Chapter 1149: Breezy One
It was the tenth year of Chongzhen, the height of summer, July.
Temperatures soared...
Luoyang city baked under the fierce sun; the entire city seemed to shimmer and evaporate, the very air, unable to bear the heat, rose in shimmering waves, creating a strange, almost watery distortion.
Ordinary folk sought refuge beneath eaves, fanning themselves with large cattail fans, and occasionally sipping cool well water. They managed to endure, if barely.
But there was one man for whom this season brought particular agony every year.
His name was Zhu Changxun, the Prince of Fu.
For a man of three hundred catties, summer was a truly hostile force.
It was absolute torment!
Hiding in a cool room was useless; it only felt stifling. Sitting under the eaves offered no relief. Even having his maids frantically fan him made no difference. The maids themselves were half-dead from the heat, their arms too weak to make a proper breeze.
His trusted eunuch, Eunuch Zheng, leaned in from the side. "Your Highness," he suggested, "at Xiaolangdi dock, there are large blocks of ice used by seafood merchants to preserve their catch. Perhaps we could acquire some?"
The Prince of Fu shook his head, a crestfallen expression on his face. "No, absolutely not. That is celestial ice, a gift from the Heavenly Lord. I dare not touch it. His Venerable Self must still be angry with this prince. Last time, he almost swept me up to heaven like a locust, and I'm still terrified from it."
Everyone present exchanged glances.
Indeed, the Prince of Fu was famously afraid of death. When rebels approached, he would order his princely guards to surround him, never daring to take a single step away. He had even hired numerous mercenary fighters.
But if the Heavenly Lord truly wished to deal with him, what good were princely guards or mercenary fighters then?
For safety's sake, the Prince of Fu simply refused to touch anything associated with the Heavenly Lord, unless one day he received clear assurance that the Heavenly Lord had forgiven him. Otherwise, he would strive to avoid drawing the Heavenly Lord's attention at all costs.
Just then, a young eunuch rushed in from outside, reporting quickly, "Your Highness, a young man from Gao Family Village itself has arrived, claiming to have something novel to present to you."
The Prince of Fu was greatly surprised. "From Gao Family Village? Oh, we mustn't treat him lightly! Invite him in at once, quickly!"
Soon, Mo Li, the graduate student, entered. He was followed by two men carrying a large box, which seemed to contain some rare marvel.
Upon seeing the Prince of Fu, he introduced himself. "I am Mo Li, a graduate student from Gao Family Village."
The Prince of Fu dared not be rude, quickly rising and bowing. "Master Mo, ah, this humble prince offers his greetings. May I ask what brings Master Mo to my residence, and what instruction you might have for me?"
Merely standing up and speaking two sentences constituted "enormous physical exertion" for him. Sweat immediately streamed down his face, forcing him to wipe it away repeatedly.
Mo Li smiled faintly. "Your Highness seems rather warm."
The Prince of Fu lamented pitifully, "Indeed. Every summer, this humble prince suffers immensely."
Mo Li replied, "Then Your Highness must take a look at my invention. It can make your summers a little more bearable."
The Prince of Fu's curiosity was piqued. "What sort of thing is it?"
Mo Li opened the box and took out an electric fan.
The Prince of Fu had never seen such a device. His eyes widened in astonishment. "What in the world is this?"
Mo Li asked, "Is the princely manor wired for electricity?"
The Prince of Fu quickly responded, "Wired for electricity? Of course, it's wired! This humble prince spent a fortune hiring Blue Hats from Gao Family Village to run a power line from the market, and I've bought many electric lamps as well. Look, there's one right above us, though with the sun so bright, it's not yet switched on."
Mo Li chuckled. "Excellent. Where is the socket?"
Eunuch Zheng swiftly led Mo Li to a socket in the corner of the wall.
Mo Li unplugged the electric lamp and inserted the fan's plug. He adjusted the fan's angle, pointing it directly at the Prince of Fu, then, with a soft *click*, he flicked the switch.
The fan blades whirred to life, spinning rapidly.
Immediately, the Prince of Fu felt a powerful gust of wind rush towards him, making his beard flutter wildly...
In that instant, the Prince of Fu was utterly delighted.
"Ah? This device? It blows wind?" The Prince of Fu exclaimed with great joy. "What a strong breeze! This wind is far more powerful than what my maids can create with their fans!"
Mo Li chuckled. "In such scorching weather, having maids fan you all day long would exhaust them completely. That would make Your Highness appear heartless, oppressing your staff, and the Heavenly Lord would surely be displeased if he knew."
That last statement almost made the Prince of Fu gasp for air in fright. "What? The Heavenly Lord would be displeased?"
Whether the Heavenly Lord would truly be displeased, Mo Li didn't know; he was simply improvising. "But using an electric fan is entirely different! Not only will you avoid the reputation of oppressing your subordinates, but you'll also enjoy a stronger, cooler breeze. Just press this button when you want a breeze, and press it again when you don't..."
He demonstrated the operation for the Prince of Fu, then smiled. "Convenient, isn't it?"
The Prince of Fu's beard and hair fluttered wildly about his face in the fan's breeze... His heart brimming with joy, he quickly replied, "Convenient? It's utterly convenient! This humble prince has never felt so refreshed in summer before! This... this device... how much does it cost?"
Mo Li smiled. "This device incorporates the latest technology from Gao Family Village and uses a significant amount of copper, which, as Your Highness knows, is quite valuable. Furthermore, it needs to be connected to the electrical grid, drawing on the celestial power provided by the Heavenly Lord..."
After a lengthy explanation, Mo Li finally said, "And most importantly, this is the very first electric fan in all the world! I've given it a special name: the 'Breezy One.' You can see it inscribed on the base. Any electric fans produced later will not have the same collectible value, nor will they be given individual names."
The Prince of Fu understood. "So, it's rather expensive?"
Then, he cautiously added, "Whether it's expensive or not, let's put that aside for a moment! It uses the celestial power provided by the Heavenly Lord, so... if this humble prince uses it, will it displease the Heavenly Lord? I'm a bit embarrassed to ask, but this humble prince once did something that made His Venerable Self... rather unhappy, and I don't know if his anger has subsided yet."
Mo Li reassured him, "His Venerable Self should certainly not be displeased! The Heavenly Lord encourages everyone to use advanced technology. The more people who use it, and the more profit technological products earn, the more motivation scientists will have to research new technologies. The Heavenly Lord calls this a 'positive feedback loop' and a 'virtuous cycle.' If Your Highness uses this, you will be contributing to scientific progress, and the Heavenly Lord will surely be delighted."
As soon as he heard that the Heavenly Lord would be pleased, the Prince of Fu grew urgent. "How much is it?"
Mo Li stated, "Five hundred taels of silver."
The Prince of Fu declared, "I'll buy it! Quick, go fetch the money!"
The latter half of his command was directed at Eunuch Zheng.
Eunuch Zheng was no less anxious. Years ago, to appease the Heavenly Lord and save himself, he had even broken his own arm, and had always held a lingering fear of the deity. Now, hearing that this purchase would delight the Heavenly Lord, he moved with lightning speed, dashing into the princely manor's treasury and returning with five hundred taels of silver.
Thus, the transaction was completed, money exchanged for goods, and both parties were utterly pleased.
That evening, Mo Li returned to Gao Family Village by train, carrying the five hundred taels of silver. He reported to his financial director, Hou Lan, "The prototype sold for five hundred taels."
Hou Lan's face blossomed into a radiant smile. "My husband is truly remarkable!"
And her female colleagues at the textile factory would no doubt be consumed by envy once more.
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