Chapter 127 Zheng He's Voyages
Su Jun and several artisans finally overcame the technical difficulties of their water puppet show a few months ago; the next step is to implement it.
He originally planned to find a building in Zone 5 or Zone 3 to convert into a water puppet theater, which would reduce the cost. However, after Lu Xiaoqi and the others saw it, they decided to allocate the waterside pavilion next to the dock to him, which also included a section of the lake.
For the past few months, they have been working with an external mechanical equipment company to renovate this area, turning it into a water puppet theater.
Lu Xiaoqi led the three of them into the waterside pavilion.
"What is water puppetry?" Sun Wei asked curiously.
Lu Xiaoqi tilted her head, frowned, and thought for a moment about how to describe it. Just then, she heard a gentle and refined voice coming from behind her, like a spring stream:
"Water puppetry is simply a puppet show performed on water. But instead of people directly holding the puppets, the puppets are made to move by the power of the water. It was a very popular show in the Song Dynasty."
Lu Xiaoqi looked up and saw that it was indeed Su Jun.
She raised her eyebrows: "Why did you come out?"
Shouldn't he be in the control room or backstage?
“They don’t need me over there anymore,” Su Jun smiled. “The mechanisms and programs are all set up, and the masters are all in place. The rest is up to them. Today, I’ll be an audience member and see how the performance actually goes.”
Today is the trial run.
Lu Xiaoqi nodded knowingly.
Su Jun gestured for them to enter, saying to Zhou Tianran and the other two, "We've reserved the best seats for you."
The three chuckled at each other and followed Lu Xiaoqi to the front seats of the pavilion. Zhou Tianran then realized that the pavilion was fan-shaped, offering a view of the lake from every direction.
The venue wasn't very large, but it looked quite exquisite.
Their seats were like those in a private box, quite far from the crowd, offering both tranquility and a panoramic view of the entire lake.
Li Ting looked at the lake curiously: "Will the performance be on this lake later?"
Su Jun nodded and explained to them in detail: "This lake looks very ordinary, but in fact, a lot of machinery and gears have been installed underwater. When the performance begins, they will emerge from the water and lift up the puppets and boats."
"That sounds very interesting." Zhou Tianran was very supportive, but then, recalling what he had just said, he couldn't help but have some doubts, "Such an ingenious machine existed hundreds of years ago?"
Su Jun was clearly reminded of the past by her question, a smile playing on his lips: "Back then, in the Jinming Pond of the Imperial Garden in Bianjing, the water puppets were the grand finale spectacle. The puppeteers used waterwheels for power and bamboo dragons, winches, and gears for transmission... The puppets could pour wine by themselves, fish, and even dance with swords."
Not only did the emperor love to watch it, but the common people did too, although the scale of the spectacle was not as grand as that in the imperial garden.
Lu Xiaoqi had also done her research and added, "The Southern Song Dynasty book 'Menglianglu' wrote that people in the capital 'achieved divine skill with puppets, and the art of all kinds of performances reached its peak,' which means that these things are so lifelike that they are like divine skills."
That was an era when scholars loved elegance and craftsmen possessed ingenuity.
Zhou Tianran joked, "What, you've become a semi-expert too?"
The other two gave a meaningful "Oh~~~".
Lu Xiaoqi glared at her, then secretly pinched her.
Su Jun, of course, didn't miss these little squabbles between girls, but he couldn't bear to see Lu Xiaoqi embarrassed, so he used a small wooden puppet he always carried with him to help her out. The puppet was about a foot tall, carved with flowing clothes, vivid features, and a thin rod attached to its feet.
"Look, this is a staff puppet. Someone underwater manipulates its main staff, allowing it to move freely on the surface. There's also a more complex one called a 'firework puppet,' which combines water, fire, and fireworks. Today is the Little New Year; you can see it tonight after the grand parade of the gods..."
He explained the different types of puppets to the group in detail, and not only them, but also several foreigners sitting nearby gathered around.
