"Your Majesty, is this blackstone really usable?”Wei Zheng asked.
Li Shimin couldn't comment, so he said,"We will know soon. However, based on my understanding of Li Chongyi, there is a high chance that this is the case. Xiaogong, you have a good son!”
"Good son?" Li Xiaogong said angrily. This unfilial son, he didn't even inform me about this matter before. And that perfume, I asked the steward to get some from him, but he only left fifty bottles for my residence. How is that enough? He was really not filial at all. Hmph, if he has the ability, then keep avoiding me. Don't let me see him. Otherwise, I'll definitely lecture him!”
Hearing Li Xiaogong's words, the others cursed in their hearts. Please, are you scolding your son or praising him? However, when he thought about his son, he really could not compare to Li Chongyi. Although doing business was not something that could be seen on the table, it was amazing to be able to do business that even Li Shimin and the entire court paid attention to!
Li Shimin laughed," Haha, Xiaogong is right. Although this brat has some skills and is quick-witted, he is really infuriating. If Xiaogong were to teach him a lesson, he would also give me a few beatings. I have long wanted to beat him up."”
"Yes, Your Majesty. This old minister will not let him off easily!”Of course, Li Xiaogong knew that Li Shimin was joking. Li Shimin smiled and said that he would beat up Li Chongyi. This was Li Chongyi's honor. If it was someone else's child, Li Shimin would not even be bothered to mention it!
At this moment, a craftsman walked over.
"Your Majesty, the heater has been installed. Shall we start the experiment now?”
Li Shi Min said,"Okay, let's start. Let's go in and take a look."”
A dozen people walked into the house together and immediately noticed the changes in the house.
Fang Xuanling pointed at the 'iron' hanging on the wall and said,""What is that?"
"This is a heater. In the words of my eldest son, it's used to dissipate heat.”Blacksmith replied.
"Where is that horizontal iron pillar?"
"This is a heating pipe. It's used to transfer heat. It's empty inside.”
The leading craftsman answered the questions of the officials one by one. The others had already started a fire beside the furnace, and some people were adding water to the water tank. All of this was very novel to the officials. He asked the craftsmen, but they could only answer what they heard from Li Chongyi. There were many questions that they could not answer.
After the furnace was lit, the leading craftsman said,"Your Majesty, Eldest Young Master said that this heater can burn both beehive blackstone and ordinary blackstone. He asked us to demonstrate it to Your Majesty.”
"Yes, sure." Li Shi Min didn't understand this, he just needed to see the final result.
As the black stone was placed in, it quickly burned, and the temperature in the room gradually increased.
It was already the middle of May, so there was naturally no need for heating. Therefore, the temperature in the house quickly became a little high, and a few people who could not resist the heat were already wiping their sweat.
Half an hour later, everyone in the room was sweating profusely, and they couldn't wait for anyone else. Li Shimin had the door and windows that were deliberately closed open, and it was slightly better.
Most importantly, even though the black stone was burning, it gave off a small amount of smoke. However, it was less than the smoke that ordinary people would give off when cooking.
Next, it was the honeycomb briquettes. This time, the temperature was much hotter than before. Even if the windows were open, it would not work.
The ministers felt that if this thing was used in winter, it would be very useful for heating. In the future, they would not have to suffer in winter.
However, Zhangsun Wuji's eyes lit up. If he used blackstone to replace charcoal, how much money would he save?
The Great Tang's steel smelting was almost entirely contracted by the Zhangsun Clan. However, to the Zhangsun Clan, this steel smelting was only a political capital. If not for that, the Zhangsun Clan would have been so rich that it could rival a country.
And the biggest loss was the charcoal that was burned during smelting, the charcoal of charcoal! This was because only charcoal could reach the temperature to melt iron ores. The burning temperature of blackstone was only higher than charcoal, but not lower. Especially the latter kind, it was enough to be used for smelting.
Seeing Zhangsun Wuji's expression, Li Shiming immediately understood what he was thinking. In his conversation with Li Chongyi, Li Chongyi had said that if Blackstone was used properly, it could greatly increase the Great Tang's steel production in the short term while reducing costs.
"Wuji, what do you think of this item?”Li Shi Min asked with a smile.
"Very good, especially in terms of smelting and forging. If the blackstone can be used, it will benefit the country and the people.”Zhangsun Wuji spoke the truth. What he could think of, others might not be able to think of it for the time being, but it wouldn't be long before everyone thought of it. After all, they were the elites of the Great Tang, so it was useless to hide it.
Li Shi Min said,"Damn it!" Why didn't I think of it before! He was actually tricked by Li Chongyi and promised him Black Rock Mountain and Old Man Ridge. Everyone, do you know where else I can get this black rock?”
"Your Majesty, as far as I know, there are only two places in the pass. There is one more in Taiyuan. I have not heard of the other places."”
The others shook their heads, indicating that they did not know.
Zhangsun Wuji's expression changed when he heard that. There were only three places with blackstones in this world, but Li Chongyi had actually occupied two of them. The other place was far away in Taiyuan. How many carriages and manpower would it take to transport such a heavy thing to Chang 'an?
Li Xiaogong was very perceptive about these things. He smiled and said,"Brother Wuji, don't worry. If you need blackstones, just tell me. I will definitely get Chongyi to sell them to you at a cheaper price.”
Zhangsun Wuji was speechless. Wasn't this nonsense? If I wanted to spend money to buy it, why would I be so conflicted?
At this moment, Wei Zheng suddenly said," Your Majesty, this black stone is indeed a good thing. However, I'm worried that those commoners who make a living by chopping wood will have no place to go.”
Li Shi Min said," No, we can let them dig blackstone. They can earn more money than cutting firewood. This will be more beneficial to the people."”
Hearing Li Shiming's quick reply, everyone was stunned. It seemed like Li Shiming had already prepared for this. I'm afraid that the two mountains formed by the black stones in Black Rock Mountain and Old Man Ridge were not promised to Li Chongyi, but you kept them for yourself, right?
The ministers did not guess the truth, but they were not far from it. Li Shiming said this on purpose to let them know. According to Li Chongyi, the two mountains and all the black stones underground were enough for the millions of people in Chang 'an to use for decades. Such a huge profit could not be given to others, or it would be allowed to expand by a certain aristocratic family. Once the aristocratic families became strong, their ambitions would expand.
Back then, didn't the Li family of Longxi grow up step by step? In the Sui Dynasty, they had power over the government and the people, and in the end, Li Yuan completed the change of dynasty? As the leader of a generation, how could Li Shi Min not be wary of this?
Unfortunately, he was still too confident. Yes, he had indeed suppressed those aristocratic families, but his descendants might not have his breadth of mind and courage. As a result, the Zhangsun Clan was allowed to grow and Zhangsun Wuji was allowed to control the government for decades. It was only when Wu Zetian ascended the throne that she destroyed the Zhangsun Clan. Furthermore, she greatly weakened the other aristocratic families, causing them to gradually disappear in the long river of history.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。