I am about to die of old age, and I have awakened the character of longevity.

Chapter 162 Fourth-class merit, He Chunli got into trouble!

There were two thriving osmanthus trees in the yard. It wasn't blooming in June, but they were still lush and green. A small sparrow was chirping in the treetops, then inadvertently flew to the bedroom window, tilting its head to look at the floor-length mirror, chirping non-stop.

Xie An was also looking at the floor-length mirror.

Yuhe took off Xie An's original robe, leaving only the white lining, then took out the official uniform and put it on Xie An piece by piece.

After changing clothes, Xie An looked at himself in the mirror and his eyes became much brighter.

The slim-fitting navy blue brocade cannon has a round collar and is embroidered with three silver pythons pointing upwards. It is lifelike, solemn and cold, showing his identity as a fifth-rank military officer of the Demon Suppression Division.

The hem of the robe peeked out a few feet, revealing a pair of cloud-patterned boots. The belt was made of finely polished leather, inlaid with jade pieces. There was a buckle on the left side of the belt for hanging a waist knife.

A set of official uniforms, noble and solemn, with the python pattern, makes it look even more sharp and fierce. Even if it is worn by an ordinary farmer, it will show a sharp and noble aura.

Not to mention Xie An's strong and upright physique, which made him a natural clothes hanger. Paired with this robe, he looked tall and strong, outstanding and extraordinary.

In his thirty-eight years of life, this was the best clothes Xie An had ever worn.

It’s also the most expensive…

"Master, should I wear this identity token on my waist?"

Xie An thought about it and shook his head, "Forget it, I'll just put it in my inner pocket."

This outfit is enough to prove your identity, but if you hang a token around your waist... it seems a bit ostentatious.

As he walked along, Xie An had noticed that many demon-suppressing guards were in the habit of hanging their identity tokens around their waists. However, they did so for the convenience of entering and leaving. Xie An, a fifth-rank general officer, the only one in Qingwu County, naturally didn't need to do so.

Yuhe took out a green jade pendant and hung it on Xie An. "I saw a nice jade pendant yesterday when I was shopping for daily necessities, so I bought it. It's perfect for you, Master."

Xie An was grateful and found that wearing the jade pendant made his temperament more three-dimensional.

Yu He took a few steps back, looked Xie An up and down, and couldn't help but smile, "Master, you look really heroic and calm, with a sense of dignity even without anger. You have much more temperament than those high-ranking officials out there."

Although Xie An appeared calm on the surface, he felt comfortable in his heart.

Many people think that when people get older, they care less about their appearance.

Judging from Xie An's own experience, this is not the case. The reason for this saying is that people realize that their appearance will not improve after they get older, and gradually give up hope, which has led to the misunderstanding that people no longer care about their appearance after they get older.

If an elderly person is given a chance to regain his youth... Xie An feels that no one would refuse.

Xie An is just a lot younger now, about the same age as a middle-aged man in his thirties, and is far from being rejuvenated.

To start rejuvenation, one needs to enter the nineteenth stage of Mingyu Gong.

Xie An estimated that even if there was no winter barrier, it would still take at least half a year.

But now this appearance has made Xie An feel very comfortable.

"Master, your sword."

Yuhe handed over the sword.

Xie An shook his head, "I'd better use the demon-suppressing weapon I used before."

Although the sword of the Qingwu Demon Suppression Commander was also good and newer, Xie An still preferred the old sword he was used to.

With the demon-suppressing weapon in hand, the image in the mirror became more three-dimensional.

The more Xie An looked at it, the more he liked it. He couldn't help but smile, while Yuhe was laughing in the distance.

"Go to the office on the seventh floor."

Xie An turned and went out.

In fact, if Xie An had not practiced Mingyu Gong to the eighteenth level, comparable to an eighth-level martial artist... Xie An really wouldn't dare to wear this official robe.

It is true that strength gives people courage.

Moreover, although Xie An is only comparable to an eighth-level martial artist now, once he breaks through the nineteenth level of Mingyu Gong in a year or two, he will be comparable to a martial arts master.

A martial arts master who is yet to be confirmed wears a fifth-rank official robe... isn't that too much?
The sparrow on the windowsill chirped a few more times. Seeing Xie An leave, the sparrow also flew away.

……

out the door.

Yuhe just followed Xie An and did not hold his arm.

After all, it has a bad influence in the Demon Suppression Division.

Many busy demon-suppressing guards along the way stopped what they were doing when they saw Xie An, and glanced at the three silver pythons embroidered on Xie An's brocade cannon.

Three silver pythons, with their heads facing upwards.

A fifth-rank official of the Demon Suppression Division!
In Qingwu County, there is only one official position that matches this title - the Chief of the Demonic Office of Qingwu Town.

