I was engaged in infrastructure construction in the Han Dynasty [Transmigration Book]

Chapter 436 [2 More] 436

When Liu Tan sent his relatives to the Western Regions before, he thought about compressing biscuits, but at that time, time was tight, and many technical problems could not be solved, because there was no time to experiment.

Later, when he came back, he had time, but he went to the northern border country immediately after.

According to the current situation in the northern border country, studying anything is more useful than studying compressed biscuits. As a result, this matter was put on hold. If Lu Xuan didn't want to go out in winter, Liu Tan would not have put his mind on it.

The so-called experience before is basically useless, and the compressed biscuits made at that time are not suitable, too single, and the only function is to satisfy the hunger.

Now that Liu Tan has soybean oil and other soy products, he can actually find a way to add some ingredients to the compressed biscuits to balance the nutrition.

The first is the staple food. The staple food he decided to mix with soybean flour, yellow rice flour and a small amount of glutinous rice flour. The glutinous rice flour is for better agglomeration.

Because the current compression can only use manpower or stones to compress the grain, it is impossible to achieve the same compression as later generations.

So Liu Tan simply gave up the idea of ​​compression. After all, compression is only for easy transportation and easy carrying by individual soldiers.

As for Lu Xuan's side, they are basically cavalry, and their load-bearing capacity is much stronger than that of infantry, so Liu Tan doesn't have to worry so much for the time being. What he has to do now is how to balance the nutrition in the individual rations.

Almost most people are short of sugar these days, but even Liu Tan can’t add sugar to individual soldiers’ rations, or even prepare sugar cubes, because it’s really a lot of money, don’t worry. Speaking of the treasury of the northern border country, even with Liu Tan's private treasury, it can't last long.

Although Lu Xuan is rich, but according to the recent frequency of wars in Wusun Kingdom, it is estimated that he will not be able to last for a long time.

Liu Tan thought about it for a long time, and suddenly thought of the best substitute - raisins.

Even Lu Xuan and the others can make this stuff by themselves, it can be stored for a long time and can replenish a lot of sugar, which is the only way to do it in this era.

Liu Tan tried to get people to mix raisins into the dry food, and it tasted pretty good after being compressed and baked. In fact, there is oil, salt, and raisins to enhance the taste. As long as the ratio is not too weird, it can't be too unpalatable.

In addition to the ones with raisins, he also made some meat products. Most of these meat products are chicken and duck, but even if the meat of poultry is used, the final cost is still very high, and it is impossible to promote it throughout the army.

Liu Tan had no choice but to choose soy products, or the method of making vegetarian meat, but it would definitely not be as elaborate as it was for Liu Che, just marinate it with salt, and then add it to dry food. The taste...is not very good , but protein supplementation should be enough.

For vegetables, the best way is to dehydrate them.

But let's be honest, dehydrating vegetables is too difficult.

It needs to be dehydrated at low temperature, otherwise, even if there are vegetables in it after dehydration, it will not have any nutrition at all, and it can only be a waste of energy.

In this regard, he thought of many methods but failed, mainly because he could not reduce the cost. A batch of dehydrated vegetables need to be roasted at low temperature for a day or two. Among them, fire control is the most important thing. How long does it take.

In the end, Liu Tan could only give up this aspect, and then wrote a letter to Lu Xuan complaining that it was too difficult to balance.

When Lu Xuan received the letter and samples from Liu Tan, he couldn't believe what he saw.

The dry food for individual soldiers was made into small pieces, and each one was baked to a burnt yellow color, and it was faintly visible that one part had dark purple inside and the other part was dark red.

The dark purple one should be the raisin Ah Tan mentioned, right?

While thinking about it, Lu Xuan picked it up and took a bite. The sweetness and saltiness were balanced just right. Even with Lu Xuan's pickiness, he couldn't say it was bad. The other one was even simpler. With the smell of meat, let alone marching, if Wusun's soldiers can eat such rations on weekdays, it would be good!

He wrote a letter to Liu Tan with a wry smile. After Liu Tan received it, he was surprised to find that Lu Xuan said that even he could not guarantee that he would have meat during the expedition. Everyone will be very satisfied with the stomach. It can be said that no one has thought of such a marching ration before.

He even carefully asked about the value of the dry food.

After all, in his opinion, the dry food contains oil, raisins and meat, so it must cost a lot. Even if Lu Xuan can afford it, he will subconsciously want to save more.

He and Liu Tan had different ideas. At the beginning, he didn't care about the nutrition of the soldiers at all, but after talking with Liu for a long time, he felt that the theory seemed to be quite reasonable. The population of the northern border country is even smaller. If you don't pay attention, how will you fight against the Huns in the future?

It's just that even so Lu Xuan would feel sorry for money, that is, when he spent money for Liu Tan, he looked like a prodigal.

After Liu Tan read the letter, he didn't know how he felt for a while. During the war, he couldn't even guarantee nutrition. No wonder he always felt that although Lu Xuan had muscles, he was still skinny. Logically speaking, it shouldn't be like this.

The result turned out to be because of this?

He told Lu Xuan that he didn't have much money. He really didn't lie to the other party, he just wanted to compress the price to make it like this, otherwise there would be more things to add.

After negotiating the price with Lu Xuan, Liu Tan found Huo Guang.

