In April of the first year of Zhengsheng, in the morning, Luoyang, the capital of God.

Outside the ------ end gate of the south gate of the imperial city, Wu Zetian personally designed the large bronze pillar Tianshu to worship heaven and earth.

Of course, this is also to commemorate her eternal merit of replacing the Tang Dynasty with the Great Zhou.

Wu Yan's serious illness has just recovered. Hearing that today was the day when Emperor Wu Zetian held a grand unveiling ceremony for Tianshu, he rushed over early in the morning. Naturally, we want to take a look at this great building, which is rare to see in a thousand years.

The weather was nice and the sky was cloudless. The temperature is in the mid-20s, which is the most comfortable temperature for people.

Flags are displayed all around, gongs and drums are noisy! Thousands of guards from the north and south yas surrounded Tianshu, enclosing it into a circular square of four or five hundred square meters.

Tens of thousands of ordinary people could only stand outside the circle tightly guarded by the guards and watch the excitement.

Of course, ordinary people are outsiders!

Emperor Wu Zetian has not yet come.

Wu Yanzhi looked up in the crowded crowd and saw a large bronze pillar more than 100 feet high fifty or sixty meters away, draped in yellow brocade, which made people unable to see the true face of Tianshu.

"Huh! I'm afraid that the brocade on this copper pillar will be more than a hundred, right? ”

"More than a hundred? This is a high-grade Shu brocade fine silk, and one horse should be close to three runs! You see, it would take at least three or four hundred horses to wrap the bronze pillar! ”

"Good boy! Disastrous! I heard that the copper pillar cost more than 100,000 catties of copper, and the saint had to be willing to spend it! ”

"You old-fashioned! More than 100,000 catties of copper can be repaired......"

A few people were talking.

Wu Yanzhi silently estimated the bronze consumption of this copper pillar in his heart: "This thing must be a copper, tin, and lead alloy!" The height should be around thirty meters, and the diameter may be three to four meters.

The specific gravity of copper is 8,900 kilograms per cubic meter, and the specific gravity of tin is 7,280 kilograms per cubic meter.

According to convention, the proportion of tin in this copper pillar will not exceed 20%. If it is a solid copper pillar, it will cost five million catties of copper tin.

However, it is estimated that the copper production of this big week will not reach this number, and there is no doubt that this thing is a hollow building. ”

Just as he was calculating the consumption of copper and iron, the people suddenly became excited, and the noise became louder.

"Look, the emperor is out!" Someone exclaimed loudly.

Wu Yanzhi followed the people's instructions and looked up at the end gate of the imperial city on the left.

Sure enough, countless brightly armored and armed halberd Jin Wuwei soldiers opened the way and slowly walked out of the end gate.

Behind Jin Wuwei were several carriages, each with four or five horses.

Judging from the color of the vehicle, it must have been the guiding vehicle of the high-ranking official who opened the way.

Dozens of copper horns of different lengths blew a roar that resounded through the sky!

After the guide car, after a while, I saw a yellow cart pulled by six white horses slowly coming out!

This is not Wu Zetian's "Six Drivers of Heaven", who else can there be?

……

The vehicle is stopped.

A eunuch came and lifted the curtain.

King Liang and Chunguan (Ministry of Rites) Shangshu Wu Sansi walked over lightly: "Your Majesty, it's here, my nephew will show my aunt the way!" ”

"Good!"

Wu Zetian got up, and there were two palace maids in their forties next to her who wanted to help her, but she categorically waved her hand and refused: "I'm in good health, come by myself!" ”

The palace maid bowed her head and stepped back.

Wu Zetian is in good spirits today! Although she is a full seventy years old, she looks like she is only in her early sixties.

She was dressed in a large crown with a blue yellow dragon coat of arms, and under the protection of the golden yellow Luo umbrella cover, she slowly walked to the sacrificial platform.

As she walked, she asked Wu Sansi: "Sansi, I heard that the Grand Overseer Mao Boluo has slightly changed the size of Tianshu, how tall is it in the end?" How much does it cost in total? ”

"Aunt Qiyu! According to Mao Boro's opinion, this Tianshu is counted from the top of the iron pedestal, which is exactly ninety-nine inches and nine, which is nine inches and nine more than His Majesty's original design.

The iron pedestal was fifty-nine feet high, just forty-five feet; Therefore, the height of the entire Tianshu is one hundred and forty-four feet, nine inches, and nine.

A total of 523,250 catties of copper, 60,000 catties of tin, and 20,000 catties of pewter (la) were used.

