Chương 20: Chapter 18 (R)

I'm woken by the sunlight filtering through the windows of my room. For a moment I find it strange that Lianhua hasn't come to wake me, but I quickly remember that today is my first day off since returning to classes after the attack I suffered on the night of my seventh birthday. Thinking of my classes, a shiver runs through me as I suddenly recall my lesson with Jiaoliu Feng and how she made me repeat the scenario of my attack over and over while she explained every variant of what I could have done.

I can only hope they don't try to assassinate me again, if only to spare me from having to endure another class like that. But now that it's my day off, it's time to do what I set out to do during my birthday. So I call Lianhua and ask her to take me to the study. After going through the morning ritual with Zhi Meilan's help, Lianhua takes me to the study where I begin trying to design and draw a wheelchair that can be built with the technical knowledge I believe they have here and the materials I know of.

However, as I progress I run into the limits of the available materials and the manufacturing techniques at hand. Wood and metal are difficult to work without the proper tools, besides making the chair too heavy. But fortunately wicker and bamboo are abundant, and few materials match their combination of strength and lightness.

Once I decide to use bamboo for the chair's frame and wheels and wicker for the backrest and seat, since the advantages outweigh the drawbacks, my design advances quickly over the hours, with the occasional interruption of Lianhua coming in to check on me. I swear that since the night of the attack she's been looking more and more like a mother hen. In the end I finish, and upon reviewing it I see that my design, while functional, is not ideal.

The wicker is strong and light, but it doesn't offer the comfort needed for long hours of use.

"At least it'll be light", I murmur to myself, trying to see the bright side. I think about how I can improve the comfort with a few well-placed cushions and continue working, adjusting the final details of the design, when I decide it's time to ask for help. I pull the cord I have for summoning Lianhua, but while I wait, I can't help daydreaming about how to improve her uniform now that I know her secret. What would look best on my ninja handmaiden? A French maid outfit in the style of the anime Mahoromatic?

Or something more modern and sleek like 2B's outfit from Nier? Although, perhaps the most appropriate thing would be a traditional kunoichi attire. My unrealistic musings are interrupted by Lianhua's arrival. Her slender, agile figure glides silently to my side.

"Zhāohuán Wen, you called?" she asks in a calm and respectful voice.

"Yes, Lianhua. I need you to take these designs to someone who can build them", I say, handing her the papers.

"If you can't, I'll have to ask my mother." Lianhua examines the drawings with a slightly raised eyebrow "What are these designs?"

"It's a chair with wheels that I can sit in. To move it, someone only needs to push it. That way no one has to carry me in their arms all day", I explain with enthusiasm. Lianhua frowns "I don't see the need for this. If you don't want to be carried, we can summon servants to transport you in a palanquin."

"Absolutely not", I reply firmly.

"Inside the palace I refuse to use palanquins. Besides, my invention can be used inside buildings, which a palanquin cannot." I watch as Lianhua studies the drawings intently. I can almost hear her thoughts about my apparently irrational requests. Finally, after a moment of silence, she nods.

"I can take your request to the Shangshu. He'll handle it", she says in a neutral tone.

"Perfect", I reply, feeling relieved. I watch Lianhua leave the study to carry out my instructions and turn back to my desk, where I start thinking that lately the little entertainment I have that is considered appropriate for my condition and age is becoming repetitive, so perhaps it's time to import something that isn't functional and is purely for fun.

With what I have at hand, the only thing I can think of is making a deck of cards while I try to decide between a Spanish deck or a poker deck, but in the end my decision comes down to whether or not I want to inflict the horror of Texas Hold'em upon this world.

A few days after I gave up on card games, since they already have about half a dozen different types here and adding another would be oversaturating the thing, I find myself in my mother's courtyard to show her my solution: classic board games that might be considered dignified for women, since the ones they have here are mainly strategic ones like Chinese Chess and Go, and it's frowned upon for women to play them.

"And what did you say this game is called?" my mother asks, looking at the chessboard and the round wooden pieces in white and black that I take from a lacquered box and set before her.

"I haven't given it a name yet. It's just something I came up with to pass the time", I reply, placing the pieces while explaining the rules of the game known as Checkers to her and the rest of the handmaidens in the courtyard. Naturally, my mother is a bit lost at first, but the rules of Checkers are simple and she quickly gets the hang of it, starting to put up a bit more of a fight.

While we play, I take the opportunity to ask my mother a question "Mother, I've made a copy of the game as a gift for the Emperor as I did with the abacus, but do you think it's better to send him a letter saying I have a gift for him, or to send it directly?" My mother seems to think about her answer for a moment "I think it's better to send it directly. And I think it would be a good idea, since you haven't named it yet, to mention that in the letter accompanying the gift and humbly ask him to give it a name."

"Thank you for the advice, Mother", I tell her as I reset the pieces after finishing the game.

