From the fusion of Tongbei Quan to the Longevity Martial Saint

We arrived at the seafood cooking room.

Fang Lingsu dismissed everyone and ordered Guard Lin to personally stand guard outside, forbidding anyone from entering the area of ​​the cooking room without permission.

Fang Qing, on the other hand, asked Yang Zhi to lend him a hand.

After the three entered the cooking room, they closed all the doors and windows tightly.

We do not give outsiders any opportunity to spy.

Next, Fang Qing asked Uncle Yang to put the prepared soybeans into a bucket of water to soak.

When facing Li Zaotou, Yang Zhi trembled with fear.

This is not Yang Zhi's fault.

Even Li Zao Tou could arbitrarily beat and kill these low-level salt farmers as long as he had a legitimate reason.

After all, to the Fang family, these low-level salt producers were nothing more than names and numbers on a register.

If one name is missing, at most one more can be moved in from elsewhere.

Moreover, these salt farmers also had to have children, and the number of salt farmers' slaves they controlled continued to grow.

A high-ranking member of the Fang family like Fang Lingsu could wipe out an entire family of salt smugglers like Fang Qing and Yang Zhi with a single thought.

Under such pressure, Yang Zhi's mind went completely blank.

It wasn't until he had soaked the soybeans and then, following Fang Qing's instructions, took out a millstone and began grinding the soybeans into soy milk that he slightly came back to his senses.

"These soybeans seem to be ones that Qingzi asked me to buy for him a few days ago."

"Does making refined salt require the use of soy milk?"

However, Yang Zhi did not ask any further questions. He diligently followed Fang Qing's instructions and did a good job of grinding soybeans.

Fang Lingsu still held the ordinary-looking longsword, standing next to Pan Tie.

First, he watched as Fang Qing poured bucket after bucket of highly concentrated brine, which he had taken from the ash field, into the iron pan.

Although Fang Lingsu was a direct descendant of the Huizhou merchant Fang family, she was very knowledgeable about the production of salt.

At this moment, she saw that every step Fang Qing took was no different from what she usually knew about making salt.

Simply pour the highly concentrated brine into the iron pan, then light a fire underneath to start boiling.

The only difference was that Yang Zhi was constantly grinding soybeans next to him.

Is the production of refined salt related to soy milk?

Fang Lingsu frowned slightly, but still waited with great curiosity.

When Yang Zhi had finished grinding a whole bucket of soybeans, Fang Qing carried the bucket of soybeans directly to the boiling pan.

"The most crucial step in making refined salt is to pour soy milk into the brine."

As he spoke, Fang Qing scooped up a large wooden ladle full of soy milk and put it directly into the boiling brine in the iron pan, then began to stir.

As soon as the soy milk is added to the water, it immediately turns into a cotton-like flocculent substance under high temperature.

Since Fang Qing intended to cling to Fang Lingsu's coattails, he naturally wouldn't hold back.

"Don't underestimate the flocculent substance formed by this ladle of soy milk. The flocculent substance is like cotton, with many tiny pores inside. These pores can absorb all the bitter and astringent taste in this brine, leaving only a very simple salty taste."

In fact, Fang Qing had another layer to say.

Using soy milk to remove the bitter taste from braising liquid is a method that existed as early as the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Our ancestors discovered that soy milk could purify the color of salt and remove its bitterness.

The reason for this is that the bitter taste in seawater is mainly caused by substances such as magnesium salts and calcium salts.

Soy milk can form precipitates with magnesium and calcium salts, which can then form flocculent matter, and can be called the prototype of tofu.

In addition, when soy milk is heated to high temperatures, the protein denatures and forms a porous structure, increasing its surface area and allowing it to further absorb other substances from the salt brine.

Although the method of purifying salt from soybean milk did not achieve the same purity as modern salt production methods, it was considered the most effective method during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Fang Lingsu was still holding the sword, but somehow she had moved and arrived next to Pan Tie.

Normally, when firewood is burning under this iron pan, the area around the pan is extremely hot, making it almost impossible for Fang Lingsu to stand next to it amidst the heat, smoke, and flames.

At this moment, Fang Lingsu stared wide-eyed, afraid of missing any details of Fang Qing's extraction of refined salt.

