My father, Li Shimin, requests Your Majesty to become the Retired Emperor.

After dealing with this matter, Li Chengan breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what, Songtsen Gampo was still very supportive of him. Whether it was in the process of recovering Tuyuhun or in this attack on Yanqi, he never hesitated to help.

At this moment, the maid Yunjuan ran over to him and said, "Lord Du requests an audience."

"Oh, quickly, let him in!"

"Yes!" Yunjuan replied and turned to leave.

Not long after, Du Zhenglun strode in from outside: "Your Highness, this humble subject pays his respects."

Li Chengqian noticed that he seemed to have lost some weight, but his spirits were still good.

"Lord Du, aren't you mining coal in Huainan?"

How did you end up back in Chang'an?

Du Zhenglun shook his head and said, "I heard that Your Highness is imprisoned in the Dali Temple prison, and I am very worried about you."

So he returned to Chang'an to visit His Highness.

"Oh, what's the point of coming back if you're not busy mining coal in Huainan?"

"Your Highness is mistaken. Although I am but a humble person with little influence, I have a good relationship with Dai Zhou, the Vice Minister of Dali."

"If Your Highness is ever imprisoned in the Dali Temple again, tell me, and I will definitely find a way to get you out," Du Zhenglun said earnestly.

Li Chenggan thought to himself, "You're just being wise after the event. Who would go to the Dali Temple's prison for no reason?"

"I would like to express my gratitude in advance."

Du Zhenglun paced back and forth in the hall with measured steps: "When I was in Huainan, I heard that His Majesty had imprisoned you in the Dali Temple prison. I simply couldn't believe it."

Your Highness is so filial and loyal to His Majesty, and has made such great contributions. Everyone knows that Chang'an was in grave danger and was about to be captured by the armies of Hu, Fuyu and Li Yunli. It was Your Highness who led the army to the rescue in time and lifted the siege of Chang'an.

Unexpectedly, instead of rewarding you, His Majesty imprisoned you in the Dali Temple jail. Where is justice?

Is His Majesty getting senile?

If you count on your fingers, Your Majesty is not yet forty years old, so you're not old at all.

"Your Highness is truly magnanimous. If it were me, I would have been furious enough to kill you."

Li Chengan dusted himself off and changed the subject: "How's the coal mining going in Huainan?"

"Your Highness, we originally had a share in Li Yuanli's project, but now Li Yuanli has been arrested, Xuzhou has been brought under the control of the imperial court, and our coal mining in Huainan is going very smoothly."

We never imagined that Huainan's coal reserves were much larger than we thought.

According to my calculations, the coal reserves in Huainan are enough to last at least ten thousand years.

"How many?"

"If we keep digging like this, we won't finish even in ten thousand years!"

This is a treasure trove!

During this period, I mobilized manpower and organized laborers to excavate a total of one million shi of coal.

If we calculate it at 1,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) per 1,000 taels of silver, that would be 100,000 taels of silver.

After listening, Li Chengan nodded: "Very good, you deserve a lot of credit."

Du Zhenglun smiled upon receiving Li Chengqian's praise: "It is my honor to serve Your Highness!"

"You are not serving me, you are serving the imperial court. You must hand over 90% of this money to the court!"

"What? Why do we have to hand over so much to the imperial court?"

"Didn't we agree that you and the imperial court would each take half?" Du Zhenglun was a little unhappy.

"No, our Crown Prince's Palace will only take one-tenth."

"Your Highness, you are such a genuine person!"

"Do a good job. If you need anything over there, just let me know."

"There's a shortage of manpower and tools in Huainan."

"I will find a way to support you in this matter," Li Chenggan said decisively.

"That's great! Where's Su Hun? Has he returned yet? Let him accompany me."

"Okay." Li Chenggan nodded in agreement.

"Your Highness, the merit I have rendered this time is not insignificant. Could you reward me with three boxes of deer antler velvet?"

"..."