Chapter 561: Salt Production, Silkworm Rearing, and Grain Cultivation (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
According to internal records of the book *Tiangong Kaiwu*, salt production is roughly divided into six types: sea salt, pond salt, well salt, soil salt, cliff salt, and rock salt. Large-scale production naturally focused on sea salt.
Then it is prepared by sun exposure.
The general steps involve using mudflats to create salt fields, then introducing seawater into the salt fields during natural high tide. Through continuous sun exposure and wind blowing, the seawater in the salt fields evaporates and concentrates until it reaches saturation and crystals precipitate out, thus obtaining basic sea salt.
The most, most, most significant feature—
Production! Quantity! Huge!
After all, seawater is...
In a sense, it is inexhaustible.
Unfortunately, Shen Tang's territory is not near the sea. Not to mention seawater, if the weather turns bad and she doesn't take precautions against drought, she might have to drill wells everywhere to get water just to get through the crisis. Where would she find sea salt?
The salt consumed by ordinary people is mostly mineral salt, which is produced using backward technology. The resulting coarse salt has a mottled color and a strange, bitter taste.
As for well salt?
This stuff is too expensive. To dig a well for salt, you often have to dig ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) or even deeper before you can find brine...
It tastes slightly better than mineral salt, but has a low yield and high cost.
certainly--
This is not a problem for Shen Tang.
What she has no shortage of is manpower.
The Martial Arts Warrior is really useful.
Xun Zhen, having served as a local official before, possessed rich experience in governing and had dealt with the salt industry, thus having considerable knowledge in this area. He said, "If we were to produce salt, given the geography of Longwu County, only well salt and rock salt would be available, but—"
Even if the technology improves, it's unclear how much production can increase, let alone make a fortune from Shiwu.
Liao Jia asked, "Won't pond salt work?"
So-called pond salt is lake salt.
He was born in a small country located at the border of the northwest and southwest of the continent. There were many lakes nearby, and several of them had salt ponds that supplied salt to the surrounding countries. At the same time, these salt lakes were also the trigger for wars between the small countries in the vicinity, making them strategic locations that were fought over by military strategists.
Whoever takes control of these territories will be able to control the salt supply of neighboring countries, demanding exorbitant prices and negotiating arbitrarily, creating quite a spectacle.
There are many salt mines in the northwest of mainland China.
Salt can also be produced from some lakes within the territory.
Xun Zhen glanced at Xu Quan, who was secretly yawning.
He shook his head and said, "Not for now."
Because the salt fields were secretly controlled by Wu Xian of Tianhai, several salt fields nominally belonged to the Wu family of Tianhai. Wu Xian used Xu Jie's connections and trade routes, and Xu Jie, through Wu Xian, secured the salt business in the nearby prefectures and counties. Although the market share was not high, it was still extremely profitable.
Otherwise, why are the two families so closely related?
What Xu Jie gained from Wu Xian was not only an improved status in Tianhai, but also substantial profits!
Of course, Wu Xian also gained a small treasury from Xu Jie that automatically made and spit out money, raking in a fortune every day!
The lord cannot take food from Wu Xian's mouth for the time being.
Liao Jia then dropped the matter.
"I don't care what kind of salt it is, as long as it's salt that can make money. Actually, I have a bold idea about salt production—" Shen Tang gestured with two fingers, "Let's prepare for two possibilities! First, as Han Zhang said, we can't pursue lake salt for the time being, but we can still operate with mine salt and well salt. If the quantity is not enough, then we'll win with quality, and sell it to the high-ranking nobles of the Ten Crows with the gimmick of high-quality refined salt."
I can still purify agarwood with coarse salt.
Everyone silently calculated the approximate budget, and the brave martial artists, led by Gong Shuwu, knew they had another job coming up _(:з)∠)_
Chu Yao asked, "And the second one?"
