The immortal of the Tang Dynasty, but the game starts at Xuanwu Gate?

"Stop your nonsense and rambling," Li Shimin said irritably. "I'm asking you why you asked Guanyinbi for money."

"What a question!" Chen Huai'an said innocently. "If I need money, of course I do business!"

Li Shimin: "...Of course I know you need money for business. What I want to ask is, why did you need to get money from Guanyinbi for business?"

"Can you be serious for once?"

Li Shimin was not accusing Chen Huai'an of asking Empress Zhangsun for money. He wanted to find out why the other party, who was already not short of money, still wanted to involve Empress Zhangsun.

Chen Huai'an was indeed poor in the past, and he didn't have much money on him, but finding partners was not a problem.

Is Chen Huai'an still short of money?

Absolutely impossible!

Since they had plenty of money, why did they have to involve so many people and specifically seek out Empress Zhangsun?

For peace of mind?

Li Shimin did not believe in such things.

Given Chen Huai'an's achievements, what difference would it make if he did some business on his own?

Would he really make a fuss over such a trivial matter?

Therefore, the only possibility is that the deal Chen Huai'an is going to make is unusual and very important, and absolutely cannot be done privately.

"Okay, it's like this..."

Chen Huai'an smiled, stopped keeping him in suspense, and told him everything about the cement.

He never intended to hide it from Li Shimin, otherwise he wouldn't have involved Empress Zhangsun, and the profit distribution would have followed the previous plan.

Cement... but it concerns the disaster situation next year, so he has to be cautious.

After listening, Changsun Wuji asked with surprise and doubt, "Is cement really as good as you say?"

"It will solidify in just two or three days, and once solidified, it will be as hard as stone?"

Li Shimin looked at Chen Huai'an without saying a word, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"Of course it's true," Chen Huai'an said casually. "You all say I'm heartless, and I admit I am a bit heartless and unserious, but when have I ever joked about serious matters?"

"Was there any exaggeration about anything that was taken out?"

Changsun Wuji was speechless. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that it was indeed the case.

It wasn't that he was deliberately questioning Chen Huai'an; it was just that what the other person said, even just by listening to it, made it clear how important it was.

We won't discuss military or economic matters.

The floods of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River have been a major headache for emperors throughout history.

How bad is your headache?

Let's just say that.

Let's start with the Yellow River. The Yellow River is like a sword hanging over the head of the country, ready to fall at any moment and kill countless people.

From the time of Yu the Great to the Sui Dynasty, the Yellow River raged for three thousand years, causing the deaths of countless people.

For example, in the third year of Emperor Wu of Han's Yuanguang reign, the Yellow River breached its banks at Huzi Dike in Puyang, Dongjun, and the floodwaters overflowed southward, flowing into Juye Marsh, then diverting the Si River and Huai River into the sea, turning sixteen commanderies into a vast marshland.

In addition, Prime Minister Tian Fen obstructed the blocking of the river for twenty-three years, resulting in widespread famine and displacement of people in the Yellow River and Huai River plains, and a great loss of national strength to the Western Han Dynasty.

Therefore, regardless of the dynasty, it can be said that the Yellow River was repaired every year, yet it still collapsed every year despite the repairs.

Every year, tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of laborers are conscripted to manually pile up and compact the earth. After it is repaired, it may be washed away again the following year.

Once destroyed, countless farmlands and houses are washed away, and a large number of people are displaced, resulting in enormous impacts.

The Yangtze River is different from the Yellow River. Although it does not frequently breach its banks, the Yangtze River's flow rate far exceeds that of the Yellow River.

Either the dam doesn't breach, or if it does, the flooded area is extremely wide.

Therefore, Changsun Wuji was not questioning Chen Huai'an; it was just that if this thing were true, it would be extremely important.

It was so important that he could hardly believe it.

"..."

"Huai'an has never exaggerated anything," Li Shimin said in a deep voice. "From the Mo Dao (陌刀), the curved plow, horseshoes, iron forging, fine salt, papermaking, printing, and movable type printing, I have seen it all."

"Since you say so, Huai'an, I am willing to believe you. Tell me what you need."

Unlike Changsun Wuji's considerations, Li Shimin had a longer-term and more comprehensive view.

Cement is a crucial national asset, so why would Chen Huai'an lead them to work on it privately?

Can't we give it to the Ministry of Works?

For what benefits?

Li Shimin did not believe that Chen Huai'an was the kind of person who valued these things. If the other party did value these things, then there would be no fine salt and papermaking technology.

Therefore, Chen Huai'an's actions are worth investigating in depth.

"Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony." Chen Huai'an said without hesitation, "I need money, lots of money, and lots of manpower!"

"The cement must be produced as soon as possible; the Yellow River embankment must be built with cement this year."

Li Shimin's heart skipped a beat: "Why?"

"Why the rush? Xue Wanche is about to return to the capital, and in July or August, he will send troops to the Eastern Turks."

"The locust plague is coming soon and needs to be controlled. The country needs to spend money on everything. Why are you in such a hurry to repair the Yellow River?"

Chen Huai'an said wearily, "Actually, I didn't want to either, but lately I've been seeing ants migrating in droves, earthworms coming out of their burrows, and all the chickens and ducks at home refusing to go back to their nests."

All of this foreshadows a heavy rainstorm!

"Huh?" Changsun Wuji was taken aback for a moment, then overjoyed. "Isn't that a good thing? The Tang Dynasty has been suffering from drought for so long, isn't rain a good thing?"

"Rain is certainly good," Chen Huai'an said, carefully choosing his words. "The problem is, what if it keeps raining!"

"Last year there was a severe drought, with not a drop of rain falling. This year there's a locust plague, coupled with heavy rains. If there's heavy snow in winter, can the Yellow River withstand it?"

"No way?" Changsun Wuji refused to believe it. "Heaven wouldn't be so cruel as to target us like this, would it?"

"A severe drought and locust plague are bad enough, but now we have to deal with a massive flood?"

"This is no way to torment people!"

Li Shimin remained silent, gazing intently at Chen Huai'an.

"It's better to be safe than sorry," Chen Huai'an said earnestly.

Changsun Wuji remained steadfast in his conviction: "Mr. Chen, please forgive me for not being able to agree with you this time."

"If you say you want to repair the Yellow River next year, I guarantee I'll wholeheartedly agree."

"But what's the situation now? As the Minister of Works and the Minister of Revenue, don't you understand?"

"A locust plague is coming; how many construction projects will need to be undertaken?"

"As the Minister of Revenue, you know better than anyone how much the national treasury spends every day."

"In the past two years, the national treasury's expenditures have been entirely supported by external income, not by tax revenue, which in itself is a huge risk."

Changsun Wuji sighed, "We have too much to do in the past two years, and we really can't afford any more setbacks."

"Repairing the Yellow River? Absolutely not!"

Just as Chen Huai'an was about to speak, Li Shimin said quietly, "Back then, Xiao Yu and the others also opposed Huai'an building the granary in the same way."

Changsun Wuji: "..."

"..."