The golden characters in the sky exploded, scattering into a rain of shimmering light.
At the same time, eighteen straw men simultaneously raised their vines and began calling out names in a cold, mechanical tone:
“Number 01, Lin Zhengyan, begin labor immediately!”
“Number 02, Chu Heng, begin labor immediately!”
“Number 03, Cheng Ying, begin labor immediately!”
……
Eighteen icy commands echoed one after another, like death’s summons.
Lin Zhengyan looked at the hoe beside his feet, then at the straw man staring straight at him. His aged hands trembled as he slowly reached out.
Chu Heng gritted his teeth, bent down to pick up a sickle, but the sharp blade startled him so badly his hand slipped—he nearly cut himself.
The other officials also hurriedly scrambled to pick up their farming tools.
Some treated hoes like halberds and slung them over their shoulders. Some held shovels, not knowing how to start. Others even held sickles the wrong way around.
Chaos erupted everywhere—like chickens flying and dogs jumping in panic.
On the highest ridge of the field, Feng Zeyuan and Feng Zeyuan’s brother stood watching, like landlords inspecting their estate, looking down at the chaotic scene below.
A smile tugged at Feng Zeyuan’s lips—she could barely hold it back anymore.
“System, does this look like that farming game I used to play?”
“Everyone else grows radishes and cabbages… I grow ministers and grand secretaries.”
“Truly the Great Xia exclusive—‘official vegetables,’ all-natural and pollution-free.”
The system let out a crackling electronic laugh:
“Host, that analogy is perfect! And these ‘vegetables’ even dig their own holes, sweat on their own, and even call for help while working!”
Feng Zeyuan’s brother tried not to laugh as he leaned close and whispered:
“Zeyuan… your method… is truly hard to describe.”
“But seeing them so flustered… it’s oddly entertaining.”
She lifted her chin proudly.
“Of course! This is multi-functional training!”
“Complete tasks, strengthen the body, reform worldview—three benefits in one!”
“I bet once they leave, they’ll all be grateful enough to send me plaques!”
Meanwhile, Liu Si was already too excited to contain herself.
She found a clean boulder, lay across a straw man’s back, and pulled out a small notebook. Her pen flew across the page:
“Day one, shichen three quarter hour: labor reform officially begins.”
“Prime Minister Lin swings his hoe elegantly, but his strength is weak as a mosquito; digging three cun of soil takes one full quarter hour.”
“Minister Chu holds a sickle, stepping every three paces, pausing every five, seemingly calculating tool depreciation versus land output…”
“General Cheng removes his outer robe, revealing bronze-colored muscles; immense strength draws attention…”
She wrote faster and faster, eyes shining.
The sun hung overhead like a blazing fireball, racing across the sky.
The officials were drenched in sweat, their heavy robes sticking to their skin.
The dull thud of hoes hitting feet, curses from shovels stuck in soil—everything mixed into chaos.
Only Cheng Ying had removed his outer robe, revealing powerful bronze muscles.
He swung his hoe with full force, soil flying everywhere—shockingly efficient.
In just fifteen minutes, he had already cleared a large patch of land.
The others stared at him in disbelief.
A young official said admiringly:
“General Cheng’s physique… truly beyond our reach!”
Another sighed:
“Civil and military paths are indeed different. Only today do I understand.”
From afar, Feng Zeyuan watched happily.
“General Cheng really is my top candidate for image reform! A walking advertisement for ‘macho transformation’!”
“Those muscles! That strength! Once he shaves that beard, he’ll definitely become the capital’s heartthrob!”
Feng Zeyuan’s brother silently noted it down in his mind: Cheng Ying — top priority for image transformation.
Just then, a straw man suddenly moved.
It turned its stiff pumpkin-like head, green gem eyes locking onto a crouching Minister of Rites.
The minister was sitting on the ground, idly counting ants with a grass stick.
A mechanical voice rang out coldly:
“Warning! Number 17, slacking off! Begin labor immediately, or punishment will be executed!”
The minister looked up, disdain written all over his face.
He straightened his neck and argued loudly:
“The Book of Rites says, ‘tension and relaxation alternate’—this is the way of civil and martial governance! What is wrong with me resting briefly?”
“You mere wooden puppet dare lecture this official—”
Before he could finish, a vine whip cut through the air.
CRACK!
A crisp smack landed precisely on his backside.
“OWWWW!!!”
He screamed and jumped three feet into the air, clutching his butt and hopping wildly.
The straw man showed no mercy.
“Warning ineffective. Initiating continuous punishment.”
Smack! Smack! Smack!
The whip rained down like falling rain.
The minister howled and scrambled to his feet, grabbing his hoe.
“Stop hitting me! I’ll dig! I’ll dig, alright?!”
He cried as he worked, moving faster than a rabbit.
The other officials were horrified and immediately lowered their heads to work harder.
Feng Zeyuan laughed so hard she nearly collapsed.
“Hahaha! These straw men are amazing!”
The system proudly replied:
“Latest model! Equipped with argument-detection and automatic punishment functions!”
Time passed slowly.
The officials eventually collapsed in exhaustion, their faces pale, bodies limp.
A golden message appeared in the sky:
“Congratulations on completing the first day’s objective! Rewards will be issued later. Continue tomorrow!”
Everyone lay flat on the ground, too tired to even move a finger.
Lin Zhengyan panted heavily, feeling like half his life was gone.
Chu Heng clutched his butt, voice trembling:
“My old illness… seems to have worsened…”
Only Cheng Ying still stood upright, even helping others clean up tools.
Feng Zeyuan looked at the exhausted “crops,” then suddenly had an idea.
“System, dinner time. I’m not some slave driver.”
The system instantly replied:
“Understood! Luxury tents and four dishes with a soup are ready!”
With a snap of her fingers, twenty tents appeared on the flat ridge.
Liu San lifted a food box—the aroma of braised pork and chicken soup instantly overwhelmed everyone’s senses.
The officials lunged forward like starving beasts.
After a full day of hard labor, even plain white rice felt like a delicacy.
Lin Zhengyan bit into a piece of fatty braised pork and nearly cried.
“I… have never eaten such delicious food…”
Chu Heng gulped down soup, then used a bun to wipe the bowl clean before reluctantly putting it down.
“This soup… surpasses imperial cuisine…”
The officials lay there, unwilling to move.
Just then, Cheng Ying stood up, walked to a nearby haystack, and carried back a large bundle of dry grass.
He quickly lit a bonfire—flames surged into the sky.
Feng Zeyuan’s eyes lit up.
“A bonfire party without barbecue is incomplete!”
With a thought, hunted game and full seasoning sets appeared beside the fire.
“Everyone, you’ve worked hard today! Extra meal—barbecue all you want!”
The moment she spoke, Cheng Ying already lifted a wild boar and began preparing it efficiently.
Fat dripped into the flames, sizzling loudly, releasing an explosive aroma.
The exhausted officials suddenly snapped their heads up.
Their eyes lit up instantly.
One by one, they crawled toward the fire, staring longingly at the roasting meat.
Cheng Ying worked cleanly and efficiently, while others joined in—skewering meat, brushing sauce, adding firewood.
The mood shifted rapidly into lively chaos.
A young official gnawed on a rabbit leg and sighed at the sky:
“If only there were singers here to complete this scene.”
Feng Zeyuan smirked when she heard that.
“Sing songs? Too boring.”
“System, barbecue with a movie—let’s give them a true audiovisual shock.”
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