Chapter 681: The Third Plan! (1/2)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Building a city had always been an extremely expensive and massive undertaking. Zhang Shouzhi's greatest worry as a master architect was that money would run out midway through the project, leading to its abrupt end.

But with all the capital that had been accumulated, he could build a few cities and still have a little extra. This was no longer something as simple as a few million taels of gold.

For the first time in his life, Zhang Shouzhi didn't need to worry about money, yet he was in no mood to celebrate. On the contrary, he was worried, worried for Wang Chong.

The money from a great clan was not that easy to accept!

”Young Master, this is no laughing matter. I hope that Young Master can be a bit more prudent!” Zhang Shouzhi harshly said.

Wang Chong quietly smiled. He naturally knew what Zhang Shouzhi was worried about. If his goal was simply using his fief to make money, then taking all this money from the great clans really would be a problem.

But Wang Chong had ulterior motives. Making money was just an excuse to conceal his true aims. Moreover, the larger the city was and the more great clans it could hold, the more assistance it could provide to the Western Regions, and the more resources and support it could receive from the clans.

From a certain perspective, it was only this method that could give his fief the largest possible influence.

A general required extraordinary insight and daring. Zhang Shouzhi did not possess these traits.

”I have my own plans for everything. There's no need for Sir Zhang to worry about it.”

Wang Chong faintly smiled, raising a single finger as he spoke.

“In addition, I hope that construction on the city can be started as quickly as possible. One month, one month at most, excluding the time needed to transport materials and tools. In the span of one month, I hope that the city can be finished.”

Buzz!

Zhang Shouzhi's body trembled at Wang Chong's words and he suddenly raised his head. Building a city was an extremely time-consuming and exhausting task, and more time would be needed the larger the city was.

It was normal for an ordinary city to take one or two years to complete. For Wang Chong to take all this money from the great clans and put it all in a city that needed to be finished in a month was utterly impossible.

”Haha, human effort can achieve anything. Did Sir Zhang forget about that city of steel we built on that mountain to fight against Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang?”

Wang Chong seemed to see through Zhang Shouzhi's heart, grinning as he spoke.

”But not even this will be enough!”

Zhang Shouzhi was still a little anxious.

Only a god could pull off the miracle of building a massive city in a month. Wang Chong's request was simply implausible.

”It's naturally impossible for an ordinary city, but perhaps not for a city of steel.”

Wang Chong smiled and waved his hand behind him.

”Wei Guo, Wei Wu, bring it over!”

Thump! The main door was pushed open, and Wei Guo and Wei Wu walked in with a large iron box. Zhang Shouzhi glanced at the box and immediately seemed to know its contents. With a laugh, he strode out of his seat and opened the box before it could even be properly put down.

”Hahaha, my expectations were right on the money! Young Master truly was prepared!”

Zhang Shouzhi's face turned exultant as he looked at the rolled-up white diagrams in the box. Reaching in with his right hand, he took one of the diagrams and unrolled it. Not one tinge of his previous concern was visible on his face.

Swish!

As the diagram was unfurled, a complicated and mysterious design was revealed. In the past, unless Wang Chong personally explained it, not even the most formidable craftsman of the Great Tang would be able to decipher the secrets of this design.

The majority of them wouldn't even be able to understand what they were making.

But after working with Wang Chong on the walls of steel, Zhang Shouzhi could tell at a glance that these were designs for a part of a steel wall. However, this was larger and more complex than the steel walls that Wang Chong had used in the southwest.

”Right, right! Hahaha… This is what it means to have true wealth. Young Master, ever since our time in the southwest, I just knew that you would build a true city of steel. My predictions were correct. Although one month is a little short, if it's a city of steel, I'm willing to do all I can and expend all my strength to complete it!”

Zhang Shouzhi's eyes were shining bright, his body trembling in excitement. He held the white diagram like it was the world's most precious treasure. The gifts from the great clans were truly rather tempting, but a true architect saw the diagram to a grand building as the most tempting treasure in the world.

A city of steel!

Although he had only seen a small portion of an enormous building, starting from this moment, there was no person or thing in this world that could drag Zhang Shouzhi away from this steel city that had never before appeared in this world.