After My System Went Bankrupt, I Found My Happy Ending with the General - Chapter 5

Luo Chuchen had been troubled all night.

He was determined not to take the imperial examinations or become an official.

Luo Chuchen never considered himself cut out for the imperial exams. Before transmigrating, he had only been an arts student, barely scraping by in his academic subjects. After transmigrating, even with private tutors hired by his household to teach the Four Books and Five Classics, he found himself utterly bewildered and never expected to excel in this area.

Naturally, he couldn’t wake up early the next day. Combined with the cold of late autumn and early winter, Luo Chuchen, who dreaded the chill, wanted nothing more than to stay curled up in bed.

Shechuan coaxed him to get up, wiping his face with a warm towel while expressing concern, “Young master, did you have trouble sleeping because the bed isn’t familiar? Should you rest a little longer? I can send someone to reschedule with Young Master Jue.”

Ah, right Liang Jue.

Luo Chuchen shook his head, trying to clear his drowsiness, and said, “No need, I can get up.”

The sooner he confirmed the Son of Fortune, the sooner he could set his mind at ease.

Today, it was only 53%.

Chu Yanzhu had left for the morning court session before dawn. Rumor had it that the emperor had detained him for further discussions, after which he still had to go to the Ministry of Revenue he was swamped.

The steward prepared a carriage and escorted Luo Chuchen to Liang Jue’s General’s Manor.

As soon as he stepped out of the carriage, Luo Chuchen was taken aback.

Liang Jue’s General’s Manor looked quite imposing. Two ferocious-looking stone lions flanked the entrance, armored soldiers stood guard in a row, and the plaque above the gate bore the flamboyant characters “Liang Residence.” Upon closer inspection, the signature seemed to be the name of the current emperor.

Wow, an imperial inscription.

Shechuan showed the token to the soldiers at the gate. Shortly after, a servant emerged and politely ushered them inside.

“The General returned right after the morning court session and has been waiting especially for you. He’s in his study and will be here shortly,” the servant said with a naturally cheerful smile, leading Luo Chuchen and Shechuan to the warm pavilion by the waterside pavilion in the rear courtyard.

It was already mid-November, and the capital was bitterly cold. The warm pavilion had been heated with charcoal for who knows how long as soon as the curtain was lifted, a wave of warmth rushed over them.

On the table inside the pavilion, several plates of pastries and tea had already been laid out. The servant asked, “What kind of sweet soup would Young Marquis like? The General specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare several varieties.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Luo Chuchen draped his fur robe over the back of a nearby chair and said, “Anything is fine.”

The servant smiled. “Then I’ll bring you a bowl of red bean sweet congee. The General said it’s your favorite in winter.”

Luo Chuchen wondered why Liang Jue would share such details with his household staff. He took a closer look at the servant and noticed his attire was of good quality, and the other servants in the warm pavilion treated him with respect. Only then did he realize this was likely Liang Jue’s personal attendant.

When the servant returned with the sweet congee, Luo Chuchen asked, “What’s your name?”

The servant replied, “This humble one is Heqi.”

Luo Chuchen praised, “That’s a lovely name.”

Heqi smiled and said, “The General gave me this name, so it’s as if you’re complimenting him.”

Luo Chuchen: “…”

Heqi didn’t seem to think there was anything odd about his response. He bowed to Luo Chuchen, then turned to give instructions to the other servants in the warm pavilion. Soon, only the three of them remained.

Not long after, the curtain of the warm pavilion was drawn aside once more, and Liang Jue stepped in.

Today, Liang Jue was dressed in a deep indigo brocade robe with mist-like patterns. His eyes met Luo Chuchen’s, and the corners of his lips curved into a smile as he took a seat in the chair beside him. “Why aren’t you having any snacks?”

Luo Chuchen rubbed his nose and said, “I was waiting for you.”

How could he secretly manage to touch him?

Liang Jue drew out an “Oh” in a teasing tone, “Seems like you just woke up.”

