disappointed about missing out on the food, though. I'd been treating them to delicious meals whenever possible.
Yeong Gu-jin the artisan ate heartily, but Maeng Hyeon was devouring it even more, which put me in a good mood.
Still, the tasting event wasn't fully over, so overeating wasn't ideal.
As I was about to gently suggest moderation, Yeong Gu-jin the artisan beat me to it and scolded him first.
"Hey, ease up on the eating. You got a demon in your belly or what?"
"It's delicious! And who knows when we'll get another chance like this? Eat when you can!"
"And if you get a stomachache, you'll puke it all up... Doesn't that seem like a waste?"
"Uh..."
I chuckled and said,
"It's fine to eat your fill. And there'll be plenty more chances like this."
"Really?"
"Of course. I wouldn't lie about something like that."
I continued,
"Besides, getting sick from overeating is a real hassle. Think about the aftermath."
At my words, Maeng Hyeon said,
"Uh... You're saying the same thing as Grandpa."
"Grandpa?"
To my question, Maeng Hyeon nodded.
"My grandpa, who passed away a few years ago, always said that. 'Think about the aftermath.'"
"I see."
Perfect timing—the topic had come up naturally.
"That reminds me, I've been curious. How did you end up making White Dew Liquor, Artisan Yeong?"
Yeong Gu-jin the artisan scratched his head at my question.
"Well, you see..."
About six years ago, when he was a rookie warrior, he'd volunteered as bait to save his comrades.
"That was the only way at the time. I couldn't ask the others to do it—that would've been pushing them to their deaths. And I figured I had the best chance of surviving anyway."
While running along the mountain path as bait, he'd eventually fallen off a cliff.
"When I opened my eyes, an old man was nursing me. I decided to stay there until my leg healed."
The old man's name was Maeng Song.
There was a young child there too—the son that Maeng the elder's son had brought home after leaving.
But he'd died in an accident shortly after returning, leaving just the old man and his grandson.
"That's when I tried the liquor Maeng the elder made. It was the best I'd ever tasted in my life. I begged him to teach me how to brew it, but he said he could only do so if I became the head brewer."
"So that's why you declared you'd take the family position?"
"Pretty much. Haha."
Maeng Hyeon chimed in from the side.
"Actually, Grandpa wanted Uncle Gu-jin to take over from the start. He said he'd never seen anyone so tidy and organized."
Maeng Hyeon went on.
"Grandpa was always nagging. He said cleanliness and organization were top priorities for brewing good liquor. How could customers trust and drink it otherwise?"
I laughed and said,
"My grandfather was the same way. He always said the place where you brew tea must be spotless. But thinking about it, he was right."
I turned to Yeong Gu-jin the artisan.
"By the way, do you know how the elder learned to make White Dew Liquor?"
"Yes. He lived in the North Sea in his youth and learned it there, from what I heard."
"The North Sea... you mean?"
"Yes. That's all I know."
Maeng Hyeon added an explanation.
"When I was little, he told me that. If he died without leaving an heir, the White Dew Liquor's lineage would end. He'd feel too sorry to face Palace Lord who allowed him to learn the brewing method, even in death."
"...!"
Then White Dew Liquor was definitely something learned from the Snow Wind Palace.
"So who came up with the name White Dew Liquor?"
"The Palace Lord who taught him the brewing method named it that, from what I heard."
After finishing the meal and returning, I went to my room.
I pulled out a bottle of liquor I'd stored in my secret compartment.
It was sealed at the mouth with layers of white paper, resembling a white lotus blossom.
A liquor that could only be brewed with the ice lotuses from the North Sea, called Ice Lotus Liquor.
When the Snow Wind Palace was destroyed, its brewing method was lost too.
This was an eight-hundred-year-old vintage, a provision left by my master.
The energy emanating from this liquor felt strikingly similar to that from the White Dew Liquor.
Though the taste was a bit different.
Come to think of it... They said White Dew Liquor was brewed, but Ice Lotus Liquor was infused?
No way...
Pondering that difference, a hypothesis clicked into place in my mind.
Ice Lotus Liquor wasn't just liquor made from ice lotuses.
It was made by infusing ice lotuses into already-brewed liquor—namely, White Dew Liquor.
And this batch was the true White Dew Liquor.
So if we had the ice lotuses, we could brew Ice Lotus Liquor again?
But one puzzle remained unsolved.
Why did the previous batches of White Dew Liquor lack the Taiyin Ice Sea Divine Art's energy, unlike this one?
What had changed?
Then a conversation with my master from before suddenly came to mind.
"My father once said something like that. He mentioned the Taiyin Ice Sea Divine Art could be achieved not just through mental cultivation, but through physical action as well."
"Pardon? Through action?"
