Siheyuan: I decide the fate of the world with my medical skills

These black spheres were coal mined by prisoners sent to Longyi by Fusu to build the Afang Palace. They were transported here via the Jingshui waterway three days ago.

Coal is divided into three categories, including fist-sized lumps, fingernail-sized pieces, and mixed shapes such as coal slag dust produced during transportation and excavation.

On the other side of this area, there is a simple energy-saving stove made of mud bricks. The design of the so-called fuel-saving stove is to increase the thickness of the fireplace around it and ensure that the heat of the fuel in the furnace is as concentrated as possible and does not dissipate to the outside. In addition, the chimney used in this type of stove is relatively high.

Because the chimney is very high, a siphon phenomenon is formed, which helps to draw out the flue gas in the furnace and automatically draws air in at the same time, which is very beneficial to the combustion of fuel.

After seeing all this, Gongzi Yan noticed a medium-sized bronze vessel placed next to it.

On the other side was a wooden box filled with coarse salt.

At this moment, this scene was played out in front of Gongzi Yan and Gong Shugui. They looked at each other, and their eyes seemed to express a kind of surprise.

Gongzi Yan reached out his hand and touched the public transport rail, asking, "What is this doing?"

Gong Shugui frowned: "What do you want to know?"

Faced with such doubts, Gongzi Yan asked incredulously: "Aren't you the descendant of Lu Ban? Is there anyone else who can understand all this except me?"

In fact, Gong Shugui was indeed qualified - he was indeed the descendant of Lu Ban, but his main field was carpentry. If you observe carefully, you will find that among these operations, no link is directly related to carpentry technology...but all this did not show a ripple on his face.

Because the people he was dealing with were not only prominent nobles, but Prince Yan was also an elder relative of the current monarch...

"Your Majesty is here!"

The clear voice interrupted Gongzi Yan's doubtful thoughts, and the surroundings were immediately filled with a respectful and solemn atmosphere.

Gongzi Yan immediately bowed with the other party and asked a question out of curiosity, "What are you doing?"

"Boil the coarse salt." Fusu tapped his waist gently and answered concisely and clearly.

"Oh, I thought it was something important, but it turns out to be about boiling salt?" Gongzi Yan muttered to himself, and then asked, "But if you want to boil salt, you need seawater. Even if you burn all the water in the orchid pond, you won't get salt, right?"

Fusu smiled slightly, obviously not interested in the trivial calculations between relatives. He just took a piece of wood and picked out a pinch of coarse salt from it, and handed it to Gongzi Yan: "You can try this."

As a result, the two pieces of saliva spun in the mouth twice and returned to their original positions. "Hmm? This taste, the salt is very salty, this is the salt from the eastern river!"

Are you teasing me? Even if you are His Majesty, you don't care about the relationship between superiors and subordinates! But thinking that he is still young, forget it. I won't bother with him too much... When looking at the smiling Fusu, Gongzi Yan frowned and thought to himself.

"You really live up to the title of Shaofu. You have such in-depth knowledge of the production areas!" Fusu put down the wood, pointed at the palace maid standing beside her, and signaled her to prepare for work.

Although he knew nothing about this matter, Gongzi Yan knew the characters after all: "The characters engraved on the wooden box are the rough salt stone from Hedong, 50 units per coin."

"That's right," Fusu said. Seeing that the firewood had already ignited the stove, he instructed the maids to throw carbon particles into the heat.

Then two small servants poured the coarse salt from the eastern rivers in the box into the copper pot, and poured some water into it at the same time, and then they began to stir with wooden sticks.

"The price of salt in the Great Qin Kingdom is 100 copper coins per dan of top-grade refined salt, and for provinces far from the production area, an additional 20 copper coins per dan are charged as transportation costs. As for the inferior coarse salt, the maximum sales price per dan is only 50 copper coins."

After Fusu finished his story, he immediately asked, "Do you want to know the reason?"

Gong Shugui's face quickly changed into an awkward smile, but Gongzi Yan said without reservation: "I have been in a high position for many days, and I use refined salt in my daily diet. I don't have a deep understanding of the disadvantages of inferior salt and its adverse effects on health. Therefore, it is natural that the price difference between the two is significant!"

Hehe, being laughed at by the ancients! Fusu smiled and waited silently for the opportunity to fight back.

Then half a moment passed.

"Salt is available, sir." Han Rang said as he walked to the cooking stove.

Under the gaze of everyone, the eunuch poured out the brine cooked in the bronze cauldron, and in the puzzled eyes of everyone, he repeated the action of adding salt and pouring the brine.

After a while, the processed new salt is thoroughly dried and then ground into fine powder.

Now this thing looks a bit like the packaged salt in modern supermarkets... The remaining brine can be used to cook tender tofu after boiling for a while... Fusu asked Prince Yan to taste the newly made salt.

It's my turn again! Gongzi Yan stepped forward helplessly. He swallowed and turned his eyes to Fusu in surprise: "Wow, it's not salty at all! Why?"

Because the different saturation of substances such as magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate are closely related to temperature... Can I explain it to you in such a complicated way? Fusu gave a simple explanation based on the understanding style of this era.

"Your Excellency's talent is incredible! I, Ying Yan, admire you so much!" Gongzi Yan bowed deeply to express his admiration. As an official in charge of water resources, he naturally understood the deep meaning behind this.

