Chapter 181: with translation of chapter title

At noon.

Lu Yuan finished writing a thick dozen or so pages.

He stood up, twisted his body, and shook his neck.

Goodness, Lu Yuan had never written anything this seriously even during the college entrance exam.

This almost had Lu Yuan stuck writing.

The steam engine's internal parts are truly numerous; Lu Yuan has only written about a third of it so far.

Of course, the first steam engine on Earth actually didn't have many parts.

But the steam engine in Craftsmanship is an improved, mature version.

So there are many parts.

Moreover, the steam engine Lu Yuan is currently making is not just a steam engine.

More accurately, Lu Yuan is directly building a locomotive.

The steam engine is just part of it; there are other components of the locomotive.

Thus, naturally, many many parts are needed.

Also, unlike before, this thing can first be made in the Forging Bureau and then taken out to show the emperor.

This is neither a thresher nor the Snow Dragon Sunlight Armor.

Some parts can be substituted with items found in the Forging Bureau.

Even if there are no gears of the same size as in Craftsmanship, we can substitute other models and make minor adjustments.

After a morning of hammering, it came out.

But this thing won't do.

If this part is off, several other places need fixing, and fixing those means everything has to be changed.

Pull one thread and the whole body moves.

Furthermore, this requires mobilizing many workshops of the entire Forging Bureau.

We need to reforge steel, and even open production lines in several workshops.

Even if Director Xu strongly supports Lu Yuan, wanting to build factories and workshops still needs approval from the Ministry of Works.

We can't even produce a sample.

These procedures are surely not trivial.

So we must go to the emperor; if he agrees, a single word and the Ministry of Works will act immediately.

But having said that……

Such an advanced thing, presented to the emperor……

What if the emperor is an old man who can't understand it?

What if he doesn't support me?

Regarding this locomotive, Lu Yuan recalled that when Western trains first entered China during the Qing dynasty.

The Qing commoners thought it was a monster and tore up the tracks overnight.

Then Empress Dowager Cixi also thought its wooping sound was bad, saying it was inauspicious or something.

She even thought of using several horses to pull the locomotive in front.

Hmm……

Lu Yuan is a bit afraid that if the emperor doesn't understand or support it.

Then all his effort would be wasted……

While Lu Yuan was thinking and moving his body.

A languid, sexy, invincible older-sister voice sounded beside him:

「Tired? 」

「Huh? 」

Lu Yuan turned his head to look.

He saw Gu Qingwan lying on her side on the bed, facing him, her jade arm supporting her peerlessly beautiful face as she gazed at Lu Yuan.

It must be said.

Gu Qingwan is absolutely beautiful.

She is definitely on the same level as my wife.

What differs from my wife is that Gu Qingwan bears a more intense noble lady aura.

After all……

Gu Qingwan is much older than my wife.

At that moment, Gu Qingwan yawned and then gazed at Lu Yuan with a smiling look full of indescribable affection.

Gu Qingwan truly has the aura of a superior.

Although these days, Gu Qingwan calls Lu Yuan 'older brother' in a sweet way.

Nevertheless, Gu Qingwan's superior aura still unintentionally emanates.

This feeling is like when Lu Yuan used to look at the aura of the Three-Star Princess on his phone back on Earth.

Carrying a hint of languor and a hint of the unique, unrestrained will of an authoritarian ruler.

Her gaze is aloof and merciless; as long as she doesn't smile, her expression is immensely imposing.

It's as if…… one second she's speaking kindly to you, the next she wants to kill your whole family, and you wouldn't feel any incongruity.

Lu Yuan previously thought that good looks and dignity were conflicting.

But after seeing the Three-Star Princess and then Gu Qingwan, Lu Yuan realized they are not contradictory.

And these qualities, in Gu Qingwan's case, are even better, even reaching that extreme.

Normally, when Gu Qingwan is by Lu Yuan's side, she sweetly calls him big brother and even acts coquettish; that Gu Qingwan is not her original self.

But now Gu Qingwan's appearance is truly the real Gu Qingwan.

Some people's temperament is such that just by standing there, you can tell they're different from others.

Perhaps this is just the manner of a young lady born into wealth and nobility.

This kind of aura, even my wife couldn't learn it even if she tried.

But...

So what then!

Besides, don't you have to obediently call me big brother?

He glanced at the lazy, beauty-snake-like Gu Qingwan, and Lu Yuan then continued moving his body, saying:

"Take a break, huh? Did I disturb you?"

Gu Qingwan, lying on the bed, pursed her lips and smiled, then spoke softly:

"Nope~"

"I've been awake for ten or so minutes, just lazing in bed~"

After Gu Qingwan woke up, she lay on the bed and secretly watched Lu Yuan; seeing him so focused on his writing and drawing, she couldn't bear to disturb him.

