Behind!
More than ten young servants, each holding a jar of wine! They came into the center of the hall one after another, standing neatly in two rows!
Then four more servants entered, each holding a wooden box of moderate size!
Everyone looked at this scene with confusion!
They couldn't understand what Qin Yun wanted to do!
Only Madam Min felt something was wrong!
Fear spread in her heart bit by bit!
She really couldn't imagine what was about to happen!
Qin Yuanzhang was also bewildered!
He looked at the wine jars in the hands of the servants, and then at the four wooden boxes!
He turned to look at Qin Yun beside him. "What is the meaning of this? Do we still need to drink during the trial?"
"And... what's in those wooden boxes?"
Qin Yun looked at Qin Yuanzhang and smiled. "Father, you'll know if you go up and take a look!"
Qin Yuanzhang stood up and went to the servants holding the wine jars!
Each wine jar had writing on its body!
These wines were all fruit wines, each with a name, and the name of the restaurant it came from was also marked!
Qin Yuanzhang walked in a circle and returned to his original spot!
"These jars are all fruit wines? And they all come from different restaurants!"
Qin Yun nodded! "Lord Qin, our ancestors have always been masters of brewing fruit wine. I assume you have a high level of expertise in fruit wine as well!"
Qin Yuanzhang nodded in agreement. "Yes, I know clearly what materials are needed for which fruit wine, what heat to use, what the ratio is, and how many days it needs to be sealed before opening the jar!"
"Very good! Every jar of fruit wine here is a signature fruit wine from a different restaurant. Lord Qin... would you care to taste them?"
Qin Yuanzhang snorted. "No matter how good the fruit wine is, it's not as good as the Osmanthus Fragrance and Autumn Fragrance from our Qin Ji Winery!"
"Is that so? But the taste of the fruit wines from these restaurants is no worse than the Autumn Fragrance and Osmanthus Fragrance from our Qin Ji Winery!"
Qin Yuanzhang looked at Qin Yun in confusion. "Yun'er, you've tasted our family's Osmanthus Fragrance and Autumn Fragrance. Can the aroma of those wines be compared to ordinary fruit wines?"
If anyone dared to say that Autumn Fragrance and Osmanthus Fragrance were not good, Qin Yuanzhang would be the first to object!
Autumn Fragrance and Osmanthus Fragrance were the signature wines of Qin Ji Winery, a skill passed down from the previous generation, an old brand!
Qin Yun hooked the corner of her mouth invisibly!
Her father was starting to take the bait!
"Yes, our Qin Ji Winery's Autumn Fragrance and Osmanthus Fragrance are indeed good, but why has the winery's business declined year after year?"
"Especially Autumn Fragrance and Osmanthus Fragrance, their sales are negligible! Lord Qin... do you still think your signature fruit wines are better than those from other restaurants?"
This... ?
Qin Yuanzhang felt a little embarrassed!
He had never worried about his livelihood because he had enough salary from the imperial court!
He had neglected many things in the winery over the years!
Even so, he was still confident in the Autumn Fragrance and Osmanthus Fragrance fruit wines!
"Could it be that there's a problem with our wine cellar? Or are the workers cutting corners?"
Qin Yun smiled. "Lord Qin, you should still taste the fruit wines from other restaurants! See what makes their fruit wines so good. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you can win a hundred battles!"
Qin Yuanzhang stroked his gray beard and nodded!
He agreed with Qin Yun's words, knowing oneself and knowing one's enemy allows one to win a hundred battles!
Qin Yuanzhang first opened the signature fruit wine of Mingyue Winery, Chunyue!
A servant poured half a glass for Qin Yuanzhang!
The moment Qin Yuanzhang took the wine glass, he brought the Chunyue fruit wine to his nose and smelled it!
His brow furrowed!
Why did this wine aroma seem so familiar?
With a question in his mind, Qin Yuanzhang took a small sip!
