kvmb Chapter 300 Saltpeter
Chapter 300 Saltpeter
Besides food and floral water, Ye Qingchen also brought many gifts for the children. Since Southern Xinjiang wasn't lacking in gold and silver, bringing these things from Great Xia to Southern Xinjiang would be a waste of carriage space. The gifts Ye Qingchen brought were all special. In the North, there's a stone called saltpeter. Saltpeter, when placed in water, can freeze into ice. In the North, this is only needed in summer. But in the South, ice is practically unheard of. Even nobles can only use palm leaf fans or round fans in the summer, which is hardly a cure.
The sun in southern Xinjiang was like a bronze plate melted by fire, its rays making the bluestone path smolder. Cicadas chirped, tearing through the air. Ye Qingchen walked into the courtyard, her long robe soaked with sweat, yet she still carried a wooden box with light steps. As she lifted the lid, wisps of white mist billowed out, startling Duan Yuanshan and Yun Sheng, who took a half-step back. "Don't be afraid, this is a gift for you, Father and Mother." Then she took out something wrapped in coarse cloth. When she unwrapped it, a blast of cold air hit them; shards of ice reflected the sunlight, casting rainbow-like patterns of light on the ground.
"This is... ice?" Duan Yuanshan reached out and touched it, his fingertips immediately turning red. He winced in pain, shaking his fingers, yet couldn't resist moving closer. "Something that only exists in winter, how could it appear in summer? And how could there be ice in the temperature of Southern Xinjiang?"
'There's a type of stone in the north called saltpeter, which transforms when it comes into contact with water.' Ye Qingchen scooped up water from the wooden bucket and sprinkled brown powder into it. Ripples suddenly appeared on the surface, and tiny ice crystals shimmered like stars. Not only Duan Yuanshan and Yun Sheng, but everyone in the courtyard stared in disbelief. Yun Sheng carefully picked up a piece of ice, watching it melt into water droplets in her palm. It really was ice; it had melted!
Ye Qingchen sprinkled the saltpeter powder into the ceramic basin again, and the ice shards instantly solidified into glistening ice blocks. The onlookers gasped in amazement, and even Duan Ling'er and Dong Nanxi, who had been feeding their child inside, came out, drawn by the sight and curious about what it was.
"Could this be the legendary method of making ice with saltpeter recorded in the 'Essential Techniques for the Common People'?" Dong Nanxi looked at the scene before him with a face full of surprise. His eyes, which were originally somewhat dull, suddenly seemed to be ignited and shone brightly.
He rubbed his hands together excitedly, muttering to himself, "Back then, I only glimpsed a few words about this ice-making method in those ancient scrolls you gave me. Although I was quite interested in it at the time, I never tried it myself. I never expected that I would have the opportunity to witness its real effects today. It's truly unbelievable!" After saying this, he couldn't help but sigh deeply, his face full of emotion.
Then, Dong Nanxi looked up at the sky. It was the height of summer, and the scorching sun relentlessly baked the earth. Yet, at that moment, when he saw the crystal-clear blocks of ice radiating a cool breeze, he felt an unparalleled sense of coolness and comfort. He couldn't help but exclaim again, "My goodness! I never imagined that such magical ice could exist in this unbearably hot south. With this treasure, no matter how high the outside temperature is, we can feel that refreshing coolness anytime, anywhere. It's truly a rare and wonderful thing! By the way, Brother Qingchen, how much saltpeter did you bring this time?"
Hearing Dong Nanxi's question, Ye Qingchen smiled slightly and replied confidently, "Haha, brother-in-law, don't worry. I brought quite a lot of saltpeter this time, enough for everyone to use for quite a while. If we run out of saltpeter later, I will have the servants send more tomorrow. How about it, Father, Mother, Sister, and Brother-in-law, is this small gift of mine quite thoughtful?"
Upon hearing this, Dong Nanxi's eyes lit up, and she said, "Then we can make so many things with this ice! For example, putting fruit in the ice to chill it would definitely be delicious; it would be very popular in this hot summer."
Just then, Bai Zhi and Fu Ling carefully brought over a variety of fresh, colorful fruits. These fruits included bright red apples, golden pears, shimmering purple grapes, and delicate pink peaches, each one looking incredibly tempting and delicious.
Standing to the side, Ye Qingchen began to give instructions methodically: "First, cut these fruits into even small pieces, but be careful not to cut them too big or too small!" Upon hearing her instructions, Bai Zhi and Fu Ling immediately got to work, skillfully cutting the fruit. In no time, piles of uniformly sized fruit pieces were neatly arranged on the cutting board.
Next, Ye Qingchen gently placed the cut fruit pieces into a large container filled with ice that had been prepared beforehand. As the fruit made intimate contact with the ice, it produced a crisp and pleasant sound.
Time passed slowly, and soon after, when Ye Qingchen took the chilled fruit from the container, a refreshing coolness wafted out, instantly making everyone feel incredibly refreshed. Everyone eagerly picked up a piece of fruit and savored it. Instantly, the wonderfully cool, sweet and sour taste blossomed on their tongues. This unique flavor made everyone present involuntarily give a thumbs up and exclaim, "Wow! This is so delicious!"
However, Ye Qingchen was not satisfied with this. Suddenly, a method for making ice cream that she had once seen in an ancient book came to mind. So, she decided to strike while the iron was hot and give it a try.
Without further ado, Ye Qingchen quickly gathered the necessary ingredients and tools, focusing intently on making the ice cream. Although this was her first time making it, thanks to her exceptional memory and love of cooking, everything went remarkably smoothly.
To everyone's delight, Ye Qingchen successfully created a delicious sorbet with a rich milky aroma and refreshing fruity fragrance on her first try. Looking at the exquisitely crafted sorbet before them, which resembled a work of art, everyone was thrilled and eager to taste it.
When everyone received their share of shaved ice and took a bite, the silky smooth texture and sweet flavor instantly filled their mouths, as if every pore on their body had been opened up, bringing immense comfort.
"Wow, Qingchen is amazing! She came up with so many novel and interesting ideas, and actually turned things that seemed impossible into reality. This ice cream tastes absolutely amazing!" Everyone exclaimed sincerely while enjoying their ice cream.
At this very moment, in the sweltering heat of summer, these refreshing and delicious ice creams are undoubtedly the best choice for cooling down and quenching thirst. People enjoy this rare coolness and sweetness, and their mood becomes pleasant and relaxed.
Duan Yuanshan also realized that Ye Qingchen was even more innovative than Duan Ling'er in this regard; Duan Ling'er was far too conventional. But it was all right, after all, both children were her daughters, outstanding individuals, unparalleled talents. Seeing everyone enjoying the shaved ice made him especially happy, particularly seeing how much Yun Sheng loved it. He decided he would learn how to make it himself so he could make it especially for Yun Sheng and keep her happy.