Eternal Immortal Dynasty: Starting as a Petty Official

Chapter 120 Everyone Shares the Credit (4,000 words, please vote with monthly tickets)

"Bo Zhang!"

Chen Yuancheng looked around, his gaze lingering on the pile of heads for a moment, then dismounted and strode towards Zhao Xian.

"Bo Zhang pays his respects to Lord Chen!"

Seeing Chen Yuancheng rushing over, Zhao Xian was also very excited. He immediately took a few quick steps forward and bowed.

"Bozhang, get up quickly! Have you hurt yourself?"

Chen Yuancheng helped Zhao Xian up and then asked with concern.

"Reporting back to Mr. Chen, Bozhang is unharmed!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian stood up and replied with a smile.

"Over a hundred bandits were ambushed, and Bo Zhang dared to use himself as bait—this was far too dangerous!" Chen Yuancheng exclaimed, then his expression turned serious as he looked at Zhao Xian and warned, "Never again should you take such a risky step!"

"Bo Zhang will respectfully comply with Lord Chen's wishes!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian bowed again.

After Zhao Xian stood up, Chen Yuancheng asked again, "Where is Lord Cao? Take me there immediately!"

"Um?"

Zhao Xian was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

Seeing Zhao Xian's reaction, Chen Yuancheng understood that Cao Miao was definitely unaware of this matter!

"In that case, Bozhang, come with me!" Seeing that Zhao Xian was unharmed, Chen Yuancheng immediately pulled Zhao Xian aside to avoid the crowd. Then he looked at Zhao Xian and whispered, "Bozhang, for such an important matter, should we send someone to inform Lord Cao?"

"Um?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian was slightly taken aback, then his expression changed slightly, he gave a wry smile, and shook his head.

Zhao Xian, as the village official, made a grave mistake by not informing his lord, the village steward, immediately!

"Bo Zhang, quickly send someone to inform Lord Cao!"

Chen Yuancheng sighed helplessly, but felt very gratified inside.

There's no other reason than that Zhao Xian's first thought in this matter was to send someone to inform him. This action reveals his status in Zhao Xian's heart!

"Ah Zhong, can you still ride a horse?"

Zhao Xian suddenly turned around and looked at Huang Zhong in the distance, and asked loudly.

"Lord Zhao, I'm fine, I can ride a horse!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Zhong immediately responded loudly.

"Quickly ride back to your village and inform Lord Cao that we were ambushed by over a hundred bandits at Dajingkou, but we have already repelled them and beheaded dozens!"

"good!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Zhong immediately responded, carefully put Zhao Hong down from his arms, took a few quick steps, leaped onto his old horse, and spurred it westward along the official road.

A few breaths later, Huang Zhong had already disappeared at the end of the official road.

"Does Bozhang know the origins of this band of bandits?"

Seeing Huang Zhong leave, Chen Yuancheng looked around again and saw blood flowing like a river on the ground. He asked in surprise.

"I don't know yet, but I've already sent people to interrogate them."

Zhao Xian shook his head and immediately replied in a solemn voice.

"Um!"

Chen Yuancheng nodded slightly, the light falling on the pile of headless corpses, seemingly lost in thought.

A moment later, Zhang Gong walked up to the two of them and respectfully bowed.

"Mr. Chen, Mr. Zhao, I have interrogated those three bandits." Zhang Gong stood up, looked at Zhao Xian and the other man, and said solemnly, "This group of bandits all came from the reed marshes of Shahe Township!"

"Normally, they hide in the reed marshes to fish and farm. There are three leaders, the third leader being the armored strongman, who died in this ambush."

"The reed marshes~"

Zhao Xian pondered for a moment, also falling into deep thought.

If he remembered correctly, this reed marshland was located south of Shahe Township, and was the size of several pavilions. People often got lost in it, and in the end, they were never seen alive or dead.

It now seems that those missing Daoist people were probably killed by this group of bandits.

