Chapter 300: Immortal Officials and Old Members

Chapter 300: Immortal Officials and Old Members

Chapter 300: Immortal Officials and Old Members (Part 2)
Wang was surprised when she heard this. She waved her hands and said, "No, I can't take advantage of you."

But Liu Ermaizi seemed not to hear her. He quickly wrapped the fish in lotus leaves and stuffed it into Wang's bamboo basket without saying anything. He said with a big smile, "Your husband has done so much for the people every day. What's the big deal about giving him a fish?"

Wang looked at the fish in the bamboo basket and was a little at a loss for a moment. She was grateful for the kindness, but also felt a little uneasy.

On the way home, Shopkeeper Zhou, who sold silk, "happened" to pass by as if he had calculated the time perfectly.

He saw Wang at a glance and hurried forward to greet her with such enthusiasm that no one could refuse: "Madam Zhang, long time no see! I have just received two pieces of the finest Suzhou embroidery. The patterns and texture are perfect for making new clothes for the children. You must accept them." As he said that, he forced the silk into Wang's hands.

Wang couldn't refuse, so she had to accept it with a blushing face.

That night, Zhang Huairen returned home and looked at the fragrant steamed mandarin fish on the table. After a busy day, he did not realize that the price of this fish was equivalent to half a month's salary of his in the market.

He just sat down to enjoy his dinner as usual, and said to Wang with a smile: "This fish looks really good today."

Wang opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but when she saw her husband's happy face, she swallowed her words back.

Zhao Zhubu's brother-in-law was originally a coolie who carried bags at the dock, working hard every day for a meager income. But recently, he was inexplicably promoted by the Cao Gang to become an accountant.

When the news came, Zhao Zhubu and his family were shocked.

When the manager of the Cao Gang came to the door carrying Jinhua ham, he said with a big smile on his face: "Your relative is very good at making plans. It would be a pity if they were buried, so we specially asked him to help."

After hearing this, Zhao Zhubu felt something was not right.

However, the old mother-in-law kept muttering happily: "The officials are still prestigious. Your second sister finally doesn't have to sleep in a leaky house anymore!" Zhao Zhubu didn't know that the cracks in the bricks of the newly built green-tiled courtyard were mixed with Wuyi rock tea powder tributed by tea merchants. That was a secret recipe for preventing termites.

He just felt that things were developing a little beyond the norm, and looking at his family's joy, he couldn't bring himself to say anything to stop it.

...

...

Beneath the seemingly calm officialdom of the Dayu Dynasty, undercurrents were quietly surging.

On weekdays, every bow and courtesy between officials in the court, every conversation in the official residence, and even every greeting on the streets, contains hidden secrets.

These seemingly ordinary interactions are actually the tip of the iceberg of the power game. Every detail is like a dark tide lurking in the deep sea. It seems calm on the surface, but it actually contains undercurrents. Every seemingly ordinary conversation and every casual gift may be a key chess piece in this silent contest.

Li Xiuwen, a clever clerk who had risen to prominence in the officialdom, keenly sensed something unusual through his day-to-day communications with his like-minded colleagues through the leaves of the paulownia tree.

In fact, he has experienced a lot. Dealing with mountains of official documents and one social event after another for a long time has given him a deeper understanding of the officialdom.

In front of his colleagues, he always had a decent smile on his face, chatted and laughed with others, and made witty remarks, as if he was able to handle everything with ease.

But only he himself knows that his heart is like a taut string, which will cause layers of uneasy ripples if touched slightly.

Li Xuwen did not alert the enemy immediately. He was working in Yingtian Prefecture and took advantage of his day off to choose a dark morning.

At this time, the morning light was dim, and the whole world had not yet fully awakened from its sleep. A thin mist covered the streets, and occasionally a few dogs barked.

Li Xuwen avoided the bustling crowd and hurriedly came to Yan's house like a black shadow.

The red lacquered gate of the Yan Mansion was tightly closed, and the stone lions on both sides were squatting majestically, as if announcing the majesty of this upstart mansion to the world. Li Xiuwen stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, calmed his nervous mood, raised his hand and gently knocked on the door knocker.

After a while, after being informed by Menzi, Li Xuwen met Yan Shan.

Yan Shan had long heard of Li Xiuwen, the clerk who had caught the attention of Xu Qing.

