Chapter 151

Chapter 151

After the emperor and his ministers took turns using the telescope, their eyes collectively fell on Princess Qing Yi, who was standing on a chair and still holding onto it tightly.

Fu Yanxiu's heart pounded like a drum. Unusually, he rubbed his hands together and said, "Your Majesty, this is an incredible device. If the capital's military has one of these, they could arrange for people to patrol in shifts for all twelve double hours of the day. Then, every movement in the capital would be within sight, and the city's security would surely reach new heights."

Ren Qinghua added, "Your Majesty, in the past, when a county magistrate wished to understand the people's conditions, they could only make incognito visits when they first arrived. After serving for a year or two, they couldn't do so anymore. But with this telescope, as long as a moderately tall platform is built in the county office, the entire city would be visible at a glance. Any bullying or exploitation in the streets would no longer escape the magistrate's watchful eye."

With an eager look, Fu Yanxiu pleaded with the emperor, "Your Majesty, the security of the capital must be prioritized!"

Ren Qinghua said, "Your Majesty, the people's livelihood is of utmost importance."

The corner of the emperor's mouth twitched. He felt that his two ministers were overthinking things.

"Supervisor Fu, Deputy Minister Ren," Li Ai's voice sounded coldly from behind them, "This is a gift from my wife." The emphasis on 'my wife' was particularly heavy.

Fu Yanxiu turned around, while Ren Qinghua glanced over his shoulder. What met their eyes was Li Ai's darkened face.

Oh dear!

This was a new trinket Meng Die had bestowed upon Li Ai, and no amount of envy from others, not even the emperor's, could change that fact. Fu Yanxiu and the other officials deflated like deflated balloons.

But soon, they rallied their spirits anew. Pei Ji Huan discreetly signaled to Meng Tingyi, while Ren Qinghua winked at him. Intrigued, Meng Tingyi asked, "Changfeng, did Die mention if this telescope is of exceptional quality? Can we procure a large quantity?"

Li Ai replied, "Both the telescope and the microscope were gifts from local nobles. They require advanced craftsmanship to create, so mass production would be impossible. However," his gaze softened, "Meng Die mentioned that she has started sponsoring some scholars and artisans in an effort to make them more widely available."

Mass production! The crowd's spirits lifted. Their eyes then fell on the two unopened boxes. If the telescope was so remarkable, how extraordinary must the microscope be? Anticipation swelled within them.

Li Ai led the junior eunuchs in unpacking the boxes, while the onlookers couldn't help but engage in animated discussion.

Pei Ji Huan asked, "A microscope, isn't it used to see tiny things?"

Fu Yanxiu responded, "Somewhat similar to glasses, wouldn't you say?"

Qiao Wanming shook his head.

Tan Zhengze chimed in, "It's probably akin to a magnifying glass, which is also used to examine small objects."

This explanation met with general agreement among the group.

Li Ai promptly opened one of the boxes, removed the cotton padding, revealing a microscope standing over a foot tall.

The Emperor waved, and Li Ai placed it directly on the imperial desk before him. Recalling the details from the letter, he instructed a young eunuch, "Fetch me a leaf."

It was autumn, and chrysanthemums were in full bloom around the Thousand Autumns Pavilion. The eunuch plucked a leaf from a chrysanthemum plant.

Taking the leaf, Li Ai sliced it into a thin strip and placed it on the microscope's stage. After making the necessary preparations, he began his observation through the small circular lens.

His eyes widened abruptly. Despite Meng Die's warning in her letter, Li Ai was still utterly astonished. If not for the fact that he had personally placed the leaf there, he would never have believed that what he was seeing through the lens was the same leaf. It appeared to be an entirely different entity altogether.

How on earth could such delicate, hair-thin leaves transform into this massive, round object?

The emperor was filled with curiosity. "Changfeng, what do you think?"

Li Ai stepped back from the table. "Your Majesty, I find that the world is indeed vast." Vast enough to hold endless wonders. ? ? ? As a military man, why are you suddenly showing an artistic side?

The emperor pondered for a moment. This time, he had skipped past everyone and become the second person to use a microscope. With just one glance, the emperor straightened his posture and looked again at the chrysanthemum leaf that Li Ai had sliced into fine threads.

After observing it through the microscope, he straightened again to peer at the leaf on the stage, then returned to the microscope for another look... After repeating this process five or six times, the emperor finally ceased his antics.

The ministers exchanged glances, but none dared to inquire openly.

Empress: "Your Majesty, what has happened? What did you see?"

The emperor sat back in his chair. "Indeed, the world is vast. I recall a Buddhist saying, 'a flower represents a world, a leaf a Bodhi.' At first, I took it as a metaphor, but now, I believe it to be true—truly, a world in a single flower."

The Empress was astonished and went to examine the microscope herself. As expected of a couple, she replicated the emperor's actions flawlessly.

Each of them took turns to look through it, and they fell into a collective silence. On one hand, they were struck with awe, and on the other, confusion. The function of the telescope was self-evident, but the purpose of the microscope eluded them.

The emperor asked directly, "Changfeng, is the other box also containing a microscope?"

Li Ai replied, "Your Majesty, indeed it does."

The emperor inquired further, "Meng Die has brought back two microscopes. I suppose one was meant for you to present to someone. Does this microscope possess any particular significance?"

Li Ai shook his head. "Neither of the microscopes were intended for me. One was for my grandfather in Zhijiang, and the other is for the Imperial Medical Academy."

Ah?

