"Fatty Liu, what do you know?"
"This is called preservation, moisture-proofing."
"Think about it, that place in the Northern Frontier, freezing cold, and heavy humidity."
"If these meat bricks get damp and moldy, wouldn't it be even worse if Second Brother ate them?"
"This quicklime absorbs water. Putting it in is to ensure the meat stays fresh and delicious."
Fatty Liu listened, dumbfounded.
"Is that so?"
"Nonsense, the books this County Princess has read are more than the salt you've eaten."
Xu Qinghuan had already made her calculations in her heart: this quicklime was the most powerful at absorbing water. Putting it in would definitely suck the moisture in the jar completely dry, even sucking dry the moisture in the meat! When the time came for Second Brother to take out the meat, it would definitely be as dry as a rock, breaking his front teeth!
Thinking of the scene of Second Brother holding the rock-hard meat brick and being unable to bite into it, Xu Qinghuan almost laughed out loud. Suppressing the corners of her mouth, she spouted nonsense:
"This is called the ultimate dehydration method! I want this jar to have not a single trace of moisture, completely dry, this is called... um, physical preservation! Do you understand?"
Fatty Liu was stunned.
Physical preservation? Dehydration?
As a cook who had dealt with stoves his whole life, Fatty Liu looked at that packet of quicklime, and suddenly his brain buzzed, a flash of inspiration passing through.
That's not right...
If this quicklime absorbs water, it gets hot!
And it gets boiling hot, the kind of hot that can boil water!
Fatty Liu immediately widened his eyes, looking at that layer of isolating oiled paper, and then looked at the quicklime packet underneath.
If they were in the freezing and snowy Northern Frontier, with heavy snow sealing the mountains, there would be no way to gather firewood to start a fire.
But as long as Second Young Master and the others poured a little snow water into the bottom of this jar... the quicklime would boil upon encountering water, and the generated heat would pass up through the oiled paper...
Then wouldn't these originally stiff meat bricks turn into steaming hot, oily braised pork in half a cup of tea's time?!
This is... a pot that doesn't need a fire?!
Heavens!
Fatty Liu's eyes moistened.
So the Miss wasn't just afraid the meat would spoil, she had calculated the severe cold of the Northern Frontier, the inability to start a fire, and specially utilized the principle of "quicklime generating heat upon encountering water" to design this ingenious "self-heating canned food"!
But clearly the Miss had made such a great invention, yet she was afraid the lowly servants wouldn't understand, and deliberately downplayed it, saying it was for "dehydration preservation"!
She even silently gave so much, even at the risk of being misunderstood, just so Second Young Master wouldn't have a psychological burden.
What kind of wisdom is this? And what kind of deep sibling affection is this!
"Miss, you... you are truly too wise!"
Fatty Liu knelt on the ground with a thud, crying with snot and tears.
"Just now, this lowly one thought you wanted to harm Second Young Master. This lowly one truly deserves to die! How is this quicklime used to absorb water? This is clearly Second Young Master's longevity lock in the snowy fields!"
Xu Qinghuan looked at Fatty Liu, who had suddenly knelt down, with a bewildered expression.
Ah?
What is this damn fatty saying? What longevity lock?
I just put in a desiccant, how did it become great?
But whatever, as long as he's willing to put it in.
"Cough, cough, alright, alright. Since you understand the County Princess's good intentions, hurry up and seal the jars! Remember, put more quicklime! The most potent kind!"
"Rest assured! Leave this matter to this lowly one!"
Fatty Liu leaped up from the ground, full of energy.
Since it was for Second Young Master to have a hot meal, this quicklime had to be put in.
And it had to be put in carefully!
Ah! I've got it!
Fatty Liu pressed close to an assistant's ear and said:
"Go do something for me. Find me a batch of special clay jars. Large jars nesting small jars! Put the meat in the small jars, and in the interlayer between the large jar and the small jar, stuff it full of quicklime!"
"Although this quicklime can generate heat, it definitely can't directly touch the meat, that's poison."
"It still has to be wrapped up!"
"Wrap it tightly in oiled paper, and pad it at the very bottom of the clay jar!"
"This way, it can absorb moisture and generate heat, without dirtying the meat."
Xu Qinghuan watched Fatty Liu working busily beside her and nodded in satisfaction.
Yes, yes, yes, just like that!
As long as it's put in!
Who cares if it's wrapped in oiled paper or not, that quicklime dust flying everywhere will definitely stick to the meat!
As long as Second Brother feels his throat burning when he eats it, then this matter is a success!
Xu Qinghuan seemed to have already seen the imperial decree of exile waving at her.
"Quick!"
"After packing, seal the jars immediately!"
"No one is allowed to peek!"
"This is a surprise from the County Princess to Second Brother!"
...
The sky was just getting light outside the west gate of Jiangning City.
The cold wind howled, and heavy snow fell.
Over a dozen carriages loaded with the spiked meat bricks were parked neatly at the city gate.
On every carriage, the banner of the Longmen Escort Agency was planted.
It's just that the atmosphere was a little awkward.
Wang Tiedan, the head escort of the Longmen Escort Agency, was currently crossing his arms, looking like he'd rather die than submit.
"County Princess Xu, we won't take this escort job."
Wang Tiedan was a typical pugilistic man, with a face full of a big beard, and spoke with a muffled voice.
"I'm afraid the heavy snow these days will seal the mountains, and there's fighting in the north."
