After Xu Yi finished his salute, Hong Tianming stared at him for a long time without saying a word. Xu Yi felt goosebumps rise under that gaze and couldn't help asking, "Is there something wrong with this subordinate?"
"There is," Hong Tianming said. "A great deal."
Xu Yi was bewildered. Hong Tianming said, "I never dreamed that sending you into the Starry Sky Ancient Path as a seemingly insignificant move would bring this whole deadlocked game back to life."
At that, Xu Yi understood.
He knew Hong Tianming was talking about the official selection system.
At Hong Tianming's current level, the only thing he could be concerned with was the larger picture, and the official selection system was his biggest concern.
Xu Yi had seen through that.
That was why yesterday, in front of all the senior officials, he had insisted on officials who had come up through the selection system.
As far as Xu Yi himself was concerned, whether officials were selected or recommended wouldn't affect his larger plans. He had plenty of ways to turn the Starry Sky Prefecture into an ironclad whole.
But he had to think on Hong Tianming's behalf. Only if Hong Tianming could break open the deadlock on his side would Xu Yi be spared from having a tightening band clamped around his head. He had dug in his heels over the selection system precisely to give Hong Tianming a hand.
"I won't ask how you pulled off that trick on the Starry Sky Ancient Path. If anyone asks, you needn't answer them either. This is your golden opportunity. This time, if you can secure your position, you'll soar to the heavens in a single bound.
"Your rank was just raised, so you can't advance in grade for now. You'll have to settle for