The so-called imperial tribute wine of the imperial court is not Cui Geng's casual talk, but it is true. Before the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the imperial court would select a small number of wine merchants from the most famous wine shops of the people, and make them pay tribute to the court on a regular basis. This wine is mainly used for the imperial court to entertain envoys from various countries, or the Son of Heaven to reward his ministers, or the emperor to reward the three armies, or to the royal heirs' various mansions for the New Year's Festival, and finally leave a small part for the palace.

The amount of wine consumed in this way is very large, and it is not something that one or two wine merchants can afford. Therefore, basically the imperial court will appoint eight wine merchants from the people to be responsible for sharing, collectively referred to as the eight royal tribute wine merchants, commonly known as the imperial merchants.

In addition to the tribute wine, the imperial court also has tribute tea, tribute rice and other royal merchants.

Of course, the court will not pay silver for these wine, tea, and rice that are tributed to the imperial court, and in addition to rewarding a signboard of imperial tribute wine, it has earned the name of an imperial merchant.

But even so, merchants all over the world are still flocking to it, and they are proud to be able to become the royal tribute wine, tribute tea, and tribute rice. Not for anything else, it is really for the plaque of "Imperial Tribute Wine", "Imperial Tribute Tea" and "Imperial Tribute Rice", which is for the name of the imperial businessman. Because once he becomes an imperial merchant, in addition to being able to deter small crumbs, the local state capital and county government will no longer levy taxes and silk from the royal merchants.

And as long as it becomes the royal tribute wine, this is the golden signboard for business, just ask, the court and the emperor Lao Tzu have certified good wine, good tea, good rice, who in the world dares to say bad? The emperor can drink wine, the queen's concubines and concubines can eat rice, and ordinary people can still pick out a bad one? Not only will I not say anything bad, but I will also be proud to be able to drink the same wine as the proud sons of heaven!

Tribute wine, tribute tea is the ancient monarch of the effective rule of the local maintenance symbol, the Tang and Song dynasties flourished, in the Tang Dynasty even in the area rich in famous tea set up tribute tea courtyard, by the government directly managed, carefully refined, supervise the production of all kinds of tribute tea, in order to show importance. However, in the Ming and Qing dynasties, the tribute tea and tribute wine gradually changed its taste, and became the exclusive use of the imperial palaces of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

But the Tang Dynasty was different from the Ming and Qing dynasties, so Cui Gengcai told Dong Yan the real intention of his late night visit tonight - "This wine can be used as a tribute wine for the imperial court?" “

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After Dong Yan laughed at this, he gently picked up the small wine jar on the table and said: "I didn't expect you to have a lot of thoughts in this small wine jar, but the matter of recommending tribute wine to Chang'an has always been the responsibility of the local chief official, and this official has been added as the Qingyuan County Cheng and the county commander for the position of adjutant official." In this matter, you should go to Hu County Order, how can you find the head of this official? ”

Dong Yan is also true, usually, the local state and county government recommend local famous wine to the imperial court, which is the matter of the top leader of the state capital and county government, such as the county government of the county government and the second in command of the government office, which has no right to trespass. Because once the recommended wine becomes a tribute wine, it is a real political achievement. This political achievement under the rule is not small, and when the term of office expires, the promotion is definitely a certainty.

Therefore, Dong Yan asked this question.

Who knew that Cui Geng was calm and calm, and said with a smile: "Because I think that whether my Mulan Spring Wine can be selected as the imperial tribute wine of the imperial court, the odds of Lord Dong's recommendation are far greater than that of Hu County's recommendation." ”

"Snort... You're so young, you can really talk nonsense! Those grievances between you and Song Wen have also been heard of by the official! This Song Wen, an unpopular Xu official, if it weren't for Hu County's order, how would he dare to be rampant in Qingyuan County? ”

Dong Yan chuckled, although Cui Geng put a high hat on him, but he was very sober in his heart, Cui Geng knew that he and the county commander Hu Zeyi did not deal with each other, and he dared to praise himself in front of Hu Zeyi, and he also gave himself this performance of recommending tribute wine, which was obviously handing over the name.

However, Dong Yan not only didn't care about a businessman's vote, but also felt insignificant.

Then, he shook his head and said, "Cui Erlang, to be honest, your Mulan Spring Wine is definitely a good wine that is rare in a hundred years, especially the Mulan Spring in the small jar, which is a peerless wine that is hard to find." However, if you want to become the imperial tribute wine of the imperial court, in the eyes of this official, it is still very difficult! ”

Seeing this, Cui Geng asked: "My lord wants to say that our Cui's winery is very small in scale and has shallow qualifications, even if we can make good wine in the world, the imperial court will not necessarily consider Namulan Spring as the royal tribute wine?" ”

It's smart!

Dong Yan saw the boy in front of him, who was neither humble nor arrogant, and praised it slightly in his heart, and then said: "It's not that it won't be, but it won't!" To whom do you think this tribute wine is to drink? In addition to the civil and military ministers of the imperial court and the envoys of Fanbang, there are also soldiers of the three armies, even royal relatives, and even concubines in the palace. It is possible that His Majesty the Emperor will be able to drink this tribute wine. And your Cui's winery is just a small winery that has been inherited for three generations, and has no roots and no bottom in a small county in southern Fujian, even if your Mulan spring wine is good, how dare the imperial court choose it as a tribute wine? ”

Speaking of this, Dong Yan looked at Cui Geng more and more calmly, and continued: "Do you know where the eight royal tribute wines of the current dynasty come from? It is not related to the five surnames and seven families today, or it is related to the relatives of the emperor and the country, and it is also a famous winery that has been inherited for hundreds of years and has a deep and well-known heritage. It's not that the official underestimated you, to tell the truth, although Mulan Spring Wine is good, but if Cui's Wine Shop wants to become a royal tribute wine merchant, it is still a little hot! ”

Hearing this, Cui Geng was silent, but his heart was full of life, and he thought about it secretly, and sure enough, as I expected before, this matter is really not as simple as I imagined. Dong Yan's analysis is very good, these people who can enjoy the tribute wine, whether they are court ministers, Fanbang envoys, or royal relatives, are all trembling figures. In case you drink the tribute wine and go out of the pool, no one can afford it. This is why although there are many famous wines in the world, there are only eight royal tribute wines.

