CHAPTER 241: CHAPTER 236 STANDING UP FOR JUSTICE

"Do you believe me if I say this was a coincidence?"

At that time, the Wushan blast furnace was busy refining iron and steel. Although Zhao Hanzhang had sent supplies there, it was still very scarce because it was previously an uninhabited wilderness.

The most they ate every day was various coarse grains, with little meat, mostly stewed. Apart from some pickled vegetables, the only vegetable was bean sprouts.

Due to a labor shortage and a lack of skilled cooks, no one bothered to make cold bean sprout salad. They would just grab a handful, throw it into boiling water, add some soybean oil, a pinch of salt, and then it was ready to eat.

After a few days there, Zhao Hanzhang started looking pale.

So, seeing someone making a knife, she couldn’t help but remark, "If only we had an iron pan, cooking would be much faster."

Fu Tinghan immediately had a pan made for her.

Heavens can witness, she really just mentioned it casually at the time. It really was a coincidence.

But since it was made, it wouldn’t be right not to use it. So she happily accepted the pan.

Zhao Hanzhang tried her best to sincerely look back at Zhao Ming. Before she could become more sincere, Zhao Ming nodded, "I believe you."

Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes brightened, just about to speak, when Zhao Ming asked, "I once told you that iron pans are too extravagant. Now Xiping County is in disarray, and if the County Lord indulges in extravagance, her subjects will surely suffer. Why have you made ten pans? And even sent one to my house."

Zhao Hanzhang replied, "That’s my filial piety towards Fifth Uncle."

Zhao Ming nodded, "And the remaining nine? You don’t use them yourself but put them in the Treasure Pavilion for sale, and at such a high price. What are your intentions?"

Zhao Hanzhang gave Zhao Ming an approving look, "Uncle, you’re quite perceptive. Indeed, I have other purposes."

She asked, "Don’t you think dishes made with an iron pan have a unique flavor?"

Zhao Ming humbly asked, "So?"

"There are always those who can’t resist the allure of delicious food. I don’t mind making money off them, and more importantly," Zhao Hanzhang said, "I want soybean oil’s benefits to become widely known."

Zhao Ming was puzzled, "Soybean oil?"

"Yes," Zhao Hanzhang was filled with grievances, feeling that the biggest contribution she and Fu Tinghan had made so far to this era wasn’t colored soap but the redevelopment of soybean products.

Especially soybean oil.

But the gentry of this era don’t appreciate it at all; they even secretly spread word that soybean oil is something lowly and refuse to eat it.

When it’s taboo at the top, the bottom will certainly avoid it.

Of course, commoners don’t avoid eating soybean oil because they think it’s lowly, but because when they see landlords refusing to eat it and being so disdainful, rumors have spread that soybean oil is bad for health. Though it’s tasty initially, eating too much will cloud the mind and lead to mysterious death in sleep.

Well, that’s a relatively credible rumor. There are absurd ones, like eating soybean oil leads to infertility, blindness, or poisoning...

With no other options, Zhao Hanzhang had to find a roundabout way. With the iron pan, she introduced many new dishes for free, all cooked with soybean oil.

As long as one wealthy family starts using soybean oil, it will slowly spread, and eventually, they will accept it.

Once they do, common people will naturally accept it too.

Actually, if she wasn’t worried about the bad influence and being too extravagant affecting the vibe of Xiping County, she wouldn’t mind keeping an iron pan at home and trying new dishes every day for every meal.

Zhao Hanzhang was still tempted by the idea, so she asked Zhao Ming, "Uncle, what do you think of me single-handedly driving the consumption of soybean oil in Xiping County?"

Zhao Ming glanced at her and said, "I’m afraid your current reputation isn’t enough to accomplish this."

Zhao Hanzhang sighed, "Yes, that’s why I put the iron pan in the Treasure Pavilion without keeping any."

Choosing the lesser of two evils, she had to make a difficult decision.

"Since your aim is to promote soybean oil, why set such a high price for the iron pan?"

"It’s just hard to swallow for now; ironware is rare. Moreover," Zhao Hanzhang said, "The primary focus for Xiping County right now is making farming tools to prepare for next year’s spring plowing. Promoting soybean oil is important but comes after spring plowing, so iron blocks are prioritized for farming tools, leaving only a few pans. Scarcity increases value; they can buy if they want or not."

Zhao Ming, now enlightened, felt cheerful.

Fu Tinghan, watching snow by the window, looked at them in confusion, not understanding why they stood in the snow talking, as the umbrellas over their heads had accumulated quite a bit of snow.

Seeing they had no intention of going inside, he knocked on the window frame.

Zhao Hanzhang and Zhao Ming turned to look, seeing Fu Tinghan wrapping his hands and standing by the window, looking at them with a puzzled expression, "Aren’t you cold?"

Zhao Hanzhang then remembered and quickly invited Zhao Ming inside.

The county government’s backyard was different from the old house and even more different from Zhao Ming’s house, as it barely had any seating mats but only tables and chairs.

Oh, there was a wooden couch by the window, but that was clearly Fu Tinghan’s usual place for reclining, and without the host’s invitation, Zhao Ming felt it wouldn’t be proper to sit there.

Zhao Hanzhang asked him to sit down.

Zhao Ming sat on the high chair somewhat awkwardly, "I don’t know where you get so many strange ideas from; everything you make is unexpected."

His gaze fell on Fu Tinghan, "Did you also make that iron pan?"

Fu Tinghan glanced at Zhao Hanzhang before saying, "It was made by a craftsman."

"Without your guidance, how could they think of making such a thing?"

This time, Fu Tinghan did not refute.

Zhao Ming was very curious about how the Fu Family taught this child, as everything he knew was just... so peculiar.

He lowered his eyes; colored glass, soybean oil, iron pans, and even soap and blue bricks, any of them brought out during peaceful times could be powerful tools for family wealth, not to mention the paper-making workshop they hadn’t yet reported...

Zhao Ming’s heart skipped a beat; he looked up at Fu Tinghan, "How confident are you about the paper-making?"

Zhao Hanzhang perked up immediately, "Eighty percent sure!"

Zhao Ming glanced at her, "I wasn’t asking you."

He persisted, looking at Fu Tinghan.

Fu Tinghan: "...Uncle Ming, the paper-making technique was thought up by Hanzhang."

Zhao Ming seemed skeptical, asking, "I remember you guys started fiddling with the paper workshop before winter; has there been no result yet?"

Fu Tinghan said, "The cold weather slows the fiber soaking process. I’ve recently mixed the right amount of lime water for washing, and soon we’ll try making the first sheet of paper."

Zhao Ming glanced at Zhao Hanzhang, feeling sorry for Fu Tinghan, as if to say with his eyes, see, you have the nerve to claim credit for this?

Zhao Hanzhang bowed her head in embarrassment, but when Zhao Ming wasn’t looking, she playfully winked at Fu Tinghan.

Fu Tinghan blushed slightly, awkwardly looking away.

Zhao Hanzhang was too busy to handle all these matters, so he had to keep an eye on more things. She’d written down all the steps she knew by heart, so for the remaining tasks, he would just deduce and test on his own. If the steps are the same, why bother taking up her energy?