Chapter 112

…

Li Shishi wanted to tell Zhao Yu that there was another person in the room besides Zhang Chun—Li Qingzhao.

But before Li Shishi could speak, Zhao Yu placed a finger to his lips, signaling her to stay silent.

How could Li Shishi dare ruin Zhao Yu's mood? She could only watch helplessly as Zhao Yu slipped into Zhang Chun's room.

The night passed without incident.

Early the next morning, Zhao Yu rose under the care of Zhang Chun, newly wed, Li Qingzhao—who Zhao Yu mistook for either Zhang Chun's maid or one of his own unseen concubines—and the maidservants including Li Shishi; he then shared breakfast with Zhang Chun before heading to court.

Zhang Chun, radiant with joy, watched Zhao Yu's departing figure and thought, "If you'd mistaken someone else last night, things would've gotten very amusing."

But then Zhang Chun reconsidered: "I'm so unique, and you know me so well—even in the dark, you should've recognized me at once, given how different my figure is from Li Qingzhao's."

Then Zhang Chun smiled with relief: "At last, no more mistakes—I've truly become a woman, and now I can begin the next stage of my life!"

Only then did Zhang Chun turn to look at Li Qingzhao, who still dared not raise her head.

Zhang Chun understood perfectly—if she herself had been a virgin girl forced to listen—or perhaps even watch—all night, she'd have wanted to crawl into a crack in the floor.

Zhang Chun walked over to Li Qingzhao and comforted her:

"The Emperor didn't know who you were, or he'd never have put you through such humiliation."

"You know all palace women belong to him—he likely mistook you for Shi Yun or another concubine, which is why he came here."

"You needn't dwell on it. Misfortune may turn out to be a blessing in disguise."

In truth, Zhang Chun had had ample opportunity to send Li Qingzhao away.

At that moment, if Zhang Chun had merely spoken a word, Li Qingzhao could've left, and Li Shishi or another maid could've taken her place.

But Zhang Chun had already guessed the purpose behind this group of women entering the palace.

Zhang Chun had won first place in the cultural knowledge segment of this year's Palace Examination by submitting Li Qingzhao's "Yi Jian Mei," which ultimately allowed her to marry Zhao Yu.

Thus, feeling indebted to Li Qingzhao, Zhang Chun deliberately kept her around, allowing her some intimate contact with Zhao Yu, so he'd form an impression of her and make it easier for Li Qingzhao to achieve her goal.

Otherwise, with Li Qingzhao's average looks in the harem, catching Zhao Yu's eye would've been difficult.

In other words, Zhang Chun meant well.

Haven't you seen how chambermaids always end up being taken into the master's bed?

Li Qingzhao felt like crying but had no tears.

She hadn't come here for this! She'd only come to have fun; she never intended to become Zhao Yu's concubine.

How could such an embarrassing thing happen?

What left Li Qingzhao speechless was that this wasn't planned by anyone.

Otherwise, Zhao Yu wouldn't have merely patted her rear while she pretended to sleep and told her to get up and pour him tea—he'd have taken her then and there. Would she have dared resist?

"I should've left right away yesterday—but when I woke up, they were… how could I leave then?"

"Drinking ruined everything—if I hadn't been drunk, I wouldn't have slept so long."

"All I can do now is hope no one finds out about this…"

Yet the more one fears something, the more likely it is to happen.

Early that morning, Li Lin came to congratulate Zhang Chun, finally achieving her wish.

As they chatted, the conversation turned to last night's events.

After hearing it, Li Lin smiled and asked Li Qingzhao: "Why didn't you tell the Emperor who you were?"

Li Qingzhao wanted to throttle Zhang Chun for her big mouth—and Li Lin too, for making light of it. In that situation, how could she speak up? And Zhao Yu was the Emperor—he asked her to pour him tea and attend him for a moment; could she refuse?

Soon after, Yuan Qingcheng arrived.

Zhang Chun told Yuan Qingcheng the same story.

Yuan Qingcheng understood Li Qingzhao's plight and scolded Zhang Chun: "Why didn't you send Li Xiao niangzi away earlier?"

Zhang Chun replied confidently: "How could I have known the Emperor would sneak in? Besides, I was drunk and fast asleep—how could I remember she was sleeping beside me? By the time I remembered, it was already too late, and seeing her pretending to sleep, what would you have done?"

Yuan Qingcheng was left speechless.

Indeed!

If it had been her, she'd have made the same choice as Zhang Chun.

Yuan Qingcheng comforted Li Qingzhao: "For you, this may not be a bad thing."

—Even Yuan Qingcheng had realized: why had the chancellors sent a group of beautiful, talented women to a Palace Examination meant only for Zhao Yu's concubines and maids?

