Sugar Hut

  Geng Jingzhong wanted to use military force to retake Quanzhou, but the Ming-Zheng side would not agree. After using spies to gather intelligence on Geng's movements, Zhu Jin sent out Right Wuwei General Liu Guoxuan with over 10,000 troops to garrison Huian City and resist Geng Jingzhong's dispatch of 20,000 infantry and cavalry.

  King Jin, the commander of Geng Jingzhong's army, who was in charge of the southern invasion, had the nickname "Tiger". Seeing that Zheng Jun's troops were few, he became complacent and wanted to lead a small team to directly enter and defeat Zheng Jun's army, and then retake Quanzhou. However, Liu Guoxuan formed a strong defense line, not giving King Jin an opportunity to attack. The two sides faced off for over ten days, and King Jin was forced to retreat to Tuying Ridge due to the supply line of food and troops.

  Wang Jin stationed his troops at Tuoling, with a continuous camp stretching over 20 miles. Liu Guoxuan led his personal guards to observe from a close distance, but was discovered by Wang Jin, who took the initiative to attack, intending to kill the enemy general first. However, Wang Jin did not realize that Geng's army was actually a paper tiger, and was blocked by Liu Guoxuan's reinforcements. After a day of fighting, Geng's army was repelled by Zheng's army, which had stricter military discipline and higher combat effectiveness, suffering heavy losses.

  However, killing a thousand enemies and injuring eight hundred of their own troops, coupled with the fact that Zheng's army was originally smaller than Geng's, meant that after winning at Tuoling, Zheng's forces did not advance towards Putian and Fuzhou but instead only pursued to Xinghua before withdrawing back to Quanzhou to regroup.

  Geng Jingzhong, unwilling to accept defeat, saw this situation and suddenly had the idea of fighting again. Of course, he didn't dare to launch a full-scale attack on Zheng's main force after being defeated by Liu Guoxuan, so he ordered Liu Yan's troops in western Fujian to launch a counterattack against Zheng's newly occupied areas that were not yet stable, such as Zhangzhou. As a result, the two armies clashed frequently in Zhangpu, Nanjing and other places, with each side having its own attacks and defenses.

  ??

  "Qin she, Qin she," Zheng Kezang was following Lü Fuzi to read books, and Zheng Cong, who was shaking his head, rushed in without the servant's obstruction. "How can you still be reading? The matter that day has been settled by Second Uncle, hurry up, it's not late, when are you going to go over and take a look?"

  "Marquis of Funing, be quiet!" Master Lü gave Zheng Cong a displeased glance and picked up the ruler beside him, tapping it on the table. "Whatever important matter you have that's more pressing than Yuanzi's studies, let's discuss it later." Zheng Cong wanted to open his mouth again, but Master Lü slapped the table with a loud crack. "Does Marquis of Funing think I should report this to the Emperor?"

  Lü Fuzi's anger was seen, and Zheng Kecang had no choice but to speak up: "Second Uncle, please go out first. There is still a moment or two left, and I will finish my homework for today. If there is anything urgent, it won't be too late to talk about it at that time."

  At this point, Zheng Kezang also gave Zheng Cong the opportunity to refute, and ordered the eunuch who followed closely behind Zheng Cong: "Invite Foning Hou to wait at the side, and prepare some wine, dishes and fruit."

  Seeing the old one's strong and imposing appearance, while the young one was making eye contact with himself, Zheng Cong knew he had done something wrong and reluctantly followed the palace attendant out, but judging from his expression, he probably couldn't help but mutter to himself in discontent.

  When Zheng Cong disappeared into the house, Lü Fuzi calmly picked up his book again. Seeing the old man's behavior, Zheng Kechang had no choice but to pretend that nothing had happened and continue reading with him until they finished teaching the scheduled content.

  The class is over, but Lü didn't get up as usual. Instead, he spoke to Zheng Kezang: "Yuanshi wants to set up a children's camp, I won't say much, after all, the world is in chaos now, learning some military skills will also benefit the country, but Yuanshi and Funing Hou are mixed with unlearned and unskilled people, I am very worried, Yuanshi must be careful."

  "Please be at ease, teacher," Tian Di Jun Qin Shi, the teacher is so concerned, Zheng Ke Zang dare not be careless, standing up respectfully and responding. "Fu Ning Hou's visit this time indeed has a proper matter, as for other things, students have their own measure, and will never learn from those spoiled children."

  "Very good." Lü Fuzi nodded slightly and stood up, walking away with a long stride under Zheng Kecang's gaze.

