【System, strike while the iron is hot—assign homework!】
【Everyone writes a reflection essay, 1,000 words, due before breakfast tomorrow!】
【Topic: “Exercise and Brain Health” — discuss your thoughts!】
The system immediately projected glowing golden words into the sky:
‘Mission: Submit a reflection essay by tomorrow morning before breakfast, no less than 1,000 words.’
‘Topic: My Thoughts on Exercise and Brain Health’
‘Requirement: Sincere emotions only, no perfunctory answers!’
Wails erupted all around.
“Ah? We still have to write essays?!”
“A thousand words… that’s way too much…”
“Suddenly I don’t want to use my brain anymore, I just want to sweat while farming?!”
But then they thought of those miraculous rewards—
Brain-enhancement pills, hemorrhoid-soothing ointment, hair-growth serum, digestion pills…
Everyone could only sigh in resignation.
Fine… fine. For the brain. For the… everything.
They’d endure it.
After eating and drinking their fill, the officials didn’t disperse. Instead, they gathered in small groups, discussing the new vocabulary they had just learned.
Lin Zhengyan stroked his beard, his brows tightly furrowed.
“Hippocampus… could it be that within the human brain, there lives a mythical hippocampus beast?”
The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became. He slapped his thigh excitedly.
“Yes! That must be it! This divine beast governs memory—if we properly offer it worship…”
Chu Heng standing nearby twitched his mouth.
He muttered softly, “Dopamine… ‘amine’ sounds like meat. Could it be some kind of minced meat that makes people happy? Never heard of it.”
A Hanlin Academy editor said seriously, “Lord Chu, I must disagree. In my humble opinion, ‘amine’ is a variant of ‘salt.’ So ‘dopamine’ must be some kind of salt that brings happiness when eaten.”
Another official shook his head. “No, no. ‘Duo-ba’ should be interpreted separately. ‘Duo’ means many; ‘ba’ means hope. Dopamine is what many people hope for!”
“Reasonable!”
“I disagree!”
The group erupted into debate, each holding their own interpretation. It looked like a miniature classical scholarship symposium.
Feng Zeyuan nearly laughed himself to death.
【Hahahaha! These ministers are too adorable!】
【Mythical hippocampus beast? Happy minced meat? Collective hope salt?】
【System, I surrender to their imagination!】
The system laughed as well.
【Host, these ministers can recite the Four Books and Five Classics backwards, but the moment it comes to science, they’re completely lost!】
Feng Zeyuan deeply agreed.
【Looks like labor reform alone isn’t enough—we need literacy classes too.】
【System, nine-year compulsory education must be implemented!】
The system immediately suggested:
【Host, you can exchange for ‘Deep Sleep Pills’ and ‘Energy Recovery Pills’!】
【With just one hour of sleep per day, they’ll be energetic, never delay farming or studying!】
【Two hours of labor a day, the rest of the time they watch educational videos.】
Feng Zeyuan’s eyes lit up.
【Perfect! System, get me 20 sets for two months!】
【And include Liu San and Liu Si—they can’t fall behind!】
【Give me a discount!】
The system asked cautiously:
【Host… do you and your brother need it?】
Feng Zeyuan curled her lips.
【Me? Please. I’ve done over ten years of exam prep in my past life. This is child’s play.】
【My brother’s brain is even faster than theirs by a hundred times.】
【And sleeping well is what helps the brain grow—understand?】
【My brother must sleep well. That’s a principle.】
System: 【……】
Everyone: 【……】
After some negotiation, the system finally gave in and sold it at a 30% discount.
Feng Zeyuan was satisfied.
【System, will they forget what they learned after leaving here?】
【Otherwise I’d be wasting my effort.】
System replied:
【Don’t worry. Their memories will be blurred. They’ll only feel like they had a vivid, rewarding dream.】
【But the knowledge and stronger bodies will remain permanently.】
【Subconsciously, they will also become more supportive of exercise.】
Feng Zeyuan was completely reassured.
【Perfect! Then when they go back, they’ll all be well-rounded talents of morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor.】
【I really am doing great merit for the Great Xia empire!】
Feng Zeyuan’s brother Feng Zeyang watched her smug expression, then looked at the exhausted officials in the fields.
His smile deepened.
His slender fingers absentmindedly rubbed together.
Then, an idea suddenly flashed through his mind.
He leaned closer to her ear and said in a gentle but mischievous voice:
“Zeyuan, the Emperor and another group of officials are still in the main hunting camp, busy with state affairs.”
“Why not… invite them in as well, to receive this strengthening education?”
“After all, His Majesty works tirelessly—he especially needs a strong body.”
“As ministers, how can we watch the Emperor overwork himself without sharing the burden?”
【!!!】
Feng Zeyuan’s mind exploded.
【Drag the Emperor in to farm?!】
【Brother! Are you serious?!】
【This is… this is way too exciting!】
She turned sharply to look at her brother’s gentle, harmless-looking face.
【He looks so refined, but when he turns dark, he’s even worse than me?!】
The system was stunned.
【Host… your brother just leveled up.】
【I thought you were already the ultimate villain strategist, but he’s even better!】
Feng Zeyuan proudly thought:
【Of course! We’re twins! Same DNA of scheming!】
Then she grinned.
【The Emperor and ministers farming together… digging, fertilizing, planting… iconic scenes incoming.】
【And him getting whipped by scarecrows… oh wow.】
【Just imagining it is too beautiful to watch directly.】
The system got excited.
【Do it! Absolutely do it!】
【This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!】
【And if the Emperor experiences the benefits of exercise, he’ll support your fitness plan even more!】
【Two birds with one stone!】
She was convinced.
【True… and he’s overworked, insomnia, irritable—he needs exercise anyway!】
【I’m doing this for his health! Yes! I’m a good person!】
She turned to Feng Zeyang, eyes sparkling.
“Brother… that idea of yours… is brilliant!”
He smiled gently, eyes flickering with a trace of mischievous triumph.
“Then you agree?”
“Let’s do it!”
Feng Zeyuan slapped her thigh.
【System! Tomorrow we bring the Emperor and the remaining officials in!】
【Let them experience what ‘labor is glorious’ really means!】
System: 【Roger that!】
【Should we give His Majesty special treatment?】
Feng Zeyuan thought for a moment.
【No special treatment! Equality for all!】
【But… we can give him a VIP plot. Let him grow premium crops.】
【Like lingzhi and ginseng—looks dignified.】
【But the work stays the same!】
【And assign the strictest scarecrow supervisor!】
System grinned:
【Understood. We’ll make sure His Majesty feels… right at home.】
Far away in the hunting camp, Emperor Xiao Juechen was reviewing urgent memorials.
Suddenly, he sneezed.
A strange unease rose in his heart.
He frowned slightly.
Who is thinking of me?
Night deepened.
The campfire crackled.
Officials lay on the ground, furiously writing essays with charcoal pens.
Some chewed on their pens in deep thought.
Some peeked at others’ answers.
Some simply gave up and wrote nonsense.
Feng Zeyuan and Feng Zeyang exchanged a look—and both smiled.
Discussion
Comments
0 comments so far.
Sign in to join the conversation and keep your activity tied to this account.
No comments yet. Start the conversation.