Making Salt, Vermilion Oak's High Requirements! Full three monthly votes, add more!
Food was the most important thing for the people, and salt was something that only the imperial government could produce and sell in ancient times.
In the Ming Dynasty, privately making salt and selling salt were definitely felonies. However, with Zhu Yuanzhang as his father and the identity of the Han King Zhu Li, it was not rare for the Han King to make salt!
Most importantly, Zhu Li had reported to Zhu Yuanzhang directly, and the refined salt he produced was directly supplied to the imperial court. Zhu Yuanzhang turned a blind eye to this.
Even though the salt officials of the Ministry of Revenue had some complaints about this and felt that Zhu Li's actions were stealing business and disrupting the economy of the imperial court, no one dared to say anything in front of Zhu Yuanzhang.
Because there was an official who took the lead to impeach Zhu Li for salt production, he was scolded by Zhu Yuanzhang.
According to Zhu Yuanzhang, the salt made by our son is even more delicious than the ones made by you. You haters still have the face to criticize our son, don't you?
Do you know that the salt in the palace is still supplied by Hanzhong?
This slapped the faces of the salt officials.
From then on, no salt official dared to say anything more about this matter. They could only swallow their words!
It couldn't be helped. After all, the salt they made was indeed inferior to the salt made by the King of Han.
At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the income from the production and distribution of salt accounted for half of the Ming Dynasty's financial income. It played an important role in ensuring the needs of grain and horses, as well as emergency expenses such as river works and disaster relief.
Therefore, the Ming court was particularly strict with the control of salt and firmly opposed the request to change the government to private.
Zhu Yuanzhang was even more satisfied with the fact that most of the income from selling salt was used in the army.
In the early Ming Dynasty, the production of salt still used a large number of pan frying methods. That was to put seawater in an iron pot to boil and evaporate, leaving a layer of salt crystals in the iron pot.
Using this method to make salt was not only inefficient, but there were too many harmful substances. The impurities could not be removed, and eating too much was harmful to the body.
After all, the Great Ming Dynasty's bittern filtering technology was too poor. It could not effectively filter the harmful minerals in the salt crystals.
It wasn't until the middle and late Ming Dynasty that the salt-drying method, which was mainly based on salt pans, began to slowly spread.
However, this method was only suitable for coastal areas. An inland area like Hanzhong Prefecture did not have such conditions at all.
However, there were a considerable number of salt mines in the northwest region, including the territory of Hanzhong Prefecture.
If the salt wells derived from these salt mines wanted to be developed to produce salt, they would also use the pan frying method.
However, even though Zhu Li had improved the method of making salt and the salt produced was a grade higher than the official salt of the imperial court, the taste and quality still left Zhu Li feeling that it was barely satisfactory.
This was also why Zhu Li placed so much importance on the salt-making technique that Zhou Shuyi had given him.
"Greetings, Your Highness Han King!"
Liu Shan had always been in charge of the salt workshop. When he saw Zhu Li, he hurried to greet him.
"This is the latest salt-making method. Get someone to immediately experiment according to this method. This king wants to know the results as soon as possible!”
Zhu Li didn't waste any time and fully demonstrated what it meant to be swift and decisive. After he handed the salt-making technique written by Zhou Shuyi to Liu Shan, he ordered without any doubt.
"This…this is the latest salt-making method?”
Hearing this, Liu Shan was also surprised. However, when he looked at the piece of paper with the salt-making technique written on it, his expression soon became strange.
"What's wrong?"
Zhu Li frowned and asked.
"Your Highness, what pen was used to write this? Why are they so small and neat?"
Liu Shan asked in surprise.
Only then did Zhu Li realize that the handwriting on the paper was not written with a brush. Because of the salt-making technique, he did not notice this immediately!
After all, he was used to writing with a water pen or ballpoint pen before he transmigrated, so it was easy for him to ignore this detail.
However, such details would be magnified infinitely in the eyes of Liu Shan and the other Ming Dynasty people!
Zhu Li was surprised for a moment and immediately reacted.
Zhou Shuyi must have bought a water-based pen from the supermarket in her shopping cart. Needless to say, it was indeed more convenient and convenient to write like this than a brush. It seemed that he would have to ask her for a pen later to improve his writing efficiency!
"Shouldn't you be focusing on how to make salt? Don't ask what you shouldn't ask!"
Zhu Li naturally wouldn't explain this to Liu Shan. He frowned and reminded him with dissatisfaction.
"This general will do it now!"
Liu Shan quivered and reacted. He quickly called for people to start experimenting with the salt-making technique that Zhou Shuyi had written.
The salt-making technique that Zhou Shuyi had provided was the basic method of making salt with bittern, and it could ensure that the excess minerals and harmful substances in the salt crystals were filtered to the greatest extent.
"Your Highness, according to the latest salt-making method, it will take at least three days to produce the results. Why don't you go back and wait for the news first? I'll inform you immediately when there are results here?”
Soon, after Liu Shan's work was carried out smoothly, he saw that Zhu Li had no intention of leaving, so he went forward to remind him.
"You don't have to worry about me. This salt-making technique must not be revealed to the outside world at all. Keep an eye on these workers! Send another 200 armored Han soldiers to guard the place day and night. Don't make any mistakes!”
"This king will leave this matter to you. Don't disappoint this king!”
Zhu Li waved his hand and ordered solemnly.
"This general will obey!"
Liu Shan's spirit was immediately roused when he heard this, and he hurriedly accepted the order.
He could tell that Zhu Li was paying more attention to the salt production than before, so he became more careful.
In the next few days, even without Liu Shan's report, Zhu Li would go to the salt workshop to supervise from time to time.
Soon, the first batch of refined salt was produced.
Under the expectant gazes of Liu Shan and the others, Zhu Li dipped his hand into the refined salt that he had just made and tasted it. Then, he spat on the ground.
"Not pure enough!"
Zhu Li said lightly, apparently not satisfied with the quality of this batch of refined salt.
Hearing this, everyone didn't believe it and tasted the refined salt with their own mouths. Their faces revealed a shocked expression.
The quality of this refined salt was much higher than the top-notch refined salt they had made in the past!
This was definitely the best of the best!
But even so, the Han King was still not satisfied?
"Your Highness, this…this is already purer than the refined salt supplied to the Imperial Court!”
Liu Shan looked at Zhu Li with a puzzled face and reminded him.
"It's not enough. Think of a way to continue purifying it. This king wants to sell it to those salt merchants at a high price. If I don't make the quality the best, how can I monopolize the market?”
Zhu Li shook his head seriously.
. dividing line
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