It was probably the first time they saw this official robe. Perhaps because Xie An's face was unfamiliar, no one was able to recover for a moment and did not dare to recognize him. Instead, they gathered in groups of three or five and whispered to each other.

"Is this the head of our Demon Suppression Division?"

"Hasn't this position been vacant for four years?"

"..."

Some of the more capable demon-suppressing guards took the initiative to approach Xie An and bowed, "This subordinate greets the General."

With the first person to try it out, others flocked to follow, saying, "Greetings, Master Zongsi."

"Greetings, Master General."

Xie An nodded in greeting, neither trying to be overly friendly nor pretending to be aloof, but trying his best to appear serious.

Since he was unfamiliar with the place, Xie An felt it would be more appropriate to be more rigorous.

If your subordinates are all familiar, you should naturally be more friendly and not put on airs. However, when you arrive in an unfamiliar place, there is no need to act aloof, but there is no need to be too easygoing either.

Only after you have firmly established yourself as the general manager can you show kindness, that is the true kindness.

When he came to the seventh floor again, Xie An's mood was different.

I have been here twice before and was a foreign visitor.

The third time I came, I was already the owner.

Zhao Qing'er, Wei Haoran and Chen Tie all stood there to welcome the new master.

Chen Tie bowed first and said with a smile, "Master General, you are like a lofty mountain with green pines, and you have the aura of a broad sea. You truly have the air of a hero. Please take a seat."

Xie An greeted the three of them enthusiastically.

Although he was his superior, Xie An had a clear understanding in his mind: this was only temporary.

One is the daughter of Prince Bao, one is the son of Duke Wei, and one is the son of a great master craftsman...

Xie An was a serious worker who relied on this general office to gain resources, while the others were just there to gild their reputations. Not long after, when they returned to the capital… they had transformed themselves, and even flattery couldn't keep up.

In Xie An's eyes, they were not just his subordinates, but valuable resources that were rich in wealth.

After the greetings, Chen Tie took the initiative to tell Xie An about the responsibilities and precautions of the General Manager.

The advantage is: there is no need to report for work, and you don’t even need to come to the Demon Suppression Bureau. In principle, you are completely free.

There are also areas of pressure: the responsibilities of slaying demons and supervising all officials are self-evident. If there are major accidents or violations in the Demon Mansion of Qingwu Town, the General Director needs to bear certain responsibilities.

Xie An was not surprised by these.

The top leader is always like this: they have the greatest benefits but also the greatest responsibilities. Because of this, the top leader often needs to manage his subordinates well, enforce orders, and ensure that no major problems arise.

After a detailed understanding, Xie An was shocked: the power of the Demon Suppression Bureau was terrifyingly great, it seemed... that it could control everything?

It makes the county government seem like a beast of burden?
After learning all the details, Xie An began to ask, "Brother Chen..."

Chen Tie quickly reminded him, "Don't call me Brother Chen, just call me Chen Tie."

Xie An had no choice but to call him by his name, "How is the treatment of the General Manager?"

This is what Xie An cares about most.

As the general manager, I have assumed the responsibilities and duties of a general manager. But... I also need to know the salary, right?

After all, Xie An became an official because he was attracted by the huge platform of the Demon Suppression Division.

Chen Tie smiled and took out a booklet and showed it to Xie An. "The salary of a fifth-rank general is five hundred taels per year."

Xie An was still surprised when he heard this number.

It's not as good as being the head of the Tiger and Wolf Sect.

However, Xie An was also mentally prepared for this.

He had already understood this. A fifth-rank official in Daqian's rank received salaries ranging from 100 to 200 taels, depending on the nature and severity of their duties. This was significantly higher than in the ancient world.

The fifth-rank chief of the Demon Suppression Division received an annual salary of 500 taels, which was much higher than that of ordinary officials of the same rank. This was mainly due to the high level of danger in the Demon Suppression Division.

Killing demons and monsters, monitoring officials... Which one is an easy job?
The salary seems small. But... which official gets rich by eating the salary?
Power is more valuable than wealth. If you have power, why worry about not having money?

Chen Tie flipped a page back in the booklet. "Although the salary isn't high, the other benefits are very good. Anyone who can become a general manager must be a martial artist. Therefore, they can receive two internal energy pills every month. Based on the strength of the general manager, they can receive internal energy pills of different levels. There is no limit."

This is great!

Xie An knew that martial artists cultivated internal strength.

Internal energy ranges from the first to the ninth level. The higher the level, the more powerful the internal energy and the stronger the strength. The corresponding internal energy pills are also divided into the first to ninth levels, and the higher the level, the more precious the internal energy pills.

