Holding this mixture of slag and carbon ash, Yuan Feng could clearly feel that its hardness was no less than that of a stubborn rock.

This reminded Yuan Feng of a commonly used building material: quicklime (also known as lime).

In fact, as early as the 7th century BC, quicklime was already being used as a building material in Chinese history.

During the Qin and Han dynasties, lime was already very common, and almost all buildings relied on it.

The principle is to burn limestone with a strong fire and then soak it in water to obtain slaked lime.

Yuan Feng was naturally very clear about the production of lime, and the process of forming this mixture of slag and carbon ash in front of him was very similar to that of lime.

However, unlike lime, it is far more durable. It is no exaggeration to say that lime is worlds apart from this.

At that moment, Yuan Feng immediately realized that this thing was extraordinary. If it could be used to build city walls, its sturdiness would far surpass all previous buildings.

"Haha~ Great stuff!"

Thinking of this, Yuan Feng couldn't help but burst into laughter. He believed that the emperor would be very pleased to see this.

Most importantly, this was discovered through him; he was ahead of everyone else in discovering something entirely new.

Once this substance can replace lime and become a new building material, then whether now or in the future, as long as this substance is not discontinued, everyone will first mention their own name.

Looking across the entire Han Dynasty, no! It should be said that since the beginning of time, there have been Shennong tasting hundreds of herbs, Cangjie creating characters, and Suiren finding fire. Which of these people is not revered by thousands of people in later generations?

Now that I, Yuan Feng, have discovered this new material, although it cannot compare to the great achievements of the ancient sages, I can still consider myself a pioneer, an honor that not everyone can possess.

What does that mean? It's obvious without even thinking that you've filled a blank in history and will surely be remembered in the annals of time.

At this moment, in Yuan Feng's mind, all talk of wielding power over the court and being the so-called number one aristocratic family was utterly meaningless compared to achieving lasting fame!

Therefore, Yuan Feng hurriedly looked at Bi Lan beside him and said urgently, "Quickly, let's go into the palace to see His Majesty!"

After saying that, Yuan Feng took the piece of concrete and ran towards the carriage.

Bi Lan, standing to the side, stared blankly at Yuan Feng's running figure for a moment.

In his mind, weren't these aristocratic families supposed to be the most particular about their appearance and demeanor? How come the head of this prestigious family was behaving like an ordinary commoner today?

Bi Lan then realized that anything that could make Yuan Feng lose his composure like this must be extraordinary.

"You all stay here and guard these things! No one is allowed to touch them!"

After giving instructions to the dozen or so people, Bi Lan quickly took off after Yuan Feng.

Urged on by Yuan Feng, the carriage sped off toward the palace.

"Faster, faster!"

Inside the carriage, Yuan Feng was excited but also kept urging the driver to speed up.

"Yes, Master!"

The groom had followed Yuan Feng for many years, and this was the first time he had ever seen Yuan Feng so flustered and anxious.

"drive!!"

With a loud shout from the driver, the whip lashed the horse, and the carriage sped up once again.

Bi Lan's carriage followed closely behind. With such high speed and the dilapidated road, Bi Lan was already feeling dizzy and disoriented.

Still dazed from the jolting, Bi Lan watched the carriage accelerate once more and couldn't help but let out a wail in his heart. He simply couldn't understand how that old fellow Yuan Feng could withstand such a bumpy ride.

At this moment, in Yuan Feng's mind, turbulence? Not at all. If you're not killed by the turbulence, then run as fast as you can.

The forging workshop was located on the banks of the Luo River in the north of Luoyang City, about thirty miles from the imperial palace. Given the normal speed of a carriage and the road conditions, it would take at least an hour to reach the imperial palace.

However, under Yuan Feng's constant urging, they arrived outside the palace in just over twenty minutes.

"Master...Master, we've arrived at the palace gates!"

As the coachman spoke, he brought the carriage to a firm stop not far from the palace gate.

"Alright, you may wait here!"

After getting off the carriage, Yuan Feng gave an instruction to the driver and hurriedly ran towards the palace.

"We have met with Commander Yuan..."

The Tiger Guards at the palace gates naturally recognized Yuan Feng running towards them and hurriedly stepped forward to greet him. Before they could finish speaking, Yuan Feng dashed past them like a gust of wind.

Only a few Tiger Guard soldiers were left standing there in astonishment, exchanging bewildered glances.

"Uh... Captain, what's wrong with Yuan Sikong??"

"Never mind them, His Majesty specifically decreed that they can enter the palace at any time!"

As the Tiger Guards were talking, Bi Lan's carriage hurriedly arrived.

Bi Lan alighted from the carriage, and seeing Yuan Feng's carriage beside her, she jogged to the palace gate, looked at several Tiger Guards, and asked breathlessly:

"Yuan... Yuan Sikong has entered the palace?"

The captain of the Tiger Guard nodded. "The Minister of Works has only recently entered the palace!"

"Doesn't he ever get tired?"

After making a complaint, Bi Lan hurriedly ran towards the palace.

Since Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and others took the lead, almost all the eunuchs in the palace now run errands and always appear to be in a very efficient manner.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!