C33. Saltpeter Ice Making.
As a seasoned iron-blooded general, Chu Hechao had always appeared invincible in battle and unconquerable in defense.
Blessed with incredible luck, he had narrowly escaped death multiple times, and his strong-willed personality earned him a reputation of resilience and bravery among his soldiers. Chu Hechaon saw himself as a manly figure, believing it unnecessary to divulge his pain or injuries to others, choosing to endure it alone.
However, after impulsively uttering those words, he instantly regretted them, feeling both agitated and embarrassed, wishing he could retract them.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Li, still facing away from Chu Hechao, spoke softly, almost indiscernible over the sound of flowing water, "General, but I thought you weren't in pain?"
Chu Hechao clenched his jaw.
Veins bulging on his arms, he felt the urge to walk away, but then restrained himself, gritting his teeth as he reluctantly admitted, "I lied."
At that moment, Yuan Li stood up, finally turning to face him, studying Chu Hechao intently for a while.
Inside the tent, despite the scorching sun outside, it was humid and stuffy. Yuan Li's face was sticky with sweat, and his flushed cheeks showcased a fine sheen of perspiration. Contrasted with Chu Hechao rugged and imposing figure, his own delicate and flushed appearance seemed akin to a deer facing a tiger.
However, the tiger was frozen in embarrassment, unable to utter a word.
Yuan Li's smile slowly emerged, "That's more like it, General, there's no shame in seeking medical attention."
Seeing him smile, Chu Hechao relaxed his tense fingers, reminding himself that Yuan Li was like a provider of his basic needs and could not be offended.
Repeating this mantra in his mind, he calmed down, turned back, and allowed Yuan Li to continue examining his back.
Yuan Li glided silently behind Chu Hechao and spoke softly, "I lack the authority to command you, General. However, this wound demands immediate attention. A seemingly minor injury can escalate quickly, and I fear you may come to regret neglecting it. Furthermore, as I am the one responsible for this wound, consider me at your service, General. Please, cooperate with me for your own well-being."
With that, Yuan Li began applying firm pressure to Chu Hechao's back muscles. Having soaked his hands in cold water beforehand, they were icy to the touch.
The initial contact sent a jolt through Chu Hechao, causing his muscles to involuntarily tense.
After a thorough check-up, Yuan Li relaxed and was relieved to find no internal injuries, just some subcutaneous bruising. The bruises were already turning a dark shade, likely to become more pronounced by the next day.
"The General should have a physician massage out the bruising," Yuan Li washed his hands and instructed a soldier to bring new clothes for Chu Hechao. "If the physician's efforts are not enough, the General can come to me."
Standing up, Chu Hechao stretched his shoulders, his imposing figure exuding a heavy presence. He jokingly remarked, "Seems like you're not that strong after all."
Mishearing him, Yuanli turned to Chu Hechao with a puzzled expression, "What?"
Unfazed, Chu Hechao replied, "I mean, thank you, sister-in-law."
Yuan Li chuckled, "General, you're too kind."
A soldier rushed in, informing them that the officer in charge of setting up the watchtower had requested to see the General privately rather than face punishment publicly.
Reluctant to have his subordinates and soldiers see him punished, the officer, second only to the General, was understandably hesitant.
With a wry smile, Chu Hechao briskly walked out, received the clothes from a soldier, and swiftly departed, leaving Yuan Li behind.
Unperturbed, Yuan Li later led a tour of Zhuolu County, gathering information on the civilians and distributing porridge to the needy, before joining his subordinates for a relaxing soak in a spring in the afternoon.
The spring water was clear and refreshing, gently heated by the sun throughout the day, creating the perfect temperature – not too cold, not too hot. The group of people chatted and laughed as Yuan Li enjoyed a leisurely bath.
Shortly after leaving the spring, they started to sweat again, prompting Yuanli to wipe his brow and mutter, "If only we had some ice to cool off..."
Suddenly, an idea struck him – saltpeter for making ice!
Yes, saltpeter for making ice!
How could he have forgotten this?
Saltpeter, also known as "fire stone," was a medicinal herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Yuan Li couldn't sit still after recalling this, immediately sending someone to ask the physician for saltpeter. He then locked himself in his tent, not allowing anyone to disturb him until dinner.
Liu Jixin, unaware of Yuan Li's intentions, was curious but refrained from interrupting him.
On the other hand, Wu Kai stood guard outside the tent, following Yuan Li's orders to prevent anyone from approaching. Even when the soldiers brought dinner, he personally accepted it and placed it outside the tent.
Upon hearing about Yuan Li's seclusion, Chu Hechao furrowed his brow and asked, "How long has he been locked in there?"
His trusted aide replied, "It's been two hours."
"He hasn't come out at all during those two hours?"
The aide affirmed, "Young Master Yuan has not come out at all and no one else is allowed in."
Yang Zhongxin, who was eating nearby, nervously put down his bowl and asked Chu Hechao, "General, was it because we requested two weeks' worth of rations from Young Master Yuan this morning that put him in a difficult position? Is he now avoiding eating because he feels there isn't enough food for the army?"
Chu Hechao glanced at him, feeling that it wasn't necessary. He didn't think Yuanli would be upset, but just to be safe, he decided, "I'll go check on him."
When he arrived at Yuanli's tent, he saw Wu Kai standing guard steadfastly. Upon Chu Hechao's approach, Wu Kai bowed and gruffly said, "General, the Lord instructed that no one is allowed inside."
Chu Hechao noticed the food placed in front of the tent and raised his voice, "Sister-in-law?"
A cheerful voice from inside responded, "Is that General? Please come in, General."
