roccoschili Chapter 108 Zhu Gaochi and Mu Xin Enter the Palace to Study
Chapter 108 Zhu Gaochi and Mu Xin Enter the Palace to Study
After two days of continuous work, Zhu Gaoxi finally completed the blueprints for the waterwheel.
The waterwheel is mainly composed of a large shaft, spokes, scraper blades, water buckets, water troughs and other components, which are connected by mortise and tenon joints.
The main body is a rectangular waterwheel with two wooden axles, which is erected in the river, rising high above the river surface, with the top of the waterwheel several meters above the riverbed.
The waterwheel is fitted with many spokes, and each spoke has a scraper and a water bucket at its end.
The scraper was made of flat wood, and the water bucket was actually a bamboo tube with the scraper in front of it.
The rotation of the waterwheel depends on the river flowing from west to east, and the direction of rotation of the waterwheel should be consistent with the direction of the river flow.
The river water flows, impacting the scraper and driving the waterwheel to rotate repeatedly.
After being submerged in the river, the water bucket is filled with water. The water jet spins, and when it reaches the top, it pours out automatically. The water is collected in a wooden trough high in the air and directed to the riverbank, flowing into the farmland.
By relying solely on the natural flow of the river, without the need for additional manpower or resources, the waterwheel can work day and night to draw water from the lower reaches of the river to the higher farmland for automatic irrigation.
To expedite the work, Zhu Gaoxi divided the carpenters into groups, each responsible for making a type of component.
He worried that the waterwheel was too heavy and would be difficult to move on flat ground, so he designed a flared stone channel, narrow in the middle and wide on both sides, to speed up the water flow, specifically for setting up the waterwheel.
In addition, a U-shaped pit was dug under the waterwheel to further accelerate the flow of the river.
After all the parts were completed, they were taken to the riverbank for assembly.
The old emperor himself was present to witness this momentous and significant occasion.
The scraper churned the water, and the giant wheel slowly began to rotate with the current. The river water was scooped up onto the bank and poured into the diversion channel, splashing water everywhere. Cheers rose and fell all around, lasting for a long time.
The old emperor gripped Zhu Gaoxi's hand tightly and excitedly said "good" repeatedly.
With the water problem solved, planting sweet potatoes became an easy task. Sanbao and Lihui were more than capable of providing technical guidance, and Youdun took the opportunity to persuade his grandfather to return to the palace as soon as possible.
With both the emperor and the King of Wu here, You Dun is under immense pressure as he is tasked with their security.
Zhu Gaoxi was well aware of his brother's little scheme.
These days, in order to rush the production of the waterwheel, You Dun has been supervising and urging the work day and night, and is already exhausted.
Zhu Gaoxi felt sorry for his brother, and although he was in high spirits, he was still overjoyed and happily followed the old emperor back to the palace.
In the Wenhua Hall, the Crown Prince Zhu Yunwen listened to the report from Tan Quan, the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. His face was ashen, and he pursed his thin lips, suppressing the anger in his heart.
The King of Wu really knows how to show off!
Farmers near Huangzhuang even worshipped him as a god, saying he was a lucky star descended from heaven.
This is absolutely incomprehensible!
Zhu Yunwen, unsure how to quell his anger, returned to the Eastern Palace and smashed over a dozen precious porcelain pieces. Only when a group of eunuchs lay prostrate on the ground, trembling, did he feel slightly better.
He regained control over the handling of memorials, but failed to curb the rising power of the King of Wu. How could he not be furious?!
Fang Xiaoru wanted to rush to the emperor to argue, but was stopped by Xie Jin. The argument between them escalated again and became heated.
Xie Jin's daily task at the Hanlin Academy was to keep an eye on Fang Xiaoru, promptly intercept him, and prevent him from causing trouble at the Qianqing Palace.
Fang Xiaoru was furious and went to his superior, Liu Sanwu, to complain and ask him to judge the matter. However, the old man turned a blind eye and pretended to be confused, refusing to uphold justice for him.
