Hearing that they didn’t have to plant the new seeds, the villagers quickly left, afraid that Zhao Yuanxi might change her mind.
Chu felt somewhat awkward, not expecting them to show so little respect for their master. But remembering that he himself had been skeptical, he understood their mindset.
Perhaps sensing what he wanted to say, Zhao Yuanxi spoke first, “No need to explain anything.”
“I believe in you, Madam!” Chu said firmly, and these weren’t just empty words to placate her.
Zhao Yuanxi was taken aback, her eyes flickering slightly, and she couldn’t help but tease, “Aren’t you afraid we might end up with no harvest at all?”
Chu’s dark face grew even darker with embarrassment as he scratched his head, “Didn’t you say we wouldn’t starve even if there’s no harvest?”
Zhao Yuanxi chuckled.
That was true—
“Da Mu, Da Mu, come quick! The soybean milk seems to have gone bad!” Ziying came running in a panic, looking as frantic as if a chicken leg had flown away.
Only then did Zhao Yuanxi remember the tofu she had just started making.
Gao Sheng, who had been watching over the bucket, couldn’t hide his astonishment. He had just seen the Empress Dowager pour some white substance into the soybean milk.
The soybean milk, which had been liquid like water, had now solidified.
He had tested it with a spoon—while not as hard as ice, it had indeed coagulated!
Did the Empress Dowager also know the ways of those sorcerers?
The tofu had set successfully. Zhao Yuanxi had Li make a simple tofu box, then poured the coagulated tofu pudding into the box lined with cheesecloth. She placed heavy stones on the wooden board on top of the box.
“Wait for two hours while the excess water is pressed out, and the tofu will be formed.”
“Madam, do you also know magic?” Gao Sheng couldn’t help but ask.
Everyone else turned to look at her simultaneously. After all, they all knew that what was in the box had originally been liquid, and now it had become solid—wasn’t this just like the sorcerers’ art of turning stone into gold?
Magic?
Feeling everyone’s gazes as if she were some divine being, Zhao Yuanxi’s mouth twitched. “I’m not a sorcerer, and I certainly don’t know any magic. This is just a simple chemical reaction. What I poured into the bucket was gypsum—the soybean milk coagulates when it meets gypsum.”
Obtaining gypsum wasn’t difficult. Raw gypsum was a common mineral found everywhere. By heating raw gypsum with fire and calcining it for about two hours, it became usable calcined gypsum.
Even after she explained the principle, everyone’s astonishment didn’t fade.
“Da Mu, what’s a chemical reaction?” Ziying asked the question everyone wanted to know.
“A chemical reaction is—” Zhao Yuanxi had a sudden inspiration, “A chemical reaction is the principle behind those magical arts.”
Zhao Yuanxi went on to explain some common chemical reactions, using turning stone into gold as an example.
Chu and the others didn’t fully understand, but they grasped the general idea—their madam was indeed extraordinary, but in a way that made her more approachable.
As for Gao Sheng, having read more books than the others, he naturally understood some of the deeper implications. “According to what you’re saying, Madam, are those sorcerers in Xianyang all frauds?”
Zhao Yuanxi suddenly remembered that her nominal son was quite superstitious about these things. Historical records showed he had taken many elixirs refined by sorcerers.
Although emperors generally didn’t live very long, the First Emperor’s death at forty-nine was still somewhat early. It was quite possible he had died from drug overdose.
Should she send a message to warn him against taking those drugs?
Zhao Yuanxi felt that even if she sent a message now, her nominal son wouldn’t listen. He might even think she wanted him to die sooner.
Never mind, the cheap son is still young now and not obsessed with immortality. Even if he occasionally takes some elixirs containing heavy metals, that’s just his fate.
Zhao Yuanxi, devoid of emotion, wore a cold expression.
During the Qin Dynasty, ordinary people typically ate two meals a day—only morning and evening meals. Only nobles had the habit of eating three or more meals. But because of Zhao Yuanxi, the Chu family had an extra all-tofu banquet at noon today.
He’s culinary skills were excellent. After Zhao Yuanxi gave her a few pointers, she actually worked wonders with tofu.
Not only were there tofu soup, stewed tofu, fried tofu, tofu with scallions, etc., but there was even a portion of stuffed tofu.
The tofu was fried crispy on the outside and tender inside, bursting with savory meat juices when bitten into—absolutely delicious and crispy, truly a delicacy in this world.
Ziying had eaten many delicious things, but this stuffed tofu was definitely the best thing he had ever tasted so far.
He ate until his mouth was greasy, completely forgetting his once proud identity as the King of Qin’s grandson, devouring it in large mouthfuls.
Having already had a bowl of soybean milk in his stomach, and now eating so many tofu-based dishes, Ziying indeed overate.
On the way back, he lay on Zhao Yuanxi’s lap, whimpering softly, his small hand clutching his stomach, pitifully hanging his head.
Zhao Yuanxi flicked his head directly, “Dare to eat like this next time?”
Ziying sniffled, “Next time I’ll eat a little less.”
Giving up eating was impossible; at most, he would just eat a little less.
But it was really so delicious—the fried tofu balls were delicious, the stuffed tofu was delicious too, and even that tofu soup was very tasty.
“Da Mu, can we come to eat again next time?”
“So you’re only thinking about eating. But if Ziying eats so much, what if we make the Chu family poor?”
Ziying wanted to say that the Chu family was already poor, but he thought that if the Chu family became even poorer, they definitely wouldn’t be able to eat such delicious food anymore.
“I can give them money to buy food.”
“Ziying has money?” Zhao Yuanxi raised an eyebrow.
Ziying fiddled with his little fingers. As the King of Qin’s grandson, of course he had money, but it was all managed by Zhong Fu. He didn’t have any money on him at all.
“I will have money!” Ziying decided to ask Zhong Fu for money tonight.
Zhao Yuanxi rubbed the child’s face, saying he was a greedy cat was absolutely right. She even suspected that using food might be enough to directly lure Ziying away.
Ziying pouted exaggeratedly, his body strongly protesting Zhao Yuanxi’s doting behavior.
“Da—Mu, stop wubbing me!”
Just as Zhao Yuanxi was about to continue teasing her eldest grandson, the carriage suddenly braked sharply. Her whole body lurched forward, and Ziying in her arms almost rolled out.
Fortunately, Changjin sitting opposite reacted quickly, shielding them and carefully placing Ziying back into Zhao Yuanxi’s arms. “Madam, be careful. This servant will see what happened.”
Ziying’s face turned several shades paler from fright, his hands tightly clutching Zhao Yuanxi’s collar. “Da Mu!”
“It’s fine, it’s fine!” Zhao Yuanxi patted Ziying’s back.
Changjin pushed open a crack and suddenly looked serious. Seeing this situation, Zhao Yuanxi also frowned.
The road ahead was blocked by a large tree, and many people emerged from the surrounding hills, directly surrounding them.
These people all held weapons in their hands, with black cloth covering their faces—clearly not good people.
Had she encountered bandits?
Although this place was remote, it was still within the boundaries of Yongcheng. As the former capital of the Qin State, Zhao Yuanxi never expected anyone would dare to cause trouble here.
The group had a clear target. Without the slightest hesitation, they raised their blades and charged straight toward the carriage.