We said we would experience life, fairy, how did you become real?

"Stop fooling around!" Lord Sun tapped his daughter on the head.

After arriving in Jianshui County, Xiao Mo did not go to the government office immediately, but stayed at an inn in Jianshui County for a few days.

Xiao Mo learned from the local people about the reputation of the previous county magistrate, whether there were any local bullies or notorious clans, and what the leaders of these clans were like.

After learning the truth, Xiao Mo could only sigh that being the magistrate of Jianshui County was indeed not an easy job.

Having learned more about the situation, Xiao Mo went to the government office, completed the handover procedures, and officially took office.

Xiao Mo immediately summoned the core team of the county government and expressed his humble attitude that he was "newly arrived and relies on everyone".

The others thought that although this top scholar was young, he was very shrewd and could make money with them.

But they soon realized they were wrong.

Xiao Mo began to peruse the household registers, the fish-scale registers, the money and grain ledgers, the criminal case files, and the official documents.

Then, they would form factions within the government offices and county towns, supporting their own factions while simultaneously attacking others.

Establish rules and regulations, bestow favors, audit funds and grain, review criminal cases, rectify taxes and corvée labor, and eliminate redundant expenses.

They supported local powerful families while simultaneously suppressing them, employing both harsh measures and ruthless tactics.

Xiao Mo quickly established his prestige.

In less than four years, while the politics of Jianshui County may not be as clean as water, at least no one dared to act arrogantly.

A nursery rhyme goes like this—

The sun shines, the clouds drift. Good fortune arrives in Jianshui County.

Magistrate Xiao was highly capable. He repaired irrigation canals and built bridges across rivers.

Fight off wolves and protect lambs. Judge cases with utmost clarity.

Taxes are reduced, new seedlings are planted. The granaries are full, and joy abounds.

The character is written in ink, and the tune is peaceful.

After five years in office, Xiao Mo was transferred from Jianshui County and promoted to Xueyang County in Qingyang Prefecture.

On the day he left office, the people saw him off for ten miles, all weeping and trying to persuade him to stay.

Before heading to Xueyang County, Xiao Mo returned to Shiqiao Village to visit old friends and then to pay a visit to the new county magistrate.

The former magistrate Sun was also promoted, mainly because Xiao Mo mentioned magistrate Sun a few times in his letters to Zhang Qianzhi.

Xiao Mo came to Sheshan to visit Ruxue and Xiaoqing.

Xiaoqing has grown quite a bit taller now and has the air of a young woman.

However, Xiaoqing's cultivation level is not as high as her sister's. Currently, Xiaoqing's cultivation level should be at the Dragon Gate Realm.

Xiaoqing thought that after five years, Brother Xiao would have already married, but he hasn't.

"Have you found someone you like these past few years, Brother Xiao?"

In the courtyard, Xiao Mo and Xiao Qing had a rare meal together.

Xiao Mo shook his head and said with a smile, "I've been too busy with official duties to think about those things."

Xiaoqing lowered her head: "Brother Xiao, if I were here, I wouldn't want you to be alone forever."

Xiao Mo didn't say anything, but just put some food on Xiao Qing's plate: "Eat more, you've lost weight since I last saw you in four or five years."

Xiaoqing's mouth opened slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just closed it.

A few days later, Xiao Mo took office in Xueyang County as the county magistrate.

The prefect of Xueyang County was very polite to Xiao Mo.

Everyone knows that Xiao Mo is Zhang Qianzhi's disciple, who is also the current prime minister's junior brother. He is also appreciated by His Majesty. His poems "When Will the Moon Be Bright?" and "Ode to the Spring Li Palace" from the imperial examination have spread throughout the Qi Kingdom.

It is even said that the current "Decree of Grace" was originally written by Xiao Mo.

Not to mention that in recent years, Xiao Mo's reputation has soared, and the people have been seeing him off for miles, which has become a local legend. His Majesty has long been aware of this.

Xiao Mo's future is limitless!

For the first few months of his tenure as Prefect, Xiao Mo spent his time familiarizing himself with local affairs, making friends with some prominent families and clans, and understanding the personalities of his subordinates and superiors.

Talk less and listen more.

Once Xiao Mo feels it's about time, he will officially take over.

Xiao Mo was a humble person, and usually appeared as a refined scholar.

However, when Xiao Mo gets down to business, he is decisive and efficient, and even has a rather unconventional style.

In the second year of Xiao Mo's tenure as Prefect, a great plague struck Xueyang Prefecture!

An unknown plague spread throughout Xueyang County. Those infected suffered from fever, nausea, vomiting, boils, and eventually died of diarrhea.

The governor of Xueyang County had never encountered anything like this before and was immediately flustered.

Xiao Mo stepped forward to take charge, sealing off the county town with patients, allowing entry but not exit.

All supplies could only be delivered to the city gate, and then transported in by people inside the city.

Xiao Mo made a living by collecting herbs from a young age. As he grew up, he also read some medical books and learned some medical skills.

He personally went to examine the symptoms and, after finding the cause, Xiao Mo promoted the idea that cold water should not be consumed directly but must be boiled. He also divided the infected individuals into different zones and established various epidemic prevention guidelines.

The physicians and cultivators sent by the imperial palace arrived in Xueyang County and provided a solution, but the medicinal herbs in his prescription were too expensive. Expensive herbs meant limited quantities, making it impossible for many people to use them.