Hearing that Li Xiuwen was coming, he immediately put on a gracious smile and went out to greet him. His smile was like the warm sunshine in spring, making people feel very friendly. He warmly welcomed Li Xiuwen into the house, which was elegantly decorated, with neatly arranged pens, inkstones, and a faint scent of books.

Yan Shan ordered his servants to brew a pot of top-quality tea, and the steaming aroma of the tea rose in the air.

After Li Xuwen sat down, he picked up the teacup and took a sip. The rich tea fragrance instantly spread in his mouth, relaxing his tense nerves. But he knew in his heart that he did not come here to enjoy this moment of leisure.

He raised his eyes cautiously and looked at Yan Shan, his eyes full of caution and nervousness, and whispered: "Sir Yan, there are some things I want to discuss with you alone." Yan Shan understood and waved his hand to dismiss the people around him.

When there was no one around, Li Xuwen leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice almost to a whisper, and spoke out his worries and the anomalies lurking in the shadows of officialdom, one by one, without reservation.

Yan Shan listened quietly, his expression gradually becoming serious, his originally relaxed brows furrowed tightly into the shape of a "川" character, and he fell into deep thought. His eyes revealed worry and thought, as if he was sorting out the intricate clues in his mind.

After a long time, he slowly opened his mouth in a low and steady voice: "I know about this matter. Secretary Li, please don't let any news leak out for the time being." Li Xiuwen nodded quickly and responded softly: "Yes." Although his voice was not loud, it revealed an unquestionable firmness.

After seeing Li Xiuwen off, Yan Shan paced alone in the study.

The study was filled with ancient books, but at this moment, it was quiet and somewhat depressing. The sun shone through the carved window lattices, casting mottled light and shadows. Yan Shan's footsteps were slow and heavy, and each step was very deep, as if he wanted to step out a pit in the floor. Each step seemed to be measuring the difficulty and severity of the matter.

He knew that similar things had happened in Fushe. Most of the members of Fushe were locals in Jiangning, and among them were many sons of wealthy families in Nanzhili. They had deep family roots and extensive connections, and were naturally resistant to external corruption. Those small favors and unorthodox practices could hardly shake them.

But people like Li Xiuwen are different. They are neither from the same hometown as Xu Qing nor have the support of a wealthy family. They suddenly enter the officialdom and are valued by the sitting officials, but they do not have the honor of being a juren. Faced with these sudden and pervasive temptations and corruptions, they are like unarmed mortals in a jungle of swords and guns. It is really difficult for them to resist.

Yan Shan was well aware of the complexity and sensitivity of the matter. He did not rush to report it to Xu Qing, but decided to conduct an in-depth investigation first.

After a hard investigation, he was surprised to find that these things were not carefully planned by someone, but grew naturally without anyone noticing, just like weeds, spreading silently but wildly. This made things even more difficult. He realized that this was an invisible and elusive erosion that was hard to prevent. Yan Shan did not dare to delay for a moment and immediately reported the results of the investigation to Xu Qing.

After hearing this, Xu Qing smiled softly: "I see."

Yan Shan was puzzled and couldn't help asking, "Master, don't we need to take any action?"

Xu Qing shook his head slowly, his eyes as deep as a black hole in the night sky, as if he could see through everything in the world: "Only when the sand is washed away by the waves can the real gold be seen. For those who are not determined, let them go."

Yan Shan bowed his head respectfully and replied, "Yes."

Xu Qing has his own unique considerations on this matter.

In his eyes, these temptations and tests were like a cruel screening. Those who could stick to their original intentions in the midst of these complicated temptations and properly handle the family affairs brought about by power were undoubtedly the best. These people were fully qualified to become candidates for the Golden Elixir Orthodoxy, just like some special admissions of top universities in the previous life.

As for the problems of starting practice late and insufficient foundation, in the eyes of Xu Qing, who possesses extraordinary means, they are just trivial matters.

He was confident that he could use precious elixirs, combined with his Martial Saint-level abilities, to shave the hair and cleanse the marrow of these people, rebuilding their foundation.

In Xu Qing's mind, one's aptitude can be improved through acquired efforts and special means, but one's state of mind must be improved through countless hardships and temptations in this mundane world before it can truly reveal its tenacity and purity.

For these Wutong clerks, whom he regarded as the future team, their experience as officials was undoubtedly a different kind of immortal gate test. Only by going through this thorny road full of temptations and tests could they come to Xu Qing, seek the true scriptures, and thus obtain the qualification to become an "immortal official".

