Li Chengzhi quickly tried to smooth things over: "What Situ said is true, this thing is the same as an earth dragon, it just moved from the ground to the ground..."

The rest of the people immediately heard the difference, how could they be fooled by Li Chengzhi so easily?

Liu Fang took a step forward and asked solemnly: "If it is as Sikong said, a fire pit that is two feet wide and more than seven feet wide like now, how much firewood will it cost in a day?"

"You don't need firewood, just sweep some grass and leaves. You need twenty or thirty kilograms a day, which can be used by a family to keep out the cold. The dung of cattle, horses, donkeys, sheep and other livestock is better, ten kilograms is enough... If you really have the money,

There is too much to spend, so you can use charcoal or firewood. A greenhouse of the same size and a fire pit will cost at most 20 to 30% of the earth dragon..."

Cui Guang said again: "But what if the common people in Beijing have no dead grass branches and leaves to pick up, and no cattle, horses, donkeys and sheep dung?"

Li Chengzhi glanced at Yuan Yong, who had a gloomy expression, and said calmly: "Then let's burn charcoal..."

"How to prevent the poison of charcoal smoke..."

As soon as someone asked a question, it turned out to be nonsense.

It's been a while since we entered this warm pavilion. Have the ministers smelled even a hint of smoke?

If Li Chengzhi dared to present this thing to the emperor, he would naturally have solved this problem long ago.

A closer look shows that compared to the earth dragon, which uses charcoal, this thing only costs less than 30% of the money per season at most, and it is extremely convenient to build. It can be built by digging some wet mud.

According to what Li Chengzhi said, if you can really sweep some grass and dry leaves and burn it, it can be called good news to the poor. Compared with the countless people who froze to death every winter in previous years, this thing can be regarded as a "save for the common people".

"In water and fire", no wonder the emperor was so excited?

Thinking of this, all the ministers looked at Li Chengzhi in a different way, as if they were looking at a saint...

Just as he was sighing secretly, he suddenly heard a roar from the pavilion: "Good thief, you are still alone from Tanshan..."

Everyone turned around and saw that Yuan Yong's face was purple, his beard and hair were spread out, his lips were trembling, and he pointed a trembling finger at Li Chengzhi, as if he was going to faint from anger.

Li Chengzhi secretly shouted: It’s coming!

"What's the point of shouting and screaming?"

The emperor just cursed, and when he heard another "pop", Yuan Yong knelt straight on the ground.

"Your Majesty, you have to make the decision for me. I was deceived by the thief Li Chengzhi... Last month, he came to see me and said that he wanted to jointly develop charcoal with me to provide for the people of the capital to survive the winter. I know very well that the charcoal smoke

He was afraid that the poison would harm people's lives, so he didn't respond to him. He just rented all the Tanshan Mountains in his territory to him and made a five-year contract..."

"Your Highness, isn't it?"

Li Chengzhi said with a smile, "I confessed to you that day: I have a furnace made of iron, which can be used by wealthy families. It can also help the common people build earth dragons. These two things are very useful, but

If the residents in the capital use it, it should be charcoal... Therefore, I am looking for you to cooperate. I have made it clear and clear, so how can you say it is a lie?"

"Fart... you said you wanted to make an iron stove, but when did you say there was a way to dispel smoke poison? I just treat it like a charcoal basin. Although it can keep out the cold, there is a worry of poisoning. And as long as everyone is rich, every family has it.

There are earth dragons digging, and they have accumulated enough firewood and charcoal, so they just assume that no one is willing to buy charcoal...

Also, you only said you wanted to help the people build earth dragons, but when did you say it was so convenient, even the foundation does not need to be dug out, and so little charcoal is used..."

In the middle of shouting, he suddenly heard a "puff", as if someone laughed. Yuan Yong was so angry that he was about to curse when he saw that it was Taiwei Yuan Jia. He could only swallow the curse words that came to his lips.

.

Yuan Jia stroked his beard and said sarcastically: "I am really Li Chengzhi who deceived you. It turns out that you are hesitant and want to get rich but are afraid of taking responsibility?"

This was one of the six assistants who were left to assist Yuan Ke according to the late emperor's dying decree. To put it bluntly, without Yuan Jia, Yuan Ke would have been forced to abdicate by his uncles Yuan Xi, Yuan Xie and Yuan Xiang.

In the emperor's heart, ten Yuanyongs are not as good as Yuanjia, so how can he dare to be so presumptuous?

Yuan Yong frowned and argued: "What the Taiwei said is wrong. If Li Chengzhi had let me see these two things earlier, how could I be fooled?"

Li Chengzhi was a little impatient: "Your Highness, please speak frankly. What do you want?"

Yuan Yong stretched out his hand: "Bring back the lonely Tanshan Mountain!"

Return it?

"It's not impossible..." Li Chengzhi said with a smile, "But King Yingchuan must still remember that you and I agreed in the contract: If anyone regrets it, he will pay ten times the default amount..."

Ten times?

It is because Yuan Yong was so rich that his face turned green when he thought of the huge number.

But when he thought of being suspected by the emperor, fearing that his life would not be saved, Yuan Yong gritted his teeth again: "At most three times!"

"Deal!"

No one expected that Li Chengzhi agreed on the spot. He also looked at Yuan Yong with a smile, "There is no basis for what you say, but even if His Highness gave me a written certificate at this time, I would not believe it. This is incredible.

What should we do?"

