After finding the little rhinoceros, Li Er went mad.

Chapter 27 Deep Cooperation

Taiji Palace Square, Tang Dynasty.

The lingering influence of the "Immortal's Decree" still reverberated in the air, and the officials' emotions remained unsettled for a long time.

The mountains of gold and silver jewels now seemed mundane, and the gazes of the crowd revealed their longing for the "heavenly black iron."

The endless reverie of "exotic gold from the deep sea".

Li Shimin's gaze swept over the rare treasures on the altar, finally settling on the pair of luminous pearls offered by Cui Renshi, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.

He knew that this was just the tip of the iceberg of the family's wealth.

"My beloved ministers!" His booming voice rang out again, "Since the 'Immortal' has issued a decree, how can we possibly neglect it?!"

"Your Majesty, we obey!" the officials responded in unison, their voices even more powerful than before.

"Where is Dai Zhou, the Minister of Revenue?!"

"Your subject is here!" Dai Zhou stepped forward, his eyes filled with fervor.

"I order you to immediately inventory all rare minerals in the Imperial Treasury, regardless of size or type. Anything recorded in ancient books or rarely seen on the market must be reported to me! I will acquire any privately held minerals at high prices. Anyone found to be hoarding them without reporting will be severely punished!"

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Dai Zhou's voice trembled; this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a name for himself.

"Duan Lun, Minister of Works!"

"Your subject is here!"

"I order you to organize a team to search every mountain and river in the Tang Dynasty. All ancient mine sites must be re-explored. Report any unusual colors or minerals found. I want the 'Immortals' to see the Tang Dynasty's devotion to the Dao!"

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Duan Lun was also extremely excited.

"And another thing!" Li Shimin's sharp gaze swept over Cui Renshi's direction. "I know that powerful families have inherited their wealth for generations and possess substantial riches. They must also have some private reserves of mineral resources in various regions. I only value loyalty and will not hold grudges."

"If you voluntarily offer rare minerals as tribute to the immortals, I will reward you handsomely and forgive any past transgressions!"

These words were tantamount to giving the aristocratic families a dignified way out.

Hearing this, Cui Renshi felt a chill run down his spine.

Emperor Li Shimin truly manipulated the immortals with ease, using their power to suppress powerful families—he did it flawlessly!

He knew that this time he could no longer get away with it.

The saying "heavenly iron and deep-sea gold" may seem ethereal, but it actually alludes to metal minerals.

The aristocratic families' private dealings extended far beyond gold and silver. Instantly, images flashed through his mind of the several iron mines his family secretly mined deep in the mountains of Guanzhong, as well as the legendary "meteorite iron" that flowed from the Western Regions, as black as ink and as hard as refined steel.

Cui Renshi took a deep breath, stepped forward again, and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty is wise. Your subject, Cui Renshi of Boling, did indeed once obtain a piece of extraordinary iron, weighing over a hundred catties, exceptionally hard, capable of cutting through iron like mud. It was once treasured as a family heirloom. Now, the Immortal has decreed that I offer it to show the Cui family's utmost loyalty to the Immortal and to Your Majesty!"

His words caused an uproar both inside and outside the court.

A hundred-pound piece of strange iron, capable of cutting through iron like mud?!

Such a treasure actually came from the Cui family!

A glint flashed in Li Shimin's eyes, and his gaze toward Cui Renshi became more complex.

He knew that Cui was trying to cut his losses, but he had also achieved his goal.

"Excellent! Minister Cui is truly wise and understanding; I am greatly pleased!" Li Shimin smiled with satisfaction. "Issue my decree, ordering the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of War to fully cooperate in transporting all rare minerals from various regions to the Taiji Palace altar!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" the officials shouted again, this time with a heartfelt voice.

In the Tang Dynasty, a nationwide craze for "seeking immortal mines" swept across the country. Countless miners, alchemists, merchants, and even hunters joined this massive treasure hunt.

In the modern world, at Jiang He's home, two days later, Jiang He was building blocks with Xiao Sizi in the living room when his phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Sun Li.

"Mr. Jiang, would it be convenient for you to come over? Professor Bai is also here; there are some things he needs to discuss with you in person." Sun Li's voice carried a hint of urgency.

