Let the Spring Fragrance Fade

Next up: I Somehow Became an Emperor for the Ages by Feeding Refugees. The blurb is below~

This novel:

Shen Qiu went hunting in the mountains and brought home the son of a rebel, hiding him in the house without telling anyone.

He claimed he wanted to repay Shen Qiu for saving his life, but in truth, every day he plotted how to take revenge on him.

The Shen family had a daughter, a lively girl who was especially fond of spending time with him.

Even when he stayed up late working by lamplight on his tutor's assignments, she would deliberately slip her blank homework onto his desk.

"Cousin, with all that learning in your head, surely you don't mind doing one more assignment?"

The girl smiled brightly, like a crescent moon reflected in a lake.

Xie Yuan tried countless times to strike, but something always got in the way. Gradually, because of her, he found himself unable to go through with it.

One day, he resolved to send her away. Just as he was about to poison Shen Qiu, Miss Shen appeared behind him. She drank the deadly poison that could kill at a single drop of blood, smacked her lips, and said:

"This one's sweet too."

Xie Yuan felt a shiver of icy dread, but she smiled at him sweetly, just as she always did.

The Shen family was an ordinary household.

Their daughter was clever and adorable, Zhao Sanniang was gentle and mild-mannered, and Uncle Shen was stern and dependable.

In private, the clever girl often played with poisonous insects that could kill with the slightest touch.

At night, gentle and mild-mannered Lady Zhao would always sneak out to meet someone. When she returned, her clothes reeking of blood, three blood-red silver needles were hidden in her hair.

Silent and dependable Uncle Shen was always chopping wood. One swing of his axe could split even the stone beneath it. He did it only to hide the secrets behind the house beneath a mountain of firewood.

But surely no one would be foolish enough to think they were really ordinary people, right?

Note: The protagonist uses Gu worms and practices Miao medicine and Gu techniques. The focus is on superb medical skills, with no fantasy elements.

Content warning: The romance is terrible.

Blurb for the next novel: I Somehow Became an Emperor for the Ages by Feeding Refugees

"Son, I can't afford to feed you anymore. Go beg for food."

The moment Xu Si transmigrated, an unfamiliar woman shoved an antique-looking pottery bowl into her hands.

A burly retainer kicked her out of the carriage, while her mother took off her mourning clothes and went to join the ruler of a certain feudal state, overjoyed to be getting married again.

As the illegitimate daughter of the ruler of the fallen Zhi state, and the last contender for the throne said by the Great Diviner to bear the signs of an emperor, Xu Si watched a jade imperial seal tumble out of her arms...

The System chimed: After the reign of Yang, the feudal lords will fight, the people will suffer. You shall inherit the mandate of Heaven...

Xu Si: Great, I'm definitely the heroine of an epic rise-to-power story!

But by noon that very day, Xu Si was so horrified by the bland bean rice that she could barely eat. She decisively abandoned the conquest System and bound herself firmly to the food-feeding System instead.

The imperial seal?

Use it to crush garlic.

And so, among the ten candidates for emperor, there appeared an oddball.

She spent all day chasing after refugees with no ambition whatsoever, holding up golden, crispy food and calling out, "Hey, quick question: is anyone here allergic to French fries?"

Because of her tireless feeding, she offered them:

Grilled gluten skewers, double-skin milk pudding, drunken duck feet, jianbing, braised pork knuckles, sticky glutinous rice cakes...

More food:

Taro milk tea with boba, chocolate Oreo milk tea, huge jugs of watermelon juice, fresh coconut milk over ice...

More food:

Strawberry cake, cantaloupe mousse, chiffon cake, Black Forest cake, chocolate cake, mille-crepe ice cream cake...

More food:

Shrimp chips, grilled sausages, nut brittle, chocolate...

Xu Si became an oddball once again.

While the other feudal lords fought until the skies and earth grew dim, her daily worry was deciding which feast on her menu to eat.

The more she fed people, the more devoted followers Xu Si gained, until there were too many to count...

Even the foxes were so moved after eating her food that they howled all night.

"May Great Xu flourish! Long live King Xu Si!"

Xu Si, happily feeding people, grinding levels, and picking up snacks for herself along the way: "Huh? How did I end up wearing an imperial robe?"

Bonus scene:

Ever since Xu Si, the rookie feudal lord, stood out from the rest, everyone was shocked:

"That useless woman actually recruited so many brilliant talents!"

"She's bound to become a major threat!"

They all sent troops to attack her.

Hearing their arrogant boasts, the military official flew into a rage. "My lord, keep my milk tea warm. I'll be right back!"

He returned carrying the head of the ruler who'd been spouting off.

The milk tea was still warm.

Hearing their nonsense, the civil official slurped up some river-snail rice noodles and flew into a rage. "My lord, here's what we'll do..."

Before long, the feudal lords retreated in terror.

The river-snail rice noodle smell still lingered.

Xu Si, clutching her milk tea and pinching her nose: "...Why don't you finish eating before we talk?"

February 19, 2024

Theme: Ordinary people striving to live their lives