"Let alone going to the Northern Frontier, even leaving the prefecture is difficult."
"The brothers' lives are also lives. We won't do it no matter how much money you give!"
Xu Qinghuan sat on a grand armchair to the side, holding a hand warmer, smiling at him.
"Head Escort Wang, you really won't take it?"
"I won't!"
Wang Tiedan shook his head like a rattle.
"This is a matter of losing heads, there's no room for discussion!"
Xu Qinghuan sighed.
"Li Sheng."
"Here."
"Add money."
Without a word, Li Sheng took out a stack of banknotes from his chest and slapped them on the table in front of Wang Tiedan with a smack.
"Here is ten thousand taels."
Wang Tiedan's eyelids twitched.
Ten thousand taels...
This was the Longmen Escort Agency's profit for three years!
But...
"County Princess Xu, this isn't a matter of money..."
Smack!
Another stack of banknotes.
"Twenty thousand taels."
Xu Qinghuan's voice was light, as if that wasn't silver, but waste paper.
Wang Tiedan's Adam's apple rolled.
He looked at those banknotes, and then looked at the group of escort brothers behind him whose eyes had turned green.
"County Princess, the journey is far. If we encounter barbarians..."
Smack!
"Fifty thousand taels!"
Xu Qinghuan stood up, walked in front of Wang Tiedan, and looked straight into his eyes.
"Head Escort Wang, I know you Longmen Escort Agency value loyalty."
"But in this world, there is no danger that silver can't settle."
"If there is, it's because there isn't enough silver."
"Fifty thousand taels."
"This trip, are you going or not?"
Wang Tiedan took a deep breath.
He slammed his hand on the table, shaking the teacups on it so much they jumped.
"Go!"
He roared, his face red and his neck thick.
"Men die for wealth, birds die for food!"
"With this sum of money, even if the brothers lose their lives on the road, their wives and children at home won't have to worry about food and drink for several lifetimes!"
"Since County Princess Xu thinks so highly of our Longmen Escort Agency, I will personally escort this shipment!"
"Even if it's a mountain of swords and a sea of fire, even if the King of Hell blocks the way, I will deliver this batch of goods to the Northern Frontier camp for you!"
Xu Qinghuan smiled in satisfaction.
"Good!"
"Straightforward!"
"I like this kind of money-over-life spirit of yours, Head Escort Wang!"
She turned around and waved her handkerchief at the dozen or so carriages loaded with lime meat bricks.
Her eyes were full of expectation.
"Go!"
"Take this County Princess's regards and gallop toward the Northern Frontier!"
"You must be fast!"
"You must deliver it before my second brother starves to death... oh no, before he runs out of the strength to have diarrhea!"
Standing behind Xu Qinghuan, Xu Zijin and Jenny Huang were already in tears.
"So touching!"
Xu Zijin wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and choked up.
"The heavy snow has sealed the mountains and cut off the roads."
"In order to let the frontline soldiers have a bite of meat, the County Princess did not hesitate to spend fifty thousand taels of silver just to move the escort agency."
"What incredible patriotism!"
"What deep affection between siblings!"
Jenny Huang sniffled, her face full of admiration.
"Yes..."
"Just now I even saw that a special moisture-proof layer was placed under those clay pots."
"The County Princess even thought of such details, terrified that the meat would spoil."
Xu Qinghuan naturally did not hear the discussions behind her.
She was just roaring madly in her heart:
Hurry! Hurry!
As long as my second brother takes one bite, as long as he lies down in the military camp clutching his stomach.
Even if only one soldier gets the runs from eating this stuff.
Then the crime of sabotaging military supplies will be set in stone!
When that happens, the lychees of Lingnan and the seaside villas will all be waving at me!
"Move out!"
Following Wang Tiedan's order, the Longmen Escort Agency's convoy slowly started moving in the snowstorm.
The rolling wheels crushed the snow on the ground, carrying Xu Qinghuan's heavy dreams.
Xu Qinghuan watched the convoy until it disappeared from sight, the smile on her face never fading.
Oh, Second Brother.
Your little sister's happy life for the rest of her days entirely depends on your digestive system!
You have to come through for me!
...
Meanwhile.
The Northern Frontier Camp.
The cold wind was like a knife, cutting people's faces until they ached.
Xu Zhan, wearing somewhat worn-out iron armor, was squatting at the entrance of the tent, holding a frozen, rock-hard dark flour steamed bun.
He took a bite with a bitter face and almost broke a tooth.
This life was impossible to live.
Rations had been cut off for three days, and the imperial court's supplies were nowhere to be seen.
If this continued, the brothers would starve to death before the barbarians even attacked.
"Brother Zhan!"
A young soldier ran over, holding a bowl of wild vegetable soup so thin you could see your reflection in it.
"Have something warm to drink."
Xu Zhan sighed, took the bowl, and just as he was about to drink, he suddenly sneezed.
Achoo!
Who? Who is thinking of me?
It must be that heartless wretched girl!
Xu Zhan rubbed his nose, looking indignant.
The family is so rich, yet she does not even know to send her brother some food.
I heard she is opening music houses and some sort of factories in Jiangning? She must be doing incredibly well.
She has probably long forgotten about her second brother eating dirt up north, has she not?
Sigh...
Xu Zhan looked at the bowl of wild vegetable soup in his hands, tears almost falling.
Sister.
Your brother does not ask for much.
Even if it is just your leftover braised pork, just give your brother a single bite!
