Ch 139: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

Shen Yunxuan recalled the memories of her past life. When she was a servant, she had a natural talent for cooking. If she hadn’t suddenly become a concubine, she would have become the head chef’s direct apprentice. Later, when her child was older and she had more free time, she sought out the head chef again to formally learn culinary skills. After following her son to the capital, she even studied under a retired imperial chef for several years. She was very confident in her cooking skills.

She had learned many things in her past life, but in a simple farming household like this, without capital or backing, doing anything too extravagant could lead to an unknown death. Selling food might be the best starting point.

She skipped over the recipes for delicate pastries and high-end dishes in her memory and instead focused on simple yet delicious and affordable foods like Yangchun noodles, scallion oil noodles, pickled vegetables, and quick stir-fried side dishes. Maybe she could even brew some liquor.

As she searched her memory for recipes, she suddenly realized that, deep within her mind, there seemed to be several books.

Shen Yunxuan was startled. She carefully examined them for a long time before confirming that they were “Book of Memories.” They were harmless—just records of her other lives in different worlds, with their memories sealed within the books. She could only access them when she wanted to; otherwise, they had no impact on her daily thoughts.

For someone born and raised in ancient times, this was utterly astonishing!

Shen Yunxuan stayed up all night reading through all the memories. They were absolutely fascinating! In other worlds, there were towering buildings, airplanes, and rockets. There was no preference for sons over daughters, no indentured servitude, no polygamy—it was practically a paradise for women! Even in ancient settings, there was a woman who won in palace intrigues, earning the emperor’s and her powerful brother’s trust while accomplishing great deeds that benefited the country and its people.

Those versions of herself were truly remarkable, doing things that would go down in history, with ambitions far greater than hers. For a moment, Shen Yunxuan was filled with boundless enthusiasm. She wanted to make her food famous throughout the country and become the most renowned street food master of her era!

In the morning, Shen Yunxuan was too tired to get up. She also didn’t want to get up to do chores. When she heard her parents were going to visit her maternal grandmother, she turned over and went back to sleep.

Before long, Old Master Shen’s furious voice echoed outside. “Unbelievable! First, you make a fuss, then you demand money, and now you think you’ve done something great and deserve special treatment? Not even making breakfast? How is anyone supposed to work on an empty stomach?”

Old Madam Shen quickly responded, “I’ll do it, I’ll do it…”

“Shut up! Too much motherly indulgence spoils the children! It’s because of your lack of backbone that all my sons are so useless—”

Old Master Shen’s outburst silenced Old Madam Shen completely. Shen Yunxuan could easily imagine her cowering, the way she always did. She was a pitiful woman, but not one deserving of sympathy. Deep down, she truly believed that Old Master Shen was always right. She favored the second branch of the family and Shen Jiayao, believing that daughters were just outsiders.

Shen Yunxuan stopped listening and pulled the covers over her head, falling asleep again. At least her father and mother had already left the house, so they wouldn’t be bullied today. When Old Master Shen had tried to sell her, her parents had been desperate. An old widow in the village, Granny Wu, had been looking for workers to help build her house, so they took the job, hoping to earn enough money to keep Shen Yunxuan from being sold.

Now that the Shen family was no longer selling her, Granny Wu’s house still needed repairs. Her parents would likely be provided meals and wouldn’t return until the afternoon.

Breakfast at the Shen family was tense. The third branch of the family—the target of Old Master Shen’s anger—was absent, leaving him no outlet for his frustration. His foul mood only worsened, making the whole family too afraid to speak.

When Old Master Shen slammed his bowl onto the table for the third time, Shen Jiayao finally lost his patience. “Grandfather, the prosperity of our family is what truly matters. Those who achieve great things don’t sweat the small stuff. Stop worrying about trivial matters. Finish eating so we can go to the Li family. If we miss this opportunity, you can forget about making the Shen family famous.”

Everyone turned to look at Shen Jiayao. No one in the Shen family had ever dared to talk back to Old Master Shen. Even when Shen Yunxuan had made a scene yesterday, her defiance had been directed at the second branch of the family, not him. Yet here was Shen Jiayao, openly criticizing Old Master Shen for being petty and small-minded? To make it worse, everything had started because he had stolen Shen Yunxuan’s opportunity to go to the Li family—Old Master Shen had fully supported him! And now, he was speaking to him like this?

Old Master Shen’s face darkened. “You need to focus on studying, pass the county-level exam, and become a scholar and an official. That is how you bring glory to the Shen family. We’ve all made sacrifices to send you to school—do you think we’re doing it for nothing?”