Without hesitation, Chu Hechao strode forward and opened the tent.
As he did, a refreshing chill greeted him, instantly revitalizing him. Surprised, he saw Yuanli standing amidst basins of water, some containing ice-cold water mixed with actual ice blocks.
Chu Hechao expressed his astonishment, "Where did you get the ice blocks?"
Smiling mischievously, Yuan Li gestured for Chu Hechao to come closer, "General, take a closer look."
Approaching cautiously, Chu Hechao felt the comforting chill grow stronger. It was a rare relief during the hot summer days. Impressed, he narrowed his eyes, and the sweat on his forehead vanished.
As he approached, Chu Hechao observed the ice blocks in the basin. Apart from the water basin, there was a grey-white stone placed on the dry ground nearby.
Chu Hechao examined the stone, "Fire stone?"
"It's saltpeter," Yuan Li explained, holding two pieces in his palm. He grinned, "Adding the right amount of saltpeter to water can quickly produce ice blocks."
Surprised, Chu Hechao inspected the saltpeter closely, amazed by its unexpected utility. He then looked at Yuan Li with a determined gaze, "Can we produce ice in large quantities?"
Yuan Li nodded, "As long as we have enough saltpeter, we can produce as much ice as needed."
Chu Hechao's eyes gleamed with excitement as he picked up one of the ice blocks and brought it close to his lips, seemingly eager to taste it.
Yuan Li quickly reached out to block the ice in front, and Chu Hechao's lips directly touched Yuan Li's hand.
Both of them were caught off guard, Chu Hechao glanced down with narrow eyes, then looked at Yuan Li.
Yuan Li casually withdrew his hand, and said helplessly, "General, this water is dirty, and the ice is not clean, it cannot be eaten!"
Chu Hechao frowned in disappointment, "Ice made from saltpeter cannot be consumed either?"
"It can," Yuan Li patiently explained, "Saltpeter made ice is toxic to the body. It's just that this water has been touched by my hands, so it's not safe to eat. If General wants to eat ice, I can put another bowl of ice water in the basin, and it will freeze after a while."
"No need," Chu Hechao threw the ice back into the basin, "If it can be eaten, then it's fine."
He smiled, "If you only need saltpeter, there are many saltpeter deposits in northern Youzhou."
Yuan Li speculated that there would be many saltpeter mines in the mining area of Youzhou, and of course, saltpeter mines were indispensable. He thought these mines had not been exploited by anyone yet, but when he heard Chu Hechao's words, his eyes lit up, "There are saltpeter mines in Youzhou?"
Chu Hechao nodded and smiled faintly, "I will have people mine the saltpeter and send it to you."
Yuan Li was delighted, "Great. What does General intend to do with this ice?"
Chu Hechao said, "Part of it will be given as rewards to subordinates and those who have performed well in battle, while the rest will be sold to wealthy landlords. What does my sister-in-law think?"
Yuan Li and he shared a knowing smile, "General's plan aligns with my thoughts."
Making ice with saltpeter was not yet popular among the common people.
One reason was that Youzhou was still not fully pacified. Second, the people were suffering from the chaos of war, and they were struggling to even have enough to eat.
By giving the ice to the soldiers as rewards and doing business with the local wealthy, it was an appropriate and profitable approach.
Before producing a large amount of ice, the method of making ice with saltpeter needed to be kept secret.
When Yuan Li previously asked the doctor to obtain saltpeter, he had reminded them to keep it a secret. If word got out that Yuan Li had created ice in the tent in just two hours, it would be easy for people to suspect saltpeter's involvement.
Chu Hechao asked Yuan Li to stay in the tent with the buckets of ice water and told the others to leave. He said, "My sister-in-law is tired today, suffering from heat and sun exposure. After bathing, he felt dizzy and unwell. I will take care of him here, you can all go back."
Liu Jixin was surprised and hurriedly said, "General, please allow Liu to visit the Lord!"
"My sister-in-law only has heatstroke," Chu Hechao said calmly, "He has already fallen asleep, and I will have a doctor nearby to watch over him. You can all leave."
The others had no choice but to leave. Chu Hechao instructed someone to guard the tent from all sides and then he entered.
Yuan Li listened to every word outside, and when Chu Hechao came in, he considerately said, "General, you don't have to stay here all night, you can go back in a while."
Chu Hechao glanced at Yuan Li, then slowly walked in, naturally sitting down by the bed, took off his boots, and lay on the bed. He said, "Sister-in-law, when putting on a show, you have to go all the way. I will spend the night here with you."
Yuan Li couldn't help but twitch his mouth.
Do you think I can't tell you're just here for the ice?
Chu Hechao was tall and didn't hesitate to make himself comfortable. When he stretched out on the bed, he practically occupied the entire space, leaving no room for Yuan Li.
With a forced smile, Yuan Li walked to the side of the bed and said, "General, if you sleep on my bed, where am I supposed to sleep?"
Chu Hechao didn't open his eyes; the coolness inside the tent made him feel drowsy. Upon hearing Yuan Li's question, a mischievous smile appeared on his face, "If sister-in-law doesn't mind, we can share the same bed."
Yuan Li replied coolly, "Am I supposed to sleep on you?"
Chu Hechao was about to suggest that she could sit on him, but then remembered Yuan Li's status. He hesitated for a moment, then swallowed the suggestive words at the tip of his tongue.
Getting up neatly, he moved aside and arranged two chairs next to the table, squeezing his large frame uncomfortably onto the chairs.
The chairs were not big enough for him to lie down, so Chu Hechao frowned and raised his two legs, placing them directly on the table next to him.