"Doctor Li's flower dew." Xiao Luolan said.
"This smells good, too." Zhou Xu chuckled, his voice carrying an imperceptible tenderness, which was completely different from the decisive and cold person in the letter.
Chapter 172 (Qingxue plot)
In a saltpeter mine far away from Langge, this place is located deep in the mountains and forests. It is one of the saltpeter strongholds of the military workshop. It is winter, and there are still 500 prisoners working. Next to them are some supervisors. If Those who are lazy and slippery will be whipped by the supervisor with a long whip, and the nitrate workers will be supervised to quarry stones and make nitrate as quickly as possible.
This military stronghold is only accessible by a single road, and the terrain is difficult. Sentries have been set up along the way, and the guards are tighter than before. A few days ago, Lord Bo, the owner of the military workshop, requested that the saltpeter mine be fully exploited this year.
Although the New Year has passed, the weather has still not warmed up. The old overseer estimates that it will really get warm in March and April. It will be difficult, he thought to himself, but looking at the prisoners mining in the cold wind, he felt It's not that hard anymore. Today is the time for the monthly inspection by the left boss of the military workshop, Bo. The old supervisor personally went to battle and made sure to beat the skin of the prisoners hard and not be lazy.
On the mountain trail, Zuo Zhubo accompanied a girl in luxurious clothes with a respectful attitude. Zhou Shenzhi held an umbrella for A-mei. The wind was quite strong today. There was also a pair of handsome young Yanshi beside A-mei.
Xiao Qingxue looked at the mining prisoners with complicated eyes, but she had no kindness towards them.
"Young General, Miss Xiao, the saltwater cave is almost here." Zuo Zhubo said. When the old supervisor saw Zuo Zhubo coming with the nobleman, he quickly saluted.
"He is the horse supervisor here. He has been supervising the saltwater boiling here for more than ten years. He is very familiar with everything in the saltwater cave." said the left master. Xiao Qingxue looked at the old supervisor and said, "We want to go to the saltwater cave." Check out the hole."
The old overseer bent down and said with a smile: "My lord, please come with me."
Xiao Qingxue came here because she wanted to see how saltpeter was boiled in ancient times. She was full of curiosity about this place. Her current method of making saltpeter in the saltwater field has not yet taken effect, and she is looking for a suitable place. Now this place is very good, close to the saltpeter cave. In the future, the saltpeter produced in the saltpeter field will be sent to the military workshop west of Langge together with the saltpeter refined in the saltpeter cave.
Today she dragged her brother over to take a look first. She heard that there were many sulfur mines in Beihao Mountain, and she thought that the saltpeter mine was just around the corner.
Zhou Shenzhi inspected the area first. Seeing that his sister was very curious about this place, he took the initiative to say, "This is Bailu Mountain. Bailu Mountain is one of the largest saltpeter caves in Youzhou. There are nearly a hundred saltpeter pits in the cave, stretching for several kilometers." Kilometers, more than half of it has been mined now.”
Xiao Qingxue entered the flat saltpeter pit from the cave, and saw a large pit that was two meters long and about three meters wide. In the pit, there were five or six young men using tools to tamp earthen bricks hard. Xiao Qingxue opened her eyes. Looking at all this with big eyes, this is much more formal than what she did at Shangqing Temple, and it looks very formal at first glance.
Supervisor Zhu said with a flattering smile: "This year is a good year. A few days ago, a new saltpeter mine of good quality was mined. Therefore, I asked the people who made the saltpeter to pound the earth quickly to make it. As the old saying goes, it takes only three holes to pick up the soil. , with me, Lao Zhu, this saltpeter pit must be extremely hard."
"After the soil is compacted, a small hole will be drilled, and finally some broken wood and thick wheat straw will be placed. Sir, please see, there is a small reservoir below the hole to collect salt water."
Xiao Qingxue sniffed. The smell in the cave was really not good. When she looked up, she saw that someone was boiling saltwater in the distance. White mist was steaming. Fortunately, the cave was big enough and ventilated everywhere.
The key steps of boiling saltpeter and making saltpeter from saltpeter in ancient times are similar. There may be some differences, but it is just a matter of scientific proportions. These people are really amazing. Supervisor Zhu started and introduced endlessly. Got the newly picked good nitrate soil.
