Chapter 42 Secondary Charcoal Refining of Chili Peppers

The tribesmen were quick; they gathered all those who had participated in the first charcoal burning session and brought them to Yu Yan's side.

The shed, both inside and out, was once again packed with handsome men of all kinds.

Yu Yan casually dragged a wooden stool down and sat down, holding a notebook and a sharpened charcoal pencil in her hand.

He looked at everyone with his clear eyes and said, "Now, please recall the process of burning charcoal for the first time. Tell me all the details you can think of."

Cangfeng asked, "Starting from when you were cutting down the trees?"

Yu Yan nodded: "Yes, the finer the better."

Cang Feng looked around and said, "Let's start with me then..."

One person after another came to Yu Yan and told her their stories.

As Yu Yan listened, took notes, and compared the information, she discovered that everyone's accounts were largely the same until the kiln was opened.

His subsequent experiments also determined that the type of wood and clay was not the key factor in determining whether black or white charcoal was produced.

Sitting in front of him at this moment was an orc named Qinghui.

"...When I opened the kiln, I scraped off the top layer of clay and then took out the charcoal..."

"Wait a minute," Yu Yan interrupted him sharply, "Say what you just said again."

"You brought out the charcoal?"

"The sentence before that."

"Pry open the clay..."

"This is it!" Yu Yan clapped her hands loudly.

Like everyone else, Qinghui was full of questions: "What's wrong? Aren't we supposed to open up the charcoal kiln?"

"Others would knock off the mud crust first and then peel it off, but you didn't do that step."

Qinghui paused for a moment, then said somewhat uncertainly, "I don't really remember hitting it hard... I opened the charcoal kiln very quickly."

Yu Yan asked, "Do you remember whether the clay shell was broken or intact before you opened the kiln?"

Qinghui pondered deeply: "The complete one..."

Several days later, he really couldn't remember the details of what happened, and he was so anxious that he kept hitting his head.

Yu Yan raised her hand to stop her: "Don't rush, don't rush. I guess that, on the surface, the mud shell is intact, because if it were cracked, you would have told me."

Qinghui lowered her hand and asked, "So what's the reality?"

Yu Yan slammed the notebook shut. "The clay shell must have already leaked air."

Although it was speculation, the tone was quite certain.

“Air leakage…” Lan Xiu’s eyes pierced straight at him. “Could this be the reason why the white charcoal is not fired?”

"We'll have to try to find out," Yu Yan said with a smile. "It was the people of the Deep Lake Tribe who inspired me. After eating chili peppers, Mao Li vomited blood non-stop, and everyone thought he was poisoned, but the truth was that his oral ulcers were too severe."

"I was wondering if we, as charcoal burners, might also be misled by appearances? So I listed out the necessary factors for charcoal burning, and after listening to your details, I came to the conclusion I just reached."

Wood undergoes incomplete combustion under oxygen-deficient conditions, resulting in carbonization and the production of charcoal.

Yu Yan kept this principle firmly in mind, but instead fell into a fixed mindset, focusing her efforts on the type of wood, the size of the charcoal kiln, and the burning time.

However, they overlooked the very important factor of "air".

What if the formation of white charcoal actually requires the intervention of air?

"Next... let's go to the charcoal kiln together and see if I'm right." Yu Yan's eyes gleamed as she looked confidently toward the charcoal kiln.

The group, in a large procession, traveled from Yu Yan's home to the charcoal kiln.

The orc guarding the area approached and said, "The yellow smoke is about to disappear."

Yu Yan nodded, and led her people to mix mud and seal off most of the charcoal kilns.

As the charcoal kilns cooled down, he would chip away the mud shell of one kiln every so often, leaving the other kiln completely sealed as a control group.

The open space where the charcoal was burned was filled with smoke, and Yu Yan choked and sneezed from time to time.

He seemed oblivious, intently recording the condition of the charcoal kiln.

Lan Xiu asked him if he wanted to take a rest, but Yu Yan shook his head resolutely: "I want to see the charcoal burn out with my own eyes."

By the next day, all the charcoal kilns had finally cooled down.

Yu Yan didn't need to check each one individually this time, because white charcoal had appeared in those charcoal kilns whose mud shells had been broken open beforehand!

He tucked the notebook into his waistband and picked up the pieces of charcoal one by one, examining them carefully.

The texture, color, and sound when tapped are all of superior quality.

"It's a success! It really is a success... So it turns out it needed to be refined from the air again..."

Looking at the results of their perseverance, Yu Yan's feelings were complex and hard to describe.

