I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 113 Aftermath
Wei Wendao sighed and said, "We were full of ambition at first, but now we're a bit disheartened. Otherwise, we wouldn't have abandoned our books and come here to fool around with Brother Weimin."

"How do you say this?"

Xue Xiang said, "I've also heard some rumors that this year's competition is quite difficult, and the number of people receiving special treatment has increased. I just don't understand, were there fewer people receiving special treatment in previous years?"

Wei Wendao said, "The imperial army is expanding in the northwest. The newly conquered territories need to be settled by immigrants and garrisoned. We don't want old officials and we will select people from the newly appointed scholars."

In this way, as long as one achieves a good ranking in the scientific expedition, there will be a real position available.

Take this county examination for example. In previous years, even if someone passed the exam and became a city student, they would only be given a minor post in the county.

If you're lucky, you'll be lucky to land a substantive position as deputy section chief.

"Now that the Northwest is being developed, there are plenty of real positions and good posts. If you work your way up for two years, use connections, and transfer to the interior, it's a promising future—naturally, everyone's interested."

Xue Xiang had a profound understanding of the grassroots official system.

The section chief and deputy section chief are not considered high-ranking officials, after all, they do not have any special talismans and are not considered to be in official rank.

These official positions were mostly filled by those who had served long-term, and the proportion of Confucian scholars with official titles was not high.

After all, those who pass the city exam all hope to pass the county exam, so that they can get a real position, and after years of service, they might be able to get a celestial talisman and become a low-ranking celestial official.

Few people would take up a low-level official position during their urban life, unless they were very old and forced to make a living.

As far as Xue Xiang knew, Li Shaobai was born into a county school and, through family connections, rose to the position of Vice Dean and obtained a tenth-grade immortal talisman in just two years.

He certainly looked down on Li Shaobai, but he knew that if he followed the normal pace, he was still far from Li Shaobai's position.

Even if he passes the county examination, he cannot achieve success overnight and obtain the Immortal Talisman; he still needs to accumulate years of experience.

"Brother Wei, do you mean that if we recruit students from Zhongjun, we'll most likely be sent to the Northwest?"

"Whether it's close or not isn't the key. The key is to get a middle score and a good ranking. Everyone wants a Celestial Talisman. Some people spend their whole lives studying and still can't earn one."

"Brother Wei, you're being too pessimistic. You're the top scholar in Yunmeng, after all. Who's worried? It's none of your business to worry."

Xue Xiang was utterly astonished.

Wei Wendao shook his head, "Brother Xue, you don't know this. In today's world, Confucianism is flourishing, and the major cultivation sects are declining. Everyone has started to recite Confucianism."

Is it difficult to study Confucianism?

For those great cultivators, it's just a matter of using their brains more and taking a detour.

The Divine Kingdom is now prosperous, but there is a severe shortage of official positions. With the opening of the northwest border, a large number of official positions have been released. I have even heard that some Core Formation cultivators have begun to specialize in Confucianism.

"Among this gathering of spirits, there are even late-stage Foundation Establishment experts, can you believe it?"

"hiss!"

Xue Xiang gasped, "Isn't this ridiculous?"

"The most outrageous things are yet to come."

Wei Wendao said, "Rumors have already spread that this year's county examination will be conducted with a system where 'literary examination determines success or failure, and cultivation level determines merit.' This is clearly a way to open the door for those who have switched to Confucianism and become hereditary students."

Xue Xiang frowned; he certainly understood what Wei Wendao meant.

The written examination determined whether someone stayed or left.

The written examination was originally something that these orthodox Confucian scholars excelled at, and they relied on it to improve their scores. However, the written examination ended up becoming a qualification exam.

Once it becomes a qualification exam, there is no difference between those who get full marks and those who barely pass.

When it came to the cultivation test, those Foundation Establishment experts from the hidden realms naturally had the upper hand.

When the rankings are tallied, those with privileged backgrounds will naturally have a huge advantage.

“This will not be allowed. I can see it causing a scene at the academy.”

Xue Xiang became anxious. At first, he treated it as a story, but when it came to the possibility of his own interests being harmed, Xue the Master screamed more pitifully than anyone else.

"That's how it's been rumored. Even if it's not that outrageous, it's certain that some powerful cultivators got involved in the county examination."

