Chapter 59: Minister Geng in Shock

For instance, consider the hot springs located on the half-mountain slope of Ghost Valley.

According to the mindset of people at the time, digging a pool and lining the perimeter with stones constituted a hot spring bath. If one wished to be more luxurious, a roof was built over it.

As for hot springs, they were used purely for bathing to the utmost—what else could they possibly be good for?

Xiao Zhi’s design here was entirely different. He used a network of pipes to channel the hot spring water downward, routing it beneath various buildings.

When the cold weather set in, the thermal water would flow underneath, rendering these dwellings as warm as spring. Naturally, one could also install a bathtub indoors to enjoy a hot spring soak right inside the room.

Once spring returned, the flow of water could simply be shut off.

Geng Wenshi had pondered this for many days, yet he still could not comprehend how Xiao Zhi solved the issue of humidity. Would not water flowing beneath the rooms make the interiors excessively damp?

When he had first seen the blueprints for the rudimentary underfloor heating, he entirely failed to connect the two concepts. He had even wondered within himself why anyone would build a house and run so many pipes underneath it.

Moreover, these pipes were entirely crafted from fired porcelain, joined piece by piece and sealed with mortar.

Just how much money must such an endeavor cost?

Geng Wenshi could hardly be blamed for failing to understand; a modern person would likely have been baffled as well. Xiao Zhi had simply been left with no choice—where on earth was he supposed to source proper underfloor heating pipes in this era?

Geng Wenshi raised his head from studying the blueprints intently and rubbed his aching, stiff neck. "Hey, what's-his-name, is the carriage made for Princess Changping ready yet?"

Speaking of Geng Wenshi, he was quite the resourceful fellow. When Xiao Zhi had previously provided him with the blueprints for a four-wheeled carriage, he had tested it out and found it to be overwhelmingly useful.

Its load capacity and stability were simply exceptional.

While having the Ministry of Works mass-produce the design for military use, he had also sent a sample to his own estate so that his family could secure a share of the commercial profits.

By chance, he had recently learned that Xiao Zhi’s memorials submitted to the emperor had occasionally included gifts intended for Princess Changping.

Geng Wenshi’s mind had immediately begun turning.

He instructed the Ministry of Works to craft a carriage of the utmost luxury, to be presented to Princess Changping in Xiao Zhi’s name.

Regardless of whether Xiao Zhi’s garrison duty at the border was a genuine offense against Princess Changping or not, by presenting the carriage in Xiao Zhi’s name, Xiao Zhi would inevitably owe him a personal favor.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, the carriage was completed and delivered just yesterday."

"Why wasn't I informed earlier when it arrived?"

Geng Wenshi ordered, "What's-your-name, accompany me to deliver this to Princess Changping."

"My lord, this humble subordinate is Zhai Cuo, the Secretariat Official," Zhai Cuo quickly stated his name.

Geng Wenshi’s inability to remember names was notorious throughout the Six Ministries. Anyone whose name he actually managed to commit to memory was invariably promoted step by step.

Geng Wenshi offered a perfunctory murmur of acknowledgment, rose to his feet, and strode outward.

Naturally, presenting a gift to Princess Changping did not call for a large retinue, especially since it was being sent in Xiao Zhi’s name.

"You there, drive the carriage," Geng Wenshi said as he climbed inside the vehicle, carefully inspecting every single detail.

This carriage had been crafted with extraordinary refinement, reaching the absolute pinnacle of luxury.

It would have been a wonder had it not been luxurious, considering it cost tens of thousands of silver taels.

The draft horse was a Night-Shining White Lion.

The steed was pure white from head to hoof without a single speck of stray color; even at night, its coat reflected a faint radiance under the moonlight. The long hair around its neck resembled that of a male lion. Of noble lineage, it was a top-tier breed trafficked from the Western Regions by foreign merchants.

To use such a divine steed merely for pulling a carriage struck anyone who saw it as an outrageous waste of heavenly treasures.

The hinges of the flat-opening double doors were gilded with gold.

The floor inside the cabin was paved with stitched snow-fox fur, and the interior walls were lined with leather, serving the dual purpose of retaining warmth and preventing bumps and bruises.

A filigree enamel hand warmer sat upon a small, built-in side table by the door, secured with a recessed design so it would not tip over even when the carriage swayed in motion.

On the other side stood a slanted, miniature shoe cabinet—a design Geng Wenshi had learned from Xiao Zhi’s blueprints, as one could hardly step on the exquisitely soft snow-fox fur with dirt-soiled soles.