It can be said that the Internal Strength Pill is an indispensable basic pill for martial artists to temper their internal strength.

Without this, progress would be ten or even dozens of times slower, and it would be difficult to achieve much in your lifetime.

The five internal energy pills that Tang Zhengyang had given to Xie An before were all first-level internal energy pills, which could satisfy Xie An's goal of breaking through to the first level of martial arts.

This is already very rare.

But the Demon Suppression Division is very generous... Depending on the strength of the General Director, you can receive two Internal Energy Pills of the same strength every month.

If Xie An was a ninth-level martial artist, he could receive two ninth-level internal energy pills a month!
A single internal energy pill couldn't be bought on the market for a thousand taels of silver... people wouldn't sell it. What's more, a nine-layer internal energy pill?

This was a treatment that Xie An could not even imagine.

Zhao Qing'er came up at this moment and continued to explain to Xie An, "Nei Jin Pills are just the basic benefits of the General Administration. In addition, there are Jin Bu Pills for healing injuries, and Qi Xue Pills for restoring Qi and blood. If you are exhausted in battle, take a Qi Xue Pill and you can immediately recover 70% to 80% of your strength. This is a precious medicine that is hard to buy outside.

In addition, there are those that activate joints and bones, and those that maintain one’s appearance…”

Zhao Qing'er looked at the booklet and introduced seven or eight very rare pills. As the general manager, Xie An could receive one to two pills every month.

This really made Xie An very happy.

Martial artists feared being injured in battle, so the Demon Suppression Division's welfare... focused on taking care of this aspect. It was quite reasonable.

No wonder so many martial artists are trying their best to join the Demon Suppression Division.

Big platform, great benefits!
Finally, Chen Tiedao said, "Our Demon Suppression Division is different from other government offices. It was jointly established by the Daoist sect and the imperial court. Promotions are not based on seniority, but primarily on merit."

Xie An knew that the highlight he had been waiting for was coming. "Please tell me in detail."

Chen Tie flipped to the next page of the booklet. "The merits of our Demon Suppression Division are divided into four levels: minor merit, medium merit, major merit, and heavenly merit. Different merits correspond to different rewards. These rewards include martial arts techniques, secret manuals, weapons, precious medicines, precious plants, and monster materials. In addition, the promotion of officials in the Demon Suppression Division is also based on the size of their merits..."

Xie An stared at the merit book while listening to Chen Tie's explanation, and finally had a general understanding of the merits:

For example, resolving a county crisis would be a minor merit. For example, if a demon beast or a gang threatened a county, and Xie An took on the gang alone, that would be a minor merit.

Don't underestimate this small achievement, as the rewards are substantial. They include blood pine cones that boost Qi and blood, white ginseng fruit that prolongs life, and numerous techniques that rival the Nine-Layered Mountain Blade, with some even surpassing it.

Xie An's heart beat faster as he watched.

Brother Tang is right.

The Demon Suppression Division is really a big platform.

Even if the Tiger and Wolf Sect emptied out all their wealth, they still couldn't come up with these things. And if Xie An relied on fighting alone outside, he would probably never have the chance to get these good things in his lifetime.

The court, which has been established for a hundred years, has accumulated abundant resources that are truly not to be underestimated.

Xie An felt that coming here to be the general manager was the right move.

Xie An focused his attention on the white ginseng fruit. "Can this white ginseng fruit really prolong life?"

Zhao Qing'er said, "Of course. As long as the elderly are not close to the end of their lifespan, taking this medicine can extend their lifespan by three to five years."

The image of Madam Li appeared in Xie An's mind.

Ever since Xie An heard He Chunli and Han Li say that Madam Li's time was running out, he had been thinking about visiting her. However, he was delayed by the Demon Suppression Division.

Now when Xie An saw the white ginseng fruit, he thought of Madam Li.

Although Xie An had not seen Madam Li for many years, he would never forget how kind Madam Li was to him when he was a servant in the Li Mansion.

It is better to receive kindness from others when you are poor than to receive huge sums of money from others when you are prosperous.

Xie An pondered for a moment, "Is there any limit on the number of people who can be rewarded for this achievement?"

Zhao Qing'er shook her head. "No. The Merit Book is open to everyone in the Demon Suppression Division. For example, last time, Chief Xie helped the Princess break the large bronze bell, which was equivalent to a Zhong Gong. Unfortunately, Chief Xie wasn't a member of the Demon Suppression Division at the time, so he couldn't claim the merit. But what the Princess gave... is far more than a Zhong Gong reward."

Xie An held his forehead in embarrassment, and in his heart he also thought that the eldest princess was a very nice person.

