First Minister of Ming Dynasty

First Minister Section 420

Isn't that taking off your pants and farting?

Obviously, someone has already looked at Zhang Ximeng with strange eyes.

Even Song Lian muttered in a low voice: "Zhang Xiang, even Confucius, can't know everything!"

This sentence seemed to hit Zhang Ximeng's sore spot, "Confucius can't do it, we can do it!"

Zhang Ximeng became cruel, and he dissolved the coarse salt in water again... Isn't it just to remove impurities?

Who said it has to be cooked in an iron pan?

Zhang Ximeng had someone fetch stones, coarse sand, fine sand...then put these things in layers in the wooden barrel, and then made a hole in the bottom.

Pour the dissolved brine into a wooden barrel and filter it layer by layer, and the brine that comes out is much clearer immediately.

Zhang Ximeng was still dissatisfied, so he added some charcoal to absorb the dirt, and then filtered it.

After tossing and tossing for five times, he asked someone to build an evaporation pool with bricks and stones.

Pour clear salt water into it again this time and wait for the time to pass.

Gradually, after two or three days, crystals appeared underground in the pool, and then more and more crystals appeared, covering the entire bottom of the pool.

After a night of wind, I got table salt as white as snow!

Those experienced salt workers squeezed it in their hands, tasted it a little, and smiled.

This salt is better than they make!

On the other side, Zhu Biao has already pouted his buttocks and filled a jar full for his father... After all, he also came along with his busy work.

Zhu Biao even planned to ask his father for help, give him the name of Royal Salt, and sell it for a good price!

Chapter 586

In the fifth year of Hongwu, in March of Yangchun, the land in the south of the Yangtze River, the grass grows and the warblers fly.

It was the most beautiful moment when little friend Zhu Di took off his cotton trousers, rode on his beloved pony, and ran out of the city to find Miss Chun.

And Lao Zhu is suffering from a headache right now, and his head is buzzing.

Zhu Biao gave him a jar of salt, which weighed ten catties.

It is said that he personally got it from the salt pond. It was as white as snow, and with his full filial piety, he gave it to his father and queen to taste.If you think it's good, please ask your father to give you an imperial title so that you can pass through the world.

Then Zhu Biao wrote a long paragraph, saying that the people in Beiping are too miserable, they don’t have enough clothes, they don’t have enough food, they don’t even have houses in winter, they can only live in holes in the ground... In a word, they all point to the salt Yes, you old man must save the common people!

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Biao's letter, and then looked at the jar of salt. He was not only worried that his son was addicted to merchants, but even angry that he was not doing his job properly.Why are you still running to get table salt? It's unreasonable!

He was angry when he suddenly smelled a fragrance. Looking back, Empress Ma came over with a goose and brought it to Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Look at your hard work. I made a salted goose. You can try it."

Ever since the husband and wife quarreled several times because of Zhu Biao's education, Lao Zhu had never eaten anything made by his wife.It was delivered with great difficulty, what else can Lao Zhu say, he took a big mouthful, tasted it, I really don't want to say it, the taste is really good.

"Sister's craftsmanship is good!"

Ma Shi smiled slightly, "Craftsmanship is secondary, the key is that the salt is good! Salted goose, salted goose, the key is to use good salt, don't you think so?"

At the mention of salt, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately turned black, pushed the plate away angrily, and said angrily: "Why are you still instigating Nizi, what is he like now?"

Mrs. Ma was also angry, "Zhu Chongba, I think you have forgotten your original intention! Isn't it just drying salt! You followed Xu Da and the others to plow the fields, didn't you participate in the competition? Our son learned how to dry salt ,what happened again?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was speechless for a while, and said: "We, we worked so hard, isn't it just because they don't work hard!"

"That's right, parents all over the world think so, if you work harder, your children won't have to suffer... But Chong Ba, have you ever thought that you can sit on that chair without hard work?" Ma The queen said softly: "Chongba, it's not that I'm against you. I used to listen to our son how to be sensible. Now it's the first time I've heard that our son can do things. This is a good thing. It's better to practice it than to talk about it." , don’t overthink it.”

Ma said with a smile: "I let them see it and taste it. Not to mention this salt is as white as snow, without any impurities, without any peculiar smell, and it is even better than what we eat in the palace. Biao'er has learned a lot this time." Mr. Zhang is really good at this. It is said that he only needs to dry it, no need to cook it, saves wood, and does not need an iron pot... Just build a salt pond on the ground and let it dry in the sun. A salt worker, almost Tens of thousands of catties of salt can be produced within a day's work... The original stove households can no longer use it. If they are willing to farm, they will be given land. If they are willing to stay, they will become salt workers, and their income will be ten times higher than before. I heard that the salt workers shouted long live my emperor, thank you for your benefits!"

Of course, Lao Zhu could listen to Empress Ma's words. In fact, it was not that he didn't understand these principles, but as an old father, he was a little awkward.

But Lao Zhu is very pleased that his son has one more skill, and this is not just a skill. Thinking of this, Lao Zhu couldn't help grinning.