Wei Wendao sighed and said, "The reason is very simple. The situation in the Northwest is very turbulent, and the higher-ups want someone with strong capabilities to go there and keep it under control."

Xue Xiang nodded, "No matter what, it's always right to do our best."

"That's true, but the knot in my heart is hard to untie."

“Brother Wei, you are the top student in Yunmeng, so you should strive to improve yourself. If you are so dejected, how can the other students be encouraged to cheer up?”

Xue had made up his mind: he would rather die in battle than die of fright.

"How magnificent are these words."

Wei Wendao clapped his hands and said, "Very well, I will set off tomorrow to enter Bailudong Academy for my final push. Would Xue Xiang be willing to come with me?"

Xue Xiang said, "I still have a lot of things to do in Suiyang. After I've taken care of them, I'll go find Brother Wei."

After seeing Wei Wendao off, Xue Xiang returned home and went straight to Wenxu Blessed Land.

He now prefers to sleep in Wenxu Blessed Land, firstly because it is full of spiritual energy, and secondly because it is absolutely safe.

He had just used the Azure Dragon technique to trick Su Suiran and the others, so naturally he had to be wary of them doing the same thing.

I slept until dawn, when I heard some noise outside.

He summoned his literary energy to shield himself and went outside the cave, where he saw Feng Nuancheng bowing and requesting an audience.

However, quite a few Core Formation cultivators wrote down their insights and experiences, and submitted them for his critique.

Xue Xiang collected the jade pendants one by one, went into the cave, and quietly began to examine them.

And so they watched from sunrise to sunset.

The level of experts at the Core Formation Realm is indeed different. Although Xue Xiang could not understand most of their cultivation insights, there were many points that resonated with him.

In particular, Su Jianmo's discourse on literary spirit and divine weapons gave Xue Xiang a new perspective.

He felt there was no need to go to great lengths to study some secret cultivation methods; focusing on understanding and mastering the Gatling gun was better than anything else.

However, Su Jianmo's discussion of the literary spirit and divine weapon is mostly general in nature, with very little mention of the specific process.

Xue Xiang's thoughts raced, so he went outside the cave, summoned Feng Nuancheng, returned Su Jianmo's jade pendant, and asked Feng Nuancheng to tell Su Jianmo to go to great lengths to fully explain the mystery before delving into its secrets.

Feng Nuancheng couldn't understand what Xue Xiang meant, but he remembered it well, went outside, and activated the communication array.

Before long, Su Jianmo arrived and received his jade pendant and Xue Xiang's decree.

Su Jianmo pondered for a moment and then understood, realizing that Xue Xiang wanted him to systematically discuss the spirit of literature and the divine weapon, as comprehensively and thoroughly as possible.

He certainly didn't think that the Lord of Mingde Dongxuan would covet his wonderful method; rather, he thought that the Lord of Mingde Dongxuan had high hopes for him and was testing him.

"The opportunity has arrived."

Su Jianmo returned in a hurry, summoned the elders, and began to focus on examining the details of each stage of the forging, strengthening, and completion of the literary and magical weapon.

Just as Su Jianmo was focused on her creative work, Xue Xiang's reinstatement notice arrived.

He returned to Room 11, reclaiming his position at the center of power in Suiyang Town.

At the same time, Wang Anshi was promoted to the position of head of the Third Division, and Xun Sizhou took over Wang Anshi's position.

Song Zijie took over Xun Sizhou's position, and Wu Kui became the captain of the second squadron.

Ding Chunxia also placed Ding Peng into the patrol team, appointing him as the captain of the third squadron.

Besides the personnel arrangements in Suiyang, the United Trading Company has also recently experienced some major events.

Fan Youyi finally convinced Dong Jiacun, and Jiahe Trading Company and United Trading Company reached a deep cooperation agreement.

Dong Jiacun was appointed as the president of the United Commercial Group, and Fan Youyi was appointed as the vice president.

United Commercial Group has power, land, and a favorable location, while Jiahe Commercial Group has experienced veterans and a wide network of connections throughout Yunmeng. The two companies joining forces can be considered a powerful alliance.

Xue Xiang only had one meal with Dong Jiacun, and the important matter was settled.

Having settled the major issues such as personnel and the joint business association, Xue Xiang began to delve into the grassroots level.

