Chapter 14 Sugar

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  Li Anran this time proposed a cooperation method with Sun Changgeng, and the prescription that came out was Ren Dan, which was inadvertently thought of when collecting medicine in the surrounding areas of Zhaojiacun. The prescription of this traditional Chinese medicine is not complicated, but Li Anran took it out, not his own grandfather Li Guizhen, a new variety that has been improved through years of medical research.

  In terms of efficacy and adaptability, it is naturally better to have new varieties, but Li Anran was not foolish enough to bring out the best things at the first cooperation, but instead left a hand.

  As the saying goes, you can know a person's face but not their heart. As a lone traveler from a later era in the Tang Dynasty with no foundation or roots, it would be suicidal to open your heart to the "natives" of this era without caution.

  While Sun Changgeng was holding the prescription and muttering to himself, guessing at the compatibility of the medicine, Li Anran took out another thing from his hundred treasure bag.

  "Master Sun, although I provided you with the prescription this time, it's still uncertain how things will turn out after the medicine is made. The risks involved can't be shouldered by you alone."

  "This is something that I must bring with me whenever I go out, it's called a lighter, although it can't be considered a treasure, but it has some use, Mr. Sun took it as a pledge."

  "Lighter?"

  Sun Changgeng, who was looking at the prescription, couldn't react for a moment. He looked at the square object with some curved objects on it and his eyes were confused. It was Zhao Qingshan, who was accompanying him, that when he saw the bright silver surface of the lighter with some mysterious pattern, suddenly thought of the previous mobile phone.

  Feeling the different gazes of the two people, Li Anran didn't say much either. With a "ding" sound, he opened the top cover of the Zippo in his hand and lit it up.

  "This!!"

  Staring at this small object, it suddenly burst into flames. Sun Changgeng, who was holding the prescription, and Zhao Qingshan beside him, both immediately became flustered.

  To say that this fire-starting thing was not absent in ancient times, the most common one is the fire plow. However, whether it's shape, material or usage, it's far inferior to this lighter.

  "Mr. Sun, this thing is just an investment for this cooperation. If it really loses money, we can find a buyer for it at that time and use the money to make up for it."

  Li Anran, who had opened and closed it several times in a row, demonstrated it and then pushed the supposedly genuine Zippo lighter to the desktop.

  "It's enough! It's enough! With this prescription, it's sufficient. Trying out a batch of medicine won't cost much silver, and when the results are successful, we can mass-produce it afterwards."

  Looking at the lighter that had been pushed forward, Sun Changgeng felt more and more that this thing was extraordinary, but he didn't pick it up. Instead, after carefully examining it, he pushed it back again.

  "Master Sun, this thing can't just be used as collateral for this cooperation. I happen to need some medicinal materials right now, but I don't have those silver pieces on me to settle the account."

  "It can only be used as collateral, and once I'm financially stable again, I'll definitely redeem it." He handed the Zippo lighter to Li Anran again, smiling.

  "You're wrong, sir. Although I'm just a doctor, I also know that a gentleman has the beauty of being an adult. If you need medicine, just say so, but please take this thing back."

  If it were someone else, they might have accepted it readily. But Sun Changgeng felt that he had already obtained some methods for treating external injuries and the prescription for Ren Dan medicine. Even though he hadn't been able to study the prescription thoroughly yet, from his rough guesswork, he could see some extraordinary aspects of it. How could he dare accept such a miraculous object again?

  Staring at the two of them pushing and shoving, Zhao Qing Shan's eyes seemed to be glued to the lighter, thinking that this thing would be better off being pawned to him, he'd put up the money. But as soon as he thought about it, he realized that things had already gone beyond his control, and there was also that even more mysterious phone and someone's identity. The words that came to his lips were swallowed back down, he didn't dare say them out loud.

  After confirming that Sun Changgeng was not just being polite, Li Anran, who had also been probing his intentions, took the opportunity to retrieve the lighter. At the same time, he didn't forget to pick up some medicinal herbs that he needed at the moment, which were not expensive but very practical, and wrote down about twenty kinds to give to the other party.

  After taking the paper, Sun Changgeng couldn't help but praise the words on it. After reading the types and quantities of medicinal materials on it, he secretly let out a sigh of relief.

  Although what he just said sounded very righteous, Sun Changgeng was actually afraid of the true age of the person in front of him and what kind of medicine he needed. If it were those precious medicines, his own Long Spring Hall had been opened for several generations and had some family assets, but if he really wanted to take them all out, it wasn't that he didn't want to, but rather he didn't dare to.

