Zhaozhao smiled. So good, Mom is still here after waking up.
She was of course still sleepy, so under Jian Yunsang’s gentle pats, she slowly closed her eyes again and fell asleep once more.
When she woke up again, it was already daylight.
Zhaozhao turned her head to look at Jian Yunsang. The latter was still asleep, so she carefully got out of bed and quietly stepped onto the floor.
Jian Yunsang woke up, but she did not move. She only watched Zhaozhao get up, her face full of contentment.
She saw Zhaozhao go to the bathroom. She had probably washed her face by herself. After learning how to use the faucet, the little one was still quite curious about it, so she stayed inside for quite a while.
When she came out, she saw that Jian Yunsang was still lying on the bed, so she tiptoed out of the room again and closed the door.
However, after leaving the room, she no longer knew what to do.
In the past, when she got up, she had to feed the chickens and ducks, then go to the vegetable garden to pick and wash vegetables. After Madam Zheng got up, she would help tend the fire and cook. After eating, she had to wash the dishes and sweep the floor, and then immediately go outside to wash clothes. If she finished washing and it was still early, she had to go help in the fields, or gather pigweed, or do whatever Madam Zheng told her to do.
But here, she did not need to feed the chickens and ducks, nor did she need to pick vegetables, and even less did she need to tend the fire.
As for washing the dishes, she had actually wanted to wash the dishes last night, but after she finished eating, she went to the bathroom, and when she came out, the dishes were already gone.
As for sweeping the floor, that was even more out of the question. The floor was so white and clean that there was not even any dust on it. It was cleaner than the bed where Madam Zheng and the others slept.
And there was also washing clothes. She had changed out of her clothes last night, but she did not know where Mom had put them.
She wanted to do some work, but she was unfamiliar with everything in the house. She was afraid of taking the wrong thing, and also afraid of breaking something. She could not afford to compensate for it. Zhaozhao sat on the sofa, twisting her hands together, looking somewhat at a loss.
Jian Yunsang, who had been leaning against the side of the room door all this time, tightened her lips. Their little Zhaozhao had always been outgoing, innocent, and cheerful. If she did not understand something, she would ask, and she could greet anyone she saw. Yet now she curled up timidly on the sofa, looking at the potted plant on the coffee table, without even the courage to take a single step forward.
She slightly closed her eyes, straightened up, and walked forward.
Who would have thought that just as she lifted her foot, she saw Zhaozhao suddenly stand up. Jian Yunsang froze, then hurriedly pulled her foot back.
Zhaozhao had sat on the sofa for a long time, but in the end, she still could not resist and walked toward the balcony.
The balcony had a large floor-to-ceiling window. Looking down from here, it felt as though she could fall down at any moment. Zhaozhao had walked a few steps toward here yesterday, but she did not dare get too close. She stopped when she was still one meter away from the floor-to-ceiling window.
She liked this place. It was so bright and so warm. The sunlight shone in, making her whole mood better.
She hesitated for a moment, but still could not resist moving her little feet over. Carefully, she placed her hand on the glass and touched it.
The Sky Screen of the Great Qi Dynasty had opened early in the morning. Following Zhaozhao’s footsteps as she explored along the way, the view finally also landed in front of this large floor-to-ceiling window.
Emperor Jingxuan was envious again and again. This glass[1]琉璃 (liúlí) – a traditional Chinese term for glass, especially glass used for decorative or architectural purposes. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3351204_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3351204_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); is good ah. It was transparent and hard, and it was actually being used directly as a wall.
He did not want much either. Half of it would be enough.
Thinking of this, he turned his head to find the Minister of Works, Yu Kangsheng, “Can the glass we have here be made like this?”
Yu Kangsheng’s eyes were likewise shining brightly, but when he heard the Emperor’s question, he shook his head regretfully, “No.”
Emperor Jingxuan rubbed his chin and pondered, “Then you guys try it. Make glass like this next year.”
