Yu Xiaocao thought for a while and said, "If you want to open an oyster sauce workshop, the shelf life of oyster sauce is indeed a problem!" It's okay in winter, the temperature in the north is low, and it's no problem to put it for two months! If it's summer...... But it's a little tricky! ”

In the past life, what are the ways to extend the shelf life of food? Yu Xiaocao frowned and fell into deep thought. Although Zhou Zixu was anxious, he couldn't help but bother her.

Yu Xiaocao said to herself: "To extend the shelf life of food, low temperature is generally used. However, there is no refrigerator here......"

"Refrigerator? Ice boxes? Zhou Zixu brought Zhou Steward, and couldn't help but ask.

"Uh...... Right, a box with ice? Only then did Yu Xiaocao realize that he was saying what he was thinking, and it was difficult to explain what a refrigerator was, so he could only follow Steward Zhou's words.

Steward Zhou pondered for a moment and said, "It's transported in a box with ice, and it's okay in winter." In the summer, I'm afraid it will cost a lot. Besides, how big is an ice cellar that can store enough ice for a year? ”

"There is another way, which can also extend the shelf life of polysaccharides and salts. However, in this way, the taste of oyster sauce will definitely be greatly reduced! Yu Xiaocao herself shook her head and denied this method.

Zhou Zixu, who was born as an imperial businessman, naturally knows how important "quality" is to commodities. He couldn't help but say, "Is there any other way?" ”

"Besides, it's embalming with propolis! However, honey is so expensive, let alone propolis. The cost is not much lower than that of ice transportation and storage! ”

Propolis? Honey Zhou Zixu has heard of it, my mother doesn't know who said that drinking honey water can beautify and maintain her figure, and she has been drinking a glass every day since last year. But I don't know what this propolis is?

"What if...... It would be nice to be able to make ice in the summer. "Yu Xiaocao has the problem of talking to herself when she thinks about her heart, and she has had it since her previous life.

Isn't ice naturally formed at low temperatures? Can it still be made? This little girl is too whimsical, isn't she? Steward Zhou did not agree with his young master's idea of cooperating with a poor girl to open a workshop.

"Sanshao, have you ever heard of saltpeter?" Yu Xiaocao suddenly remembered that in his previous life, he had read the article "The Ancient People's Soil Made Ice". It seems that from the end of the Tang Dynasty, when people produced*, a large amount of saltpeter was mined.

Since then, there has been a precedent for making ice in the summer. Gradually there were people who bought and sold and added sugar to ice to attract customers. In the Song Dynasty, merchants also added fruit or juice to it. Merchants in the Yuan Dynasty even added fruit pulp and milk to ice, which was very similar to modern ice cream. I don't know, in this era that has been rewritten, will there be an example of saltpeter making ice?

"Saltpeter? You know, it's sold in pharmacies. Don't...... Can saltpeter make ice? Zhou Zixu also heard her self-talk, and saw her mention saltpeter, which naturally came to mind.

Yu Xiaocao glanced at him appreciatively and nodded: "Saltpeter dissolves in water, which will absorb a lot of heat, reduce the temperature of the water, and even freeze. ”

"Really? Where did you know that? Zhou Zixu was skeptical.

Yu Xiaocao was stunned for a moment, put on a small face, and said, "You don't care where I know!" If you don't believe me, go back and buy some saltpeter and try it! ”

Steward Zhou stroked the beard on his chin, pondered for a moment, and said: "I am sorting out the ancient books of the second master before his death, and I seem to have seen examples of saltpeter ice making......

"Oh? So, saltpeter can really make ice? Steward Zhou, you go on! Zhou Zixu asked with interest.

Steward Zhou shook his head with a wry smile and said, "The second master has so many books, and I don't remember which book mentions such a sentence." How to operate, let's listen to what Miss Yu says. ”

Zhou Zixu looked at Yu Xiaocao with bright eyes, like a child begging for candy: "Xiaocao, don't sell Guanzi." Say it, say it! ”

"You can dig a pool in the workshop, take a large tank, put half a tank of water, put the tank in the pool, put saltpeter in the pool, and then pour water into the pool. As for how much saltpeter and how much water to put in, I haven't done it either, so you'll know if you try a few more times. Yu Xiaocao gave a general direction, and the specific implementation depends on Wednesday's operation.

Zhou Zixu nodded, thinking about how to experiment when he went back. Steward Zhou spoke again: "Listening to you say this, the amount of saltpeter needed is also quite a lot. The price of saltpeter is not low! ”

Saltpeter ice was originally used to reduce costs. In this way, the cost is not much lower than that of ice storage in an ice cellar.

Sure enough, it is the external manager of the Zhou family, and he still has vision and foresight. Yu Xiaocao nodded and smiled: "What Steward Zhou said is good! However, saltpeter is reusable. Saltpeter dissolved in water can be re-proposed by evaporation crystallization. ”

Steward Zhou stroked his beard and bowed slightly, and couldn't help but wonder in his heart: How can this little girl be so well-read and memorable at such a young age? Compare him to the self-proclaimed well-read steward. Could it be that the Yu family has a background that he doesn't know?

