Chapter 31: Do You Really Think This Soft Rice Tastes Good?

Liu Fuzi twitched his lips and said, “It’s just ordinary clear chicken soup.”

Su Mingyue nodded, indicating she understood. “Oh, then Shen Lang, you should drink mine first. Once it cools down, the medicinal effect will disappear. Liu Fuzi’s, you can keep for later and drink it at home.”

“Alright.” Shen Xiuyan was just as confused.

It seemed he didn’t quite understand what Mingyue meant.

But thankfully, he was obedient, so he didn’t say anything unnecessary and just nodded along.

Liu Fuzi, on the other hand, watched in disbelief as Su Mingyue took out a jar of chicken soup from the carriage.

As she stirred it, the wild ginseng was clearly visible.

“……”

He was choking on his words. What kind of family is this? They actually used this grade of wild ginseng to cook chicken soup?

Just one slice could probably save your life…

At first, he thought it was just a low-quality ginseng, something that could be boiled with one or two silver coins.

But as Su Mingyue stirred the soup, he realized how narrow-minded he had been. The ginseng in that pot was at least 80 or 90 years old, if not 100.

His gaze towards Shen Xiuyan immediately changed.

Where did his disciple find such a wealthy fiancée?

How could she possibly be interested in him?

Was she blind?

Oh, no, wait, his disciple still had a very pleasant face.

Indeed, good looks give you an advantage…

At this point, Shen Xiuyan was even more stunned than Liu Fuzi.

His heart had already turned to stone.

Looking at the large wild ginseng in the bowl, he wanted to ask his conscience if he even deserved this?

It wasn’t that he wanted to live off soft rice, but unfortunately, this bowl of soft rice was just too delicious.

It smelled so good, really, it smelled so good…

Now he could finally understand the mentality of those “soft rice” men and “phoenix men.”

“Shen Lang, is it delicious?” Su Mingyue asked with a bright smile.

Shen Xiuyan mechanically nodded. “It’s delicious!”

“As long as you like it. My dad still has a lot of wild ginseng left. Next time you have an exam, I’ll make more for you.”

“Mingyue, you’re really good.” Shen Xiuyan’s eyes were filled with tears.

“You’re welcome.”

Liu Fuzi was exhausted.

He didn’t even want to complain anymore.

What kind of family is this? And why does she keep using wild ginseng to cook soup?

Never mind the family, how has her father not beaten this wasteful child yet?

Looking at these two, they seemed well-matched. After all, one dared to say it, and the other dared to answer.

Liu Fuzi couldn’t help but glance again at Shen Xiuyan, who was foolishly drinking his soup, feeling a bit emotional. Indeed, fools have good fortune.

How many years of detours did he avoid?

He really didn’t know what Shen Xiuyan was still working hard for. If he had already reached this level, why bother trying?

Why take the imperial exams? In a nice way, it’s for the prosperity of the nation, for the greater good. In a less nice way, isn’t it just to ensure the family has food, clothing, and respect?

Now, Shen Xiuyan had already achieved that level, and all that was left for Liu Fuzi was envy.

Shen Xiuyan noticed Liu Fuzi’s envious gaze and felt frustrated inside.

What does he understand?

Does he really think this bowl of soft rice is delicious?

Does he know the inner torment he’s going through?

A good man with both hands and feet, why should he eat soft rice?

But at that moment, Liu Fuzi didn’t know any of this. He was still immersed in his emotions and felt like he needed to calm down first.

So, he casually said a few words of farewell and climbed into the carriage, still feeling unsettled inside.

Looking at the carriage leaving, Su Mingyue shouted, “Oh no, why did the teacher take the chicken soup away! Shen Lang, what are you going to drink tonight? No, Cui Cui, quickly drive the carriage to chase after him!”

Shen Xiuyan quickly stopped her with a bitter smile, “Forget it, forget it, just this bowl is enough for me. I feel energized now.”

Let’s just let the teacher have his chicken soup. He’s already old, and can’t handle such a shock.

That chicken soup should just go back with him to calm his shattered heart.

“Alright.” Su Mingyue was still reluctant but continued to sarcastically complain, “The teacher has such a poor memory. How could he forget something so important? Should we buy him a few pounds of walnuts to help his brain?”

Shen Xiuyan: “……”

Amazing, Su Mingyue. If you really send those walnuts, by tomorrow your fiancé will be gone.

In the exam grading room, an official frowned tightly.

As his eyes slowly scanned the paper, he could no longer contain his excitement and stood up, exclaiming, “A talent, truly a talent!”

“Master Sun, what’s wrong?” The head of the academic affairs department looked at him disapprovingly.

Master Sun respectfully bowed. “Replying to Master Zhao, please take a look.”

After speaking, he handed the paper to Master Zhao.

Although Master Zhao was confused, he still carefully examined it. His expression, like Master Sun’s, gradually changed as he looked further down the paper.

By the end, he couldn’t help but stand up, incredulously looking at Master Sun.

The two of them exchanged looks, which intrigued the other officials present.

Master Zhao was the first to speak, “How feasible do you think his ideas are?”

Master Sun replied, “Ninety-nine percent…”

“You think there’s a one percent chance of failure?” Master Zhao said in disbelief.

“Yes, we can’t rule out the possibility of a craftsman making a mistake,” Master Sun replied with a bit of humor.

“……” This wasn’t the time for jokes, people were ready to curse them.

Finally, someone couldn’t resist asking, “What’s going on, two gentlemen?”

The head of the department, Master Zhao, spoke, “It’s incredible, truly incredible. It seems we have a real talent this year. He not only expressed his own ideas and viewpoints in the strategy essay, but the most miraculous part is that he even included design blueprints.”

“What!”

The others were equally astonished and quickly gathered around t

This year’s strategy topic was related to agricultural policy. Half of the students would approach it from the perspectives of land, climate, and labor, though their answers, while grandiose, were logical and well-founded.

But this paper was different; he considered every aspect thoroughly.

He wrote about land, labor, and climate, and even included some of his own ideas and insights, including agricultural tools he had invented.

The methods and steps were also written on the paper.

This exam paper was more like a proposal than an actual exam; no one had ever done such a thing before. They couldn’t help but admire this person’s exceptional skill and boldness.

With this paper in hand, Zhao, the academic official, lost his interest in continuing the grading.

He copied down the methods for the several tools mentioned in the paper, then took the sheet and left, saying, “You all continue, I’ll be back shortly.”

Since these tools, which were beneficial to both the country and the people, had already been written down, not a moment could be wasted.

After several tests, the tools were successfully crafted by the artisans.

Looking at the finished products in front of him, Master Zhao was astonished, yet his mind was racing.

He quickly ordered for the artisan and the blueprints to be sent to the capital, hoping to promote them nationwide as quickly as possible.

Once the necessary tasks were completed, he finally had the time to examine the tools in his hands.

The more he looked, the better his expression became, and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of affection.

Wonderful, truly wonderful. Especially this water windmill; he didn’t know how much labor it could save.

In the future, using these tools to farm, one person could cultivate two more acres of land.

This could also encourage the people to open up new land.
—————

“Soft rice” (Chinese: 软饭) is a slang term in Chinese that usually refers to a man who lives off a woman financially—often implying he relies on her wealth, status, or support instead of earning his own way. It’s often used in a teasing or derogatory way.

A “Phoenix man” (凤凰男) is a term for a man who rises from a poor or rural background to success, often in a big city. It can have negative connotations, referring to men who are financially frugal, strongly tied to their families, or mismatched in urban relationships.