Chapter 42 You Need to Take the Long View

What Lu Chuan disliked the most was owing favors to others.

Zhen Jiang was very intelligent and knew precisely how to maximize the impact of the one hundred and fifty million coins spent today.

While one hundred and fifty million coins was indeed no small sum, it was practically nothing to the Zhen family. Therefore, Zhen Jiang felt confident enough to refuse any repayment from Lu Chuan, asking only that he remember today's favor.

However, Lu Chuan was also a stubborn man.

Your Zhen family may be immensely wealthy and influential, but am I, Lu Chuan, lacking in comparison? Since ordinary shops and properties could not sway you, I shall simply offer something else.

Refined salt!

Lu Chuan had transmigrated to this era more than five years ago, but the vast majority of his energy had been dedicated to the development of Lu County. Using Lu County as his foundation, he attracted a massive influx of merchants and accumulated wealth through urban construction rather than traveling everywhere to engage in commerce.

Precisely because of this, Lu Chuan had never regarded the purification of salt, the firing of glassware, or the production of soap as mere commercial ventures. At most, he produced them in small quantities solely to satisfy his own daily needs.

Yet, facing Zhen Jiang, Lu Chuan changed his mind.

He refused to believe that as a transmigrator, he could not manage to impress Zhen Jiang!

When Zhen Jiang laid eyes upon the snow-white, purified salt tomorrow, what kind of thoughts would go through her mind?

Looking at Lu Chuan, Zhen Jiang could not fathom why he had suddenly made a request for ten stones of salt at a time like this. The value of ten stones of salt was negligible, and its uses were exceedingly simple. She found it even harder to guess what surprise Lu Chuan was hinting at.

However, she understood one thing clearly: no matter how she questioned him today, Lu Chuan would not say a word. If she wanted the answer, she simply had to obediently deliver the salt and come over to see for herself tomorrow.

"Very well, then this concubine shall visit Lord Lu again tomorrow!"

Lu Chuan nodded and watched as Zhen Jiang departed. In his heart, his estimation of her had risen to a level on par with Mi Zhu. Compared to Zhen Jiang, Miss Mi appeared far too naive.

To be honest, though, Lu Chuan still preferred dealing with Miss Mi, because it required very little mental effort, and he could easily have her wrapped around his finger.

If not for Miss Mi's special status and her destined future marriage to Liu Bei, Lu Chuan surely would have already begun scheming to take her into his inner chambers.

What a pity...

Lu Chuan shook his head and returned indoors.

Before long, the Zhen family's caravan arrived, delivering the ten stones of salt. Lu Chuan summoned Lu Shui, who had just finished bustling about the auction, gave him detailed instructions, and had him take the ten stones of salt away.

The task of purifying fine salt was something Lu Chuan had previously handled entirely by himself. After all, he did not use much on his own, so a casual effort was more than enough. But this time there were ten stones of salt, which was simply far too much. Lu Chuan had no desire to create unnecessary trouble for himself, so naturally, he handed the task over to Lu Shui.

Lu Shui did not disappoint Lu Chuan. That very afternoon, he secured a large courtyard with towering gates, brought in dozens of iron cauldrons, and began the purification process. By dusk, Lu Shui returned with dazzlingly white, refined salt.

Lu Chuan inspected it. Although the refined salt purified by Lu Shui still fell somewhat short of the standards achieved when Lu Chuan did it himself, to the people of this era, it was already an exceedingly remarkable goods.

The people of this period subsisted entirely on coarse salt, or even crude salt lumps, which not only carried a bitter taste but also contained various substances harmful to the human body. Purified fine salt, however, possessed virtually none of these flaws. The moment anyone tasted it, they would instantly recognize the immense benefits of refined salt. Once accustomed to eating refined salt, forcing them to revert to coarse salt would be far more agonizing than death itself!

Zhen Jiang took Zhen Mi back to the inn, and Zhen Mi finally could no longer contain her frustration.

"Elder Sister, why didn't you accept Lu Chuan's proposal and take those five shops? With those five shops, we could have completed our commercial layout in Lu County! Besides, I've already calculated: five perpetually owned shops, coupled with a one-million-coin tax exemption quota, plus the two shops and one residential property we bought at today's auction, have a combined value that far exceeds one hundred and fifty million coins!"

Zhen Jiang gently patted Zhen Mi's head. "Little Sister, you must remember: when doing business, never let immediate gains blind your eyes. You must always learn to look further ahead! Since I believe that Lord Lu and the development potential of Lu County are far greater, why should I squander today's favor so cheaply? You saw for yourself that the conditions Lord Lu offered us were extremely favorable; he was practically showering us with benefits. If we had thought like you and accepted them directly, then the moment we stepped out of Lord Lu's estate, there would no longer be any bond between us and him. But as long as I refuse his conditions, he will be compelled to keep this favor in mind. When a certain day comes in the future, and Lord Lu and Lu County achieve even greater prosperity, the benefits he can bring us will surpass all imagination!"

"Then... what if you guessed wrong? I've heard many people say that troubled times are coming, and Lu County is merely a tiny county. What qualifications does it have to withstand the advent of a chaotic era?"

Zhen Jiang withdrew her hand and looked out the window.

"Perhaps so... Before the overwhelming tide of the world, an individual's efforts always appear so laughable... Yet, somehow, I feel Lord Lu is different. Perhaps he really can give us a surprise."

The next day, nearing noon.

Lu Chuan specially instructed the kitchen to prepare several dishes, and then waited at his estate for Zhen Jiang's arrival.

Zhen Jiang did not break her promise. Right at the same time as the previous day, she brought Zhen Mi to the entrance of Lu Chuan's estate. The guards at the gate had already received prior instructions and escorted the two of them inside.

Upon seeing the meal Lu Chuan had prepared, a smile touched the corners of Zhen Jiang's lips.

"Could the surprise Lord Lu spoke of be inviting this concubine to share a meal here?"

Lu Chuan nodded. "Please take a seat, Miss Zhen! The surprise I mentioned is hidden within these dishes!"

"In that case, this concubine thanks Lord Lu! Please, Lord Lu!"

Lu Chuan nodded, taking his seat first, after which Zhen Jiang and Zhen Mi sat down as well.

"Please enjoy!"

Lu Chuan made a welcoming gesture. Zhen Jiang picked up her chopsticks, selected a piece of meat from the plate before her, and placed it in her mouth.

At the very first bite, she felt nothing amiss, but after chewing a few times, Zhen Jiang detected a distinct issue.

This dish completely lacked the bitter, astringent taste normally carried by coarse salt! Why was that?

Although the Zhen family was immensely wealthy in Hebei and Zhen Jiang had lived a life of luxury since childhood, coarse salt remained coarse salt. In an era where no one had mastered the technology of refining fine salt, any meal cooked with coarse salt inevitably retained a bitter edge. This had nothing to do with culinary skill; it was entirely the fault of the coarse salt.

Yet this time, Zhen Jiang discovered that the bitterness which had accompanied her for over twenty years had vanished!

Unconvinced, Zhen Jiang picked up another piece and put it in her mouth to verify. Then she sampled the dishes from the other plates, trying almost every single dish on the table, only to discover that not a single one carried that familiar bitter taste!

Zhen Jiang thought of the ten stones of salt she had sent over yesterday. Could this have something to do with it?