Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Greenwater City, as its lights began to glow.

Having been in Puluo State for over three months, this was Li Banfeng's first visit to a city.

Ma Wu had said that the cities in Puluo State might not compare to those in the Outside Provinces, but Greenwater City's nights were similarly aglow.

Li Banfeng saw the light. The ignition of the city lights was a grand ceremony that took place every day in Greenwater City.

Since electricity couldn't be transmitted over long distances, gas lamps became the protagonists of the night.

Patrol Officers, carrying torches and step-stools, would light the streetlamps one by one along the roadsides.

Each shop sent out clerks to light up the light boxes bearing their signs.

The gas lamps were bright, not inferior to some electric lights.

What surprised Li Banfeng even more was that the gas lamps could flicker.

On the gas outlet pipes were steam-driven valves. These valves used the lamp's own heat to open and close in a set rhythm, controlling the gas flow.

When the valve was fully open, the gas flow was high, making the light box very bright.

With the valve half-open, the gas flow was reduced, and the light box would dim.

Some valves even contained special Medicinal Powder, which made the light boxes continuously change color.

Ma Wu was right. Greenwater City was a city—a big city.

Maybe its buildings weren't as tall as those in Yuezhou, and its streets not as wide, but it was a true city—Li Banfeng could smell that distinctive urban scent.

The tallest building was Peace Mansion, a business of the Lu Family, housing shopping malls, restaurants, and, it was said, even a cinema.

The building on the prime plot of land was Hundred Joy Gate, also a Lu Family business, offering endless liquor, ceaseless dancing, and countless high-slit cheongsams.

Ma Wu had mentioned that the most promising place was Xiaoyao Lodge. There, one could find a dance emperor, a Singing Empress, and over a hundred stars-in-the-making being polished.

Xiaoyao Lodge used to be Ma Wu's family property, and Li Banfeng had promised Ma Wu he would visit sometime in the future, but now was not the time.

Right now, Li Banfeng just wanted to find the Beautiful Voice Record Player Shop. Ma Wu often commissioned them to record albums, and their Phonographs were of assured quality.

After some searching, Li Banfeng found the Phonograph Shop. The shopfront wasn't large. He pushed open the door and entered. The interior was only five or six square meters, with a counter over a meter long and two hand-cranked phonographs on display.

Had I come to the wrong place?

Li Banfeng stepped back to the doorway for another look. No mistake, it was the Beautiful Voice Record Player Shop.

Behind the counter sat a man wearing a black top hat and a black tailcoat, complete with a white shirt and black bow tie. He was clean-shaven below his lower lip but sported a mustache parted in the middle above it.

The man seemed to have been napping. Li Banfeng's movement as he stepped back to the doorway to check the sign had startled him awake.

The mustachioed man stood up and greeted Li Banfeng with a smile. "Good evening, sir. Welcome! I am Ling Miaosheng from the Beautiful Voice Record Player Shop. Which of our Phonograph models has caught your eye?"

Li Banfeng looked at the two frail hand-cranked phonographs on the counter and shook his head. "Definitely not these two."

Ling Miaosheng was taken aback, looking at Li Banfeng in surprise. "Sir, you're not interested in either of these models?"

"That's right." Li Banfeng didn't find anything special about these two models.

Ling Miaosheng's expression turned serious. "It seems, then, that what you're seeking is no simple item. Could you please tell me, what kind of Phonograph are you looking for?"

What kind of Phonograph? he wondered. What kind could a small shop like this possibly have?

Li Banfeng said, "Show me the best Phonograph you have."

"Certainly, sir." Ling Miaosheng stepped out from behind the counter and waved a hand. Suddenly, a curtain on the wall lifted. This curtain was the exact color of the wall. More than just identical in color, it was so seamlessly fitted that no trace of it could be seen beforehand.

Behind the curtain was a wooden door.

CREAK~

Ling Miaosheng pushed open the wooden door and extended a hand inside. "Please, sir, this way."

Li Banfeng followed Ling Miaosheng through the wooden door into a corridor. The light was so dim that even with his excellent eyesight, Li Banfeng couldn't see its end.

The shop isn't small after all, Li Banfeng thought. It just has a somewhat peculiar layout.

Ling Miaosheng led Li Banfeng to another door, pushed it open gently, and stepped inside, gesturing for Li Banfeng to tread lightly.

Why such caution? Li Banfeng wondered. Could someone be sleeping in here?

Ling Miaosheng reached the center of the room and quietly lit a candle.

This room was also quite large. By the candlelight, Li Banfeng could barely make out the four walls.

In the center of the room, an object about the size of a nightstand was covered with a cloth.

This must be the shop's most expensive Phonograph, right? Li Banfeng felt a flicker of anticipation.

Ling Miaosheng first grabbed a handful of golden grains and placed them under the covered object.

A wave of excitement surged through Li Banfeng. Are these fuel pellets? Could it really be a Steam Phonograph?

As Ling Miaosheng slowly pulled away the cloth, the answer was revealed. The "Phonograph's" body was very white, its head very red, and its two eyes shone brightly.

The "fuel" Ling Miaosheng had scattered was, in fact, corn.

The "Phonograph" extended its head, ate the corn, then CLUCKED as it cleared its throat.

Ling Miaosheng commanded, "Sing 'Autumn Water Beauty.'"

