Chapter 132: Rescuing an Ungrateful Wretch

An Lushan was completely baffled by the so-called "food therapy." Since no one else could judge its merits, they could only listen to Zhen Qian’s bizarre theories, which were delivered with such grave seriousness that no one dared to dismiss them lightly.

"Indeed, the flavor is fresh, tender, and smooth. I never imagined sheep liver could be transformed into such a delicacy in Zhen Lang’s hands. It seems the cooks under my command ought to learn a thing or two from him!"

Zhen Qian had personally cooked a stir-fried sheep liver for An Lushan. Regardless of whether it had any medicinal effect, the taste made An Lushan’s eyes light up. The dish was prepared with carrots, onions, and winter bamboo shoots; the liver was so tender it melted in the mouth. Zhen Qian had intended to add some goji berries, but there was no time. Even so, An Lushan polished off the entire plate by himself, leaving the onlookers salivating.

"Zhen Lang, stir-fry a plate of sheep liver for me as well!" Li Cui, unwilling to compete for food with An Lushan, ordered Zhen Qian to prepare a serving for him.

Cui Qiaoyou, watching An Lushan eat with such gusto, also became interested. Seeing that Li Cui had already spoken, he hinted, "Zhen Lang’s culinary skills are truly peerless. The technique seems similar to that of the Zuixian Tower in Fanyang. Might there be a connection?"

"The Zuixian Tower in Fanyang is indeed my business."

Zhen Qian understood Cui Qiaoyou’s implication. He cooked a few more dishes for them. This time, he didn't need to do it all himself, as Ju Niang had mastered his techniques; it was always good to be able to slack off.

An Lushan, his appetite whetted, raised his wine cup and said, "This wine of yours is excellent, Zhen Lang. I heard it was first invented by the Sogdians. Is that true?"

Zhen Qian sneered inwardly. It was inevitable; the Sogdians had long been coveting his secret brewing method, and who was their greatest backer if not An Lushan? The Sogdians had repeatedly snuck into his brewery to steal the recipe, and every time they were caught and sent to the county magistrate, they were released by the next day as if nothing had happened. Could the magistrate have dared to do such a thing without An Lushan’s support?

The fact that An Lushan wasn't trying to seize it by force surprised Zhen Qian. Perhaps it was because Li Cui was present, or perhaps the food therapy had worked. Regardless, it was an opportunity.

He definitely could not hand over the distillation method to An Lushan. The Sogdians were merely tools for An Lushan to amass wealth, and Zhen Qian had no intention of aiding a tyrant or colluding with him.

An Lushan was clearly biased toward the Sogdians, claiming the new brewing method was their invention to force a collaboration: "To hear both sides makes one wise; to listen to only one makes one blind. General An, you have only heard the one-sided story of the Sogdians. If they truly invented this new method, why would they be sneaking into my home to steal it?"

"Oh? Is that so? Why was I unaware of this?" An Lushan’s tone turned somber. Zhen Qian was being ungrateful; how dare he refuse to cooperate with the Sogdians? Did he not know that the Sogdians were now under his protection?

Seeing the atmosphere stiffen, Li Cui immediately interjected, "I am aware of this matter. Shortly after Zhen Lang’s brewery opened, this wine hit the market. At that time, there was no sign of a similar brewing method anywhere. How can one claim the Sogdians invented it first? I believe the Sogdians simply wish to monopolize Zhen Lang’s technique."

The situation was delicate. If this had been any other merchant, they would have already eagerly handed over the secret to An Lushan. But with Li Cui speaking up for him, An Lushan found it difficult to continue his intimidation.

"I see. No wonder I hadn't tasted this wine before. Zhen Lang, are you aware of the benefits this wine holds for the soldiers in the north?"

Zhen Qian knew exactly what he meant, but he continued to feign ignorance. "I do not, General. May I hear the details?"

An Lushan smiled, and Cui Qiaoyou, catching the hint, added, "Zhen Lang, you may not know, but this 'Burning Blade' wine is of great help to the soldiers in the north in warding off the cold. A single sip at night makes one feel a warmth spreading through the body; it is a rare and precious tonic. Could you present this method to the northern troops to relieve their suffering in winter? The General will surely reward you handsomely!"

