128: Chapter 128 This is the bamboo magpie that hasn't fallen for three days! Zhao Fusu's shock

“Are you the people from the Gongshu Family?”

Zhao Fusu's gaze shifted toward the group of old men, with Gongshu Chou at the center.

“We humble commoners pay respects to Your Imperial Majesty.”

Although Zhao Fusu publicly declared himself the Head of State, in the eyes of these elders from the Gongshu Family, Zhao Fusu was the Emperor—the Emperor of Great Qin.

Zhao Fusu did not dwell on their choice of title.

He asked, “In the past, when your ancestor Gongshu Ban competed against Mozi, he once carved bamboo and wood into a magpie. Once completed, it flew and did not descend for three days.”

“I want to see the Bamboo Magpie created by your ancestor.”

This request from Zhao Fusu left both Gongshu Chou and Cui Wenzi looking at each other in bewilderment.

Not just the two of them; the elders from both the Gongshu Family and the Cui Family looked equally puzzled.

They never expected that Zhao Fusu's reason for summoning them wasn't to discuss the underground palace or to execute them in secret, but to see a Bamboo Magpie.

Gongshu Chou found himself in a difficult position.

He frowned and said, “That Bamboo Magpie can only be considered a thing of trivial ingenuity.”

Zhao Fusu was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

He remembered that their ancestor, Gongshu Ban, did not think so.

In the 'Lu Wen' chapter of the 'Mozi', it is recorded: 'Gongshu Zi carved bamboo and wood into a magpie. Once completed, it flew and did not descend for three days. Gongshu Zi considered it the pinnacle of craftsmanship.'

This showed that Gongshu Ban was extremely satisfied with the Bamboo Magpie he had created.

But why did Gongshu Ban's descendants also consider this Bamboo Magpie to be a matter of trivial ingenuity?

Zhao Fusu frowned slightly. Could it be that after Gongshu Ban lost his competition against Mozi, the values of the Gongshu Family underwent a change?

“Then make one for me to see.”

Zhao Fusu was still very curious about the Bamboo Magpie created by Gongshu Ban.

What exactly did the Bamboo Magpie made by Gongshu Ban look like, to be so miraculous as to stay aloft for three days?

Gongshu Chou and Cui Wenzi glanced at each other, not knowing what Zhao Fusu had up his sleeve.

But they did not refuse.

Making a Bamboo Magpie was simple; with their skill, it wouldn't take much time at all.

“We need bamboo, a plane, a wood chopper, scissors, paper, paste, and cotton string.”

Gongshu Chou stated.

“Is that all?”

Zhao Fusu was surprised; the raw materials needed to make this Bamboo Magpie were simpler than he had imagined.

Furthermore, he felt that the items they requested and the thing they were about to build seemed somewhat familiar.

Zhao Fusu watched intently as Gongshu Chou skillfully used the plane to process various components.

Before long, all the parts Gongshu Chou needed had been crafted.

He began the assembly.

The Bamboo Magpie imitated a bird, with parts resembling wings, a body, and a tail.

However, once Zhao Fusu saw the completed form of the Bamboo Magpie, his expression became quite a sight to behold.

“So this is the Bamboo Magpie that doesn't land for three days!”

Zhao Fusu's eyes widened, and he could no longer remain seated.

He had someone bring the Bamboo Magpie over. Looking at the lightweight object, his face was filled with a mix of emotions.

He had made many conjectures.

He never imagined that the Bamboo Magpie would look like this!

Zhao Fusu shook his head.

He looked at the Bamboo Magpie connected by a string—wasn't this thing just a Kite?!

Indeed, Zhao Fusu had always wondered what kind of power the Bamboo Magpie made by Gongshu Ban used to stay afloat in the air for three days.

If it was a Kite, then it wasn't strange at all.

In a place with good wind conditions, flying a Kite high into the sky could indeed keep it floating for three consecutive days.

Seeing Zhao Fusu's disappointed look, Gongshu Chou felt quite displeased, but he gritted his teeth and said with a bitter smile, “Your Majesty, this old man said before that this Bamboo Magpie is nothing more than trivial ingenuity.”

Gongshu Chou and the others were also helpless; although this thing could fly, it offered no benefit to ordinary people other than being a toy for children.

Mozi had criticized their ancestor Gongshu Ban, calling the Bamboo Magpie a piece of trivial ingenuity, and they agreed with that assessment.

Seeing Zhao Fusu's look of great disappointment, they felt even worse.

Regardless, this Bamboo Magpie was an invention of their Gongshu Family.

Having received the world's evaluation of it being 'trivial ingenuity,' they truly had no way to refute it.

After all, this thing had no other use besides being a toy for children.

Something meant for children's play was even less likely to be considered respectable.

Seeing their dejected expressions, Zhao Fusu comforted them, “Actually, this Kite—oh, no, this Bamboo Magpie—still has its benefits. I see that children love playing with it.”

Upon hearing this, Gongshu Chou and Cui Wenzi felt even more miserable.

They looked at Zhao Fusu with resentful eyes.

Zhao Fusu coughed lightly, realizing that saying this only further confirmed that the Bamboo Magpie was indeed trivial ingenuity.

“Sit, sit, sit!”

“Come, have some tea, have some tea!”

Zhao Fusu had the palace maids serve tea to ease the awkward atmosphere.

“The main reason I sought you out is that I want to work with you to build a Hot Air Balloon capable of carrying people.”

During this half month of check-ins, the items Zhao Fusu had obtained included the Hot Air Balloon Construction Blueprints, Detailed Explanation of Asbestos Cloth Production, Parachute Construction Blueprints, Detailed Explanation of Gas Tank Construction, Detailed Explanation of Flame Nozzle Construction, Coke Oven Gas Purification Method, Dehydration Method for Purified Coke Oven Gas, Steam Piston Compressor Construction Blueprints, Detailed Explanation of Gas Tank Safety Valve Manufacturing, Detailed Explanation of Thermometer Manufacturing, and a series of other industrial products related to Hot Air Balloons.

“A Hot Air Balloon capable of carrying people?”

As soon as Zhao Fusu said this, everyone was shocked.

“What is a Hot Air Balloon?”

Gongshu Chou and Cui Wenzi both looked at Zhao Fusu with faces full of curiosity.

“Rather than explaining it to you, I should show you a simple Hot Air Balloon.”

As he spoke, Zhao Fusu began to make a simple Kongming Lantern using paper and an alcohol lamp.

Once he lit the alcohol lamp, the Kongming Lantern began to rise slowly under the rising heat of the lamp.

Seeing this, members of both the Gongshu Family and the Cui Family clicked their tongues in wonder, finding it incredibly novel.

Zhao Fusu continued, “If we simply make this Kongming Lantern large enough, it can carry people.”

“Look, these are the design blueprints for the Hot Air Balloon.”

Zhao Fusu took out the Hot Air Balloon design blueprints he had obtained from his check-ins.

The people from the Gongshu and Cui families gathered around curiously to look at the blueprints Zhao Fusu had produced.

They saw that the Hot Air Balloon was teardrop-shaped, with a large basket woven from rattan at its base.

Zhao Fusu said, “This Hot Air Balloon can carry ten people in flight, reaching a maximum altitude of three thousand meters.”

“One meter is roughly one step of a person.”

To ensure the members of the Gongshu and Cui families understood, Zhao Fusu specifically added this explanation.