City’s Best Divine Doctor
Chapter 884: Winery

Chapter 884: Chapter 884: Winery

At the Eastern Castle, Housekeeper Eugene was thrilled when he heard Ye Qiu was coming. He quickly instructed the middle-aged maids, gardeners, coachmen, and servants at the castle to prepare everything properly.

After all, the master of the castle and vineyard was returning.

Housekeeper Eugene stepped into his Citroën sedan and drove to the nearby train station to pick up Ye Qiu.

Half an hour later, the train finally arrived at the small town’s station. Ye Qiu and Zhou Wenting grabbed their suitcases and backpacks and stepped off the train. Exiting the rather desolate station, they immediately spotted Housekeeper Eugene, who was pacing around outside, stopping occasionally to peer anxiously.

When Eugene saw Ye Qiu and Zhou Wenting coming out, he hurried over to greet them.

"Young Master Ye, it’s wonderful to see you again!"

Housekeeper Eugene eagerly greeted Ye Qiu.

After greeting Zhou Wenting, Eugene noticed how lightly Ye Qiu was dressed and immediately expressed concern, saying, "Young Master Ye, there’s an extra coat in my car. Please put it on quickly so you don’t catch a cold."

The temperature here was only about thirteen degrees, certainly very chilly.

At least, that’s how Eugene felt. He was surprised by how little Ye Qiu was wearing.

"I’m not cold."

Once everything was loaded into the car, Housekeeper Eugene drove back toward the Eastern Castle.

"Young Master Ye, a month ago, just as you instructed, I went to Paris Chinatown and hired workers from Huaxia to construct the winery. It’s completed now."

In this respect, construction workers from Huaxia were unmatched worldwide in terms of speed. Eugene had personally gone to Paris Chinatown to recruit around twenty workers. These individuals had worked day and night on the plot of land behind the castle to build Ye Qiu’s designed winery and underground wine cellar.

Those twenty workers were not only diligent and efficient but also far more affordable than hiring local European construction workers.

"Let’s head back first; I’ll take a look."

The primary goal of this visit was to produce the ’Viscount’ wine. If the brand succeeded and surpassed Lafite in popularity, then the income from the Eastern Castle and surrounding vineyards would be enough to ensure Ye Qiu a life of comfort and abundance.

Of course, there was also the matter of the ’Prince’ perfume—a product Ye Qiu had been longing to create.

For the perfume brand, Ye Qiu envisioned collaborating with companies like Chanel. After all, it was impossible for Ye Qiu to reap all the profits himself. Partnering with major corporations and enterprises would be far more pragmatic.

During the ride, Housekeeper Eugene chatted a great deal. Compared to the days when he managed the castle and vineyard under Count Charley, Eugene now seemed ten years younger.

Previously, the castle and vineyard had been lifeless, with little activity to speak of. But everything had changed under Ye Qiu’s ownership.

As they approached the vicinity of the Eastern Castle, Ye Qiu caught sight of the grand castle and the sprawling vineyard in the distance.

Soon, they arrived at the front of the castle and parked. Housekeeper Eugene got out of the car, opened the door, and helped Ye Qiu and Zhou Wenting out.

Two middle-aged maids, along with the gardener, coachman, and servants, all emerged to greet them.

Compared to a month ago, their energy and spirits had improved considerably.

"Young Master Ye!"

The group greeted Ye Qiu one after another.

"What are you waiting for? Come help with the luggage!"

Housekeeper Eugene directed his words at the two middle-aged maids.

The two French women hastily approached, taking the backpacks and suitcases from Ye Qiu and Zhou Wenting and carrying them upstairs to the castle.

Standing here, Ye Qiu observed the vast vineyard, the distant expanse of the ocean, and the serene surroundings bathed in warm sunlight. His mood improved significantly.

Indeed, visiting this place was a delightful experience. Unfortunately, his parents and sister hadn’t found time to join him.

"Young Master Ye, shall I prepare lunch for you? I’ve been personally learning cooking from a Huaxia chef lately," Eugene offered.

"No need, I’ve already eaten lunch. Besides, it might be better to hire a chef instead."

"We had considered doing that, but since you don’t spend much time here, hiring one seems like a waste of money," Eugene explained.

Additionally, many of the staff here were French, accustomed to eating white bread, black bread, and traditional French cuisine. Although Huaxia cuisine was excellent, they leaned more toward Hong Kong-style or local French dishes.

If Ye Qiu wasn’t planning on staying here long-term, bringing in a Huaxia chef might indeed be an unnecessary expense.

"Let’s take a look at the winery first."

Ye Qiu followed Eugene to the back of the castle. There, they spotted a house constructed primarily from wood.

It blended well with the scenery of the estate, but Ye Qiu couldn’t help worrying that such wooden structures might be vulnerable to the Atlantic Ocean’s fierce storms.

Upon entering the building with Eugene, it became clear that the exterior was merely decorated with wood, while the interior consisted of sturdier materials like stone, giving the winery much greater resilience.

"Young Master Ye, the ground floor here is the winery, and the underground level serves as the wine cellar!"

Ye Qiu and Zhou Wenting followed Eugene downstairs and discovered that the temperature in the cellar was markedly cooler. With the colder surface temperatures above, it was natural for the cellar to be even chillier.

If the red wine was to be stored here in the future, maintaining consistent temperatures—neither too high nor too low—would be crucial.

However, the cellar was still newly built, so it reeked of fresh construction odors. Numerous new oak barrels—dozens of them—had been purchased, contributing their own unpleasant scent to the space.

Typically, oak barrels were used for fermenting and aging red wine, and the longer they aged, the better they became.

Though large wineries had access to well-seasoned oak barrels, smaller operations often had to settle for newly made ones.

While Ye Qiu could have requested barrels from Count Charley, he preferred the honor of securing them himself.

Walking among the barrels, Ye Qiu sniffed them curiously, catching the distinct aroma of oak. While not overly unpleasant, it was clear that they weren’t yet suitable for storing red wine.

"I’ve had people clean these barrels multiple times, but the smell doesn’t seem to go away," Eugene remarked.

"Don’t worry," Ye Qiu reassured him.

During this visit, Ye Qiu was determined to address such issues.

As for the red wine recipe—a meticulously crafted, entirely handmade formula—Ye Qiu had already handed it to Eugene. This trip was meant to oversee the harvesting of grapes before initiating the winemaking process.

Upon inspecting the winery and cellar, Ye Qiu confirmed they aligned perfectly with his vision.

This demonstrated that Eugene had faithfully followed his instructions. After ascending from the cellar and exiting the winery, Ye Qiu, Zhou Wenting, and Eugene ventured toward the vineyards surrounding the castle.

Clusters of purple grapes hung from the vines, ready for harvest and red wine production.

Previously, Count Charley had sent over his people, intending to claim the grapes for winemaking. But Eugene had made it clear these grapes from the estate were reserved exclusively for Ye Qiu’s efforts.