How did they find out about our trip?

Zhao Xian snapped out of his daze, looked at Zhang Gong again, and asked in a solemn voice.

"Lord Zhao, these three are all low-level thugs; naturally, they wouldn't know such secrets!"

Zhang Gong replied without hesitation, clearly having considered this point as well.

"Mr. Chen, look~"

Zhao Xianfu then looked at Chen Yuancheng, who had remained silent, and asked respectfully.

"Let's keep those three bandits under custody for now, and wait for Lord Cao and the county officials to arrive before making a decision!"

Chen Yuancheng had no other choice but to say this.

"Ah Gong, do as Chen Jun says!"

Upon hearing Zhao Xian's words, Zhang Gong immediately bowed and turned to leave without any hesitation.

"Ah Xian, I never knew you had such a talent for leading troops!"

Looking around, Chen Yuancheng saw that the members of Zhao Xianmo's demon-hunting team were treating the wounded and cleaning up the battlefield in an orderly manner, and he couldn't help but praise them.

"I learned all of this under Lord Chen's command!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian smiled and replied.

"Haha, Bozhang flatters me!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuancheng chuckled and didn't ask any further questions.

The group immediately returned to the shade of the trees by the roadside to wait for the others to arrive.

About an hour later, Cao Miao finally arrived late.

Seeing that Chen Yuancheng was already waiting there, Cao Miao showed no unusual expression.

He was naturally aware of the relationship between Chen Yuancheng and Zhao Xian.

If it weren't for his interference, Zhao Xian would be the current head of Wohu Township.

"More than two months have passed now, and I wonder why no one has taken up the post of village chief of Wohu Township yet?"

Suppressing his inner reverie, Cao Miao's face revealed a perfectly measured joy. He took a few quick steps forward, grabbed Zhao Xian's hand, looked him up and down, and then let out a long sigh of relief.

"It's good that Bozhang is alright!"

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Cao!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian immediately withdrew his hand discreetly, bowed respectfully, and thanked Cao Miao.

"Greetings, Mr. Chen!"

Cao Miao helped Zhao Xian up and then bowed to Chen Yuancheng, who responded and returned the bow.

"Ambushed and killed over a hundred bandits, Bo Zhang managed to behead dozens. He truly lives up to his reputation as a skilled and courageous warrior!"

Cao Miao looked around, his gaze lingering on the pile of severed heads before he uttered a word of praise.

"They're just a bunch of mountain bandits, not worth mentioning!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian immediately offered a humble response.

"A year ago, over a hundred bandits from the neighboring county robbed and killed a peddler. In the end, they had to come to us for help, and only then were we able to join forces to wipe them out." Seeing Zhao Xian's humility, Cao Miao immediately waved his hand and continued, "Now, Bo Zhang, with only twenty-odd men, has defeated over a hundred bandits, beheading dozens. He is enough to be the most powerful man in the county!"

"Without the help of Chen Jun's attendants, we would not have been able to defeat the bandits!"

Zhao Xian immediately recounted the details of the battle to the two men.

After hearing this, both of them looked at Zhao Xian with great surprise.

"Bo Zhang, you actually understand the art of war! I'm truly astonished!"

A few breaths later, Cao Miao stroked his beard and smiled, looking at Zhao Xian with amazement on his face.

"I am unworthy of such praise, Lord Cao!"

Zhao Xian quickly waved his hand.

A moment later, another group of knights arrived, led by the county bandit Cao Chensheng and the patrolman Liu Yu, with Xu Dekun, an old acquaintance, among their entourage.

The group dismounted, and Zhao Xian and the others quickly came to greet them.

After exchanging greetings, Chen Sheng and Liu Yu, led by Zhao Xian, carefully surveyed the battlefield while listening to Zhao Xian recount the details of the battle.

"Bo Zhang, you were able to defeat over a hundred bandits and behead more than sixty of them with just over twenty of your retainers. That is a great victory!"

