Datang: Huchi served as a bodyguard, but refused to enter the court as an official

"Let me think about this for a few days"

Chapter 125: You Voluntarily Unlucky, You Can't Blame Me

After Yan Lide left, Liu Bai pondered.

It wasn't because he couldn't solve the wood problem, in fact, the moment Yan Lide said it, Liu Bai thought of several solutions.

In Yan Lide's view, the biggest difficulty in transporting timber from central Sichuan to Chang'an was that the terrain in central Sichuan was steep and there was only a two-foot-wide plank road in many places.

In case of a mistake, there is a cliff below!

There is no doubt that when there is a flood in the middle of Sichuan, all these plank roads will be useless.

However, Liu Bai knew several paths that didn't need to take the plank road.

Even if you don't take the dry road, it is a good way to tie the wood into rafts and go down the river.

What's more, Liu Bai can completely give up wood!

Isn't it good to use cement?

No matter how strong the mortise and tenon joint is, can it still be as strong as cement?

What he really considered was whether he should help Yan Lide with this!

Now the Liu family's business is getting bigger and bigger, and the stalls are getting wider and wider. Even with Shen Wansan's assistance, it is impossible to cover everything.

Especially now that spring plowing has started, Liu Bai's top priority is to ensure that potatoes and corn can be harvested before the locust plague strikes.

He couldn't eat more than he could eat, so he sold the blueprints of Quyuanli and Daigengjia to Yan Lide, perhaps because of this reason.

In other words, Liu Bai didn't have so much energy to do other things.

Even if making cement is much easier than transporting wood from Sichuan, Liu Bai still has to teach the craftsmen how to do it.

But it's not good to delay the matter of the academy for too long.

He thought for a moment, and said to Xu Chu: "Please come Li Daliang!"

As for the matter of cement and timber, it is safer to leave it to Li Daliang.

He is the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, and construction is his job.

Moreover, Li Daliang is the thorn in Changsun Wuji's side, that is, Liu Bai's most reliable ally.

It's a big deal, the Liu family needs more shares.

Hearing Liu Bai's invitation, without further ado, Li Daliang handed over the government affairs at hand to the people below, and immediately rushed to Liu's house.

"Haha, what good nephew Liu Xian has to do to make a living, to take care of me, Old Li?"

As soon as he entered the door, Li Daliang showed his signature big smile.

Liu Bai greeted him with a smile, "I've met Mr. Li!"

"What's your name, Master Li? You and Feng Jie are like brothers, and your name is Uncle Li!"

Liu Bai pouted.

He found that what these officials are most used to doing is to get close, but since everyone said so, Liu Bai naturally couldn't slap him in the face.

"Uncle Li!"

Li Daliang laughed again.

The two sat down, Liu Bai talked about the matter, Li Daliang touched his head, and said: "It's easy to talk about transporting timber, but Yan Lide is a sour scholar who doesn't know the way. I personally led soldiers in the middle of Shu back then, and I know a The small road from Shuzhong to Guanzhong, but what is cement?"

Liu Bai introduced the general situation of the cement, and Li Daliang's expression became a little strange.

"Is it really as magical as you say? Harder than bricks and stones?"

In this era, masonry buildings were very rare.

There is no way, the cost of masonry is too high, even the royal family cannot afford it.

Even the walls of Chang'an City are just compacted loess.

If you want to make it stronger, you can at most mix some glutinous rice into the loess.

Cheap?Stronger than masonry?Ingredients everywhere?

In Li Daliang's view, it is tantamount to the Arabian Nights.

These words were also spoken by Liu Bai, if it were someone else, Li Daliang would have left long ago.

"That's right, if Uncle Li doesn't believe it, we can open a kiln to burn a furnace of cement and give it a try!"

Hearing what Liu Bai said, Li Daliang completely believed it.

He had seen Liu Bai's ability, no matter how sensational it was, it became not so unusual in Liu Bai's hands.

"Okay, then do as you said, and you don't have to give me [-]% of the shares. As long as the cement is manufactured, my Li family will have [-]% of the dry shares. As for the capital, the two of us will each contribute half of the capital!"

Liu Bai chuckled, and said, "Uncle Li, there is no need to rush this matter. Mr. Liu has a way to save us from paying a single penny!"

Li Daliang's eyes suddenly became bigger than cow eggs!

He was born as a general, so he knows too well how much impact the cement will have after it is made!

If cement is really cheap and strong, its use is by no means limited to building houses.

Not to mention anything else, the amount of cement used to build a city can be called massive.

It can even be used in the military!

With such a big demand, the cost must be indispensable, how could it be possible to not have to spend a penny?

On the eighth day of February, the Great Court Meeting!

Before dawn, all civil and military officials were already waiting outside the gate of the palace.

Most people stood at the gate of the palace, only a few veterans could stand in the leeward corner.

Even so, it freezes them badly.

They all looked at the carriages next to them with resentful eyes.

