Chapter 60: Li Shimin’s Plan!
This is completely different from how coal is perceived, without thick smoke or a pungent odor.
If you didn’t look closely, Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji thought it was burning charcoal!
Li Shimin was quite pleased, saying, “This is anthracite coal, entirely different from regular coal.”
Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling quickly grasped why Li Shimin had borrowed charcoal at a high price. “Your Majesty, is this anthracite from Yujiagou?” Fang Xuanling inquired, recalling recent events.
Li Shimin confirmed, “Yes, it’s from Yujiagou.”
Now Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling understood why Li Shimin had suddenly changed his mind.
“How come nobody knew before… it doesn’t make sense!” Zhangsun Wuji couldn’t comprehend. “The coal from Yujiagou is well-known in Changan City. We didn’t expect it could be used directly.”
“Is all the coal from Yujiagou usable?” Fang Xuanling asked eagerly.
“Of course not,” Li Shimin replied, returning to his seat.
“Yujiagou’s coal is high-quality anthracite, naturally low in smoke. After processing, it looks like this and can completely replace charcoal.”
Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling nodded in understanding.
“This pot has been burning since morning, and it’s incomparable to charcoal,” Li Shimin proudly stated.
Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling were shocked and then delighted. Now, they understood Li Shimin’s clever move in borrowing charcoal. With coal from Yujiagou, the heating problem was solved.
“Even if it burns for twelve hours a day, it’s just two pots like this,” Li Shimin added.
Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling couldn’t contain their joy, their smiles undisguised. “Your Majesty, whose idea was this?” Zhangsun Wuji asked.
Knowing Li Shimin well, they doubted it was his idea.
“I’ve never seen them before, a master!” Li Shimin acknowledged. He was eager to meet the expert mentioned by Li Lizhi.
The surprises for Li Shimin were abundant. “An expert?” Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling were surprised.
Li Shimin pointed and said, “Sit!” Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling knelt on either side of Li Shimin.
“With anthracite, heating is no longer an issue. Why did Your Majesty need to borrow charcoal?” Fang Xuanling expressed his confusion.
“Because I’m not content! I want the aristocratic families to face difficulties, too.” Li Shimin expressed his frustration when talking about the aristocratic families.
“I was really disgusted. They took advantage of the situation to profit from the country. With anthracite, Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling aren’t too worried about repaying the charcoal next month. They just didn’t understand why we had to borrow in the first place. Isn’t it benefiting the aristocrats and making things easier for ourselves?” Li Shimin explained.
Li Shimin chuckled and said, “This expert came up with an ingenious idea…”
He then shared the plan with Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji, as it required their collaboration. After hearing the explanation, Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling couldn’t help but smile.
“Excellent! These aristocrats won’t see it coming,” Zhangsun Wuji remarked, feeling satisfied.
Fang Xuanling nodded, “In that case, if we lower the price of charcoal, we can make a significant profit.”
“Rather than making money, I prefer seeing these darned folks suffer!” Li Shimin expressed his genuine disdain for the aristocratic families.
“I bet those old guys are quite upset!” Zhangsun Wuji added with a smile.
Li Shimin felt relieved at the thought of making the powerful families face challenges. Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling were also curious about the mysterious expert.
“Thank goodness we didn’t give Yujiagou’s land to the Chen family!” Fang Xuanling expressed gratitude.
“I didn’t know before, but I gave it to this expert,” Li Shimin admitted, feeling a bit regretful.
Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling were surprised to learn that Yujiagou’s land was no longer theirs.
“Well, not giving it away probably spared us from discovering the potential of Yujiagou coal replacing charcoal,” Fang Xuanling consoled himself.
Li Shimin acknowledged that half of the expert’s findings went to Li Lizhi, who, in turn, gave him 30%. He considered it acceptable, as the most significant problem had been resolved.
Li Shimin decided not to dwell on the Yujiagou coal mine issue, feeling content. It was like having a treasure trove.
“Fortunately, the expert’s generosity and Lizhi’s decision solved our most significant problem. I’m satisfied!”