They had a tour guide with them, and the guide had been listening intently ever since Su Jun described the grand spectacle of puppetry in the Song Dynasty, then translating for the foreigners next to him. The foreigners nodded repeatedly and whispered among themselves.
After listening, the tour guide mustered up the courage to strike up a conversation:
"Handsome guy, doesn't this look a bit like the hydraulic theaters of the European Renaissance?"
Su Jun raised his eyebrows slightly, and the tour guide immediately pointed to a foreigner with gray hair next to him and said, "My tourists said that this sounds somewhat similar to something in their history."
“They’re somewhat similar, but not exactly the same.” Su Jun wasn’t displeased. “Both rely on water power and machinery, but the performance styles are different. The water puppets of the Northern Song Dynasty mainly used puppets to complete the performance, such as the white-robed fisherman, where the puppets could catch live fish. In contrast, European water-powered mechanical theaters mostly utilized the terrain and could be considered part of the garden.”
The tour guide nodded repeatedly as he listened, then turned to speak to the tourists.
When Lu Xiaoqi heard him add, "The main period of the Northern Song Dynasty was the 10th and 11th centuries AD, while the Renaissance mainly refers to the 14th to 16th centuries AD," she couldn't help but smile.
Then I saw the admiring looks on the faces of those foreigners, and their exclamations of "Wow, what a girl!"
Sun Wei quietly asked her, "It seems like there are a lot of foreigners in Qinghe Ancient Town."
Lu Xiaoqi nodded: "There are indeed many, and the number is increasing."
Since the VR experience went viral on the international internet, coupled with visa-free policies, many foreigners have visited Qinghe Ancient Town. Among them are numerous bloggers and minor internet celebrities. Their videos, uploaded to YouTube and Instagram, have sparked another wave of discussion, and the town's popularity has never waned.
"Come to the most beautiful town in China and experience the best VR in the world" has become a well-known tag on foreign websites.
Thanks to them, Lu Xiaoqi felt that her main quest, the upgrade of the ancient town, was about to make some progress.
Su Jun is talking to the tour guide.
Taking this opportunity, Zhou Tianran said with great enthusiasm: "You don't know, Su Zirong is very popular on foreign websites. Last time I saw a list of Chinese bloggers who became popular on foreign websites, and Su Zirong was one of them."
Sun Wei and Li Ting, unfamiliar with these online dynamics, exclaimed in surprise, "Is it that amazing?"
Lu Xiaoqi couldn't help but nod, and was about to reply, "Indeed, quite impressive," but fearing that these people would tease her, she held back and pretended to be calm. But what Zhou Tianran said was indeed the truth.
Perhaps because mechanics is a universally understood concept, and foreigners generally love handicrafts, his video viewership has been excellent over the past six months, making him a veritable master in the DIY handmade machinery category. Of course, his good looks might also play a part; Lu Xiaoqi often sees him showered with adoration in various languages in the comments section.
Because he doesn't do live streams and rarely accepts advertisements, his income from external websites is actually higher than his income from domestic platforms.
Sure enough, one of the young men among the foreigners seemed to recognize Su Jun, and excitedly greeted him and asked to take a photo with him.
Zhou Tianran raised his chin with a "see?" expression.
The young man asked, "Is the water puppet show later a recreation of a drama from the Northern Song Dynasty?"
“It’s not a complete copy.” Su Jun shook his head. “In fact, we’ve incorporated many modern elements. No matter how clever the ancients were, they were limited by the technology of their time, and many of their ideas could only remain on paper. Now that we have the means, of course we should turn those imaginative ideas from back then into reality.”
Since his arrival here, he has been studying various mechanical technologies, often studying late into the night, and even starting to learn mathematics and physics from scratch. This water puppet show not only uses ancient puppetry techniques but also incorporates motors, sensors, and programming. Of course, they also have dedicated programmers.
The young man's eyes lit up as he listened, exclaiming repeatedly, "This is going to be amazing!"
"I hope you can see a different kind of water puppetry." Su Jun smiled and glanced at his phone—there were only ten minutes left before the show started, and the technician by the pool was gesturing to him.
