Chapter 27: This Is Not Salt, This Is Sodium Chloride

Chapter 27: This Is Not Salt, This Is Sodium Chloride

“It’s done!”

A servant exclaimed at this moment.

Xiao Ce walked over upon hearing the commotion and saw that in the large specially-made funnel Xiao Ce had Lin Zhong craft, there remained some sugar as white as frost.

“Prince, this is amazing! Is… Is this the Snowflake Frost Sugar you spoke of?”

“Yes, sugar can actually be as white as snow! I’ve truly never heard of such a thing!”

Xiao Ce looked at the white sugar in the special funnel, feeling very satisfied.

He hadn’t expected to succeed on the first try. He walked to the side, took a small pinch with his hand.

And put it into his mouth.

Compared to the rich, slightly astringent flavor of brown sugar, this white sugar tasted even more refreshingly sweet, and it was even sweeter.

Several servants in charge nearby, watching Xiao Ce eat the sugar, couldn’t help but salivate and instinctively swallowed.

“What are you all standing around for? Everyone, have a taste!”

A few servants looked at the white sugar, somewhat timidly saying, “Prince, this white sugar is no ordinary thing. We’re afraid we shouldn’t eat it.”

Xiao Ce raised an eyebrow and said, “Why can’t you eat it? This Prince orders you to eat it!”

Lin Zhong was the first to step forward. After taking a small pinch, it seemed the old man’s eyes lit up a bit.

“My goodness, this sweetness, I’ve never tasted anything like it. It feels like sweetness straight to the heart! Come on, the Prince has rewarded you with it, so hurry up and try it!”

Xiao Ce smiled at Lin Zhong’s words.

This old man really knew how to describe things!

However, after Lin Zhong finished speaking, a few servants looked toward Xiao Ce.

Xiao Ce smiled and said, “Everyone, have a taste.”

These servants carefully wiped their hands clean, then cautiously took a small pinch and put it in their mouths.

Their expressions were truly quite remarkable.

“Oh my goodness! This sugar is so pure and sweet, it’s delicious.”

“Yes, I’ve never eaten sugar so sweet.”

…

Yin Pan’er and Nie Bing walked over and heard some servants looking utterly enchanted as they ate something, letting out a stream of praise.

They also looked over at the ten pots set up on stands.

“Are they cooking a meal in the middle of the night?”

“Doesn’t seem like it. Why would cooking a meal be so secretive!”

Just as the two approached with looks of surprise, Xiao Ce, acting as if nothing was wrong, waved them over.

“Miss Yin, Miss Nie! You two really know how to pick your moment, arriving just in time. Come, have some sugar!”

“Have sugar? Why would eating sugar be so mysterious…” Seeing that Nie Bing seemed a bit wary of Xiao Ce, Yin Pan’er took Nie Bing’s hand and led her forward.

Actually, while Xiao Ce appeared very calm on the surface, he was also a bit nervous inside.

He instinctively took a few steps back. Da Lei understood and protectively positioned himself beside Xiao Ce.

However, at this moment, Yin Pan’er and Nie Bing’s attention was not on him.

But on that large, specially-made funnel.

“This is sugar? How can there be sugar that’s white and so crystal clear?”

Lin Zhong, seeing Yin Pan’er’s look of astonishment, showed off a bit and said, “This is Snowflake Frost Sugar made using our Prince’s method. Miss Yin, please have a taste.”

Yin Pan’er was very curious and reached out to try some.

Nie Bing warned, “Pan’er, be careful…”

Clearly, Nie Bing was frightened by the previous drugging incident.

Lin Zhong smiled, took a small pinch, ate it directly, then showed a look of delight on his face.

He used his actions to show it was not poisonous.

Yin Pan’er glanced at Nie Bing and said, “Sister, it’s fine…”

Saying this, Yin Pan’er stepped forward, took a bit, and tasted it.

“Sister, you must try this… this Snowflake Frost Sugar is unexpectedly sweet.”

Seeing Nie Bing hesitate, Yin Pan’er took a little and fed it to Nie Bing.

After Nie Bing ate it, her eyes also lit up a bit.

At this point, a servant in charge of refining the Refined Salt said, “Prince, our side is also ready.”

Xiao Ce walked over to look at the filtered Fine Salt. He lightly broke off a piece with his hand, put it in his mouth, and tasted it.

Sure enough, there was no bitter or impure taste.

Instead, it was a very pure salty flavor.

Lin Zhong came forward at this moment, looking questioningly at Xiao Ce.

Xiao Ce nodded and said, “Have a taste.”