The income from each dan of refined salt was 15 coins, and it could be sold for 50 coins. For Hedong, where salt was produced by the pond, the selling price was only 7 coins per dan, but the cost was reduced by coins because of the direct use of materials.

Now, with just a slight improvement based on the talented method of adults, the cost can be reduced by half and the profit can be doubled!

Are you convinced by this? I have not yet demonstrated my own "opening up fields" and "evaporation salt production method", the latter of which does not even require additional fuel, but requires a long period of preliminary preparation. Fusu recalled what he learned when visiting the materials and documents of the Salt Museum, and gave Gongzi Yan a silk book filled with salt pond construction and management, irrigation and flood prevention strategies and specific implementation guidelines.

Then he added: "Send the imperial edict to the Taiwei Mansion to mobilize 2 soldiers and horses to station in the salt fields, and at the same time send 1 prisoners to exile to the salt-producing area on the bank of the Yellow River. And ensure that they are provided with food (provided with meals), and each person is subsidized (paid) six coins per day."

“Understood!” After completing the pilgrimage rituals, Gongzi Yan left quickly.

Fusu looked at the public railroad, pointed at the coal in the firewood-saving stove and asked, "What do you think of this?"

"Well, in my opinion... stone is more durable than dry wood... and has stronger firepower..." Gong Shugui replied with his palms clasped together.

...Shi Nie...Oh my god, people in this era actually know how to use coal! How can I show myself to be more advanced this time... Fusu nodded in agreement, took the scroll from Han Rang and handed it to Gong Shugui, saying:

"Send the imperial edict to the Stone Chamber Order, and follow the instructions on the blueprint to search for clay and provide the required materials. You and the Internal Affairs and Water Affairs Commissioner will dig a canal and build a water mill near the Bashui River near Lantian, and organize the water drainage structure as shown on the map. In addition, according to the cooking stove style on the blueprint, urgently rebuild the public kitchen facilities of the palace and the government office."

..Water drainage.... Gong Shugui took the volume and looked at two pages. A look of shock and difference flashed across his face and then disappeared.

"Got it!" Gong Shugui took a few steps back and turned away. He secretly wondered: The invention in the blueprint is so exquisite and complex, which descendant can inherit Mozi's teachings?

...

At noon, Fusu washed his hands and looked at the food in front of him and couldn't help but sigh.

Boiled fish balls, slow-cooked beef tendons, deep-fried crispy and tender deer tongues...

Although the tofu has already been prepared, it still needs to be tested continuously to ensure safety due to the doctor's insistence.

I remembered Xia Wuqi's face full of anger and panic.

"Let the dog test it to make sure there is nothing wrong with it, then let the attendant try it. If everything is fine after a month, then you can..."

...what did the dog do wrong? ..

The melodious music sounded, and a group of slim and attractive people began to dance.

Fusu picked up a fish ball and put it into his mouth, thinking: Is this the taste of the legendary Huangtong Wujiang Chicken Essence?

Well, it's completely different from what we eat in restaurants now. I'll ask the chef to wrap some minced meat in it and try...

I worried too much this time, otherwise I would have to add a special delicacy made from insect eggs to the table today.

Fusu shuddered, picked up a piece of deer tongue and put it to his lips, smiling and thinking: It is said that deer meat is very good for health... Is it hinting that I should enjoy it more? Forget it, being an emperor is really the most difficult job in the world!

...

After lunch, in a side hall of Lan Chi Palace.

"Lingnan Commander Ren Xiong pays homage to Your Majesty!" Ren Xiong stood ten steps away from Fusu and bowed.

"No need to be so formal. I asked you to come here because I didn't want you to feel awkward." Fusu pointed to the waiter beside him and said, "Come and sit down."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After Ren Xiong sat down, Fusu examined the dark-faced general of the Southern Expedition Army and asked:

"Some people say that we should not occupy the Nanhai counties after destroying Chu. What do you think of this view?"

Ren Xiong requested in a serious tone: "Your Majesty, please order the immediate execution of this criminal!"

Fusu raised his eyebrows and asked in confusion, "I remember you mentioned in your last memorial that the southerners were very powerful in the rebellion, and most people carried shields and weapons with them for self-defense when they went out to farm."

Ren Xiao nodded in agreement. "Yes, Your Majesty, I have said this before. I have personally experienced the South for many years and deeply feel that it is not easy for the South to integrate with our Great Qin State!"

Fusu looked at Ren Xiong with more concern, "Since it is so difficult, some people have suggested following the alliance method of Chu. This means that Qin only needs to collect some symbolic tributes from some places."

"Your Majesty, that's not the case. This is related to the huge resources of many states in the southern country, which is a rare treasure for our Great Qin! I brought a lot of products from Chang'an this time, and now I am preparing to deliver them." Ren Xiong continued.

Fusu's eyes lit up, "Oh, I'm very interested. I want to know what precious things the Southern Kingdom has in this era."

In the next quarter of an hour, Han ordered his soldiers to carry neatly bundled supplies into the side hall. Most of them were dry goods. The most eye-catching ones were things the size of footballs and black objects that looked like bamboo poles - coconuts and sugar canes.

These are the specialties of Lingnan prefectures and counties, and Fusu can recognize them immediately. Coconuts are fine, and can only be used as dry food under current conditions; sugarcane can provide the empire with a rich tax resource.