He didn't even realize that his eyes were slightly red.

The others who were burning charcoal were overjoyed. Cangfeng and Xinyu hugged each other tightly, excitedly exclaiming, "Look, it's white charcoal!!"

"We've successfully produced white charcoal! We really have!"

Senbo paced back and forth in front of the charcoal kiln, his face flushed with excitement.

"This time it wasn't just luck... With so much charcoal, we can start smelting metals right away!"

As soon as he said it, his nose started to sting.

All that hard work over the long term has truly paid off!

Many people gathered together, enthusiastically discussing how good the white charcoal was this time, their eyes filled with longing for a better life.

Lan Xiu walked to Yu Yan's side and looked at him intently.

"Yu Yan, you did it. We have charcoal now."

The simple words deeply touched Yu Yan's heart.

He thought about the days he had spent working tirelessly on charcoal burning, about the charcoal ash that he couldn't wash off his body, and about how he was constantly working and recording things even in his dreams...

The immense joy and sense of accomplishment he felt when he successfully made charcoal brought him to the point of wanting to cry.

Yu Yan's dark eyes were fixed on Lan Xiu, and she could read trust and affirmation in his eyes.

“Yes,” Yu Yan nodded, her voice hoarse but actually a mixture of tears and laughter, “We did it.”

After calming down, Yu Yan and the others carried out the charcoal and tallied the firing rate.

Charcoal kilns that are not sealed with mud or are completely sealed will produce black charcoal.

The amount of white charcoal produced by other charcoal kilns varies depending on the time it takes for the mud shell to be knocked off.

After Yu Yan finished preparing, she led everyone to use that batch of large charcoal kilns to fire the coal a few more times to determine the optimal time for secondary air refining.

Anyway, the reason why white charcoal was burned has been found, and the rest are all steps to be perfected. Yu Yan is now confident and no longer needs to worry about failure.

When he heard that the people of the Deep Lake tribe had brought him stones and timber, he felt relieved and returned to his habitat with a smile.

He met the people of the Deep Lake tribe in front of the altar square.

Giant pythons, like creatures from a fantasy world, filled the clearing in front of the forest, their backs laden with cargo.

The lead black python spoke, its voice low and magnetic: "Yu Yan, we're here. We'll take the things to your bird's nest."

Yu Yan waved her hand: "Take the chili peppers back. As for the rest, you can come with me. By the way, did you keep the seeds for the chili peppers?"

"I've kept it, don't worry."

Yu Yan conjured wings and guided them through the sky.

A few minutes later, he landed on a flat area.

This place isn't far from the forest where the tribe lives, nor from the riverbank. A little further west is the field that Yu Yan cleared out.

In the field, several scarecrows, tied together by the wind, still stand.

The newly sprouted seedlings and the sturdy garlic shoots formed patches of green in different colors.

This flat land was a site that Yu Yan had specifically chosen for her house.

He had investigated and found that the soil was suitable for a solid foundation; it was close to a water source for easy access; and it was far from forests, reducing the risk of fire.

He plans to cut down most of the trees growing on flat ground, leaving only a few to provide shade in front of and behind the house.

At this moment, some granite, bluestone, and wood covered with leaves have been piled up on the ground.

"Everyone, unload the stones here and the timber there. Thank you for your hard work!" Yu Yan said with a smile.

The people of Shenhu Tribe responded enthusiastically and quickly finished unloading the goods.

Yu Yan estimated that he wouldn't be able to use up all that stone and wood to build three houses.

Did the Deep Lake tribe really mobilize the entire tribe and collect the materials for a whole day and night?

After unloading the cargo, everyone transformed into human form, straightened their clothes, and, led by Fan Su, came before Yu Yan.

"How are your mouths?" Yu Yan asked.

Fan Su smiled slightly and said, "After applying the plaster powder you gave us and drinking the water boiled with honeysuckle, the wound is healing."

"Let me see."

Everyone lined up familiarly, mouths agape, for Yu Yan to check.

Just as Fan Su said, the people here have extremely strong constitutions. Even Mao Li's wound has healed by more than half and no longer looks red.

After the inspection, Yu Yan said approvingly, "It's very good. Continue using the medicine powder. What about the wild vegetables? Have you started eating them yet?"

Fan Su: "Eating is the most important thing for our tribe right now."

The people behind him nodded repeatedly, looking at Yu Yan with grateful eyes.

This time, they also brought along the tribe's cubs.

Several clean-shaven, adorable little cubs ran up to Yu Yan, tilted their heads up, and said to him:

"Dr. Yu Yan, my mouth doesn't hurt at all anymore, thank you Dr. Yu Yan."

