Li Shimin faked his death? Then I will be powerful enough to conquer the world!

Chapter 312: Japan's Silver Mountain

The cold winter is like an old friend who keeps his promise and comes quietly.

The biting north wind began to roam freely inside and outside the palace walls, carrying a hint of chill, eroding the warmth of the earth bit by bit, and the temperature began to drop without stopping.

After the grand wedding ceremony of Zhang Xianhuai and Qin Ruzhao that shocked the Tang Dynasty, two months passed without a trace in the long river of time.

In the Liangyi Hall, a warm coal stove has been lit at this moment, and the red coal in the stove is trying its best to dispel the coldness in the hall.

Li Chengqian was wearing casual clothes, his posture was upright but also a bit lazy, with his hands in his sleeves.

Opposite him, Mr. Qi sat upright with a calm expression, while Lin Dafu seemed a little embarrassed and rubbed his hands from time to time.

Lin Dafu hurried here today after receiving the summons from His Majesty, and he couldn't help feeling nervous.

"Your Majesty, the cost of this Qianwu Cannon is ridiculously high!"

Lin Dafu broke the slightly dull silence in the hall and spoke anxiously.

"Your Majesty, we have been able to improve our Qianwu Cannon since its development, from the iron sand used initially to the current cannonballs, but the barrel has always been a difficult problem to overcome."

"The barrel simply cannot withstand the impact and scorching heat of the shells, and is often severely damaged after firing only two rounds."

"In this case, a cannon that cost a huge amount of money to build can only play such a small role. It is really a huge loss."

When Li Chengqian heard this, the corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing a smile with a hint of bitterness.

"Fatty, don't be so petty. I have made up my mind. One thousand of these Qianwu cannons must be built."

"When I march eastward and bring Goguryeo and Silla into the territories of the Tang Dynasty, I will definitely be able to earn back the money I spent!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Dafu's round face instantly wrinkled up, his expression like a frost-bitten eggplant, miserable beyond words. "Your Majesty, please have mercy on me and spare me."

"The money I invested in shipbuilding has yet to be recouped, and now we have to shoulder the enormous expense of building cannons. The Chamber of Commerce is truly overwhelmed and can barely handle such a tremendous pressure."

Li Chengqian turned his head slightly and looked at Mr. Qi beside him.

"Old Qi, look, this fat guy is getting anxious again!"

Mr. Qi understood and shook his head helplessly with a chuckle. He slowly stood up and walked to Lin Dafu's side. He stretched out his broad palm and patted Lin Dafu's thick back heavily.

"Fatty, don't be so stingy."

"When have your Majesty and I ever let you suffer any loss?"

"It's just a little money for shipbuilding, why worry so much?"

"Calm down and think carefully about why Li Zhentao is still stranded on the Japanese island and hasn't returned yet?"

"Your Majesty, why did you spare no expense to purchase so many Kunlun slaves and send them thousands of miles to the Japanese island?"

"And why did His Majesty order those Japanese to be brought back to the Tang Dynasty as rewards?"

"Think carefully about this. What is the real reason behind His Majesty's painstaking efforts?"

Lin Dafu was stunned when he heard what Mr. Qi said. His two round little eyes started to spin rapidly like abacus beads, and his mind was desperately searching for possible answers.

In his understanding, Japan was just a remote and impoverished island country with barren land and scarce resources. He really couldn't think of any way to make money from that land.

In the Tang Dynasty, vast wastelands can be seen everywhere. Those wastelands are lifeless and have no use value. In comparison, Japan seems even more barren and desolate.

Li Chengqian looked at Lin Dafu who was thinking hard but couldn't figure it out. He calmly picked up the teacup on the table, blew away the cool air gently, and slowly took a sip.

The warm tea slid down my throat, bringing a pleasant comfort.

Then he gently put down the teacup and shook his head slightly.

"Stingy, Fatty, I'll tell you the truth. On that Japanese island, there are two silver mountains. The silver in them is inexhaustible and can never be mined out."

"Right now, there are five ships of silver quietly docked at the Mingzhou dock, just waiting for you to receive them!"

When Lin Dafu heard this, he jumped up from his seat in an instant, his eyes wide open with shock.

"What? Two silver mountains? Endless silver?"

His voice rose unconsciously due to extreme shock, and he almost shouted with all his strength.

After he shouted, he suddenly came to his senses and realized that he was in the Liangyi Palace, not his own Qianyu Chamber of Commerce where he could make noise as much as he wanted.

For a moment, an embarrassed blush appeared on his face. He raised his hand and scratched his head in embarrassment, "Your Majesty, I lost my composure, I lost my composure."

Although his words were full of apology, his face flushed with excitement, and the light shining in his eyes was hot and bright.

He stared at Li Chengqian closely, his voice trembling slightly.

"Your Majesty, is what you say true?"

Li Chengqian smiled and nodded gently, his tone firm and steady.

"You have no joke."

After receiving Li Chengqian's affirmative answer, Lin Dafu was so excited that he could hardly contain himself. He turned around in circles like a child, muttering to himself, "I knew it, I knew that Your Majesty would not deceive me."

"It's really hard to believe that the tiny country of Japan could have such a huge amount of wealth!"

“This is a gift from God!”

Seeing him like this, Mr. Qi smiled and said, "Japan has a lot of iron ore, copper ore, and all kinds of miscellaneous minerals. These things can contribute to the prosperity of our Tang Dynasty in the future."

When Lin Dafu heard this, he turned and looked at Mr. Qi, his eyes full of surprise.

Mr. Qi's words opened a new door for him.

At this moment, looking at Mr. Qi, this annoying guy, he didn't feel so annoying anymore.