Love Lock

Chapter 354 Inside and Outside the Palace Walls
The clamor and glory of the coronation ceremony receded slowly like the tide, leaving behind the foundation of the new dynasty that urgently needed to be solidified.

The new dynasty's power structure, centered on the "Three Books and Six Ministries," began to operate officially, like a tightly wound-up machine.

Imperial edicts, regulations, personnel appointments and removals... a series of documents were issued from the palace, flowing to the capital region and even radiating throughout the entire territory of the Great Jing Dynasty, bringing an atmosphere of change.

In this wave of change, the newly established "Textile Manufacturing Department" was not the department with the most power, but it was one of the departments that was closest to people's livelihood and attracted the most attention.

The new department, jointly headed by Hua Tianyou and Li Sao, who was both a soldier and a wife, carried the deep expectation of the new emperor Zhao Zun to "comfort and reward the loyal and virtuous."

In the inner city of the capital, a shop of moderate size and with a bright facade was chosen as the textile company's showroom and sales center.

The artisans from the Ministry of Works worked day and night to decorate the place in a simple and bright manner, according to the simple drawings provided by Han Lei, and reserved shelves and display stands for displaying fabrics and silks in the future.

The real core, however, lies outside the city.

With Hua Tianyou in office, the drive to get things done that he had accumulated in Cangzhou was fully unleashed.

He entrusted all the wedding preparations to his mother, Lady Lin, the wife of the Duke of Heng.

He himself spent almost every day at the construction site of the factory he had chosen outside the city.

This area was originally a barren hillside, but it has now been developed into a factory, dormitory and canteen area.

The shouts of ramming the earth, the hissing of sawing wood, and the footsteps of craftsmen moving back and forth filled the air, making everything here seem full of hope.

With Han Lei in charge in Beijing, the supply of building materials became the least of our worries.

Zhao Zun wanted the entire Dajing region to flourish like Cangzhou, and infrastructure development had to come first. He specifically designated a confiscated mansion of a powerful figure as a "royal building materials warehouse," located very close to the imperial palace and heavily guarded. The entrance led directly to a main street paved with bluestone slabs, facilitating extremely convenient transportation.

Every evening after dinner, no matter how busy the court was, Zhao Zun would always make time to accompany Han Lei, walking slowly from the side gate of the palace to this storeroom, just like an ordinary couple taking a stroll.

Han Lei would purchase all the necessary building materials from the system, quietly filling the originally empty warehouse with bundles of steel bars, bags of cement, pieces of glass, and even boxes of screws and nails.

Zhao Zun quietly stayed by his side, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the materials that were ahead of their time, his eyes filled with unreserved trust and amazement for his wife.

Once replenished, the next day, transport company personnel would drive those three-wheeled vehicles that had caused such a stir in the capital to continuously transport these building materials to various construction sites.

The debut of these three-wheeled vehicles in Beijing was quite eventful. Initially, these strange creatures, which didn't need horses, could run on their own, and made a "putt-putt" sound, really frightened many people.

Rumors spread like wildfire among the common people. Some said it was a "resurrection of Mohist mechanical arts," others said it was a "monster that disturbs people's peace," and still others even linked the three-wheeled vehicle to the court's "new policies," implying that the new emperor had appointed a "monster" and that the country would not survive.

Zhao Zun and Han Lei had anticipated this.

The Duke of Heng, along with a group of generals including Da Jiu and Da Shiliu, who firmly supported the new emperor and were highly respected in the army, took the lead in donning the crisp new-style official uniforms and personally drove three-wheeled vehicles to help the transport department transport goods to the construction site outside the city several times.

They chatted and laughed, appearing completely at ease, as if they were driving an ordinary means of transportation rather than some kind of "monster".

At the same time, Lady Lin, the wife of the Duke of Heng, used her influence as a key figure in the circle of noblewomen in the capital to recount what she had seen and heard in Cangzhou at various tea parties and banquets—the flat and wide cement roads, the "electric lights" that were as bright as day at night, and all sorts of convenient and novel things.

