For now, the Thermal Power Plant Lin Ze had built in the Other World could generate enough electricity in a year to produce around 8.5 million tons of fertilizer.
To supply fertilizer to the Spiritual Medicine fields, annual fertilizer production would need to exceed 30 million tons.
To reach that point, he first needed to expand the Thermal Power Plant and build three more. Only then would they generate enough electricity to meet the fertilizer production demand. After that, he would need to expand the corresponding fertilizer production lines to meet agricultural needs.
Buying three Thermal Power Plants and the corresponding fertilizer production lines would cost around 2.5 billion.
Labor and raw material costs, meanwhile, could be ignored.
For Lin Ze, this was an expense he could easily afford. The real problem was how quickly these industrial facilities could be built.
Under normal circumstances, constructing a Thermal Power Plant that generated 500,000 kilowatt-hours per hour would take a year. Even if they spared no expense and rushed the work, it would still take seven or eight months.
The previous time, to get the Thermal Power Plant built quickly, Lin Ze had thrown unlimited manpower at the project and brought in many highly efficient martial artists to help. He had even rolled up his sleeves and joined in himself. Only then had he managed to finish the whole project in under fifty days.
Many of the enormous construction machines had been learned on-site by these sharp-eyed, keen-eared martial artists, who then operated them to do the work.
During the project, Lin Ze had also trained a barely adequate construction team. The artisans who had worked under him had picked up quite a lot as well.
These artisans were skilled professionals from the Directorate of Craftsmen. They still had no idea how a Thermal Power Plant was built or operated, but that didn't stop them from copying it by following the model.
They certainly couldn't build the next ones that way. Last time, he'd been backed into a corner with no other choice. Lin Ze wouldn't have much time to spend overseeing the construction of power plants going forward, so in those circumstances, they would probably only be able to build one Thermal Power Plant a year.
Meeting the demand for 30 million tons of fertilizer would take three years.
The fertilizer production lines themselves were simple enough. They could be built alongside the power plants over those three years.
Taking all this into account, it was possible to answer the question Bright Moon Pavilion and Eunuch Hua had been asking: when could they use fertilizer to grow Spiritual Medicine?
"Conservatively, it'll take three years. But if you can send over some artisans to apprentice and learn how to build power plants and fertilizer production lines, then we should be able to start spreading fertilizer on the Spiritual Medicine fields in about a year."
Lin Ze gave them a clear answer.
He bought the raw materials for his factories in the Main World. He didn't need to start from scratch and make every last screw himself.
The artisans here in the Great Zhou Dynasty also knew a thing or two about civil engineering. Their skills might not be as advanced as those in the Main World, but they had the fundamentals. With some training, they could certainly handle the construction of a Thermal Power Plant.
"No problem. This old servant will return at once and petition His Majesty to send the imperial master craftsmen to help."
Eunuch Hua readily agreed.
"What if we have a Peerless Expert with a specialty in the hundred crafts lead the team? Could it be done even faster?"
"The Hundred Crafts Elder of my Bright Moon Pavilion is exceptionally skilled at construction. Besides him, I know several other experts in this field, and I'm confident I can persuade them all to come."
Zhao Cheng cut in from the side.
Peerless Experts weren't merely martial artists; their intelligence and insight far surpassed those of ordinary people. If such an expert were skilled in the hundred crafts and then learned how to build a power plant, the results could indeed be twice as effective with half the effort.
"If that's the case, we should see results within half a year."
Lin Ze thought it over briefly and nodded.
His mind had been strengthened several times, and his intelligence and insight were probably no worse than those of a Peerless Expert. Starting from scratch, he had still managed to lead others in building the Thermal Power Plant in just over a month.
Since other Peerless Experts and plenty of laborers from the imperial court were willing to help, achieving the same result was entirely feasible.
They could spend a month and a half learning how to build a Thermal Power Plant, then use that pace to construct new plants and increase fertilizer production. They could even build several power plants at once.
At that rate, in half a year they could produce enough fertilizer not only for all the Great Zhou Dynasty's agriculture, but also for the nation's entire Spiritual Medicine industry.
For Lin Ze, this was undoubtedly good news. It meant he could change the whole world faster and reap a large amount of fortune.
