Saintly Ideals, Cooking Small Fish

Later, Chen Xu forcefully stopped Chen An from trying to push the broken silver back into his hands.

He also instructed him, "Go back and return this silver. As for repairing the canal, I absolutely will not allow Eldest Brother to go!"

The moment he said that, Chen An's eyes reddened. "But, but we only received three taels, while they made it clear from the start that if we regret it, we have to return at least ten taels of silver!"

"Ten taels?" Chen Xu frowned.

But clearly, this was the usual way certain people did things.

What was more, by the time it trickled down through every level, having three taels reach each laborer would probably already count as the masters showing mercy.

Returning ten taels for backing out was no big matter at all.

Chen Xu said, "Leave the matter of lacking silver to me. In any case, you must go back and make things clear. Eldest Brother absolutely cannot go repair the canal!"

After thinking it over, afraid that his family might agree outwardly while defying him in secret, he added, "I am definitely taking the Courtyard Examination this year, and I am ninety-nine percent certain that I will pass. Once I obtain scholarly honors, if people learn that my eldest brother once went to repair canals, it will become a stain upon my entire life.

Xiao An, do you understand?"

He made it sound so grave that Chen An immediately tucked the three taels of silver back into his clothes and nodded firmly. "Second Brother, don't worry. I'll definitely go back and explain everything clearly. I absolutely won't let Eldest Brother go repair the canal."

Chen Xu patted his younger brother's shoulder. This brother of his was only fifteen this year.

In his previous life, a fifteen-year-old boy would still have been in middle school. Yet Chen An already went up mountains and down fields, handling everything inside and outside the home.

Though still a youth, his narrow, thin shoulders seemed to possess an adult's strength.

The two brothers sat facing each other in the kitchen. Chen Xu brought over the leftover porridge and flatbread from the morning and called Chen An to eat with him.

Chen An took out a chicken that had been roasted beforehand from his basket. The instant it appeared, the fragrance of meat filled the entire kitchen.

From some distant crack, the little rat squeaked anxiously, "So fragrant, so fragrant, it smells so good! Ninth Master, I want to eat it so badly..."

Ninth Master said slowly, "Did you not hear that youth say it? This is food the scholar's mother specially prepared for the scholar's birthday after killing one of the family's chickens. We absolutely must not covet even this food. Do you understand, A Shi?"

The little rat squeaked urgently, "I understand, I understand! Ninth Master, I'll just drool a little. I won't be greedy for food."

The little rat cried out about how fragrant it was who knew how many times. Unfortunately, Chen Xu had not made this chicken himself, so he could not receive the little rat's likes.

A faint smile rested at the corner of Chen Xu's lips. As he ate and chatted with Chen An, Chen An repeatedly praised the porridge Chen Xu had cooked and said the flatbread was delicious as well.

[Likes +1 +1...]

Thus, although Chen Xu did not receive the Rat Demon's likes, he collected all five likes Chen An could provide in one go.

As the brothers talked, Chen Xu mainly asked about the situation at home.

Chen An said, "Spring plowing has already begun. The villagers all want to borrow our ox, but Father says our ox is old now and cannot be lent out so casually anymore. Otherwise, overworking it will damage its lifespan."

He continued, "Little Sister practices writing at home every day. Other than you, she's the cleverest one in our family. Mother even says it's a pity she was born a girl, or else she would send her to study too.

Little Sister also grabs Eldest Brother and me every day to make us learn characters. Sigh, it's not that we aren't diligent. It's just that these strange and bizarre characters make our heads spin when we look at too many of them!

Mother is already looking for a match for Eldest Brother. She says she has already picked out a family, and they'll finalize it once Eldest Brother returns from repairing the canal... Uh, we're not repairing the canal anymore."

After hearing this, Chen Xu commented, "It is right not to lend out the ox. Since Little Sister loves studying, let her study properly. She may not have no chance of entering an academy in the future. As for the family Mother has chosen for Eldest Brother... there is no need to rush. Delaying it by two months will not hurt."

Chen An nodded repeatedly as he listened, his eyes shining brightly. From time to time, he also told Chen Xu amusing village stories and bits of gossip.

Once the brothers got talking, Chen An's chatterbox could not be shut. They had not seen each other for some time, and he had initially been somewhat afraid of Chen Xu. But once the conversation got going, he became the happiest talker of all.

Later, Chen Xu selected some ingredients and made a large basket of small round cakes the size of apricots.

These little cakes were also the simple sort to make, and the ingredients were equally simple.

But with Chen Xu's talent, [My Food Will Always Be More Delicious], even the simplest little cakes became exceptionally fragrant and sweet in his hands.

At first, Chen An was greatly puzzled as he watched from the side. He knew that Second Brother lived alone and sometimes had no choice but to prepare his own meals, which was nothing strange.

But making so many, and making them with such practiced skill, was difficult for Chen An to understand.

Chen Xu said, "I have gradually come to realize a principle: the myriad flavors of the human world and the classics of the sages—are they not also found amid pots and stoves?

Even the sages said that governing a great state is like cooking a small fish. If we, the younger generation of later scholars, wish to pursue the ideals of the sages, why not begin by cooking small fish to comprehend the Great Dao?"

This reasoning was flawless. At least, Chen An had no way to refute it.

In the end, Chen An had another bellyful of grand principles poured into him until his head felt dizzy. Only then did he bid Chen Xu farewell, carrying a large packet of little round cakes and shouldering his two baskets.

Chen Xu told him to bring the little round cakes back to the village and tell the villagers that they were food bestowed by some kind-hearted benefactor.

If the villagers wished to taste them, they needed to first calm their hearts and praise the food's deliciousness.

Chen An was dumbfounded again and foolishly asked, "Second Brother, why not just say you gave them? If we say you gave them, the elders and villagers will be grateful to you."

"If we say I gave them, I give them today—but should I give them again tomorrow? After giving them this time, should I give them next time as well? If I give them every time, would that not be endless? Xiao An, we cannot spoil the greed in people's hearts."

Chen An let out an "Ah." Though he did not fully understand, he felt that Second Brother's words made great sense, so he firmly engraved them in his heart.

Chen Xu was currently at a stage where he needed to accumulate strength quickly, which was why he seized every chance to obtain likes.

But he knew full well that giving food away everywhere could not last forever, so he was treating it as a one-shot deal.

Once he unlocked the God of Cookery Cultivation Scroll, there should be more suitable methods for obtaining likes over the long term.

After seeing Chen An off, Chen Xu placed the chicken drumstick he had deliberately saved on the stove before returning to his room and summoning the Cauldron Scripture.

He planned to first use up the resources currently available in the Cauldron Scripture. When night came, it would be the perfect time to settle accounts with Sun Wu, the proprietor of Boyazhai!

Over the past while, he had gained some scattered likes as well. Now, the Free Attribute Points on his panel were especially plentiful.

[Accumulated Likes: 663]

[Free Attribute Points: 18]

[Firework Value: 313]

Without hesitation, Chen Xu immediately spent 100 Firework Value and entered Embers Kitchen.

First, he would add points.

He added three points each to Vital Blood and Essence, but none to Divine Soul.

His Divine Soul had originally been three attribute points higher than his Vital Blood and Essence. Now that he had added these points, Chen Xu's Three Essences of Spirit, Qi, and Body immediately returned to balance.