Shennong Dao Master
Chapter 140 - 94: Start of Winter Assessment, Ghosts Enter Dreams, Great Misfortune!

Chapter 140: Chapter 94: Start of Winter Assessment, Ghosts Enter Dreams, Great Misfortune!

"The abandoned forge in Anping Town was originally the site of the Heavenly Workshop twelve years ago."

"Due to a major problem during the process of igniting the Earth Fire to start the furnace, the Earth Vein Fire went out of control, causing many deaths at the time."

"My family also had a factory here before. However, just as we finished repairing the forge and hired workers, disaster struck. Later, Nanyang County issued a ban, and shortly after, the factory was closed, resulting in a loss-making business."

Zhao Xing sat in Zong Shichang’s carriage, looking at the patches of barren land outside and the dilapidated houses.

They had circled this piece of land for about fifteen minutes, yet they hadn’t seen a single decent tree, mostly just low and small saplings.

There were plenty of weeds, most of them strange thorns, as only such tenacious plants could survive in the scorched earth.

"Destruction is easy, but reconstruction is difficult. Three years ago, there wasn’t even a blade of grass here, let alone trees," Zong Shichang said. "It has improved a lot now; Chen Shijie has indeed done quite a bit."

"Indeed," Zhao Xing nodded slightly.

Chen Shijie had come to Gucheng to take office three years ago.

Before him, this scorched land in Anping Town had been neglected for nine years.

The previous Minister of Agriculture Supervision was afraid of getting involved and didn’t dare to tackle the land restoration.

Because the land was directly approved by Nanyang County, the destruction was caused by the Heavenly Workshop in Gucheng, and even influential county families like Zong Shichang’s had invested in it.

The issue of responsibility had never been clarified, so it was left unresolved.

With no action from above, Gucheng County Magistrate Li Wenzheng didn’t want to deal with it either.

The former Minister of Agriculture Supervision didn’t dare to touch it.

So the land and the factory buildings in Anping Town were left abandoned for nine years until Chen Shijie came.

Upon learning about the situation, he immediately prepared to restore it.

Li Wenzheng didn’t want to deal with it, but also didn’t block him; providing support, however, was out of the question.

Chen Shijie decided to start working with the assistant officers of the Minister of Agriculture Supervision.

Every week, he would come down to perform Earth Advantage Sect Magic to adjust the Earth Veins and restore the soil.

This task was thankless, and only Xue Wenzhong initially expressed support. Tang Wanchun, Gao Linong, and Pang Yuan all thought it was difficult and opposed it.

But Old Chen was resolute. Difficult? Then let’s not do anything at all!

He halted all governmental affairs of the Minister of Agriculture Supervision. Regardless of whether Tang Wanchun, Gao Linong, Pang Yuan submitted reports, he simply replied with: not approved.

Old Chen’s attitude was, since you want to slack off, let’s do it thoroughly and all get labeled as "ineffective officials" for these years.

Anyway, I’ve already been demoted. I don’t even want to be the Literary Minister of Agriculture and am not afraid of further demotion.

With no other choice, the assistant officers of the Minister of Agriculture Supervision had to work grudgingly.

Then Old Chen went to the Ministry of Agriculture Supervision to find Gongsun Yang, borrowing manpower and divine tools from the workshops. Initially, Gongsun Yang was reluctant to get involved because he feared the responsibility.

Chen Shijie pestered Gongsun Yang daily, sending hail to fall on Gongsun Family’s ancestral graves, causing crops to die unexpectedly from storms and rains.

Upon discovering this, Gongsun Yang angrily confronted Chen Shijie.

What? You’re asking why only your family’s ancestral graves and lands have such bad weather?

Didn’t I tell you previously that I needed to borrow tools and manpower for work? You didn’t agree yourself.

Sorry, that’s the limit of my abilities. Take it up with the county government if you want to complain!

Gongsun Yang was so infuriated that he nearly tore out his beard.

With no other option, he agreed to Chen Shijie’s demands.

In a year, Chen Shijie had restored the scorched land to a wasteland level.

Chen Shijie then reported his achievements to the county government. Knowing Chen Shijie was a stubborn person who feared nothing, they had no choice but to give him commendation.

Though the abandoned factory buildings remained, this feat helped Chen Shijie establish his position in Gucheng, win over the hearts of the Minister of Agriculture Supervision, and gain the respect of Gongsun Yang and Li Wenzheng.

Thus, in the Ministry of Agriculture Supervision, Chen Shijie’s word was final; no one dared to oppose him.

"Chen’s first achievement is right here. As he is about to leave, he has set up this situation to attract the Xuantian Sect, planning to gain military merit... He really has a bit of an obsessive-compulsive disorder, doesn’t he?" Zhao Xing looked outside.

November was the last Yang month, and Chen Shijie’s impending transfer was no secret.

The Anping Town assessment this time involved many people and lacked the order maintained by the East Lake Army or the county city inspector during the autumnal equinox mountain opening ceremony.

The protective forces appeared relatively weak.

Zhao Xing thought if he were the leader of the Xuantian Sect, he would also take this opportunity to strike.

Chen Shijie suspected that the Xuantian Sect might seize this chance to act.

The Xuantian Sect suspected that Chen Shijie would anticipate their move.

"These possibilities are not hard to guess... It all depends on who dares to act and who is better prepared," Zhao Xing thought silently.

From "historical experience," the Xuantian Sect’s plans during the Jingxin Era became more successful after learning from past failures.

Did the Xuantian Sect succeed or fail in Nanyang County? Zhao Xing didn’t know, but having reminded Old Chen, the plan had significantly changed from the original.

What the outcome would be, Zhao Xing couldn’t be sure.

However, Zhao Xing had a good mindset.

"There is no real danger to life either way. If by chance I get caught by the Xuantian Sect and drag onto their ship, then I’ll do my best on that ship. Surviving within the sect faction isn’t impossible until the Recovery Era." Mixing in anywhere is still mixing in, Zhao Xing wasn’t that inflexible. Nonetheless, the path of the Fortune Dynasty seemed more secure, and he hoped deep down not to be captured.

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