"It's about to start." He returned to sit down next to Lu Xiaoqi.
As dusk settled, the light inside the waterside pavilion completely faded, leaving only the lake's surface reflecting shimmering golden light, like the entrance to the deep sea. A deep, resonant horn sounded, breaking the silence as if it came from the distant horizon.
As the music began, it was a desolate and expansive melody played by the guqin and xiao, with subtle electronic sound effects reminiscent of surging tides.
Suddenly, a muffled "boom!" rang out!
The once tranquil lake suddenly parted to both sides, white steam billowing and cascading down like a waterfall. The prow of an enormous wooden treasure ship, like a colossal sea monster awakening, broke through the water's curtain and rose majestically! The ship's hull was adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, ferocious dragon patterns, and massive sails that seemed to blot out the sky; every grain of the wood was clearly visible. The sheer size of the vessel created an oppressive atmosphere, eliciting a collective gasp from the audience.
"My God..." Sun Wei instinctively covered her mouth.
This is not a model at all, but a giant ship with a soul that seems to have sailed directly out of a historical painting!
"On the first day of the sixth month of the third year of Yongle's reign, the north wind blew and the sails billowed high. An unprecedentedly large fleet set sail for the vast deep sea, carrying all the imaginations of an empire about the distant horizon..." The narration echoed in the waterside theater.
The tour guide explained to the foreigners that this was Zheng He's voyages to the Western Ocean, a historical event from the Ming Dynasty in China.
Even more astonishingly, the ship instantly "came to life".
The rod puppets on the ship moved in perfect unison, serving as the crew of this puppet vessel. They ran across the deck, pulling ropes that caused the sails to rise and fall slowly, producing realistic creaking sounds. A lookout, controlled by strings, deftly climbed to the top of the mast, gazing into the distance. All the puppets moved with incredible fluidity, without the slightest stiffness, as if they had been infused with life.
The treasure ship began to move smoothly on the water, followed by several smaller escort ships, forming a silent and majestic fleet. The underwater tracks and propulsion system perfectly concealed all traces of modern technology, leaving only a mythical scene of navigation.
Suddenly, the sounds of the qin and xiao became urgent.
The calm lake surface suddenly began to boil violently without warning!
The lake water surged with huge waves, and several high-pressure water cannons sprayed violently from different directions, weaving together a fierce storm.
"I almost thought it was real," Sun Wei murmured to herself. For a moment, she even felt her chair swaying from side to side. But when she saw that the lake in the distance was still calm, she realized it was just a dramatic effect and then calmed down.
The enormous treasure ship and the fleet following behind it began to tilt and rock wildly to the left and right in the giant waves. The puppet crew members on the deck swayed from side to side, but still stubbornly tried to control the ship.
"This effect is so realistic."
"It's really a stormy sea."
Hearing the gasps of amazement from the surrounding audience, Su Jun couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth into a smile.
Finally, the fleet traversed the raging sea, and the waters began to calm. Some of the puppet crew members started swinging back and forth on the masts of the giant ship like on swings, performing all sorts of thrilling stunts. Other crew members were fishing on the lake, and as a result, a huge, live fish was actually caught and brought aboard.
"Holy crap, is it a real fish?"
It's true!
"I think it should have been prepared in advance."
The other audience members could only guess, but Zhou Tianran and the other two almost simultaneously turned to look at Su Jun.
Su Jun: "...It was indeed prepared in advance."
No matter how realistic a puppet is, it can't actually catch a fish. The fish is already hooked, and the puppet only needs to mimic the action of casting a line.
Zhou Tianran patted his chest: "Thank goodness, otherwise I would have said that spirits are not allowed after the founding of the People's Republic of China."
Puppet spirit!
The crew members moved smoothly, with a touch of humor, and everyone was enjoying the show when suddenly there was another loud "bang," accompanied by the force of a thunderbolt!
