Chapter 278 The Emperor personally goes into battle
"Can it be done?"
Li Shimin watched the solution bubbling in the pot, and even his voice was trembling.
As an emperor, he naturally knew how important this salt was to the Tang Dynasty.
Putting aside the salt tax issue, the salt that ordinary people need every day is also a top priority.
But even so, Datang's salt production was still not enough.
If today's salt is really produced, it will be as good as the three thousand kilograms of rice produced per acre, and it will have epoch-making significance for Datang.
Li Shimin was extremely nervous at this moment.
The ministers next to him did not dare to speak at this moment.
Zhao Chen's operation just now had really shocked them.
Now, they want to know whether this salt can work!
"Can it be done? Can you please remove the word "?" The salt produced is better than what I used to eat, and it is no different from green salt." Zhao Chen said with a smile.
After listening to Zhao Chen's words, Li Shimin couldn't help but tremble.
Green salt, that's not for eating.
I use willow branches to save a little bit every day to clean my mouth.
It costs at least 500 coins per catty, which is five times the price of ordinary official salt.
Even wealthy families are reluctant to spend such money.
Even Li Shimin, as an emperor, would not be willing to waste it like this.
This green salt will only appear when rewarding meritorious officials.
The rest of the people twitched their faces fiercely and couldn't help but stand on tiptoes and look at the iron pot in front of them.
As time passes slowly, the water in the pot gradually evaporates.
A thick layer of cyan crust was left on the bottom of the pot.
After removing the firewood, Zhao Chen broke off a piece from the pot and threw it into his mouth.
"Well, it's not bad. It's better than the one I made in the tavern." Zhao Chen nodded.
Before Cheng Chumo and the others could taste it, Li Shimin took three steps at a time and stopped in front of the iron pot.
Break off a nail and put a big piece in your mouth
.
Although Xian's face was twitching, he was reluctant to vomit.
"Water... give me water quickly!" Li Shimin couldn't hold back the saltiness in his mouth after all, and spat out the salt that hadn't completely melted in his mouth.
Fang Xuanling quickly handed over the water bag.
After a few clicks, Li Shimin finally regained consciousness.
His face was filled with excitement.
Fang Xuanling and others couldn't restrain their curiosity and carefully tasted some salt grains.
Within a moment, everyone's faces were filled with shock.
They had never had such good salt.
The so-called official salt of the Tang Dynasty was really just a pile of rubbish in front of this salt.
"Fang Xuanling admires the great talent of the Marquis of Zhao County!" Fang Xuanling first said with his hands in hand, his face full of respect.
"You are truly a hero. I am ashamed of myself!" Li Xiaogong also nodded, with a look of shock on his face.
He no longer looked as suspicious as before.
Changsun Wuji and Wei Zheng were also looking at Zhao Chen with bright eyes at this moment.
Especially Wei Zheng's eyes were even more intense. He was thinking that if he could participate in this salt bureau, wouldn't he also be able to make a fortune.
However, this was obviously a collaboration between the emperor and Zhao Chen, and he probably couldn't get involved.
What a pity.
"Zhao Chen, let's not go back yet. Aren't there still salt blocks here? We will be here today to make all these salt blocks into salt." After Li Shimin finished speaking, he took the big knife on the side and banged it. pounding the salt block.
Seeing that Li Shimin was like this, the other ministers still dared to stand. They picked up the swords on the side and smashed them like Li Shimin.
The sun was setting in the west, and Qianniu Guards General Cheng Yaojin saw
Li Shimin did not return to the palace for such a long time.
Li Shimin did not tell him in advance where he was going.
At this moment, Cheng Yaojin couldn't help but feel anxious, so he led a group of Qianniu guards out of the palace to look for him.
It wasn't until night fell that I found this place.
But he saw the emperor leading Fang Xuanling and several other ministers, banging salt blocks on the ground in front of his face.
Zhao Chen, on the other hand, was lying on the grass, holding a piece of dogtail grass in his mouth, looking at the people in front of him calmly.
"Your Majesty, what are you..." Cheng Yaojin was in a daze.
The Qianniu Guards behind him were also surprised and suspicious.
The emperor didn't return to the palace at night, and he was here knocking stones with these third-grade officials?
Is this crazy?
"Go and ask someone to send two sheep over. I'm hungry. Also, set up a tent nearby so I can rest here tonight!" Li Shimin waved his hand without explaining to Cheng Yaojin.
Cheng Yaojin did not dare to delay, and soon two sheep were delivered.
Qianniuwei also set up camp on the ground in the distance.
"Boy Zhao, do me a favor. You are very good at cooking. Let's make some roast lamb tonight." Li Shimin sat down next to Zhao Chen and stretched his waist for a long time.
After not working for a long time and smashing salt blocks all afternoon, it was natural that I had a sore back.
"Don't you plan to go back tonight?" Zhao Chen spit out the dogtail grass in his mouth and his eyes fell on Li Shimin.
He never expected that Li Shimin would be so excited.
And with his size, he could still smash it all afternoon, which is really amazing.
"I'm not going back. I'll let Cheng Yaojin and his people continue to make salt later. Tomorrow morning, we must produce a thousand kilograms of salt."
"I want to open the eyes of the courtiers!" Li Shimin looked somewhat proud.
Thinking about it, I feel extremely excited at this moment.
"Then I..."
"You kid can
You can't run away, stay here tonight and talk to me! "Li Shimin interrupted Zhao Chen's idea of going back.
Lie down with your back on the grass.
Cheng Chumo took a half-foot-long hand-knife, and in an instant, the two sheep were separated from each other. Zhao Chen was stunned for a while.
He had never seen Cheng Chumo wield the sword so skillfully.
With such knife skills, it would be a pity not to become a cook.
Although there were not many people, Zhao Chen didn't want to spend too much time making roast lamb.
Qin Huaiyu asked Qin Huaiyu to boil a pot of water and put the mutton in it.
I found a few handfuls of wild onions on the grass, and took out a handful of dried chili peppers from the saddle chain, and threw them all into the pot.
Although it is not as delicious as the carefully made food, it still seduce everyone's greed at this moment.
Qianniuwei, who was busy pounding the salt blocks, was looking here frequently at this moment.
The mutton was cooked quickly.
The aroma of meat, green onions and the spiciness of chili made everyone excited.
Everyone was given a lot of food.
Even Fang Xuanling, who usually pays the most attention to appearance, is engrossed in chewing mutton and sipping mutton soup in his mouth.
Li Shimin also didn't have the slightest bearing of an emperor at this moment.
Fortunately, it was dark and no one could see Li Shimin picking his teeth with grass roots.
Otherwise, the image of the emperor would really be gone.
After eating and drinking, the night is already deep.
Making salt should not be rushed. Everyone lay on the grass and looked at the bright moon in the sky.
It seems that in the full moon, there is a laurel and a moonlight.
"Zhao Chen, do you think there are really gods in the sky?" Li Shimin rested his head on his arms and looked at the full moon in the sky.
He was extremely relaxed at the moment.
It seemed to be the most relaxing moment since he led troops to fight in the war as a teenager.