Cui Qiaoyou kept harping on the suffering of the northern soldiers, as if refusing to hand over the brewing method would make Zhen Qian a traitor to the country. It seemed this disaster could not be avoided.

Having just provided An Lushan with a prescription for food therapy, only to have him turn around and demand his brewing secrets, Zhen Qian’s fleeting sympathy for the man vanished. None of them were good people. Politics was inherently bloody, and mutual backstabbing was the norm. His dream of living in seclusion while secretly building strength was clearly a fantasy; a small wave had already shattered it.

Unwilling to hand over the method to An Lushan, Zhen Qian had to rely on Li Cui. "General, you have arrived at an unfortunate time. Only yesterday, I was discussing a partnership with His Highness. I hadn't realized you were interested..."

Zhen Qian pushed the problem onto Li Cui. In reality, they had never discussed any such partnership; Li Cui had merely mentioned the possibility of opening a branch in the capital. By blurring the lines, Zhen Qian wanted to see Li Cui’s attitude toward An Lushan. If they were in league, he would have no choice but to hand over a rudimentary, flawed formula—one that would never produce the real "Burning Blade."

An Lushan, unaware of the truth, turned to Li Cui. "Oh? Is Your Highness also interested?"

Li Cui, holding a skewer of lamb, wore an unreadable expression. "General, are you trying to compete with the commoners for profit?"

An Lushan blinked, unsure of how to take this. Was Li Cui calling himself a commoner? Or was he admitting to the partnership with Zhen Qian? He realized he had arrived a step too late. "Since Your Highness is interested, how about I buy a share as well?"

Li Cui chuckled, raising an eyebrow at Zhen Qian. "I spent three thousand strings of cash for a ten percent stake. If the General wants another ten percent, it’s fine. Consider it the imperial court rewarding the northern troops... what say you, General?"

An Lushan was caught in a difficult spot. Whatever status Zhen Qian might have held didn't matter, but Li Cui’s involvement complicated things. And since Li Cui had clearly stated he paid three thousand strings for a ten percent stake, he could no longer hope to monopolize it. "In that case, I shall also pay three thousand strings for a ten percent share. How is that?"

Zhen Qian felt a surge of relief. Li Cui’s intervention was the key. It was clear that the two were not on the same side. Though he lost twenty percent of his shares, gaining several thousand strings of cash was a decent outcome. "Since the General insists, I have no objections. As you mentioned the hardships of the northern troops, I am willing to supply them with one hundred jars of 'Burning Blade' every month as a priority. What does the General think?"

One hundred jars was no small amount—each jar held a hundred jin, making it ten thousand jin in total. Even the largest brewery would struggle to supply that much monthly. To an outsider, this was the limit of his capacity and showed his sincerity.

"That is too much. One hundred jars every three months is sufficient. If there are difficulties, we can settle for less."

The price of "Burning Blade" was high; no matter how generous An Lushan was, he wouldn't let common soldiers drink their fill. It was primarily for the officers.

Zhen Qian feigned difficulty. It wasn't that he couldn't supply the wine; the main ingredient was the dregs from other breweries. While the cost was higher, it saved a vast amount of grain. In the long run, he would only profit, and he would earn the praise of other merchants. He was essentially playing the role of a generous benefactor.

"One hundred jars is not a problem, but it must be transported to Fanyang..." Zhen Qian paused, looking at Li Cui. "With the recent increase in refugees, the five or six-hundred-mile journey from Luquan County to Fanyang is perilous. If I were to fail the General due to some mishap, I would be..."

An Lushan nodded. Having traveled from Fanyang to Luquan himself, he knew the refugee situation better than anyone. Zhen Qian was not lying.

"Your Highness, these refugees are disrupting local order, and bandits are appearing everywhere. Zhen Lang’s concerns are not unfounded. I have heard that many places have established local militias. Why not...?"

"I was thinking the same. Zhen Lang, would you be willing to serve as the Deputy Commissioner of the County Militia?"

To be honest, Zhen Qian had no interest in being a civil official, but the position of Deputy Commissioner of the Militia suited him perfectly. He had previously suggested such a thing to Feng Wannian, who had refused. Now that Li Cui had proposed it, how could he refuse?

With this position, he could openly organize a local armed force. Under the guise of escorting wine to Fanyang, he could secretly cultivate his own power. This was far more valuable than a few thousand strings of cash.