Chapter 154: Flaws

Chapter 154: Flaws

Qiu Huanian said he was going out, which set off a flurry of activity in the mansion.

As his pregnancy advanced, he was no longer in a position to leave whenever he wanted. Xing Mi and others first prepared the carriage, placing soft cushions, gauze curtains, and an ice basin covered with a gauze lid inside. They also loaded various emergency medicines and specifically brought Mumian along. After half an hour of preparation, the carriage finally departed from the mansion.

This was already a toned-down arrangement; otherwise, according to Mumian, a man in his condition shouldn’t be going out at all.

But the Township Lord had important matters to attend to, and they couldn’t talk him out of it, so they could only do their best to minimize the risks.

The carriage was much hotter than inside the mansion, but once the horses started moving, the breeze filtered through the gauze-covered walls, dispersing the cool mist from the ice basin, and the temperature dropped immediately.

When they arrived at the estate, Qiu Huanian went directly to the east courtyard and found sixteen there as well.

Dressed in black and wearing a mask, he stood in the shadows. Qiu Huanian felt hot just seeing him.

"There’s no one else here. Take off your mask and put on something cooler."

Sixteen didn’t budge, not saying a word. Qiu Huanian had no choice but to turn and ask about the progress of the alcohol.

Bing Qi was in charge of the east courtyard. He came out of the room, soaked in sweat, wiped his face with his sleeve, and said, "There’s a huge pot boiling inside, Township Lord. Stay back and listen from here."

"As you instructed, we’ve tried two different brewing methods. The one using only corn was brewed long ago, but brewing with corn stalks and leaves mixed in has never been tried before. We ruined several batches, and we tried various methods. We finally got a successful batch yesterday."

Qiu Huanian aimed to mass-produce iodine tincture for the Yu Dynasty's army, so cost was a key concern.

Products like floral essence and oyster sauce were marketed as high-end, with limited sales and scarcity tactics, specifically targeting the wealthy, so cost was not a concern; the more expensive, the better.

But iodine tincture was intended to be used by as many ordinary soldiers as possible, so the cost had to be controlled. It had to be both good and cheap.

The raw materials for traditional iodine tincture were essentially iodine-containing substances plus high-purity alcohol. Iodine-containing substances could be obtained by calcining and purifying seaweed, which didn’t cost much, but alcohol was an absolute rarity in ancient times, requiring large amounts of grain to brew.

Qiu Huanian first ruled out using fine grains like wheat for brewing, as it was too luxurious and wasteful. Even using corn and sorghum, which had simpler growth conditions and higher yields, Qiu Huanian still felt it was inappropriate.

Qiu Huanian remembered a modern technology that used corn stalks and leaves to produce medical alcohol. He wasn’t clear on the specific methods, but now, backed by the Crown Prince and the imperial estates, he was not short of talent. He decided to have people try it, not aiming for the pure use of corn stalks and leaves as in modern high-tech, but to replace three or four tenths of the grain, which would save a lot in mass production.

A little over a month ago, he told the veteran brewers brought by the Crown Prince to try brewing with corn stalks. They all looked ashen-faced, filled with despair, thinking the task was impossible.

Qiu Huanian first told them that what he wanted was not drinkable alcohol, just the pungent smell of alcohol. He also promised a series of rewards for successful brewing, which finally rekindled the old masters' motivation.

Seeing the sweat on Bing Qi, Qiu Huanian knew how hot it was inside. Aware of his pregnancy, he didn’t insist on going in.

"Show me the brewed alcohol and tell me how it was made."

Bing Qi had the brewer who came up with the method come over and explain in detail to Qiu Huanian.

Sixteen came over and intercepted, taking a small jar of slightly turbid alcohol from his hand and showing it to Qiu Huanian. Qiu Huanian smelled a pungent alcohol odor and felt nauseous. Sixteen immediately took the alcohol away.

Bing Qi wiped the sweat that had flowed into his eyes, his vision blurred for a while. As he looked, he suddenly froze, not even hearing Qiu Huanian's first call.