Faintly, you can still hear the laughter of the people inside.

When Liu's family started selling stoves, they were far away in Chang'an, but before they got the news, the stoves were sold out.

Only Fang Xuanling and the others could sit in the warm carriage at this moment, drinking tea and chatting.

slap, slap—

With the sound of the golden whip, the palace gate opened wide.

As if the officials were granted amnesty, they walked towards the Tai Chi Hall with their frozen legs.

Only after drinking tea did Shi Shiran get off the carriage and stroll in slowly.

"See Your Majesty!"

In the first court meeting in the second year of Zhenguan, except for a few bigwigs from the three provinces, all other officials had to kowtow to the Holy One to show their respect.

"Everyone who loves you lives in peace!"

The first big court meeting every year is the most boring.

First, the two prime ministers will summarize the gains and losses of the past year, and then report to His Majesty the plan for the new year.

Afterwards, the chief officers of each department did the same.

After talking for more than an hour, it finally came to an end.

Li Er was about to announce his resignation when Li Daliang, the new secretary of the Ministry of Industry, suddenly stood up.

"My minister has something to do!"

Li Er said lightly: "What's your business?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, when I first took charge of the Ministry of Industry, I discovered that building a house or building a city would cost a lot of money and waste the country's money. I hereby present a magical material to Your Majesty."

He briefly repeated the words Liu Bai introduced to him.

While speaking, his eyes glanced around from time to time, as if he was looking for something.

"Oh? In the world, there is such a magical thing?"

Li Er's eyes lit up.

Naturally, he could also see the value of cement.

Just as Li Er finished speaking, an old man with a white beard jumped out from the front row of civil servants and pointed at Li Daliang's nose.

"What nonsense!"

After finishing speaking, he cupped his hands at Li Er and said: "Veteran Liu Zhenghui, impeach Li Daliang for deceiving the king and talking nonsense!"

Li Daliang frowned.

He was indeed looking for a target just now, and he was thinking about how to catch a fool.

Unexpectedly, someone actually jumped out by himself!

He glanced at Liu Zhenghui and thought to himself, "You're voluntarily unlucky, so you can't blame me!"

Chapter 126: He really admires Liu Bai so much, he came up with such a good way to be an empty-handed white wolf

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, as the heads of the hundred officials, stood at the forefront of the ranks of civil officials.

After the two reported to Li Er just now, they walked back obediently, lowered their eyebrows, and seemed to be asleep.

At their level, they all understand that talking less and doing more is the long-term solution.

Guys like Liu Zhenghui who jump out and accuse others when they have nothing to do are no different from brain-dead.

Du Ruhui nudged Fang Xuanling with his elbow, and lowered his voice, "What's wrong with Old Liu?"

Fang Xuanling glanced at Liu Zhenghui, and said: "He was ordered to build Anyang New City, and it was completed only yesterday in Hui Dynasty. He also boasted about Haikou, saying that there is no more solid city than Anyang New City in the world."

Du Ruhui smiled, "I think the cement is probably another new gadget invented by Liu Bai. Old Liu is going to be slapped in the face!"

Fang Xuanling snorted and didn't speak again.

It had nothing to do with them, and they hung it up high, and the two of them became clay sculptures again.

In the middle of the main hall, Liu Zhenghui said righteously: "Qi Zuo Your Majesty, the old minister ordered to build Anyang City, built with huge stones, and watered with glutinous rice powder. It will not hurt a bit by cutting with knives and axes. The old minister does not believe it. The cement that comes from it will be stronger than the giant stone glutinous rice!"

The more he spoke, the more excited he became, and the white beard on his chin was trembling.

As an old minister who held a high position during the Wude period, he believed that he was dedicated to the country and was willing to be devastated.

In order to build Anyang New City, not to mention his body was broken, he also missed the knighting ceremony at the beginning of last year.

The price is not too big!

But just boasting about Haikou, some people say that it can make stronger and cheaper buildings.

Isn't that slapping yourself in the face?

He originally wanted to rely on Anyang New City to get a prince from Li Er!

"Li Daliang, do you dare to take out the cement and compare it with the old man's Anyang New City?"

Li Er looked at Liu Zhenghui, then at Li Daliang, with a smile in his eyes.

The officials are at odds and criticize each other, which is the situation he is most willing to see.

Otherwise, how can it reflect the value of his emperor?

"Li Qing, what do you think of Liu Qing's words?"

Li Daliang laughed, and said: "Master Liu is getting old, he doesn't want to accept new things, I don't care about him!"

As soon as these words came out, Liu Zhenghui's eyes turned red instantly.

Pointing at Li Daliang, he said angrily: "You are talking nonsense, how can this old man quit with you?!"

After speaking, he knelt down directly.

"Your Majesty, the old minister is willing to make a bet with Li Daliang. If the old minister loses, let him handle it. Please, Your Majesty, be the notary of this bet!"

When he made such a move, Li Er couldn't help but smile.