Spirit Rice

"Splash..." He Pingsheng emptied the two buckets hanging from his carrying pole into the water vat.

The large vat was only half full.

He had finished five trips that day.

He scooped some water into the battered earthenware basin to wash his hands and face, then scrubbed the basin clean inside and out before filling it halfway and taking it back to his room.

This half-basin of water was for drinking, so he would not have to run outside if he grew thirsty during the night.

Back in his room, He Pingsheng locked the door and wedged the bolt firmly in place.

Moonlight flowed like water through the gaps in the window lattice, casting dreamlike patches of light inside.

He Pingsheng flopped onto his bed and fell fast asleep.

Early the next morning, a rapid clanging of a gong rang out outside!

Time to get up!

Dragging his exhausted body out of bed, He Pingsheng grabbed his iron bowl and hurried toward the kitchen.

Breakfast was being served.

He needed a full stomach in the morning to have the strength to work, didn't he?

The Servant Disciples emerged from their rooms one after another and headed toward the dining hall up ahead.

More than twenty people gathered in a disorderly crowd.

Still bare-chested, but now wearing dark red trousers, Boss Zhang waited until everyone had arrived before calling roll. Once he finished, he said, "Time to eat... Old Bao, give this kid some extra meat. Make sure he eats his fill... otherwise, he won't have the strength to carry water!"

It was not that he pitied He Pingsheng; Boss Zhang simply knew all too well how difficult carrying water was.

He Pingsheng was young to begin with, only fourteen that year. Without a full stomach, how could he have the strength to work?

If the work went unfinished, Boss Zhang would be the one to suffer in the end.

After all, he was the head of this Servant Class!

"Thank you, Boss Zhang!" Still naive, He Pingsheng thanked Boss Zhang with gratitude written all over his face.

He was still young and had yet to see the ways of the world or even certain basic truths clearly, so naturally, this deeper motive never occurred to him.

He had to admit that the Immortal Sect served quite generous meals.

Even at breakfast, there was all the meat they could eat.

After eating, He Pingsheng washed his bowl and returned to his room, ready to head to the waterfall behind the mountain to fetch water. But the moment he stepped inside, the sight left him dumbfounded.

The basin in which he had put spring water yesterday lay beside the window. It had originally held only half a basin of clear water, but now it was filled to the brim, and the water had turned emerald green.

"How strange. Has the water gone bad after just one night?"

He Pingsheng set down his iron bowl, walked over to the window, and leaned closer to examine it.

Only up close did he realize how green the water truly was-a vivid emerald green.

It looked spoiled at first glance.

"Looks like I can't use this basin to hold water anymore!" He Pingsheng picked it up and tipped the entire basin of emerald water out the window. "From now on... I'll just use it to wash clothes!"

He casually dropped the basin onto the floor with a clatter, shouldered his carrying pole, and opened the door to head toward the Mountain Spring.

Since he had already made five trips yesterday, he only needed to make fifteen today.

Fifteen trips did not seem like much, but by the time He Pingsheng finished all the work, it was deep into the night again.

He dragged his exhausted body back into his little room.

He Pingsheng immediately began to worry. Fifteen trips a day was about his limit, yet tomorrow he had twenty to make. How was he supposed to manage that?

He had barely lain down on the hard plank bed when he heard a knock outside.

No, to be precise, someone was pounding on the door, accompanied by a rough voice. "He Pingsheng... open up..."

It was Boss Zhang's voice.

He Pingsheng removed the bolt, then opened the door with a creak.

Boss Zhang stood there holding a bag. He walked in with a cheerful smile and said, "Pingsheng, how are you doing? Tired today?"

Thinking Boss Zhang was concerned about him, He Pingsheng replied gratefully, "A little!"

"Heh..." Boss Zhang chuckled. "I saw it myself. You made five trips yesterday, and today you didn't rest for a moment. Fifteen trips in all."

"Ah, I know you're tired!"

"Can you finish your quota tomorrow?"

Faced with Boss Zhang's question, He Pingsheng had no confidence.

All he could say was, "I'll definitely work hard tomorrow!"

"Good!" Boss Zhang patted his shoulder. "Working hard is good, but I'm afraid you might work yourself to death and still not finish carrying all that water!"

"Look, what's this?"

Boss Zhang opened the cloth bag in his hand.

A little less than half a bag of gleaming white rice appeared before He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng asked curiously, "Is that rice?"

"Not ordinary rice!" Boss Zhang shook his head. "The immortal took pity on us Servant Disciples and decreed that everyone should receive a certain amount of spirit rice each month. Everyone else gets two jin a month, but you're different. You get ten jin every month!"

"Huh?" He Pingsheng asked. "Why?"

Boss Zhang said, "Why else? Carrying water is heavy work. But, brother, every newcomer has to go through this stage. It's not like I'm setting you up. Ask the others if you don't believe me. They've all carried water!"

"Once another newcomer arrives, you won't have to carry water anymore!"

"Come on... find something to hold it, and I'll pour the rice in!"

He Pingsheng looked around the entire room and realized that the battered earthenware basin was the only thing that could hold the spirit rice.

He picked the blackened basin up from the floor and placed it on the table.

Boss Zhang poured all the rice from the bag into the basin with a rustle.

The night was dark, but by the moonlight, He Pingsheng could see a faint green glow coming from the gleaming white grains.

It really was spirit rice!

He Pingsheng had seen spirit rice before!

When Uncle Jiang, Jiang Jian, had been an Outer Disciple, he had also received ten jin of spirit rice each month.

He Pingsheng had run the errand to collect it for him every time, but Jiang Jian's spirit rice had been emerald green.

Different colors of spirit rice meant different grades of quality.

It was said that the finest spirit rice was golden yellow.

High-grade spirit rice was emerald green.

What lay in He Pingsheng's earthenware basin, however, was the poorest sort, stuff the immortals would not spare a glance for. Otherwise, how could it have found its way into the hands of these Servant Class disciples?

"Remember, just cook two handfuls every day. Eat half before working in the morning and the other half before working in the afternoon!"

"With this extra rice in your belly, I guarantee you'll be able to carry twenty loads of water a day!"

With that, Boss Zhang strode straight out.

He Pingsheng frowned.

Since he had always collected Jiang Jian's spirit rice for him, he knew exactly how much ten jin of spirit rice amounted to.

How could the spirit rice in this basin possibly weigh ten jin?

There was clearly only half that amount-five jin at most.

Could that bastard Boss Zhang have skimmed off my spirit rice?

With these thoughts lingering in his mind, He Pingsheng locked the door again, then lay down and went straight to sleep.

There was no point dwelling on it.

He was weak right now. Even if he knew someone had skimmed off his spirit rice, what could he do?

Could he demand it back?

No!

Since he could not, he might as well spare himself the worry and get some sleep first!