Chapter 467: Making ice

The sun burned the stone slabs of the yamen until they were white, and the air was filled with the dry, burnt smell of wheat bran being roasted.

Chen Yan called softly: "A-Jiong!"

Gao Jiong responded and stepped forward, bowing and clasping his hands: "Here."

Chen Yan took out the note he had written just now when they went to prepare the materials from his bosom, pinched it with his fingertips, handed it to Gao Jiong, his gaze sweeping over the saltpeter wrapped in coarse cloth, and ordered: "According to the method written by this official, purify the saltpeter!"

This was one of the reasons why Chen dared to demonstrate on the spot and was not afraid of being stolen.

After all, the purification of saltpeter was the top priority for whether ice making could succeed.

It needed to be purified by "water soaking-filtering-evaporating" (to remove mud and sand impurities and ensure heat absorption efficiency), and prepared in a ratio of "4 catties of saltpeter for every 10 liters of water."

Gao Jiong took the note with both hands, his fingertips touching the ink fragrance that had not yet dissipated on the paper, and then bowed and responded: "As you command!"

After saying that, he turned and walked toward the corner where the items were piled, leading people to do as instructed.

Chen Yan raised his eyes to sweep over the crowd, and called loudly: "Merit Official Sun."

Sun Xiangbai was standing on tiptoe and looking toward Gao Jiong, and when he heard the call, he suddenly came back to his senses, hurriedly squeezed out of the pile of officials, and walked quickly to bow: "Here."

Sweat beads on his forehead rolled down his cheeks, but he couldn't bother to wipe them.

He only gripped the ribbon at his waist tightly and waited for orders.

Chen Yan raised his hand and pointed to the wooden frames and pottery vats under the sunshade, his fingertips reflecting the strong light, casting a short and straight shadow on the ground: "Arrange the wooden frames in three rows, leave two feet of space between them, don't squeeze them."

"Put an outer pottery vat on each group of wooden frames, and there must be a layer of straw two inches thick evenly spread at the bottom of the vat!"

(One inch is three centimeters)

"As you command!" Sun Xiangbai immediately clasped his hands and responded, his voice carrying a hint of joy.

When he straightened up, his gaze swept quickly over the neat pottery vats and straw piles, and he turned to beckon to the two bailiffs behind him: "You two, come with me! First move the wooden frames to the shade, then move the pottery vats, be gentle with your movements!"

Their footsteps were hurried.

The light sound of the wooden frames dragging on the stone slabs.

Sun Xiangbai was directing the bailiffs to adjust the spacing of the wooden frames, when Chen Yan's gaze had already fallen on Yuwen Xiang behind the crowd, his voice lowered, but clear enough: "A-Xiang."

Yuwen Xiang heard this, walked quickly to the front, bowed and clasped his hands: "Here!"

Chen Yan stood sideways facing the pottery vats under the sunshade, his fingertips virtually comparing the gaps between the inner and outer vat walls: "You take two people, put the inner small pottery vats into the outer vats one by one, and make sure the gaps between the two vats are even everywhere, not even half a point of difference."

"Wait until A-Jiong finishes purifying the saltpeter, then fill it into the gaps, until it is level with the mouth of the inner vat."

"As you command!" Yuwen Xiang responded, his eyes sweeping quickly over the rows of pottery vats, and he had already counted the number of groups needed in his heart.

He straightened up and turned to the two idle bailiffs nearby, his voice light but clear: "You two come with me; first wipe the inner layer of the vat clean, then align the vat position according to what the Lord said, and be careful with your movements."

Yuwen Xiang was just about to turn and walk toward the sunshade, when Chen Yan's voice chased after him, his tone adding a hint of meticulous exhortation: "Wait, there is one more thing."

He immediately stopped and turned around, clasping his hands again: "Please instruct, my lord."

"After the inner vats are placed steadily, have someone pour clear water into them, the water level must be three inches from the mouth of the vat." Chen Yan raised his hand to compare a height at his waist, his eyes solemn, "Water will expand when it freezes into ice, one point less might overflow and ruin the whole group's effort."

He paused and continued: "In addition, there must be one person left beside each group of pottery vats to record the time after pouring the water, ensuring all steps are synchronized, not allowing any sequence."

"Yes!" Yuwen Xiang recited the words "three inches" and "synchronized recording" in his heart, then turned and walked quickly toward the bailiffs.

