Recently, the capital has been talking about the red car of the British government, and even Chongzhen knows about it.

The harem is the gossip place, especially the emperor also has one, and the concubines who were already curious about this car have something to talk about.

Empress Zhou was cautious and upright, and she was only curious about the car.

Only Tian Guifei was not only curious, but also wanted to own one after sitting on it. Such a car is simply a status symbol. She didn't dare to think about the emperor's car, but since she heard that the British Mansion also had one, she was moved.

Relying on himself to be the most favored in front of Chongzhen, crying and asking for a car like that.

Chongzhen used to be the king of letters, and he was not ignorant of the prices of the people.

He didn't need to call someone to investigate this kind of car, and he knew that it was expensive. As far as Neku's little money is concerned, he must not be able to afford it, not to mention that he has too many places to use the money.

If it is obtained by forcible requisition, it also has the image of a blind lord.

There was no way to be troubled by Tian Guifei, so Chongzhen had to call Cao Huachun.

"Companion, I've heard that the British government also has a car like me." Chongzhen pretended to be casual.

Of course, Cao Huachun, the car in the British Mansion, knew it, and when he saw the emperor ask this, he also understood a thing or two.

"If you go back to the emperor, the car in the British Mansion is red, and it is said that Wang Yue gave it to the second lady." Cao Huachun bowed.

"Oh?" Chongzhen said strangely: "Why did that Wang Yue send the car to the second lady of the British Mansion?" ”

"I heard Cao Ruyi's kid say that it was because Miss Zhang Er helped Wang Yue buy 20,000 acres of land in the British Mansion and sent a car to Miss Er as a thank you. Oh, the land is for the building of cities. ”

Chongzhen asked, "Do you know how much that car is worth?" ”

"Back to the emperor, I heard that the car is worth five thousand taels of gold." Cao Huachun said and gestured five fingers.

"Shhh Chongzhen gasped, this car is so valuable! The state treasury only earns four million taels a year, and this car is worth fifty thousand taels.

"Wang Yue is really generous! How is his city built? Chongzhen also asked casually, how long has it been, it is estimated that the city is still laying the foundation, right?

Cao Huachun said with an exaggerated expression: "Your Majesty, I was about to tell you about this." It is said that the walls of the city have been completed, and houses are still being built inside the city. ”

He also listened to what Cao Ruyi said, Cao Ruyi knew a rich man like Wang Yue, of course he had to move around.

Chongzhen was also surprised and asked, "How big is that city?" How high are the walls? ”

"The circumference is eight miles, and the walls are thirty feet high and eighteen feet thick." Cao Huachun said truthfully.

"What?" Chongzhen was really shocked now.

He walked back and forth, imagining the size of the city. When he heard that some people were going to build a city, he didn't take it seriously. How much money do ordinary people have? Even Jin merchants will not be stupid to build a big city, those people like to build houses, and they will build them for hundreds of years.

So he thought that Wang Yue's city was the size of a village at most.

Chongzhen said to Cao Huachun: "You go to Liu Zunxian, the secretary of the Ministry of Communication." ”

Liu Zunxian, the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, is 61 years old this year, a scholar in the 32nd year of Wanli, and has served as the county magistrate, the head of the household department, and also the secretary of the military department, and last year he was appointed as the secretary of the Ministry of Industry.

After receiving the summons of the emperor, he immediately came to the Palace of Nourishing Heart with the eunuch of the decree.

"Minister Liu Zunxian, long live my emperor!"

Chongzhen immediately said: "Liu Aiqing, please get up quickly, take a seat!" ”

Liu Zunxian got up and arched his hand and said, "Thank you, Emperor!" ”

Seeing him sit down, Chongzhen asked, "Liu Aiqing, how many cycles does it usually take to build a city with a circumference of eight miles, a height of thirty feet, and a thickness of eighteen feet?" ”

When Liu Zunxian heard this, he couldn't sit still. He knows very well what the situation is in the imperial court now. The warehouse of the household department is empty, and there are almost rats left, and the emperor is thinking about building a city again, which is worth it.

He said anxiously: "The emperor can't do it, now the court can't make ends meet, and it costs a huge amount of money to build a city of this scale, I'm afraid it's not the blessing of the court!" ”

Chongzhen saw that he had misunderstood, and said with a smile: "Lord Liu, I just asked casually, and I have no plans to do so." ”

Liu Zunxian calmed down a little and said: "Back to the emperor, according to what the emperor said, a city of this scale is much larger than Fengyang, the central capital, but the thickness is not as wide as that of the central capital." So Wechen estimates that it will take at least two years! ”

"What about the wall?" Chongzhen continued to ask.

"At least a year!"

"How much does it cost?" Chongzhen then asked.

"More than a million taels."

In the Ming Dynasty, when building a city, the people had to bring their own food and work for free, so the labor cost was not counted.

Chongzhen smiled and began to circle again.

Liu Zunxian was inexplicably puzzled and asked, "Your Majesty? ”

"Well," Chongzhen stopped and looked at Liu Zunxian and said, "Lord Liu, I'm very curious, someone can build such a city in a month, do you believe it?" ”

Liu Zunxian shook his head with a smile, as if he was listening to a joke: "Impossible!" ”

Chongzhen looked at Cao Huachun and didn't speak.

Cao Huachun smiled and said, "Lord Liu, but there is such a thing!" That city was built in Wanping County. ”

Liu Zunxian was not calm, and suddenly stood up and asked, "Is this true?" How did I not know? ”

Such a large city was built near Jingshi, but he didn't have any news at all, which is a bit incredible.

Cao Huachun saw his panicked expression, and hurriedly arrived: "Don't worry, boss, this city is a showman, built with a group of disaster victims, and I also greeted the emperor." ”

Oh, that's what the emperor acquiesced to.

Chongzhen said: "I just wonder how he built this city so quickly, so I invited Liu Aiqing to take a closer look." ”

Liu Zunxian frowned and said: "Your Majesty, the old minister can't figure it out, I still want to see it, could it be rammed earth to build a city?" Even rammed earth isn't so fast. ”

He couldn't imagine any way to increase the speed of building the city so fast, so he was curious about the speed of the city's construction.

Cao Huachun said: "My people have seen it, and the city is completely made of bricks. ”

"Impossible! I'm going to see who has it. Your Majesty, the old minister farewell! After speaking, Liu Zunxian bowed his hand to Chongzhen, turned around and left.

"Hey, Lord Liu, you..." Before Chongzhen finished speaking, Liu Zunxian disappeared.

Chongzhen looked at Cao Huachun and asked, "Big companion, why did he run so fast?" ”

Cao Huachun smiled and said, "Your Majesty, he is afraid that if this matter is true, you will punish him for the crime of bullying the king." Why does it take only one month for others to build a city, but two years for them? ”

When Chongzhen heard this, he suddenly said, "That's right! The people in the Ministry of Works should go and see how the city was built. Why is Wang Yue okay, does the Ministry of Industry usually eat dry rice? ”

Chongzhen is a stubborn character, and he hates others to lie to him the most.

Originally, Liu Zunxian wanted to go to see it alone, but after receiving the emperor's holy decree, the Ministry of Industry formed a huge visiting group. It is led by the Ministry of Industry, and dozens of officials such as the left and right attendants of the Ministry of Industry, the director, and the staff are outside.