Yu Kangsheng, “……” Your Majesty, please be a little more reasonable ba. Is this something that can be made just by trying? There is actually even a deadline!
However, Emperor Jingxuan hadn’t finished speaking, “And that thing that can produce water, what is it called, that faucet thing. You guys make one of those too. It will be convenient for washing one’s hands. Ideally, it should also be able to produce hot water.”
Yu Kangsheng, “……” You look at me. Do I look like I can do that?
“And also, that stove that produces fire…”
“Your Majesty, the Sky Screen has started moving.” Yu Kangsheng wiped the sweat from his forehead and suddenly prayed for the Sky Screen to hurry up and shut off. Otherwise, later on, His Majesty might even make him figure out a way to get inside the Sky Screen.
Fortunately, Emperor Jingxuan raised his head and looked toward the Sky Screen again. After Zhaozhao touched the glass for a while, she indeed retreated.
She was just about to sit back in her original place when she turned her head and saw a laundry basket placed on the left side of the balcony. The dirty clothes she had changed out of last night were inside.
Zhaozhao let out an ‘ah’. So they were here.
She pitter-pattered over and hurriedly dragged the laundry basket over. Inside were not only her own clothes, but also Mom’s clothes.
She wanted to wash all the clothes inside while Mom was still not awake. That way, Mom would definitely be very happy, and she would be able to stay.
Thinking this, Zhaozhao eagerly picked up the laundry basket and was about to carry it toward the bathroom.
Who would have thought that just as she reached the living room, Jian Yunsang came over. She instinctively explained, “I, I was going to wash the clothes.”
“Wash the clothes ah.” Jian Yunsang smiled and took the laundry basket from her, “Okay, then Mom will teach you how to wash them, alright?”
Zhaozhao originally wanted to say that she knew how to wash clothes, but when her gaze fell on the set of clothes belonging to Jian Yunsang inside the laundry basket, she still closed her mouth. Mom’s clothes looked very delicate and beautiful. What if they cannot be washed directly?
She obediently nodded, “Okay.”
Jian Yunsang then took her back to the washing machine on the balcony, squatted down, and said to Zhaozhao, “Let’s pull open this round lid, then put the clothes inside, and then press the lid down firmly. Come, give me your hand. Use your finger to tap here, then tap here. Alright, we’re done. Once it finishes washing, just take the clothes out and hang them up to dry.”
Zhaozhao, “……” She had an expression that said, Where am I? What am I doing? What just happened?
So this is how washing clothes works?
“Let’s go. We’ll make breakfast first. After we eat, we’ll be going out.”
Zhaozhao raised her head, “This, this can wash clothes by itself?”
“Yes, this is called a washing machine. Not only can it wash clothes, but after washing them, it can also dry them so we can wear them directly. But the sun is quite good today, so we won’t dry them. Letting them dry in the sun is more comfortable.” Jian Yunsang held her hand and walked toward the kitchen, “There is also a dishwasher here. We put the dishes inside, and it can also wash the dishes clean by itself.”
Zhaozhao suddenly understood. No wonder she had not seen the dishes yesterday. It turns out it could wash them by itself.
This time, Emperor Jingxuan of the Great Qi Dynasty was not envious. After all, these were all things for doing chores, and he did not need to do them himself. There were plenty of eunuchs and palace maids in the palace, and they could wash things much cleaner than these whatever-things.
But although he was not envious, he still wanted these novel things, so he turned his head to look at Yu Kangsheng.
At this moment, where was there any sign of the latter? He had already hidden in a corner and curled himself up there.
His Majesty’s ideas were too frightening. Even if those were not an immortal’s means, they were still things that ordinary mortals could not accomplish. At least right now, there was no one among them who could do it!!
The villagers of Shangliu Village were extremely envious, “So good ah. These immortal artifacts can do everything. If only I had them too.”
“Dream on, those are immortal artifacts. Can mortals use them?”
Just as they were sighing with emotion, someone suddenly ran over, “Quick, quick, quick. County Magistrate is here. He’s heading to the village chief’s house right now.”
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