Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace-Chapter 107 Niter Ice Making

"Alchemy with niter? An explosion?"

Chen Mo was taken aback.

The so-called alchemy with niter is not using niter as a fuel.

It’s used for "subduing fire."

Subduing fire refers to the practice of alchemists burning toxic minerals like sulfur and arsenic to reduce their toxicity before use. Subdued fire means to tame, making the toxins less potent.

The materials used for subduing fire include niter, sulfur, and soapwort (which contains carbon).

Chen Mo quickly asked, "Besides niter, what else did the State Preceptor use for alchemy?"

Zhao Fujin, as Lin Su Ya’s direct disciple, naturally had learned alchemy. She said, "There’s also sulfur, charcoal, obsidian, seeds of gold coin..."

Zhao Fujin listed off seven or eight things in a row.

Hearing this, Chen Mo’s eyes lit up with joy.

Indeed, it was one niter, one sulfur, three charcoals.

It’s executable, really executable.

As for the explosion.

It must have been that during the alchemical process, the proportions of niter, sulfur, and charcoal were accidentally balanced.

Charcoal is easy to get.

As for niter and sulfur...

"Elder Sister, where can I get niter and sulfur?" Chen Mo asked.

"Why do you need niter and sulfur?" Upon hearing this, Zhao Fujin was taken aback, before earnestly advising Chen Mo, "Junior Brother, don’t touch these things. Master told me these substances have unstable factors. If not handled properly, it could explode and unless you achieve innate power, you’ll be either dead or injured.

That’s why niter, sulfur, obsidian, seeds of gold coin... have all been classified as controlled substances. If you need just one or two, it’s fine, but if you need them all, it requires undergoing multiple inspections."

"I don’t need them all, I just need niter and sulfur. Where can I get them?"

"Artifact Department." Zhao Fujin said.

The Artifact Department is an independent division, directly overseen by the Emperor.

The crafting of weapons and treasure, even some siege equipment, is the responsibility of the Artifact Department.

And minerals like niter and sulfur are also controlled by the Artifact Department, and permission is needed to mine them.

Of course, although the Artifact Department is directly overseen by the Emperor.

If you’re not crafting weapons and treasure but just want some controlled substances, as long as the quantity is small and you offer enough silver, it won’t reach the Emperor’s ears.

Chen Mo nodded.

Once he knew where he could get them, the next step was to proceed cautiously.

He couldn’t rush it.

Even if you’ve acquired these three substances, you still need to experiment slowly to figure out the correct proportions of these three materials.

And regarding those proportions, Chen Mo naturally doesn’t know, it’s not executable.

So, he needs to find trustworthy people to handle it.

This process might also involve some trial and error with people.

No experimentation comes without casualties.

He would also need to build a factory.

And all of this requires money.

So creating gunpowder is definitely not achievable in a short time.

However, he could first get some niter, make some ice, sell it outside the palace, and earn money.

And making ice with niter is much simpler than making gunpowder.

All it takes are two pots.

One large pot, one small pot. Fill both pots with water, place the small pot inside the large pot.

Just ensure the large pot’s water covers the small pot. Add niter to the large pot to lower the temperature, the small pot will slowly freeze, and when the large pot’s water freezes, the niter will reappear.

Then scrape it off to keep making ice.

Of course, throughout this process, there will be some loss of niter.

"By the way, you haven’t told me what you need these things for?" Zhao Fujin asked.

"Elder Sister, are you interested in making a fortune?"

"A fortune?"

"Yes, making a great fortune."

Chen Mo leaned in closer to Zhao Fujin’s ear and whispered, "Elder Sister, listen to me..."

Right now, no one in the Great Song Dynasty knows how to make ice with niter.

This means it’s a unique trade.

Plus, in the palace, ice is scarce, let alone outside. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

With Bianliang’s population over three million, imagine how big this market is.

If Chen Mo tried to do it alone, once it grows large, the business could easily be swallowed up in this Emperor-foot city of Bianliang.

So bringing Zhao Fujin in, with her identity as the Empress plus being a granddaughter of the Xiao Family, few in Bianliang could surpass that.

Bringing Zhao Fujin in also serves as a kind of protection for himself.

However, Zhao Fujin barely listened to what Chen Mo said.

The feeling of Chen Mo’s breath brushing against her face made Zhao Fujin blush, causing her heart to flutter and ripple uncontrollably.

"By then, Elder Sister, you take seven, I take three. Once it’s big, we can open another factory in the east of the city, expand and strengthen it, and achieve glory again. With Bianliang’s population over three million, earning tens of thousands of silver shouldn’t be a problem, right?"

In his previous life, Chen Mo had never done business, but now in this other world, starting a business filled him with passion.

But Zhao Fujin didn’t respond to what Chen Mo said.

Chen Mo drew back a little and found she had already spaced out.

"Elder Sister." Chen Mo quickly called again.

"Ah... ah?" Zhao Fujin snapped back to reality belatedly.

"Do you understand now?"

"What?"

"Expand and strengthen, achieve glory again. Once our business spreads throughout all of Bianliang, we can open branches in other surrounding towns. I’ve even thought of the name, it can be called Golden Rainbow Ice Store, or Fortune Ice Store. If that doesn’t work, Elder Sister, you can name it." Chen Mo said with a look full of determination to achieve big things.

Zhao Fujin: "..."

"Uh... say... say it again."

Chen Mo: "※※※※"

Zhao Fujin: "???

"Elder Sister, you get the niter done, leave the rest to me."

"Can niter really make ice?"

"Wait and see."

...

As the day gradually turned to night.

Having procured some niter for experimentation, Zhao Fujin quickly found Chen Mo, and they started experimenting in the courtyard of Zhao Fujin’s palace.

All those around had been dismissed by Zhao Fujin.

Zhao Jiangning had also left.

Only Chen Mo and Zhao Fujin were in the vast courtyard.

"The wooden box, water, and niter are all ready. What next?" Zhao Fujin looked at Chen Mo with expecting eyes.

"First, grind the niter into powder..."

Chen Mo said slowly.

Niter dissolving indeed absorbs heat and can even make ice, but the dissolving speed and ambient temperature during ice-making are crucial. For example, throwing a large chunk of niter into water might dissolve slowly and absorb heat, but it’s hard for the water temperature to drop below freezing.

It’s best to grind into powder to speed up dissolving; stirring with a wooden rod during dissolving can speed up dissolution and heat absorption.

Moreover, the temperature when making ice shouldn’t be too high, so for better experimental success, Chen Mo chose evening when the temperature had already started to drop a bit.

"That’s simple..."

Zhao Fujin placed her hand on a large head-sized piece of niter, True Qi flowing from her palm, and in a moment, it crushed into powder.