To Qin San Niang's surprise, Liao Hongying was also a driver! This was quite unexpected.
"Sister-in-law, you are really amazing!" There weren't many women who knew how to drive carriages in this era, especially horse-drawn carriages or oxcarts.
In farming families, livestock are extremely precious, and no one would be willing to let a woman drive them. If a horse is startled, injured, or lost, it would be heartbreaking.
Furthermore, this era was still one of male supremacy and female inferiority, with women having a low social status.
The wealthy and powerful had many carriages, but those who drove them were called "drivers," and it was said that only those who passed rigorous examinations could be qualified. Fatty, for example, only got the opportunity to drive an oxcart because the landlord's family was unceremonious and the young lady favored her.
Hearing her praise, Liao Hongying smiled shyly. Thinking back to her teenage years, she realized she had done much more than just drive carriages; she had even ridden horses at full gallop.
Seeing the light in his wife's eyes, He Yingyuan couldn't help but chuckle. Recalling the past, he remembered his wife still being a young lady in her boudoir; now, it seemed he had married above his station! He only regretted not realizing it then, always believing himself to be exceptionally talented and not particularly interested in this marriage!
Liao Hongying's father was a locksmith in Jingyuan, but he was no ordinary locksmith. Not only did he own the largest lock shop in the county, but he was also an expert in mechanical devices, having apprenticed under a master of mechanical devices from the previous dynasty. He lived a quiet life in a secluded corner entirely because the old man was unwilling to pursue fame and fortune, and yearned for a pastoral life!
Perhaps influenced by her father, Liao Hongying loved various mechanical arts, horseback riding, playing ball, and boating on the lake from a young age, but she was not particularly interested in the arts of playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting that women in their boudoirs should pursue.
He recalled his wife's former charming smile and lively personality, but now she was bent over to make a living, and even had to hide her hobbies because he didn't like them.
In his previous life, she died young. Much later, he happened to meet his brother-in-law and saw her in her youth among some of his wife's personal belongings. What a bright and beautiful woman she was!
In this life, let her be a free and unrestrained woman! Driving a carriage would be a good start.
Returning to Liao Hongying, she felt somewhat embarrassed upon hearing Qin Sanniang's praise. Perhaps she was happy that her husband trusted her completely, or perhaps she envied Qin Sanniang's carefree and easygoing nature; she suddenly felt a surge of pride.
"Third Aunt, I'm also very good at horseback riding. If the children are willing, I can teach them to ride once things settle down!"
"Our Hongying is not only skilled in horsemanship, but also an expert in mechanical arts! Her grandmaster was a master of mechanical arts from the previous dynasty!" A clear, melodious voice rang out, and without a doubt, it was He Yingyuan. To receive praise from him meant that the other party must be very capable!
"Wow, Sister Hongying, you have this skill? That's amazing!" Qin Sanniang clapped her hands and said, looking like a fangirl.
She was genuinely surprised; she never expected that Liao Hongying, who usually kept a low profile, would have such abilities!
No wonder Qin San Niang was so excited; mechanical arts were practically ancient black technology! Using mechanical power to cleverly control things and achieve amazing effects! Thinking of mechanical arts, she could think of the mechanical arts of the Mohists, Lu Ban, Zhuge Liang, and so on. The crossbow she used was actually a kind of mechanical art; if possible, she could ask Liao Hongying to help her modify it into a repeating crossbow, which would be even more powerful! Zhuge Liang's wooden ox and flowing horse were also excellent examples of mechanical arts—masterpieces that amazed the world!
"My husband flatters me too much. I am nowhere near even a tenth as good as my father." Although she said this, Liao Hongying was still very happy that her husband could praise her openly, especially since it was related to their family's ancestral business. She hadn't forgotten that when they first got married, He Yingyuan was very resistant to things made of mechanical arts, considering them to be strange and ingenious skills. He wouldn't even look at the exquisite gadgets that his father sent him.
"Then what about your father, sister-in-law? Did they also flee from the war?" After asking the question, Qin San Niang realized that it was a bit inappropriate. In this day and age, it was questionable whether people could even survive.
Liao Hongying raised her hand to adjust the cloth covering her head, showing no sign of sorrow, but instead said firmly,
“My family home is more than forty miles away from ours. The rebel army came so fast that we don’t know if they escaped. But we agreed beforehand that if anything went wrong, we would go to the Jiangzhou area in the south. If they escaped, they would definitely go south to meet up with us. If you need anything in the future, Third Sister, just ask.”
This topic was rather heavy, but Liao Hongying still chatted with her about some interesting stories about her father. Unexpectedly, Liao Hongying's father was very enthusiastic about making wooden kites, but he had not succeeded in making them until she got married.
A wooden kite—isn't that an airplane? It's practically the ancestor of airplanes! That's a good idea.
“Sister Hongying, what you said is very interesting, especially that wooden kite. I think it's very feasible. If it can be successful, wouldn't traveling a thousand miles a day be a dream come true! The feeling of flying freely in the air would be absolutely wonderful!”
It was simply wonderful! If they could have boarded an airplane from later generations, Qin Sanniang would have been moved to tears. Would they have had to trek south step by step like this? Crossing mountains and valleys, lacking food and clothing—it was truly an inhuman existence. Looking back, Qin Sanniang had to give herself a thumbs up! What kind of spirit was this? It was fearlessness of hardship and fatigue, the sense of mission of revolutionary martyrs who marched 25,000 li! Ah!
Seeing how excited she was, Liao Hongying thought that her father and Qin Sanniang would definitely have a pleasant conversation. Even she found it hard to believe, yet Qin Sanniang firmly believed it, even convinced that the wooden kite would definitely fly!
However, whether she believed it or not was another matter. Being able to support her father like this made Liao Hongying feel that their relationship had taken a step closer! Qin San Niang was no longer the ruthless character who could kill several bandits in the dark without even blinking. To put it bluntly, having witnessed her skills, Liao Hongying was still somewhat afraid of her.
It wasn't until Xiao Hu called for his mother from inside the carriage that Liao Hongying apologized and went to check on the child. Only then did Qin San Niang reluctantly return, realizing with a start that half the afternoon had already passed!
With this groundwork laid, Qin San Niang felt that her settlement plan needed to be changed; she couldn't bear to part with an expert in mechanical arts!
She had a premonition that Liao Hongying's mechanical skills would bring her considerable convenience, whether traveling the martial world or in daily life. Think about it, even grinding tofu requires physical strength, right? Wouldn't it be wonderful if machines could replace that?! Not to mention other things? If her family bought land in the future and they didn't have enough manpower, she would have many books on agricultural machinery, but on her own, she certainly couldn't make even a single part. With Liao Hongying, it would be a different story; these things would be a piece of cake!
She also saw the nine-linked rings that Liao Hongying had made for her eldest son; they were so exquisite! They were no less beautiful than those mass-produced by modern machines!
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