At these words, the fatigue vanished from Dongfang Ming's face. His eyes shone brightly, and gratitude appeared on his face:
"The marquis has shown us such kindness! To tell you the truth, senior, I am only a rogue cultivator, with neither roots nor backing. Without a fortuitous opportunity, I would have had no hope of taking the imperial examinations or pursuing an official career in this lifetime. It was the marquis who reopened the examinations, asking neither our origins nor our backgrounds, and gave people like us a way forward! As for the expense...
"The marquis's proclamation made it perfectly clear: all expenses would be borne entirely by the Marquis's Manor and the General's Residence. Not one extra spirit stone in taxes has been levied on us. You could truly say he has not disturbed so much as an autumn hair!"
A somewhat older-looking, red-faced man nearby leaned over, nodded vigorously, and interjected:
"This young fellow is right! The marquis is ruthless in how he handles things, and his enforcement of the law is a little harsh, but his ruthlessness is out in the open! When those great lineages controlled everything before, when did people like us ever have a chance to rise?
"Things are better now. The rules are laid out clearly. Whether you're a dragon or a worm depends entirely on your own abilities! The marquis even ordered the government schools reopened in every prefecture and county. Even my boy has somewhere to listen to lectures on the Daoist scriptures now. We would never have dared dream of that before!"
Another man lowered his voice, though he could hardly conceal his excitement. "That's not all. Look how tightly guarded these examination grounds are! Anyone who dares cheat is executed on the spot, without mercy! The marquis issued an