146, Chapter 146 (1/2)

It's already mid-June, and Aunt Fan hasn't arrived yet. If Aunt Fan's hometown is far away, Yang Haiyan might not send anyone there, but Aunt Fan's hometown is in the next county town. In the end, it's Aunt Fan who's with them. After living there for two years, and Aunt Fan performed very well during her work, Yang Haiyan was still concerned about her, so she sent Meng Ping to a neighboring county to check the situation.

Meng Ping, who went to check on the situation, did not come back soon. Manager Chi from the capital had already left, and Wei Ting took people from the Ministry of Industry to live in the Beast Mountain Taoist Temple. The Beast Mountain Taoist Temple was originally very dilapidated, but the Taoist temple was not small, and the design inside was carefully thought out. When King Liang built the Taoist temple, he also put a lot of thought into it. After all, yang was also where he wanted to live.

The Beast Mountain Taoist Temple has been renovated, so Wei Ting moved there with people from the Ministry of Industry because they were going to study fire medicine.

The entire Beast Mountain was sealed by Qin Fang, and all the thousands of soldiers from the eastern suburbs military camp moved there. Not only the thousands of soldiers, but also the oppression of the county government. After all, the eastern suburbs military camp is relatively large and cannot be surrounded by just a few hundred soldiers.

At the same time, Qin Fang was at the Beast Mountain Taoist Temple almost every day. In the emperor's private letter, he was instructed to monitor the people in the Ministry of Works to prevent them from leaking the news about the pyrotechnics.

Therefore, although Qin Fang is not busy at the Beast Mountain Taoist Temple every day, he still has to patrol every day.

However, the Iron Chain Man moved away from the Beast Mountain Taoist Temple and moved to the General's Mansion. The General's Mansion is so big that it is convenient to clear out a courtyard and place people in chains.

Because Manager Chi left, Wei Ting also moved to Beast Mountain Taoist Temple. As for the children at home, Qin Shoucheng goes to the academy every day, and Qin Siya and Meng Qiu go to learn female embroidery every day. Even if they need to embroider something, they will always be in the master's workshop. , so Yang Haiyan was still empty for a while. She embroidered things every day to improve her embroidery skills, and then made Qin Fang's underwear and trousers, especially close-fitting trousers, which Qin Fang rarely wore. Ancient cloth was not as strong as modern cloth, so it was the easiest to break.

However, she did it in the next two days. Sweet potatoes and potatoes had been purchased in large quantities. She called Aunt Lian to come with her, and the two of them started to think about the relationship between potato flour and sweet potato flour in their own yard. . Yang Haiyan has never made potato flour or sweet potato flour, but she still has these common sense.

Whether it is potato flour or sweet potato flour, potatoes and sweet potatoes are cut into pieces, and then ground into pieces using a stone mill. The starch that comes out of it is the potato portion and sweet potato flour. However, a light powder still needs to be stirred with water and then wait for the starch to precipitate.

Early this morning, Aunt Lian went to observe the potato powder and sweet potato powder they secretly made. When she saw that a bucket of potato powder and a bucket of sweet potato powder had really settled, Aunt Lian hurriedly went to Yang Haiyan: "Xiangjun , Xiangjun... succeeded..."

Yang Haiyan was having breakfast. When she heard Aunt Lian's words, she immediately put down her bowl and chopsticks and said with some interest: "Go and have a look."

The master and the servant went to the room where the potato starch and sweet potato starch were kept, and saw that the potato starch and sweet potato starch had sunk, with water on top. Yang Haiyan said: "Aunt Lian, let's pour the water, and then take it outside to dry in the sun. Wait until it is half dry before pouring it out. When it is completely dry, mash it up and it will be powder." , I just don’t know how it tastes.” Of course she knows it tastes good, but can she tell?

After hearing this, Aunt Lian praised: "Xiangjun, you are really smart. Xiangjun, how did you figure out that potatoes and sweet potatoes can be made into powder?"

