Duke of Zhenguan

Li Shimin strode up the imperial steps to Lin Chuan and said excitedly:

"What is it? Tell me quickly!"

"Your Majesty, this thing is called a waterwheel, and it can draw water from a low place to a high place!" Lin Chuan replied, bowing.

Just like his reaction when Yan Xiang was present, Li Shimin was overjoyed upon hearing this and hurriedly asked:

"How high can it draw water? Is it difficult to build?"

"How high the water can be drawn depends on how high the waterwheel is built! It's not difficult to build!" Lin Chuan replied.

Li Shimin glanced at Lin Chuan, then at Prime Minister Yan beside him, and instructed the eunuch standing nearby:

"Someone, go to the Directorate of Works and bring me, Vice Director Yan!"

After a short while, Yan Lide, panting, followed the eunuch to the main hall and bowed to Li Shimin.

"Your subject Yan Lide pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

"No need for formalities!"

Li Shimin waved his hand, pointed at Lin Chuan, and said in a deep voice:

"This is Lin Chuan. He said there's a device called a waterwheel that can draw water from a lower place to a higher place. You're in charge of this!"

After saying that, he turned to Lin Chuan and said:

"This is Yan Lide, the Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Workshops. Tell him how to build the waterwheel, without holding anything back. If it's truly useful, I will certainly reward him handsomely!"

"yes!"

Lin Chuan bowed in response.

Li Shimin then turned his attention to Yan Lide:

"Junior Supervisor Yan, get on with this immediately. I want to see it when it's finished!"

"I obey your decree!"

After leaving the main hall, Yan Xiangshi did not leave, but instead followed Lin Chuan and Yan Lide to the Imperial Workshop.

On the way, Yan Lide politely asked Yan Xiangshi:

"Master Yan, is young Master Lin Chuan your junior?"

Yan Xiangshi said with a smile:

"Yes, Lin Chuan is still young. If there's anything he doesn't do well, I hope Supervisor Yan will give him some guidance!"

"Of course!" Yan Lide nodded with a smile.

The Imperial Workshop was located in the southwest corner of the Imperial City. After the three of them left Chengtian Gate, they quickly arrived at their destination.

Yan Lide dared not neglect the task personally assigned by the emperor. After entering the Directorate of Works, he sent a minor official to summon the Left Registrar, who was in charge of carpentry.

Lu Zhen, the Left Registrar, quickly arrived at Yan Lide's duty room and bowed to him.

"This humble servant greets the Junior Supervisor!"

"Luzhen, this young man is Lin Chuan. His Majesty has ordered us to cooperate with young man Lin Chuan to make something. We should do it according to young man Lin Chuan's instructions, and we must be quick!" Yan Lide ordered in a deep voice.

"Here you go!"

Upon hearing that it was an order from the emperor, Lu Zhen immediately bowed and responded.

The group followed Lu Zhen to the woodworking workshop of the Left School Office. It was a simple but huge courtyard, with most of the rooms filled with various kinds of wood. Some craftsmen were busy in the rooms, and the sounds of axes and chisels striking each other could be heard.

Lu Zhen glanced at Lin Chuan and asked calmly:

"Young master, what do you want to make?"

Looking at the square-faced, dark-skinned, and robust middle-aged man in front of him, Lin Chuan said politely:

"This thing is called a waterwheel. It's a bit complicated. Do you have paper and pen here? I'd like to draw it for Registrar Lu to see."

Lu Zhen glanced at Lin Chuan and said in a flippant tone:

"Young master, are you referring to the dragon-bone waterwheel? If so, you don't need to tell me, I'm not the only one who can make it! The Left Proofreader has over a hundred people who can!"

"No!" Lin Chuan shook his head.

Lu Zhen waved his hand, and said with a proud expression:

"No? Then tell me, young man. Just tell me what this waterwheel looks like, and I'm sure I can make it!"

"..."

"What's the point of talking about it compared to blueprints?" Lin Chuan didn't know if this seemingly simple-minded registrar, Zuo Xiao, genuinely didn't understand this simple principle or looked down on him, but his attitude clearly indicated he wasn't willing to cooperate.

