Chapter 2971 Shock (9 chapters added for the reward from the book friend "Murongqingqing")
The prince nodded and said, "Okay, I'll stay and take a look at the method of drying salt." But he didn't doubt Bai Shan. He had nothing to do after eating, so why would he lie to them about this?
But he thought it was interesting and it would be nice to watch.
The prince stood by the field and watched them put the salt into a frame covered with linen. They needed to pick out the salt and dry it again before putting it into linen bags.
But at this point the salt is only slightly moist, and it is considered a finished product.
The prince looked at the output of a salt field, nodded slightly, and simply continued walking along the salt field. Along the way, he saw more than 20 fields producing salt, but their progress was different. Some had only a shallow layer of salt crystals at the bottom, while others had already broken into blocks with a very dark color. They needed to go to the third step, dissolve them in water and then dry them.
The prince was still most interested in the first field. After looking around, he said, "I have walked all the way and rarely saw salt crystals in the first field in each row." Unlike the second and third fields, if there were crystals, they would be in large patches.
Bai Shan said, "You don't have to wait until the salt crystals appear in the first field. You can add the second field after it reaches a certain concentration. Of course, the sun is good now, so the salt crystals will appear more frequently and faster. These first fields were all washed into the sea water and dried in the past few days."
The prince returned to the first field and pointed directly at the salt pan, saying, "Drain the water. I want to personally watch it being filled with new water and then the salt being produced by drying it out."
The Imperial Censor was about to suggest so, but when he saw the Crown Prince mention it, he said, "Your Highness, I would like to guard this salt farm myself."
The prince agreed and assigned him a team of guards.
The censor turned around and explained to Zhou Man, "Sir Zhou, it's not that I don't trust Magistrate Bai, I just want to see with my own eyes how seawater is dried into salt."
Zhou Man looked puzzled and nodded, "Look."
She and Bai Shan didn't stop him.
The censor looked at Zhou Man seriously and felt relieved.
Bai Shan introduced Zhou Liwei to the censor, "This is my nephew. He is very experienced in salt drying. If you have any questions, you can ask him."
The censors were even more satisfied. Although this was what they saw with their own eyes, drying salt definitely required some skills, and it would be better to have someone to guide them.
After the prince finished looking at the salt fields, he looked around and asked, "Is there a village nearby?"
"Yes," Bai Shan pointed in a direction and said, "It's just a little distance from the salt fields. Turn the corner and there's a depression. The village is in that place."
The prince looked at the distance and nodded with satisfaction, "Not bad, but it should be a little further away from the village."
After all, salt is related to people's livelihood. It would be bad if it is too close and mixed with the lives of the villagers.
Bai Shan asked the prince and others to go aside and said, "Your Highness, it is getting late. It is too late to go back now. We can only stay here for one night."
He said, "I have had two rows of houses built, and the village is quite simple, so I have to ask Your Highness and the Princess to stay here for one night."
The prince didn't mind. He was used to sleeping on a high bed with a soft pillow, and he had also slept on the grass outdoors. He was very clear...
The prince turned to look at Mingda.
Mingda's attention was focused on the sound of the waves and he didn't pay any attention to these things.
The prince knew she was wild at heart when he saw her expression, so he waved his hand at her and said, "Go ahead if you want to go play, I still have things to discuss with the adults."
Mingda grabbed Zhou Man and asked, "Do you want to participate in politics?"
Zhou Man shook his head. "This is county business. It has nothing to do with my medical department. I don't need to get involved."
The most important thing is that if she wants to know, she can just ask Bai Shan quietly at night.
Mingda was delighted and pulled her to salute the prince, "Brother Prince, we will withdraw first."
He took Zhou Man and left.
Bai Erlang didn't hesitate at all, he just bowed and followed him.
Prince: ...Even if you don't follow him on his inspection tour, this is still a rare achievement. Can't you stay and listen?
Even if he just gives half an idea, he can take credit for it later.
Bai Erlang has already chased Mingda and Zhou Man.
Yin Huo also smiled and bowed to the prince before leaving. He was not an official, so it was even more impossible for him to stay here.
The prince watched the guards and palace maids escort the four people away, shook his head and said to Bai Shan, "Let's go."
The houses here are simple, and the best room should be the small courtyard where Zhou Liwei lives.
It was also in a row of houses, but at the very edge. Considering that the Lan family would also come here, Bai Shan specially asked them to build a small courtyard with two main rooms, one of which was the main hall.
This time it was directly vacated for the prince to live in.
Everyone went into the main hall and walked around, and came out carrying chairs and stools. Some people didn't even have a turn to get stools, so they could only stand or sit on the stones.
Bai Shan and County Magistrate Lu were among those who had no seats, so they stood together.
It was too hot in the house. The sun was already on the top of the mountain and was about to set. The sea breeze outside didn't make it feel that hot. But inside the house, not only was it a little hot, but the light was also dim.
Eunuch Wu placed a chair in the yard, and the prince sat on it with his arms and legs stretched out. He raised his chin slightly, looked at everyone and said, "Just now Zhou..." The prince looked at Bai Shan.
Bai Shan: "Li Wei, he is the second child in the family."
The prince nodded slightly and said, "You have all heard Zhou Liwei's answer. What are your thoughts now?"
Governor Guo sat there in a daze, his mind racing. For example, where did this method of drying salt come from? Was Bai Shan sent here as a county magistrate, or was he here just for the salt fields?
If they came just for the salt fields, would salt drying only be suitable for them in Qingzhou, or did the imperial court want to start with Qingzhou?
For example, who will own this salt field in the future?
Is it from Qingzhou, or is it directly taken over by the imperial court?
But he couldn't ask any of these questions.
The others were still in shock, and at the same time had a premonition that the sky was going to change. No, that's not right. It wasn't just the sky that was going to change. Even if it was going to change, it would only be the sky in Jiangnan that was going to change, and their side might be affected by the changes a little bit.
Tang He and the censor were the quickest to accept the news. After all, they had received some news before leaving the capital, so they came to their senses quickly.
He glanced at the Imperial Censor, who was also turning to look at him. Then they both bowed their heads and said in unison, "We will obey the Crown Prince's orders."
The prince curled his lips and said, "I don't have any special instructions, except that this matter must be kept secret and no one is allowed to spread it."
No matter what everyone thought, they agreed immediately.
After they started talking, the shock wore off a bit, and everyone started to care about the salt drying, such as when the new salt field started drying salt, how much salt was in stock now...
Bai Shan answered them one by one.
The prince sat aside and waited. When they finished asking questions, he said, "Alright, that's all for today. Everyone, go back and rest. Lord Tang, Censor Ning, and County Magistrate Bai, please stay and talk with me."
When Governor Guo stood up to leave, he glanced at Bai Shan and left with Magistrate Lu.
See you tomorrow
(End of this chapter)
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