Chapter 52

Salt officer

"Master, I'm tired from the journey." Qin Jun stepped into the front hall and waved her hand to serve tea.

Ji Si followed behind, handed the bag to the maid at the door, and went to Qin Jun to make tea gracefully.

The old man looked at Qin Jun, looked up and down displeased, and said: "Why is she a girl, call your master."

Qin Jun served tea and smiled: "My brother is doing business abroad, and I will be the master of the family."

The old man drank the tea in doubt, and said, "What does Li Wuduan have to do with you?"

Qin Jun: "It's my brother's friend, master, is Jindi okay now?"

The old man: "The old man doesn't care about political affairs. He came here to hear Major General Li say that you want to dig salt. Is there such a thing?"

"Hmm." Qin Jun answered vaguely.

The old man slammed the cup on the table, "Yes, that's right! It's very clever!"

Qin Jun nodded.

Old man: "Hmph! Illegal salt is against the law, you should think clearly, if you are found out, you may be thrown into prison!"

When Qin Jun heard this, she couldn't feel curious, "Is the master not afraid?"

"What is the old man afraid of? He is seventy years old, no matter how hard he tries, he can't escape a thin coffin. I only have one request." The old man's eyes were yellow, but his pupils were bright in an instant.

Qin Jun said seriously, "Say it."

The old man: "If you sell this salt, your salt in Jiangbei territory must not exceed half the price of official salt!"

Qin Jun smiled, agreed, and asked again: "The master wants to change the problem of salt shortage in the deep Southwest? Such an ambition, the little girl feels ashamed."

The old man stroked his beard: "I'm too lazy to talk about it. The delicious food and drink are on the table. I'll see the well tomorrow."

Ji Si tied up her hair casually, and the damp hair trailed out in snaking traces behind her back. She grabbed her sleeve with one hand, and gracefully held a lantern for Qin Jun.

In one side courtyard of the village, the boiler was burning scarlet, and the hot iron inside was hot. The blacksmith's arms were covered with sweat, and he smashed the iron with a hammer.

The courtyard was tinkling and buzzing, with sparks splashing from the charcoal stove, but it was tightly blocked by the high-walled courtyard.

Qin Jun picked up Qinshui's parts and compared them with the drawings. Seeing that the workmanship was good, she felt relieved.

Ji Si unfolded a roll of paper by her side, and said, "Uncle's letter contains the origin of this person. His name is Jiang Chaosheng, and he is a salt official in a land near the sea."

Qin Jun: "Where did you find it?"

Ji Si said, "It's hidden in the saddle."

Qin Jun nodded, knowing that Jiang Chaosheng's background must have been investigated by Li Wuduan.

Ji Si: "Jiang Chaosheng doesn't know the origin of the princess."

Qin Jun: "I don't know, it's just right. After tomorrow at the latest, the blacksmiths from Suizhou will also come."

Ji Si: "Separate the people on both sides?"

Qin Jun thought for a while and said, "It's not something shameful, there is no need to separate, so as not to be exposed in the future and fall into the limelight."

Ji Si snorted, and heard Qin Jun say in a low voice, "However, those who dig wells need to be watched carefully."

The next day, before Qin Jun got up, the maid at the door came to announce that Jiang Chaosheng had come to see him.

Qin Jun got up in a hurry, pulled her hair up casually, put away the wooden hairpin, and stumbled out while putting on her shoes, "Come here!"

Ji Si supported Qin Jun: "No rush."

After illuminating the wall, the old man changed his clothes after washing, but he couldn't tell that he was almost seventy years old.

Qin Jun smiled: "The master is here, have you had breakfast?"

"I've eaten," Jiang Chaosheng snorted coldly, pointed at Ji Si and asked, "You are so lazy in being the master of the house. If the old man had the temper thirty years ago, he would have rolled up his sleeves and left!"

Qin Jun thought to herself, if Ji Si had the temperament of her previous life, you would be a dead person now, Qin Jun accompanied her smiling face and wanted to bear with you, so she directly asked Jiang Chaosheng to go to the back mountain to see where it is suitable to dig wells to produce salt.

