Epilogue 02: The Little Thing Called Invention
Epilogue 02: The Little Thing Called Invention
In the vast Su mansion, Su Shi remained in Yunzhou while Su Xun went to work at the government office. Su Xun was initially worried about leaving Su Zhen alone at home to deal with troublesome relatives. It was only after Su Zhen repeatedly assured him that he would be alright that the father finally went to work, looking back every few steps.
"May I ask, what wrong do you, the Cheng family, think I have done?"
The Cheng family members who were staying at the Su residence were stunned by the word "朕" (the imperial "I") used to address them.
Isn't the word "朕" (zhen, meaning "I" or "the emperor") reserved for the emperor? But the young boy before me...?
They looked around blankly, hoping someone would answer their questions. During this process, Fusu was frequently glanced at, but he made no move to speak.
He disliked the rigid hierarchical system of rulers and subjects, but that didn't mean he was ignorant of it. After all, he had lived two lifetimes as a figure from ancient times. Offering explanations was not something a person in a position of power should do.
Su Zhen, however, showed great mercy: "When His Majesty goes north to offer sacrifices to Heaven, he will abdicate the throne to His Highness the Crown Prince."
So, what appears before you now is a genuine minor official.
The Cheng family: "..."
This group of people fantasizes about the heavens, constantly accusing the imperial family of being ignorant and interfering in their commoners' weddings and funerals. But when the real emperor actually appears, even if it's just a miniature version, they stammer and can't utter a single word for a long time.
That's it?
Fusu raised an eyebrow and chose to take the initiative: "I heard that you are dissatisfied with Su Zhen being granted the title of Lady of the County and have come to Bianjing specifically to demand an explanation. Is this true?"
"No, no..."
"So you've come to the capital to get married?" Fusu said again, "If so, I can bestow a mansion upon the princess so that you two can live there after your marriage, which would be a beautiful story."
Logically speaking, Su Zhenyun, being unmarried, should have avoided hearing others discuss her marriage. At the very least, she should have feigned shyness. But she showed none of that; her pupils trembled incessantly. Clearly, she was deeply shocked by the words "wife and husband."
She wasn't worried at all that the Cheng family would readily agree. Knowing them as she did, she knew it was impossible.
really.
"No! This is not right!"
This time, the Cheng family head's refusal was louder than before. Not only did the words "husband and wife" pierce his heart, but "a beautiful story"—wouldn't that mean they'd lose face all the way from Bianjing back to Meishan?
His lips trembled: "Your Highness, my niece and my son have been childhood sweethearts, deeply in love..."
"So that's why I'm going to accomplish something good." Fusu blinked. "Or do you think that a fourth-rank county princess bestowed by the court is not good enough for you, a member of the Cheng family?"
This was no small matter, but the Cheng family members all simply lowered their heads and said indifferently, "This humble subject dares not." Their voices were even lower than when they had just said, "This matter is unacceptable." Their true thoughts were evident.
They genuinely believed that a fourth-rank county princess, a promising inventor, was a woman they should marry and bring home as their daughter-in-law, to become an adornment for the Cheng family.
Fusu almost laughed out of anger.
He glanced at the somewhat flustered Su Zhen, cleared his throat, and asked, "May I ask if the Cheng family scion has any official rank or title?"
The head of the Cheng family said, "We just passed the preliminary examination for the imperial examination last year."
Fusu: "?"
Why do I seem so proud?
"That means you're still two entrance exams away from becoming an official, and four more to becoming a government official in the capital." He bluntly pointed this out, then glanced at Su Zhen, the implication of which was self-evident.
Why do you feel that you are good enough for someone else?
What does a fourth-rank official mean? Su Shi, as the prefectural judge of Yunzhou, a crucial prefecture, was only a fifth-rank official. If Su Zhen were to return to Meishan, the prefect of Sichuan would have to greet her with the utmost courtesy. For ordinary scholars and students, getting an audience with her was virtually impossible; they would have to pull strings and rely on connections at every level.
The reason the Cheng family can stand in the same room with her today and talk amicably is because of the kinship between the two families; otherwise, they wouldn't even be able to see her.
"However, I have heard that when Lord Su Xun was not well-known in his early years, he became famous in his hometown for his work 'On the Faults of Qin'. I wonder what about your son, and whether he has any similar works that I may have a look at?"
"...Not yet."
“Well, he’s still young after all,” Fusu said.
"However, the princess has already been featured in the 'Seeking Knowledge Daily,' and the editor-in-chief plans to write another book about her. She will soon be famous throughout the world."
Upon hearing this, Su Zhen felt as if he were being burned through by the jealous gazes of the Cheng father and son.
Scholars in this world seek nothing more than fame and fortune. If one could console oneself that her title of "County Lady" was obtained through "extraordinary and cunning skills," through unorthodox means, then what about the treatment of being publicly acclaimed at such a young age?
The Cheng family can no longer deceive themselves.
Moreover, the person who wrote Su Zhenshu's biography was the editor-in-chief of the "Seeking Knowledge" newspaper, a scholar who was as orthodox as could be. Such connections were so easily obtained by her.
