Volume One, Chapter 19: The Project of the Century

Upon returning, Song Chenfei immediately jumped into a wooden tub filled with various precious medicinal herbs for a bath. Li Hao was bathing in a separate tub nearby.

It had to be said, this endeavor was truly expensive. The medicinal herbs provided as compensation by the Prince of Pingyang’s estate, along with the tonics given by Brother Qian, had already been completely squandered by Song Chenfei and his companion. Even the thirty thousand taels of silver had been reduced to twenty thousand, with ten thousand already spent.

Li Hao felt a pang of heartache. "Chenfei, is it really worth spending so much money? It’s just too much."

Song Chenfei kept his eyes closed. "Of course it’s worth it. It improves our physical condition—haven't you already seen the obvious benefits?"

Working in a place like the laundry room and eating poorly had left Li Hao with a weak physique. However, after bathing in Song Chenfei’s herbal concoctions, his physical strength had improved significantly. Previously, carrying buckets of water back and forth a dozen times would leave him drenched in sweat and gasping for breath. Now, he could handle the task with ease, feeling only slightly winded.

"The benefits are indeed great, and my body is much stronger, but the cost is truly immense. And it’s not just the herbs; we’ve consumed so many expensive tonics. That’s all silver," Li Hao lamented, the price of those supplements feeling like a knife to his heart.

"It doesn’t matter; this is all an investment. We are investing in ourselves. Once we have strength, these expenses will be but a drop in the ocean," Song Chenfei replied, his rhythmic breathing purging his body of impurities.

Combined with the constant medicinal baths and the absorption of numerous tonics, the synergistic effect was remarkable. Finally, Song Chenfei could feel that the chronic ailments left behind by four years of torture were almost entirely healed. He had to admit that the prescription provided by the dean of the professional traditional Chinese medicine college in his past life was extraordinary; no wonder he had claimed it was highly effective for strengthening the body, fortifying bones, and promoting blood circulation.

"Still, even with this, I’m only at a tenth of the physical fitness I had in my previous life. But it is a massive improvement nonetheless," Song Chenfei thought to himself.

Once finished, Song Chenfei said to Li Hao, "Improving your physical fitness is the first step. The second step is for me to teach you martial arts."

"Chenfei, you know martial arts?" Li Hao was overcome with excitement, his face full of anticipation.

"A little. How should I put it? It’s not exactly traditional martial arts; to be precise, it’s a form of military combat. It should be considered foundational, so it’s perfectly suited for you to practice."

What Song Chenfei was teaching was a system of military combat developed by professionals in the 21st century specifically for the armed forces. It wasn't overly profound, but its advantage lay in its accessibility; it was easy to pick up and suitable for everyone. It was highly ergonomic, yielded results in a short time, and was ideal for widespread training. For someone like Li Hao, who had no foundation, it was undoubtedly the best choice.

After instructing Li Hao in the basics of military combat, Song Chenfei left him to practice on his own while he began to review the documents from the Ministry of Works. They were all about the Great Yellow River Bridge.

"The Emperor has a keen eye. If the Great Yellow River Bridge can be built, the scale of economic trade it would stimulate would be immense. Not only economically, but militarily as well—we wouldn't have to take long detours to deploy troops, allowing us to move from east to west in a short time. It would effectively strengthen the central government's control over the regions."

Song Chenfei understood clearly now. This bridge was a backbone project capable of changing the economic, political, and military landscape. "However, it will be no easy feat for them to accomplish; I heard they have already failed three times."

Song Chenfei was not surprised by the three failures. The Great Yellow River was turbulent and fierce year-round; constructing a kilometer-long bridge over such a natural barrier was an extremely difficult task. Yet, it seemed the Emperor intended to keep trying and would not give up easily. After all, the benefits of building the bridge were too great.

In the imperial palace, the Qian Emperor and the Third Prince sat opposite each other, also discussing the Great Yellow River Bridge.

