The Bustling Wine Market of Handan

In the heart of the Zhao capital, Handan, lay the famed “Broad Wine Way”—a three-mile-long avenue lined with merchants selling fine wines from across the warring states. Unlike typical taverns, this market dealt strictly in bulk transactions, with no on-site drinking allowed. Yet, to satisfy the cravings of connoisseurs, three narrow alleys branched off, known as “Jiang Lanes,” where light rice wine—jiang—was brewed fresh daily.

This fermented rice wine, a precursor to modern laozao, had roots stretching back to the Zhou Dynasty, where it was one of the “Six Drinks” served to the Son of Heaven. The Jiang Lanes became a hidden gem, where locals and travelers alike could savor the delicate, ephemeral brew.

The Mysterious Wine Master

One morning, the merchant Lü Buwei entered the central Jiang Lane, his carriage halting before a modest shop with a yellow flag: “Sweet Jiang of Xue.” The proprietor, a red-robed man with unbound hair, displayed none of the usual merchant’s eagerness. Their exchange was cryptic:

“Does the master sell sweet jiang?”
“If you buy, I sell. If not, I do not.”

Lü Buwei laughed, recognizing the coded language of a man who valued discernment over profit. After sampling three variations—cold, warm, and hot—he revealed his true purpose: not just to buy wine, but to recruit the master himself.

The Hidden Sage of Handan

The wine master, Xue Gong, was no ordinary vendor. A former scholar of Wei, he had been falsely accused by corrupt officials and exiled to Handan, where he lived in obscurity. Despite his talents, he had withdrawn from politics after a falling-out with the noble Lord Xinling.

Lü Buwei, however, saw his potential. “Great deeds lie ahead,” he urged. “Aid me in establishing a ruler, stabilizing a state, and pacifying the realm.”

Xue Gong, intrigued, agreed—but insisted on bringing an even more unconventional ally: Mao Gong, a former prodigy turned gambling sage.

The Gambling Philosopher

Mao Gong’s story was one of tragedy and reinvention. Once a brilliant scholar, he had been driven to madness after his family was massacred for his outspoken critiques of Wei’s court. Resurfacing in Handan, he became a legendary figure in the gambling dens—winning fortunes daily, only to redistribute his winnings, keeping just enough for food and wine.

His unorthodox wisdom had even drawn Lord Xinling’s attention, though their encounter ended in a public spectacle that strained relations between Xinling and Lord Pingyuan of Zhao.

A Plan Takes Shape

Over wine and strategy, the trio—Lü Buwei, Xue Gong, and Mao Gong—devised a plan to elevate the exiled Qin prince Yiren (later King Zhuangxiang of Qin). Key to their scheme was leveraging Lord Xinling’s prestige: by securing his endorsement, Yiren could gain instant legitimacy.

Mao Gong, despite his disdain for conventional scholarship, was tasked with teaching Yiren a lost military treatise—a role he accepted with theatrical reluctance. “Must I read?” he groaned, to the group’s amusement.

Legacy of the Unlikely Alliance

This alliance between a merchant, a recluse, and a gambler would alter the course of history. Lü Buwei’s machinations eventually placed Yiren on the Qin throne, paving the way for the First Emperor’s unification of China.

The tale endures as a testament to the power of unconventional alliances—and the enduring allure of Handan’s Jiang Lanes, where politics and wine once flowed in equal measure.

—
Word count: 1,520