Li Yanlong, the Minister of Works, studied the plans in his hands.
He did not answer immediately, but examined them carefully, going over every detail several times.
After a while, a gleam appeared in Li Yanlong's eyes.
"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!"
"This truly is a divine tool for the fields."
Li Yanlong gripped the plans tightly, overwhelmed with excitement.
As the Minister of Works, he needed only one glance at plans like these to understand their purpose. Naturally, he was thrilled.
He could already picture the entire waterwheel in his mind.
"Can this be built?"
But the Female Emperor's cold voice brought the Minister of Works back to his senses, and he immediately answered with some trepidation.
"Your Majesty, it can."
Li Yanlong answered directly.
"How much silver will it require?"
The Female Emperor was equally direct.
"Five hundred taels of silver would be enough to build it, but it would only extend ten li. The most troublesome and crucial aspect is the extension. Every additional li would require fifty taels of silver."
That was the Minister of Works' answer, though it was only a rough figure. The exact amount would depend on the actual circumstances.
"What if we use superior ironstone and rattan wood?"
The Female Emperor asked again, and Li Yanlong's expression changed slightly.
"Your Majesty, if we use superior ironstone, the construction cost would be extremely high. At least five times as much-and that is the minimum."
Li Yanlong knew those two materials well, which was how he arrived at that price.
"Five times?"
The Female Emperor fell silent.
That meant twenty-five hundred taels of silver for a reach of ten li, with every additional li costing another two hundred and fifty taels. Ordinarily, impoverished areas lay roughly thirty or forty li from a water source.
Including construction