Jiang Zhuozhuo spent the whole afternoon in the Continental General Studies class, and finally managed to understand the development history of the Three Continents as well as the growth traits of their Phoenix Tribe.
It turned out that their Phoenix Tribe had the tradition of the Egg Enlightenment Ritual, where one could randomly receive various Ancestor Inheritances while still inside the egg. How much one inherited depended entirely on the egg’s own insight.
No wonder after she transformed into human form, Mei Yin never found anything she did surprising, and would always encourage her to imagine boldly and act freely, never suspecting that she was some foreign soul possessing this bird body.
At most, she had just encountered a slight mishap during the Egg Enlightenment Ritual, and only succeeded in receiving enlightenment more than ten years after hatching.
Although what she received might be a little off, overall, she wasn’t much different from other Phoenix Tribe fledglings—she was still considered one of those “born wise”!
When Jiang Zhuozhuo learned there was such a wonderful thing as becoming knowledgeable in astronomy and geography without ever attending class, she couldn’t help but ask, “Is it too late for me to go back into the egg now?”
That efficiency was just too good!
Who hasn’t dreamed of understanding tons of things without having to study?
Mei Yin smiled and said, “Her Majesty the Empress once had the same thought.”
She wanted to stuff Jiang Zhuozhuo, the daughter who brought her shame, back into the egg.
Of course, it was impossible.
Jiang Zhuozhuo sighed, “No one in the world is as good as Mom! She tried her best. It’s me who’s not living up to expectations.”
Jiang Zhuozhuo quickly accepted the fact that she had a mother here (who didn’t even like her).
In her previous life, she had little parental affection. As a child, she was a left-behind kid growing up in the countryside with her grandmother. After her parents divorced, she mostly boarded at school, spending holidays a few days here, a few days there, never close to either side.
Jiang Zhuozhuo wasn’t too sad about it. At least her parents never shortchanged her materially, otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to become an Artist famous for burning through money.
Mei Yin consoled her, “Mistress only awakened her divine sense a bit late. When we return for the Hundred Birds Rite and Her Majesty the Empress sees Mistress’s growth, she will certainly be very happy.”
Jiang Zhuozhuo thought, the Empress hardly lacked daughters. She already had eight outstanding children ahead of her, surely enough to give her headaches. Why would she suddenly develop any motherly love for her, a salted fish—oh, no, a salted bird.
The Hundred Birds Rite was a major ceremony of the Bird Tribe, held once every three years. At that time, all the local lords would travel to the Royal Capital to participate in the ritual. The Princesses could take this opportunity to showcase their achievements in their own territories and recruit outstanding talent.
You could say it was the Bird Tribe’s grandest commendation and recruitment event.
Jiang Zhuozhuo counted the days. She’d just arrived at the territory not long ago, and the next Hundred Birds Rite was still far off. At once, she lay back down with a clear conscience.
She had worked hard all afternoon. So tired!
The bird is sleepy, the bird wants to sleep!
Mei Yin smiled and reminded her, “Mistress, your wheat berry rice is almost done simmering.”
She didn’t know what kind of Ancestor Inheritance their Mistress had received, but it was definitely from an ancestor who loved to eat.
As soon as Jiang Zhuozhuo heard this, she perked up instantly.
She happily invited Mei Yin to check if the wheat berry rice was ready, saying she had to lift the lid herself to truly experience what “aromatic fragrance” meant!
This kind of wheat berry rice, simmered over a low flame, took time and firewood. Back in the countryside, Jiang Zhuozhuo only had it once a year during the Laba Festival.
Back then, on the night of the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, the rice would be set on the stove to simmer all night. By morning, the whole house would be filled with the aroma of meat and wheat berries, and Jiang Zhuozhuo could finish two big bowls.
Now that it had been simmering all afternoon, it was surely ready to eat!
Jiang Zhuozhuo bounced into the kitchen, solemnly calling Mei Yin over to witness the crucial step she was in charge of—lifting the lid.
This was her favorite thing to do back then!
Mei Yin’s curriculum at the Royal Maid Academy included cooking.
But to her, cooking was no different from math and science classes; the teacher explained everything by the book, and she learned it all meticulously.
The food she made always strictly followed nutritional guidelines, and even tasted exactly like the teacher’s demonstration.
Mei Yin had never found anything particularly interesting about it.
But as she watched the winter dusk shine into the kitchen, illuminating the anticipation on Jiang Zhuozhuo’s face, Mei Yin felt something different for the first time.
She stood by the stove as Jiang Zhuozhuo wished, smiling as she watched Jiang Zhuozhuo lift the lid.
The aroma of wheat berry rice drifted into their noses. Compared to the grilled fish Jiang Zhuozhuo had made, it was a completely different flavor, but both were so delicious that one suddenly realized how hungry they were.
Many people couldn’t help but stop what they were doing and look over.
Jiang Zhuozhuo solemnly announced, “It’s ready, let’s eat!” She didn’t forget the Knights who had been threshing wheat today, and sent someone to give them a share of wheat berry rice as well.
After a whole day of hard work, Jiang Zhuozhuo, of course, enjoyed a big bowl of wheat berry rice herself, eating heartily.
Ever since coming to this other world, Jiang Zhuozhuo hadn’t had such deliciously simmered meat in ages.
The freshly threshed wheat berries were tasty, too. After soaking up the meat juices, every bite was filled with rich flavor. With just a few bites, she felt every cell in her body was comforted.
From her mouth all the way to her stomach.
Jiang Zhuozhuo was nearly moved to tears.
This is what people should eat.
What had she been eating these past few days!
They said she should adapt to local customs and get used to the diet of another world—
Impossible!
She didn’t understand, didn’t respect, and certainly didn’t accept it!
Even as a bird, she was a proud Huaxia bird. She would make it her mission to carry forward the traditional culture of “food is the god of the people” and resolutely refuse to yield to dark cuisine!
Mei Yin sat across from Jiang Zhuozhuo, eating. Even though her taste buds had already been conquered by the wheat berry rice, she still dutifully kept some attention on their little lord, who had just recently transformed into human form.
Then she saw Jiang Zhuozhuo sometimes tearing up, sometimes looking determined…
Mei Yin: “……”
She felt she had encountered a major challenge in her maid career: she simply couldn’t understand what their Mistress was thinking.
Was the food they used to eat really so bad? To the point that their Mistress was nearly moved to tears just by eating something tasty now!
With this question in mind, Mei Yin took another fragrant bite of wheat berry rice.
It really did… have the wonderful feeling of rolling happily in a mother’s embrace.
No matter how good wheat berry rice and grilled fish or meat were, Jiang Zhuozhuo felt she couldn’t eat them every day. It was important to have a balanced diet.
After eating and drinking her fill, Jiang Zhuozhuo spread out a thick sheet of paper across the table, preparing to draw… the blueprint for a Hydraulic Mill!
After all, she was an Artist who had passed the art entrance exam. Drawing blueprints was an easy task for her.
She’d played all sorts of games over the years—what kind of building hadn’t she seen?
Whether ancient style, European style, past or future, she had studied all their internal structures!
A mere Hydraulic Mill was nothing—there was no need to trouble an alchemist, she could put one together herself.
Jiang Zhuozhuo lit a lamp and began drawing the first blueprint she’d made since coming to this other world, but… as soon as she finished the rough sketch, she was so sleepy she turned back into a bird.
The little round bird sprawled out, fast asleep on the blueprint.
When Mei Yin came to cover her with a small blanket, she even heard her muttering in her sleep, “Don’t look down on a young bird just because it’s poor.”
Mei Yin: .
Even in her dreams, their little Mistress seemed full of life.