Shen Jiayao replied, “You don’t go to the county, so you don’t know anything. But at the very least, you should be aware that, in the past ten years, only two people from our county have passed the scholar’s exam. And no one has passed the provincial exam in thirty years. It’s not a matter of how hard I study—it’s that the teachers in our county are incompetent! Otherwise, with so many people studying, why has no one succeeded? It’s because the education here is poor, and students are being held back! How do you expect me to study properly under such conditions? How do you expect me to pass?

That’s why I want to go to the Li family as a study companion. At least they have money and can afford the best tutors for their sons. Frankly, if you mess this up today, the Shen family will never amount to anything. You can stop dreaming about a glorious future.”

As he spoke, he impatiently waved his hand and grabbed the half-bowl of pickled vegetables from the center of the table, dumping them all into his porridge. He then quickly devoured it, making everyone at the table stare in shock. Madam Zhou couldn’t help but ask, “Son, weren’t they feeding you properly at the academy? Why are you eating like a starved ghost? Even the pickled vegetables?”

Shen Jiayao froze for a moment, realizing he had slipped up. In his past life, he had enjoyed looking down on others, flaunting his knowledge, and basking in the admiration of those who didn’t understand his scholarly words. But that pride hadn’t lasted long. For a farming family, studying was the greatest luxury. After failing the scholar’s exam twice, he had been dismissed from the academy to make room for younger, more promising students.

His past life’s struggles had made him realize that, no matter how much his family sacrificed for his education, if he couldn’t pass the exams, it was all meaningless. That was why, in this life, he had rushed back to snatch this opportunity for himself.

But now, he had made a mistake—his desperate hunger had betrayed him.

He had spent all the family’s money but failed to pass any exams. Old Master Shen was completely disappointed in him, and Old Madam Shen would quietly complain about him when no one else was around. His parents were frequently ridiculed by others and often got into arguments. In their old age, they had to start working, only to be repeatedly dismissed by their employers. Old Master Shen couldn’t tolerate them anymore, so he adopted a distant Shen family boy and officially separated from them, giving them some money to live on.

Old Master Shen then placed all his hopes on his eldest son and never cared about Shen Jiayao again. During a year of famine, his parents and wife all perished. He barely survived with his youngest son, but he didn’t know how to farm or do manual labor, living a life of starvation and uncertainty. His youngest son grew up eating food from different households and eventually abandoned him entirely. In the end, he had no support in his old age and starved to death. Having been reborn, the only thing that mattered to him besides getting into the Li family was having enough to eat.

That half bowl of pickled vegetables was meant to last the Shen family half a month. Salt was expensive, so everyone saved it carefully. But he had eaten it all in one go, and now the overwhelming saltiness made him desperately thirsty. Still, he was hungry—thin rice gruel wasn’t filling at all.

So he went along with it and nodded. “The food at the academy isn’t as good as home-cooked meals. Give me more, my stomach hurts from hunger. I hope this doesn’t make me sick.”

This panicked the entire family. Shen Jiayao was their only hope—no matter what, they couldn’t let him go hungry. Old Master Shen immediately grabbed Old Madam Shen’s bowl, along with his own, and gave them both to Shen Jiayao. Then he snapped at Old Madam Shen, “Do you have no sense? Go make more! Cook two flatbreads.”

“Yes, I’ll get right to it,” Old Madam Shen hurried off to the kitchen.

Shen Jiayao turned back and called out, “Boil me two eggs as well.” If he weren’t in such a rush to get to the Li family, he would have asked them to slaughter a chicken.

His parents, feeling even more sorry for him, quickly handed him their porridge as well, shooting glances at the eldest branch. However, the members of the eldest branch all kept their heads down, quickly drinking their porridge without lifting their eyes. As soon as he looked over, they had already finished. One went off to wash dishes, another went to the fields, and the last went to feed the chickens.

Shen Dong cursed under his breath but didn’t say anything. Shen Jiayao, however, glared fiercely at Shen Cai’s retreating figure. The eldest branch had always been cunning, staying neutral while watching the second branch bully the third. Outwardly, they appeared weak because they had no sons, but in reality, they only did their fair share of work and secretly stashed away money, waiting for him to become a scholar or an official so they could enjoy a life of luxury.

In his past life, when they saw that he couldn’t pass the exams, they immediately turned against him and severed ties. Now, they wouldn’t even spare him a bowl of porridge. If his uncle was going to be that selfish, then he had no obligation to be generous. Once he succeeded in the Li family, he had no intention of helping them.

