Chapter 62: Cooperation

Tang Zhao warmed herself by the hearth for quite a while before her shivering finally stopped. She let out a long sigh and nodded toward Xia Mo.

Understanding her intent, Xia Mo and Qiu Yu together lifted a small half-tank of pre-roasted soybeans and poured them into the stone mortar, then picked up the pestle to begin pounding.

Gu Ci asked, "Why is this being done?"

Tang Zhao explained, "Pounding the soybeans into powder makes it easier to extract the oil later."

Gu Ci nodded, watching with unblinking eyes.

Qiu Yu and Xia Mo took turns, but the progress was minimal. Gu Ci glanced at the sky and was about to lend a hand himself when Dong Mei rushed in, snatched the stone pestle, and began pounding.

She finished the task in less than the time it took for an incense stick to burn.

Possessing natural divine strength, Gu Ci glanced at the composed Tang Zhao sipping her tea. The General's Mansion truly was a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers; even the maids each had their own unique talents.

Xia Mo and Qiu Yu wrapped the pounded soybean powder in gauze, flattened it into a cake shape, secured it with a hollow wooden ring, and placed it under the oil press.

Dong Mei set down the pestle, walked to the side of a wooden lever, and pressed down hard. The section holding the stone cake levered high up; with a casual release of her hand, the heavy stone cake slammed onto the oil cake with a loud *thud*.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

Oil began to seep out from the oil cake in a trickling stream.

As Dong Mei's movements quickened, the frequency of the stone cake's descent increased. The oil squeezed from the cake flowed into the porcelain vat like a small stream.

Gu Ci's eyes brightened slightly.

Dong Mei stopped and moved the porcelain vat to the side of the stove. Xia Mo scooped a large ladle of soybean oil and poured it into the pan.

*Sizzle!* The oil heated instantly upon contact with the fire, and the aroma of soybean oil, mixed with a slight raw scent, instantly filled the kitchen.

Seeing Gu Ci looking over, Tang Zhao took the initiative to explain, "It was just freshly pressed, so the raw bean smell is a bit strong. Just add some ginger and star anise to season it."

Gu Ci frowned; ginger was not something ordinary commoners could easily afford. For instance, in the military, they might only eat it once or twice a month.

Thinking of the poverty in the Northwest, Tang Zhao sighed, "Time was too tight today, and the roasting of the soybeans wasn't long or hot enough. If the heat had been sufficient, there wouldn't be that raw smell."

The tension in Gu Ci's brow relaxed slightly.

Sure enough, after adding ginger, star anise, and scallions, the raw smell was quickly masked, leaving only the fragrance of the beans.

Xia Mo tossed the sliced tofu into the pan, and in moments, a plate of fried tofu was ready.

Qiu Yu brought over two pairs of chopsticks.

"Try it," Tang Zhao said, picking up a piece first, only to burst into tears instantly.

She was finally eating soybean oil again. For the past year, eating nothing but lard had nearly made her sick.

It wasn't that she was picky, but the oil-making techniques in the Great Yu were far too crude, resulting in a heavy, greasy taste. If one didn't use plenty of soy sauce and salt to suppress the flavor, the texture was no different from eating raw pork.

She only regretted that, as a pure Southerner, she happened to dislike heavy oil and heavy spice.

It truly was a torment.

If not for Xia Mo's superb culinary skills and her prior treatment of the lard to greatly remove the gaminess, Tang Zhao feared she would have starved to death long ago.

Gu Ci chewed and swallowed slowly, confirming that this soybean oil was just as effective as lard—even superior in taste. The light in his eyes grew brighter.

Turning to speak, he saw a tear roll down the woman's face, which was as white as congealed fat.

A flicker of panic rose in Gu Ci's heart. He asked in a low voice, "What is it?"

Could she be offended by his sudden, impetuous embrace?

Tang Zhao sobbed, "It's just too delicious."

Gu Ci:...

He had overestimated her.

"Cook two more dishes! I want sweet and sour pork and fried chicken!"

Xia Mo: "You got it!"

