Seeing that Lu Xunguang still looked a bit puzzled, Li Ying didn't waste any time. She went back to the boat on her own and fetched several bamboo tubes.
When the boatmen went out to sea, for convenience, they often cut some fresh moso bamboos to use as cooking utensils and wine vessels. Now they came in handy for this emergency.
She put the lake salt that had been filtered to remove impurities into the bamboo tubes, tapped it repeatedly to pack it tightly, sealed it, and then put it into a kiln to bake.
The high temperature extracted every drop of bamboo juice remaining in the bamboo tubes, which was then completely absorbed by the salt crystals. After breaking the carbonized bamboo tubes, the first - baked bamboo salt was ready.
The bamboo salt prepared in this way only had a slight fresh flavor added.
Following the same method, the three - baked bamboo salt column had a stronger bamboo fragrance and was better at removing fishy and muttony odors when used for cooking.
As for the most extreme nine - baked bamboo salt, it had to be baked for a full 81 hours. In the last step, rosin was added to the kiln to adjust the temperature in the furnace.
The salt column completely melted into a liquid under high temperature and was then poured into a prepared mold to cool and solidify into salt crystals with a purplish - black luster.
At this time, the bamboo salt had fully absorbed the trace elements in the bamboo juice, was infused with the pungent fragrance of burning pine and wormwood, and also implied the meaning of "returning to the one after nine nines". It already had medicinal properties. Even if one just took a small piece of crushed bamboo salt and held it in the mouth, it could moisten the lungs, promote the production of body fluids, relieve coughs, and relieve asthma.
Li Ying didn't feel at ease leaving the task of watching the kiln entirely to the Lu family servants, especially during this last process. Controlling the temperature was crucial. If there was a slight mistake, the salt column would be burned black and all the efforts would be in vain.
There was already a faint look of tiredness on her face. Lu Xunguang felt sorry for her, but he really couldn't help much. So he just stayed by her side all the time.
"It's done! It's done! Madam is truly amazing! There really is such a rare baked salt in this world!"
The Lu family servants gathered together and stared eagerly as Li Ying removed the nine - baked bamboo salt from the mold. Although no one had tasted this baked salt yet, looking at the huge and intact block of salt crystal shining brightly in the sunlight, emitting a dark purple glow like a geode, they couldn't help but be stunned and let out exclamations of wonder. In their hearts, they already believed it seven or eight out of ten.
Lu Xunguang arranged for skilled craftsmen. As soon as the guesthouses and kitchens on the volcanic island were built, they could open for business at any time.
Counting the days, he, Li Ying and the others had been away from the village for many days. Granny Sun must have been missing them impatiently.
Li Ying couldn't wait and was about to head straight for the bamboo mountain left by Mrs. Lu.
However, as soon as she entered the village, unexpectedly, Granny Sun didn't stand at the village entrance looking forward to their return as usual.
Even Lady Li and others who were usually on good terms with her were nowhere to be seen.
Li Ying looked around. Immediately, a sense of foreboding welled up in her heart.
She rushed home in a few steps. Sure enough, Lady Li was guarding Granny Sun's bedside. When she saw Li Ying coming back, she showed an embarrassed smile on her face.
"Aying..."
She looked rather guilty and hid a porcelain bowl behind her.
Granny Sun also propped herself up. A faint look of joy appeared on her haggard face.
"Aying, you're back? I'm fine. It's just that I slipped and caught a cold during the spring rain a few days ago. Drinking a couple of bowls of ginger soup will make me okay..."
She made it sound easy, but Li Ying frowned. She clearly smelled the strong smell of medicine in the room. How could it be just a minor cold?
Seeing the skeptical look on Li Ying's face, Granny Sun struggled to get out of bed.
"Aying, you must be hungry after this long journey. Just rest well. I'll go cook you a bowl of noodles."
Li Ying was about to stop her, but Lu Xunguang gently pressed her hand, signaling her not to dampen Granny Sun's enthusiasm.
They all ate up the simple clear - soup noodles cooked by Granny Sun, until a bright smile like a spring flower finally bloomed on her wrinkled face.
After finally coaxing Granny Sun to take her medicine and go to bed, Li Ying carefully closed the door of her room.
Du Zhong, the shopkeeper of Deji Hall, didn't go to the capital with Lu Xunguang. Instead, he stayed in the town. Now he had been summoned by Lu Xunguang and was waiting respectfully outside the door.
"Master, Miss Li."
Du Zhong bowed and then detailed Granny Sun's condition one by one.
The more he spoke, the tighter Li Ying frowned.
"Miss Li may not know. Granny Sun has been working hard for years and has already damaged her vital energy. Thanks to your care in daily life, she has had a comfortable life for some time. But the deficiency in her body can't be recovered overnight."
Li Ying's face turned even colder.
Although Du Zhong clearly said that Granny Sun wasn't seriously ill. It was just that due to her old age and weakness, it was difficult for her to recover from a cold. But Li Ying's heart sank deeper and deeper.
She thought she was perceptive in everything, but unexpectedly, she was so thorough in every aspect except for ignoring the people closest to her.
Granny Sun was used to being thrifty. When Li Ying dealt with those seafood products before, the old lady could convince herself that it was just taking advantage of living by the sea and there was no need to feel bad.
But Li Ying had repeatedly told her that since she had finally managed to control the painful gout, she mustn't eat too much seafood.
With Li Ying's current wealth, they certainly wouldn't become poor because of daily meals. But the old lady had been living frugally for most of her life and had seen how hard Li Ying had worked to earn money. So she couldn't bear to waste.
During the days when Li Ying was away from the fishing village, Granny Sun often just had a simple meal. No wonder her body was so weak.
Seeing the self - reproach on her face, Lu Xunguang gently put his arm around her shoulder.
"Aying, I'll take care of everything on the volcanic island. You can just stay in the village and accompany Granny Sun with peace of mind."
Li Ying nodded. She also knew that it was useless to say more. After a lifetime of hard work, what the old people wanted most was the company of their children.
She composed herself, took a deep breath, and suppressed all the uneasiness and self - reproach in her heart.
She wouldn't let the situation of "the tree wants to be still but the wind never stops; the son wants to support his parents but they are no longer alive" happen right in front of her eyes.
Li Ying asked Du Zhong about Granny Sun's physical condition slowly and carefully. Although she didn't understand medicine, she roughly understood the general situation from his words.
Granny Sun was old and had a weak resistance. Coupled with a monotonous diet, in modern terms, she lacked trace elements.
This wasn't a difficult problem.
Li Ying rolled up her sleeves. She would cook three meals a day by herself and must nurse Granny Sun back to health.
She looked at the bamboo salt she had just baked on the volcanic island and took a deep breath.
It was true that the nine - baked bamboo salt was good for strengthening the body.
But the current nine - baked bamboo salt was made by her. No one else had tasted it. Whether it was really beneficial to the body was still an unknown.
Granny Sun was the most important person in her life. She really didn't dare to take risks rashly.