The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

Shen Yu shook his head to free himself from the man’s hands. “Then Your Majesty knows what I was thinking?”

“Ah Yu is reluctant… every time.” Shang JunLin lifted his eyes and looked at him. “Even when Ah Yu enjoys it, you still don’t want to help this emperor.”

“That’s not it.” Shen Yu’s face flushed scarlet. “Whose fault is it that Your Majesty refuses to stop.”

“If the doctor hadn’t said that Ah Yu still needs to recuperate, it would be time for you to carry out your duties.” A low cluster of flames sprang up in Shang JunLin’s eyes. He reached out to caress Shen Yu’s neck. “Doesn’t Ah Yu think so?”

“Your Majesty should follow the doctor’s advice.” Without any scruples whatsoever, Shen Yu used the imperial physician’s words as a shield. “And restrain yourself a bit more.”

“This emperor has been extremely restrained,” Shang JunLin said. His eyes were deep and quiet. “Does Ah Yu think this emperor would let you off so easily otherwise?”

Because of Shen Yu’s health, the two of them hadn’t hadn’t really gotten to that point. Occasionally they used their hands or legs.

Shen Yu didn’t want to continue this dangerous topic and switched to something else. “Your Majesty, recently I made a new thing on the estate. I’d like to give it to Your Majesty.”

“What is it?” Seeing that Shen Yu wanted to change the topic, Shang JunLin didn’t resist, but he also didn’t stop moving his hands.

Shen Yu’s neck was highly sensitive, especially near a certain small mole. Shang JunLin was extremely fond of this spot. It was his favorite place to nibble when they were intimate.

“Your Majesty, let go of me first.” A tingling sensation spread from the side of his neck. Shen Yu reached up and pressed the man’s hand.

Shang JunLin willingly went along with the request and stopped, but he refused to move away. The man’s body temperature radiated against Shen Yu’s skin. He could only sit up straighter.

“Since Your Majesty refuses to let go, you’ll have to get it yourself. It’s in the cabinet on the left.” Shen Yu pointed to Shang JunLin’s side.

Following Shen Yu’s directions, Shang JunLin opened the compartment and took out a small wooden box devoid of decoration.

“This?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Open it and see.”

Shang JunLin opened the box with one hand. When he saw what was inside, he had no choice but to let go of Shen Yu to open the letter.

At first, Shang JunLin’s attitude was a little casual. He was always more relaxed when he was with Shen Yu. But after a moment or two, Shang JunLin’s expression gradually became serious.

After reading the letter, Shang JunLin folded it up, reached out his hand, and scooped Shen Yu into his arms. With his lips against Shen Yu’s ear, he said, “Is this also something Ah Yu learned from a miscellaneous book?”

The letter contained a description of something called “cement”. In addition to the steps to create it, there were detailed notes on how to use it. Shang JunLin was a well-qualified leader. The moment he saw it, he immediately saw the importance of “cement”.

This material could be enormously useful to the country and its people.

“It’s fine for Your Majesty to think so.” Shen Yu didn’t want to deceive him, but he also didn’t want to tell the truth. He could only answer vaguely. “Another name for it is concrete.”

Shang JunLin gently bit Shen Yu’s earlobe. “Ah Yu constantly surprises this emperor.”

He could tell that Shen Yu didn’t want to say more, and he wasn’t going to force the issue. Shen Yu was willing to give this to him, and that was enough to show his weight in Shen Yu’s heart. Otherwise, Shen Yu could have just not said anything and avoided his doubts altogether.

Last time, when Shen Yu gave him the water control manuscript, the official in charge of this area reviewed it and told Shang JunLin that it was a complete system. There was no way it could have been pieced together from random books. He told Shang JunLin to find this expert and make use of it at once.

“The people on the estate have made some examples of the finished product. Would Your Majesty like to see it?” Shen Yu saw that Shang JunLin didn’t intend to pry and breathed a quiet sigh of relief. “I’m afraid it would be difficult to bring it to the palace.”

“We’ll just go directly to your estate.” Shang JunLin hugged Shen Yu tightly. “Ah Yu gave this emperor a gift, and I’m very happy.”

No matter what Shen Yu gave him, Shang JunLin’s joy was the same, because what he valued was Shen Yu’s willingness to give him something, not the thing itself.

After getting ready, they left the palace.

The manor received the news that Shen Yu and Shang JunLin were coming to visit and made preparations, paying special attention to the cement. The person in charge checked everything carefully and didn’t permit a single oversight.

Amid the eager anticipation of the staff of the estate, the carriage bearing Shen Yu and Shang JunLin arrived late.

The steward stood in front, followed by the other manor staff. These were Shen Yu’s own people. Mu Xi had already informed them of Shen Yu and Shang JunLin’s relationship. Shen Yu had told her that these people should treat Shang JunLin like one of his own. 

Shang JunLin got out of the carriage first. Then he reached up to help Shen Yu down. It was just a matter of getting out of the carriage, something Shen Yu could do himself. However, Shang JunLin wouldn’t let him. In the beginning, he wanted to physically carry Shen Yu, but Shen Yu sternly rejected it, so Shang JunLin relented and merely helped him down.