She spoke of her initial doubts and fears, then her personal adaptation, and finally her conviction and admiration.

"You haven't seen it, the people of Cangzhou live much more comfortably than the nobles in our capital!" Madam Lin waved her fan, her tone filled with undisguised pride. "What's a three-wheeled vehicle? There are plenty of good things to come!"

The personal example set by the privileged class and the guidance of public opinion have had a significant effect. The public's curiosity has gradually overwhelmed their fear.

When solar-powered lights, which require no oil and are not afraid of the wind, first appeared at the construction site of the textile factory and on certain sections of the palace, the people of the capital, apart from curiously watching the novelty, mostly expressed amazement and envy, and rarely heard the cries of "monster" anymore.

An atmosphere of tacit acceptance and even anticipation for new things is quietly taking shape.

Hua Tianyou was in charge of overseeing the construction of the factory, while Li Sao took on the heavy responsibility of preparing shops in the city and recruiting and training female workers.

The recruitment notice from the Textile Bureau was posted throughout the counties, towns, and villages of the capital region through government channels. The notice was earnest and clearly stated that the recruitment targets were soldiers, wives of soldiers, or impoverished widowed women, and promised "free room and board and wages."

For women whose husbands died on the battlefield, whose families lost their breadwinners, and whose lives were plunged into hardship, this was like a beacon in the darkness.

In this world, men were generally responsible for external affairs while women stayed at home, so women had very few opportunities to work outside the home. Therefore, once the news spread, countless women came to the capital to apply for the job.

Even if some families live in remote areas, the promise of "free food and lodging" is enough to give them the courage to pack their bags and head towards the capital, towards that faint but real hope.

The textile machines that Han Lei provided to the Textile Manufacturing Company were ones she had carefully selected.

This is a new type of human-powered loom that combines and improves upon the flying shuttle loom and the spinning jenny. Its structure is relatively simple, requiring no electricity, yet its efficiency is many times higher than that of traditional looms of the time.

The flying shuttle loom was invented in 1733 by the Englishman John Key. The weaver pulls a rope connected to a mallet—the flying shuttle—causing the shuttle to "fly" rapidly between the warp threads, carrying the weft threads. This replaced the previous inefficient method of having the weaver manually pass the shuttle back and forth.

The spinning jenny was invented in 1764 by the Englishman James Hargreaves. The spinner turns a handle by hand, which drives multiple spindles to rotate simultaneously through a series of gears and shafts, thus spinning multiple strands of cotton yarn at once.

Later, people also tried using donkeys or horses for power. This led to the invention of the water-powered spinning machine in 1769, marking the beginning of the modern factory system.

Therefore, Han Lei instructed Hua Tianyou to choose a location near the moat with a significant water flow. In the absence of electricity, water power would be used to drive the textile machines, further improving the textile factory's production efficiency.

In the warehouse, which served as a temporary training site, Han Lei personally provided operational training to Hua Tianyou and Li Sao.

Watching the Empress skillfully demonstrate threading the needle, controlling the yarn, and using the foot pedal to drive the shuttle back and forth, Hua Tianyou's eyes were filled with a passion for technology, while Li Sao's eyes reflected confidence in future production.

On this day, a long queue formed in front of the recruitment point of the Textile Bureau. Aunt Li sat behind a simple table, carefully inquiring about the situation of each woman who came to register.

Among the group were two women who wore no makeup, dressed in coarse cloth like peasant women, with headscarves wrapped around their heads and deliberately keeping their heads down. These were Princess Chang Le and Zhao Qiao'er, who had infiltrated the group under assumed names.

The two of them rented a dilapidated little house in the outer city and settled down. Since the day they fled the mansion in haste, they could only survive by selling their jewelry and the travel expenses given to them by Lin Yuanshan.