Moreover, she didn't want to get up from Lu Yuan's bed.

Lu Yuan, meanwhile, twisted his neck and waist, saying:

"Come on, let's go out to eat?"

"Huh?"

Gu Qingwan blinked, then looked at the clock on the wall, and with a whoosh sat up, saying:

"Oh dear, it's already twelve thirty; I'll make food."

Gu Qingwan said while casually coiling her black hair behind her head and tying it into a noble lady's bun.

Then she got off the bed, put on her shoes, and went to make food for Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan blinked, then said:

"Actually I'm not hungry; I'm just worried you'll get hungry—you can make something to eat yourself, you don't need to worry about me, big brother."

Gu Qingwan blinked, then immediately spoke in a coquettish voice:

"No way! If Li Yan finds out I let her man go hungry, she'll be angry with me."

"Just rest, big brother; I'll finish soon and you can eat while watching."

Having said that, Gu Qingwan hurried off to the kitchen.

Lu Yuan blinked at Gu Qingwan's retreating back.

"Hmm…"

This young lady is getting better and better at serving people, huh.

Lu Yuan rested a moment, then continued leaning over the desk to start drawing.

Not long after, Gu Qingwan came out.

She fried some steamed bun slices, golden and crispy, plus a bowl of scrambled eggs.

"Big brother, try some."

Gu Qingwan pinched a piece of steamed bun slice and brought it to Lu Yuan's mouth.

Lu Yuan wasn't polite, took a bite, then continued writing and drawing while nodding and saying:

"Not bad, it's about half as good as my wife's cooking."

Gu Qingwan blinked, gave Lu Yuan a white-eye look, then continued feeding him the steamed bun slice, saying:

"Just now I saw your expression, big brother, it didn't look good—what's wrong, are you worried?"

"Huh?"

Lu Yuan curiously lifted his head to glance at Gu Qingwan, then took another bite of the steamed bun slice before looking at her and asking:

"How old is the Heavenly Old Man this year?"

Gu Qingwan blinked, then looked at Lu Yuan curiously and said:

"What's the point of asking that?"

Then Lu Yuan pursed his lips and said:

"This thing I'm making this time is different from before, very troublesome; even if we first make a prototype, we'd still need to build many workshops and many production lines."

"It's really too ahead of its time; I'm worried that if the Heavenly Old Man is very old, he won't keep up with the idea and will reject it, and then I'll have worked for nothing."

Gu Qingwan blinked, then the corner of her mouth lifted into a breathtaking arc, and she looked at Lu Yuan and said:

"Rest assured, the Imperial Lord will definitely support you completely."

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow and said:

"Is that really the case?"

Gu Qingwan slightly lifted her chin and said:

"How about it, why not bet on something?"

Lu Yuan directly shook his head and said:

"I and gambling are incompatible, like fire and water!"

Gu Qingwan must be very familiar with the Human Emperor; since she said that, Lu Yuan really does feel a bit relieved.

Perhaps Gu Qingwan had already told the Human Emperor her idea for the steam engine?

Lu Yuan then lowered his head to write and draw for a while.

Suddenly thinking of something else, he raised his head and looked at Gu Qingwan, who was standing guard beside him, and asked curiously:

"Twelve days from now, when I go, what should I wear? My own clothes, or… official robes?"

Gu Qingwan gave him a strange look and said:

"You still have official robes?"

Lu Yuan blinked, then leaned in to whisper in Gu Qingwan's ear:

"Brother is actually still in the Azure Guard, and I still hold a post there."

Gu Qingwan's face flushed a little from his action—this… he was too close, almost about to kiss her……

After coming to her senses, Gu Qingwan also realized, right, Lu Yuan is still an Azure Guard.

Afterward, Gu Qingwan, her face slightly red, looked at Lu Yuan, who had returned to his original seat, and said:

"No need, just wear your usual clothes. You were ennobled for another matter, not promoted, and it's not related to the Azure Guard, so it's unnecessary."

After hearing that, Lu Yuan nodded, thinking Gu Qingwan made sense, and then suddenly asked curiously:

"What should I wear then, so that His Majesty finds it pleasing?"

Seeing Lu Yuan's expression, the corner of Gu Qingwan's mouth curved into a breathtaking arc once more, and she smiled warmly:

"No matter what you wear, His Majesty will find it pleasing."

Lu Yuan blinked, nodded again, but just as he lowered his head to continue writing and drawing, he suddenly leaned in to Gu Qingwan's ear once more and whispered:

"Just how old is His Majesty, and does he have any peculiar tastes… like… keeping catamites?"

Before Lu Yuan could finish speaking, Gu Qingwan slapped his shoulder and exclaimed coyly:

"What kind of person do you think His Majesty is!!"

