Volume One, Chapter Eight: Let the Comparison Begin

Upon hearing this, Xie Ping burst into laughter. His expression was filled with utter contempt. "Fang Yang, you had better think this through. It’s one thing to pour my wine first, but I’m afraid that once these people have tasted my wine, they won’t even want to catch a whiff of your 'Immortal Nectar' swill!"

The friends who had come with Xie Ping also roared with laughter. "Young Master Xie is right! It won't just be bland and tasteless; it'll be no better than horse urine! Ha-ha!"

Their laughter was grating. Fang Yang raised an eyebrow and fixed his gaze upon them. "Very well. Since that’s the case, you are all included in this. Once I win, I’ll make sure every one of you is left with a face as red as a blooming peach!"

The laughter of the group stopped abruptly, and their expressions stiffened.

On the sidelines, Song Yiran, who had been watching the scene, felt a flicker of disgust. She had thought this Fang Yang had mended his ways, but it turned out he was still the same simple-minded brute who resorted to violence at the slightest provocation.

On the other side, seeing his friends humbled, Xie Ping couldn't be bothered to argue further with Fang Yang. He waved a hand dismissively and commanded, "Pour the wine!"

Soon, servants arrived to unseal the jars Xie Ping had brought and poured the liquor. As the liquid flowed, a wave of fragrance began to permeate the air. The onlookers around them couldn't help but stretch their noses out and inhale deeply. Their eyes fixed greedily on the bowls, and they were nearly salivating.

"How fragrant! Is this the 'Hundred-Day Drunkenness' from the Marquis of Yongping’s estate? It smells divine!"

"Just by the scent alone, there is a mellow sweetness to it. It’s truly exceptional!"

Praise erupted from all sides. Hearing the adulation, Xie Ping said smugly, "You are all quite right! This is indeed the 'Hundred-Day Drunkenness' from my estate. It is brewed using a secret method and aged in cellars; its mellow flavor is the pride of our family’s tavern!"

The commoners, upon receiving this confirmation, had eyes that shone with excitement. They all began to envy the twenty people selected to participate. With such 'Hundred-Day Drunkenness' available, it wouldn't even matter if this capital city wastrel’s brew was literal excrement!

Beside him, Lian'er felt anxious, repeatedly glancing at her young master, Fang Yang, who remained entirely unbothered. The accountant Fang Yang had pressed into service was also breaking out in a cold sweat, shocked that the opponent would go so far as to use the capital’s famous 'Hundred-Day Drunkenness' for the competition.

The old man with the bulbous nose, who had been chosen by Fang Yang, sniffed the wine, lifted the cup without a word, and downed it in one go. He didn't forget to wipe his mouth afterward. Seeing this, the other nineteen people also grabbed their bowls and drank.

"Fine wine!"

"This is truly excellent. No wonder a pot sells for two taels of silver."

The old man with the bulbous nose smacked his lips, savoring the aftertaste. "This is quite good. Mellow and fragrant—truly a fine vintage!"

Seeing their reaction, Xie Ping’s smugness became even more pronounced. Standing with his hands behind his back, he postured toward Fang Yang and said, "Young Master Fang, it’s your turn!"

Lian'er and the accountant felt their hearts rise into their throats, their palms slick with sweat. Fang Yang, however, waved his hand with absolute composure. "Pour the wine!"

Several servants rushed over and unsealed the jars in front of Fang Yang. Instantly, an aroma so potent it seemed to strike the very heavens filled the air. The onlookers were stunned, all of them turning toward the jars in front of Fang Yang. The old man with the bulbous nose was practically drooling.

"This wine! It’s so potent!"

"Just by sniffing it, I feel like I’m floating. No wonder it’s called 'Immortal Nectar.' I haven't even tasted it yet, and I’m already feeling lightheaded."

"If I drink this, how wonderful would it be? I dare not even imagine!"

The crowd buzzed with discussion. Those chosen to taste the wine were eager to get started. Before the servant had even finished pouring all twenty bowls, the old man with the bulbous nose had already grabbed one and taken a sip. He had taken a large gulp, realized something was amiss, and quickly spat it back out—partially, at least—letting the wine roll around his mouth, unable to swallow for a long while.

By now, the rest of the bowls had been filled. Seeing the old man’s reaction, the others hesitated to pick up their bowls, yet the enticing aroma made their hearts itch.

Xie Ping also noticed something strange. He laughed loudly, "Ha! Fang Yang, oh Fang Yang, did you put something in the wine? Look at the pained expression on that old man’s face—have you poisoned it?"

The crowd was in an uproar. Song Yiran, amidst the throng, frowned slightly and shook her head. Clearly, the wastrel Fang Yang was destined to lose. After all, as far as she knew, no one in the Fang family knew how to brew wine. She turned to leave.

