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

"That's different." Changsun Wuji persisted. "Back then, although the imperial court was facing difficulties, it was still able to come up with the funds."

"At the time, Xiao Yu and the others objected, but they only thought that the charity granary could be postponed and the money should be used in the present."

"Moreover, building granaries is completely different from repairing the Yellow River."

"The manpower and resources required for the two are worlds apart; how can they be compared?"

Li Shimin continued, "The differences exist, but the principles are the same. You now believe it's better to spend money on the present, while Huai'an believes it's better to repair the Yellow River first."

"What he insists on is nothing more than that old principle."

"Preparation is the key to success; lack of preparation leads to failure."

Changsun Wuji: "..."

That's what they say, but can the current situation be the same as it was back then?

He said helplessly, "His Majesty has agreed to Mr. Chen's plan to repair the Yellow River."

"Whether I agree or disagree, it depends on what Huai'an says next." Li Shimin shifted his gaze to Chen Huai'an. "The reason I'm telling you this is to tell you not to be so arbitrary."

"Countless facts have proven just how accurate Huai'an's predictions are."

Changsun Wuji was speechless.

He really couldn't deny it.

Chen Huai'an thought about it and felt somewhat troubled.

As a time traveler, I naturally know how severe the floods will be next year and how many places will be affected by the disaster brought by the Yellow River.

But Li Shimin and the others didn't know that.

One of Chen Huai'an's biggest headaches was telling them about the future in a reasonable way and getting them to believe in him.

Did you say Changsun Wuji was wrong?

The other party doesn't seem to be wrong either; they are all considering the interests of the Tang Dynasty, not acting out of personal selfishness.

Therefore, the difficulty lies in how to persuade them.

"Huai'an!" Li Shimin looked at him, his eyes seemingly carrying a hint of encouragement, and his words were also intriguing, "You know, since we met, I have trusted you very much."

"You say that preparation is the key to success, and lack of preparation leads to failure."

"However, what Fu Ji said is not without reason. Building a granary and repairing the Yellow River cannot be compared at all."

"The manpower and resources required to repair the Yellow River are simply too vast; you must give me a reasonable explanation..."

When Li Shimin said his last sentence, Chen Huai'an felt, perhaps it was just his imagination, that Li Shimin emphasized the words a bit.

Looking up at Li Shimin, Chen Huai'an felt a sudden realization, as if he understood something.

Li Shimin was telling him: I believe in you, but you must come up with a reason to convince the many ministers, even if the reason is not very reasonable, you must have one.

Chen Huai'an immediately said, "Alright, I understood what Brother Fuji said just now. Now you have the same idea as Xiao Yu back then, which is to take a chance."

"He felt that it was too coincidental for a drought to occur at that time, so he opposed building the granary. He also felt that it was impossible for heavy rain to continue, and that the Yellow River would not happen to have problems so coincidentally, so he opposed repairing the Yellow River now."

Changsun Wuji hesitated for a moment, but did not refute anything.

It may be unpleasant to hear, but it is the truth.

There's nothing wrong with admitting it.

Chen Huai'an continued, "I won't tell you the 'better safe than sorry' principle, because I know it won't convince you."

"I'll just ask you one question: are you willing to bet?"

"Now that I've brought this up, if a major flood occurs afterward, are you willing to take responsibility?"

Changsun Wuji's eyelids twitched. What the hell was this fighting style?

Why are you putting such a big label on me right off the bat?

Who can bear this responsibility?

"Mr. Chen..."

"You don't need to say anything." Chen Huai'an raised his hand, his tone slightly amused. "Even if there are no floods this year or next, will the Yellow River not be repaired?"

"Can we really turn a blind eye to the hidden dangers posed by the Yellow River and the Yangtze River?"

"We will eventually repair the Yellow River; it's just a matter of sooner or later."

"Now that we have cement, while we can't say that it will solve the Yellow River problem once and for all, it's at least enough to ensure that the damage caused by the Yellow River is greatly reduced."

"This matter benefits the present and future generations. If it is accomplished, a problem that has persisted for three thousand years will be solved, and a golden age will be just around the corner!"

Chen Huai'an said meaningfully, "Isn't the opportunity to be remembered for eternity within reach?"

Upon hearing those words, Changsun Wuji's eyes cleared up.

He suddenly felt that... what the other person said seemed to make some sense.

What is the lower reaches of the Yellow River?

The rivers are all above ground, with silt deposited and the riverbed is higher than the flat land on both banks, relying entirely on dikes for restraint.

If the breach occurs, it will be a catastrophic disaster for those on high ground.

However, the dikes of the Tang Dynasty were made of rammed earth, which was susceptible to water damage, erosion, and ant and rodent burrows. During the flood season, seepage, piping, and dike breaches were common occurrences.

So it is repaired every year, but collapses every year.

This problem not only plagued the Tang Dynasty, as mentioned earlier, but it has troubled the entire Chinese land for three thousand years.

Now, this problem that has plagued him for three thousand years has a chance to be solved, and a crucial opportunity lies before him.

Changsun Wuji's gaze turned serious: "Could you explain in detail how to use cement to build a dam, and what the benefits are?"

"Simple." Chen Huai'an knew that the other party had been convinced and now only the final step was needed. "The water-facing side of a traditional rammed earth dike is directly eroded by the water flow. When the flood season arrives, the foot of the dike is eroded and then the entire section collapses."

"You should know that."

"By using cement to protect the water-facing side of the dam, the water flow directly impacts the hard surface, thus solving the erosion problem..."

Chen Huai'an spoke eloquently, from the problem of erosion to the engineering of seepage prevention, plugging and sealing.

It even goes so far as to mention using cement to build arch dams in the valleys of Yellow River tributaries, such as the Wei River, Fen River, and Luo River, to form large reservoirs that can impound floodwaters during the flood season, reduce downstream flood peaks, and release water for irrigation and regulate runoff during the dry season.

Chen Huai'an revealed all his plans without reservation.

Li Shimin and Changsun Wuji's eyes lit up as they listened, and only now did they truly realize just how important cement was.

Just how important is the construction of the Yellow River dike proposed by Chen Huai'an?

If they succeed, the prosperous era will no longer be a joke. Even if they are mediocre in the future, they will still leave a significant mark on history.

The people in the Yellow River region all have to worship them.

Li Shimin said in an unyielding tone, "Fuji, I believe that Huai'an's idea is worth considering. Building the Yellow River dikes is indeed difficult."

"Running away from difficulties is not what we should do. Facing difficulties and solving them is the right way. What do you think?"

Changsun Wuji nodded emphatically: "Your Majesty is right."

"The Yellow River must be controlled!"

"Regardless of heavy rain or floods, even if we have to sell everything we own, we must build the dike with cement!"

Chen Huai'an: "..."

"..."