dognovel Chapter 313 Fine Salt Purification
Chapter 313 Fine Salt Purification
Chapter 313 Fine Salt Purification
Upon returning from the workshop, Shi Wanxia immediately embarked on a challenging task entrusted to her by the emperor—refining coarse salt into refined salt.
It turns out that most common people, as well as high-ranking officials and nobles, now use refined salt, which is extremely fine, but the coarse salt used has many impurities and a bitter taste, affecting the freshness of the dishes. The emperor hoped to have high-quality refined salt to improve the quality of the imperial cuisine.
After receiving the order, Shi Wanxia dared not slack off in the slightest.
She knew that this coarse salt was mostly obtained directly from salt wells or salt ponds, and it contained impurities such as mud and brine. It would take a lot of effort to turn it into crystal clear refined salt.
First, she ordered Qin Xin to prepare a large number of large earthenware jars and bamboo sieves.
Pour coarse salt into a large earthenware jar, then slowly add water.
As water was poured in, the coarse salt was gradually submerged. In the late summer, Cui Zhihao and others each held a long wooden stick and gently stirred the water to dissolve the coarse salt completely.
During the stirring process, she carefully observed the changes in the salt water, and saw that insoluble impurities such as mud and sand slowly settled to the bottom of the tank.
Once the brine was no longer cloudy, Shi Wanxia had someone bring a bamboo sieve and laid a thick layer of fine gauze on it.
She carefully scooped up the top layer of salt water and slowly poured it into a bamboo sieve, allowing the salt water to be filtered through the gauze.
After this process, large particles of impurities such as mud and sand are intercepted by the gauze, and the brine becomes much clearer after preliminary filtration.
However, this is far from enough.
Shi Wanxia knew that salt water also contained some soluble impurities, such as calcium and magnesium compounds, which would make the salt taste bitter.
She recalled hearing that salt farmers by the sea would use a special plant ash to remove impurities when drying salt.
So she ordered people to collect a large amount of mugwort, dry it in the sun, and burn it to ashes.
In late summer, Shi sprinkled the mugwort ash evenly into the filtered salt water and then stirred it again.
A magical thing happened: the impurities that were originally invisible in the salt water began to slowly condense into flocculent matter and float to the surface.
It turns out that certain components in the mugwort ash reacted with calcium and magnesium ions in the salt water, forming a precipitate.
Shi Wanxia had someone carefully skim off the flocculent material floating on the surface of the water with a spoon. At this point, the salt water was almost pure.
Next comes the crucial evaporation and crystallization step.
In late summer, several large iron pots were brought in, and the prepared brine was poured into them, with a roaring fire lit underneath. As the temperature rose, the brine began to boil, and steam rose continuously.
Shi Wanxia and Cui Zhihao stood guard by the pot, their eyes fixed on the changes inside.
She knew that controlling the heat was crucial; if the heat was too high, the salt would burn; if the heat was too low, the evaporation rate would be too slow.
As the water evaporates, the brine in the pot gradually thickens, and tiny salt grains begin to precipitate out.
When it was late summer, I quickly reduced the heat and simmered it slowly over low heat.
Holding a wooden spatula, she gently stirred the pot to prevent the salt grains from sticking.
Gradually, more and more salt grains accumulated, eventually forming a small white mountain.
When almost all the water in the pot had evaporated, leaving only white salt grains, Shi Wanxia finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She had someone remove the pot from the fire, and after the salt had cooled, she gently scooped it up with a spoon.
These salt grains were crystal clear and white, with uniform size, a world of difference compared to the coarse salt from before.
When Choi Ji-ho's gaze fell upon the pile of frost-like salt on the table, he froze instantly, his eyes widening, his mouth slightly agape, his face filled with disbelief.
"This... Miss Shi, are you perhaps an immortal? How can you know and do everything!"
Cui Zhihao exclaimed in amazement, his voice filled with shock, "The method of refining this salt has been controlled by the government and powerful families since ancient times. How could she, a frail woman, be more capable than the government?"
Qin Xin and Shu Yun, who were standing to the side, were also so shocked that they couldn't close their mouths and subconsciously leaned forward.
