Wife, Don't Be Like This!

Chapter 53 - Mother-in-law is Going to Rebel?

As soon as he entered the carriage, a fragrant breeze washed over him.

It was the natural body fragrance of his younger sister-in-law.

It was the scented sachet hanging from Luo Yuheng's waist.

It was Gu Banxia's mature aroma.

Inside the carriage, it was full of orioles and swallows.

Luo Tianxuan was afflicted with a contagious disease, so she naturally couldn't go to an occasion like the Qixi gathering. Luo Tianyang had clamored about wanting to go, but was punished by Luo Yuheng. He had to memorize a chapter of the Analects in these two days.

Seeing Luo Tianyang's despairing expression, one could tell that the pressure of reciting a chapter of the Analects was even greater for him than drinking three jin of fecal water while doing a handstand.

Luo Qingyi and Luo Caiyi also wanted to go, but were also confined at home by Luo Yuheng. Who knows who was so truly bored that they actually put chickens and rabbits in the same cage to count heads and feet for fun. The two little girls had to calculate how many 'Kun' and how many rabbits there were before their mother returned.

Luo Yuheng had clearly dressed up meticulously. The bra she had snatched from Gu Banxia the other day was naturally on. Her already exquisite and graceful figure appeared even more... hmm, confident and flamboyant.

Gu Banxia was the same. Not only the bra, but even the stockings she once said she would never wear even if she died were on her legs. Her curvaceous thighs looked rounded and slender.

Women, well, they all love beauty.

Even Luo Tianyi was the same. Seeing his younger sister-in-law today, Song Yan finally understood what the concept of 'even smaller than a steamed bun' really meant.

The carriage creaked and swayed. The curtain was rolled up. Outside, the willows swayed gently, and the waves of the Yi-Luo River lapped against the bank.

Luo Tianyi sat opposite him. Her hair, stirred by the gentle breeze, couldn't help but fly about, the tips brushing against her cheek, making it itch.

Occasionally, when the wind was a bit stronger, it would lift the hem of her skirt, and her small calves and feet, which were originally swinging gently, would be tucked back.

Amidst the relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, there was also a faint amorousness.

"Yan'er."

Luo Yuheng's voice broke the amorous atmosphere.

Looking up, Luo Yuheng's expression was a little solemn. In all the time he had been in the Luo Mansion, this was the first time he had seen such an expression on Luo Yuheng's face.

"Mother, is something the matter?"

"The other day, that white sugar—can you still make it?"

Song Yan was slightly surprised: "I can."

Sugar is a luxury item in this era.

Only members of the imperial family, titled nobles, or wealthy gentry and merchants have the qualification and financial resources to enjoy it. The price is exorbitant. Many commoners might go their whole lives without knowing what sugar tastes like.

The sugar of this time was mostly maltose. It was made from grains like rice, barley, wheat, and millet through fermentation. Its color was brownish-yellow. Due to technical reasons, it would have a certain degree of sourness and a slight bitterness.

The sugar would also be mixed with some residue, so the texture was not very good.

When the white sugar was first made, Song Yan had given some chunks to his few younger brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. Of course, his mother-in-law Luo Yuheng was not left out. As white as snow, purely sweet, without the slightest hint of other flavors. Even for Luo Yuheng, a former Grand Princess, it was her first time tasting it. The taste was truly excellent.

Later, when she heard that Song Yan had smashed all the other chunks into powder, she felt it was quite a pity. This son-in-law's brain illness must be cured as soon as possible.

Of course, for Luo Yuheng, what she saw was naturally not just the pleasure of eating, but the value it contained. She was very worried that this was just a masterpiece from her son-in-law's brain illness episode, and that he would forget it once he returned to normal. Now, hearing that he could still make it, her face lit up with joy.

"How difficult is it? What about the cost?"

"The technical aspect isn't difficult. It can be produced with a little training. As for the cost, we might need to make a few special ceramic vessels."

The yellow mud water leaching method was first recorded in the Ming Dynasty's ‘Tiangong Kaiwu’ and is considered an important breakthrough in ancient sugar manufacturing technology. The most important tool in it is the 'waliu', a type of conical ceramic vessel, wide at the top and pointed at the bottom. The rest of the ingredients are kaolin clay and pot ash, or bamboo charcoal.

The joy on Luo Yuheng's face intensified. Her sandalwood mouth parted slightly, as if wanting to say something, but the words on the tip of her tongue were held back with some hesitation.

Song Yan smiled: "The Luo family is also in business?"

"Of course. The Luo family has three merchant caravans and more than a hundred shops of various sizes under its name."

"If Mother wants to do this sugar business, find some trustworthy people later, and I will pass the technique on to them," Song Yan said. To him, this wasn't some incredible technique. In his mind, there were countless techniques that could make more money than this.

Luo Yuheng treated him very well. As a bit of repayment, Song Yan didn't mind.

What's more, this could be considered his own family's business now.

"That's excellent. Mother won't short Yan'er of his share. The workers, the equipment, the shops for sales, the caravans—Mother will handle all of it. When the time comes, I'll give you a thirty percent share of the profits," Luo Yuheng said gleefully.

Her lips moved, and she counted on her fingers, already starting to calculate how much money she could make. A pity her calculation skills were quite limited. After calculating for a while, she felt dizzy and muddle-headed, only knowing that it was a very, very large number.

That appearance even made Song Yan think she was a little cute.

A thirty percent share of the profits was actually a very exaggerated proportion.

After all, this was ancient times, a feudal society.

There was no such thing as intellectual property.