A gigantic mechanical tentacle suddenly emerged from underwater on the side of the treasure ship, slamming heavily against the edge of the deck! Water splashed everywhere! Then, a second, a third...
Lu Xiaoqi could hear the hissing sounds coming from the people around her.
A gigantic mechanical octopus, seemingly emerging from the abyss, revealed its terrifying parts, coiling around the treasure ship and attempting to drag it into the abyss. The ear-piercing sound of metal rubbing against wood was enough to make one's teeth ache.
This unimaginable fantasy scene left all the audience holding their breath. Zhou Tianran's eyes widened in disbelief, and even Lu Xiaoqi forgot her composure, leaning forward unconsciously.
In the moment of crisis, the music suddenly changed, incorporating the resounding sounds of war drums and metal.
The puppet soldiers on the treasure ship sprang into action. They operated the restored Ming Dynasty crossbows on the side of the ship, and with a series of "whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—", invisible "giant crossbows" represented by water columns accurately shot at the octopus tentacles, making heavy "bang bang" impact sounds.
Meanwhile, in the sky, several small mechanical birds, converted from drones, trailed blue light streaks as they swooped down like meteors, circling and dancing around the octopus's head—the brave petrels were lending their assistance.
Light and shadow, water mist, mechanics and classic elements blend perfectly at this moment.
The octopus, in pain, loosened its tentacles. Finally, with a deafening roar of a ship's horn and the billowing of sails, the treasure ship broke free of its restraints, and the giant octopus sank to the bottom of the water, leaving behind only a huge whirlpool and gradually calming waves.
As the storm subsided, the music became ethereal and sacred.
Although she knew it was just a joke, Lu Xiaoqi still breathed a sigh of relief.
She whispered to Su Jun, "It feels much smoother than the previous rehearsals. There were some stutters before."
Her breath brushed against Su Jun's cheek, making him a little distracted. He forced himself to calm down and regain his usual composure. He whispered, "We improved the hydraulic system, and they also adjusted the algorithm."
I see.
The two appeared somewhat intimate to onlookers, but their roommates were completely captivated by the scene before them and couldn't spare a moment for teasing.
After surviving the deep-sea monster, a massive water curtain slowly rose in front of the treasure ship. On the water curtain, a dazzling starry river and ancient Zheng He's nautical charts were projected. A goddess in flowing robes, radiating a soft halo, descended from the starry sky, circling the battered yet still majestic treasure ship three times, scattering countless points of light.
The music changed accordingly; the sound of war drums quietly faded away, replaced by an ethereal, melodious, and somewhat mysterious tune, as if it were a song from a deep-sea whale.
The narration resumed: "Look! Even the inhabitants of the abyss have been drawn by the light of this civilization and come to pay their respects..."
As soon as he finished speaking, the lake surface silently rose on both sides in front of the fleet.
The first thing to leap out of the water was the curve of the back of an enormous mechanical blue whale! Its length was almost equivalent to half a treasure ship. It did not leap out completely, but rather arched its huge back and tail fin out of the water in an extremely realistic, slow and powerful manner, bringing up a waterfall-like flow of water, and then heavily and gracefully submerged into the water, leaving behind a huge, slowly rotating eddy.
The whale's call is ethereal and sacred, giving the audience an almost suffocating sense of awe at the power of nature.
"Oh my God!" The foreigners nearby were mesmerized, and their exclamations could be faintly heard.
Lu Xiaoqi looked over and saw countless raised phones.
Several of my roommates were the same; their phones were glued to their screens the entire time. As a result, countless screens held aloft captured this entire scene.
After the whale sank to the surface, a group of rays quietly appeared in its wake. They were made of extremely lightweight composite materials, with flat, broad bodies and long, flowing tail spikes trailing behind them.
Hidden underwater magnetic propulsion systems allow them to mimic the incredibly elegant, almost gliding motion of real manta rays. They move in groups, like graceful underwater dancers, silently traversing the massive shadow of the treasure ship, sometimes gathering together, sometimes dispersing.