Therefore, Xiao Mo tried his best to find alternative herbs and personally tasted hundreds of herbs with that physician cultivator.

Anyway, with the medical cultivators around, I won't die from eating them.

Finally, Xiao Mo extracted an element from the "White Snow Flower" that proved effective in treating the disease!

For nearly half a year, Xiao Mo slept less than two and a half hours a day, spending all his free time among the patients.

The physician was already prepared to treat Xiao Mo.

But Xiao Mo still didn't get sick.

Although Xiao Mo possesses the fortune of mountains and rivers, such fortune does not protect officials from death, illness, or disease.

All I can say is that he's really lucky.

Five and a half months later, the plague in Xueyang County was eradicated.

The people could see everything Xiao Mo did.

The people spontaneously built a shrine in Xiao Mo's honor.

Although Xiao Mo was only the second-in-command of Xueyang County, most ordinary people had forgotten who the top leader of Xueyang County was.

As for the governor of Xueyang County, he naturally had no objections whatsoever.

Because he knew that Xiao Mo's future achievements would not be in the local area, but in the high halls of power.

On the contrary, Xiao Mo refused several times, but the people just wouldn't listen.

So in various places in Xueyang County, a shrine was erected, and the shrine depicted a scholar holding a book in one hand and herbs in the other.

Xiao Mo could clearly feel that more and more of the mountain and river's fortune was being bestowed upon him.

"The Yellow River's waters come from the sky, rushing to the sea never to return."

Once, Xiao Mo went to kill a ferocious beast in Xueyang County in order to test his skills as an official.

As Xiao Mo finished reciting a poem, the sky shattered, revealing the illusory Yellow River, which directly washed away the ferocious beast, reducing it to dust.

However, afterwards, Xiao Mo felt that a lot of the mountain and river luck on his body had dissipated, and it took several days to return to its original level.

Two years later, the former governor of Xueyang County was transferred to Qingyang Prefecture, and Xiao Mo became the governor of Xueyang County.

During Xiao Mo's three years in office, Xueyang County was peaceful and harmonious, with households leaving their doors unlocked at night and no one picking up lost items on the road.

The people of Xueyang County hope that Prefect Xiao can continue to serve.

In Xueyang County, Prefect Xiao was like a beacon of justice.

But what puzzles many people is...

Prefect Xiao is already in his twenties; he should have been married long ago.

But why is Prefect Xiao always alone?

In fact, many aristocratic families in Xueyang County were also puzzled, thinking that Xiao Mo had not found a suitable partner, so they introduced their daughters to Xiao Mo one after another.

However, Xiao Mo politely declined them all.

Later, more and more news about Xiao Mo spread among the people.

It turns out that Prefect Xiao came from a poor family and couldn't even be considered a poor scholar.

Prefect Xiao had a childhood sweetheart. The two were inseparable since childhood, grew up together, and depended on each other for survival.

After the two grew up together, Prefect Xiao passed the imperial examination and achieved official rank, but his childhood sweetheart left with an immortal to cultivate, thus separating the mortal and immortal realms.

However, Prefect Xiao waited for her to return and did not want to marry any other woman.

The story of "Prefect Xiao" spread far and wide, and was even written into vernacular novels by many scholars, becoming widely circulated.

Faced with these embellished stories, Xiao Mo was somewhat amused and exasperated.

"Sir, the osmanthus tea you requested has been brought to you."

At the Xueyang County Prefectural Governor's residence, Xiao Mo was reading a book when two maids carrying two packets of tea entered the courtyard.

"Hmm." Xiao Mo flipped through the pages of the book without looking up. "Did you pay?"

"Yes, sir," Cai Die nodded.

Wangyue added, "At first, Manager Li was unwilling to accept it, but after much persuasion, I finally got it agreed."

"That's good, you can go now."

"Yes, sir." The two maids bowed and put down the tea leaves, but they did not leave immediately; instead, they pushed each other.

Xiao Mo raised his head and looked at Cai Die and Wang Yue: "Is there anything else?"

"No," Cai Die quickly shook her head, "This servant is fine."

Xiao Mo smiled and said, "So you're just going to stand there and not leave?"

"This servant..." Cai Die blushed and mustered her courage to say, "Master, may this servant...may this servant ask you something?"

"Ah."

Wang Yue quickly said, "Master, there have been rumors lately that a childhood sweetheart of yours has joined a celestial sect, and that you have not married yet, waiting for her to return. Is this true?"

Actually, it was only because Cai Die and Wang Yue thought their master was approachable that they dared to ask such a question.

But this doesn't mean they don't respect Xiao Mo. On the contrary, she thinks her husband is the best man in the world.

The gentleman described in books as gentle and refined is nothing more than this.

Xiao Mo shook his head: "Those rumors are all too outrageous, and not much of them are true."

"Then why haven't you married, sir?" the two maids asked, their eyes full of doubt.

Xiao Mo smiled, rolled up the book, and tapped each person on the head:

Because

A very foolish woman fell asleep.

I'm waiting for her to wake up.

Chapter 56 He looks most handsome in a blue robe.

In the square, Xiao Mo had just emerged from his consciousness from the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes when a string of words appeared in his mind—

The host has fully adapted to the 100-fold time ratio between the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes and the real world.

The ratio of time in the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes to real time has been unlocked.

The time ratio between the Book of Eternity and the real world can be increased to 1000:1.

A thousand years in the annals of history is equivalent to a year in the real world.

The host can choose different time proportions based on their own consciousness.