Chapter 63: Bridge Construction Plan, the Hedong Liu Clan

Li Yuan, having regained his composure, then looked at Su Liang and asked, "Young Su... are you thinking of waiting for the dry season to build the bridge?"

As the words fell, Su Liang nodded heavily.

Immediately after, he began to ponder to himself...

Building a bridge over the Yellow River was not a difficult task, as the Yellow River often dried up. As for the Yangtze River... the Yangtze basin had abundant rainfall and a large volume of water in its main stream, so building there at present... was still slightly difficult.

Sigh... it seems I must accelerate industrialization!

Su Liang planned to first build a bridge spanning the Yellow River between Tongguan and Fenglingdu. The distance between the two banks of the Yellow River here was no more than two hundred meters, so building a bridge here was not difficult. As long as he took advantage of the period when the Yellow River dried up to secure the bridge piers, the subsequent work would be much easier.

However, what Su Liang was thinking of was not so simple; he wanted to build a bridge that could accommodate trains, a bridge that combined both a highway and a railway!

Once the first bridge was built, there would be some experience for building bridges later on.

Just at this moment, Li Yuan spoke in a light and breezy manner about several locations more suitable for building bridges, such as the Yellow River Bend, the Hundred-Mile Yellow River, and so on.

Su Liang was unsettled upon hearing this, and at this moment, he seriously suspected that Li Yuan had ulterior motives for moving to the Furong Garden; he was likely here to keep an eye on Su Liang's infrastructure projects!

However, Su Liang did not say much, only nodding repeatedly.

After about another hour, Su Liang and his party had arrived at Longmen County in Jizhou.

At this moment, the people of Longmen County were dodging aside one after another, lining the streets to welcome them. Seeing this, Li Yuan also opened the carriage window and cordially greeted the people of Longmen County.

Following that, under the guidance of Xue Rengui, they arrived at the Liu family residence where Liu Yinhuan lived.

Along the way, Xue Rengui also introduced his connection with Liu Yinhuan to Su Liang and the others. Only after hearing this did they realize that the Liu family they were visiting was from the Hedong Liu clan, one of the prominent clans of the Guanzhong commandery.

The prominent clans of the Guanzhong commandery mainly included: the Hedong Pei clan, the Jingzhao Wei clan, the Hedong Liu clan, the Hedong Xue clan, the Hongnong Yang clan, and the Jingzhao Du clan.

Xue Rengui's sixth-generation ancestor, the famous Northern Wei general and Prince of Hedong, Xue Andu, came from the Hedong Xue clan. The famous early Tang generals Xue Wanjun and Xue Wanche also came from the Hedong Xue clan. The progenitor of the Hedong Xue clan was Xue Lan, one of the Eight Steeds of the late Eastern Han Dynasty.

Xue Lan was an early subordinate of Lü Bu. Following Lü Bu's death at the hands of Cao Cao, his descendants firmly stood in the anti-Cao camp. His son, Xue Yong, followed Liu Bei and served as the Administrator of Shu Commandery. After the fall of the Shu Han, the descendants of the Xue family migrated to Hedong, where they multiplied and became a prestigious family.

Xue Rengui was the sixth-generation grandson of Xue Andu, but by the time of his father, Xue Gui, the family had fallen into decline because Xue Gui died early, which was why the father of Liu had always looked down on Xue Rengui.

Su Liang now understood why Xue Rengui had insisted on having him help him propose marriage.

However... since Li Yuan had come today, he would not steal the spotlight.

Li Yuan did not disappoint Su Liang, looking at the extremely respectful father of Liu and smiling: "Hehe... Xue Rengui lost his father in his early years. Today, I shall act as Xue Rengui's father to propose marriage!"

"Hehe... Your Majesty is joking. The two of them have been childhood sweethearts since they were young. Your Majesty only needs to issue an imperial decree; why trouble Your Majesty to come in person?" the father of Liu said fawningly.

Seeing that the father of Liu was so sensible, Li Yuan did not make things difficult for him.

"Stop standing here; hurry up and call Liu Yinhuan out so that my daughter and son-in-law can have a good look at her."

Upon hearing this, the father of Liu almost stumbled and fell to the ground. So this was what Li Yuan meant by acting as Xue Rengui's father? Damn it... what kind of situation was this? Was this clearly meant to make his daughter a concubine?

But this was also fine; he could at least be considered half a relative of the imperial family, and his status in the Hedong Liu clan could rise accordingly. He then happily had someone go to call Liu Yinhuan out.

"Hmph... if your Liu family bullies my daughter in the future, don't blame me for turning hostile!" Li Yuan gave the Liu family a warning with an unhappy face. Although the Liu family came from the Hedong Liu clan, they were not yet in Li Yuan's eyes; compared to the Hongnong Yang clan, their foundation was still much worse.

The father of Liu was confused at this moment; if anyone were to be bullied, it would be his own daughter.

Seeing this, Su Liang calmly told the father of Liu that Princess Jiujiang was willing to be a concubine. After hearing this, the father of Liu was stunned. This... this Princess Jiujiang was actually willing to be a concubine for his son-in-law?

However, shock was shock, but business still had to be discussed!

That noon, at the Liu family's lunch, Li Yuan and Su Liang had no appetite for the Liu family's food, so they set the marriage between Xue Rengui and Liu Yinhuan at the table, to be held on the fifteenth of the eighth month!

Not only that, but they almost completed the entire process of the three letters and six rites that very day, leaving only the final wedding ceremony.

At the same time, Li Anran and Liu Yinhuan were chatting enthusiastically in the boudoir, both feeling that the other was quite easy to get along with. During this time, Liu Yinhuan also told Li Anran many things about Xue Rengui's childhood. In the end, the two even reached a unified front to resist external enemies together.

Just as the four were preparing to set off back to Changancheng, something unexpected happened... people from the Hedong Liu clan and the Hedong Xue clan came to pay visits one after another.

Although Li Yuan had ordered the officials in the Hedong region not to come and disturb him before he arrived, he had still overlooked this.

Li Yuan did not give the visitors a good look. It was one thing for the Liu family to look down on Xue Rengui when he was down and out. But after all, Xue Rengui came from the Hedong Xue clan, yet after Xue Gui passed away, the Xue clan had not provided a single bit of aid.

On the way back, Su Liang also quietly urged Xue Rengui that he could take more concubines in the future, but he must never engage in the business of abducting women.

Although Xue Rengui did not understand the meaning behind Su Liang's words, he still followed Su Liang's advice.

As soon as Li Yuan returned to the Furong Garden, he sent someone to invite Li Shimin over.

At this moment, Li Shimin had just finished exercising in the Lizheng Hall.

Upon hearing his father's summons, although he was very reluctant, he still hummed a little tune and rode his beloved little motorcycle to the Furong Garden.

At the same time, Li Yuan and Su Liang were having dinner.

After Li Shimin arrived at the Furong Garden, Li Yuan, in front of Su Liang, ordered Li Shimin to handle the bridge construction matters properly as soon as possible.

Su Liang was stunned upon hearing this. Li Yuan called Li Shimin over so late just for this?

Damn it... it was confirmed; Li Yuan was here to keep an eye on Su Liang's infrastructure projects!

Su Liang really wanted to curse at this moment. It was one thing for Li Yuan not to celebrate Valentine's Day himself, but he also wouldn't let others have a good time.

That night, Su Liang redeemed all the books related to bridge construction from the system and handed them to Li Shimin to take away.

Afterward, he went to get busy...