"I think I'd better take care of it right away, since the sooner the better." I signal Lianhua to come get me, and as we leave the courtyard I tell my mother "You can keep the game. I made this one as a gift for you." I don't wait for her to respond and ask Lianhua to take me to my study, where I keep the lavishly adorned box containing the board and pieces I had made for my father, along with a small instruction booklet.

I tell Lianhua to seat me and I begin drafting the letter to accompany the gift, as well as the request that he name the game. Although I'm almost certain my father couldn't care less what I write, I'm sure there will be people along the way who will read the letter, so I make an effort to keep it as formal and rigid as possible.

While I'm busy with the letter, a handmaiden enters and hands a note to Lianhua, who after glancing at it tells me "Zhāohuán Wen, the Shangshu has sent this note saying that Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang, the master craftsman in charge of making your chair, has requested to see you." I look at Lianhua and ask "Doesn't it say why he's asking to see me?" Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

"No, Zhāohuán Wen", Lianhua replies.

"It only says he has requested to see you in order to finish your commission."

"Let me finish the letter for my father and then we'll go see what he wants. With any luck the chair will already be done", I reply. I see Lianhua sigh upon hearing me call the Emperor that, but she's grown accustomed to me referring to him that way in her presence and says nothing.

While writing the letter, I pause for a moment and, as a last-minute decision, decide to make a reference to the wheelchair and request his forgiveness for not sending one, since given his excellent health there is no need for him to use one. And with that, I cover myself against any malicious comments about not having mentioned the matter.

After finishing the letter I leave it on top of the lacquered box while Lianhua calls a handmaiden to have it sent to the Shangshu, after which I ask Lianhua to take me to see the craftsman. Lianhua picks me up and we leave the Pavilion followed by our eternal bodyguards. This time the walk is long, and we leave behind a long trail of officials who still stare at us with curiosity despite the fact they should be used to me by now.

But in the end we arrive without incident at the area of the inner palace dedicated to the craftsmen responsible for manufacturing the palace's internal goods. Lianhua asks one of the Nei Wei to inquire after Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang. The Nei Wei walks off to ask one of the Jin Wei nearby, who offers to guide us to his workshop. Guided by the Jin Wei, we reach our destination, and after thanking the man for his help, I tell Lianhua to go inside, which she does followed by a Nei Wei.

Upon entering I see several men working on wicker furniture. When we walk in, they all stare at us and quickly stop, bowing to show their respect.

"Could one of you notify Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang that Zhāohuán Wen has come to see him?" Lianhua tells them. One of the craftsmen rises and heads for a door at the back of the workshop, entering it and emerging shortly after accompanied by a lanky, thin man who is completely clean-shaven, dressed in what are clearly work clothes but of much better quality than those worn by the men in the workshop. He approaches us and bows before speaking "It is an honor that you have come so quickly, Zhāohuán Wen."

"According to your message it was necessary for some final details, Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang", I tell the craftsman.

"Yes, Zhāohuán Wen", he replies.

"Although your drawings were very detailed, I had to change a few things in order to build it. And I wanted you to see it so you could give your approval before I hand it over." I wonder what things he's had to change. I thought I'd adapted my specifications well to the technological level I believed they had around here, but clearly there are still details I've missed. Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang leads us through the door he came from into what I assume is his personal workshop.

There, in the middle of the room, is what is clearly a wheelchair. But its design, especially the small wheels, is not what I drew. Upon arrival, Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang begins explaining the changes.

"The small wheels couldn't be made of bamboo", he says in a serious tone.

"Their size made them too fragile to bear the weight, so we had to make them out of wood."

"I see, but why did that lead you to put them in the back?" I ask, concerned.

"Well, that led us to having to fabricate some parts in metal", Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang continues.

"These parts are similar to the design you drew for making the wheels mobile, but being made of metal they increased in size. So when placed at the front, there was too little space left for the seated person's legs." I nod, seeing the problem.

"So that's why you moved them to the back?" I ask.

"Yes. It occurred to me to move the large wheels a bit further forward and put the small ones in the back", he explains with a smile.

"That way the chair maintains its stability, is more comfortable for the person sitting in it, and doesn't get in the way too much for whoever has to push it."

"That seems like an ingenious solution", I reply, relieved.

"Thank you for thinking of that!" Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang nods with humility, satisfied with the result.

"Then are you satisfied with the result, Zhāohuán Wen?" he asks.

"I'd need to try it to give my verdict", I reply.

"Can I try it now?"

"Of course, Zhāohuán Wen", he answers, gesturing toward the chair. I tell Lianhua to seat me in the chair, and she does so carefully. The new arrangement of the large wheels makes it a little trickier to get me in, but Lianhua soon gets the knack of it. I grimace as I test the chair's comfort.

