Chapter 43: September 7, White Dew Assessment

After disembarking, Zhao Xing and Old Eight Xu returned to the river salvage worker's stall. They returned the voucher, recovered the one tael deposit, and then gave it as a reward to Old Eight Xu. With everything clearly accounted for, their business was concluded. It was already very late; otherwise, Old Eight Xu would have undoubtedly pulled people aside to brag about it.

Zhao Xing checked the time and returned to Gucheng.

"Wind Surge!"

Wind appeared under his feet, increasing his walking speed, with each step covering two or three meters. He arrived home just before the end of the Hai Shi period (9-11 PM).

"Today's harvest was good," he thought. "I originally only intended to make a small profit, but I didn't expect to gain so much in the end."

"It seems my Derived-Two Fortune is truly extraordinary."

If it were a Derived-One level fortune, he would probably have missed this fourth-tier bead.

"With this gain," Zhao Xing thought, "I won't have to worry about food and drink for a while, and my Origin Gathering speed won't be slow either." He packed the bead, put it into a box, and locked it. He still had some spare money and wasn't in a hurry to sell it; he wanted to ensure he got a high price. An ordinary person might lose sleep over such a windfall, but Zhao Xing ate and slept as usual.

The next day, he went to the Bureau of Agriculture as usual for duty and study.

Once the End of Heat solar term passed, the old agricultural official began to emphasize theory over practical work. He directly told everyone that the exam for the next solar term would be theoretical. Reading became the top priority for the clerks at the Bureau of Agriculture.

"Old Sinong," a clerk asked, "could you reveal which classics will be on the test? Could you circle some key points for us?"

Xue Wenzhong smiled slightly. "Of course, listen carefully. The Grand View of Trees, The Classic of Herbs, A Hundred Solutions to Celestial Timing, The Four Agricultural Truths, Monthly Phenology, Three Lights of Earth Veins, Ten Thousand Chapters of Benefitting Things…"

Well, that was as good as asking nothing; every single one was a key point!

Extensive knowledge and a strong memory are essential qualities for agricultural officials. The Nineteen Prefectures are vast and rich in resources, with many variations in celestial timing and geographical advantages, not to mention countless types of plants. If the imperial court sends you to a post, and you don't even know what is suitable to plant in that area or when to plant it, then what use are you?

The above are just basic requirements, akin to passively relying on nature for sustenance. In many special environments, agricultural officials are required to cast spells, alter celestial timing, seek earth veins, and create a favorable environment before deciding what to plant.

"In the southern part of Guangling Prefecture, there's Yuanling County," someone recited. "In spring, five types of auspicious grain can be planted there; planted in spring and ripened in spring, one ear can feed five people."

"In summer, the Hundred-Blood Vine can be planted there; planted in summer and harvested in summer, its fruit can replenish one hundred types of blood."

"In autumn… Qian Dong, what was it again for autumn?" Chen Ziyu tilted his head and looked at Qian Dong.

Qian Dong spread his hands. "Why are you memorizing such obscure Heavenly Grotto beneficial items? Do you really think you'll have a chance to become an official in a Grotto-heaven or Blessed Land?"

"You're right," Chen Ziyu conceded, about to give up, when he heard Zhao Xing, who was next to him, slowly say: "In autumn, golden beans can be cultivated; planted in autumn and harvested in autumn, they can gather origin energy in three days, achieve a rank in one month, and are worth more than gold."

"In winter, bone-mending ginseng can be dug; it can rejoin bones in ten days, and regrow severed limbs in a hundred days."

Chen Ziyu opened his book and, seeing it, sincerely praised, "As expected of you, brother, your foundation is truly solid."

Zhao Xing said with a hint of nostalgia, "Not entirely. If you could live there for a few years, you would also know it like the back of your hand."

"Brother, you speak as if you've been there yourself," Chen Ziyu remarked. "Guangling Prefecture is more than ten thousand li away from our Pinghai Prefecture, isn't it?"

"Can't I have visited it in my dreams?" Zhao Xing laughed.

"Of course, you can," Chen Ziyu chuckled. "After all, you're the elder brother."

