Love Lock

Chapter 222 Devoting Oneself to Industrial Construction

"But they look delicious."

The little princess innocently reached out to touch the nearest big white pig.

The pig wasn't afraid of strangers; instead, it came closer and sniffed her fingers with its wet nose, making her giggle.

The princess looked at her daughter's happy face, her eyes filled with tenderness: "Your Highness, look how happy Yan'er is. When we were in Jingzhou, she never had such an experience."

Looking at his daughter's radiant smile, the King of Jingzhou's troubled expression finally softened.

He sighed softly, "Well, since we're here, let's take a good look around."

Seeing this, Luo Hai quickly guided them to visit other facilities and explained the operation mode of the pig farm in detail.

Although the King of Jingzhou was initially reluctant, he couldn't help but marvel at the ingeniously designed ecological cycle system as he listened.

“Using pig manure to fertilize the fields, the fields produce grain and can also feed pigs…that’s a good idea.” He nodded in approval, a rare occurrence for him.

As the sun began to set, the group concluded their visit and returned to Qingshui County by horse-drawn carriage.

Inside the carriage, the little princess continued excitedly, "Daddy, those piglets are so cute, so pink and tender! And that biggest black pig, it's like a small mountain!"

The King of Jingzhou shook his head helplessly: "You child, you're happier to see a pig than a piece of jewelry."

"How can these be the same?" The young prince rolled his eyes and said in a childish voice, "I prefer looking at the big white pig; it's more interesting than jewelry."

The princess smiled slightly and said, "Your Highness, I feel that today's trip has been quite fruitful. The Princess of Cangzhou is truly a remarkable person; to come up with such a beneficial method for the country and its people is truly extraordinary."

The King of Jingzhou said thoughtfully, "Yes, I originally thought she was just a woman who knew how to do business, but I never expected... that everything here was done by her."

The King and his wife of Jingzhou were chatting all the way when their carriage stopped in front of Tongfu Restaurant, interrupting their conversation.

Shopkeeper Wang Bo had already received the news and personally waited at the door.

"Your Excellency, the Prefect's presence is an honor to our humble establishment! A private room upstairs is ready; please follow me."

In the most spacious private room on the second floor, exquisite tableware was already set on the mahogany round table.

Luo Hai smiled and said to the Wang family of Jingzhou, "Your Highness and Your Highness, you've had a long day. Why not try some of the local specialties from Qingshui County?"

Soon, one after another, delicious and visually appealing dishes were served.

Emerald-green vegetables set off the bright red slices of meat, while golden, crispy fried food sits next to a milky-white broth, instantly filling the entire room with aroma.

The young princess eagerly picked up a golden cube: "What is this? It smells so good!"

Luo Hai smiled and replied, "This is sweet and sour pork, Your Highness, please try it."

The little princess took a bite, and her eyes immediately lit up: "Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, so fragrant and delicious! Father, you must try it!"

The King of Jingzhou picked up a piece with some skepticism, but after tasting it, he couldn't help but nod: "Hmm! It's really good."

The young prince's eyes were fixed on the twice-cooked pork: "Father, I want to eat that."

The King of Jingzhou placed a slice of twice-cooked pork into the young prince's bowl, and then took a slice for himself to enjoy.

Princess Shen looked at him expectantly, "Your Highness, how is it?"

The King of Jingzhou's eyes widened: "Not bad, the taste is unique, even better than the imperial cuisine in the palace. My beloved concubine, you should try some too."

Such praise from her husband stirred up Princess Shen's appetite.

Only then did she pick up her chopsticks, elegantly choosing a slice of bright red twice-cooked pork and putting it in her mouth to savor it. Before she could even comment, the King of Jingzhou had already turned to look at Luo Hai.

"Lord Luo, what kind of dish is this, and how is it made? I am quite knowledgeable, but why have I never tasted anything so delicious before?"

Luo Hai smiled but did not answer: "Your Highness, why don't you try some other dishes first?"

Over the next few days, the Wang family from Jingzhou sampled a variety of dishes, including cold shredded pig's ear, braised lion's head meatballs, and shredded pork with garlic sauce. They praised each dish highly.

"This cold dish is crisp and delicious, and the sauce is just right." The princess elegantly picked up a piece of translucent ear fungus.

"These meatballs are soft, juicy, and melt in your mouth." The King of Jingzhou spoke highly of the lion's head meatballs.

The young princess had a particular fondness for a plate of braised food: "This shiny black stuff is so delicious, fragrant and chewy!"

After they had tasted each one, Luo Hai smiled and revealed the secret.

"Your Highness, the sweet and sour pork, pig ear strips, and meatballs you just tasted were all cooked with pork. The braised dishes were made with pork offal."

The private room fell silent instantly.

The King of Jingzhou froze in mid-air with his chopsticks in hand, while the Queen Consort covered her mouth in surprise.

The young princess was the first to realize: "Is it the pork we saw today?"

