Transmigrated into the Villain's Cannon Fodder Ex-Wife (Transmigrated into a Book) - Chapter 34

Jing He and the others were completely bewildered.

“Madam, are you planning to cook here?” Jing He asked uncertainly.

Lin Chu’s excitement was momentarily interrupted. She straightened her expression and said,

“We’re going to make salt!”

As soon as she said this, the yellow-faced man and his group looked utterly shocked.

“How… how do you make salt?” Some of the followers began murmuring among themselves.

Lin Chu wasn’t sure how to explain lake salt extraction to ancient people. In ancient times, salt production was mainly divided into two types: sea salt and well salt. Coastal communities created salt fields near the shore, letting seawater in and allowing it to evaporate under the sun until salt naturally crystallized. Inland areas primarily relied on salt wells, digging into high-salinity ground to extract brine, which was then boiled to remove the water and collect the salt.

However, the technique for refining lake salt had not yet been invented at this time.

Realizing that explaining too much wouldn’t be as convincing as simply demonstrating it.

Lin Chu said, “In my hometown, there’s a method for making salt from lake water. Just follow my instructions.”

The yellow-faced man and his group were still skeptical. But since they had already crossed mountains and climbed all the way to this remote green hill, they figured they might as well give it a try.

Following Lin Chu’s directions, the group quickly set up a large iron pot and gathered dry branches nearby to start a fire.

Lin Chu led a few of the men to the lakeside. In the northwest region, autumn and winter brought very little rainfall. The lake had evaporated significantly over time, causing the water level to drop drastically. Areas that were once submerged had now dried up, exposing a layer of salt-encrusted rocks covered in mineral deposits and moss. These were natural salt formations, also known as raw lake salt, which could be directly collected without further processing.

She instructed the men to carry the hardened salt rocks back. After scraping off the moss, mineral deposits, and other large impurities, they uncovered the yellowish salt underneath. Seeing the salt revealed, the men became excited. In ancient times, salt refinement was not particularly pure, and the salt used by poorer families often contained many impurities, appearing just like this.

“We have salt!” one of the men shouted in delight. Those tending the fire by the shore heard the cry and rushed over excitedly.

Lin Chu chuckled and rubbed her forehead.

“This salt isn’t ready to use yet. Wrap it in white silk cloth and dissolve it in the boiling water.”

The yellow-faced man and his group hadn’t expected Lin Chu to actually know a salt-making technique. Now, they followed her every word without question. They wrapped several salt rocks in white silk, tied the bundles tightly, and threw them into the boiling pot.

As the salt stones slowly dissolved, the cloth bundles eventually floated to the surface. Lin Chu then instructed Jing He and the others to fish them out.

During the crystallization process, the salt had absorbed a significant amount of silt and other fine impurities. By dissolving the salt and filtering it once more, they could remove these insoluble particles.

Given their limited conditions, Lin Chu knew they couldn’t lift the scalding hot iron pot to pour the liquid into another container for filtering. Instead, she had them wrap the salt stones in silk before dissolving them, allowing the impurities to remain trapped in the fabric.

Once the silt and debris were removed, the salt water mainly contained various mineral ions. Lin Chu then rummaged through her bundle and took out the baking soda she had brought. Baking soda, often used in dough-making, was an alkaline substance that could react with many mineral ions, causing them to precipitate.

As she added different ingredients into the salt water, Jing He and the others watched in astonishment. Before long, white sediments began to settle at the bottom of the pot.

Given their limited tools, these sediments couldn’t be completely filtered out. However, since the particles were large, they would naturally settle at the bottom during the boiling process. When collecting the finished salt, they simply needed to avoid scooping up the bottom layer.

The large salt crystals dissolved in only a small amount of water under high heat. With a strong fire burning beneath the pot, the water quickly evaporated. Before long, the group could see white crystals forming at a visible rate.

The pure white salt, almost as pristine as snow, left everyone dumbfounded.

“M-Madam… is this salt?” Jing He was so overwhelmed with excitement that she could barely speak. Ever since they had left the central lands, she had never seen such fine salt again. Only back in the days when the Yong’an Marquis Manor was at its peak had she ever had access to such pure salt.

Lin Chu smiled. 

“Of course, it’s salt. Pack it up in bags, and while there’s still daylight, let’s make a few more batches!”

Seeing that they had successfully produced salt, the men became even more enthusiastic, working with heightened efficiency.

Jing He, unable to contain her excitement, pinched a bit of the salt and tasted it. Her eyes lit up instantly.

“Madam, this salt isn’t bitter!”

Ancient people lacked knowledge of chemical principles. For them, simply filtering out the floating scum was enough to consider it refined salt. However, unprocessed salt contained many minerals that gave it a bitter and astringent taste. Lin Chu had used baking soda to neutralize these impurities, which was why the bitterness was gone.

Despite his joy, the yellow-faced man remained cautious. He was highly skilled in martial arts, and though he was immersed in the excitement of making salt, he still sensed something was off.

“Someone’s coming up the mountain!” he barked.

Everyone instantly tensed up.

Lin Chu glanced at the half-boiled salt in the pot, furrowing her brows.

“A few of you stay with me to finish this batch. The rest, go check it out.”

With the experience of boiling salt once before, the second batch was prepared much faster.

Just as they were about to finish packing the salt, the yellow-faced man returned with his group, all of them looking grim.

“The smoke from the fire has attracted the barbarians!”

Lin Chu had studied the maps before and knew that Lianqing Mountain wasn’t far from Jintong Pass. She instructed Jing He to oversee the packing of the salt while she walked over to ask the yellow-faced man,

“Which direction are they coming from?”

