I was the emperor in the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 148
Autumn is crisp, cloudless, sweet-scented osmanthus, and pleasant air.

In the back pavilion on the eighth day of August in the 22nd year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty, the emperor and his ministers were discussing a major event that could change the world.

Li Tiangao was at the top, and eight oily and shiny sandalwood chairs were arranged in two rows. On the left sat the four elders headed by Yang Shiqi, and on the right sat Zhou Zhen and his two headed by Minister Wu Zhong of the Ministry of Industry.

The emperor presided over it himself, and the four elders and one minister attended the ceremony.

Such a high-level court meeting, even Zhou Zhen was already a member of the third rank, and he only felt sweaty palms and trembling.

Looking around at the ministers, Li Tianhan nodded with a smile, put down the cup in his hand, cleared his throat and looked at Zhou Zhen:
"Zhou Shilang, everyone who should come has come, you can talk about it."

"The minister obeys the order."

Responding with clasping hands, Zhou Zhen stood up squarely, looked at a group of bosses, and began to explain the matter of cement in simple terms.

Cement has never existed in ancient and modern times, and everyone is very unfamiliar. Zhou Zhen spoke very carefully, and Yang Shiqi and others also listened very carefully. He would ask questions from time to time when he heard something that he didn't understand.

"My fellow elders, the creation of cement is beyond the heavens and the earth, making ordinary people comparable to heaven, and it will definitely affect all aspects of my Ming Dynasty in the future. That's basically it."

Zhou Zhen turned around and sat down, everyone was lost in thought, the air was silent, only a few rough breathing could be heard.

Sitting in the upper seat and knocking on the table, Li Tian was not in a hurry, with a smile in the corner of his eyes, quietly digesting these left and right arms of his.

Time passed by for a short while, and everyone finally calmed down. Yang Shiqi, as the chief assistant of the cabinet, took the lead in giving a speech:

"Your Majesty, in the humble opinion of the old minister, the ratio of cement must be firmly held in the hands of the imperial court, and must not be released outside."

Building bridges and building roads, embankments and high-rises sound like a bunch of flowers, which is indeed very attractive.But in Yang Shiqi's view, the use of cement in military border defense is terrible.

A wooden village is not as good as an earthen fortress, and an earthen fortress is not as good as a fortress. The civil and military people of the Manchu Dynasty are well known.However, if the imperial court wants to build a stone city in the frontier, tens of thousands of civilians will be conscripted at every turn.

Mining, processing, transporting materials, and building the city often take at least a year and a half, or even longer.

But if this cement is used, everything will be completely different.

The imperial court can burn the clinker in the capital and then transport it outside. When they arrive at the local place, they can use local materials and mix them with sand and lime mortar. According to Zhou Zhen, it will take less than half a month to solidify and form.

In just half a month, an indestructible stone city was able to rise from the ground. Such a rapid speed made Yang Shiqi both happy and afraid.

What he likes is that with cement, the frontiers of the Ming Dynasty can enjoy peace forever.As for the fear, it is that the method of firing cement will be leaked, so that those northern captives can learn it.

Although Yang Shiqi didn't say what was going on in his heart, all the smart people are sitting in the cabinet today. Once Yang Shiqi said that it should not be revealed to the outside, everyone knew it.

Li Tian saw Yang Shiqi's complicated expression, but Li Tian didn't intend to explain it to Yang Shiqi.

To know that the development of technology requires silver, where does the silver come from?It has to come from the market of 6000 million people in Daming.It is impossible for such a big market to eat single-family households while covering the quilt.

"Shiqi don't need to worry, I have my own calculations in my heart." After giving Yang Shiqi a tasteless reassurance, Li Tian looked around at the important officials and said in a deep voice:
"I called you here today, not to hold the cement in your hands, but to let you brainstorm and think about how to make cement benefit the people of the world."

As soon as Li Tian's words came out, it could be regarded as setting the tone for this cabinet meeting.

Yang Shiqi's face darkened when he heard the words, knowing that he had started the wrong words, he quickly picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea to cover up his embarrassment, and stopped arguing.

"Your Majesty, the old minister heard what Zhou Shilang said before, and knew that the cement used a lot of limestone and iron ore clay.

The old ministers requested that the Ministry of Industry should immediately start to find out the minerals near the capital, and at the same time increase manpower to deploy in advance the prospecting of the next day's minerals. "

This time it was Yang Rong, the second assistant, who spoke out. Li Tian was very satisfied with Yang Rong's words, and nodded slightly to express his affirmation. He looked at Wu Zhong and said:

"Wu Shangshu, what do you think of what Elder Yang Ge said?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I deeply agree with what Elder Yang Ge said, but in my opinion, it is not enough for our Ministry of Industry to handle this matter. Your Majesty needs to send an army to cooperate."

First he agreed with Yang Rong's words, and then he made his own request. Li Tian couldn't help but look sideways at Wu Zhong's old-fashioned officialdom.

After waving his hand, signaling Wu Zhong to turn around and sit down, Li Tian turned to look at Huang Zhun, who had been silent all this time, and said:

"Zhongchang, Zongyu, do you have anything to add?"

"Your Majesty, what Yang Gelao and Wu Shangshu said is very comprehensive, and I have nothing to add."

"So does Weichen."

Li Tian didn't bother to ask Huang Zhun and Ren Jin. It wasn't that Yang Rong and Wu Zhong's words were really flawed. The main thing was to take care of their faces. The elder Ge's face was still very important.

Nodding his head, Li Tian didn't ask Zhou Zhen again. Although Zhou Zhen is also a third-rank member, he is not qualified to give Yang Rong a supplementary speech for this level of cabinet discussion.

"Okay, since all your lovers have no objection, let's obey the order."

When the words fell to the ground, Yang Shiqi raised his head to hear the sound, and all the important officials bowed slightly, waiting for the order.

"Wu Zhong, I know that the Ministry of Industry already has four divisions, Dushui, Yuheng, and Tuntian. From now on, the Ministry of Industry will add another division, called the Cement Division. You will be the doctor in person, and you will be the agent for the cement business."

"Wei Chen accepts the order."

After saying the first decree, Li Tian paused, looked around the crowd, and continued slowly:
"Zhou Zhen is the left servant of the Ministry of Industry, but he has been helping me to supervise the production of cement recently. The position of Minister of Industry is obviously not suitable for him.

Cement Zhen was originally intended to be fired in the Tiangongyuan, but because the Tiangongyuan had not yet been completed, it had to be fired in the Tiangong Bureau Yamen, Zirong. "

"The old minister is here." Yang Rong responded immediately.

"How are you dispatching the officials of Tiangongyuan? Is there still a vacancy for the position of vice president?"

"Forgive me, Your Majesty. At present, most of the officials of the Tiangong Academy are concurrently serving as the head of the Ministry of Industry. The old minister has not yet transferred one person."

Hearing Yang Rong's words, Li Tian couldn't help but frowned slightly, there was a talent shortage.

But fortunately, the work exam will start soon. After this period of time, the situation should improve a lot. Li Tianen frowned and stopped thinking about it. Li Tianen said and nodded:

"That's just right. From today on, Zhou Zhen will be transferred to Tiangong Academy as the vice president."

Tiangongyuan is a third-rank yamen, the dean is third-rank, and the vice-principal is naturally only third-rank, but Zhou Zhen didn't care about dropping half a rank, and immediately bowed to the ground with joy on his face:
"My minister respectfully obeys His Majesty's will."

(End of this chapter)