"Let's see his qualifications first. There's no rush. My foundation is still weak. Although I've entered officialdom, it's not certain that I'll stay in one place forever."
Zhang Rongfang himself couldn't predict his future development.
In reality, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would have to stay in his current position for at least several years before he could be promoted, once his apparent strength and rank had improved.
Most positions in the Ministry of Justice require a certain level of martial arts skill. He's only at the Third Grade on paper; normally, even a genius would need to advance First Grade per year to reach that level.
It will be at least two years before he becomes the next level of Captain.
In two years, he could accumulate one Attribute Points every ten days. How many points could he have accumulated? Zhang Rongfang is now considering temporarily using the Daoist Registry manual to continue his ascent.
The Daoist Sect leads to the Assembled Sages Institute, where there are fewer restrictions on promotion.
Because the Daoist Sect doesn't just look at martial prowess; many positions are held by Wen Xiu.
Furthermore, the martial arts of the Great Dao Sect are not particularly renowned, with the highest level only reaching the Seventh Grade. This makes it easier to skip ranks and advance in rank.
Zhang Rongfang has now come to understand the different grades here.
Martial arts skill grades are generally determined by the High Grade certification.
But no one can say for sure whether others have secretly practiced other low-level martial arts as a supplement.
This phenomenon occurs among many older masters. Many of them are old and have mastered advanced martial arts, but due to their age and depleted blood and energy, they cannot advance to higher levels.
Therefore, in order to replenish their strength and avoid regressing, some people thought of practicing low-grade martial arts to improve their combat abilities.
Of course, many people, in pursuit of longevity, do not practice other cultivation methods but instead engage in health-preserving exercises. For example, Master Zhang Xuan.
Therefore, when people say someone's martial arts skill level is a certain rank, they are usually referring to the High Grade.
Just like himself, the highest rank he achieved was the Third Grade Returning Spring Purifying Time Talisman Classic.
Yes, if you really calculate it that way, he's only a Third Grade martial artist. After all, very few people are like him, who also practiced four other Breaking Limits martial arts at such a young age. Most people only start practicing them when they're older.
Coming to his senses, Zhang Rongfang heard Geng Changsheng continue speaking.
"Brother Zhang is young and promising. He is not completely without a foundation in Tanyang now. At least the Young Master Li has mentioned you on many occasions."
Geng Changsheng and Zhang Rongfang became familiar with each other, and they even changed how they addressed each other, making it more intimate.
Great Ling is heavily reliant on industry and commerce, so artisans and merchants hold a high status. Merchants, however, are not included in Great Ling's ten-level professions due to the difficulty in defining their roles.
But that doesn't mean businessmen are incompetent.
The total commercial tax revenue of the entire Great Ling region accounted for an extremely high percentage, and many wealthy merchants had extensive interactions with the upper echelons of society.
Many years ago, before the founding of the Great Ling Kingdom, when it was still weak, it suffered many natural disasters and was only able to recover thanks to the blood donations from merchants.
Now, the Great Ling's iron hooves have conquered and unified dozens of ethnic and national kingdoms across the empire's territory.
Regardless of whether they are Black or White, regardless of eye or hair color, people with yellow skin and black eyes are now universally Spirit Person superior.
Despite such absolute and brutal Human Seed oppression, merchants also engaged in the collection and exchange of intelligence.
Therefore, there are many officials and businessmen in various places, and the government has established chambers of commerce and alliances.
"Huo Yun?" Zhang Rongfang nodded. Li Huoyun was indeed an honest person. This guy was young and arrogant and often looked down on others.
But once you admire someone, you'll protect them in every way.
"So developing your career in Tanyang will be of great benefit to you in the future," Geng Changsheng advised.
"We'll have to see how things develop. We're still young, after all, and it's hard to say for sure," Zhang Rongfang said with a smile.
Geng Changsheng wanted to persuade him further, but ultimately, since they were not close friends, he stopped himself.
In his view, Zhang Ying had such a relationship with the Li Family, and especially since Li Huoyun was grateful and willing to continue their close friendship.
