Chen Shijie's promised quota for Zhao Xing's tributary position will be available next month, with payments starting from the White Dew solar term.
The stipend reward is divided into several Ranks. For the first month, he can only receive the 'Intermediate Official Stipend', but if Zhao Xing can achieve 'Superior' again next month, Chen Shijie can apply for his transfer to 'High-Rank Official'.
An Intermediate Official receives five taels of stipend silver monthly, while a High-Rank Official receives ten taels monthly.
How long this continues depends on Zhao Xing's performance.
Of course, if Zhao Xing can officially become an official next year, this reward will cease. If he performs outstandingly then, there will be other awards.
Five taels or ten taels a month, calculated by the commodity prices during Emperor Jing's era, is already considered a huge reward for an official!
One must know that the person beaten by Young Master Zong, upon hearing thirty taels of silver per punch, immediately chose 'being beaten on the street' over 'reporting to the authorities'.
Ordinary people who took eighteen of his punches instantly became rich, leading many to later beg Young Master Zong to hit them!
However, for those aspiring to cultivate and ascend the path of Dao, this amount of resources is not much; at this stage, it can only be described as sufficient.
The official reward was just a favor from Chen Shijie, but his private financial support was truly generous!
"I will send you 15 Heaven Origin Pears every month. If you achieve 'Superior' again, I will give you that Heaven Origin Pear tree. If it can survive, it can also serve as resources for your future cultivation," Chen Shijie pointed to the small tree in the sapling area.
Zhao Xing was a little surprised; Chen Shijie was really willing to spend a fortune. The Heaven Origin Pear tree is a third-Rank quality item, and even a young tree is valuable. If it can be cultivated to maturity, it would be a veritable money tree!
Although he really wanted it, he still had to put on a show: "Such a generous reward, Zhao Xing feels unworthy."
Chen Shijie, however, said indifferently: "I have considerable family wealth. I have been serving in Nanyang Commandery for three years and have successfully grown a pear orchard. Giving you a young tree is but a small matter. Just accept it; perhaps one day you and I will advance hand in hand."
Xue Wenjong couldn't help but be moved; this was clearly not within his expectations.
Even more surprising was Chen Shijie's attitude. This was not how one treated a junior; he was clearly treating Zhao Xing as a fellow cultivator with whom he could fight side-by-side!
Xue Wenjong secretly thought: "This Lord Chen is indeed an anomaly; he is truly unfathomable."
However, this was a good thing. Although the Heaven Origin Pear sapling was slightly less valuable than the Dao-imparting painting, its advantage lay in its longevity. In the long run, its value would eventually surpass that of the Dao-imparting painting.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xing no longer declined and accepted straightforwardly: "Then I thank Lord Chen."
Chen Shijie left with a smile. If he hadn't feared Zhao Xing would be envied, he would have directly given him a mature pear tree.
He had considerable family wealth and had gained much from the military; a Heaven Origin Pear tree was nothing to him.
In the three years he had been in Nanyang Commandery, all the colleagues he had seen were decadent, and not one suited his taste. Zhao Xing's performance was exactly to his liking.
Furthermore, Chen Shijie's mention of advancing hand in hand was not a joke.
He genuinely thought: "I won't stay in Nanyang Commandery for long. The General will eventually re-employ me. When I return to the army, perhaps I can also include him in the list."
After the autumn assessment, the public notice was posted, and only fifteen people were rated 'Superior'.
Compared to the last time, the number was halved.
The assessment was becoming stricter and stricter, all for the purpose of screening for the final nomination list.
After Zhao Xing left the Hundred Herbs Garden, he was immediately surrounded by many people.
"Zhao Xing is out!"
"Brother Zhao, congratulations!"
"Congratulations, Zhao Erjia!"
"Next year, when officials are appointed, Brother Zhao's name will definitely be on the list!" Qian Dong congratulated with a grin.
Seeing this, Zhao Xing clamped Qian Dong's head and laughed: "Then why are you still calling me Brother Zhao? Why not Lord Zhao!"
"Oh, my mistake. I apologize to Lord Zhao right away."
"Hahaha." Everyone burst into laughter.
Li Chengfeng and Zong Shichang stood together not far away, their brows imperceptibly furrowed.
Although some also congratulated him, his popularity this time was much lower.
"Hmph, this fellow certainly knows how to make a scene," Zong Shichang looked at the other side, his tone stiff. Although he had been beaten, he couldn't bring himself to hate Zhao Xing in his heart. It was just a matter of Face; otherwise, Young Master Zong would have also wanted to join the fun.
"Let's go, Brother Zong, let's go for a drink." Li Chengfeng gave Zhao Xing a deep look, then called his friends and left.
Compared to Li Chengfeng, Zhao Xing gave people a more approachable and down-to-earth feeling.
Although Li Chengfeng was known as a gentleman, there was always a subtle air of putting on airs that sensitive people could perceive.
Of course, this was secondary; Zhao Xing's popularity was mainly due to his Rank.
This time, only three people achieved 'Superior': Li Chengfeng, Zong Shichang, and Zhao Xing.
Xiao Ze and Wen Nanxing, who had always performed well, only achieved 'Intermediate'.
After their assessment, Wen Nanxing and Xiao Ze stayed indoors for three days straight. When they emerged, they had returned to normal but never mentioned being set up. If anyone asked, they would only say they had performed poorly.
Did they know who had set them up? Of course, they figured it out!
"I was unknowingly robbed of Origin Qi for four days and three nights without even realizing it?" Wen Nanxing got drunk behind closed doors after finding out.
Xiao Ze, sitting opposite him, was also drinking heavily. His Face burned when he remembered Chen Shijie's comment.
"Insufficient vigilance, insufficient vigilance..." These five words kept echoing in his mind.
Xiao Ze remembered his teacher's disappointed gaze, took a hard swig of wine, and then slammed his cup on the table with a 'thwack'.
"What a Zhao Erjia! If there's an opportunity in the next assessment, I will surely retaliate!"
"Brother Xiao, please keep your voice down!" Wen Nanxing replaced his cup. "It's best to keep it to yourself."
Their dignity would not allow them to speak out, but they had mentally added Zhao Xing to their top list of competitors, waiting for the next opportunity to reclaim their Face from Zhao Xing.
"Protector Hunter Falcon, the assessment Ranks for Gucheng's autumn assessment have been publicly announced. This person has achieved 'Superior' twice in a row, and it's even rumored he defeated Zong Shichang in a sparring match. Should this Zhao family scion also be included in the capture list?"
In an inconspicuous dwelling in Sanwan Town, east of Guxian, three people were eating at a table.
An old man, a man, and a woman, looking like a family of three.
However, the true identities of these three were a Protector and two Hall Masters of the Xuantian Sect.
The elder, known as 'Protector Hunter Falcon', had a benevolent Face, white hair, and appeared to be on the verge of death.
The middle-aged man was the 'Sanwan Hall Master', with an ordinary appearance and prominent cheekbones. The woman, the Deputy Hall Master, wore a headscarf, had a sallow complexion and a stout build, utterly unremarkable, even a bit plain.
It was the Sanwan Hall Master who spoke, pointing at Zhao Xing's name on a publicly displayed list from the Agricultural Supervision Department spread on the table.
Protector Hunter Falcon opened his eyes, his gaze shifting from cloudy to clear: "Oh? Two 'Superiors' and he can even defeat Zong Shichang? Is this a sudden enlightenment, or a culmination of long-term effort? Show me the specific information before deciding whether to include him in the list."