This was clearly a mockery of Yuan Yong's capriciousness, reneging on promises, and forgetfulness of justice. All the officials burst into laughter, and there were many people who looked at Yuan Yong with contempt on their faces. For example, the emperor...

But Yuan Yong has been through the wind and rain for a long time, so how can he lose this momentum?

Knowing that the opportunity must not be missed, he would never come back again, Yuan Yong said with a coy smile: "I hope your majesty will grant me permission to let the ministers leave the palace and collect the illegal money from Li Chengzhi..."

Everyone thought that the emperor would be furious and curse. However, Yuan Ke just glanced at Yuan Yong with a meaningful look: "I shouldn't have summoned you today, go away..."

Yuan Yong was so happy that he bowed and left, just like there was a wolf chasing after him.

Li Chengzhi's heart moved: Why did Yuan Yong act like he didn't want to stay in the palace to discuss matters? Wasn't it all about getting Meishan back?

Just as he was doubting himself, he heard the emperor ask again: "Tell me, what trick are you hiding to try to harm King Yingchuan? Well, let me tell you first, how much should King Yingchuan compensate you for three times the breach of contract?" <

/p>

"I rented Tanshan Mountain for five years at a cost of 30,000 gold per year, totaling 150,000 gold, and I have already paid it. If the King of Yingchuan triples the compensation to me, it will be 450,000 gold..."

"Hiss..."

There was a sudden gasp of air in the hall.

450,000 gold, if you buy millet, you can buy nearly 450,000 shi, totaling more than 50,000 kilograms.

This much money is enough to buy a smaller house in the inner city...

The emperor looked disbelieving and squinted: "It's more than that. With your nature, you must have some tricks up your sleeve! To be honest..."

To be honest, the emperor knew Li Chengzhi quite well. Li Chengzhi scratched his head helplessly: "I have already purchased enough charcoal in Beijing around the beginning of autumn. There are nearly 300,000 charcoal, which is enough for the people of Beijing to last a whole winter.

Even if it's a bit worse, I have rented King Ruyang's Carboniferous Ridge at the southern end of Mount Wei. But as soon as the weather clears, I will hire someone to transport charcoal to Mount Wei. It's only more than two hundred miles away, and it can take at least two days.

We can go back and forth. If we hire more carriages and horses, we can transport 100,000 dans of charcoal to the capital in one month, which should be enough... Therefore, King Yingchuan just takes back the charcoal mountain, and it will be unprofitable this year!"

Not only is it unprofitable, it is estimated that you will have to pay some compensation.

Just because Yuanyue's Tanshan Mountain is very close to Luoyang, barely a hundred miles away. But Yuanyong's Tanshan Mountain is in Yingchuan, three hundred miles away, nearly three times farther...

The ministers were speechless, but the emperor was very surprised: "I know that you rented Yuanyue's charcoal mountain, but how do I not know when and where did you buy the 300,000 stone charcoal?"

Just when Li Chengzhi was about to open his mouth, Yuan Yi bowed down first: "It's all my fault... At the beginning of autumn, Li Chengzhi told his ministers that the weather was getting colder, and metallurgy and forging would stop. The accumulation of

Charcoal can only be used again next year. It is also said that if this material accumulates for a winter, it will lose some patience. It is better to sell it to him at the market price and wait until the next spring to buy new charcoal...

The minister felt that this was reasonable, so he followed his advice and sold to him all the coal accumulated in the Qibu, Jinbu, Taicang, and Sinong departments, nearly two hundred thousand shi..."

This is only 200,000, what about another 100,000?

The emperor's eyelids twitched, and just when he was about to look at Liu Teng, the old eunuch knelt down with a pop: "I am also the same. The Taifu, Shaofu, Neizang and other Cao have accumulated nearly 100,000 stones of charcoal in previous years.

Sold to Li Chengzhi at market price..."

Yuan Ke's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot: "It's so huge, you should also ask Li Chengzhi, where should he use so much charcoal?"

"I asked..."

Yuan Yi whispered, "He said he would sell it to the people in winter to keep out the cold..."

Yuan Ke was stunned for a moment, then gritted his teeth.

These two actually believed it?

Nine times out of ten, these two people felt that they could take advantage and save them a lot of trouble, so they went with the flow and sold it first, regardless of whether what Li Chengzhi said was true or false.

If Yuan Yong is said to be stupid, wouldn't they be even stupider?

But what happened was that Li Chengzhi told the truth?

So, if he, the emperor, wanted to use charcoal, he would have to ask Li Chengzhi to buy it?

There is enough charcoal in the palace, and the emperor will not be missing if no one is missing. Yuan Ke just feels unhappy.

"What is the market price of selling to Li Chengzhi?"

"One stone, one gold!"

"The same is true for me!"

The emperor looked at Yuan Jia again.

As a Taiwei with both military and political duties, he must be familiar with people's livelihood. Yuan Jia thought for a while: "It is a little more expensive in winter, but if you buy it around the beginning of autumn, one stone of charcoal should cost about one hundred yuan..."

One gold was discounted to 150 yuan, and Li Chengzhi also gave 50 yuan more?

The emperor suddenly felt much better and asked with a sideways glance, "In the end, it was the imperial court that took advantage of you? Hmm... No, where did you get so much money?"

Three hundred thousand shi is three hundred thousand gold. In just half a year, Li Chengzhi actually made so much by selling ice and tofu?
To be continued...