"Another failure? Could it be, as some craftsmen in the Ministry of Works say, that trying to build a giant bridge over such a natural chasm as the Great Yellow River is a fool’s errand?" the Qian Emperor sighed.

"Father, do not be discouraged. A natural barrier like the Great Yellow River is inherently dangerous. To build a kilometer-long connection across it is, in a sense, challenging the heavens themselves. It is quite normal to fail a few times," the Third Prince consoled him.

"But we have spent too much. Because of this construction, over half of the national treasury has been depleted. Many ministers in the imperial court now oppose continuing, and if not for my insistence, the project would have been scrapped long ago." The Qian Emperor was under immense pressure; recently, even his food and drink tasted like wax.

After a moment of silence, the Third Prince said, "Father, if it really isn't possible, perhaps we should give up. Conquering such a natural peril is too difficult."

"No. Building the Great Yellow River Bridge is a grand undertaking for the nation, a deed of immeasurable merit. Without it, connecting the east and west requires long detours through three hundred kilometers of treacherous, rugged mountains and hills. It is incredibly difficult to traverse."

"Every time I issue a decree, it often takes a long time to reach those areas, and the impact on economic trade is immeasurable... to the point where some say our Great Qian’s east and west are practically two independent kingdoms."

As Emperor, he understood the current plight of the Great Qian very well; the bridge would solve many of these problems.

"I understand, Father, your good intentions, but this is a case of man trying to overcome heaven!" the Third Prince argued.

The Qian Emperor shook his head. "I am well aware of the difficulties and obstacles, but the rewards of success would be beyond measure. Once the bridge is finished, the path will be smooth and unobstructed, allowing for rapid travel from east to west. At that point, the politics, military, and economy of the entire Great Qian will enter a new, glorious chapter."

The Third Prince was clearly not as confident as the Emperor. "But the national strength of our Great Qian can barely support this anymore."

The Qian Emperor took a deep breath. "I know. I am more aware of the state of our national strength than anyone."

The Third Prince continued, "Although you have worked diligently and implemented sweeping reforms over these years, pulling the broken Great Qian back from the brink of collapse, we still face deep-seated hidden dangers."

The Qian Emperor nodded, feeling a sense of gratification. "I am pleased that you can see these things. It shows you are not intoxicated by superficial prosperity and have not neglected your studies."

"Then why do you persist, Father?" the Third Prince asked, unable to comprehend.

"It is precisely because of these dangers that we need the bridge even more. Once it is finished, many of these problems will be effectively resolved. If nothing else, the treasury will be full again before long," the Qian Emperor said, filled with longing.

Ultimately, the conversation returned to the same impasse. The Third Prince shook his head. "But Father, the treasury truly cannot hold out. In recent years, natural disasters have been frequent, and border tribes have been raiding constantly. The treasury was already stretched thin; spending so much on an impossible project will bring down the Great Qian."

"That is why this is the fourth attempt, and also the final one. I have wagered everything; if this fails, the bridge will never be built." The Emperor knew the limits of his nation’s strength—this would be the last attempt, as every effort was a massive drain.

"Father, you never do anything without certainty. Where does your confidence come from?" the Third Prince asked, sensing his father’s unwavering conviction.

The Qian Emperor smiled. "It seems my confidence is indeed strong if you can feel it. I have an intuition that what others cannot do, this Song Chenfei can help me accomplish."

"That young master craftsman?" The Third Prince thought back to his last meeting with Song Chenfei. "Aren't you holding him in too high regard? I admit his talent is high, but even the Imperial Preceptor couldn't achieve this. Can a boy who has only been involved in craftsmanship for a few years succeed?"

"Do not underestimate others. Age does not determine everything. Regardless, my intuition tells me it is possible. Yes! That is precisely why I placed him in the Ministry of Works—I intend to put him to good use." The Qian Emperor smiled, his tone filled with absolute certainty.