Chapter 8

    "I didn't do it!"

    "Neither did I!"

    Three maids argued back and forth as a fine teapot suddenly fell from the table and shattered, yet none of them would admit to being the culprit.

    Of course... because it was actually Xiaoping who had secretly flicked a stone at the teapot, causing it to fall and break.

    "Silence!"

    A calm yet authoritative voice pressured the maids into submission, making them too afraid to even look up.

    "Since none of you will admit to being at fault, you'll all share the responsibility. The third kitchen is short-staffed; you will go help there. I'll send for you when I see fit."

    The three maids instantly knelt and wailed, but Sisi did not even glance at them.

    Three gone... seven left.

    The next day, Sisi dismissed five more maids from Lianhua Palace for accepting bribes from another palaces, expelled without even knowing the source of the money hidden in their rooms.

    The remaining two maids were more cautious, so Sisi could not easily use the same tactics on them.

    The following morning, she called them for various tasks. Before evening, one had fallen from a tree and broken her arm after being ordered to cut an overgrown branch, and the other had fallen from the roof and broken her leg after being told to clean there. Eventually, both were sent to the royal physicians' institute for treatment.

    On the third day, Sisi went to meet Grand Empress Dowager at her palace and spoke of the 'weak-handed' maids Empress Dowager had sent, who broke things or got injured with every little task. Now, there were hardly any maids left in Lianhua Palace, which worried her.

    Grand Empress Dowager smiled at her before decreeing that ten new, young maids, who had been in the palace for less than two months and had no affiliations, be given to her.

    These young maids, after arriving at Lianhua Palace, were constantly rewarded and praised by Sisi. They grew to admire the Concubine Dong greatly. With not much work in the palace and such a kind and generous mistress, they eventually became devoted servants of Lianhua Palace.

    A week had passed since Sisi had summoned Minmin back to serve at the Lianhua Palace as before. Every day, Zhang Xianze continued to visit her without fail.

    Today, the young official promised that if she followed his invitation, he would stop pursuing her like this. Reluctantly, Sisi agreed to follow him to the Royal Research Institute located in the outer royal precinct, with Xiaoping accompanying them. It took them more than an hour to reach, leaving even the robust Sisi slightly breathless.

    Having walked such a distance for seven days, Sisi found herself unexpectedly respecting Zhang Xianze. He was a young man of remarkable endurance, though it was a pity boldness were a bit too intolerable.

    "I'm sorry, miss, but I can only allow Miss Xiaoxi inside," Zhang Xianze told Xiaoping.

    The close maid stared at him silently, sending shivers down his spine. She then looked to Sisi for help, and Sisi whispered to Xiaoping to wait outside as Zhang Xianze had requested.

    Inside the Royal Research Institute, there were three main buildings, quite large and impressive. Zhang Xianze explained that the institute had been established only a few years ago by the current Emperor and had already produced many significant contributions to Dazhong.

    Zhang Xianze led her into one of the buildings he called the 'conference room' of the institute. The room was lined with shelves on all four walls, filled with both familiar and unfamiliar inventions. A long wooden table occupied the center of the room, cluttered with papers and notebooks. Both young and old scholars bustled about, some engaged in heated discussions.

    Soon, Sisi noticed a washing barrel near one corner of the table.

    "Did you bring that washing barrel here?" she asked, pointing to it.

    "No, no, that one was my attempt to replicate yours, but there are many things about it that aren't quite right. Can you check why it doesn't spin as smoothly as yours?"

    Sisi inspected Zhang Xianze's version of the washing barrel and soon replied,

    "Your gears aren't fitting properly; they seem a bit too long."

    In truth, she had not invented the washing barrel herself. During her travels to the West, she had seen local women using similar devices, but those were larger and operated by donkeys. She had merely adapted the Western washing barrel to a smaller size for Minmin's convenience, but she did not want to explain too much to Zhang Xianze for fear of arousing suspicion.

    The scholars around them began to gather, intrigued by the device.

    "Ah! Everyone, this is Miss Xiaoxi, the maid who devised this washing barrel,"

    Zhang Xianze, almost forgetting, quickly introduced the young woman he had brought to the institute, seeing the questioning looks from the other scholars.

    "It's this lady!"

    "This washing barrel is excellent!"

    Sis heard the enthusiastic exclamations throughout the room and bowed her head several times in courtesy. After offering some advice to Zhang Xianze for a while longer, she excused herself, claiming she had further duties at the Lianhua Palace. The young man did not hold her back.

    However, just a few steps away, she paused when she saw a large drawing laid out on the central table.

    "Is this... a dam?"

    "Yes, it's the blueprint of a dam I designed myself. I need to present this project before the Emperor before going to the construction site," Zhang Xianze explained eagerly.

    "What do you think?" His eyes shining with anticipation. He had spent a long time designing this stone dam and was proud of his work.

    Sisi scanned the blueprint of the dam, designed to close a narrow gap in a valley-shaped area on a mountain. After pondering for a moment, she said,

    "Master, I think this design is not quite perfect yet."

    Zhang Xianze froze, stammering in his reply,

    "Wh-where... do you see it... as flawed?"

    "It's not that it's bad, but with a dam like this, I'm afraid that if it's designed too low, it won't be able to contain the water during the flood season, possibly causing floods in the nearby areas. But if it's designed too high, it won't release enough water for the villagers to use during the dry season. Moreover, with the strength and level of water varying each year, it seems very difficult to calculate the appropriate height for the dam."

    Zhang Xianze's face turned pale instantly. In just a few days, he would have to present this project before the emperor, and he had not anticipated such a significant flaw.

    "What... what should we do then?"

    Sisi pursed her lips tightly, her large eyes fixating on the dam blueprint before her, then replied,

    "Master, how about adding sluice gates? This way, you wouldn't have to worry about the height of the walls, but you must be careful with the calculations when designing them."

    "Sluice gates?" he echoed.

    "Yes, sluice gates that can be lifted from the top," Sisi explained, gesturing to illustrate.

    Zhang Xianze's eyes widened, then he smiled broadly in amazement.

    "Miss Xiaoxi, you are exceedingly clever! If it weren't for your help, I would have unknowingly faced the emperor's displeasure!"

    Sisi and Xiaoping returned to the Lianhua palace at Shen Shi[1].

    Xiaozu was preparing snacks in the small kitchen of the palace, so Sisi went to wash up and change her clothes before heading out to relax in the back garden. Just as Xiaozu finished the snacks, Minmin brought them to the table for Sisi to enjoy with jasmine tea.

    Sisi admired the view of the garden and murmured,

    "The flowers here are truly beautiful."

    Despite the palace being so remote, the garden was never neglected, always tended by servants who watered and maintained it daily. Especially since there were no residents before, it truly was a waste of both money and labor.

    Sisi walked around the garden, stretching, and soon remarked to Minmin,

    "Not only are they beautiful, but these species are also rare. How were they planted here?"

    "My lady, Xiaozu told me that the soil used in the royal palace all comes from Tian Shan. It's very fertile soil, imported every three months. That's why the plants in the palace bloom so beautifully."

    "What a waste indeed,"

    Sisi chuckled softly, shaking her head. Then she paused, her large eyes narrowing thoughtfully. Soon, a satisfied smile spread across her face.

    "Minmin, let's find a way to benefit from this soil."

[1] translates to "The hour of Shen (申) is from 3:00 PM to 4:59 PM.