When Huo Guang saw Liu Tan, he smiled and said, "Your Highness is indeed wise."

Liu Tan was a little surprised and asked, "What?"

Huo Guang said: "Those who opened oil workshops are already panicked because their oil cannot be sold, and they have all asked the minister's house before."

Liu Tan was shocked: "Do they dare to beg you? They are quite courageous."

Huo Guang sneered: "If they don't come to beg me, the whole family will drink the northwest wind. How can they still sit still?"

Liu Tan frowned: "Could it be that there are still people who take all their wealth to open an oil shop?"

Huo Guang drank his saliva and said, "These people think they have a way to make money, and they are afraid that if they do less, they will earn less. In addition, the soybean oil produced by His Highness's Oil Factory was very popular before, so they will naturally dare to see the prospect."

Liu Tan lay on the table and asked, "Then what did they tell you?"

Huo Guang said: "It's nothing, just ask me why the price is so low, and how to make money at this price."

Liu Tan took the case and said: "Since they ask this, they are a bunch of idiots. You don't have to be polite to them. Just tell them that you are following my price. As for whether you make a loss or not, what does it have to do with them?"

Huo Guang said with a serious face: "Well, I also said so."

Liu Tan said with a smile: "You have also learned badly."

Huo Guang restrained the smile on his face: "Your Highness, they should have had enough suffering this time, isn't it almost the same?"

Liu Tan was a little surprised: "Huh? I didn't expect that there would be a day for you to intercede for others?"

Huo Guang said helplessly: "I don't want to intercede for them. They are too stupid, but there is no way. Now the northern border country is short of people. Although these people are a bit stupid, they are loyal anyway, and they can do enough. So I can only ask His Highness to forgive me."

Liu Tan thought for a while and said, "Since you have pleaded for them, forget it. Then you can tell them that the imperial court will come forward to buy their soybean oil at a price of five baht higher than the current market price."

Huo Guang was a little surprised when he heard this: "A five baht coin?"

Liu Tan nodded: "Yes, one piece is higher. They should be able to make some money at this price. Not much, a few bucks, but at least they didn't lose money, did they?"

Huo Guang asked: "Then why does Your Highness buy their soybean oil? The quality of their soybean oil is not as good as that produced by His Highness's oil workshop."

Liu Tan turned to Miao Rui and said, "Go and bring a plate of what I got earlier to the Prime Minister."

Huo Guang couldn't help being a little curious when he heard it, did he get food again?But His Majesty is gone, is it to prepare for the next meeting?But His Majesty didn't say that he would come over next year.

When he was thinking about this, he saw Miao Rui bringing a plate of pastries over.

He took a look and found that these pastries had two flavors. He picked up one of them and tasted it, which tasted good with a little sweetness, while the other was downright salty.

Seeing that he had tasted both, Liu Tan asked, "How do you feel?"

Huo Guang smiled and said, "Did Your Highness buy soybean oil just to make this kind of pastry? What if you can't sell it?"

"It's been sold." Liu Tan said with a smile, "This is the future combat ration for the soldiers of the northern border country. How about it?"

"Ah?" Huo Guang rarely showed a slightly dull expression, apparently he did not expect such cakes to be used as military rations by Liu Tan.

Liu Tan said: "Don't look at the fact that it uses oil and meat and raisins. In fact, the money is not much, because the feeling of satiety is strong and the nutrition is enough, so one piece can cover a meal. It really has to be counted. It should be about the same as the previous cost, the most important thing is that it needs to be transported, which can save the consumption of horses and manpower, and it can be regarded as saving money invisibly."

Huo Guang was taken aback when he heard this, but he had to say that Liu Tan said that he felt a strong sense of fullness. He was not considered hungry at first, but after eating two pieces of snacks just now, he was a little full. You must know that these two pieces The dim sum adds up to the size of a palm.

He collected his thoughts and asked, "What does His Highness mean when he said that it has been sold?"

Liu Tan said: "Oh, I gave Lu Xuan a taste before, and he also thought it was very good, and planned to replace the grain and grass for this expedition with this kind."

Huo Guang: ...

Lu Xuanyuan was a hundred miles away, and he tasted the military rations one step ahead of him. For a moment, Huo Guang didn't know what expression to put on.

In the end, he could only say expressionlessly: "Okay, I will send someone to communicate with His Highness King Wusun."

Liu Tan responded: "You will also send people to build workshops to make military rations later. We will need this sooner or later."

Huo Guang suddenly said: "I heard that many people also built oil workshops after they went back. After that, did they..."

Liu Tan laughed: "Huo Xiang's ability to draw inferences from one another really makes this king feel ashamed. However, first investigate where there are oil workshops, and start with the nearest one. Press some more."

The corners of Huo Guang's lips raised slightly: "Don't worry, Your Highness, I understand."

Liu Tan said: "Okay, this is not the most important thing, Yan Xingsheng, go to Tingwei's mansion and call Jiang Tingwei over."

Huo Guang's forehead twitched: "Your Highness, those who were involved in the witchcraft case before have all been arrested, and none slipped through the net."

Liu Tan waved his hand and said, "It's not that matter. I asked Jiang Chong to come over to add a law."

However, Huo Guang became more nervous after hearing this: "What does Your Highness want to add?"