Above The Sky
Chapter 808 - 808 38 The First Civil Service Examination of Xiawei Territory

808: Chapter 38 The First Civil Service Examination of Xiawei Territory 808: Chapter 38 The First Civil Service Examination of Xiawei Territory Leaving home behind, Roland couldn’t help but heave a sigh.

How could he not know that his elderly father at home was no longer physically fit?

Although the Terra People were generally in good health, it was clear that Steward Moda had suffered mental harm, and his body was worn from years of toil.

If he had rested well and dealt with the worries in his heart, that would have been fine, but in the last six months with the turmoil caused by Mountain People and the disasters of famine, rebellion, war, and territorial disputes, the old man really couldn’t endure such torment.

Especially since the father himself no longer wanted to live.

“What else can I do?”

With a sigh, Roland felt quite despondent.

But he braced himself, preparing to seriously make the most of each day.

This was his creed—to never live a mediocre life, to always have a unique style, and to strive to have no regrets before death.

It was because of this personality that he stole money on the day he came of age to leave his hometown in search of education far away— in order to have ‘no regrets’.

Before the family gate was a clean street.

South City District was primarily a residential area, with numerous shops, where many from the Old Xia Hui Territory settled.

A construction style of grey bricks laid with cement, covered with a layer of fine cobblestones, retained the legacy of the Mountain People’s customs.

Fruit has already started to appear in the stalls and storefronts on both sides…

Yes, the farmlands and orchards of South Ridge have been hit by disaster, but the imported fruit from Canaan Moore remained cheap.

Their new Lord truly had extensive connections, even managing to secure trading channels from the Elves.

Half Moon Lake’s specialty, the Red Moon Fruit, resembled apples in appearance, but was larger by one and a half palms in size.

It was actually a peelable fruit similar to a mango.

It smelled unremarkable but was sweet-tasting, and packed with a wealth of trace elements and fiber, reputed to satisfy hunger with just two pieces a day.

The only drawback was that it was particularly hard, and those with weak teeth risked chipping them eating it.

Elves typically used it to make wine, and Red Moon Wine was always a popular specialty.

The Mist Grapefruits from the Misty Forest were each as big as a human head.

In fact, scary folk tales among the Elves nowadays include stories of the Head-sized Mist Grapefruit, with numerous versions ranging from the bodies left behind from the Azure Sky Royal Court’s invasion to lost travelers.

These grapefruits laid in front of the shops, their moon-green skins exuding a faint fragrance.

A fruit that stored well, with an edible rind, it was deemed mediocre by local Elves, considered a staple of their common diet, but once in The Empire, it also counted as half an Elf specialty.

In short, all were durable food fruits, practically the staple grains of Canaan Moore.

No wonder the Lord managed to acquire them.

Roland looked up to see the day’s prices listed on a wooden board beside a shop…

One penny for a Red Moon Fruit, three pennies for a Mist Grapefruit, very affordable prices, with the most important aspect being the variety in flavor.

“I should buy a couple for Father on the way back.”

Keeping this in mind, Roland walked towards the Lord’s Mansion along the newly paved white stone road.

Starting from the cluster of Alchemy Workshops in the North City District, the roads in Xiahui City were being refurbished area by area, with the old-style cobblestone pavements needing replacement to accommodate the solid roads capable of supporting alchemy vehicles.

As the construction crew was led by an Earth Ascender, the pace of renovation was swift.

The streets were bustling with people, and the procession of vehicles was endless, with the occasional bell from a Camel Beast audible.

The area around the City Hall was even more crowded, with countless people gathered.

In the distance, the Lord’s Mansion perched atop the northern cliff, a solitary Cyclops Armor Suit standing atop it overseeing the city, manifesting the Lord’s dignity.

The clouds drifted across the sky, while the city thrummed with vitality.

Roland was not surprised by the turnout; after all, it was the first public service exam of the Xia Hui Territory, with almost every prominent household in the city sending someone to participate.

The applications were so enthusiastic that the young Lord shifted the exams back, organizing them into three batches.

Roland was in the first batch.

“Present your admission ticket!”

Before entering the examination area next to the City Hall, Roland showed his admission ticket— after a sweep of the Crystal Plate a green light indicated a match between the man and the ticket, and he was allowed in.

This was standard procedure, whereas in the next line, a red light flashed and a candidate with an admission ticket was instantly hoisted up by two men in full Armor Suits and led toward the nearby execution grounds.

Of course, it wasn’t beheading or hanging…

Just impersonation, at most they would be strung up for a beating, and then have a stain recorded in their personal record, making integrity checks difficult.

Speaking of the integrity checks, it was a novel concept – though every Lord in every territory scrutinizes a person’s past and background when hiring, it was quite rare for it to be so openly stated in the notices of the Lord’s Mansion.

—Wasn’t this driving talent away?

That was the thought of many, given that most people of worth who wander Terra typically have problems at home, seeking to hide their identities and start anew.

To trace back three generations…

who would be willing to work for such a nitpicky Lord?

Ignorance could be bliss!

Frankly speaking, Roland was now a bit curious about how the Lord’s Mansion determined his identity, as he spent most of his time abroad, living and learning with a group of Dwarven craftsmen, and in theory, there were no records of him in Xia Hui Territory.

In other words, he could also be considered a person ‘with unclear origins’, yet the Crystal Plate could still confirm his identity.