On a hillside at the Maling Mountain mine in Donghai Prefecture, a simple wooden shed was erected. From the shed, one could supervise the laborers in the mine from a commanding height and also overlook the scenery of Maling Mountain. The gentle breeze made it somewhat like a leisurely outing.
"My Lord Governor, what is it?" asked Ma Liwo, the banner general guarding the Maling Mountain mine, standing in the wooden shed, looking astonished.
The clerk, Li Song, also looked somewhat puzzled and a little timidly at Zhou Fugui.
The prestige of Zhou Fugui, the Marquis of Pingliang of the Great Yan Kingdom, the Grand Governor of Donghai, and the Prefect of Donghai Prefecture, was growing daily. His inexplicable arrival at the Maling Mountain mine today, was he here to demand an explanation? Thus, Ma Liwo and Li Song felt a bit apprehensive.
Guarding the Maling Mountain mine was actually a lucrative position. Although Maling Mountain primarily produced iron ore, it also contained a small amount of gold and silver ore. However, Ma Liwo and Li Song had not embezzled much...
"I heard you have good wine here. Why don't you invite this governor to taste it?" Zhou Fugui asked with a smile, sitting in the wooden shed.
"Haha, your Lordship's nose is quite sharp..." Hearing this, Ma Liwo was greatly relieved and laughed, "It's all homemade, not fit for your Lordship's palate."
Ma Liwo was also a Hu tribesman who had followed Zhou Fugui for many years. Hu tribesmen were straightforward and didn't bother with too many formalities.
While guarding the mine, Ma Liwo and Li Song had ordered the miners to brew some wine in their spare time, generally for their own consumption to relieve fatigue. This had violated two taboos: the prohibition on private brewing of wine, and the use of grain.
The so-called prohibition on private brewing of wine, also known as "Quanju" or "Qu jiujiu," was a system of monopoly on the purchase and sale of wine. It was not a new practice and had existed since ancient times. Throughout various dynasties, the management of wine brewing and sales had been either strict or lenient.
As for grain, there was no need to elaborate. With starving people and refugees everywhere, there wasn't enough food to eat, yet they were using it to brew wine? Therefore, Li Song repeatedly signaled Ma Liwo with his eyes, while Ma Liwo stood there foolishly and happily, looking quite pleased with himself.
However, from Zhou Fugui's expression, it didn't seem like he was here to demand an explanation, or perhaps it was a smile with a hidden dagger? He might smile at first, then his expression would change, and he would roar a command and order an execution...
"Ma Liwo, you have followed this governor for many years. Do you forget when we endured snow and tasted ice? We were so thirsty back then that we even drank horse urine. Is this wine of yours... worse than horse urine?" After saying this, Zhou Fugui asked as if casually, "What did you use to brew it?"
"Reporting to my Lord Governor..." Fearing that Ma Liwo might blurt out something foolish and boast about it, Li Song quickly answered for him, "Your subordinate and others ordered people to pick wild fruits from the mountains and brew them."
"Oh..." Only then did Zhou Fugui genuinely smile and say, "So it's fruit wine. Bring it quickly, let this governor have a taste."
As long as it wasn't grain, why would Zhou Fugui care? As for the Yan Dynasty's monopoly on wine, Zhou Fugui had no intention of complying. During the great epidemic, the Yan court had paid no attention to Donghai Prefecture. Now, if he brewed some wine to drink, should he still pay taxes to them?
"Ma Liwo, you are also an old subordinate of this governor. You should understand this governor's intentions. If I discover that you used the miners' rations to brew wine, you should also be clear about the consequences." As Li Song led people to fetch the wine, Zhou Fugui cautioned Ma Liwo.
"My Lord Governor, please rest assured. This subordinate is also from the poor grasslands. How could I not know that food is life-saving?" Ma Liwo said hurriedly.
Of course, food on the grasslands consisted mainly of meat.
"Good, Ma Liwo..." Zhou Fugui said with satisfaction upon hearing this, "One day, I will let you all drink real grain wine."
"Heh heh, my Lord Governor, this subordinate doesn't care for grain wine..." Ma Liwo laughed, "It's too mild, just like southern women. It's far inferior to the mare's milk wine from our grasslands, it's truly goddamn potent!"
"Hahahahaha!" Zhou Fugui chuckled, looking around at his guards and attendants, and burst into laughter.
Moments later, several jars of fruit wine were brought in by some soldiers. Li Song held a bowl of wine and walked to Zhou Fugui, saying, "My Lord Governor, please taste!"
"Hmm, you all try it too!" Zhou Fugui said, holding the wine bowl and addressing Pi'e and others.
Thus, the personal guards and attendants began to drink. Pi'e, holding a wine jar, drank half of it in one gulp. He smacked his lips without changing his expression, offering no comment, which made Ma Liwo, Li Song, and the others feel a pang of heartache.
It was not easy for them to brew this wine.
Zhou Fugui also finished the wine in his bowl and praised, "Good, good, the taste is good. What is the secret recipe? It can be promoted throughout the army."
In reality, the fruit wine didn't taste particularly good; it was sour and astringent. However, it was indeed wine, and it carried a faint wild aroma. Therefore, Zhou Fugui intended to promote it within the Snow Bear Army, and even throughout Donghai Prefecture.
This low-alcohol wine tasted like a beverage and could relieve fatigue, but drinking too much would still lead to intoxication. However, as long as it was strictly controlled, there would be no major problems.
