Gu Xingzhao stood nearby, holding a notebook, ready to jot down feedback on the drinks being sampled.
At that moment, Lu Youtang took two cups from her grandfather, curiously sniffing the white liquid inside. The sweet, creamy aroma filled her senses, and she felt certain it would be delicious!
Excited, she immediately handed one cup to Mingyuan. “Sister Yuan, try this!”
Ming Yuan accepted the cup, thanked her, and then promptly passed it to Shunyu. “Your Highness, please, you should try it.”
Shunyu instinctively looked over at Lu Youtang, who was standing not far away. The young girl seemed downcast, clearly unhappy that her thoughtful gift had been passed on.
Seeing Shunyu’s glance, Lu Youtang quickly lowered her head and sipped from her own cup.
Shunyu turned back to Ming Yuan. Earlier that day, Ming Yuan had met with the Left Commander of the Jinlin Guard, and since Shunyu had decided to stay, Ming Yuan had been assigned to her service. Perhaps Ming Yuan was trying to take care of her, or maybe, as part of the Jinlin Guard, she simply didn’t understand social customs.
After a moment’s thought, Shunyu gently pushed the cup back. “Mingyuan, this was given to you by Miss Lu. You should drink it.”
Mingyuan, still maintaining her formal demeanor, insisted, “Your Highness should drink first.”
In the past, when Shunyu had her maid Caihe, such issues never arose. Even if they did, Caihe would handle them. But Caihe was gone, and Ming Yuan was now her servant. Since Shunyu was traveling with the Lu family and relied on Old Master Lu, she didn’t want her servants to create any unnecessary tension with the family.
Putting on a more commanding tone, Shunyu spoke firmly, “It’s right that you prioritize me, but this drink is a gesture of kindness from Miss Lu. If you don’t like it, you should let her know directly. It’s not appropriate to pass on her kindness to others.”
“I hold Old Master Lu in high regard, and only those who are loyal to me should stay by my side. Miss Lu likes you and treats you kindly, so you shouldn’t disappoint her. Do you understand?”
Ming Yuan was momentarily taken aback. Although she didn’t fully grasp the intricacies of what Shunyu was saying, she understood that if she upset Miss Lu again, she might be dismissed.
She nodded slowly, “I’ll apologize to Miss Lu right away.”
Shunyu realized that Ming Yuan might not fully understand the reasoning behind her words, but as long as she stopped disrespecting Lu Youtang’s gestures, that was enough.
Ming Yuan took the cup and approached Lu Youtang to apologize.
Gu Xingzhao observed this scene with a smile. Shunyu had not been harsh, but her demeanor had truly begun to reflect that of a princess. The once-timid girl from Gu Xingzhao’s memory seemed like a distant memory. Though still young, Shunyu’s growing confidence was starting to earn the respect of those around her, even if there were still traces of youthful naivety when she assumed her royal posture.
Gu Xingzhao turned to Lu Qing and smiled, “The princess has really grown. It seems your teachings, along with Liu Xiangbai’s, are paying off.”
Lu Qing remained humble in the presence of the ancestor. “The credit goes to the ancestor’s guidance.”
Meanwhile, Lu Youtang had already finished her second cup. It was still sweet and creamy, with a distinct milk flavor. She remembered her father giving her something similar in the past, but that drink had a strong gamey taste she hadn’t liked. This one, however, had none of that—just pure deliciousness!
“Father, this one is even better than what you brought home before! You should try it!”
Lu Yang, who had just poured himself a cup of PIO, was about to take a sip when his daughter, holding out her cup of the creamy drink, lifted her arm toward him. The old father was moved to tears.
“My darling girl, I knew you still cared about your father!”
It seemed she hadn’t forgotten him after making friends.
Setting aside his PIO, Lu Yang took the cup from his daughter and drank. The sweetness was just right. He had tried similar drinks before, but this one was far superior, with none of the gamey taste.
Touched by his daughter’s thoughtfulness, Lu Yang patted her on the head, his heart swelling with affection. Forget the fancy liquors—his daughter was his priority. “You stay here, sweetheart. I’ll go get you some more of these sweet drinks.”
Gu Xingzhao, observing from the side, made a mental note of Lu Youtang’s reaction and put a checkmark next to the drink “Wangzai.”
As Lu Yang rushed to the tent to grab another bottle, Ming Yuan approached Lu Youtang, holding the drink she had been given earlier. “I shouldn’t have passed your gift to the princess. I apologize for disregarding your kindness and promise not to do it again.”
Being young and easy to please, Lu Youtang immediately brightened at Ming Yuan’s apology. Grabbing Ming Yuan’s hand, she cheerfully exclaimed, “Then let’s go play!”
Ming Yuan’s body stiffened slightly at the unexpected touch, clearly unaccustomed to such close contact. Still, she didn’t pull away and nodded, “Alright.”
Lu Yang, having snuck out with a large bottle of Wangzai, was panting as he returned, only to see his precious daughter already running off with someone else. The sight of them holding hands pained his fatherly heart.
Well, at least it’s just a girl, he thought. It would’ve been far worse if it were a boy.
He handed the bottle to one of his clansmen, instructing them to give it to the two girls. Turning around, he reached for the cup of PIO he’d set aside earlier, only to find the cup empty. Someone had already drunk it.
Lu Yang: “…” Heartbroken.
At that moment, Lu Qing was sampling Maotai under Gu Xingzhao’s watchful eye. She wouldn’t let him drink too much, keeping a close eye on him, allowing just a sip or two due to its high alcohol content.
Lu Zhou had also poured himself a small cup.
The two of them stared at the cups, the liquid inside clear and transparent—more like water than wine.
The wine they usually drank, even the best from the imperial palace, always had a slight yellowish tint. None of it was ever as clear as the liquid in their cups.
Was this really wine?
Both leaned in to take a whiff, finding the aroma rich and full-bodied. Just the scent alone was intoxicating.
They raised their cups and took a sip. The wine started soft and mellow, but within seconds, it exploded into a complex cascade of flavors, rich and layered. The sweetness mingled with a lingering bitterness, leaving a crisp aftertaste, as if they were being transported to the deep mountains of Guizhou.
The aroma of the wine, like a symphony of nature, filled their senses. It was like walking through a blooming garden or floating on a boat across a shimmering lake.
Lu Qing closed his eyes, completely lost in the wine’s lingering notes. Even his breath seemed to carry the essence of the drink.
His face flushed with excitement, his hands trembling slightly. Such a pure, exquisite wine—he felt as if all the wine he had ever drunk before this had been a waste!
This was truly nectar worthy of being passed down through the ages.
Gu Xingzhao watched his reaction with a bit of surprise, then realized that ancient wines were nothing like modern ones.
In Lu Qing’s time, wine-making techniques weren’t advanced. The alcohol content was low, usually around four or five percent, and the liquid was often cloudy. Wealthy families would heat the wine to improve the flavor and increase the alcohol content slightly.
The Maotai she had brought, however, was one of the finest modern liquors. No wonder Lu Qing and Lu Zhou were so stunned by it.
With a smile, Gu Xingzhao marked “Maotai” with a check.
Meanwhile, the women of the Lu family were also trying the drinks.
Madam Xu, had always been fond of fruit wines, but good ones were hard to come by. The ones she had tried were either too scarce or too bitter to enjoy. But the fruity aroma of the wine in her cup captivated her, and she couldn’t resist taking a sip.
The sweet, fruity flavor mingled perfectly with the wine, unlike anything she’d ever tasted before. It was nothing like the overly sour, bitter fruit wines she had grown accustomed to.
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