Chapter 123 Brown Rice and Coix Soup

Hua Yuezan teased her on purpose: “Oh, then why did you order the guqin and chessboard online? Didn’t you also have Lord Lu purchase them together?”

Miao Yunyou reached out and tapped Hua Yuezan’s forehead: “What are you thinking? Things like guqin and chessboards—back in ancient times, only wealthy families could afford them. They sold for even more than they do now. I was just being kind—I’m not stupid. You think everyone’s like you, sleeping through the famous master classes you paid a fortune to attend? Knowledge passes through your heart, but not a leaf touches you.”

Hua Yuezan: “……”

Wait, were those two sentences supposed to go together like that?

Miao Yunyou laughed, her eyes curved in amusement, and stopped teasing: “Alright, I won’t make fun of you anymore. Oh, right—later have Huaying paint me a ‘Nine Fish Painting,’ with lotus flowers and nine carp. It symbolizes long-lasting prosperity and abundance year after year~I’ll hang it at the front desk!”

Hua Yuezan was speechless: “…Or should we do one of ‘Flowers Blooming in Wealth’ too?”

Miao Yunyou: “Hmm, sure, that works. Go ahead, go ahead!”

Hua Yuezan sighed helplessly, yet still smiled as she drew out her words: “Oh~ understood, my revered Mistress~”

The room upgrade plan was set, but other areas couldn’t be neglected.

If the resort wanted to retain guests and maintain its reputation, upgrading rooms alone wasn’t enough—the cafeteria was absolutely crucial.

Although they had already set up an outdoor kitchen and added three wood-fired stoves, it still wasn’t enough. With 2,000 daily visitors now—and that number only rising—they needed more.

With a wave of her hand, Miao Yunyou began procurement:

Multifunctional steam and bake ovens ×2

Large dough mixer ×1

Pasta roller ×1

Meat grinder ×1

Stainless steel worktables ×5

Stainless steel ingredient racks ×5

Large dishwasher ×1

Large commercial refrigerators ×2

Large commercial sterilizing cabinets ×2

Cold display cabinet ×1

On top of that, she installed the latest fresh-air system.

All together, it cost only 200,000!

With her abundant cash flow, this was nothing—a tiny expense for huge value and convenience!

Done!

With the equipment upgraded and the temporary workers joining in, Chu Fuling was finally completely freed from kitchen duties.

Chu Fuling’s sense of taste and smell were top-tier—she was a gourmet of the highest level—but in reality, she wasn’t particularly interested in cooking. She much preferred experimenting with rare and unusual herbs.

After some discussion with the now free-time brewing master, Hua Yuezan, the two immediately clicked. They decided to open a beverage shop, selling both herbal milk teas and alcohol.

On this occasion, they had just collaborated to create a brand-new drink, and, eager to share it, they brought the finished product straight to Miao Yunyou for a taste test.

At that moment, Miao Yunyou was comfortably lounging on a rattan chair by the lakeside, leisurely scrolling through her phone, with a plump cloud-patterned leopard cat curled up on her lap, purring softly.

Yes, ever since Teacher Jiu’er had come by, these cats had become much more well-behaved. Whenever she brought out a can of cat food or a cat treat near their usual spots, they would obediently appear and snuggle up to her for pets and cuddles.

Of course, this treatment was exclusive to Miao Yunyou.

The others weren’t yet so lucky.

A gentle breeze blew across the lake, carrying the fresh scent of plants and earth, making Miao Yunyou almost squint in pleasure.

Chu Fuling held a shiny, portable thermal cup, still radiating the warmth of the freshly brewed drink. As she handed it to Miao Yunyou, the air itself carried a faint, indescribable fragrance—somewhere between the scent of rice and herbs.

Miao Yunyou took the cup, twisted off the lid, and sipped gently.

The warm liquid slid down her throat, smooth and soft beyond belief. The rich aroma of brown rice mingled with the gentle freshness of coix, and a subtle, lingering sweetness followed. There was none of the roughness usually associated with whole grains. The consistency was perfect, flowing down her throat with a comforting warmth that spread to her entire body.

Miao Yunyou instinctively smacked her lips and gave a fair assessment: “Not bad… what is this?”

Chu Fuling stood calmly nearby and replied: “Brown rice and coix soup.”

“Pft—”

The liquid in Miao Yunyou’s mouth sprayed out uncontrollably, landing on the grass in front of her. She sat upright in shock, nearly tipping over the leopard cat still napping on her lap.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, her voice trembling: “This… this thing is… drinkable???”

In Empresses in the Palace (Zhen Huan Zhuan), it was certainly not described like this!

Chu Fuling and Hua Yuezan exchanged a glance, tilting their heads in utter confusion, trying to understand why Miao Yunyou was reacting so dramatically.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” they said in unison, completely perplexed.

Chu Fuling earnestly began listing all the benefits of the brown rice and coix soup, her tone professional and sincere: “This soup is excellent for dispelling dampness, strengthening the spleen, and warming and nourishing the stomach. I soaked the brown rice and coix for a full four hours, then simmered them slowly until the coix melted and the rice became soft and tender. I also added red dates to balance the flavor, removing all the bitterness of the grains. The taste and the efficacy are both optimized.”

Miao Yunyou rubbed her forehead, half laughing, half exasperated: “How do I explain… it’s just the name, I guess… Around here, it sounds almost like a poison…”

She felt like drinking it might mean bidding farewell to her entire clan.

Chu Fuling and Hua Yuezan were puzzled. After all, both brown rice and coix sounded harmless enough.

Chu Fuling asked: “Ah, then should we just change the name?”

Miao Yunyou tapped her chin, thinking for a moment: “No… you know what… actually, it might work.”

She remembered seeing a milk tea shop online that had gone viral thanks to a drink called “Crane Crown Tea,” attracting massive traffic and profits.

“Forget it, let’s keep it as is. For future drinks, you can follow the same naming logic—things like ‘Entangling Herb,’ ‘Heartbreak Grass,’ ‘Mandrake,’ ‘Seven-Day Drunk,’ ‘Half-Step Madness’…”

Chu Fuling, the herbal master, twitched at the corner of her mouth, helpless: “…Do you even hear yourself? Who’s actually going to buy something with names like that?”

Miao Yunyou waved her hand proudly: “Oh, little one, you don’t get it. Online, it just needs a catchy name. In real life, who doesn’t want to fork over money for a drink called poison in a milk tea shop?”

Hua Yuezan laughed: “Well, if the Mistress says so, there must be a method to it~”