Laozi Is Going to Be an Official!

"Mm?!"

Prince Jiang's eyes flashed with a sharp gleam as he abruptly demanded:

"Who?!"

The old man did not answer at once, instead laboring to regulate the chaotic spiritual energy surging through his body.

After a long time, he let out a long breath.

When he looked up again, the pallor on his face had vanished.

His gaze was grave, his voice weak but resolute:

"After activating the formation, I felt a sudden insight in my heart."

"First, a flash of clear qi—so the person is young, around sixteen."

"Then purple qi appeared—this is noble qi, meaning someone in his household holds a high position, one not inferior to Your Highness."

"Finally, green qi faded away, proving he is extremely close to us, likely still within Two Rivers Prefecture!"

Mr. Qi finished speaking, his expression darkening.

In all of Two Rivers Prefecture, only one person held a status comparable to the Prince's.

Prince Jiang stared at the old man for a long moment, then said, word by word:

"Zeng, Shi, Lin."

"But the only one matching the age of sixteen is his only son."

"Zeng Anmin!"

At this point, Prince Jiang's face was already steeped in killing intent, his expression as cold as water:

"Sixteen years old, Eighth-rank Martial Arts."

"Doesn't Zeng Shilin look down on us Martial Artists? Then why indulge his only son in such brutish pursuits?"

As he spoke, a bitterly sarcastic sneer crept onto Prince Jiang's face:

"In all of Two Rivers Prefecture, only he, Zeng Shilin, would spare such resources to push his son into the Sheng Pin Realm at sixteen."

"How unpredictable the world is."

Mr. Qi replied with only those four words.

Prince Jiang was about to say more when a subordinate reported:

"Your Highness, a confidential letter from Shuidu Academy."

Prince Jiang lifted his eyelids slightly, took the letter from his subordinate, and waved him away.

But the moment his eyes landed on the letter's contents—

The sneer on his face froze abruptly.

For a long while, he said nothing.

"What urgent matter?" Mr. Qi's eyes flickered with confusion.

He rarely saw Prince Jiang lose his composure.

Prince Jiang's face was extremely dark. He glanced at the remnants of the formation on the ground but said nothing.

He handed the letter over.

Mr. Qi reached out and took it. The moment he read its contents, his entire body trembled slightly, and his aged face turned deathly pale in an instant.

Then, in disbelief, he looked down at the compass at his waist, then swiftly shifted his gaze to the formation debris on the floor.

"This..."

His lips quivered.

"Mr. Qi, it's best to use this harmful formation of yours sparingly from now on."

Prince Jiang let out a cold laugh, then turned and walked away directly.

Whether by accident or intent, his foot struck the spirit stones supporting the formation, sending them flying with a "bang."

He kicked the stones far away.

After Prince Jiang left, Mr. Qi's face remained frozen.

Then his withered features began to twist, his voice nearly bleeding with rage:

"Old Thief Xu!! When you taught me this formation back then, you certainly had no good intentions!"

"Whoosh~"

The letter slipped from Mr. Qi's hand, drifting slowly to the ground in the wind.

The candlelight flickered, faintly illuminating the words on the paper:

"Zeng Shilin's only son, Zeng Anmin, possesses unparalleled talent in the Confucian Path. Within five days, he has entered the Seventh Rank Purple Mansion Realm."

In the Governor's Mansion, inside Father's study.

Zeng Anmin toyed with the jade thumb ring on his father's desk, a grave expression on his face. His phoenix eyes fixed on the man across from him.

Across the room, Zeng Shilin abruptly sat up straight and asked in a low voice:

"Prince Jiang's Estate?"

Zeng Anmin nodded slowly, his voice firm:

"Why would I lie to you? It's definitely Prince Jiang's Estate."

"Haah~"

A cold look flashed across Zeng Shilin's face, but he didn't speak immediately. Instead, he stared straight ahead, deep in thought.

"Scholar Zhang Lun, Xuanjing Division attendant, Prince Jiang's Estate, the Dragon Survey Map..."

With each name his voice uttered, it sank a degree lower.

After a long time, Father slowly lifted his gaze:

"This matter must not be known to anyone."

"As for Prince Jiang's Estate, I'll handle it myself."

"Understood."