Shen Yu didn’t know what Shang JunLin was thinking. This man was the emperor. Why was he so devoted to helping him out of the carriage? However, Shang JunLin insisted on it, and Shen Yu could only let him do it.

Today the two were wearing similar colors. As they stood together, they made a pair that pleased the eye.

The steward brought someone up to meet them. “Your Majesty, noble monarch, everything is ready. Tea and snacks have also been prepared….”

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Shen Yu interrupted the steward’s chatter, saying, “Take us to see the results.” 

As the steward led the two men over, he gave them an outline of the process. They soon reached their destination.

Before them was an open field divided into two parts. On the left was a flat concrete pad, and to the right was a space for mixing cement. There were various kinds of raw materials piled up. There were also about a dozen men dressed in short working clothes bustling about.

“This is the road that was paved according to the noble monarch’s instructions.”

Shen Yu led Shang JunLin over to it. Shen Yu wasn’t surprised, as he’d seen the finished product in his previous life. When Shang JunLin saw such a smooth road surface for the first time, however, he couldn’t conceal his shock.

Shen Yu noticed that there were regular gaps between the sections. Satisfied, he nodded. “Well done.”

The steward took them to the other side. “This part is solid enough to walk on. Even if it rains, the road surface isn’t affected.”

The steward received a letter from Shen Yu ahead of time and knew what to demonstrate. First he let Shen Yu and Shang JunLin go up and feel it, and then he ordered someone to pour a bucket of water all over the surface.

Shang JunLin took Shen Yu’s hand and walked slowly on the concrete road. There was a clear difference between this road and existing ones.

“If a carriage was driving on it, the road would be a lot less bumpy.”

After walking around, Shang JunLin gripped Shen Yu’s hand tighter and tighter. The impact of imagining something was completely different from seeing it in person. The shock was ten times as intense.

Only a short section of road had been completed, but Shang JunLin could already anticipate the effects of paving the official roads in the capital with this material. Not only the capital, but all of Da Huan needed roads like this.

The easier it was to travel, the faster communication would be. This would have an enormous impact on Shang JunLin’s management of all of Da Huan.

Shen Yu could sense Shang JunLin’s excitement. Smiling, he said, “Your Majesty, there aren’t many people on my estate. Making this much cement is the most they can do. I gave Your Majesty the formula. Your Majesty can order someone to try building a road with it to see the effect.”

“For Ah Yu to treat me so well, this emperor is really…” Shang JunLin rested his forehead against Shen Yu’s forehead and said in a low voice, “How should this emperor thank Ah Yu?”

“Your Majesty doesn’t have to thank me. I didn’t come up with the idea in the first place. If it’s useful to Your Majesty, consider it fate. Your Majesty doesn’t have to worry about it.” Shen Yu produced these things not because he wanted to take credit for them, but because they would be useful to Da Huan and Shang JunLin.

Next, the steward guided them over to watch the process of making cement.

Cement wasn’t hard to make, and the raw materials weren’t expensive. It wouldn’t be difficult to make its use widespread. After watching for a while, Shang JunLin had already made a decision.

They didn’t stay at the estate for long. After returning to the palace, Shang JunLin immediately summoned the Minister of Works and gave him the method of manufacturing cement.

After the Minister of Works finished reading it, he said excitedly, “Such, such a thing is extremely practical! I don’t know what it’s called?”

“Cement. It’s also called concrete.”

“A solidified mixture of sand and gravel. In addition to paving roads, it should have many other uses.” The Minister of Works’ eyes were shining. Since Shang JunLin ascended the throne, his ministry hadn’t made any great achievements. At last they had a huge opportunity within their grasp.

“It’s been handed over to you. What you develop with it is for you to decide. The road from the palace to the dark prison is in disrepair. You can use it for practice.”

“This servant will obey.”

The Minister of Works took the formula back to his ministry and assigned people to start work. The current emperor valued people who could do practical things. Now that the officials of the Ministry of Works finally had a chance to show their talents, they couldn’t let it go to waste.

The road chosen by Shang JunLin wasn’t used too often. For the sake of convenience, the Minister of Works ordered his people to close off the road, saying that it was being repaired.

The road was already in bad shape, and it wasn’t strange for it to be rebuilt. People who heard the news didn’t think too much about it, but people who occasionally needed to pass that way had to take a detour.

When Yan Zheng heard about it, he turned to his servant boy and said, “At the end of the day, the road was destroyed because of us. We can’t let the people of the Ministry of Works go to so much trouble on our account. Ask around and find out if they need anything. If so, send it to them.”

The servant understood his master’s character well and went to work.

The man pressed the handle of his folded fan against his chin, and the corners of his mouth curved to reveal his good mood. If he was lucky, he might be able to make some contacts with the people in the Ministry of Works as a result. If those people knew they gave him such a good opportunity for nothing, they might die of anger.

The Ministry of Works hit the ground running. At court, the attitude of the officials from the Ministry of Works changed greatly, which attracted the attention of the other ministers. Those who were close to the Minister of Works went up to ask him what was going on, but all they were told was “road construction”.

