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Chapter 164: Where Is Everyone in My Huge Shennong Office?
🕑 Added 2024-10-26 14:53:01 +0000 UTCThe Swordfish Airship passed over the Canglan River, and the weather became noticeably chaotic.
North of the river, in Anping Prefecture, the season had already passed Awakening of Insects; the land was slightly green, and spring was clearly in the air.
However, after crossing the river, the landscape was still blanketed in snow, with a world dressed in white.
Standing outside the Airship, Zhao Xing felt the shift in the weather, as though he had stepped into the Great Cold solar term.
After flying for another half hour, they encountered four distinctly different seasonal terms: Minor Cold, Great Cold, Spring Equinox, and Grain Rain.
It wasn’t until they flew away from the great river and entered Nine Heaven Yingyuan Prefecture that the weather finally stabilized. Yet, it still lagged one solar term behind the prefectures north of the river, hovering around the Rain Water period.
“How does it feel on your first trip abroad?” Long Xiao asked with a grin. “Quite different, huh?”
“It’s certainly different,” Zhao Xing replied. “The weather has become somewhat chaotic.”
After leaving Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, Zhao Xing, now proficient in manipulating the Seasonal Qi Command technique at the third transformation, was able to easily adjust the weather over large areas. This was possible because the cave-heaven world had unstable weather, unlike the more stable climate of the Nineteen Provinces.
However, once out of Pinghai Province, the weather became increasingly chaotic again. Although not as bad as in Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, the difference between inside and outside the Great Zhou was like night and day for ordinary people.
Without being in a cultivation rank, one couldn’t even reach Nine Heaven Yingyuan Prefecture due to the extreme weather changes.
“The rapid shifts between hot and cold, the alternating yin and yang forces—an ordinary person wouldn’t survive this. It’s only once you reach Nine Heaven Yingyuan Prefecture that the weather becomes tolerable.”
“Even the terrain is harsh. In the hour since we crossed the river, we’ve seen three earthquakes, with the ground splitting open and entire mountains shifting.”
Sometimes the road ahead would suddenly become unrecognizable. At other times, the ground might suddenly give way, or a mountain would collapse. Without cultivation, ordinary people would find it impossible to survive here.
Of course, for Zhao Xing, this stretch of unstable land wasn’t a major obstacle. After crossing the Canglan River, the Swordfish Airship had flown for only half an hour before reaching Nine Heaven Yingyuan Prefecture.
Why was this area left undeveloped, and why didn’t Nine Heaven Yingyuan Prefecture include this land along the river?
There were many reasons. First, it helped combat smuggling and illegal crossings. The terrain was so treacherous that ordinary people couldn’t traverse it, making smuggling expensive and dangerous. Those using flying tools would be easier to detect.
Second, the Canglan River’s currents were unpredictable, and being too close to it might result in a backlash from the water veins. Hence, a buffer zone was necessary.
The river's upper reaches were controlled by the Southern Barbarian tribes, who possessed shamans capable of communicating with the heavens and earth. If the Water Shamans decided to cause trouble, the downstream consequences would be disastrous.
...
The Swordfish Airship continued its journey over Nine Heaven Yingyuan Prefecture, passing through various patrols and checkpoints. Several Airships even approached to intercept them, but upon seeing the military banner of Ten Sun Cave-Heaven and Zhao Xing’s official military appointment papers, they were allowed to pass without issue.
“Yuncheng is a prefectural-level county, so I am now under the jurisdiction of Nine Heaven Yingyuan Prefecture’s Shennong Division, with my direct superior being Tantai Ming, the Prefecture’s Chief Water Officer.”
“Even though this is a temporary appointment, it’s still proper to pay him a visit. Besides, he has a connection with my teacher.”
Tian Yan hadn’t mentioned this explicitly, but Zhao Xing had learned of it through the three letters and tokens Tian Yan had given him.
Tian Yan had advised Zhao Xing to use these tokens only in times of great need, but Zhao Xing wasn’t one to rely on others blindly.
“What if I’m in a real emergency and use the token too late? Or worse, what if I unknowingly offend the person or their family? I’m not some reckless fool. I’d rather meet them sooner to get a sense of things. I don’t have to use the favor now, but I need to be prepared.”
Tian Yan wasn’t boasting—his influence was real. The first letter mentioned Tantai Ming, who was not only Zhao Xing’s superior but also the key evaluator for the third task.
The favors of a thousand-year-old family were no joke—Tantai Ming owed Tian Yan his life.
Two hundred years ago, when Nine Heaven Yingyuan Prefecture was just being established, Tantai Ming had been only at the Eighth Rank and was suffering from poison inflicted by the Southern Barbarian shamans.
With his abilities, he couldn’t find a cure on his own, nor would he have had access to one if he did. It was Tian Yan who had obtained the antidote for him. At the time, Tantai Ming had only been an Eighth Rank officer, but two centuries later, he had risen to Lower Fourth Rank.
