The first straw man was clumsily assembled, its movements unsteady and wavering.
The second straw man, though it stumbled, had already gained some stability.
The third straw man moved with increasing speed.
...
When Xue Wenzhong returned from a circle around the front courtyard, he was astonished to see a straw man in the back courtyard moving swiftly; the second straw man was leaping among the haystacks; the third straw man was swinging on a swing under the locust tree; the fourth straw man was flipping grains nearby; the fifth straw man was weeding in the vegetable garden.
Although there were several 'failures' that had knocked over the vegetable basket, toppled the clothes rack, and startled the chickens and ducks, Xue Wenzhong chose to ignore them.
He focused on the few straw men that had begun to exhibit some spirit and quickly walked over to Zhao Xing, who was tidying the clothes rack and collecting the vegetable basket. "I was gone for just half an hour, and you managed to create all of these?"
Zhao Xing glanced at the somewhat chaotic back courtyard and apologized, "I’m sorry, Elder Xue. I can clean it up quickly, but one duck has already flown out of the fence... I’ll compensate you for one!"
The wrinkles on Xue Wenzhong's face crinkled together in a smile as he grasped Zhao Xing's arm. "What’s a mere duck worth? Don’t worry about it!"
He patted Zhao Xing on the shoulder. "Work hard, and strive for a top score in the winter assessment. Once you pass the spring temple examination and officially take office, there will surely be a place for you."
Zhao Xing was taken aback for a moment, realizing that the old Agricultural Affairs Bureau official was not blaming him. He smiled and cupped his hands in gratitude, "Thank you, Master."
"However, the Agricultural Affairs Bureau is filled with experts, and my status is lowly. I may not be able to compete..."
Xue Wenzhong understood the hesitation in Zhao Xing's words, referring to the other officials who took bribes from subordinates, opened private kitchens, and provided substantial assistance.
"You have such talent; I’ve overlooked it in the past. It was truly my mistake. From now on, you can come to the back courtyard every day and learn for an extra hour."
Zhao Xing had hesitated earlier precisely to achieve this effect. Xue Wenzhong's words indicated that he was already considering him as a disciple, and he knew how to take advantage of the situation.
In an instant, his address changed, and he bowed deeply, saying, "Disciple thanks Master for your nurturing grace."
Xue Wenzhong, feeling a surge of inspiration, had never been one to compete, but seeing a good seedling at his old age stirred some thoughts within him. Thus, he solemnly accepted this bow:
"Keep up the hard work, don’t waste your talent. Do your job well, and you will surely have your day in the sun. I don’t care about others; if you can’t enter next year, I will step aside and leave the position for you!"
If this were said by another leader, Zhao Xing would consider it mere grandstanding.
But with Xue Wenzhong saying it, the credibility was quite high. Firstly, he was a man of his word, and secondly, at his age, he could have chosen to retire long ago.
If it came to a shortage of positions and Zhao Xing's ranking happened to be on the edge, he might indeed make the gesture of stepping aside.
"Thank you, Master. I will work hard and not disappoint your expectations."
In the following three days, Zhao Xing learned the fourth method of straw man assembly from Xue Wenzhong.
Even Xue Wenzhong was astonished by Zhao Xing's progress, considering that Zhao Xing had only practiced the Liu Chuan Weaving Method for one extra hour!
Zhao Xing felt quite emotional:
"With the dual blessings of Fortune and treasures, not only has my cultivation speed increased, but I have also gained the attention of the old Agricultural Affairs Bureau official. The Grand Dream Academy is indeed a good place; just a little benefit has brought such a significant change."
However, during the nights of these few days, when he attempted to enter the Grand Dream Academy again, he found that even the Asking Heart Platform had hidden itself. He didn’t know if it was because he was too weak and there were no suitable levels for him to challenge.
At this moment, Zhao Xing was walking in the fields on the eastern outskirts.
The Agricultural Affairs Bureau officials typically studied in the morning and worked in the afternoon.
In addition to advising farmers and conducting inspections, they were also responsible for the land, of course, depending on which aspect their superior was in charge of.
Having many people has its disadvantages and advantages; working under Xue Wenzhong was relatively easy. Because when there were many people, the miscellaneous tasks assigned by the superior were fewer, and thus it was not so busy.
