Chapter 21: Harvest

【Name: Zhao Xing】

【Realm: Unranked】

【Fortune: Yan Two】

【Gathering Yuan: Second Tier (715/1000)】

【Spell: Basic Cultivation (Max Level)】

【Thriving Growth (Beginner): First Turn (1101/9999)】

【Moving Clouds (Beginner): Seventh Turn (7546/9999)】

【Rising Wind (Beginner): Fourth Turn (4124/9999)】

【Thunder (Beginner): Fifth Turn (5784/9999)】

【Spreading Rain (Beginner): Third Turn (3541/9999)】

【Grass and Trees All Soldiers: Third Turn (3084/9999)】

【Willow Transmission Weaving Method · Remnant Chapter (Four Types)】

【Returning-Walk Straw Man (Beginner): Third Turn (3084/9999)】

【Entangling Straw Man (Beginner): First Turn (1201/9999)】

【Divine-Walk Straw Man (Beginner): First Turn (1501/9999)】

【Thorny Straw Man (Beginner): 475/9999】

【Bright Eyes Night Vision (Beginner): (322/9999)】

【Five Elements Observation (Beginner): (88/9999)】

【Secondary Profession: Talisman Maker】

【Soul-Calming Talisman (Basic): (321/1000)】

【Guidance Talisman (Basic): (525/1000)】

【Treasure: Warding Misfortune Almanac (Third Grade, Superior)】

【Thousand-Li Transmission Token (Third Grade, Superior)】

【Note: For beginner spells, every thousand points of proficiency counts as one turn; below a thousand points means just barely grasped. The straw men count under the Grass and Trees All Soldiers spell, but the two have independent proficiency calculations. Gathering Yuan and talisman-making are not spells and are also calculated independently.】

"There is indeed a golden house within books. Although I didn't gain any new spells, just from reading these standardized texts this whole night, my proficiency actually rose this much?"

Zhao Xing felt his absorption efficiency for the imperial court's standardized spell canon was absurdly exaggerated.

Still, he had gradually grown used to this pace. Moving Clouds had already reached the seventh turn, Thunder the fifth turn, and the rest of his spells hadn't lagged behind either.

"The subtle transformation from the Dao Embryo Pill has only just begun. Although my cultivation speed is exaggerated, it's only compared to before. For now, this pace would only count as excellent within a single county, not dazzling. Once I've thoroughly transformed in the future, I'd be considered a genius even across an entire prefecture."

He had stayed up the whole night, yet the longer he stayed up, the more awake he became.

After splashing some water on his face, Zhao Xing slipped out the door in the dark.

By the time he reached the Agricultural Bureau, the sky was already showing the pale light of dawn.

"Brother Zhao, good morning."

"Oh, isn't this Zhao Yi-Jia?"

"After the Start of Autumn, I'm afraid it'll be Zhao Er-Jia."

"Hahaha."

Colleagues who spotted Zhao Xing along the road all greeted him one after another.

Zhao Yi-Jia? Since when did I get this nickname?

"I'll borrow your auspicious words." Zhao Xing didn't take it to heart either. Cupping his hands in return, he accepted the nickname openly and without fuss.

? ttkan? c〇

It had only just passed the Mao hour, yet over a hundred people had already arrived at the Agricultural Bureau.

During Emperor Wen's reign, local officials were required to begin their shift at the fifth quarter of the Chen hour, which was 8:15. In winter it was pushed back even further to the second quarter of the Si hour, which was 9:30.

Emperor Wen's leniency extended not only to the common people but equally to officials.

Then came Emperor Jing, this king of overwork. He led the charge himself, and the officials' shift-start times were drastically pulled forward.

Summer hours began from the first quarter of the Mao hour, winter hours from the fourth quarter of the Mao hour—that is, 5:15 and 6:00.

The Wen Emperor's era didn't require clocking in, but Emperor Jing demanded a "roll-call at Mao" check-in.

It got to the point that clerks who hadn't gained the "Bright Eyes Night Vision" ability even had to carry lanterns to their shifts.

"Looks like there are quite a few aspiring officials this year. They're probably all preparing for the Start of Autumn minor examination in a few days." Zhao Xing looked around and saw clerks everywhere carrying lanterns and clutching books, even while eating.

