Chapter 474 — The Charm of the Bicycle
Just how many people had his daughter actually saved? Why was it that, every time she intervened, it happened to be someone with strength or status?
He had truly misunderstood. Did Gu Ye only save two or three people with status? As far as she could recall, she had only saved two or three people of influence: Brother Chen, the Emperor of Dongling, and perhaps her eldest brother. Qingfeng Pavilion and Yinzhen Pavilion had the same backer, but very few in the world knew that.
The most popular gift, of course, was the slightly awkward-looking 28-inch bicycle. Although her brothers were eager to try it, they let their sister ride first.
Worried she might fall, one brother held the back of the bike, and the other stayed at her side, both poised as if ready for battle. But as soon as she got on and pressed the pedal, the bicycle shot forward. Gu Ye rode two laps around the training grounds, then handed it over to the eager onlookers.
The moment she got off, all six brothers, including Gu Ming, pounced like tigers descending from the mountain. After a chaotic and painful ‘battle,’ the third Chu son, Chu Mutong, nicknamed ‘the fox,’ secured the first turn to test-ride the bicycle.
Seeing how easily their sister had handled it, he swung his long legs over the seat, mimicking Gu Ye, gripped the handlebars, and began pedaling. But the bicycle seemed to be deliberately working against him, wobbling and refusing to move forward. Chu Mufeng and the other younger brothers watched with expressions of amusement, eager to see what would happen.
Chu Mutong’s competitive spirit was ignited. With his sister’s reminder to ‘maintain balance,’ he practiced two laps around the training ground and soon mastered the technique.
Seeing him ride steadily for a few laps, the others began itching to try. The Second Brother, Chu Mufeng, knocked aside the younger siblings and was the first to claim a turn. Martial artists generally had good balance, and with the Chu brothers’ long arms and legs, they weren’t afraid of falling. They quickly learned to ride smoothly.
Chu Mubai almost fell while trying a hands-free ride. When his foot hit the ground, the bike seat accidentally pressed against a sensitive spot, causing him to jump around in pain, holding the area for quite a while. He was mercilessly teased by his brothers.
Once Gu Ming rode steadily, he let his sister sit on the back of the bike and took her around the training ground. Seeing this, Chu Mushan went up, kicked Gu Ming off, and rode with his sister at top speed.
The other brothers, jealous, all insisted—childishly—that they too must take turns riding the bike with their sister. Poor Gu Ye sat on the hard, unyielding back seat of the bicycle, pedaling lap after lap around the not-so-smooth training ground.
By the time she got off, she felt as if her backside had been jolted into eight pieces! She thought resentfully to herself: Having so many brothers is such a pain! I shouldn’t have bought this bicycle!
The bicycle gift had clearly won her brothers’ favor. Not only her brothers—even her father, the Duke, was fighting with his sons to ride it. Duke Zhen proudly took Lady Jun for a spin through the streets, attracting the gaze and envy of his colleagues. He was delighted beyond words! He decisively snatched the bicycle from his youngest son and, from then on, stopped riding horses to court, replacing it with his bicycle.
The one-and-only bicycle in the world, combined with Duke Zhen’s proud strut, became a striking sight on the streets. During court days, it wasn’t so bad, as only the officials in the hall could watch from afar. But after court, when the streets were crowded, a group of boys would chase after him wherever he went.
Some colleagues, envious, asked where he had gotten such a bicycle. The Duke would beam with pride and reply, “My daughter gifted it to me! There isn’t a second one in the entire world—truly one of a kind!”
Chu Mushan bit his little handkerchief: Mother, Father’s so mean—he stole Shanshan’s bike. Waa…boohoo…
Even those with close ties to the Duke, like the Marquis of Yongning, Shangguan Fei’s father, would take the opportunity to try out his bicycle whenever they visited the Duke’s residence. Some officials from the Ministry of Works even wanted to take it back to study and replicate it.
Even the Emperor couldn’t resist the bicycle’s charm. After court, he borrowed the Duke’s bike and rode it for an entire afternoon. In the imperial study, piles of memorials were stacked high…
Of course, no one could hide from observant eyes that Gu Ye and Chu Mushan had pushed the bicycle back from Yinzhen Pavilion. So some people went to the pavilion to inquire about the bike, only to learn that there was just this one in existence. The Duke felt even prouder and more vindicated, sincerely thinking his daughter was a little lucky star!
From then on, the bicycle became the Duke’s preferred mode of transport. Wherever he went, he rode his precious bike. His favorite pastime was taking his wife for a ride, with her sitting on the front bar, leaning against his chest, warm and soft in his embrace… It was more intoxicating than a romantic novel—utterly delightful!
Chu Mushan wore a sorrowful face as he went to Mingzhu Pavilion, pouring out his heartbreak and helplessness over having his beloved bicycle taken. In the end, he looked at his sister pitifully and pleaded, “Sister, there’s no way there’s only one bicycle in the world. You know the owner of Yinzhen Pavilion, right? Could you ask them if it’s possible to get another one?”
Gu Ming scolded him, “Knowing a favor and not returning it;aren’t you making things difficult for Sister? Besides, haven’t you already asked at the pavilion? They said there’s only this one. And now you want your sister to beg for one? What kind of brother are you?”
“It’s fine, I’ll have Yin Mei ask,” Gu Ye said, sympathizing with Sixth Brother, whose bike had been taken. Father really was something. He had seven children, but was still acting like a child himself!
Before she could ask, Yinzhen Pavilion sent a gift—a small, dark-red bicycle as a token of thanks. Compared to the large 28-inch model, this one was more delicate and beautiful, lighter and more maneuverable—perfect for a girl to ride.
That 28-inch bike had only been the first prototype; its craftsmanship was rough, and the technology wasn’t fully mature. And this ladies’ bicycle was already a finely crafted masterpiece, the result of hundreds of improvements.
To the public, Yinzhen Pavilion claimed it was a gift to repay the lifesaving favor of the disciple of the Sage Apothecary. Internally, though, Yin Ba delivered a message from this Master: this was Brother Chen congratulating her on finding her family! Gu Ye happily accepted the gift and, in her reply, left a lip print as a return token.
However, Gu Ye wasn’t as ostentatious as her father. Except for a couple of rides around the flat courtyard, the ladies’ bicycle mostly sat idle. Chu Mushan, on the other hand, often came by to ride it a few laps; since it was a ladies’ bike, he couldn’t ride it outside and only enjoyed it on the training ground.
Meanwhile, after Shangguan Fei heard about it from her father, the Marquis of Yongning, she excitedly rushed to Mingzhu Pavilion and spent two whole days learning to ride the bicycle. When she attended gatherings with her young female peers, she shared the joy and experience of riding a bicycle. Among the young noble ladies and young noblewomen, bicycles became a hot topic for quite a while.
Unfortunately, Yinzhen Pavilion never released another new bicycle. The two bicycles at the Duke of Zhen’s residence became one-of-a-kind, making them even more precious…
TL Note: I’ve committed a major major mistranslation. I’ve been poring over this noble title while translating (╥﹏╥)
Duke of Zhen/Duke of Zhenguogong (Pinyin translation) = should be translated as Duke that Guards/Protects the State or State-Defender Duke or Defender Duke of the State(I prefer this). I know I didn’t research this well enough. It’s been more than hundreds of chapters now, but I am wondering whether to change the title moving forward. Would it be confusing if I do?
Peek-Aboo 
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