"This soil is spicy. As soon as I tasted it, I knew it was a good salty soil. I quickly informed Zuo Zhubo. Zuo Zhubo asked me to supervise the refining and make sure to do my best." Supervisor Zhu said in front of the nobles.
Master Zuo smiled softly and said: "Young Master, Miss Xiao, Supervisor Zhu is very good at tasting saltpeter. The saltpeter supplied by Bailu Mountain in recent years is the best in Youzhou. The supply of saltpeter from Bailu Mountain among the craftsmen is also in short supply."
"Can you still taste saltpeter?" Xiao Qingxue was interested: "I'll try it too."
Supervisor Zhu is in trouble, this...
"Bring some of them here," Zhou Shenzhi said.
Zuo Zhubo urged: "It must be good."
Xiao Qingxue and her brother continued to watch the saltwater boiling, and found that the pouring of saltwater and soil here is also very particular. It is not poured in a mess, but it must be carefully rinsed and laid out. While pouring the soil, step on it gently, and wait until it is poured. It will be compacted at a certain height. After compacting, it will be soaked with water from the cave. Generally speaking, it is a big project. Every step requires manpower. The saltwater boils up and creates a fishy smell of urine. Xiao Qingxue stood aside and let her The two Yanshi masters of Gongsun's family had seen it clearly. She planned to let Gongsun Qi and Gongsun Luo do her own method of making saltpeter from the salt field, so she took them to see how others made saltpeter to gain experience.
After all, it is convenient for your own people to use.
As for Gongsun Qi and Gongsun Luo, they were indeed obedient. As soon as they heard that he wanted them to do something, they all agreed. Even if they later found out that what they were doing was related to human and animal urine, their expressions only changed a little, and then they decided to live up to their duties. Trust.
Supervisor Zhu brought the saltpeter and put four kinds of saltpeter on the plate.
"My lord, this tastes slightly spicy." Supervisor Zhu said.
Xiao Qingxue dipped some soil with her fingers and smelled the musty smell. She tried to lick it, but she didn't taste anything at all. She asked Gongsun Qi and Gongsun Luo to taste it. After they chewed it carefully, they said to their master: "Yes." It's spicy." They both tasted the remaining three plates and tasted different flavors.
Xiao Qingxue was even more satisfied with these two people.
"After the saltpeter is boiled in saltwater, the high-grade smell of cow urine becomes pungent, and then becomes weaker and weaker, so it is no longer of great use. Like the saltpeter pit that the young lady just saw, after five days of dripping, two hundred kilograms of saltpeter can be obtained. The water is around." Zuo Zhu Bo said dutifully.
Xiao Qingxue smiled and said: "Gongsun Qi will be fully responsible for supervising the construction of the saltpeter fields at the foot of the mountain from now on. If they have anything they don't understand, please ask Master Zuo Bo to help."
Zuo Zhu bent down and cupped his hands and said: "Don't dare, I will give my best to cooperate with the two Gongsun Langjun."
After the two of them came down the mountain, Gongsun Qi and Gongsun Luo both bowed down and bowed: "Qi and Luo have the trust of the lord, and they will live up to the trust of the lord."
Xiao Qingxue patted the two of them on the shoulders, her eyes turned into crescent moons: "Do a good job, and tomorrow you will be the supervisors of the military workshop." After all, she also wants to arrange a small official for her people, and then she will Here are some of her steps. Her subordinates have official positions and have people in hand, so they don't panic.
"Wei!" Gongsun Qi and Gongsun Luo looked at each other and bowed again in surprise.
Zhou Shenzhi waited for Amei and her client to finish speaking before stepping forward with a smile: "Okay, take a look at the saltpeter mine. Is it time to go home?"
"Brother, let's go to the sulfur mine in Beihao Mountain and have a look." Xiao Qingxue held her brother's arm and refused.
"If you go to Beihao Mountain, you won't be able to come back at night." Zhou Shenzhi glanced at the sky and said, "I'll go with you early tomorrow morning."
"Thank you, brother!" Xiao Qingxue was happy.
Zhou Shenzhi looked at Amei. Two days ago, he saw the gunpowder brought from Shangqing Temple in the military workshop. He tested it once in the back hill of the military workshop. It was really powerful and it really impressed him. At the same time, he felt I can't help but wonder where his sister is from.
