Chapter 183: Miasma

Yan Ning looked at the Minister of Revenue and said, "This is a matter that benefits the country and the people; if it loses a little, let it lose. This alcohol factory won't lose much money."

In her past life, the government would also undertake projects that benefited the country and the people but operated at a loss.

Although it would lose money, it still had to be carried on.

The Minister of Revenue then stopped speaking.

Yan Ning sometimes really wanted to replace this stingy old man; no matter what she did, he would try to cut her funding.

But thinking about how he was a native of ancient times, it was normal that his mindset couldn't change overnight.

Yan Ze said, "Alcohol is indeed beneficial to the country and the people. Later, I will write a pamphlet, print several thousand or ten thousand copies, and distribute them to the towns and villages below."

The Minister of Revenue wanted to say that paper was truly too expensive, but upon thinking that if alcohol really had the effect of disinfection and sterilization, it should indeed be promoted.

Alcohol was also not expensive, sixty wen per jar, and one jar could be used for a long time; the common people could afford it.

After this matter was finished, the Minister of Revenue stepped forward and said, "I believe that some silver should be allocated to the Research Institute. Master Yun has invented many useful things; the things Master Yun makes are likely very costly, aren't they?"

Yan Ze asked Yan Ning, "Is he conducting experiments at his own expense?"

Yan Ning shook her head: "I don't know either. He doesn't seem to have mentioned money; presumably, he must be paying out of his own pocket."

"It was my oversight; I should give him some funding."

The Minister of Revenue then asked: "Your Highness, how much money do you think is appropriate to grant?"

Yan Ning thought for a moment, "Let him write down the projects and the experimental equipment needed. I will review and approve them, and after they pass, I will provide the materials or the silver."

Yan Ning seemed to remember something and hurriedly changed her words: "Oh, he has half the dividends of Jianyue Pavilion; presumably he shouldn't care about this small amount of money. The approval process is truly troublesome; why not have the list completed at the end of each month, and then have the national treasury pay it off in one lump sum."

Everyone had no objections.

With the subsidy for the Research Institute, Song Yu and Jiang Zhi were very satisfied, but Yun Shu didn't have much of a reaction.

He felt that as long as the money was enough to use, it was fine; in any case, he had to hurry and finish the sewer system and the tap water pipe layout—he wanted a flush toilet!

In just half a month's time, Yun Shu had already finished making two cannons.

This day, Yun Shu attended the morning court once again.

Now, whenever he attended court, the people in the court knew that he was bringing good things again.

This time, Yan Ze was also somewhat interested.

He asked Yun Shu: "Yun Shu, what good thing have you made again?"

Yun Shu said: "It's not a novel gadget, it's just that I've made two more cannons. This time, the range is further and they are more flexible."

Yan Ning's eyes lit up: "If cannons are used in the Southern Frontier campaign, Nanzhao will surely flee in defeat."

At first, the ministers were still somewhat critical of Yun Shu, being a fourth-rank high official at such a young age.

But later, they discovered that Yun Shu could make one ingenious gadget after another, along with these cannons, so they felt that Yun Shu was a talent and was worthy of the fourth-rank official position.

Yan Ning proposed: "I want to take some troops and go to Nanzhao."

Yan Ze's first reaction was to oppose it: "No, you must stay behind."

Yan Ning was somewhat helpless, "Let me go."

She wanted to go to the Southern Frontier and take a few bottles of alcohol; if there were serious injuries, she still had Spirit Spring Water, which could reduce casualties.

Yan Ze frowned, "Xiao Huaijin is leading the troops there; you cannot go to the battlefield."

Yan Ning was satisfied; she didn't want to go to the battlefield anyway, she just wanted to help in the logistics department.

Three days later was the day to set off for Nanzhao.

Yan Ze almost followed along as well, but he was stopped by the ministers.

Right after the morning court, she went to the backyard of the Qianqing Palace.

Yan Ze took a large bag and kept filling it with Spirit Fruit, "Take these to eat on the road, and you must wear the Jade Talisman well."

Yan Ze stuffed quite a few things for her, including hot rice and dishes.

Yan Ning was traveling with the army, so she wouldn't have the chance to eat these things.

However, she still took them all, so as not to worry her father.

Yan Ning had quite a few Spirit Fruits on her side, and she shared a few with Xiao Huaijin.

After Xiao Huaijin finished eating one, he squinted his eyes comfortably, "What exactly is this fruit? Why do I feel so comfortable every time I finish eating one?"

Yan Ning had already thought of an excuse, "We dug it up on the mountain; we only saw one plant. After returning to the Capital, we planted the Seed. I don't know what kind of fruit it is either."

Xiao Huaijin did not think much of it.

After all, in his eyes, Yan Ning's family was always lucky.

He suspected that even if Yan Ning and Yan Ze ignored state affairs and just acted as mascots, they could still govern the country well.

The group traveled from the Capital to outside Ding'an City.

The army set up camp, while Yan Ning went into the city.

Yan Ning said: "We will stay here for two days; I need to make some things for everyone."

Xiao Huaijin had no objections, and the other soldiers felt the same.

Yan Ning brought the carriage into Ding'an City.

It was a hurried departure, and she hadn't had anyone make some Masks in advance.

But fortunately, she had a portable space; she picked out some cotton cloth from inside to make Masks for the soldiers.

She took two palace maids, and the three of them quickly started working together.

Fortunately, there were only five thousand troops brought this time; making five thousand Masks could be done within two or three days.

By the third day, Yan Ning left the city, carrying a large bag of Masks.

Xiao Huaijin was somewhat curious: "What is this?"

He took out a piece of cloth, square-shaped, with two strings sewn onto it.

Yan Ning explained: "Everyone take one. This is a Mask; there is a lot of miasma ahead, and wearing a Mask can provide some prevention."

The crowd did not expect it could be done this way; five thousand people put on their Masks in unison and set off immediately.

Who would have thought that some people would still become delirious from the miasma.

Fortunately, they had brought plenty of medicine, which could alleviate the symptoms somewhat, but they were still uncomfortable.

After walking for a day, they finally saw a pool of water, and everyone went to fetch water to drink.

Yan Ning also got off the carriage to join them.

As a result, she saw some people fetching water and drinking it directly.

Yan Ning hurriedly stopped them: "Don't drink it, wait until it's boiled before drinking."

The water in the Lingnan forests, despite looking clear, contains many bacteria and must be boiled before it can be drunk.

Yan Ning then set up a stove and began to boil water.

It was just that a few people were truly too thirsty and snuck off to drink a few mouthfuls.

By the time they were about to set off, those few people started crying out that their stomachs hurt.

The accompanying doctor hurried over to take their pulses and said they had upset their stomachs.

Those few people were howling in pain.

"We didn't eat anything else."

At this moment, a soldier said: "I just saw you sneaking off to drink the water from the lake... could it be because of that?"

Yan Ning:...

She had already told them not to drink it.

After waiting for these two for a long time, they simply set up camp in this forest and would set off again tomorrow morning.

The next morning, fearing they would have stomach trouble later, they boiled the water, put it into water skins, and drank their fill before setting off.

They arrived all the way at Changliao City.

At the city gate, someone had long since come to receive them.

The Changliao City commander Chen Fan arrived immediately; after saluting Yan Ning, his eyes landed on that legendary Cannon.