I caught the salted goose and took two big bites, only to feel that the taste was even more delicious.

"Indeed, it doesn't taste bitter. This salt is really good! How do you think Mr. Zhang made it? How can he even know how to dry salt?"

Empress Ma sighed: "This is analogy, you know everything! I also heard that Mr. Zhang has gathered a lot of iron pots, and it seems that he is going to make something great. I don't know what Mr. Zhang can do." Come on! Let's just wait in Yingtian, even if we get it out, it will take a long time to send it over, it's really worrying!"

Hearing that Zhang Ximeng was playing with something again, Zhu Yuanzhang was very curious. A method of drying salt can benefit the people. Mr. Zhang will definitely do something big next, and I guarantee that it will not be far behind.

For a moment, Lao Zhu was also scratching his head, wanting to know urgently.

What the hell is Zhang Ximeng doing?

It's nothing, but while drying the salt, he picked up all kinds of things with shells on the beach... King Lu took the prince to the sea.

If there is a live broadcast, let Yingtian's Lao Zhu order a little red heart, it will probably drive Lao Zhu to death.

Playing with things and losing one's ambition is the evil of every king!

How can anyone teach the prince like this!

hateful!

Zhang Ximeng didn't think about anything else, he took out the shellfish he got, took out the meat, dried it quickly, crushed it, made it into powder, and then added a little to the soup!

That's right, there are indeed a lot of fresh ones!

Now Zhang Ximeng opened the door to a new world.

People often say that sour, sweet, bitter, hot, salty are the five flavors, but there is another taste that surpasses the five flavors, and that is umami!

This is a taste that is very difficult to obtain. From this font, people stew fish and sheep together to get the umami taste.

When eggs and salt are fried together, there will also be umami taste, so for the ancients, scrambled eggs are really an excellent delicacy.

If you want to get umami, you can only get that little bit of umami by using various broths and cooking repeatedly.

Therefore, the cooking of big families, whether it is the salt merchant dish in Yangzhou or the Confucian cuisine in Qufu, must use chicken, duck, goose, various bones, boil repeatedly to make broth, and then use the broth to enhance the flavor. The dishes are beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

Saying that they eat dragon liver and phoenix marrow is similar.

Zhang Ximeng has been to Kong's house before, and he also knows these things. He also knows that the key to everything is monosodium glutamate, but I'm sorry, he really doesn't know how to get it.

Moreover, when the big guys are trying their best to conquer the world, it is indeed too much for him to keep tossing and tossing for the sake of his appetite.

Things dragged on until Zhang Ximeng arrived in Beiping and started playing with salt, he seemed to have found an opportunity.

For a while, Shandong cuisine was quite famous, and it was the most popular after all major cuisines.

Later, it gradually declined. Zhang Ximeng heard a saying that Shandong cuisine is because of the sea, some shellfish can be used to make broth and obtain umami taste. With this hand, Shandong cuisine is ahead of various inland cuisines.

Coupled with the fact that it is located between the north and the south, personnel exchanges, business exchanges, and the gathering of various famous artists have given birth to the prosperity of Shandong cuisine.

But when MSG and other things became popular, the exclusive secret recipe that the master of Shandong cuisine took several hours to come up with, only a little MSG and chicken essence could solve it, and Shandong cuisine went down the road...

Zhang Ximeng doesn't know whether it's true or not, so it's hard to make a conclusion.

But he did know something called oyster sauce.

Use these shellfish and snails, dry them in the sun, grind them into powder, and boil them into soup... Anyway, no matter how hard you try, as long as you get out the umami and make soup and dishes, you will be considered a success.

This work was comparable to drying salt. It took Zhang Ximeng several months, and he finally came up with two things.

One is puree and the other is powder.

On this day, Zhang Ximeng was even more delighted than the success of drying salt. He called Hu Dahai, Lan Yu, Li Wenzhong, Zhu Wenzheng, and many other generals. In addition, Liu Bowen and Song Lian also followed.

The big guys gathered in Changlu. Compared with the swig in Shanhaiguan, the scale was much smaller, but it was obvious that the various dishes were more exquisite and delicious.

"Mr. Bowen, you are all masters, try it, how does it taste?"

Liu Bowen was skeptical, and Hu Dahai was simply panicked. After all, he had pulled it once, who knows what Zhang Ximeng did again.

This time, though, things were fine, no surprises.

"Zhang Xiang, these dishes are really delicious... Zhang Xiang, where did you find the famous chef?"

Zhang Ximeng smiled, "Can't I become a famous chef? Song Xueshi knows that I can cook!"

Song Lian nodded, "Indeed, not only can I cook, but I can also make milk tea! Cook it with West Lake Longjing!"

Being exposed short, the atmosphere became awkward.

Liu Bowen also put down his fast son, with a slightly dignified expression, "Zhang Xiang, everyone has a desire for food and drink. It's just that there is a lot of waste in Beiping right now, with such a big fanfare, isn't it over?"

Zhang Ximeng smiled slightly, "I know what you mean, is it because His Highness is here, afraid that I will teach His Highness badly?"