"Miss Shi, you must be a celestial maiden from the heavens! You are so amazing, I am ashamed to admit that I am no match for you!"
Choi Ji-ho was completely convinced and bowed respectfully.
Shi Wanxia was flattered and hurriedly helped them up. Her cheeks flushed, and she explained shyly, "Brother Cui, you flatter me. I only read about this in a book. It's nothing. I'm just an ordinary girl. How could I be a fairy?" She waved her hand as she spoke.
After she finished speaking, Shi Wanxia suddenly realized something and asked in confusion, "Huai'an, Brother Cui, isn't your name Cui Zhihao? Is Huai'an your courtesy name?"
Cui Zhihao nodded slightly, a hint of shyness appearing on his face: "Yes, this is the courtesy name my father chose for me. Miss Shi can call me by my courtesy name from now on."
Shi Wanxia hesitated, unable to bring herself to call out.
She had told Brother Cui many times that she wanted him to call her by her nickname "Guoguo".
But Choi Ji-ho always said that men and women are different and that one should not be too impolite. Only parents and husbands can call a woman by her nickname, and even her maiden name should not be known to outsiders.
"Brother Cui, please just call me Brother Cui. I'm really not used to calling you by that name," Shi Wanxia said, blushing.
Cui Zhihao looked at Shi Wanxia with gratitude and appreciation in his eyes: "Alright, Miss Shi, you must be tired. Why don't you go back to your room and rest for a while? Shuyun and I will take care of things here!"
Shi Wanxia moved her tired body and nodded. She had been working hard on the salt refining project for days, and her body had reached its limit.
Now that everything has settled down, she simply decided to leave it to Cui Zhihao and Shuyun to clean up.
The next day, before dawn and while the entire capital was still asleep, Shi Wanxia was gently awakened by Shuyun. Still sleepy, she forced herself to get up and prepare for court.
Shuyun and Cui Zhihao were already waiting outside. When she came out, Cui Zhihao hurriedly stepped forward, put the prepared fine salt in a lotus leaf bag, and respectfully handed it to her.
"Miss Shi, this is freshly made refined salt, of excellent quality." Cui Zhihao's eyes were full of concern and expectation.
Shi Wanxia, still half-asleep, subconsciously took the carriage and boarded it in a daze.
"Having to go to work before dawn, what a miserable life!" she muttered to herself, then leaned against the carriage and dozed off again.
Soon, the carriage came to a smooth stop outside the palace gate. Cui Zhihao and Shuyun settled the carriage in place, and Shuyun carefully helped Shi Wanxia out of the carriage.
Shi Wanxia's steps were unsteady, her head was dizzy, and she slowly walked towards the main hall of the palace.
At this moment, the candlelight flickered in the main hall, and Emperor Shen Yuxi sat upright on the dragon throne.
He listened calmly to the prime minister and chancellor report on government affairs, occasionally offering precise and insightful suggestions, demonstrating the emperor's wisdom and majesty.
Time passed quietly, and as the ministers finished their reports, the court fell silent.
Shen Yuxi's gaze inadvertently swept to the corner of the main hall, and he saw Shi Wanxia dozing off behind a pillar, her head nodding like a bewildered child.
This woman was so sleepy even in the imperial court. Shen Yuxi couldn't help but feel both annoyed and amused.
"Minister Shi, didn't you have something to report to me?"
Shen Yuxi's voice rang out in the main hall, breaking the brief silence.
Shi Wanxia suddenly woke up with a start, nearly losing her balance.
She hurriedly straightened her clothes, walked quickly to the center of the hall, and knelt down to pay her respects.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I was busy with affairs last night and got very little rest. I lost my composure for a moment."
Looking at her disheveled yet sincere appearance, Shen Yuxi's anger subsided somewhat.
"Alright, tell me what you want."
Shi Wanxia took a deep breath, steadied herself, took out the packet of refined salt from her bosom, and held it high above her head.
"Your Majesty, I have recently devoted myself to research and have successfully extracted high-quality refined salt."
"This salt is pure and free of impurities, and has a delicious taste. If it can be promoted, it will surely improve people's lives and enrich the national treasury."