Li Ai didn't keep them in suspense and immediately gave a detailed explanation to everyone: "Your Majesty, Meng Die used to cultivate mushrooms. When they were fully mature, she would wrap them in paper. After a few days, she would tear the paper into bits and mix it with the substrate. After watering it, more mushrooms would sprout in a few more days."

Qiao Wanming stroked his beard, "I recall when I was young and went up the mountain, there were mushrooms that would release dust when you gently tapped them. That dust was supposedly the spores."

Pei Ji Huan commented, "Now that you mention it, I do remember some mushrooms that wouldn't release any dust even if they were overripe. At that time, I thought they had no spores. But thinking about it now, could it be that the spores were too small for me to see?"

Indeed, these men were well-traveled and knowledgeable. Once Li Ai provided a starting point, they were able to deduce the rest.

Tan Zhengze added, "But how would one provide this knowledge to the Imperial Medical Institute? If anything, it should be given to the Ministry of Works, as they deal with agricultural studies."

Li Ai: "Meng Die mentioned that wounds become infected and suppurate due to unseen impurities adhering to them. The imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Institute could use microscopes to examine this."

Everyone had an enlightened expression.

The Emperor: "Another one sent to Zhijiang?"

Meng Tingyi: "Your Majesty, there's an experimental aquaculture farm on that stretch of tidal flats."

Tan Zhengze: "When did you acquire those tidal flats?"

Meng Tingyi said, "It wasn't me who purchased it, nor was it something for Die'er. She needed it for an experiment. Her elder sister-in-law kindly offered a portion of her own dowry tidal flats for her to use."

The Empress chuckled. "Their relationship as sisters-in-law is truly admirable." After a moment of reflection, she changed the subject. "Whatever Meng Die is researching must be remarkable. I hope they can decipher its secrets with the microscope soon."

The Emperor nodded repeatedly. "Indeed, Meng Die has an exceptional eye and judgment."

Li Ai interjected, "Your Majesty, I have a request."

The Emperor asked, "What is it?"

Li Ai: "The one who brought these items back is an overseas missionary named Nas. Meng Die mentioned that despite his religious role, he is also highly learned. I wish to seek his counsel regularly, and thus humbly request Your Majesty's permission to provide him with a residence within the palace."

The emperor paused before responding, "So be it. Lin Chu, see to it."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

It was Li Ai's turn to be perplexed. Wait, all he needed was a simple room. Why the fuss? He could have arranged it for Nas himself.

Upon returning to his quarters that evening, Li Ai finally understood why the emperor had specifically assigned this task to Lin Chu.

His once modest single room had undergone a complete transformation. Initially, he slept on a hard plank bed, an arrangement that Li Ai, accustomed to the barracks' spartan conditions, hardly noticed. Now, however, it had been replaced with a true luxury: a high, soft mattress. He had not bothered to bring a quilt from home, instead using the standard cotton ones provided by the palace, but even these had been exchanged for sumptuous silk coverings.

The room originally contained only a table and a chair; now, it still held a table and a chair, but they had been replaced with exquisite huanghuali wood. The space was scattered with various items, yet tastefully arranged. The room remained the same outwardly, but its interior had undergone a complete transformation, rivaling even the bedrooms of a marquis's residence.

Li Ai gazed at Lin Chu, who replied with a smile, "Lord, the quarters are too compact to set aside a separate study. After some thought, I decided to knock a door into the wall, transforming the adjacent room into a study. Please have a look and see if it suits your needs. If there's anything you're not satisfied with, I'll have them make the necessary changes immediately."

Pushing open the door, Li Ai was momentarily disoriented; this study was strikingly similar to the one in the Marquis's residence. It featured a spacious bay window, beside which swayed a rocking chair. Next to the rocking chair stood a tall chair, atop which rested a plate of melon seeds – perfectly positioned for him to grab a handful while lounging in the rocking chair, merely by stretching out his hand.

The only distinction from her family's study was that this room held a single, sparsely filled bookshelf, whereas her home was adorned with bookcases brimming with volumes collected by Meng Die herself.

Li Ai expressed his gratitude with satisfaction, "Many thanks, Chief Eunuch Lin."

Lin Chu replied, "It's only right for Lord Hou to dedicate yourself to the safety of the Imperial City and His Majesty. We only hope that your residence here will be as comfortable as your home. Oh, and Mr. Nas's quarters have been arranged next to the study, fully furnished to ensure he won't be slighted in any way."

After dismissing Lin Chu, Li Ai washed up and lay in bed, pondering the matter deeply. It took him a while before he finally understood.

"Ahaha..." Li Ai couldn't help but laugh aloud. He now realized the reason behind such thoughtful arrangements.

Why would he need to stay in the palace quarters? Many might not understand the reason, but the Emperor surely did. With Meng Die absent, Li Ai was avoiding the entanglements of a beauty's affection.

Previously, the Emperor believed that Meng Die had made a mistake and misjudged her, thus regarding her decision to sail out to sea as a personal matter, and thus wouldn't intervene in their marital affairs.

Now, after observing through telescopes and microscopes, the Emperor realized that Meng Die was indeed justified. Her judgment remained as astute as ever; she hadn't misread anyone. Her voyage at sea had transformed into a mission for the nation.

To the Emperor, the nation was his, and serving the nation was equivalent to serving him.

If a subject sailed out to serve the country, only to have her home life collapse with her husband taking another wife, how would that sound? Wouldn't it break the heart of a loyal contributor?

However, Li Ai was a man, and the Emperor couldn't forcefully intervene. Therefore, he hinted indirectly that the palace accommodations were excellent, extremely comfortable – suggesting that she should stay within the palace grounds and not return home.