Chapter 13 - Upper Rank of Jia
"The Xiaoshu assessment has concluded, with the content being 'Grain-eating Birds Disaster'. This time, the results are based on the damage sustained by the fields managed by each official."
"Those with damage to less than 10% of Yuan rice are rated Jia."
"Those with damage to less than 20% are rated Yi."
"If the damage is less than half, they are rated Bing."
"For those with damage over half, no score will be given for this assessment, and they will be penalized by replanting the fields, using cultivation techniques to accelerate growth. If they manage to make up for it, they can still be rated Bing."
"The Xiaoshu assessment scores have been posted on the bulletin boards. Please check them yourselves. Regardless of your results, strive diligently and avoid arrogance or complacency."
As Chen Shijie finished speaking, a small official aboard the floating boat waved his hand, and a yellow sheet of paper floated in the air, precisely affixing itself to the nine bulletin boards on the public field.
The officials bowed towards the flying boat. Once the Flowing Cloud Flying Boat drifted away, the crowd rushed towards the bulletin boards with a loud commotion.
"What? There are only 30 people on the Jia list, and only five in the upper rank of Jia?"
"We're finished! There are only 214 people on the list, meaning that half of the officials didn’t qualify?"
"Brother in the front, could you check for me, is my name Liang Bai on the list?"
"It's there, ninth on the Bing list, upper rank. Congratulations, Brother Liang."
"Sigh, only the Bing list? Last time, I made it to the Yi list..."
"If the Xiaoshu assessment is already this tough, how are we supposed to handle the Autumn assessment? By next spring, only a few will be accepted as officials, so what's the point of even trying! Let's just go drink!"
"Hey, you're right. If we quit, we quit. It's not like we can't survive without this job!"
The Xiaoshu assessment was significantly harder than previous ones, and the atmosphere around the bulletin boards was one of gloom and despondency.
There were few happy faces, as most people felt they had performed poorly.
Some, however, were indifferent.
Since only three to five people become officials each year, the difficulty of the assessments only increases, eliminating those who lack diligence or talent.
For some, this goal was out of reach anyway, so there was no need to stress. They simply gave up, not even planning to retake the test.
What? You say they might be fired? Let them be! There wasn’t much pay anyway. In times of peace, who would starve to death without being an official?
Of course, the majority still cared; otherwise, why would they have chosen this path in the first place? After working so hard, with so much invested, of course they still had hope.
Chen Ziyu and Qian Dong pushed their way to the front.
Soon, they squeezed back out, looking utterly disheartened.
They had both scored in the lower rank of Bing, just barely passing.
As they left the crowd, Chen Ziyu smacked his forehead. "Right, Qian Dong, how did Brother do? Did you help me check?"
Qian Dong raised his head, hesitating, "I didn’t see Brother’s name on the Bing list... Could it be..."
"What do you mean, 'could it be'? Are you saying Brother didn’t even make the Bing list? He worked so hard! If he didn’t make it, he must be devastated. No wonder we haven’t seen him. He must be taking it hard, right?"
Qian Dong quickly shook his head. "No, no, Brother is always so carefree. He wouldn’t get worked up over something like this... but he’s probably upset."
Chen Ziyu frowned with worry. "I’ll go check the list again. Qian Dong, you search for Brother nearby. Let’s meet at the Triangle Field."
A quarter of an hour later, at the Triangle Field.
Qian Dong saw Chen Ziyu returning, looking even more disheartened. His face was darker than before.
"I haven’t found Brother yet. What happened to you?"
Chen Ziyu raised his head blankly. "Brother’s name wasn’t on the Bing list."
"If it’s not there, it’s not there. It’s not unusual to fail the assessment..."
Qian Dong trailed off as he stopped speaking. "On the Yi list?"
Seeing that Chen Ziyu didn’t answer, Qian Dong’s mouth slowly dropped open. "Could it be..."
"Yes, Brother is on the Jia list, and ranked in the upper rank. He’s listed alongside Wen Nanxing, Li Chengfeng, Zong Shichang, and Xiao Ze."
"...."
Qian Dong’s expression turned as blank as Chen Ziyu’s.
Not far from the Jia list, Li Chengfeng was basking in the sun on a stone, surrounded by a crowd.
He hadn’t bothered to check the list himself; he was confident that his name was there.
What he enjoyed wasn’t the moment the list was posted, but the admiration from everyone afterward.
"Congratulations, Brother Li! Once again, you’ve made it to the Jia list and ranked in the upper rank!"
"As expected, Brother Li is incredibly talented! How many times have you been in the upper rank of Jia now?"
"The sixth time!"
"By next spring, you’ll be known as Official Li."
Li Chengfeng smiled and cupped his hands to those around him. "You’re all too kind. We’re all brothers here. Besides, I’m not the only one in the upper rank of Jia. I’m no match for Brother Zong... Brother Zong! What are you looking at?"
The burly young man next to him, Zong Shichang, turned back with curiosity. "I was looking at the list, Brother Li. There are five people in the upper rank of Jia this time. Aside from you, me, Wen Nanxing, and Xiao Ze, I’ve never heard of the fifth person."
"Oh?" Li Chengfeng stood up and looked for himself. Seeing the unfamiliar name Zhao Xing, his brows furrowed. "Indeed, I’ve never heard of him. I know almost everyone in the Agricultural Bureau. Where did this person come from?"
"Could he be under the command of the old Minister of Agriculture?" Zong Shichang speculated.
"No need to think too much. We’ll pay a visit and find out soon enough," Li Chengfeng said, narrowing his eyes.
At the same time, Wen Nanxing, Xiao Ze, and others on the Jia list also took note of Zhao Xing’s name.
The Agricultural Bureau only accepts three to five officials a year. Everyone on the Jia list is a competitor.
If someone else is accepted, it means they won’t be, and that person could become their superior. How could they not take notice?
However, Zhao Xing kept such a low profile that few had heard of him. Even asking around among their friends yielded little information. The most they could learn was that he worked under the old Minister of Agriculture, making him even more intriguing.
Zhao Xing, meanwhile, was unaware that he had already caught the attention of so many officials. He didn’t even bother to check the list.
When Chen Shijie announced the rules, Zhao Xing knew that he would certainly be on the Jia list. Why waste time pushing through the crowd in the heat? It was better to head home early, take a bath, change clothes, and have a meal.
If he got home too late, Madame Cai might hide the meat. She was definitely the kind of person who would do that.
"With this year’s assessments, including Xiaoshu, there have been six so far. According to tradition, there will be another six minor assessments following the seasonal cycle."
"My results from the previous five assessments were average: one Yi Zhong, two Bing Shang, and two Bing Xia. Mediocre, at best."
"But that’s fine. Rapid improvement is a form of success. These minor assessments don’t solely rely on scores. Potential is also considered, and there's still a chance to be recommended."
"If I can make it to the Jia list in every minor assessment before the winter evaluation, I’ll surely catch the attention of those higher up. Even the old Minister of Agriculture might advocate for me."
"The old Minister, Xue Wenzhong, is known for being kind. He’s unambitious and incorruptible, never taking bribes. If I’m on par with the others, the deciding factor will be whether my superiors are willing to fight for me."
Just then, the smell of meat interrupted Zhao Xing’s thoughts as he arrived home. The delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen.
"Hmm? Looks like it’s ginseng and black chicken soup… Haha, perfect timing!"
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