Chapter 41: The First Auxiliary Industry

The ingredient that makes thyme more rich and fragrant has the same effect on other wines as well…
Lou Wanzhang and Kuang Tianwei pondered the meaning of these words. After a moment, both were shocked and turned to look at Lin Dong in astonishment.
Kuang Tianwei exclaimed, “Are you saying that the ingredient you have can also improve other wines?”
“Boss Kuang is truly smart!” Lin Dong repeated the words Kuang Tianwei had once said about him.
“That’s impossible! It simply can’t be!” Lou Wanzhang felt as if the world was collapsing. He grabbed Kuang Tianwei by the arm and shook him frantically, shouting, “Weren’t you the one who said he didn’t dare sell thyme in large quantities at the inn because he was afraid of angering our winery? Weren’t you the one who said it’s absolutely impossible to find an ingredient that can improve any wine? What are you talking about…?”
Kuang Tianwei also felt dizzy. Being shaken like that by Lou Wanzhang made him feel as if countless sticks were hitting his head.
Had he made a mistake? If so, did that mean Lin’s Inn could solve all its problems just by switching to another type of wine? What about Fu Lai Restaurant?
“It’s impossible! Absolutely impossible!” Kuang Tianwei said hoarsely. “If you really had such an ingredient, why would you still run an inn? Buy wines at low prices and sell them at high prices—there’s no wine shop in the entire Great Han Kingdom that could make more money than you.”
“Exactly…” Lou Wanzhang, as if grasping at a lifeline, looked at Lin Dong with hope. “Why? If you really have such an ingredient, why keep running an inn?”
Guess! Take your time guessing!
Lin Dong turned his back on them and strode out of the wine shop.
On the other side of the street, Lou Wentang sat dejectedly behind a jewelry stall. When he saw Lin Dong, he stood up with a bitter smile and stepped forward.
“Manager Lin, I’m sorry. I once assured you with certainty that there would be no problems with thyme, but now…”
“It’s not your fault,” Lin Dong said, shaking his head and smiling. “What do you plan to do from now on?”
“From now on?” Lou Wentang was stunned for a moment before sighing. “My father has passed away, and Lou’s Winery has nothing left to hold me back. Other than finding a job as an apprentice in a wine shop, what else can I do?”
“How about working for me?” Lin Dong cut straight to the point. After seeing how Lou Wentang had been driven out of the wine shop yet still waited outside to apologize to him, he had already decided that the winery needed a manager.
Lou Wentang hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. “I’ve spent my whole life dealing with wine. Other things… I’m not good at them.”
“Perfect. I plan to open a winery.”
Lou Wentang was stunned for a moment before bursting into joy. “Manager Lin wants to open a winery?”

Lin Dong nodded. “I’m not interested in managing a business. I need someone trustworthy who’s familiar with wineries to take care of it. If you’re willing, I plan to entrust it to you.”
“This… how can that be possible…” Lou Wentang didn’t know what to say for a moment.
Lin Dong patted his shoulder and said with a smile, “I trust you. Why not? Besides… I don’t have much money on hand. The winery initially just has an old house and some brewing tools. I hope you won’t mind it being so small.”
With things having come to this, Lou Wentang didn’t dare refuse. He shook his head repeatedly, his earlier gloom replaced by confidence. “Don’t worry, boss. Wentang definitely won’t let you down.”
“Then it’s settled!” Lin Dong decided on the spot. “Let’s talk as we walk. Estimate how much money is needed to set up a small winery right now.”
“Mm!” Lou Wentang nodded and followed Lin Dong a few steps before his expression suddenly changed.
Seeing Lou Wentang hesitating, Lin Dong asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Boss, I’m just the adopted son of the Lou family. My father passed away early, and as for the recipe for thyme…” Lou Wentang stammered.
Lin Dong couldn’t help but laugh.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t choose you to manage the winery just because you’re from the Lou family. For the brewer, find someone temporary first. If you find someone better, let me know and I’ll find a way to bring them here. Other than that, I’ll only be responsible for providing money and collecting payments.”
Lou Wentang secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
By the time they reached halfway, they had calculated the amount of money needed to set up a small winery—at least three thousand taels of silver.
This amount exceeded Lin Dong’s expectations. Fortunately, the inn had earned over a thousand taels just from dealing with the fierce woman from the county magistrate’s household in those two months. Adding in the extra income from four tables with comfort bonuses and selling thyme, after deducting three thousand taels, there would still be four or five hundred taels left.
Until they found a brewer as skilled as Thyme, the wine sold at the inn would have to be imported from Qiufeng City. Four or five hundred taels should be enough to get by.
After thinking this through, Lin Dong first went to a bank and exchanged three thousand taels for silver notes worth a hundred taels each. Back at the inn, after discussing the details with Lou Wentang, he gave him five hundred taels to start preparations, telling him to come to the inn to get more from Wang Liuzhi if needed.
As the new inn was about to be completed and the first auxiliary business of the inn was being set up, after instructing Wang Liuzhi to send people to Qiufeng City to buy wine, Lin Dong remembered he still hadn’t told Bai Jingtai that Bai Qi had been taken as a disciple by Xiao Tianchi. So, he prepared a few pots of fine wine specially for Old Ding and some dishes to accompany it before going upstairs to see Bai Jingtai.