The construction of the project lasted for ten months, and the average number of people before and after was almost 1,000 per month, and the manpower was the craftsmen who served, not counting the money, and the food and miscellaneous expenses cost a total of more than 6,000 stone rice! Wu Sansi listed all the expenses.

"Hmmm! It's really hard for you, didn't you say that there were only 200,000 catties of copper? Why is it still built on schedule? Wu Zetian's face was full of approval.

"Back to my aunt! At the beginning, the copper and iron of Sifu Temple and Shang Fangjian were indeed insufficient, and the difference was sixty percent. The nephew thought of a little way, and easily put together enough copper and iron. Wu Sansi was very excited when he heard Wu Zetian's approval.

"Oh? What's the solution? I'll hear it! ”

"Auntie! The east and west cities of Xijing plus the north and south cities of Luoyang, the capital of God, have nearly 100,000 merchants. There are also more than 16,000 households of the Tibetan people doing business in the two capitals.

These people have made a fortune by relying on my big week, and it is also appropriate for them to donate some of it. ”

When Wu Zetian heard this, he frowned slightly, and then smiled: "You still have a way, you should indeed let them take out some of it, as the saying goes, there is some truth in no business and no treachery, but it is better to let them volunteer." ”

"Auntie! When they heard that their aunt was going to build a heavenly hub, they prayed for peace in the world and good weather, so they couldn't wait to donate a little more! Of course, all willingly. Wu San thought about it.

Princess Taiping next to her was very tired of seeing Wu Sansi's flattering expression. When I heard what he said, I couldn't help laughing:

"Saburo! How did I hear that the situation is different from what you just said? I heard that many Tibetan merchants were forced bankrupt by you! The two Beijing businessmen alone have pledged more than 400,000 catties of copper! ”

Princess Taiping's meaning couldn't be clearer: the imperial court has allocated more than 200,000 catties of copper, and you have robbed more than 400,000 catties from merchants. Where did the extra 100,000 catties, close to 20,000 pieces of copper, go?

Wu Zetian frowned again: "But is there such a thing?" ”

Wu Sansi was frightened, and then defended: "Your Majesty! This is a few indiscriminate iron rooster businessmen, spreading rumors about their nephews in Liangjing and slandering their nephews! ”

Wu Zetian immediately turned his head to Princess Taiping and said, "Taiping, don't listen to those villains' nonsense!" Thinking twice, I'm still relieved. ”

"Mother! I got it. Princess Taiping said. She admires her mother very much in her heart, and her mother can't know it.

However, it is not easy to find someone like Wu Sansi who is willing to work hard for his mother, the so-called "water is clear, there are no fish!" It seems that what my mother is worried about is not the embezzlement of a few dollars by her subordinates, but her throne!

……

Arrived at the sacrificial altar twenty feet away from Tianshu.

Presided over by Wu Sansi, Wu Zetian worshiped heaven and earth! Then Wu Sansi came over and said, "Auntie! It's time to unveil it! ”

"Good!"

Wu Sansi immediately waved his hand at the person next to him, and in an instant, the sound of gongs, drums and horns that had just stopped instantly shook for nine days!

Stepping on the steps covered with red carpet, Wu Zetian slowly climbed to the top of the steps.

"Auntie! As long as this rope is pulled, the whole brocade will fall off, and it will be considered an opening. Wu Sansi bent down and respectfully handed a red rope to Wu Zetian.

A mechanism has already been installed on this, and of course the yellow curtain can be opened in an instant.

"Think twice, these covered yellow brocades will be rewarded to you, Yao Xianggong, and Mao Boluo."

"Nephew, thank you aunt!" Wu Sansi was naturally very happy, the brocade on this was worth more than 1,200 yuan!

Wu Sansi waved his hand at the conductor of the music Chunguancheng again, and the sound of gongs, drums and horns stopped again.

"Auntie! It's time to open! ”

"Good!"

Immediately, Wu Zetian pulled the red rope, pulled it hard, felt a switch pulled, and then looked up, but saw a hundred-foot-high brocade, which was immediately divided into two halves and slowly slid down from the north and south ends.

The huge golden new bronze pillar shines dazzlingly under the sun's rays!

"The Great Zhou Wanguo Song De Tianshu", these eight hand-written, one-person-high characters, shocking people's hearts!

Underneath the Tianshu pillar is a cast-iron pedestal, one hundred and seventy feet long around the iron pedestal, which is made of copper with nine dragons more than two people tall and four huge unicorns nine feet high.

