Not only were the people of Chu State stunned, but most of the Jing Country onlookers were also amazed.
They had never seen such a novel irrigation system that saved so much manpower.
"What is this?!"
"No need for people to go in and water the fields?"
The Chu people on the opposite bank couldn't see clearly, but they felt it was miraculous.
The Chu boats that originally transported food now began a new business of ferrying people!
On the shore, Chu people, whether scholars, merchants, or commoners, all became excited. "Boatman, let me board! I'll pay in silver!"
"Yes, we won't go ashore, we'll just watch from the boat!"
"We're not violating the royal decree, are we?"
The Chu people once again put their clever minds to work, looking for loopholes in King of Chu's edict.
How could this be considered defying the royal decree?
Of course... it couldn't!
Having already paid one tael of silver to board the boat, King of Chu nearly slipped when he heard the clamor of the people.
Well, he was planning to cross the river anyway!
If King of Chu could go back in time, he would really want to stop himself from issuing that decree, which now made his face burn with embarrassment.
King of Chu himself was crossing the river!
Prime Minister Ji Duan and Princess Yunwu naturally followed, and many bold Chu citizens also boarded the boats.
As they approached the Jing Country shore, everyone could finally see clearly—
A dragon-bone-like wooden waterwheel was set up on the bank.
This waterwheel had wooden planks as troughs, with its tail immersed in the water flow. The other end had a small axle fixed on a wooden frame on the embankment, with two adult men on shore, stepping on wooden boards to rotate the axle.
As the axle rolled, it drove the dragon-bone waterwheel, drawing water from the river and delivering it to the fields.
"Excellent! This device is convenient!" Even King of Chu couldn't help but praise it!
Beside this foot-powered dragon-bone waterwheel, there was also a hand-cranked waterwheel.
This hand-cranked version was more portable, and nearby, people were using hand-cranked wooden plows to turn over the soil in the fields.
Clearly, these devices were much more convenient and labor-saving than pure manpower or oxen power!
"One person can irrigate about five mu of land in a day," explained a clerk from the Ministry of Works standing nearby.
"Further upstream, where the river is rapid," the clerk pointed ahead, "there's no need for foot power, the water flow alone drives the wheel, channeling water into the fields."
"!"
Both Chu and Jing people were amazed.
Farming would be so much easier from now on!
Their old backs could finally straighten up a bit.
[Oh, this is the irrigation skill book I exchanged earlier.]
Xiao Chuchu was on the opposite bank, held in Xiao Yunzhou's arms, watching contentedly from the front row.
She suddenly remembered the skill book she had exchanged long ago.
[Indeed, my skill books have all manifested in the world as innovations developed by Jing Country~]
[How wonderful, who says I'm not a small butterfly pushing history forward~]
Xiao Chuchu looked at the excited farmers by the fields watching the irrigation system, her little face beaming with smiles.
[This is so good.]
Isn't it?
Xiao Yunzhou couldn't help but smile too.
Since before the New Year, he had been urging the Ministry of Works. After three months of research, they finally managed to produce this just in time for the gathering!
"Are these things for sale?!" A shout rose from the crowd of Chu people on the opposite bank!
This voice was immediately echoed by other Chu people.
"Yes, are they for sale? How much silver?"
"Name a price!"
"I'll buy it, I'll buy it, okay?!"
The Chu people on the boats could hardly resist the urge to disembark and offer silver.
Though ordinary people couldn't afford it, grain merchants could!
Even village heads wanted to buy some to take back.
Prime Minister Ji Duan couldn't help but glance at King of Chu, who could have imagined that the first person in the crowd to ask about buying was King of Chu himself!
King of Chu had always looked down on Jing Country, but now it was clear that upon seeing these new devices, he sensed that Jing Country had changed, had become stronger!
"This one on the side is a water-powered trip hammer," the clerk from Jing Country's Ministry of Works walked a bit further and continued explaining.
"This device serves three purposes: the first section drives a stone mill to grind flour, the second section powers rice husking, and the third section is used for irrigation."
"According to measurements by our Jing Country's Ministry of Works, it's ten times more efficient in processing rice than manual labor."
At this, the people on both banks were in an uproar.
They looked at the series of strange new wooden contraptions before them, witnessing with their own eyes how water and flour were continuously produced as they operated.
Grinding flour, husking rice, irrigating fields – it really could do it all!
What miraculous celestial objects were these?
"Can we all use these for farming in the future?"
"It needs to be near a river, right? Our Xun City can do that! We have many streams in Xun City..."
"When can we start using these? Are they very expensive?"
The local Jing Country farmers in Xun City hadn't even used these devices yet.
This batch was specially transported from the research site near the capital of Jing Country's Ministry of Works, just for this gathering.
Some components were even urgently assembled by local carpenters.
"Our Ministry of Works will soon deploy these devices to villages in Jing Country with water resources," the Jing Country official from the Ministry of Works said with a smile. "The common people won't have to pay for any of these."
"What? We don't have to pay?!"
"Is there really such a good thing?"
The Jing people on the shore were greatly excited, while the Chu people on the boats were too envious to speak.
They were afraid that if they opened their mouths, they might express a desire to join Jing Country and farm there!
"How come the government is just giving these to us?"
"How can our Jing Country government be so good to us?"
[This is what the taxes you usually pay are for! Taking from the people, using for the people~]
Xiao Chuchu was smiling in Xiao Yunzhou's arms. [Emperor Dad did well this time.]
Xiao Yunzhou stood tall with pride.
Especially when he heard the envy, jealousy, and wails from the Chu boats, this Emperor of Jing Country felt a surge of superiority!
That's right, all this prosperity was brought about by his celestial little princess!
It was all taught by the little princess's inner voice daily.
This way, tax revenue used for the people's benefit was visible, tangible, and genuinely beneficial to the people. The common folk could also better understand the necessity of paying taxes and wouldn't resent it as much.
Xiao Yunzhou looked up at the envious faces on the Chu boats and couldn't help but straighten his back even more.
Tremble, people of Chu!
Today, he had merely displayed what he had learned from his celestial little princess over the past half year!
Tremble and bow before these celestial objects!
Xiao Yunzhou arrogantly raised his handsome chin by fifteen degrees in the sunlight. Even though he was dressed in plain clothes at the moment, it couldn't conceal his pride.
At his side and behind him, the true commoners of Jing Country also wore faces filled with the same pride and honor.
They all turned towards the ships from Chu State, unable to hide their show-off attitude.
"The other day when we treated you to a meal, that was just a small taste! Today, haha! Have you learned something new, people of Chu?"
"Don't envy us, we're Jing people and you're not. Just look at us enjoying the good stuff, hahaha!"
On the ships from Chu State, silence reigned.
The King of Chu took a deep breath, his gaze quickly falling on the most boastful Jing person, the one holding his daughter.
And Xiao Yunzhou's eyes swiftly landed on the dignified face of the King of Chu.
In that instant, the gazes of the two countries' rulers met!
