Meton was clever and naturally knew what everyone was thinking. He couldn't help but smile bitterly, "Although the cost is not high, cement is in short supply right now. I'm afraid it will take some time before it can be mass-produced!"
"Cement!"
Li Shimin's heart moved. They had gradually understood this new word that appeared frequently. Cement played a crucial role in the construction of new buildings like three-story villas. This cement was said to be refined by Taoists using alchemy. At present, it couldn't be valued at all.
Meton explained, "Your Majesty, we usually use loess to build houses. However, loess is easily washed away by the rain, causing damage to the house. I wanted to have something similar to loess. After solidifying, it was as hard as a rock. Therefore, I jointly developed cement with Taoists. Unfortunately, the cement has just been tested successfully, and the production is very low. I haven't had time to mass-produce it yet. After several months of accumulation, I can only build this three-story building."
"Several months to refine so much cement?" Li Shimin suddenly frowned.
Meton nodded solemnly and said, "In order to save as much cement as possible, I used river sand to mix with cement. When building the top floor, I even crushed stones into stones and added them. In this way, it is enough to save money. If it was all cement, I'm afraid a thousand strings of coins wouldn't be enough."
In the era without machinery, not only was it not easy to refine cement, even going down the river to scoop up sand and crush stones was not a small project. Coupled with the transportation cost, it was so high.
"It actually cost so much?" Li Shimin couldn't help but frown. He couldn't help but think of Yu Zhining's memorial just now. It seemed that it cost a little more.
Meton saw this and quickly said, "Cement is very magical. Naturally, it can't be measured by normal prices. Good steel is used on the blade. It has a great use in the right place."
"If you have something to say, just say it." Li Shimin saw that Meton was keeping him in suspense and couldn't help but snort coldly.
Meton smiled awkwardly and said, "The Minister thinks that cement can be used to build bridges in addition to building houses!"
"Repair the bridge?" Li Shimin was puzzled.
Merton said, "Cement is like mud when mixed with water. We can shape it into any shape we want, but once it solidifies, it will be as hard as a rock. Since ancient times, it has been extremely difficult to build bridges, and it also costs a lot of money and grain. Ordinary wooden bridges can't be used for long. Other than the Zhaozhou Bridge built by Li Chun of the previous dynasty, the other stone bridges are not even worth mentioning. There are even many larger rivers that simply can't be bridged. The world is suffering without a bridge for a long time. "
Li Shimin looked at Meton in surprise. Others might not know, but he knew that Li Chun, who built the Zhaozhou Bridge, was from the Xiangfu Clan. He did not expect that Meton would hold him in such high esteem.
"If cement can also be used to build bridges, can it guarantee that it won't break?" Zhang Liang, the Minister of Works, who had been silent, finally couldn't help but ask.
Meton showed a trace of confidence and pointed to the cement roof on the roof and said, "With steel as the tendons and cement as the bones, as long as there is enough cement and steel, the cement can continue to solidify as if it is a whole. It can be said that it is the best building material for building bridges. Not to mention the small Wei River in Zhao County, even the vast Wei River, it is not difficult to build a bridge. In time, it is even possible to build a bridge between the Yellow River and the Yangtze River! At that time, the natural moat will become a road, and the people will cross the Yellow River without stopping. It will only take a quarter of an hour to cross it. What a miracle! "
"Build a bridge between the Yellow River and the Yangtze River?"
"The natural moat will become a road!"
"Cross the Yellow River in a quarter of an hour?"
… … …
Meton's words were like magic, which immediately made the courtiers' blood boil. For a long time, the dynasties had conquered almost all the rivers, but they were helpless against the vast Yellow River and the Yangtze River. The two rivers were like natural moats, blocking the traffic between the north and the south of China, which had troubled generations. Now, with the emergence of cement, the Tang dynasty finally had the hope of conquering the Yellow River and the Yangtze River.
"Of course, it can't be done in a short time, but with the continuous accumulation of bridge building technology, the Minister believes that if one day a bridge can be built between the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, it will have to be reinforced concrete. This is the best material for building bridges." Meton took a deep breath and said.
Almost all the courtiers nodded subconsciously. Based on the plasticity of reinforced concrete and its solidification characteristics, they knew that although Meton was exaggerating, it was very likely to be true.
Li Shimin took a deep breath, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and said, "I still have time. But to prove your words, a stone bridge in the Qujiang Pool has been in disrepair for a long time, so let the Mo family build it. At that time, the Ministry of Works will naturally go to evaluate it. I hope it won't disappoint me!"
Meton nodded solemnly and said, "It certainly won't disappoint Your Majesty!"
The flow of water in the Qujiang River was not small, and it was not much different from the flow of the Huihe River where the Zhaozhou Bridge was located. Meton just praised Li Chun's Zhaozhou Bridge, and Li Shimin happened to use a similar bridge as a comparison.
"As the saying goes, the cost of a golden bridge and a silver road …" Meton was in a dilemma. The cost of building a bridge was not small, and Meton did not want the Mo family to be the spendthrift.
Li Shimin snorted and said, "The materials will be provided by the Mo family, and the manpower will be provided by the Chang 'an County Government. Didn't you say that it would be free to use your own materials?"
