Sitting in the carriage, Yuan Xi looked through the window at the bustling streets of Ye City, a scene of lively prosperity. He wondered if the city would still look the same when he returned next time.
In all fairness, he had accomplished quite a few things after returning to Ye City, with results far exceeding his expectations.
From Lu Bu, Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and even the Yuan family, he had gained many advantages from various forces, all thanks to his understanding of the psychology of the lords in history.
But from now on, such opportunities would be much fewer. Yuan Xi would be facing a brand new path, one that he could only explore cautiously.
Regardless, he felt a sense of accomplishment for having single-handedly brought forward the attack on Yi Jing by three years.
However, there were also regrets.
Such as his marriage with Zhen Mi.
This matter had been full of twists and turns and had not yet been settled. Although Liu Shi and Yuan Shang were interfering, Yuan Xi had to admit that he had not put his full effort into it.
Because with his current strength, even if he married Zhen Mi, it would be difficult to settle her properly.
According to the Han system, even if he married Zhen Mi, he could not take her to You Province but had to stay in Ye City for three years.
Even if he found a way to take Zhen Mi to Beixin City, it was under the dual threat of the Black Mountain bandits and Gongsun Zan's army. In the worst case, he would not have the strength to protect Zhen Mi.
After much deliberation, Yuan Xi decided to wait until he had captured Yi Jing and eliminated Gongsun Zan before returning to settle this matter.
The biggest problem facing him now was how to farm under the noses of two hostile forces in the next six months or so, as the enemy would definitely know that Yuan Shao was preparing to attack Yi Jing and would never sit idly by.
The carriage arrived at the back door of the Zhen residence, where servants had already opened the door and were waiting. As soon as Yuan Xi's carriage entered, they immediately closed the door.
As soon as Yuan Xi got out of the carriage, a charming maid came up and led Yuan Xi towards the small building.
As soon as he entered the small building, he saw Zhen Mi tending the stove, with a small bronze pot on top, in which hot oil was bubbling slightly. On the side was a chopping board with a ball of white dough and several bowls.
Zhen Mi frowned, seemingly lost in thought.
Seeing Yuan Xi enter, Zhen Mi quickly stood up, forcing a smile and saying, "This concubine greets the young master."
Yuan Xi saw that Zhen Mi was wearing a set of extremely well-fitting, dark red Qu Ju Shenyi (a type of ancient Chinese robe) with narrow sleeves and gold trim and ornate cloud patterns on the cuffs.
The overlapping collar was somewhat low, revealing the inner collar of the pure white lining inside, with three layers, called the "three-layer base," which was generally worn on important occasions.
Seeing Zhen Mi's worried expression, Yuan Xi asked, "What's wrong?"
Zhen Mi glared at Yuan Xi resentfully, "You know perfectly well."
She was a little disappointed, "The young master will be leaving Ye City soon. This concubine remembered the sugar cakes that the young master made when we first met and wanted to try to make some for the young master."
"But I didn't expect that because the cane sugar purchased by the Zhen family from Jiangdong was not very good, the sugar cakes I made were always bitter, and it's really not good to give them to the young master."
Yuan Xi saw that there was also a piece of sugar cake in the bowl next to her, picked it up, and took a bite. It was indeed a little bitter.
He looked at another bowl, which contained some dark black cane sugar powder.
At that time, sugar was made by squeezing juice from sugar cane, putting it in a jar, and boiling it over a fire into a yellowish-black syrup, which became black sand sugar after cooling.
He remembered that Yuan Xing's sugar was whiter, probably because someone had presented it to the Yuan family, so it was naturally better, but he didn't know what method was used.
The Zhen family bought it through commercial channels. At that time, the sugar industry was just emerging, and the quality of cane sugar was uneven, so it was inevitable that this would happen.
Seeing Yuan Xi eating with relish, Zhen Mi felt even more embarrassed and whispered, "Young master, please don't eat it."
Yuan Xi smiled and said, "No, it's very delicious."
"You did a very good job, it's just that the sugar has a problem."
Zhen Mi said worriedly, "I tried to filter it with several layers of linen, but the sugar became more and more bitter and black."
"I remember that charcoal can absorb odors, and I thought it might also absorb color, but the effect was not good."
Yuan Xi thought it was a pity. Zhen Mi's thinking was correct, but it was activated carbon that worked, which could not be made in this era.
Suddenly, he remembered that it was not until the Song Dynasty that the yellow mud water leaching method was widely used, and white sugar appeared on the market. Before that, brown sugar and maltose were the mainstream.
He smiled and said, "There is a very troublesome method, and I don't know if it will work."
He briefly explained the method, and Zhen Mi said in surprise, "Leaching with yellow mud water, isn't that even dirtier?"
Yuan Xi smiled and said, "Do you want to try it?"
Zhen Mi became curious and said, "This method is really incredible, and this concubine would like to see it."
She ordered the maids to have the servants prepare, and soon, the servants brought over earthen jars, wooden buckets, and several barrels of yellow mud water.
Yuan Xi saw that the wooden bucket had already been dug with small holes at the bottom and stuffed with straw. He filled the wooden bucket with black cane sugar and then burned the straw at the bottom.
He placed the wooden bucket on top of the earthen jar and then poured ladles of yellow mud water on the black sugar.
Seeing this, Zhen Mi asked the maids and servants to stay away, while she rolled up her sleeves and came over to help. The two silently scooped up mud water and poured it down, repeating the process.
