sovbooks Chapter 113 The Emperor's Favor Renewed
Chapter 113 The Emperor's Favor Renewed
Beijing, the Forbidden City, the Imperial Garden.
Under the blazing sun, cicadas chirped incessantly.
In the northeast corner of the Imperial Garden, a brand-new water feature stands there, gleaming with metallic luster in the sunlight.
The three-zhang-high reservoir, the winding copper pipes, the exquisite water jets, the rising and falling stage, and the magnificent automata—all the components have been installed, awaiting only the arrival of the Emperor.
Lu Yan stood beside the device, dressed in brand-new official robes, his expression solemn.
Behind him, Zhao Tie and several craftsmen stood with their hands at their sides, their faces showing tension and anticipation.
"Master, do you think the Emperor will like it?" Zhao Tie asked in a low voice.
"Yes, it will." Lu Yan's voice was calm, but his clenched fists betrayed his inner tension. "It definitely will."
He has been in the capital for five days.
Five days ago, the water-powered device arrived in the capital, and he personally led the craftsmen into the palace to install it.
The installation went more smoothly than expected—the Imperial Garden had suitable terrain, ample water supply, and skilled craftsmen. All components were installed in three days.
The next two days were spent on repeated debugging and checks.
He personally inspected every interface, every valve, and every gear more than three times.
He cannot fail.
This was a high-stakes gamble he was taking with his entire fortune.
……
"The Emperor has arrived—"
A sharp shout interrupted Lu Yan's thoughts.
He quickly straightened his clothes and knelt down.
"Your subject, Lu Yan, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty!"
The craftsmen behind him also knelt down, their foreheads pressed to the ground, not daring to breathe.
A series of footsteps approached from afar.
Lu Yan didn't dare to look up; he could only see a pair of bright yellow boots walk past him.
"Rise."
A young voice rang out, carrying a hint of laziness and curiosity.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Lu Yan stood up, head bowed, eyes lowered, not daring to look directly at the emperor's face.
But he glanced at the emperor out of the corner of his eye.
Emperor Tianqi, Zhu Youxiao, was only in his early twenties. He was slender, with a fair complexion and a touch of childishness in his eyes. He was dressed in casual clothes, wearing a winged crown, and had a piece of mutton-fat jade pendant hanging from his waist.
Behind him followed a large group of people—eunuchs, palace maids, imperial guards, and several ministers wearing python robes.
Lu Yan recognized one of them—Wei Zhongxian.
That gloomy face and those sharp, triangular eyes stood out even in a crowd.
Wei Zhongxian nodded slightly to him, a hint of encouragement flashing in his eyes.
Lu Yan felt somewhat relieved and bowed, saying:
"Your Majesty, the water-powered device has been installed and is ready for your inspection."
"Okay, okay, okay!"
Emperor Tianqi seemed very excited, circling the water-powered device and marveling at it.
"This is the water system you built? It looks quite impressive."
"Your Majesty, that is indeed true," Lu Yan said. "This water feature is called 'Jade Pool Wonderland,' and consists of three parts: fountains, a stage, and puppets. I humbly request Your Majesty to witness a demonstration."
"Quickly, demonstrate it to me!"
Emperor Tianqi spoke impatiently, plopping down on the throne beside him, his eyes fixed on the water-powered device.
Lu Yan took a deep breath, turned around and nodded to Zhao Tie.
"start."
Zhao Tie walked to the device and activated the first mechanism.
With a "whoosh," water gushed out of the reservoir, flowed down the copper pipes, and sprayed out from the sprinkler heads.
More than a dozen water columns rose simultaneously, drawing graceful arcs in the air and refracting a rainbow of colors in the sunlight.
"good!"
Emperor Tianqi clapped his hands and cheered, his eyes sparkling with childlike excitement.
"That water sprays really high! Much better than those Western gadgets!"
Lu Yan bowed and said:
"Your Majesty, this is only the beginning. Please continue watching."
Zhao Tie activated the second mechanism.
The jets of water suddenly changed shape—what were originally thin lines now transformed into blooming flowers, some resembling peonies, some chrysanthemums, and some lotuses.
"oops!"
Emperor Tianqi cried out in surprise and stood up from his throne.
"This water can turn into flowers?"
"Your Majesty," Lu Yan explained, "this is 'A Hundred Flowers in Full Bloom.' By controlling the valves, the water can be sprayed into different shapes."
"Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!"
Emperor Tianqi exclaimed "wonderful" three times, circled the fountain, and reached out to catch the falling water droplets.
