Volume 3: Dragon and Snake Movement Chapter 457: Different Paths
There are really people in this world who don’t like being an official but prefer cooking!
Princess Yongping was always calm and composed, but at this moment, she felt that her deep-rooted cognition tower was slowly collapsing. Although after the second and first princes met with accidents, she knew that the mask of a dignified and noble lady she had put on to make herself appear useful was no longer necessary, but after pretending for too long, it sometimes became a habit.
Therefore, although she admired the thoughts and skills of Mr. Song in front of her, she could not understand why he was so reckless as to give up the imperial examination. What made her even more unbelievable at this time was that of the two options proposed by Zhu Ying, the first one clearly represented a very good opportunity, but Mr. Song was unwilling to do so and chose the second one directly!
She knew more about her life experience than Zhu Ying, that they were born on the same day as Zhang Shou, so she could not help but keep her distance from him, even though he had suddenly become a favorite of her father and his appearance was unparalleled. However, there was no doubt that Zhang Shou was really good to those around him.
Look at Zhang Chen, Lu Sanlang, Zhang Wu, Zhang Lu and a bunch of other people who were once considered to be playboys!
As long as Mr. Song nods, he will be able to stay in Zhang Garden in the future. By then, he will be able to get the upper hand over the garden. Not to mention that Zhang Shou can easily bring people to make himself familiar to imperial tutors like Ge Yong, he may even have a chance to meet the emperor. Isn't this much better than this young scholar giving up on himself and opening a dessert shop because he believes he cannot pass the imperial examination?
The more Princess Yongping thought about it, the more annoyed she became. The more annoyed she became, the more she felt that the young scholar in front of her was really wasting her time. She immediately said coldly, "Zhu Ying, you have no worries about food and clothing, and you are rich and self-sufficient. Of course, you don't have to take other people's future seriously. But have you ever thought about it? Although Mr. Song seems to be satisfied for the time being, what about the future?"
She stared at Mr. Song, who had just shown his joy and was trying to put it away, and said word by word, "In life, not everyone can do whatever they want without considering the consequences. Mr. Song, you should know this. Since you have participated in the Imperial Chef Selection Competition and at least got what you wanted, you should plan for the future!"
"Do you think it's easy to open a store in a place like Beijing? Apart from the rich people who own many stores and can live comfortably by collecting rent every year, do you know how many of the other people who rent stores to do business can make money? How many can barely survive? How many go bankrupt? Zhu Ying just said that she can lend you money to run your business, but with your character, will you really not pay it back?"
"No." Mr. Song shook his head decisively. After Princess Yongping's long lecture, he only answered the last question. After hearing this answer, Princess Yongping had no time to show a gratified expression, and she saw that this young man who seemed a little stupid in her eyes suddenly became serious.
"Princess, my family is large and doesn't need a juren like me. The reason they want to force me to take the imperial examination is just to have one more juren memorial archway erected near the ancestral hall. To be honest, my cousins are all jinshi. Even if I'm not as good as them, I'm still a juren, which is better than my brothers. Even if I open a store, people will at most shake their heads and sigh that I'm wasting my time."
"As for what I should do if the store goes bankrupt, Princess... I will take the imperial examination again."
Seeing that Princess Yongping looked at him as if he were a madman, Mr. Song scratched his head and said with a smile, "The court will not restrict candidates who are engaged in business from taking the imperial examination, right? If I fail, forget it. If I pass, I will take sick leave and not become an official, so as not to harm others. Well, then I can receive the subsidy from my clan for the imperial examination, and if I save for two or three years, it should be enough to pay it back."
Is this possible?
Zhang Shou almost laughed his stomach off, and thought this guy was really funny. At this moment, he saw someone coming up the stairs from the corner of his eye. It was Lu Sanlang in front, and Hua Siye and Wanyuanbao behind. He couldn't help but feel moved. But he didn't think too much about it, but turned his gaze back to Mr. Song and asked with a smile: "Oh, are you willing to just keep receiving subsidies and be a parasite like this?"
"As the saying goes, if you don't make a sound, you'll be amazing. As the saying goes, a dragon that lies dormant in the abyss will soar to the sky. I'm just lying dormant for now, just lying dormant. When I save enough money, I'll open a restaurant! Since the princess and all of you think my food is delicious, I don't believe I can't keep the restaurant going, and I don't believe I can't make a name for myself!"