When Shen Yunxuan woke up, it was nearly noon. The house was quiet, with no one around. She stretched by the window and saw Old Madam Shen running inside, looking deeply aggrieved, before locking herself in her room to sob. Not long after, Old Master Shen and Shen Jiayao returned, laughing happily.

Shen Jiayao said, “Grandfather, give me some money to buy proper clothes. I’m going to be Young Master Li’s study companion now, I can’t embarrass him. I need at least two sets of outfits and a decent set of writing supplies.”

Old Master Shen’s smile froze. “More money? You’re about to enter the Li family. Won’t they provide for you?”

Shen Jiayao frowned, full of disapproval. “Grandfather, how can you be so short-sighted? If the Li family looks down on me and refuses to take care of me, do you know how many opportunities I’ll miss? We need to do everything we can to keep the Li family happy so they will give me more benefits.”

Old Master Shen was taken aback by his grandson’s attitude. “Since you came back… you’ve become much more materialistic. Even the way you talk has changed. You don’t sound like a scholar at all.”

Shen Jiayao sneered. “Even heroes bow for five bushels of rice. What’s a little change compared to that? I’ve simply realized the truth—figured out how to climb higher instead of being as foolish as before.”

Old Master Shen’s expression darkened. What did that mean? Was he calling him foolish? His once obedient and filial grandson was now speaking to him like this? He must have been influenced by bad company at the academy! Maybe going to the Li family was a good thing after all—at least there, he’d be studying alongside the wealthy and powerful. Hopefully, it would make him even better.

Having convinced himself of this, Old Master Shen grew irritated when he heard Old Madam Shen still sobbing. “What are you crying about? You’re ruining the celebratory mood! What’s wrong with kneeling a few times and begging a little? Do you really think you’re someone important?”

The crying inside the room stopped, but soft sniffles could still be heard. She didn’t dare cause any more trouble.

Shen Yunxuan shook her head. At this movement, Old Master Shen noticed her. His face hardened. “Go make lunch! You’re the laziest in this household—”

Shen Yunxuan had no interest in listening to him. Before he could finish, she pulled aside the curtain and stepped out of the room. “I’ve worked like an ox for this family for fourteen years, supporting my cousin’s education, only to be called the laziest? That’s really disheartening. I wonder if scholars outside would look down on my cousin for this.”

“You—!”

“Enough, Grandfather, just let it go!” Just as Old Master Shen was about to start scolding, Shen Jiayao cut him off impatiently and stormed into his room, slamming the door. Inside, his expression turned vicious. That damn Shen Yunxuan! Just because she wasn’t allowed to go to the Li family, she was jealous enough to act like this? She even learned to speak in such a sarcastic tone.

He temporarily ignored her—just a little girl in a farming household. What kind of trouble could she possibly stir up? He could just have her married off to someone at random. The only reason he had indulged her for the past couple of days was to ensure nothing would go wrong with the Li family arrangement. Once Old Master Shen controlled Shen Yunxuan’s marriage, she would have no choice but to submit.

In his past life, he had failed the exams and spent his life in misery as a peasant. But he was still a man, still someone who had read books. If Shen Yunxuan were in his shoes? Ha, she’d quickly become a rough and uncultured farmwife.

Thinking of this, his mood improved significantly. He pushed open the window and called out toward the kitchen, “Erya, cook a chicken.”

Old Master Shen didn’t say anything, which meant his silent approval.

Shen Yunxuan set a pot of water to boil and headed to the backyard to check the chickens, smiling to herself.

She picked up a knife, weighed it in her hand, and deftly killed a chicken. Satisfied with her technique, she carried the bird into the kitchen, plucked its feathers, and chopped it up. The knife hit the cutting board with a rhythmic “bang, bang, bang,” making Shen Jiayao salivate in anticipation. He dug out half a string of coins from his room and then stepped into Old Master Shen’s quarters, intending to ask for two taels of silver. He wouldn’t receive a salary immediately upon entering the Li household, so he needed money to bribe people.

Having been reborn at the perfect moment, Shen Jiayao refused to suffer any more hardships. In his previous life, this old man had abandoned him, putting all his hopes on his eldest son. Their grandfather-grandson bond had long since disappeared. This time, he was focused on his own success at the Li family—if he could extract some silver from the old man before leaving, he certainly would.