Shen Tang: "Ji Shou previously used the Word Spirit [Flooding the Seven Armies] to defend against the enemy, using literary energy to create a stream of water, but it didn't last long before dissipating as the energy of heaven and earth. I suppose he could also use the Word Spirit to summon seawater? Could this seawater be used to make salt in salt fields?"
Liao Jia was unaware of Shen Tang's ability to transform things.
I just felt that her idea was rather far-fetched.
The things summoned by the power of words—whether water, fire, or wind—are essentially external manifestations of the energy of heaven and earth, unable to truly materialize. If seawater could be used to summon real seawater, the cost of salt production… well, that's beyond description!
Furthermore—
If it can be done, why not just use words to turn salt into salt?
He assumed others shared the same thought, but a quick glance revealed that, apart from Ning Yan, Chu Yao, Qi Shan, and the others all wore deeply furrowed brows, as if this outlandish suggestion were actually feasible. Liao Jia's heart skipped a beat, suddenly finding it inexplicably absurd…
Chu Yao: "This method is probably only usable by my lord and Lingde. Whether it will succeed or not is still unknown, but it is worth a try."
If it works, it could potentially drive down the price of salt.
Liao Jia silently memorized the two characters "Ling De".
I don't know what's so special about this person and our lord.
The idea of using words to conjure seawater and extract salt is just Shen Tang's personal fantasy, and it's impossible for him to bet on it.
Well salt and rock salt are the key products.
There are indeed several salt wells and salt mines in Longwu County that have been abandoned for various reasons, and it is still necessary to send people to investigate them.
Of course, if this path also fails—
"...If the production is too low, we'll buy coarse salt from Wenzhu, then refine it into refined salt, and resell it to Shiwu at a high price." The whitest salt is used to slaughter the fattest Shiwu. Nobles want to distinguish themselves from ordinary people, so naturally they need to use the best in everything.
Gu Chi said quietly, "If refined salt were readily available, it would not only be popular in Shiwu, but would also be in high demand throughout the Guanzhong Plain."
Making money without being shabby.
Whose money you make doesn't matter?
Shen Tang's mind was working very fast.
Gu Chi's suggestion is also quite good.
Buying large quantities of coarse salt from Xu Jie at a low price, then refining it into refined salt and selling it back to Xu Jie at several times the price, was a highly profitable business. Chu Yao knew her thoughts and silently noted this down—Longwu County was too poor; even a small profit was still profit. As long as there was a way to make money, they would seize it. Once they had made enough, they would sell the refining method to Xu Jie at an exorbitant price…
Two ways to eat one piece of meat.
As for silkworm breeding...
"The only problem with getting silkworm eggs from Wenzhu is the leaf feed. Although mulberry trees can be grown in Longwu County, their growth cycle is too long. By the time they grow up, dozens of silkworms will have starved to death. And neither I nor Lingde have three heads and six arms..."
This is very awkward.
Jiang Sheng: "If you want to achieve quick results, the only way is through the power of words."
"really."
Shen Tang looked at Ning Yan.
Ning Yan was somewhat confused.
"Please enlighten me, my lord."
“Tu Nan has interacted with those students and should know that their talents vary greatly, and not all of them have the potential to enter officialdom. Has Tu Nan considered how they will make a living in the future?”
Ning Yan waited quietly for Shen Tang to speak.
In her view, even without talent, with careful guidance, one could still become a low-level official.
Judging from the lord's intentions, it seems there are other arrangements.
Shen Tang's words were startling.
Have you considered letting them farm for a living?
Ning Yan said, "My lord, how can this be done?"
After these students have gone through years of hard study and rigorous training, they are then allowed to go back and inherit the traditional crafts passed down from generation to generation.
"How is it not feasible?" Shen Tang's face showed no sign of joking. "In my opinion, it is very feasible."
This is the first step in taking control of productivity.
(づ￣ 3￣)づ
I fell asleep while writing... I guess I didn't get enough sleep during the day _(:з」∠)_
When will the ban be lifted? I'm so bored.
(End of this chapter)
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