At this moment, Li Qingzhao felt exactly like a cook in an artillery company—if she'd known that joke.

Worse still, she couldn't explain herself. Could she, a virgin maiden, discuss such matters with Zhang Chun, Li Lin, and Yuan Qingcheng—all married women?

There was no choice: Li Qingzhao was stuck—dirt on her pants, whether it was shit or not, it was still shit.

In the end, Li Qingzhao composed a poem in her heart: "Lin Jiang Xian: Secret Glimpse in the Forbidden Palace, Feigning Sleep, Reflections."

Deep within the forbidden garden, flower shadows stir; the banquet's candles glow, incense thick. The Emperor and his concubines harbor a thousand thoughts. Jade flutes sing softly, silk sleeves dance in spring breeze.

Pretending sleep before the bed, heart aches in silence; thoughts flood my chest unbidden. I seek small characters to pour out my feelings. The green plum should have a promise—moonlight shines east and west.

…

Soon, Zhang Chun and Li Qingzhao, accompanied by Li Lin and Yuan Qingcheng, attended the court etiquette examination.

Zhang Chun, already proficient in history and having trained specifically, performed well—she'd likely rank among the top three.

Li Qingzhao, however, was far behind. She knew only basic etiquette; true imperial rituals were largely unknown to her—mainly because she'd never needed them.

After the exam, given last night's embarrassment, Li Qingzhao had no desire to hang around with Zhang Chun and the others.

But Ma Xiao Jiao sent Xiduo to find her, saying she wanted to show Li Qingzhao her invention.

At dinner yesterday, Ma Xiao Jiao had told Li Qingzhao she'd invented hot-air balloons that could fly into the sky, clockwork puppets that moved on their own, and a host of other fascinating devices.

Li Qingzhao had doubted her.

But Ma Xiao Jiao swore solemnly: if she lied to Li Qingzhao, she'd turn into a dog.

Li Qingzhao thought Ma Xiao Jiao didn't seem like someone who lied, but what she said was too extraordinary, so, emboldened by wine, she declared she would not believe it unless she saw it with her own eyes.

Thus, Ma Xiao Jiao made a pact with Li Qingzhao: today, she would let Li Qingzhao broaden her horizons.

Now, Ma Xiao Jiao kept her word and invited Li Qingzhao to come and see for herself.

Li Qingzhao could hardly refuse, and she truly wanted to see whether Ma Xiao Jiao could really make her fly into the sky.

In the end, Li Qingzhao could not resist her own curiosity and went with Zhang Chun and the others to Ma Xiao Jiao's place.

Notably, Ma Xiao Jiao's research institute had moved from Qin Can Palace to the Industrial Research Base on Genyue Your Majesty Mountain.

——Guan Jia Hall and Qin Can Palace were now merely "offices" for Yuan Qing Cheng and Ma Xiao Jiao within the palace, used to store and handle research materials, blueprints, and such.

Upon arriving at Ma Xiao Jiao's Industrial Research Base, Li Qingzhao was stunned.

She saw a giant "Kongming Lantern" (in fact, a hot air balloon) slowly ascending, beneath which hung a large bamboo basket, inside which appeared to be a person.

The person was ecstatic, frantically waving downward and shouting: "I'm flying!" "I'm flying!!" "Look, I'm really flying!!!"

Li Qingzhao stood speechless; her disbelief shattered instantly before this marvel. She stared in disbelief at the hot air balloon rising higher and higher, murmuring: "The world truly contains such a masterpiece of ingenuity!"

Ma Xiao Jiao, her belly swollen, walked slowly over, supported by two maids, a smug smile on her lips, as if to say: "See? I didn't lie to you."

After a moment, still unable to believe it, Li Qingzhao looked at Ma Xiao Jiao and said: "Can you teach me to try?"

Ma Xiao Jiao readily agreed: "Why not?"

But Yuan Qing Cheng, standing nearby, warned Li Qingzhao: "Be careful—Jiao Jiao's hot air balloon is still new and surely unstable. Don't get hurt."

Yet Ma Xiao Jiao had full confidence in her balloon: "It's secured with three safety locks, and we're not flying far—there's no danger."

Hearing this, Li Qingzhao insisted: "Then I wish to try."

At this, Li Lin said: "I'll go with you."

Soon, under Ma Xiao Jiao's arrangement, Li Lin—carrying a telescope—boarded the hot air balloon with Li Qingzhao and ascended into the sky.

Below them, the imperial palace unfurled like an exquisite scroll: red walls and golden tiles glowed more splendidly in the sunset's glow, upturned eaves outlining the majesty and solemnity of royalty.

