Saving the foolish general, she accidentally becomes his favorite.

"The third dish—it seems like the Milky Way has fallen from the ninth heaven!" As soon as Mo Chen finished speaking.

All the people saw were two eunuchs carrying a large dish. The dish was magnificent and looked like a very beautiful bonsai from a distance.

In the large disc was a waterwheel, shaped much like a wheel, with wooden spokes supported by an axle, radiating outwards in all directions. Each spoke had a scraper and a water bucket at its tip.

The soup is scraped with a scraper and filled with water from a trough. As the disc rotates, the soup flows down while rotating, and the soup pours down from top to bottom, emitting a shimmering light, just like the Milky Way falling.

In the soup of this dish, there are white flowers that sway gracefully in the water, as lively as seaweed. The flowers, composed of slender and soft strands, are exceptionally soft. The vividness of the shape and the innovation of the design are truly amazing!

That's great!

This device is like a miniature version of a magical artifact from the Ministry of Works, capable of creating a dynamic effect of food resembling a winding stream, which is beyond the scope of knowledge of this era.

Mo Chen introduced, "This dish is called 'The Milky Way Falls from the Ninth Heaven,' with soup served on a waterwheel and flowers seen through the mist. It is a wish for the Emperor Emeritus to live as long as the heavens and enjoy longevity like the pine and crane!"

Mo Chen vigorously spun the miniature waterwheel in the dish. The wooden waterwheel in the center spun faster and faster, and the flowing soup, due to the increased speed, caused the shimmering ingredients inside to swirl like a river of stars, emitting a dazzling light like jewels...

Everyone was stunned once again!

The retired emperor was so happy that he forgot all about home. He had been so surprised today. He was prepared for another variety of dishes, but he never expected that they could be combined with the skills of the Ministry of Works. With all the nations gathered here, his country had such a good general and such delicious food, which was enough to make it famous all over the world. The retired emperor was both happy and proud.

The maidservant respectfully ladled soup for the Emperor Emeritus to taste. The soup bowl was specially chosen with a black pottery base. The silvery shimmering soup seemed to glow against the black background. The bowl sparkled even more when shaken with a spoon. A full and beautiful white flower was placed in the bowl, which was quite lovely.

The retired emperor was extremely curious: "What is this made of?"

Mo Chen respectfully replied, "The conch head, fish, and tofu, along with the shimmering ingredients, are made from fish scales that have been crushed and ground into powder. When added to the soup, they sparkle like a silver river, making it extremely delicious!"

The "flowers" in this soup are made from fresh tofu, each piece sliced ​​lengthwise and crosswise with a knife, so that when spread out, they resemble blooming flowers—delicate and elegant.

"Wonderful!" The flowers are all the same thickness; I thought they were made of noodles, but they turned out to be tofu!

What's even more surprising is the exquisite knife skills; each slice of tofu is only about 0.1 millimeters long, and after spreading out, it floats in the water like a flower in the sea.

The Emperor Emeritus took a bite and found it incredibly delicious. Then he tried the tofu cut into flowers next to it and found it surprisingly tasty!

This dish is amazing in terms of its artistic conception, knife skills, taste, and even its name, after all, the palace never lacks expensive ingredients.

But today, using only tofu, a dish with perfect color, aroma, and taste can be made. The creativity is bold, innovative, and unprecedented!

The Emperor Emeritus was very satisfied: "This is a very special birthday gift. You all have such thoughtfulness; you are all good children. Today has been a feast for the eyes and a joyous occasion! Hahahaha!"

Mo Chen smiled and dropped another bombshell:

"Your Majesty, this dish is not just for eating; the waterwheel on it is specifically used for irrigating farmland."

"What did you say?!" For a moment, not only the retired emperor but even the emperor was surprised!

Prince Su Zhelan of Beichen was also slightly surprised. This was actually a dish prepared to offer a plan? His gaze deepened. It seemed that Mo Chen was not only skilled in martial arts and adept at military campaigns, but his strategic acumen was also unfathomable…

Su Zhelan abandoned her nonchalant attitude and re-examined the current situation.

