Luo yang, the northern palace.
In the hot summer, the pool that Cao Rui had been thinking about for half a month has been settled by Emperor Wei and his eunuchs.
Swimming in summer can both strengthen the body and cool down. Cao Rui also has a need to exercise, after all, he can't run laps inside the North Palace as an emperor.
The construction method is also very simple. Four thick walls are built on a flat ground using bricks and stones, with two thick layers of wood boards inside. In other words, this is a long rectangular ship built and fixed on a flat ground.
Water enters through an opening on the high ground and exits through another on the low ground. The key to making the water flow is a hand-cranked water car controlled by a eunuch.
The emperor swims for an hour, and the eunuchs consume a bowl of millet rice, which is quite environmentally friendly. Fortunately, during the Three Kingdoms period, there were no democrats to offer suggestions to Your Majesty.
Cao Rui happily swam for a few minutes, then discovered a critical problem: there were no suitable swimsuits during the Three Kingdoms period.
Cotton clothes are not expected, rough and hard, tied on the body like hemp rope, the absorption of water and resistance are large.
The only available material is silk. Even with this expensive fabric, if it's not worn close to the skin when in water, it will still trap water while swimming. The solution is not difficult; simply cut the silk to fit snugly against the body, and it becomes suitable for swimming.
However, perhaps the Emperor Han Lingdi, over 50 years ago, did not have the talent for clothing design to solve the swimsuit problem. Therefore, Emperor Han Lingdi had to choose to swim naked with his concubines, and this was recorded in history and criticized for two thousand years.
As Cao Rui was doodling on Zuo Bo's paper in his study, Bi Jin, smiling obsequiously, said to Cao Rui, "Your Majesty, the old servant sees that you have been overworked designing this swimsuit. Let the old servant take care of it."
Cao Rui looked up and gave Bi Jin a glance. Bi Jin had served the former emperor for nearly a decade and was now the head eunuch in the palace of Luoyang, very familiar with everyone in the palace. Since Cao Rui ascended the throne, Bi Jin had been worried about losing favor and frequently tried to show off in front of him.
Cao Rui asked, "You? You can also make clothes?"
Bi Jin lowered his head and replied, "The old servant is not clever enough to do the delicate work of making clothes. However, the old servant can arrange for the weaving workshops in the palace to make them, and they also have experience."
"The weaving workshops." Cao Rui thought for a moment and realized something was amiss.
"The weaving workshops don't belong to the Ministry of Revenue, how can you arrange them?"
"Your Majesty," Bi Jin panicked and knelt down, quickly explaining: "The old servant has no courage to misuse power."
"Your Majesty," Bi Jin hurriedly explained, "The late emperor had long ordered that eunuchs not hold official positions and even had this regulation inscribed on stone. He also abolished the positions of the Chief Eunuch and the Yellow Gate Eunuch. How could the old servant dare to have any extra thoughts?"
"When the late emperor first moved to the Luoyang Palace, the rules in the palace were supposed to be inherited from the Han system. However, the previous Han emperor's palace was chaotic without order. There were more people who wielded weapons than us, who are of no origin."
"These minor chores in the palace, the late emperor did not want to trouble the Minister of Revenue Gong Chang to deal with them, and finally, these tasks were all assigned to me."
Cao Rui nodded, acknowledging that he understood Bi Jin's meaning. The Wei dynasty had initially wanted to borrow from the Han dynasty's palace system, but the palace of Emperor Xian of Han was so leaky and disorganized that the guards watching over Emperor Xian were almost more numerous than the eunuchs, which was not normal for a palace.
To be honest, this is because the world is still in chaos. Neither Cao Pi nor the officials of the previous court had the heart to regulate these trivial matters in the palace during this period.
Cao Rui thought for a moment: "Is the current Minister of Revenue still Gong Lin? He's got to be around seventy years old by now."
Bi Jin saw that Cao Rui's expression slightly lightened, and the weight on his mind lifted as well: "Your Majesty, it is indeed Minister Gong Lin. He is... I believe he is sixty-seven years old this year."
Cao Rui whispered, "It's not surprising, he has reached an advanced age, and he should have no energy to deal with these trivial matters."
Bi Jin did not respond and bowed his head low to the ground.
Cao Rui asked, "Tell Zhong Yu to stop copying books and have him call Minister Gong Lin here."
Bi Jin nodded and quickly went out to do the deed.
Soon after, footsteps were heard from the outside room. Cao Rui looked up and saw that it was Liu Ye, the controller of the left chancellor.
Liu Ye approached, "Your Majesty, today is the bi-weekly imperial report. The ministers have come from the Secretariat of State and are waiting outside."
Cao Rui nodded and said, "Then let them in."
The four ministers entered, with Cao Xu and Cao Zhen leading the way, followed by Chen Qun and Sima Yi.
Seeing the ministers kowtow, Cao Rui quickly rose from his seat: "This is a private audience, not an imperial session. The ministers need not bow so formally. Please rise quickly."
"Bestow seats." Cao Rui extended his hands faintly, indicating for the ministers to stand up.
"Subject thanks for your grace." Seeing Cao Rui being polite first, the four ministers also reciprocated.
Cao Rui smiled as he looked at the four men: "This is the first time that Your Majesty and I discuss state affairs together. What do you gentlemen have to teach Your Majesty?"
Sima Yi bowed and spoke: "Your Majesty, I was entrusted by the late emperor, and I also have a responsibility to advise Your Majesty. I heard that a nude swimming pool has been built in the palace, I wonder if this is true?"
Cao Zhen quickly tried to smooth things over: "Sima Zhongda, why are you so nosy? The emperor is just swimming, what are you talking about here?"
Cao Xu also interjected: "That's right, what's there to advise about? This is the emperor's private matter, and you're getting involved."
As military officers, Cao Zhen and Cao Xu were more open-minded about personal virtue issues. In their values, even if Cao Rui really built a nude swimming pool and held a party in it, that would be harmless to the state.
From the perspectives of Sima Yi and Chen Qun, this was already a hint of a 'king who brings about his own downfall'. Why not emulate the virtuous King Wen of Han, but instead you are imitating Emperor Lingdi of Han?
Cao Rui's expression did not change at all due to Sima Yi's first piece of advice. He still smiled, and even in his smile, there was a touch of sincerity.
"I did build a swimming pool in the palace, but my swimming pool is different from Emperor Lingdi's nude swimming pool. I will wear clothes, and I will be the only one to use it."
Sima Yi's eyes widened slightly, not noticeable from the side. Cao Rui's sincere attitude surprised Sima Yi.
As Cao Rui put it, that swimming pool seemed to be merely a means for exercise and cooling off, with no connection to extravagance or licentiousness.
"I... I'm not saying that the swimming pool is bad. I just want to say that the king should focus on state affairs. Such entertainment items should not divert the king's attention."
"I understand. It's not a problem for such small matters." Cao Rui nodded and looked at Chen Qun: "I see that Chen seems to have something to say?"
Chen Qun's face showed a clear desire to speak, but he hesitated for a moment before pulling out a small scroll of bamboo slips from his sleeve.
Chen Qun said, "Your Majesty, the contents of my advice are written on this bamboo slip."
Cao Rui gestured for the eunuch to take the bamboo slip and opened it. After reading, he softly laughed.
"Chen, you are as loyal and straightforward in your advice as Sima. But why do both of you advise me to focus on state affairs?"
"I see that you have been managing state affairs at the Secretariat of State recently. It seems to be going well."