So when she saw Fang Qing pour half a bucket of soy milk into the brine, as more and more flocculent matter formed in the soy milk at high temperature, a layer of yellowish foam formed on the surface of the brine, while the remaining brine became clearer and clearer.

After Fang Qing skimmed off all the flocculent foam from the surface of the soy milk with a wooden spoon, the entire braising liquid became very clear.

This caused a flicker of admiration to cross Fang Lingsu's beautiful eyes.

Standing at the other end of the iron plate, I looked up at Fang Qing through the boiling steam.

As the water vapor obstructed the view, Fang Qing's entire body deformed continuously as the vapor billowed.

Even so, it made Fang Lingsu take a serious look at Fang Qing for the first time.

Seeing Fang Lingsu looking him over, Fang Qing quickly put down the wooden spoon and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards Fang Lingsu.

"My real name is Fang Qing."

Fang Qing lowered his head as he spoke, his eyes fixed on the boiling brine in the pan, not daring to look directly at Fang Lingsu.

There was a significant class difference between the two, and if he looked at Fang Lingsu, he would likely be committing the crime of insubordination.

At this moment, Fang Lingsu saw that the brine in the iron pan was becoming clearer and clearer, and she was already seven or eight parts convinced that Fang Qing was truly capable of extracting refined salt in large quantities.

At that moment, she casually took out her personal waist tag from her waist, tossed it casually, and threw it at Fang Qing across the iron plate.

Fang Qing quickly reached out and took it.

At this moment, Fang Lingsu's slightly languid voice rang out:

"My name is on this name tag."

Fang Qing looked down and wondered what material the waist tag was made of.

One side is inscribed with the two clerical script characters "Ling Su".

On the other side is a pattern of a long sword.

"Tomorrow, take this waist token to the Fang family's accounting office and say that someone recommended you to come over so that your status as a slave can be removed from the Fang family."

"As for the Yang family, I have my own arrangements. As for the boxing academy, you will need to give me a few days. I will inform you once everything is arranged."

"I will practice my skills in the carriage outside. Once the refined salt is completely purified, inform me so I can give my final testimony."

Then Fang Lingsu waved her jade hand, and a golden light flashed.

Fang Qing reached out and caught a porcelain bottle in his hand.

"These are two high-grade Body Tempering Pills. Now that you have entered the Body Tempering Realm, using these pills will be beneficial, as they can protect your internal organs from damage during the tempering process."

"From now on, you can receive two Body Tempering Pills from me every month as your payment."

"In addition, you will receive thirty catties of spiritual meat every month. As long as I am still in charge of the Fang family, you will not be short of it."

After handing the waist token and the Body Tempering Pill to Fang Qing, Fang Lingsu turned and walked out the door.

Outside the door, Fang Lingsu's four-wheeled carriage had already been harnessed to horses from the saltworks and stopped at the entrance of their salt-boiling room.

Lin, the guard, personally led the carriage, while the remaining four guards lined up in a row, completely surrounding the entire cooking room, preventing anyone from approaching without permission.

Fang Lingsu could have moved into Li Zaotou's house, but she had long heard that Li Zaotou was extremely lecherous and that there were many women in his house, so she naturally disliked such a place.

In addition, she wanted to ensure that the formula for the refined salt would not be leaked, so she personally rested in the carriage and waited for Fang Qing to purify the refined salt.

After Fang Lingsu left the cooking room.

Fang Qing lowered his head and opened the small porcelain bottle in his hand, and saw two round pills about the size of peanuts inside.

A fragrant aroma wafted out.

[Superior Body Tempering Pill, increases stamina by +100 points, awaiting absorption...]

Fang Qing gasped in shock.

The highest stamina boost he had ever seen before was from the demon deer brisket that Li Zaotou ate, but it only boosted stamina by 25 points.

Now, Fang Lingsu can casually use a Body Tempering Pill to increase her stamina by 100 points?!

Sure enough, at Fang Lingsu's level, even a small amount of resources that she casually revealed would be enough for Fang Qing to pursue for a long time.

Fang Qing gripped the small porcelain bottle in her hand, her mind racing.

"I've completely offended Li the Kitchen God now. I can't rest easy until that guy is executed immediately!"

After confirming that no one else would enter, Fang Qing handed the wooden spoon directly to Yang Zhi.

"Uncle Yang, we might need your help to cover things up later."

……