Chapter 4

The bonfire was lit, casting a red glow on the faces of those gathered around. The men beside Yun Ye were Tang Dynasty militia soldiers, belonging to the Left Wuwei, but they were not combat troops; they were auxiliary troops responsible for transporting supplies such as food, weapons, and other provisions. The leader of these men was named Zhang Cheng, a squad leader who commanded fifty soldiers and several civilian laborers. Zhang Cheng was originally a simple farmer who worked the land during busy times and practiced martial arts during his free time. The martial spirit was prevalent among the sons of Guanzhong, and during the campaign to eliminate the rebel King Chang Le, he beheaded two enemies, accumulating enough merit to be promoted to squad leader. Due to the rebellion of Youliang, the security in Longyou deteriorated, and the Qiang people, without proper control, would occasionally attack the supply convoys. This was why Zhang Cheng was wary of Yun Ye.

These were good people, and Yun Ye knew this well. Seeing that Yun Ye was a bit cold, Zhang Cheng offered him his own clothes to change into. At fourteen, Yun Ye looked comical in Zhang Cheng's clothes. The two women in the group took the clothes and, with needle and thread, altered them to fit Yun Ye better. They were on their way to Black Wind Pass to see their husbands, Zhang Cheng quietly told Yun Ye, winking and saying, "They'll come back when their bellies are big." After saying this, he playfully slapped Yun Ye, telling him not to ask about adult matters. Yun Ye looked aggrieved, saying, "I didn't ask, you told me." The two women giggled and handed Yun Ye a piece of white linen. Yun Ye looked at it from all angles, not understanding what it was for. "It's a loincloth, what are you staring at?" Zhang Cheng said, then tore off Yun Ye's old clothes, and amidst Yun Ye's cries and the laughter of the others, quickly wrapped the white cloth around Yun Ye's waist. Only then did Yun Ye understand that the two fat men who wrestled on the platform were wearing this. It was a simple thing, but it was learned from their ancestors.

Wangcai was also neighing, clearly laughing. Yun Ye, angry, slapped him. He took out some smoked lamb from his backpack, which he had been saving, skewered it on a stick, and roasted it over the fire. Soon, the fat began to drip, sizzling, and the sound of people swallowing their saliva filled the air. Feeling satisfied, Yun Ye asked Zhang Cheng to find a piece of wood, which he then shaved into thin slices with a knife. He took the flatbreads from the others, cut them in half, and inserted the meat slices, creating a delicious meat sandwich. He handed it to Zhang Cheng, who held it with both hands, deeply inhaling the aroma, his face filled with bliss. Then, he composed himself and said, "Eat in two shifts, one group eats, then the other." He then passed the meat sandwich to the two women. They accepted it without hesitation and began to eat. Yun Ye smiled inwardly, understanding that Zhang Cheng was wary of the meat being poisoned. After making the second sandwich, he didn't hand it to Zhang Cheng. "Uncle Zhang, I'm starving, I'll eat first." He took a big bite, and the fat dripped from the corners of his mouth. Zhang Cheng's face turned red, but it was too dark to see clearly. He slapped Yun Ye on the head. "You little rascal, you have quite a few tricks up your sleeve." He then took the knife and began slicing the lamb, showing his skill with the blade. In no time, a whole hind leg of the lamb was turned into a pile of meat slices. Zhang Cheng took a big bite of the meat sandwich, and Yun Ye even heard him moan in pleasure. Yun Ye couldn't help but shake his head and smile. This was what a meat sandwich should be. If he had prepared a few more dishes, Zhang Cheng would have been in heaven. "Hey!" he exclaimed after the first bite. He pulled out a piece of meat, licked it, and Yun Ye found it somewhat disgusting. "Salt, you little rascal, who puts this much salt in their food?" He was about to hit Yun Ye, who ran away, knowing that Zhang Cheng's big hand would hurt like a board. "It's just salt, there's plenty of it," Yun Ye said, then took out a small cloth bag from his backpack. Inside were four or five pounds of salt he had collected from several rock faces along the way. Zhang Cheng's eyes widened, and he snatched the bag, carefully opening it by the fire to examine the grayish-white powder inside. Yun Ye walked over and pushed him. "What's so special about salt?" "You little rascal, this is fine salt, and you dare to waste it like this." Zhang Cheng was furious, but seeing Yun Ye hiding behind the two women, he calmed down. "Little rascal, where did you get so much salt?" Yun Ye was puzzled, and the two women were also tense, holding his hand.

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"By the river, there's a salt mine, just dig it up."

"Nonsense, I know there's a salt mine by the river, but it's poisonous salt, you can't eat it. Eating that salt will give you diarrhea until you die, let alone turning your body purple. I'm talking about the salt in your bag, it's better than official salt, where did you get it?" Zhang Cheng's eyes were red, and he loudly questioned Yun Ye. Yun Ye admired the ancient people's spirit of experimentation, but eating salt with impurities like nitrate, phosphorus, and potassium was pure suicide. Eating nitrate might keep you going for a while, but eating too much phosphorus and potassium would turn your body purple. In the future, Yun Ye had seen people take calcium and iron supplements, but never nitrate, phosphorus, or potassium.

"Uncle Zhang, that salt mine can't be eaten as is. It needs to be crushed, dissolved, filtered, and crystallized. Only then is it fit for human consumption. It's like some herbs that are toxic but become non-toxic and medicinal after special processing. Everything in the world is prepared for human use. As long as you find the right and appropriate method, everything can be used. Making salt is just a small skill."

