Under the hand of Chen Xu, the protagonist drew up blueprints for two things: a dragon bone waterwheel and mountain water diversion.

Waterwheels were not something rare in the Great Li Dynasty.

However, the waterwheels of this era were small cylindrical wheels, capable only of drawing water from high points during periods of abundance.

To draw water with a waterwheel at low water levels was simply impossible.

Yet in Chen Xu's story, the protagonist had somehow developed a completely new dragon bone-shaped waterwheel.

The main body of the waterwheel was composed of elongated wooden chains, with one end tilted downwards into low-level river water and the other elevated next to high-lying fields.

Using the rolling energy of two gears, it propelled the lower chain and scraper, allowing the low-level river water to flow upwards against gravity.

To say nothing else, just this upward flow could truly be called a miracle!

But storybooks often exaggerate and resort to cleverness.

So no matter what world-shocking contraptions the figures in the story create, it can always be chalked up to the storyteller's "artistic fabrication" for the sake of excitement.

When Wei Yuan and Ah Shi, these two little demons, first read Chen Xu's story, they also considered this dragon bone waterwheel to be in the realm of "artistic invention."

After all, even if the principle described in the text was vividly lifelike, to truly create such a marvel in reality was indeed incredibly difficult.

In fact, most story readers typically see the fantastical items in the story as mere whims, never intending to dream up their actual existence.

However, at this moment, the little mouse flipping through Chen Xu's manuscript on the table was stunned.

It stood motionless on the table, holding a manuscript page in its tiny mouse paws, its shocked expression akin to witnessing the sun setting in the east or the sunrise in the west.

The little mouse was dazed for a moment before it hastily began to flip through more manuscript pages.

Its movements were both eager and cautious, with a wealth of expressions on its entire mouse face, so intense that Wei Yuan couldn't help but notice.

Wei Yuan was feeling restless at the moment, desperately wanting to dash over to the little mouse to see the manuscript pages.

But it was busy grinding ink for Chen Xu, a job it had snagged with great difficulty and certainly couldn't abandon halfway through.

To act otherwise would be to let Brother Chen down!

Wei Yuan quietly sped up the ink grinding motion, suppressing the urge to stretch its neck with difficulty.

It was dying to ask the little mouse what it was seeing.

But as the little mouse flipped the pages one by one, Wei Yuan could only catch glimpses through the occasional tilt, seemingly catching sight of smooth drawing outlines on the diagrams.

Could these be, not manuscripts, but drawings?

Wei Yuan was almost doubting its eyes when it heard the little mouse squeaking excitedly, finally voicing a question:

"Squeak squeak squeak! Scholar, are these diagrams, these dragon bone waterwheel diagrams, so detailed, could it be, could it actually be built?"

Yes, it turned out that Chen Xu had not only written about the protagonist in the story crafting detailed waterwheel blueprints.

In reality, he had also hand-drawn several diagrams in one go.

In these diagrams, apart from the complete appearance of the dragon bone waterwheel, there were detailed views from various angles, including diagrams for adjusting the slope and the angle of the waterwheel's traction rod, as well as specific calculation methods.

The completeness of the blueprint structure and the clarity of the principle dissection made it seem as though a dragon bone waterwheel was standing solidly right before the little mouse.

No, not that a waterwheel was standing before it.

But rather, at this moment, if given a river channel, a field, and some materials, it even felt it could build a dragon bone waterwheel itself!

Little Ah Shi was trembling with excitement, flashes of light gold flickering among the grey fur.

Its excitement also infected Wei Yuan. Wei Yuan finally finished grinding the ink, cautiously setting down the ink stick, and walked over lightly to peer at the drawings in Little Ah Shi's hand.

The diagrams were large, and Ah Shi was small, almost entirely covering the little mouse.

Wei Yuan finally saw the content of the diagrams; its suspicions and astonishment were finally confirmed.

The little hedgehog couldn't help but exclaim, repeating the little mouse's question: "These are really blueprints, dragon bone waterwheel... What kind of waterwheel is this? Brother Chen, can this waterwheel be made?"

The two little demons eagerly looked at Chen Xu together.

Chen Xu shook his head slightly.

The two little demons felt a pang of disappointment but then heard Chen Xu say, "It still lacks a few diagrams of the pedal axle, water trough, and wooden connections.

Only when all the blueprints are drawn meticulously can this device be made accurately and reliably.

Of course, there are always craftsmen out there who can create the most ingenious inventions through repeated trial and error, so it's not necessarily the case that without more detailed blueprints, this device can't come to fruition.

But being able to avoid detours is always better..."

The two little demons could hardly catch the rest of his words.

Wei Yuan was still somewhat dazed, while the little mouse, having comprehensively read the previous story, understood the significance of the dragon bone waterwheel and was now squeaking with excitement.

"Squeak squeak squeak!" The little mouse desperately wished it had wings.

But even so, buoyed by its overwhelming enthusiasm, it sprang high into the air, leaping towards Chen Xu.

"Squeak squeak squeak, Scholar, are you really writing a story? Can the dragon bone waterwheel in your story really be achieved?"

Swoosh!

The little mouse pounced into Chen Xu's embrace; Chen Xu caught the little creature with his hands.

Aroo aroo! Squeak squeak squeak!

The once timid mouse was now nearly rolling around in Chen Xu's palm with excitement.

Chen Xu stroked the fluffy little creature, placed it on his shoulder, and said with a smile: "Ah Yuan, don't be anxious, let me complete the remaining blueprints."

Wei Yuan stood on the table, promptly and nimbly helping Chen Xu lay out new paper.

At this moment, the sunset shone obliquely through the window lattice of the houseboat, casting half its light on the desk and the other half on the hand with which Chen Xu held the pen.

His hands were broad and slender, with distinct knuckles.

The pen-holding posture seemed effortlessly relaxed, yet these hands seemed to contain an infinite mysterious force.

They could write beautiful, remarkable words that would be sung across the land, as well as draw and calculate at this moment, crafting the hardship of people's lives onto a small piece of rice paper with one pen and one ink.

The two little demons gazed at his hands, seemingly entranced.

Yet just then, a strong commotion sound seemed to come from outside.

The deck of the houseboat had always been lively in the late afternoon, and Cheng Xu's room was on the second floor's east side, a premier room costing two taels of silver a day.

This room was originally a quiet retreat amidst the clamor, somewhat distanced from the deck on the first floor, with the outside noise being optional to listen to or ignore.

However, at this moment, the two little demons in the room could no longer ignore the chaos outside.

They heard screams like swift winds and waves, and outside was filled with frantic shouts: "Oh heavens, what is that?"

"Quick look, such a fast ship!"

"No, what kind of ship is that? That's an arrow, a fierce arrow."

"Run! Hide, ah ah ah—"

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