Chapter 70: The Flame Commander

“Don’t you know to use oil when cooking?” Zhao Huan asked in confusion.

“Oil?” The shopkeeper was stunned by this suggestion and asked, perplexed, “What oil?”

“Pork fat or soybean oil will do!” Zhao Huan replied, then suddenly realized something: cooking with oil only became common after the Song Dynasty. Though it began to emerge during this era, at this point the technique was still considered a closely guarded secret by the imperial chefs and hadn’t spread among the people.

“Sir, you must be joking. Where would there be oil on a pig? That’s just meat. As for soybean oil, it’s used for making candles—how could anyone eat that?” The shopkeeper chuckled, clearly indicating that Zhao Huan’s ideas were misguided and he shouldn’t pretend to be an expert here.

“How could there be no oil on a pig? If you take those white fatty parts and heat them in a pot, they’ll quickly melt into oil. Using that oil in cooking will surely make the dishes taste wonderful,” Zhao Huan explained.

“Stop with the nonsense. You don’t look like someone who knows how to cook, yet you’re trying to teach us. You really like to talk big!” mocked one of the diners nearby.

“Exactly, it’s easy to talk when you’re not the one cooking. Have you ever cooked a meal?” another diner chimed in.

“If you like the food, eat it. If you don’t, leave. Don’t ruin our meal,” another diner said to Zhao Huan.

Cheng Dafu was about to retort after hearing how everyone spoke to Zhao Huan, but Zhao Huan stopped him, saying, “Whether I’m right or wrong isn’t up to me or you. Just try it, and you’ll see for yourselves.”

The crowd was skeptical, especially the diners, convinced that Zhao Huan was all talk and no skill. They urged the shopkeeper to give it a try.

The shopkeeper didn’t have soybean oil, but happened to have a piece of pork fat. He decided to try Zhao Huan’s suggestion.

The gleaming white pork fat was placed in the pan, and as it was heated, it soon melted into a layer of oil. As the temperature rose, the oil began to sizzle, and a rich aroma wafted through the air.

“The oil is ready, you can start cooking!” Zhao Huan reminded him.

By this point, when the aroma filled the room, everyone present realized that Zhao Huan hadn’t been lying.

The shopkeeper seemed to awaken from a dream and hurriedly put the chopped vegetables into the pan. From here, he needed no further instruction from Zhao Huan—he was the professional chef, after all. Cooking with oil was commonplace in later times, but in the Song Dynasty, it was a privilege reserved for the imperial kitchen.

Zhao Huan’s suggestion was a significant step in making Chinese cuisine accessible to the masses.

Thanks to Zhao Huan’s advice, the dishes the shopkeeper prepared became even more delicious. To express his gratitude, he made a table full of his specialty dishes for Zhao Huan, free of charge, and this time, every dish was cooked with oil.

Zhao Huan accepted without hesitation, feeling delighted. After enjoying a hearty home-style meal, he hurriedly set off for the Armory with Cheng Dafu.

Inside the hall of the Armory, Zhao Huan met the scruffy old Daoist, Wang Yuqing. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked more like a beggar than a scholar, but his spirit was high, and his eyes seemed to shine.

“Your Majesty, you’re finally here!” Wang Yuqing exclaimed, reaching out to grab Zhao Huan’s sleeve as he led him away. “Come quickly and see what we’ve developed according to your instructions!”

“How dare you! Show some respect!” Cheng Dafu immediately rebuked him loudly.

Wang Yuqing realized his mistake, quickly let go of Zhao Huan’s sleeve, and was about to bow, but Zhao Huan stopped him, saying, “I forgive you. Hurry and show me your results!”

Wang Yuqing was now thoroughly enthralled by the development of firearms. Having succeeded, he was like a child eager to show off his achievements.

Zhao Huan didn’t fully understand the workings of the fire tube, having only given Wang Yuqing a model and some advice, and hadn’t expected him to make progress so quickly.

“This is the tube made by the blacksmiths according to your Majesty’s design. Once filled with gunpowder, it can kill enemies from three hundred paces away. It’s truly formidable,” Wang Yuqing said, handing Zhao Huan a fire tube. “Allow me to demonstrate.”

In truth, the fire tube Wang Yuqing developed wasn’t a true firearm, but resembled a later era’s signal flare. In a thick iron tube, about as wide as a baby’s arm, he packed a gunpowder charge and lit a fuse. The gunpowder was divided into front and rear sections; after the fuse was lit, the rear charge exploded, propelling the front charge out of the tube.

A loud bang echoed, and a small tree three hundred paces away snapped in two, smoke curling from the broken trunk.

“Protect the emperor!” The sudden noise startled Cheng Dafu, who rushed in front of Zhao Huan, shielding him. “Your Majesty, we must leave, this is dangerous.”

Zhao Huan could only shake his head in exasperation.

“Cheng Dafu, there’s no need to worry. I’m fine,” Zhao Huan said, moved by Cheng Dafu’s genuine concern. “Stand down for now.”

Though somewhat reassured, Cheng Dafu couldn’t help but worry, given the terrifying power of the device. The tree trunk was as thick as a bowl, shattered in an instant—if it struck a person, they would be torn apart.

“Your Majesty, how is the result?” Wang Yuqing asked, proud as a child awaiting praise.

Zhao Huan nodded. “It’s passable.”

Wang Yuqing was displeased. “Your Majesty, you’re being unfair.”

Zhao Huan replied, “This device is barely usable. Such a large fire tube is cumbersome to carry on campaign. If you make it smaller, it will hold less gunpowder and lose its power. Am I wrong?”

Wang Yuqing frowned, “That’s an unsolvable problem. I tried hundreds of times before settling on this size.”

He rolled his eyes and added, “Unless Your Majesty has a better idea?”

Wang Yuqing’s little gesture didn’t escape Zhao Huan’s notice. He didn’t hide his thoughts and said, “It’s actually quite simple. As I’ve told you before, there are two ways to solve this problem.”