Chapter 32: Making Soap

Hearing this, Zhou Hao’s eyes lit up. Why not make a sample for Bi Ruxue to try? It could serve as a promotional sample later.

"Then, what kind of floral scent does Miss Ruxue prefer?"

Bi Ruxue pondered for a moment before replying softly, "Rose, perhaps. I quite like that flower."

As she spoke, a hint of confusion flickered in her eyes. Why was Zhou Hao asking these things? Could he truly be capable of creating such a thing?

Zhou Hao offered a mysterious smile and said gently, "Then please wait a few days, Miss Bi. I shall bring you a gift."

With that, Zhou Hao left to find Luo Xu, leaving a perplexed Bi Ruxue behind.

Zhou Hao looked at Luo Xu, his expression thoughtful. "How many craftsmen have you recruited now? Are there any among them you can trust?"

Luo Xu paused, suddenly realizing that Zhou Hao was testing his competence. "Returning to the First Prince, there are twenty craftsmen in total. Only about a dozen are truly trustworthy; the others either joined at suspicious times or have questionable backgrounds, so they cannot be fully relied upon."

A dozen people? That should be enough.

"Very well. Tell those dozen craftsmen to buy some rose flowers, go to the butcher stalls to buy up all the pig pancreas, gather some sheep tail fat, and scrape some wood ash from the bottoms of cooking pots."

This series of orders left Luo Xu feeling baffled. What on earth was he trying to make? Asking for such a random assortment of items was bizarre, but since Zhou Hao had commanded it, Luo Xu dared not disobey.

"Your subordinate will see to it at once."

"Don't be in such a hurry. Among those craftsmen you found, there are many blacksmiths, aren't there? Have them forge this for me." Zhou Hao pulled out a blueprint of a distiller and handed it to Luo Xu. This was an essential tool for extracting essential oils; without it, the soap would be hard-pressed to compete with anything else of the era.

"First Prince, this is..." Luo Xu hesitated, unable to grasp the purpose of the device. The mere shape of the blueprint was enough to make his head spin.

"It doesn't matter. You don't need to understand it; you only need to know that this is our most precious asset."

Luo Xu nodded in agreement and hurried off to delegate the procurement tasks to the craftsmen.

This would serve as a test of the craftsmen's loyalty. However, Zhou Hao did not remain idle. He turned and went to the servants' quarters to find Sister-in-law Li, who was busy washing clothes.

"Sister-in-law Li, would you be interested in learning a trade?"

Zhou Hao had his own reasons for wanting her to learn soap-making. The Li family was reliable and capable. With Li Tie busy running errands outside, it was not enough for his wife to simply wash clothes and clean for the servants. He knew that this family had one great advantage over the others: unwavering loyalty.

This was what Zhou Hao valued most. Soap-making would be his future "small treasury." He couldn't entrust the key to that treasury to someone untrustworthy, nor could he handle every step himself. He was the First Prince; he could not spend his life confined to a workshop acting as a soap maker. That would be beneath his station.

Yet, he couldn't just pick anyone off the street. This was a golden goose, and anyone would be blinded by greed upon seeing it. Only someone like her—someone he had plucked from obscurity, someone with no other choice but to rely on him—fit his criteria.

When Sister-in-law Li heard this, she was stunned. She quickly set down her laundry and knelt before Zhou Hao. "First Prince, are... are you truly willing to teach me a trade?"

As for how the First Prince knew such a craft, she didn't even dare to wonder.

"Of course. Just wait for me at the clearing in three days." Zhou Hao flicked his sleeve and walked away.

Three days later, the craftsmen gathered at the designated site. The First Prince’s estate had plenty of open space, and this spot had been specifically chosen for the soap production. Sister-in-law Li stood among the craftsmen, feeling quite out of place. One look at their calloused hands revealed they were all skilled artisans. How could she, a mere woman, compare to them?

The craftsmen were equally confused. Even they didn't know what the First Prince intended to build, and they could only stare blankly at the strange apparatus.

Not long after, Zhou Hao arrived, dressed in simple, short-sleeved work clothes, followed closely by a curious Luo Xu.

Zhou Hao stepped forward and carefully examined the forged distiller. Since there was no glass in the Great Zhou Dynasty, they had to use cast iron for now. Fortunately, there were no leaks, and the condensing pipe worked surprisingly well.

"Everyone, please watch. You simply place the flowers inside, add water, bring it to a boil, and then run cold water through this pipe." As he spoke, Zhou Hao demonstrated, completing the complex steps with ease. "Just like that, wait a moment, and you will condense the essence of the flowers."

Fearing they wouldn't understand "essential oil," he had coined a term they could grasp more easily. A more fragrant and superior floral essence—was that not exactly what it was?

The craftsmen watched intently, not daring to look away. This was the first task the First Prince had given them; if they failed this, they might as well run away. Although they still didn't fully grasp what they were doing, they memorized every step of the process. Even so, many felt uneasy. Could such a simple operation really extract the essence of flowers? Or was it due to this strange-looking machine?

Doubts grew in their hearts. Luo Xu was also anxious, looking at Zhou Hao with a hint of nervousness. This was the First Prince's first public demonstration—was this thing reliable? If it failed, it would severely damage the First Prince’s prestige.

Zhou Hao, however, did not worry about such things. If he couldn't even extract the essential oil, making the soap would be incredibly difficult. He sat beside the distiller, waiting quietly for time to pass.

His calm demeanor only made the craftsmen more anxious. They feared the First Prince might be failing and was simply waiting there to save face. But who would dare to provoke Zhou Hao at such a moment? They looked at one another, none daring to step forward.

Just then, Sister-in-law Li suddenly exclaimed, "Look at that pipe! Something is coming out!"