"Yes. The method is lost, so we don't know how, but from what I recall, it requires someone with an upright heart, unburdened by attachments."
"I see."
"But almost no one is free of attachments, so it's out of reach for you or me... We'll just have to diligently cultivate the mental method."
"Yes..."
Brewing White Dew Liquor must have been a form of that physical action.
Could that be it?
This time, Yeong Gu-jin the artisan had learned that his family hadn't abandoned him.
He'd been harboring guilt toward his family and doubts about his path.
But with those resolved now, he'd completed the action.
And thus, he could finally brew the real White Dew Liquor.
Nice.
My master would be thrilled to hear this.
And as the sub-palace lord of the Snow Wind Palace, it was good news for me too.
The issue was whether it was wise to spread White Dew Liquor—the remnant of the Snow Wind Palace—widely, when I still didn't know who destroyed the palace or how to deal with them.
Fortunately, with the liquor ban still in place, this would only be used for foreign trade.
I'd have to figure out how to handle this before the ban lifted.
Just then, Palgap burst into my room in a panic.
"Young master!"
"Whoa! Geez, you scared me!"
He's erasing his presence whenever he wants now?
I quickly stowed the Ice Lotus Liquor back in the secret compartment and asked,
"What is it?"
"An imperial eunuch has come from the palace."
An eunuch all the way here? What for?
I hastily straightened my robes and went out.
"His Majesty the Emperor has sent a gift."
The Emperor was bestowing something on me?
I immediately knelt and received the item with both hands from the eunuch.
"Open it."
The Emperor's gift was a long box.
Carefully opening it revealed ten small bottles inside.
And one of them had a label: White Dew Liquor.
They'd taken all ten liquors from the second tasting recently—for this purpose, it seemed.
"Is this... liquor?"
"Yes. It's to be bestowed upon those who labored for this liquor tasting event."
"I am immensely grateful for His Majesty's grace."
Looks like the Emperor was showing some generosity.
But what were these bottles?
Plain bottles with paper labels stuck on—nothing fancy.
A good idea suddenly struck me.
Why not make distinctive bottles tailored to each liquor? They'd sell like hotcakes.
But the problem was White Dew Liquor spreading far and wide in this batch.
I asked the eunuch,
"By the way... who is this liquor being delivered to?"
"To those who worked hard at the tasting and high officials of third rank and above."
"..."
Not too many recipients... Maybe I could relax for now?
That was when it happened.
Plip, plop.
Oh, it's raining.
I'd expected it, but why now of all times... My clothes are getting soaked.
The Bingbu Shirang returned home.
"You're back?"
"Yes. Anything happen today?"
His servant replied to the question.
"No, the house is peaceful."
"And Dan-i... is she alright?"
At that, the servant bowed his head.
"When the rain started, her madness flared up... and she tried to harm herself."
"..."
"We bound her limbs as prepared in advance, so thankfully, no serious injury."
"You all suffer so much because of my worthless daughter."
"Please don't say that."
The Bingbu Shirang gave a bitter smile.
He had one daughter.
After two sons, she'd been his last child, so he'd doted on her especially.
But one day.
Rain had poured suddenly, and she'd come home drenched. From that day, she'd been tormented by fits of madness.
Whenever it rained, she'd start harming herself.
It had been years now.
Her marriageable age was an issue, but seeing his precious daughter suffer and self-harm was unbearable.
"How is she now?"
"Still thrashing about."
A faint, eerie wail drifted in—likely his daughter's scream.
Not knowing what tormented her so made his heart ache all the more.
Then he remembered the liquor bestowed upon him today.
'Maybe if she drinks some liquor, she'll calm down?'
No special instructions with the bestowal meant it was fine to drink freely.
And in such cases, it included family.
He recalled the liquor the tasting guests had raved about for clearing the mind.
'White Dew Liquor, was it?'
He took out one bottle and handed it to the servant.
"This is liquor bestowed by His Majesty. Give it to Dan-i."
"Understood."
Dawn broke.
The rain that had fallen all night finally stopped at daybreak.
The rain wouldn't cause issues with brewing, right?
With that thought, I sent a letter to the Wudong Merchant Group in Jiangsu Province. They were famous for ceramics.
Just as dried persimmons taste best when they're nicely ripened, distinctive bottles for each liquor would help.
After circulating my energy and meditating, I trained my martial arts.
Then, after breakfast, I used the break to learn the Dai Viet language from Warrior Yong Min.
That's when it happened.
"Young master! Come out quick!"
What now?
I opened the door and stepped out.
"What's going on?"
"W-well, the Bingbu Shirang has come with his daughter to see Artisan Yeong Gu-jin."
What?
The Bingbu Shirang's daughter—the one with the madness?
Was Young Merchant Yeong up to some scheme again?
Wasn't that matter settled already?
Why on earth were they here?