Chapter 1500 You kid didn't do it on purpose, did you?
The emperor really wanted to know more about Zhao Chen.
Princess Qinghe brought vegetables to herself, which made the emperor suddenly realize that he didn't seem to understand Zhao Chen as well as he thought.
At least the emperor felt that he didn't even have a clue about Zhao Chen's ability to grow vegetables in winter.
He had to go to Zhao Chen's house to see more.
When the emperor arrived, Zhao Chen was rushing into his kitchen.
We are about to leave for the border frontline, and there are still some things that need to be prepared.
For example, the problem of soldiers' rations.
If he were leading the army, he would definitely not spare Goguryeo lightly. It was inevitable that the Tang army would invade Goguryeo.
But conquering Goguryeo was not an easy task.
On the march, they will encounter various possible risks.
The most serious and urgent issue is the problem of food for soldiers.
Marching long distances and going deep behind enemy lines puts great pressure on logistical supplies. If we rely on logistics for everything, it will be unsafe and delay the army's time.
Zhao Chen then thought of frying flour.
The so-called fried flour, you can understand from the literal meaning, is to grind grain into powder, then fry it and carry it with you.
If you need to eat it, just mix it with hot water and eat it.
For soldiers, it is the food that can best ensure the energy needed by the body.
Zhao Chen originally wanted to get some cans, but the cans needed to be sealed, and there was simply not enough iron cans to produce in a short period of time.
Grind the beans into powder and fry them in an iron pot until they are cooked, and you will smell a faint aroma.
Unfortunately, there was no corn in the Tang Dynasty, and Zhao Chen had no time to let people plant it.
Otherwise it might taste better.
"Boy Chen, you are a king of Han, why are you always in the kitchen when you have nothing to do?" The emperor came to Zhao Chen's house.
When he learned that Zhao Chen was in the kitchen, he also came over.
Even before the people arrived, the complaints were already coming.
The emperor put down his chopsticks and scolded the cook in a typical manner. When he asked Zhao Chen to cook for him before, he never used such righteous words.
Zhao Chen heard the emperor's voice but did not respond to him.
He also knew that the emperor would definitely come in.
I also need the emperor to ask people to start frying flour for the army. Otherwise, if I just fry it myself, I'd better just forget about it.
"Why don't you talk to me?" The emperor walked into the kitchen and saw that Zhao Chen was still doing the work in his hands with his head down, and his tone could not help but be a little unhappy.
I suddenly smelled the faint fragrance of beans in the air.
"What does it smell like? It smells so good!" The emperor sniffed and felt that it was a fragrance he had never smelled before.
"Would you like to try it?" Zhao Chen looked at the emperor and pointed at the fried flour in the pot.
Indicated to the emperor to have a taste.
The emperor took a look at the fried flour in the pot. Although his nose smelled the aroma of fried flour, the appearance of the fried flour did make people feel ordinary.
"This is fried flour, I made it newly." Zhao Chen filled a small bowl for the emperor and handed it to him.
The emperor wanted to refuse Zhao Chen's bowl of fried flour, but thinking that he would have something to ask Zhao Chen for in the future, he took the bowl handed over by Zhao Chen.
I took a spoon, took a small spoonful and put it into my mouth.
After chewing it for a few times, although it has a slight fragrance, it is really difficult to chew in my mouth.
Moreover, the fried flour has no taste and is really hard to swallow.
"It smells quite fragrant, but the smell of the fried flour is really ordinary, dry and tasteless. How come your boy's skills have changed so much..." The emperor did not finish his words and put the bowl on the stove.
He felt that Zhao Chen was deliberately trying to trick him.
Otherwise, why would he give himself something so unpalatable?
"You add some salt, rinse it with hot water, stir it and it's ready to eat."
"I just let you taste it, I didn't let you eat it dry. You chewed it raw yourself, so who's to blame!" Zhao Chen said with a smile, then found a bowl of boiling water and poured it into the bowl that the emperor just had.
"Try it again!" Zhao Chen said to the emperor.
"You didn't do it on purpose, did you?" The emperor glanced at Zhao Chen suspiciously, but consciously picked up the bowl he had just put down.
I tasted it cautiously.
Not to mention adding hot water and salt, the taste is the same as before but not the same.
Although it is not as good as the delicacies of mountains and seas, it can still be swallowed.
"Well, it's not bad, much better than before."
"But you kid, why are you doing this? With your level, you shouldn't be able to make something so unpalatable." The emperor took a few bites, but still had no urge to feast.
Then he put the bowl down and asked Zhao Chen curiously.
"Although the food is unpalatable, it can save your life."
"Save your life?" The emperor looked at Zhao Chen with a puzzled look.
"This is prepared for marching soldiers. Although the fried flour is more unpalatable, it can guarantee that it will not go bad for several months."
"On the march, the logistics supplies could not keep up at all, so fried flour could be used as the soldiers' rations."
"In this way, if the soldiers go deep behind enemy lines, they don't have to worry about logistics." Zhao Chen explained to the emperor.
"Is there such a good thing?" A look of surprise flashed across the emperor's face.
When he used to lead an army on an expedition, what he feared most was the lack of supplies for the soldiers.
This also limited Li Shimin's ambition to expand his territory.
Imagine chasing the enemy for three thousand miles with great difficulty, only to be forced to evacuate because there was no food. How could you think of doing such a thing after doing this several times?
"When Yang Guang led his army to the north to conquer Goguryeo, it was also because of insufficient supplies and supplies that he finally returned with a huge defeat."
"If only he had this fried flour back then..." the emperor sighed with a sigh.
If Yang Guang had not defeated Goguryeo, perhaps the Sui Dynasty would not have collapsed.
He, Li Shimin, would not have the status he has today.
But now that Zhao Chen has created this thing, it obviously must be assembled into the Tang army.
"Boy Chen, when you make this fried flour, you don't really want to send troops to capture Goguryeo as soon as you reach the front line, right?" The emperor suddenly realized the real reason why Zhao Chen made this fried flour.
Go deep alone.
Is this guy planning to lead the Tang army directly into Goguryeo's territory?
Otherwise, why prepare so many rations for soldiers?
"Didn't we agree before?" Zhao Chen looked at the emperor and said lightly.
The emperor said nothing, knowing that he could not persuade Zhao Chen to return.
And in fact, he also hoped in his heart that Zhao Chen would capture Goguryeo and capture Yuan to Su Wen.
In this way, Zhao Chen's position as Prince of the Tang Dynasty will be justified.
As an emperor, he can be considered a successor.
"Okay, since you have this intention, of course I will support you."
"Write this method of frying flour to me, and I will ask the Ministry of War to do it immediately. Before you leave Chang'an, I will prepare two months of fried flour for you." The emperor said to Zhao Chen firmly.
With adequate preparations and Zhao Chen's own ability, the emperor believed that he could not only win Goguryeo for the Tang Dynasty, but also Yuengai Suwen.
"By the way, there is an extra thing added to your method of making fried flour." Zhao Chen wrote the method to the emperor and said one more thing to him.
"What?" The emperor was a little confused and asked Zhao Chen.