Myriad Immortals

Chapter 226 Taking in One Breath

Zhong Xuan came in eighth place.

It's a far cry from the previous third place.

After all, the second assessment was a real battle. Zhong Xuan's cultivation level was inferior to others, and when he fought against the water demon of the demon stronghold, he didn't actually put in too much effort. He was able to get this eighth place entirely by relying on his ability to survive on the battlefield.

"Thirteen points in total."

Zhong Xuan watched as the jade tablet in his hand subtly changed.

If you can get another thirteen points, you will be eligible to enter the armory again.

Such treatment is something even a fifth-rank official in the capital wouldn't dare dream of.

Take Cui Ming for example. Although he was a fifth-rank scholar of the Wenyuan Pavilion, he had never been able to enter the armory even once.

It's already quite good to get merit points without any damage, especially compared to those who lost their lives in this assessment.

After that, life returned to normal.

There is no such thing as a supplementary quota for a junior official.

Therefore, this round of Hanlin Academy had only sixteen probationary scholars, which was unusual.

The empty corner of the school dormitory constantly reminded everyone of the cruelty of the battlefield.

Half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

The death of the junior official was not forgotten; the emperor would inquire about it every time he attended court, putting immense pressure on the Jiujiang Governor's Office.

Some officials who had long disliked the Governor-General's Office of Jiujiang even submitted a joint petition to impeach it.

This day.

Zhong Xuan left the imperial city as usual and returned to Cui Ming's residence.

Everyone was having dinner.

Then I heard someone knocking on the door.

As soon as the old steward opened the side door, Cui Wu strode in: "Second Brother, Mr. Zhong, the matter of the Huai River has been investigated and clarified."

"Tell me about it."

Cui Ming became interested and put down his chopsticks.

His fourth brother, Cui Wu, was in the Imperial Guard, so he was extremely well-informed.

Cui Wu: "That old turtle of the Huai River was appointed as the River God by the imperial court years ago. Now he is colluding with the demon kingdom in the south to steal the dragon energy of my Qing Kingdom."

"Governor Zeng used the Dingjiang Huntianyi to smash the old tortoise's shell and escaped from Daqing."

Zhong Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

Stealing the dragon's energy...

The dragon's energy is the foundation of the Qing Kingdom. No one cares about his superficial cleverness, but if a powerful demon has such thoughts, the court's attitude is always firm.

However, dragon energy is extremely useful to demonic beasts, which is why countless people in the southern demon kingdom covet it.

Unexpectedly, the river god, who had been officially appointed, also set his sights on the dragon's aura.

The old turtle wasn't killed.

Once you reach that level, it becomes extremely difficult to kill them.

"What role does the old dragon play in all of this?"

After returning to the capital, Zhong Xuan looked at the West Market from afar but did not find the old dragon, so it must have already left.

"Fine, let's improve our strength as soon as possible."

At his current level, he is not capable of interfering in such important matters.

Upon hearing Cui Wu's words, Cui Ming's face showed a hint of worry: "These are truly turbulent times."

The River God of the Huai River, by comparison, is like a high-ranking official of the second rank.

Such acts constitute betrayal.

That's really rare.

Although the case of the Huaihe Shujishi was resolved, the undercurrents that followed were the most terrifying.

"The Holy Emperor is magnanimous and desires the unification of all races. Now that such a thing has happened, I'm afraid it's... difficult."

Cui Ming sighed softly.

"Second brother, why think about these things? I think this matter is in our best interest. We don't need to do anything. Just by expressing our opinion, we can get the support of the governor's office, which can solve our current predicament."

Cui Wu was not interested in matters of national importance, but rather he accurately found a way to help the Cui family break out of their predicament.

Cui Ming frowned.

"The Governor-General's Office of Jiujiang..."

'

He understood what his fourth brother, Cui Wu, meant.

Offering help in times of need is far better than adding to someone's good fortune. The Governor-General's Office of Jiujiang is currently in a precarious situation, and the fact that the Cui family is willing to speak up for them at this time will surely be remembered by Governor-General Zeng.

With Vice Minister Dong gone, if we can find Governor Zeng as our backer, then there's no need to worry anymore.

Choosing sides in the court is a matter of life and death.

Cui Ming was at a loss for words: "This matter still requires me to write to my father for his decision."

Cui Wu usually listened to his second brother, but this time he was unusually firm: "Second brother, this matter must be handled quickly, it cannot be delayed."

He added, "If there are any problems, I, Cui Wu, will take full responsibility."

Cui Ming pondered for a moment, then said, "Alright, let's use the Thousand-Mile Message."

Cui Wu:

'

He understood that his second brother was determined to report to their father, Cui Bai, first.

"That's fine too."

Cui Ming took out a book that could travel a thousand miles and immediately wrote down what had happened here to Cui Bai, who was far away in Zhushan, Yongning Prefecture, Yunzhou.

Only three breaths had passed.

Cui Bai replied with four words: "Act as you see fit."

Zhong Xuan was also present.

In this back and forth, two letters traveling a thousand miles were lost.

He now understands that the value of this letter from afar is beyond measure, and that Duan Wen was able to obtain it back then only because of Deng Zizhong's reward.

Seeing his father Cui Bai's reply, Cui Ming finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Fourth brother, let's do as you say."

Zhong Xuan looked at the two brothers and once again marveled that Cui Bai was good at having sons.

Cui Wu may seem decisive, but he is prone to causing trouble. At this time, Cui Ming can play a good role in mitigating the situation.

The matter has been settled.

The next step, of course, is how to execute it.

How and when to perform are still issues that require careful consideration.

Zhong Xuan spoke up at the opportune moment: "Second Master, Fourth Master, in my opinion, this matter can be carried out in secret for the time being. As far as I know, Admiral Deng of the Qinghe Admiral's Office is the nephew of Vice Governor Yang of the Jiujiang Governor's Office. I have some acquaintance with him. Vice Governor Yang's wife is also from Yunzhou. Why don't we try this out?"

Upon hearing this, Cui Ming and Cui Wu's eyes lit up.

They all praised, "That's a great idea!"

It's certainly better to have someone act as a bridge than to make it public, so that the Cui family can have a better understanding of how to proceed.

In the capital city.

Fellow townsmen are the best bridge, not to mention the added connection with Admiral Deng.

Zhong Xuan: "This matter cannot be delayed any longer; we still need a letter sent from afar."

Cui Ming, Cui Wu:

'

Now they're both feeling the pinch.

However, as Zhong Xuan said, this matter cannot be delayed.

He immediately retrieved a letter and sent it to Admiral Deng.

Fifteen minutes later.

A message came from Admiral Deng: "Brother Zhong and I are friends. She is my own sister, our own sister. I will speak to her about this."

Upon seeing Deng Zizhong's reply, Cui Ming and Cui Wu's eyes lit up with joy.

These three books from afar were well worth the money!

Why is it a third-tier university?

Because Zhong Xuan said that Admiral Deng had promised to help, it was a favor, and they couldn't ask him to pay for the letter from afar.

As for subsequent interactions, those are also indispensable.

The matter was settled.

Another month has passed.

There's not much to say about Zhong Xuan's time at the Hanlin Academy, but the Cui family successfully established connections with the Governor-General's Office of Jiujiang.

"This pillow talk really works."

Zhong Xuan sat cross-legged in a corner of the Hanlin Academy.

next moment.

He felt a surge of internal energy within his body.

Ninety-nine strands.

It will be completed in one go!