Wu Zetian turned his head and saw the surroundings of the square where the colorful flags were fluttering, and a huge roar like a sea frenzy broke out in an instant! People are amazed by the magnificent buildings built by Wu Zetian!

Some were amazed, some were admired, some were so excited that they wept, and some were silent. Of course, the vast majority of people are extremely worshipped!

Except for Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Yang of Sui, who has such a big hand?

Looking at the tens of thousands of crazy people around him who admired him, Wu Zetian was very excited and full of ambition.

"Think twice! Inform Yao Xianggong that the tax in Los Angeles will be halved this year. ”

"Yes!"

"Mother, it would be great if there were a few more big copper tripods next to this Tianshu." Princess Taiping said suddenly.

When Wu Zetian heard this, he couldn't help but be shocked.

"Taiping, what did you just say?"

"Mother, my son said, next to this, the nine copper tripods lost in the previous Great Zhou Dynasty were found and placed next to here, it must be very powerful, and the momentum is even more compelling!" Princess Taiping smiled.

Wu Zetian nodded: "Hmm!" Taiping, this advice is very good! Think twice, in my opinion, you will take someone to find the Jiuding that has been lost for a thousand years, but you can't put it here, you have to build another hall to put it. ”

When Wu Sansi heard this, his head buzzed in fright, and he almost fainted.

Are you kidding? Looking for the lost Jiuding? Didn't that thing say it had been sunk into Surabaya a long time ago? Even if there is no Shen River, most of them will be taken to the grave by Qin Shi Huang!

How can I find it? Is it possible to excavate the tomb of Qin Shi Huang? Who dares to dig? Even if it's your aunt, you don't dare, right?

"Auntie! Jiuding of the previous week, since it has been lost for thousands of years, countless people must have looked for it before, but they couldn't find it! The nephew thought that it must be long gone.

Besides, after this thousand years, even if I found it, the tripod has also decayed and turned into a pile of broken copper, how can it be used as a sacrificial vessel in my Great Zhou? Nephew has a better way! It's better to collect and buy copper tin all over the world, and then recast Jiuding! ”

As soon as he heard this, he was waiting for Wu Sansi to say something, Wu Zetian immediately nodded and said, "Also, I ignored it!" This Jiuding, even if it is found, it can't be used.

Since you say so, then I will hand over this matter to you again, and you can discuss this matter with Yao Xianggong to see if you can cast some less copper coins this year, and embezzle some to recast this Jiuding! ”

"Auntie! This matter is handed over to the nephew, and at this time next year, Jiuding can be cast! ”

"Hmm!" After hearing this, Wu Zetian looked up at the crowd not far away, and began to smile and wave his hand.

Next to her, Princess Taiping looked at Wu Sansi and felt very refreshed!

I finally found something for him to do, so that he wouldn't worry about the crown prince all day long.

Wu Zetian waved his hand, and suddenly turned around slowly and said, "Think twice, the copper and iron mining in the whole country is also a big problem!" Yao Xianggong was sick today and didn't come, so you can tell him another day.

Let the government hall come up with a way, try our best to increase the production of copper and iron, and widely find and recommend talents in this area, I want to reuse! ”

"Remember, nephew!"

......

Not far away, Wu Yanzhi looked at the huge Tianshu that had just been unveiled, and couldn't help but feel extremely shocked in his heart.

Unexpectedly, without heavy machinery at this time, it would be possible to build this huge copper pillar more than 30 meters high.

I don't know how much it cost to create this big copper pillar! It seems that in this imperial era, as soon as the emperor's head is hot, he will build some unthinkable big projects.

Of course, although this Wu Zetian has become the only empress in Chinese history, the construction of this Tianshu is far from comparable to the construction of the Great Wall by Qin Shi Huang and the opening of the canal by Emperor Yang of Sui.

The Great Wall is a great military defense project, and the Grand Canal will benefit all the people and cover thousands of years!

This thing is nothing more than a luxurious spiritual enjoyment.

Of course, Wu Zetian's determination to expand his territory is no less than that of Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Yang of Sui.

"Let's go! The ceremony is over. ”

The shouts of passers-by next to him interrupted his thoughts.

Wu Yanzhi came back to his senses, he looked at the crowd that was gradually dispersing, and an extremely tricky trouble instantly came to his mind:

Ay! After all, this bronze pillar has nothing to do with you, so let's think about how to pay for the accommodation in the hotel. If you can't convince the proprietress to let you stay for a few more days, I'm afraid I'll have to sleep on the street tonight!

……………..

(pewterym: lead-tin alloy)