[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son":3,"chapter-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-777":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I Am the Xu Family's Son",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2308555,4510,"Chapter 777: Young Master Zong","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-777",777,"\u003Cp>Since I became aware of things, I’ve always struggled terribly in summer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Chai Zhengzheng nodded thoughtfully and looked at Rong Feiyan: “I happen to have a summer diet list I use myself—wait, I’ll have my maid fetch it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, Chai Zhengzheng turned and waved her round fan toward her maid, adding: “Miss Rong, take this home as a reference, have your physician feel your pulse, then adjust it slightly and see how it works.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rong Feiyan had only brought up the topic to distract herself from what she truly wanted to ask; hearing Chai Zhengzheng say this, she nodded eagerly: “Thank you so much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Zhengzheng smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The summoned maid, Yunmu, walked over smiling and looked at Chai Zhengzheng: “Mistress?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Zhengzheng: “Copy out my summer diet list and bring it over—give it to Miss Rong’s maid later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Mistress.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yunmu bowed and turned toward the pavilion’s entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Zhengzheng laughed: “Miss Rong, come on, let’s try the newly arrived watermelons—otherwise Miss Wu will eat them all herself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rong Feiyan smiled and nodded, following Chai Zhengzheng over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey? What does this Li Shishi, the leading courtesan, even look like? How could she make the Prince curious enough to go see her?” Meng Jie, Tingyi’s younger sister, asked curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehe! Second sister, your information’s a bit too—” Zhang’s Fifth Lady hadn’t finished when she felt Chai Zhengzheng’s gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Chai Zhengzheng shake her head slightly, Zhang’s Fifth Lady pursed her lips and continued: “—a bit too well-connected!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Jie smiled: “I only heard it from the streets.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another noble lady added: “Isn’t it said that the young masters of the Qi, Liang, and Xu families were all there that day?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the conversation about to turn toward Zhao Fang, Chai Zhengzheng quickly shifted topic, smiling: “Second Lady, if you’re curious, you might as well look at Wei Fang—the beauty’s not much different.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Qingmeng turned and glanced at Wei Fang, then smiled: “She’s beautiful indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Zhengzheng nodded and said: “Speaking of Yuanruo, it reminds me of my sister-in-law’s family’s young Lord Lu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Chai Zhengzheng spoke, the girls in the pavilion all turned toward Lu Shi, Jin’s wife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Shi, caught off guard, looked at her younger sister-in-law with confusion: “Zhengzheng, what’s wrong? Has Zerong done something I don’t know about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Zhengzheng smiled: “Sister-in-law, didn’t you say just recently that Zerong wanted you to invest in something—a rotating fan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Shi thought for a moment, then her face lit up with realization; she told the curious noble ladies: “Oh! That? I remember now—Zerong said Fifth Brother Xu told him about a miscellaneous book called ‘Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It had a story about an ancient master craftsman who made a seven-wheel fan cart that could produce ‘one man turning it, the whole room shivering with cold.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After hearing that, Zerong wanted to build it himself to cool off during the peak of summer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? ‘Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital’? Sister Hai, have you read this book?” Shen Hezhen asked, turning to her neighbor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hai Chaoyun shook her head in confusion: “Not only haven’t I read it—I’ve never even heard of it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she looked at Chai Zhengzheng: “Miss Chai, does your Four Treasures Bookshop have this book?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Chai Zhengzheng smiled and shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Chuhong, who had defected from Northern Liao and now dressed like a Bianjing noble lady, asked in puzzlement: “Even you don’t have it? Could it be some rare, one-of-a-kind edition?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the girls in the pavilion about to nod in agreement, Chai Zhengzheng quickly laughed: “No, no!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why are you shaking your head?” Tingyi scolded her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Zhengzheng looked innocent: “Sister Tingyi, when I shook my head, I meant I wasn’t bringing this up to sell books from my family’s shop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You! Zhengzheng, saying that in front of your sisters is grounds for a beating!” Zhang’s Fifth Lady put down her watermelon rind, placed her hands on her hips, and declared: “None of us here would ever think that of you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly! Fifth Lady’s right!” Tingyi agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girls in the pavilion all nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this outburst of indignation, Chai Zhengzheng quickly begged pardon: “It was my mistake—punish my sister-in-law instead! So, what was the end result? Did Zerong manage to build it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Chai Zhengzheng asked, none of the girls thought it sounded impossible—after all, the Lu family had strong ties to the Ministry of Works; young Lord Lu Zerong’s ideas could be realized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Built it?” Lu Shi laughed and shook her head: “Why build it? The cooling fans used in the palace now are already improved versions of that seven-wheel fan cart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the astonished girls, Lu Shi nodded firmly again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now that you mention it, I remember! When I entered the palace before, during my audience with Empress, I felt cool, fragrant wind blowing against my face.