"That’s more like it."
With a smug smile, Su Sikong picked up his tea cup, slowly brought it to his lips, blew on it to cool it down, and took a small sip. After a mont of savouring, he put down the refreshnt.
"Don’t you know how to buy so decent tea? How could you serve such an inferior tea? It has left a bitter taste in my mouth."
Both Qin Yi and Su Pan’er stared at him, neither of them uttering a word.
Feigning both mystery and intrigue, Su Sikong glanced back and forth, coughed artificially, and straightened his fat body, which was making the chair creak under its weight.
Then, looking up, he looked at Qin Yi with a triumphant expression.
"Qin Yi! You’re a successful candidate in the preliminary imperial examinations and the future pillar of the state. How can you waste your best years in such a tiny place? What say you? Therefore, I’ve recomnded you to Deputy County Magistrate."
With a smug grin, Su Sikong, looking at their astonished faces while speaking, said, "You should know that as the deputy magistrate of Yongze County, I have the right to recomnd talents to the Imperial Court. As the newly appointed county magistrate is getting well settled into his position at Yongze, I recomnded you straight away. Ah? Ha ha ha, what do you think, how am I looking after your future?"
Su Sikong burst into laughter!
Both Qin Yi and Su Pan’er were rendered speechless with disbelief.
Su Pan’er had thought that Su Sikong had co today because of the matter between Su Yue’er and Qin Yi.
She was already well-prepared!
As soon as her granduncle uttered a word, she would deliver her well-prepared speech relentlessly and bombard him with it.
But what she never expected was that Su Sikong would start talking about this!
The Great Zhou Dynasty primarily adopted three thods for recruiting talents, naly, the Imperial Examination, the Special Examination set by the Emperor, and the system of sons inheriting their father’s positions.
The first is the widespread system of absorbing scholars, the Imperial Examination, which includes Jinshi Examination, All Subjects Examination, and Military Examination. Through the Imperial Examination, talents are selected layer by layer, and finally appointed by the Emperor himself.
The second is the system of preferential treatnt for the sons of senior officials, a unique system where the son directly inherits the titles and ranks left by their ancestors.
The third is the "Special Examination" system that allows scholars to recomnd themselves. If a talented person gains the recognition of an official, he can recomnd him to the higher-ups. Once he passes various levels of screening, he can smoothly enter the officialdom.
The third one seems simple, but in reality, it is the most difficult. Not to ntion the rigorous screening process it entails, even if successfully appointed, the person who was recomnded would naturally bear the mark of the recomnder.
The Court openly struggles with factions, leading to a rather brutal collective punishnt system.
A small mistake could lead to the ruin of the entire family and the extinction of the entire clan.
It really ca as a surprise to both of them when Su Sikong recomnded Qin Yi!
However, thinking about it carefully, it seed quite reasonable.
Since Su Pan’er is a Su, once Qin Yi becos an official, he will naturally be considered a part of Su Sikong’s faction.
This is an opportunity!
What lay before Qin Yi was a turning point that could change his fate!
Su Pan’er slightly moved her lips, but in the end she didn’t say anything, and with a twisted brow, she silently watched Qin Yi.
Su Sikong kept staring at their faces.
Seeing Su Pan’er’s rapidly changing expression and her eventual silence, he couldn’t help but feel triumphant!
Heh heh!
Last night, the village chief had sent soone to inform him that his exchanged letters had been stolen.
Although he wasn’t sure if it was the mischievous girl who did it, he imdiately ca up with a solution.
Even if you, Su Pan’er, know that those rumors were spread by , Su Sikong, so what?
This is an open conspiracy!
Since the covert sche is no longer useful, he can’t believe that, unless Qin Yi is a fool, he should know what he should choose and what he should not choose!
Qin Yi was distinctly conflicted at this very mont.
He had invested so much effort in his studies to pass the imperial examination over those many long cold winters!
Especially for soone like him, who felt as if he had been through death and resurrection, he understood the great importance of rising above others!
Right now, an opportunity possibly granting him instant success was right before his eyes!
All it took was for him to occur, and perhaps his life would never be the sa again!
After a mont of silence, Qin Yi deeply breathed in, and then out, and then chuckled!
"May I inquire, Deputy County Magistrate, for which position are you recomnding to the county magistrate?"
Upon these words, Su Sikong lit up with joy in his eyes and started to roar with laughter!
Su Pan’er involuntarily clenched her fists, with her body slightly trembling, her teeth were tightly clenched as she remained silent.
Her eyes resembled the silence of the dark ancient abyss.
A pain was subtly erging from the bottom of her heart, resonating throughout it.
"Hahaha, don’t worry, any talent Su Sikong recomnds, the county magistrate wouldn’t dare to refuse! I’ve put in the word for you to work at the governnt office. Start as a scribe in the criminal records. The old gentleman currently in the position is getting on in years, and in less than two years, you’ll be able to comfortably move up step by step."
"Oh, it’s the post of a scribe!"
Qin Yi duly perford a fist and palm salute, "Thank you, Uncle Su, for your care!"
Su Pan’er’s brows were furrowed.
A wide smile spread across Su Sikong’s face: "Hahahaha! Qin Yi, it seems I really didn’t misjudge you, you are indeed an exceptional talent who understands the tis! Now that you have agreed, I will report back to the county magistrate at once."
"Wait!"
Qin Yi raised his hand to stop him: "Qin Yi has not finished speaking."
"Whatever you would like to say, feel free."
A look of gratification appeared on Su Sikong’s face: "As long as it’s sothing I can assist you with, I will give it my all."
"Although Qin Yi may be unlearned and sowhat incompetent, he is still very enthusiastic about a career in officialdom."
Qin Yi smiled indifferently: "Having soone recomnd to enter officialdom, naturally, is a great thing for Qin Yi. However, it also depends on who that person is, right? If it’s soone who proclaims to love the people as his children, yet his mind is filled with thoughts of exploiting the wealth of the people, Qin Yi dares not to accept! In case he gets implicated one day, not even jumping into the Yellow River would absolve his guilt. Isn’t that right, Deputy County Magistrate Su?"
Startled!
Su Pan’er suddenly lifted her head, her eyes widened in shock.
Qin Yi...he...
He unexpectedly, was surprisingly, this cunning!
Originally, his earlier silence was due to him contemplating how to deal with Su Sikong...
All of a sudden, she felt enlightened!
Even the chubby figure of Su Sikong before her eyes was unexpectedly endearing!
What...what did he just say?
Were his ears playing tricks on him?
Su Sikong incredulously cleaned out his ears: "What? What were you saying earlier? Repeat yourself, I didn’t hear clearly."
"It seems that noblen are indeed renowned for their forgetfulness! In just a blink of an eye, you have completely forgotten my words."
Qin Yi suddenly erupted with laughter, as though he had dropped an enormous weight off his shoulders.
He straightened his back: "Let Qin Yi repeat it, so that you can understand it clearly. I appreciate your kind intentions, however, concerning your recomndation, I can only express my utmost regret. Even with the greatest courage, Qin Yi dares not accept it!"
While he spoke of regret, there wasn’t a single hint of remorse on his face.
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