Just then, the old man with the bulbous nose let out a sudden, thunderous shout: "Good! What fine wine! In all my life, I have never tasted such nectar!"

"Whoa!"

The crowd, who had just assumed the old man was in trouble, was suddenly struck dumb. The other nineteen tasters stood frozen, not knowing what to do. The old man, however, grabbed his bowl and began to drink deeply. Having experienced the initial shock, he was now prepared and paid no mind to the spicy burn in his throat.

Seeing this, the others followed suit and lifted their bowls. After just one sip, everyone’s brows furrowed. They let the liquid swirl in their mouths, refusing to swallow it, yet they didn't spit it out either.

This scene made Xie Ping’s brow furrow in confusion.

After a long while, the commoners finally began to swallow. Once they had taken that first gulp, they finished the rest of the wine in their bowls as if their lives depended on it. After they were done, they looked as if they wished they could lick the bowls clean.

Watching this, Xie Ping was completely bewildered.

Lian'er looked at Fang Yang with curiosity. "Young Master, what’s wrong with them? They look like they’re in pain, yet enjoying themselves at the same time. Is it not to their liking?"

"Heh, don't worry," Fang Yang said with a chuckle, looking as if he had everything under control.

Watching them finish their wine in total silence, Fang Yang finally spoke slowly: "Alright, you may all begin your judgment one by one. Let’s see whose wine is better."

The old man with the bulbous nose immediately declared, "The 'Immortal Nectar,' of course! In front of this, the 'Hundred-Day Drunkenness' isn't even fit to be horse urine." He then looked at Fang Yang with longing. "Young man, give me another bowl!"

"I also think the Immortal Nectar is better."

"Indeed! While the 'Hundred-Day Drunkenness' is mellow and sweet, it cannot compare to the thrilling kick of this Immortal Nectar."

"Me too; the Immortal Nectar has more spirit."

"I choose this one as well. Such a strong liquor is absolutely unique in the capital!"

In the blink of an eye, not one of the twenty tasters chose Xie Ping’s 'Hundred-Day Drunkenness.'

Xie Ping’s face turned deathly pale. He couldn't believe that these people thought the 'Immortal Nectar' brewed by this good-for-nothing wastrel was better than the wine from his own Marquis of Yongping estate! If this were true, the wastrel’s 'Immortal Nectar' would surely become a hit, and his own tavern would likely be driven out of business. Thinking of the future, Xie Ping felt his brain buzzing.

In the crowd, Song Yiran, who had been about to leave, frowned. She couldn't believe that Fang Yang had actually won.

Unlike Xie Ping’s despair, Fang Yang began to crack his knuckles. Seeing this, Xie Ping’s expression changed drastically. He said in terror, "You... what are you doing?"

"You dog! Ever since I came to buy this shop, you’ve been making things difficult for me at every turn. Now that I’ve won, I’m naturally going to follow through on our wager!"

"Fa... Fang Yang! Let’s talk about this!" Xie Ping was truly afraid now.

"There’s nothing to talk about!"

Fang Yang lunged forward in an instant. The surrounding crowd backed away, and Xie Ping’s eyes widened in fear. He shouted, "Fang Yang, you dare? My father is a Marquis!"

"A Marquis? My father is a Duke!"

"Thump!"

Fang Yang landed a punch squarely on Xie Ping’s eye. Xie Ping stumbled back several steps, his heart racing. He hadn't expected this damned wastrel to actually take a boastful bet seriously. Too panicked to think, he shouted to his band of cronies, "Quick! Quick! Help me! Stop him!"

Fang Yang swept a glance at the young masters who were considering intervening and said coldly, "Whoever steps in will be taking a beating for him. This was a deal between him and me!"

Hearing this, the cronies stopped in their tracks. They were only there to watch the fun; they didn't want to get beaten for no reason. After all, although this wastrel Fang Yang was a bit dim, his martial prowess was top-tier among the sons of the nobility.

With no one to stop him, Fang Yang moved like a force of nature, his fists flying and sending Xie Ping scurrying like a cornered rat. After crashing into several tables in the tavern, Xie Ping finally fled onto the street. But running was no use—without the tables and chairs to weave through, Fang Yang caught up in a few strides, knocked him down, and sat on him, delivering a barrage of punches.

Xie Ping wailed for his father and mother. "Stop! Stop hitting me! I was wrong! I was wrong!"

Fang Yang sneered and continued. If he didn't beat the fear into this guy, he’d likely cause more trouble later. He had heard that other noble families also had interests in the liquor industry. If he didn't establish his dominance today, the Wang family or the Sun family might come knocking tomorrow, and he’d never be able to run his business.

The servants in the nearby Xie family tavern heard the wailing. After taking a look, they grabbed whatever weapons they could find and charged out, shouting. "Audacious! How dare you beat our young master!"

