A carpenter's work would never seem interesting.
Even if Princess Xin Yue initially felt some interest, she would quickly shift her attention after finding nothing engaging.
The carpenter's work also required tools like saws and planes that made loud noises. If Princess Xin Yue became annoyed by this and banished him, it would be troublesome.
Therefore, Chu Chen had to first capture Princess Xin Yue's attention.
With the Divine Craftsman skill, achieving this was quite simple.
Under Princess Xin Yue's watchful eye, Chu Chen did not begin his work directly.
He selected a piece of superior wood and, in just over half an hour, used the available tools to carve a lifelike Princess Xin Yue.
However, this Princess Xin Yue held a sharp sword angled forward, her long skirt seeming to flutter in the wind, exuding an elegant and heroic aura.
"To express my gratitude for Your Highness's kindness, I have dared to carve Your Highness's likeness. I hope Your Highness will forgive my presumption."
Chu Chen carefully presented the wood carving to Princess Xin Yue, then added with a hint of regret, "Alas, my hands are clumsy. I have only captured one or two tenths of Your Highness's heroic spirit. It is truly a sin."
This, of course, was pure fabrication.
With the Divine Craftsman skill, the wood carving Chu Chen produced was no less than the person herself, perhaps even surpassing her.
A real person might have flaws in their personality or other aspects, but an artwork, especially a sculpture, is an art form that eternally preserves a moment of great charm.
Perhaps Princess Xin Yue's demeanor at certain moments in reality was not inferior to the wood carving Chu Chen had made.
But who wouldn't like a preserved moment of their own beauty?
Especially this heroic pose with a sword in hand, an experience Princess Xin Yue had never had.
The moment Princess Xin Yue saw the wood carving, she fell deeply in love with it and couldn't put it down.
Because of her fondness for the wood carving, her affection extended to Chu Chen's carpentry work as well.
Even though the work was tedious and boring, and the noise was considerable, Princess Xin Yue watched with great interest.
Chu Chen knew what Princess Xin Yue was thinking. During breaks, he would also carve other small wooden figures specifically for her.
What she liked most was the wood carving of her bare-handed subduing a tiger.
Her small fists striking the fierce tiger, making it nowhere to hide and flee in panic, made Princess Xin Yue so happy her mouth couldn't close.
Consequently, her attitude towards Chu Chen improved significantly.
While carving the Princess Xin Yue figurines, the work on the curved-shaft plow and the waterwheel also progressed.
Unlike figurines, which required time for intricate carving, the curved-shaft plow and waterwheel only needed the parts to be manufactured and then assembled.
In Chu Chen's hands, those ungainly parts were slowly assembled into machines with an aesthetic of engineering.
This process was a pleasure to behold.
Even Princess Xin Yue, who was only interested in her own life-sized sculpture, gradually began to feel the joy of watching Chu Chen work.
If it were before, completing the Emperor's task and carving for Princess Xin Yue within three days would have been an almost impossible mission.
But with the Divine Craftsman skill, these tasks were easily completed in just two and a half days.
He even managed to test the tools in the process.
The imperial palace naturally had a considerable area of farmland.
These farmlands were managed by the Imperial Household Department, generally used to grow fresh vegetables and seasonal fruits specifically for the royal family's consumption.
This was partly to prevent any issues with food and partly to save costs indirectly.
This was also one of the rare acts of frugality by the imperial family of Yun Yue Kingdom.
At this time, those idle farmlands naturally benefited Chu Chen.
Samples were samples, but when put into actual use, minor adjustments would still be needed based on the actual situation. Otherwise, it would be disastrous if a part broke down at a critical moment.
Fortunately, after testing, the curved-shaft plow manufactured by Chu Chen had no problems, and even the model of the waterwheel could operate perfectly.
To avoid any further complications, Chu Chen immediately sent someone to inform the Empress and invite her to personally witness his achievement.
"In just two and a half days, you have completed what you promised?" The Empress's doubt was evident.
"Has the Workshop become so capable?"
"Actually, I accomplished this through my own efforts," Chu Chen stated calmly.
Not only did the Workshop not help, but they also obstructed him. Now, when it came to sharing credit, Chu Chen would not give them even a sliver.
"Oh?" The Empress's expression turned even colder. "Do you know the consequences of toying with me?"
"I would not dare!"
The Empress was also a cultivator. When she got angry, the surrounding air seemed to stagnate, exerting immense pressure.
But Chu Chen remained composed.
"Your Majesty will know once you try!"
The Empress withdrew her oppressive aura.
"Then I shall see what surprise you can conjure in just two days."
Due to her distrust of others in the palace, the task of operating the curved-shaft plow still fell to Chu Chen himself.
Standing before the curved-shaft plow, Chu Chen let out a barely perceptible sigh.
He never expected to personally plow fields one day.
With the Divine Farming skill, plowing was naturally not a challenge for Chu Chen.
Driving the ox, Chu Chen easily plowed the considerable patch of farmland before him.
Looking at the neatly tilled land, the Empress nodded thoughtfully.
"Your curved-shaft plow is indeed usable," she said, her tone shifting in the next moment. "How do you intend to prove that it is better than the previous plow?"
"That is also simple," Chu Chen said confidently. "Your Majesty can simply find someone to compete with me using the old plow."
"Let's see who plows more land in the same amount of time, and that will prove which plow is superior."
The Empress nodded slightly.
Soon, she found a plow and an ox.
Of course, there wasn't much farmland to plow within the palace, so they moved to the barren land behind the palace.
Initially, the Empress had intended to test it on actual farmland, but Chu Chen stated that the effect would be the same even on barren land.
After all, commoners sometimes needed to reclaim new farmland.
As the young eunuch gave the signal, both sides, holding different farming tools, began to cultivate the land simultaneously.