Tian Yan had explained the limits of this favor in his letter: Tantai Ming was a man of loyalty, and in a time of crisis, he could shield Zhao Xing from dangers beyond his capacity.
However, the extreme limit of this favor was Tantai Ming losing his position, dropping three ranks as a consequence.
“Tantai Ming is at Lower Fourth Rank now, so for him to drop three ranks would mean he’d fall to Upper Fifth. How big of a mess would I have to make for that to happen?”
“If I can avoid using this favor, I will. There’s a huge karmic debt attached to this,” Zhao Xing thought.
There were still two more letters and tokens of equal weight.
Why would Tian Yan give him these? It wasn’t just a matter of a teacher-student bond but also an investment in the future.
Tantai Ming was already 389 years old. If he didn’t reach Upper Fourth Rank, he likely wouldn’t live beyond 500.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, Tantai Ming probably wouldn’t advance further in this lifetime.
If Tian Yan wanted to call in this favor, it would have to be before Tantai Ming turned 400.
After that, delaying it for a few decades would only reduce its value.
Why? Because by then, Tantai Ming would be too weak to be of much help. Asking for a favor from a man on the brink of death would be tantamount to killing him—losing rank at that point would shorten his life.
So these three letters were all timed perfectly for calling in a favor, or transferring that debt to Zhao Xing, who still had a bright future ahead.
“Subordinate Zhao Xing, here to pay respects to Lord Tantai!”
Tantai Ming sat in the grand hall of the Chief Water Office, dressed in his deep crimson robe, his official attire adorned with intricate gold patterns. The robe he wore was one reserved for officials of the Fourth Rank, its crown set with a sky-blue gemstone.
The crown itself was a magical artifact.
It constantly gathered the essence of heaven and earth, ensuring that its wearer was always nourished by spiritual energy, maintaining peak condition without the need for cultivation.
The difference between Lower Fourth and Upper Fourth Rank officials lay in the number of gemstones set into the crown.
Officials of the Fourth Rank wore two different sets of clothing: a court robe adorned with clouds and a military robe adorned with tigers.
However, the attire of Great Zhou officials was quite complex, involving not only their rank but also their titles and honorary distinctions. Additionally, slight variations in their garments depended on their positions.
For example, as Chief Water Officer, the cloud patterns on Tantai Ming’s robe were positioned between the clouds and the lakes.
Had he been a Fourth Rank priest, the cloud patterns would have been set on the eaves of temples.
Although Tantai Ming was currently a civil official, if war broke out in Nine Heaven Yingyuan Prefecture, he would immediately switch to a military role, with his uniform changing accordingly.
Even now, his attire was different from that of a typical civil Shennong. His belt was the same as that worn by second-class noblemen, and his sash bore a gold seal and silver cord. His sleeves were adorned with three concentric rings of blue and white embroidery, and on the desk before him were the Four Treasures of the Study, the Celestial Heart Order, and the Sacred Pages. This indicated that he also held the honorary title of “Illustrious Government Officer,” allowing him to submit memorials directly to the central government and even send letters to the emperor.
In his previous life, Zhao Xing had found these details overwhelming, but now he could recognize them at a glance.
As he paid his respects, he discreetly sized up Tantai Ming. Though nearly 400 years old, the man still appeared middle-aged, with jet-black hair.
Tantai Ming’s imposing stature exceeded the height of his desk even while seated. Dressed in his Fourth Rank attire, he seemed to draw all the light in the hall, making it hard to look directly at him.
As Zhao Xing bowed, Tantai Ming assessed the young Shennong genius from Ten Sun Cave-Heaven.
Normally, talented officials wouldn’t catch his attention, and a new appointment like this wouldn’t warrant a personal audience.
But Zhao Xing wasn’t just any young talent—he was Tian Yan’s student.
In this round of military Shennong training, Tian Yan had only accepted one student, making Zhao Xing’s status unique.
“You may rise. Take a seat,” Tantai Ming said. Deeply indebted to Tian Yan, he treated Zhao Xing with kindness. Before Zhao Xing could fully bow, Tantai Ming had already spoken, forgoing any formality.
“Thank you, my lord,” Zhao Xing replied, standing up and sitting to the side.
“Here is your temporary appointment, the Seventh Rank Chief Water Officer uniform, and your official seal.”
With a wave of Tantai Ming’s hand, a box floated toward Zhao Xing.
Zhao Xing quickly rose to accept it and stood respectfully, awaiting further instructions.
“Take care of the people, be diligent in your duties, and don’t waste time.”
“Nine Heaven Yingyuan Prefecture is not like the inland provinces. You’re new to the position, so don’t act too hastily. If anything unusual occurs, report it to the Shennong Office at the prefectural capital.”
“Yes, I will remember your teachings,” Zhao Xing said, bowing deeply as he held the box.
“You may go.”
“Your servant takes his leave.”
Zhao Xing bowed as he slowly backed out of the hall. Only after leaving the grand hall did he straighten up, feeling light on his feet.
There was no avoiding it—formalities were formalities.