If Song Yan had no background and tried to do this business alone, the most likely outcome would be a sudden, violent death one night, without ever knowing how he died.

Compared to other things, Luo Yuheng's status as the Ning Emperor's own sister and an imperial relative was the biggest investment.

He couldn't help but sigh in his heart. The male protagonists in those novels and short dramas who get involved with a Prince or the imperial family and then dare to ask for a seventy or eighty percent share of the profits are mostly tired of living. Even if they really give it to you, there's no guarantee you won't be slaughtered like a fat sheep someday.

"Thirty percent is too much. Ten percent is enough..."

"No need. This is what you deserve. With me here, no one can say anything about you taking this thirty percent."

"What is the price of maltose in the Ning Kingdom now? Not many people can afford it, right?" Song Yan was a little curious.

"Thirty qian for one liang."

The way money was referred to in the Ning Kingdom was very strange.

There were two main currencies: silver and copper coins.

Generally, when one said a certain amount of 'qian', it meant that many copper coins. For example, thirty qian was thirty copper coins.

If the word 'yínzi' (silver) was added after 'qian', the meaning was different. For example, 'yi qian yínzi' (one qian of silver) was one-tenth of a tael of silver, or one hundred copper coins.

Thirty qian for one liang of sugar. This price was very expensive. Although it hadn't reached the point where commoners couldn't afford it, it was obvious that for commoners, wouldn't it be better to spend so many copper coins on grain? It would be enough to eat for several days!

"How much are you preparing to sell it for?”

"Three hundred qian."

So unscrupulous!

A profiteer!

A tenfold profit.

"Being a little more expensive doesn't really matter. Anyway, only the high officials and noble personages can afford it, and these people don't care about the price."

"What they care about is being different. What they demand is 'I have what others don't, and what others have, mine is of a higher grade.' As long as we can satisfy this point, let alone three hundred qian, even three strings of cash, there will still be people who buy it."

"The more expensive it is, the more they will feel it's worth the money."

After a short pause, Luo Yuheng spoke again:

"I plan to divide the white sugar into two types. One with an average level of purity, higher than normal maltose, but lower than pure white sugar. This type will be priced at three hundred qian."

"The other type, as white as snow, we'll find some literati to write some poems about it to spread the word, giving it a different kind of value, stating that it can only be made by collecting the essence of ice and frost in the dead of winter. Therefore, the price is higher, selling for three strings of cash, and sold in limited quantities."

Song Yan discovered that although this mother-in-law of his seemed a bit unreliable on a daily basis, she was a true business genius. She even knew about hunger marketing and gimmicks.

If she were placed in the 21st century, she would be a bonafide capitalist.

As he was thinking this, he heard Luo Yuheng say again: "I heard from Zhao Hu that you also know 'Palm Thunder.'"

Song Yan smiled: "What Palm Thunder? It's just a few little gadgets I made."

Seeing Luo Yuheng's curiosity, he took out a hand grenade he carried with him and handed it to her. He was not at all surprised that Luo Yuheng knew about these things. Not just Luo Yuheng, perhaps matters concerning him had already been laid on a certain person's desk.

However, Song Yan had long had a plan on how to deal with it, so he wasn't very worried. He was just a little curious what kind of reaction that person would have.

Would it be to prevent leaks, and immediately arrange for people to imprison him? Or something else?

Her slender jade fingers caressed the ceramic exterior. For some reason, this normal action, when done by Luo Yuheng, seemed somewhat bewitching:

"How do you use it?"

"There's a fuse here. Light it and throw it out!"

"That simple? What's the power like?"

"See that teahouse over there? There are a dozen or so people sitting there. If I threw it over there, probably no one would survive."

Her swan-like neck moved gently. Luo Yuheng's expression became solemn.

"Can it be used on the battlefield?"

"Yes!"

"In a siege, it can destroy city gates. Against cavalry, it can startle the warhorses. In large-scale battles, with a few modifications, it can be launched by catapults into the enemy's military formation."

Luo Yuheng's expression was unprecedentedly solemn. As a former Grand Princess, she was very clear about the value of this thing. After a long silence, she finally spoke slowly:

"Any information about this thing cannot be revealed to anyone."

"Otherwise, it might bring you a fatal disaster."

"Also, after the Qixi Festival, once you're back at the Luo Mansion, I will arrange for a few extremely reliable people to follow you. But do not tell them the formula. Just have them handle some miscellaneous tasks, and secretly manufacture a batch of 'Palm Thunders.'"

"Tianyi, from today onwards, you are to stay by your brother-in-law's side at all times. Do not let anyone harm him."

Luo Tianyi was stunned, her long eyelashes trembling gently. She really wanted to say, how can a younger sister-in-law be expected to guard her brother-in-law all day? But after her lips moved a couple of times, she turned her head away again and said nothing.

Song Yan was also slightly stunned. Luo Yuheng's reaction was somewhat unexpected.

He had thought that Luo Yuheng might ask him to hand over the formula and then give it to the person above her. And he, because he still had to treat Luo Tianxuan, probably wouldn't be imprisoned, but the number of guards following him would increase significantly.

But he had never expected that Luo Yuheng wouldn't mention the formula at all. She didn't even ask, only wanted to secretly manufacture a batch.

What is my mother-in-law trying to do?

Sugar can bring in silver.

With money, one can buy grain, buy weapons, and armor.

The hand grenade is a weapon of mass destruction that has never appeared on the battlefield before.

Money, grain, and weapons. After a careful analysis by Song Yan's brain, which was comparable to Conan's, he finally came to a conclusion:

Could it be that my mother-in-law is going to rebel?