The most important thing was that bicycles did not need to be fed, were not afraid of severe cold or heat, rain or sun exposure, and could also carry heavy objects.
In the future, if every household had a bicycle, transporting things would be so convenient!
"It looks like I have to write another booklet to send to the capital."
Ding ling ling--
Without any accidents, Li Yao was the first to cross the finish line.
But even she was drenched in sweat after the nearly 30 km round trip at full speed.
It took a full ten minutes or more before Zhang County Captain and Wang San'er finally came into view.
"Huh, Zhang County Captain actually fell behind?"
This result surprised Song County Magistrate even more. He even suspected that Zhang County Captain had deliberately let Wang San'er win.
"I won!"
Wang San'er was two horse lengths ahead of Zhang County Captain, and was the first to cross the finish line.
The incoming Zhang County Captain was very annoyed. As soon as he got off his horse, he rushed towards Wang San'er.
"How on earth did you manage to stand up on the horse's back?"
Wang San'er led Zhang County Captain to the other side of the horse, and slapped the saddle, "Look at this."
"There are stirrups on this side too?"
Zhang County Captain was completely confused.
Stirrups are used to step on when mounting the horse. Having them on both sides, could it be for two people to get on at the same time?
No, no...
He thought about it carefully, and suddenly felt that this was an ingenious idea.
"Can I try it?"
"Go ahead."
Zhang County Captain got on the horse, and when both his feet were in the stirrups, he became even more certain of his guess.
In the past when riding a horse, after getting on the horse the stirrups were barely used. To steady oneself on the horse's back, one had to rely on the strength of one's legs to grip the saddle tightly, and even use one hand to hold onto the saddle.
This resulted in scattering most of one's strength and attention. In battle with the enemy, there was very little strength that could be utilized.
But with double stirrups it was different.
Now both feet were as if rooted, easily stabilizing the body which could now perform all kinds of difficult actions on the horse's back that were unthinkable before, such as full charge, chopping, and shooting arrows more steadily.
He felt that with these double stirrups, he could definitely defeat more than a dozen local cavalry by himself!
Seeing that he kept running back and forth on Wang San'er's horse, Song County Magistrate was very puzzled.
"Zhang County Captain, what are you doing?" Song County Magistrate said, "You lost, just admit defeat, why hold it against Wang San'er's horse?"
Zhang County Captain came back to his senses, quickly dismounted, and truthfully reported the matter of the double stirrups.
"My lord magistrate, if this method can be promoted in the army, the combat power of our cavalry will surely greatly increase!"
"Really?"
"Zhang swears on his life!" Zhang County Captain said seriously, "My lord magistrate, this is a major event. Please report it to the court immediately! Firstly for our soldiers, and secondly to ask for merit on behalf of Miss Li!"
Song County Magistrate: ...
Last time when asking for merit on behalf of Li Yao, it was because she had improved the plow, inventing the curved plow. It hadn't even been two months since then.
And now asking for merit again, and it was two achievements - the bicycle and the double stirrups.
And if these double stirrups were really as amazing as Zhang County Captain said, then they would definitely be an even greater achievement than the discovery of sweet potatoes!
"Old man, what are you staring into space for?" the county magistrate's wife urged, "Go back and write the post now."
"I know."
But Song County Magistrate was worried. He had sent booklets up repeatedly, but Li Yao’s rewards were unseen, not even a verbal commendation.
This meant that His Majesty probably hadn't even seen his posts.
Then no matter how much he wrote, what good would it do?
No, he had to find a way.
But who to ask?
After long deliberation, Song County Magistrate made up his mind.
"I hope he can handle this impartially as before."
...
Li Yao's bicycle debut was a great success. The villagers said they all wanted one, and even Song County Magistrate was preparing to sell the horses raised in the county government and switch to bicycles instead.
From now on, he would no longer ride in a carriage, but ride a bicycle when going out on official business.
Not only could it save expenses, but also exercise the body.
As a result, when tried at Li Yao's yard, Zhang County Captain and several clerks were able to get the hang of it very quickly, but Song County Magistrate fell over as soon as he got on, as if the bicycle held a grudge against him.
This made Song County Magistrate very depressed.
"My lord magistrate," Li Yao said, "Actually, over the new year holidays, I also had Xia Xian build a tricycle."
"A three-wheeled one?"
"With three wheels it won't fall over," Li Yao explained, "But the speed is not as fast as the two-wheeled one."
"It doesn’t matter, I don’t care about speed." Song County Magistrate said, "Let me try it quickly."
Xia Xian, who was idle, quickly brought over a pile of parts on a cart, and started assembling.
In less than a quarter hour, a senior tricycle appeared before everyone.
Song County Magistrate looked at it with eyes shining, and got on eagerly like a child.
"It really won't fall over!"
Song County Magistrate rode the tricycle around and around in the yard, his face beaming with joy, like a child of forty-something years old.
"Li Yao, thank you." the county magistrate's wife said.
"Madam, why thank me?"
"My husband has not been this happy since he was demoted," the county magistrate's wife said. "And now, I seem to see his former self again."
Li Yao chuckled in her heart, don't spread dog food in front of me.
After having his fill, Song County Magistrate said to Li Yao, "Miss Li, may I ask if you can produce these in quantity?"
"Yes, I can."
It was just a bicycle, there really wasn't much technical complexity. As long as the rubber supply from the south could keep up, mass production was just around the corner.
"Then when can you start mass production?"
"I’m already preparing to build a workshop. At most two months, they should be available for sale in the boutique store." Li Yao replied.
"Great, wonderful," Song County Magistrate said, "Then I will do some publicity for you these next few days."
Song County Magistrate's publicity method was very simple.
He had Li Yao make several more bicycles and gave them to Zhang County Captain and a group of clerks. Then every day he rode the tricycle himself, taking them around BaiChuan market a couple of times.
Every other day or so, he would also ride to the countryside.
The commoners had never seen such high-tech products before, and were amazed. The clerks then took the opportunity to publicize that this was a Li family from River Bay product, with so many benefits.
In less than half a month, all the commoners in BaiChuan county knew about bicycles and tricycles.
"I know Miss Li makes good stuff," someone said, "but I can't afford it."
Something even the county magistrate uses, how could ordinary commoners get to use it?
Don't joke around.
"No, no, it's not what you think," Zhang County Captain said, "Miss Li said these bicycles won't be expensive, just 15 taels of silver each. From the long term perspective, it's definitely worth it."
"Also, with a bicycle, even from Yichun prefecture, you could go back and forth in a day."
"If you use it for business, wouldn't it be much more cost-effective than ox carts and horse carriages?"
Under Zhang County Captain and the clerks' hard sell, many people had already started to waver.