Gu Ci's lip twitched. Seeing her standing by the stove refusing to budge, he hesitated for a moment before reaching out to grab her sleeve and forcibly dragging her away.

Tang Zhao looked back three times with every step, her face full of reluctance.

Even after sitting by the hearth, Gu Ci couldn't figure it out. Was it really necessary to act so heartbroken over such a short distance?

However, once the sweet and sour pork was served, Gu Ci understood.

Yes, it was indeed very fragrant.

The two exchanged a look and made a silent pact: they would discuss matters after finishing their late-night snack!

The sweet and sour pork, the fragrant fried chicken, and a few side dishes left them both thoroughly satisfied. Each holding a bowl of hawthorn soup, they sat by the hearth, chatting while digesting.

Gu Ci asked directly, "What are your plans?"

Tang Zhao was blunt: "To sell it!"

"How will you sell it?"

"Starting from the Northwest, expanding East and South. Especially Luoyang and the Jiangnan region—we cannot let those two pieces of fat slip away!" Tang Zhao clenched her fist.

Gu Ci lowered his eyes. "The oil business has always been controlled by the great aristocratic families. The emergence of soybean oil will inevitably shake their interests."

"If they lack ability, whose fault is it?" Tang Zhao said disdainfully. "Let them come. Do you think I'm afraid of them?"

"It remains to be seen who will ultimately prevail!"

After her bold declaration, Tang Zhao gave a sheepish, flattering smile under Gu Ci's cool gaze. "Don't I have my husband to back me up?"

She proposed, "As long as you can persuade my father to ensure that from now on, the soybean oil for the three hundred thousand soldiers of the Northwest Army..." She patted her chest, "is my responsibility!"

Gu Ci raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean that?"

"I give you my word!" Tang Zhao swore upon the fortune of the rest of her life.

Gu Ci believed her.

"In that case, I will go to the military camp tomorrow to discuss this with my father," Gu Ci planned. "And have your maids press some more soybean oil; I will bring it to the camp with me."

"Deal!" Tang Zhao agreed readily. With a wave of her hand, Dong Mei and the others immediately got to work.

Gu Ci felt the need to ask one more thing. "How much do you plan to sell it for per catty?"

Tang Zhao held up ten fingers.

"Ten wen per catty."

Gu Ci's heart skipped a beat. At that price, even the poorest commoners could afford it if they gritted their teeth.

"It's true that I love money, but if I ask my conscience, I still have some," Tang Zhao smiled slightly. "Money is endless, but the people cannot go without oil."

If people go too long without oil, they wither away. She might be a ruthless negotiator, but compared to those black-hearted aristocratic clans, she practically deserved a Nobel Prize for Benevolent Merchants!

Gu Ci's heart raced for a while before returning to normal. Avoiding her autumn-water eyes, he promised, "I will certainly help you."

"Then," Tang Zhao reached out, "happy cooperation!"

Gu Ci stared at that jade-white hand for a long time before reaching out to touch it, only to pull back instantly as if burned.

Tang Zhao blinked, her gaze falling on the man's bright red earlobes. "Gu Ci, you—"

Before she could finish, the man abruptly stood up, startling her.

Gu Ci threw his cloak and outer garment over Tang Zhao. After wrapping her up in a few quick motions, he skillfully pulled her into his arms and strode out of the kitchen.

Qiu Yu and Xia Mo rushed out, only to see the son-in-law's figure leap over the courtyard wall and vanish in an instant.

The two looked at each other in bewilderment, while Dong Mei remained much more composed, continuing to pound the soybeans.

The familiar sensation of weightlessness struck again. The arm around her waist remained as firm as iron, pinning her tightly and pressing painfully against her.

Having done this once, she was used to it. Tang Zhao calmly gripped the man's broad shoulders for leverage, stubbornly turning her head to peek out with her eyes, curiously experiencing the legendary "lightness skill" of flying over walls and rooftops.

It felt a bit like riding a cable car.

Zhao Zhao: *New experience unlocked today!*