Qiu Huanian said considerately, "On such a hot day, you guys are guarding several big steaming pots every day, it’s indeed hard work. Later, I’ll have people send a few baskets of fresh fruits brought from the south with ice, and give each of you two taels of silver as a high-temperature subsidy. You all can relax a bit."

Bing Qi's heart raced, he swallowed and bowed in gratitude.

Qiu Huanian listened carefully to the brewer who developed the corn stalk brewing method, explaining the entire brewing process in detail. He rewarded him with fifty taels of silver as promised, which was the reward from his side. The Crown Prince would certainly give more, several times more.

A subject cannot surpass the ruler; this was an ancient survival wisdom that Qiu Huanian had engraved in his heart.

"What you’re making is urgently needed. First, brew a hundred vats of alcohol according to the current method. If anyone can come up with a better method later, the rewards will not be less."

The twenty or so craftsmen in the courtyard were excited by Qiu Huanian's generous rewards, each of them eagerly brainstorming ways to further refine the brewing process.

Although none of the craftsmen dared to slack off under the watchful eyes of the Crown Prince's secret guards, for the sake of their own nine clans, there was still a significant difference between not slacking off and actively researching.

As Qiu Huanian put it, this was called sparking enthusiasm and fully harnessing everyone's initiative.

In simpler terms, it meant everyone should step up their game!

After successfully creating alcohol from a mix of corn and corn stalks, the next step involved distillation and purification. Qiu Huanian had already tasked them with building an alcohol distiller based on his rough memory sketches.

After bidding farewell to the Township Lord, Bing Qi returned home to rest, while Bing Ba remained at the desk, fanning himself with a large bamboo fan while revising the drawings.

"The Township Lord's sketches were just rough outlines, and many parts didn't match up or couldn't be made. We tried countless methods before finally crafting a small, functional one."

"But what the Township Lord wants is a large one that can distill a whole vat of alcohol at once. It's a real headache!"

Despite his grumbling, Bing Ba kept working tirelessly. For him, this kind of challenging work was far more interesting than creating useless trinkets.

After waiting for a while without hearing a response from his brother, Bing Ba looked up from the drawings and noticed Bing Qi sitting by the window, chugging the cold tea Wei Li had delivered that morning.

Bing Ba teased, "What's wrong? Are you brooding over Li Ge's kindness again?"

Bing Qi shook his head and took another big gulp of tea. Bing Ba sensed something was seriously wrong and got up to check inside and outside the house. Seeing no one, he returned to Bing Qi's side.

He lowered his voice and asked, "Brother, what's really going on?"

The brothers had leaned on each other since their family's tragedy in their teens. Over the years, they had never kept anything from each other and always discussed any difficulties they encountered.

Bing Qi inhaled deeply and spoke with uncharacteristic hesitation, "Do you remember how, the first time we saw the Township Lord last year, we thought he looked like Sister Xue?"

"..." Mentioning the past, Bing Ba's mood sank. "I remember. Sometimes I still find myself unconsciously gazing at the Township Lord..."

Bing Qi spoke slowly, "Except for Shu Ge, our entire maternal grandfather's family perished in Fengshan County. The Township Lord is from Zhang County in Xiangping Prefecture, which is three or four days' ride from Fengshan County. There are people in this world who resemble each other for no apparent reason, like the Imperial Concubine and the late Empress in the palace."

Bing Ba was confused, "We've discussed this before. Are you saying..."

Suddenly, he froze, instinctively stood up, and flailed his hands several times, not daring to breathe too much, afraid he might accidentally blow away the wild hope in his heart.

"Brother, what have you discovered?"

"Our release from the palace and assignment to Lady Qishu was orchestrated by Shu Ge in the palace. Back then, we saw him from afar at the entrance of the workshop. Although we didn't see his face, his silhouette has always been imprinted in my mind."

"Today, when the Township Lord came to the estate to see the newly brewed alcohol, he felt unwell. The Crown Prince's envoy, Sixteen, immediately took the alcohol away himself. At that moment, my vision blurred with sweat, and I could almost swear I saw Sister Xue and a grown-up Shu Ge standing there."

"..."