Song Lian and Liu Bowen stood up quickly, and said in panic: "Mr. Zhang misunderstood, we didn't mean that!"

Zhang Ximeng asked them to sit down with a smile, and then said: "Don't worry, we are old friends. It's okay if you just say that I did something wrong. I really wanted to eat something good when I made this thing. But If it’s useless, I’m not convinced.”

Zhang Ximeng smiled and said to Hu Haihai: "Mr. Yue, what do you need to eat if you want to go deep into the grassland to fight?"

Hu Dahai was taken aback, "What does Xiang Zhang mean?"

Zhang Ximeng said with a smile: "I'm going to use these two things as seasonings. Then get some seaweed, dry it and grind it, or steam it in a large pot and fry it dry, grind it, and mix it together. It has both umami and flavor. With the added salt, it can be made into a sauce, spread on top of flatbread, or put in a pot to make soup.”

Zhang Ximeng sighed: "The hardships of war are not unusual! In the past, when soldiers went out to war, they carried vinegar cloth on them. Was that stuff eaten by humans? With these two things, lard, butter, and dried fruits were left behind. Maybe we can prepare a good meal for the soldiers!"

Those civil servants were next in line, mainly a few generals. After hearing this, they tasted the dishes on the table again. Zhu Wenzheng stuffed the powder in his mouth and tasted it. Sapphire also poured the concentrated broth into it. mouth.

Then the two were ecstatic!

I really found a treasure!

Lan Yu immediately said: "Master Zhang, with this thing, our food will be much better, and we don't have to worry about running for thousands of miles. I, I want to ask for orders to start from above and attack the remnants of the Yuan army!"

Zhu Wenzheng was also anxious, "Why do you go, let me lead the army this time!"

The two of them were arguing when someone knocked on the table suddenly, "What are you doing? Are you paying attention to me? Both Xu Da and Chang Yuchun are fighting! Can you just leave me here?" Hu Dahai was also impatient, after all Solve the problem of eating, seal the wolf and live in Xu, right in front of you!

Chapter 587 Zhang Ximeng's Gizmodo

Holding his rice bowl, Zhu Biao ate the meat like salt that he dried out with his own hands. No matter what the dishes were, they were more delicious than Yingtian's. He ate so deliciously that his stomach bulged.

But he didn't forget to listen to the big guys chatting, how did he get involved in Fenglangjuxu from eating?

This is too far!

What's more, the people of Peiping were poorly clothed and hungry, so how could they have the energy to fight the war!

no!

Absolutely not!

Zhu Biao put down the bowl, looked carefully at Zhang Ximeng, and several generals who were fighting for it, including his cousin Zhu Wenzheng. Zhu Biao thought it would be more appropriate to start with him.

"Governor Zhu, is it appropriate to go on an expedition now?"

Zhu Wenzheng was stunned for a moment, pondered for a while, and said: "Your Highness, there is nothing absolutely suitable for fighting. The key is to look at the right time, place and people, know yourself and the enemy, and you can go to war with [-]% certainty."

Zhu Biao lowered his head, thought for a while, and then said: "I think the people are suffering too much, why can't they wait until they recover their vitality before sending troops?"

At this time Li Wenzhong actually said, "Your Highness, attacking the Yuan army and restoring vitality are not in conflict, but can also complement each other."

Zhu Biao was stunned, "How to say?"

At this moment, civil and military are all gathered together, Zhang Ximeng smiled, "Since His Highness asked a question, let's discuss it... let Li Wenzhong, Zhu Wenzheng, and Lan Yu, you three mainly analyze, and then Yue Guogong, Song Xueshi, Bo Mr. Wen, please help fill in the gaps."

Several people nodded one after another. The big guys sat around together, and they were not as particular as in the palace. They could interrupt at any time if they had any questions.

It was the first time for Zhu Biao to participate in this kind of discussion, but he was quickly attracted by the lively atmosphere.

The first is situational analysis, which Li Wenzhong did very well.

At present, the Yuan army still has two heavy groups of Liaodong and Shanxi.

Facing the direction of Shanxi, Xu Da and Chang Yuchun had already divided up their forces and rushed forward, while on the other side, Feng Guoyong had already killed Didao... With these three, it was enough to treat Wang Baobao both the symptoms and the root causes.

But things are not that simple, or even if Yuan Ting is completely finished, there are still many troubles waiting for the Ming Dynasty.

The Yuan court ruled the world for 100 years, and going back further, the Jin Dynasty, the Liao Dynasty...or to put it simply, because the Song Dynasty failed to unify the world, there was a long-term confrontation between the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

Too many Han Chinese were looted to the grasslands.

The Yuan Dynasty was even more powerful. They also brought many Semu people from the Western Regions and other places.

In the past, a city of the size of Kaiping City in Shangdu did not exist on the grasslands, but now there are several on the grasslands.

It is conservatively estimated that there are several million people on the grasslands.

Due to the loss of Yuan Ting's money and food support, their survival is very difficult. In order to survive, they must do their best to go south to plunder.