The eunuch beside him quickly offered a handkerchief, but Emperor Tianqi waved his hand and laughed:
"No, no, this water is cool!"
He played by the fountain like a child for a while before reluctantly returning to his throne.
"What else? Show it to me now!"
Lu Yan bowed and said:
"Your Majesty, next up is the 'Fairy Dance'."
Zhao Tie activated the third mechanism.
The rising stage in the center of the fountain slowly ascends, upon which stands a magnificent doll.
The puppet is about three feet tall, dressed in a theatrical costume embroidered with phoenixes, wearing a pearl and jade phoenix crown, and holding a round fan. Its face is lifelike, with a slight smile on its lips, just like a real person.
The stage was raised to a height of about five feet and then stopped.
Then, the puppet moved.
It slowly raised its right arm and waved its fan, the movement smooth and natural.
Then, it nodded slightly, as if acknowledging the audience.
Then it turned around, bowed, turned around again, and continued waving its fan.
The whole process was smooth and seamless, without any interruptions, as if a fairy were truly dancing on the stage.
"This...this..."
Emperor Tianqi stared wide-eyed, his mouth agape, speechless for a long time.
He suddenly stood up, strode to the front of the stage, and carefully observed the puppet.
"This doll... it moves on its own?"
"Your Majesty, that is indeed the case," Lu Yan said. "This puppet is water-powered, with gears driving linkages, which in turn move its hands and feet, allowing it to dance independently without human intervention."
"Hydraulic drive? Gear and connecting rod?"
Emperor Tianqi's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
He was a carpenter emperor with a natural interest in mechanical structures.
"Let me see the structure inside!"
Lu Yan was overjoyed and bowed, saying:
"I obey the decree."
He told Zhao Tie to stop the mechanism, then stepped forward himself and opened a cover on the back of the puppet, revealing intricate gears and connecting rods inside.
"Your Majesty, please look. This is the main gear, driven by water power. This is the transmission gear, which transmits power to the connecting rod. This is the connecting rod, which connects to the puppet's arm..."
As he explained, he pointed to each component with his finger.
Emperor Tianqi listened with great interest, nodding occasionally and even reaching out to touch the gears.
"Wonderful, wonderful!"
He exclaimed in admiration.
"The meshing of these gears, the design of these connecting rods—it's truly ingenious!"
He turned to look at Lu Yan, his eyes full of admiration.
"Did you design this?"
"Your Majesty, I dare not claim credit," Lu Yan said, bowing. "I merely referenced the 'Western Water Management Methods' of Western missionaries and made slight improvements."
"You're being too modest, too modest!"
Emperor Tianqi waved his hand and laughed:
"I've seen those Western gadgets before, but none of them are as exquisite as yours."
He turned to Wei Zhongxian and said:
"The eunuch, this man is good; he's truly capable!"
Wei Zhongxian bowed and said:
"Your Majesty is wise. This man is named Lu Yan, a scholar who passed the imperial examination in Jinan Prefecture, Shandong Province, and currently serves as the Prefectural Administrator of Jinan."
"An official position in Jinan Prefecture?" Emperor Tianqi frowned. "Only an eighth-rank official? Too low."
He pondered for a moment and said:
"This person is useful; let him get things done."
Wei Zhongxian understood immediately and bowed, saying:
"I obey the decree."
Emperor Tianqi then turned to Lu Yan and said:
"Lu Yan, I am very pleased with your watercraft. I hereby reward you with one hundred taels of gold, one thousand taels of silver, and twenty bolts of silk."
Lu Yan immediately knelt down to express his gratitude.
"I would like to thank Your Majesty for your kindness!"
"Get up, get up."
Emperor Tianqi waved his hand, looked at the puppet again, and suddenly asked:
"Could this doll be made in a different shape? Like... a military general? Or a deity?"
Lu Yan's heart stirred, and he bowed and said:
"Your Majesty, yes, I can. Whatever Your Majesty commands, I will do."
"good!"
Emperor Tianqi was overjoyed.
"Then make a few more for me; I want to display them in the Qianqing Palace!"
"I obey the decree."
……
After the imperial carriage departed, Lu Yan stood there and let out a long sigh of relief.
It became.
His gamble paid off.
Zhao Tie stepped forward, his face full of excitement.
"Master, it's done! The Emperor is overjoyed!"
"Yes." Lu Yan nodded, a smile appearing on his lips. "It's done."
He looked up at the sky; the sunlight was dazzling, yet it made him feel incredibly warm.
"Next, we'll have to look at the documents from the Ministry of Personnel."
He muttered to himself.