Chapter 165: Who Would Have Thought Lord Zhao Had Such Great Influence?!

"Alright, let's head inside first," Zhao Xing said, restraining his anger for the moment. After all, there might be a reasonable explanation. Losing his temper right away would make him seem petty as the newly appointed superior.

Zhang Zhong, Jiang Xi, and He Fengnian accompanied Zhao Xing into the Shennong Office.

The moment they stepped through the gate, Zhao Xing frowned and looked up at the sky.

Snow was gently falling into the office compound.

The Shennong Office was protected by formations, so weather conditions shouldn't have affected the inside. Besides, with all the Shennong officials present, how could they let snow drift into the office?

Seeing this, Zhang Zhong explained, "The Yuncheng Shennong Office hasn't been repaired in over twenty years. We lack the resources and manpower to regulate the weather, so whatever happens outside affects us here as well."

Zhao Xing's brows furrowed deeper, but he said nothing. He simply raised his hand and pointed at the sky.

Buzz!

A golden light shot up into the sky, sweeping away the wind and snow, which then reversed course, flowing back up into the heavens.

The golden light expanded, forming a golden cloud that quickly spread, engulfing the entire sky.

A gentle breeze swept across the ground, melting the frost.

Even a hint of green appeared outside the Shennong Office gate.

Zhang Zhong, Jiang Xi, and He Fengnian's eyes widened in shock.

With just a wave of his hand, Lord Zhao had dispersed the snow and ushered in spring in an instant! This new superior was truly formidable!

"Let's go inside," Zhao Xing ordered.

"Yes, my lord," the three men replied, now even more respectful as they followed him.

Zhao Xing was intimately familiar with the layout of Shennong Offices at all levels.

Although it was his first time at Yuncheng's Shennong Office, he walked through it as if he had been there many times before, quickly finding his destination.

The Hall of Waterworks.

As the Chief Water Officer, this was his official workplace.

In any Shennong Office, the most important department was dictated by the rank of its leading official.

Zhao Xing, being a Chief Water Officer of the Seventh Rank, meant that the Department of Waterworks had the largest and most important facilities.

Zhang Zhong, as the Chief Internal Officer, was Zhao Xing's direct subordinate and handled the waterworks as well, though his rank was only Eighth Rank Upper. There should have been at least three assistant officers: one Eighth Rank Upper and two Eighth Rank Lower.

However, when they arrived at the Department of Waterworks, they found only about a dozen Ninth Rank Shennong officials on duty.

Jiang Xi, the Chief Shennong Officer, oversaw farming and held the Eighth Rank Lower.

He Fengnian, the Equalization Officer, was responsible for transporting grain taxes to the prefectural capital and was of Eighth Rank Upper.

The three men's positions and abilities were rather mediocre, and Zhao Xing could tell at a glance.

Jiang Xi was the only one who had a bit of skill.

Once they reached the inner hall, Zhao Xing took the main seat, and Long Xiao stood beside him, holding his sword.

The three men formally paid their respects to Zhao Xing according to protocol.

Yet Zhao Xing did not immediately tell them to rise.

He was genuinely displeased.

It had been at least fifteen minutes since he had arrived at the main gate and entered the Department of Waterworks.

That amount of time couldn't be dismissed as "being too busy with work" or "not receiving the notice." It was too long for such excuses to be plausible.

And still, no one else had shown up.

"Gentlemen, Yuncheng's Shennong Office, as a prefectural-level office, should have sixty-six Eighth Rank Shennong officials aside from myself, the Seventh Rank officer."

"It's currently the sixth quarter of Mao hour, with black and white shifts alternating. During the day, there should be thirty-three Eighth Rank officials on duty."

"Even if everyone was busy with official duties outside, according to regulations, at least nine of them should be stationed here."

"Now, aside from the three of you, where are the others?"

"Are you telling me they've all gone out to work?"

Zhao Xing's senses were incredibly sharp. When he activated his seasonal qi to summon spring and spread the cloud technique, he immediately sensed that there were no other Eighth Rank officials within the Shennong Office.