Standing atop the hot air balloon, Li Qingzhao gazed down at the grand imperial city, overwhelmed by an unprecedented awe and emotion.

Li Lin handed Li Qingzhao the telescope and taught her how to adjust the focus.

This time, Li Qingzhao's astonishment was even greater.

In an instant, every corner of the palace lay bare before her.

Li Qingzhao even saw the imperial etiquette examination hall, and Zhang Nan performing the grand kowtow.

Li Qingzhao turned her gaze outward and saw bustling streets, carriages and horses flowing like rivers, voices rising in clamor—like a living painting, rendered in exquisite detail through the telescope.

Lowering the telescope, Li Qingzhao looked toward the distant horizon, where endless mountains and rivers glowed magnificently in the sunset.

Li Qingzhao's vision blurred slightly; moved by the sight, she spoke:

"Riding the balloon upward, I gaze upon the capital's inner and outer realms, streets woven like silk. Carriages glide like dragons, people swarm like ants—all the hues of peace and plenty. Green curtains, vermilion towers, saddled steeds and jeweled bridles, thronging north and south. The imperial river ripples, painted boats sway gently, unmistakable in their grace.

Recalling past joys, faintly remembered, laughter beside the swing. Today, from this lofty height, I've witnessed every trace of the capital's splendor. The Bian River flows east, the rainbow bridge spans its course, the market's clamor unchanged. These scenes within the scroll—I shall keep them forever in my heart."

The hot air balloon descended slowly and landed steadily on the ground.

Zhang Chun, Ma Xiao Jiao, Yuan Qing Cheng, and others had been waiting long; seeing them return safely, they smiled and rushed forward.

"Well?" Ma Xiao Jiao asked.

Li Qingzhao bowed with sincere admiration: "Empress Ma is truly a divine being."

Then, Ma Xiao Jiao led everyone into her Industrial Research Base.

Ma Xiao Jiao first gave Li Qingzhao two small trinkets.

One was a clockwork frog.

The kind commonly seen in her previous life.

In her previous life, even slightly older children wouldn't play with such a thing, yet Li Qingzhao played with it endlessly.

The second was a kaleidoscope.

It was a small toy made by Ma Xiao Jiao from cardboard tubes, mirrors, and colored paper scraps; by rotating the tube, the mirrors reflected the scraps into ever-changing, dazzling patterns, bringing visual delight and joy.

After receiving it, Li Qingzhao cherished it beyond measure, never taking her eyes off it.

Zhang Chun, standing nearby, teased: "Wait, Jiao Jiao—you're showing us these?"

Ma Xiao Jiao said: "These are gifts for her. The real things are inside."

Next, Ma Xiao Jiao showed Zhang Chun and the others her array of agricultural tools: improved curved-plow designs, lighter and more mechanically efficient, adapted to various soil conditions to reduce human and animal labor; the louche, a device that simultaneously tilled, sowed, and covered soil, saving labor and boosting efficiency—especially suited for wheat and millet; and the mu niu and dai geng jia, invented to compensate for insufficient animal power—the mu niu was a human-powered plowing tool shaped like an ox, pushed by hand to drag the plowshare; the dai geng jia used lever and rope principles, allowing one person to pull a plow, saving labor.

Yet after viewing these, the women were no longer impressed—even Li Qingzhao felt Ma Xiao Jiao's inventions paled beside the hot air balloon, the clockwork frog, and the kaleidoscope.

As they continued, they found Ma Xiao Jiao's creations were nothing but agricultural tools or tools—some merely plain, unremarkable items like planes and files.

Later, even when Ma Xiao Jiao produced the military shovel, it failed to excite Li Qingzhao as before.

Ma Xiao Jiao was helpless. Zhao Yu only encouraged her to invent these things—what could she do?

After spending some time at Ma Xiao Jiao's, the women returned to the palace.

This time, no matter what Zhang Chun said, Li Qingzhao refused to stay at her place.

When Ye Shi Yun arrived later and invited Li Qingzhao to stay with her, Li Qingzhao firmly declined.

What nonsense—Li Qingzhao had no intention of enduring another night as awkward as last night.

Seeing Li Qingzhao so resolute, Zhang Chun and the other four women ceased their pleas and sent someone to escort Li Qingzhao back to her temporary quarters in the inner palace.

In the following days, during daylight, Li Qingzhao either studied or mingled with the five women; at night, she returned obediently to her quarters, refusing to stay out again.

Thus, no further incidents occurred.

On the fifth day, after ranking was finalized, Zheng Xiansu gathered all the women recommended by the chancellors for the palace examination and consulted them on whether to stay or leave.

Li Qingzhao was among them…

……

(End of Chapter)