"Everyone, to tell the truth, I've gathered all of you here today because I have a request."
Wang Chong leisurely said as he picked up a piece of Lin Ling Cloud Cake from the table and carefully chewed it in his mouth.
Everyone's eyes brightened at Wang Chong's words, a look of anticipation on their faces. But even so, none of them had any intention of declining. On the contrary, their eyes were filled with anticipation.
In the southwestern war, all the clans that had participated in the war, including the reinforcements, had been lavishly rewarded by the Imperial Court. Those clans that had sent their experts to follow Wang Chong into the southwest early on were especially richly rewarded.
This was truly a case of when one man attained the Dao, his chickens and dogs ascending to the heavens.
In the capital, Wang Chong's influence had reached an inconceivable level. All the clans wanted to work with him because they knew that working with him would bring them enormous benefits.
As long as Wang Chong made a call, countless clans would be willing to respond.
Because the people on the top floor of the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion had been the first to establish a relationship with Wang Chong, they had already become the core of Wang Chong's circle, the targets of envy and jealousy.
"Brother Wang, speak. No matter what you want, our Chi Clan will do everything in our power to find what Young Master wants."
The moment Wang Chong finished speaking, Chi Weisi immediately stood up and said without hesitation.
He didn't know about the other clans, but the Chi Clan had been heavily rewarded for its support of Wang Chong in the war. His two older brothers had even been promoted a rank, dealing a massive blow to the Chi Clan.
It had to be known that his two older brothers had originally been commandants, but because of their relationship with Wang Chong, they had been promoted to generals.
The difference between a commandant and a general was like the difference between the heavens and the earth.
Thwish!
Wang Chong said nothing more. He flicked a few pieces of paper he had prepared out of his sleeve and placed them in front of everyone.
"Oh?"
Seeing the pieces of paper Wang Chong had prepared, everyone was greatly curious. Even Bai Siling and Zhao Yatong temporarily let go of Wang Chong and focused their attention on the pieces of paper in front of them.
"Lime?"
Bai Siling was shocked when she saw the words on the paper. She thought that Wang Chong was looking for them for some important matter, but she didn't expect it to be this kind of thing.
"And clay."
At the same time, Zhuang Zhengping also opened the small piece of paper in front of him. He looked even more shocked than Bai Siling.
Wasn't this thing used to make ceramics? It should be everywhere in the capital!
Why would Wang Chong want something so ordinary?
Moreover, if it was just clay, Wang Chong didn't need to ask the Zhuang Family for help.
"I know you guys are very strange, but this matter is very important to me. Most importantly, whether it's lime or clay, I need a lot of them. "
As if understanding their doubts, Wang Chong faintly smiled and added.
"How much is a lot?"
Zhao Yatong frowned and asked.
"Unlimited. I want as much as I can get. At the very least, what we have in the capital is far from enough to satisfy me. "
Wang Chong said.
"Buzz."
Everyone was stunned by Wang Chong's words, and even Guo Feng and Chai Zhiyi's eyes widened. Not even Guo Feng and Chai Zhiyi knew how much lime and clay the capital had.
But there was one thing that was certain: the quantity was unimaginably vast.
As the capital of the Tang Dynasty, the resources amassed in the capital were undoubtedly unparalleled in the world. For Wang Chong to say that it was far from enough was simply beyond their imaginations.
Just what sort of plan would require so much lime and clay? And even now, none of them knew what Wang Chong needed so many materials for.
Besides, what could lime and clay do?
"Haha, you'll know when the time comes."
Wang Chong faintly smiled.
After the victory in the southwest, Wang Chong had been rewarded with three million taels of gold and a large amount of jewels. This allowed Wang Chong to finally begin his other plan.
Lime and clay were two of the most important things in this plan.
Whether it was the Zhao Clan, Bai Clan, Chi Clan, Zhuang Clan … these were all great clans of the capital. They had operated in the capital for decades, centuries, and possessed enormous connections and resources.
This was also the primary reason why Wang Chong had gathered Bai Siling, Zhao Yatong, Guo Feng, and Chai Zhiyi.
This was a project related only to the economy. There was no glint of blood, no thick smoke of gunpowder, but to Wang Chong, this project was no less important than the war of the southwest, and to the Tang Dynasty, it was far more important.
But now, apart from himself, no one knew what he was doing.
"That's right, Wang Chong …"
Chai Zhiyi suddenly said after a moment of hesitation.
"If this new plan requires a large amount of resources and money, can our Chai Clan also participate?"
Chai Zhiyi was very hesitant with these words, but Wang Chong's response had taken him by surprise.
"Haha, of course."
Wang Chong heartily laughed.
The effects of the war of the southwest were beginning to show. Even a stubborn clan like the Chai Clan was beginning to be moved. It wanted to join in and get a share of the profits, a share of the credit.
