The Princess of Northern Land
Chapter 463: Losses (5)_1

Chapter 463: Chapter 463: Losses (5)_1

There was no electricity, everything relied on steam. Fortunately, the power needed for the noodle-hanging machine wasn’t too much. In no time at all, the first batch of neat and orderly noodles were made.

"The cuts are so even," said Cui Da with satisfaction as he looked at the hanging noodles.

"Dry these noodles in the sun," instructed Lin Ziyin.

"Yes, Miss." Cui Da summoned several women to tidy up.

"Miss, why have them learn to make Kun Noodles if we have this type of machine?" Hei Er asked Lin Ziyin with a puzzled expression.

"Hanging noodles fall apart in the pot, and with a large amount of people in the barracks, eating them occasionally is okay. However, if we use them during a march or battle, the soldiers would only have noodle soup left to eat by the time they got to it," answered Lin Ziyin. "Kun Noodles are different, they’re firm and even when boiled for a long time after being air-dried, they won’t disintegrate. Most importantly, they aren’t easily digested afterward, making one less prone to hunger."

So that’s how it was! Hei Er and Hei Yi gratefully watched her, and the men learning to make noodles also paid closer attention.

"Tomorrow, we’ll bring people to the forest to look for herds of deer. There’s still a significant number of them in the area," said Hei Yi.

"If possible, help me find some forest frogs. If the quantity is sufficient, I’d like to try raising them," Lin Ziyin said.

"Those things are easy to lose. Raising them might not be feasible," Hei Yi answered in surprise.

No wonder he was surprised. Forest frogs were common in the Beidi Mountain forests. However, forest frogs were small so even the poorest people had no interest in catching them for food.

"Miss, forest frogs are too small. I wonder why you want to raise them?" Hei Er was also puzzled by her suggestion.

"You may only see forest frogs as insignificant little creatures, but in my eyes, they’re treasures. Without them in the forests, pests would surely wreak havoc. A single frog can catch as many as thirty thousand pests in a year," answered Lin Ziyin.

"So they’re capable of that, alright. If Miss is concerned about the number of pests in the forest, we’ll catch some more for you," Hei Yi replied with a smile.

"However, I’m not raising them to catch pests. Forest frogs can be turned into Hasma. It’s a valuable item, comparable to bird’s nest soup and ginseng," Lin Ziyin added with a laugh.

"Really?" Both Hei Yi and Hei Er were startled by her statement.

"Of course it’s true. Otherwise, what’s the point of raising forest frogs?" Lin Ziyin answered slowly. "Although, the Officialdom should issue a regulation forbidding commoners from buying and selling forest frogs privately in the future."

Upon hearing this, Hei Yi and Hei Er understood her intentions.

"Yes, upon my return, I will report to the Prince," Hei Yi promised, secretly vowing to find all the deer and frogs that Lin Ziyin required.

"The official sees the Prince." Inside the Wang Residence, Mei Hanqing and the others finally met Chu Suifeng.

"Rise." Chu Suifeng didn’t show any sign of joy, but looked at Mei Hanqing and Shao Liufeng gently. "You’ve had a hard journey. Your residences have already been prepared by this Prince. There will be someone to escort you back to check when you return."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Mei Hanqing and the rest thanked him with bows.

"I should be on duty as soon as possible. I heard that you had dismissed a number of people, Your Highness. Your government offices are in need of manpower," Yuan Yanzhao said respectfully.

"There’s no rush. There are replacements in each government office for the time being, and it’s manageable," Chu Suifeng was genuinely in high spirits and was very patient with them. "I wish to establish an institution in the Northern Land similar to the Hanlin Academy and hope that you, Master Mei, and the rest can put more thought into it."