Either they were all slacking off, showing up late for work, or perhaps they knew he was coming and intentionally avoided meeting him, trying to give him a hard time.

No matter which it was, Zhao Xing wasn't pleased.

The atmosphere in the hall grew tense, and Zhang Zhong lowered his head even further.

"Lord Zhao, according to regulations, the Yuncheng Shennong Office should indeed have sixty-six Eighth Rank officials," Zhang Zhong began, his voice low. "However, last month, a batch of officials was transferred out, including the previous superior officer. As of now, Yuncheng's Shennong Office only has twenty-one officials remaining."

"Twelve during the day, and nine at night, with four officials stationed here at all times."

"The rest are currently leading teams to inspect the weather and terrain in the surrounding towns."

Zhao Xing almost laughed in frustration.

Before, he had been worried about being held back by lazy subordinates. Now, it turned out there were barely any subordinates left to hold him back at all.

"Rise, all of you, and take a seat," Zhao Xing said. There was no point venting his frustration on these three; they were at least doing their jobs. He gestured for Zhang Zhong, Jiang Xi, and He Fengnian to sit.

"You mentioned four people are always stationed here. Where's the fourth?"

Just as Zhang Zhong was about to reply, a trembling voice came from outside the hall.

"Subordinate Bao Wenshan... seeks an audience with Lord Zhao."

Zhao Xing looked out and saw an elderly man with white hair, leaning on a walking stick, struggling to salute. He seemed as though he might collapse at any moment.

Zhang Zhong leaned in and whispered, "Lord Zhao, Bao Wenshan is the fourth."

Zhao Xing: "..."

When Bao Wenshan entered the hall, Zhao Xing stared at the elderly man in silence for a long time.

He had celebrated too soon.

The state of Yuncheng was far worse than he had anticipated—either too old, too weak, or transferred away.

The military's third task had given him a Seventh Rank position, but it seemed he had become nothing more than a token Chief Water Officer!

This wasn't just a temporary post—it had been severely gutted.

With less than a third of the staff remaining, how was he supposed to get any work done?

Was he supposed to work himself to death?

Bao Wenshan, seeing Zhao Xing's long silence, hastily bowed and said, "My lord, I deeply apologize for not coming sooner to welcome you. Please punish me."

What was the point of punishing this elderly man? Zhao Xing sighed and motioned for him to sit. Bao Wenshan was practically at death's door—who knew how long he had been stationed here?

The military's briefing on Yuncheng hadn't provided specific details, which made it clear that this situation was part of the challenge.

Zhao Xing wasn't sure if reinforcements would be sent, but he assumed they had to be on the way.

In any case, since he was here, he might as well adapt to the circumstances. Zhao Xing quickly adjusted his mindset and continued his inquiry into Yuncheng's situation.

Since the military hadn't given him the full picture, it was up to him to gather the information, which was part of the test.

He started with the personnel.

"Zhang Zhong, do you know why there was such a large-scale transfer?"

Zhang Zhong hesitated for a moment, but Bao Wenshan answered first, "My lord, allow me to explain."

"Very well. Go ahead."

Bao Wenshan began, "This isn't the first time we've had a large transfer. Yuncheng has always been short-staffed."

"Why is that?"

"Yuncheng is located at the border of Nine Heaven Yingyuan Prefecture, and for the past two hundred years, it has been frequently harassed by foreign tribes."

"I've served here for one hundred and thirty-six years, and during that time, Yuncheng has been invaded by foreign tribes 1,452 times."

"Of those, Yuncheng has fallen completely into enemy hands twenty-five times."

"With constant warfare and repeated losses, the Shennong Office has always been understaffed."

Zhao Xing frowned slightly. He now understood why Bao Wenshan had spoken instead of Zhang Zhong—the elderly man no longer cared about his career prospects. He could say whatever he pleased.

Bao Wenshan's meaning was clear: the higher-ups didn't care about Yuncheng. They considered it a lost cause, so they didn't bother properly staffing it.

