Chapter 11: Preparations Before Departure
Over the next two days, with the assistance of Cao Li, Xing'er quickly purchased two adjacent properties and completed the transfer of titles. Following Zhao Bin's instructions, Chunxi led a group of craftsmen to set up a dozen stoves and iron cauldrons in the courtyard.
Once the preparations were complete, Cao Li had nearly finished selecting the able-bodied men. Although Yancheng was sparsely populated, finding two hundred young men proved to be quite manageable. After Cao Li posted the public notice, the applicants swarmed the gates—men and women, young and old alike. In a place like Yancheng, opportunities to earn money were scarce; hearing that the project not only paid wages but also provided meals, the townspeople flocked to sign up.
Per Zhao Bin's orders, only strong young men were to be selected, and they had to be reliable. Cao Li began a meticulous screening process. Honestly, having no real way to judge a man's character, Cao Li resorted to a "special skill" from the world of wandering fortune-tellers: physiognomy. "Oh, no, your eyes are crooked, that won't do. And you, with the twisted mouth—no. And you, and you—with those shifty, slanting eyes, you look like trouble."
In this manner, four days passed until Cao Li finally selected two hundred men he deemed acceptable.
Inside the Prince’s estate, fifty guards formed a large circle around Zhao Bin. Scattered on the ground were seven or eight tools: paring knives, rakes, bamboo poles, wooden ladles, hooks, baskets, splints, scrapers, and brooms. Zhao Bin explained the use of each tool one by one.
In truth, these tools were simple—or rather, the process of solar salt evaporation was simple. It was essentially a matter of preparing a level plot of land, building ridges around the perimeter, and splashing seawater inside; once the water evaporated, the remaining salt crystals could be harvested.
After explaining the basics of salt production, Zhao Bin addressed the fifty guards in a booming voice: "Brothers, this task will be arduous, but if we succeed, our estate will have meat on the table every single day. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Your Highness!" the fifty guards shouted in unison.
"Very well, go and prepare. Xiao Chu, Xu Ling, come inside with me." Zhao Bin turned and walked toward the residence, followed by the two men.
Once inside, Zhao Bin gestured for them to sit and asked Xu Ling, "Are the supplies and tools ready?"
Xu Ling rose quickly. "Your Highness..." Before he could finish, Zhao Bin waved a hand. "Sit down."
Xu Ling was the captain of the second guard unit. This was only his second time officially participating in a meeting with Zhao Bin, and the unconventional informality left him feeling uneasy. Fortunately, Xiao Chu had warned him beforehand, so he complied, albeit somewhat stiffly.
"Your Highness, provisions for ten days have been loaded onto the carts. Sixty military tents have been allocated for the guard units, and all the tools and equipment have been packed as you ordered."
"Good. Leading this team to the coast to produce salt is a hard task. Once you arrive, there are a few things you must keep in mind. First, do not camp too close to the shoreline, or the rising tide may flood your tents. Second, focus on leveling the land to develop the salt pans. Third, once you are settled, transport the salt back every ten days. I will ensure subsequent provisions are ready for you. Fourth, these two hundred men are our own people from Yancheng; do not beat them arbitrarily, but remain vigilant—those who cause trouble must not be treated lightly. These are the four main points. If you encounter any other issues, use your best judgment, and if you truly cannot resolve them, send someone back with a message immediately."
"Yes, Your Highness. I will not fail your trust."
On the morning of the fifth day, as the sky began to pale with the first light of dawn, a caravan of over two hundred people slowly departed from the East Gate, heading toward the eastern sea.