Luo Hai nodded with a smile: "Exactly."

Surprisingly, the King of Jingzhou did not fly into a rage or feel disgusted as expected. He put down his chopsticks, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork and put it in his mouth, savoring it carefully.

"Strange..." he murmured, "It's clearly the same kind of meat, so why was the pork cooked by the chef in Jingzhou always so fishy and hard to swallow, while the pork here is so delicious?"

Princess Shen asked curiously, "Yes, these dishes don't have the usual pork taste at all; instead, they're exceptionally delicious. Lord Luo, why is that?"

Luo Hai explained, “First, the pigs we selected are of excellent breed and raised properly; second, the chefs at Tongfulou have received special training and know how to cook pork to bring out its deliciousness. Moreover, Tongfulou has various spices provided by the Princess of Cangzhou.”

"You mean the spices in these dishes were also provided by Miss Han?" King Jingzhou asked in surprise.

Luo Hai nodded: "Exactly."

The King and Queen of Jingzhou exchanged a glance, their lips twitching involuntarily. They both secretly marveled: This Queen of Jingzhou is truly omnipotent!
The young princess had already picked up another piece of braised pig's ear and was eating it with great relish.

"Father, I think pork is delicious! Let's have the cook make it when we get back to Jingzhou!"

Looking at his daughter's innocent and carefree appearance, the King of Jingzhou suddenly smiled and said, "Alright, alright, then we'll stay in Cangzhou and have the cooks here prepare meals for you every day."

He turned to Luo Hai, "Lord Luo, today has truly broadened my horizons. It seems that our past prejudices against pork were... somewhat biased."

The princess also sighed, "Yes, it's such a pity to have missed so many delicious foods."

"Hahaha!" Luo Hai laughed heartily, raising his cup in a toast: "It is truly admirable that Your Highness and Princess can break through their prejudices. In fact, ingredients are neither noble nor lowly; the key lies in how they are used. Princess Cangzhou often says that anything that can feed the people well is a good thing."

The King of Jingzhou raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp, a new light gleaming in his eyes: "It seems my trip to Cangzhou this time has truly been worthwhile!" Outside the window, the lights of Qingshui County lit up one by one, adding a touch of warmth to this dinner that broke down class barriers...

The autumn sun shone on the temporary platform erected at the Yong'an City honeycomb briquette factory, and a faint smell of coal smoke filled the air.

Zhao Zun, the King of Cangzhou, rolled up the cuffs of his sleeves, which were embroidered with dark patterns, revealing his strong arms. He was using fire tongs to pok at the honeycomb briquettes in the cast iron furnace on the high platform.

"Look, fellow villagers," Zhao Zun's voice was loud and clear, carrying far on the autumn wind, "this honeycomb briquette is different from ordinary firewood; one piece can burn for more than two hours. It can not only be used for cooking, but also for heating."

Hundreds of people from various villages in Fufeng County gathered below the stage, whispering among themselves, their eyes filled with both curiosity and doubt.

Zhang Hanlin, the big fat man, stood to the side, his face flushed red by the firelight from the stove.

He would occasionally gesture with his strong arms to supplement Zhao Zun's explanation.

Today, we are distributing honeycomb briquette stoves and honeycomb briquettes to villages and households. Therefore, we organized villagers from nearby villages to learn about the precautions for using them.

After this batch is distributed, once people learn about the benefits of using honeycomb briquettes for cooking and heating, word will spread, and in the future, anyone who wants to use honeycomb briquettes can simply go to the honeycomb briquette factory to buy them.

Anyway, now, whether it's Beiguan or Fufeng County, the people here receive wages for participating in the work, and these funds can now circulate.

Once everyone starts using honeycomb briquettes, fewer people will freeze to death this winter.

An elderly farmer with white hair and beard squeezed to the front, squinted, and asked, "Your Highness, does this black lump produce a lot of smoke when burned? I have a grandson at home, and I'm afraid he'll get choked."

Zhao Zun smiled upon hearing this and invited the old farmer to come up to the stage and stand in front of the stove to experience it for himself. Then he lifted the iron kettle from the stove and poured a bowl of hot water for the old farmer.

"Grandpa, would you like to taste this water? Does it have a smoky flavor?" He turned to the crowd and said, "Honeycomb briquettes burn completely, producing far less smoke than firewood. As long as there is ventilation, it won't be choking at all."

Zhang Hanlin picked up a honeycomb briquette at the opportune moment, showing off the twelve holes on it.

"Did you all see that? These holes are for air circulation. The more thoroughly it burns, the less smoke there will be! When you go to sleep at night, remember to open the window a little to leave a vent and you'll be fine."

Zhao Zun added with a smile, "With honeycomb briquettes in use, everyone can save time and energy on chopping firewood, freeing up manpower to do other work and earn more wages."