After all, the foreign tribes couldn't hold onto Yuncheng for long. Whenever the city fell, the officials would retreat, and once the enemy left, they would return to restore order.

As to why this situation had persisted for so long, there were many reasons. But at the root of it all, there was simply no incentive.

Successfully defending the city didn't earn any rewards, but failure wasn't heavily punished either because it was expected.

With Emperor Jing previously focused on curbing the power of the noble families and avoiding major wars, no one dared to provoke a border conflict on their own initiative.

As a result, the attitude toward Yuncheng was one of complacency: better to do nothing than to risk making a mistake.

"Over time, no one wanted to serve in Yuncheng. Being posted to the frontier was seen as a form of exile."

"Those who were assigned here would often seek connections to transfer elsewhere, even if it meant a demotion of one or two ranks. Anywhere was better than staying here."

Zhao Xing waved his hand, cutting off Bao Wenshan.

He had heard enough to understand the situation. Anything more would only be venting frustrations, which wouldn't help morale.

Bao Wenshan took the hint and fell silent.

Zhang Zhong, Jiang Xi, and He Fengnian all wore expressions of gloom.

"There's no need for such despair. Starting today, things will be different in Yuncheng," Zhao Xing said.

Bao Wenshan, unafraid of death, boldly asked, "How will things be different?"

Zhao Xing smiled and replied, "Because the imperial court is about to place significant importance on this location. You may not be aware, but Yuncheng is destined to become a major military stronghold. Not only that, but the court is planning to continue its southern expansion, annexing new lands."

"When that time comes, Yuncheng will no longer be a frontier town, and you will no longer need to worry about your safety or your careers."

The promise Zhao Xing made clearly lifted everyone's spirits.

A glimmer of hope appeared in the eyes of Zhang Zhong, Jiang Xi, and He Fengnian. "My lord, is this true?"

Zhao Xing gave Long Xiao a signal with his eyes.

Long Xiao immediately understood and said, "How could it be false? Do you know who this Chief Water Officer standing before you is?"

The three officials stretched their necks, eagerly awaiting the answer.

Long Xiao, clearly enjoying the suspense, paused dramatically before finally speaking. "Lord Zhao, at only twenty-one years old, is the youngest and most talented Military Shennong to emerge from the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven!"

"The Ten Sun Cave-Heaven! Do you even understand what that place is? It's where the Great Zhou's most elite military forces are stationed!"

"And Lord Zhao is a Military Shennong who stood out among millions!"

"You saw earlier how he waved his hand and instantly changed the weather in Yuncheng. Could any of you do that?"

Zhang Zhong, Jiang Xi, and He Fengnian all shook their heads.

Long Xiao smirked proudly. "That was just the tip of the iceberg. Do you realize how difficult it is to train a Military Shennong? And Lord Zhao isn't just any Military Shennong—he's a once-in-a-lifetime genius! The imperial court sent him here. How could this possibly be an exile?"

Long Xiao patted the Wenzhu box, lifting a corner of the lid.

A radiant light spilled out from within.

"Look at this! These are treasures personally bestowed upon Lord Zhao by the imperial court, and that's not all—he also travels with a rare Seventh Rank beast."

"If this were an exile, would he be treated with such honor?"

"Rest assured, gentlemen!"

Zhang Zhong, Jiang Xi, and He Fengnian were filled with excitement.

Who would have thought Lord Zhao was such an influential figure?!

Even Bao Wenshan, who hadn't seen Zhao Xing's earlier display of power, was now beginning to realize the extent of his abilities.

Zhao Xing shot Long Xiao a sideways glance.

He couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed by the excessive praise.

All he had asked for was a bit of support, but Long Xiao had taken it to the next level.

Had he often done this with Chen Shijie in the past?

Seeing that his point had been made, Long Xiao raised an eyebrow at Zhao Xing, signaling that it was his turn to speak.

