The Great Ming Demon Pill: Your Majesty, please address me as the Crown Prince!

It took Zhu Di quite a while to manage to keep his composure.

This child has a very complicated background.

He couldn't help but say.

"Zhanjun, how much money are you planning to donate?"

Zhu Zhanjun chuckled.

"Who said I was going to pay?"

Zhu Di: "???"

Zhu Gaoxu quickly replied.

"Zhanjun, don't try to fool your royal grandfather. He's not exactly a magnanimous man."

Zhu Di: "?"

Zhu Gaoxu quickly covered his mouth, exclaiming, "Oh my god, why did I blurt out what was on my mind?"

Zhu Di glared at his second son, then looked at Zhu Zhanjun with a kind and gentle expression.

"Zhanjun, you said you wanted to help Grandfather, but you won't contribute any money. How can you help him?"

Zhu Zhanjun did not answer his question, but instead asked him a question.

"Grandpa Emperor, what's the budget for building this Great Temple of Gratitude? How long will the construction take?"

Zhu Di was taken aback by Zhu Zhanjun's question, then stroked his beard and pondered, "I and the Ministry of Works have made a preliminary estimate. The Great Bao'en Temple project is enormous, requiring the construction of a nine-story, five-colored glazed pagoda, a Hall of Heavenly Kings, a main hall, a Guanyin Hall, a Dharma Hall, and hundreds of other halls, pavilions, and corridors, as well as the casting of a giant bell, the sculpting of Buddha statues, and the painting of murals..."

"If we follow the usual practice, the expenses for materials, craftsmen, and supervision will be at least 2.5 million taels of silver. As for the construction period, we plan to use at least 100,000 laborers... It will probably take more than 15 years."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhanjun's eyes lit up, and he grinned as he leaned closer, saying, "Grandpa, if you were to entrust this project to me, I have a way to keep the budget below two million taels, and the construction period... only five years!"

"What?" Before Zhu Di could speak, Zhu Gaochi, standing to the side, widened his eyes in shock. "Zhanjun, don't spout nonsense!"

"For such a grand royal temple, the Ministry of Works and the Directorate of Works have repeatedly reviewed and calculated that it would be quite difficult to complete it in fifteen years. The budget of 2.5 million taels is already a tight budget."

"What do you know about building, you're just a kid?"

Zhu Di was also somewhat bewildered.

He looked puzzled.

"Zhanjun, this matter is no child's play."

"Building a temple is meant to demonstrate filial piety and pray for the nation's fortune. If the construction is delayed, the budget is exceeded, or the temple is not built in accordance with regulations or is not solemn enough, it will attract criticism from all over the world."

Zhu Zhanjun, however, puffed out his little chest with confidence: "Grandpa Emperor, Father, please don't be anxious."

"Since I dared to speak up, I must be confident."

"My grandson has recently been studying the principles of things and has gained considerable insights into construction techniques."

"Grandfather, Father, have you ever considered why building palaces and city walls is so time-consuming and labor-intensive?"

"This is because brick and stone masonry relies on glutinous rice mortar for bonding, which is not only costly and slow to dry, but also has limited strength."

"My grandson recently used the method of investigating things to conduct repeated experiments and produced a powder by calcining and grinding common materials such as limestone and clay at high temperatures."

"This substance dissolves when it comes into contact with water, solidifies when left to stand, and becomes as hard as a rock after hardening, with an adhesive strength far exceeding that of traditional mortar."

"His grandson named him Cement."

"Cement?" Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi asked in unison, both looking bewildered.

Zhu Zhanjun continued to explain, "When this substance is mixed with sand, gravel, and water, it can be made into 'concrete,' which can be poured into shape and dries and hardens quickly."

"Whether it's building walls, paving roads, or constructing the foundations of tall towers, the efficiency can be increased several times or even ten times."

"The materials are readily available, the cost is low, and it is not afraid of wind and rain erosion."

"If used to build the Great Bao'en Temple, the foundation can be more stable, the walls can be more solid, and the construction speed will naturally be greatly accelerated."