"Dr. Yu Yan, these are the flowers we picked for you. We hope you like them."

"These are the freshest and most beautiful flowers! They're for you!"

The children's eyes were clear, pure, and full of sincerity, which melted Yu Yan's heart.

He bent down, reached out and took the flowers they offered, brought them to his nose, and sniffed them with his eyes closed.

"Mmm, it smells so good, thank you, my little ones. When you get back, listen to the clan leader and eat your food properly, okay?"

The kids answered in unison, "We know!"

The summer sky can change in an instant.

Just a moment ago the sun was shining brightly, but now dark clouds have drifted in, and the smell in the air suggests that it's going to rain.

Yu Yan then invited everyone to sit in his thatched hut, since they hadn't had a chance to visit it yesterday.

Everyone in the Deep Lake Tribe, adults and children alike, was overjoyed and chatted happily as they returned home with Yu Yan.

Upon arrival, Yu Yan asked Feng Gui to help take care of them while he and Lan Xiu went to the water to wash up.

After the wool was spun into thread, the skillful sub-beastmen wove the thread into cloth, and Yu Yan now had a "towel" to use.

He straightened up, wiped the water droplets from his face with a towel, and said to Lan Xiu, who was not far away:

"With the stones sent by Chief Fansu and the others, I plan to lay the foundation for the house tomorrow when the weather clears up. The foundation needs to settle a bit more before we can build the house."

Lan Xiu looked over: "Okay, I'll help you."

"Um!"

The two walked back together, and on the way, Lanxiu asked, "What do we need to do after the foundation is laid?"

"Let me think about it..."

Yu Yan stretched, and her sleeveless vest rode up, revealing a slender but strong waist.

Lan Xiu glanced at it and silently looked away.

"We need to burn a batch of charcoal, then take a couple of days off. We've been so busy lately. How about we go to the Mingyuan tribe to dig for lotus roots? If we don't dig now, it'll be past the season."

Lan Xiu smiled and said, "Okay. Should we bring the pot? We can cook something to eat outdoors."

Yu Yan's eyes lit up: "Great! Great!"

Green hills, clear waters, a picnic! Just thinking about it makes me happy.

"Yu Yan!"

He heard a familiar voice, turned his head and saw that it was Shuyu leading the people of the Qingqing tribe.

A large white plush rabbit ran nearby, and after Tan Nian jumped down, it transformed into human form.

"Chief Shuyu, are you here to learn papermaking?"

"Yes! It rained today, but I hope it didn't delay your plans?"

"No, come with me."

Upon arriving at the thatched hut, the people from the Qingqing and Shenhu tribes greeted each other warmly and chatted for a while.

Upon learning that Yu Yan had cured the entire Deep Lake tribe, Shu Yu and the others said admiringly, "Only Yu Yan could have such abilities."

Tan Nian: "Last time we encountered a herd of rampaging sheep, he saved us and even hunted a lot of sheep!"

The people of the Deep Lake tribe said, "We know that! It sounds very dangerous..."

These two tribes have been neighbors for so many years, but they haven't had much contact with each other.

As a result, they became familiar with each other because of Yu Yan.

Upon learning that the Shenhu tribe was now eating more wild vegetables, the Qingqing tribe offered to exchange some for them.

Tan Nian patted his chest and said, "Whether we are sub-beastmen or beastmen, we are all good at gathering. The vegetables we gather are delicious, and Yu Yan likes them all."

Fan Su said gratefully, "Our tribe is not good at gathering, so it's really great that you can exchange wild vegetables for us."

Mao Li grinned and added, "But we're very good at hunting! We have more game than we can eat! How about we trade you some game meat for some wild vegetables?"

Shuyu smiled and said, "Of course!"

As they talked, the topic turned to Yu Yan.

Yesterday and today, Fan Su and the others smelled the scent of charcoal on him and asked him curiously what he was doing.

Yu Yan smiled and shared her joy with everyone: "We produced very good charcoal."

The fact that he personally endorsed the "good stuff" instantly piqued everyone's interest.

"Could you get us some more?"

Yu Yan: "Not yet, we'll keep it for when we need it."

"Sigh, okay," everyone said, somewhat disappointed. "If you have any extra next time, you must give them to us."

Yu Yanjun's smile deepened: "Don't worry, there will be opportunities to cooperate."

The people from the Deep Lake tribe stayed here for a while, and they were even more talkative than the people from the Green Green tribe. Yu Yan missed their aloofness from before...

