After returning to the county office, Zhang Yuanzong decided to personally go to Anyang Prefecture to report the matter of the hydraulic waterwheel to the Prefect of Anyang.
On the very night he arrived in Anyang Prefecture, a memorial was dispatched towards the capital at express speed.
The scorching summer heat plagued not only the people at the border; droughts began occurring successively in the south, and memorials from various regions flew towards the capital like flocks of desperate birds.
The memorials piled up like a small mountain, nearly burying the desk in the imperial study.
Xiao Chengjing let out a heavy sigh, feeling utterly weary in body and mind.
"Your Majesty, the Minister of Revenue requests an audience outside."
Xiao Chengjing straightened his dragon robe. "Admit him."
The Minister of Revenue knelt on both knees and reported, "Your Majesty, this summer, the rainfall in thirteen provinces, both north and south, has been less than four inches. Droughts are frequent in many areas, and there are fears of a complete crop failure after autumn."
"The national treasury is currently depleted. If we gather military provisions to send to the border, we fear there will be no grain for disaster relief after autumn. I beg Your Majesty to decide."
Xiao Chengjing said coldly, "Border provisions come first. The Ministry of Revenue must first gather grain from the populace to prepare for contingencies."
"Your servant obeys." The Minister of Revenue gritted his teeth, his forehead touching the ground, a knot of frustration tightening in his chest.
The national treasury only had so little silver. This was going to drive people to ruin!
Xiao Chengjing's gaze swept over the memorials on the desk. He closed his eyes and said, "Order the Ministry of Rites to select an auspicious day and set up an altar in the western suburbs to perform the Rain Prayer Ceremony."
A eunuch swiftly scurried out of the imperial study to deliver the decree.
Unfortunately, after three prayers, there was not even a breeze, let alone rain.
"Your Majesty, rumors have recently spread in the capital, potentially endangering the state." A censor knelt on both knees, his head bowed to the ground for a long time without rising.
Xiao Chengjing frowned. "What rumors?"
The censor swallowed, not daring to look up at all.
"The heavens withhold rain, the earth breeds fire, all because the ruler lacks virtue... This is a warning from heaven..."
Xiao Chengjing flew into a rage, sweeping the teacup from the table onto the floor with a wave of his hand.
"Preposterous! Since I ascended the throne, I have been diligent in governance, compassionate towards the people, toiling day and night without respite. When have I ever been negligent? Investigate for me! Who is spreading these rumors? How dare they slander me so!"
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger." Below, a dark mass of officials knelt in prostration.
The Prime Minister raised his head, his expression hesitant, and finally spoke. "It must be because the Ministry of Rites' repeated prayers for rain have yielded no results. Some commoners are saying that because Your Majesty has not personally ascended the altar to pray for rain, heaven refuses to send down sweet rain."
The Minister of Rites knelt on the ground trembling, his entire back soaked with sweat.
The civil and military officials exchanged glances. If the Emperor truly went to pray for rain and it did rain, all would be well.
But if it didn't, wouldn't the blame be even greater?
Xiao Chengjing sat on the dragon throne, his expression torn.
If he went personally to pray and it still didn't rain, he probably wouldn't be able to sit securely on this dragon throne much longer.
"Affairs of the court have been numerous lately. Let a prince go in my stead."
"Prince Qi, Prince Ying, which of you will go?"
Prince Qi and Prince Ying, standing on either side of the court hall, were inwardly shocked. They swiftly lowered their heads, pulling their shoulder blades in, wishing they could vanish on the spot.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall. The officials slightly turned their heads and saw the Seal-holding Eunuch hurriedly entering the hall, holding a green bamboo tube as thick as an arm.
Had the Shuo Bei Kingdom learned that their spy was captured and their plot exposed, and started the war early?
The Seal-holding Eunuch knelt on the ground and loudly announced, "Your Majesty, an express dispatch from Anyang! They present a superb strategy to combat the drought."
Everyone was startled. Anyang Prefecture?
Xiao Chengjing eagerly stretched out his hand. "Quick, bring it here for me to see."
Opening the bamboo tube, he pulled out a thick roll of drawings for a hydraulic waterwheel, along with a memorial from the Prefect of Anyang.