Yang Haiyan said: "It's not that I suddenly thought of it, I just thought that barley and corn can be ground into powder, and potatoes and sweet potatoes also taste like powder, so they should also be ground into powder. Wait until we grind it into powder. Afterwards, I saw something sticky, so I remembered that saltpeter can be used repeatedly in making ice. The emperor wrote a letter and rewarded us with two hundred kilograms of saltpeter. He also told the general that the saltpeter can be used repeatedly by boiling the water. , the saltpeter dissolved in water will be boiled out. So I thought, if the powder and water are mixed together, then the powder and water can be separated? So I thought of trying it. "

‌You can’t say what you think about the credit. It happened that the emperor was grateful for Qin Fang’s contribution, and he also knew that the imperial edict of Qin’s mother and grandma Qin was not equal to Qin Fang’s contribution, so the emperor asked Mr. Chi to send a letter, This shows that saltpeter can be used repeatedly.

So, it makes sense that she attributed the inspiration for making potato flour and sweet potato flour to the emperor.

However, through this incident, Yang Haiyan once again realized the wisdom of the ancients. Fire medicine and saltpeter were used repeatedly. In just a few days, the ancients immediately thought of it. No wonder the ancients composed poems at the age of three. In modern times, it is simply impossible.

Aunt Lian didn't know that saltpeter could be used to make ice again and again. When she heard what Yang Haiyan said, and it was said by the emperor, she immediately felt that the master's family was in trouble. The general must have been favored by the emperor, otherwise the emperor would not have done it. Will be informed of this.

The emperor only told Qin Fang about the yang matter. He indeed had no intention of telling others. Now that Qiguo's treasury was somewhat lacking, the emperor planned to do business by selling ice, so this matter would not be disclosed to others. Furthermore, if it is revealed that saltpeter can be used to make ice, aristocratic families and people will look for saltpeter. Saltpeter is very important to the court, and the emperor does not want aristocratic families and people to look for saltpeter.

However, if the emperor sells ice, the price will naturally be cheap, and will be set at a price that ordinary people can afford. Anyway, saltpeter can be used repeatedly, and no matter how low the price is, it is still profitable for the emperor. If a country wants to develop, money is essential. The emperor is not yet over thirty, so he is naturally ambitious.

Can the emperor tell Qin Fang that firstly, the saltpeter mine was discovered by Qin Fang, and secondly, by Yang Haiyan, saltpeter ice was discovered. He was also worried that the Qin family would use saltpeter to make ice and waste the saltpeter, so it would be best to tell him how to use saltpeter repeatedly. of.

Two days later, the potato flour and sweet potato flour were half dry. Yang Haiyan asked Aunt Lian and Aunt Yu to pour the potato flour and sweet potato flour out of the barrel and expose them to the sun. The weather in June was very hot, and the potato flour and sweet potato flour were completely dry within two days of being exposed to the sun. In about seven days, potato flour and sweet potato flour were made.

Seeing the white potato flour and sweet potato flour, Grandma Lian and Aunt Yu were very excited. After all, Aunt Lian made it herself, and Aunt Yu had been guarding the door of the yard to prevent others from coming in.

Aunt Lian: "Xiang Jun, you are really a fan." With the arrival of Yang Haiyan's canonization imperial decree, Aunt Lian led everyone to change their names and called her Mrs. Yang Haiyan instead of Xiang Jun. However, in the eyes of uninformed people, they would not think that Xiang Jun was her title, but would think it was her name.

Yang Haiyan smiled and said: "Isn't it just vermicelli? Crush some vermicelli and we will make vermicelli for today."

Aunt Lian said, "How about asking Kun Zhang to do it?"

Yang Haiyan said: "No, we will cook it in the small kitchen in the yard. I will tell you what you want and I will make it."

Aunt Lian hurriedly said: "No, no, no, let the old slave do it. The country monarch has a noble status, so there is no reason why he should be asked to cook."

When it comes to having a noble status, Yang Haiyan doesn't think so, but being a third-rank rural official has the advantage of being more realistic. Her current salary is two hundred and eighty-five taels of silver per month, which is the salary of a third-rank official in Qi State. , and because it is her own title and not following her husband's decree, she does not need to take half of the salary of an official, so her sex will be really fragrant.