Meanwhile, Shen Yunxuan gathered some scallions, ginger, and garlic from the backyard, then stir-fried the chicken in a fragrant, sizzling mix. She added a bit of sugar and various seasonings. Then, reconsidering, she grabbed another handful of seasoning and threw it in—it wouldn’t do to suddenly make the dish too delicious.

She ladled in two scoops of hot water, let the stew simmer, and then chopped up some carrots and a head of cabbage. Once the chicken broth thickened with its rich aroma, she poured half of it into a clay pot, adding four drumsticks. She then deboned most of the remaining chicken, tossed the bones, and added carrots, cabbage, and some soaked hazel mushrooms and black fungus into the pot to continue simmering.

She lowered the fire, placed a pot of rice above to steam, packed the clay pot into a basket, and quietly slipped out of the house.

The Shen family lived at the east end of the village, while the village entrance was also on this side. Madam Wu’s house, however, was on the west side, near the foot of the mountain. When Shen Yunxuan arrived, Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua were busy repairing the house, sweating profusely. Madam Wu had just handed them large bowls of tea to drink.

Standing at the entrance, Shen Yunxuan called out, “Grandma Wu, Dad, Mom.”

Madam Wu brightened at the sight of her, pulling her inside. “Erya, you’re here? How’s your head? Your parents said you slept in this morning—were you in pain? Did your family get you any medicine?”

Shen Yunxuan smiled. “Thank you for worrying about me, Grandma Wu. I’m much better now. I was just a little scared and didn’t sleep well last night, so I slept in a bit. Grandpa already scolded me and made me cook.”

Madam Wu huffed in disapproval, clearly disliking Old Master Shen’s ways. But since it was a family matter, she didn’t say much. Instead, she ushered Shen Yunxuan to sit and called to Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua, “Come rest and chat with your daughter. I’ll get her some sweet water.”

Shen Yunxuan quickly stopped her. “No need, Grandma Wu, I have to head back soon.” She then exaggeratedly peeked around, acting like a thief, which made the three of them laugh.

Madam Wu played along, asking, “What’s all this sneaking around for?”

Shen Yunxuan opened the clay pot and whispered, “Grandpa called me the laziest one in the family, which made me so angry! But my cousin asked me to kill a chicken, so I killed an extra one. I brought the drumsticks here—one for each of us! And I’ve got lots of chicken broth, too. Let’s drink it while it’s hot.”

The three of them froze in shock. Shen Fu immediately panicked, pushing at her. “This won’t do! Your grandpa will beat you to death. Hurry, take it back, put it in the pot before anyone notices, and pretend you never left. If you apologize properly and say you killed an extra chicken to nourish your cousin, your mother and I will help plead for you.”

Wang Xinghua added anxiously, “Yes, listen to your father. Take it back. We already asked for silver yesterday; we can’t stir up trouble again today.”

The more she spoke, the quieter her voice became, as if she felt guilty for even taking money in the first place. She had never done such a thing before and felt deeply uneasy.

But Shen Yunxuan placed the clay pot firmly on the table and scoffed, “I’ve already died once. What do I have to be afraid of? No one can push me around anymore. Worst case, I’ll make a huge scene and let everyone in the village know the Shen family’s dirty laundry. Let’s see who ends up embarrassed then. Let’s see if Shen Jiayao can still go to the Li family.”

She continued, “It was Grandpa’s fault in the first place—why should I apologize? I was injured, you two were frightened, and Grandma Wu is old and also needs nourishment. So today, we eat. If you won’t eat, I’ll throw it all into the river.”

Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua had never seen their daughter so defiant before. They stood frozen, completely at a loss. But Madam Wu, bold as ever, simply grabbed a bowl and some steamed buns, grinning. “My grandson isn’t home, and I’m just an old widow. Who would’ve thought I’d be treated so well by my juniors? If you two won’t eat, I certainly will. Here, let’s eat with steamed buns—I made them myself, and they’re delicious.”

Madam Wu was carefree about it. If the Shen family found out, at worst, she’d just give them a chicken in return. It wasn’t as if she didn’t have any. She liked Shen Yunxuan’s feisty personality—this was a meal she would enjoy.

She turned to Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua and said, “You two need to stop being so soft. What are you afraid of? What’s Old Master Shen going to do, eat you alive? He was about to sell off your daughter! And you still didn’t put up a fight? If you don’t start standing up for yourselves, he’ll just keep targeting Erya.”

“This… this isn’t right…” Shen Fu weakly protested but ultimately lowered his head and sat down.

