Chapter 33: The Inspiration for the Rickshaw

Chapter 33: The Inspiration of the Rickshaw

"Eunuch Yuanbao, bring me some more of the other bowls."

Yun Ran, looking like she was facing her doom, finished sampling the rest of the pig trotters and finally found one that tasted passable, but still wasn't quite satisfied.

"Who made this?"

Yuanbao flipped over the small placard beside it and replied, head bowed,

"Your Majesty, this was made by Bai Chuan from the hot-stove kitchen."

"Alright, transcribe this recipe for him and make sure he masters all of it within a month."

Yun Ran felt uneasy—

How could she run a restaurant without a top-notch chef?

Although she had become the most powerful person under heaven the moment she transmigrated, there were still limits to what she could do.

She couldn't exactly go out in disguise every day to cook, could she? That would tire her to death.

"Yuanbao, put up a notice for me: hiring a head chef and skilled craftsmen for the restaurant. I'll interview them in three days. Got it?"

Yun Ran had long since arranged a private residence in Chang'an City, in a very hidden, unexpected location.

This residence wasn't in the East Market, where the dignitaries all gathered, but in the West Market, where merchants and wealthy elites were concentrated.

Yuanbao naturally understood—His Majesty had to personally pick people from the common folk.

He cursed inwardly: these imperial kitchen staff are all freeloaders!

His Majesty wasn't satisfied with a single one of them. They needed a good lesson—how had they even been chosen?

After taking care of this matter, Yun Ran relaxed.

Although Yanchi was a small state, as emperor, she still had just as many memorials to review each day.

And the content was just like what later generations wrote—all trivial nonsense like "Have you eaten?" and "Did you sleep well?"

Being emperor wasn't easy, but this world was too small and too easy to annex. She needed to think of other ways to make money—only with economic strength could she develop.

Yun Ran decided to take a stroll in the imperial garden to clear her head and think of other ways to make money.

Shen Shining was still waiting nearby, and Yun Ran waved her hand with a grand gesture,

"Come, my Beloved Consort, walk with me in the imperial garden."

Shen Shining nodded shyly and followed.

It wasn't until the imperial sedan appeared that Yun Ran remembered this torturous contraption existed.

The ancient sedan chair and the way of relieving oneself were the two things Yun Ran found most unacceptable. The bathroom issue had been solved—she'd had the Ministry of Works renovate all the palace latrines,

and now the palace latrines were the most luxurious in the entire capital.

But when she wasn't riding a horse, sitting in the sedan was uncomfortable.

Yun Ran hadn't expected that even in ancient times, with a different body, she'd still have motion sickness.

How could she avoid riding in this sedan? Yun Ran began to think hard.

A bicycle would still require her to pedal—too tiring, and the seat was too small and uncomfortable.

"I've got it!"

Yun Ran slapped her thigh, and Yuanbao and Debiao immediately rushed over,

"What's wrong, Your Majesty? What are your orders?"

"I do have something! Hahaha!"

Yun Ran flicked her wide sleeves and returned to the hall, picking up her personal charcoal pencil to start drawing.

Yuanbao watched from the side, utterly bewildered,

"What is this? Why are carriage wheels mounted on it?"

Yun Ran smiled mysteriously,

"This is called a rickshaw. One person pulls, two people ride—no jostling, and it won't bump your butt."

The blueprint Yun Ran drew was exactly the human-powered rickshaw from that era.

This rickshaw was very light, mainly powered by two large wheels.

"Come on, let's find a craftsman to build it!"

Soon, Yuanbao arranged for two craftsmen from the Ministry of Works to come over.

The moment they picked up the blueprint, their eyes lit up. As they looked at it, they actually started fighting over it!

"Brilliant! Eunuch Yuanbao, who drew this blueprint? How clever! If this is put into practice, it will surely take the entire capital by storm. Might we have the honor of meeting this great master?"