fake gentry

In modern times, Ge Hong would definitely be considered a tech fanatic.

Hearing that Xie Hong knew how to make ice with saltpeter, he had no interest in making saltpeter or refining pills, and directly followed Xie Hong to Taoping again.

By the time they finished their journey, it was nearly noon.

Upon approaching Taoping, Ge Hong immediately spotted Xi's retinue and tents, and turned to Xie Hong, asking, "Who is here?"

Xie Hong smiled and said that Xi Zhong of the Xi family of Gaoping had come here with his niece while traveling in Jiangzuo. Ge Hong nodded thoughtfully but did not ask any further questions.

He led Ge Hong to his cave dwelling and had him sit down. He then asked A Ling to boil water and brew tea. Just as the tea was served, a hearty laugh rang out from the cave entrance: "Feng Zhi, you left so early in the morning without saying goodbye to this old man. Why didn't you greet me when you returned? Seeing Ge..."

Xi Zhong entered the cave, and his eyes lit up as soon as he saw Ge Hong: "Ge Zhichuan of Danyang? I have long admired your name. Xi Zhong of Gaoping greets Lord Ge."

Ge Hong rose calmly and returned the greeting: "Ge Zhichuan greets Lord Xi. The Xi family is renowned in Jiangzuo, and I have long admired the great name of Lord Hui."

Ge Hong was devoted to alchemy and writing books, and lived a relatively poor life. However, he was obviously used to grand occasions and did not feel that the Xi family's social status was unapproachable. After exchanging pleasantries and taking their seats, A Ling served Xi Zhong tea.

Xi Zhong seemed very interested in alchemy and immortality cultivation. As soon as he sat down, he asked about alchemy techniques. Ge Hong answered him one by one, his words concise, neither deliberately concealing anything nor showing off.

"Lord Ge's words have enlightened me greatly."

Xi Zhong nodded repeatedly as he listened, his opinion of Xie Hong rising even higher.

He had long heard of Ge Hong's name, but had never had the chance to meet him.

In the circle of famous scholars in the early Eastern Jin Dynasty, Ge Hong was undoubtedly a prominent figure.

Born into a Jiangnan aristocratic family, he did not distinguish between North and South. Although he was not famous for metaphysical discussions, he was appointed General Fubo at the age of twenty for his military achievements. At the age of thirty, he became famous in aristocratic circles for his scholarship and was further appointed Marquis of Guannei. Even Wang Dao vied to recruit him.

Xi Zhongneng could sense that Ge Hong respected Xie Hong, treating him as an equal.

A sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy who can be treated this way by a renowned scholar must be no ordinary talent.

Xie Hong was unaware of Xi Zhong's inner thoughts. He sat with him for a while before getting up to apologize and leave, leaving A Ling to serve him.

He chose a shady spot in the cave, called over Li and Aheng and gave them some instructions. Soon, Li and Aheng brought over several pots and jars.

He then had Liu Chong bring over two large earthenware urns and instructed him to fill them with water.

These pottery pieces were all newly fired by the Dong family; they are smooth and thick.

"Brother, Heng, you two go outside and keep watch. No one is allowed to come near."

Ah Heng was very obedient, but Liu Chong looked unwilling and grumbled as he walked out.

"Ms. Li, remember this well: both the soap-making method and the ice-making method you're about to see are closely guarded secrets, and you alone will be in charge of mastering them from now on."

Li stood to one side, wiping her hands nervously again and again.

She didn't ask Xie Hong why he would teach her such an important secret technique, but simply said in a calm voice, "My lord, please rest assured, I will keep it a secret."

Xie Hong nodded, and then began to pour saltpeter into the large earthenware pot.

The earthenware jar was about two feet in diameter and one and a half feet deep. Two-thirds of it was filled with water and stirred with a wooden stick to make a saturated solution. The same steps were repeated with an earthenware pot one and a half feet in diameter and an earthenware jar one foot in diameter.

This is the layered cooling technology that ensures successful ice making.

"Watch closely."