“They’re taking the same path we used to get up here. They probably spotted our carriages at the foot of the mountain. By now, they should be about halfway up.”

Hearing this, Lin Chu immediately came up with a plan.

When they had climbed the mountain earlier, she had paid attention to the terrain. Lianqing Mountain had heavy snowfall, and the only path up from Yao City was a single, winding road. The lower section of the trail was rugged, but after reaching the halfway point, it became almost a straight climb upward.

“Roll some giant snowballs and push them down the path!” Lin Chu ordered.

The yellow-faced man was briefly stunned, then his eyes lit up. Earlier, they had considered rolling rocks down the mountain, but with everything covered in snow, finding stones had been impossible. Lin Chu’s seemingly childish suggestion turned out to be an effective alternative.

At once, dozens of men started rolling snowballs. The snowballs, initially only waist-high, grew larger as they tumbled down the slope. By the time they reached the halfway point, they had become massive, towering over a grown man. The climbing barbarians had no time to dodge—many were knocked over and sent tumbling down the steep incline. Those who fell dragged others down with them, creating chaos.

Miserable screams echoed throughout the mountains.

After rolling several snowballs, most of the snow on the trail had been cleared. The men swiftly loaded the bags of salt onto the horses and took a different route down the mountain. However, with limited horses, Jing He’s mount only carried Lin Chu and Little Gray, leaving the salt behind.

At the same time, on another mountain peak overlooking Lianqing Mountain—

Despite the sunlight, the air was frigid and devoid of warmth.

A group of soldiers, though clad in worn-out armor and appearing like scattered stragglers, had sharp, ruthless gazes that made it clear they were anything but ordinary fighters.

As the biting wind blew, snow gathered on their eyebrows, yet they remained motionless in their saddles.

It was Yan Mingge’s group.

They had received intelligence that a band of barbarians was attempting to pass through the narrow valley of Lianqing Mountain, so they had set up an ambush early. However, unexpectedly, smoke had suddenly risen from the mountain, drawing the barbarians upward instead.

Watching the chaos unfolding at the halfway point—where the barbarians were being sent tumbling like ragdolls—a burly man rode forward and addressed the man on the black warhorse,

“Big brother, the barbarians have already climbed Lianqing Mountain. Should we still attack?”

The black horse stomped its hooves in the snow, shaking its mane as if impatient. But its rider remained motionless, a silent figure against the icy wind.

Yan Mingge’s black cloak draped over him like a veil of darkness. A few stray strands of hair, tousled by the cold wind, added a wild edge to his excessively handsome face. Perhaps due to the blinding sunlight, his expression was hard to discern. His voice, however, was indifferent.

“Wait a little longer.”

The smoke from the mountain had also caught his attention. However, their scouts had yet to return, making it difficult to determine whether the people on Lianqing Mountain were friend or foe.

Although the rolling snowballs had injured some barbarians, there was no guarantee that it wasn’t a trap to lure them into an ambush. If they rushed in recklessly, they could end up in a pincer attack—barbarians above them and the narrow valley trapping them below.

Moreover, the barbarians had been moving stealthily on this campaign. It seemed too coincidental that another force had just happened to stumble upon them.

Just then, a sharp bird cry pierced the cold air—a sound that, upon closer listening, resembled a whistle.

Yan Mingge’s expression changed in an instant. With a sharp flick of his whip, he urged his horse forward.

“Move! Up the mountain!”

Yuan San and the others, though confused, immediately followed his lead.

Meanwhile, the barbarians were advancing faster than Lin Chu had anticipated. The men in her group each carried a sack of salt on their horses, which slowed them down. In contrast, the barbarians, with lighter loads, were quickly gaining ground.

Realizing the danger, the yellow-faced man immediately whistled to signal his comrades—some were to stay behind and hold off the barbarians, while the rest would escort Lin Chu to safety.

This was their prearranged signal. At the sound of the whistle, everyone knew their assigned roles without needing to shout over the howling wind.

Lin Chu, however, was worried that too many of their men would be lost in the battle. She quickly told Jing He,

“Tell them they can abandon the salt if necessary. Their lives come first!”

After all, they had already discovered the salt lake. They could always return later to make more salt.

Jing He clenched her teeth before blowing another whistle. Moments later, a chorus of answering whistles came from behind. Jing He turned back to report,

“Song Tuo says, ‘No need to worry, Madam’—Ah! Madam!”

The path ahead was covered in ice. As their horse stepped on it, its hooves slipped, causing it to collapse instantly.

Jing He reacted instinctively, shielding Lin Chu with her own body as they fell.

The horse hit the ground hard, breaking its neck. Its massive body pinned Jing He’s leg beneath it. Even with her endurance, she couldn’t hold back a cry of pain. Lin Chu tried to push the horse off her, but she wasn’t strong enough. Fortunately, two men rushed over. She immediately called out,

“Quick! Get Jing He out!”

The two men dismounted and struggled to move the heavy horse. Meanwhile, Little Gray, who had also tumbled to the ground, scrambled to its feet and rushed over, tugging at Jing He’s pant leg with its teeth, trying to pull her free.

But from the distance came the sound of barbarian war cries—loud and filled with excitement.

Lin Chu looked up and saw the mounted barbarians swinging their blades as they charged toward them.

Though the yellow-faced man and his group had stalled most of the enemy, some had still managed to break through.

Jing He’s expression changed drastically. She turned to the two men and shouted,

“Hurry! Take Madam and go!”