Zhang Xie and Xiahou Yan are in the garden, appreciating flowers and drinking wine.
In the Wei Jin period, wine was the most common beverage, naturally accessible only to the aristocrats and wealthy merchants. As for ordinary folks, a bowl of plain water was most typical, and if they could add some salt or sugar, that would be considered quite a high-standard treat.
Unfortunately, Fu Tinghan does not enjoy drinking wine; he prefers tea, and if unavailable, plain water will do.
His principle is not to drink wine during working hours.
Thus, after sitting down in front of Zhang Xie, he politely refused Xiahou Yan's offer to pour him wine.
Xiahou Yan scoffed, withdrew the wine jug, and said, "You don't drink, and I didn't want to pour it for you anyway."
He said, "Zhao Hanzhang is rather strict, forbidding the private brewing and selling of spirits, claiming it wastes grain, causing the price of wine in Luoyang to double within just three months."