Never before had the Cheng family understood more clearly that they and Su Zhen belonged to two different circles. The only way to curry favor with her was to reluctantly allow their son to marry into her family. The price was becoming a notorious laughingstock.
The head of the Cheng family glanced at his son and gritted his teeth, saying, "Then let those two kids have them..."
He just couldn't bring himself to say the words "husband and wife".
“Your Majesty, I do not wish to,” Su Zhen said.
She remained quiet and unassuming, almost unnoticed. The opposition had always been between Fusu and the Cheng family. But her words were like a silent thunderclap, completely refuting the Cheng family's self-righteous notion of "sacrifice."
“My cousin and I have known each other since childhood. Rather than letting him marry into the family, which will inevitably lead to resentment over time, it is better for us to compromise and preserve our kinship.”
Tsk tsk.
Fusu sighed inwardly: As expected of Su Zhen. Even his excuse for refusing was so elegant.
His gaze swept over the Cheng family members, who seemed not to have recovered yet, or perhaps they were weighing whether marrying into the family or, as Su Zhen had said, the benefits were greater.
But Fusu didn't give them time to react.
“That’s excellent,” he said.
A gentleman's word is as good as his bond. Especially when it's the first decree from a newly appointed emperor. Anyone who disobeys should consider whether they can withstand the first three swift actions of a new ruler.
At the very least, the Cheng family cannot withstand it.
They reluctantly obeyed the imperial decree. Even though Su Xun and Su Zhen politely invited them to stay in the capital, they felt extremely uncomfortable, as if everyone in Bianjing was mocking them. People would point and whisper about them wherever they went.
Within three days, they slunk back to Meizhou.
The Cheng family's delusion of being ridiculed was not unfounded. After obtaining Su Zhen's consent, Fu Su released this series of events as gossip.
If the news that "a young woman of noble birth was granted the title of Lady of the County for her invention" was merely eye-catching, then the news that "a young woman of noble birth broke off her engagement with her cousin because of her Lady of the County title" was enough to pique people's interest. This news, coupled with the publication of the "Seeking Knowledge Daily," completely ignited the enthusiasm of the people of Bianjing.
When they discussed the matter, some felt sorry for the Cheng family, only to be countered with, "You should be grateful to have a relative who's a fourth-rank official." Others thought that a perfectly respectable man had fallen so low as to have to marry into the family. But what if the woman he married was a noblewoman with an official title and rank?
In round after round of discussions, the idea that "inventions and creations can lead to official appointments" was mentioned again and again, eventually becoming an ideological imprint etched into people's minds.
This was Fusu's true purpose.
The time it took to reap the rewards was much faster than he had imagined.
Three months later, in a cotton spinning factory equipped with a new type of loom, a female worker accidentally invented the "flying shuttle" while spinning cotton thread with a wooden stick.
She immediately reported it to her superiors, but the factory owner concealed it and tried to claim it as his own. However, when the official personally inspected the factory, the female worker exposed the factory owner's lie on the spot and revealed the idea and process behind her invention.
The minor official immediately solved the case and, after clarifying the facts, was overjoyed. He highly praised the female worker and immediately bestowed upon her the title of "County Lady." He also ordered Shen Kuo, the editor-in-chief of the "Seeking Knowledge" newspaper, to write a biography for her.
"..."
"What about us? Do we have a chance?" Yan Jidao and Li Qiu asked.
Fusu looked at his two former friends from Zishantang and grinned: "You called me out here just for this?"
"Mmm." The two nodded in unison.
Fusu was both amused and exasperated. Was it fate? The Jenny had barely arrived in the Song Dynasty when the flying shuttle appeared. However, in the original history, because their processes were interconnected, their appearances were not far apart. The emergence of one spurred the birth of the other.
But now, why are there lighters too? And they even have ceramic casings. Compared to the usual plastic or metal casings, this one has a more antique feel.
...No, it's even more incongruous now.
Fusu's long silence clearly led to a misunderstanding among his former friends. They exchanged glances for a moment, then Yan Jidao spoke quickly: "We don't know what use this thing could possibly be... If it doesn't bring a title, that's fine, just being featured in the *Seeking Knowledge Daily* once would be good. If not, we'll..."
“Go ahead, go ahead,” Fusu said. “I also want to know how you managed to put it together.”
My goodness! It was actually His Highness, no, His Majesty himself, who conducted the interview!
Li Qiu and Yan Jidao's eyes lit up. They clasped hands tightly, clearly overjoyed by the good news.
As Fusu smiled at his old friends, something else was on his mind.
He had a clear premonition that once his incentives were realized, the amount of material in "Dream Pool Essays" would far exceed Shen Kuo's expectations in the near future.
We need to remind him to find Bi Sheng quickly, otherwise in a few years, movable type printing will be outdated and what will happen then?
besides……
The spinning jenny, the flying shuttle, and the lighter have all appeared. Wouldn't it be a shame if he didn't try to invent the steam engine now?
Author's Note: [Dog head with rose in hand]
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