After agreeing, Lin Ze met Zhao Cheng's expectant gaze and made his offer first. "If Mr. Boyan can bring in a number of experts to help build the power plants, then once the fertilizer is being produced, I can set aside a fixed share for Bright Moon Pavilion and give you priority."
At that, a smile appeared on Zhao Cheng's face. He nodded and replied, "Then I thank you, Zi Yi."
Wasn't that exactly why he'd offered to help?
Lin Ze was so considerate that it saved him a lot of awkward back-and-forth.
With the matter settled, the two men didn't linger. They each went off to take care of business.
Once the fertilizer project was underway, they would both benefit greatly. They would also have more silver to buy cultivation resources.
Besides, after fertilizer became widespread, the increased Spiritual Medicine yields might drive down the price of medicinal herbs, saving them a great deal on cultivation expenses.
Since their own interests were at stake, both Peerless Experts were highly motivated to get things done.
Lin Ze stayed at the fertilizer plant to keep an eye on sales.
Over the next several days, people streamed into the fertilizer plant without end to buy fertilizer. The many employees kept busy, patiently explaining how to use it over and over again.
In the end, all 100,000 tons of fertilizer in the warehouse, along with the 10,000 tons produced over the past few days, had been sold.
In just those few short days, Lin Ze had brought in 4.4 million taels of silver. Even after deducting costs, his average daily income exceeded a million taels.
The 4.4 million taels of silver were worth more than 1.168 billion by silver's value alone. More importantly, Lin Ze could exchange the silver for gold and make an even bigger killing.
At 440,000 taels of gold, it was already worth 9.9 billion.
This money came in so fast, it was quicker than sending out an army to rob people.
Every day, Lin Ze counted his earnings with a grin. Just looking at how quickly the money piled up was a delight.
Of course, while raking in the profits, Lin Ze hadn't forgotten about fortune.
He sent out his personal guards as informants to visit the villages in the surrounding counties and check how people were using the fertilizer.
When it came to anything involving land, the people of the Great Zhou Dynasty generally didn't have the best character.
Some village tyrants might bully their neighbors and seize the fertilizer other people had bought for their own gain. Lin Ze sent his guards out to prevent anything like that from happening.
As it turned out, sending them hadn't been unnecessary. They really did catch a few landowners and gentry who didn't know when to quit.
Most people behaved themselves, but there were always a few who refused to play by the rules.
Lin Ze showed no mercy in dealing with them. He had the local authorities flog them in public and slapped them with hefty fines. Those who had committed more serious offenses were thrown in jail for a lesson. If they offended again, they would be killed on the spot, and their entire families would lose the right to buy fertilizer.
After such heavy-handed measures were imposed, things improved dramatically almost at once.
February 15, late at night.
Afterward, Li Yunhua nestled against Lin Ze in his arms.
With a sigh, she asked, "Husband, how long will you be gone this time?"
According to the plan, Lin Ze would head to North Sea Pass next, then make another trip to Fufeng County.
The journey spanned thousands of miles, from one end of the land to the other. Even traveling as quickly as a martial artist, Lin Ze would be away from home for quite some time.
They hadn't spent much time together over the New Year, and now, just a few days later, Lin Ze was about to leave again.
"Probably more than half a month. We have a long future ahead of us, so be good and keep an eye on the businesses in Fengping County for me."
Lin Ze stroked Li Yunhua's silky hair and smiled reassuringly.
He liked Li Yunhua very much. She was obedient, considerate, and a good partner who made sure he never had to worry about his affairs in Fengping County when he was away.
"Husband, how about I find you a concubine?"
After a moment of silence, Li Yunhua suddenly spoke.
"Why bring that up all of a sudden?" Lin Ze asked, puzzled.
Generally speaking, wives wanted their husbands to be devoted to them alone. Even in the Great Zhou Dynasty, where men could have three wives and four concubines, a principal wife wouldn't usually offer to find her husband a concubine unless she was growing old and had borne no children, and her husband hadn't taken one himself.
But Li Yunhua had only been married to Lin Ze for a few months. They were still very much in the honeymoon phase.
"She's the daughter of one of my uncles. She's practiced martial arts since she was little, and she's reached the age to marry. She especially admires you for sweeping the bandits from the Distant Moon Mountain Range and holding down the Western Regions all by yourself, so she asked me to arrange things for her."