But this was precisely what Wang Chong wanted. The plan that he was about to carry out would require a great deal of money and resources, not something that he could afford alone.
The Chai Clan might have believed that Wang Chong was unwilling to share the credit with them, but the reality was the exact opposite. Wang Chong needed a large number of clans like the Chai Clan to participate in his plan.
"Brother Chai, Brother Guo, and everyone else, no matter who wants to participate, I, Wang Chong, will not refuse anyone. The more the better. Although I can't guarantee anything else, this matter will definitely be of great merit to the various clans. "
Wang Chong faintly smiled.
In the room, everyone's eyes lit up. Just this sentence alone was enough for them.
… …
After leaving the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion, Wang Chong headed east.
"Stop!"
After several thousand meters, Wang Chong's carriage came to a stop next to a lush tree. Bang! The carriage door opened, and a figure seemed to know that Wang Chong would stop here.
"Marquis."
The figure in the carriage bowed to Wang Chong.
"Haha, Sir Zhang, there's no need to be so courteous. Just call me Wang Chong. Sit!"
Wang Chong gestured at the seat across from him, a faint smile on his face.
"Then I shall respectfully accept."
Zhang Shouzhi clasped his hands and sat down on the seat across from Wang Chong. From Lion City to the final decisive battle in the southwest, Zhang Shouzhi had been at Wang Chong's side.
Zhang Shouzhi's contributions to Wang Chong's success could not go unnoticed. At Wang Chong's side, he was undoubtedly one of the core members.
"Just what is it that would trouble you to come here in person?"
Wang Chong smiled.
He had received Zhang Shouzhi's letter and rushed here to meet with him.
"In truth, it's nothing much. I was just asked by someone to ask for a favor from Young Master."
Zhang Shouzhi chuckled.
"To be able to ask for your help, that person must have quite the face. Speak, Cheng, Zhang, Huang, Lu, of the four sword-smithing clans, which one of them ran over and persuaded you to come ask for a favor?"
Wang Chong couldn't help but laugh.
He was used to seeing Zhang Shouzhi's strict and strict demeanor, so to suddenly see him plead on someone else's behalf was unprecedented. But it wasn't hard for Wang Chong to guess.
A master architect like Zhang Shouzhi who had even constructed the Imperial Palace, besides the masons, only the clans of swordsmithing masters like Cheng, Zhang, Huang, and Lu could form a close relationship with him.
"Haha, Young Master is wise. It truly was the capital's Huang Clan that sought me out and asked me to come ask for a favor."
Zhang Shouzhi said.
"Is it because of that matter?"
Wang Chong's voice suddenly turned cold.
"Yes!"
Zhang Shouzhi nodded, and his expression became much more serious. Before Wang Chong had even set out for the southwestern war, he had already asked the Cheng, Zhang, Huang, and Lu clans and all the sword shops and smiths in the capital for a large number of war machines.
But at the most crucial moment of the war, there was a shortage of war machines, and the problem lay with the capital's Huang Clan.
The war machines that Wang Chong had requested from them had simply not been completed.
In the end, at the height of the war, Wang Chong simply did not have enough steel walls to make up for it.
Wang Chong knew of this matter, Zhang Shouzhi knew of it, and all the craftsmen who had participated in the war knew of it.
If the Annam Protectorate had failed and Wang Chong had died there, it wouldn't have mattered much. But Wang Chong had returned alive. And he had won a major victory.
The capital's Huang Clan was clearly afraid that Wang Chong would settle the score, so they had sought out the person closest to Wang Chong, Zhang Shouzhi, to plead for leniency.
"Hmph, and they still have the face to say that."
Wang Chong's face was frosty.
"Haaa, Young Master, in truth, they can't be blamed for this matter. The Huang Clan didn't intentionally delay the payment. They have operated in the capital for many years, a brand that has existed for centuries. No matter what, they would never go back on their word. The Huang Clan also has its own difficulties. "
Zhang Shouzhi said.
"What difficulties? If the Four Great Clans were all like them, we would have long since died on the battlefield of the southwest. "
Wang Chong sneered.
The steel walls were an extremely important part of his plan. Without those sturdy steel walls, just the advantage of the mountains would have been impossible to stop the charge of the Mengshe – Ü-Tsang army.
To the Huang Clan, it might have just been some money and contracts, but to the Annam Protectorate, it was the lives of one hundred thousand soldiers.
This was why Wang Chong was so angry.
Ever since he had arrived in the capital, he had visited all the great clans, but he had not visited the Huang Clan.
The Huang Clan had clearly sensed something, which was why they were acting like this.
"I also tried to understand this matter, even going to the Huang Clan to personally investigate. It wasn't that the Huang Clan wasn't willing to fulfill their contract with Young Master, but that they had no more steel to use. "
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