At that moment, Yu Feibai was utterly full, cradling his stomach as he digested. Seeing Wang Guan’s sudden alarm, he became curious. “Did you get grit in your food?”

“No time for chatter,” Wang Guan waved him off. He suddenly scrutinized everyone in the room, his gaze sweeping over each face, before confirming his suspicion with a laugh. “Don’t you all feel like something is off?”

“We’re perfectly fine, why should we feel anything is off?” Yu Feibai sounded surprised. “Is being normal not good enough? Do you only feel happy if we’re abnormal?”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

Wang Guan was slightly exasperated and decided to prompt them directly. “After drinking this much, haven't you noticed anything?”

“Oh!”

Hearing this, Yu Feibai immediately reacted. He touched his face and then beamed with self-satisfaction. “Haha! I didn’t even notice until you said something. My tolerance for alcohol has improved significantly!”

Of course, this was a joke. Yu Feibai hadn't forgotten how completely smashed he’d been just two days prior.

“We polished off two or three jin of wine,” Yu Feibai said, equally astonished. “But no one seems the least bit drunk.”

“Not only are they not drunk, they seem rather spirited.”

Just then, Wang Guan quickly inquired, “Elder Qian, how are you feeling?”

“Just as you said, very spirited.” Elder Qian took a moment to carefully examine himself and then laughed in amazement. “I think I understand now. When the ancients claimed to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, it wasn't necessarily because the alcohol content was lower back then; there might have been other reasons.”

“Exactly, exactly.”

Yu Feibai agreed wholeheartedly. “With this wine, if you gave me ten or eight jars more, I probably still wouldn’t get drunk.”

“Perhaps our taste buds are deceiving us,” Wang Guan mused. “Rather than calling this wine, its essence is essentially clear spring water. No matter how much water we drink, we probably won't get drunk.”

“That makes sense…”

Having discovered this peculiar phenomenon, everyone decided they needed to steep another jar of the wine and continue drinking tomorrow.

The next day, it wasn't just about another jar of the exquisite wine. Yu Feibai also had Wang Guan take him to Banshan Temple, not just for incense and prayers, but also to retrieve the Sheng Tao Cup.

At this very moment, Yu Feibai was lounging comfortably on a soft sofa, holding wine in one hand and tea in the other, alternating between the two without fear of an upset stomach.

Regarding this, Yu Feibai scoffed, “It’s just water anyway, how could it cause stomach trouble?”

“The wine is cold, the tea is hot. Hot and cold together, and you still won't get a stomach ache,” Wang Guan kindly reminded him. Just then, he noticed Gao Dequan calling and quickly answered.

“Uncle De, what’s up?” Wang Guan sounded slightly curious.

“Are you free recently?” Gao Dequan’s voice was cheerful. “If you’re free, come back quickly.”

“I’ve been quite relaxed lately, definitely free,” Wang Guan replied, bewildered. “But what do you need me to come back for?”

“Have you been too busy to remember, kid?” Gao Dequan couldn't help but laugh and scold him. “Didn't I tell you ages ago that once autumn arrives, we can start the porcelain production arrangements?”

“It’s starting already?” Wang Guan was instantly delighted. “I thought it wouldn't be until after the Mid-Autumn Festival.”

“It will be too late after the Mid-Autumn Festival,” Gao Dequan chuckled. “Anyway, we’re preparing to fire the kiln in a few days. Come back immediately if you can. If you can’t make it, it doesn’t matter; I’ll reserve a set for you once it’s successfully fired. Then you can just enjoy the fruits of our labor.”

“Don’t worry, Uncle De. I’ve been waiting for this for over half a year. No matter how busy I am, I have to go back and see. Besides, I’m currently very idle and am wondering what to do with myself,” Wang Guan said with a smile, setting a time to return with Gao Dequan before ending the call.

“You’re heading back to the Porcelain Capital?”

At this point, Yu Feibai looked confused. “What happened?”

“Nothing bad. Uncle De is about to fire the kiln for the porcelain, and he asked me to go back and watch the excitement,” Wang Guan explained. “How about you come along? If everything goes smoothly and the Mao Porcelain is successfully fired, I might be able to give you a tea set.”

“Really?”

Yu Feibai’s eyes lit up. While he didn't particularly care about tea sets, he was quite interested in the process of firing a kiln.

“Uncle De called personally; how could that be fake?” Wang Guan also felt a sense of deep feeling. “We started preparations last year, and now it’s finally being realized—it hasn't been easy.”

“It certainly hasn't been easy,” Yu Feibai remarked casually. “When are you planning to go back?”

“I’ll make arrangements; I can leave tomorrow.”

“Alright, I’ll come too. I have nothing else to do anyway, and it’s been a while since I saw Uncle De. I can pay him a visit.”

Having made their decision, the two didn’t delay. They informed Elder Qian of their plans, knowing he certainly wouldn't object. After saying goodbye to other friends and relatives and packing their bags, they set off punctually the next morning. However, their luck wasn't great this time; the flight was delayed, and by the time they arrived in the Porcelain Capital, it was already afternoon.

It couldn’t be helped. One couldn't expect everything to go smoothly; encountering minor setbacks is part of life.