The two went down the mountain together, and Zhou Shenzhi held an umbrella for his sister to protect her from the wind and snow.
The snow was falling and the mountains were slippery. Zhou Shenzhi asked his sister to hold his arm to stop him from falling.
Gongsun Qi and Gongsun Luo walked farther behind, and they had to consciously avoid talking to their master.
Xiao Qingxue held her brother's arm and walked carefully while holding up the hem of her skirt. She glanced at her resolute and sharp side face and said with a smile: "Brother, thank you for giving me the position of supervisor."
She was worried about how to let her people enter the military workshop, but her brother said that the military workshop has the position of supervisor, who can directly supervise and inspect the craftsmen, and also transferred Gongsun Qi and Gongsun Luo into it. Two locations added.
Zhou Shenzhi smiled and said: "The Gongsun family is a master of Yanshi, and they are proficient in the art of smelting mechanisms. There are people from the Gongsun family in the military workshop. Gongsun Erlang is not an outsider when he is elected to the post of superintendent. It is just right, but they If you make a mistake in the future, you will be punished like everyone else.”
"I know!" Xiao Qingxue assured immediately.
Zhou Shenzhi smiled and rubbed A-mei's head. After thinking for a while, he couldn't help but ask: "A-mei, where are you and your mother from?"
"It's from Jiangcheng." Xiao Qingxue was stunned, thinking about the home she couldn't go back to, and she felt a little depressed: "But it's far, far away, and I can't go back."
Zhou Shenzhi knew that his mother and A-mei’s current Xiao identity were not true, but he still didn’t quite understand what A-mei said about being far away: “Is it overseas?”
Xiao Qingxue smiled and said: "Brother stupid, no, it's outside of time."
"Our place is far, far away from here, and it's different from yours."
Xiao Qingxue talked about some small things about modern life. Zhou Shenzhi slowly stopped and held the bamboo umbrella tightly, feeling as if Amei was talking about wild stories.
"Is there really such a world?" He couldn't help but blurt out and asked. Does such a world really exist in which every family's rice is dripping with fat, every household is protected from hunger, and people can go to the sky and sea and travel thousands of miles a day?
"Of course, I was going to college when I came here." Xiao Qingxue felt it was a pity when she said this.
Zhou Shenzhi hesitated and asked, "But Taixue?" Chang'an Taixue included the descendants of the imperial court's fifth rank and above, the sons of each vassal town, the descendants of the marquis of the imperial court, and the royal family members could all study in Taixue. Originally, he was one of them when he grew up. Because of his father, he didn't have to go. His father found a great Confucian to teach him. When he grew up, his teacher went to travel around the world. It is said that Zhou Shenzhi missed his teacher quite a lot.
"It's not Taixue, it's university." Xiao Qingxue corrected: "Our girl can also go to school. She has been going to school since she was a child. She has been going to elementary school, junior high school, high school, and then went to university. Those who have the conditions They all have to go to school.”
Zhou Shenzhi listened silently, his mind in a trance, and he was greatly shocked.
Sometimes he always felt that his mother and A-mei were not like people from this world, but he never thought that their world was so different from theirs, as different as clouds and mud, which shocked his heart.
Returning to the carriage at the foot of the mountain, Zhou Shenzhi rode on horseback to guard the side of Amei's carriage. He still couldn't recover, and he didn't notice that the bamboo umbrella in his hand was tilted, and fine snow fell on his shoulders.
The young man under the umbrella looked at the gray dark clouds in the distance.
That kind of world seemed like an illusory fairy dream to him, but his mother and A-mei lived there.
Although I don’t know how they got here, they suddenly fell into a strange and troubled world. If Zhou Shenzhi had not met his father, Zhou Shenzhi would have shed a cold sweat for his gentle mother and innocent and beautiful sister...
If they don't meet them, they will be in what Buddhism calls hell.
Zhou Shenzhi rode a horse and walked slowly. After thinking for a long time, he always felt that Amei had painted a fairy picture for him that made his heart beat.
The young man shook off the heavy snow on his shoulders and suddenly raised his whip to urge his horse, his mood high.
Although I know it is out of reach, my heart yearns for it.
