The Princess of Northern Land
Chapter 301 Ask for help(4)_1

Chapter 301: Chapter 301 Ask for help(4)_1

"The temperature is not high enough, and the power is insufficient," Lin Ziyin sighed lightly in the face of failure. As expected, without coal, it’s impossible!

"What are you doing?" came Chu Suifeng’s cold voice from behind.

"Making soy milk powder," Lin Ziyin replied indifferently. She had failed, what else could she do? The machine for making soy milk powder was already running at minimum power, but the temperature of the firewood still couldn’t meet the requirements.

The disappointment of her first failed attempt was significant for Lin Ziyin.

"Did you fail?" Si Jinhan’s voice carried an undertone of excitement.

Chu Suifeng gave him a cold stare, and Si Jinhan immediately repressed his smile. Truthfully, he wasn’t intentionally gloating over her misfortune. It was just that Lin Ziyin had always been successful in her business ventures, making it seem as though she was capable of anything. Even when she was creating small mechanical tools, it was an eye-opening experience for him. Even the people from the Tianji Building held her in high esteem.

Today, he finally got to see something she couldn’t do, which made Lin Ziyin seem more real in his eyes.

"There’s not enough steam for the next steps," Lin Ziyin replied lightly.

"What needs to be done then?" Chu Suifeng asked sternly. He didn’t like the defeated look on Lin Ziyin’s face.

"Telling you wouldn’t help," Lin Ziyin retorted. She knew they were just there to mock her failure, and she wasn’t going to let them think otherwise.

"Speak," Chu Suifeng commanded, his face grim. The notion of Lin Ziyin distrusting him did not sit well with him.

"There’s a type of black powder that can burn into a temperature needed to produce enough steam power," Lin Ziyin replied reluctantly.

"Send a search for this black powder immediately. Once it’s found, bring some back for her to experiment with." Chu Suifeng issued the command and a guard immediately disappeared to carry it out.

Feeling somewhat grateful for his help, Lin Ziyin said, "Prince, if you can find this black powder, I can offer you 20% of the profits from the soy milk powder."

Chu Suifeng gave her a glance, not responding. The fact that Lin Ziyin was willing to share her profits was a big deal to him.

"You’ve used up all the beans, what about the horses for the army?" Si Jinhan deliberately provoked.

Feeling uncharacteristically amiable towards Chu Suifeng, Lin Ziyin decided to engage in some friendly conversation. "Doesn’t the Imperial Court supply enough grains and fodder for the border troops each year?"

Si Jinhan couldn’t help but smile at her audacity.

Realizing she may have overstepped her bounds, since military supplies are typically considered classified, Lin Ziyin regretted asking.

"The Imperial Court has always been suspicious of me, and the grains and fodder sent to us each year have always been insufficient. Moreover, sometimes these provisions would get intercepted by other fiefs. Combined with the harsh, cold conditions and sparse population of the Northern Land, border soldiers live a very difficult life," Chu Suifeng explained openly.

Both Si Jinhan and Lin Ziyin were surprised at his candidness.

As Lin Ziyin watched Chu Suifeng, she noticed a far-off yet resolute look in his eyes, a mix that made her respect him for the first time. She began to compare him to her best friend from the modern era. She wondered if he and He Yue had married.

"What are you thinking about?" Chu Suifeng asked, not pleased by the distant look in her eyes, as if she were thinking about someone else.

The idea that Lin Ziyin might still be thinking of another man infuriated Chu Suifeng.

"My senior brother and sister," she replied calmly, "They are a couple and I was just wondering if they have gotten married."