Yang Haiyan said: "I only make it once in a while, mainly because the potato flour and sweet potato flour are just right. I want to wait for the general to come back from get off work and cook it myself for her to eat, but I have never made it before. No, I have to learn first. a while."

Speaking of this, Aunt Lian is really happy because the relationship between the host and her husband is good. Now that Xiangjun wants to make a gift for the general, she will naturally not object: "Then I will prepare the necessary things."

Yang Haiyan: "It's done. Grandma and Aunt Yu will help me taste it. If it doesn't taste good, you have to tell me honestly."

Aunt Lian joked: "Xiang Jun is the smartest person I have ever met. He can definitely do it well."

Yang Haiyan: "Just flatter me as hard as you can."

Aunt Lian smiled and went out to prepare things.

Yang Haiyan made fried potato noodles and sweet potato jelly noodles. This was not her first time doing it in real life, so she was quite confident in the kitchen. After it was done, she, Aunt Lian and Aunt Yu all filled a small bowl. Since there were two kinds of powder, each was a small bowl, so the two small bowls in total were enough.

Aunt Lian ate the fried potato powder first. When Xiangjun was making it just now, she felt it was fragrant. After a while, she entered her mouth and it tasted really fragrant. And the taste of potato vermicelli is completely different from the taste of noodles. She took a bite of fried potato noodles and another bite of sweet potato jelly noodles, and couldn't help but said: "Xiangjun, your craftsmanship is really great."

Even Aunt Yu, who only knows how to cook and doesn't talk much, couldn't help but say: "Xiangjun's cooking is delicious."

Yang Haiyan still has some confidence in her cooking skills. After all, she has lived alone for more than ten years. How can she take care of herself without basic cooking skills? It's just that I can't compare with a good chef, but I'm still happy to be praised by Aunt Lian and Aunt Yu.

Yang Haiyan said: "There are a lot of ingredients, so it tastes good. When the general comes in at night, I will cook it for her, so that the big kitchen does not have to prepare our meals at night."

Aunt Lian: "I'll talk to you later."

Because there were many courtyards in the General's Mansion, the inner courtyards were clearly divided, so Qin Siya and Qin Shoucheng no longer accompanied them to eat. Qin Shoucheng is thirteen years old, and it is not good to always come to his sister-in-law's yard to eat. Qin Siya is also ten years old, and Yang Haiyan has a wife who looks after the yard and a little girl who waits on her, so the little girl usually goes to the big kitchen to get her meals.

Therefore, Yang Haiyan and Qin Fang had dinner together. Qin Fang came back at the usual time and entered the yard. When he saw Aunt Yu guarding the door, he asked, "What did Yan Yan do today?" He didn't ask for details. But I want to understand my daughter-in-law and care about my daughter-in-law.

In the past, Aunt Yu's answers were to take a walk, embroider, etc., but today Aunt Yu is a bit mysterious: "You can't tell the general what Xiang Jun did today. The general will know later." She is the one who makes potato flour and sweet potato flour. ‌Qing, Yang Haiyan also hid it from Qin Fang, wanting to give him a surprise.

Qin Fang's curiosity was aroused. You must know that Aunt Yu is a strict person. She usually can't say more than ten sentences, and what she says is only unless necessary. Like now, It's really surprising. Qin Fang wondered what Yan Yan had done today to make Aunt Yu say this.

Since Qin Fang was curious, he did not ask Aunt Yu and went in to look for Yang Haiyan. However, he did not find her in the yard. There were no other servants in Yang Haiyan's yard, only Aunt Lian and Aunt Yu. Aunt Yu was responsible for hygiene, and Aunt Lian was responsible for other things. There were not many things, so she did not hire servants. Moreover, she did not like too many people walking around in her private space.

After not finding Yang Haiyan, Qin Fang went to find Aunt Yu: "Aunt Yu, where is Yanyan?"

Aunt Yu said: "Xiangjun is in the small kitchen."