Just then, a "putt-putt-putt" sound came from afar, and a long convoy of three-wheeled vehicles was coming from the official road, the edges of the truck beds completely stained black with honeycomb briquettes.

The leader of the group was none other than Zhang Huazi, the bodyguard who had betrayed Zhao Zun's whereabouts.

After the fortresses of Yong'an City and Ling'an City were completed, Zhao Zun assigned Zhang Huazi and Qian Dafu to work on industrial construction.

Huachang County is currently building a salt plant, which requires a large amount of honeycomb briquettes as fuel.

Therefore, Zhao Zun specially formed two three-wheeled transport teams, with Zhang Huazi and Qian Dafu each serving as the captain of one team, and the two teams taking turns transporting honeycomb briquettes.

They were both skilled in martial arts. Although they could no longer serve Zhao Zun, their presence at least ensured the safety of the transport team.

Zhang Huazi gripped the handlebars with both hands, his face showing urgency.

"Your Majesty!"

As soon as the convoy came to a stop, Zhang Huazi jumped off the vehicle, took a box wrapped in cloth from under the seat of the three-wheeled vehicle, and ran to the edge of the platform in a few quick steps.

"I have returned from Huachang County. The Princess Consort asked me to bring you a gift."

Upon hearing that it was Han Lei who brought him the gift, Zhao Zun's eyes lit up instantly.

He took the square box wrapped in blue cloth, and felt an indescribable joy when his fingertips touched the fabric.

"Any letters?" Zhao Zun asked in a low voice, his fingers unconsciously stroking the edge of the bundle.

Zhang Huazi shook his head, but revealed a mysterious smile: "The princess only said that the prince would know at a glance."

Just as Zhao Zun was about to unpack the bundle, he suddenly remembered something and turned to Zhang Hanlin, saying, "Fatty, the next demonstration is yours. Remember to emphasize the method of sealing the fire at night, so that the villagers don't waste coal."

Zhang Hanlin patted his chest and said, "Don't worry! I guarantee I'll teach every woman how to do it!"

"Hahaha……"

As soon as Zhang Hanlin finished speaking, a burst of good-natured laughter erupted from the audience.

Zhao Zun suppressed a smile, carried the bundle to the corrugated steel roof behind the platform, and carefully untied the blue cloth.

Inside was a square cardboard box, exquisitely crafted, with gold trim and a picture of Chang'e flying to the moon on its surface.

Lifting the lid, a delicate fragrance of osmanthus blossoms wafts out, revealing twelve mooncakes neatly arranged inside.
Each mooncake is embossed with a different pattern: some have the four characters "Mid-Autumn Mooncake", some have a jade rabbit, and some even have the two characters "Missing You" embossed on them.

"Hehe! This girl..." Upon seeing those two words, Zhao Zun's lips unconsciously curled up.

He picked up the top mooncake and found a thin piece of paper underneath.

Zhao Zun unfolded it and saw that there were words written on it, which were obviously dictated by Han Lei and written by someone else.

"Wishing you a peaceful and healthy Mid-Autumn Festival, Brother Zun. The site for the Huachang Saltworks has been finalized, and we've also discovered that the local clay is suitable for firing refractory bricks. The blueprints have been delivered with the second convoy. Also, the King of Jingzhou has been settled in Qingshui County. I miss you! I love you!"

There were twelve mooncakes in the whole mooncake box, but Zhao Zun felt that only the last four words on the letter were the most appealing and to his liking.

Zhao Zun brought the letter close to his nose and took a deep breath, as if he could smell the faint jasmine scent on the girl.

I've been busy with this and that every day, and before I knew it, the Mid-Autumn Festival was here.

Han Lei said in her letter that she missed him, but how could he not miss Han Lei too?
He reached into his clothes and took out the love lock hanging on his chest, examining it closely. Although the ring-shaped jade pendant did not emit a faint light, he felt that the love lock had never been so warm and dazzling as it was today.

He tucked the love lock into his pocket, picked up a mooncake, and was about to take a bite when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the shed.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

Qian Dafu jogged over, his face flushed with excitement.

"Your Highness, we have transported salt mine samples back from Huachang County! The Princess Consort said the salt content is even higher than expected! Moreover, I also brought back blueprints for refractory bricks."

Zhao Zun put the mooncake back into the box: "Let's go take a look."

He strode out of the corrugated steel shed, then looked back at the box of mooncakes, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes.

Below the platform, Zhang Hanlin was having several peasant women try using fire tongs to exchange coal.

"Yes, that's it. The new coal is aimed at the fire hole below, and then the fire can be controlled with the fire gate." His loud voice was particularly clear in the autumn wind.

Zhao Zun walked to the convoy of three-wheeled vehicles, picked up a piece of salt ore, and examined it from all angles. He didn't know how to check the salt content, but he trusted Han Lei.

Now that Cangzhou can produce its own salt, if it can also produce the refractory bricks that Han Lei mentioned, Cangzhou's development will be even faster...