Lin Zhong took a small piece and tasted it: “Prince, it really has no bitterness or astringency. The saltiness has increased quite a bit.”

Having finished her sugar, Yin Pan’er heard their commotion and moved closer.

At a glance, this salt was much whiter, not only cleaner but also the granules were much finer than Coarse Salt.

Without waiting for Lin Zhong’s permission, she stepped forward, broke off a piece, and ate it.

However, she underestimated the saltiness of this salt and couldn’t help but spit it out: “So salty! And, there’s actually no astringent taste. Prince, did you make this too?”

Xiao Ce smiled and said, “Correct. Now you understand why I sent people to guard this place? This Prince needs these things to support my hundred thousand troops.”

Yin Pan’er was somewhat surprised: “Prince, you’re going to sell them?”

Xiao Ce felt the phrasing was a bit odd but still replied, “This Prince is planning to sell this salt and sugar. As you can see, it’s a highly profitable business.”

Yin Pan’er sounded skeptical: “First, private salt trading is prohibited in the Great Xiao Kingdom; it’s a serious crime! Also, salt isn’t expensive; a catty is only a hundred coins. Even if you could sell it, your price for a catty of salt would only be two hundred coins. Sugar is only a hundred and fifty coins a catty. Your Snowflake Frost Sugar selling for five hundred coins a catty is already considered expensive.”

“How much Fine Salt and White Sugar can your people produce in a day? How much money can that possibly earn?”

After hearing Yin Pan’er’s words, Xiao Ce sneered dismissively: “What kind of joke is that? If it were that much trouble, why would This Prince go to such effort? This Refined Salt, This Prince plans to sell for ten taels of Silver per catty, and this Snowflake Frost Sugar for fifty taels per catty!”

“And, This Prince is not trafficking in private salt! This Prince is raising military funds to fight the Turkic! Besides, is this salt? This is not salt; this is sodium chloride! This Prince is selling sodium chloride. Have you ever seen salt sold for ten taels of Silver per catty? This is a different thing from salt!”

Yin Pan’er stared at Xiao Ce with a look reserved for lunatics and said, “Prince, are you joking? Ten taels of Silver for a catty of salt? Fifty taels of Silver for a catty of Snowflake Frost Sugar?”

Even Lin Zhong said to Xiao Ce, “Prince, what Miss Yin says is right… these things are indeed rare, but no one would spend ten taels of Silver to buy a catty of salt, and even less would some fool spend fifty taels of Silver to buy a catty of frost sugar.”

Yin Pan’er said, “I admit it’s impressive that you can create these things, but it’s impossible for you to support an army with them.”

A trademark smile appeared on Xiao Ce’s face: “Want to bet?”

Nie Bing, beside Yin Pan’er, twitched her face and quickly said, “No bet! Whatever price you sell it for is your business; it has nothing to do with us!”

Yin Pan’er chimed in: “Exactly! If you hire a shill to play along, how would we know…”

Xiao Ce smiled slightly: “This Prince is not that bored! Alright, it’s getting late! Tomorrow morning, if you’re willing, come with This Prince. See how This Prince sells this sugar and Refined Salt.”

With that, Xiao Ce yawned and paid no more attention to the two.

He said to Lin Zhong, “Uncle Zhong, have them work quickly. Get as much as they can! Tomorrow, This Prince will show you what a real merchant looks like!”

To be honest, making Xiao Ce a prince, he might not be very professional.

But letting him be a merchant—that was his comfort zone.

Lin Zhong cupped his hands and nodded, saying, “As you command!”

Xiao Ce then gave the two beauties a sly, charming smile, waved his hand, and said, “See you tomorrow!”

Seeing Xiao Ce’s smile, both of them were reminded of his various past actions toward them.

After Xiao Ce left, Yin Pan’er and Nie Bing also departed.

Because they had both observed earlier that making those things wasn’t difficult.

And, whether it was Refined Salt or Snowflake Frost Sugar, since they were food items, they couldn’t possibly sell for astronomical prices.

“Nie Bing sister, why didn’t you let me bet with him earlier? It’s just some Fine Salt and white sugar; how could they possibly sell for such outrageous prices!” Yin Pan’er asked.

Nie Bing shook her head and said, “I don’t know either… Didn’t you say? As long as he smiles, he’s definitely up to no good?”

Yin Pan’er nodded and said, “True! He is very wicked, clearly wanting to force himself on us. Yet he has to find a proper reason to put himself on the moral high ground.”

Then, Yin Pan’er said, “By the way, Nie Bing sister, should we go with him tomorrow?”

Nie Bing’s eyes sharpened a bit as she said, “Go… Let’s follow and see what trick he has up his sleeve!”