Bing Qi gulped down another big mouthful of cold tea, finishing the pot. "I know, on their own, these things might seem like figments of my imagination, but they just happen to fit together so well. I really—"

After years of silence, Shu Ge suddenly stepped in to free them from the palace and assign them to Lady Qishu, who looks exactly like Sister Xue;

Lady Qishu and Du Zhuangyuan are both under the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince's secret guard, Sixteen, likely knew the Township Lord well and understood his origins;

When Sixteen meets them, he never removes his mask and hardly speaks, always standing in places where he can't be clearly seen. Is there another reason besides the rules of the secret guard?

Although Sixteen's care for the Township Lord follows the Crown Prince's orders, isn't he a little too meticulous in certain details...

...

The more Bing Ba thought about it, the more alarmed he became. Suddenly, he said, "It's a three- or four-day ride from Fengshan County to Zhang County, or about ten days on foot. It's not like crossing a chasm from south to north."

The two brothers silently gazed at each other, countless emotions flashing in their eyes, eventually turning into two deep sighs.

The thing they had longed for day and night, once a clue appeared, it made them hesitant and afraid to touch it.

"Even if it's true, the Township Lord might not know... He’s pregnant now and can’t handle this."

"If Brother Shu is indeed the Sixteenth Prince, we don’t know his intentions."

"If only we had followed the Township Lord to his hometown before leaving Xiangping Prefecture."

……

After a long discussion filled with anxiety and uncertainty, they finally decided to observe silently and take no action, at least until after the Township Lord gives birth.

"Don’t forget, our grandfather and uncle were sentenced to family confiscation and exile within the five degrees of mourning. The five degrees include sons-in-law and grandsons. If the Township Lord is really Sister Xue’s child, he, along with Du Yunse and their unborn child, will suffer!"

"I know, we must keep our mouths sealed. No matter what, this disaster must not affect them."

……

Following a breakthrough in iodine research, Qiu Huanian was in a good mood for several days. Now, they only needed to wait for Bing Qi and Bing Ba to develop the large-scale distillation apparatus, and iodine could be mass-produced.

They should be able to produce the initial batch before the two armies engage in large-scale combat.

Du Yunse has been returning home late recently. In addition to compiling history, studying ancient texts, and delving into academic research, officials of the Hanlin Academy also had to oversee the imperial lectures, teaching the emperor and the crown prince, reading scriptures and history.

Not all Hanlin officials were authorized to enter the palace to lecture the emperor. The specific summons depended on the emperor’s will. Since joining the Hanlin Academy, Du Yunse had been summoned every few days, and recently, he had been summoned daily, eliciting envy from many due to the emperor’s favor.

Qiu Huanian inquired of Du Yunse in private, "What do you do every day when you enter the palace?"

Du Yunse plucked a cluster of newly bloomed osmanthus and tucked it into Qiu Huanian’s hair, then leaned down to smell it. Today was coincidentally a day off, and Du Yunse was accompanying Qiu Huanian in their garden, with the servants standing far behind.

Assisting Qiu Huanian to sit on a rattan chair beneath the osmanthus tree, Du Yunse eventually spoke, "Merely reading a few volumes of books for His Majesty during his leisure time."

"That simple?" Qiu Huanian blinked.

Although Du Yunse was indeed young, handsome, and had a pleasant voice, the Yuanhua Emperor wasn’t interested in that. Just reading a few books, why did he keep summoning Du Yunse?

Du Yunse smiled and pinched his little husband’s slightly rounder cheek, "His Majesty’s purpose isn’t about what I do in the palace, but about what others will think and do when they see me frequently entering the palace."

Qiu Huanian pondered for a moment, "The Emperor is employing you as bait, wanting certain people to jump into his trap?"

"That’s really... ruthless." Qiu Huanian whispered.

Du Yunse didn’t correct Qiu Huanian’s "bold statement." He knew how measured Brother Hua was, and such words would only be spoken privately, which was quite endearing.

Qiu Huanian propped his chin, guessing which fish the Yuanhua Emperor was trying to catch and who would be the next to fall.