Chapter 19: Making Salt

Ying Tuzi kicked Jiang Xiaomu with one foot, making him stagger; this kid was actually quick-witted, and taking advantage of the momentum he rolled twice on the ground.

After getting up he still wore a fawning smile:

"Thank you, Elder Brother, for not killing me! I will surely be loyal to you, willing to go through fire and water, and shrink from nothing!"

"Cut the crap!"

Ying Tuzi spat.

"I don't have time for you now, get lost!"

Jiang Xiaomu felt as if pardoned, and darted away in a puff of smoke.

He didn't dare really stay by Ying Tuzi's side, for this brute was fickle-tempered, and one day he might take offense at something.

His own life would be hard to keep.

The four words "danger lurks everywhere" shown by the system are no joke.

He has now defected to another force—the disbanded border army.

Although these soldier-households have lost their organization and provisions, they still retain some backbone and organization; among the chaotic refugees they count as a clear stream, and can barely stand equal to Shapozi's gang.

Put bluntly, with Ying Tuzi he has to act like a grandson, but with the border army he can at least pretend to be a person.

To survive in this troubled world, relying on petty cleverness isn't enough; one must also cling to a powerful patron.

Jiang Xiaomu knows in his heart that whoever he attaches himself to must show some real ability.

He pondered that the modern knowledge in his mind must be put to some use.

In this age, what is most valuable?

Besides grain, it's salt.

Jiang Xiaomu recalled the steps for refining crude salt from his high-school chemistry textbook.

He also remembered the ancient salt-making method he had seen in a documentary, and an idea formed in his mind.

The border army was stationed in a dilapidated village; calling it a station is really more like a refugee encampment.

Jiang Xiaomu found their leader, a one-eyed burly man who called himself Zhou Dayan.

"You want to join us?"

Zhou Dayan sized up Jiang Xiaomu from head to toe, his gaze like that of someone looking at a chicken awaiting slaughter, and asked, "What can you do?"

Jiang Xiaomu clasped his hands in salute, wearing a beaming smile:

"I have no other skills, just know a few…tricks, and can…can produce some salt."

"\"Salt? \" Zhou Dayan's interest was piqued; in these times salt is worth more than gold."

"\"Kid, stop trying to fool me; the method of making salt is a secret of the Imperial Court, what could a country bumpkin like you possibly know?"

Jiang Xiaomu wasn't annoyed, still smiling:

"\"I wouldn't dare deceive General; I once…studied some alchemical arts with a wandering Daoist, and alchemy also requires salt, so I know a little."

He silently cursed, "Alchemy? I'll refine your big-headed ghost!"

"\"Alchemy?"

Zhou Dayan obviously didn't believe him, but right now we're short of hands and short of salt, so might as well try a dead horse as a living doctor.

"\"Fine, I'll give you three days; if you can't produce salt, I'll hang you up to feed the dogs!"

Jiang Xiaomu groaned inwardly, "Three days? Ancient salt-making can't be done in just three days!"

But on the surface he put on an air of confidence:

"\"General, rest assured, I will not fail the mission!"

Over the next three days, Jiang Xiaomu came to experience what is called "hell mode."

He directed a few border soldiers, following his half-remembered method: digging pits, burning firewood, filtering, keeping him busy to the point of exhaustion.

The border army soldiers initially treated him with respect, but seeing his clumsiness, they began to sneer and jeer.

"\"Hey kid, are you actually capable or not? Don't end up failing to make salt and just wear us out!"

"\"Exactly, I think he's just a con artist trying to scrounge a meal!"

Jiang Xiaomu felt resentful but dared not retort, so he could only accompany them with a smile:

"\"Gentlemen, please stay calm; making salt is no trivial matter, it cannot be rushed, cannot be rushed…"

The three days passed in a flash, and what Jiang Xiaomu produced was only a heap of blackish stuff emitting a strange odor—not even fit to be called salt, worse than dirt.

Zhou Dayan brandished his broadsword, walked up to him, pointed the tip at his nose, and gave a sinister grin:

"\"Kid, it looks like you're refusing a toast and choosing to drink the penalty."

Zhou Dayan gave a ferocious grin and slowly raised his broadsword.

The blade flashed with a cold light in the sunlight, almost blinding Jiang Xiaomu.

"\"Wait!"

Jiang Xiaomu shouted in desperation, his voice cracking.

"\"I…I still have one last trick!"

Zhou Dayan halted his motion, raising an eyebrow with interest:

"\"Oh? What other trick? If you dare to play me again, I'll let you taste this blade!"

Jiang Xiaomu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, silently cursing his own big mouth.

"These three days he's worked himself to death, and what he produced isn't even fit for pig feed—how could he have any last trick left?"

"It's pure nonsense."

"\"I…I need some…special materials…"

Jiang Xiaomu stammered, his eyes darting about, just as he was about to speak he heard the system's voice.

【Ding……】

【The system gifts you three Heaven's Mandate Points.】

【Solved the salt problem, gained favor with the border troops, and acquired a means of survival.】

【But you are extremely arrogant, trust others too easily, and attract ill-intentioned people.】

【You casually told the salt-making secret to those around you; then they learned your secret and killed you to silence you.】

Zhou Dayan impatiently waved his hand:

"Hurry up and say, what do you need?"

Jiang Xiaomu carefully thought over the system's words, then answered Zhou Dayan:

"I need… the soil from the abandoned saline-alkali land outside the city…"

Zhou Dayan was taken aback:

"Soil from saline-alkali land? What good is that?"

Jiang Xiaomu knew he couldn't reveal the salt-making method, so he put on an inscrutable air:

"This is heavenly secret, must not be divulged…"

Zhou Dayan was half-believing, half-doubting, but with no other option at the moment, he could only try a desperate remedy.

He summoned a few subordinates and had them follow Jiang Xiaomu to dig soil.

Jiang Xiaomu took a few people and sneaked to the abandoned saline-alkali land outside the city.

He directed the people to dig while secretly observing the surroundings.

Outside this ancient city, it's not as safe as modern times; everywhere there are weeds and wild beasts.

One careless move and you could lose your life.

After digging the soil and returning to the camp, Jiang Xiaomu found a broken pottery jar.

He also cut some branches from the mountain and rigged a simple stove.

He busied himself mysteriously, and no one knew what he was up to.

The leader of the military households, Zhao Lao Da, was a burly man with a full beard.

He watched Jiang Xiaomu's mysterious actions and also felt suspicious.

This kid, could he be concocting some nefarious stuff?

"What are you up to, kid?" Zhao Lao Da asked in a gruff voice, his thick beard trembling with each word.

Jiang Xiaomu put on a mysterious air: "Zhao Lao Da, just watch, I'm doing this for the benefit of our brothers!"

A few days later, white salt crystals precipitated in the broken jar.

Although the yield was small, the purity low, and the color slightly yellowish.

But compared to the dirty, expensive coarse salt on the market, it's far better.

Jiang Xiaomu distributed the salt to a few familiar military households, then exaggerated its miraculous effects.

Claiming it could cure all ailments, strengthen the body, and grant immortality…

In these times, with medicine scarce, people especially believed in such mystical things.

The military households spread the word tenfold, then a hundredfold; soon the entire camp knew Jiang Xiaomu could "make salt."

Zhao Lao Da looked at the white salt in his hand, then at the smug Jiang Xiaomu; although he still had doubts, his trust grew a bit.

"Kid, how did you produce this salt?"

Jiang Xiaomu's eyes shifted, and he said:

"Zhao Lao Da, to be frank, my ancestors were alchemists; this salt-making method is a family secret, not lightly passed on…"