Zhao Xing took the hint and continued, "My companion here is Long Xiao, a Brave Guard Officer of the Shenwei Army, ranked Seventh Upper."

"Moreover, Lord Long is a sword cultivator."

"Sword cultivators are the most elite among martial practitioners, a path not many can follow. Even if you don't know me, you should understand the strength of a Seventh Rank Upper sword cultivator."

"A Brave Guard Officer!"

"Greetings to Lord Long!"

"My apologies for not recognizing your rank."

Zhang Zhong, Jiang Xi, and He Fengnian quickly stood and saluted.

Long Xiao, clearly pleased, nodded in satisfaction. Though, in his mind, he couldn't help but feel Zhao Xing hadn't done him justice. After all the praise he had heaped on Zhao Xing, why hadn't Zhao mentioned his legendary feat of slaying dozens of Xuantian Sect demons with a single strike in Gucheng?

Zhao Xing continued, "The opportunity before you is clear. As long as you perform your duties well, both the imperial court and I will recognize your efforts. This is not the time for complacency."

"We will not disappoint you, my lord!"

Zhang Zhong, Jiang Xi, He Fengnian, and Bao Wenshan all rose to their feet and saluted once more.

Zhao Xing turned his attention to Bao Wenshan. "Lord Bao, I noticed that your internal organs seem to be in poor condition. Did you suffer injuries in the past?"

Bao Wenshan nodded. "My lord has keen eyes. I did sustain injuries in previous battles, but there's no need to worry. I can still fight for Yuncheng and its people for another ten years."

Zhao Xing stood from the main seat and slowly descended the steps. "Please, Lord Bao, open your robe and allow me to examine you more closely."

"I fear it may offend your lordship's eyes."

"It's of no concern."

At Zhao Xing's insistence, Bao Wenshan removed his top.

What Zhao Xing saw moved him deeply.

Bao Wenshan's body was covered in scars and wounds. Normally, an Eighth Rank Shennong's body would be capable of healing itself over time, and even if they weren't as strong as martial practitioners, they should have been in good health.

An Eighth Rank Shennong should have been able to maintain a relatively healthy condition until their death.

But Bao Wenshan had served in Yuncheng for over a hundred years, enduring countless battles and injuries.

Because Yuncheng's officials received no rewards for successfully defending the city and were even punished when the city fell, Bao Wenshan had been unable to obtain the necessary resources to heal properly.

As a result, his five internal elements were almost depleted, and his organs were nearing total failure.

Had it not been for his official position sustaining him, Bao Wenshan would likely have died long ago.

"Long Xiao, fetch two Vitality Restoration Pills and two Five-Element Pills from the Wenzhu box."

"Right away." Long Xiao tapped the Wenzhu box, and four Fourth Rank pills flew out.

Bao Wenshan was stunned and immediately grabbed Zhao Xing's wrist. "My lord, I cannot possibly accept such precious pills!"

But Zhao Xing gently held Bao Wenshan's hand, his emotions complicated. This old Shennong reminded him of Xue Wenzhong, another dedicated official who had worked tirelessly without receiving his due rewards.

However, Bao Wenshan's plight was even worse—he had served in Yuncheng for over a century.

"Lord Bao, you more than deserve this," Zhao Xing said, firmly grasping the old man's rough hand. He sent his vital energy into Bao Wenshan's body, using the Yin-Yang Self Technique to regulate his qi. "These few pills are nothing. You absolutely deserve them. Please trust me."

"My lord…" Bao Wenshan's lips trembled, and tears welled up in his eyes. "Hearing those words from you is more than enough for this old man. There's no need to waste these valuable pills on me."

"How could I let that be?" Zhao Xing replied with a smile. "You're a man of great experience. I'm counting on your help to manage Yuncheng. Consider these pills a bribe if you like."

Bao Wenshan was momentarily stunned, then a smile appeared on his wrinkled face. "Very well, I'll accept your bribe."

He then opened his mouth and swallowed the pills. With Zhao Xing's vital energy assisting the process, Bao Wenshan's vitality visibly began to recover.