“Done already?” Long Xiao asked as he approached. He had been waiting outside.
“Yep, all done.”
“Why did you go through all that trouble?” Long Xiao asked. “You had your military appointment. What, did you think the Yuncheng Shennong Office wouldn’t recognize you unless you went through the motions?”
“There are advantages to showing my face here,” Zhao Xing replied. “When I send a report later, they’ll remember who I am. If I were just a name on a piece of paper, it’d be easy for them to delay it by a few days. That might not seem like much, but in times of disaster, a few days could mean lives.”
“And also…”
“Alright, alright,” Long Xiao interrupted, waving his hand. “Too much bureaucracy for me. I’m just a soldier—I don’t care for all these twists and turns.”
Zhao Xing chuckled and boarded the ship.
In truth, he had also wanted to see Tantai Ming for himself.
He didn’t doubt Tian Yan’s judgment, but as mentioned before, he wasn’t about to blindly trust it either.
What if Tantai Ming was the type of person who repaid a life debt with a hundred doses of antidote? If Zhao Xing relied on him in a critical moment, wouldn’t that spell disaster?
Tian Yan had likely considered this possibility, which was why he had prepared three letters. After all, if Zhao Xing were truly in need, one Fourth Rank official should have been enough.
From this brief meeting with Tantai Ming, Zhao Xing’s initial impression was positive. The man’s tone during the formalities had been warm, and his offer to report any issues was a subtle hint of support.
As for the individuals mentioned in the other two letters, Zhao Xing had no reason to visit them now.
There was no connection to this task, and a sudden visit would only draw unwanted attention.
For now, Tantai Ming would suffice.
“Let’s head to Yuncheng.”
Yuncheng was located on the southeastern border of Nine Heaven Yingyuan Prefecture.
After crossing the Canglan River earlier, Zhao Xing was now heading toward Yuncheng, only to find the river again.
This was because the river didn’t run horizontally but meandered southward, deep into the Southern Wilderness.
He had crossed it from Anping Prefecture, gone to the prefectural capital, and now heading southeast to Yuncheng, he saw the river once more.
At this point, crossing the river again would take him out of the Great Zhou’s territory and into a no-man’s land of harsh environments, high temperatures, deserts, swamps filled with miasma, and raging astral winds—essentially a desolate region where few could survive.
After departing from the prefectural capital, the Swordfish Airship flew for an entire day before finally arriving at Yuncheng.
It was now the third quarter of the Mao hour.
Outside, the wind howled, and the ground was covered in frost—there was no sign of spring.
“Should we head straight in, or do you want to do a little incognito investigation?” Long Xiao asked.
“Why would I bother with that? There’s no need,” Zhao Xing replied. “We’re in a state of war, and I’m the highest-ranking officer here. If someone dares try to deceive me, they’ll lose their head. I’d be happy for an excuse to make an example of someone.”
Besides, any secrets would be quickly revealed once they visited the Yuncheng Temple.
“Then we’ll go straight in.”
Long Xiao steered the ship downward, heading for the center of Yuncheng.
Yuncheng was a military frontier city, with city walls dotted with fortifications, all of which were based on array formations. However, Zhao Xing encountered no resistance, as his Swordfish Airship was registered, and they were allowed entry.
“We’ve arrived.”
The ship descended outside the Yuncheng Shennong Office.
“Why isn’t anyone here to greet you, their superior?” Long Xiao asked.
Upon Zhao Xing’s arrival, the county’s Patrol Office would have been notified immediately.
Upon recognizing that a new official had arrived, the Patrol Office would have notified the Shennong Office.
“Let’s give them a moment. We’ve arrived early, after all, and they need time to react.”
Zhao Xing and Long Xiao waited at the main gate of the Shennong Office.
But after a quarter of an hour, only three people appeared.
Long Xiao was already chuckling to himself, while Zhao Xing’s face darkened.
Even in Gucheng, the Shennong Office had one main official and nine deputies. Yuncheng, being a prefectural-level county, should have a much larger Shennong Office than Gucheng.
Only three people had come to greet him? In such a large Shennong Office, just three?
Damn it, they really don’t take me, a temporary official, seriously!
“I am Zhang Zhong, Yuncheng’s Chief Internal Officer.”
“I am Jiang Xi, Chief of the Shennong Office.”
“I am He Fengnian, Equalization Officer of Yuncheng.”
“We pay our respects to the superior!”
The three figures hurried over, spotted the Swordfish Airship, and upon seeing Zhao Xing already dressed in his Seventh Rank uniform, they quickly bowed in greeting.
Zhao Xing didn’t act high and mighty toward these three since they at least showed respect to him as their superior.
“Gentlemen, please rise,” Zhao Xing replied with a courteous bow. “Might I ask where the other officials of the Yuncheng Shennong Office are? Are they busy with their duties?”
The three officials exchanged glances before Zhang Zhong spoke up. “The wind is strong out here, my lord. Please, let us go inside the Shennong Office, and I will explain everything in detail.”
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