Chapter 394 The Caravan Master Comes Again
A few days later, in the main hall of the Wei family.

"Master Chen, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Zhao Yuping and Yun Mengyi took Xiaotuanzi out, and Ji Shaohan was left at home to entertain the guests. As soon as Shen Xiangwan entered the main room, he immediately apologized with a smile on his face.

"Mrs. Wei, you are too polite. It is I who came here unexpectedly to disturb you."

Turning around and seeing him, Chen Dangjia stood up and said with an attitude that was more humble than ever before. There was no way. He didn't know their specific identities before. He only knew that they were of great origin and had great ambitions. They even dared to sell snowflake salt in large quantities, and could brew sorghum wine and grape wine, and mass-produce various glass products. But when the government office interrogated the four major grain merchants and wealthy families that day, Wei Chengyi actually sat in the court openly. After inquiring, they found out that they actually controlled the military power of the entire Chenzhou, and judging from the attitude of the government, maybe even the political power was in their hands. Therefore, he dared not underestimate them anymore, and his attitude became humble unconsciously.

It's not that she didn't notice his slight abnormality, but Shen Xiangwan's face didn't change at all: "Let's not be polite, Mr. Chen, please take a seat."

"Ah."

Nodding, Chen Dangjia secretly ordered himself to face her as calmly as possible, but the effect seemed not ideal and his heartbeat was still a little fast.

"What is the purpose of Master Chen's visit today?"

Taking the tea bowl brought by the servant, Shen Xiangwan asked while lifting the cup lid to shake away the floating camellia flowers. His movements were slow and dignified!
"I wanted to ask about wine."

After staring at her blankly for a while, Chen Dangjia quickly calmed down his mind and took a breath before continuing, "Last time I came, we agreed to supply 20,000 bottles of wine per month, but recently you said you can no longer supply that much. I want to ask what's going on and how we can continue the supply."

Their wine was crazily sought after by the royal families and nobles of the countries outside the Great Wall. Even with 20,000 bottles per month, it was basically in short supply. He wanted to discuss with her about increasing purchases, but he didn't expect that the person who came to get the wine would go back and tell them that the Wei family could not supply them with so much wine for the time being. The maximum was 10,000 bottles per month. From 20,000 to 10,000, it was too much of a charge, forcing him to come and inquire in person.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Chen, this is a unilateral problem on our part. The wine workshop has temporarily stopped working and will not reopen until February or March next year at the earliest. We will probably have to wait until April or May to ship the wine, so we can't provide so much wine for the time being. I hope Mr. Chen can understand."

Next year they will not only have to block the attacks of the Western Hu people, but also cripple and hurt them, so the battle will not be over in just a month like this year. The longer the battle lasts, the greater the casualties will be, and the frequency of using alcohol will be very high. Before that, she must prepare enough alcohol. Moreover, there will be a snowstorm this winter. Once it snows heavily, not to mention the wine, the sorghum wine and ointment workshops will also have to stop working. It is estimated that only the papermaking and printing workshops will continue to operate.

Although Shen Xiangwan seemed polite, his attitude was extremely firm and he had no intention of giving in.

"···"

Chen Dangjia wanted to ask her why the wine workshop had to be temporarily suspended, but considering her identity, he remained silent for a while. After a long while, he said helplessly, "Madam Wei, can't you be flexible?"

It is already October, and the Chinese New Year is still two months away. This is the time when the demand for alcohol is the greatest. If we drastically reduce the supply at this time, the loss will not be a small amount of profit.

"It's really not possible, and..."

Shaking her head in response to his gaze, Shen Xiangwan paused and said truthfully, "Starting from the end of the month, we will no longer supply sorghum wine." "What?"

It’s bad enough that the price of wine was ripped off by half, but even sorghum wine is gone?
Chen Dangjia was a little upset and couldn't hold back his expression. Although the profit of sorghum wine could not be compared with that of grape wine, it was produced in large quantities and was very popular among the people of the countries outside the Great Wall. Even at one or two taels of silver per pound, it was selling very well and created considerable profits for them. It was one of their best-selling products, and the only thing that could compare with it was snowflake salt.

"Mr. Chen, it's not just you. My own wine shop in Datong County will also be closed at the end of the month."

I knew he would have this kind of reaction, Shen Xiangwan said helplessly. There was no constant temperature equipment in this era, and the temperature was too low. Not only could the wine not ferment, it might also freeze into ice lumps. She had no choice, otherwise she would definitely try her best to ensure the supply of sorghum wine. After all, when the weather is cold, strong liquor can also keep warm.

"Why?"

Finally, Mr. Chen asked. He just couldn't understand how she could just say no to such a profitable business.
"Why..."

Shen Xiangwan deliberately prolonged the last syllable of her sentence. She certainly couldn't talk about the snowstorm. After a moment, she continued, "Because we have to prepare for the invasion of the Western Hu people at the end of this year or next year."

"what?"

What's the reason?
Chen Dangjia was puzzled, with naked question marks crawling on his forehead, but Shen Xiangwan did not intend to explain further: "In short, the stock of wine can only supply you 10,000 bottles per month, and the sorghum wine will not be supplied until the end of the month at most."

"···"

She had made her attitude clear, and it seemed that she had no intention of wavering. Chen Dangjia was silent for a long time before he raised his head and said, "According to Madam Wei, you still have enough wine to supply us until April next year. Can I take the remaining few months of wine directly? Madam Wei must know that during the Chinese New Year, the consumption of wine is very huge, and the profit is higher than usual. We want to sell these tens of thousands of bottles of wine before the New Year."

Chen, the head of the family, was quick-witted and immediately put forward new demands. He was afraid that she would suddenly stop supplying him in the future, and he also wanted to make a fortune during the New Year.

"No problem. How about this, to compensate you, I'll give you 100,000 bottles at once."

They have always maintained a good cooperative relationship, and Shen Xiangwan was embarrassed to bully the other party too much. One hundred thousand bottles of wine was her maximum limit.

"Thank you, Madam Wei."

Hearing this, Chen Dangjia finally smiled again: "Also, Madam Wei, how much sorghum wine can you provide us this time? I also want to take some back."

Since they last discussed the supply of wine, they have come to pick up wine three times a month, three to four thousand bottles of wine and fifty thousand kilograms of sorghum wine each time. They have come twice this month, and there is only one time left. Instead of waiting until the end of the month, it would be better to take it all back today. Anyway, they will not supply it again by the end of the month at the latest.

【End of this chapter】