I just passed the imperial examination, what the heck is this "Celestial Official System"?

This is my second visit to the residence of Manager Zheng.

Song Li seemed much more familiar with the process.

Whether it was Manager Zheng or Xie Yingjue, he would address them as Manager.

Don't treat a former leader who has stepped down as if they are no longer a leader.

Moreover, both of them are almost sixty years older than him, so it's always good to be more diligent.

I made tea for the two old men.

Song Licai sat down in the last seat in the room.

Zheng Yue witnessed this scene and said to Xie Yingjue, "If I had been this quick-witted from the beginning, I wouldn't have suffered so much criticism."

Xie Yingjue smiled:

"Brother Zheng, why say that? You are a Kunpeng, and the past is nothing more than a few trials and tribulations."

A look of surprise flashed across Song Li's eyes.

It's not hard to tell that Xie Yingjue and Zheng Yue seemed to have known each other for a long time.

As far as he knows.

Xie Yingjue seemed to have never gone out to serve as an official, and always stayed in his farmhouse in Shannan County.

In other words...

In fact, Zheng, the chief clerk, came from Shannan County and went north to join the army.

From this perspective, it's clear that Manager Zheng has truly returned home in glory.

Perhaps he was once a minor official in this farmhouse, just like her, which is why the two of them met.

Veterans who had made military achievements in the Zhenbei Army were given the privilege of returning to their hometowns to serve as officials, and they usually did so in their hometowns, which seems to make sense.

Xie Yingjue's memory is actually quite blurry.

In his memory, Zheng Yue was actually a pedantic scholar who didn't talk much.

When Manager Zheng appeared, he had no recollection of him at all. If Manager Zheng hadn't pointed it out, he would have thought they were complete strangers.

"It probably won't be easy to survive in the North."

He sighed inwardly.

But it was precisely those hardships that led Zheng Yue to his current success.

Xie Yingjue looked at his former classmate with complicated emotions. Because of their different choices, their fates were completely different.

He was trapped in this field his whole life, unable to find freedom.

Keeping his promise from the assessment, Chief Zheng took out a small wooden box he had prepared beforehand and handed it to Xie Yingjue:

"You are too old, your foundation is too solid, which makes it difficult to break through the bottlenecks."

"We must use drastic measures."

"This is a Spirit Breaking Pill. It breaks down the spirit before rebuilding it. If you succeed, you will be able to concentrate your mind without any obstacles. If you fail... I'm afraid your cultivation level will drop to the seventh level of Qi Gathering."

Xie Yingjue's eyes lit up upon hearing this.

For decades, he had been hovering at the ninth level of Qi Gathering, and what he feared most was that he would never see any hope.

Now that there is hope, we should naturally give it a try.

For him now, there is no difference between the ninth level of Qi Gathering and the seventh level of Qi Gathering.

But if one could go further, the possibilities would be endless, and at the very least, it could add several decades to one's lifespan.

It is indeed a stroke of luck.

He had never even heard of the Spirit-Breaking Pill in Shannan County. Clearly, it must have been brought back by Chief Zheng from the Zhenbei Army.

The powerful army that guarded the north was naturally incomparable to the small, insignificant Shannan County.

"No wonder he's someone who's been abroad."

Xie Yingjue sighed with emotion.

After putting away the pills, he tactfully took his leave.

After Xie Yingjue left,

Only then did Steward Zheng speak: "Have you complained that I didn't give you armor?"

Song Li calmly replied:

"In this court, it is not a good thing to achieve success at a young age, nor is it a good thing to achieve such high scores. Chief Zheng is doing this for my own good."

"Besides, as you know, Manager Zheng, I'm afraid of dying."

A look of surprise flashed across Manager Zheng's eyes.

Being able to understand something is intelligence; being able to see things clearly is a matter of character.

"good."

Manager Zheng nodded secretly.

What Song Li said was indeed the truth.

In this life, he is a newcomer to the government, but in his previous life, he had struggled within the system for more than a decade. Those young people who initially shone brightly often did not go far.

In a previous dynasty, a local official had also valued a certain talent but deliberately caused him to fail the exam, a practice quite similar to what Chief Zheng is doing today.

In this imperial court.

Praising someone doesn't necessarily equate to mentoring them.

Suppression is not necessarily hostile.

There is much to learn from this.

Manager Zheng: "It's good that you can see it clearly."

"Xie Yingjue is seeking a breakthrough, so what do you want?"

After he finished speaking, he stared intently at Song Li.

He understood Song Li's nature. The reason he was going all out this time was because he wanted the good fortune Song Li had promised. So he was curious about what Song Li wanted.

Song Li remained calm, stood up and bowed deeply: "I once said that I wish for a bright future."

Upon hearing this...

Manager Zheng's eyes lit up, and he laughed heartily, slapping the armchair: "Alright, then I'll grant you a bright future."

"From now on, you should address me by my title when we're out in public, but in private, please use a different form of address."

Song Li blinked:

"Master?"

Manager Zheng waved his hand: "I'm not an elder of the Immortal Sect, and I have no intention of taking on disciples."

Song Li then said:

"Godfather?"

Zheng, the steward, almost laughed out of anger: "I'm not one of those eunuchs in the palace; I have no intention of taking a godson."

"Please give me your guidance, senior."

Song Li bowed deeply in respect.

Manager Zheng smiled and said, "I've wandered for half my life, and had a daughter late in life. I don't expect to become rich and famous. I just want to live a good life."

"Zhao Hui is a decent guy, and his family is clean. I plan to have him marry Wei'er this year, and after they have children next year, you can just adopt them as godchildren."

Song Li suddenly realized.

In this way, he could both win over the Zheng family and avoid being gossiped about by others.

Wonderful!

"Yes, Uncle."

When Zheng heard the word "uncle," his smile widened.

As he said, he only had one daughter, so it was impossible for him to have any children. Zhao Hui had already agreed to marry into the family, so the hope lay in the grandchildren.

Finding a good godfather for one's grandson is the real opportunity to gain power.

He was still choosing.

But Song Li's performance in the assessment this time shocked him, which is why he decided to bet on Song Li.

Once Song Li becomes a high-ranking official in the court, his Zheng family descendants will also benefit from it.

Not to mention a regional lord, at least a powerful family in a county wouldn't have much of a problem.

To go even higher, it depends on luck and fate.

Zheng, the steward, said, "The demon race's rampage in Shannan County is both a disaster and an opportunity for us. People from Huanglong Prefecture will be arriving in Shannan soon. If we handle it properly, we might have a chance to work for Huanglong Prefecture. You must prepare well and seize this opportunity."

Perhaps worried that Song Li was too impatient, he added:

"Remember, this matter requires careful timing; don't rush it, or you'll only suffer the consequences."

"Yes, nephew will follow your instructions, uncle."

Song Li immediately agreed.

Huanglongfu!

Shannan County was ultimately just a county government office, far inferior to a behemoth like Huanglong Prefecture.

Generally speaking, only those who passed the imperial examination were qualified to serve in the government offices.

In the county government, an eighth-rank official is already considered an outstanding person.

But Huanglong Prefecture is different. The lowest rank one can get is the eighth rank, and with a little effort, the seventh rank is not impossible. If one dares to dream a little more, one might even get to experience the life of a prefectural lord, the Marquis of Ten Thousand Miles.

The platform determines the future.

Manager Zheng kept his word and truly gave him a bright future!