…………

Twelve days later, Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Lu Yuan knelt here.

The surroundings weren't very lively—only a few officials from the Ministry of Rites, and some arranged personnel here to perform music and rites.

As for ministers, there wasn't a single one.

This is actually normal, after all—Lu Yuan had merely been ennobled as a baron.

The lowest rank, yet to be granted an audience with the Emperor, is already an immense honor.

After all, this wasn't being made a king or granted a premiership.

No one else would be present.

But then……

Yet in this audience, Lu Yuan didn't even catch a glimpse of the Emperor!

Lu Yuan was kneeling outside, while the Emperor was inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, so Lu Yuan couldn't see him at all.

In between was a Grand Eunuch relaying the message.

And this Grand Eunuch, Lu Yuan had seen him twelve days prior.

Namely, the Grand Eunuch who had come to his home.

Besides that, there was nothing else happening.

What came next, however, turned out unexpectedly smoothly.

As soon as Lu Yuan submitted his steam engine design, the Emperor immediately approved it.

Lu Yuan mentioned the patent matter.

That was also because, after the eunuch went in to deliver the message and came out just two minutes later, he immediately said the Emperor had agreed again.

Regarding this steam engine matter,

it was settled just like that.

From now on, Lu Yuan will liaise directly with the Ministry of Works—what production lines to open, what new factories to build, how to do it, how to manage it.

The Imperial Court fully supports it!

Whatever Lu Yuan wants to do, he just tells the Ministry of Works, and they immediately carry out his demands!

If the Ministry of Works dares to delay, Lu Yuan can directly request an audience with the Emperor.

In any case, everything Lu Yuan came here to accomplish today was perfectly resolved.

It was far easier than he had imagined.

Lu Yuan had originally thought he might need to explain things at length.

But he hadn't expected that he wouldn't need to say a word of nonsense.

Even Lu Yuan began to wonder whether the Emperor had truly understood what he had said.

Lu Yuan was quite puzzled.

In the end, the matter was considered finished at ten in the morning.

Lu Yuan and those Ministry of Rites officials withdrew.

As everyone walked along the central axis of the Hall of Supreme Harmony toward the outer palace,

suddenly, a sharp voice rang out from behind:

"Lord Lu, Lord Lu."

"Huh?"

Lu Yuan stopped, stood on the stairs, and looked up at the eunuch high above.

This eunuch is the Grand Eunuch who attends the Emperor, holding a horsetail whisk.

The horsetail whisk in his hand is of special significance—only the Emperor, the Empress, the Empress Dowager, and the eunuchs who attend them are qualified to carry it.

This person is the eunuch who serves before His Majesty.

Lu Yuan, seeing this person, also hurriedly stopped and said respectfully:

"Eunuch, do you still have business?"

Then the eunuch, while walking down the stairs toward Lu Yuan, said:

"Lord Lu, His Majesty suddenly wants to see you; he has you wait at Taihe Hall."

Oh??

Suddenly wants to see me?

Just now, when I was ennobled, His Majesty didn't say anything about wanting to see me.

Why does he suddenly want to see me again now?

Of course, who can guess the emperor's mood?

Stop the nonsense, just follow along.

Then Lu Yuan nodded and followed the grand eunuch toward Taihe Hall.

Upon entering this vast Taihe Hall, there was no sign of His Majesty, not a single person, while Lu Yuan stood dazed.

The grand eunuch then whispered in Lu Yuan's ear:

"Lord Lu, you must kneel and wait."

Lu Yuan startled, then quickly complied.

Half a minute later, a clip-clop of high heels on the golden bricks sounded, approaching from afar.

Hearing that sound, Lu Yuan felt a bit numb.

What??

How come it's high heels??

Is the emperor a woman?

To Lu Yuan, that sound simply awakened a terrifying memory deep in his heart.

This sound especially resembled the noise of a homeroom teacher wearing high heels walking in the hallway during middle and high school.

As it approached from afar to near, when it reached the doorway, the homeroom teacher stood at the door, looking at Lu Yuan and said coldly:

"Lu Yuan, go back at noon and bring your parents!"

The sound of those high heels is truly terrifying.

Lu Yuan didn't know what was happening, didn't dare to look up, and could only kneel with his head lowered.

While Lu Yuan's face was full of bewilderment, a pair of beautiful feet in red high heels stopped before him, only a few centimeters away.

While Lu Yuan's face was full of question marks, an extremely familiar voice, so familiar it couldn't be more familiar, rang out above his head.

"Yo, isn't this my brother Lu? Why are you kneeling before me?"

Lu Yuan:?????

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Don't ask where last chapter went; don't ask, if you ask it's because I fell asleep, ask again and it's because I had something to do.

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(End of chapter)