Chapter 84 - They were really bold

Early the next morning, Xiao Hanzheng carried some saltpetre to the county yamen.

When Mo Qingling heard that Elementary Scholar Xiao wanted to see him, he was a little confused.

He had heard of Xiao Hanzheng’s reputation. He was the first xiaosanyuan in Nanxi county, with a slightly better than average portfolio.

However, Xiao Hanzheng’s little wife left the biggest impression on him, who had tied up Doctor Shi and complained to him the previous time.

He actually had some errands to run, but he postponed it and asked someone to call Xiao Hanzheng in.

Xiao Hanzheng was an elementary scholar, so he didn’t need to kneel down when he visited an official.

He gave a scholar’s salute to Mo Qingling. “I met you before, Sir!”

Mo Qingling looked at the gentle and elegant young man who walked in and couldn’t help but leave a good impression of him.

Xiao Hanzheng didn’t look like a scholar from a poor family in the countryside at all.

Mo Qingling was only a few years older than Xiao Hanzheng.

However, he still admired his talented peers.

A smile appeared on his cold face. “Do away with the formalities. Please take a seat!”

He went straight to the point and asked, “You came to see me today. What’s the matter?”

He was really busy with official business and did not have any extra time to waste.

Xiao Hanzheng knew what kind of person Mo Qingling was.

He also bluntly stated his purpose of coming here. “I did have something to discuss with you today.

“My wife’s master once taught them how to make ice. She was grateful for her master’s kindness, so she wanted to share this with the public.

“Anyone who wants to learn how to make ice can do so.

“It’s just that the Wu family wanted to forcefully buy this formula previously, but my wife did not want to waste her master’s hard work, so she rejected it.

“We are afraid that if we teach others how to make ice in the village, the Wu family wouldn’t agree and would find ways to make a fuss.

“So we wanted to ask Sir, if we could borrow the vacant space in the county yamen for me to teach everyone how to make ice.

“Firstly, the people living in the county could put them in ice basins at home to relieve the heat. Secondly, we can also make some icy cold drinks to earn some pocket money.”

He paused again. “Of course, if Sir finds this formula is useful, you can also offer it to the capital to let more people learn how to make ice to relieve the heat.”

Although Mo Qingling was very busy at the county yamen, he knew everything that happened in the county.

Therefore, he had already heard about making ice during summer and was still a little sceptical.

But he really did not expect that Xiao Hanzheng and his wife would be so generous.

Not only did they decide to reveal the formula for free, but they also wanted to teach everyone how to make ice.

This was doing a good deed to other commoners, so he naturally would not object.

However, he still asked, “Have you thought about it?”

Xiao Hanzheng nodded. “Yes, I have thought about it. I hope that Sir will approve it!”

Mo Qingling was amazed that Xiao Hanzheng and his wife were really bold and had a better impression of them.

“Since there is such a good thing, I will naturally approve it.”

He asked curiously, “Is it difficult to make ice?”

Xiao Hanzheng replied, “It’s not difficult. I just need one item to make it. I’ve brought it along. How about I make ice on the spot for the emperor to see?”

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Back then when he saw his wife making ice, he felt that it was very magical.

Seeing it with one’s own eyes was more convincing.

Mo Qingling also wanted to see it. “Okay!”

Hence, he followed Xiao Hanzheng’s instructions and got someone to find a large wooden basin and put it on the ground. There was also a small wooden pail inside.

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He also added water into the wooden basin and wooden pail.

Mo Qingling and others from the county yamen then saw Xiao Hanzheng taking out a few small white stones from the basket on his back and throwing them into the large wooden basin.

“Wait a moment and the water in the small wooden pail will freeze.”

Mo Qingling and the people from the county yamen looked, why does it feel so unreliable.

Putting stones into the water basin would freeze the water in the wooden pail which didn’t have stones? Was this for real?

Mo Qingling’s suspicion deepened, but he did not refute.

“Alright, then I’ll do some work first. You can drink some tea and wait for a while. When the ice is done, I’ll come and take a look.”

He had just taken over Nanxi county not long ago. The previous magistrate had accumulated a lot of work.

Since he was already here, although he did not really come to be a county magistrate, he still wanted to do his job well.

Xiao Hanzheng nodded. “As you wish, Sir!”

The bailiffs in the county yamen kept staring at the wooden basin curiously.

After a long while, one of the bailiffs could not help but shout, “The water is really starting to freeze!”

The other bailiffs also walked over to take a look. “It has already frozen. It’s so magical.”

“As expected of an old immortal. He can actually think of a way to make ice in summer.”

“The disciple of this old immortal is also smart to learn everything.”

A group of people surrounded the wooden basin and sighed. Soon, Mo Qingling also walked out from the inner room.

Seeing that the water in the wooden basin had really started to freeze, his heart startled.

Seeing was believing. Otherwise, he probably would not have believed this method that others were talking about.

He was also smart. “The fact that this water can freeze has something to do with the white stone you threw just now, right?”

Xiao Hanzheng replied, “Yes, this is saltpetre, which is also used in pharmaceutical pills. Some Taoists also use it to refine pills. You can buy it from the medicine shop.”

Mo Qingling quickly asked, “If you use this saltpetre to make ice, will it be costly?”

Xiao Hanzheng answered truthfully, “If you source saltpetre directly, it will only take some time and energy. No silver is needed to exchange for it.

“Buying it will cost a lot.”

The cost of making ice from saltpetre wasn’t low. They did not want to spread it across the country such that everyone could use it.

They were just publicising this so that everyone could learn it.

It would also benefit the saltpetre mines’ development.

If the poor people found saltpetre, they could also transport it to the city, sell it to the rich families and improve their lives.

The key point was that Shi Qingluo wanted the people of the county to actively mine saltpetre from the mountain near the Taoist temple.

While they tied up everyone’s interest, they could also pave a path for them.

When the mining was more or less done, their workshop should be able to kick start the production.

His wife’s ideas were often interconnected to other events, and even he could not help but admire her.

When Mo Qingling heard this, he immediately knew what Xiao Hanzheng meant.

It seemed that the cost of this method of making ice was not low.

A common man on the street might not be able to afford it, but it could also benefit the poor who were lucky enough to find saltpetre.

Of course, this method was better than nothing.

After Daliang was established and the war ended, consumers in many places were waiting to spend their money.

The imperial court had a lot of overseas expenses.

The Ministry of Revenue was often short of silver, and the palace was still using the ice warehouse left by the previous dynasty.

There was limited ice storage, so the palace was short of ice every year.

In the summer, there were many concubines and officials who asked the emperor for ice.

The emperor would definitely be happy after they presented him with this method.

Mo Qingling thought for a moment and said, “Write down this formula for making ice. I will send someone to the capital to present it to the emperor, and let the people of Daliang learn it.”

This would benefit the emperor and others in the imperial court, as well as their reputation among the commoners.

He then added, “Write down where this method of making ice came from.”

This also meant that he would let his majesty know that Xiao Hanzheng and his wife shared this formula.

He would not take credit on behalf of them, while also giving the formula a historical origin.