Gasp! She's a Time Traveler Using Modern Tech to Improve Ancient Life-Chapter 705 - 700: Great Tang’s Summer

The two most famous detached palaces of the Great Tang are the Ren Zhi Palace built by Tang Gaozu Li Yuan on Yuhua Mountain, and the Ren Shou Palace built by Sui Emperor Yang Jian in Lin You County during the Sui Dynasty.

The former was expanded into a new imperial palace in the 21st year of the Zhenguan era by the decree of Li Shimin and renamed Yuhua Palace. The latter was decreed by Li Shimin to be renovated this year and renamed Jiucheng Palace.

Throughout the entire historical period of the Great Tang, temperatures were higher than modern times, belonging to a warm period. In the summer, although the noble families of the Great Tang had ice storage, it couldn’t compare to modern cooling methods.

Ordinary commoners were tied to the land no matter the weather; rain, wind, or scorching sun, they had to endure it all.

But it was different for nobles and the Imperial Family; they could move whenever hot or cold, and manors and detached palaces were their places of enjoyment.

According to custom, during the peak of summer, the royal family would usually take the civil and military officials away from the heat of Chang’an to the Ren Zhi Palace to escape the summer.

But this year, Empress Zhangsun, due to her heavy body and weak energy, was unsuitable for long-distance travel, so she did not go to the detached palace to escape the heat.

Since Empress Zhangsun didn’t go, Li Shimin naturally stayed in the palace.

With the Emperor and Empress not going, naturally, others had no chance to go away for the summer either.

Lin Wanwan, unable to withstand the heat of Guanzhong, drew a design and had a carpenter attached to her estate build a hand-cranked fan.

This fan was something Lin Wanwan had also brought out last year in Mao County, improved by modern clever folks on the base of a pottery windmill, designed reasonably with strong wind flow, not appearing too outlandish even in a place like the Great Tang.

After all, peasant windmills blowing grain have been around since the Han Dynasty.

As she did last year, Lin Wanwan placed modern Wahaha purified water into molds, froze it into ice in the freezer, then placed it in front of the hand-cranked fan, creating a simple version of an air-conditioning fan.

When Princess Changle and Lady Cui came to the estate to find Lin Wanwan, they discovered this marvelous item and were instantly delighted.

Lin Wanwan launched fans for sale at the right time, earning another round of profit.

In the noble families of Chang’an City, every household bought several units, and the carpentry workshop in Lin Wanwan’s estate worked tirelessly, day and night.

Although there were some who didn’t care about copyright, buying one unit and soon looking for their own craftsman in Chang’an City to imitate it, such people were few.

Because Lin Wanwan came up with a brand related to the Imperial Family, also distributing flyers to promote the brand concept, furthermore sharing the same brand with soap.

Note that the soaps and soaps in the Soap and Music Workshop were all a collaboration between Lin Wanwan and Princess Changle.

In ancient and modern times, princesses have always been top influencers.

The number of people following a princess was countless, like the carp leaping through the river. Using the same fan as the princess’s fan from the same craftsman’s hand, wasn’t that a point of pride?

Thus, just because of this logo, Lin Wanwan could sell a few more units.

In the palace, because of the "ice-cool fan" that Lin Wanwan offered as tribute, the sweltering summer became less unbearable.

Empress Zhangsun more than once sighed to Li Shimin, saying how Lin Wanwan’s mentor must be a godlike figure, able to teach such a resourceful student.

If it weren’t for the engagement between Lin Wanwan and Xiao Chong, she would have long entered the palace as the Emperor’s woman.

This kind of intelligent and famous noble beauty has always been the Emperor’s exclusive preserve since ancient times.

Just like Wu Zhaao, who relied on her reputation to be summoned into the palace by Li Shimin.

Actually, Lin Wanwan had been low-key enough in Chang’an City, afraid of catching the attention of clever minds, noticing her abnormalities, and thus dared not bring out many things.

Compared to her ostentation in Mao County, it was entirely a world of difference.

In Mao County, her home was never lacking in seasonal fruits, beef, and all sorts of extraordinary things unheard of in the Great Tang.

However, in Chang’an, she dared not randomly bring out so many things, as she was surrounded by clever folks difficult to handle all at once.

Even though Lin Wanwan was extremely restrained, for the natives of Tang Land, the extremely restrained Lin Wanwan was still as unique as a bright moon.

In the palace, Lin Wanwan hid in her arranged room every day, never stepping out; Princess Changle would automatically come to her, but she would never go find Princess Changle actively.

Each day, aside from her routine pulse-taking for Empress Zhangsun and spending some time with Princess Changle to chat and relieve boredom, she did nothing else prodigiously.

Just like when Lin Daiyu first entered Jia Mansion, being very careful, unwilling to speak a word more or take a step further than necessary.

Steadily passing through the last days as a "Pharmacist," she could then depart!

Chang’an City’s prosperity she had already witnessed, and many great figures of the Great Tang she had met, it was worth the journey.

After moving into the palace, although Lin Wanwan was oblivious to outside affairs, because Princess Changle would bring her news, she also got to know quite a bit of palace gossip.

In the sessions where concubines visited Empress Zhangsun to pay respects, she had also seen plenty of jealousy and competition.

To Lin Wanwan, the beauties’ scheming for the Emperor was akin to watching grand palace intrigue dramas.

To avoid getting involved, Lin Wanwan kept a respectful distance from these concubines.

After all, she was not a servant-born Pharmacist, and these concubines dared not treat her as a servant.

If Lin Wanwan wanted to advance, she could certainly rely on her medical skills to thrive in the palace.

But since she was unwilling to become entangled in the palace women’s competition, she naturally had no intent to approach them, let alone establish connections.

In this low-profile manner, ten days passed by like a gust, and Lin Wanwan didn’t encounter Li Shimin even once.

The scenes of emperors strolling in the harem every day, as shown in palace dramas, did not occur at all.

Although historically, Li Shimin wasn’t considered the most industrious emperor, in his free time, he’d rather go hunting, play polo, or kick cuju, rather than wander the harem.

Women were not really significant to the Emperor.

If an emperor’s life were scored out of ten, for Li Shimin, the country, and state matters with civil and military officials combined for six points, the pursuit of immortality for three points, leaving the remaining point for all women combined.

Lin Wanwan’s worry before entering the palace about being noticed by Li Shimin turned out to be mere narcissism.

Even if she wanted to meet Li Shimin, it would be difficult to find the chance, let alone an accidental encounter.

The women in the palace all racked their brains trying to have even a chance encounter with him, and many never had the opportunity till they were gray-haired.

One day, as the summer cicadas were tirelessly chirping on the branches, Lin Wanwan sat with Li Lizhi learning embroidery, with the palace maids quietly shaking the fan nearby.

The breeze cooled by large ice blocks blew gently, bringing a slight chill and dispelling some of the summer heat.

The cicadas’ noise outside the window, on the contrary, accentuated the quietness within the palace.

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside.

Running was forbidden in the palace, but judging by the sound, someone seemed to be speed walking.

Lin Wanwan put down the embroidery that wasn’t coming out well and looked towards the door.

Sure enough, in the next second, the figure of a Lizheng Hall palace maid appeared: "Village Lady Le’an, Empress, Her Majesty, has gone into labor! She’s in unbearable pain now, please come with me swiftly."