After a good half an hour, Yuan Xi himself felt that he could not hold on any longer and felt that it must have failed.
But when he looked up, he saw that Zhen Mi's forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, but she was still holding her waist and gritting her teeth to persevere. He couldn't help but be moved and continued to lift the wooden ladle.
He didn't know how long it had been, but the sky had already begun to darken gradually. The two were pleasantly surprised to find that a very thin layer of slightly whitish sugar frost had condensed on the wall of the wooden bucket!
Although the amount was small, it showed that the method was feasible!
After another half an hour, the two were so tired that they could not lift their hands. The sugar frost became thicker, and even small crystals began to condense.
Yuan Xi stopped and smiled at Zhen Mi, "You taste it."
Zhen Mi stretched out her finger, touched the sugar frost, and put it in her mouth to taste. She immediately smiled, "It's very sweet, really very sweet."
She smiled happily, her eyes curved into crescents again, "Who would have known before that seemingly dirty yellow mud water could make sugar as white as frost and snow?"
Yuan Xi also dipped a little and put it in his mouth. It was indeed very obviously sweet, although far inferior to later generations, it was already much better than the previous brown sugar.
He sighed, "Emerging from the mud but not stained, that's what this kind of thing is about."
"Seemingly dirty yellow mud water can make sweeter white sugar, which means that very bad things can also turn into good things."
Zhen Mi understood that Yuan Xi was comforting her, and her eyes lit up, "The young master can always say some very interesting and thought-provoking things."
Yuan Xi breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Fortunately, I didn't lose face in front of you. If you hadn't kept going, I would have almost given up."
"How were you able to persevere?"
Zhen Mi said softly, "Because I believe that the young master will not lie to me."
She paused for a moment, "I must believe that every word of the young master is true."
"Because I am very afraid. Even if the young master only has one lie, which one is it?"
Her tone suddenly became sad, "The young master will come back, right?"
Yuan Xi's heart was heavy, "Believe me, I definitely will."
Zhen Mi lowered her head, her slender hands tightly pinching the corners of her clothes.
"Young master, don't lie to me."
Yuan Xi was a little at a loss, remembering what Zhen Mi had said last time.
After a long while, Zhen Mi raised her head and forced a smile, "This concubine has lost her composure."
The two stood in front of the window of the small building, looking at the scattered lights in Ye City, and their mood gradually calmed down.
Yuan Xi began to explain things one by one after he left.
How to quickly contact the spies in the mansion when something was wrong.
If something happened to the spies in the mansion, how to contact the assassins in the city.
The method of making white sugar with yellow mud water and brown sugar with lime.
The secret code for the Zhen family and the Mi family to transport key goods.
The people in Ye City who might be detrimental to the Zhen family, and the aristocratic officials who could help.
Zhen Mi carefully wrote down each item, deeply engraving these things in her heart.
After Yuan Xi finished speaking, she also spoke about the Zhen family's several emergency escape routes and the location of the commercial strongholds that had been established along the coast.
Yuan Xi also carefully noted them down. If these routes were used well, they would be extremely beneficial for future soldiers to carry out raids and operations, and could give the enemy unexpected fatal blows!
The two seemed to have endless things to say, until the silver hook of the moon hung high in the sky, and the stars twinkled, before they deeply imprinted each other's words in their hearts.
The two looked at each other for a long time, and Zhen Mi took a few steps back and said to Yuan Xi, "Does this concubine's clothes look good today?"
Yuan Xi nodded, "You look good in everything you wear, especially today."
Zhen Mi's mouth moved, "Although the young master's words are very pleasant to hear, next time, this concubine hopes that the young master can change his address."
Yuan Xi thought to himself, only if he could really come back.
But if he really said that, he was afraid that Zhen Mi would not have a smile on her face for the rest of the year.
Yuan Xi said goodbye to Zhen Mi and left, and the gate of the Zhen mansion closed gently behind him.
The carriage turned a corner and entered the street. Yuan Xi stopped the carriage, opened the curtain, and looked at the small building for a long time before preparing to leave.
At this time, the window of Zhen Mi's small building was suddenly pushed open.
Zhen Mi stood in front of the window, her face full of tears, waving desperately at the carriage, her long sleeves fluttering in the night wind like a bright battle flag.
"Young master, you must come back!"
Yuan Xi jumped out of the carriage and also waved to Zhen Mi and shouted, "I will come back!"
"Definitely!"
The voices of the two echoed above Ye City.
Yuan Xi jumped into the carriage and left without looking back.
When he returned to Ye City again, it would be time to take Zhen Mi away, and no one could stop him.
But before that, he would not let go of anyone who wanted to cause trouble.
Secret letters were sent from Yuan Xi's mansion to several villages at the junction of You and Ji provinces. The assassins inside began to pack their bags and rush to Ye City. After they entered Ye City and settled down under various identities, it was already half a month later.
Before this, Yuan Xi led the crowd to Beixin City.
Among these people, there were generals like Taishi Ci who wanted to make contributions, and there were also unwilling strategists like Guo Jia, there were soldiers who longed for fields, there were craftsmen who longed for their descendants to enter officialdom, and there were aristocratic officials who planned how to revitalize their families.
They formed a long line, followed Yuan Xi, and went north, taking the first step in stirring up the situation at the end of the Han Dynasty.