Chapter 118: Let's Go Make Charcoal Balls

Princess Consort of Qi slowly adjusted her mindset.

She held Sui Sui, gently pressing against the little girl, and whispered, "It's so red and beautiful."

After receiving Mother Consort's approval, Sui Sui happily clung to her neck, obediently huddling there, saying, "Mm, it's beautiful."

Sui Sui liked it.

She didn't say the rest.

However, the little girl's intended meaning was already understood.

Princess Consort of Qi understood, lightly tapping the little girl's nose with her finger: "Mother Consort likes it."

Sui Sui liked it.

Mother Consort also liked it.

Mother and daughter happily spent the afternoon watching fish.

For the afternoon's plan, Princess Consort of Qi originally wanted to take the little girl to dig bamboo shoots in the grove.

Although their manor's bamboo grove isn't large, it's currently the season when bamboo shoots are abundant, so quite a few can actually be dug up.

Princess Consort of Qi recalled, in previous years, weren't they dug in spring?

After thinking carefully, she felt uncertain, so she asked Aunt Qiu.

Aunt Qiu indeed knew this, smiling and saying, "Around here the temperature isn't enough; growth only just begins in April, so we have to wait until June for them."

Princess Consort of Qi:?

Ah?

Can't dig them, huh?

She felt a bit disappointed, but not too much.

The residence doesn't allow entertainment, so let's go play outside.

The bamboo-shoot digging plan was paused because the shoots hadn't sprouted yet.

Princess Consort of Qi wasn't sure where the little girl liked to play, so she asked Sui Sui: "Where do you want to play? What do you want to play? Tell Mother Consort, and Mother Consort will take you."

Sui Sui had opportunities to play and frolic before.

When the adults were working and finished the household chores, Uncle Shen and the others would also leave her alone.

However, there weren't many things to play with in the village.

At this moment, when Mother Consort asked, Sui Sui also looked bewildered.

The system noticed and quickly gave a quiet reminder.

【Honeycomb coal.】

It's not that the system wants to exploit the child; rather, Sui Sui cares too much about this.

In her nap-time sleep talk, she was always talking about making honeycomb coal balls.

If we don't remind her now, what will we do if she later remembers and feels upset?

Le Le's reminder made Sui Sui realize; she hurriedly clung to Mother Consort's thigh and replied in a clear voice, "Mother Consort, let's make coal balls, we'll go make coal balls."

Coal balls?

What is that?

Princess Consort of Qi simply didn't understand.

Although Princess Consort of Qi's family background isn't particularly prominent, she still comes from a wealthy household.

She knows nothing of worldly hardships.

Moreover, the terminology nowadays is different.

These days, people more commonly call fuel 'charcoal' rather than 'coal'.

So when Sui Sui said 'coal balls,' Princess Consort of Qi simply didn't understand.

Seeing Mother Consort not understand, Sui Sui also became anxious, frantically gesturing: "It's just coal cinder mixed with yellow clay and water, rolled into balls, pierced, and when lit it's very useful!"

The little girl spoke hurriedly, her pronunciation a bit unclear.

However, Princess Consort of Qi felt she somewhat understood.

When lit.

Those three words are already simple and clear.

You mean charcoal, right?

Princess Consort of Qi wasn't sure, gently stroking the little girl's back and smiling: "Sui Sui, don't rush; let's talk slowly—are you referring to charcoal fire, the kind that's lit?"

If you mean charcoal balls, then Princess Consort of Qi would understand.

The nobles of Jing Cheng quite like this processed charcoal.

Especially when mixed with various fragrances; Princess Consort of Qi likes jasmine scent.

Thus, the charcoal burned in winter often also contains jasmine fragrance.

Furthermore, to make the nobles feel the charcoal is high-end, they often process it into various animal shapes using molds.

In short, they want the nobles to feel that this money is spent……

worth it.

Princess Consort of Qi at most asks a few questions about these, knowing the charcoal price; after all, as a manager she needs to know the general market situation so she isn't deceived.

Anything more, she wouldn't understand.

Charcoal balls……

It really is an unknown field.

However, seeing Sui Sui so anxious she's almost jumping, Princess Consort of Qi thinks it might actually be interesting.

Sui Sui was just anxious because she feared Mother Consort wouldn't understand.

Just now, hearing Mother Consort say not to rush and to speak slowly, Sui Sui finally slowed her speech, trying to make her pronunciation as clear as possible: "Mother Consort, the clumped charcoal, it can burn well!"

Upon hearing this, Princess Consort of Qi nodded: "Stone coal burns longer."

Stone coal, that is coal.

Only the name differs.

Nowadays, the mining of stone coal is not complete.

Because of mining costs and court control, civilians more often still use charcoal as the main fuel.

Charcoal is available just by going up the mountain; unlike stone coal, it doesn't require discovering a mineral source, then mining it, and transporting it down the mountain.

Charcoal is easy to obtain, although it doesn't burn long, but the quantity is large.

Moreover, as long as trees are planted properly, they grow continuously year after year, and descendants can continuously cut and use them.

In the Wangfu, during winter, more often than not, they burn stone coal.

Of course, it is processed stone coal.

The smoke is less, and the fragrance is better.

The fact that stone coal burns longer has already been proven.

Princess Consort of Qi thought Sui Sui was referring to stone coal.

There were some difficulties in their communication.

Sui Sui thought Mother Consort understood, and happily circled around her.

Princess Consort of Qi also thought they meant the same thing, happily picking up the child and giving him a little bounce in her arms.

Any more movement would not work.

Princess Consort of Qi lacked sufficient strength.

She thought of tossing Sui Sui up and catching her again, but feared dropping the child.

Regarding this, Princess Consort of Qi also felt somewhat regretful.

Was she really going to follow Master Shen to train her physique?

After their noon break, Feng Xuanrui and the others simply tidied up and then had to go to the Zhuangzi for a physical training class.

Princess Consort of Qi brought Sui Sui along.

Feng Xuanrui and Feng Xuanbin, relying on their youth, squeezed their way in and shared a carriage with Sui Sui.

Feng Xuanjie watched from the side, feeling very envious, and Feng Xuancang actually also wanted to go.

However, the two elder brothers were not in the mansion, so he is now the eldest, responsible for matters, sensible, and taking care of his younger brothers.

At this time, it would not be good to compete with the younger brothers.

Feng Xuanbo, watching from the side, said sourly: "We older brothers are really useless, look at Silly Seven."

Feng Xuancang, hearing this, helplessly raised his hand and lightly tapped Xiao Wu's head: "You, stop stirring up trouble here."

While speaking, he also didn't forget to use his eyes to indicate Feng Xuanjie's direction.

Feng Xuanjie was naturally timid and dared not express himself.

Not sharing a carriage with his sister left him deeply disappointed.

As soon as Feng Xuanbo said that, Feng Xuanjie felt as if struck by frost, his spirit lost, and he returned to the carriage.

Feng Xuanbo watched this scene, pursed his lips, but ultimately said nothing more.

The two luxurious carriages quickly left the city and headed toward the Zhuangzi.

Not long after, the carriage from the Huguo Marquis Mansion also closely followed.

The driver, seeing this, intentionally reminded: "Princess Consort, the Huguo Marquis Mansion's carriage is behind."

The second watch is at 7 PM.