The Emperor's Life Hung by a Thread in the Palace, While White Sugar Emerged with Enormous Profits at the Prince's Residence

Elder Shen grabbed the emperor's left wrist, pressing his fingertips against his pulse. His face grew increasingly grim. He turned to Gao Fu and shouted, "Close the windows tightly, add more charcoal to the floor, and bring over the medicine bowl. Anyone who dares to wail around the imperial bed again will be thrown out by me."

Gao Fu scrambled to get the medicine, while a young eunuch ran in carrying a charcoal basin.

The palace doors were closed, shutting out the sounds of wind and snow outside. Inside the Hall of Supreme Ultimate, only the bitter smell of boiling medicine and the emperor's intermittent panting could be heard.

Elder Shen picked up a silver needle, the tip of which flickered in the candlelight before being inserted into an acupoint on the side of the emperor's head.

The emperor's chest suddenly rose, and a hoarse sob escaped his throat. His left hand rose into the air, but Gao Fu quickly caught it.

"Your Majesty, please don't move. Let Elder Shen administer acupuncture first."

After Gao Fu finished speaking, tears finally fell and landed on the emperor's hand.

The emperor rolled his eyes at him, his lips twisted to one side, and the medicine powder dripped down his chin and into his collar.

Gao Fu gently placed the emperor's hand back under the covers.

After Elder Shen needles, the emperor's forehead was covered in sweat. His heaving chest finally eased a bit, but as soon as he calmed down, his eyelids began to droop again.

In the corner, Chu Tianxing, who had been covering his mouth and remaining silent, slowly lowered his hand.

He stared at the spot where Elder Shen had just inserted the needle, then looked at the emperor's ashen lips, his palms sweating profusely.

Elder Shen used the acupuncture technique to revive the emperor and prolong his life, but the last two needles were inserted too hastily. Although the emperor's pent-up emotions were suppressed, his blood and qi were all blocked at the point of upward rush.

He had seen similar pulse patterns in medical books.

The acupuncture technique is incorrect; if this continues, the emperor may not wake up.

Chu Tianxing reached for the needle pouch in his sleeve, his fingertip touching the row of fine needles before slowly withdrawing it.

The backyard of Prince Yi's Residence.

As soon as the large iron pot began to emit white steam, half of the palace could smell the sweet aroma.

Shen Ling'er stood by the pot with her sleeves rolled up, holding a long wooden spoon in her hand. The coarse sugar water in the pot was bubbling and had a yellowish-brown color. Next to her was a newly made funnel, which was filled with fine linen and washed yellow mud.

Gu Moran sat on the veranda wrapped in a fox fur coat, with a thin blanket covering his knees and a hand warmer in his hands. When he saw Shen Ling'er about to pour the sugar water into the funnel, he quickly reached out his hand.

"Pour it slowly, don't pour it all in at once. The muddy water should be poured slowly from the top, letting the sugar water run down on its own."

Shen Ling'er turned around and glared at him.

"If you give another command, I'll pour this whole spoonful of sugar water over your head, so you'll go to see the Prefect Si with a sugar coating on your head."

Gu Moran touched his nose and immediately leaned back a little.

"Very well, very well. I dare not say anything more about what Divine Physician Shen is doing."

Murong Xue stood on the other side with her arms crossed, looking down at the white porcelain bowl under the funnel, her tone filled with doubt.

"Will pouring muddy water really wash away this dark yellow sugar water?"

I think it's possible.

Su Yao squatted in front of the small table, with an abacus and account books scattered on the floor, and a charcoal pencil in her hand.

"We must keep a clear record of how much coarse sugar, yellow clay, and firewood we used today. If it really works, we'll have to figure out from the beginning how to build the sugar mill, how to calculate wages, and how much silver we'll get when it's sold in the capital."

Xie Wanqing sat next to her, with an empty notebook on her lap, where she had already written down a few lines.

She wrote very quickly, not missing a single word Gu Moran said. She even remembered clearly how long the yellow mud should be settled, how many layers of burlap should be laid, and what viscosity the sugar water should be boiled to.

Lin Qingdai stood a little further away, her gaze constantly drifting towards the bottom of the funnel.

She had seen sugar boiling before, but she had never seen such a strange method.