Immediately, he pointed out two more careful handymen, told them to prepare paper and pens to guard by the vats, and personally went to check the clear water in the water buckets.

Chen Yan turned to look at Feng Xiao Yan, who had been waiting in the crowd, his voice steady: "Xiaoyan."

Feng Xiao Yan had been waiting with his sleeves gripped, and when he heard the call, he immediately walked forward quickly, bowing, his jade belt swaying: "Here!"

"After all the pottery vat groups are arranged, have someone mix the straw and wheat bran together, and wrap the outer pottery vats tightly." Chen Yan pointed to the straw pile on the side, every word revealing a strictness that could not be missed, "The thickness must be five inches, only the mouth of the inner vat can be exposed, don't wrap it crookedly!"

"As you command!" Feng Xiao Yan was just about to respond and turn around, when he heard Chen Yan add: "Also, check it once personally with people every stick of incense time."

He paused and continued: "If you see the saltpeter in the gaps of the outer vats caking, immediately use a wooden spoon to break it gently, don't use brute force to touch the pottery vats."

This step was to ensure that the saltpeter was in full contact with the water and continued to absorb heat.

"Yes! This subordinate will remember it firmly!" Feng Xiao Yan nodded forcefully, his clasped hands tightening again, and he turned to beckon to the bailiffs waiting: "All come over! First mix the straw and wheat bran evenly, and as soon as the pottery vats are ready, wrap them immediately!"

A group of people immediately surrounded the straw pile.

The dry wheat bran was blown up by the wind, mixed with the footsteps of the bailiffs.

Half an hour later.

The light on the stone slabs was still scorching, and the wheat bran floating in the courtyard seemed to be roasted until it was brittle.

Gao Jiong and two bailiffs appeared from the corner gate, each carrying a heavy pottery urn on their shoulders, the rims of the urns still stained with undried water marks.

He took a few steps to the Duke of Wei, clasped his hands and bowed cleanly, his voice carrying a hint of slight panting after the rush, but still loud: "My lord, the purified saltpeter is ready!"

Chen Yan's gaze swept over the pottery urns, his fingertips tapping lightly on the urn walls, listening to the crisp sound of saltpeter colliding inside, nodding slowly: "Mm."

After saying that, he raised his eyes to look at Feng Xiao Yan, who was staring at the pottery vat groups not far away, his voice raised: "Do as this official instructed just now!"

Feng Xiao Yan was still checking the thickness of the straw wrapping the vats, and when he heard the call, he immediately responded: "This subordinate understands!"

He turned and beckoned to the bailiffs beside him.

More than an hour later.

The sun sank behind the eaves of the yamen, and the golden-red light stretched the shadows in the courtyard long.

The originally scorching heat gradually faded into warm dryness, and even the vines wilting under the corridor quietly raised some leaf tips.

But more and more people gathered in the courtyard, not only the original officials and bailiffs, but even the handymen quietly gathered on the periphery, stretching their necks to look under the sunshade.

"The sun is almost setting..."

Behind the crowd, a young bailiff stood on tiptoe and looked for a long time, then raised his head to glance at the sun half-sunk in the sky, unable to help but lean into his companion's ear, his voice pressed very low, but unable to hide his urgency: "Why is there still no movement?"

A bailiff in a gray cloth short jacket leaned forward, his gaze sweeping over the pottery vats several times, pursing his dry lips, his voice lower than just now, but making the few people around him quiet down: "You say, can Lord Chen Yan really make ice out of thin air?"

He was still holding the cloth towel stained dirty when moving the wooden frames, his fingertips twisting unconsciously.

As soon as this remark came out, a bailiff with a bushy beard beside him immediately furrowed his brow, leaned toward him, and asked back: "Old Lin, what do you mean by this, could it be that you don't believe Lord Chen Yan?"

Old Lin hurriedly waved his hands, his tone sinking a bit, carrying a hint of stubborn seriousness: "Not so!"

Old Lin hurriedly waved his hand again, his tone deepening, carrying a touch of stubborn seriousness: "That is not the case!"

Not questioning Lord Chen Yan, but this is something that so many sages in ancient times couldn't do.

If it were possible, ice in summer would be more precious than gold...

"I feel the same way..."

"Things that sages in ancient times couldn't do, Lord Chen Yan is probably also difficult!" ===== CHAPTER 468 =====

"Things that the sages of ancient times could not do, I fear Lord Chen Yan will also find difficult!"