To be selected as one of the eight royal tribute wines, it is not only necessary to have good wine, but also to have a background, a background, and something that will completely reassure the imperial court!

Otherwise, if you put something like an imperceptible chronic poison in every tribute wine, wouldn't it slowly wipe out the Tang Empire?

However, Cui Geng had already prepared for this result, and I saw him stretch his hand into his arms and ask: "My lord, I heard that there is also a liquor making department in the palace that specializes in winemaking, specializing in making imperial wine for the Son of Heaven and his concubines to drink on weekdays. ”

Dong Yan was a little surprised that Cui Geng suddenly mentioned the palace wine making department, but he still nodded and said, "You know a lot." ”

"What if I offer this?"

I saw Cui Geng take out a booklet wrapped in silk cloth from his arms, offer it with both hands, and said: "This is the recipe and distillation process of Mulan Spring Wine, and I have written it in detail in the booklet." If this booklet is dedicated to the imperial court for the sake brewing department to specialize in making imperial wine, then our Cui's Brewery ......"

"Really?"

Who knew that Dong Yan was suddenly excited, hurriedly snatched the things in Cui Geng's hand, opened the silk cloth and held the booklet tightly in his hand, and asked, "This is the ancient recipe and distillation process of Mulan Spring in that small wine jar?" ”

"Of course!" Cui Geng was also stunned by Dong Yan's gaffe, and then said, "Although the Mulan Spring in the small wine jar is stronger than the Mulan Spring wine in the big wine jar, it is expensive to build, and the process is cumbersome, so it is not suitable for large-scale promotion and sales. So I want to dedicate it to the imperial court for the use of the imperial palace. ”

Dong Yan asked, "Are you willing to do it?" ”

You must know that no matter in ancient or modern times, the secret recipe has always been unspeakable, whether it is in the big family or in a small household. It is often passed down from generation to generation, from father to son, son to grandchild, and son not to daughter. For the sake of a secret recipe brother wall, it is not uncommon for father and son to turn against each other. There are even people who end up ruining their families for a secret recipe.

And today, Cui Geng is so generous that he wants to dedicate this secret recipe to the imperial court, and he also puts it in his own hands.

Dong Yan really can't understand the young man in front of him!

I only heard Cui Geng say indifferently: "If you are willing to give up, you will have to give up." Didn't the adults just say that although Mulan Spring Wine is good, Cui's Wine Workshop still has some qualifications to be a royal tribute wine merchant. I want to offer this secret recipe, which should let the court see the sincerity of my Qingyuan Cui clan, right? ”

"Good, good!"

At this time, Dong Yan seemed to be much more enthusiastic than before, wrapped the booklet in silk cloth again, nodded and smiled: "With this booklet, you will prepare a few jars of Mulan spring wine for this official tomorrow, and I will leave for Chang'an tomorrow." I believe that in the future royal tribute wine, you Cui's Mulan Spring from Cui's Distillery will be indispensable! ”

Cui Gengwen's heart was also excited, but he tried his best to remain calm on his face, and asked, "Lord County, can this matter be done?" ”

"Hehe, although this official is a Qingyuan County Cheng, he also has a heel in the imperial court."

Dong Yan said a little proudly: "This official's heel is deeply appreciated by the Son of Heaven and the Holy Queen in the court, and with him in Chang'an to help dredge up, I think there will be a place for my Qingyuan Mulan Chun in the royal tribute wine!" ”

Qingyuan Mulan Spring!

These five words in Dong Yan's mouth seem to have set the tone for Mulan Spring Wine, and this wine will be a famous wine produced in Qingyuan in the future, in other words, once Mulan Spring Wine is among the sequence of royal tribute wine, it is a famous post of Qingyuan County to the outside world, and it is also a talisman of Cui's Liquor Workshop.

As for him, the Qingyuan County Cheng who personally operated the Mulan Spring Wine into the royal tribute wine, not to mention his outstanding political achievements, in the future Qingyuan County Chronicles, he, the Qingyuan County Cheng Dong Yan, will leave a strong mark!

At this moment, Dong Yan and Cui Geng were firmly tied together, and they completely accepted Cui Geng's name as a businessman.

Cui Geng knew that what Dong Yan said was alluding to his mentor, the little old man Zhang Cambodia who counterattacked the old dick, so he bowed down again and said, "Thank you, my lord!" Then I will start rebuilding the winery tomorrow and recruit people to expand the production of Mulan Spring Wine. But I'm afraid Song Hucao will ......"

"How dare he?"

As soon as Dong Yan heard Song Wen's words, his face suddenly darkened, and he said coldly: "Can a miscellaneous official still cover the sky in Qingyuan County?" If the tribute wine is delayed in Beijing, even Hu County's order can't afford it! Tomorrow, you will rebuild the winery, rest assured and boldly build, and everything will be supported by the official behind you! ”

This novel comes from Kanshu.com