I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 62 Cooperation
Tang Zhao sat in front of the stove for a long time before the shivering stopped. She let out a long sigh and nodded at Xia Mo.

Xia Mo understood, and together with Qiu Yu, they carried a small half-jar of soybeans that had been roasted at high temperature in advance, poured them into the stone mortar, and started pounding them with a stone pestle.

Gu Ci: "Why is that?"

Tang Zhao explained, "Grinding the soybeans into powder will make it easier to produce oil later."

Gu Ci nodded, watching without blinking.

Qiuyu and Xiamo took turns working, but the results were minimal. Gu Ci glanced at the sky and was about to do it himself when Dongmei hurried over, grabbed the pestle and started pounding.

She finished the work in less than an incense stick of time.

Born with supernatural powers, Gu Ci glanced at Tang Zhao who was calmly drinking tea. The General Protector's Mansion was indeed full of hidden talents, and even the maids had their own strengths.

In late summer and autumn, wrap the pounded soybean powder with gauze, spread it into a cake shape, fix it with a hollow wooden ring, and then place it under the oil press.

Dongmei put down the stone pestle, walked to the side of the wooden pole and pressed hard. The part tied to the stone cake lifted up high. She loosened her hand and the heavy stone cake hit the oil cake with a bang.

boom! boom! boom!
Oil was dripping from the pancake.

As Dongmei's movements became faster, the frequency of the stone cakes falling became higher and higher, and the oil squeezed out of the oil cakes flowed into the porcelain jar like a small stream of water.

Gu Ci's eyes lit up slightly.

Dongmei stopped and moved the porcelain jar to the stove. Xiamo scooped a large spoonful of soybean oil into the pot.

Sizzle! The soybean oil heats up immediately when it meets the fire, and the aroma of soybean oil mixed with a slight fishy smell instantly fills the kitchen.

Seeing Gu Ci looking over, Tang Zhao took the initiative to explain, "It's freshly squeezed, so the beany smell is a bit strong. Just add some ginger and star anise to season it."

Gu Ci frowned. Ordinary people couldn't afford ginger. For example, in the army, they could only eat it once or twice a month.

Thinking of the poverty in the northwest, Tang Zhao sighed, "Time is too tight today. The soybeans were not cooked long enough or with the right heat. If they were cooked more thoroughly, there wouldn't be any beany smell."

Gu Ci's brows relaxed slightly.

Sure enough, after adding ginger, star anise and scallions, the bean smell was quickly covered up, leaving only the bean fragrance.

Xia Mo threw the cut tofu into the pot, and in a moment a plate of fried tofu was ready.

Qiuyu brought over two pairs of chopsticks.

"Try it," Tang Zhao took the first piece and tears fell instantly.

She finally started eating soybean oil again. She had been eating lard for more than a year and was almost choked out.

It's not that she is picky, but Dayu's oil-making process is too crude, and the meaty smell is too strong. If you don't use enough seasonings such as soy sauce and salt to suppress the smell, the taste will be no different from eating raw pork.

I just regret that she is a pure southwestern person, but she doesn’t like oily and spicy food.

I have to say, this is indeed a torture.

If it weren't for Xia Mo's superb cooking skills and the fact that she had processed the meat oil in advance to greatly remove the greasy smell, she would have starved to death long ago.

Gu Ci chewed the food slowly and tasted it carefully, confirming that the soybean oil was as effective as animal oil, and the taste was even better. The light in his eyes became brighter.

When he turned around and was about to speak, he saw a tear running down the woman's fair face.

Gu Ci felt a little flustered. He asked in a deep voice, "What's wrong?"

Could it be that she was bothered by the fact that he was too reckless in hugging her?
Tang Zhao sobbed, "It's so delicious."

Gu Ci:.
He overestimated her.

"Fry two more dishes, I want sweet and sour pork and fried chicken!"

Xia Mo: Okay!

Gu Ci twitched his lips. Seeing that the person was standing by the pot and refused to leave, he hesitated for a moment, reached out and grabbed the woman's sleeve, and dragged her away.