Even if there was a small kitchen in the yard, it was in a corner to avoid some smells spreading everywhere, so Qin Fang did not find Yang Haiyan in the right place, and did not think that she was in the small kitchen.

When he heard Aunt Yu say that Yang Haiyan was in the small kitchen, Qin Fang thought she might be cooking something, after all, his wife would occasionally make snacks. However, Aunt Yu said that his wife would give him a surprise, and Qin Fang suddenly understood that it was his wife who cooked for him to surprise him.

It wasn't a surprise, but Qin Fang was still very happy that she could cook for him personally.

Qin Fang came to the kitchen and saw Yang Haiyan busy inside, and Nanny Lian was helping her. Qin Fang walked in lightly. Perhaps Yang Haiyan and Nanny Lian were too focused and didn't notice Qin Fang coming in. Nanny Lian didn't see Qin Fang until she turned around to observe the fire. She hurriedly said, "Hello, General."

Yang Haiyan turned around and saw Qin Fang. She smiled and said, "You're here?" It was different from the feeling he had when she called him husband tenderly before. Now it was just four simple words, and he could feel her tenderness in it.

Qin Fang couldn't help but smile: "Well, now I'm here, what are you doing?"

Yang Haiyan said: "Making noodles, noodles with different flavors made of two kinds of flour. I thought you have a big appetite and you can eat two plates."

Qin Fang hurriedly said: "Indeed, you can eat it. You really surprised me." Aunt Yu said that she wanted to give herself a surprise, so she should be happy if she said so. Qin Fang thought very cooperatively.

Yang Haiyan smiled again after hearing this: "Then you go to the hall and wait. I'll bring it over when you're ready."

Qin Fang said: "No, is there anything I can help you with?" They usually get along only at night. Because of the situation of the sulfur mine and the saltpeter mine, even if he has a day off every month, he is in the Beast Mountain Taoist Temple. He was also happy to be alone for a while.

Yang Haiyan said, "I'll be ready soon. Nanny Lian will help me. I don't need you."

Qin Fang looked at Nanny Lian.

Nanny Lian hurriedly said, "My dear, I feel uncomfortable in my stomach. I want to go to the bathroom."

Qin Fang gave Nanny Lian an admiring look, "Go ahead. Take your time. Don't worry. I'm here."

Nanny Lian didn't wait for Yang Haiyan to speak. She bowed to Qin Fang and went out.

Yang Haiyan was really at a loss: "What's the point of staying in the kitchen? You've been busy all day. Why don't you take a rest? It's time for dinner."

Qin Fang: "It doesn't matter where I am with you."

Yang Haiyan's mouth curled up unconsciously: "You are so good at talking. You should eat more today."

Qin Fang couldn't help laughing. Seeing her happy, he was also happy.

Nanny Lian didn't go anywhere. She was just outside. The male host wanted to be alone with the female host, so she naturally withdrew. When Yang Haiyan's noodles were ready, Aunt Lian went in to help.

There were only Qin Fang and Yang Haiyan in the dining hall. They didn't need to be served when they ate, and they ate freely. In addition to fried potato noodles and sweet potato cold noodles, there were several side dishes. The noodles and dishes were fragrant, which made people's appetites whet.

Qin Fang was absolutely single-minded when he was eating, and when you see him eating, your appetite will be particularly good, because he eats in big mouthfuls, and he eats a lot. When they were at the border before, they had a lot of training and did eat a lot, but now, he still eats a lot, and climbing up and down the mountain every day is also a good exercise.

After eating a few bites, Qin Fang found something strange: "This noodle is different from the noodles I usually eat."

Yang Haiyan thought to herself, it's the point. "Is this noodle delicious?"

Even if Qin Fang had no requirements for food, he had eaten too much delicious food in the past two years and his mouth was a bit picky. But no matter whether it was delicious or not, as long as he could fill his stomach, he would eat it. "Delicious, a little chewy, relatively..."

Yang Haiyan continued his question: "Relatively chewy, right?"

Qin Fang blinked his eyes and didn't understand. But even if he didn't understand, it didn't affect his speed of eating.

Yang Haiyan explained: "It means a little elastic."

