Diqin Designer

Chapter 70 Alchemists and Chemistry

The reason why Li Nian thought of sending this bamboo slip was also because of tofu, and it was also related to Liu An, King of Huainan.

In addition to the rumor about making tofu for his mother, there is another saying that when Liu An was refining elixirs with other alchemists, he accidentally discovered that certain products used in alchemy could solidify soy milk into tofu.

That’s right, this brother Liu An was not only a prince of the Han Dynasty who wanted to rebel against Emperor Wu, but he was also a guy who loved to make pills and cultivate immortality.

The saying “If one person attains enlightenment, his family and friends will all benefit from it” was passed down from him. He and his alchemists also left behind the famous “Huainanzi”!
When Li Nian searched the engine in her mind for how to make tofu, she also saw another version of the origin of tofu.

When he saw the word "alchemist", he suddenly thought that although this group of people could not refine the elixir of immortality and spent the whole day refining trivial things, they were still of some use.

Compared to most people of this era, alchemists are closer to chemistry.

After all, alchemists don't make elixirs randomly by just throwing a few things into the furnace and lighting it. They must at least have some understanding of the properties of the materials.

Know what changes this thing will undergo during the refining process, and what effect it will have after adding that thing.

The alchemist who practiced without any skills would have ascended to heaven long ago.

The changes and effects that the alchemists knew about the materials during the refining process had already touched the edge of chemistry, but they had not explored the secrets in depth, nor had they had the scientific concepts to summarize and conclude them, making it unsystematic.

Moreover, those who could become alchemists in this era were almost never poor or illiterate. How could poor people have the time and energy to make elixirs?
Among the famous scholars who took Wu Shi San in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, how many of them were illiterate and poor?
If these alchemists could be gathered together and guided by him, they would no longer practice blindly like a group of headless flies, harming others and themselves, and they might even make some contributions.

The alchemists must have been able to understand the chemical knowledge he was talking about more easily than other people of that time, which helped him spread chemistry in Qin.

Because they had experienced it more or less when they were refining elixirs.

However, this matter still needed the consent of the First Emperor. Thinking of the harm caused by the alchemists that he had told the First Emperor, the First Emperor was most likely accumulating a big move and waiting for an opportunity to kill all the alchemists in Xianyang.

So, Li Nian quickly wrote this on the bamboo slips and sent it over: The alchemists are still of great use to you and the Qin Dynasty, Boss, please spare their lives!
But Xu Fu, Lu Sheng and Hou Sheng could certainly not be saved. Being torn into pieces by Niu Niu was considered the lightest punishment for these three people. In all likelihood, they would be implicated and killed by the barbarians.

After reading Li Nian's two bamboo slips, Ying Zheng looked at the eunuch who came in to report, thought for a moment, and said, "Li Nian has made great contributions in making tofu. I will reward him with ten pieces of brocade, twenty pieces of silk, and ten South China Sea pearls... Also tell him that his request has been approved by me!"

The eunuch hurriedly took the order and left. Ying Zheng then looked at Meng Yi again and saw that Meng Yi had finished reading the bamboo slips. He asked, "Meng Yi, what do you think of what is written on it?"

Meng Yi's expression straightened, and he said, "I think the words in the bamboo slips are exactly what Li Nian said. They are the most sincere wishes of the old Qin people. For the Great Qin, it is a good thing, but it may also be a bad thing."

Although he knew what answer Meng Yi would give, Ying Zheng still asked: "Meng Yi, what do you think we should do?"

Meng Yi said: "I think we should meet the wishes written on the bamboo slips to a certain extent. After so many years of fighting, if they are still allowed to live the same life as before, they will naturally feel dissatisfied. Now, all the old Qin people hope to live a better life. If..."

Meng Yi did not continue, but Ying Zheng took the initiative to continue: "If we do not allow them to realize their plan, they will lose the support of the people, right? If even the old Qin people no longer believe in the Great Qin, who else in the world will believe in it? By then, even if the world does not rebel, there will be resentment. They will hate me and the Great Qin!"