In peaceful years, taxes were low, and as long as one wasn't lazy, no one would go without a single breakfast. So these clerks had all come to fight for their futures.

Everyone ate very quickly too—wolfing down their food and then hurrying off to work. Zhao Xing had originally wanted to rest a bit after finishing his meal, but seeing this scene, he actually felt a pang of guilt.

"Damn it, who's afraid of a grind-off? Back in my past life I gamed through a dozen titles, staying up for seven days and nights without blinking." Zhao Xing also wolfed down his food at top speed and headed for the Locust and Willow Court.

Xue Wenzhong had many clerks under him, so the miscellaneous tasks he assigned were few, but not nonexistent.

Starting from the Start of Summer, there had been one key task: cooperating with the Sky Workshop to repair and monitor the "Pinghu Thirteen Canals."

Because summer and autumn often brought floods, and Gucheng sat in the middle-to-lower reaches of the Canglan River, it was frequently damaged by natural disasters.

In the late era of the Ancestor, the Registrar of Fields, Cao Xi, had built the Pinghu Thirteen Canals, linking tributaries of the Canglan River to East Lake, and set up Return-to-Origin Water Wheels. Over the years, as primordial energy accumulated, the Dashan beside East Lake grew taller and taller. From then on, East Lake Mountain became a place of spiritual beauty.

"The Agricultural Bureau wants to newly set up four Return-to-Origin Water Wheels at East Lake. The site planning for the one at Sishui Bend is the responsibility of our Locust and Willow Court. The Sky Workshop ordered three, and they've all arrived—why has ours alone not arrived yet?" When he reached Xue Wenzhong's office, he found him handling some matter.

The clerk replying to him appeared to be over forty and was the most senior clerk of the Locust and Willow Court, Ding Shan: "Elder Xue, the Sky Workshop replied that the prefecture's materials haven't been dispatched, manpower is short, and the construction schedule needs to be delayed."

"Delayed again?" Xue Wenzhong snorted. "Why is it that when it comes to me, there are always all sorts of excuses? Does the old man look like he's made of clay, without a shred of temper?"

Sensing that Xue Wenzhong seemed vastly different from before, Ding Shan even changed how he addressed him: "My lord, should I go urge them again?"

Xue Wenzhong flung the memorial aside: "No need to urge them further. I've written three reports—you deliver one to Lord Chen Shijie, one to Lord Li Wenzheng at the county office, and one to Lord Ji, the Inspector of Nanyang Prefecture. If my urging that Gongsun Jin is useless, then let these three lords go urge him!"

The old Agricultural Director seemed to have grown tough after recovering from his illness. His words made Ding Shan's heart tremble, and he hurriedly nodded in assent, immediately beginning to stamp and seal.

After Xue Wenzhong finished his business and saw Zhao Xing waiting outside the door, his face immediately cleared like clouds parting for sunshine. He smiled and beckoned: "Zhao Xing, come in."

"Teacher, I've come to report for duty. I wonder if there's anything I can do to ease your burden," Zhao Xing asked.

Xue Wenzhong stroked his beard and laughed: "There are two hundred people in the Huai Liu Court — what matter would still need you to handle? Just prepare well for the examination."

Ding Shan glanced at Zhao Xing in surprise. Seeing Xue Wenzhong's words pause, he sensibly took his leave.

After stepping out the door, Ding Shan saw that Xue Wenzhong had actually let Zhao Xing sit in his own chair — he was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

The always impartial Old Minister of Agriculture, showing such favoritism toward someone? Could it be that this change was also related to him?

Zhao Xing, for his part, didn't notice this shift in attitude, simply assuming things were different after becoming a disciple. Since the Old Minister of Agriculture had no miscellaneous tasks for him, he could save some time to cultivate.

After reporting in, he headed straight to the back courtyard to practice spells.

After his Basic Cultivation Art advanced, he had obtained the beginner spell 【Robust Growth】, but he had rarely practiced it lately, only reaching the first revolution.

The Old Minister of Agriculture had hinted that the Start of Autumn exam would lean toward cultivation-type questions, so he had to seize the time to practice.

"Huh? Why is there an extra patch of seedlings in the back courtyard's vegetable garden…" Zhao Xing was searching for something to practice on, but was drawn to a certain corner of the garden.