Chapter 45 Baby Stroller
The paper depicts a uniquely shaped four-wheeled cart with a canopy edged with soft gauze. The interior is lined with cushions, and a small, retractable table is located at the front. The cart shafts are curved, suggesting it can be pushed or pulled.
"I just drew this haphazardly," Su Jingyu said with a slightly embarrassed smile. "Thinking that Yu'er is growing up and it's getting heavy to carry him all the time, wouldn't it be convenient to have a light stroller with a soft cushion, providing shade in the summer and protection from the wind in the rain, so that he could move around the palace? I think the sedan chairs we have in the palace are all too bulky..."
As she spoke, her eyes sparkled with intelligence, and her fingertips lightly traced patterns on the blueprint: "We could add a hidden compartment here to store some small items, and here... perhaps we could even make a foldable mechanism..."
Xiao Jingzhan stared at the blueprints, then looked up at her cheeks, slightly flushed with excitement, a flash of amazement in his eyes. His darling always managed to surprise him. Such ingenuity, both practical and thoughtful, was far beyond the capabilities of ordinary young ladies.
He reached out and pulled her close, taking her hand that held the pen in his. He rubbed his fingertips, which were stained with ink, and chuckled softly, "My dear Yu'er, you're always so skillful. This carriage is ingeniously designed and meticulously planned, far superior to those old-fashioned people in the Ministry of Works."
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, his breath warm: "My dear, what other wonderful ideas do you have? Draw them out, and I'll have the best craftsmen from the Imperial Workshop make them for you. Not to mention a baby carriage, even if you want to build a flying pavilion, I'll find someone to build it for you."
Su Jingyu felt her ears burning from his praise and her heart filled with sweetness. She leaned on his shoulder and said softly, "Your Highness is just teasing me... I was just thinking that Yu'er would be more comfortable using it."
"It is truly wonderful." Xiao Jingzhan said solemnly, gently lifting her chin with his fingertips and looking into her clear eyes. "My Yu'er is the most intelligent and beautiful woman in this world." He spoke these words with utmost seriousness, with undisguised pride and doting affection.
He immediately summoned He Yong, handed him the blueprints, and instructed, "Send them to the Imperial Workshop immediately, and order the head of the workshop to personally supervise their construction. Use the finest wood and meticulously follow the lady's blueprints. Make sure everything inside the carriage is made of the softest brocade and silk floss, without any mistakes."
He Yong accepted the blueprints with both hands and respectfully agreed.
After the palace servants left, Xiao Jingzhan turned his attention back to Su Jingyu. He wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her nose. "Are you tired? How about having some snacks with me?" He emphasized the word "snacks," which carried an unmistakable ambiguity and deep meaning.
Su Jingyu was taken aback at first, then met the undisguised desire surging in his deep eyes, her cheeks flushed red, and even her ears turned crimson.
She naturally understood what he meant. She recalled how she had been deeply moved by his transfer of her father to the capital and his meticulous planning for her, and the "compensation" she had promised him in his ear... Her heart skipped a beat.
"Your Highness..." She wanted to hide in embarrassment, but he held her firmly in his arms, leaving her nowhere to escape. She could only bury her burning cheeks in the crook of his neck, her voice soft and barely audible, tinged with a coquettish reproach, "In broad daylight... and Yu'er just fell asleep..."
"It's alright," Xiao Jingzhan chuckled, his chest vibrating with pleasure. His burning lips were already pressed against her sensitive earlobe, gently sucking on her soft earlobe, causing her to tremble. "I've been waiting for this 'compensation' for a long time... My dear, are you trying to renege on your promise today?"
As he spoke, he picked her up and strode towards the bed deep inside the room, where silk curtains hung.
Su Jingyu gasped softly, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck, her eyes filled with shyness and indulgence.
She tore open her clothes, revealing her snow-white breasts. What caught the eye was that the fabric around her breasts was slightly damp, and a faint scent of milk mixed with her usual sweet fragrance wafted into her nostrils.
The prince's breathing suddenly became heavy.
His eyes quickly became bloodshot, his gaze so intense it almost burned. Before Yu'er could react, he had already bent down to inhale...
"Your Highness..." Yu'er called softly, her hand instinctively running through his hair.
"Be good." His voice was terribly hoarse, muffled as it was buried in her neck.
Yu'er lowered her eyes, looking at the Crown Prince who was usually so aloof and self-possessed, whom the court officials both respected and feared, yet at this moment...
—If those old ministers who are always trembling with fear and trying to guess the emperor's intentions were to see His Highness the Crown Prince in such a state of disarray, they would probably be so shocked that their eyes would pop out.
A few days later, the Imperial Workshop indeed presented the Crown Prince with an exquisitely crafted baby carriage.
The carriage is made of rosewood, polished to a smooth and warm finish. The canopy is covered with a soft, light blue gauze, adorned with delicate pearl tassels. The interior is lined with thick, soft cloud-silk cushions and features hidden compartments and retractable small tables. The carriage shafts are cleverly designed, allowing it to be pushed or pulled by eunuchs, making it both lightweight and stable.
Upon seeing this novel object, the young imperial grandson Xiao Chengyu stretched out his little hand, babbling excitedly. His wet nurse placed him in the stroller and pushed him a few steps in the spacious courtyard of the Liuli Pavilion. The little guy was overjoyed, waving his arms and legs and giggling, his big, dark eyes full of curiosity.
Crown Prince Xiao Jingzhan and Su Jingyu often accompanied their son, watching him sleep peacefully or babble in the car, enjoying the pleasure of taking care of their child.
The sun shone brightly that afternoon. Yu'er, just awakened and full of energy, was being pushed around by her wet nurse in a stroller under the crabapple tree in the courtyard. Her little hands gripped the drooping branches, and she babbled incessantly. Xiao Jingzhan and Su Jingyu sat side by side on the balustrade under the eaves, watching the heartwarming scene before them, their eyes softening with tenderness.
"The craftsman's skills are so exquisite." Su Jingyu looked at her son's happy expression and turned to Xiao Jingzhan with a smile.
Xiao Jingzhan took her hand and gently stroked it in his palm, his gaze tender: "It's your clever idea that's so good." He loved seeing her happy.
At this moment, He Yong led two ministers dressed in the uniforms of the Ministry of War, their expressions respectful yet solemn, over. They stopped at a distance and bowed in greeting.
"Your Highness, Zhang, the Director of the Arsenal Department of the Ministry of War, and Li, the Assistant Director, request an audience to discuss the blueprints for the newly designed crossbows and matters related to their manufacture."
Xiao Jingzhan frowned slightly and patted Su Jingyu's hand: "I'll be right back." He then stood up and sat down at a stone table not far away. He Yong immediately ordered someone to set out the maps and scrolls.
Su Jingyu didn't want to disturb them and continued watching her son play. But the evening breeze carried the faint sound of their conversation over.
"...Your Highness, according to the blueprints, this new crossbow has a range and power that far surpasses the old crossbow. However, the mechanism is too complicated, and even the crossbow bolts require extremely high quality. The yield rate is too low, and the craftsmen take too long to complete. I'm afraid it will be difficult to equip the army on a large scale..." The voice of the physician Zhang was filled with difficulty.
"There's also the crossbow's balance. According to this diagram, after continuous firing, the vibration is too great, affecting accuracy..." Li Yuanwailang added.
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