They might visit the poor and inquire about their hardships, promote education and provide financial assistance, or recruit workers on a large scale.

He didn't consider himself the head of the Eleventh Bureau, nor did others treat him that way. Xue Xiang practiced the principle of serving the people and bringing benefits to the region in his official capacity.

This time, he wasn't just acting out of spite; he simply wanted to do some good deeds and be a good person.

After all, he had gained so much in Suiyang, and he couldn't rest easy without giving something in return.

Time flies by in our busy lives, and before we know it, the year is drawing to a close again.

After the Suiyang Town government was locked down, Xue Xiang invited several officials and heads of various departments to have a reunion dinner before returning to Yunmeng.

After returning to Yunmeng, he didn't immediately have a moment to rest.

On one hand, he asked someone to buy the old house of the neighbor on the right at a high price, renovated it, and opened a side door in the public wall. On the other hand, he bought New Year's gifts in large quantities and sent them to Xie Haiya, Qian Ming, and his uncle Song Yuan's family.

He didn't go to Wei Yang's place because he heard that Wei Yang had gone to Canglan Prefecture and sent someone with gifts. He felt it would be disrespectful not to go himself.

But if he went alone, Madam Wei would be home alone, and Xue Xiang was afraid that gossip would spread.

As the 29th of the twelfth lunar month approached, Xue Xiang figured Wei Yang should be back by now, so he brought gifts and went to her door.

The doorman welcomed him in, informing him that Lord Wei had not yet returned. After receiving the gifts, he invited him to stay in the small hall for tea.

Xue Xiang felt slightly embarrassed, but since he had already come all this way, it would be difficult to save face if he didn't see Madam Wei.

After waiting for about half a cup of tea's time, he heard a noise coming from behind the curtain in the main hall. Only then did he realize that someone was hiding behind the curtain, and it must have been Madam Wei.

He rose and bowed, and Madam Wei, who had been watching Xue Xiang for a long time, finally spoke.

In the past, Madam Wei was always very enthusiastic, but this time she spoke through a curtain. This change was so great that Xue Xiang was speechless.

The more this happened, the more embarrassed Xue Xiang felt. What should have been a proper junior paying respects to an elder had become so awkward.

After exchanging only a few words, Xue Xiang was about to take his leave when Madam Wei had a maid bring out a plate of vegetables and fruits, which were sliced ​​cucumbers. She said they were freshly picked from the courtyard and cultivated using the greenhouse method described in "The Mortal World".

Xue Xiang examined the cucumber slice; it was wrinkled and not very fresh. Thinking it was all Madam Wei's kindness, he picked up a slice and ate it, but found the taste strange and refused to eat any more.

Suddenly, Madam Wei fell silent. A maid came over and said that Madam Wei had gone to attend to something and told Xue Xiang to go by himself.

Xue Xiang returned home with a mountain of problems on his mind.

The neighbor's house on the right had been renovated, and someone moved in that very night.

At 5:15 PM, as a large hot pot with four cold dishes and eight hot dishes was set out on the round table with the wood-burning stove in the main room of the Xue family, the side door on the right side of the wall opened, and Liu Mei walked in.

Instead of her palace attire, she changed into her old clothes. As soon as she entered the main room, she gracefully bowed to Madam Xue, who was waiting by the door, and the two embraced and wept bitterly.

Xue Xiang couldn't bear to see such a scene, so he went to the rooftop early to look at the moon. Since there was no moon, he could only look at the dark sky.

He returned only after he had finished his sob story, winking at Liu Mei, who rolled her eyes at him and leaned against Xue's mother to talk.

The family had already received instructions from Xue Xiang to change their name to Liu Mei.

The little one probably thought it was funny that Liu Meixin had changed her name, and kept calling out "Sister Zhiwei".

After the meal, Liu Mei, as usual, helped clear the dishes, and Xue Xiang also participated.

The whole family pitched in, and no one was idle. This is why the Xue family has never hired servants.

After Xue's mother and Xiao Shi went to sleep, Liu Mei returned to her old room. Xue Xiang tried to squeeze in to talk, but was kicked out.

"Mei, Sister Zhiwei, let's go back to your home."

Xue Xiang leaned against the door and whispered.