  Zheng Kezang let out a sigh of relief and finally left the study, turning around to enter Zheng Cong's side room where he was drinking. Seeing Zheng Kezang come in, Zheng Cong, who had been impatient for some time, put down his wine cup and hastily opened his mouth to say: "Qin She, Tangliao has already been acquired, and the craftsmen have also been hired. A lot of effort has been spent, if we can't make the snow sugar and ice sugar you mentioned, how will we compensate?"

  Zheng Kezang shook his head, this Zheng Cong really had a keen eye for money. Last time he clearly stated that even if it didn't work out, the sugar would still bring in a substantial profit. Today, he was at it again, simply trying to get Zheng Kezang to give up more benefits.

  Zheng Kezang didn't say much to him either, and threw a package in his hand over. Zheng Cong was taken aback: "What's this?"

  "Second Uncle opened it and took a look, then he would know."

  Zheng Cong picked up the paper package on the table with a suspicious look, slowly opened it, and saw the contents inside. He couldn't help but let out a soft cry: "Snow sugar, you really made it! It's indeed whiter than the snow sugar currently available in the market. Qin She, how did you do it?"

  "This is what I've experimented with based on the methods in the book over the past few days," Zheng Cong naturally wouldn't reveal his trump card to Zheng Cong just yet. "Second Uncle can try some and see if it's even sweeter than the rock sugar and red sugar currently available on the market."

  Zheng Cong heard this and indeed put a few sugar grains into his mouth, actually the sweetness didn't change much, but he had just received a hint, so naturally it affected his judgment: "That's right, it really is sweeter, Qin She, now we're going to make a big fortune."

  Seeing Zheng Cong calculating how much new rock sugar can be sold and how much profit can be made in a sugar season, Zheng Kezang smiled faintly: "Second uncle, don't talk so much first, hurry up and take a look at your newly bought sugar hut."

  ??”

  Zheng Cong's newly purchased sugar warehouse was in Tianxing Prefecture, and if he traveled by land, he feared it would take a whole day to arrive, so he could only take a boat through the inner sea of Taijiang. Although the inner sea is much calmer than the strait, after sitting on the boat for over an hour, Zheng Cong, who had spent all his money in the pleasure quarters, felt dizzy and disoriented, with his eyes wide open and nausea in his chest.

  It was not easy to get off the boat, and Zheng Cong's two legs were shaking as he sat down on the ground with a thud. The servants hurriedly went to find an ox cart, and after getting on the ox cart, they bumped along for about half an hour before finally seeing their destination.

  "The young master is here." Zheng Cong, who was panting, was supported by the servants to rest on one side. After being introduced by the steward of the Hou Mansion, Zheng Kezang nodded and followed him in. The entire sugar mill looked quite large, but there were only two main buildings - two thatched cottages made of bamboo and wood, with good ventilation all around. One room had a stone grinder, while the other had some pots and pans. It seemed that one room was for grinding and the other for boiling. "Young master, please take a look, this is the latest and best stone grinder, which can produce two percent more sugar juice than the traditional wooden grinder."

  "Is there an iron roller?" Zheng Kezang interrupted the steward's self-boasting, asking directly: "Also, what drives the roller? Human power? Animal power?"

  "What, iron rollers?" The steward exclaimed. "The young master wants so much wrought iron, which is such a luxury." Zheng Kezang frowned, and the steward of the Hou Mansion also knew that he had lost his composure, and hurriedly corrected his attitude. "Iron rollers are not to be mentioned, we don't have them, the whole Taiwan doesn't have them, did the young master hear wrong?"

  "Is that so, it seems I was wrong then." Zheng Kezang didn't bother to argue with the steward about his mistake and simply instructed him. "You still haven't told me what drives the oil press."

  "The sugarcane press is driven by animal power, and the sugar mill also has several strong cows for this purpose." Being able to hold a position in the Hou Mansion means that the other party is also a clever person, so as soon as they discovered Zheng Kechang's attitude was slightly different, they didn't dare to deviate from the topic. "It's just that today I know that Master Hou and the eldest young master are coming, so all the cows have been driven out to graze."

  "Animal power?" Zheng Kezang thought for a moment, he had originally wanted to use hydraulic machinery to ensure stable power, but he only had a belly full of knowledge from Baidu searches and no practical ability. Moreover, even if he were to practice, it was impossible to succeed in one go, and Zheng Cong would not sit idly by while his money was being wasted like this. "How much sugar can be produced in one season?"

  "This is the best sugar mill in Gongbu, as long as it can guarantee sugarcane, one season can produce 5,000 dan of white sugar and no less than 10,000 dan of brown sugar and black sugar." At present processing level, brown sugar cannot be fully converted into white sugar, this is something that even Zheng Kechang with his knowledge beyond the times cannot change. "When it was first taken over, Master Hou had put in a lot of thought."