After everything that has happened, they know that their glory days are over. Although they are saving every penny, they have no income and are running out of money. They are watching their money dwindle day by day, and the pressure of making a living in the future is almost suffocating them.

They were lucky; the textile factory just happened to be recruiting female workers.

Seeing the recruitment notice posted by the government office, the two hesitated for a long time, but finally decided to take the risk. After all, the Textile Bureau provided room and board and offered a salary, at least giving them a place to settle down. The long queue slowly infiltrated forward. When it was their turn, Aunt Li asked as usual, "Name? Place of origin? Family situation?"

Princess Chang Le lowered her voice, feigning a timid demeanor: "This humble woman... Wang Shi, this is my younger sister Qiao'er. We... we fled from the south. My husband... he died on the southern battlefield a few years ago..."

As she spoke, Princess Chang Le's eyes reddened slightly, and Zhao Qiao'er, standing beside her, let out a couple of timely sobs.

Li Sao didn't recognize them. Seeing that although they were dressed in shabby clothes, their skin was delicate and tender, especially their hands, which didn't look like they usually did rough work, she had some doubts in her heart.

But hearing their pitiful stories—they were widows of fallen soldiers, and they had fled their homes—and seeing that Princess Chang Le was limping and disabled, Li Sao's heart softened.

In those chaotic and war-torn years, there were so many pitiful people, perhaps a woman from some impoverished family.

She routinely asked a few simple questions about textiles, and seeing that although they were not very skilled, they could at least answer a few basic questions, she sighed and wrote their information down in the roster.

"Alright, go in. Someone will take you to your temporary accommodations. Training starts tomorrow. Remember, here, if you're willing to work hard, you'll survive," Aunt Li gently instructed.

Princess Chang Le and Zhao Qiao'er were finally relieved. They quickly thanked her, lowered their heads, and followed the woman who had led them into the backyard of the shop.

By blending in with these women struggling to make a living, their once-noble status was temporarily concealed. They, too, had to create their own future with their own hands, just like those ordinary women.

On the other side, inside the palace.

Compared to the vibrant life outside the palace, the inner palace, though resplendent in gold and jade, inevitably appeared somewhat desolate.

For the first few days, Han Lei truly indulged in her "Empress" fantasy. She enthusiastically pushed her two babies, who ate and slept all day, in a stroller, exploring the vast palace like a tourist visiting the Forbidden City.

From the solemn and majestic main halls to the winding paths of the Imperial Garden, from the ornately decorated pavilions and towers to the shimmering waters of the Taiye Pond, every palace and every furnishing in the ancient imperial residence felt new and exciting to her.

Wherever she went, the palace maids and eunuchs would hold their breath and kneel respectfully, calling her "Your Majesty the Empress." Such extreme honor was indeed enough to make one momentarily lose their sense of self.

But no matter how beautiful a cage is, it is still a cage.

In just seven or eight days, Han Lei had visited all the places she could. The days that followed were a repetitive cycle.

Every day when I open my eyes, I see the same red walls and yellow tiles, the same carved railings and jade steps.

The palace servants took meticulous care of her, handling everything from washing and grooming to meals. She hardly had to lift a finger. Even holding the baby was handled by a wet nurse and a nanny. Apart from the brief moments spent feeding the baby and playing with it, she was so idle that she was almost bored.

The matrons began to patiently and tirelessly teach her various court etiquette rules: how to walk, how to sit, how to dine, how to receive the homage of noblewomen… all sorts of elaborate and tedious procedures.

Her few "social activities" during the day included paying her respects to the kind old lady or chatting with the more lively Zhao Ling'er.

As the emperor of the new dynasty, Zhao Zun had countless affairs to handle.

He not only needed to stabilize the court, appease the old officials, and promote the new talents, but also needed to gradually promote the development model that he and Han Lei had practiced in Cangzhou, combined with the actual situation of Dajing, throughout the country.