“…” Luo Chuchen forced himself to retort, “Who serves so many snacks right before a meal when inviting someone to dine? I was saving room for the lunch you prepared.”

Liang Jue chuckled, “Alright. He Qi, tell the kitchen to start preparing the dishes.”

“Right away.” He Qi, who had been waiting by the door, responded promptly, lifted the curtain, and stepped out.

She Chuan also followed and waited outside. Luo Chuchen’s heart skipped a beat, thinking this was the perfect opportunity to take the initiative.

Pretending nothing was amiss, he leaned slightly closer to Liang Jue, picked up the small spoon placed beside the sweet congee, and handed it over, asking, “Would you like to try this sweet congee?”

Liang Jue was taken aback and said with amusement, “Didn’t He Qi bring this especially for you? What, don’t you like the flavor?”

“No, no,” Luo Chuchen replied, “I was just asking.”

Liang Jue pursed his lips and said, “Leave it for now. The food will be here soon. You can have it after the mealthere’s plenty more in the kitchen.”

Luo Chuchen felt a pang of disappointment but gritted his teeth, determined to take a bold step.

“Ah, right.”

Nervously and swiftly, he reached out and, without hesitation, grabbed Liang Jue’s wrist, while quickly glancing at his life value.

It had indeed increased by 2%!

So Liang Jue really was the Child of Destiny!

For a moment, Luo Chuchen’s heart raced uncontrollably, his eyes shining brightly as he excitedly studied Liang Jue. In just two seconds, Liang Jue had transformed into a rare treasure in his eyes.

To cover up his actions, he hesitated for a moment, then shifted to lightly touching Liang Jue’s ear and asked, “How did you get so much darker?”

Liang Jue was baffled by his actions, and his own heartbeat quickened.

He pulled back slightly, turning his face away, and replied in a low voice, “After joining the army, I ended up getting tanned like this from being in the sun all day.”

Luo Chuchen wasn’t bothered by Liang Jue pulling his hand away and asked, “Why did you join the army? And how did you become a general?”

Liang Jue then explained everything in detail.

After coming of age and leaving the Pingyang Marquis Estate, he happened to meet an old subordinate of his father, who had become a Central General. They had a long conversation. At the time, the court was facing internal and external troubles, with the Xiongnu frequently harassing the northwestern borders, showing signs of invasion. The Central General had returned to the capital to report the situation in detail.

After discussing it with his mother, Liang Jue decided to follow him to the frontier.

Perhaps due to heredity, Liang Jue had a natural talent for military strategy and combat. Within three years, he had earned numerous military merits, rising steadily through the ranks. He led his troops to victory in several crucial battles, quelling the Xiongnu rebellion.

Later, he was recalled to the capital, where he met the Crown Prince, who was overseeing state affairs, and began serving under him. After the Crown Prince ascended the throne, Liang Jue was appointed as the Swift Cavalry General.

Liang Jue recounted it all very simply, but Luo Chuchen felt a pang of heartache.

He pouted and said, “All these years, you never wrote to tell me how you were doing. I knew nothing about it.”

Liang Jue smiled, raised his hand, and gently ruffled Luo Chuchen’s hair, saying, “No matter what, we’ve met safely now, haven’t we?”

“I suppose so.” Luo Chuchen still seemed a bit unhappy.

The wooden railing outside the door curtain was tapped twice, and He Qi poked his head in, “General, shall we serve the dishes now?”

Liang Jue nodded, “Go ahead.”

First, several servants entered and cleared the desserts from the table, moving them to a nearby tea table. Then, a few others brought in food boxes and quietly and efficiently arranged the dishes in the warm pavilion before withdrawing one by one.

Unlike Chu Yuanzhu, who preferred extravagance, Liang Jue had set only four dishes and one soup on the table, all of which were Luo Chuchen’s favorites.

Feeling pleased, Luo Chuchen still remarked, “You and Uncle have prepared so much delicious food I’m afraid you’ll turn me into a fat pig.”