"Hahaha."

***

Time flowed by, and in the blink of an eye, the White Dew solar term was approaching.

Zhao Xing was also studying diligently day and night to prepare for the exam. Once he became a regular official and achieved a rank, he would not only enter the Fortune Dynasty system, increasing his luck and lifespan, but also be able to attempt many other things. For instance, regarding the Grand Dream Academy, that treasure trove, he estimated he could try to gain benefits from it again once he reached a rank. Becoming a ranked, official agricultural official would also expand Zhao Xing's scope of action, allow him to learn more spells, and lay a more solid foundation for the future "Revival" version.

Zhao Xing wasn't striving for official regularization; he was striving for immortality. If he were dropped into the even more distant Taizu era, he would simply give up entirely. But being in the Jing Emperor's era, he felt he could still strive to survive until the Revival version. This motivation was simple yet powerful. Imagine if someone told you, "If you start exercising now, maintain healthy living habits, and live for another twenty years, you'll witness technological breakthroughs that grant immortality." Would you do it?

"If one does not marry or have children," he mused, "the fortune and blessings that grant lifespan upon promotion and ranking will not be dispersed. They will all accrue to the official themselves."

"Additionally, any longevity-extending treasures are best used as early as possible. Otherwise, later on, the restrictions will become stronger and the difficulty will increase."

"When receiving a rank, it will also boost other aspects," Zhao Xing calculated in his mind. "But if I have already reached the corresponding cultivation stage when I receive my rank, then all benefits will be used to increase my lifespan. Therefore, by next spring, I should ideally reach the ninth stage of Origin Gathering, so that all the benefits of ranking go towards my lifespan."

Doing this had another benefit: if he were to lose his official position or be demoted, the impact on him would be minimal, perhaps even nonexistent. This meant he would have the ability to jump onto the Great Zhou's Fortune express train himself, without needing it to pull him too much; it only needed to open the door for him. Then, if it tried to kick him off, he would have the ability to jump off without injury.

"Heaven's Mandate is my Mandate, Heaven's Fortune is my Fortune, Heaven's Lifespan is my Lifespan," he thought. "Return fortune to the dynasty? Not a bit of it." After planning his future, Zhao Xing returned to the immediate matters at hand.

***

The seventh day of the ninth lunar month marked the White Dew solar term. The Bureau of Agriculture held its first theoretical examination of the year. The entire exam lasted two days. Candidates were not allowed to be late but could submit their papers early.

The chief examiner was still Xue Wenzhong, but other agricultural officials also needed to review the questions together. The questions had to align with Nanyang Commandery's examination philosophy, being neither too unconventional nor too rigid. After grading, the exam papers had to be archived and submitted to Nanyang Commandery for review. Results from other solar term exams also had to be archived and submitted, but Nanyang Commandery generally wouldn't scrutinize them, only performing spot checks unless someone reported an issue. However, theoretical exams would definitely be fully reviewed. It wasn't a big deal if a clerk's spell went astray, but if their theoretical thinking was flawed, it would be very dangerous.

During the Taizu era, there was an agricultural clerk in Nanyang Commandery who, from some misguided book, wrote a theoretical concept called 'Severing Heaven-Earth Connection' during an exam to show off. As a result, he offended both the Celestial Timing Faction and the Geographical Advantage Faction and was immediately imprisoned. Even the "Self-Centered Faction" didn't deny the Celestial Timing Faction and Geographical Advantage Faction; they simply had a master-subordinate relationship. But 'Severing Heaven-Earth Connection' denied the current calendar and even Tao itself. It was absolutely heretical thinking, going beyond mere unorthodoxy; it was practically treason and an insult to the state.

The Great Zhou still had relatively free speech. Later, this person was investigated, imprisoned for half a year, and then released without major consequences. However, the booksellers who sold those heretical books suffered; after a severe crackdown and confiscation, their entire clans were executed.

"During the exam, I need to write cautiously," Zhao Xing repeatedly reminded himself. "Don't come up with any overly advanced ideas; even a small step too far ahead would be enough to get an 'A' or higher." Then he walked into the examination hall.