Develop waterwheel

Tang Feng stood up, looked at the villagers working, stretched, and said, "Alright! I should get back to work too." He went back inside, and before closing the door, he repeatedly told Liu Yiwan, "I'm telling you, I'm very busy and need to concentrate fully. You absolutely, positively, absolutely do not let that annoying person in, understand? I don't want to get sick again."

Liu Yiwan nodded. "Young Master, don't you trust me?" She put her hands on her hips and stood at the door like a bodyguard. Before Tang Feng closed the door, he whispered, "Also... don't let her spout nonsense anymore. With so many people in the delegation listening to her rambling every day, I'm afraid her loud voice could carry all the way back to Xiling."

Tang Feng closed the door and sat down at the table. The Tengli River was somewhat unique; it didn't have many branches downstream. He would have to create branches himself, having the villagers dig pits to plant rice. The water needed to be flowing, not stagnant, and needed to be kept circulating. However… this wasn't modern times; he couldn't find pipes. He remembered seeing a waterwheel when he went back to his hometown with his grandmother. It was an ancient waterwheel used for irrigation, carved from wood, heavy at the back and light at the front, drawing water like a pump, producing a rapid flow. Trying to build one seemed quite feasible. Tang Feng drew the blueprints for the waterwheel from memory and then made modifications step by step.

Seven or eight days later, Tang Feng summoned Liu Yiwan. "Liu Yiwan, I've finished the drawing. Take this to the best craftsman's shop in town. Make sure you recreate it step by step, exactly as shown in the drawing. If you make a mistake, the Qianghu Khan will be beheaded, and you'll be the first one." Liu Yiwan touched his neck and trembled as he smiled at Tang Feng, "Young Master, Young Master, don't worry."

Just as Liu Yiwan stepped out, Tang Feng saw Haqiya running towards him. Startled, Tang Feng slammed the door shut, only to hear a loud "bang." Haqiya screamed and kicked the door open, yelling, "You, Tang Feng! Taking revenge, huh! Why did you close the door?!" Haqiya rubbed her reddened forehead. Tang Feng shrugged, "Princess, how was I supposed to know what you were up to? You pounced on me like a hungry wolf, and I'm not allowed to defend myself? The way you're acting..." Tang Feng sized Haqiya up and down, casually moving towards the doorway. "She'll probably never get married in her life." With that, Tang Feng took off running, his speed no less than that of a track and field athlete from his university days.

Hachia was stunned for a moment before she reacted, then pulled out her whip and chased after Tang Feng, yelling, "Tang Feng! You shameless bastard, how dare you insult me!"

Tang Feng ran a few steps and blended into the crowd digging the land by the river. Hands behind his back, he pretended to inspect the work. The villagers had mixed opinions about Tang Feng; some called him a god who would bring blessings to the Qiang and Hu people, while others called him a devil for speaking disrespectfully to the Khan and trying to steal their Ayi Harbor. But Tang Feng didn't care about any of that. All he cared about was when he could go back. Back in college, his childhood friend Li Hang had explained to him the heart-wrenching pain of long-distance relationships, but he hadn't understood it then. Now he did… and the feeling was just too unforgettable!

Tang Feng squatted to one side, watching the women washing clothes by the river. The old woman saw Tang Feng and smiled, "Lord Tang, here to inspect the work again?"

Tang Feng nodded, then helped the old woman pick up her clothes. "Where do you live? I'll take you home."

"No, that won't do! I can do it myself!" The old woman tried to take it, but Tang Feng refused. "It's alright! I can do it, Grandma..." Tang Feng deliberately lowered his voice, pretending to be a little troubled. "Grandma... I'm being chased." He then pointed to Hachiya, who was holding a whip and looking furious in the crowd. "Let me take you back! I can hide for a while."

"Oh dear! Why is it still like this! She doesn't dare to come. She went with her mother-in-law. Let's see what she can do to this old woman. You are a lucky star for us Qiang and Hu people. You have done so many things for us. My old man said that you came all the way from Yan and Yun to bring us good fortune."

Seeing that Haqiya was about to find him, Tang Feng quickly shoved the clothes into the old woman's hands. "Grandma, you should go back now! I just remembered I have something to do." Without waiting for a reply, he took off running. "That little devil, he's like a ghost!" Tang Feng was panting heavily as he ran, then sat down on a haystack, catching his breath. "Sigh! If this gets back to Xiling... how am I going to explain this to Ziliang!" Tang Feng fidgeted with his fingers. "I thought I was just out having fun, but... this is too much!" Tang Feng scattered the weeds everywhere and lay down weakly on the haystack, his hands dangling down. Liu Yiwan returned and saw Tang Feng lying there, saying, "Young Master, I've distributed everything according to your instructions. There won't be any mistakes."

"you are awesome...."

Seeing Tang Feng's listless appearance, Liu Yiwan frowned. "Young Master, why are you so listless again? Are you sick again? Please don't! You've been away from the Qiang and Hu tribes for only a few days and you've fallen ill twice. If the young marquis finds out, he'll kill me!"