The officials in the hall were in an uproar. The constant flooding in recent years was a real headache. But Mo Chen had never been involved in such matters before. Wasn't he always focused on fighting?

Now they're actually offering suggestions for farmland irrigation?

As Mo Chen demonstrated, he explained, "This is a birthday gift I presented to the Emperor Emeritus; it's an excellent tool for irrigating farmland."

He pointed to the waterwheel and slowly explained:

"The border regions are harsh and cold, and ordinary grains require a lot of water to grow, making it difficult to cultivate grains successfully. However, this waterwheel can be used to develop hilly and sloping land. It can be used not only to draw water during droughts but also to drain water when there is water accumulation in low-lying areas, making it an agricultural irrigation tool."

I believe this will be helpful in terms of food supplies in the future.

"What did you say? Such a small log is actually such a beneficial irrigation tool for farmers?" the Emperor Emeritus exclaimed.

Mo Chen humbly explained, "This is just a scaled-down version. The actual waterwheel used for irrigating farmland is more than ten times larger. Your Majesty, please look, the river pipes are constantly drawing water from the river as the waterwheel rotates, and then the water flows out from the outlet at the central axis."

He patiently demonstrated to everyone how to use it and how to achieve the desired effect:

"This device is driven by the flow of water in the river, so it does not require energy or human power. Theoretically, as long as the river flows, the kinetic energy will continue."

As long as there is a river, such a continuously circulating system can provide unlimited irrigation.

“Draw water during droughts and drain water during floods. This is the excellent strategy I offered to the Emperor Emeritus.”

As soon as Mo Chen finished speaking, the hall fell silent. Everyone was stunned for a long time. The Emperor Emeritus was indeed knowledgeable. Although this was only a small prototype, if it could really work, it would be a great achievement that would benefit the country and its people for generations to come!

A burst of hearty laughter erupted in the hall. The Emperor Emeritus was overjoyed. He clapped his hands, excitedly circling the waterwheel to examine it closely, and then called Xuan Yuanming over for a closer look: "Ming'er, did you see that? Mo Chen has done a great service this time! Hahahaha!"

Xuan Yuanming had been displeased ever since Mo Chen had shone brightly in the main hall, but now that the Emperor Emeritus had singled him out, he had no choice but to suppress his displeasure and nod in praise. He also pulled the Empress over and asked her, "Does Your Majesty think this is feasible?"

The Empress lowered her head and said obediently, "Today is the Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet. Regardless of whether this little thing can really benefit the farmland, as long as it can make the Emperor Emeritus happy today, it is worth it."

The Empress's words were extremely clever. She neither denied the effectiveness of the waterwheel nor dared to acknowledge Mo Chen's contribution. She simply said that it was all worthwhile to make the Emperor Emeritus smile.

In this way, if this thing cannot actually be used to irrigate farmland in the future, she will not offend anyone. But if it can really benefit farmland, her words will make everyone understand that Mo Chen's suggestion was only to please the Emperor Emeritus, not to advise the court, and the Emperor does not need to reward him generously.

Seeing that the Empress understood his intentions so well, Xuanyuan Ming said with satisfaction, "Yes, yes, no matter how effective it is, it is Mo Chen's way of showing his affection for the Emperor Emeritus."

The Emperor Emeritus was overjoyed upon hearing this and repeatedly praised Mo Chen for his thoughtfulness.

The Queen then posed a difficult question:

"But as a woman, I really can't imagine how such a small waterwheel works. I'm just a woman with limited knowledge, I hope I haven't spoiled your enjoyment..."

"I'm just worried that if the people think it's all show and no substance, wouldn't all our previous efforts be in vain?"

The Empress's voice was soft and gentle, seemingly unintentional, which immediately sparked a flurry of discussion in the hall.

……