Before departure, Ji Si went to the small kitchen and brought some snacks for Qin Jun. Qin Jun ate all the way along the way, and occasionally was caught by Ji Si and force-fed two mouthfuls of water, as if a child was being taken care ofLike.

Jiang Chaosheng rolled his eyes several times, but in the end he had no choice but to look at the scenery and terrain along the way. When he saw the hundreds of acres of fields on the northwest side, he was slightly surprised, "Your family?"

Qin Jun raised her head unconsciously: "What do you think, master?"

There are many mountains in Yanyun Villa, only between the two mountains, there are hundreds of acres of broad land near the river valley from the northwest to the southeast, and the land is unevenly distributed, one piece in the east and one piece in the west. If the tide rises during the flood season, the shoal will be flooded.Some of the wasteland that Jun opened up has reached the mountain. As long as it is a little flat and close to the water point, we will use what can be used first.

The corner of Jiang Chaosheng's mouth twitched: "It's almost July now, Jiangnan's early rice can be harvested in August, and you will have September at the latest. If you plant it like this, it's better not to plant it."

Qin Jun: "..."

Ji Si bent her eyes and looked at Jiang Chaosheng with a slight smile, "Master's teeth are sharp, and I really admire him."

Jiang Chaosheng snorted coldly: "Smiling tiger."

Qin Jun: "..."

Not far away, a few court ladies were drying their clothes by a small stream formed by a mountain. The young women laughed like silver bells, and their sleeves were rolled up to half an arm’s height. They splashed and played with each other by the water. There was an indescribable beautybreath.

Qin Jun unconsciously glanced twice, approached, the maids stood up and saluted, and greeted Qin Jun and Ji Si with a smile.

"Isn't Lady Pin doing laundry today?"

Qin Jun's clothes washing and drying have been unknowingly handed over to Ji Si for several months, and she never pretends to be in the hands of others. Every time, Ji Si has to wash by the river while she is free, and the underwear is just like that..

Ji Si smiled, "I'm not free today."

Qin Jun blushed, feeling that she had been teased, and quickly left the stream.

Jiangbei was originally far from the sea, with inconvenient transportation and high terrain. Except for a large river running from east to west, there are few landforms such as lakes and wetlands.

Sea salt is eaten in the East China Sea, and lake salt is eaten in Central Capital and Liuzhou. If there is an antidote within a hundred steps of snake venom, there must be salt in Jiangbei.

Jiang Chaosheng took Qin Jun around the mountains for half a day, the three of them walked sorely, Jiang Chaosheng led the way, and stopped halfway in a depression that had accumulated rain, Jiang Chaosheng sat on his knees, brushed away the grass, and rubbed it with his fingertips.Kneading the soil to taste, smacking for a moment and turning around, Qin Jun had already fallen asleep peacefully on Ji Si's back.

Jiang Chaosheng: "..."

Ji Si was expressionless: "Did you choose the master master?"

Jiang Chaosheng: "You can try rocky mountains not far from rivers or streams. Let's choose this secluded place to try first."

Ji Si nodded.

Jiang Chaosheng patted the dirt off his hands, revealing cracked palm lines, and asked, "How do we dig this well? Just you and me?"

Ji Si said, "The mansion has hired a master who digs wells."

"Are you strict?" Jiang Chaosheng said.

Ji Si said: "Let them dig first, and when the salt water comes out of the well, let them do it."

Jiang Chaosheng pondered for a moment and nodded, and together with Ji Si, he chose a few more locations one after another, and found that there were marks made by Qin Jun on several rocks near the water source.

"Your lady knows some tricks." Jiang Chaosheng said.

Ji Si: "I came here a few times the day before yesterday, and the young lady said that digging a well is not difficult. What is difficult is how to draw out the brine and how to burn it into salt, heat, and refine it. You need to find a master."

Jiang Chaosheng narrowed his eyes slightly, shook his hands and strode away, "Take me to see the equipment."

Ji Si carried Qin Jun on her back and walked steadily, "The invited blacksmith is working on it."

"Oh?" Jiang Chaosheng raised his beard, "Hurry up and take me to see it!"

The three returned to the villa. Qin Jun woke up on the road and was unwilling to open his eyes. He didn't get off Ji Si until he smelled the aroma of steamed chicken, and walked into the house quickly.