After surveying the battlefield, Liu Yu looked at Zhao Xian with surprise and praised him repeatedly.

"I dare not accept such praise from you, Mr. Liu!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian once again expressed his humility.

"Don't be so modest, Bozhang, you have truly surprised me!" Chen Sheng said with a smile, looking at Zhao Xian. He then looked at Chen Yuancheng beside him and said with emotion, "Yuancheng, in your tenure at Shanghuting, besides defending the post and defeating the bandits, your greatest achievement was discovering the great talent of Bozhang for the county!"

"Uncle is absolutely right! Looking back now, Yuan Cheng is also very fortunate! Fortunate that Bo Zhang's talent wasn't wasted!"

Chen Yuancheng also said with a smile.

"Mr. Liu, now that we have confirmed the findings, let's report it!"

Chen Shengfu then looked at Liu Yu and said with a smile.

"Of course!"

Liu Yu naturally didn't want to cause trouble, so he immediately agreed.

"Bozhang, you've only been a village assistant for a little over a month, and you've already made such a great contribution. Next year, you'll surely be promoted to a higher position in the county!" Saying this, Chen Sheng patted the seal and ribbon hanging at his waist, looked at Zhao Xian, and smiled, "A bronze seal and black ribbon—that's within reach!"

Congratulations, Bozhang!

Liu Yu also stood by and congratulated him with a smile.

"Bo Zhang is merely a country boy, not yet of age; how dare he aspire to a position of high rank!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian gave a wry smile, then looked at Cao Miao, who remained silent to the side, and said with a smile, "Without the skillful command of Lord Chen and Lord Cao, we would not have achieved such results in this battle!"

"Um?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuancheng and Cao Miao both looked surprised, and even Chen Sheng and Liu Yu were slightly taken aback!

A few breaths later, everyone looked at Zhao Xian with different expressions, only to find that Zhao Xian's expression was very sincere.

Upon hearing this, Cao Miao hesitated for a moment, but still prepared to tell the truth.

"Bo Zhang, it's me~"

"Lord Cao, you also knew the origins of these bandits beforehand, which is why you and Lord Chen devised this plan to lure them out."

Zhao Xian immediately interrupted Cao Miao, and said with a smile.

"Bo Zhang~"

Seeing Chen Sheng and Liu Yu looking at him with great interest, Chen Yuancheng smiled sheepishly.

"Very well, since Bozhang has this intention, then we shall comply with Bozhang's wishes!"

Suddenly, Chen Sheng smiled, interrupting Chen Yuancheng. He then waved his sleeve, and several array flags flew out from his sleeve and landed around the group.

"Bozhang, Yuancheng, I won't hide it from you. I've been honing my skills at the ninth level of Qi Refining for over ten years, and I've finally gathered enough spirit stones to purchase a Foundation Establishment item. I'm preparing to resign from my post and return home to cultivate in seclusion!" At this point, Chen Sheng looked at Chen Yuancheng and continued, "Before I resign, I plan to recommend Yuancheng to the county magistrate for the position of County Bandit Supervisor!"

"Uncle~"

Just as Chen Yuancheng was about to say something, Chen Sheng raised his hand to stop him.

"With this merit in defeating the bandits, Yuan Cheng's chances of being appointed as the county bandit clerk are much higher!" Chen Sheng then looked at Cao Miao and continued, "As for Cao Jun, if he can share some of the credit, perhaps he can go to a wealthy village and serve as the village magistrate!"

"By then, after serving as the township assistant for a year and waiting for Mr. Cao to leave, it is highly likely that Bozhang will take over as the township head of Shahe Township!"

"Bo Zhang, what do you think?"

After speaking, Chen Sheng looked at Zhao Xian and asked with a smile.

"Every word Chen Gong said resonated deeply with Bo Zhang!"

Zhao Xian immediately smiled and bowed.