A lamp hung from the gilded nanmu dome, capable of being either suspended or detached. The rack on the left was designed to hold books and stories, while the drawer on the right was reserved for cosmetics and rouge.

Beneath the seats rested two silk-soft quilts embroidered with phoenixes; should Princess Changping grow weary, she could lie down for a nap at any moment.

It was meticulous to the extreme.

Arriving at the Princess Changping’s residence, Geng Wenshi alighted with a lingering sense of appreciation.

"What's-your-name, you may head back now."

With that, he knocked upon the side door.

An elderly gatekeeper trembled, stroking his graying beard, and upon hearing the title "Lord Xiao," rushed inside to announce the visitor.

Perhaps because the old man walked too slowly, Geng Wenshi waited quite a while before two maidservants of the princess's estate finally came out to escort him inside.

The princess was casually flipping through some of Xiao Zhi’s earlier sketches, toying with two raw jade boulders featuring translucent green windows as she let out a soft sigh.

It had been quite some time since she last received a comic strip from Xiao Zhi. She had lost count of how many times she had read the previous stories, remembering every single line of dialogue by heart.

"Your Highness, Lord Xiao has sent you a carriage. The Minister himself has brought it over."

"Where is the carriage?" The princess’s melancholic expression vanished instantly as she leaped up in excitement, her breathtakingly fair face radiating youthful vitality.

By this time, a servant had already led the carriage into the inner courtyard, where Geng Wenshi stood respectfully to one side waiting.

Princess Changping flew out like a gust of wind, standing to inspect the carriage, which appeared unassuming and unpretentious from the exterior. She did not even hear Geng Wenshi greeting her.

"This carriage actually has four wheels!" Tongyuan noted the unusual design, and seeing that the princess intended to board immediately, quickly retrieved a long footstool from the side hanging mount.

"Hmph! For the past two days, I waited in vain for any word from him, and I thought he had completely forgotten about me."

The princess displayed the endearing petulance of a young maiden, slightly pouting her lips in a coquettish display.

Stepping up onto the footstool, the princess boarded the carriage, opened the door, and froze once more.

The carriage floor was actually paved with snow-fox fur—wouldn't a single step soil it?

Sensing his opportunity, Geng Wenshi hurriedly stepped closer to the carriage and began gesturing as he explained the ingenious functions of the vehicle.

Princess Changping nodded repeatedly, her excitement bubbling over.

She had never imagined that a carriage could be built on such a scale or rendered with such luxury.

It was not that Princess Changping had never laid eyes on luxurious objects; rather, the meticulously detailed design concepts within the carriage offered her an entirely unprecedented experience. Everything felt so wonderfully novel.

Princess Changping immediately slipped off her shoes and socks, gently pressing her bare feet against the soft, delicate white fur of the snow-fox carpet.

A gentleman does not gaze upon impropriety; Geng Wenshi hastily averted his gaze, staring up at the clouds in the distant sky.

At that moment, Geng Wenshi was struck by profound astonishment.

Princess Changping’s various reactions perfectly epitomized what it meant to be a young maiden awakening to love.

The relationship between Xiao Zhi and Princess Changping...

Anyone whose eyes were not merely for decoration could clearly perceive it.

Xiao Zhi had been exiled to the border garrison under the pretense of having offended Princess Changping?

Judging by the princess's reaction, she was likely thrilled to have been "offended."

Xiao Zhi was destined to become the imperial son-in-law.

Having arrived at this conclusion, Geng Wenshi’s thoughts spiraled further.

Not all imperial sons-in-law were created equal.

Whether a princess took a husband into her household or married downward into his family were two entirely different concepts.

Yet regardless of which it proved to be, an imperial son-in-law held the military rank of Commander-Consort, and according to the ritual codes of Great Chu, a Commander-Consort was barred from holding active official posts.

At present, however, Great Chu and the emperor himself could scarcely afford to part with Xiao Zhi, this sharp and formidable blade.

Would Emperor Qin Yong alter the ritual codes just to allow Xiao Zhi to hold official office, or would he refuse to let the princess marry downward?

Judging by the princess's attitude, she would likely refuse to marry anyone other than Xiao Zhi.

In that case, what choice would Xiao Zhi make?

Would he choose to wield power and achieve great martial exploits, or would he choose the path of romance and embrace a life of leisure with his fair beauty?