On the second day, Ye Laiyin came back from town, unloaded the ox cart, and returned to Xikuoyuan with a big ox paper bag. He Xiner and Wang Jinling were doing needlework with Wang in the main hall.
Of course, He Xiner also had a flower quilt in her hand and carefully traced a butterfly pattern with charcoal, but she didn't even embroider a butterfly's wings.
"I'm back."
When her father's voice sounded in the yard, He Xiner immediately jumped up from her stool and shouted excitedly, "Dad, have you bought it?"
"Why are you such a frizzy kid? Be careful and you may prick your hands."
"Sister Xin'er, what did you ask my second uncle to buy again?"
Hey, my little cousin said this very rudely~
That's all, I have business to do today, so I won't bother with my little ancestor.
"Hey, it's absolutely a good thing. I'll wait for Sister to do a trick for you."
Next, He Xiner's tricks surprised Ye Laiyin, Wang and Wang Jinling.
"Oh my God, this water is frozen!"
"Sister Xin'er is so amazing!"
"How did you do it, my dear daughter?"
Seeing the surprised expression on her father's eyes that was about to pop out of his head, He Xiner touched her nose guiltily and said with a smile, "This saltpeter can make ice. Someone discovered it a long time ago.
I read in a book that the nobles in the palace and their families would store ice cubes in ice kilns in the early days, so that they could be used to escape the heat in summer.
This saltpeter was originally a material for making fireworks and gunpowder, but it was discovered that when it melts in water, it can absorb the heat in the water and make the water freeze.
Therefore, those dignitaries no longer have to worry about storing ice in Bala in winter, and they all use this method to make ice in summer."
The little girl Wang Jinling listened with great interest, nodding her little head in admiration from time to time, and playing with the ice cubes with her little fingers.
Ye Laiyin and Wang were deeply shocked. Making ice in summer!
Unheard of, unseen!
"Hehe, hehe, that means we country people are illiterate and don't understand this method. In fact, this method has been circulated for many years."
Hearing this, Ye Laiyin nodded with difficulty, and then asked enthusiastically, "Every big family in the town buys ice during this season, so can't all the ice merchants use this method?"
Hey, why does she feel that her father has a heart that is ready to move~
"Although this method has been around for a long time, it is only limited to high-ranking officials, like the wealthy families in the town. The ice they buy should be stored in winter."
"Don't those merchants know this method?"
"I can't say for sure, but using this method to make ice requires a lot of saltpeter. Unless you have saltpeter at home, you won't be able to supply the amount."
He Xiner said it so clearly that Ye Laiyin could only give up the idea of selling ice.
Father has a shrewd business mind~
He Xiner snickered secretly.
In fact, what she did not say is that if you use saltpeter cubes to make ice, you only need to expose the used saltpeter to the sun. It can be used repeatedly, but it is not easy to find the saltpeter cubes.
The saltpeter that could be purchased was in the form of small white crystals, and she thought it would not be easy to use repeatedly.
In any case, the experiment of making ice with saltpeter was successful, which really made He Xiner very happy. Of course, there was also the little girl Wang Jinling. The two sisters were laughing and joking around a copper basin, as if they were carrying a big ingot.
Wang and Ye Laiyin also watched with great interest for a long time, until it was getting late and Wang was going to make lunch, and He Xiner calmed down a little.
"Wait until I make an ice basin and bring it to my mother's kitchen."
"No, it's too hot in the kitchen. If you put the ice basin in, it will melt in a while."
Ms. Wang was adamant that she did not want to use the ice basin, saying that she would only cook two simple cold dishes. As for the rice porridge and steamed buns, dry firewood was used and she did not need to guard the stove. She would stay in the shade of the backyard, just
Just keep an eye on the heat. This chapter has been completed!