Regardless, they had finally returned to the Porcelain Capital, and Wang Guan’s parents had meals prepared. Even though they were late, they wouldn’t miss out on a hot lunch. Wang Guan’s parents had met Yu Feibai before, and though there was some unfamiliarity, he wasn't a complete stranger, and they were very welcoming.

But everyone knew that sometimes excessive enthusiasm wasn't a good thing. So, Yu Feibai felt rather uncomfortable. After eating their fill and resting briefly in the living room, he signaled Wang Guan that it was time to go visit Gao Dequan.

In the car, noticing Yu Feibai’s discomfort, Wang Guan laughed. “You should come more often in the future; you’ll get used to it, and you won’t feel this way.”

“Got it.”

Yu Feibai nodded, not wanting to dwell on the matter. Instead, he looked excitedly at the streets of the Porcelain Capital, pointing things out—this place hadn’t changed, that place had. Some shops were busier, while others had failed and changed their signs.

Come to think of it, Yu Feibai had lived here for a long time; he might even know more about the situation in the Porcelain Capital than Wang Guan did.

This was quite normal. After all, Wang Guan was focused primarily on work when he was in the Porcelain Capital and wasn't in the mood for sightseeing, unlike a young master like Yu Feibai, who would drive around the entire city when he was bored.

For example, on the way to Gao Dequan’s studio, Wang Guan was proceeding regularly down the main avenue, only to get stuck in traffic. Following Yu Feibai’s directions, he turned around and took a shortcut, weaving through various turns and twists until they reached their destination.

“You’re amazing…” Wang Guan praised sincerely.

“Of course!”

Yu Feibai walked into the studio looking rather smug, chest puffed out. However, he hit a wall right at the entrance. He didn't have a key card and didn't know the password. He had no choice but to obediently step aside and gesture for Wang Guan to open the door quickly.

Wang Guan smiled faintly, entered the password, and opened the door. Yu Feibai rushed in ahead of him.

Upon entering, Wang Guan noticed that there were significantly fewer staff in the studio than the last time he visited. After a moment’s thought, he understood. The last time they came, personnel from the Su Group were also assisting. Now that the work was nearing completion, those people had naturally left. The ones remaining were Gao Dequan’s own employees.

“You’ve arrived.”

Gao Dequan greeted them with a broad smile. Having already spoken on the phone, he wasn't surprised by their arrival. Especially since he hadn't seen Yu Feibai in a long time, there was a round of greetings reserved for him.

After the pleasantries, the conversation naturally turned to the main business.

“Uncle De, you said the kiln would be fired in a few days; when exactly is that day?” Wang Guan was most concerned about this issue. After all, his efforts over the past half-year—whether the Mao Porcelain could be perfectly reproduced—depended on this crucial step of being sent into the kiln for firing.

“The schedule is set for three days from now for the official firing,” Gao Dequan said with a slight smile. He felt a surge of emotion in his heart. The long march was down to the final step, and he was naturally excited and anxious.

After all, once the items were in the kiln, there was an element of uncontrollability. Even with great confidence and certainty, no one dared to claim there was absolutely no risk or accident before the porcelain was fully formed.

What Gao Dequan needed to do now was to minimize these risks and accidents. Even though everything was ready except for the final push, he still needed to repeatedly check and eliminate any potential hidden dangers.

Wang Guan and Yu Feibai could understand Gao Dequan’s state of mind, but since they hadn't invested as much effort, they couldn't empathize completely. Nevertheless, they sincerely hoped Gao Dequan would achieve success in one go. Thus, the banquet that evening was not only to welcome Yu Feibai but also to offer an early toast to Gao Dequan’s desired outcome...

The atmosphere was exceptionally lively, and everyone inevitably drank a bit too much. After all, they were drinking real liquor, not the imitation wine brewed from the Essence of White Jade. By the next morning, except for Wang Guan, everyone else showed some sign of a hangover.

However, for Gao Dequan, after indulging for one night, the pressure in his heart had lessened significantly. At the very least, he stopped constantly bothering the staff with checks on every procedure and began preparing for the kiln-opening sacrificial rites.

In ancient times, due to the unpredictability of kiln firing, sacrifices to the Kiln God were mandatory before the formal firing process, praying for the deity's blessing so that the porcelain in the kiln would form smoothly and not be ruined.

Of course, such traditional customs and practices had vanished after the "Destroying the Four Olds" campaign following the founding of the People's Republic of China. However, as modern people's understanding of traditional culture deepened, the practice of sacrificial rites before opening the kiln gradually revived.

But under normal circumstances, such an event was theatrical. During peak tourist season, it was performed specifically for visiting tourists and no longer carried the original meaning of a kiln worker’s solemn rite.

Yet, Gao Dequan was genuinely performing a sacrifice now, following the ancient method for a kiln-opening ritual. This demonstrated the immense importance he placed on this single batch of porcelain.

This decision, however, was not only supported by Wang Guan; the person in charge from the Su Group, upon hearing about it, showed absolutely no opposition. In fact, they even suggested that the sacrifice to the Kiln God should be conducted according to the highest possible standards.

Was this superstition? In a way, yes; in another way, no. Anyway, in these times, nobody had it easy. Lighting incense and worshipping a god was ultimately just a way to seek peace of mind.