The smell of strong alcohol filled the courtyard. Kong Sheng squatted next to the steamer, looking at the bamboo pipe from which the wine was produced, looking slightly nervous. In fact, he is completely on paper, and he has not practiced it, and he is not sure whether he can succeed, or whether he can purify the high-level wine that basically meets his goals and requirements.

The white liquor trickles out and condenses into a small pot in a short time. Kong Sheng scooped up a spoonful and tasted it, the mouth was clear and fragrant, and due to the greatly increased alcohol content, there seemed to be a stream of fire rushing into the esophagus when the aroma entered the throat. Even better, there was a cool bitterness in the fire, as if ice and snow could calm the burning sensation that neutralized the intensity.

Kong Sheng became excited, he circled around the courtyard, although the alcohol content is about 50 degrees, but compared with these popular drinks in the Datang market, this is the incomparable best elixir.

Kong Sheng can almost guarantee that if the high-grade liquor purified by him is put on the market, it will cause a huge sensation.

This made Kong Sheng realize the unparalleled way to make money. He is the Marquis of Chang'an, of course, he can't do business, but he can arrange someone to run it. With such a high degree of wine, why not worry about the wealth of money?

He purified and distilled with a three-legged pulp, but it was nothing more than an experiment. In fact, he could have set up a private distillery to brew the first liquor and then purify and distill it. Kong Sheng has read two or three wine classics, and in his previous life, he was in charge of industry and had a good understanding of the process principles of local distilleries.

Hiding in the house and tinkering with this, on the one hand, is to kill time, he himself is a person who can't be idle, and on the other hand, it is to make money. It can be regarded as a way to take precautions, Kong Sheng suddenly realized. If the time comes. The career is completely hopeless. Then, you can change careers and become a rich man in the world. Ordinary businessmen have no social status in Datang, but when a person is rich enough to rival the country, in fact, he has status and everything.

Kong Sheng said that he would do it, and immediately left the independent courtyard, and instructed Zhao Guangran to hire craftsmen to build a private wine shop in the independent courtyard. Zhao Guangran is a little ridiculous, the dignified Marquis of Chang'an, and the famous Kong Taishou who moves the world. actually wants to hide in the house to make wine, is this a plaything? Or is it because he didn't get the reward that the emperor deserved and was greatly stimulated, and there was something wrong with his brain?

The next morning, the brewery was built. The koji is purchased, the raw materials for brewing are ready-made, and the utensils and tools are readily available.

Of course, at the same time as the construction of the winery, the Sanle pulp purification shift was carried out by Kong Sheng personally supervised and the maid in the house was specifically operated. Two whole days and nights. Hundreds of jars of Sanle pulp were distilled and purified, but the amount was pitiful. Only a few dozen jars of highly distilled spirits were obtained.

The palace maid given to Kong Sheng by the emperor completely became Kong Sheng's private winemaking labor. In order to maintain confidentiality and ensure the intellectual property rights of the distillation and purification process, Kong Sheng did not use craftsmen and outsiders. Because this process is actually not complicated, once it spreads, it will definitely cause a large area to imitate. Once highly distilled spirits are on the market on a large scale, they are not worth much.

According to Kong Sheng's request, Zhao Guangran purchased a large number of gourds that had been carved and dried. Then Kong Sheng ordered people to put the obtained highly distilled liquor into the gourd, and a total of hundreds of gourd liquor were obtained.

Kong Sheng stood in the hall with a smile, staring at the wine distilled and purified by himself, looked back at Zhao Guangran and said, "Manager Zhao, this is the wine made by Kong himself, do you want to taste it?" ”

Zhao Guangran smiled lightly and bitterly: "Master Hou has worked hard for a few days, just for these wines, how can Zhao dare to taste it." ”

Kong Sheng laughed: "Manager Zhao, Kong's winemaking is completely entertaining himself, but it makes you laugh." ”

Zhao Guangran let out a sigh of relief: "Master Hou, Princess Ningguo set up a banquet in Qujiang Pond, invited all the scholars of the Manchu City and the civil and military ministers of the Manchu Dynasty to the banquet, and also sent you an invitation. Just now, His Royal Highness King Zhao also sent someone over to ask if he was going with you. ”

Kong Sheng smiled: "Go, of course go." When does the banquet start? ”

"Three o'clock in the afternoon."