The place only quieted down after Cangfeng took them away to discuss the pottery trade.

Amidst the pattering rain, Yu Yan taught the papermaking technique to the people of the Qingqing tribe.

They listened intently, their eyes shining.

As evening fell, the rain gradually subsided, revealing a clear blue sky after the rain, which shone brightly against the crimson sunset.

Yu Yan asked Shu Yu and the others to have dinner here, but they politely declined.

After the people from the Qingqing tribe left, Yu Yan went to check on the sheep.

These past few days they've been busy making charcoal, and they haven't had time to drink the sheep milk they produce; most of it has been given to the tribe's young children.

The little ones love drinking milk, and now they're incredibly affectionate towards him whenever they see him.

I don't know who gave Qiu Ze some pointers, but he always conjures up fluffy rabbit ears for him to pet.

The sheep were in good condition, so Yu Yan moved a few bundles of hay and threw them at their feet.

Then, he realized something...

"Father, did you cut all this grass?"

Feng Gui answered from the grass hut: "I only cut a small portion; the rest were given to me by people from the tribe. They said they cut them while they were gathering."

Yu Yan said with emotion, "So that's how it is... I went to the land where we're going to build our house today, and there were lots of stones piled up there. I guess they were a gift from the tribe."

Feng Gui: "That's not all. Last time I came back from collecting, I saw that the tribe was also weeding our fields."

Yu Yan: "I was wondering why I hadn't seen any weeds no matter how many times I went there..."

The people in the tribe are doing good deeds anonymously. Yu Yan silently kept their kindness in her heart.

After feeding and watering the sheep, Yu Yan brought over a ceramic jar and milked them.

Beside the stone stove, Feng Gui was selecting ingredients for dinner.

Yu Yan hadn't cooked for several days and her hands were itching to cook, so she said to Feng Gui, "Father, I'll cook tonight! You can try some chili!"

Feng Gui: "...Are you sure you want to eat this?"

Yu Yan laughed heartily, "Father, don't worry, it won't hurt your mouth. Besides, I can cook non-spicy dishes, so you can eat whichever you want."

Feng Gui was relieved this time, but he didn't have high hopes for the taste of the chili peppers.

He couldn't understand why Yu Yan liked food that would hurt her mouth so much.

The people of Shenhu Tribe went all out, sending Yu Yan three large baskets of chili peppers.

One of the baskets contained ripe red peppers.

Yu Yan scrolled down and saw that even the tiny chili peppers, no bigger than her little finger, had been picked.

With so many chilies, Yu Yan happily decided to make some into pickled peppers, grind some into chili sauce, and then dry some to eat slowly.

He nodded in satisfaction, took a ceramic basin, filled it with chili peppers, washed them with clean water, and set them aside for later use.

He picked a piece of salted meat from under the eaves of the thatched shed and took out a few bird eggs from the straw basket.

After bringing the shrimp traps in this morning, there wasn't enough time to clean them up, so the entire traps were submerged in the stream.

Yu Yan hummed a cheerful tune as she walked to the stream. She picked up a shrimp trap and saw that the shrimp were full of vitality, jumping around.

He poured the shrimp out, washed them clean, and took them back. He then handed the shrimp trap to Lanxiu to clean.

Feng Gui had already lit the fire in the stone stove. Yu Yan added water and ginger slices to the pot, and after the water boiled, she cooked the shrimp.

"Father, please help me peel the shrimp meat, just throw away the head and shell."

"knew."

Yu Yan walked to the wooden chopping block and chopped the garlic, chili peppers, and other side dishes. She then sliced ​​the salted meat into thin, even slices.

After being cured with salt, the fat has become slightly translucent, and the lean meat has a beautiful texture.

The only downside is that the aroma is a bit lacking.

Yu Yan thought to herself that when she had some free time to make salted meat later, it would be best to smoke it with some pine branches.

Smoked bacon is the best!

After the side dishes were chopped, Feng Gui's shrimp were also peeled.

Yu Yan put minced garlic and chili flakes into a bowl, poured hot oil over them, and then added salt and lime juice for seasoning.

He then poured the sauce over the shrimp and chopped cucumber strips, added a handful of perilla leaves, mixed it well, and set it aside to let the flavors infuse.

He reheated the pan and stir-fried some salted pork and some bird eggs.

He made both dishes, one spicy and one non-spicy.

The chili peppers, after being heated in the hot oil, released a pungent aroma that made Yu Yan sneeze repeatedly while cooking, leaving Feng Gui speechless.

After everything was ready, Yu Yan greeted everyone with a smile, "Dinner's ready!"