The Ming Dynasty started with caution

On the third day of the court session, Yan Chengjin was always met with the cold face of Li Dongyang.

Li Zhaofan's fault for not doing his job was actually blamed on him.

If he could not make the press, he would definitely deduct all of Li Zhaofan's wages for this month.

When Yan Chengjin left the palace, He Neng came up to him and said, "Master, Li Zhaofan just came to the mansion and brought a big thing."

Peanut oil was still a scarce commodity in the Ming Dynasty.

Only five oils were not enough for himself, so he did not intend to report to His Majesty.

At this time, in Yan's mansion,

there was a strange fragrance all around, and people who smelled it could not help but salivate and swallow their saliva.

Jinyiwei smelled the smell and said curiously, "Boss, what do you say? It smells so good!"

"Well, it's the first time I smell it too."

Ye Zhun sucked a few mouthfuls fiercely, and the rich aroma of peanut oil could make people feel good just by smelling it.

This thing must have all five flavors!

At this time, Li Zhaofan had already built an oil tank, a hammer, and a peanut crusher in the side room of the old courtyard.

He knew how to install it.

But the hammer was too heavy, so he needed the help of servants to lift it up.

The peanuts were constantly crushed into dregs, and golden oil dripped into the earthenware jar.

The fragrance kept coming out, and the servants in the mansion gathered in front of the door to watch.

Yan Chengjin smelled the rich aroma of peanut oil, and just as he walked into the mansion, he heard people shouting.

"Master Yan, it's oil! There's really oil!"

Li Zhaofan was excited, pointing to the half-jar of oil that had just been squeezed out.

The plants that could be used to squeeze oil in Daming were very scarce.

One stone of sesame could only squeeze out two buckets of oil.

Regardless of lard or sesame oil, the aroma was not as good as the peanut oil in front of him, which was rich and fragrant.

"It's not in vain that your father looked down on me for three days." Yan Chengjin carefully scooped up the oil in the earthenware jar.

There were also dregs, which needed to be filtered and purified with gauze.

It is not difficult to press the oil. After frying, grind the peanuts into powder, put them into the iron ring, and make discus.

Then stack the discus together, hit them with a hammer, and the oil will flow out.

Not long after, Zhu Houzhao came to Yan's house.

He sniffed the fragrance in the air like a dog, his eyes shining: "Is there something delicious in Lao Gao's house?!"

"I smell it too, it's delicious..."

Zhu Houzhao walked into the house and saw He Neng holding Yan Chengjin's hand, crying like a funeral: "Master, you can't pour it anymore. How can you pour so much oil to make a chicken? This is... This is a waste of resources, a waste of money, too much waste!"

Yan Chengjin kicked He Neng away: "How can you make fried chicken without a pot of oil?! Come on, keep pouring."

I haven't eaten fried chicken for a long time, and I'm craving it.

Fried running chicken with freshly fried peanut oil must be delicious.

Zhu Houzhao blinked his eyes, his face full of excitement: "Lao Gao, what are you doing?"

Yan Chengjin's face was dark, this guy came at a coincidence.

"I have something important to do today, so it's inconvenient to receive you. Your Highness, please go back to the East Palace to study."

It was obvious that he was sending me away. Zhu Houzhao stared at the pot of boiling oil.

I saw that the white and tender running chicken was put down, turned over with an iron hook, and fried until both sides were golden.

The fragrant smell came to my face.

Half an hour later, Zhu Houzhao ate with relish: "Lao Gao, fry another one? I want to eat more."

"I was thinking of this. Come on, change a pot of new oil."

He Neng and Li Zhaofan's faces changed drastically.

Oil is more precious than refined salt. I don't know how many sesame seeds are needed to squeeze out a pot of oil.

There are very few people who grow sesame in the Ming Dynasty.

After the cold weather, grain production decreased, and there were even fewer people who grew sesame.

"Master, there is still oil in the pot."

"If you fry with oil that has been used once, you will get seriously ill. Use new oil and fry two this time." Yan Chengjin said.

Ye Zhun was leaning on the eaves outside the mansion and saw everything clearly.

It takes a pot of oil to cook a chicken. The kitchen in the palace didn't dare to cook like this.

He quickly jumped off the eaves and went to the palace to report.

…………

West Warm Pavilion,

Emperor Hongzhi looked at the memorial of Guanglu Temple and said: "From today on, all requests for the construction of temples and Taoist temples will be rejected. The six ministries and five temples should not waste useful money on useless things."

Seeing that Guanglu Temple asked for permission to prepare for the winter solstice offerings, His Majesty advocated frugality again.

The nine ministers quickly agreed.

Emperor Hongzhi was slightly worried and looked at Li Dongyang: "Master Li has been absent-minded since just now. If you have something important to do, you can leave the court first."

Xiao Jing also noticed that Li Dongyang had been staring at his whisk since he entered the palace.

In the past, when His Majesty issued an order, Master Li would always consider it again and again before giving advice.

