jdhmnovel Chapter 278 The Princess Has a Bad Temper (16)
Chapter 278 The Princess Has a Bad Temper (16)
"I'll be staying here for a while. You can come back to me when you're done having fun," Wangyou said as she changed into some lighter clothes.
"Big sister, I'll stay and help you," Yongji said, raising his hand.
"Father, Qing'er and I will stay and keep my sister company too." Zhiyao indicated that she also really liked the car.
"I often come to Jiangnan, so a little longer won't make a difference. I'll stay here as well," Qianlong said seriously after coughing, and naturally no one objected.
"Since you're not leaving, that's perfect. I also need your help with something," Wangyou said with a smile. Why not use these tools that have been offered up?
"I will obey your orders!" Qianlong said with a smile.
Wangyou didn't stand on ceremony and assigned tasks to everyone, making them receive the goods being transported from the port.
"Now I understand why she chose this land as her fiefdom. It was entirely because it was backed by the sea so she could make her own moves." Looking at the massive dock and the ship after ship laden with goods, Qianlong understood everything.
Wangyou will definitely not be idle. She has finally managed to collect all kinds of precious minerals through trickery, deception, or even outright robbery. She can now build all kinds of machines. Once the machines are assembled, she won't have to worry about anything anymore.
As a result, the first Jiangnan Arsenal opened in just a few days, and machines were carried out and put into use, making the manufacture of guns and cannons much simpler.
The machine tool builder directly assembled the most precise machine tool that could be assembled under the existing conditions. At least it didn't require hand grinding and could be done directly by machine. This was more difficult, so it took half a month to assemble.
Watching the machine tools she built go into use, Wangyou suddenly remembered a saying from modern society: paper replaced with iron, glue replaced with welding, and three meals a day in prison.
Subsequently, Wangyou summoned workers who specialized in weapon manufacturing and conducted a month-long secret training program.
Although Wangyou knew these people were of good character, each of them had at least three bodyguards by their side, one for protection and the other for surveillance.
Seeing that Wangyou had transformed her fiefdom so dramatically in just forty-five days, Qianlong could no longer sit still. Stop indulging in this frivolous life and get back to work!
Ji Xiaolan, Fu Heng, and others felt the same way. The Sixth Princess's fiefdom was now safer than the capital. As close advisors to the emperor, they were truly ashamed and had no face to travel around!
Looking at the city that had changed so much in just forty-five days, Emperor Qianlong understood that the preparations had definitely not been made in a day or two, nor could they have been completed in just forty-five days. They must have been prepared long ago, and this time the materials were all available, allowing for a one-step completion.
No wonder his daughter always criticizes him for not doing his job properly; compared to her, he is indeed an incompetent emperor.
Seeing that Emperor Qianlong had no intention of continuing his travels, and that all the arrangements for Wangyou had been made, he could relax and return home. The technical personnel to be brought to the capital had also been prepared, since a portion of the capital's personnel had been prepared from the very beginning.
Finally, Wangyou went to see the training of the "prince's soldiers" at her princess residence, and Qianlong and others followed out of curiosity.
Looking at this army that was even more menacing than the regular army, and you're telling me this is the Fubing (府兵, a type of military unit), Qianlong was completely taken aback.
"Father, you promised me that my princess's residence has 30,000 soldiers. You can count them if you don't believe me. Not one more, not one less," Wangyou said without any guilt.
"I won't say anything, but how did you train these soldiers? I'll copy it for you." Emperor Qianlong was already helpless. If his own abilities weren't good enough, he could at least copy something.
Fu Heng and the others blushed, but they also looked at Wang You with longing eyes. The soldiers of the Sixth Princess were different from others, and it would be good to learn from them.
"If needed, I can lend you a team to help with your training."
"This is good, I approve!" Qianlong waved his hand. If it were anyone else, Qianlong would definitely have turned his temper, but this person was Wangyou, so Qianlong directly asked for talent.
Finally, Wangyou shaved off the tuft of hair at the back of Yongji's head. "I won't keep braids anymore. I'll do whatever makes me comfortable. Having a big forehead is too ugly."
Emperor Qianlong wanted to rebuke the custom passed down from his ancestors for changing, but he had to admit that it was indeed very ugly. Didn't he see that even the elderly wore hats when they went out in casual clothes?
Yongji was quite worried when his own sister shaved his head, but after seeing his father's expression, he was no longer afraid. His father would never get angry at his sister.
The group didn't linger in Jiangnan any longer, and each person took a bicycle and began their journey at breakneck speed. Of course, they rode bicycles when there were no people around, and rode in horse-drawn carriages when there were people around.
Yongji also got a children's bicycle, and he no longer wanted to ride in a horse-drawn carriage.
Zhiyao, Qing'er, Ziwei, Xiaoyanzi and others would also ride it for a while, but only Benjamin looked at the bicycle and his thoughts were in turmoil.
Back in the capital, the technicians dispersed and began working. First, roads throughout the capital were repaired, and the city walls were reinforced. Then, centered on the capital, cement roads began to be built throughout the country.
After returning to the palace, Ziwei and Xiaoyanzi went to find Wangyou together because they learned from Qing'er that Wangyou wanted to set up a girls' school, and Ziwei hoped that she could help.
Although Xiao Yanzi wasn't very knowledgeable, she could still teach women basic self-defense techniques. Forget-Me-Not had any reason to refuse a working-class woman who was practically offering herself up.
With Ziwei and Xiaoyanzi busy, Yongqi and Erkang were often nowhere to be found. Of course, they didn't have much free time either, as Qianlong dragged them to the court to work.
When the Empress saw that her children were all busy, she wanted to help them out. Wangyou accepted all requests and arranged suitable jobs for them all.
Of course, there was also a great deal of opposition both inside and outside the court, especially against women going out to work, which was particularly serious in noble families.
"Women should stay at home to support their husbands and raise their children. It's an insult to civility for women to come out and show their faces in public!" On her way back to the palace, Wangyou was stopped by a pedantic scholar.
"You've got some nerve!" Wangyou wasn't going to let it go, and beat the man up in the street—not fatally, but very painfully.
"Someone come here!"
"Here!" A dozen or so guards suddenly appeared around them.
"Go, go and spread the word for me, that any woman with a skill who wants to leave home is under my control. Anyone who dares to stop her will be beaten!" Wangyou declared in the street.
"Long live the princess!" A circle of people knelt around her.
"Your Highness, I have a question for you."
"Go ahead and ask."
"Is the factory really hiring? I can earn money on my own now!"
"Yes, one tael of silver a month. The more you work, the more you earn. There's also a year-end bonus and holiday benefits, like meat, fine rice, and fine flour."
"Then I'll go register." The old woman who spoke was a widow, and she immediately said this after Wangyou explained it clearly.
Not to mention the women present, even the men became much quieter upon hearing that it was one tael of silver a month. One of them boldly asked, "Your Highness, can we men go?"
"Not for now. I'll start hiring when I open other factories," Wangyou explained without taking the trouble.
"Then we support Her Highness the Princess!" If one person shouts this, a hundred will follow.