Such an opportunity is the kind of network that countless people envy and are jealous of.
But Zhang Ying is amazing. How could Zhang Ying be promoted from deputy to full position so quickly without the Li Family's connections?
The other team's deputy positions have all been wasting years, and there's no guarantee they'll be promoted to the permanent position.
Unlike Zhang Ying, who was promoted immediately after being removed from the team.
The two then steered the conversation away from that topic and started talking about other things.
Before long, seeing that it was getting late, Geng Changsheng got up to say goodbye, leaving behind a gift of silver as a token of his farewell before departing.
Zhang Rongfang stayed in the courtyard, escorted the person to the door, and then closed the door.
He calmed himself down and continued to ponder, integrating and refining all the martial arts techniques to create a system that best suited him.
If it were my predecessor, I definitely wouldn't have been able to do this.
But as a modern person, his way of thinking is completely different. He knows that the oldest and most primitive is not necessarily the best.
The best is the one that suits you best.
Therefore, coordinating various martial arts and extracting their essence for one's own use has become an urgent task.
Time passed day by day.
Inside Tanyang City, the government's operation to capture Sea Dragon was coming to an end, and the noisy purge and search finally came to a close.
The Government Office posted notices that several strongholds of the so-called "Sea Dragon" had been completely destroyed, and more than fifty people were arrested, with over a hundred killed on the spot.
The remaining individuals were sentenced and executed at noon at Caishikou.
For several days in a row, people were hanged or beheaded at Caishikou every day.
Blood splattered everywhere, flowing from the execution platform onto the surrounding ground, and a huge crowd of onlookers Mountain Man.
Every time someone was beheaded, many people would rush forward and dab the blood on their steamed buns or strips of cloth.
Many impoverished people believe that the blood shed during such executions can cure diseases and ward off evil spirits.
Moreover, the more vicious the criminal, the more effective their blood.
Zhang Rongfang led the team to help maintain order twice, watching as the ignorant crowd rushed forward and wiped the filthy stone platform, which was so dirty that its original color was almost unrecognizable, leaving patches and streaks.
The blood was wiped away as soon as it started to flow, turning it into a pale red color, and then quickly became an almost invisible bloodstain.
After Sea Dragon's men finished killing.
Next came a group of artisans who revolted.
These artisans were mostly white, and they were craftsmen from a Hai Ling Country, which the Ling Ting had recently conquered.
They outwardly submitted, but harbored their own ambitions. Now that they've been exposed, they've all been arrested.
Round after round of heads were beheaded.
Human life is treated like cheap livestock; the people nearby are mostly filled with fanaticism, curiosity, and numbness.
The wealthy and powerful people in the stands in the distance watched as if they were watching a theatrical performance, gently waving folding fans and pointing and chatting.
For five consecutive days.
Tanyang beheaded two hundred people and hanged more than eighty others.
These were just the main culprits and serious offenders. As far as Zhang Rongfang knew, the rest of the rebels from Hai Ling Country, along with their families and neighbors, were all massacred.
The unreported death toll is at least in the thousands.
Many of them were ordinary people who were completely unarmed.
Ultimately, the Hai Ling Country were forcibly relocated to Tanyang were almost completely wiped out.
This is the Great Ling.
Countless ethnic Human Seed lived and worked in peace and contentment here, but those who did not want to live and work in peace and contentment were all killed.
A few more days passed.
The Geng Family sent two little girls. One was named Geng Ning, and the other Geng Nuo.
Zhang Rongfang briefly examined the person's physique and then casually made up an excuse to send them back.
He has too many secrets, and there isn't enough time now to allow anyone to get too close to him.
This is why he hasn't even bought a servant or a driver yet.
Before we knew it, it was September 19th.
With a soft sizzle, a white wine pot decorated with lotus flowers and shrimp tilted slightly, held in the hands of a delicate, fair woman, and poured out clear, pale red wine.
Tanyang Green Garden.
