It was indeed interesting, a delicate little mechanism. A small wooden figurine, stepping rhythmically, was placed beneath a rockery. It lifted the water high, bringing the once ordinary rockery to life with the flowing water.
“Rou’er, your craftsmanship is truly remarkable,” Qi Zhenzhen exclaimed.
“A young lady’s hands are meant for painting, playing the zither, calligraphy, and embroidery. But she, instead, took up woodworking. Because of this, my mother has reprimanded her several times! It was one thing when she was engrossed in reading; one could at least claim she had literary talent. But now, she’s become a craftswoman. Zhenzhen, tell me, isn’t it enough to do these things in moderation?” Li Nuan said, feeling quite helpless.
Li Rou, overhearing this, became displeased. She tugged at Zhenzhen’s hand and swayed it, “Sister Zhenzhen, you don’t think what I’m doing is wrong, do you!”
“How could I? I think this is exceptionally well-made,” Qi Zhenzhen said with a smile. “If this waterwheel were scaled up, it would be a boon to the common people. Currently, the large waterwheels in our Great Feng require a great deal of effort to operate. I observe that the one Rou’er has made, even if enlarged, should be quite easy to operate, shouldn’t it?”
Li Rou nodded eagerly, her face alight with surprise. “Sister Zhenzhen, how did you know I wanted to enlarge it? My father, mother, and my aunt all think what I’m doing is improper and lecture me all day. But finally, there’s someone who understands. Look, this small one, with a wooden figurine and a mechanism, can turn. If enlarged, it can also have a mechanism. If not a mechanism, then by adding two pedals here and here, two people could operate a large waterwheel.”
Qi Zhenzhen’s mind conjured images. In her previous life, she had seen similar literature. Waterwheels, through continuous improvements, eventually became as Li Rou described, operable by two people. The mechanisms she mentioned also existed, but due to complex craftsmanship, they were not as widely adopted as pedal-powered waterwheels. However, these advancements were the result of countless skilled artisans accumulating experience.
Li Rou was so young, just a little girl. If she had any special talent, it was her extensive reading. Initially, Qi Zhenzhen thought she only enjoyed poetry and prose, but later discovered that she read anything with writing. Moreover, this girl had an exceptional memory; it wasn’t an exaggeration to say she had a photographic memory. Now, Qi Zhenzhen discovered another virtue: her practical skills were outstanding, and her comprehension was also remarkable.
Certainly, she wasn’t the only one who had read those ancient books, but no one else had reportedly built physical objects based on their records. She was probably the first?
“Sister Zhenzhen, what are you thinking about?” Li Rou asked, shaking her.
“I’m thinking you’re very capable. What else have you made?” Qi Zhenzhen inquired.
“I’ll take you to see.” Da Feng Novel Network
In a small room, a large wooden table was covered with various tools and pieces of wood.
“The book also contains records of making mechanical figures, but the crucial parts are missing. I am currently pondering how to construct these mechanical figures. Ancient texts record that finished mechanical figures, although they cannot speak like humans, can walk and move like humans,” Li Rou said, her eyes shining. “If I can make them, I’ll replace all the servants attending me.”
Hearing this, Qi Zhenzhen was even more astonished. In her previous life, she had heard of the master craftsman Lu Ban, who possessed the ability to create all sorts of mechanical figures, and how this later developed into the Mohist school of mechanical arts. Could this ancient book be authored by a descendant of the Mohists?
Qi Zhenzhen asked Li Rou if she could see the ancient book. Li Rou carefully brought out a box.
It was less a book and more like several sheets of paper, mostly filled with various diagrams, with only sparse annotations. And as Li Rou had said, many parts were indeed incomplete. The only relatively complete one was the diagram of the waterwheel. Based on just a few pages, it was impossible to determine the book’s origin, but it could be concluded that the person who kept this book was undoubtedly an expert in this field.