“Eating more is good for you,” Liang Jue said, standing up to serve him. “Your health still needs nurturing. I have plenty of tonics here; take them back with you later and have Shechuan prepare them for you daily.”

“Brother Jue, give me more meat,” Luo Chuchen pleaded eagerly, his eyes fixed on the dishes.

Amused, Liang Jue added two more slices of meat to his bowl before setting down his chopsticks. “Can’t you serve yourself?”

Luo Chuchen didn’t hold back. “With you here, why would I need to lift a finger?”

“Not even lifting a finger? Should I feed you, then?” Liang Jue teased.

Luo Chuchen obediently opened his mouth: “Ah”

“Go on, get out of here.”

Liang Jue couldn’t resist pinching Luo Chuchen’s cheeks, startling him into closing his mouth immediately as he begged, “Don’t, don’t do that!”

“All talk and no action,” Liang Jue scoffed lightly.

Luo Chuchen quickly played along, “I’ll eat properly, I promise.”

With that, he lowered his head and earnestly demonstrated “no talking during meals,” secretly delighting in the thought that even after four years apart, there was no distance between him and Liang Jue.

After the meal, Luo Chuchen was so satisfied he nearly let out a burp. He drifted into a post-meal daze, watching the servants clear the table.

It wasn’t until Liang Jue handed him a cup of tea that Luo Chuchen snapped out of it.

Liang Jue asked, “What are your plans now that you’re back in the capital?”

Remembering the serious matter at hand, Luo Chuchen’s face fell. “Uncle says it’s better to enter the Imperial College than to idle away as a carefree marquis…”

Liang Jue was puzzled. “You studied in Yunzhou for several years wouldn’t entering the Imperial College be just right?”

Luo Chuchen shook his head. “But I’m not cut out for the imperial exams. I managed well enough with the academy coursework, but expecting me to pass the exams and become an official is impossible. You know me, don’t you?”

Liang Jue looked at Luo Chuchen, who gazed back with a pitiful expression.

After a moment, Liang Jue chuckled.

“Alright, alright, don’t worry,” he said, bringing over a plate of jujube paste and yam cakes. “Have a piece of pastry first.”

“Okay,” Luo Chuchen replied obediently, picking up a piece and taking small bites.

“Is there really no room for negotiation? Is your uncle insisting you take the exams?” Liang Jue asked. “Or do you have something else you’d rather do? I remember you used to love painting.”

Luo Chuchen thought to himself that it had been his former profession, of course he liked it. “Should I tell Uncle that all I want to do is paint? How is that any different from being a carefree marquis?”

He was self-aware enough to know that, although he had studied traditional Chinese painting in his previous life, he couldn’t produce any masterpieces that would astonish the world. In this context, it would only sound like an excuse to laze around.

Liang Jue looked surprised. “You don’t know?”

“Know what?” Luo Chuchen asked.

“After the new emperor ascended the throne, he aimed to promote education and expanded the Imperial College to include four new disciplines: literature, painting, mathematics, and medicine. If you’d like, entering the Imperial College’s School of Painting shouldn’t be too difficult.”

Luo Chuchen exclaimed in delight, “Is that true?”

Liang Jue sighed helplessly, “How could I possibly lie to you?”

“That’s wonderful!” Luo Chuchen’s heart swelled with excitement. Eager to give Liang Jue something in return, he glanced around but found nothing suitable. Finally, he picked up a piece of sweet cake and offered it to Liang Jue. “My treat will you have some?”

“Alright, alright,” Liang Jue chuckled, taking the cake and finishing it in a few bites before saying, “I didn’t realize there were so many things you weren’t aware of.”

Luo Chuchen felt a little embarrassed. Back in Yunzhou, he had indeed lived in isolation, preoccupied solely with completing the various missions assigned by the system. How could he have paid attention to so many other matters?

Thinking of the system, Luo Chuchen felt even more grateful toward Liang Jue. He couldn’t help but gaze at him with starry eyes, sincerely saying, “You really are my lucky star!”