Ming Dynasty and New Rome and Infinite Magic Machine

Chapter 1637 Pearl, Jade, and White Jade Soup

"They really eat Pearl Jade White Jade Soup!"

They weren't heading to a restaurant, but a campsite. Following instructions, Shangluo took a large, pound-ball-like package from the wardrobe, filled with vegetables, tofu, and a large pile of burnt rice. There were also cooking utensils and some firewood—of course, the vegetables weren't rotten, and the tofu wasn't spoiled.

"On the bright side, at least the ingredients are fresh."

"I won't eat." Zhu Ling crossed her arms and assumed a defensive stance.

"Your dad made you eat it."

"You're already listening to my dad like this now, I don't even want to think about what will happen in the future. Is this how you come to a blind date?"

"I think so. When you go on a blind date, you need to understand the other person's family, right? Respecting your father's decision is also part of that. Are you prepared to handle life like this? If not, it's better to listen to your father at home."

"Waaah... The best thing about getting married is probably not being controlled by them anymore. Shangluo, will you control me like this? Will you force me to eat vegetables?"

"You're already being kind by not forcing me to eat meat. I don't have time to care what you eat for dinner."

"No. You have to keep an eye on me. If no one keeps an eye on me, I'll become more and more degenerate."

"Huh?" Shang Luo was taken aback. "So, do you want someone to keep you in check, or do you not want anyone to keep you in check?"

“I want you to be in charge of me, not my father.”

"Why is that? How could I possibly treat you as your father treated you?"

"Because my father controls me, I don't like it and I can't resist. If you control me, I can refuse you if I don't like it."

"You're really quick-witted!"

Shangluo only wanted to refuse control, but what she really wanted was to refuse the moral pressure of rejecting her father. Because when she rejected Shangluo, she felt no moral pressure at all.

One of Zhu Ling's strengths is that even when she fully understands what ethics and morality are, she still abides by them and is very willing to do so.

In other words, she knew very well how to be seen as a "reasonable and good person".

Of course, the price she pays is that she sometimes sees things too clearly, which can lead to her being a bit extreme in her behavior. She simply won't do anything she doesn't want to do or that doesn't put her under moral pressure.

For example, whether or not she eats vegetables should be entirely her personal freedom. Therefore, she will choose to remain free.

"What if I insist that you eat the Pearl Jade White Jade Soup?"

"Then I'll eat it."

"really?"

"Really?" Zhu Ling nodded. "Of course, if you insist I eat it, I don't know what will happen afterward." It was a blatant threat. If she really was forced to eat it, Zhu Ling might actually do it, and she might disappear for months. Making her blind date angry and avoiding her would shift the pressure onto Shang Luo. Then, whether it was Zhu Xianxi's mother or Zhu Xianxi himself asking, it would be difficult to explain.

He needed to think it over himself. Perhaps this was why Emperor Taihe had sent them here. Because if such a small matter could cause them to break ties, then who knew what bigger events might occur later?

"So, Zhu Ling, let's analyze the current situation—the situation is that your father is making you eat; he gave me the order, but you don't want to eat, right?"

“That’s how it is,” Zhu Ling added to the analysis. “You see, that’s why I like you. You’re just as reasonable as I am.”

"So we've had a disagreement here, and we need to bridge that gap, right?"

"Right, that is it."

"Then let's analyze why you don't want to eat."

Shangluo realized something—finding out what Zhu Ling was thinking was probably what Emperor Taihe wanted him to do. Because under normal circumstances, Zhu Ling wouldn't reveal these things himself. Only when keeping them to himself was necessary to resolve the problem would it become clear.

"Because it doesn't taste good. Meat tastes much better than vegetables. Isn't the point of living to eat meat?"

"But sometimes, meat and vegetables can taste really good together, right? For example, when eating greasy meat, you can wrap it in a vegetable leaf to cut through the richness?"

"Shouldn't the most direct way be to eat lightly seasoned meat? That way, you won't need to cut through the greasiness. Making the meat greasy just shows a lack of skill."

"But some meats are inherently greasy, right? Like the barbecue your brother treated us to last time. The fat was melted in the oven and then brushed with lots of sauce. It was tender and falling off the bone without losing its shape, but it was definitely very greasy."

"Then drink soda," Zhu Ling said matter-of-factly. "The most direct way to cut through the grease is to drink soda. A sip of soda followed by a bite of meat, isn't that the right choice? In the end, vegetables are superfluous in a human diet. Food itself is a combination of various nutrients. As long as you get all the necessary nutrients, what you eat is just a formality."

"Wait a minute." Shangluo suddenly remembered something. "Don't we have a slightly different definition of vegetables? For example, what should you eat if you're lacking dietary fiber?"

"Eat brown rice. Eat all kinds of grains. You've seen my family's menu, right? There are more than a dozen kinds of steamed buns alone."

"What about vitamins?"

"Fruit. I don't eat vegetables, but I do eat fruit. Oh, right, I also eat tomatoes, I treat them as fruit. I also eat white radishes, I eat them raw like fruit."

"Ah," Shangluo understood, "So as long as it's raw, they can exploit your bug and make you classify it as fruit? So your diet is based on pandas!"

"Yes, I just don't like eating cooked vegetables. Eating them raw is fine, like fruit. Besides, heating destroys many nutrients, so the best way to eat them for their nutritional value is raw. Since all the nutrients are present, it's not a scientific issue, it's an ethical one."

Ethical issues are also an area where the Zhu family excels—as mentioned before, she wouldn't refuse her father's orders. However, this wasn't a direct order from her father, but rather an indirect one through Shang Luo, so the decision to carry it out rests with Shang Luo. If Shang Luo wants her to eat, then her decision to cancel the blind date is perfectly reasonable, since blind dates are supposed to be consensual. However, if she actually does that, the pressure of driving Zhu Ling away will fall on him.

This also presents an ethical problem.

Zhu Ling's logic is impeccable, both scientifically and ethically.

(End of this chapter)