Three days flashed by in the blink of an eye, and soon it was time for the official appointments.
Early that morning, Xu Yi arrived at the Bureau of Officials. With the Roving Official Seal in hand, he was escorted by an attendant to a spacious, bright hall. The sunlight streamed through the windows on all four sides, bathing the room in splendor. The breeze occasionally carried in the scent of jasmine. Xu Yi sat by the window, enjoying the fragrance.
Before long, more than thirty people had trickled into the hall and taken their seats. Quite a few seemed to know one another, and they chatted animatedly.
Soon, little circles formed throughout the room. Suddenly, someone said, "There's no chance, no chance at all. The only ones who can go straight into Judge positions this time are Hou Wuji and Zhao Chunshen. The rest will be Assistant Officials—high ranks, low posts. Still, the worst appointments are as Right or Left Hall Ministers in a single Underworld office, which isn't bad. It's just a pity that no one got a position at the central office."
The speaker was a young man in yellow, with a delicate, almost feminine air and a formidable presence. As soon as he arrived, he drew seven or eight people to him, forming the largest circle.
"From the sound of it, Brother Kong Xiang, you've seen the actual list of appointments?"
The speaker was a middle-aged man in black, the center of another group.
Kong Xiang gave a sly chuckle and said no more. His feigned reserve only made everyone itch with curiosity, and they pressed him for answers.
Just as Kong Xiang was basking in his smugness, he caught sight of Xu Yi by the window on his left. Xu Yi sat alone, silent and