Next, Xie An looked through the rewards for his success and became more and more surprised.

The Zhong Gong included top-level health-preserving exercises such as the Yi Jin Jing, as well as longevity elixirs, techniques, and treasures such as spiritual weapons... It also included the promotion of a fifth-rank official to the fourth rank.

The fourth rank of the Demon Suppression Division is completely on par with the prefect.

The more Xie An looked at the Demon Suppression Division, the more he liked it.

Although the Demon Suppression Division is also part of the officialdom and one needs connections to get in, it provides a fair platform for advancement for those from poor families: as long as you are capable enough, you can move up.

This was undoubtedly Xie An's opportunity.

Is Zhong Gong really that powerful?
How great is the achievement?
Xie An turned the page and found it was blank. "Hey, why is it gone?"

Chen Tie explained with a smile: "Our Qingwu Demon Suppression Division is of the fifth rank, which is generally not enough to achieve great merit, so it is not included in the merit book. But if someone has made great merit, it can be reported. It will not affect it."

Xie An thought it was reasonable, but he couldn't help asking, "What does great merit equate to?"

Chen Tie thought for a moment and said, "Solving the life-or-death crisis of millions of people in a prefecture is almost a great achievement. Or killing a martial arts master or a mid-level demon beast that poses a threat to Daqian is also a great achievement."

Xie An: “…”

Killing a martial arts master is a great achievement.

There's really no need to look it up.

This is something that Xie An can never reach no matter what.

After closing the book of merit, Xie An reviewed the information in his mind so that he could have a general idea of ​​it.

Chen Tie suddenly changed the subject, "But right now, we have a great achievement. If we can capture or kill the former Fairy Queen Jin Xiaotang, it will be a great achievement. Discovering Jin Xiaotang's whereabouts and assisting the Princess in capturing her will be considered a medium achievement."

Xie An's pupils shrank, and then he became deflated.

This fairy queen of the previous dynasty is definitely a super dangerous person, and it is not easy to earn great merits from her.

However, if you find his whereabouts and assist in his capture... you can still consider getting a punishment.

Zhao Qinger added, "Killing Li Changchun is also a form of gong."

Xie An was discouraged again.

He is at the 19th level of Mingyu Gong, and currently he cannot be provoked. This middle level Gong is unreliable.

Next, Chen Tie discussed with Xie An the personnel deployment, various expenses, etc. of the Demon Suppression Division. Some documents still needed Xie An's signature and official seal.

After a careful inspection, Xie An did not find any clues, so he did not show off his official authority or say any clichés. He directly stamped the official seal and entrusted Chen Tie with more work.

It was almost noon when we left the main building.

The daily chores of the General Administration were numerous, and although Xie An was calm and meticulous, he could still handle them. However, Xie An did not want to spend too much time on them, so he came up with a plan to have Yu He and Chen Tie walk around, understand the details, and classify and summarize them.

There were no secretaries in ancient times, so we trained one.

Isn’t this much easier?
Moreover, Yuhe was no ordinary person. Her daughter was the eldest princess. When communicating with Chen Tie and the others, Chen Tie did not dare to ignore her. He certainly would not look down on Yuhe just because she was a woman.

Xie An still felt more interested in immortality, precious plants, spiritual weapons, etc.

What's more, Xie An brought with him the thoughts from his previous life. He didn't want Yuhe to be his maid for the rest of her life. He also hoped that Yuhe would have a bigger platform.

After sending Yuhe out to do some work, Xie An returned to the southeast courtyard, changed out of his official uniform, and lay comfortably on the Drunkard's Chair to bask in the sun.

Feeling the warm sunshine and the chirping of sparrows, Xie An felt that this was what life was like.

It was lunchtime when Xie An left the villa and went out to the street to buy some cakes that Yuhe liked. He wanted to reward Yuhe, but he was worried that she was tired.

He came to the seventh floor of the main building and saw from afar Chen Tie and Yuhe sitting around the tea table discussing various details, looking very engaged.

Yuhe's eyes were bright and sparkling. It was obvious that she was very knowledgeable and interested in these things, and she didn't look tired at all.

Xie An was very pleased after seeing this: It seems that Yuhe is suitable for this job. Everyone has his or her own stage to shine, which is great.

Xie An placed the pastries wrapped in mulberry paper at the door and left silently.

As soon as he returned to Xie's house, Xie An saw Han Li sitting on the steps with red eyes.

Xie An felt something was wrong, "Where's Xiao He?"

Han Li lowered his head, "He Zi won't let me say it."

Xie An's eyes suddenly darkened. He instinctively felt that something had happened to He Chunli, so he asked seriously, "I'm your master, I told you to speak!"

(End of this chapter)