Du Residence, backyard.
Du Qi was now busy making ice cubes with the saltpeter he bought. Liu Jian nervously stood on the side with a look of awe. In Liu Jian's view, it was impossible to successfully make ice on such a hot day. This was too unusual.
At this moment, Du Qi had already prepared everything. He took a slightly bigger wooden basin. He filled half of the basin with water and then took a smaller clay jar and filled it with water.
After doing all this, Du Qi took out the saltpeter he bought and threw it directly into the water. When the saltpeter entered the water, it reacted with the water and quickly absorbed the heat.
So much so that smoke came out from the clay jar. As the heat was continuously absorbed, ice began to appear in the clay jar. Not long after, the water in the clay jar had condensed into ice, revealing a bone-chilling cold.
This was the result of the saltpeter.
In fact, now that gunpowder had not been invented, saltpeter, as one of the raw materials of gunpowder, was not banned. Therefore, the government used less saltpeter and ordinary people could buy it. When gunpowder was invented, saltpeter, as one of the raw materials of gunpowder, would be controlled by the imperial court and could not be sold to ordinary people in large quantities.
Liu Jian stood on the side and looked at the ice in the clay jar. His face showed an inconceivable expression and muttered: "Young master, how is this possible? How can a basin of water directly turn into ice? Could it be that this is young master's magic? "
"Of course not!"
Du Qi shook his head and replied: "It's just a small trick, not worth mentioning."
The ice in the clay jar was in good condition.
This kind of ice was drinkable. If the saltpeter in the basin had condensed into ice due to the heat absorption, the saltpeter in it would not be drinkable.
It was precisely because of this that the clay jar needed to be placed in the basin.
However, this kind of ice was not easy to make on a large scale and could only be made in small batches.
It could only be used to satisfy one's own needs.
Du Qi looked at the ice that was made with a smile on his face. Because it was not easy to directly take the water out of the clay jar when it was condensed into ice, after all, the expanded ice and the edge of the clay jar were close together.
Fortunately, the weather was hot and the sun was shining brightly. The temperature was extremely high. In just a moment, the ice cubes at the edge of the pot had already begun to melt. As soon as he picked up the jar, the round ice cube inside rolled out of the jar.
Du Qi asked Liu Jian to bring a saw. After cleaning the saw, he quickly cut the ice into pieces. Looking at the pieces of ice, Du Qi ordered, "Liu Jian, bring me some honey!"
"Yes!"
Liu Jian brought some honey back.
Du Qi took a cup and poured warm water into it, then added some honey. Finally, he took out a few ice cubes and threw them into the cup. As the temperature of the ice cubes spread, the temperature of the cup of water dropped in just a moment. It was already filled with a refreshing sweetness.
On such a hot day, drinking a mouthful would make one's heart feel cold.
His entire body felt refreshed.
Seeing this, Liu Jian immediately followed suit. To him, this was an extremely rare occurrence. After tasting a mouthful, he was immediately shocked and said: "Young Master, this ice water is too refreshing. On a summer day, a cup of cool ice water is simply heart-cooling. Young Master, can this ice water be supplied to the restaurant? "
"Yes!"
Du Qi immediately answered.
He thought for a moment and instructed: "Ice water can be seasoned with honey. This is one way to do it. Actually, apart from this, you can also use fruit juice to season it. As long as you juice the fruit and mix it with ice cubes, the taste will also be unparalleled. Restaurants need all kinds of styles. This kind of arrangement will definitely be popular. "
Liu Jian's eyes lit up when he heard this, saying: "Young Master is wise!"
Du Qi and Liu Jian, the two of them, each drank a cup of ice water, enjoying the coolness of this summer day. When the two people were drinking water, they saw a figure enter at the courtyard entrance.
The person who came was shockingly Li Yuan.
He brought Xiao Li in, an urgent expression on his face. Li Yuan came to the Du family incognito for a private visit. But the moment he entered the Du family, he revealed his identity, making the manor's servants need not report and directly lead the way to the backyard.
Li Yuan saw Du Qi. Seeing that Du Qi was holding a cup in his hand and was currently drinking water, even having an intoxicated and comfortable appearance, he was somewhat puzzled. On this hot day, a cup of water down, the entire body emitted heat, very uncomfortable, how was there any comfort?
It was just that Li Yuan glanced to the side and saw the ice cubes on the ground, immediately opening his eyes wide.
