Three days later.

Guan Zhiyue locked herself in her study, diligently drawing blueprints and designing a waterwheel to be built entirely of wood.

Such waterwheels could solve the water supply problem for the terraced fields on the barren land. By using bamboo poles that had been split in half as early water pipes, water could be drawn to the higher terraced fields.

Otherwise, the terraced fields would be too high to supply water. But with this waterwheel tool, and by connecting the bamboo poles together, the height would be sufficient, and the water would flow along the bamboo poles to the terraced fields that need irrigation.

Then water is released from the openings at the top, so that there will be a continuous flow of water in the entire terraced field, which can also irrigate the land below.

This was the conclusion Guan Zhiyue had reached after thinking about it for the past few days, so now she just wanted to finish making the waterwheel as soon as possible so that water could be brought to the top of the terraced fields.

——

"Bilian, bilian..."

Guan Zhiyue rushed out of the study with the blueprints in her hand and shouted towards the yard. Bilian ran over from not far away.

"Your Highness, what has happened to me here?" Bilian asked breathlessly as she looked at her gesturing wildly.

Guan Zhiyue handed the blueprints to Bilian and then instructed, "Go to Xiao Dezi and go to the Imperial Workshop. Ask the craftsmen there to make this waterwheel for me as soon as possible according to the blueprints. Our terraced fields are waiting for this to bring water to them."

Bilian carefully took the blueprint and opened it to see a complete waterwheel diagram. The waterwheel was about ten meters tall, with many small planks around it. Below was a frame that held the large disc-like object. Water flowed out from the small planks and was then diverted away by a long device.

"Your Majesty, what is this thing called?"

"Waterwheel".

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"Your Majesty, can this really draw water?" Bilian asked in shock.

Guan Zhiyue nodded, then said firmly, "Okay, hurry up and take people there, otherwise it will delay our rice planting time."

"Yes, this servant will go right away."

Bilian took the blueprints and happily headed towards the back mountain to find Grandpa Xiaodezi.

Guan Zhiyue took a deep breath and twisted her body. She hadn't exercised properly in a long time, and although she hadn't experienced any rebound, she still felt uncomfortable all over.

She had originally planned to dig ditches to divert water, but then she realized that this method might not be able to irrigate the terraced fields on higher ground. So she racked her brains for two nights before coming up with the idea of ​​using a waterwheel. In the end, she didn't manage to dig the ditches, but she did manage to clean up the lotus pond in the backyard.

...

"Your Majesty, you've arrived! The pond is almost cleaned up, and the stones you mentioned have also been found. Once the silt in the pond is cleared out, we can begin repairs." The young eunuch respectfully reported on the progress of the work.

Guan Zhiyue frowned slightly in displeasure; the smell of the rotting mud in the pond was truly awful.

“Be careful, everyone. This smell is terrible. Take all this silt to the back of the mountain to fertilize the land.”

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"After this pond is cleaned up, quickly lay down the stones, then bring in fresh water, and spread the clay I gave you underneath. Also, make sure to leave an opening for changing the water, and make sure there is very little silt."

"Yes, Your Majesty, please rest assured."

Guan Zhiyue nodded. She hadn't bought any river mussel seedlings yet, so she could only prepare everything needed for raising river mussels first. She planned to raise them with some small fish so that she wouldn't have to worry about the mussels not having food.

Meanwhile, Lan Shanqi was tasked with handling things outside the palace. She also wanted to experiment within the palace to see if it would work. Her plan was to add some spiritual spring water to ensure the survival rate of the river mussels.

However, on the other side of the Imperial Study...

"Your Majesty, this is the blueprint that Your Majesty just sent. She has ordered the palace workers in the Manufacturing Department to make this waterwheel." A man who looked to be about forty years old, dressed in a dark blue official robe, was kneeling respectfully before the Emperor, holding a large stack of blueprints high in his hands.

Hua Quan took the blueprints from the kneeling man and unfolded them one by one. At first, he didn't feel anything because he didn't understand what they were for. But the more he looked, the more shocked he became.

The expression on the first drawing is like this: '_(|3」∠)_'

The expression on the second drawing is like this '(⊙_⊙)?'

The expression on the third drawing is like this: '(ΩДΩ)'

The expression on the fourth drawing is like this: 'ヾ(?°?°?)??'

Then everyone in the imperial study watched their emperor's expression change endlessly, and finally he suddenly stood up from the dragon throne. They were simply too shocked, too amazing, and too admiring.

"Minister Yang, get up and answer quickly."

Yang Ming got up from the ground, bowed his head, clasped his hands in a fist and replied, "Yes, thank you, Your Majesty."

"You said the Empress gave you this blueprint. Have you seen it? Is it really as powerful as the Empress described, capable of drawing water and irrigating farmland?" Li Qiji paced back and forth, clutching the blueprint in his hand, his heart overflowing with joy.

Yang Ming respectfully replied, "Yes, in my humble opinion, the waterwheel that Your Majesty painted can indeed draw water to irrigate farmland."

Li Qiji seemed to have heard an unbelievable answer, and after looking around for a while, he finally instructed, "Alright, then Minister Yang, hurry up and make the waterwheel that the Empress needs."

"Go back and find the materials first. When we go to court tomorrow, I will show this drawing to all the officials and we will discuss whether it can be promoted among the people."

Yang Ming respectfully clasped his hands in a salute and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will go back to prepare now. Please let me see the blueprints again and tell me what materials are needed."

Li Qiji handed the blueprints to Yang Ming, telling him to take a good look at what materials he needed to prepare first, and then go back to prepare the materials. He would give Yang Ming the blueprints again the next day, and Yang Ming would start making the product step by step according to the blueprints.

After Yang Ming left, the emperor was still unable to calm down. He was simply too shocked. His empress was truly his lucky star. This was a good thing that would benefit the country and the people. He was simply too surprised.

"Hua Quan, what has the Empress been doing lately?"

Hua Quan said, "Your Majesty, it seems that the Empress has been busy with that barren mountain behind her lately. I heard a few days ago that the Empress was going to experiment with two rice crops and said that she wanted all the people of Nanding Kingdom to be able to eat white rice."

"What, is that really true?"

"I only heard about it, and I don't know the specifics," Hua Quan said.

Li Qiji was so shocked that he couldn't be more shocked than before. He was trying his best to control himself so as not to appear too shocked.

However, Guan Zhiyue, confined to the cold palace, had no idea what was happening in the imperial study. Her mind was completely preoccupied with calculating the planting time, the steps for cultivating river mussels, and waiting for Lan Shanqi to open his shop outside...