Chapter 156

Chapter 156

The dispute between Naxi and Wilhelm drew much attention. Upon seeing them both dash towards the pavilion, the nobles on the third floor, taking advantage of their private rooms without outsiders, leaned against their floor-to-ceiling windows with curiosity, some even secretly hiding their bodies behind the curtains while only exposing their heads.

Upon entering the pavilion, the old butler promptly placed the box on the table and efficiently opened it to reveal its contents.

Inside was an object crafted entirely from metal. It stood on three slender legs at the bottom, with a round jar in the middle. The upper part was more intricate, and most peculiarly, there was a metallic rod protruding from it, adorned with a small bell hanging from it.

While Mr. Zhao was still examining this odd contraption, Wilhelm couldn't help but laugh rudely. "Oh! Goodness, you brought this worthless junk to deceive Second Aunt?"

Naxi's face flushed again, and he raised his voice. "This is far from junk. My father bought it for thirty to forty gold coins back then."

Just as Wilhelm was about to speak, Naxi interjected, "Mr. Zhao, this Papin pot is remarkable. Usually, food doesn't cook properly when cooked on the mountain, but with this, it does."

Wilhelm responded, "But what use is it? Grandmother Two won't be going up the mountain."

Naxi paused, evident disappointment in his eyes as he looked at Mr. Zhao. His tone weakened slightly, "Grandmother Two said she likes novelty items."

Mr. Zhao asked, "Mr. Naxi, can this only be used on the mountain?"

Naxi instantly regained his pride. "Of course not, it can be used regularly, especially for simmering dishes that take a long time to cook, like beef. It significantly reduces the cooking time."

Wilhelm poured cold water on the idea. "Servants handle such tasks. What difference does it make whether it takes one or two hours? It won't delay our noble meals anyway."

The silent butler suddenly interjected, "It can also save fuel."

"Ha ha…" Wilhelm looked at Naxi triumphantly. "Fuel savings! That's something only a declining noble would concern themselves with."

Naxi shot a fierce glare at the old butler. The butler quickly lowered his head, his face filled with regret.

Mr. Zhao scrutinized the Paiping pot once more, under Naxi's anxious gaze. "Since it's a pot, I'll let Miss Xing Huang give it a try first. Then, I'll report to Second Grandma. Regardless of the outcome, I'll send someone with the results to your residence in three days. May I ask where your esteemed home is situated?"

Naxi replied, "No need. I'll come personally on the third day." Adding a emphasis, he said, "This pot is truly remarkable."

Wilhelm couldn't resist a jab. " Remarkable enough to ruin your front gate, it seems!"

Naxi burst into anger.

Mr. Zhao quickly intervened, "Then I shall trouble Mr. Naxi. I'll be here, awaiting your esteemed presence, in three days."

Naxi gave a cold snort before departing with his aged butler in tow.

Wilhelm watched their retreating figures and chuckled. "Mr. Zhao, there's no need to be so polite to him. His family has been on the decline for quite some time."

Mr. Zhao appeared eager to hear more.

With enthusiasm, Wilhelm began his tale. The story was cliché and dull – Naxi's ancestors had earned their noble title through military prowess and were granted a modest fiefdom, enjoying a prosperous life.

Alas, this prosperity did not last. Naxi's grandfather passed away early, leaving his father without proper guidance. He grew up to be a prodigal, even inadvertently offending the Holy See, which resulted in the revocation of their fiefdom.

Naxi was born into a family that had been struggling financially for years. To maintain the appearance of nobility, he developed a habit from a young age of taking advantage wherever possible. For instance, if there was a grand banquet, he would intentionally skip a meal beforehand, then devour food relentlessly at the event, making sure to get his money's worth – two meals in one.

Wilhelm commented on Naxi's antics, "His father passed away the year before last. It's likely that the pot was indeed purchased by his father, but it couldn't have cost more than one gold coin, tops."

Mr. Zhao replied, "I appreciate Viscount Wilhelm's clarification. I will report this truthfully to Lady Second."

The emphasis on 'truthfully' pleased Wilhelm, a smile lifting the corners of his lips. He ascended the stairs with an air of arrogance, heading to the third floor. The tripe was simply delectable, and he was determined to indulge in a large plate, no, three plates! After all, within the private room, no one would witness him feasting on such "scraps." Following his feast, he planned to recount the day's events to his close friends; Naxi's behavior was becoming increasingly absurd.

Thanks to Wilhelm's loose tongue, within just three days, the entire aristocratic circle of Shadowland learned of the incident. Upon hearing the news, their reactions were uniform, each letting out a collective scoff, "So Naxi has taken to being a fraudster."

Followed by a sigh, the Naxi family was utterly ruined. Though losing face after taking advantage might be excusable as a desperate measure, deceit was a genuine issue of character that would earn one a notorious reputation.

When the third day arrived, the hotpot restaurant was once again packed to capacity. The establishment, already difficult to secure a seat in, now barely had any standing room left.

Upon arriving, Naxi, seeing so many people, momentarily forgot his usual pretentious demeanor and instinctively shrank back.

"Mr. Naxi," Mr. Zhao greeted with a smile. Those who hadn't noticed Naxi before instantly turned their attention to him.

