Shennong Dao Master
Chapter 43: September 7th, Bailu Assessment

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: September 7th, Bailu Assessment

After disembarking, Zhao Xing and Xu the Eighth returned to the river people’s stall.

They returned the voucher and got back one tael of deposit. Zhao Xing also rewarded Xu the Eighth. Settling accounts precisely.

Had it not been so late, Xu the Eighth would have bragged about it a bit more.

Zhao Xing checked the time and headed back to Gucheng.

"The wind is picking up~"

With a charm for wind underfoot, his walking speed increased. Each step covered two or three meters.

He managed to get home by the end of 9 p.m.

"Today’s harvest is quite good. I only planned for a small gain, but unexpectedly got so much in the end."

"It seems my derivative Qi Fortune is indeed extraordinary."

If it were just a first-level Qi Fortune, he might have missed the fourth-rank pearl completely.

"With these gains, there’s no need to worry about food and drink in the short term, and my Essence Gathering speed won’t be slow either." Zhao Xing packed the pearl and locked it in a box.

He still had some extra money and was in no rush to sell it. He would wait to sell at a high price.

An ordinary person receiving a windfall might not sleep well, but Zhao Xing ate and slept as usual.

The next day, he continued going to the Agricultural Supervision Office for work and studies as usual.

After Chushu, the Old Minister of Agriculture focused more on theory and less on practical work.

He directly informed everyone that the next seasonal exam would be on theory.

Reading became the top priority for the officers of the Agricultural Supervision Office.

"Old Minister of Agriculture, could you tell us which classics will be on the exam? Could you give us some key points to focus on?" one officer asked.

Xue Wenzhong smiled slightly: "Certainly. Listen closely. Great View Wood, Compendium of Materia Medica, Heavenly Time Hundred Solutions, Four Farming Truths, Monthly Phenology, Earth Veins Three Lights, Beneficial Treatises..."

Well, asking was useless. Everything was a key point!

Extensive knowledge was a required skill for an Agriculture Official. The Nineteen States were vast and rich in resources, with many varieties of Heavenly Time and Earth Advantage, not to mention various plants.

If the court sends you to a place and you don’t know what to plant or when to plant it, what use are you?

The above was the basic requirement, equating to begging heaven on your knees for a living.

Many special environments required an Agriculture Official to use spells, alter the Heavenly Time, find Earth Veins, and create a favorable environment before deciding what to plant.

"In the southern part of Guangling State, there’s a Yuanling County. Its spring can grow Five Jiahe, which can mature in spring and feed five people per ear."

"In summer, it can grow Blood Vine, which matures in summer, and its fruit can replenish all types of blood."

"In autumn... Qian Dong, do you remember what it grows in autumn?" Chen Ziyu tilted his head toward Qian Dong.

The latter shrugged: "Why bother memorizing such obscure things from ’Cave Heaven Benefit’? Do you think you have a chance to serve in a Cave Heaven Blessed Land?"

"True." Chen Ziyu was about to put the book down when Zhao Xing leisurely said: "In autumn, it can grow golden beans, which mature in autumn. Gathering Essence for three days, and grade within a month. Its value rivals gold."

"In winter, it can be dug for Bone Healing Ginseng, which can heal bones in ten days and regrow limbs in a hundred days."

Chen Ziyu looked at the book and sincerely praised: "No wonder you’re an elder brother. Your foundation is solid."

Zhao Xing reminisced: "Not entirely. If you lived there for a few years too, you’d know it like the back of your hand."

"Brother, it sounds like you’ve been there. But Guangling State is tens of thousands of miles away from Pinghai State."

"Can’t I visit in my dreams?" Zhao Xing laughed.

"Sure, of course. After all, you are the eldest brother."

"Ha ha ha."

.......

Time flew by, and the Bailu seasonal point was approaching.

Zhao Xing was busy studying day and night. Once he became a formal officer, not only would he enter the Fortune Dynasty system, gaining fortune and longevity, but he could also attempt many things.

For example, the treasure mountain of Dream Palace. Once ranked, he might have another chance to obtain benefits.

Becoming a formal Minister of Agriculture could also expand Zhao Xing’s capabilities and allow him to learn more spells, laying a more solid foundation for future revival.

Zhao Xing’s effort wasn’t just for the ranking, but for longevity. If he were thrown back to a Grand Ancestor version, he might just give up.

But being in the period of Emperor Jing, he felt he still had a chance to survive until the revival version.

This motivation was simple yet powerful. Imagine, if someone told you that starting now, by keeping fit and maintaining healthy living habits, you could live another twenty years to see a technological breakthrough, achieving immortality, would you do it?

"No marriage, no offspring. The fortune and longevity benefits gained from official rank won’t be dispersed but will belong entirely to the officer."

"Moreover, any longevity-extending treasures should be used as early as possible; otherwise, the constraints will become stronger and the difficulty greater later on."

"When receiving a rank, it also enhances other aspects. But if I reach the corresponding rank before receiving the rank, all benefits will go towards extending lifespan. Therefore, I should reach Gathering Essence Ninth Rank by spring next year, so that all the benefits from receiving the rank will contribute to my lifespan," Zhao Xing calculated in his heart.

This strategy had another benefit: if demoted or dismissed from office, the impact would be minimal or non-existent.

In other words, he had the ability to jump onto Great Zhou’s fortune wagon without needing much help, just needing the door to be opened. Even if they tried to kick him out later, he could jump off without harm.

"Heaven’s fate is my fate. Heavenly Fortune is my fortune. Heaven’s lifespan is my lifespan. Don’t expect me to return fortune to the court. Not happening," Zhao Xing calculated his future plans before returning to the present matters.

.......

On the seventh day of the ninth lunar month, Bailu.

The Agricultural Supervision Office welcomed its first theory exam of the year.

The exam lasted two days. Participants could not be late but could submit their papers early.

The main examiner was still Xue Wenzhong, but the other Agricultural Officials also reviewed the questions, ensuring they aligned with Nanyang County’s exam philosophy: neither too radical nor too rigid.

After grading, the test papers were archived and submitted to Nanyang County for review. Other seasonal exam results also needed to be archived and submitted, but Nanyang County generally didn’t scrutinize them closely, only conducting spot checks unless reported.

However, theoretical exam results were always thoroughly reviewed.

If officers’ spells were off, it wasn’t a big deal. But if their theoretical thinking was flawed, it could be very dangerous.

During the Grand Ancestor period, there was an Agricultural Supervision Officer in Nanyang County who didn’t know where he read some misguided books. In an exam, to show off, he wrote a theory of ’Cutting Off Heaven and Earth Communication,’ offending both the Heavenly Time Sect and Earth Advantage Sect, leading to his immediate imprisonment.

Even the Self Sect didn’t deny the Heavenly Time Sect and Earth Advantage Sect, only considering them secondary. But ’Cutting Off Heaven and Earth Communication’ denied the current calendar and even the Dao itself, which was a blatant heretical thought, not just going against the grain but outright betrayal and insult to the country.

The Great Zhou was relatively free in speech. After investigation, the man was released after six months, without major consequences for him. But those booksellers selling heretical books suffered greatly. After a rigorous crackdown, all were executed, and their families exterminated.

"I must be careful in the exam, not to write anything too advanced. Even a small step ahead might get me top scores," Zhao Xing reminded himself repeatedly as he walked into the exam hall.