Xie Hong then filled a half-foot-sized earthenware jar with more than half a jar of clean spring water and placed it into the middle earthenware jar. This earthenware jar was thinner than ordinary earthenware jars, with walls only half a fen thick, which allowed it to conduct heat more quickly.

With three layers of temperature difference transferring between them, ice can be made in about two hours, without having to wait overnight.

Finally, Xie Hong covered the mouth of the jar with layers of clean kudzu cloth, and then covered the large urn with a cotton quilt.

Although the textile industry in the Eastern Jin Dynasty mainly produced silk and hemp, it also produced cotton.

The "Rental and Tax System of the Southern Dynasties" records that cotton was already included in the taxes at that time, indicating that cotton was an essential commodity collected by the imperial court.

There are also clear records in official history that two emperors of the Jin Dynasty were smothered to death by cotton quilts.

At this time, the cotton was the kapok planted in Lingnan, which was woven into cotton cloth and imported to Jiangzuo. It was called white folded cloth, and the clothes made from it were called cotton fur coats. Even the top gentry did not wear them often.

Nowadays, only royalty and elite families can afford cotton cloth and quilts.

This thing was a truly precious luxury item. Even in the Tang Dynasty, hundreds of years later, a piece of white folded cloth cost as much as 10,000 coins, while a piece of silk cost only 1,000 coins.

It was purely by chance that Xie Hong was able to have a cotton quilt.

The profits from honey were incredibly high. Although Dong Xuan was just a village magistrate, he happened to know the magistrate of Chaisang County named Tao Mao.

Tao Mao's father, Tao Kan, was the governor of Jiaozhou and Guangzhou, so obtaining cotton cloth and quilts was effortless for him.

Dong Xuan had long regarded Xie Hong as a celestial being, so he would try to curry favor with him by getting anything that matched Xie Hong's status, especially since he was spending Xie Hong's money.

He had obtained the cotton quilt from Tao Mao in exchange for honey, and he treasured it so much that he brought it up the mountain.

Would Dong Xuan worry that Xie Hong would blame him for spending too much money?

Absolutely not.

Judging from his behavior when he first met Xie Langjun, he didn't want the jade pendant worth 500,000 coins. I ask you, which gentleman in Jiangzuo is so extravagant?

Xie Hong didn't appreciate the good stuff, but Li Shi felt a pang of heartache.

She knew about cotton quilts, but had never seen one. Before the escape, her master was only a third-class nobleman and could not afford cotton quilts at all.

This cotton quilt costs at least 50,000 coins, and even if you had the money, you couldn't buy it. Yet the young man used it to wrap a pottery urn without batting an eye, as if it were a tattered piece of cloth.

Little did she know that Xie Hong came from the modern era 1,700 years in the future, where cotton quilts were practically obsolete and only old women in rural areas used them when they slept.

After doing all this, Xie Hong pointed to the large cauldron and said, "The method of making ice is not difficult, but you must remember the steps well. You can't make a mistake in any of them. After you learn it, you will be the one to make it. After you successfully make ice, remember not to pour out the water in the cauldron. You can reuse it after boiling it dry."

Suddenly, Li knelt down before Xie Hong, kowtowing deeply, her voice trembling slightly: "I swear, if a single word of either the soap-making method or the ice-making method comes out of my mouth, may I be slain by a thousand blades."

Xie Hong reached out and helped her up, without saying anything like "it's not that serious."

In this era, knowledge is life itself.

This secret method is a precious treasure that every aristocratic family would never divulge.

It can even be considered the very foundation of the clan.

Xie Hong secretly taught her the secret technique in private, away from everyone else, and she knew very well what that meant.

From then on, she would be the most trusted maidservant by her husband's side. In the future, as her husband's fame spread throughout the land, her status would naturally rise as well. Her son was also given a name by her husband, which destined him to have an excellent future.

Even for the sake of her son, she remained loyal to Xie Hong.

Xie Hong observed the large urn for a while; fine water droplets had already condensed on its walls.

All that's left is to leave it to time and wait.

Xie Hong stood up, clapped his hands, and laughed, "It should be ready by evening. Go get something to eat now; Ge Zhichuan and I haven't eaten anything yet."