Seeing Xu Xian's pitiful state, Bai Lu suppressed a laugh and served him a bowl of matsutake mushroom, chestnut, and chicken soup, handing it to him: "Lord Xu, have some to warm yourself up."
Xu Xian gratefully accepted it. He ate very politely, and it was clear that he was very well-mannered. When he drank the soup, there was not a single sound between the spoon and the bowl.
Shang Shaoyan secretly observed Xu Xian from the side. Seeing that he was eating seriously and didn't seem to be in a hurry to talk about glassmaking, she was very satisfied. She wasn't afraid of encountering people who couldn't do things well, because they could be taught. What she feared most was having people under her who were impatient and hasty in everything they did.
Besides, Xu Xian did a very good job and was very sensible. Although he was a bit mild-mannered, he could become a sharp blade with some practice. Moreover, he had his own sense of right and wrong and knew what he should and shouldn't ask.
Shang Shaoyan casually took a spoonful of soup, feeling a warm sensation in her stomach. The soup was delicious and rich, with only a thin layer of oil on top, neither greasy nor bland. The freshness of the matsutake mushrooms, the sweetness of the chestnuts, and the aroma of the chicken blended perfectly. She immediately asked Bai Lu, "Who made this soup? Please reward me."
Bai Lu chuckled, "Your Highness, you may not know, but this soup was simmered by General Cheng this morning. They don't have a stove as good as ours in their camp, so they borrowed the kitchen to make the soup and even saved a pot for you."
Shang Shaoyan was taken aback for a moment, then laughed: "He has good skills. You should ask our cook to learn how to make soup from him later."
The White Dew should arrive.
After the meal, Xu Xian finally had a chance to talk about the glass: "Princess, the first batch of glass has been made. Apart from wasting some materials at the beginning when we were figuring things out, the craftsmen got the hang of it and it was very easy. The glass we made is even more transparent and bright than the glass from the Western Regions!"
He sighed in that way, then tentatively looked at Shang Shaoyan: "May I ask, Your Highness, what do you plan to do with this glass that has been made?"
Shang Shaoyan shook the round fan in her hand, looking gentle and compliant: "As Lord Xu also knows, if such a fine item were sent to Shengjing, it would surely be highly sought after by the powerful and wealthy. After it has made a name for itself, it would not be difficult to send it to Northern Zhou or trade with merchants from the Western Regions."
The implication was that she planned to sell them in Shengjing first.
Xu Xian was somewhat puzzled. He was a straightforward person and immediately asked, "The county princess lives in Shengjing, so why go through such a roundabout way?"
Bringing the recipe from Shengjing to Shuzhou, making it in Shuzhou, and then selling it back to Shengjing is indeed a waste of time and manpower.
Shang Shaoyan smiled, then became serious: "To be honest, Lord Xu... the Zhenguo Duke's mansion now consists of only my brother and me. We're barely managing to stay afloat. In Shengjing, something as valuable as glass is like a child carrying gold through a bustling market—countless people will covet it. Since I've given this formula to you, Lord Xu, please consider it a secret recipe passed down from an ancient book. I plan to send 40% of the profits from this glass production to the Northwest, 40% to support the livelihood of the people in Shuzhou, and the remaining 20% to continue producing large quantities of glass for shipment to the Western Regions and Northern Zhou. After I leave Shuzhou, I will present the glass formula to His Majesty. In this way, Lord Xu will not only not have to worry about being caught with a valuable treasure, but might even be promoted."
After listening to these words, Xu Xian pondered them carefully, and then he was completely convinced by Shang Shaoyan: "I admire the county princess's meticulous thinking."
...
Southern Chen Dynasty, Shengjing.
The palace was bustling with activity. Ever since Consort Shu was diagnosed with a slippery pulse, she had been beaming with joy. At this moment, she was enjoying a dish of bird's nest, specially prepared for her by the imperial kitchen, with a smile on her delicate and beautiful face.
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