Traveling through time and space to become a lady of a noble family, but she only wants to escape

Chapter 261 Returning Home

Late December, Qing County.

As soon as the carriage entered Qing County, an overpoweringly sweet aroma wafted towards them. Bai Zhi quickly covered her nose and patted Chu Yun Chuan, who was driving the carriage, saying, "Hurry up!"

Chu Yunchuan cracked his whip: "Giddy up!"

As she sped up, a cool breeze blew in through the window frame. Bai Zhi wrapped her robe tighter around herself: "I'll be home just in time for lunch. I wonder what delicious food they've prepared at home."

"Anything is fine," Chu Yunchuan said cheerfully. "It would be even better if there were pig's trotters."

Bai Zhi leaned out of the front window and looked at Chu Yunchuan in surprise: "Do you like pig's trotters? I've never heard you mention that before. Come on, let's turn around and go to the butcher shop now."

Chu Yunchuan turned his head, his forehead touching Bai Zhi's, and gently tapped her forehead: "I'm not going."

Why don't you go?

"I want to eat pig's trotters now, but when I get home and see other dishes, I might want to eat something else."

"what?"

The carriage quickly returned to the Lin residence. The maid opened the door and, seeing Chu Yunchuan driving the carriage and Bai Zhi peeking out, exclaimed, "Miss Zhi! Young Master!"

Bai Zhi: "At home..."

Then the maid turned and ran into the room: "Master! Miss Zhi and her husband are back!"

"..." Bai Zhi said helplessly, "This Geng Yingtang, he really runs away fast."

Chu Yunchuan parked the carriage, lifted the curtain, and carried Bai Zhi down. They had little luggage on their return trip, only two bundles containing some silver and clothes.

Just as they finished collecting their bundles, Lin Ruogui hurried out of the main hall, her face beaming with joy: "Azhi! Achuan!"

"Mother!" Bai Zhi smiled and went over to Lin Ruogui, taking her arm somewhat shyly. "Have you cooked?"

"It's almost ready. Write in your letter that you'll be back today, and I'll have the kitchen go out to buy meat and vegetables first thing this morning." Lin Ruogui finished speaking and looked at Chu Yunchuan, a hint of regret on her face, "Achuan, you..."

Chu Yunchuan laughed: "Mother, Baizhi and I will have no more worries from now on."

Bai Zhi and Chu Yunchuan exchanged a glance and grinned like children. Lin Ruogui, though feeling a pang of regret, suppressed it and smiled with relief: "Alright, alright. Go back to your room and rest. The room was cleaned yesterday."

wisps of white smoke rose from the small kitchen at the back.

Bai Zhi's courtyard was exactly the same as when she left, the underfloor heating in the house was scalding hot. As soon as Chu Yunchuan unloaded his luggage, he pulled Bai Zhi into his arms and hugged her tightly, whispering sweet nothings in her ear: "When are you taking me to the hot springs?"

"What's the rush? What's a day or two?" Bai Zhi closed her eyes. "Hmm—we need to hire someone to clean first, and hang a sign at the door. What should we write?"

"Since it's a hot spring, how about calling it a hot spring residence?"

"It sounds awful, it would be better to call it Yangshan Residence."

Half an hour later, the small kitchen prepared the meal, and the maid invited the two to eat. The Lin family's cuisine was always light and refined, with both meat and vegetables. More than a dozen dishes were laid out on the round table, and finally, a plate of unseasoned boiled meat was brought out, which the maid took to feed Dahei.

During the meal, Lin Ruogui asked a lot about Qiaoqiao and Chuqi, and was very pleased to learn that the two children had their own ambitions.

But with ambitions set on distant lands, he may not be able to return home often.

After finishing their meal, Bai Zhi hurriedly led Chu Yunchuan out to hire someone.

The hot spring courtyard in Yangshan had been abandoned for a long time. When the workers arrived, they all said it would take at least three days to clean it up. Baizhi paid them well, on only one condition—every corner had to be spotless.

The next day, Wei Fuguang sent a carriage to pick up Chu Yunchuan and take him to the city for a meeting, with Bai Zhi accompanying him.