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought it was just from big fans!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then how come I never saw it when I went to court?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When did you go to court?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In winter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listening to the girls chatter, Rong Feiyan asked: “And then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Shi smiled: “Then? Zerong told Fifth Brother Xu about it. According to Zerong’s nanny, the two of them huddled together whispering for a long time—Fifth Brother Xu even scribbled on paper.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re curious, I can send someone to ask.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the girls in the pavilion all nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Lu Shi waved her hand, and a maid bowed and walked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang’s Fifth Lady picked up another piece of watermelon and mused: “Actually, my father and brothers have mentioned something similar in the military.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister Zhang, does the military use fans too? Are they for officers to cool off?” Shen Hezhen asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang’s Fifth Lady shook her head: “No, Hezhen, they’re not for cooling—they’re used after discovering enemy tunnels, to pump poison smoke inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Poison smoke? But I read in books that when you find a tunnel, you flood it with water.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang’s Fifth Lady pursed her lips and explained: “Sister Shen, you need water for that! What if it’s dry season, or the water’s frozen? How fast could you pour it in? Poison smoke works better then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see!” Shen Hezhen nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides pumping poison smoke, there are other methods,” Fifth Lady said, glancing at Gu Tingyi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Tingyi smiled: “Fifth Lady, could you pour oil into it and set it on fire?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifth Lady nodded vigorously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough, enough—let’s not talk about battlefield things anymore,” Tingyi waved her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, Chai Zhengzheng smiled at Rong Feiyan: “Speaking of battlefields, congratulations to your elder brother for his achievements in the south!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rong Feiyan waved her hand: “My brother’s only been in the south half a year—he only succeeded thanks to the Shie and Xiong families’ influence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Tingyi nodded beside her, then surveyed the group and said: “By the way, guess who I ran into two days ago?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister Tingyi, stop teasing—just tell us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing everyone’s eager looks, Tingyi smiled: “The day I went with Second Lady to the countryside estate, I met the old Lady Sheng leaving the city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Lady Sheng—isn’t she Fifth Brother Xu’s great-aunt?” Fifth Lady asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Tingyi nodded: “Yes. After greeting her, I learned she has an estate outside the city and was taking two young ladies there to escape the summer heat. The two Sheng girls rode horses beside the carriage—looked quite elegant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hai Chaoyun fanned herself: “No wonder someone sent invitations to the Sheng family—only Fourth Miss Sheng showed up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wasn’t it Fourth Miss Sheng who recited those two lines at the poetry gathering?” Zhao Chuhong asked softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!” Hai Chaoyun smiled: “You’ve heard them too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Chuhong nodded: “Mm. Even though it was only two lines, I loved them! Back in Northern Liao—” she glanced at the girls, then continued: “when I gathered with other noble ladies, we often talked about our dynasty’s poetry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I once had a close friend who especially loved the line ‘The street’s light rain moistens like cream.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the noble ladies’ expressions varied; Shen Hezhen smiled: “Sister Chuhong, I heard ‘The street’s light rain moistens like cream’ and these two lines were written by the same gentleman.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah?” Zhao Chuhong looked surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the girls nodding in agreement, and hearing Zhang’s Fifth Lady briefly explain how the poem ended up in Chai’s bookshop, Zhao Chuhong recalled her friend from Zhongjing in Northern Liao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That beautiful lady from the Liu family of Changping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thought flashed through her mind: “Perhaps I should write a letter to clear this up for Liu’s sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the girls shifted topics again, turning to summer delicacies in the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister Tingyi wants to eat this? Just have our cook make it for us,” Chai Zhengzheng smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deal!” Gu Tingyi laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the corridor leading to the pavilion, four strong maids followed Lu Shi’s maid, carrying something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unusually large entourage instantly drew everyone’s attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the maids reached the pavilion, the hanging gauze was lifted aside; Chai Zhengzheng stared in confusion at the object standing nearly a person’s height away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is this?” Lu Shi asked her personal maid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lady, this is the invention young Lord Lu has been working on—a hand-cranked rotating fan. Hearing you were curious, he ordered us to bring it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing at Chai Zhengzheng and Gu Tingyi, the maid added: “Young Lord Lu also asked me to ask you two—do you want to invest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, all the girls in the pavilion burst into laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Zhengzheng smiled: “The fan blades do look different from what I’ve seen—but if you want me and Sister Tingyi to invest, you must let us see it work. Bring it in!