This allowed for more time to study and prepare for assessments.
The transition for Agricultural Affairs officials consists of several parts.
First, there is the harvest of the jurisdiction's towns, which is counted by the county office and not overseen by the Agricultural Affairs Bureau.
Most towns are fairly similar, but there are distinctions between upper, middle, and lower quality fields. Naturally, those assigned to better jurisdictions will fare better, but Xue Wenzhong did not compete, and the good ones were divided among the other officials.
Second, there is the moral assessment, which encompasses many aspects, including the completion of miscellaneous tasks assigned by superiors, learning attitudes, reputation, etc. There are no specific standards, as the authority lies with the superiors.
Third, the ability assessment is based on the content of the twenty-four solar terms, among which the four seasons and eight festivals—namely: Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, Winter Solstice—are mandatory assessments. Other key planting and harvesting solar terms are also included.
For example, a month ago, the Grain in Ear assessment focused on whether the final wave of rice planting was completed and the survival rate.
The person responsible for setting the questions and conducting the assessments is the official of the ninth rank, Chen Shijie.
The above three types are considered 'regular scores.' Those who score at the top will be recommended by the Agricultural Affairs Bureau to the Nanyang County government at the end of the year. The three are combined for the 'Winter Assessment.'
The Winter Assessment may sometimes continue with another round of assessments, but it depends on the situation, mainly looking at how the entire Nanyang County performed in the previous year. If they can surpass other counties and the number of positions allocated by the court is sufficient, then there may be no need for further assessments.
In the coming spring, there will also be a temple examination.
The court sets the questions to further filter the positions reported by each county.
Passing the temple examination is what truly settles the matter.
After that comes the 'official appointment,' where the court issues a formal appointment document, and one receives the baptism of Fortune in the Temple of Divinity, becoming a part of the Great Zhou's Fortune dynasty system.
In simple terms, this is a series of transition tasks.
Zhao Xing had also transitioned during Emperor Jing's reign in his previous life and was very familiar with this process, though it was somewhat challenging at this time.
Once the revival version arrived, it would be much simpler.
However, the difficulty had its benefits; many things would become completely unavailable later on.
"I have the blessings of Fortune and treasures; transitioning should not be difficult." Zhao Xing was full of confidence as he walked briskly toward the public fields.
The summer solstice had passed, and the Minor Heat was approaching.
In the county's public fields, the rice had already begun to ripen.
This year's winter assessment's ability assessment did not test for 'summer solstice,' so the Minor Heat would certainly not be skipped; otherwise, it would not fulfill the foundational rounds for the winter assessment.
At this time, the Agricultural Affairs Bureau officials spent most of their time running to the public fields, as the assessments would not wait for anyone. Thus, the public fields in Grain City were already filled with many officials waiting.
"Everyone is waiting for the Minor Heat assessment; it feels a bit like the scene from my previous life." Zhao Xing looked around and felt it resembled the experience of competing for elective courses in college in his past life.
However, it was also quite normal; if one missed an assessment, although it wouldn’t lead to disqualification, the impact would still be significant. No one could guarantee that they could still pass with a missing score in one subject.
As Zhao Xing entered the public field area, he clearly felt the heat rising, and his body began to sweat. Even with the use of the Xingyun technique to shield from the sun, it was somewhat ineffective.
After waiting for a while, he saw Chen Ziyu and Qian Dong, as well as Li Chengfeng and Wen Nanxing, who had also come to wait for the assessment.
Everyone, without exception, was panting and sweating by the edge of the field, truly feeling as hot as dogs.
"It’s clearly just Minor Heat, but the sun is as scorching as during Major Heat. Chen Shinu really has a bit of a twisted sense of humor. Brother, what do you think he will come up with for this tricky exam question?" Chen Ziyu asked.
"How would I know? Aren't you the one with the surname Chen?"
"Though we share the same surname, he is a flow official, and his hometown is in Xishan County, which has nothing to do with me." Chen Ziyu pouted.
"Better save your energy and wait." Qian Dong weakly waved his straw hat.
Just as everyone was feeling wilted from the heat, a sudden commotion arose from the south.
"Quick, look! What is that?!"
"It's the exam questions; the exam questions are coming!"
"Heavens, it’s actually..."
(End of Chapter)