Transmigrating into a Food Novel to Take the Imperial Exams

Thirty years into the apocalypse, Zhao Xun, a new human born at Dawn Base, finds a novel among the ruins of J City.

The book, I Opened a Restaurant in Shengjing, is billed as a sweet boys' love story. The author's prose is superb, and the interactions between the top and bottom are both warm and suggestive. Zhao Xun keeps blushing and getting all worked up as he reads---

What a steaming bowl of lamb offal soup, positively brimming with bromance!

Wiping the happy drool from the corners of his eyes, Zhao Xun smacks his lips in satisfaction. A person shouldn't be too greedy. How is drinking imaginary soup not still drinking soup?

But halfway through, Zhao Xun is left with a head full of questions.

Wasn't this supposed to be a food story about a couple running a restaurant? Why has the tone suddenly shifted to discussing a dynasty beset by internal and external troubles, teetering on the brink of collapse?

Good grief, author, did you get carried away and go off track?

In a daze, Zhao Xun flips to the final page and sees these words---

"The little restaurant, weathered by a century of wind and frost, had imperceptibly become part of Shengjing's very bones and blood. Amid the chaos of war, it stood alongside this towering ancient city and was ultimately burned to the ground beneath the invaders' iron hooves."

What???

Zhao Xun nearly chokes.

All those delicious ingredients, so fresh and natural that he'd barely even seen them before, were burned up?

Stupid author. I hope you get what's coming to you!

Zhao Xun takes back all his earlier praise and spends ages cursing before finally falling asleep.

When he wakes up, Zhao Xun is completely baffled.

The good news: He has transmigrated into a book...

The bad news: He's become a refugee, more than fifty thousand miles from the little restaurant in Shengjing!

*

Jiang Hong was born among the common folk and possessed incredible natural strength. After a retired soldier adopted him, he learned an entire arsenal of martial arts.

However, in the Great Yan Dynasty, martial skills were valued over scholarship. His strong, martial physique, unlike that of the scholars of the day, made him stick out like a sore thumb at school.

One day, a new classmate joined the school.

The new student was friendly and outgoing. After becoming his desk mate, he greeted him with a smile. "I feel so safe sitting beside you. Can I call you Xiao Hong?"

Jiang Hong lowered his head to study, not even lifting his eyes. "No."

The new classmate wasn't the least bit bothered by the rejection and stuck close to him again at lunch.

"Hey, Xiao Hong, you're such a good cook. Can I try some of your food?"

Jiang Hong swallowed a piece of dried bamboo shoot, his manner distant and cool. "Sorry."

"Oh, okay," the new classmate said, deflating. He sighed. "I'll ask someone else, then."

Jiang Hong's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He lowered his eyes without a word.

Later,

"Brother Xun, I hear there's a new noodle shop in town, and their lamb offal soup is supposed to be excellent. Let's check it out after school."

Zhao Xun was about to nod when a shadow suddenly appeared in front of him.

"I went there yesterday. That shop is all reputation and no substance, nothing special. If you want lamb offal soup---" Jiang Hong stared at him. In his usually cool, undisturbed eyes, there seemed to be a hint of nervousness.

"Xiao Hong will make it for you."

*

Many years later, when Zhao Xun, the Grand Secretary who had spearheaded the Great Yan reforms and ushered in the prosperous Ningfeng era, was asked by a subordinate what had first inspired him to enter government through the imperial examinations, he replied:

"My lord, what drove you to overcome every obstacle and see the reforms through?"

Zhao Xun thought for a moment, then sighed with feeling. "A bowl of lamb offal soup."

"Huh?"

The subordinate froze, and the others exchanged bewildered looks.

One of the quicker-witted ones recovered at once and praised him. "The people depend on food for their livelihood. My lord truly sets an example for us all, always keeping the common people in his heart!"

Zhao Xun pressed a hand to his forehead and looked up at the sky.

At first, he really only wanted to enjoy good food in peace!

Reader's guide

1. The original book's top and bottom have very little page time, so don't worry.

2. An alternate world, farming, taking the imperial examinations, and becoming an official.

3. The writing is amateurish, and the plot doesn't make much sense.

4. Zhao Xun is the bottom x Jiang Hong is the top.

Theme: Even foodies have to work hard