It is no wonder that he is so suspicious that at the end of the previous dynasty, there were many wars, and many wealthy families were lost in the long river of history. Could it be that this small fishing village is home to the declining family of the previous dynasty?

"Steward Zhou, don't think about it! I have an agreement with Xiaocao that I won't ask her anything other than business. Why does she make saltpeter ice, and what does it matter to us? Don't overcomplicate things, I don't want to lose a strong partner! Zhou Zixu put away the smile on his face and said lightly. His body naturally exudes the majesty and momentum of our young masters.

Steward Zhou's heart sank, and his heart was like a loud bell ringing deafeningly. He put away the distracting thoughts in his heart, bowed respectfully and solemnly, and said, "The young master reminded me!" Shame on the old slave! ”

When facing Yu Xiaocao, Zhou Zixu regained his gentleness and friendliness: "Since the problem of oyster sauce preservation and transportation has been solved, the oyster sauce workshop will be able to break ground when spring begins." You see, where is the workshop to choose? ”

"In business, Wednesday Shao must be more discerning than me, an eight-year-old girl. You can do it! "Just now, Steward Zhou's inquiring gaze, Yu Xiaocao didn't feel it. Fortunately, there is the great god of Wednesday Shao, so that there will be no mistakes. She was secretly vigilant in her heart, and in the future, she would try to keep a low profile and be less of a bird.

Her faint vigilance, how could Zhou Zixu not detect it? However, his intuition told him that the little girl in front of him was like an undiscovered mine, and the treasure inside could only be rediscovered by digging deep and slowly. As for how this "treasure" came to be, why bother to delve into it? He didn't want to let him regret it because of a moment of curiosity.

"I think so! It's good to have the workshop near the pier, and it's easy to get around by land and water. It is also near the sea, and it is more convenient to purchase raw materials! Zhou Zixu said his thoughts and asked Yu Xiaocao to give the staff officer.

Yu Xiaocao, who had learned to be well-behaved, just smiled and nodded silently.

Zhou Zixu's eyes rolled, knowing how to make the little girl speak. He looked at Xiaocao with a smile and asked, "This oyster sauce workshop, would you like to join the next share?" ”

Become a shareholder? Isn't that a modern noun? How did it appear in the mouth of Wednesday less? Don't...... This Wednesday is also worn? Yu Xiaocao's eyes widened and she looked at him incredulously.

Zhou Zixu misunderstood what she meant, and said with a smile: "What? Don't know what 'shareholding' means? This is when Emperor Jianwen was still the grandson of the emperor, he got an ocean-going shipping company and pulled a lot of high-ranking officials and nobles to take a share. The term 'shareholding' has only just spread in the business world. Becoming a shareholder, in fact, means participating in a part. ”

"Oh......" Yu Xiaocao made a false alarm, almost breaking out in a cold sweat. However, when I heard that I could participate in the oyster sauce workshop, I was interested.

"But...... I don't have much money in my hand, less than a hundred taels ......" Yu Xiaocao pulled out his private money from the corner of the wall, scratching his head embarrassedly.

Zhou Zixu looked at the scattered silver spread on the kang, all of which were earned from him, could he not know the little girl's family background? was going to give the little girl a share, but at this time he arose to tease her:

"Ahem! I learned this recipe for boiling oyster sauce from you, and I originally planned to give you a share of the workshop when it was built. Since you don't want to go, what about the silver ...... I'll take it! ”

The expression on Yu Xiaocao's face suddenly froze, and she watched her silver being snatched away by that unscrupulous "black-hearted" businessman, and her heart was dripping blood!

No, she doesn't eat anything Yu Xiaocao eats!

"Wednesday less!" She gritted her teeth and said, "Isn't it too monotonous for a huge workshop that only produces oyster sauce?" ”

Zhou Zixu's eyes lit up: My little ancestor! Just waiting for your words!

"What? Does Xiaocao have any other suggestions? Zhou Zixu looked at her with interest.

"I have two more recipes for seasoning! I don't know if Wednesday is less interested! Anyone with a discerning eye can feel Yu Xiaocao's obviously aggravated tone when she said "Wednesday less". Yo, the kitten shows its claws!

Zhou Zixu leaned over with a smile and said, "Interested, of course interested!" Let's hear about it!! ”

"Humph!" Yu Xiaocao turned her head arrogantly and said, "If you want me to have these two secret recipes, take the shares in exchange!" ”

Speaking of which, if the workshop is built, whether it is the secret recipe of oyster sauce or the two seasoning recipes in the little girl's mouth, they all come from Yu Xiaocao. The Zhou family only contributed funds and labor.

Zhou Zixu naturally would not give up a steady stream of treasures for the small profits in front of him, and he said very proudly: "If these two seasoning recipes are of the same value as oyster sauce, the shares of the workshop are half of yours!" ”

Halfway? Yu Xiaocao originally only planned to ask for a twenty percent bonus, but it was far more than she expected.