With mountains of memorials to the emperor every day and a constant stream of audiences with officials, he was often busy until late at night. Apart from the unwavering time after dinner when he would accompany Han Lei to the storeroom to "replenish the stock," the couple had far less time to talk in peace.

Han Lei understands his busy schedule, but understanding cannot completely dispel the emptiness and restlessness in her heart.

To keep herself occupied and to inject some future knowledge into this ancient dynasty, she specially chose a secluded palace garden, personally decorated it, and purchased a large number of books from the system space.

From basic math, physics, and chemistry textbooks to various technical documents on agriculture, water conservancy, medicine, and engineering, and even some carefully selected literature, history, and philosophy books, everything was categorized and neatly arranged, creating a rather large-scale "royal library."

At first, she was able to immerse herself in it, passing the time by reading and organizing materials. She even began to write some more accessible popular science books and technical manuals suitable for the present era. But as time went on, that feeling of being constrained returned.

No matter how big the library windows are, the sky you see is still just a square patch.

She stood on the high palace wall, gazing at the distant, faintly visible streets and markets, as if she could hear the indistinct yet lively hustle and bustle emanating from them.

She missed the lively days in Cangzhou when she could freely go out on the streets, haggle with vendors, indulge in delicious food at snack stalls, and watch her own work gradually change people's lives.

Instead of being trapped in these palaces like this, being a "canary" who, though incomparably noble, can only peek at the outside world through layers of curtains.

"Brother Zun, I want to go out of the palace to take a look." After several tender moments, she nestled in Zhao Zun's arms and couldn't help but make a request, "Just go and see what kind of business Jinxiufang is doing, and see how the Textile Bureau is doing. Just wander around, I promise it won't cause any trouble."

Zhao Zun held her tightly with heartache. He knew Han Lei's personality; she was like an eagle yearning for the vast sky, and the deep palace was indeed a bit stifling for her.

He kissed the top of Han Lei's head and soothed her gently, "Girl, wait a little longer. The political situation has just stabilized. Our previous actions were too big and touched the interests of some people. There must be quite a few who secretly hold grudges. It's not safe outside. After I've finished dealing with this busy period and cleared up what needs to be cleared, I will personally accompany you out of the palace. You can go wherever you want and stay as long as you want, okay?"

Zhao Zun's concerns were reasonable. Han Lei knew he was doing it for her own good, so she could only suppress her thoughts for the time being.

But how long is the "busy period" that Zhao Zun mentioned?

He is the emperor of a country, not the lord of a city. The affairs he has to deal with will only increase, not decrease.

The wait seems to have become endless.

Looking at the sky outside the palace, neatly divided by the palace walls, Han Lei's rebellious little flame burned brighter and brighter.

She didn't want to wait indefinitely like this. She didn't want to stay in this palace for another second!
Finally, on this day, the sun shone brightly, and the palace servants performed their duties as usual.

Han Lei made up her mind. She summoned Jinju and gave her careful instructions, telling her to pretend to be unwell and need rest in the palace to avoid any unnecessary disturbances.

Afterwards, she changed into a simple dress that Zitan had prepared in advance, disguised herself slightly to conceal her charming and outstanding appearance, and headed directly towards the palace gate with only the agile Zitan and two carefully selected guards.

Having been in the palace for a while, and with no other concubines around, the guards at the gate recognized Zitan, the young lady who served the Empress. Zitan explained that the Empress had sent her out on an errand, so after showing her token, the guards didn't ask any further questions and let them out.

The air outside the palace carried the distinctive smell of the marketplace, a subtle blend of dust and food.

Han Lei took a deep breath, and a genuinely relaxed and expectant smile, one that hadn't been seen in a long time, appeared on her face.

Inside the palace walls, the Emperor, unaware that the Empress had "disappeared," was still in his study, facing mountains of memorials, racking his brains for the sake of the nation's well-being.