Those who have passed the formal immortal gate examination are more like prospective gods. Their duty is to maintain the order and rule of the Immortal Dynasty, just like a solid city wall, guarding the peace of the Immortal Dynasty.

These immortal officials are responsible for the task of governance and judgment. They are the executors and judges of the Immortal Dynasty, and their functions are completely different.

Among these people, Xu Qing was particularly optimistic about Li Xuwen. He felt that Li Xuwen was smart and had pure ambitions. If he could withstand all kinds of temptations in the secular world, he would surely stand out in the ever-changing officialdom of the Dayu Dynasty and become his right-hand man.

...

...

After seeing Yan Shan off, Xu Qing pondered for a moment alone, then walked towards a secret room.

In the secret room, the light was dim and the atmosphere was so oppressive that it made people feel breathless.

The oil lamp on the wall flickered with a faint light, illuminating the entire secret room with dim shadows.

The two Guo brothers had been waiting here for a long time. They were huge and strong, like two small mountains.

There was a hint of tension and anticipation in their eyes, which was the fear of the unknown and the desire for power.

Xu Qing walked slowly into the secret room. His figure looked particularly mysterious in the dim light, as if he was a demon walking out of the darkness. He looked at the Guo brothers, his tone calm but somewhat serious: "Have you thought it through?"

Guo Zhuang and Guo Li looked at each other, a trace of determination flashed in their eyes, and they said in unison: "Master, we two brothers have thought it through. We are willing to go through the cruel torture you mentioned to gain more powerful strength to serve you."

Xu Qing sighed softly and said slowly: "You have followed me for a long time. Even if you give up becoming stronger, I can guarantee that you will be rich and prosperous for the rest of your life. Even your family will be able to continue after you, as long as you don't make big mistakes, and you will have no worries about food and clothing. In fact, you don't have to take risks."

Guo Zhuang and Guo Li were the first minions to follow Xu Qing. During the process of Xu Qing accumulating original capital, they accompanied Xu Qing through life and death, did many dangerous things, and were known to be ruthless people.

Now that Xu Qing has a high status, they have also risen to prominence and could have enjoyed a life of luxury and a life without worries about food and clothing.

However, after people obtain the wealth they once pursued so hard, the novelty gradually fades away, and faced with the dull life day after day, they can't help feeling lost.

They clearly realized that they could no longer keep up with the young master. The young master was a true dragon from the sky, a phoenix rising from the ashes, constantly flying higher, while they were standing still.

During this time, the two brothers experienced indulgence, but their hearts became more and more empty. They tried various ways to fill the emptiness in their hearts, but they could never find the passion and enthusiasm they once had.

In addition, the last time Guo Zhuang's wife's family got into trouble, Guo Zhuang stepped in to settle it immediately, handled it cleanly and neatly, and was comforted by Xu Qing. This was also the first time Guo Zhuang had close contact with the young master in a long time. It was this experience that made Guo Zhuang determined.

He and Guo Li are still young and don't want to live a mediocre life. They are eager to regain their former passion and enthusiasm, and once again become the sharp blade beside the young master to clear away all obstacles for him.

The loyalty of the Guo brothers is beyond doubt. When Xu Qing was not even a scholar, they had already decided that Xu Qing was their master and were willing to go through fire and water for him. From a personal point of view, even if the two brothers made some minor mistakes, Xu Qing could tolerate them and clean up the mess for them.

But he also understood that human feelings would fade away with the passage of time. When the two brothers passed away, the Guo family would inevitably be kicked out of the core circle of the Xu family. Even now, the Guo family was already on the edge of the core circle. This was the norm in the world.

Xu Qing's voice suddenly changed, becoming deep and terrifying, as if it came from an endless abyss: "Then let's begin."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Bu Tian Jie Hand was activated instantly. The powerful force was like a surging wave, easily lifting the Guo Zhuang brothers up. They were like two chickens that were unable to struggle, and seemed so small in front of this power.

One by one, Bodhi Tribulation Fruits suddenly appeared, then broke open and transformed into pure Yuan Qi, which merged into their bodies like a torrent.

"Demon Body Tempering!" A powerful force instantly enveloped the Guo brothers, and a brutal tempering began.

Under the impact of this force, their bodies continued to twist and deform, as if they were undergoing a painful baptism of rebirth.

Not long after, the Guo brothers retired into seclusion in a low-key manner.

However, in the Monster Catching Division, there were two mysterious warriors wearing bronze masks.

(End of this chapter)