RPAGF Chapter 95 reveals the purpose of the visit.
Chapter 95 reveals the purpose of the visit.
Chapter 95 reveals the purpose of the visit.
Wang Zhi put down his teacup. The bottom of the bowl tapped softly on the stone table. Just as expected.
"Yes."
Wang Zhi hadn't hidden it yet. Nor did he intend to.
After all, it was during the Zhenguan era. Although the five prominent families and seven noble clans had somewhat restrained their brilliance under Zhenguan's rule, even a centipede with a hundred legs does not die easily, and their intelligence network remained as extensive as a spider's web.
He couldn't hide it even if he wanted to. Rather than trying to cover it up, he might as well admit it openly.
"You figured this out all by yourself?"
"Yes, that's right."
Wang Luo nodded, his face expressionless, and then asked, "Is this wine something you brewed and are selling yourself?"
"No, I don't sell alcohol myself. I just asked a few friends to help me." Wang Zhihuan's tone remained calm, as all of this was within his expectations.
"Friend." Wang Luo repeated the word, his tone carrying an undisguised indifference, even a hint of contempt. "Kid, I'm here today to talk to you about this."
He took two steps forward, stood opposite the stone table, placed his hands on the tabletop, and leaned slightly down to look at Wang Zhihuan.
He was a head taller than Wang Zhi, and when he leaned down, he naturally exuded a sense of oppression.
"You are a member of the Wang family," he said. "You grew up eating the Wang family's food."
You've brewed excellent wine in Lantian; that's your skill, and no one can deny it.
But regardless, according to the rules, this technique belongs to the clan. You should understand that.
Wang Zhi also knew that his third uncle was right, at least in the logic of this era.
After all, this is the Zhenguan era. For aristocratic families, it is not only about bloodline inheritance, but also about a strict set of survival rules that permeate to the bone marrow.
An individual is to a clan as branches are to a giant tree.
Since the Wei and Jin dynasties, large clans like the Wang clan of Taiyuan, with their five surnames, regarded their retainers, land, shops, and even the talents and skills of their members as "public property."
You can profit from it, and the family will also take a share, but the ownership of the source is never in the hands of an individual.
Although private families have their own private property for writing, if they come across a skillful craft that can be passed down through generations, or a secret recipe for a product that can be sold, it has always been recorded in the "family register" and managed and distributed by the clan head.
From the perspective of Wang Luo, a member of an orthodox family, this was less a matter of seizure and more a matter of "returning what belongs to its rightful owner" and "concentrating resources for the common good."
However, his third uncle may have been intentionally or genuinely forgetting that he had long since severed ties with the family.
Want to acquire their brewing techniques? No way!
"Write down the prescription carefully and give it to the clan."
Wang Luo's tone softened, taking on a persuasive tone, "The clan will naturally manage things for you and make a name for you."
It's much better than you doing this on your own, relying on a few friends you don't even know.
The clan has shops and manpower in Chang'an, Luoyang, and even in the south. If this wine is truly as rumored, its profits far surpass those of this small estate. Would the clan then be shortchanged on a share?
Upon hearing this, Wang Huan put down his teacup, the bottom of which gently rubbed against the stone table, making a soft sound.
He frowned slightly: "Third brother, you've come all this way, why are you talking about this? The child is perfectly fine—"
"If we don't talk about these things, what am I supposed to talk about? Aren't I talking about important matters?"
Wang Luo turned and glanced at him, his eyes sharp. "Brother, I know you're kind-hearted. But kindness can't feed you, much less govern your conduct."
"The child was all alone in Lantian, and it wasn't easy for him to settle down," Wang Huan's voice wasn't loud, but there was already a hint of displeasure in his tone, a crack appearing in his gentle mask. "You come up here and immediately ask him for the prescription, how is he supposed to feel? Wouldn't he feel disheartened?"
What he thinks is his business.
Wang Luo said in a hard voice, "But besides being his third uncle, I am also a member of the Wang family, and I bear the family rules on my shoulders."
I cannot remain silent about what needs to be said, nor can I fail to do what needs to be done.
He turned back to Wang Zhihuan, his tone becoming even harsher, almost a warning: "Kid, don't think that your third uncle is trying to harm you or covet your things."
Let me be frank with you, you can't hold onto this distillery alone. The principle of "possessing a treasure invites trouble" is something I don't need to teach you.
.
Wang Zhi hadn't spoken yet, he just looked up at him.
His gaze was calm, even too calm, which made Wang Luo feel inexplicably irritated.
"What do you think your friends in Chang'an can do for you?"
Wang Luo sneered, "They buy your wine because of your recipe. They think highly of you because you have the recipe."
If someone else takes the recipe, what will you have left? They might turn their backs on you, and you'll have nowhere to turn. In this world, have you considered the balance between loyalty and self-interest?
He withdrew his hand from the table, straightened up, and his tone carried a hint of admonition: "But it's different if you give it to the clan."
The clan remembers your kindness and will protect you. Outside, there are wolves and tigers, but high walls and deep courtyards will keep them away. No one can harm you.
Once this matter is settled, the clan can discuss your reinstatement in the family genealogy. With a family to rely on, you'll truly have a foundation.
Upon hearing this, Wang Huan suddenly stood up.
The stone bench was pulled backward by the force of his standing up, making a harsh scraping sound.
"Third brother, you've gone too far."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was deep. The gentleness on his face had faded considerably, replaced by a barely suppressed anger that came from being offended.
"You know very well why Zhihuan moved to Lantian alone. Now you're using the return to the family genealogy as a condition to force him to hand over the prescription. Do you think he's stupid? Where does this behavior place blood ties and family affection?"
Wang Luo turned his head and looked coldly at Wang Huan: "Brother, what are you saying? Whether the clan remembers his good deeds or not is a matter for the clan."
But the formula is in his possession alone. If it were to be taken away, the loss wouldn't just be his, but the entire Wang family's.
"Who would steal his formula?" Wang Huan retorted. "Tell me, who would? Did you hear something? Or is the clan just getting impatient?"
Wang Luo did not answer the question. He paused for a moment, then avoided Wang Huan's gaze: "Who knows about these things? It's just a matter of taking precautions."
"You don't know, yet you come here to scare him?" Wang Huan pressed, his tone pained. "Third brother, he's your own nephew!"
"I'm not here to scare him," Wang Luo's voice also turned serious. "I'm here to tell him that he has a path he can take without fear. If he listens to that, it's his good fortune."
Neither of them spoke.
The courtyard fell silent for a moment. The leaves of the jujube tree rustled in the wind. Ah Huang peeked out from under the stone bench, looked around, and then withdrew his head back in.