This trip also allowed him to take all the guards who were on duty at home with him and hand them over to Wei Fuguang. However, a few of them were unwilling to follow their new master, and Chu Yunchuan couldn't persuade them otherwise.

He said helplessly, "From now on, I am no longer the Prince Jing. With all your skills, are you going to follow me and live in seclusion in the city?"

“Your Highness, we are not familiar with the new Prince Jing at all. Why don’t we brothers go and follow Prince Changfeng? If Your Highness gives any orders, we can come back in time.”

“Changfeng came back with us and we should be in the city by now. It would be good to ask him, but he might not agree.”

So a dozen or so people set off for the state capital.

Chu Yunchuan's dilapidated palace was uninhabitable, so Wei Fuguang had to stay temporarily at the Imperial Envoy's residence. When the two arrived at the gate, Wei Fuguang, dressed in a prince's robe, personally welcomed them inside.

Tea had already been prepared in the main hall. After Chu Yunchuan and Wei Fuguang exchanged a few pleasantries, Bai Zhi said, "Then you two can talk about business. I'll just go out for a stroll."

"Miss Bai, please wait." Wei Fuguang took out a booklet from his sleeve and handed it to Chu Yunchuan. "I hope Your Majesty can look through this booklet with Miss Bai."

Bai Zhi asked in bewilderment, "I want to see it too?"

"Miss Bai, please don't refuse."

Chu Yunchuan opened the booklet, and frowned as he looked at it: "Does Your Highness want me to hand over the secret techniques of mechanisms?"

Kui Fuguang said earnestly, "The Supreme King's mechanical skills are superb. If a single horizontal lever mechanism can help the barbarian lands to expand arable land and introduce irrigation water, it is hoped that it can win the hearts of the barbarians."

Before Bai Zhi could finish reading, Chu Yunchuan slammed the booklet shut, his expression unfriendly, and said, "If it's about using mechanical arts to help the people of the thirteen states, I have no complaints. But if it's about helping the barbarians, I'm afraid I can't comply."

Bai Zhi took the booklet and read it carefully. It contained a simple but lengthy plan: to use mechanical arts to create tools that could help with farming and weaving, and to first deploy them in the thirteen states so that the barbarians would see how useful they were. Then, the tools would be rented to them, but the number of tools lent out would be controlled, keeping them on a leash like dogs being hung up on meat.

This method makes some sense. Barbarians have always been warlike. The Great Yan is not strong enough to make the barbarians wary, but letting the barbarians taste some benefits will show them that fighting is not worthwhile. Even a fool should know what to choose.

If we don't settle in the Thirteen Provinces, that's fine. This place isn't far from the barbarians, so it would be best if we could stay peacefully for a few more decades.

Thinking of this, Bai Zhi said, "I have an idea. Why don't you two compromise? The barbarians have a lot of land. If they really cultivate it, the country will surely become rich and powerful in the long run. Why don't we stop providing them with the framework and use something else to keep them busy? For example, something that is easy for ordinary people to use, but does not contribute much to the development of the country."

Kui Fuguang became interested: "Miss Bai, tell me about it."

“For example, uh… washing machines, mechanisms that allow you to wash clothes without using your hands; faucets, water that comes out when you turn on a switch; fans, mechanisms that automatically blow air, and so on. We can sell these at a lower price, and the common people will get used to them after using them for a while. If the barbarian nobles don’t allow them to use them, that would anger the people, which would be more beneficial to us…” Bai Zhi’s eyes slid towards Chu Yun Chuan as she spoke, “What does Your Majesty think?”

She felt a little guilty, after all, these were all things from her past life, and Chu Yun Chuan forbade her to mention her past life.

Chu Yunchuan lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, then nodded and said to Wei Fuguang, "I will not hand over all the mechanical arts, but I can try to make these few."

Kui Fuguang clapped his hands: "Then it's settled."

Chu Yunchuan said, "I told Your Highness that the Emperor might reduce the power of the princes in the next two or three years. I wonder if Your Highness has made any plans?"

Bai Zhi opened her eyes wide.