"My grandson estimates that if the project is managed properly and the new method is adopted, it could be completed in five years, which is no exaggeration."

Zhu Di listened with skepticism and couldn't help but question it.

"Lime, clay? Aren't those just mud, stone powder?"

"Can burning and grinding really make it more effective than glutinous rice ash?"

"Zhanjun, are you sure you're not joking?"

Zhu Zhanjun said with a smile.

"Grandpa, Father, seeing is believing."

"Some trial-produced cement and gravel have been prepared in the backyard of the Bowen Museum."

"Would you two like to come with me to take a look? Or give it a try?"

Zhu Di was skeptical, but his eldest grandson had always been extraordinary and had never disappointed him.

he mused.

"Very well! I'll go and see what this 'cement' of yours really is!"

................

The group soon arrived at the backyard of the museum.

In the corner of the open space, there were several bags of dusty powder, a pile of sand and gravel, and several buckets of water, neatly stacked together. Next to them were several wooden molds and several hardened, bluish-gray slabs.

Zhu Zhanjun directed several servants to demonstrate on the spot.

He poured cement and sand into a wooden basin according to the proportions, added water, and stirred quickly.

Soon, a pile of viscous mortar appeared before everyone's eyes.

"Grandpa, please look, this is concrete grout." Zhu Zhanjun said as he filled the grout into a brick-shaped wooden mold and smoothed the surface. "You can use this method to make bricks or directly pour concrete into walls."

Then, he pointed to the hardened slabs on the ground: "These are test blocks that were poured a couple of days ago, and they have now completely hardened."

As he spoke, he gestured to a strong servant to swing an iron hammer and smash it down hard on one of the boards.

With a muffled clang, the hammer was deflected, leaving only a white spot on the surface of the board; it did not shatter.

Upon seeing this, Zhu Di and Zhu Gaoxu's eyes immediately showed surprise.

Zhu Gaoxu involuntarily stepped forward and touched the board with his hand. It was hard and cold to the touch, just like a rock.

He tried to pry it open again, but it wouldn't budge.

"This...this hardness is comparable to bluestone?" Zhu Gaoxu said in disbelief.

Zhu Zhanjun said with a smile.

"Moreover, it can be molded into any shape, and once dried, it becomes a seamless whole, without any gaps, and is waterproof and moisture-proof."

"If used to build tall towers, the joints are much stronger than traditional mortar and can withstand wind, rain and earthquakes."

"Grandfather, just think about it. If we use this item in conjunction with other tools and gather craftsmen to work together, wouldn't it be an easy task to build the Great Bao'en Temple in five years?"

"Not only will it save hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, but it will also make the temple more sturdy and durable, showcasing the power of our Great Ming Dynasty!"

Zhu Di squatted down, carefully examined the concrete test block, and then looked at the mortar in the basin that had not yet solidified, and gasped.

Although he didn't understand the specific craftsmanship, the sturdiness of the object before him and the prospects described by Zhu Zhanjun excited him.

If this is true, not only will the construction of the Great Bao'en Temple be a promising prospect, but the construction of the border wall, river embankment, official road, and even the new city of Beijing will all be much easier!

He stood up, dusted off his hands, and said in a complicated tone.

"Zhanjun, this item...can it be mass-produced? What would the cost be?"

Zhu Zhanjun replied confidently, "Your Majesty, the raw materials are all common items, readily available in various places."

"The process of firing in a kiln and grinding into powder is not complicated and can be mass-produced."

"As for the cost... my grandson roughly estimates that, for the same effect, it's less than 30% of the cost of glutinous rice mortar."

Zhu Di was dumbfounded upon hearing this.

I'm sooooooooooooooo!

Compared to glutinous rice mortar, this costs less than 30%?!

He was so shocked he could hardly speak.

With his knowledge, he certainly knew how much efficiency this thing would improve if it were widely used in construction—it would be a construction marvel!

He took a breath and said in a deep voice.

"If that's true, the construction techniques of our Great Ming Dynasty will be completely transformed!"

"Zhanjun, I approve your 'cement'!"