Meton immediately smiled bitterly. Li Shimin was really stingy to him as usual.
However, he did not know Li Shimin's intention. Meton had been in the limelight for a long time, and if he did not make him pay a little, how could he explain it to the civil and military officials?
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Meton took the order and said.
However, he immediately became excited. This was a leap in the history of bridges in the Tang dynasty, and it was done by the Mo family. Moreover, the Xiangfu family had cracked the Mo family's Mo skill, which had brought a great loss to the Mo family. It was impolite not to reciprocate. This time, he would defeat the Xiangfu family in the strongest aspect, and make them sincerely convinced.
…
"Brother Mo, you are so eloquent. You are able to argue with the scholars and make Yu Zhining speechless!"
In the Mo family, Qin Huaiyu said excitedly.
After the debate in the Imperial Court, the debate between Meton and Yu Zhining had already spread throughout the court. The military officials did not have a good impression of the civil officials, so Qin Huaiyu was naturally happy to mock Yu Zhining.
"That's right! Isn't it just building a new house? How could it be brought to the Imperial Court? This is too much! " Cheng Chumo immediately defended the injustice. However, when he saw Meton's new house in front of him, he could not help but feel envious. When he saw this house for the first time, he could not help but like it.
Yuchi Bao Lin on the side nodded repeatedly, and looked at the new house curiously from time to time, clicking his tongue in wonder.
"Brother Mo, I am also going to get married. I wonder if you can help me build a house like this?" Cheng Chumo said with a flattering face.
Meton immediately said in surprise, "You are also going to get married? Didn't you say it was almost the New Year?"
Cheng Chumo immediately said with a face full of hidden bitterness, "Isn't it all your fault? You forced the girl to get married at the age of sixteen. Otherwise, why would you wait so long? Besides, it's only ten months away from the New Year. Isn't it just right to build a house?"
Cheng Chumo's marriage was to a girl from one of the Five Great Clans. The diamond he ordered from Meton was sent as a token of love. If it were not for Meton making a fuss, the two would have gotten married long ago. Now, the girl was only sixteen at the end of the year, and it was delayed until the end of the year.
Meton immediately had goosebumps. He quickly hid to the side and said with a frown, "Aren't you afraid that the Imperial Censor will impeach you?"
Cheng Chumo laughed and said, "Even if the sky falls, my father will hold it up. Don't worry."
Meton was speechless. Cheng Yaojin was in the Imperial Court. It could be said that no one dared to provoke him. Yu Zhining dared to provoke Meton, but he probably did not dare to offend Cheng Yaojin.
"Besides, isn't it just three hundred strings of cash? If worst comes to worst, I'll just give up on my share of the gourmet food city this year. "Cheng Chumo said in a rich and imposing manner. Cheng Chumo was naturally more than willing to exchange his share of the year for a house like this.
Meton waved his hand and said, "Forget it. I won't take your money. Other than the tiles, you can order them from Hebei's Xing Kiln. I'll charge you one hundred strings of cash for the rest."
"Deal!" Cheng Chumo nodded without hesitation. He knew that he would make a big profit at this price, but he was not unreasonable. If Meton gave him the materials for free, he naturally would not accept it. This was just right.
"We'll also reserve one for next year!" Qin Huaiyu and Yuchi Baolin fought to be the first to say.
"Okay!"
Meton carefully calculated and sighed in his heart. He was afraid that the original cement production was not enough. It was only a matter of time before he expanded and increased production.
After the three received the promise, they sat down with satisfaction. Ever since they graduated from the Imperial College, they rarely had a reunion like this.
"By the way, Zu Mingjun should be here soon!" Cheng Chumo suddenly said.
Qin Huaiyu nodded and said, "He should be here soon. Even if this guy misses something, he won't miss Brother Mo's Ink Skills Exhibition."
After two years of success, the Ink Skills Exhibition of the Mo Family had become more and more influential. Every year, the Ink Skills Exhibition could be said to represent the most advanced technology and cutting-edge products of the Tang dynasty. Countless businesses made a lot of money, especially last year's Mo Jiazi artificial rainbow and the prediction of a solar eclipse. It was simply amazing.
This year's Ink Skills Exhibition had not yet begun, but it was already popular. It was not even February yet, but all the tickets had been distributed. Now, it was difficult to get a ticket in Chang 'an. Many people from other places were shouting for tickets at high prices every day.
"By the way, it's said that Kong Huisuo will be coming to Chang 'an soon," Qin Huaiyu suddenly said.
Suddenly, everyone fell silent and looked at Meton. Now, the relationship between the Confucian and Mo Family was very tense. Meton was from the Mo Family, and Kong Huisuo was the son of the Confucian Family. The conflict between the Confucian and Mo Family was getting more and more intense. It would be very difficult for the two to be sandwiched together.
Meton pondered for a while and shook his head. "The Confucian and Mo Family are fighting over doctrines. Our friendship is a personal friendship. There is no conflict between the two."
"That's true!" Cheng Chumo said with a smile.
Everyone immediately returned to talking and laughing, glossing over the previous topic. However, they all knew that they were no longer the students of the Imperial College. Sometimes, the situation was not up to them. It was not up to them to choose!
。 m.
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