His newly furnished house was spacious and beautiful, with a large, soft bed. He thought he was finally all set up, but unexpectedly, this guy was still lazing around in the old house. (Who said Xue Xiang would reward the Alliance Leader after losing his virginity? I'm just that stubborn.)
"This is my home, time to sleep."

The candles in Liu Zhiwei's room went out.

Helpless, Xue Xiang returned to his room.

Shortly after, there was a knock on the door. It was Fan Youyi who came to report to Xue Xiang on the operation of the United Business Association.

Sure enough, choosing to cooperate with Jiahe Trading Company was a brilliant move. With the addition of a mature and experienced management team, the efficiency of the United Trading Company improved dramatically.

Xue asked about some details of the business, mentioned the concept of speculating on pre-sale apartments, and demanded that new residential buildings could start pre-sales as soon as the foundation piles were driven in.

The underhanded tactic of allocating common area will definitely have to be implemented, since none of the ordinary people can afford these new-style houses in Suiyangdu.

These people are free money; why not take advantage of it?

Fan Youyi took notes carefully. When Xue Xiang asked about his review progress, Fan Youyi was full of confidence.

After Fan Youyi left, Xue Xiang did not go to sleep immediately. After completing the routine of guiding the spirit into his body, he began to write the drafts of "The Mortal World" and "The Wrong Bride Married the Right Groom".

He wrote with lightning speed, and by the time dawn broke, he had accumulated a thick volume of manuscripts.

He has achieved great success in his cultivation, especially after practicing the Nebula Overlord Body Technique, he can now quickly recover his body through a very short period of rest.

I woke up to bright daylight; it had snowed heavily all night.

Xue Xiang suddenly remembered that there were still several extremely poor families in Suiyang Town, whose thatched huts probably wouldn't last long.

He rushed over again early in the morning, and fortunately the local village chief remembered his instructions and came overnight to reinforce the structure.

Those families were all safe and sound, and were preparing their New Year's Eve dinner with great enthusiasm.

Upon seeing Xue Xiang, they were all filled with endless gratitude.

After all, this year's harvest has been excellent for them.

Extremely poor families, as long as they had able-bodied men, were all assigned to work in Suiyangdu.

Before the Lunar New Year, Xue Xiang distributed a large amount of grain and oil supplies to these extremely poor people.

Seeing that they had rice and meat in their pot, Xue Xiang felt slightly relieved, declined their offer to stay for dinner, and immediately rushed back to Yunmeng.

When he arrived home, the New Year's Eve dinner was already on the table.

Because of Liu Zhiwei, it was inconvenient for him to meet with Song Yuan's family.

When it came time for the New Year's Eve dinner, Xue Xiang made arrangements so that everyone would eat their lunch at home.

For the New Year's Eve dinner, he invited his uncle Song Yuan and his family to Tan Family Cuisine.

Everyone was busy and bustling, but Xue's mother was not in high spirits. The main reason was that Xue Yi still hadn't returned for the New Year, and had only sent some spirit stones as a New Year's gift.

Xue Xiang wasn't an elder brother who would simply abandon his responsibilities; he asked Xie Haiya to inquire about Xue Yi's situation.

The Imperial Guards are very strict, and they can't find out much. They only know that Xue Yi is now under the jurisdiction of the Southeast Garrison and is highly valued.

Just after the Xue family finished lunch, Zhang arrived with her mahjong group.

Xiao Wan and her husband returned home; one of them focused on cultivation, while the other prepared for the exam.

Xiao Shi played with Song Xiaoyuan, while Xue Xiang took the opportunity to sneak into Liu Zhiwei's house.

The two of them warmed themselves by the fire, read books, and drank tea, enjoying a peaceful time.

As evening approached, there was a knock at the door. Xue Xiang and Liu Zhiwei exchanged a glance. Xue Xiang went into the courtyard and called out to the person. The person responded, and Xue Xiang and Liu Zhiwei rushed to the door and opened it.

An old man holding a fortune-telling sign stood outside the door; it was none other than Tu Sunan.

In the battle against the Witch God Cult, if it weren't for Tu Sunan's reinforcements, who held out for a while, they wouldn't have been able to withstand Xue Xiang's comeback.

Xue Xiang hurriedly went home to fetch wine and meat, and put them on the stove to warm up.

Tu Sunan didn't stand on ceremony and ate his fill.

He came here to deliver exam notes, but the woman in the yellow dress had specially chosen them for Xue Xiang.