Qin Fang nodded: "Yes, yes, it's delicious, wife, your food is better than the cook's." And then there was nothing else.

Yang Haiyan knew that he didn't understand the ingredients, so she brought it up herself: "What do you think of the flour used in this noodle? It's not made of the old flour, it's the new flour that Aunt Lian and I have researched."

Qin Fang paused. He always only cared about eating and didn't ask about the ingredients of the food. Anyway, he didn't understand it. But when he heard his wife say that it was the new flour she had researched, he was stunned. "Is it made of new flour?" Then he thought of Aunt Yu's words. It turned out that this was the surprise Aunt Yu was talking about. "Wife, can you also study flour? Isn't flour made directly from corn kernels and barley?"

Yang Haiyan said: "The flour we used to eat was made from barley and corn kernels, but now the flour you eat is made from potatoes and sweet potatoes."

Potatoes and sweet potatoes can be made into flour? Qin Fang didn't bother to eat: "Potatoes and sweet potatoes can be made into flour? I see that you haven't done anything for a few days, so it shouldn't be difficult to make flour from potatoes and sweet potatoes, right?" At this point, Qin Fang remembered something again, "Yunxiang County has a lot of land and a small population, and there is too much food to eat. In this way, if more land is planted with potatoes and sweet potatoes, then potatoes and sweet potatoes are made into flour and sold elsewhere. Isn't the problem of excess food in Yunxiang County solved?"

Among the food, sweet potatoes and potatoes are cheap and are eaten by the people. Therefore, the people of Yunxiang County will not sell them because the round-trip cost is expensive, and they are heavy, and they don't know if they can be sold. Therefore, many people have more and more dried sweet potatoes in their homes, which is the reason. But now, if potatoes and sweet potatoes can be made into flour, the situation will be different. Flour is expensive, more expensive than rice. Besides, flour is lighter than potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Yang Haiyan didn't expect Qin Fang to think of this all of a sudden: "It can indeed be solved. I originally thought that since potatoes and sweet potatoes can really be made into flour, we can purchase potatoes and sweet potatoes ourselves and make flour to sell. But now think about it, this is not appropriate. The country is so big, we are the only ones who can make it, the quantity we can sell is limited, and the places are also limited. If it can be promoted nationwide, it will be better. So, I thought of someone."

Qin Fangxin understood: "Lord Du?"

Yang Haiyan said: "No, if the news that potatoes and sweet potatoes can be made into flour is promoted nationwide, it may not be a good thing for Lord Du. I thought of someone who is more powerful."

Qin Fangxin jumped: "You are not talking about the emperor, right?" Qin Fang thought it was incredible. Was her wife too bold? She actually set her sights on the emperor.

Yang Haiyan knew the script. Putting aside the matter of establishing a crown prince, the current emperor is a good emperor for the country and the people. Moreover, if she mentioned the emperor, she intended to have a patent on potato flour and sweet potato flour like in modern times. In other words, people in other places are prohibited from making potato flour and sweet potato flour, whether they are ordinary people, businessmen, or powerful people.

Potato flour and sweet potato flour are easy to make. If others imitate them, how can they make money? Therefore, her idea is to make potato flour in one state and one place, like Renzhou here, which is their responsibility, and they will purchase potatoes and sweet potatoes from the people. In this way, the people can make money and they can make money too. For example, in Yongzhou, you can choose Yonghe Houfu. For example, in other states, choose a family with excellent character.

However, whether it is Yonghe Houfu or the families in other states, they all come in by joining. To put it bluntly, let them pay the franchise fee and then allow them to make potato flour and sweet potato flour. But she didn't have the ability to do such an operation, and she couldn't control other people to make potato flour and sweet potato flour, but the emperor could.

The emperor issued a royal decree to recruit investors, and the franchise fee was paid to the national treasury. Each state was only allowed to have one potato flour merchant and sweet potato merchant. In this way, who dared to disobey the emperor?

Yang Haiyan smiled: "Yes, the emperor told us that saltpeter can be used repeatedly, and we also have to report something to the emperor."