Wanting to relieve the worries of his grandson, Fang Xiaoru was full of enthusiasm but had no way to do so, and could only sigh deeply.
Xie Jin's goal was simple and clear: to eliminate all interference, help the King of Wu ascend to the throne, and then rise in rank to become the emperor's tutor.
Zhu Gaoxi was quite satisfied with Xie Jin's performance and would occasionally send a young eunuch to visit him and bring him good food to boost his morale.
To achieve high yields of sweet potatoes, subsequent management after planting, such as watering, replanting, weeding, fertilizing, disease prevention, and cultivating to loosen the soil, cannot be ignored. Zhu Gaoxi recorded all the details that should be paid attention to on paper, printed multiple copies, and distributed them to literate eunuchs, sending them to inspect and supervise the fields.
After learning that Mu Xin had secretly run away back to the capital, Mu Xue immediately rushed to the Prince of Wu's residence to take Mu Xin back to the Duke of Wei's residence.
Having been disciplined by her elder sister since childhood, Mu Xin was still terrified and refused to go with her no matter what.
At the crucial moment, Zhu Gaoxu stepped forward and vowed to study with Mu Xin and never waste time. Only then did Mu Xue leave with some doubt.
Zhu Gaoxu knew in his heart that Mu Xue was only giving him face and didn't believe him at all.
He himself wasn't cut out for studying, so probably few people took his vow seriously.
Unable to resist Mu Xin's pitiful and persistent pleas, Zhu Gaoxu softened his heart and impulsively guaranteed that he would keep Mu Xin in the palace.
Afterwards, Zhu Gaoxu felt uneasy and quickly sent someone to the palace to tell Zhu Gaoxi to think of a solution.
The old emperor is the most qualified to speak on Mu Xin's matter.
Upon receiving the news, Zhu Gaoxi immediately went to the Qianqing Palace to consult with his grandfather, the Emperor.
However, the old emperor clearly misunderstood the point and flew into a rage, saying, "How can they not study? Send Zhu Gaochi and Mu Xin into the palace to study under Xie Jin and Fang Xiaoru."
Zhu Gaoxi chuckled. "Grandpa's idea is good. Giving Xie Jin and Fang Xiaoru some work to do will prevent them from being idle and arguing all day. It will also provide an objective standard for their year-end evaluation."
However, this teaching method is indeed quite difficult.
Zhu Gaoxu's reputation for disliking reading was already well-known in the capital's aristocratic circles, while Mu Xin was a rising star whose mischievousness was in no way inferior to Zhu Gaoxu's.
Old ginger is spicier, Zhu Gaoxi deeply admired.
Next time, if Fang Xiaoru dares to run to Qianqing Palace for no reason, let Zhu Gaoxu and Mu Xin, those two troublemakers, hold him back.
Those two are full of tricks, and Fang Xiaoru is no match for them.
When Zhu Gaoxu heard Lin De convey the imperial decree, he was completely stunned.
He never imagined that he would have the chance to study in the palace in this lifetime.
He knew better than anyone how much his grandfather disliked him. He had been in the capital for so long, but he had only been to the palace once. He didn't even get to say two words to his grandfather before being sent away.
Comparing people is a recipe for disaster; comparing goods is a recipe for discarding them.
He never compared himself to the fourth son.
The fourth child was the grandfather's darling, while the other child was treated like trash and couldn't be compared to him.
This time, it was all thanks to Mu Xin and the fourth brother's kind words. Zhu Gaoxu knew this very well, and couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.
That kind of being the center of attention, admired by everyone, was beyond his reach. Although he had occasionally longed for it in his dreams, he had long since accepted reality.
He was just a foil to the fourth brother.
Not only him.
His older brother, who appears honest but is actually shrewd, is also like that.
Even his most respected father, the king, was probably only a supporting character in his grandfather's heart.
Zhu Youdun, that once dazzling child prodigy, isn't he now completely subservient to the fourth prince?
Now, Zhu Gaochi's greatest wish is that when the fourth prince becomes emperor, he will not forget his second brother and will confer upon him the title of a prince.