Li Dongyang knew that he had lost his composure and hurriedly said: "Hainan has transported something back. Yan Chengjin ordered my son Zhaofan to prepare equipment to squeeze five petroleum oil."

Five petroleum oil?

This was even more shocking to all officials than hearing about ten thousand taels of silver.

The Ming Dynasty could squeeze out very little oil.

In this winter, the crops were all dead, so where could there be materials for squeezing oil?

Emperor Hongzhi frowned: "But Yan Chengjin never speaks without proof."

Li Dongyang nodded: "This is exactly what I am surprised about. Could it be that he can really squeeze out oil?"

"Where is Yan Chengjin?"

"He is resting at home. He said he was not feeling well. He will be off duty at the end of the day." Xiao Jing reported and continued: "The prince is not in the palace either."

These two people are together, so there must be something good.

Emperor Hongzhi looked at Xiao Jing: "Send someone to the mansion to see what Yan Chengjin is doing."

Xiao Jing ran out of the hall and was about to arrange the factory guards, but saw Mou Bin coming.

"Your Majesty ordered us to find out about Yan Chengjin. Does the commander have any news?"

"Yes, no need to go."

Mou Bin strode into the palace and bowed slightly: "Your Majesty, Yan Chengjin is having chicken at home."

Emperor Hongzhi and his ministers looked as usual.

"Besides eating chicken, are there no other strange behaviors?"

"Reporting to your majesty, eating chicken is a strange behavior."

Emperor Hongzhi was surprised that ordinary people could eat a chicken for ten days and a half, not to mention Yan Chengjin had money.

"Yan Chengjin needs a pot of oil to cook a chicken."

What an extreme extravagance!

There are at least two buckets of oil in a pot, right? How many sesame seeds do you need to squeeze them out?

You bought two buckets of oil, which is enough for a big family to eat for a month, but you actually use two months of oil to make one dish?

Thinking of this, Emperor Hongzhi gritted his teeth tightly, and Xiao Jing quickly reminded: "Your Majesty, don't be so angry that your teeth..."

Seeing that Mou Bin was about to speak, Emperor Hongzhi said harshly: "What else is there?"

"Yan Chengjin not only fried the chicken in a pot, but also poured out the oil and said that the fried oil could not be eaten."

This is boiling cranes and burning harps!

How many people can't afford oil, but you dare to pour it away.

A pot of oil... poured.

Emperor Hongzhi is inexplicably distressed, but I can eat it too.

Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth tightly.

All the officials looked indignant.

Seeing this, Mou Bin quickly interceded for Yan Chengjin: "Your Majesty, Yan Chengjin fried this oil himself, so it is not considered a waste."

If Yan Chengjin had bought the oil from the market, His Majesty would still be able to punish him in the name of extravagance.

But Yan Chengjin fried the oil himself.

What else can you say?

Emperor Hongzhi lost most of his anger, but he still said angrily: "Does he think that since he squeezed it out himself, I won't punish him?"

All the officials nodded in agreement.

"When it was announced that he had entered the palace, the oil extraction equipment and peanuts were also moved into the palace."

Mou Bin went to convey the order anxiously. The wise nephew would not blame him for his high density. How could he have the nerve to ask him to do something if the relationship was ruined?

When they arrived at Yan Mansion, Yan Chengjin and Zhu Houzhao were full of milk and chicken.

"My dear nephew, Your Majesty allowed you to enter the palace, and these peanuts and equipment were also moved to the palace." Mou Bin reminded: "Your Majesty means to blame."

Yan Chengjin ordered people to lift the equipment and move the peanut oil and equipment to the palace.

As soon as they reached the imperial steps outside the palace, the officials smelled a strange fragrance and turned their heads, salivating.

Never smelled like this.

Yan Chengjin ordered someone to carry the brocade plate: "I invite your majesty and the princes to eat fried chicken."

This is chicken fried with peanuts.

Emperor Hongzhi didn't want to eat it at all, but wanted to see peanuts that could be fried in oil. How many people in the world couldn't afford oil.

"How many stone peanuts are needed to extract one oil?"

Yan Chengjin thought for a while and said conservatively: "Three stones."

Two stones of peanut kernels is enough. The steamed peanuts are still moist.

"Three stones of peanuts can get one oil?" Emperor Hongzhi was suddenly moved.

Xiao Jing distributed the fried chicken to the gentlemen. There were five fried chickens, and in the blink of an eye, there was only one chicken stand left.

The ministers covered their faces with their sleeves and tasted them happily.

It smells good, but tastes even better!

Xiao Jing could only watch helplessly. If His Majesty didn't eat, he wouldn't dare to eat either.

"Your Majesty, this oil is so fragrant!"

After eating fried chicken, all the officials praised each other, their mouths were full of oil, and they were still unfinished, almost sucking their fingers.

Seeing Emperor Hongzhi's appetite, he quickly asked: "How do you squeeze out this oil? Is there any fried chicken left?"

"Please also ask Your Majesty to allow Li Zhaofan to enter the palace."