"She's the same age as me, beautiful as a flower, and much stronger than I am. She'll surely be good at bearing children."
Li Yunhua didn't say why she was the one bringing up a concubine, but she'd made herself perfectly clear.
Put simply, she was delicate and frail, unable to satisfy him on her own, so she was recruiting reinforcements.
Although Lin Ze had recently found some martial arts suited to women for Li Yunhua to practice, it would take time before they had any effect.
Anyone looking at Li Yunhua lying serenely in Lin Ze's arms now might not have guessed that not long ago, all she could do was whimper.
"Then I'll thank you for your kind offer, Madam."
Lin Ze certainly wouldn't refuse. He nodded and agreed.
He left the rest to Li Yunhua to arrange.
It was only a concubine. If she wasn't pretty, he could send her back; if he didn't like her personality, he could send her back just as easily. It wasn't a big deal.
The next day, Lin Ze set out alone, without bringing guards or maids.
Once out of everyone's sight, he first returned to the Golden Continent in the Main World.
A few days ago, he had placed an order for ten Thermal Power Plant kits under Yulin City's name. He had also bought a number of fertilizer production lines to prepare for increasing production in the Other World over the coming months. A small portion of the order had already arrived.
Lin Ze began using his Personal Space to slowly move some of the equipment into a supply depot he had built in a secluded place in the Other World.
After that, Lin Ze went to take a look at World No. 0.
The six hundred or so prospective employees for the Gates to Heavens Mall had changed quite a bit since he last saw them. Their energy and spirits had improved thanks to their daily military training and literacy lessons.
Lin Ze called over his personal guards and began reviewing their recent training results alongside the surveillance footage.
"They all seem highly motivated. There aren't any troublemakers."
"Since they're so obedient, we can start teaching them martial arts."
Lin Ze gave the order.
The personal guard named Zhang He agreed. As Lin Ze's guards, they had started practicing martial arts too. They weren't learning anything especially profound, just some ordinary, widely available martial arts that Xu Sheng had taken from the Bright Moon Pavilion's Sutra Library.
Still, it was enough to give these beginners a foundation.
For now, the arms factory project couldn't get underway, since the main base didn't have enough electricity.
So he would first train this initial batch of employees to fight like a military unit.
After dealing with these trivial matters, Lin Ze settled in World No. 0 for the time being. Apart from occasionally checking on everyone's training and lessons, he spent the rest of his time practicing martial arts and training his Mental Power.
There was nothing fancy about cultivating Mental Power. He simply used up his mental energy again and again, then waited for it to recover.
Its strength increased through this process. By now, Lin Ze had trained his Mental Power to exceed 500 pounds, and it was still growing, albeit slowly.
Lin Ze had made great strides in martial arts as well.
After breaking through to the Essence Solidification realm, Lin Ze's physique and Inner Breath had already been growing rapidly. The Aperture Opening Method had allowed him to train each of the apertures throughout his body individually, giving his cultivation an even greater boost.
Three months had passed, and Lin Ze had nearly finished practicing the Aperture Opening Method. He had opened and trained every aperture throughout his body.
Training each aperture increased his Inner Breath reserves and unlocked his body's potential.
Not only had the amount of his Inner Breath surged to nearly ten times what it had been before, but the strength of his muscles, bones, tendons, and internal organs had also increased significantly. His senses had grown several levels sharper as well.
Next, Lin Ze needed to use Essence Solidification Nine Revolutions to refine his Inner Breath to its utmost purity. Once he comprehended an intent, he would naturally break through to the Spirit Accumulation realm.
By then, even without using his Mental Power or his Within Reach Horizon ability, Lin Ze would be a genuine Super-Class Expert in the entire martial world of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
However, the improvement in Lin Ze's martial arts hadn't brought about a qualitative change in his overall combat strength. It had merely increased his stamina in battle thanks to his stronger body and spirit, letting him hold out longer when fighting Peerless Experts.
"Soon. It won't be long before I've saved up another hundred thousand fortune."
Lin Ze glanced at his fortune balance and calculated in his mind.
Then, seeing that he'd spent enough time to travel from Fengping County to North Sea Pass, he opened the Gates to Heavens and went from World No. 0 to North Sea Pass.
Next came the grassland pasture project he would undertake with Ji Kan. The plan was about to begin.
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