The two drank until they were completely drunk, and it wasn’t until evening that Bai Jingtai collapsed, prompting Lin Dong to stop and go downstairs. Returning to the backyard and opening the door, before Lin Dong could step in, a distant voice called out, “Kid, come here!” Lin Dong’s face lit up—Old Ding must have written another spiritual technique. Pushing open the room where Old Ding was, he smiled as he saw the old man lying on the bed, legs raised, drinking. “Old Master Ding, have you written another spiritual technique?” “Mm!” Old Ding casually tossed a stack of rice paper into Lin Dong’s hands. Looking down, it was the “Thunder Fist Technique.” Lin Dong couldn’t help but sigh. “Old Master, when will you give me the mantras and practice diagrams for the Heavenly Realm?” “I’ll tell you when I remember. Also, aside from those for the Heavenly Realm, all the spiritual techniques I know are in your hands,” Old Ding said leisurely. Lin Dong felt helpless. Over the past two months, Old Ding had given him no fewer than twenty spiritual techniques. But aside from the “Alcohol Dispersion Technique” and “Misty Steps,” which didn’t conflict with the Heavenly Technique, he really didn’t find them worth practicing anymore after mastering the latter. It wasn’t just because the Heavenly Technique was a ninth-tier spiritual technique; it felt tailor-made for him, much smoother to practice than the others. So, even though he hadn’t fully grasped the fundamentals of the Heavenly Realm, the thought of still not having the most powerful techniques for that realm made him feel an unbearable itch, as if scratched by a cat’s claws. Unfortunately, though he knew Old Ding was holding back the mantras and diagrams to stay in the inn and drink, Lin Dong couldn’t do anything about it. After all, if Old Ding refused stubbornly, he couldn’t just tie him up to force them from him—he needed enough strength for that. “Alright, I’ll go back and practice then.” “There’s one more thing. Girl Yun has left. She asked me to tell you…” “Yun Lan left?” Lin Dong was stunned, feeling an indescribable emotion. “Mm!” “If she has something to say, why ask you to convey it? She didn’t suddenly decide to leave today, did she?” Lin Dong frowned. “You ask me? Who else can I ask?” Old Ding retorted. “Never mind. What did she say?” Lin Dong exhaled heavily. Though Yun Lan was his first friend he really liked, no gathering lasts forever. Xilan City was just a stop on her journey.

“She asked me to tell you that her period of going out to gain experience is coming to an end. Since it’s inconvenient to carry the Silver Rabbit with her, she’s leaving it to you,” the old man said slowly. “Also, as for the money I owe you, I’ll repay it next time I pass by.”
Silver Rabbit?
A scene that often appeared in Lin Dong’s mind surfaced once again: in a sea of blazing flames, a long stick was used to turn a sizzling rabbit back and forth.
“Finally, she asked me to remind you that although the meat of spiritual beasts is delicious, it’s best not to target spiritual beasts of rank three or higher unless they’re in their active phase.”
Lin Dong was stunned. Since Yun Lan knew he had been eyeing the Silver Rabbit, she still left it at the inn… Wasn’t this deliberately tempting him to take reckless risks?