Tang Shijun's arrogance ca from his bones, originating from the depths of his soul.
Not to ntion he was an official now, even if he wasn't, he would absolutely not bow his head.
The only person in the world who could make him show respect was the Emperor.
And what he cared about were the tens of thousands of commoners.
Looking at Tang Shijun, who was now a Prefect, still as arrogant and ambitious as when they first t, yet not annoying.
Chu Xun sighed in his heart. Such a person was perhaps destined to stand at the pinnacle of the imperial court.
For the commoners, it was also a great blessing.
Tang Shijun didn't stay long in the small courtyard. He was busy with official duties, and being able to find ti to et and have a al with Chu Xun had already given enough face.
Besides, Huan'er was going to participate in the prefectural examination and also needed to calm down and review.
Before leaving, Tang Shijun specially called Huan'er over and instructed, "This prefectural examination consists of a main session and a review session, covering classics, policy essays, and poetry.
Zheng Xiuwen said you are very smart and might beco a pillar of the state. Then start from this prefectural examination. If you can win the top place in the prefectural examination, when you participate in the college examination in the future, this Prefect will personally take you."
The top of the prefectural examination, that is, the first place in the prefectural examination.
Tang Shijun saying this was equivalent to telling Huan'er.
If he could get first place in the prefectural examination, he could be accepted as a disciple.
Although Tang Shijun was only a Rank 5 Prefect now, in the future he might really be the next Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.
Coupled with the prestigious family behind him, becoming his disciple ant a limitless future.
Huan'er hurriedly knelt and bowed to express his thanks. Tang Shijun calmly accepted the courtesy, and then said to Chu Xun, "After the results are posted, you and I will catch up again."
Chu Xun hurriedly cupped his hands and bowed, "Many thanks to Your Excellency for the guidance."
Tang Shijun said no more, turned and left.
After watching the Lord Prefect leave, Chu Xun closed the courtyard gate, pulled Huan'er back and sat down.
Huan'er was still extrely excited and said, "Uncle, the Lord Prefect actually values so much? Could it be that Lord Zheng said many good things about to him?"
"That is natural, Lord Zheng and Lord Tang are both good officials." Chu Xun smiled and said, "Eat sothing, you were restrained just now, you must be starving, right?"
Huan'er chuckled. It was indeed so, so he picked up his chopsticks to fill his stomach.
Tang Shijun didn't leave in a sedan chair, but only took the bamboo hat handed over by his attendant and put it on his head to conceal his face.
The attendant was sowhat curious and asked, "Why does Your Excellency treat a Village Worthy so generously?"
He knew Chu Xun had protected the village and town and made a contribution.
But such a contribution, in front of the Prefect, couldn't be said to be not worth ntioning, but it also couldn't be considered a massive contribution.
Rewarding and comnding him on the surface would be enough. There was no need to co and et him personally, and even specially buy wine and at, sit down together, exchange cups, and talk and laugh cheerfully.
Tang Shijun didn't answer directly, but asked, "How do you think this Prefect's judgnt is?"
"Your Excellency's judgnt is experienced and far-sighted, this is publicly recognized," the attendant answered.
These words were not flattery. After Tang Shijun took office, he had promoted quite a few people.
All of them were capable of doing practical things, had ability, and had thods. Not a single one was a weakling.
Precisely because of this, Fenggu City could beco increasingly prosperous under his governance, with the hope of being promoted to a "Middle Prefecture".
Tang Shijun said, "What you see is rely the identity of a Village Worthy, what I see is the person himself."
"Although Chu Xun cos from a farr background, his conversation, insights, and broad-mindedness are all beyond what ordinary people can compare to."
"Although I consider my talent and learning not inferior to anyone, I don't know why, but I always feel that in the distant future, Chu Xun's achievents might be even higher than mine."
The attendant listened in astonishnt, "How could Your Excellency have such a feeling? No matter how formidable he is, he is ultimately just a rural person without any official rank. How could he be ntioned in the sa breath as you?"
Tang Shijun shook his head. He also didn't know why such a thought would arise.
And every ti he saw Chu Xun, this thought beca deeper.
Yes...
Coming from a farr background, how could his achievents be higher than his own.
And how high could they go?
As Tang Shijun thought about it, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly, the corners of his mouth curling up lightly, revealing a bit of a smile.
He wasn't apprehensive about how high Chu Xun could climb, but instead hoped that one day, he could see with his own eyes this man climb to a height he couldn't imagine.
The higher the better.
The higher, the more interesting he felt it would be.
With so many people in the world, those who could make him feel interesting could be counted on one's fingers.
A few days later, the prefectural examination officially began.
Because there were many students participating this year, the main session and the review session took a total of three days.
Huan'er was a bit nervous at first, but when the circular list of the main session was issued and he saw his na listed on it, he completely let go.