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The maids carried the device into the pavilion, set it down, and one knelt beside it, gripping the horizontal handle and turning it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As metallic gears clicked and clashed, the fan blades—strikingly similar to those of later eras—spun rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the maid’s slow motion, the fast-spinning blades, and the visible breeze, the girls in the pavilion all looked astonished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Place the ice chest behind this device—I’ll feel the effect,” Chai Zhengzheng ordered from in front of the blades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The maid complied, and the wind that blew over became noticeably cooler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey? How does this thing spin so fast?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right? The maid’s turning it slowly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could there be something ingenious inside the box beneath this fan blade?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should we ask Little Lord Lu to come over?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the girls in the pavilion began asking questions, they all turned to look at Lady Lu’s maid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Lu’s maid bowed and said, “Your ladies, the young lord says the items inside are partly inspired by Master Xu Wu’s ideas, and partly improved after he consulted with Minister Su.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Minister Su?” Gu Tingyi said uncertainly. “Is it Minister Su Song?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Zhengzheng looked at the object before her and smiled. “Has Brother Zong mentioned the cost of this device?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your ladyship, the young lord says this item costs over a hundred guan, but if you replace a few parts, the cost could drop significantly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Zhengzheng nodded, gazing at the copper fan blades spinning above. “For instance, this could be swapped out for bamboo slats.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other noble ladies all nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s thought, Chai Zhengzheng smiled. “Fine, I’ll take this share.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Tingyi nodded. “I’ll take it too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey hey, you two can’t do that—I’ve got some pocket money too,” Zhang Wu niang laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At noon,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the sun blazed overhead,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>cicadas chirped in waves,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and the streets of Bianjing were far less crowded than in the early morning or evening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking out from the ground along the imperial avenue, one could see the distant scenery already warped by heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiyin Alley,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Sheng residence,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the big tree behind the schoolhouse cast shade, but also gave the cicadas a place to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the constant cicada calls,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the spot where winter screens had been placed now held thin, translucent gauze to let in light and keep insects out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A breeze blew through the room, making the gauze flutter gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the schoolhouse,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Zhuang sat before a screen, staring in confusion at the device beside him that was blowing air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the servant Han Niu sweating profusely as he turned the crank, Master Zhuang stood and waved his hand. “You’d better take a break.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, Master Zhuang walked toward the hand-cranked fan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, you’re not thinking of trying it yourself, are you?” Chang Bai rose, concerned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chang Zhi beside him also turned to look at Master Zhuang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Zhuang stroked his beard. “I, your teacher, simply wish to see why this thing spins so fast.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chang Bai turned his puzzled gaze to Xu Zaijing, who stood smiling behind them. “Wu Lang, come here and explain. I’ve seen the spinning fan in Grandmother’s room at Shou’an Hall—it turned much slower than this one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing rose with a smile. “Alright, alright—I’ll take it apart again so everyone can see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Xu Zaijing approach, Han Niu quickly wiped his sweat and stepped aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing casually pulled out the iron pins holding the casing, revealing several delicate metal gears beneath the fan blades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After disassembling it, he gave the gears a casual spin; as they turned together, Master Zhuang nodded in sudden understanding. “Ah, so that’s how it works! But it does seem labor-intensive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the servant Han Niu, drenched in sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing smiled. “Master, we could further improve it—replace human power with animal power. It would spin faster and save effort.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Zhuang nodded, stroking his beard. “Earlier you said the palace has already been using this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing nodded. “Yes, Master. But the palace version is water-powered. I’ve seen it a few times from afar when I entered the palace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Zhuang nodded. “Given how finely made it is, only wealthy families could afford it—it won’t reach ordinary households.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly as Master says,” Xu Zaijing bowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in later eras, not everyone had air conditioning for many years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Zhuang circled the fan, studying it. “What if we placed a charcoal brazier behind it in winter? Then it could blow warm air.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing paused, eyes brightening as he bowed. “Master, brilliant idea! Warm air might even dry one’s hair!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2400,"2026-06-20T10:32:41.888Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","50ae65e35bf17f752e5857276433311bfa10a058d3b1b50c030a92298e360a28","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-778","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-776",790,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-am-the-xu-family-s-son-cover.jpg"]