"Okay, I'm coming now." Jiang He hung up the phone and said to Xiao Sizi, "Xiao Sizi, be good. Uncle has to go out for a bit. How about you stay home and watch cartoons by yourself?"

Little Sizi nodded obediently: "Okay, Uncle, go and come back quickly."

Jiang He felt a little uneasy. He knew that this conversation must be related to the "offering guidelines" he had released last time.

Upon arriving at the agreed-upon location, Sun Li and Professor Bai were already waiting. This time, the meeting place was no longer the ordinary tea room from last time, but a simply decorated conference room with a significantly higher level of security.

As soon as he entered, Professor Bai stood up, his face filled with barely suppressed excitement: "Mr. Jiang! Your decree this time is simply a stroke of genius!"

Jiang He feigned composure and smiled, saying, "Professor Bai, you flatter me. I was merely following the instructions of a middleman."

Sun Li gestured for Jiang He to sit down, then pushed a report in front of him: "Mr. Jiang, this is our preliminary analysis of the latest offerings from the Great Tang Dynasty."

Jiang He looked down and saw a long list on the report: gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, and various gemstones. What caught his eye most was a high-resolution photograph—a jet-black metal ingot with what appeared to be some mottled patterns on it.

"This is the piece of heterojunction donated by the Cui family. Preliminary testing shows it contains extremely high levels of rare elements such as nickel and cobalt, and its crystal structure is exceptionally dense. If it can be smelted and analyzed, it will be a breakthrough in our country's research and development of high-performance alloys!"

Professor Bai pointed at the photo, gesturing excitedly.

"And these few pieces of ore, excavated from the northwest region of the Tang Dynasty, have been preliminarily analyzed to contain large amounts of tungsten and molybdenum, which were extremely rare in ancient times!" Sun Li added.

Jiang He's heart began to race. He never imagined that the extraterrestrial iron and deep-sea gold he had casually mentioned would actually bring such precious minerals to the Tang Dynasty world!

"So—what does the country mean?" Jiang He tried his best to keep his voice calm.

Sun Li adjusted his glasses, his expression turning serious: "Mr. Jiang, we have decided to officially launch a deep cooperation plan with the intermediary. Given your crucial role in this, we hope you will serve as the primary liaison, fully responsible for communication with the intermediary."

"Our conditions are: First, all rare minerals and non-renewable resources from the Tang Dynasty world will be repurchased by the state at the highest market price, and you will receive an additional high contribution bonus."

Secondly, we will provide top-level security and privacy to ensure that you and Xiaosizi live a worry-free life and that your privacy is absolutely protected.

Third, we will provide any modern technological information within our capabilities, based on the intermediary's needs, for you to transmit.

"Of course, we will also review each of your transmissions to ensure national interests and your personal safety."

In addition, the government will establish a dedicated fund for you, where all your income will go and be managed by a professional team to ensure the preservation and growth of your wealth.

Sun Li finished explaining the country's conditions in one breath, then looked intently at the river.

Jiang He was deeply shaken.

This was even more generous than he had imagined!

High-price buyback, high bonuses, top-level security, exclusive wealth management, and even the review of his technological transmission content—this undoubtedly provides him with maximum protection.

He knew this was the country's recognition of his abilities and affirmation of his value. The fire in his heart burned even brighter.

"No problem." Jiang He took a deep breath and said firmly, "I will do my best to communicate with the intermediary and strive for the greatest benefit for the country. But I also have one request."

Sun Li and Professor Bai exchanged a glance: "Please speak."

"I need a set of professional equipment, and some—professional guidance." Jiang He's eyes gleamed. "I need to describe to the middleman more precisely the types of minerals we need, their geological characteristics, and even some basic exploration knowledge."

, 7

He knew that relying solely on the vague "celestial iron" was far from enough.

He needs to transform the knowledge of modern geological exploration into "immortal techniques" in a way that the Tang Dynasty can understand in order to obtain the resources he wants more efficiently.

Professor Bai's face lit up with elation upon hearing this: "Of course! We've been prepared for this for a long time! We will do our utmost to fulfill any request you may have!"

Sun Li then revealed a knowing smile.

He knew that Jiang He had completely immersed himself in the role and was doing it even better than they had expected.

A collaboration that transcends time and space has, at this moment, formally reached a deeper agreement.