Chapter 173 (Sweet! Sweet! Sweet!)
Outside Zhou's house.
Lei Hu and Lei Bao were ready to go. Lei Shan, as the leader this time, led five hundred Lei's Qingqiu to wait outside the mansion. The black cloud horses of the Northland slipped away, and the conspicuous thunder flag was inserted on the carriage, straight into the sky.
The five hundred light-armored cavalry all carried bows and sabers on their backs, looking majestic.
This was the first time that Chen Fu was surrounded by these tough cavalry, which made his back always feel hairy. Out of the keen intuition of a martial artist, his eyes scanned the bulging black cavalry on the back of Lei's light horse. He has a quiver of feathers and is good at riding and shooting in the north. He is praised as the bravery of the three armies. This is what the late emperor once praised the Youzhou cavalry.
Although he is not on the battlefield now, he can't help but look at the bravery displayed by these Lei's followers.
Xiao Luolan stood aside, thinking about what else needed to be sent to Mr. Xiao. The books had already been loaded into the carriage, and Chen Fu personally looked at it. There were five carriages packed in total, and two more carriages of medicinal materials and silk were sent. There didn't seem to be any specialties in Youzhou, which made Xiao Luolan a little bit embarrassed.
Xiao Qinghe, who was on the side, saw that his aunt had been busy for a long time. He stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Aunt, senior brother has brought enough things to Qinghe. Those rare ancient books, calligraphy and paintings alone can make his great-grandfather happy for several years. They are priceless treasures. , no need to send it again.”
Zhou Xu smiled and said: "I think it's almost done. We will go to Qinghe in the late spring. Now let Chen Fu go first."
Xiao Luolan looked around and felt that they were almost the same: "That's good." She smiled and said: "I'm leaving soon. Qinghe, you can talk to your senior brother. The next time we meet will be in a few months."
Xiao Qinghe got on senior brother's carriage and said seriously: "Senior brother, please take care of yourself along the way."
"With the Lei family's retinue of Youzhou Mu personally escorting me, I'm afraid I'm going to steal the show." Chen Fu asked his junior brother to come forward. The young man who drew the strip was just over thirteen years old, and in his eyes he was still a young man. Children who have not grown up.
Chen Fu thought about it and said, "Listen carefully to your aunt here and serve your elders every day to say hello. Don't miss her."
In a strange foreign land, the only person his junior brother could rely on was his aunt.
Xiao Qinghe blushed and said slightly awkwardly: "Brother, I say hello to my aunt every day."
If his aunt treats him well, he will treat her well, but the senior brother asks him to do it so straightforwardly, as if he has ulterior motives for his aunt...
The smart young man thought of his aunt Youzhou's identity and lowered his head in embarrassment. Who could say that it wasn't the case? The Xiao family has a plot against their aunt. They want to use the power of Zhou Youzhou to protect them. Most of the Qinghe scholars are the disciples of their great ancestors and are not very important to the court. The poor family is even attacked by the nobles. Now wars are raging, and many fellow disciples The brothers were like duckweeds floating in the water. At this moment, his great-grandfather told him that his "aunt" had appeared.
Her status is unimaginable, the mistress of Youzhou in the north.
Even though she was far away in Youzhou, the great-grandfather's frowning all day long was still relaxed. The warlords were divided and there were many vassal towns. With the status of aunt, their Qinghe family could be regarded as having a life-saving trump card among the southern clans.
This time, my uncle personally sent his retinue to escort his senior brother back to Qinghe. This was undoubtedly to support the Xiao family. He was naturally pleasantly surprised by such good intentions, which was undoubtedly good for the Xiao family in Qinghe.
Chen Fu patted his junior brother on the shoulder: "That's good. I'm leaving. There's no need to see me off."
Xiao Qinghe got out of the car and watched his senior brother leave from a distance.
"Let's eat lunch first. Qingxue and Shenzhi are going outside." Xiao Luolan said warmly to the slender young boy.
Zhou Xu held his wife's hand and went home. Xiao Qinghe followed his aunt and glanced at her. He happened to see her looking down at him. Her soft smile was like spring water ripples in her eyes, hiding a trace of care. Even her aunt The scent on my body seems to be warm too.
The young man quietly moved closer to his aunt, with an unconscious attachment.