"I hereby entrust you with the overall supervision of the construction of the Great Bao'en Temple, with the Ministry of Works and the Directorate of Works providing full support!"

Zhu Zhanjun bowed.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Tsk tsk tsk, building the Great Bao'en Temple is a way for him to make some money.

The imperial budget was two million, and for him, saving a little more wouldn't be a big problem.

Most importantly, the Great Bao'en Temple held both familial and political significance for Zhu Di. If handled well, it would be a significant achievement and would also boost his prestige.

Zhu Gaoxu watched with envy.

Damn, this son is too spoiled.

Zhu Di stayed there for another two or three hours, watching the concrete slurry harden before finally leaving with his father and son, satisfied.

...................

After an incense stick has burned.

Qingshou Temple.

Zhu Di's carriage stopped here.

Although Zhu Zhanjun was to oversee the construction of the Great Bao'en Temple, it was not only a building but also a temple. Without the participation of eminent monks with profound Buddhist knowledge, the temple would not live up to its name.

Besides, he originally wanted to see what his old friend of many years was up to.

Zhu Di, Zhu Gaochi, and Zhu Zhan all alighted from their carriages, where a guest monk and several other monks were already waiting with their heads bowed in respect at the entrance of Qingshou Temple.

Upon seeing the emperor's arrival, the monks quickly put their palms together in respect.

Zhu Di waved his hand, glanced at the crowd, and asked, "Where is the old monk? I have come to visit him."

The head monk in charge of the guest service, whose Dharma name was Huiming, looked troubled upon hearing this.

"Your Majesty, the Junior Tutor has been staying in the Meditation Courtyard behind the Sutra Repository, and has not come out recently."

"We monks deliver the vegetarian meals to the Master on time every day. The Master only takes a small portion and does not allow us monks to disturb him. Occasionally, there are strange noises, but we monks cannot understand them."

Zhu Di and Zhu Gaoxu exchanged a glance and looked at each other in bewilderment.

What's going on with this old monk?

Zhu Zhanjun scratched his head. Why did this sound like he was crazy?

"Lead the way, I will go and see for myself," Zhu Di said in a deep voice.

"Yes." Huiming dared not delay and quickly led the three through several halls, past the main hall where incense was burning brightly, to a secluded courtyard deep in the temple.

Ancient cypress trees stand tall here, creating a serene and secluded environment. This is the quiet meditation retreat that Yao Guangxiao usually practices.

The courtyard gate was ajar. Huiming stepped forward and gently knocked on the door, calling out "Young Master" twice, but there was no response from inside.

Zhu Di gestured for him to push open the courtyard gate.

The door creaked open, revealing the scene inside the courtyard.

Dozens of sheets of paper covered with writing and strange drawings were scattered on the stone table and benches in the center of the courtyard, and even on the bluestone slabs next to it.

A figure sat on the ground with his back to them, his monk's robe filthy, as if he hadn't changed it for many days.

Zhu Di's eyelids twitched.

"An old monk?"

The figure trembled, slowly turned around and glanced at them; it was Yao Guangxiao.

Yao Guangxiao's eyes were bloodshot and his dark circles were quite deep, it was hard to tell how long he hadn't slept.

He cried on the left side of his face and laughed on the right, howling in a somewhat frantic manner.

"I can't tell the difference, I really can't!"

"Between the lines, a secret of heaven is revealed."

"The ancient scroll fragments seem to whisper secrets."

"Human relationships, joys and sorrows, are all like dust in this world, utterly meaningless."

"Its indescribable nature drives people mad."

"The more I read, the more lonely and desperate I feel!"

"Haha, I understand now, I completely understand now."

"Physics and Mathematics are beyond words and beyond comprehension."

"Hahaha, Buddha, I did it!"

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the Prism quest "Mom, I really can't tell the difference!"]

[Ding! You have obtained a Prismatic Treasure Chest!]

[Ding! Cultivation Technique: "Forging Yang Technique" upgraded to Prism-Colored Level - Lao Ai Successor (The host gains Lao Ai's talent, and stamina is greatly improved)]

Zhu Zhanjun: "?"