As she ate her chicken, Shen Yunxuan casually remarked, “Just now, I heard cousin asking Grandpa for money to buy several sets of clothes, ink and paper, and even to bribe the servants at the Li household. There are so many expenses—it’ll probably cost more than buying a whole acre of land. Once Grandpa runs out of money, where do you think he’ll get more? Of course, by selling me. Maybe he’ll even sell you two as well. He’s never liked our third branch anyway.”

Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua wilted like frostbitten eggplants. Madam Wu, frustrated by their weakness, started lecturing them on how to stand up for themselves, telling them cautionary tales of other families in the village.

Shen Yunxuan secretly laughed—she hadn’t expected to find such a great ally. Sometimes, advice from an outsider carried more weight. Since she was still just a child, her parents instinctively dismissed her words as childish nonsense. But a formidable elder like Madam Wu? They’d actually listen.

At this time, meals in rural households were small. After finishing a large chicken leg, a steamed bun, and a bowl of chicken soup, Shen Yunxuan felt full. She knew her parents, working so hard, would be hungrier, so she reminded them, “Come home for lunch in about half an hour. There’s a whole big pot of chicken waiting—don’t miss out. Don’t worry, they won’t even notice the missing drumsticks.”

Carrying the now-empty clay pot, Shen Yunxuan headed back home, while Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua felt their hearts clench in anxiety. They didn’t understand—how could missing four drumsticks go unnoticed? How could there still be a whole pot of chicken? What if Old Master Shen got furious?

Madam Wu, seeing their worry, advised, “At worst, Old Master Shen will beat someone. Shen Fu, just take the beating for your daughter. He still needs you to work and hunt, so he won’t go too far.”

“Oh, right! Why didn’t I think of that?” Shen Fu scratched his head and laughed, suddenly enlightened. That was exactly what he’d do.

By noon, when the couple returned home for lunch, they finally understood what Shen Yunxuan meant. The pot was indeed full—brimming with carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, and black fungus. The chicken was buried underneath. With so many vegetables added, the dish looked abundant.

The eldest and second branches of the family returned as well, and when a large pot of food was placed on the table, Shen Jiayao frowned, “What’s this? Meat doesn’t taste good when mixed with vegetables. I finally get to eat chicken at home, and you couldn’t make it properly? Did you do this on purpose?”

Shen Yunxuan rolled her eyes. “Heavens above, I heard you were so hungry this morning you were about to fall sick, so I added extra ingredients to make sure you’d have enough to eat. I even steamed white rice for you. And yet you’re acting like a dog biting Lü Dongbin—unable to recognize a good person’s kindness.”

“Shen Erya, who are you calling a dog? Do you even deserve to talk like that?” Shen Jiayao slammed the table and stood up.

Shen Yunxuan raised an eyebrow. “Such disgraceful behavior—do all scholars shout and yell like you? Are you afraid the neighbors won’t hear you? Go ahead, shout. I’ll shout with you. Let’s call everyone over and have them judge this situation.”

The moment she stood up, Old Master Shen’s head started throbbing. “Enough! Sit down and eat. Your mouths run even more than your stomachs!”

Shen Yunxuan quickly filled her own bowl and her parents’ bowls with steaming white rice, stuffing meat into their portions. She could have easily cooked a secret meal just for the three of them, but if they wanted to break away from the family, they had to cause a stir—enough that the elders would be willing to let them go. Otherwise, in this era, filial piety was a powerful tool that could crush them.

That being said, there were always ways to turn the tables. The younger generation wearing down the older ones was a known tactic. It all depended on how she played the game. She was going to make the Shen household restless—want a peaceful life? Simple—just split the family!

Seeing the steaming rice and chunks of meat, the other Shen family members were distressed. “Why did you use so much rice? How is there this much meat?”

Grandmother Shen rushed to the backyard and immediately cried out, “Two chickens are missing! Erya, did you kill two chickens?”

Shen Yunxuan nodded matter-of-factly. “Of course. Cousin entering the Li family is a joyous occasion. He’ll be a nobleman in the future, right? Celebrations should always come in pairs—so I slaughtered two chickens.”

Shen Jiayao had already eaten several pieces of meat but was still rummaging through the pot. Frowning, he asked, “Where are the drumsticks? Did you steal them?”

Shen Yunxuan shot him a disdainful look. “Do you think I’m you? The chicken was cooked until tender—it all fell right off the bone into the broth. Dig around if you want to find them.”

With such a large pot, how could he possibly search through it all? Shen Jiayao had been planning to eat all the drumsticks himself. This Shen Yunxuan—she was getting out of control. He had to find her a ‘good husband’ and get her married off as soon as possible!

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