xymnovel Chapter 105 Successful Delivery
Chapter 105 Successful Delivery
At Tongzhou Wharf, the spring chill lingered.
The ice on the canal had just melted, and the water shimmered with a bluish-gray luster. The docks were bustling with activity, flags waving in the breeze.
Lu Yan stood at the bow of the boat, looking at the Tongzhou city wall in the distance, and let out a long sigh of relief.
It's been two months.
From Linqing to Tongzhou, a journey of 1,200 li by water, he carried this batch of imperial timber for two whole months. During that time, he encountered strong winds, shallows, and reefs, and once his barge capsized, causing two pieces of imperial timber to fall into the water. But in the end, he still managed to deliver the entire batch of imperial timber to its destination intact.
"Master, Tongzhou Wharf is just ahead."
Zhao Changying stepped forward, looking exhausted, but her eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Eunuch Liu sent someone to pick us up; they're waiting at the dock."
Lu Yan nodded and straightened his clothes.
"Pass down the order: everyone be alert. This is the final hurdle; there can be no mistakes."
As the horn sounded, the fleet slowly sailed into Tongzhou Wharf.
The dock had already been cleared, with two rows of Imperial Guards standing solemnly on either side, each holding a long spear. In the middle stood a group of eunuchs dressed in python robes, led by Liu Cheng, the eunuch in charge of Shandong.
Liu Chengnian was about fifty years old, short and stout, with a pale face and no beard, and a pair of small, darting eyes. He wore a bright red python robe, a black gauze hat, and a jade belt around his waist, exuding an air of wealth and power.
"Lord Lu!"
Liu Cheng came to greet him from afar, his face beaming with smiles.
"We've been waiting for you so long!"
Lu Yan quickly jumped off the boat, strode forward, and bowed in greeting.
"Your humble servant, Lu Yan, pays his respects to Eunuch Liu."
"Oh dear, Lord Lu, please rise!"
Liu Cheng personally helped him up, looked him up and down, and praised him highly.
"Lord Lu is indeed a capable man! I originally thought this batch of imperial timber would take at least three months to arrive, but you managed to get it done in just two months."
"You flatter me, Eunuch Liu," Lu Yan said humbly. "It's all thanks to your strategic planning; I was merely running errands."
"Hahaha!"
Liu Cheng laughed and patted Lu Yan on the shoulder.
"Lord Lu, there's no need to be modest. The catamaran and pulley system you built were a great help."
He lowered his voice and leaned close to Lu Yan's ear.
"I've already put in a good word for you with His Highness. You deserve all the credit."
Lu Yan was secretly delighted, but remained outwardly calm.
"Thank you for your guidance, Father-in-law."
……
The acceptance process went very smoothly.
Officials from the Imperial Household Department carried registers and meticulously counted each piece of imperial timber. Each piece had to be measured for length, diameter, and weight, and inspected for cracks, insect damage, and rot.
Lu Yan stood to the side, feeling slightly nervous.
Although the two pieces of royal wood that fell into the water were retrieved and dried, their surfaces were still somewhat blackened. If this is discovered, points will likely be deducted.
"These two..."
An official walked up to the two imperial trees and frowned.
"Why does the color look a little off?"
Lu Yan's heart tightened, and he was about to explain when Liu Cheng spoke first:
"These two are top-grade Phoebe zhennan wood, called 'Black Phoebe'. The color is naturally dark, it's not a flaw."
The official paused for a moment, looked at Liu Cheng, then at Lu Yan, and nodded.
"Yes, yes, I was mistaken."
Lu Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief and cast a grateful glance at Liu Cheng.
Liu Cheng smiled slightly, a shrewd glint in his eyes.
The inspection was completed, and all 120 pieces of royal timber passed the inspection.
……
That evening, in Tongzhou City, at Liu Cheng's private residence.
After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,
Liu Cheng waved away his men, leaving only Lu Yan behind.
"Lord Lu, there's something I'd like to say, but I'm not sure if I should."
Lu Yan put down his wine glass and said seriously:
"Please speak, sir."
"Lord Lu, you're a smart man," Liu Cheng said slowly, squinting. "You handled this batch of imperial timber beautifully; His Highness already knows. But..."
He paused, his gaze sharpening.
"Just transporting timber isn't enough."
Lu Yan felt a chill run down his spine, but his face remained impassive.
"Please advise me, Father-in-law."
"Lord Lu, are you aware of the current Emperor's preferences?"
Lu Yan pondered for a moment and replied:
"I have heard that His Majesty is skilled in carpentry and has a particular fondness for mechanical devices."
"good."
Liu Cheng nodded, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.
"His Majesty not only enjoys woodworking, but also all sorts of ingenious objects. Clocks, music boxes, peep shows… anything novel and unusual, His Majesty is captivated by."
"Your Excellency has gone to great lengths to please His Majesty. Alas, His Majesty has long since grown tired of the things those Western missionaries brought."
He looked at Lu Yan meaningfully.
"Lord Lu, you are a capable man. If you could come up with something novel that would please the Emperor..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
Lu Yan was overjoyed, but pretended to be troubled on the surface.
"You flatter me, sir. I am but a scholar; how would I know anything about mechanisms and mechanics?"
"Oh, Lord Lu, please don't be so modest."
Liu Cheng smiled and shook his head.
"Your catamaran and pulley system aren't things just anyone could come up with. Even though I don't know much about them, I can tell you're really capable."
Lu Yan remained silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought.
After a long silence, he spoke:
"My lord, I do have an idea..."
"Oh?" Liu Cheng's eyes lit up. "Tell me about it."
"I once saw a kind of 'water method' in an ancient book."
"Water method?"
"It's a method of using water to drive the mechanism," Lu Yan explained. "It's said that Western palaces have automatic fountains that can spray various water patterns and even make puppets dance."
"Really?" Liu Cheng became interested.
"Absolutely true." Lu Yan nodded. "Although I haven't seen it with my own eyes, the ancient book contains very detailed illustrations. If we could recreate it, it would surely please His Majesty."
Liu Cheng pondered for a moment and asked:
"How much silver will it cost to build this? How long will it take?"
"The cost... will be about three thousand taels. As for the time, three months should be enough."
Three thousand taels?
Liu Cheng frowned, seemingly thinking it was a bit expensive.
"Your Excellency, this is a chance to speak directly to the Emperor," Lu Yan said in a low voice. "If His Majesty is pleased, wouldn't you have rendered another service to the Emperor?"
Liu Cheng's eyes lit up, and he nodded.
"Alright! We'll take it!"
He patted Lu Yan on the shoulder and said earnestly:
"Lord Lu, please do a good job. We'll remember this favor."
Lu Yan bowed and thanked him.
"Thank you for your guidance, sir. I will certainly live up to your expectations."
……
In the stillness of the night, Lu Yan sat alone in his guest room, writing and drawing on paper by the light of an oil lamp.
What he drew was the sketch of the "Imperial Garden Water System".
"Emperor Tianqi, Zhu Youxiao, was known as the 'Carpenter Emperor.'"
Lu Yan muttered to himself.
"He is not only skilled in carpentry, but also has a keen interest in all kinds of mechanical devices. If one can cater to his interests, perhaps one can gain direct insight into the emperor's mind."
He put down his pen, looked at the sketch on the paper, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
"Liu Cheng, just you wait. I, Lu Yan, will take the credit."