Mortal Mage

Taihe Palace is the emperor's bedroom.

Emperor Li Si, wearing a tiger-skin cloak, sat in front of the lamp reading Mingxuan's test paper.

It was now midnight and he looked a little tired.

“Currency war?”

A hint of curiosity flashed across Li Si's tired face. He perked himself up, took a piece of dessert beside him, sipped his tea and began to read slowly.

After a long time, an imperial decree came from the palace.

"Send the prince to the audience."

Seven days passed in a flash.

Early in the morning, many people gathered in front of the imperial edict outside the Wumen Gate of the Taihe Palace.

Today is the day when the palace examination results will be announced.

The number of people has been reduced by more than half, because there are only one hundred people on the list for the palace examination.

The eunuch on the notice board will chant for each of these one hundred people.

"The list of the top 100 students in the 51st Imperial Examination of the Taicang Empire has been submitted."

"The first place in the palace examination, the top scholar, is Zhang Mingxuan, from Lishu Village, Kangtai County. He is appointed as the doctor in charge of the Ministry of Rites."

"The second place in the palace examination, Chen Zhize, is from Taihe City and is appointed as the military officer."

"The third place in the palace examination, the third place winner, Zhao Junyi, a native of Taihe City, is appointed as the chief officer of the military corps."

"The fourth place in the palace examination, Jinshi, Zhang Da, a native of Taihe City, was appointed as the chief officer of the military base."

"..."

This time, three or five eunuchs took turns chanting the list for the entire morning.

The acting Langzhong is of the fifth rank, while the acting Zhushi is of the junior fifth rank.

After the results of the palace examination were announced in the morning, in the afternoon all government offices would decorate the city with lights and colorful sedan chairs and carriages, and would carry official titles, official seals, official uniforms, and money for settling in, and rush around the city.

The Ministry of Rites is a department similar to the Ministry of Education, and is also responsible for managing miscellaneous matters such as court sacrifices and rituals.

-

After listening to the eunuch's chanting three times and confirming the fact that he was assigned to the Ministry of Rites, Zhang Mingxuan returned to the inn early to sleep and wait for the official letter and seal from the Ministry of Rites to be delivered.

Three quarters past noon.

Taihe City was filled with firecrackers, and the city was decorated with lights and colorful lanterns. The entire city was mobilized for the Feathered Guards. Various government offices had already prepared official letters, official seals, and official uniforms, and were dispatching them to the addresses reserved by the candidates.

Also delivered was two hundred taels of silver as resettlement fee.

Zhang Mingxuan saved about 110 taels of silver himself, and received 200 taels of silver from the Ministry of Rites as resettlement expenses, and 20 taels of silver from the Ministry of Revenue for travel expenses.

He had three hundred and thirty taels of silver in his hand, which was considered a considerable fortune.

It was already late at night when he put on his official uniform and cooperated with other candidates in the parade arranged by the Ministry of Rites.

The next day, he bought a small courtyard in the alley in the eastern street market of Taihe City.

This courtyard is the most ordinary courtyard for ordinary people in Taihe City. There are three houses in the courtyard, a main hall, two bedrooms on the left and right of the main hall, a kitchen and a toilet in the courtyard, a well, and nothing else. Some furniture was purchased and after many days of hard work, everything was settled.

After being appointed, the new official will be given one month's leave.

"Since I can cultivate immortality, and I am now a doctor in the Ministry of Rites, I will definitely have many opportunities to come into contact with cultivating immortality when I work in the Taihe Palace. There will definitely be many opportunities by then."

Zhang Mingxuan clenched his fists and paced back and forth in the yard. He had been lying at home for more than half a month.

Cultivating immortals requires luck and opportunity, but his luck and opportunity had already been ruined by the emperor.

"For now, let's go to the city first. Even if there is a chance, it is impossible to send it home."

So, while it was still early, he went out and wandered around the city.