Jiang Chaosheng was furious: "What are you going to do again!?"

Ji Si said calmly, "Master, let's have lunch first."

Jiang Chaosheng: "..."

The front hall hadn't set the dishes yet. Seeing Qin Jun came back, he went to fetch hot water and wash his hands.

Qin Jun: "Jin Xiu! I'm starving to death."

Jin Xiu: "Wash your hands before eating."

Xiao Taozi giggled, "Miss, are you done?"

Qin Jun smiled brightly: "Nine times out of ten!"

Ji Si cleaned her hands in the basin brought by the servants, and brought a hot handkerchief to wipe Qin Jun's hands and face.

A room full of people was busy serving Qin Jun, serving basins of water, coming in like water, and then dissipating like a stream. Finally, a screen was moved to separate the host and guest seats.

Jiang Chaosheng was speechless as he had never seen such a battle before.

When the food was served, Ji Si washed her hands, and tore the steamed shredded chicken into strips and put them into Qin Jun's bowl. If Qin Jun wanted to eat, she picked it up with chopsticks, dipped it in the cooking water, and put it into Qin Jun's bowl.The service is meticulous.

Qin Jun: "I'll do it myself."

"Master," Ji Si rolled her eyes and said with a smile, "Come here, slave."

Qin Jun didn't say anything, just waiting for Ji Si to serve her.

Ji Si asked, "How does it taste?"

Qin Jun: "Delicious?"

Ji Si: "Drink some soup."

Qin Jun: "Take two bites of food first."

Jiang Chaosheng looked depressed: "Bring the wine!"

Qin Jun puffed her cheeks, and looked out of the screen. Women who have not left the cabinet and outside men are not allowed to sit together. Qin Jun came to Jiangbei to play around all day. He doesn't care much about the rules in Capital, but Jinxiu Xiaotao and othersThese etiquettes have always been adhered to.

Qin Jun and Jiang Chaosheng each had a waist-high desk in front of them. Qin Jun served three dishes, while Jiang Chaosheng had two dishes and a jug of wine.

Jiang Chaosheng ate two chopsticks, a little displeased: "Let's have some beef."

"It's not appropriate for guests to eat more than the host's. This is against the rules, master." Ji Si said calmly.

Qin Jun said casually, "Add some beef to Master."

Ji Si asked the kitchen to serve a plate of beef. Jiang Chaosheng was in a much better mood while drinking the wine. Looking at Qin Jun's eating, he smiled and said, "I thought that for the Jiangnan aristocratic family, lunch starts with ten dishes."

ten dishes?

In the past, a meal started with sixteen, okay? Qin Jun put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth with a silk handkerchief, "Have you finished eating, Master?"

Jiang Chaosheng drank the last sip of wine, and went to the side yard with Qin Jun to watch the blacksmith.

Jiang Chaosheng's eyes were venomous, and he could tell what Qin Jun asked people to beat for. "Chung, it's feasible to dig a well with this method, but it's just scrap iron."

Qin Jun smiled: "There are three hundred catties of pig iron, use it quickly, and you can produce more than a dozen pairs of plow tools and an iron awl."

Jiang Chaosheng: "The pounding method is used to open the well, but when the well is deep, it will be narrow. It is better to find someone to dig it."

Blacksmith: "Master's eyes are poisonous, but as a child, He's village is big, so it's okay to dig a few more wells."

Qin Jun smiled and said, "It will be more convenient to drill more wells."

Jiang Chaosheng pointed to the blueprint, pointed at the two circular gears, and asked, "What is this used for?"

Qin Jun said in a low voice: "You can't really use the principle of leverage to step on the pit. How long will it take to step on it? With this, you can make a mechanism that is interlocking, and you can pull the long hammer without any effort...Instantly complete,Then use this mechanism to spin out the brine..."

Qin Jun pulled Jiang Chaosheng aside and talked about the principle of his organization.

Jiang Chaosheng was in a fog.

Qin Jun said: "There used to be a strange man named Lu Ban in the Warring States Period, who was good at mechanism skills. Have you ever heard of it, Master?"

The books of ancient mechanism belonged to strange tricks. Qin Jun guessed that people in Qin and Zhou might not have heard of them, and even if they did, they would only regard these treasures as children's juggling toys.

