The Song Dynasty on the Sand Table

Chapter 79 Asking Prince Gong to Help
On the first day of April, at noon, the sun is shining brightly and the weather is excellent, which is perfect for killing.

Wu Jialiang did not wear the official uniform of the county lieutenant, but was dressed in businessman's clothes. He only brought his four loyal old brothers, plus Master Ye and Bruce Lee, forming a seven-man team.

After leaving the county town, seven people and seven horses galloped towards the Guanhai Salt Field.

"Why do we have to meet at the saltworks? Can't we meet somewhere closer to the county town?"

Wu Jialiang asked Luo Tuimao while swinging the whip.

Luo Tuimao whispered, "Princess Gong said that she has business to discuss at the salt works at the beginning of an even-numbered month, and she also wants to let the county lieutenant see what the new salt works look like."

Wu Jialiang pondered, "What business can I have with thieves? What's so good about a salt pan? Can flowers even grow there?" Prince Gong designated the salt pan as a test of my courage, perhaps to see if an official like me would dare to enter thieves' territory.

Hey!
Who do you think I am?

Am I the kind of coward who doesn’t have the courage to enter a den of thieves?

Back then, my home was a den of thieves!

Thinking of this, I felt a surge of pride and was not afraid of him at all.

The group rode at full speed and arrived at Guanhai Salt Field before noon.

As soon as he arrived at the outskirts of Guanhai Salt Field, Wu Jialiang saw a strange scene. A group of laborers were pulling more than a dozen carts full of bricks into the salt field on carts. Those bricks were eight inches long and four inches wide. They looked square and seemed to be of good quality.

Wu Jialiang was a smart man, and smart people have a strong thirst for knowledge, because intelligence is often equated with "knowledge." Seeing this, it was no wonder he couldn't help but ask. He stopped the convoy and asked, "Fellow villagers, why are you transporting bricks to the salt field?"

A cart driver grinned, "Because King Gong is exchanging grain for bricks! Everyone in the nearby villages who knows how to make bricks is so happy that they're working their butts off every day. I'll help transport the bricks, and I'll get grain in return. I can get half a bushel of grain for each cartload."

Wu Jialiang: "That's not what I'm asking. What I mean is, what use are these bricks in the salt fields?"

Driver: "Build a pond."

Wu Jialiang was puzzled: "Use bricks to build a pool?"

The driver knew nothing and couldn't explain anything. He could only grin. Wu Jialiang didn't ask any more questions and followed the driver to Guanhai Salt Field.

The salt field didn't have any walls or anything like that, just a circle of low wooden fences surrounding it. Wu Jialiang could see the scene inside the salt field from a distance. He saw many large and small pools in the Guanhai Salt Field. These pools were called "salt-drying pools". Wu Jialiang had a lot of miscellaneous knowledge and had some understanding of salt-making technology. He knew that by putting seawater into the salt pool and drying it in the sun, it could be made into crystal salt.

However, the salt ponds before him were very different from those he had seen before...

The salt ponds he had seen before were all made using the reclamation and drying method, with salt workers digging ponds on the ground by the sea.

There are many salt ponds in Guanhai Salt Field that are built with bricks. There is also a group of people who are working hard to lay bricks in a new pit. The drivers are also continuously bringing in bricks, which means that more brick ponds need to be built.

Wu Jialiang was completely bewildered. "It's just drying salt. Is it really necessary to waste so many bricks?"

By this time, the sentry at the entrance to the saltworks had spotted him and informed Madam Gong Er. Madam Gong Er immediately came up with a group of people to greet him, clasping her fists from a distance and saying, "I'm sorry for not coming so far to greet you."

Wu Jialiang also returned the greeting: "I have long heard of the great name of King Gong. Seeing you today, I can see that women are indeed as capable as men."

When you meet someone, you should start by saying something nice to them. No matter if she is a good woman or not, it is always right to praise her. While praising her, your eyes will wander around.

Madam Gong Er: "The identity of the gentleman should not be disclosed to outsiders. There are too many people here. Let's go inside and talk."

The group entered the salt field and passed through a salt pond...

Wu Jialiang immediately noticed the mountain of sea salt piled up next to the salt pond.

So much! Really so much! And the quality is visibly good. The salt is whiter and has fewer impurities. It's much better than the sea salt you usually see.

The amount of finished salt here was greater than any other salt field he had seen before. He had forgotten his main purpose for coming here and could not help but ask, "Prince Gong, how come your Guanhai Salt Field produces such a large amount of fine salt?"

Madam Gong Er smiled and said, "It's all thanks to the salt craftsmen from the immortal world who taught the salt workers new salt-making techniques."

"What? The saltmaker in heaven?"

Wu Jialiang was confused, but he didn't complain.

Madam Gong Er pointed to the brick salt ponds and said, "This is what the immortal craftsman taught the salt workers. It's called the brick salt pond technology. I don't understand the specific details, so how about I call the immortal craftsman over to explain it to you?"

She gave an order, and one of her men went to call the immortal craftsman.

Wu Jialiang looked like a curious baby. He wasn't trying to steal the skills, he was just satisfying his curiosity. "Master, may I ask, what exactly is this brick pond?"

The Immortal Craftsman lacked the ability to engage in fluent conversation. He was a mere figment of his imagination, only able to recite settings. The moment he was asked, he immediately began reciting: "Brick pond salt production uses an earthen pond on the outside and a brick pond on the inside. Seawater is first drawn into the earthen pond to dry in the sun, creating brine. This brine is then brought into the brick pond to dry in the sun, creating salt. The brick pond's output is determined by the number of bricks. Each brick is eight inches long and four inches wide, and a draw consists of 300 bricks. When building the pond, the bricks are laid out and then sealed with mud until the brine is leak-proof. The brine pond is generally circular, with a brick-lined bottom and walls. Brine produced in the mud pond or recycled in the brick pond is stored in the pond. This method of salt production is both fast and high-quality, yielding twice as much salt as your crappy techniques, and the salt is even more crystal-clear, whiter, and contains fewer impurities."

Wu Jialiang was dizzy by his rapid "technology output". It was like the school organizing a visit to a car factory. You followed your classmates into the production workshop, and an expert spoke into your ear at a very fast speed and explained how to make lithium batteries from a pile of ore. You were so tired that you were numb.

Forget it, forget it, it’s better not to humiliate yourself.

Wu Jialiang nodded desperately to show that he understood and asked him not to say anything more. After finally coaxing the immortal craftsman away, he breathed a sigh of relief and crossed the large salt pond to the coast. The men of both of them spread out on alert.

Wu Jialiang then got straight to the point: "Prince Gong, I'm here to talk to you for no other reason than to maintain public security in Jimo County. I can see that you're a woman of integrity, not a brutal bandit. That's why I've dared to come and ask for your help..."

Madam Gong Er: "Are you referring to the matter at Mengjiazhuang?"

"Yes!" Wu Jialiang said without further ado, "The Laiyang bandits are entrenched at the border between Jimo and Laiyang counties. I can't cross the county and suppress them. But that's not a problem for Prince Gong. You can lead your troops over and take care of them at any time. For the sake of peace in the villages along the border of Jimo County, please help me."

(End of this chapter)