Seeing this, Fang Yang’s brow furrowed, and he became furious. "Very well, Xie Ping! You go back on your word? Then don't blame me for being impolite!"

He grabbed Xie Ping by the clothes and tossed him to his own servants. "Watch him closely! Don't let him run!" Then, grabbing a wooden staff, he charged toward the group of Xie family servants.

His own servants were stunned, but seeing that things had already reached this point, there was no turning back. "Two of you watch him, the rest of you, charge!" the lead servant commanded, grabbing a club and rushing forward.

In an instant, the crossroads of the East Market and Changle District turned into a brawl.

The surrounding commoners were stunned. Having lived in the East Market and Changle District for so many years, they had never seen such a spectacle. Upon learning that the one holding his own against ten people was indeed the wastrel son of the Duke of Cheng, they couldn't help but exclaim, "He really is a wastrel, but he’s certainly brave!"

Under Fang Yang’s leadership, the Xie family servants were soon beaten back, none of them daring to step forward.

"Release our young master!" the lead servant shouted, his bravado fading. There was no helping it; they couldn't win, so all they could do was shout.

"Are you joking? The wager hasn't been fulfilled, and you want me to release him? Do you think that’s possible?"

Xie Ping, still pinned down, said, "You’ve beaten me! I’ve fulfilled it!"

"Hmph, the deal was for me to give you a good beating, but you ran away," Fang Yang said coldly.

"Then what do you want?" Xie Ping was on the verge of tears.

"Simple. You smashed my tables and chairs, and then there’s my lost time, my mental distress, and my reputation." Fang Yang smiled, his expression warm and charming, his handsome face making him look like a jade-like gentleman, peerless in the world.

"Rep... reputation fee?" Xie Ping’s mouth twitched.

"Nonsense! I am a man of status! If word of today’s events gets out, what will people think of me? Pay up!"

At this, not just Xie Ping, but even the onlookers couldn't bear it anymore. What reputation could a wastrel possibly have?

Song Yiran, who had been in the crowd, stepped forward. Her delicate brows knitted in annoyance as she looked at Fang Yang with disdain. "Fang Yang!"

Fang Yang, who was about to demand an exorbitant sum, turned to look. Song Yiran stood gracefully in the sunset, like a painting.

A second later, Fang Yang frowned. "What do you want?"

"Fang Yang, he is the son of the Marquis of Yongping. Stop causing trouble for your father’s estate. Release him and apologize. Let’s end this today," Song Yiran said, her tone imperious.

"Apologize? Me?" Fang Yang laughed.

"Yes, stop causing trouble for your father," Song Yiran said sharply.

"I thank you for your concern!" Fang Yang replied impatiently. He then turned to the servant. "Go back and tell your master: bring five hundred taels of silver to redeem him, or my estate won't mind having an extra servant to clean the latrines!" He waved his hand and instructed his own men: "Take turns watching him. If the Xie family comes to cause trouble again, I’ll continue punishing Xie Ping!"

He turned to leave.

"Fang Yang!" Song Yiran called out again. She was used to Fang Yang revolving around her, and being treated with such indifference made her feel very uncomfortable.

"Say what you have to say. I’m a busy man," Fang Yang replied coldly.

Song Yiran frowned, staring at him with her sparkling eyes. In the past, this trick had always worked. But this time, Fang Yang only left her with two words: "You're sick!"

He turned and walked away.

"Fang Yang! With such rude behavior, how are you any different from an uneducated brute?" Song Yiran shouted in frustration.

"Heh! A brute?" Fang Yang sneered. With a 'snap,' he unfolded his folding fan. He looked at Song Yiran with contempt. "Miss Song, have you forgotten who took first place at the poetry gathering yesterday?"

Song Yiran froze. Then, gritting her teeth, she said, "Hmph! You just copied two poems from somewhere. What’s there to brag about?"

Fang Yang laughed. He couldn't be bothered to waste breath on this woman. He shouted, "Bring me paper and brush!"

A servant quickly ran into the tavern to fetch them, and with great foresight, brought out a table as well. Fang Yang took the brush and smoothed out the paper. He cast an indifferent glance at Song Yiran and then addressed the crowd: "Today, my 'Immortal Nectar' tavern is opening. Since some have questioned my talent and character, I shall speak my piece here and now. I will provide the first half of a couplet. Whoever can provide the matching second half will receive free drinks at my tavern whenever they dine here from now on!"

"Whoa!"

Fang Yang’s words sent the commoners into a frenzy. Free 'Immortal Nectar' just for writing a matching couplet! The temptation was too great! Several scholars present had eyes that shone with greed as they crowded to the front. They were determined to win that free quota.

Fang Yang had already begun to write with his brush.

"Boom!"

A second later, those scholars who had hoped to get a free meal felt a thunderclap in their minds. They suddenly realized the heavens had collapsed upon them...