Before Steward Zhong arrived, Lian Manman had already inspected these jars of wine herself and selected the top hundred jars of the best quality, prepared for the Shen Family.
After Steward Zhong inspected the goods, the attendants he brought began loading the wine onto carts, ready for delivery to Prefecture City.
Everyone then accompanied Steward Zhong back to the front hall for tea and conversation, naturally asking about Shen Liu.
"Sixth Master is in good health, just occupied with official duties. He had just returned so days ago before leaving again. When Sixth Master was ho, he specifically asked about the grape wine, saying that if the wine arrived and he was not at ho, to send a few jars to his military camp," Steward Zhong answered with a smile, "This trip, as soon as I return, I will set out for Sixth Master’s military camp to deliver the wine to him."
"Is Ninth Master at ho?" Lian Manman asked.
"Ninth Master is at ho, studying diligently every day, and has even hired a martial arts master to practice mounted archery. The next ti you see Ninth Master, Miss Manman might not even recognize him," Steward Zhong added with another smile.
Not recognize him, has Shen Jiu changed that much? What could he have turned into? Lian Manman thought to herself, probably just from a little fatty to a big fatty. While pondering this, the image of the middle-aged, chubby-faced, and corpulent Third Master of Shen Family erged in her mind.
Ti is a butcher’s knife, Lian Manman thought sardonically. Hopefully, Fatty Shen will make an effort, even if he doesn’t grow up to be like Shen Liu, at least not to balloon up like Shen San.
At this mont, two servants ca in carrying silver, saying that all the wine had been loaded onto the carts.
Lian Shouxin then took a scale to weigh the silver.
A hundred jin of grape wine, each jar weighing twenty jin, totaling two thousand jin, was still priced at last year’s rate of two coins per jin, summing up to a total of four hundred taels of silver. Steward Zhong had brought with him ingots of five taels of pure silver, so there was no need for weighing, just counting out eighty ingots of silver was enough.
Once the transaction of silver and goods was settled, Steward Zhong, along with his people, was about to take leave. The Lian Family naturally offered a al, still ordering from Yue Lai Tavern in town. The best dishes worth two taels of silver per table were prepared to entertain Steward Zhong. A mid-to-high quality al set worth one string of coins per table was arranged for the accompanying attendants.
Each attendant received a big red envelope, with Steward Zhong’s naturally being substantially thicker, on top of various local gifts that were all loaded onto the cart for him.
Included among the local gifts was a jar of wild grape juice, which Lian Manman specifically told Steward Zhong was best for won and children to drink.
After the al, having seen off Steward Zhong, the whole family looked at the four hundred taels of silver and felt very happy.
"While you all were away, Jiaxing’s father told that there might be soone nearby looking to sell land soon, and it’s pri land at that. With this silver, we’ll be able to add quite a bit of land to our holdings," Lian Shouxin joyfully said.
"We should send a ssage to Third Uncle Wu and settle the matter, so if there is land for sale, we’ll act fast to reserve it for ourselves," Lian Manman replied.
"I’ll head to town later, and I’ll talk to Brother Jiaxing," Wu Lang added.
Today was also a rest day from private school, with both Wu Lang and Xiao Qi at ho.
"Our family has set aside quite a bit of grape wine for giving away this year, but it seems we still have a lot left over," Lady Zhang comnted.
"Mother, not all of those wines are reserved for giving away," Lian Manman replied, "I plan to send a few jars to taverns and wine shops to be sold on consignnt."
"On consignnt?"
"Yes," Lian Manman nodded.
Next year Manman’s Family will plant wild grapes on their land, and the yield could likely be more than ten tis that of this year. If all goes into wine production, even families like the Shen Family wouldn’t be able to consu so much.
Therefore, it is necessary to find other sales channels for the grape wine.
This year, just a few jars will be taken out for consignnt in various major taverns and wine shops to establish the brand. That way, next year when a large batch of grape wine is ready, as long as they say it’s for sale, buyers will naturally co knocking.
Moreover, next year when those wild grapes are harvested, they can be used not only for winemaking. For example, so of the grapes with slightly inferior appearance can be used to make grape juice. This year, Lian Manman’s family brewed two jars of fifty jin each, one of which, during the process, was found by Lian Manman to be unsuitable for winemaking and was turned into grape juice. The flavor of this wild grape juice was really good, most suitable for won and children who can’t drink alcohol.
"It’s Manman who thinks things through thoroughly, planning three steps ahead," Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang both nodded in agreent, "That’s the way to do it."
On that day, Wu Lang went to town and spoke with Wu Yugui and Wu Jiaxing. A couple of days later, indeed, a little landlord from Thirty Mile Camp with the surna Wang had land for sale.
The land for sale was at the foot of Nanshan, separated by a plot of land from that of Old Master Lian. There were two plots facing each other across a small road, with one being the highest quality soil, priced at five taels of silver per mu, a total of twenty mu. The other was of dium quality soil, priced at four taels per mu, and totaled thirty mu.
Good land, close to ho, and fair pricing, the Lian Manman family inspected the land and decided to buy it all on the spot.
Fifty mu of land, totaling two hundred and twenty taels of silver, they wrote the contract and paid the silver the sa day, and the next day Wu Yugui exchanged it for the Red Deed.
"Now, when you want to buy land, it has beco so easy," Wu Yugui chuckled as they ate, "Any household wanting to sell land cos to first, always asking, ’Are your family buying? If you are, then we’ll surely sell to you.’"
"That’s all thanks to Third Uncle Wu and Brother Jiaxing," Lian Manman said with a smile.
"I can’t take credit for that," Wu Yugui laughed, "Firstly, you offer fair prices, you don’t drive hard bargains even if the sellers are in urgent need of money. Secondly, of course, you pay promptly without any delay. Thirdly, selling the land to you ans the land falls into good hands, as you will take proper care of it."
"In addition to all this," Wu Yugui laughed louder, "when selling land, just by ntioning it was sold to Imperially Bestowed Archway Lian Family, the seller’s family gets to share in the prestige..."
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