"Get out... Don't mention Zhou Ziliang to me!" Tang Feng closed his eyes, rolled over, and turned his back to Liu Yiwan. Seeing this, Liu Yiwan also rolled over and climbed onto the haystack. "Young Master... you're not missing the young marquis, are you? You've been in Qianghu for so long and haven't sent him a single letter. The young marquis must be worried sick." Liu Yiwan's reminder made Tang Feng sit up abruptly. "Damn it! Why didn't you say so earlier? It's been five or six months and I haven't sent him a single letter. It's over, it's over! If we go back to Xiling, and word gets out about Haqiya's affair, plus I haven't sent a single letter, what will Ziliang think of me?!" Tang Feng rested his chin on his hand and looked at Liu Yiwan. "What should I do! What should I do!"

"Young Master... you can still write it now... it's not too late. Regarding the little princess... confess and you'll be treated leniently; resist and you'll be punished severely, do you understand?"

"Then what are you standing there for! Get a pen and paper!"

Tang Feng, pen in hand, pondered for a long time, "What should I write?!" He planned to spill the beans so Zhou Ziliang would think him innocent. Tang Feng wrote several hundred words and handed them to Liu Yiwan, saying, "Get this out of here! You have to peek at it, you hear me?" Liu Yiwan readily agreed. Reaching the corner and seeing no one around, she secretly peeked at the letter: "Ziliang, greetings. Butterflies come and the wind blows gracefully, but people leave and the moon shines listlessly." Liu Yiwan quickly closed the letter, shuddering. "My God! That's so cheesy! I shouldn't have read it."

The letter was sent, but who knows how long it would take to get a reply? Ancient times were so inconvenient! In modern society, a simple text message would suffice. But since it's already been sent, let's just wait for Zhou Ziliang's reply! Tang Feng sat on a haystack, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth. Just then, Haqiya came up. Seeing Tang Feng sitting there, she bent down, panting, "Tang Feng, are you a rabbit?! You run so fast! Today, I'll whip you to the heavens and show you the way we grassland women tame our husbands!"

The whip was raised, but Haqiya was taken aback when she saw that Tang Feng didn't speak or run away. "You... why aren't you running? Are you sick again? You're so fussy. Let me check on you." She was about to step forward when Tang Feng, holding a branch, pressed it against Haqiya's stomach, stopping her. "I'm not sick, I'm perfectly fine! How do you grassland people usually celebrate?"

"Celebrate? We Qiang and Hu people hold bonfires at night, dance with our loved ones, drink milk wine, eat roasted meat, and also have horse races at night to compete for the Wumosi. Ah! The Wumosi is what you Central Plains people call a lantern."

"That's quite a lively occasion. Go tell the villagers that the waterwheel is under construction and will be finished in a few days. Everyone can have a good celebration today and have some fun."

"Great! I love excitement, I'll go tell them now!" Haqiya tucked her whip into her waistband, turned, and ran off. Tang Feng breathed a sigh of relief when she was gone, finally getting rid of this troublesome girl. After getting off the haystack, Tang Feng headed back, and on the way, he ran into the villagers who had heard about the celebration. The Qiang and Hu villagers were simple and warm-hearted; carrying hammers, they put their arms around Tang Feng's shoulders and called him brother.

As soon as it got dark, the villagers lit a bonfire and pulled Tang Feng into a circle to dance. Tang Feng took a sip of the milk wine the villagers poured for him; it was incredibly creamy. He usually drank Yan Yun sake and had never tasted anything made with milk before. It was his first time, and it was quite intoxicating. Qin Liuliu followed Tang Feng around, insisting on having a taste. Tang Feng took a chopstick, dipped a few drops of wine in it, and fed it to Qin Liuliu. "That's enough. Smack your lips and savor the taste. Don't tell your sister when you get back, understand?"

Qin Liuliu didn't even get a taste of it, and hearing everyone around her praising the wine, she couldn't help but pout, "My brother went to brothels when he was sixteen! Why can't I lick some wine when I'm sixteen?"

"Hey, who told you that? I was perfectly serious back then, you know."

"That's what my godfather said."

"So what? You've even learned to threaten people now." Tang Feng tapped Qin Liuliu's forehead with his chopsticks. "Your sister doesn't care about me, but she cares about you! When your sister finds out, she'll definitely scold you."

"Hmph! Fine, I won't drink then! I'll tell my sister-in-law later that my brother bullied me!"

"Oh my, who raised you?! How did you end up in cahoots with Zhou Ziliang?" Tang Feng downed his drink in one gulp, a slight blush creeping onto his face. Looking at the dancing villagers, he couldn't help but smile. "This... is quite nice too."

"Tang Feng, dance with me!" Hachiya sidled up to Tang Feng, but he pushed her back. "No, I don't dance. Get out of the way!"

"Oh dear! You said you wanted to celebrate, but then you said you weren't going to dance."

"I'm celebrating because I feel everyone's been really tired lately! Not because I want to dance, Princess! Can you please stop misinterpreting me like that?" Tang Feng rubbed his throbbing temples. "Fine, I'm going back."

"Tang Feng, you stand right there! I just don't understand, I have status, I have beauty, in what way am I inferior to your wife!" Haqiya stomped her feet, her teeth itching with anger. She had been pampered since childhood, her father would even pluck the moon from her hand if she wanted it; she had never suffered such humiliation.

“Princess…it’s different. In this life…it’s him I can’t live without. Even if he’s just a country bumpkin, it doesn’t matter.”