After becoming a widow, I became the mother of seven children

Yan Qingqing finally couldn't help but asked: "Why did the emperor suddenly change his mind?"

Xiao Mochen replied calmly: "Actually, it's not sudden.

My father had this plan years ago, but he really didn't like Concubine Yu and her son, so he kept putting it off.

But the officials below were clamoring fiercely. Salt tax has always been the main source of national tax revenue, and my father had nothing to do.

However, the emperor was really a coward for his father's sake. "

Yan Qingqing and Ling Ziyuan looked at each other in shock when they heard this. They couldn't say what Xiao Mochen said.

However, as Xiao Mochen is a son of man, he can't say this. If someone with an intention hears it and sues him to the emperor, Xiao Mochen can ask for it, okay?

Yan Qingqing quickly changed the topic and said: "Salt tax belongs to the national government. What's the matter with Concubine Yu and her son?"

Ling Ziyuan sighed and said: "Salt needs to be purified and processed in many ways before it can be eaten. The technology involved is extremely complex.

Our Great Yan Dynasty has only been established for three generations, and there are very few people who know this kind of purification technology.

When my father ascended the throne, this technology was in the hands of a few salt merchants.

Later, the Yu family subdued them and promised them high officials and generous salaries, so they were willing to make salt for the people of the Yan Dynasty.

Even the refined salt can be sold to Northern Liang and Southern Xinjiang, which is the main source of tax revenue for our Great Yan Dynasty.

Now that the emperor was neglecting Concubine Yu and the eldest prince, they encouraged these salt officials to say that the youngest of the ninth princes had already been crowned king, the eldest prince was already an adult, and the eldest son of the emperor should be crowned king.

Concubine Yu worked hard and achieved great results. Even though she made a small mistake and was punished, she should be reinstated as a noble concubine. "

Yan Qingqing was speechless. Did the emperor compromise now? No wonder Xiao Mochen said that he, the emperor, was a coward.

Even a courtier like this can restrain him. He still wakes up early and works late every day to deal with government affairs. This emperor is still doing nothing.

Yan Qingqing has lived in ancient times for several years. She knows that in this era of material scarcity, salt and sugar are very valuable things.

Even the emperor had to consider the overall situation.

So after Yan Qingqing secretly scolded the emperor in her heart, she said quietly: "It's just a matter of refining salt. In fact, it's not a big deal. I know how to do this."

As soon as Yan Qingqing finished speaking, Xiao Mochen and Ling Ziyuan looked at her with unbelievable shock.

Does Yan Qingqing know that she just said, refine salt?

If she knew this skill, would the emperor still be constrained by those greedy villains?

Ling Ziyuan took a deep breath and asked, "Do you take what Mrs. Mingzhao just said seriously? Do you really know how to refine fine salt?"

Ling Ziyuan was so excited that he even used the official title and the honorific "you", which shows how excited he is.

Although Xiao Mochen was also in a state of turmoil, he did not ask.

Because he believed in his aunt and had no doubts about what his aunt said. Even if Yan Qingqing said that the sun would rise from the west one day, he would believe it without any doubt.

After all, Yan Qingqing gave him the drawings for making a hand crossbow and the recipe for making iron some time ago.

Those things are probably more difficult than making snowflake salt, which is no problem for my aunt, let alone refining table salt.

Sure enough, Yan Qingqing nodded and said matter-of-factly: "Do I need to make a joke to you during this Chinese New Year? Besides, it's not difficult to say this."

Ling Ziyuan:......

Look what you are saying. If the emperor heard it, he would not know what he would think.

Li Xiangping and Li Xiangan were not that surprised. When their family was not prosperous, Yan Qingqing even made ice cubes to escape the summer heat.

And the process is really simple. Not to mention Yuan Huiniang, the apprentice she taught step by step, even the two of them can do it.

Now looking at how confident their mother is, making this fine salt must not be difficult, it’s just that people can’t master the method.

However, they also wanted to know how simple it was to refine the salt, so they all looked at Yan Qingqing like curious babies.

Yan Qingqing smiled softly when he saw their curious expressions. Forget it, it would be good to teach them a lesson today so that they can learn a lot.

Yan Qingqing opened her lips lightly and said: "Actually, the main component of salt is sodium chloride, and there are four main sources: sea salt, well salt, lake salt and rock salt.

These things are rich in salt, and the refining methods are similar.

The first method is to dissolve, filter and then dry.

The second method is to dissolve, filter, and then dry naturally with the power of the sun and wind.

Although the first method is simple and quick, it is not suitable for large-scale use.

Although the second method is a bit slower, it can be mass-produced on a large scale. "

Although Ling Ziyuan and the others were shocked after hearing this, they were still a little confused. They only had well salt in the Yan Dynasty. As for what sea salt, lake salt and mineral salt were, and what Yan Qingqing said about dissolving, filtering and drying. Operation.

Or maybe what Yan Qingqing said was too simple, and they couldn't believe it.

Seeing that they didn't quite understand, Yan Qingqing took a sip of tea and continued: "Let me give an analogy, let's say seawater is salted. We all know that seawater is salty.

That's because it contains a lot of salt, and salt fields can be built on the seashore.

Seawater is then introduced into the salt pans and evaporated using the sun and wind. Finally, there will be a layer of white crystals underneath, which is salt.

Of course, this is just coarse salt, and then the salt is dissolved again, and then the impurities are filtered out, and finally the fine salt is obtained by drying it in the sun.

In fact, there are many benefits to drying sea salt. After all, the fishermen on the seaside go fishing all year round, not to mention the risks, and their income is also unstable.

But drying sea salt is different. It can not only increase the tax revenue of the Great Yan Dynasty, but also allow the fishermen on the seaside to have a stable life. "

Ling Ziyuan and the others all know the benefits mentioned by Yan Qingqing. The key is whether drying salt is really that simple.

After being silent for a while, Xiao Mochen was the first to speak: "Auntie, if we can successfully make salt by ourselves, it will be a great achievement.

And I no longer have to be controlled by those salt officials. I wonder if my aunt is willing to donate these salt-making methods? "

The past dynasties had very strict control over salt and did not allow private transactions among the people. Yan Qingqing had no use hiding it privately.

If she took it out, she could help Xiao Mochen and extinguish the arrogance of Concubine Yu and her son. What wouldn't she want to do?

When Xiao Mochen saw Yan Qingqing nodding without hesitation, he stood up and bowed deeply to her, and then said, "My aunt is righteous. Mo Chen should follow my aunt's example in this life."

Yan Qingqing quickly helped him up and scolded: "What are you kidding about? You can't hide your secrets even if it's for your aunt."

Xiao Mochen was deeply moved by one sentence.