Tang Zhao looked back every few steps, his face full of reluctance.

Even as he sat in front of the stove, Gu Ci still didn't understand why he had to act so reluctant to leave after such a short walk. However, after the sweet and sour pork was cooked, Gu Ci understood.

Yes, it smells quite good.

The two looked at each other and decided tacitly: Let’s talk after we have supper!
The two of them were very satisfied with the sweet and sour sweet and sour pork, fragrant fried chicken, and a few side dishes. They each held a bowl of hawthorn soup and sat by the stove to digest the food while chatting.

Gu Ci asked directly: "What are your plans?"

Tang Zhao said bluntly: "Sell!"

"How to sell?"

"Starting from the northwest, spread to the east and south, especially Luoyang and Jiangnan. These two pieces of fat meat must not be let go!" Tang Zhao clenched his fist.

Gu Ci lowered his eyes, "The oil pressing business has always been controlled by the aristocratic families. The emergence of soybean oil is bound to shake the interests of the aristocratic families."

"I have no ability, who can I blame?" Tang Zhao said disdainfully, "Come if you want, do I think I'm afraid of them?"

"It's still uncertain who will win by then!"

After Tang Zhao finished speaking harshly, he smiled awkwardly under Gu Ci's cold gaze and said flatteringly, "Don't I have my husband's support?"

She negotiated, "As long as my husband can convince my father, from now on, the soybean oil for the 300,000 soldiers of the Northwest Army will be provided." She patted her chest and said, "I'll take care of it!"

Gu Ci raised his eyebrows, "Are you serious?"

"My word is as good as gold!" Tang Zhao swore on the wealth of his rest of life.

Gu Ci believed her.

"In that case, I will go to the military camp tomorrow to discuss this matter with my father," Gu Ci planned. "I will also ask your maid to squeeze out some soybean oil, and I will bring it to the military camp."

"Okay!" Tang Zhao agreed readily, waved his hand, and Dongmei and the others immediately got busy.

Gu Ci felt he needed to ask a few more questions, "How much do you plan to sell it for per pound?"

Tang Zhao stretched out ten fingers.

"Ten cents a pound."

Gu Ci's heart skipped a beat. At this price, even the poorest people could afford it if they gritted their teeth.

"It's true that I love money, but if I ask myself honestly, I still have some conscience," Tang Zhao smiled slightly. "You can't make enough money, but the people can't live without oil."

If people don't eat oil for a long time, they will die. It's true that she is Zhou Paopi, but compared with those black-hearted wealthy families, she can win the Nobel Prize for Kindness Businessman!

Gu Ci's heart began to beat rapidly, and it took a while for it to return to normal. He avoided the woman's autumn-water eyes and promised, "I will definitely help you."

"Then," Tang Zhao extended his hand, "Happy cooperation!"

Gu Ci stared at the jade-white hand for a long time before reaching out to touch it, and immediately pulled his hand away as if it was on fire.

Tang Zhao blinked, his eyes falling on the tip of the man's ear which was red, "Gu Ci, you..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the man suddenly stood up, scaring Tang Zhao.

Gu Ci threw the cloak and outer garment on Tang Zhao, wrapped him up in a few seconds, skillfully held him in his arms, and strode out of the kitchen.

Qiuyu Xiamo hurried out, only to see the figure of the son-in-law stepping over the courtyard wall and disappearing in a moment.

The two looked at each other, but Dongmei was much calmer and continued to pound the soybeans.

The familiar feeling of weightlessness came over her again, and the arm around her waist still held Tang Zhao's waist tightly like an iron arm, causing her pain.

Practice makes perfect. Tang Zhao calmly grabbed the man's broad shoulders for support, turned his head stubbornly to reveal a pair of eyes, and curiously felt the legendary skill of flying over eaves and walls.

It's like taking a cable car.

Zhao Zhao: Get a new experience today!

(End of this chapter)