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Chapter 120: Charcoal Making Together
Chapter 120: Charcoal Making Together
Xuyue Yao had her suspicions that some things were not as she remembered them. And last night, many of those suspicions were confirmed.
Among them, Xuyue Nong's mother was the concubine of Jin Yanghou, kept in the capital, and she was quite favored. Rumor has it that she is pregnant again.
So, she could often come to visit Xuyue Nong.
The governess aunt pretended not to see and turned a blind eye.
Thus, Xuyue Yao was aware of the news brought by this visitor.
Yesterday, the Grand Princess's side courtyard had indeed exploded, but no one was hurt.
Neither the Grand Princess and her entourage nor the long-serving servants in the courtyard were harmed.
The more Xuyue Yao heard, the more she felt that something was amiss, and she dared not ask further for fear of arousing suspicion.
She felt that something was wrong, terribly wrong.
It shouldn't be like this!
The Grand Princess and her beloved grandsons should have all perished in the explosion!
The Grand Princess's two sons would also feel guilt and distress over this incident.
And as a result, both families would suffer losses and decline.
But now they were still alive?
This wasn't right!
And there was more...
The sixth prince of the Qi Wang Manor had indeed returned safely.
He hadn't lost any limbs.
This news made Xuyue Yao extremely uneasy.
To make matters worse, she now found herself trapped here, unable to do anything, which only added to her anxiety and unease.
Contrary to her unrest, Su Su was in high spirits!
Although the Princess of Qi felt that playing with charcoal was too messy and could stain her clothes and face, the happiness of the children was paramount.
So, gritting her teeth, she joined Su Su in the activity.
Charcoal making was no simple task. If the proportions were off, the subsequent burning process could greatly affect the quality and value of the honeycomb charcoal.
Su Su remembered the proportions, but she didn't understand how to apply them.
She knew which part should be three and which should be seven, but when it came to actually measuring and mixing, she was lost.
Not knowing what to do, Su Su initially felt worried.
"Is this how it's done?"
"Or should I try it this way?"
"Maybe this will work too?"
...
Su Su, unsure of the correct method, started experimenting on her own.
The young girl was both clever and not so clever at the same time.
On the one hand, she knew the proportions but didn't understand their significance, which made it impossible for her to create the proper mixture.
On the other hand, her cleverness lay in her ability to find a workaround. Since she didn't understand the process, she decided to try every possible combination.
If she tried all the different ratios, surely one of them would be correct? So, she started with a small amount of yellow mud, added charcoal residue and water, and began mixing.
The proportion of water also needed to be considered.
However, this was easier to manage, and Su Su did a decent job.
At first, the little girl remembered how she was distributing the ingredients.
But as she continued mixing, she forgot.
Moreover, when one is too engrossed in a task, it is easy to lose track of time and one's surroundings.
After making a large batch of charcoal, Su Su felt an itch on her face and rubbed it. Then she scratched her head.
Here a touch, there a nudge.
Here some charcoal, there some yellow mud, and perhaps a splash of water...
As the Princess of Qi assisted Su Su, she couldn't help but laugh as the little girl's face became smudged with charcoal and mud.
At first, the princess was reluctant to get her hands dirty, but as she watched Su Su become more and more engrossed, even humming a little tune to herself, and as the charcoal mixture started to resemble something usable, the princess couldn't suppress her own playful spirit.
Xuyue Yao gritted her teeth, hesitated for a moment, and then, with a deep breath, she too rolled up her sleeves and joined in.
Watching this unfold, Aunt Qiu's eyebrows furrowed slightly as she quickly considered the extra set of clothes that the Queen had prepared for such occasions. Reassured by this thought, her worries eased.
Aunt Qiu remained vigilant, keeping a close eye on Su Su's mood and well-being.
From time to time, she would ask, "Are you thirsty? Hungry?"
...
Meanwhile, Nuan Dong and Nuan Xia huddled together, observing the young girl at play.
Seeing that even the Queen had joined in, the two girls exchanged glances, their eyes sparkling with shared longing.
However, they felt too shy to join in.
Noticing their hesitation, the Queen of Qi smiled and encouraged them, "Go on, join her. Her happiness is what matters most."
With the Queen's permission, the two girls cautiously reached out to touch the yellow mud and charcoal residue.
This stuff...
It looked intriguing.
Though it was messy, it seemed like fun.
As the Queen of Qi played alongside Su Su, she also observed the unique charcoal briquettes that Su Su was creating.
They were round and chubby, and the little girl would carefully poke holes into them.
Intrigued, the Queen asked, "Why are you making so many holes? Is it for inserting spices?"
The Queen had spices prepared, knowing they could be added to the briquettes.
But Su Su declined, unsure if her creations would turn out successfully and not wanting to waste the ingredients.
The Queen guessed that the holes might be for that purpose.
After all, once burned, the effect should be the same, right? However, the briquettes they were making now had very little yellow mud.
It was just enough to act as a binding agent.
In contrast, Su Su's briquettes had a much higher proportion of mud.
Although the Queen had instructed this ratio, intending to make the activity more enjoyable for Su Su, the little girl seemed particularly interested in these mud-heavy mixtures.
She was remarkably diligent in her crafting.
Despite her young age, she displayed a keen attention to detail.
She constantly adjusted the size of the briquettes, ensuring they were smooth and cylindrical, and paid careful attention to the size of the holes she poked.
Each hole was made with the same finger, giving them a uniform appearance.
Hearing her mother ask about the holes, Su Su tilted her head and explained, "It's to make them burn more completely."
The holes allowed the briquettes to interconnect, facilitating better airflow. This resulted in faster ignition, easier burning, and more efficient combustion.
This was why honeycomb coal had the best cost-performance ratio.
The nobles might not care about the cost of charcoal, as evidenced by their lavish addition of spices, but for the common folk, it was a different story.
For them, a single briquette that burned longer and more thoroughly would be a godsend. By adding a certain proportion of yellow mud, the cost of the briquettes could be reduced. Coupled with their extended burn time, many families were willing to save up and purchase them for the winter.
Although summer was approaching, winter would come around again every year.
In some plains where firewood was scarce, families began stockpiling charcoal for the next winter as early as spring.
The Queen of Qi didn't understand the science behind more efficient combustion, nor did she need to.
Her concerns were the price of charcoal and the quantity to purchase each year.
Hearing Su Su's explanation, she smiled, intending to ruffle the little girl's hair affectionately. But, noticing her own fingers were now smudged with charcoal, she thought better of it and said instead, "My Su Su, you're so clever."
The second update will be at 7 PM.
(End of Chapter)
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