Blossom in Adversity

C29. Token of Gratitude.

Chapter 29: Token of Gratitude

Inside the room, Hua Zhi lay on the bed and shifted gently to find a more comfortable position. Her gaze, soft as velvet, rested upon the two basins., "The big basin fits the small basin, pour the water in."

Shao Yao eagerly followed suit.

Hua Zhi took out a packet and handed it to her, "Put the contents into the big basin."

Shao Yao sniffed it, "Saltpeter?"

"Yes."

Shao Yao crouched down and put the saltpeter into the big basin.

Without Hua Zhi needing to say anything else, Shao Yao watched, her heart pounding in her chest, as the ordinary water in the basin morphed into something extraordinary. The liquid, once fluid and free, now solidified into a delicate, crystalline structure, its edges sharp and precise. A shiver ran through her as she reached out to touch the icy surface

"Saltpeter can be used like this?"

Hua Zhi propped up her head and smiled, "Shao Yao, I won't ask you who the person behind you is, but I truly owe him a debt of gratitude. Please pass on this method to him and say thank you on my behalf. Although it may be a bit mundane compared to saving a life, it is the most sincere token of gratitude I can offer at the moment."

The weather was hot, and Shao Yao sat directly by the basin of water, not moving. "Isn't the Hua Zhi family in need of money? Why didn't you bring out this methods before the family was ruined?"

"Back then, the Hua Zhi family didn't lack money, and I didn't want to attract attention." Sometimes having too much money can be a burden, and before the family was ruined, the wealth of the Hua Zhi family was enough for several generations. "As for now, the Hua family needs to keep a low profile. It's better to make the emperor temporarily forget our existence, rather than trying to make our presence known in this way."

Shao Yao nodded, her understanding deepening. She knew the emperor well, a man whose temperament was as unpredictable as the weather. If the Hua family were to suddenly amass great wealth after their downfall, it would only fuel his ire. Their newfound prosperity might even ignite his wrath, a tempestuous storm that could sweep away any hope of redemption.

"Do you have any requests?"

"This is just a token of gratitude. I will only use the ice made from now on for myself and not give it to others. If I were to make a request..." Hua Zhi thought for a moment, "I hope that no one will know that this methods came from me. Also, I would like you to do me a favor and bring me some ice, as I need to store some in the cellar to make an ice room to keep fruits from spoiling."

"I will convey your message." Shao Yao sat cross-legged, her hands supporting her chin. "Can we still be friends?"

She actually considered her a friend?

Hua Zhi smiled, her eyes filled with genuine joy. "Of course, it's not a contradiction."

Shao Yao didn't say much when she went back but directly made a basin of ice in front of the Shizi. "This is Hua Zhi's token of gratitude."

It was extremely simple to make, with almost negligible costs, but the profits it brought were unimaginable. The Shizi looked at the smoking ice basin for a while. "Repeat her words, all of them."

Shao Yao faithfully repeated everything, ending with, "I think she doesn't want to owe you anything."

"This token of gratitude is not light." The Shizi looked at Shao Yao. "And you? What is your token of gratitude?"