Chapter 73 An Era Where Salt was More Valuable than People
When Willow went to ask around, Henry learned from Ellie just how scarce salt was in this era, akin to a shortage of food.
Many commoners could only afford a meager amount of salt, and the concept of salt mines was unheard of. Relying solely on the salt extracted from coastal cities, the shortage was inevitable.
There was no method of salt evaporation in this era. It was a long time ago when a great sage accidentally boiled seawater, leaving behind grey crystalline residues, that the existence of salt was discovered.
In the western regions, cities like Eldoria, which were not coastal, had to rely on waterways for salt transportation, a costly and terrifying process. Grain merchants then sold the salt at exorbitant prices.
A pound of salt cost at least thirty copper coins, a price beyond the reach of most commoners. Often, several commoners would pool their resources to buy a pound of salt, which they would then divide among themselves.
Mila and Ellie, who were orcs, had even more limited access to salt. They subsisted on a diet of wheat, which was as bland as water, making Henry's culinary skills all the more enticing.
Willow returned with Wyatt, who eagerly approached Henry and asked, "Henry, is there such a thing as a salt mine?"
"Of course. Do you know of any place where rocks or soil taste salty?" Henry replied.
"Yes, Henry, I know of a place where the rocks are salty." Wyatt nodded, but his expression grew hesitant. "However, some people mistook those rocks for salt and ended up poisoned, their bodies turning purple."
What more could Henry say? He would applaud anyone who could make such a mistake, as it would be a testament to their resilience.
"Of course, it's poisonous. Special methods are required to extract salt from those rocks, ensuring that the salt is safe for consumption." Henry remarked sarcastically.
The process of turning salt ore into edible salt involved several steps: crushing, dissolving, filtering, and crystallizing, resulting in a non-toxic form of salt.
"I'll immediately bring back several carts of salt ore!" Wyatt exclaimed, his family rarely has the opportunity to enjoy salt due to its high cost.
During meals at Lord's Manor, Wyatt often teased Henry for being extravagant, wondering which household used so much salt in their cooking. The sight of pure, white salt was once considered a luxury.
Wyatt never doubted Henry's abilities; he only wondered what else Henry was capable of.
During a period when salt held greater value than human life, Henry viewed it as a time of hopelessness. A robust enslaved person could fetch twenty copper coins, a sum inferior to the cost of a pound of salt.
Slavery was a common practice, with many refugees being captured by slave traders, branded, and sold into servitude.
Lost in his thoughts, Henry suddenly noticed Mila, Ellie, and Willow staring at him.
"Is there something on my face?" Henry asked, touching his cheek.
"No!" they replied in unison, their faces turning red as they looked at each other.
The three of them were truly synchronized, and only they knew what was on each other's minds.
"Alright then! Since the salt ore hasn't arrived yet, let's make some preparations. The backyard needs to be tidied up as well so we can enjoy it during the winter." Henry stood up and stretched lazily.
"What do we need to do in the backyard?" Willow asked curiously.
Other than the mysterious plants that remained green in autumn, there wasn't much else.
"You'll see when we get there. We can use some extra help," Henry instructed.
The group headed to the castle's backyard, followed by a few servants, including Sebastian, the one who had helped with the cement and had asked Henry to take him in as a servant.
The castle's garden was vast, even larger than a football field. It included artificial rock landscapes and a stream.
Henry gazed at the lush greenery filling the garden and quickly identified the lushest patch of flowers and grass. Pointing towards that spot, he instructed, "Have someone dig there for me until they reach the water."
The servants immediately got to work. When the master spoke, they didn't dare waste any time, not even hesitating to jump into a river if asked.
"Henry, why are you digging up such beautiful flowers?" Ellie frowned, wondering about Henry's intentions. Henry never did anything without a reason.
"A hot spring!" Henry said with a mysterious smile.
In fact, he was just speculating that the reason leaves fall in autumn is due to changes in temperature, which made him think of temperature.
If the backyard could stay green in autumn, then temperature must play a crucial role. He had to try boldly. If a hot spring was really discovered, life would be incredibly luxurious.
"What's a hot spring?" Mila asked, her eyes wide.
"Water is coming out!"
"Wow! The water is hot—it's scalding!" the servants who were digging suddenly exclaimed.
Henry's eyes lit up, and he ran over to the spot. Soon, he saw a pit about six and a half feet wide, from which a misty spring was slowly emerging.
"It really is a hot spring!" Henry couldn't hide his joy.
"Is this a hot spring? Can we drink it?" Mila scratched her cheek.
"The springs we usually see are cold. I didn't expect there to be hot springs." Ellie was amazed.
"Afterwards, you'll see. It will definitely make you fall in love with this place." Henry just shook his head. No matter what he said, these three girls were hard to understand. So, he decided to bring out the hot spring bath, and then everyone would understand.
"Sebastian, we need to build a house here. I'll give you the design later. Make sure to protect the spring," Henry instructed.
"Yes, my Lord!" Sebastian replied.