Later, this fruit wine, promoted by Zhou Fugui, became better and better to brew, becoming more refined, fragrant, and sweet. To commemorate Zhou Fugui and his Snow Bear Army, future generations named this wine "Maling Snow." Of course, this is a story for later and will not be elaborated on for now.
"My Lord Governor, did you... come for this wine today?" Ma Liwo asked afterward.
"Of course not..." Zhou Fugui drank another bowl of the sour fruit wine, wiped the wine stains from his beard, and replied, "That State Minister... is still alive, right?"
"State Minister?" Ma Liwo was stunned for a moment and then replied, "Haha, that 'distinguished' State Minister is alive and well, and often speaks well of my Lord Governor."
"What good things does he say about me?" Zhou Fugui asked with a smile, waving his hand, "Bring him here."
"As you command!" Ma Liwo responded and then scurried down the mountain.
"Pi'e, what good things could he say about me?" Zhou Fugui turned and asked Pi'e.
"Not killing him is the master's benevolence," Pi'e replied gruffly.
"Indeed!" Zhou Fugui nodded.
The so-called State Minister of the Zhen'ao country, Gao Wenting, was the leader of the bandits and naturally deserved to die. Killing him ten times would not be excessive, but Zhou Fugui spared his life, having other plans.
Moments later, Gao Wenting was brought forth. He bowed respectfully before Zhou Fugui, then stood upright with his gaze steady, shoulders level, and arms as if embracing a drum, before Zhou Fugui.
"Your etiquette...?" Zhou Fugui asked, finding Gao Wenting's bow somewhat strange.
"Han etiquette!" Gao Wenting replied.
"This governor knows this is Han etiquette, of course. But you...? Are you a Han person?" Zhou Fugui asked in surprise.
"No! This humble one is a Goryeo person," Gao Wenting replied, shaking his head slightly.
"Hmm? A Goryeo person? Why did you end up here?" Zhou Fugui asked again. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Zhou Fugui then carefully examined Gao Wenting's appearance: a square face, high cheekbones, a narrow forehead, single eyelids, triangular eyes... However, based on this alone, he could not determine if Gao Wenting was telling the truth. The only certainty was that Gao Wenting was not a Hu tribesman.
"This humble one is a Goryeo person. My family was destroyed, and thus I ended up here," Gao Wenting sighed, his face filled with sadness.
"Oh..." Zhou Fugui nodded upon hearing this, "Perhaps you are also a pitiable person, forced to serve as a bandit out of necessity? It seems it is also heaven's will that this governor spared you?"
"Many thanks to my Lord Governor for sparing my life!" Gao Wenting clasped his hands and said, "This humble one is able to eat his fill and be clothed here, and I must also thank my Lord Governor and your subordinates."
"It seems you are living a leisurely and comfortable life?" Zhou Fugui asked with a smile.
"Yes..." Gao Wenting replied, "With food and drink, and no need for labor, how could it not be leisurely and comfortable?"
Since Zhou Fugui had given instructions to keep an eye on him, Ma Liwo and the others naturally did not assign him any heavy work, as long as he did not try to escape.
"More leisurely and comfortable than drinking wine from a large bowl, eating meat with large mouthfuls, weighing gold and silver with large scales, and enjoying women with open hands?" Zhou Fugui asked with another smile.
"Ah? My Lord Governor... you... you you you... what do you mean by this?" Gao Wenting stammered.
"This governor has a question, and I hope you can enlighten me," Zhou Fugui said, waving his hand.
"Whatever doubts my Lord Governor has, please speak freely. This humble one will speak if I know, and will not hold back anything," Gao Wenting nodded.
"Good!" Zhou Fugui smiled and instructed Pi'e, "Give him a bowl of wine and tell me slowly. No rush."
Pi'e poured a bowl of wine, grunted, and handed it to Gao Wenting with one hand.
Gao Wenting nodded his thanks and drank the wine in the bowl in one gulp.
"This governor's doubt is..." Zhou Fugui sat on a Hu chair, crossed his legs, and looked at Gao Wenting, "Since you were the State Minister of Zhen'ao country, you must have held an extraordinary position there. Yet, after being captured by this governor, why did they ignore you? Neither has anyone come to negotiate your release with this governor, nor has anyone come to rescue you. Why is that?"
Zhou Fugui had erected a wooden tablet in Qu County, sparing Gao Wenting's life, precisely because he wanted the Zhen'ao pirates to send someone to negotiate peace with him, and this matter was extremely important. Yet, so much time had passed, and no envoy from the Zhen'ao pirates had appeared, nor had any message been delivered, leaving Zhou Fugui greatly perplexed.
"My Lord Governor, you are unaware of this matter..." Gao Wenting replied upon hearing this. "The Zhen'ao people are fierce and principled. They believe in an eye for an eye and blood for blood, and never negotiate with enemies. If we fall into your hands, whether you kill us or not, they will not send anyone. Sending someone would be considered admitting defeat and submission."
"I see..." Zhou Fugui suddenly realized, "It seems the Zhen'ao people are extremely arrogant... Gao Wenting, if this governor were to send someone... to negotiate... what would we negotiate? Retaliation breeds more retaliation, when will it end? For the sake of the people of Donghai Prefecture, this governor will send someone to discuss it with them, shall I?"
Since the Zhen'ao people would not back down, Zhou Fugui had to concede... This was also Zhou Fugui's consistent way of dealing with matters. When one should concede, one must concede...
The navy had just been established, lacking ships, personnel, and money. Zhou Fugui was utterly helpless against the Zhen'ao pirates deep in the sea.