Zeng Anmin nodded in acknowledgment, then looked back at his father and said with a grin:

"There's one more thing."

"Speak."

Seeing the sly, fox-like smile on Zeng Anmin's face, Father furrowed his brow slightly.

"I'm not going to the academy anymore. I want to get myself an official post."

Zeng Anmin scratched his head, looked at his father, and said with utter seriousness:

"I wouldn't dare dream of a first or second rank—how about a third-rank position?"

At these words, Father nearly choked on his own saliva.

"An official?! And third-rank at that?!"

Zeng Shilin's brows shot up in anger: "Did you hit your head?!"

"Listen to the nonsense you're spouting! I'm a Confucian genius who reached the seventh rank in five days—what's wrong with me being a third-rank official? Aunt Lin said just yesterday that your son has the makings of a Grand Secretary!"

Zeng Anmin's face beamed with smug pride.

"That is absolutely out of the question!"

Father couldn't be bothered to deal with this foolish son. He slowly rose, his tone impatient:

"Just stay home and study properly."

With that, he turned to leave.

"Father!"

Zeng Anmin naturally wouldn't let Zeng Shilin go. He grabbed his father's sleeve, his expression calm:

"I'm not joking anymore. Your son intends to enter the Xuanjing Division. Whatever rank you can arrange, I'll take it."

Zeng Anmin had never been one to sit idle.

Since he now knew the enemy was Prince Jiang's Estate, he had to take the initiative.

Entering the Xuanjing Division was the first step in his plan.

At the end of the day, it was just an unfavored prince. If he wanted to bring him down, Zeng Anmin had at least ten ways to do it.

This wasn't empty boasting—after all, his father was the Governor of Fengqi Road, a Grand Governor with military authority in his hands!

"Why are you so set on entering officialdom?"

Father could see that his son's words were sincere, not a joke.

"To help you."

In front of his own father, Zeng Anmin never lied. He met his gaze openly:

"Brother Tongyu's death made your son realize there's too much darkness and filth in this world. We can't control other places, but if we let those bastards stir up trouble within Two Rivers Prefecture, wouldn't that tarnish Father's prestige?!"

These words were spoken with utmost seriousness, and of course, after careful deliberation.

Given Father's temperament, hearing this—even if he didn't say it aloud—he would surely feel deeply gratified!

But to his surprise, Father's voice was stern and harsh:

"How can you treat the dangers of officialdom as such a game?"

"No matter the rank, no matter where you serve, becoming an official is for the people, for the sovereign! Not for me!!"

Zeng Anmin hadn't expected his father to react so strongly.

He fell silent for a moment, then turned his gaze toward the window, his voice heavy:

"This time, in Zhang Lun's case, it's fortunate for the Black Cat Martial Artist. If not for him, wouldn't the murderer still be at large?"

These words were spoken partly in earnest, but also as a test.

"Preposterous!!"

Father slammed his hand hard on the table at these words, producing a loud bang.

"The chivalrous violate the law with martial arts!"

"That Black Cat Martial Artist is nothing but a man who disregards the King's Law and takes private vengeance! If everyone acted like him, wouldn't the world descend into chaos?!"

Father grew harsher, his eyes fixed squarely on Zeng Anmin, his voice icy, his face full of disappointment as he pointed at the door:

"Get out."

"Father..."

"Get out."

"Oh."

Zeng Anmin curled his lip, casually scooping the jade thumb ring from Father's table into his arms, leaving Father with nothing but the back of his head.

Snap~

The study door closed, leaving only Zeng Shilin alone.

With Zeng Anmin gone, Zeng Shilin sat silently in his chair.

He was seriously pondering the words he had just exchanged with his son.

"Ahh~"

After a long time, a heavy sigh.

Father gave a bitter smile and slowly stood up, muttering discontentedly under his breath:

"A son grown is no longer his father's to command."

Then came the rustle of a brush on paper.

"Qi Wei."

"My Lord." Outside the study door, Uncle Qi entered respectfully.

"Send this notice to the Xuanjing Division."

"Yes."

Sunlight streamed through the window, glancing off the notice that flashed by.

"Hereby, Shuidu Academy student Zeng Anmin, having advanced to the seventh rank on the Confucian Path, is exceptionally appointed as Left Clerk of the Xuanjing Division."