Then, more and more "deep-sea creatures" of various shapes and sizes joined the feast: swarms of jellyfish emitting a ghostly green glow, schools of brightly colored fish... They surrounded the treasure ship, as if holding the most fantastical welcoming ceremony from the deep sea for this great fleet.
The treasure ship continued its steady journey, cleaving through the suddenly vibrant and bizarre sea. The puppet crew members on board seemed to be drawn to this wondrous sight, all leaning on the railings to "gaze" into the distance.
The phantom of the goddess Mazu nodded slightly in the air, as if blessing this scene of all things having a spirit.
Finally, amidst this blessing, the fleet reassembled, broke through the starlit waters, and sailed into the distance.
The narrator began:
"The treasure ship sails westward, the stars and seas bear witness. It carries away the benevolence and wisdom of the ancient Eastern country; it returns with the trust and friendship of friendly nations from all directions. The vast ocean cannot hinder the journey of the heart; wherever the sun and moon shine, it is but the prelude."
"Friends, this performance of the water puppet show 'Zheng He's Voyages to the West' has now come to an end!"
The music reached a grand and magnificent peak, then gradually returned to tranquility.
Five or six seconds passed before someone started clapping. As if lighting a fuse, thunderous applause and gasps of amazement instantly engulfed the entire waterside pavilion, interspersed with exclamations of "Amazing!" and "Unbelievable!" in various languages.
The young man who recognized Su Jun stood up excitedly, clapping wildly, his face flushed red.
The children, in particular, were so excited that their faces turned bright red.
Lu Xiaoqi breathed a sigh of relief, turned her head, and looked at Su Jun beside her.
His profile appeared soft and serene in the light of the setting sun, but she could tell that he seemed relieved.
"These are all just your imagination, aren't they?"
Su Jun paused for a moment, but quickly remembered what he had said when he introduced himself to everyone: "We must turn those wild ideas into reality."
“It was indeed my imagination.” He smiled, his eyes filled with nostalgia. “Back then, I loved watching puppet shows and even spent some time studying them, but later my grandfather dragged me into the waterborne armillary sphere group.”
Although his grandfather indulged his frivolous pursuit of mechanical engineering and other "unorthodox" fields, he forbade him to become obsessed with puppet shows, which were considered lowbrow at the time and ranked at the very bottom of the social hierarchy. Therefore, his imagination about those puppet shows could only remain deep in his mind.
This is why Su Jun became so engrossed in the research of mechanical puppets after arriving here.
To some extent, he was also fulfilling his own dream.
Suddenly, Su Jun seemed to sense something.
A few seconds later, he turned around abruptly, his eyes filled with surprise: "I think I've sensed some kind of opportunity."
An opportunity for upgrade.
It's a mysterious feeling that's hard to describe.
Lu Xiaoqi's eyes widened: !!
She'd heard Zhao Feiyan say similar things, Zhao Guo said them, and Li Guinian said them, but they were all SSR characters fulfilling their wishes. Su Jun, however, was only an SR!
"You..." Lu Xiaoqi was extremely excited and lowered her voice, "You're going to upgrade to SSR?"
Su Jun was about to respond when he was surrounded by the audience who rushed up to congratulate him on his perfect puppet show performance and the masters who came out of the control room.
He could only signal to Lu Xiaoqi with his eyes that they could talk later, and then hurriedly returned to the control room, clearly there was still some work for him to finish.
Seeing Lu Xiaoqi's expression, Sun Wei mistakenly thought she was reluctant to part with her, and teased, "President Lu, it's only for a short while, are you that disappointed?"
Lu Xiaoqi: ...Not really.
However, neither of them had time to discuss this topic alone afterward. Lu Xiaoqi needed to spend time with her friends, while Su Jun needed to fix some minor bugs that occurred during the trial run and also celebrate with the team.
They didn't have a brief conversation until the next day in the office. However, the first topic they discussed was something else entirely.
"Someone asked me if I wanted to transfer the technology?" Su Jun frowned and looked at Song Meina.
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