Mr. Song became more and more passionate as he spoke, and finally he straightened his chest. His courage of not returning until he had conquered Loulan was so great that people who didn't know him would have thought it was an oath before the imperial examination, rather than a determination before opening a store... And the reasons he gave next made Ge Yong almost spit out tea again after hearing it.
"Anyway, our Song family is well-known in Guangdong. It's easy for me to ask for some money from my fellow countrymen!"
"More than just a reputation. The Guangdong Song family not only has the largest fleet in Guangdong, but is also the richest family in Guangdong. They are very famous."
As soon as Fourth Master Hua spoke, he saw a lot of eyes focused on him. He stepped forward and bowed respectfully, then said apologetically, "I met this Young Master Song once when he passed by Suzhou with his uncle. Just now, the princess summoned him. When he passed by the second floor, I thought he looked familiar, so I couldn't help but beg Third Master Lu to bring me up."
Wan Yuanbao coughed and said, "Master Hua said he saw Young Master Song looked familiar, as if he was an acquaintance of his. I was curious and shamelessly followed him upstairs to take a look. Everyone else had just left, and the guards on the second floor heard that we followed Young Master Lu upstairs, so they let us go. I hope the princess and the others will forgive us for our trespass."
The last fat boy who spoke was all smiles. "Teacher, Princess, and all the elders, I just found out about Chef Song's identity. I was so curious that I came here to watch the fun. After all, it would be a legend if it were spread out. A scholar came to take the imperial chef exam and even defeated a bunch of chefs to enter the semi-finals!"
"shut up!"
Princess Yongping, who was already very angry, finally exploded: "Lu Sanpang, you said it so easily! If this is spread out, aren't you afraid that he will be criticized? He just said that his family hopes he will study and become an official, and does not want him to be a cook..."
"I don't think I'm stooping to being a cook, I just like it." Mr. Song couldn't help but contradict Princess Yongping again, "If the news gets out, if I open a shop like this again, people will come to patronize it even if they are just curious, right? Then I will be able to welcome a large number of customers? I don't care about the criticism, the ancestor of my Song family who laid the foundation of the family also gave up writing to do business!"
When a scholar meets a soldier, he cannot explain his reason clearly. Princess Yongping felt powerless and ashamed at this moment.
She was used to those scholars being ecstatic after receiving her praise, used to those talented men obeying her advice, and used to some people pretending to obey her but actually disobeying her. She was not unfamiliar with people like Zhang Shou who kept their distance from her. After all, there were always people who disapproved of a princess like her who was so prominent in public.
But she has never met anyone who dares to argue with her until he is red in the face and forgets her noble status!
Just when Princess Yongping was about to storm out in anger, she heard Mr. Song mutter in a low voice: "You are not a fish, how do you know the joy of a fish? There are many people in this world who are ambitious, and there are also many people who are not ambitious, such as me. Since my family is not short of money, and they don't need me to be an official, can't I live a good life for myself?"
Live for myself... These few words were like a huge hammer, hitting Princess Yongping's heart hard. She almost couldn't help but fall into the chair, thinking about what she had done in the past few years since she knew her life experience and realized her mother's predicament.
She was very careful, trying to find a way out for herself between rules and propriety. She didn't want to marry a strange man casually and raise children. She didn't want her proud but strong mother to fall into the dust after the prince ascended the throne. So, she decided to protect not only herself but also her mother, and never marry herself off for the sake of temporary comfort...
Think about it, has she ever lived for herself for a day or even a moment over the years?
Why did she always have a head-on confrontation with Zhu Ying whenever they met, and why could they never get along peacefully? Wasn't it because she envied Zhu Ying's free life, and envied that Zhu Ying had always been held in the palm of her father's hand by her elders? Her father had always been good to her, and her mother had always protected her, but she had never felt safe, so she hated people who lacked a sense of crisis the most!
For example, Zhu Ying, and this guy who passed the imperial examination but didn't know how to cherish it!
