The baby stroller Xiao Chuchu was sitting in was made of smooth pear wood, polished to remove any splinters.
As soon as it was pushed out today, it attracted the attention of many passersby.
However, upon seeing Xiao Yunzhou and his companions in their brocade robes and dignified demeanor, people assumed they were nobles or officials and dared not approach to inquire further.
But at this moment, the Princess of Chu, disguised as a wealthy merchant's son, was exceedingly bold.
Her gaze was completely drawn to the adorable Xiao Chuchu and the small stroller.
The stroller only occupied the space of one or two people. It had round wheels at the bottom and a secure seat for the baby on top, padded with a thick, soft blanket.
Above the wheels, the baby stroller had an additional layer of boards where various items could be stored.
At present, it held spare clothes and diapers that Xiao Chuchu might need.
The handle of the stroller was shaped like a curved hook, from which hung Xiao Chuchu's bamboo water bottle.
The stroller was entirely wooden, small and exquisite, made even more adorable by Xiao Chuchu's rosy little face and her pink butterfly-patterned jacket.
Princess Yunwu of Chu took an immediate liking to it.
"I noticed you pushing the child in this little carriage from ten paces away," she said.
What particularly caught her eye was that the one pushing the stroller was the beautiful and young Liu Chaniang, who was wearing a lotus-colored dress that matched her daughter's outfit.
When Princess Yunwu had glanced over from afar, she saw a graceful, slender young woman leisurely strolling down the street, effortlessly pushing the child with one hand. Occasionally, she would even casually take a sip of milk tea from her maid's hand.
She would glance at the child, ensuring she wasn't crying or fussing and was in good spirits, then the young woman would calmly look at the attractions along the street.
Taking care of this child seemed... so comfortable, relaxed, and effortless!
Shopping, drinking tea, and watching the child - she could do all three without compromise.
This young mother instantly evoked admiration and envy in the Princess!
"This stroller isn't for sale yet. In the future, we'll open a baby stroller shop in this location," Xiao Yunzhou gave Liu Runnian a look, and Liu Runnian immediately stepped forward to answer.
[Hehe, I'm the first one to use it,] thought Xiao Chuchu. [This baby stroller still needs a safety belt added, so let's not rush. Let my uncle think about it some more.]
[But judging from today, there seems to be quite a market for baby strollers nowadays~]
[I've just come out, and I've already become a brand ambassador with the first order!]
Xiao Yunzhou and Liu Runnian were secretly pleased upon hearing this. More silver for the national treasury~
Xiao Yunzhou looked at the Princess of Chu and said, "In the future, we will regularly hold gatherings here. My friend, you can come back in a month or two."
Upon hearing this, the Princess of Chu was quite disappointed. "I have to wait?"
Xiao Yunzhou was about to politely explain and put on an act of 'good things take time,' when he saw the Princess cup her hands in farewell and turn away disappointedly.
He suddenly became anxious. "My friend—"
This was the Princess of Chu, equivalent to five elite individuals!
She was a formidable figure recognized by the celestial realm.
Missing this opportunity to win her over might mean losing it forever.
But after calling out to stop the Princess, Xiao Yunzhou found himself at a loss for words.
It was impossible for him to give away this first baby stroller in Jing Country, currently occupied by his precious daughter's bottom.
"Uh..." Just as he was feeling awkward, he heard his daughter's rescuing thoughts.
[Right, my old man's smart again. Don't let her leave. We might not have stock now, but we can take pre-orders~]
Xiao Chuchu's thoughts were full of schemes.
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes immediately lit up. He looked at the puzzled Princess of Chu and said, "To be honest with you, I'm in the business of making these strollers."
"The one my young daughter is sitting in is the world's first baby stroller."
Hearing this, the Princess of Chu indeed stopped in her tracks and looked at Xiao Yunzhou with renewed interest.
To think that the person who came up with this idea to free women's hands was standing right before her.
"May I ask your surname? Your ingenuity has left me astounded," said the Princess of Chu, living up to her reputation as a knowledgeable person by immediately pointing out the benefits of this stroller. "Not only does it make things easier for mothers and nannies, but it also gives more women who look after young children the opportunity to leave the house. It's so convenient to watch over children outside with this. This stroller is truly fascinating."
Princess Yunwu had previously heard from the Ji sisters that Jing Country valued women and was gradually promoting gender equality, but she hadn't quite believed it.
Now, seeing this baby stroller, she was starting to believe.
Just moments ago, she had even seen this man attempting to wrestle the child's stroller away from the beautiful woman.
Princess Yunwu began to feel some goodwill towards Xiao Yunzhou.