The circular list didn't distinguish between high and low rankings. Being listed on it ant one could participate in the next review session.
So students who were full of confidence searched the circular list for a long ti but didn't see their nas.
Angry and aggrieved, they couldn't catch their breath and fainted on the spot.
There were also people crying and howling, "Why did I fall out of the circle again..."
On the second day after the review session, the long list was posted.
"Fenggu City Prefectural Examination, Top of the Prefectural Examination, Zhang Jingheng!"
As soon as this na was read out, the whole place boiled over.
Top of the Prefectural Examination!
Although it was only the first place in the prefectural examination, and there were still the college examination, provincial examination, and even the tropolitan examination later.
But it was ultimately the first place!
"Who is Zhang Jingheng? A top student from which academy?"
"Never heard of him, have you seen him?"
Amidst everyone's discussions, Huan'er's eyes lit up, but he forcibly suppressed the urge to shout a few tis.
"Uncle, let's go back. Waiting so long, I'm hungry."
How could Chu Xun not see the joy in his heart, and couldn't help but smile, "Not going to shout a few words and show off?"
"Better not. They all say scholars tend to disparage one another. I might not be able to show off, and there will definitely be many who are jealous," Huan'er said.
Chu Xun listened and laughed dumbly. This boy was only sixteen years old, how could he have such shrewdness.
When he grows up, wouldn't he be incredible?
Who could have thought that the honest and wooden Zhang Sanchun, who had been called foolish for a long ti, would have a son who was ridiculously clever.
The next day.
Huan'er was summoned by the prefectural office to co and register.
It was just that he didn't line up in front of the prefectural office like the other students, but was welcod in by a dedicated person and personally received by Tang Shijun.
Tang Shijun rewarded him with the Four Treasures of the Study, and at the sa ti accepted Huan'er as a disciple, fulfilling his previous promise.
When the college examination cos next year, Chu Xun wouldn't need to co again. The Lord Prefect would personally take Huan'er there.
With such a universally joyous matter, they naturally couldn't leave hastily.
Since it was rare to et, Tang Shijun simply changed into casual clothes, brought his attendant, and called Chu Xun and Huan'er to tour around Fenggu City.
There were many lively places in the city, and the City God Temple was one of them.
Tang Shijun led Chu Xun to the entrance of the City God Temple and said, "His Majesty issued a decree to grade the City Gods of the world, dividing them into three levels, County, Prefecture, and Capital."
"Just a County-level City God is designated as Rank 4a. A City God like Fenggu City's is even Rank 2a, much higher than my rank."
"Precisely because of this, the number of people coming to worship every day is countless."
Zhangnan County also had a City God Temple, but Chu Xun had never specially visited it.
Poking his head to look, at this mont craftsn were reshaping the golden body for the deity statue and decorating the main hall, so they temporarily couldn't enter.
Only a few deity statues could be vaguely seen, the City God, the Civil Judge, the Martial Judge, the Impermanence, and so on.
Although it was a place for immortals and gods, and there was a big sun shining, it inexplicably made Chu Xun feel gusts of gloomy wind and his whole body turn cold.
But the others seed completely unaware. Chu Xun imdiately understood that it might be related to his Qi Condensation cultivation.
It was just that his cultivation was still low, so apart from so feelings different from ordinary people, there was nothing else.
There was a stone stele erected in front of the City God Temple, with the origin of the City God of this place written on it.
Chu Xun went over to take a look, only then knowing that the City God of Fenggu City was nad Xie Wenlan, who was originally just a rchant.
In the previous dynasty, when the horse tribe attacked this place, he scattered all his family wealth and organized the local strongn to fight desperately to resist.
On the night before the city was breached, he hid the old and young of the city in cellars, and personally led twenty death squads to open the city gate and feign surrender.
After the assassination failed, he drew his sword and slit his throat in front of the enemy commander's tent.
Later, when reinforcents arrived and saw his loyalty and heroism, they reported it to the Emperor, who conferred upon him the title of Fenggu City God, to protect this city forever.
All the way to the Kingdom of Jing, it had never changed.
"Although the City God is orthodox, the Songliu Water God near your ho might also be."
"There are deities three feet above one's head. Going to worship more often has no harm," Tang Shijun said.
Chu Xun only felt awkward hearing this. Worshipping the Songliu Water God was not as practical as going ho, finding a mirror, and kowtowing to himself a few tis.
Fortunately, Tang Shijun didn't say much more. After taking the few people to experience the atmosphere around the City God Temple, they went to other places.
A gust of gloomy wind blew out from the temple, stood for a mont, and then dissipated.
Chu Xun seed to sense sothing and turned his head to look, but couldn't see anything, only people coming and going, and heavy traffic.
[End of Chapter]
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