Ice cubes!
Du Qi actually made ice cubes.
One had to know, even with the imperial family's foundation, there were also very few ice cubes. After all, on this hot day, even the ice cubes stored in the ice cellar were also very difficult to preserve. The ice cubes in this ice cellar, occasionally bestowing a bit to officials, was the imperial family's favor.
Li Yuan was very clear that although Du Qi's age was young, he was extremely good at making food. Therefore, the moment he saw Du Qi drinking happily, he was clear that this was not simple ice water, opening his mouth and saying: "Erlang, what are you drinking?"
Du Qi opened his eyes wide, somewhat surprised.
Why did Li Yuan come?
Especially Li Yuan, as the emperor of a country, actually came to the Du family, it was beyond people's expectations. He came back to his senses and opened his mouth to say: "Your Majesty, this kid can't stand this hot weather, so I made some ice cubes. This ice water also added a bit of honey, the taste is not bad. Your Majesty, do you want a cup? "
"Of course!"
Li Yuan did not even think, directly answering.
Du Qi immediately mixed a cup of honey ice water for Li Yuan, handed it in front of Li Yuan, and said: "Your Majesty, please! But inside this honey water, ice cubes were added, it's rather cold. You can drink less, but it's not advisable to drink too much. Drinking too much of ice-cold water, it's easy to stimulate the spleen and stomach. "
Li Yuan nodded his head and said: "We know!"
He picked up the cup and drank a mouthful.
A mouthful of ice water entering the belly, the sweet taste of honey blossomed on the taste buds, while the ice-cold honey water rolled inside the stomach. Originally, when Li Yuan came out of the palace, even if he was riding a carriage, his entire person was hot all over, incomparably uncomfortable. But this mouthful of ice-cold honey water entering the belly, his entire person became comfortable from the inside out.
The heat all over his body dissipated, and there was no longer any discomfort. Instead, it was comfortable from the inside out.
How refreshing!
Li Yuan let out a long sigh, took another small sip, then looked at Du Qi and asked: "Erlang, for you to be able to make ice cubes, it's really not simple. It can be considered a fantastic idea. Adding ice to honey water, this taste is even more extraordinary. But the ice cubes you made don't seem to be taken out from an icehouse. How did you make ice cubes? "
Du Qi pointed to the ice cubes at the side and said: "Your Majesty, this is the ice cubes this kid made. The secret recipe is also at the side. "
For a moment, Li Yuan also did not understand, and asked: "Erlang, how did you make ice?"
Du Qi said: "Replying to Your Majesty, this kid used saltpeter to make ice. Adding saltpeter to water can make ice cubes. "
As he spoke, he took out some saltpeter again, filled the clay jar with water again, placed it in the basin, and added saltpeter again. As the saltpeter entered the water, for a moment, water mist rose. The saltpeter quickly absorbed the energy, and ice flowers quickly appeared in the water.
Taking a step forward, it condensed into ice cubes.
A moment later, the ice cubes formed.
After Li Yuan saw it, he sighed in amazement and said: "Erlang, how did you know about this method of making ice?"
Du Qi explained: "Replying to Your Majesty, it was only recorded in an unknown ancient book. Before this, this kid also did not know whether this method was real or fake. After all, I did not try it. But now, the experiment was successful, this method is indeed feasible. "
Hearing this, Li Yuan asked again: "Erlang, using this method of yours, can you make ice on a large scale?"
This was what Li Yuan was looking forward to.
If ice could be made on a large scale, then on a hot day, there would be no need to suffer the pain of heat.
"No!"
Du Qi shook his head and answered: "Your Majesty, on one hand, to make ice on a large scale, saltpeter and water must be mixed, but the situation after the saltpeter is mixed with water is inedible. On the other hand, to make ice on a large scale, the water needed is also more. To this extent, to turn a large amount of water into ice cubes, it is not something that a few saltpeter can do, so it is very difficult. Now, it is only making ice on a small scale. "
"Sigh …"
Li Yuan sighed.
If ice could be made on a large scale, it would be somewhat useful to Li Yuan. Unfortunately, this was only a small scale ice making. To Li Yuan, it did not have much use value.
Under such a premise, Li Yuan would not intervene. Du Qi's production, that was Du Qi's ability. He did not care, and was too lazy to care. After all, Li Yuan's palace also had an ice cellar to store ice cubes, and did not lack ice cubes.
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