Kong Sheng sighed, "Manager Zhao, let Wu Xian and Wujie bring fifty gourd wine and follow Kong to Qujiangchi for a banquet." ”

Qujiang Pond and Furong Garden, in the southeast corner of Chang'an City, are named because of the twists and turns of the water. In the Han Dynasty, a canal was opened here, and the "Yichun Houyuan" and "Leyou Garden" were repaired. In the Sui period, Yuwen Kai chiseled its ground as a pool. Emperor Wen of Sui called the pond "Hibiscus Pond" and called the garden "Hibiscus Garden". Tang Xuanzong Li Longji named it "Qujiang Pond", and the garden is still called "Furong Garden". Li Longji ordered people to divert water from the south outside the city through the Yellow Canal to flow into the Qujiang River, and at the same time to build additional pavilions for the Furong Garden.

Qujiang Pond has beautiful scenery, natural scenery, and a tortuous shoreline, and you can go boating. Aquatic plants such as lotus and calamus are planted in the pond, and pavilions and palaces loom among the flowers and trees. As a scenic spot in Chang'an, Qujiang Pond is open regularly, and the powerful people can play, with Zhonghe (the first day of the second lunar month) and Shangsi (the third day of the third month of the third month) being the most prosperous; Chung Yuan (15 July), Chongyang (9 September) and Lunar Day (the last day of the month) are also lively.

All large-scale public banquets set up and organized by the magnates of Chang'an will basically be set up on the banks of Qujiang Pond.

Princess Ningguo set up a banquet, saying that she was inviting all the scribes of the Manchu City and the civil and military of the Manchu Dynasty, but in fact, there were not many officials who came to the court, most of them were the second-generation children of the powerful families and the scholars and literati.

Kong Sheng rode to his long-famous Qujiang Pond, entered the Furong Garden, and slowly paced into the venue. Looking around, he didn't know much about the magnates of Chang'an, but he could probably see that there were actually not many bureaucrats who really cheered for Princess Ningguo.

The royal family did not come much.

Kong Sheng stood on the periphery of the crowd, looked inside, and saw several familiar figures. One is the Li family of King Zhao, the Li family has a very close relationship with the princesses of Ning Guo and Ji Guo, and the royal sister holds a banquet and naturally supports the party. One is Du Hongji, a Chinese scholar, and there is a middle-aged man with a clear appearance and a green shirt fluttering out of the dust, Kong Sheng remembers that it is the famous strategist Li Mi.

Li saw Kong Sheng at a glance, got up and shouted with a loud smile: "Chang'an Hou, it's too late, you should be punished with a glass of wine!" ”

Li pointed to the empty seat beside him and motioned for Kong Sheng to come over.

Kong Sheng smiled slightly at Li Xian, and then slowly walked over under the gaze of the crowd.

There were about more than 100 scholars and literati present, and the palace maids in the palace of Princess Ningguo shuttled back and forth, serving wine and fruits and vegetables for everyone. Kong Sheng's expression was calm and he continued to move forward.

Almost everyone's eyes were cast on Kong Sheng's body.

Helplessly, Kong Sheng's popularity is too high. In particular, his song of long hatred and his recent harmony with the Zhao Wang Li family on the bank of the Weishui River outside Chang'an City have been sung in Chang'an City, coupled with his reputation as a thousand enemies and his feat of lifting thousands of catties on the Golden Palace, which has already made him a well-deserved news focus in Chang'an City.

One more point. The Marquis of Chang'an buried himself in the mansion to make wine, for several days, the air above the Marquis of Chang'an emitted a rich smell of wine, which was also popular in the city. (To be continued.) )