"Bo Zhang, I am also preparing to resign from my post and return home to seclude myself!" Liu Yu looked at Zhao Xian and said with great regret, "If you take all the credit, when I resign, I can recommend you to the county magistrate for the position of patrol officer!"

"Thank you for your high regard, Lord Liu! However, Bo Zhang is only at the sixth level of Qi Refining; how can he possibly be qualified for the position of Hundred Stones?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian immediately pointed to himself and replied with a smile.

"Indeed, Bozhang, you should also work harder on your cultivation!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yu nodded slightly, looked at Zhao Xian, and after sizing him up, said.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian could only give a bitter smile. He came from the countryside; where would he get the resources to cultivate?

This scene also caught the eye of Xu Dekun, who remained silent to the side, and an idea gradually surfaced in his mind.

"If I could also get some credit for it, I wouldn't be incapable of taking the position of patrolman!"

Thinking of this, Xu Dekun's heartbeat quickened involuntarily. He was now at the eighth level of Qi Refining, and was not far from the ninth level.

"That's how it should be, that's exactly how it should be!"

"The position of a high-ranking official with a salary of 100 shi (a unit of grain)!"

The more he thought about it, the more hopeful he felt. Xu Dekun took a deep breath to calm his turbulent emotions.

"Lord Chen, Lord Liu, and all those present, Dekun also wishes to go further!"

Xu Dekun stepped forward, looked at Chen Sheng and Liu Yu, then bowed deeply and said respectfully.

"Um?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng and Liu Yu exchanged a glance. As seasoned officials, they quickly understood Xu Dekun's intentions after a moment's thought: he must have his eye on the position of Youwei!

"Dekun, you have served under me for over a year now, working diligently and without complaint. You have repeatedly led the charge against the enemy, displaying bravery and skill in battle. I am very pleased with you!"

After a few moments of deliberation, Chen Sheng looked at Xu Dekun, waved his sleeve to help him up, and then said with a smile.

"However, this matter requires Bozhang's consent!"

Chen Sheng looked at Xu Dekun, then nodded towards Zhao Xian.

"Please grant my request, Bozhang; my family will certainly repay you handsomely!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Dekun immediately bowed deeply to Zhao Xian once again!

"Please rise, Mr. Xu!"

Seeing this, Zhao Xian exchanged a glance with Chen Yuancheng and Cao Miao, and immediately stepped forward to help Xu Dekun up.

"De Kun, we're from the same hometown. By all accounts, you should call me uncle." Cao Miao looked at Xu De Kun and said slowly, "Bo Zhang has beheaded dozens of enemies; that's a great achievement!"

"Even close brothers should keep clear accounts. If you want a share of the credit, here's a generous reward..."

Upon hearing this, Xu Dekun immediately looked at Cao Miao and solemnly replied, "I am willing to offer three hundred low-grade spirit stones!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Miao shook his head and remained silent, thinking to himself, "Three hundred low-grade spirit stones? That's like giving money to a beggar!"

"Mr. Xu, you wish to take over the position of patrol officer, but your qualifications are still too shallow; you are not even as experienced as Bo Zhang!"

"As for the land," Chen Yuancheng said calmly, glancing at Xu Dekun.

"Please, Mr. Chen, explain yourself!"

Xu Dekun bowed to Chen Yuancheng and asked sincerely.

"Bo Zhang has already served as both the village clerk and the village assistant, while Xu Jun has only ever been a subordinate official in the thief's office since he entered the officialdom."

"To be appointed as a high-ranking official, one must hold at least two posts!"

Chen Yuancheng, having studied officialdom in depth, naturally understood where Xu Dekun's shortcomings lay.

If this issue cannot be resolved, even if Zhao Xian were to assign him some credit, he would probably still not be able to assume the position of a high-ranking official.

"Please enlighten me, Mr. Chen!"

Xu Dekun immediately realized what was going on, and then sincerely bowed again and asked.