Zhang Cheng's eyes were full of circles, and Yun Ye knew his words had been in vain.

"So, you know how to extract edible salt from poisonous salt?" Not stupid, he could summarize and ask the key points without being confused.

"I told you, it's just a small skill," Yun Ye said, not wanting to trouble the honest man. He put on a wise demeanor.

In both his past and present life, people who could benefit others or bring them advantages were the easiest to integrate into a group and be accepted. Yun Ye's immediate goal was to join the Tang Dynasty family, obtain a household registration, and become a brick in the great feudal empire. After all, he would be a brick a thousand years later, so why not be one now?

Zhang Cheng's face was full of joy, and he opened his mouth to speak but then closed it, his face turning red, and he rubbed his hands nervously. He paced back and forth in front of Yun Ye like a donkey grinding grain. His low status constrained his enthusiasm to know the secret formula. He couldn't make any promises to Yun Ye, and the alchemy of turning waste into treasure involved too many interests, far beyond the scope of a small squad leader. Yun Ye was a disciple of a hermit, and even showing a small part of his knowledge had amazed people. If he revealed everything, how much more knowledge would he have?

"I am just a warrior, not worthy to know the secret formula. I beg you to have mercy on our hardships and allow me to report this to the captain. You will surely receive commendation from the court, and your good deeds will be known throughout the land."

"Uncle Zhang, what does the salt you eat look like?"

Zhang Cheng carefully took out a cloth bag from his chest, opened it layer by layer, and a walnut-sized yellowish-brown crystal appeared. Yun Ye tasted it and, besides the saltiness, it had various strange flavors that almost made him feel like he was in heaven. He took out his water gourd and rinsed his mouth several times before the strange taste faded.

"Is this salt? This is poison," he said, throwing it away. As soon as it left his hand, Zhang Cheng, who had been eyeing the salt block, quickly snatched it back, wrapped it in cloth, and put it back in his chest. His eyes were sad, and he smiled bitterly, pointing to the people around them who were listening to their conversation.

"Master, do you think everyone is like you, born in luxury, hands never touching water, and only caring about studies? Even in hardship, you have your ancestors' methods to survive and live comfortably. Looking at you, with your talent and intelligence, and your understanding of human nature, in a few years, luxury will be as natural to you as your own skin, and no one can take it away. That's fate! We are different. Our parents only taught us to dig for food from the earth, nothing else. The salt block you threw away is what I received as a reward for killing two rebels. Ask them, how many have seen a large salt block?" The men around them shook their heads, and the two women lowered their heads in embarrassment.

"Isn't it already the Zhenguan era? Why are things still so hard?"

"Master, you don't know. The world has just found peace. Without war, we can barely survive on wild vegetables and grains. In the past few years, salt was expensive, but we could occasionally get a few ounces. But in recent years, the Turks have invaded every year, burning, killing, and looting. The trade routes are cut off, and salt from Shandong can't be transported in. The salt pools on the grasslands can't be mined. Our Left Wuwei has been stationed in Longyou for three years, fighting every year. The army lacks salt and uses vinegar as a substitute. The soldiers' health has deteriorated year by year. The general knows that the Turks are returning to the grasslands from Yan川, but the soldiers are too weak to pursue them. He is so angry that he broke his precious sword and swore to eliminate the Turks completely. If you can use your skills to provide the army with salt, once we are well-rested and strong, eliminating the Turks will be no problem."

Ignoring Zhang Cheng's persuasive words, Yun Ye thought about the method. He had to explain it, but to whom and how was a big question. Zhang Cheng's superior's superior was Cheng Chumu, the eldest son of the famous warlord Cheng Yaojin, the current commander of Lanzhou. He was a typical second-generation official, known for his bravery and loyalty, and had been fighting alongside his father since he was eighteen. Through him, presenting the method of making salt could be a shortcut. More importantly, it was said that the old Cheng lived over a hundred years, a pillar of the Tang Dynasty. Regardless, it was better to have a powerful ally.

He stood up, bowed respectfully to Zhang Cheng and the others, and said, "Your words are more valuable than ten years of study. I will remember Uncle Zhang's teachings and never forget them." It wasn't just empty flattery; he truly respected them. Ignoring the part about the general's oath, the rest of what Zhang Cheng said shocked him. The Zhenguan era was not as prosperous as he had imagined. War, famine, and hardship were everywhere. Zhang Cheng and his men's requirements were so low; they just wanted peace and enough food to survive, willing to risk their lives for it. What right did someone like him, who could criticize while enjoying the benefits, have to act superior? Master? What a joke!

The men around him stepped aside, and Zhang Cheng waved his hands like a windmill. "We are just commoners, what can we teach you? We were just talking nonsense. You are a man of great talent, destined for high office. It is a great honor to be in your company."

It seemed that scholars put a lot of pressure on them. According to historical records, scholars in the early Tang Dynasty made up only one or two percent of the population. Knowledge was a luxury that commoners could not afford, controlled by the aristocracy. In this largely uneducated era, those who possessed knowledge had a higher social status, and ordinary people who yearned for knowledge voluntarily elevated their status. This was evident in how Zhang Cheng addressed Yun Ye, from "little boy" to "young master," as his respect for Yun Ye grew. High office? They really dared to dream. Yun Ye chuckled inwardly. Were there any generals or ministers who couldn't read? The Zhenguan era was a time of great talent, and as a novice in politics, encountering figures like Emperor Taizong, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Changsun Wuji would be a death sentence. Merchants? In a feudal dynasty, being rich was not a blessing but a fat pig waiting to be slaughtered.