"It's clear I'm going to need a cushion if I'm to be sitting in this for any length of time", I tell Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang.

"Don't worry, Zhāohuán Wen. We'll provide one before you leave", he replies without batting an eye. Another thing I notice is that the chair is considerably wider than necessary, so I ask "Why is it so wide?"

"Since you're growing, I thought I'd make it a bit larger so you won't have to change chairs as often", he answers promptly.

"Thank you for thinking of that", I tell him with a grateful smile, then turn to Lianhua.

"Lianhua, push me, please." Lianhua looks uncertain, not quite sure how to proceed. Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang steps in to help.

"This is how you push and steer the chair", he explains, demonstrating the proper movements. Lianhua quickly adapts and takes me for a couple of laps around the spacious workshop. The handling is rough and turning is difficult, but for a first attempt with the available technology, it is an impressive achievement. I signal Lianhua to stop and turn toward Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang.

"Congratulations, Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang. You've done magnificent work", I praise him sincerely.

"Thank you very much for your words, Zhāohuán Wen", he replies, clearly pleased, though he looks hesitant for a moment before seeming to make up his mind.

"Would you mind if I made a request, Zhāohuán Wen?" he asks, kneeling on the floor. I look somewhat embarrassed at Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang, since this is the first time something like this has happened to me, so I quickly reply "Of course, though whether I can fulfill it is another matter. What is it you wish to ask?"

"You see, Zhāohuán Wen, within the palace there are several nobles and senior officials who, despite not having your condition, find it very difficult to walk due to old injuries or their age. They always have to be accompanied by servants to help them move", he begins to explain.

"My request is that you allow me to present your invention to them so they can use it." While I consider his request, which strikes me as rather odd given the subject of cultivation and the fact that I would have thought it would solve those kinds of problems, Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang continues talking in a clear attempt to convince me "Of course, I will always make it clear that the invention is yours and I am merely in charge of its manufacture."

Lianhua seems about to say something, but I raise my arm to stop her and reply "Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang, despite the fact that everyone says I behave in a very adult manner, I am still a child. Before I can answer you, I need to speak with my mother and get her permission." Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang looks at me as though only now realizing my age, and he flushes with embarrassment at his sudden forwardness, bowing until his forehead strikes the floor "I beg your forgiveness, Zhāohuán Wen. I overstepped my place."

"There is nothing to forgive in so sincere a request, Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang", I reply.

"When I can speak with my mother, we will make a decision and have it conveyed to you." Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang says nothing but remains kneeling with his forehead on the floor, which is starting to make me uncomfortable, so I decide to leave as soon as possible.

"Can I take the chair with me, or do you still need to finish something?" I ask the kneeling figure. Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang finally rises and replies "No, Zhāohuán Wen. It is already finished. You may take it with you if you wish." I smile at him "Well, if you can get me a cushion, we'll be on our way with the chair right now." Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang quickly searches and brings me a beautifully adorned cushion, which Lianhua places in the chair.

I sigh with relief at the difference in comfort, although it could still be a little better. After thanking Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang once more for his work and telling him he will hear from me soon regarding his request, I have Lianhua push my new wheelchair through the Imperial Palace, followed by the Nei Wei who keep eyeing my new acquisition with curiosity.

As we make our way back to the Pavilion, leaving a trail of slack-jawed nobles and officials in our wake at the unusual spectacle, I'm caught off guard when Lianhua suddenly asks me a question I didn't expect "What do you think of Jiǎngshī Zhao Liang's request, Zhāohuán Wen?" Realizing the drawback of the chair is that I can't look Lianhua in the face when she's pushing me and we're talking, I reply "That it's an excellent idea and we must accept it at all costs.

And not only that, we must also give him permission to modify the design and make whatever changes he likes to it." Lianhua falls silent for a moment and then continues, her tone dubious "But wouldn't that be bad for you, Zhāohuán Wen? In the end the design would no longer be yours and your reputation would be diluted."

"Do you really think I'm doing this for the fame, Lianhua? When has fame ever mattered to me?" I reply, a little annoyed by her insinuation.

"Then I don't understand your reasons, Zhāohuán Wen", Lianhua answers in a confused tone.

"It can't be financial either, since everything the palace craftsmen make is free, as they receive a stipend for their work."

"The reason is even simpler than that, dear Lianhua", I reply.

"The more chairs he makes, the more skilled he'll become at making them. And in making them, he'll refine his method and each one will be better and have fewer problems. Which means in the future, when I need to replace this one…" I leave the sentence hanging, and Lianhua doesn't disappoint me "It will be much better than the one you have now, which is the only one he's made so far."

"Exactly", I continue.

"I'm not after the fame, nor do I need the nobles or officials who might benefit from my invention to associate it with me. I only want my life to be a little more comfortable, and if someone else's life can be improved along the way, that will just be a nice bonus."