Jiang Chaosheng: "No."

Qin Jun smiled but said nothing, when Jin Xiu came to her and said in a low voice, "Five are here from Suizhou."

Qin Jun squinted her eyes, "What's the salary?"

Jin Xiu: "Xiaotao has already negotiated, let's ask when work will start."

Qin Jun said: "Today, let's settle down first. For dinner, we will have a tooth sacrifice for all the masters. Tomorrow, let's start digging the well under the sycamore tree in the courtyard. I think it has been dry for a long time, so don't block it."

Jin Xiu nodded, turned around and went to give instructions.

Qin Jun and Jiang Chaosheng looked at it casually again. Jiang Chaosheng gave a few pointers and didn't reveal a word about the salt. He only said that a few wells should be dug in the village for the convenience of water.I also went to see the plow maker, the plow tools were not too difficult, the blacksmith has long been proficient in making perfect, he has been knocking on a pile in three to five days, and he can call it a day in a few days.

Jiang Chaosheng: "You find me a vacant room made of wood, the ceiling needs to be high, and you can match ten masters to prepare a salt room for me."

Qin Jun: "Is there anything else?"

Jiang Chaosheng thought for a while, and said, "Whether it is sun-dried salt or boiled salt, do you have any research?"

The salt book Qin Jun read once said that the inland area is not as hot as the sun near the sea, and guessed that the salt should not be sun-dried, "cooking salt."

Jiang Chaosheng nodded in satisfaction: "So we need several stone pots, several stone troughs, and iron pots made of iron rings, which are used to hold salt and cook salt. There are also some details. You take a pen, and the old man writes them down one by one.Go do it."

Qin Jun nodded and asked casually, "How did the master meet his brother and friend General Li in Binhai?"

Jiang Chaosheng: "Major General Li led the troops in Qushui. When I saw a bag of salt hanging around his waist, I knew he was from Jiangbei. I have been away from Jiangzhou for 30 years. I have no children, no relatives, and no reason. I want to take advantage of my fellow villagers."Let him point out the way back to Jiangbei. During the conversation, General Li brought a horse and led me from the canal to your Laoshizi's villa!"

"A good horse knows the way," Qin Jun suppressed a smile, "The master is in the canal..."

Jiang Chaosheng knew what she wanted to ask, so he said, "It's just a small salt official in the Yantie Division. When the age is up, I will tell the envoy to return home."

Qin Jun nodded, and walked out of the courtyard with Jiang Chaosheng.

Jiang Chaosheng: "The salt in the coastal area meets the wind and becomes brine. The brine cannot be drunk directly. It needs to be pounded with saponin to make salt. In some areas, the salt turns black and can only be bought for poor farmers. Your water comes from deep ground. If you want toTo produce white salt, we have to think of a way to get rid of the sundries and the poison of the brine..."

Qin Jun kept smiling, knowing that he had met an expert.

Jiang Chaosheng stopped talking and poured cold water: "Don't rush to be happy, making salt is not difficult, the hard part is the way out of business, it's best if you have a connection, if you sell salt in Jiang Prefecture Qinzhou, I'm afraid the government won't let you downyou."

Qin Jun respectfully said: "My brother is a merchant, the little girl and the master can just focus on making salt, and let my brother do the work."

Jiang Chaosheng nodded, and the two stood on the porch. There were dark clouds in Yanyun Mountain Villa, and the scorching heat was not unbearable in midsummer. Jiang Chaosheng was stunned for a while, looking at the sky in a daze: "In the past, Jiangbei was short of salt, so I went to the canal.for thirty years."

In early June, when the heat was in full swing, the salt well that Qin Jun had been thinking about for a long time was officially opened.

The author has something to say:

Thanks to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated nutrient solution during 2022-02-10 19:02:42~2022-02-12 19:46:01~

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Thanks to the little angels of the irrigation nutrient solution: 40 bottles of special crematorium for chasing wives; 20 bottles of Mumuyu fruit; 10 bottles of 009Q; 9 bottles of braised pork ribs and intellectuals who love learning; 7 bottles of Xunsu;3 bottles of setting sun and rain;

Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!