"Perhaps he felt that he, as an outsider, was not qualified to instruct him?"

Lin Chuan sighed inwardly, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Yan Lide, who remained silent to the side, and asked:

"Junior Supervisor Yan, words are never as convincing as writing. May I borrow your pen and paper?"

"Lu Zhen is the most skilled craftsman in our Imperial Workshop, and he's straightforward! Please don't take offense, Young Master Lin!"

After explaining to Lin Chuan, Yan Lide coldly rebuked Lu Zhen:

"Luzhen, hurry up and find paper and pen!"

Lin Chuan smiled but didn't reply. Neither Lu Zhen nor Yan Lide were people he needed to befriend.

Lu Zhen quickly brought over the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and placed them on the table beside him with a cold face.

"Young Master Lin, please!"

The structure of the waterwheel is not complicated. Lin Chuan took a brush and quickly drew the frame of the waterwheel on the light yellow paper, and then drew the water baffle and the bamboo tube for drawing water.

After finishing the drawing, he pointed to the bearing in the center of the waterwheel and explained:

"We need to build a support frame to mount the waterwheel, and an underwater base is needed to stabilize the frame!"

After finishing his explanation, he bowed slightly to Yan Lide.

"Junior Supervisor Yan, this waterwheel isn't complicated. The Imperial Workshop has countless skilled craftsmen; why didn't you get involved in its construction?"

Yan Lide nodded and said with a smile:

"I will personally oversee the work and work through the night to finish it. Young Master Lin can come over first thing tomorrow morning!"

"Goodbye!"

After leaving the palace, Lin Chuan and Yan Xiangshi said goodbye at the main gate of the Vermilion Bird Gate. Yan Xiangshi patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile:

"I must attend court tomorrow, so you should go to the Directorate of Works early!"

"I understand, kid!" Lin Chuan nodded with a smile.

Dozens of craftsmen from the Imperial Workshop worked through the night, making revisions and redoings time and time again. When Lin Chuan arrived at the Imperial Workshop, a huge waterwheel already stood in the courtyard.

With the support frame and the base underneath, it's as tall as two stories.

"I will report to His Majesty immediately!"

Yan Lide's eyes were bloodshot, but his face showed no signs of fatigue. He ran excitedly toward the palace.

Li Shimin had just finished the morning court session when he heard Yan Lide say that the waterwheel had been successfully built. He then rushed to the Directorate of Works with his trusted ministers, including Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji, and Du Ruhui.

After circling the waterwheel twice, Li Shimin beckoned to Yan Lide:

"Junior Supervisor Yan!"

"Your Majesty!" Yan Lide bowed and replied.

"Move this waterwheel to the moat outside Fanglin Gate!" Li Shimin ordered.

"Here you go!"

Yan Lide nodded and turned to find a craftsman to dismantle the water cart.

Accompanied by hundreds of palace guards, Li Shimin and dozens of high-ranking officials rode in carriages, while a group of craftsmen from the Imperial Workshop carried dismantled waterwheels, forming a large and imposing procession that headed toward Fanglin Gate.

By the time the craftsmen were installing the waterwheels on the moat outside Fanglin Gate, a crowd of onlookers had already gathered in the distance.

The water in the moat was not stagnant. After the waterwheel was loaded, it slowly turned with the water flow. When the huge bamboo tube hanging diagonally on the outer ring was turned to a high position, the water inside poured out and splashed on the moat.

"Haha, what a powerful weapon!" Li Shimin laughed heartily.

Fang Xuanling, standing to the side, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Li Shimin and said with a smile:

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

Changsun Wuji, Du Ruhui, and others also congratulated Li Shimin.

Li Shimin smiled and waved, beckoning to Lin Chuan standing at the back of the crowd:

"Lin Chuan!"

"Your Majesty!" Lin Chuan bowed and replied.

Li Shimin looked at Lin Chuan with satisfaction and said with a smile:

"This waterwheel is indeed of great use. I always reward those who have rendered meritorious service. You have contributed greatly to the country, so I appoint you as an Assistant Minister of Works! I hope you will..."

"Your Majesty, I believe this is inappropriate!"

A discordant voice came from the crowd.