Feeling their gazes, Naxi involuntarily straightened his posture and lifted his head, tensing his body as he made his way to the small pavilion.

The butler led the conversation: "Where's the Paiping Pot?"

Naxi's face was filled with the notion that his pot was invaluable, and he wouldn't let them get away with keeping it.

Mr. Zhao wore a warm smile: "Second Grandmama left the Paiping Pot behind."

Naxi: "Left it behind? My father spent three to ten gold coins on that pot... Did Second Grandmama particularly like this pot?" His voice rose unintentionally, infused with anticipation.

Mr. Zhao nodded repeatedly: "Yes, Second Grandmama found the pot very amusing, a novelty. As a token of gratitude for your help in finding this novelty, she instructed me to give you this as a reward."

A servant approached with a box, and Mr. Zhao lifted the lid, revealing its contents to the sunlight.

A dazzling golden glow filled the box, leaving Naxi's mouth agape, unable to maintain his composure.

After what seemed like an eternity, Naxi managed to regain his voice, "For... for me?"

Mr. Zhao nodded repeatedly, "Yes, these fifty taels of gold are a token of Second Aunt's gratitude. She also mentioned that if you come across any more intriguing items in the future, you're welcome to bring them to her."

Naxi took a deep breath, his face breaking into a wide grin, "Of course, of course, I'll be sure to send any novelty items I find to Second Aunt." With a flourish of his hand.

The butler practically snatched the box back into his arms, his smile so wide that it smoothed out every crease on his face.

Naxi and the old butler exited the shop like a peacock displaying its feathers.

Rumors instantly erupted.

The news of Naxi receiving fifty taels of gold from Meng Die spread faster than the gossip about him being a swindler. Before Naxi and the elderly butler even reached home, the entire nobility of Shadow Kingdom was already aware of the incident.

True aristocrats certainly didn't place value on those fifty taels of gold. They couldn't comprehend Meng Die's action—what was so captivating about an insignificant Paping pot, or perhaps there was some secret to it that they were unaware of?

However, those who were indifferent to gold were in the minority. Most were left stunned, adding another label to Meng Die in their minds: naive and wealthy. That very afternoon, countless individuals flocked to him with "novel and intriguing" items to offer.

A man hurriedly entered a narrow alley, his pace so swift that even in winter, beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He wiped them away, the frayed cuffs of his sleeves revealing his less-than-prosperous life.

Stopping in front of a low cottage, the man took a deep breath to calm his excited heart: "Papin, Papin, are you home?" Without waiting for an answer, he pushed the door open and entered.

The small house was dim, as it lacked the large, fashionable glass windows that had recently become popular due to the family's financial constraints. A bearded man lay on the ground, snoring loudly. Perhaps due to the cold, he had no blanket to cover himself, and his body instinctively curled into a ball. Around him were scattered bottles and jars, along with various peculiar tools.

Dale understood; Papin must have been exhausted from conducting experiments for days on end and had simply fallen asleep. Retrieving the only cotton blanket from a cabinet, Dale gently covered Papin and waited patiently for him to awaken.

Perhaps preoccupied with the experiment that occupied his thoughts, Paping soon regained consciousness. For a fleeting moment, he appeared somewhat disoriented as he opened his eyes. However, clarity quickly returned to him. His gaze fell upon the experiment he had been conducting before dozing off. In that instant, he knew that he had once again failed; there was no progress whatsoever with the steam furnace.

"Silk fan, please."

It was not until D'ar spoke that Papin realized D'ar's presence: "When did you arrive?"

Darwin didn't reply directly. "Do you remember the Papin pot you once invented? The one that was regarded as experimental equipment by the Royal Society."

Papin paused, of course he remembered. When he was in exile and wandered through the Alps, he couldn't boil potatoes properly, so he had to eat them raw. Later, when he arrived in the Shadow Nation and joined a research institution, reminiscing about those days, he invented the Papin pot using atmospheric pressure.

Regrettably, Pappen lowered his head. When he demonstrated it to everyone, the beginning was smooth, but it went awry after several attempts. In the end, although the Royal Society acknowledged the pot, few took it seriously. In the following years, due to the slow progress in his research on steam engines and boilers at the scientific institution, Pappen's pot became evidence of his neglect of his duties.

Dar understood what his friend was thinking: "Paping, listen to me, your opportunity has arrived. You know the noble lady from the Great Yi Dynasty, the second madam, right? You must have heard of her hotpot restaurant. Someone has presented your Paping pot to her and received a reward of fifty taels of gold from her."

Meanwhile, Lu Wei examined the trinkets with disdain. "Second Aunt, these people are treating us as fools. They dare to present us with a bug trapped in glass and call it a divine gift from heaven."

Meng Die glanced at the obvious trinkets of deception yet remained in high spirits. "Adulteration is inevitable; choose a few that pique your interest and leave the rest to be returned."

Meihong held a pocket watch in her hand, her lips curled in disdain. "Do they really think we're that ignorant? Second Aunt, will those educated people truly come to seek refuge with us?"

"I will." Meng Die was resolute. "I aim to be a Bole."

"Ah?"

Meng Die continued, "There would be no swift steeds without a Bole in the world."

Acquiring advanced technology was just the foundation; her ultimate goal was to ensnare all the scientific talents in one fell swoop.