Xue Xiang originally intended to have Tu Sunan stay for the night, but Tu seemed to have urgent business to attend to, and left immediately after delivering the items.

Liu Mei and Xue Xiang escorted him quite a distance from the door before returning.

After having dinner at Song Yuan's house, Xue's mother played cards at Su's house.

To avoid suspicion, Liu Mei did not go to the Su family for dinner. Before she left, Xue Xiang told her not to cook, and sure enough, she brought back food early.

After finishing her meal, Liu Mei returned to the newly decorated alchemy room next door to cultivate.

While warming himself by the fire, Xue Xiang flipped through the exam notes that the woman in the yellow dress had given him.

The examination content of the county-level civil service examination generally consisted of three parts: examination poems, questions on the Four Books and Five Classics, and basic policy essays.

The girl in the yellow dress marked the key points for review in the exam information, and collected many famous essays on the Four Books and Five Classics and policy essays, which she copied into the document.

Looking at the woman in the yellow dress's delicate handwriting, it was as if she were right in front of me, charming and approachable.

Once New Year's Eve was over, Xue Xiang got busy again.

On the first and second days of the Lunar New Year, it was inevitable to visit relatives, friends, teachers, and classmates in Yunmeng.

After finally getting a break on the third day of the Lunar New Year, several colleagues from Suiyang Town—Jin Guang, Yan Guangming, Chu Zhao, Chen Tong, and Wang Anshi—came to pay their respects.

Xue Xiang had no choice but to pull himself together and continue the grand banquet for his guests.

He knew that everyone had come for the position of the new magistrate of Suiyang Town, since the position had been vacant since Su Suiran's death.

But now Wei Yang is in charge of Yunmeng, and Xue Xiang is in charge of Suiyang.

With the New Year fast approaching, Xue Xiang knew he wouldn't be staying long and would have to leave soon. The coveted position of magistrate of Suiyang Town was naturally attracting a lot of attention.

Xue Xiang knew perfectly well that this position could only be held by Jin Guang.

After all, Jin Guang has something on him, making this relationship much more stable than a cooperative one.

Xue Xiang consistently practiced nepotism.

After finally making it to the seventh day, Xue Xiang went to Suiyang to take up his post.

As long as the transfer order from above hasn't come down, he must see things through to the end.

Since it was inconvenient for Liu Mei to accompany them, she stayed at her home in Yunmeng.

From the very beginning of the office's operation, a multitude of matters arose.

His main task was to accompany Wang Anshi to gatherings of various industry associations in Suiyangdu.

Industry associations were a major innovation promoted by Xue Xiang, and they quickly flourished in Suiyangdu, with associations being established in various industries.

Xue Xiang's move was aimed at getting various industries to band together and form a powerful, uncontrollable force.

Otherwise, it would be insufficient to withstand the storms stirred up by the personnel changes in the Suiyang Town government.

After all, if he leaves, the people he has trained may also be transferred and replaced by new people. If they change course and the major industries in Suiyangdu are still in disarray, they will naturally be insufficient to fight back.

Only by fostering alliances among various industries and forming diverse forces can we avoid the situation where things are ruined by individuals.

The Lantern Festival had just passed when Jin Guangzheng was appointed as the magistrate of Suiyang Town.

Jin Guang rushed to Xue Xianggong's room. As soon as he closed the door, he knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down his face, and poured out a whole cartload of heartfelt words.

He was indeed extremely grateful, having only managed to keep his position by following the former magistrate of Suiyang, Kang Mian.

Following in the footsteps of the former magistrate of Suiyang, Su Suiran, didn't bring any improvement.

He had only been following Xue Xiang for a short time when he took a big step forward and became the magistrate of a town.

Jin Guang's gratitude was beyond words.

"I won't say anything else. Just keep an eye on Suiyang Ferry for me, and you'll have a bright future ahead of you."

Xue Xiang continued to make empty promises...

On the second day of the second lunar month, when the dragon raises its head, Xue Xiang helped the Wu family, the family of a martyr from the Zhenjun Army, plant half an acre of rice seedlings. He then sent a message to Sizhou, saying that Guo Xiong, the Dean of the Second Hospital, had arrived.

Xue Xiang knew that his transfer order had arrived, and Xie Haiya had already informed him.

(End of this chapter)