[I'm going out to play mahjong in a bit, the missing chapter will be updated later!]
"We pay our respects to the commander-in-chief. We have fulfilled our mission and have taken the remaining two counties!"
When Le Ye and Pan Ning saw the wicked husband, they immediately bowed and paid their respects, their eyes filled with excitement.
"You two have worked hard. Let's go, let's enter the city first!"
The wicked man helped the two men up and beckoned them, along with his men, into the city.
After entering the city, the wicked man laughed loudly, "You have all worked hard. Tonight, your ban on alcohol is lifted. You should drink to your heart's content and be rewarded for your hard work."
These words drew laughter from the soldiers and filled the soldiers stationed in the city with envy.
The wicked man made it very clear that he had only lifted the ban on alcohol for the soldiers going on this expedition, not for all of them. Although they could still have a big meal, they were not allowed to drink a drop of alcohol.
"Let's go, Ba Liang and the others are waiting."
The three boarded the carriage and returned to the temporary commander's residence.
Li Balang and the others were already waiting at the door. When they saw the three of them arrive, they hurriedly went to greet them. "Generals, you've worked hard. The commander-in-chief has instructed me to prepare the leeks. We've been waiting for your return!"
"Haha, greetings, Brother Ba Liang!"
"Let's go inside first, so the food and drinks don't get cold."
Upon arriving at the hall, the table was already laden with food and wine. The dazzling array of dishes made Le Ye and Pan Ning unconsciously swallow their saliva.
Only the wicked man was somewhat disheartened. No matter how fancy the food was made in this era, it was still just so-so. Lacking various seasonings and condiments, it just didn't taste good.
"Please take a seat, Commander!"
Upon hearing Li Balang's voice, the wicked man snapped out of his daze and plopped down in the main seat, laughing, "Please, everyone, sit down!"
Everyone was captivated by the aroma and sat down immediately. The maids serving them quickly poured wine for them.
"Gentlemen, let us drink to this cup together."
"drink!"
The group downed their drinks in one gulp, a broad smile spreading across their faces.
"Start eating, eat and drink, don't be shy!" The wicked husband said with a big smile, urging everyone to start eating.
With his permission, everyone began to eat heartily.
Le Ye and Pan Ning's chopsticks both produced illusions. Lately, they've been running around and eating dry rations all day to save time, so their mouths have become so bland.
Seeing how these people were wolfing down their food, the wicked man couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle, thinking to himself that they were really ignorant bumpkins.
Li Balang happened to see this and quickly asked, "General, why aren't you eating? Is it because the food I prepared doesn't suit your taste?"
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately stopped eating.
"It's alright, it's alright, keep eating, you guys keep eating!"
The wicked man quickly waved his hand, but seeing that they remained unmoved, he had no choice but to explain, "Although the food is plentiful, it lacks oil and sauce, the salt is bitter, and there are no chili peppers or other seasonings, so it is really bland and tasteless!"
These words left everyone present completely bewildered!
This salt has always tasted the same, and this sauce uses it too, doesn't it?
Besides, what exactly is that chili pepper?
Everyone instinctively looked at Li Balang, who was the only cultured person among them. He should know what the chili pepper was, right?
Li Ba's face turned green, and he said somewhat awkwardly, "This... please enlighten me, General, what is this chili pepper?"
Everyone immediately showed their disappointment.
Well, so you, Li Baliang, didn't know anything after all?
The wicked husband slapped his forehead and hurriedly explained, "Chili peppers are a great thing. They're spicy, much spicier than scallions. Adding them to dishes makes them incredibly delicious."
"We don't have chili peppers, which is fine, but we also don't have ginger or garlic for stir-frying, so the dishes taste even more bland."
"There's no soy sauce, salt, oyster sauce, or any other seasonings available!"
At this point, the wicked man smacked his lips and said, "This salt is really just a lump of salt. Not only is it bitter, but it also contains toxins. Eating it for a long time will definitely shorten your life."
These words startled everyone present. It was true that salt was bitter, but it wasn't unbearable; they had gotten used to it after eating it for so many years.
The problem is... it's poisonous?!
That's a bit scary.
"General...you said...the salt...is poisonous?" Li Ba's face turned green, and he felt as if he was about to be buried at any moment.
"Ha ha!"
The wicked man laughed loudly and reassured them, "There's no need to be afraid. The salt that ordinary people eat is more toxic. The salt that you people of status eat is processed and is far less toxic than theirs."
These words relieved the people present, but then they immediately became worried again.
Don't the lives of ordinary people matter?!
"What should we do? How can we let the people eat poison every day?"
"Perhaps...we should go back and report to the King, and have the salt shipment suspended?"
Listening to their discussion, the wicked man felt his head was about to explode. "Eating it is just a slow poison; without it, you won't even last a month."
These words made their faces even more bitter, especially those of Yue Ye and Pan Ning. These two were wholeheartedly devoted to their country and people, and had thought that joining Qin would bring them good days, but they never expected...
The people suffer even more!
"wrong!"
"Since the general is so knowledgeable, he must have a solution!"
Li Balang suddenly cried out, startling everyone. After they came to their senses, they all looked hopefully at the wicked husband.
After a moment of contemplation, the wicked man said, "I hadn't thought of this before, and I didn't want to bring it up. The solution isn't difficult, but we need to end this battle as soon as possible."
"After returning to Xianyang, I will report to the King and begin to resolve this matter."
At this moment, he also became serious.
The methods of handling things in this era were even worse than those in the Han Dynasty. Even the salt that King Qin Shi Huang ate was not as good as that of the common people in the Tang, Song, and Ming Dynasties.
Even if Zheng Ge'er wasn't obsessed with alchemy and immortality, his body wouldn't be able to withstand eating this stuff year after year!
He didn't want his business to fail halfway through, with his brother Zheng passing away. Even if he conquered the world, it would still feel incomplete.
Therefore, from any perspective, he must resolve the salt problem as soon as possible.
Thinking of this, he pinched the bridge of his nose. "There are just too many things to solve in this world. It's exhausting..."
He was enveloped by endless sorrow, which made him feel a little depressed at the moment.
"General, why must you do this?!"
Seeing that he was not in a good mood, Li Balang and the others quickly said in unison, "General, just give us your orders. If we don't understand, we can learn. Even if we can't learn, we can at least run errands and help out."
These words moved the wicked man deeply, and his worries dissipated considerably. He laughed heartily and said, "Haha, every difficulty is a challenge, but I'll overcome it all. With the help of my brothers and the support of the King, what do I have to fear?!"
Everyone burst into laughter, and the atmosphere became lively.
"Come on, drink up! We won't leave until we're drunk!"
The wicked man picked up his wine glass, drank the wine in one gulp, and his expression became extremely relaxed.
He was just getting stuck on a single point.
Nothing can be accomplished overnight; we must take it slowly. Being impatient for quick results will only make things chaotic and complicated!
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