Xiao Yunzhou cupped his hands and said, "If you don't mind, my surname is... Liu."
Liu Chaniang, Liu Runnian, and even the group of high-ranking court officials who were following behind in disguise, were all taken aback.
The Emperor directly taking on a woman's surname? How could this be?
But Xiao Yunzhou didn't think anything of it. The Liu family were all clever people, he thought it was fine.
He smiled at the Princess of Chu and said, "If you want this stroller, you can place a deposit with us first."
"We can discuss how many you want and when you want them."
Xiao Yunzhou glanced at the Ministers of Works and Revenue behind him.
The two immediately stepped forward.
"These two are my family's accountant and carpentry manager."
The two ministers' mouths twitched at once.
The Emperor was addicted to this game, and yet they had to play along!
"Pleased to meet you."
The Princess of Chu wasn't blindly trusting of others, but she had grown up in the palace, often eavesdropping on the Crown Prince's lessons with his tutors.
Princess Yunwu glanced at Jiang Li and Chen Xun and noticed that they both had the air of scholars about them.
They didn't seem like ordinary accountants or managers, but rather like individuals with academic titles who were used to commanding subordinates.
The Princess had an eye for people, so she didn't doubt further. She pointed to a middle-aged man with a pale face and no beard beside her, "This is my household manager. I'd like to pre-order ten carriages. Fang Mo, please discuss the details with these two managers and accountants."
The pale-faced, beardless man immediately agreed, his voice extremely gentle.
[He should be a eunuch, like Wei Zheng,] Xiao Chuchu observed at a glance.
Xiao Yunzhou nodded secretly, then spoke up, "My friend, from your accent, you seem to be from Chu. Since we've met by chance, would you care to join us in our tour?"
The Princess was momentarily stunned, but looking down at her male attire, she readily agreed, "Very well. This is my first visit, and I'm not familiar with what's new in this gathering."
Xiao Yunzhou smiled and immediately introduced Liu Chaniang beside him, "This is my wife."
"We're about to visit the snack shop to try some new delicacies: zongzi with salted egg yolk and beetroot soup."
[Beetroot soup? Could it be the Jing Country version of borscht?]
[Oh, I want to drink that!]
[I even dreamed about it the other day! And I've eaten the salted egg yolk zongzi twice in my dreams too~]
Xiao Chuchu's mouth watered at the thought.
Xiao Yunzhou chuckled quietly.
These were indeed his daughter's inner thoughts as she dreamed of delicious food while asleep.
The imperial kitchen had experimented five or six times before perfecting the recipes, keeping them secret until now.
This trip to Xun Prefecture was not only to promote the new customs of Jing Country but also for him, as a father, to take his daughter out for some fun.
But just as they caught the rich aroma of food and were about to enter the zongzi shop, Princess Yunwu of Chu's beautiful eyes lit up once again.
She noticed a fenced-off sandbox area next to the zongzi shop, where a group of children were playing. There were marbles, wooden swords, and some strange tree hollow-like playthings.
"Oh, this is an area for children to play. It's designed for kids who might get bored while shopping, so they can have fun here instead of troubling their parents."
"!" That makes sense.
Princess Yunwu's eyes widened in amazement.
Upon closer inspection, she noticed that in this sandbox area full of children, there were quite a few men looking after the kids... and very few women!
As the Princess of Chu, Yunwu was of marriageable age and had married and given birth at eighteen.
Now, with two children of her own, her biggest headache was how to care for them daily.
Leaving them entirely to the wet nurses risked the children not bonding with her, potentially becoming spoiled and maladjusted like the Crown Prince in the palace.
But keeping them by her side all the time interfered with her duties.
However, now—Yunwu's eyes sparkled as she watched the men tending to the children in the sandbox.
"Where are these children's mothers?" How come it's all men looking after the kids in Jing Country!
As soon as she asked, Liu Chaniang answered with a smile, "The women have their own affairs to attend to."
Yunwu was taken aback.
"This special gathering has needlework shops, eateries, beauty parlors... many of which are run by women. Naturally, their husbands help take care of the children."
Yunwu was astonished. She had rarely let her consort look after their children.
Her mother had always told her that even as a princess, she should live according to the rules for women.
"Is it like this all over Jing Country? Isn't it supposed to be women inside, men outside?"
Liu Chaniang glanced at Xiao Yunzhou, "When men and women work together, the task becomes easier. From the capital of Jing Country to the borderlands, we make progress every day. One day, the whole country will be like this!"
"Capable women can go out if they want to, and pursue careers if they wish."
"Of course, they can also choose to stay at home."
Princess Yunwu's eyes flickered.
Well said!
What a concept—women doing whatever they want to do!