The "Phonograph" stretched out its neck and began to sing:

CLUCK CLUCK CLUCK...

"Gazing through autumn waters,

The beauty's graceful shadow isn't seen.

The night deepens, the water clock has run dry,

A lone wild goose cries two or three times..."

Li Banfeng looked at Ling Miaosheng and asked, "Is this a... singing chicken?"

Ling Miaosheng nodded. "This is the best Phonograph in the shop. It's capable of singing over thirty songs. With patient rearing by its owner, it can learn many more."

Li Banfeng had no idea how this large rooster, with its fiery red comb and snow-white feathers, could sing, but it was clearly not what he was looking for.

"Boss Ling, I'm looking for a more normal Phonograph, say, one from Amikan Country. Do you have any?"

Ling Miaosheng nodded. "Yes, sir. This way, please."

Li Banfeng followed Ling Miaosheng into another room, which was more spacious, housing over a dozen Phonographs, all Amikan Country products.

Ling Miaosheng introduced, "Phonographs made in Amikan Country aren't as durable as those from Cheman Country, nor as exquisite as those from Ingrid, but they possess a unique charm. It's hard to describe that unique charm, but there's a sense that their creations are especially bold."

As he spoke, Ling Miaosheng pulled aside a curtain to reveal the first Phonograph.

"This is a spring-driven Phonograph. Wind it up once for each song. The sound is clear, and the case is light and compact, saving space."

Ling Miaosheng played a song on the Phonograph, but Li Banfeng lightly shook his head.

The sound quality of this Phonograph was too different from the one his wife had. It was also too petite; he guessed the parts would be incompatible.

Ling Miaosheng then revealed another Phonograph. This one was much larger, nearly two meters in length and width, with a tray somewhat similar to the one his wife owned, and a huge lever connected above the case.

Ling Miaosheng pulled the lever, and the Phonograph whirred from within.

It turned out to be a lever-operated bellows.

Driven by the air from the bellows, a small windmill inside the case began to turn.

Ling Miaosheng explained, "A governor controls the windmill, ensuring it spins at a consistent speed regardless of the wind strength. You can operate the bellows while listening to music, though it's a bit noisy. Alternatively, you can use the bellows to wind the spring and then listen. The spring can store enough energy for up to two hours of playback."

After winding the spring fully, Ling Miaosheng mopped his brow, flipped the switch, and the Phonograph began to play.

Indeed, the sound of this Bellows Phonograph bore some resemblance to his wife's.

After the song finished, Ling Miaosheng showcased the third model.

This Phonograph was also very special: it used electricity.

In Puluo State, electricity couldn't be transmitted over long distances, but it wasn't impossible to store it.

Ling Miaosheng took out a battery, about the size of a tea caddy, and placed it in the back of the Phonograph. He flipped the switch, and the Phonograph started to spin.

"Electric Phonographs run smoothly and are convenient, though recharging is a hassle. During the day, you have to leave the Phonograph out in the sun to charge."

Only then did Li Banfeng notice the photovoltaic panels on the Phonograph's surface.

Ling Miaosheng chuckled. "On a sunny day, one day's charge can provide eight hours of playtime. On cloudy days, however, it's less predictable."

If it has electricity, could it charge a mobile phone? Li Banfeng mused. But what would I charge a phone for? What use is a phone anyway? Just to get myself hooked by some Peeping Cultivation practitioner?

The structure and design of this Phonograph were too different from his wife's, so Li Banfeng wasn't particularly interested.

Behind the fourth curtain was a sewing machine.

Ling Miaosheng threaded the needle, grasped the handwheel, stepped on the pedal, and CLICKETY-CLACK, the sewing machine started. It began stitching the fabric on its platform while simultaneously singing "Roses Bloom Everywhere."

"Roses, roses, blooming everywhere,

Youth, youth, present everywhere,

The unstoppable spring breeze..."

Once the cuff was sewn, the sewing machine stopped, and the music ceased with it.

Ling Miaosheng turned and said, "The beauty of this Phonograph is that it can alleviate the fatigue of sewing. Of course, if you don't want to listen to music while sewing, you can also wind its spring to store power. Then, you can enjoy the delightful music after your work is done."

Although this Phonograph was peculiar, its parts were very similar to those of his wife's.

Ling Miaosheng then revealed the fifth Phonograph, also the largest. "This is another wind-powered Phonograph, but it's different from the Bellows Phonograph. This one is driven by an external windmill. This means you need to hang a windmill with a diameter of twenty-eight centimeters outside your window. As the windmill spins, you can listen to music. If you don't feel like listening, you can use the spring to store power. Once fully wound, it can play for up to twenty-two hours. As long as the wind outside doesn't stop, the music in your home won't be interrupted..."

Ling Miaosheng introduced over a dozen different Phonographs to Li Banfeng in one go. While Li Banfeng showed some interest in each, he wasn't entirely satisfied with any of them.

Watching Li Banfeng, Ling Miaosheng fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Sir, you're looking to buy a Steam Phonograph, aren't you?"

Li Banfeng was surprised. "How did you know?"

Ling Miaosheng suddenly smiled. "I heard the hissing of steam, in your heart."

PS: Shala has heard the hearts of you dear readers. The author you all love most is Shala; there won't be room for anyone else in your hearts.