Xiao Chengjing narrowed his eyes in puzzlement, set the drawings aside, and first opened the memorial.
The civil and military officials secretly raised their heads to peek at the expression on the Emperor's face.
They saw Xiao Chengjing's expression change from an initial frown to gradually relaxing, and finally, he broke into a wide, delighted smile.
"Excellent, excellent, excellent." He patted his thigh, saying "excellent" three times in a row.
"To possess such a divine device is the fortune of Dong Zhao."
Xiao Chengjing handed the memorial to a eunuch, instructing him to read it aloud in the great hall, while he himself picked up the drawings for a closer look.
After the memorial was finished, the officials buzzed with discussion.
Something that could lift river water from low ground to high ground for irrigation without human labor? Could such a thing truly exist?
After studying them for a long while, Xiao Chengjing, still frowning, handed the drawings to a eunuch. "Let the Minister of Works take a good look."
The Minister of Works immediately stepped out from the crowd, received the drawings with both hands, and began leafing through them, using his arm as support.
After a quarter of an hour, he cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, this device should indeed function as described in the Prefect of Anyang's memorial."
The officials pursed their lips. That goes without saying.
The memorial stated it had been tested successfully before being submitted.
It was already in use in Xining City.
Xiao Chengjing declared loudly, "Order the Ministry of Works to construct the waterwheel tomorrow and test it in the southern suburbs. If it proves true to its claims, implement it nationwide."
The Minister of Works cupped his hands. "Your servant obeys."
Xiao Chengjing frowned in thought. "Song Jinzhao? This name... I feel like I've seen it somewhere before."
Prince Qi spoke up to remind him. "Father, this woman was mentioned in the Duke of Qingguo's memorial reporting the capture of the Shuo Bei Kingdom spy."
"Now I remember. She was also mentioned in the Prefect of Anyang's earlier memorial about the Shuo Bei Kingdom spies. Helan Xiao was captured by her own hands."
Xiao Chengjing said with emotion, "A commoner woman, not only highly skilled in martial arts but also knowledgeable in engineering. Truly remarkable."
He suddenly opened his eyes wide and glared angrily at the Minister of Works standing below.
"Minister of Works! A commoner woman can have such novel ideas. You, a third-rank official of the court, why are you so incompetent?"
The Minister of Works knelt in panic. "I am incompetent. It is my failure in duty."
Xiao Chengjing snorted heavily. "You are fined one year's salary as a warning to others."
The Minister of Works kowtowed in gratitude. "Thank you for Your Majesty's leniency."
Xiao Chengjing announced in a loud voice, "The farm woman Song Jinzhao has rendered meritorious service in constructing the waterwheel. She is bestowed with twenty bolts of brocade, one hundred taels of gold, and additionally a plaque inscribed with 'Unique Ingenuity.' The Prefect of Anyang is to personally go to her residence to deliver the decree. Court is dismissed."
The civil and military officials knelt and cupped their hands. "Long live the Emperor, long live, long live, long live the Emperor."
Far away, a thousand miles off, Song Jinzhao was bustling with activity at her stall on the main street.
With no rain for over half a month, more and more people were buying her iced tea drinks.
Making two trips a day, transporting twenty buckets each time, she was almost unable to keep up.
When Old Lady Song found out, she hurried over to help after selling out at her stall by the dock.
The Second Branch of the Song family watched this, their hearts itching with envy.
Second Song's wife sat on a cool mat, fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan, her expression full of regret.
"Jinzhao gave Mother an extra twenty coppers for her work. If she's really that busy, why doesn't she ask me?"
Second Song stood up and looked at her. "How about you go ask her tonight?"
Second Song's wife pressed her lips together. "What if Father finds out? It seems the First Branch doesn't have any intention of going."
Second Song frowned. "Eldest Sister-in-law is pregnant; she can't go even if she wanted to."
"When Jinzhao comes back tonight, take some things over and sound her out subtly. See what her attitude is. She probably won't tell Grandfather."
Second Song's wife gritted her teeth. "Alright, I'll pick some vegetables to take over."
Song Jinzhao used an icy towel to wipe the sweat from her face.
She looked up at the parasol overhead, then glanced at the shady shops across the street, and the thought of buying a shop began to form in her mind.