A unique garden party is quietly underway.
Tanyang Garden Fair is not just one type, but many kinds.
There are garden parties that focus on appreciating poetry, lyrics, and music; garden parties that focus on pure singing and dancing; garden parties that focus on pure games; and garden parties that focus on combat sports.
However, most of them are still about male-female friendships.
Great Ling has a large number of ethnic groups and religions, and because the Ling Ting respects all ethnic groups and religions, it carries out a wide variety of activities.
Many of these events are conducted under the guise of garden parties.
This Green Garden Gathering was organized and carried out by Great Yang Temple Master Depu.
In the lush green garden, a stream meanders through the grass and flows into the deep cave of the Rockery.
Clusters of autumn-blooming flowers are shaped into animals of various forms.
The broad, large trees provided shade, blocking out the bright sunlight.
A gentle breeze occasionally blows by.
Yellow leaves scattered one by one, evoking a sentiment reminiscent of the melancholy and sorrow for spring and autumn that is popular among musicians today.
The young men and women attending the event gathered in small groups.
They can stroll and chat, sit on the ground, or leisurely brew tea in the pavilion.
Some even bring their own instruments and play them softly.
Qingyuan is not large; it is oval in shape and only a hundred meters in diameter.
At this moment, on the bank upstream of the stream, two young men sat on simple stone benches, with maids pouring wine and serving pastries beside them.
Of the two, one had a calm expression and a casual, flamboyant demeanor, dressed in a green robe with a jade belt, and a delicate jade pendant adorning his hair. This was none other than Li Huoyun of the Li Family.
The other man was burly, and even his black robe with silver trim couldn't hide his strong muscles.
Although his appearance and features are not particularly handsome, his calm and confident demeanor, and the quiet and peaceful manner he exudes, are also a big plus.
"Brother Zhang Ying, you promised me today that you wouldn't just do a perfunctory job. This year's garden party is different from the previous ones. Those who come are either from wealthy families or are talented and virtuous. In addition, there will also be some eligible men and women with good figures and appearances."
Li Huoyun earnestly advised him.
"You're not getting any younger, why don't you leave a heir for your Zhang Family? Are you going to wait until you're in your forties or fifties to start looking? What good ones will you be able to find then? You'll just be looking at the next generation."
But with your current qualifications, you can definitely look for better opportunities.
Zhang Rongfang was speechless.
He took the wine poured by the maid and took a small sip.
"Who did you find for me this time?" This wasn't the first time Li Huoyun had been so keen on this matter.
She even secretly showed his information to other people, which led to matchmakers coming to their door.
"Xue Caihe, the fifth daughter of Xue Yuanwai, a prominent family in East City."
Li Huoyun smiled, without moving his head.
"Look behind me, about fifteen steps away, at the girl in the light green belted long dress. Be careful not to stare too obviously."
Zhang Rongfang glanced over and, sure enough, saw the slender girl who was chatting quietly with her friend while taking a walk.
The girl has delicate and soft features, with big eyes, a small nose, and a small mouth. When she smiles, she looks like a standard court lady, with a very good temperament.
The girl is very nice.
Unfortunately, Zhang Rongfang's visit was merely a response to Li Huoyun's enthusiastic invitation.
In fact, he knew very well that he was not in a position to consider these things.
While the maids were still chuckling, Li Huoyun kept urging Zhang Rongfang to take the initiative to strike up a conversation.
But no matter how eloquently he spoke, Zhang Rongfang remained unmoved.
The two men, one talking and the other drinking, presented a stark contrast.
After a while, seeing that Zhang Rongfang still hadn't made a move, Li Huoyun had no choice but to get up and go find the woman he liked.
Feeling bored, Zhang Rongfang sat for a while before getting up and leaving his seat.
At the garden party, men and women, each noble Noble Lady, were surrounded by several people.
The talented and famous young men and women naturally attract admirers. Zhang Rongfang, had no interest and went to rest in a corner.
Occasionally, someone would strike up a conversation with him, but he would politely decline.