The questioner was confused. “Road construction, that’s it? That’s why you’re so excited?” 

“You don’t understand,” the Minister of Works said with passion in his eyes. “When we finish this road, the Ministry of Works will have its time to shine at last!”

The man still didn’t get it. He just shook his head and left.

After handing out the recipe, Shen Yu didn’t pay much attention to it. In his previous life, the King of Yue relied on concrete to amass huge profits. This time, Shen Yu gave it to Shang JunLin in advance, allowing the government to put it into use immediately. Not only did this block the King of Yue’s path to wealth, it also cut off Shen QingRan from amassing fame.

As these thoughts ran through his mind, Shen Yu’s eyes curved in a delighted smile.

“What is Ah Yu thinking about? As happy as that?” Shang JunLin cupped Shen Yu’s chin and turned his face towards him.

“I was just thinking that Da Huan will get better and better under Your Majesty’s rule. Which means I can enjoy a happy and prosperous life following Your Majesty.” The smile in Shen Yu’s eyes didn’t fade, and his dark eyes seemed to contain a multitude of stars.

Shang JunLin was mesmerized by those smiling eyes and couldn’t help approaching. “This emperor will certainly live up to Ah Yu’s trust.”

TL Notes:

OK so this chapter clearly shows that you guys were right about Chapter 35. ♥ The pair has not yet gone “all the way”. Here’s hoping Shen Yu’s first time is 100% eager, willing, and hot (ﾉ◕ ∇ ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ ♡

When I work on chapters I try really hard to not add anything that isn’t there and not remove anything that is there. Obviously, I sometimes clarify things (e.g., missing pronouns), but I do my best to present the story as it’s written. I also feel it’s important to add content warnings on chapters, and when I reached Chapter 35 I couldn’t help wishing it played out differently. Anyway, I’m glad to know my personal interpretation was incorrect… I’ll go back and adjust my TL note

As I mentioned to you guys before, I haven’t read too far ahead in the novel. It’s a way to keep myself motivated and it guarantees that I can’t spoil anything. But it also means I sometimes have nail-biting moments where I don’t know how things will turn out

Regarding concrete technology: Roads are cool and everything, but in my opinion the lowest-hanging fruit is germ theory! Hygiene, plumbing, antibiotics, variolation would literally save millions of lives, but maybe Shen QingRan didn’t think it was profitable enough to bother with? Will Shen Yu steal even more modern technology to face slap the King of Yue? I guess we’ll see…

Cement – 水泥 – Some ancient societies produced cement from a mixture of lime (calcium oxide) and clay or volcanic ash. Ancient Romans had access to all of these materials. Cement wasn’t used in ancient China, possibly due to a lack of volcanic ash. The ancient Chinese used other types of binders such as lime mortar (1500 BC) or sticky rice mortar (500 CE). A cement is a binder, a substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Modern cement is made by heating limestone with other ingredients such as clay in a kiln at high temperatures (Wikipedia)

Concrete – 混凝土 – Concrete is a composite material made of fine and coarse aggregate (such as sand) bonded together with a fluid cement paste that hardens, or cures, over time. Structural concrete consists of about 14% cement. Concrete is the second most used substance in the modern world after water and the most widely used building material. Ancient Romans made extensive use of concrete. Many of their roads, made from layers of concrete and cemented stones, still exist today (Wikipedia)

“Cement wasn’t hard to make, and the raw materials weren’t expensive” – From what I can tell, the limiting factor is lime. Modern (Portland) cement is made from limestone, an extremely common material, but the process requires temperatures of 1450 °C. Historically, Chinese kilns that were capable of producing porcelain could approach these temperatures. The mantou kiln (Warring States Period, 475-221 BC) could reach about 1370 °C. The dragon kiln (Shang dynasty, 1600-1046 BC) sometimes reached as high as 1400 °C. The difficulty would be burning all the fuel to keep those kilns running and maintaining the temperature high enough consistently. At lower temperatures, they might produce a proto-Portland cement (such as Parker’s “Roman” cement), though the materials would be harder to find. I’m sure there are rebirth geeks that have wargamed out all of this in detail. I’m not one of them, but I wouldn’t really call the process “easy” or “inexpensive” (Wikipedia + personal opinion)

willingly went along with the request – 从善如流 – readily following good advice (idiom); willing to accept other people’s views

consider it fate – from 缘分 – lot or luck by which people are brought together; predestined affinity or relationship / (Budd.) destiny

hit the ground running – 热火朝天 – be in full swing; burning with ardor; buzzing with activity; going ahead at full steam

time to shine – 崛起 – rise abruptly; rise sharply; suddenly appear on the horizon

Transliterated names, places, and titles—new in this chapter:

Ministry of Works – 工部 – One of the Six Ministries under the Department of State Affairs in imperial China. In some dynasties, it had charge of weights and measures, construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure such as roads and canals, government construction works such as flood control projects, and the hiring of temporary artisans or laborers

Minister of Works – 工部尚书