Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 423: The Ignorant Waiter

Jin Zha solemnly lifted his cup; he hadn’t expected to be afforded another.

After a sip of wine, Jin Zha smacked his lips, looking at the wine the server had brought over and couldn’t bring himself to drink any more.

The server still wasn’t convinced and stubbornly said, "It’s just fragrant, that’s all. Who knows how it actually tastes? This is wine, not rouge smeared on a woman. Why should it smell so sweet?"

"You have a point," Chen Nuo nodded.

Even with his good temper, Jin Zha couldn’t help but give the server a dark look.

Then he said to Chen Nuo, "Never mind him, the vision of mortals is flawed. Consider it a dog’s bark; let’s just enjoy our meal."

Jin Zha’s glare was intimidating, and after being on the receiving end, the server began to feel afraid and dared not utter another word.

Chen Nuo, holding his leather wine pouch, addressed everyone, "This wine is my own brew, feel free to try some."

"Oh, yes, please!"

The crowd quickly returned to their tables and brought their small wine cups.

Some even thought of using tea cups, but were stopped by their companions, who pointed at the leather wine pouch in Chen Nuo’s hand.

Considering its modest size, they were already fortunate that he was willing to share. With so many people around, a taste would suffice – one mustn’t be greedy.

Chen Nuo, with the leather wine pouch, poured a cup for each person, including the shopkeeper and the server named Niu.

"This is my homemade Peach Blossom Wine. It may not be particularly excellent, but I personally think it’s better than the wine offered here at the shop. It’s gentle, not harsh on the throat."

Chen Nuo was merely speaking offhand, and the others were just listening casually. Regardless of the wine’s taste and quality, just the aroma alone that cascaded outward when the pouch was opened suggested that the wine couldn’t be bad.

Sure enough, as soon as they tasted the Peach Blossom Wine, everyone was instantly enthralled.

Observing their reactions, Chen Nuo thought that if this scene were translated into a comic, it would be depicted with pink bubbles floating around. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

His Peach Blossom Brew wasn’t the slightest bit overpowering; for those who could hold their liquor well, it could even be sipped like a soft drink.

Not only was it smooth, drinking it felt like a long, delicate ribbon gliding down one’s throat.

Even the Immortal Officials were astonished when they heard about it, let alone the commoners who struggled to get even the basics year-round.

Seeing everyone so entranced, the server also wanted to try it, but he didn’t dare move forward or look at Chen Nuo.

Jin Zha’s intimidation still lingered; the server could only stand at a distance, wondering, "Is it really that good? Haven’t you laced the wine with something, for them to all act like this?"

The shopkeeper, still in rapture, thumped the server on the head.

"I’ve been putting up with you out of respect for my brother. You think you’re better at being a server than me; because of you, I’ve lost much business. And now you even dare to show disrespect to the young master? Do you really think you’re that important? Get out! Go tell your father it was me who sent you packing!"

The server didn’t expect the shopkeeper to speak to him in such a manner, and was startled. "Uncle, but if I leave, I’ll have no choice but to be a woodcutter in the mountains."

"It’s your own doing. Look around; who in town would dare to hire you? Even your father’s tavern doesn’t want you. You know very well why. If it weren’t for the promise of discounted liquor from my brother, I wouldn’t have employed you!"

Shopkeeper Chen coldly snorted, "And those beggars at the door, how many times have you sneaked them away, do you want me to count out each time for you?"

"I was just afraid that they’d interfere with your business!" the waiter argued, "Plus, if you send me away now, my father won’t bring you wine anymore."

"That’s my elder brother, and we still have brotherly love!" Shopkeeper Chen slapped him again, "And, I let those beggars stay at the doorway to do good deeds; they’ve never once come inside, they even always sit far away. If I may say so, you are not even as good as the beggars! Get lost, get lost!"

With that, Shopkeeper Chen pushed the waiter out the door, "I’ll give this month’s salary to my elder brother, you go back."

"Uncle!" The waiter wanted to say something more, but Shopkeeper Chen had already turned his head away.

In the beginning, everyone just sipped the wine curiously. After this first sip, they could taste the flavor. Some stared at the small remaining mouthful in their cups, no longer daring to drink it like the first mouthful.

Instead, they thanked Chen Nuo before returning to their seats, accompanying the wine with their dishes, taking small sips with their food, fearing that drinking too much would finish it too soon.

Shopkeeper Chen walked up to Chen Nuo with a smile, "Young Master, your wine is truly delightful. I’m wondering if you have any more; I’d take it all. Name your price."

"This wine is not for sale," Chen Nuo said with a smile as he took a sip, "I just wanted to prove that the wine I drink is better than the one in your tavern, and I’ve already proved that."

Shopkeeper Chen felt very disappointed. Was he really only going to taste such wonderful wine this one time in his life?

Therefore, not willing to admit defeat, he asked, "Could you teach me how to brew wine like this? I’m willing to pay a good price for it."

Jin Zha laughed out, "Shopkeeper, what are you saying? If the wine isn’t for sale, how could the technique be up for sale?"

"I, I realize I’m out of line," Shopkeeper Chen sighed, "Your wine is truly amazing. You two must be from Chang’an, right?"

For them, Chang’an was already the finest place. Ordinary people, coming from Chang’an, were already the highest status they could think of.

Jin Zha and Chen Nuo exchanged glances, neither denying it, only saying, "Shopkeeper, we’ve been sitting for so long and the dishes haven’t been served yet, our wine is almost finished."

The tavern keeper smacked his forehead, "Look at me, completely forgot, young masters, please wait a moment, I’ll hurry to the kitchen and urge them."

After Shopkeeper Chen left, Jin Zha pushed his cup forward with a grin, "Chen, pour me another cup, will you? I drank too hastily just now and couldn’t savor the taste."

"Even if you had savored the taste, you’d still have the nerve to ask for another cup," Chen Nuo taunted, but still poured another cup of wine for Jin Zha.

"It’s really unexpected; we’ve only known each other for so short a time and you already understand me so well," Jin Zha remarked, bringing his cup back to himself. He had been calling Chen Nuo "Chen" since entering the tavern, mainly because calling him Shopkeeper Chen could lead to people asking about Chen Nuo. It was better to call him "Chen," like how ordinary friends would address each other.

"Don’t try to cozy up to me with that kind of talk; we’re not close," Chen Nuo dismissed with disdain.

"Hey hey, you don’t know how long I’ve been thinking about Peach Blossom Brew. I always secretly stole it from my dad, and it’s made him so angry he’s about to lose all his hair," Jin Zha explained.

Chen Nuo thought about Li Jing and couldn’t help but laugh, "Your dad really has his own way of doing things, raising kids more rebellious than the next."

Jin Zha simply smiled, "You flatter me, but really, I’m not that bad. It’s mainly my third brother who is too mischievous. I’m just a bit more talkative."

"You actually think I was praising you," Chen Nuo couldn’t quite fathom Jin Zha’s line of thinking.

"Young masters, here are your dishes: steamed fish, stir-fried mutton, potato stew with chicken, spicy and sour shredded potatoes, and stir-fried bean curd sticks."