  Zheng Kezang waved his hand, and regarding the Crown Prince's embezzlement of state assets, he didn't dare to show interest: "I'll make a few points, first, these two dilapidated houses need to be demolished and rebuilt into brick houses, with the stove and chimney repaired on the outside, why don't you understand? Later, I'll send someone to deliver a blueprint to you, just follow it."

  "Rebuilding? How much will it cost?" Zheng Cong suddenly appeared behind Zheng Kezang, and as soon as he heard that they were going to spend money to renovate the workshop, his face hurt. "What a waste of money."

  "Second Uncle, to produce good rock sugar, the key is to use water that's sweet and refreshing, and the surroundings must be clean. If it's not, it will ruin the appearance." Zheng Kezang took advantage of Zheng Cong's ignorance and explained randomly. "Second Uncle, if you don't spare the rod, you'll spoil the child. As long as we can produce good rock sugar, this little bit of money is nothing."

  "Whatever you say, Second Uncle has boarded your pirate ship." Zheng Cong cried with a sad face and calculated for half a day before finally accepting Zheng Kecang's statement. "And if there is a first, there must be a second, let it all out, Second Uncle will let go today."

  "Secondly, I also want to order a batch of equipment. After returning, I will list them out and ask Second Uncle to make arrangements for the production.

  White sugar production requires temperature control during crystallization, but currently, there is no way to achieve this. Instead of relying on Master Fu's control over the fire, it would be better to use more convenient tools to achieve this goal. Therefore, a batch of suitable equipment must be manufactured.

  Thirdly, another tofu workshop will be built on the side, and the tofu produced can be sent to Dongdu for sale or used as meals for the workers. However, the soy milk must be kept, as it has great use in producing ice sugar."

  Zheng Cong glanced at the manager on the side, who nodded to indicate that he had taken note.

  "Fourthly, prepare one thousand catties of wood charcoal, grind them into fine powder, and store them in cotton bags for later use. In the future, river water or well water must be filtered through carbon powder bags before use.

  Fifthly, I will copy down the entire sugar production procedure, and Second Uncle should have these sugar workers follow it without any changes. If there is even a slight deviation, the quality of the sugar will be affected, and I won't take responsibility for that.

  Lastly, how should the profits from this sugar workshop be divided?"

  "Profit? Commission?" Zheng Cong shouted. "Qin She, this is all your second uncle's money, and you still want a commission, isn't that too calculating?" Zheng Kezang didn't respond and turned to leave, causing Zheng Cong to jump up. "Alright, alright, consider it a three-year-old child bullying his mother, one percent, I'll give you one percent, is that okay?"

  "Three tenths." Zheng Kezang held up three fingers. "At least three tenths, if not, I'll go find Third Uncle and Fifth Uncle instead."

  "What," Zheng Cong jumped up immediately. "Qin She, what do you mean, burning the bridge after crossing the river?" Zheng Cong spoke hastily, but he hadn't even crossed the river yet, where did this come from? However, Zheng Kezang remained unmoved. With a huff, Zheng Cong held up two fingers. "Twenty percent, at most twenty percent, or else we disband."

  Zheng Ke thought for a moment, frowning, and then nodded: "Two percent is two percent, but we need to put it in writing, and I'll also send someone to supervise."

  "Qin Shu, you're too clever for your own good." Zheng Cong didn't hesitate this time. "Alright, let's do it then."

  "Second Uncle, I won't take advantage of you for nothing. Let me give you an idea." Zheng Kezang looked at Zheng Cong with a calm and collected expression. "Firstly, Second Uncle can collect some raw sugar from the Ministry of Works to process," Zheng Cong's eyes lit up immediately. "Secondly, sugarcane dregs and molasses can be used to brew wine. Currently, Dongning strictly prohibits brewing wine with grains, but if we succeed, this will also be a huge source of profit. Moreover, the aboriginal watermen love this type of sugarcane wine."

  "Can sugarcane dregs and molasses be used to brew wine?"

  "How dare I boast in front of Second Uncle, but brewing techniques I can no longer pretend to know, as for the craftsman, you should find him yourself, and when it's done, Second Uncle will reward me with a 10% profit."

  "Qin Shu, you are really Uncle Er's lucky star, no, it's the God of Wealth." Zheng Cong had already thrown away his earlier thought of strangling Zheng Kezang to Java. "Uncle Er, everything is up to you, but isn't a 10% profit too much? You're just talking big, how about 5%?"

  "Alright, it's settled then."

  ??”