vstars Chapter 142 Refined Sugar Shocks Civil and Military Officials
Chapter 142 Refined Sugar Shocks Civil and Military Officials
The discussions in the court did not end. Some people, taking advantage of their low rank and secluded positions where the emperor could not see them clearly, began to chat quietly.
This is nothing new.
The ministers standing at the front usually turned a blind eye, since they rarely had the opportunity to meet the emperor at the front. Standing at the back, they couldn't see anything clearly when they looked ahead.
Moreover, they are not needed to report matters to the emperor unless it is a very urgent and important matter.
But there's no point in saying more now, because we've seen that this young man, Lance Nian, has suddenly risen to the fifth rank.
Most of the officials were filled with regret.
I remember they used to mock Wuming's stories as being low-class and even beneath their dignity.
Who would have thought that in less than a month, someone would actually get promoted using a recipe from a storybook, which was a complete slap in the face.
Those who had never read a storybook before decided that after court, they must buy one and study it carefully.
Some people are already planning to study the "Little Chef of the Jin Dynasty" storybook carefully after the next update, because maybe they will be the next ones to get promoted and make a fortune!
Although they deeply regretted it, the matter of refined sugar was indeed of great benefit to the Jin Dynasty.
The Minister of Finance and the Minister of the Three Departments were the happiest about the matter of refined sugar, because the Minister of the Three Departments managed the national finances. If refined sugar could be produced in large quantities, the national finances would improve significantly.
With a full treasury, many things can be done without restraint.
Therefore, the happiest person here was the Minister of the Three Departments, who also most agreed with the emperor's success in accomplishing this task.
After attending court, Lans Nian took up his post in the Ministry of Salt and Iron.
The Salt and Iron Historian was delighted to learn that Lance had come to assist in sugar production, as it meant the national treasury would receive another boost.
Not long after, he opened a sugar factory on the outskirts of Bianjing. The factory was in a secluded location, but it was heavily guarded, with layers upon layers of soldiers.
Although the location was secluded, some passersby still walked by.
People passing by didn't even dare to glance at them; if they looked even slightly longer, they would be driven away by the soldiers' glares.
Some people were even arrested and interrogated, to the point that passersby in the suburbs dared not look at them for long.
The sugar factory is now fully managed by Lancelot.
Since white sugar needs to be made, some workers need to be hired, so Lance Nian even requires secret agents to check their identities when recruiting.
After confirming their identities, they must sign a confidentiality agreement and are not allowed to discuss the matter with their family members.
They not only hired many commoners to work here, but also bought a lot of sugarcane, almost buying up all the sugarcane in Bianjing.
Although all the sugarcane in Bianjing was bought up, the people of Bianjing didn't feel anything, since sugarcane was already plentiful at this time of year.
Every year, no one eats the sugarcane. Apart from some being bought and made into maltose, almost none of it can be sold, and a lot of it is wasted.
At the same time, the first batch of refined sugar that had just come out was snapped up instantly by noble families, even before it reached the shops.
Some people couldn't even get their hands on it, so they used their connections to try and get some refined sugar from the Ministry of Salt and Iron.
However, the Salt and Iron Commissioner was an upright and incorruptible man. He not only remained steadfast in the face of these people's bribes, but also righteously and firmly rejected them.
The noble families and princes who were rejected blushed with shame.
Of course, the very first batch of these newly produced fruits should be presented to His Majesty the Emperor.
Ever since the emperor ate the Wen Ding last time, he couldn't stop thinking about its taste, especially the spicy broth, and ate the spicy broth for several days in a row.
As the eldest princess previously mentioned, because the emperor ate hot pot at every meal, in order to cater to the emperor's taste, the imperial kitchen even used chili peppers to stir-fry dishes, making many delicious spicy dishes and meats, which resulted in a shortage of chili peppers.
The emperor went to the eldest princess again to ask for more peppers. Of course, he didn't make it very obvious, but he did ask for the few peppers that the eldest princess's residence had.
The emperor's words back then were a real slap in the face.
Even so, there weren't enough peppers to go around, so he sent seafarers to find pepper plants.
He hadn't been eating chili peppers before, and these past few days his mouth had been completely tasteless.
Later, he acquired a new batch of white sugar, but did not know how to use it, so he handed the sugar over to the imperial chefs in the imperial kitchen.
The imperial chefs in the imperial kitchen rarely used refined sugar except when stir-frying dishes.
The eldest princess was the first to know that her brother possessed refined sugar.
So she asked the emperor for refined sugar.
However, she didn't immediately ask the emperor for white sugar.
For this reason, she dressed up specially and didn't even bring her husband. She went to the palace to freeload a meal right at mealtime.
The emperor was originally preparing to have a meal in the empress's Kunning Palace.
Before the palace maids could even set the meal on the table, they heard Eunuch Fude come to report that the Princess had arrived at Kunning Palace and was waiting outside the hall.
The emperor had no idea why his sister had suddenly come to Kunning Palace, but he knew that his troublesome sister always came with a reason.
She was, after all, a younger sister she had watched grow up, so even though she was inwardly complaining, she still asked Fude to call her in.
Just as the princess entered, the palace maids had already set the meal on the table.
Therefore, she had to feign surprise, saying, "Oh dear, my brother and sister-in-law haven't eaten yet."
"What are you doing here again?" The emperor asked with a stern face. He had always treated his younger sister this way, and he was no surprise at seeing her putting on an act.
The Empress didn't say anything, but instead smiled and invited her to come and eat with them.
"Hehe, sister-in-law, it's still sister-in-law who cares about me the most." The eldest princess smiled playfully and then glared at her elder brother, the emperor. Only the eldest princess dared to glare at the emperor.
The emperor knew he owed the eldest princess, so he always turned a blind eye to her little tricks.
The eldest princess brazenly sat down, and a palace maid set out bowls and chopsticks for her. The emperor and empress didn't say anything, and after the bowls and chopsticks were set out, the three of them ate together.
"What? The food at the Princess's residence isn't good enough? That's why you've come to the palace to freeload." The Emperor looked at the Princess, who was wolfing down her food while maintaining impeccable manners, and said sarcastically.
“Brother, how can you say that? The food prepared by the chef in my residence is certainly delicious, but sometimes we need to change things up.”
"So you've come to the palace to freeload a meal?" The emperor was utterly incredulous.
He couldn't believe that his sister would come to the palace to freeload a meal for such a simple reason.
The eldest princess felt a little guilty. Of course, she didn't come to the palace to freeload a meal. Apart from having her eye on the emperor's batch of white sugar, the main reason was to avoid the prince consort.
For some reason, the prince consort has been insisting on eating at the same table with her these past few days.
The eldest princess was naturally unwilling, but she couldn't refuse.