Upon tasting it, Qin Yuanzhang's expression turned even more grim!
This was clearly the taste of Osmanthus Fragrance, but how did it become Mingyue Winery's Chunyue fruit wine?
Qin Yuanzhang was not convinced and poured the second signature fruit wine from Mingyue Winery!
He took a sip! This time it was the taste of Autumn Fragrance again!
Qin Yuanzhang looked at the signature fruit wines of other restaurants one by one!
Could it be... that the fruit wines from these restaurants all tasted like Autumn Fragrance and Osmanthus Fragrance?
Qin Yuanzhang dared not think further!
He decided to taste all the signature fruit wines from these restaurants!
Qin Yun sat in the main seat, silently watching Qin Yuanzhang taste all the fruit wines!
He saw his father frown more with each fruit wine he tasted, his expression... as if his beloved treasure had been stolen!
Soon!
Qin Yuanzhang tasted all the fruit wines from the restaurants!
He staggered to Qin Yun and said, "You knew this a long time ago?"
Qin Yun nodded, but said nothing!
She knew that facing this situation, Qin Yuanzhang would be a bit overwhelmed, but this was the truth, and he had to know the truth!
"When did you find out?"
"The night before the imperial examination, I went to Mingyue Winery and accidentally tasted the Chunyue, and its flavor was similar to Osmanthus Fragrance!"
Qin Yuanzhang said dejectedly, "Not similar, it's exactly the same!"
"Father...? Are you alright?" Seeing Qin Yuanzhang's pale face, Qin Yun finally softened her heart!
Qin Yuanzhang was filled with self-blame!
"The Osmanthus Fragrance and Autumn Fragrance were created by your grandfather, and they were his life's work. I never expected... someone to steal the secret recipe, hehehehe...!"
Qin Yun sighed!
"Father, what's the use of saying this now! The secret recipe for Osmanthus Fragrance and Autumn Fragrance has already been leaked, and it's no longer a secret in the entire capital!"
Qin Yun said sternly, "If you hadn't been so proud and arrogant in previous years, and paid more attention to the winery, the situation wouldn't be like this!"
Qin Yuanzhang accepted Qin Yun's lecture with equanimity!
He had indeed made a mistake, a terrible mistake!
"Then the secret recipe for Autumn Fragrance and Osmanthus Fragrance? Could it be... that it was also done by Min Yueyue?"
No, no!
Min Yueyue was not in the wine cellar. How could a woman deep within the inner chambers understand brewing?
Seeing Qin Yuanzhang nodding and shaking his head, Qin Yun said calmly, "Yes, the brewing secret recipe for Autumn Fragrance and Osmanthus Fragrance was indeed sold by Min Yueyue!!"
"Impossible, Min Yueyue doesn't understand brewing, nor has she been to the wine cellar. Where would she get the secret recipe?"
Qin Yun smiled. "Father, you are indeed too naive! Min Yueyue might not know, but that doesn't mean the people in the wine cellar don't!"
"Remember You Da? He was the steward of the wine cellar a few years ago. He knew the brewing methods of Osmanthus Fragrance and Autumn Fragrance like the back of his hand!"
Qin Yuanzhang asked suspiciously, "Didn't he die? I heard that he returned to his old home, contracted a fever, and then died!"
Qin Yun did not offer further explanation!
She snapped her fingers!
A middle-aged man with a haggard face and a plump figure, head bowed, timidly knelt in the hall!
Qin Yuanzhang's eyes widened in disbelief!
He took two steps forward, crouched down, lifted You Da's chin, and examined him carefully!
"You Da? You're not dead?"
You Da dared not look Qin Yuanzhang in the eye, lowered his gaze, and whispered, "Master!"
"The secret recipe for Autumn Fragrance and Osmanthus Fragrance, did you...!"
You Da lowered his gaze and quickly kowtowed to Qin Yuanzhang. "Master, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I was confused back then and was bewitched by the second concubine!"