  "Master Sun, I need these medicinal herbs urgently. Please prepare them as soon as you return and I'll send Zhao Er to pick them up later."

  Li Anran, who sensed the other's relaxed expression, naturally wouldn't be unaware of what this person was worried about.

  "No need to send someone in person, after these medicines are ready, I will have them sent over by my servant." Sun Changgeng said seriously as he carefully put the few pieces of paper into his personal medicine box.

  With the big things already settled, Li Anran was also unwilling to get entangled in these small matters. He didn't stand on ceremony and simply cupped his hands together in thanks: "Thanks for your trouble."

  "I dare not, since there's nothing to do here, I'll take my leave and prepare first. Once the Ren Dan is ready, I will definitely come back to ask for your guidance." Sun Changgeng said as he stood up and returned the courtesy.

  "Please!" Knowing that Li Anran was also in a hurry to return and make medicine, he didn't detain him either.

  However, when the three of them walked to the front yard, Li Anran had Zhao Er bring over the wild boar stomach that he had specifically set aside earlier.

  "Mr. Sun, this thing is very effective for stomach diseases, I have no use for it, take it away." Li Anran said, handing over the wild boar belly tied with a rope.

  Originally, Sun Changgeng wanted to decline politely or buy it off him, but thinking twice, the other party was not only giving him a prescription but also sharing medical skills, so this small thing didn't amount to much in comparison. Moreover, he happened to have use for the wild boar stomach himself, so he didn't refuse and accepted it with alacrity, bowing his hands in gratitude: "In that case, I'm grateful, please stay a while."

  After sending the person to the hospital gate, Li Anran watched as the two disappeared into the rugged path before turning back to continue his own commanding business. During this conversation, Zhao Dazhao's family didn't slack off at all. Not only were the pork meats roughly processed according to requirements, but the oven was also built.

  It's a small, crude furnace made of yellow mud and stone blocks, resembling a miniature version of the city wall. Although it's simple, it has all the necessary parts, just like a sparrow may be small but has all its internal organs intact. The air inlets, outlets, and coal troughs have all been figured out by Zhao Da and Zhao Er, and now all that's missing is a furnace cover and a roasting rack.

  It's just that this newly built oven can't be used yet. It can only be slowly dried with the summer sun and charcoal fire with good temperature control, otherwise it will be ruined. Fortunately, Li Anran didn't plan to use it now either, after looking at the oven and praising Zhao brothers' craftsmanship, he started further processing the meat.

  During the conversation, the diced wild boar meat had been soaked in water with Sichuan peppercorn leaves, and the fishy smell had decreased a lot compared to the beginning. Considering that stir-frying was not available in the Tang Dynasty, Li Anran hesitated for a while before deciding to take matters into his own hands to avoid affecting his later culinary fortune.

  Anyway, after taking off the Taoist robe on his body, he was no different from an ordinary old man. Even if it attracts attention, it can be explained at that time. Originally, Li Anran had also prepared for Zhao Erjia's seasonings to be incomplete, and could only make a simplified version of braised pork, but after seeing something, he was a bit stunned.

  "Zhao Er, is this sugar?" Li Anran asked, pointing at that dark brown lump.

  "It's really sugar." Zhao Er replied, momentarily stunned.

  He picked up the hardened "candy", Li Anran rubbed some off and put it in his mouth, only to be scrunched up by the bitter sweetness.

  "This sugar is a bit inferior, but good sugar is too expensive, ordinary people can't afford it." Suddenly said Zhao Er's wife on the side.

  "Oh? What kind of sugar is this?" Li Anran asked, accustomed to various sugars from later generations.

  "It's a real person, our family has this kind of coarse sugar, the cheapest kind." Zhao Er hurriedly explained without waiting for his wife to speak.

  "Polysaccharides? So that's how it is."

  Li Anran heard the name and knew that this sugar had too many impurities, it would be strange if the taste was good. But using this sugar to make braised pork in soy sauce was also a bit poor.

  "Is sugar expensive?" Li Anran asked again with a flash of inspiration.

  "It's expensive, very expensive." Zhao Er said with certainty.

  "Haha... it's fine if it's expensive, it's fine if it's expensive!"

  Li Anran grasped the inspiration at the first time and burst out laughing. However, this made the four members of the Zhao family very puzzled, but they didn't dare to ask more questions.