Chapter 374 Cochineal
Feng Aoqing went to the greenhouse to repair the roof.
Yu Tingfeng said that he was the one who stepped on it and broke it, so he wanted to help.
He asked his men to move the large roll of transparent roof cloth prepared by Feng Aoqing to the greenhouse.
"So there is this kind of cloth." Yu Tingfeng felt relieved. The black cloth he put on it yesterday really didn't look good.
"From now on, go through the door!" Feng Aoqing instructed.
"Okay." Yu Tingfeng nodded in agreement.
When we arrived at the greenhouse, we saw that it had basically returned to its original state.
Yu Tingfeng looked at the strange plants hanging on the shelf with great curiosity.
He hadn't had time to ask yesterday, so he asked now: "What kind of plant is this? This is the first time I've seen it."
Feng Aoqing replied, "This is a plant that grows in the desert. It's called a cactus."
"It does look like a palm, so are they rotten? There's this white ash on it."
"No, this cactus is just a medium. What I want is the white ash on the cactus."
"Didn't you say these were living things? They're just the same bugs you usually like to play with."
"These white ashes are it." Feng Aoqing answered seriously.
Yu Tingfeng, who was still picking the white ash off the cactus with his hands, stopped and looked at Feng Aoqing in surprise.
At the same time, Yu Mingchang, who was the curious baby number two, was also reaching out to dig, and his hand also stopped in the air.
"Yes, they are insects, but they are very small. When they gather together, they look like white ash."
Yu Tingfeng gritted his teeth, took out a handkerchief and wiped his hands vigorously, making sure there was no trace of white ash on them before he felt relieved.
When I think about the fight here yesterday, I don’t know if anything got on me. Fortunately, I washed myself from head to toe, and I feel better now.
"But what are these insects used for?" Yu Mingchang asked.
Yu Tingfeng rolled his eyes at him and said, "What else could it be? It's either medicine or poison."
Yu Mingchang nodded, it seemed to be the case.
Who knows. Feng Aoqing shook her head.
She looked at the bugs on the cactus, found a mature one, picked it off, put it in the palm of her hand, twisted it with her fingers, and then she saw a bright red spot on her fingers.
Yu Tingfeng anxiously snatched her finger away and asked anxiously, "Did you get bitten?"
Feng Aoqing shook her head, took back her finger and said, "It's not that she was bitten, but the inside of this insect is red, and it can be used to make dye, a very good dye. I don't think there is any in Jiuzhou."
Yu Tingfeng suddenly realized: "So you are raising these insects and then making dyes."
He also picked off some and rubbed it with his fingers like Feng Aoqing did. It was also red, like blood.
"General, do you know how women get their red lipstick?"
"I know. When I was a child, I saw my mother... My mother also made lip balm using cinnabar." Yu Tingfeng replied.
"Then you know that cinnabar is slightly poisonous."
Yu Tingfeng nodded.
"Right now, in Kyushu, red lipstick is made primarily from two materials: cinnabar, which is poisonous, and rosin, which doesn't give off a nice color. However, my cochineal insects are both good-looking and non-toxic."
Feng Aoqing said proudly.
The others also understood, but An Jinge asked a question, and she also asked what everyone wanted to ask.
"But lipstick and rouge are used by women. Is that a big industry?"
It was Chonglou who responded: "Miss said that although medicine can save lives and cure diseases, not everyone needs it. However, these little things that everyone needs are the real big business. Women's money is the easiest to make."
"This dye can not only be used to make lipstick, but also to dye cloth to match my Qilin brocade." Feng Aoqing answered again.
Hearing this, Yu Tingfeng seemed to be thinking about something, then looked at Feng Aoqing with surprise.
The western land of Yuanwu is barren and sandy, where nothing can be grown and the population is small, but the area is extremely large. Yuanwu has always been thinking about how to develop this place until Xixia built the Qilin brocade weaving factory.
He later learned that Qilin Brocade was Feng Aoqing's business, and asked her for advice on how to revitalize the West Land.
She didn't answer at that time, but it turns out she still remembered it.
Feng Aoqing smiled and said, "But I'm not helping you for free, I have to share the profits."
Yu Tingfeng laughed out loud: "You are not plucking the feathers of the passing goose, you are roasting and eating it."
"I know you can't make the decision. Go ask your emperor first. Give me some time to make some lipstick, rouge, and fabric. If he's willing to cooperate, I also have packages for supporting industries, sandstorm control, and water conservancy projects."
Yu Tingfeng immediately replied: "I can make the decision. My fiefdom is all there. It's all mine, so naturally I can make the decision."
"How unpopular you are! Your fiefdom is all there." Feng Aoqing teased.
Yu Tingfeng nodded: "Yeah! It's quite pitiful, so I'm relying on you."
He made a gesture of invitation and led Feng Aoqing aside.
The others heard it carefully, but they knew it might not be as easy as the two said.
"What is your identity?" Yu Tingfeng became serious.
Feng Aoqing also looked serious at this time: "Of course it is Feng Huajun."
Yu Tingfeng nodded heavily: "If the West..."
"My emperor may seem weak, but in terms of intelligence and courage, he is definitely far superior to the other emperors in the Nine Provinces. Your emperor has chosen to join forces with him, which means he is not bad. Therefore, I will naturally do my best to help you."
"Xixia is a small area that is less than one-fifth of my Yuanwu West Land, so Xixia is what you call the pilot project! You originally planned to cooperate with my Yuanwu!" Yu Tingfeng suddenly realized.
"It seems that the general is not without government affairs to deal with! He is not a simple general! He knows a lot."
"Uh... I have been with the emperor since I was a child..."
Feng Aoqing nodded. She had thought of this and had seen it when they met Tian Yao.
He did not bring any civil officials with him on his mission to Tianyao, so he must have the status of a civil official or a royal family member, otherwise he would not be able to go on the mission as a general.
"Hahaha! You fooled me again. That letter was originally given to you by Emperor Zhaojing, right? You and Commander An were playing dumb in front of me!" Yu Tingfeng suddenly burst into laughter again.
Feng Aoqing also smiled and said, "The general is not bad either."
"Tell me, how are you going to cooperate?"
"When you return to Wudu, please discuss this matter with your emperor first. If he is interested, Prince Yonglin will personally discuss the specific details of the cooperation. I will hand over the plan to Prince Yonglin, but your emperor must arrange for you to participate in the entire process."
"Why? There are three phases!"
"I don't recognize anyone else, I only recognize you! I believe you are not a treacherous person. And your status should not be low, at least a prince! You also have the qualifications to participate. I feel at ease when you are here."
Feng Aoqing's tone was so sincere that Yu Tingfeng really felt that her face and heart were full of trust.
"This time, I really have to go back." Yu Tingfeng was very reluctant.
"But hurry up, I'm afraid if you don't go back, your sister-in-law will write to ask you to go see her for the last time."
"Feng Aoqing, you're really nosy."
It was the first time he called Feng Aoqing by her full name.
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