The coarse sugar water seeped down the layer of yellow mud little by little. The first drops that fell into the bowl were light yellow, but after a while, the color became lighter and lighter, and eventually it really turned into a clear syrup.

The backyard fell silent.

Even Tiedan, who was stealing candy, stopped.

Shen Ling'er bent down to look at the bottom of the bowl, the wooden spoon in her hand hovering in mid-air. She smiled, picked up the bowl of syrup, and shook it in the sunlight, her breathing becoming lighter.

Gu Moran.

"Um?"

"Is it done? Can we really eat this?"

"Of course it's edible, and it can even be sold for the price of gold."

As soon as Gu Moran finished speaking, Shen Ling'er dipped her chopsticks in the mixture and tasted it herself.

The sweetness melts on the tip of the tongue, without the burnt bitterness often found in coarse sugar, nor any muddy or fishy smell, leaving only a clean and crisp sweetness.

Shen Ling'er didn't say anything, but simply handed the chopsticks to Murong Xue.

Murong Xue was initially somewhat disgusted, but after tasting it, she couldn't resist dipping it in again and turned to stare at Gu Moran.

"Is this really the snow candy you were talking about?"

"You've already put it in your mouth, how could it be salt?"

"Stop talking nonsense."

Murong Xue handed the chopsticks to Lin Qingdai, her ears burning slightly.

Lin Qingdai was extremely restrained, only touching it a little before looking away.

How long can it be stored?

Seeing that she asked a very practical question, Gu Moran smiled and replied, "Boil it until it's quite dry, seal it well, and store it. It will last longer than coarse sugar, and it will be more convenient to send it to various places. It can also be taken on military marches and used in pharmacies to dispense medicine."

Upon hearing the words "preparing medicine," Shen Ling'er immediately put down the bowl.

"Adding sugar to the medicine can mask the bitterness, making it easier to administer medicine to children and wounded soldiers."

Su Yao's abacus beads immediately started clicking.

"Coarse sugar costs eighty coins a pound. If we clean it using this method, the losses will have to be recalculated, and it can sell for two hundred coins a pound. It can even double in the capital. The sugar merchants in Chuan-Shu are probably going to be restless."

Gu Moran waved his hand.

"Don't rush to sell them. Let's make something nice for the ladies first."

Murong Xue raised her eyes.

"You went through all that trouble just to make us something delicious?"

"If there's something good, the ladies should naturally try it first."

Murong Xue snorted and turned her head away again.

Gu Moran had people bring out hawthorns, wild berries, and pitted green plums, and also asked the kitchen to send over washed bamboo skewers. The backyard was soon bustling with activity.

Xie Wanqing poured the sugar water back into the pot and continued to simmer it. Shen Ling'er kept an eye on the heat, while Gu Moran slowly stirred it with a wooden spoon. The syrup changed from yellowish-brown to clear, and when the spoon was lifted, long sugar threads could be drawn out.

"Alright, string the fruit."

Yun Shuyue ran in carrying a large basin of hawthorns, her nose red from the cold. Upon hearing this, she put the basin on the table.

"Wow, it smells so good."

Gu Moran looked up at her.

Yun Shuyue chuckled, "I'll have a skewer, I'll have a skewer!"

When the first skewer of candied hawthorns came out of the oven, the bright sugar coating on the hawthorns shone through the light.

Tiedan had been squatting nearby waiting. When Gu Moran handed over the candied hawthorn, he immediately reached out to take it.

"Hot."

Gu Moran the bamboo skewer high.

Tiedan tried to reach it twice on tiptoe, then stomped his feet in frustration.

I'm not afraid of getting burned.

"No matter how much of a rush you are, there's no chance for you."

Tiedan was stunned for a moment, then turned to Yun Shuyue and shouted, " Sister Yue'er, the prince only shows me the food, but he won't let me eat it! He's bullying me!"

Yun Shuyue arranged the stringy hawthorns on a plate and Gu Moran a reproachful look.

"He's still a child, why are you always arguing with him?"

Gu Moran smiled and stuffed the candied hawthorn into Tiedan's hand.

Tiedan ran to the corridor with the candy in his arms. When he took a bite of the first candy, the shell crumbled in his mouth, and the sweet and sour taste made him squint.

The laughter in the backyard didn't stop for long before Uncle Fu strode in from outside.

"Your Highness, a guest has arrived at the main gate."