Tears could not help but flow out of her eyes. When Princess Yongping stood up, wiped her tears with her sleeves, and stumbled out, the people who had just been watching the dispute with interest suddenly looked at each other in bewilderment. Chu Kuan was also stunned and hurriedly chased after her. When he saw Princess Yongping holding the railing to go down the stairs, he felt even more difficult. Fortunately, at this time, a figure got ahead.
"Hey, hey, it's just a few words, you don't have to do that?" The person who rushed up and grabbed Princess Yongping was none other than Zhu Ying. Seeing that the person was shaking his sleeves hard to break free from her but didn't say a word, she was about to get angry, but when she thought that today was their birthday, she couldn't help but soften her heart and simply helped the person downstairs.
"Why don't you walk carefully? What if you fall? This is someone else's business, why are you so angry? He doesn't want a future, that's his own business. Do you see too many people pursuing fame and fortune, so you can't stand him? Others are living their lives, why are you so angry! It's a good birthday, but you cry like a big cat!"
"Zhu Ying, if you don't speak, no one will think you are dumb!"
Hearing Zhu Ying's irrelevant advice and Princess Yongping's angry rebuttal, Zhang Shou could not help but look at Mr. Song who was at a loss, and then said with a smile: "Mr. Song, your free-spirited nature seems to have irritated the princess. She has probably never seen someone as unmotivated as you in her life."
The four words "not striving for progress" were just said by Mr. Song himself. When Zhang Shou threw it back at him, he was a little depressed, but after touching his nose, he didn't say anything. After all, he felt guilty. A small person like him actually ruined the princess's birthday and made her angry and run away. Wouldn't this cause any big trouble?
After thinking it over, he finally whispered, "How about... I cook another dessert for the princess to comfort her?"
At that moment, there was total silence on the building, as if an indescribable cool breeze was swirling past. After a long while, Zhang Shou couldn't help but sighed, holding his forehead, "Mr. Song, you sometimes look very dull, but sometimes you look very sharp. But can you use your sharpness in the right place?"
If you were a chef, you could cook a delicious dessert to please Princess Yongping, and she would be very happy. But if you, an unmotivated scholar, go to cook... don't you think that this is not comforting people, but deliberately going against them?
Chu Kuan originally wanted to go down to see what Princess Yongping was like, but at this moment he couldn't help but smile. He looked at Mr. Song delicately, and saw that his face was clear, but there was a sense of laziness and confusion between his eyebrows. He couldn't help but feel moved, and then smiled and bowed to the four people, saying: "Since the princess is upset, I will escort her back to the palace first."
Seeing Chu Kuan walking down the stairs leisurely, followed by several eunuchs, Lu Sanlang rushed to the stairs and looked down, then listened blatantly. Hearing Chu Kuan talking to Princess Yongping, who obviously didn't want to say anything, but just said "hmm" and walked down, he immediately turned around and looked at Mr. Song.
Then he gave people a thumbs-up.
Just like the eldest and second princes were the only brothers who would occasionally provoke Zhu Ying, apart from the two of them, no one in the capital would provoke Princess Yongping, not even the former deposed empress! Because the emperor would stand up and support them!
Mr. Song was completely confused by Lu Sanlang's thumbs-up gesture. What confused him even more was that he finally saw clearly the people at the tables upstairs. One table was filled with elderly people in their seventies and eighties, one was filled with middle-aged and elderly people, one was filled with old men and monks, and the other was the table where Princess Yongping had just sat. But now only the handsome young man who was talking to him was left.
Because the person had spoken several times, he guessed that it was Zhang Shou. And the people at the four tables looked at him with a weird expression, so much so that he slapped his forehead hard and asked pitifully, "What should I do next?"
Princess Yongping who summoned me has left!
Zhang Shou was about to speak when Mr. Hua Si, who was standing beside him, suddenly thrust a golden bag into his hand. He then said with a big smile, "Dr. Zhang, these are some seeds from overseas. A friend of mine got them. There is a piece of paper inside that tells what they are. But I'm not sure, and I don't want to take care of them. So I'm just giving them to you as a birthday gift."
After saying this, without waiting for Zhang Shou to refuse, Fourth Master Hua said with a smile: "I will ask for a favor for Master Song again. He is a simple-minded and straightforward person. If he really offends Princess Yongping, can you and Miss Zhu help him speak up?"