When saying this, Ying Zheng's tone was flat, but everyone in the palace lowered their heads, including Meng Yi.

The king's majesty is unpredictable. Who knows if the king is truly calm at this moment, or is he using calmness to suppress his anger?

But Ying Zheng was not trying to suppress his anger with calmness. He was truly calm. He thought for a moment and asked, "Has Zhang Han left Xianyang?" Meng Yi said, "He hasn't left yet."

Ying Zheng said: "Summon him to the palace immediately!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ying Zheng rejected the order himself and replaced it with: "Don't rush to summon Zhang Han, summon Wang Wan, Feng Quji, Feng Jie, Li Si, Yao Jia, Wei Liao... to see you immediately."

Ying Zheng mentioned a series of names, all of whom were important figures in the Qin Dynasty and ministers who had made great contributions to the Qin Dynasty.

On the other side, in Liuying Palace, Li Nian was also eating tofu pudding. She rolled the tofu pudding in Wuyu sauce and put it into her mouth. Although it was not as delicious as eating it with spicy oil, it was rare in this era.

He specially made Wuyu sauce. As a Sichuanese, he was not used to food without spiciness. In this era when peppers were scarce, only Wuyu, a type of spicy cornel, could satisfy him.

While eating, Li Nian was thinking, "I remember a classic saying, 'Eating pickled vegetables and tofu is better than the emperor.' I will try to make some pickled vegetables and tofu someday."

In the past few days, in addition to trying to make his life better in Daqin, Li Nian has also been doing serious things. He is not just focusing on food as Ying Zheng said.

After finishing a dish of tofu pudding, Li Nian prepared to continue his work. His main job these days was to draw pictures of dragon robes, princes, concubines and ministers' costumes of later dynasties.

Because what Ying Zheng asked him to talk about next time was the etiquette of succession to the throne of later emperors and how the official system of the Qin Dynasty was reformed. It was obvious that he was saying: Li Nian, tell me how those later emperors did it, so that I can refer to it.

Originally, later emperors should have copied Qin Shi Huang, using his process of being titled emperor as a reference, deleting and subtracting some things, and adding some things that suited their own dynasty, and it would become theirs.

Now, on the contrary, the First Emperor copied them, and when he was called the Emperor, what he changed was not just the title, but also many aspects such as clothing, the country's name, etiquette, etc.

For things like dragon robes, it is difficult to make the First Emperor understand just by talking. The best way is of course to draw them and show them directly to the First Emperor.

Because of his experience in painting globes, Li Nian's painting skills are pretty good. He has already painted the dragon robes from the Song Dynasty.

Just then, a guard came in and reported: "Sir, the king has sent someone over, and they are already outside the palace!"

Li Nian realized that it must be because the First Emperor had eaten tofu pudding, and was replying to him because he suggested that the method of making tofu should be spread throughout the world. He quickly got up from the chair, straightened his clothes, and led Guo Dian and others out of the palace.

As soon as I left the palace, I saw a familiar-looking eunuch.

Seeing Li Nian coming out, the eunuch quickly bowed to Li Nian and said politely, "Sir, the king said that you have made great contributions in making tofu, so he specially rewarded you."

Then, the eunuch loudly announced: "Li Nian has made great contributions in making tofu, and is specially awarded ten pieces of brocade, twenty pieces of silk, and ten South China Sea pearls..."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward!"

After Li Nian thanked him and accepted the reward, the eunuch whispered to Li Nian, "Sir, the king has approved your request!"

　感谢“梦里长相思”大大2张月票、感谢“鱼几i”大大1张月票、感谢“不周圣君”大大1张月票、感谢“王宇明”大大1张月票、感谢“潇洒哥和黑大帅”1张月票

　　
　
(End of this chapter)