Parting Means a Final Farewell

Once he completed the mission, he would leave this world and leave Jiu'er. The movie world could not be preserved; this was a one-way ticket. Even if he happened to travel into the same movie again next time, there was no guarantee he would be the same character.

He told himself that all of this was ultimately an illusion.

But reality and illusion were sometimes impossible to distinguish, just like the human body and spirit. Wasn't the spirit something that truly existed too?

Jiang Hao withdrew his hand from the wine jar and walked out of the cellar. Seeing that he seemed downcast, Jiu'er asked with concern, "What's wrong? Is there a problem with the new batch of liquor?"

"No. Jiu'er, let's go back inside. There are some things I need to tell you," Jiang Hao said.

"What is it that we have to go inside to talk about?" Jiu'er did not understand, but she still followed Jiang Hao back into the house.

The two sat on the heated brick bed. Jiang Hao looked at Jiu'er, his thoughts in turmoil.

He could not stay. He would eventually leave, and once he did, it would be a final farewell.

Jiang Hao placed his hand on Jiu'er's face, his thumb gently stroking her cheek. His expression frightened Jiu'er. "Husband, what's wrong with you? If there's something, just tell me."

"Jiu'er, let's leave," Jiang Hao suddenly said.

Jiu'er froze at his words. "Leave? Leave for where? Isn't Shibali Slope good? The new liquor is ready, and you have your Secret Recipe. Our distillery will definitely thrive in the future. Life won't be hard."

But Jiang Hao had his own plans.

Things were fine now, but in a few years the Japanese would come, and everyone here would die horribly. He did not want that to happen again. He had no ability to stop the Japanese, but he could take the people here away. If nothing else, he had to take Jiu'er with him, to somewhere relatively safe.

To Sichuan.

Though there were warlords there, and it would be chaotic once the war began, it would ultimately not be occupied by the Japanese. They could survive there.

Before leaving, he wanted to make proper arrangements for Jiu'er.

He did not care whether this place was real or an illusion. That was what he wanted to do now. Even if this world disappeared the moment he left, he still wanted to make arrangements for Jiu'er.

"Do you believe me?" Jiang Hao looked at Jiu'er.

"You're my husband. Of course I believe you. What exactly is wrong?" Jiu'er looked at Jiang Hao worriedly.

Jiang Hao gathered his thoughts before saying, "The Japanese have occupied the three northeastern provinces, but those bastards will eventually fight their way here. I don't want you to be in danger. I want to take you somewhere safe, somewhere we can live for the rest of our lives."

Jiu'er looked at him and asked, "The Japanese will fight their way here?"

"They will!"

Jiang Hao answered without the slightest hesitation.

She was only a country woman, but she had heard of the Japanese' brutality. Just a few years earlier, in the seventeenth year of the Republic, the Japanese had killed many people in the provincial capital, Spring City. It was said that blood had flowed like a river, and even the spring water had run red.

"But what about our distillery?" Jiu'er asked with a frown.

"Sell it."

"Don't worry. We can survive anywhere. Once we reach Sichuan, we'll buy another distillery and keep making liquor," Jiang Hao said.

Jiu'er thought it over, then looked at him. "You're the head of the family. I'll listen to you. Wherever you go, I'll follow."

When Jiang Hao told everyone that he wanted to sell the distillery and settle in Sichuan, they were all stunned. The news had come far too suddenly.

"Our distillery has just produced good liquor and started to improve. Why sell it now?"

"Why are we suddenly moving to Sichuan?"

The workers fired questions at him all at once.

Jiang Hao explained his reasons to them again, then said, "The distillery must be sold. I hope everyone will leave with me. Once we settle down in Sichuan, we'll open another distillery. We'll work together and make our Red Sorghum liquor famous again."

Some shook their heads, while others hesitated. Chinese people were deeply attached to their hometowns. If possible, no one wanted to leave home.

After everyone left, Jiang Hao stopped Brother Luohan.

"Brother Luohan, you've been at this distillery the longest. You're the master brewer, and you've handled everything here yourself. I hope you'll come to Sichuan with us. I have an idea: when we get there, we'll buy another distillery, or build one ourselves. You'll still be the master brewer, and you'll receive a twenty percent share in the distillery. What do you think?" Jiang Hao said.

This was the equivalent of hiring a CEO at an enormous salary. A twenty percent stake was absolutely no small amount; it would have been unthinkable even in modern society. But Jiang Hao knew Luohan's importance. It was not merely his skill, but the man himself.

He could get things done, knew how to get things done, had a steady temperament, and was an old hand whose background they knew well. He was absolutely the best candidate to serve as chief manager.

Luohan thought for a moment and asked, "Do we really have to leave? This place is remote. The Japanese might not make it here."

"Brother Luohan, perhaps you haven't traveled outside much. I go out often, so I know more. The Japanese are wolves at heart. If they have the chance, they'll definitely come here. By then, it'll be too late," Jiang Hao said.

"Then... I'll go back and think about it," Luohan said.

The next day, the workers made their decisions. Luohan was willing to go to Sichuan, along with his apprentices Dazhuang and Er Zhuang, as well as Er Dan's Father and Er Dan's Mother. The others were unwilling to leave their hometown, so they could only part ways in the end.

In the days that followed, Luohan handled everything personally. He paid off the distillery's old debts, sold it for a good price, and prepared several large carts to carry their belongings. With tearful farewells, Jiang Hao led Jiu'er, Luohan, and the others onto the road to Sichuan.

The distillery sold for two thousand Silver Dollars. There were also several hundred Silver Dollars taken from Bald Sanpao, plus gold jewelry and banknotes worth five thousand Silver Dollars taken from Director Qian's home. With that money, they could settle down anywhere.

There were three large carts in all. One carried people, while the other two were loaded with sorghum liquor. According to Jiang Hao, if anyone stopped them for inspection on the road, they would say they were liquor merchants. In truth, Jiang Hao wanted to bring this liquor with him because his mission required it.

Luohan, Dazhuang, and Er Zhuang drove the carts while Jiang Hao rode horseback. The journey was exhausting, with them setting out at dawn and resting at night, and everyone grew weary. But there was one benefit: Jiang Hao's Horse Riding skill improved by leaps and bounds. Some skills truly had to be honed through practice.

Now, even if he spurred his horse into a wild gallop, he could control it with ease.

Jiang Hao chose not to enter a major city. Instead, he settled in a small town near Rongcheng, bought a house and land, and acquired another distillery. After two months of hard work, they finally settled down, while the sorghum liquor brought from Gaomi was stored in the wine cellar.

Jiang Hao left the distillery entirely to Brother Luohan. Once everything was arranged, he placed his hand on a jar of sorghum liquor.

"Collect!"

Ten seconds passed, and the wine jars vanished.

"Ding! Congratulations, Collector. You have collected one hundred jars of sorghum liquor, fully meeting the client's requirements. This collection mission is complete."

"After the mission is completed, the host may return at any time. If no choice is made, forced return will occur in 12 hours."