Palace Attendant

Zhang Xuezhou lay down in the guesthouse where Dong Zhongshu was staying, and when he regained consciousness, he did not move from his spot.

"Good heavens, that was truly amazing! In the blink of an eye, a man with a sword leaped down from the city wall, and then another flash of sword light shot out..."

Rong Tianding's noisy voice reached my ears, along with Zhang Cigong's reluctant agreement and Dong Zhongshu's slightly regretful tone.

Rong Tianding's voice only stopped quickly after Zhang Xuezhou turned over and got up.

"Cousin, come and eat some pork knuckle!"

Inside the room, Dong Zhongshu, Rong Tianding, and Zhang Cigong were chatting idly, and a plate of braised pork knuckle and millet porridge had been prepared in advance.

Once Rong Tianding arrives, Zhang Xuezhou will hardly need to worry about the physical side effects of the Grain Avoidance Technique.

He took a deep breath, adjusted his body, and voluntarily exited the Grain Avoidance state before sitting down.

"Where are Zhang Qian and my senior brother?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"They sent several retainers from the Prince's mansion to escort them back to Chang'an City," Rong Tianding quickly replied.

"Do we need a guest escort?"

"That big monk was fierce. He injured Lei Bei, beat up that Tianjiu guest elder, and even tried to capture the crown prince of Huainan. It was complete chaos," Rong Tianding said. "He's still wanted. Everyone on the road is afraid of running into him, and no one dares to travel far without a guest elder accompanying them!"

"How can this turn into chaos? It's just a friendly swordsmanship sparring session, isn't it?" Zhang Xuezhou exclaimed in astonishment, "How did this turn into a chaotic brawl?"

"I don't understand either!"

Rong Tianding shook his head, indicating that his knowledge was limited.

Zhang Xuezhou was helping Lei Bei of a predicament, but he also had the urge to let Tian Jiu suffer a small loss.

But he hadn't expected such a chaotic scene to unfold.

"Did my senior brother say something back then?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

If something unexpected happens, it might not be caused by Crown Prince Liu Qian, but rather by Wu Chao's involvement.

Zhang Xuezhou didn't even bother to ask which advisors the Crown Prince's side had dispatched; instead, he directly inquired about matters related to Wu Chao.

"He did shout something, but I didn't understand what he was saying," Rong Tianding said, shaking his head repeatedly.

"Guri Gulu Anina!"

Rong Tianding couldn't explain, but Zhang Cigong added a sentence.

"It seems that the incident of our fighting at the Yin-Yang Sect has come to light," Dong Zhongshu translated with difficulty.

"Truly worthy of being called senior brother!"

Zhang Xuezhou sighed, feeling that Wu Chao really knew how to stir up trouble. Even though the opportunity was only fleeting, it caused a huge misunderstanding.

"Are you all discussing this here because this incident just happened?" Zhang Xuezhou asked, puzzled.

"No, it's just that we were bailed out of prison by Master Dong today," Rong Tianding said sullenly.

"Thank you so much, Brother Xuezhou, for helping me plan my future!"

Zhang Cigong then bowed deeply in gratitude.

Zhang Xuezhou was lying down, but things had already been arranged in advance. He even secured a place for Zhang Cigong to be trained at the King of Huainan's Household, and also to cultivate the realm techniques of the Beast Taming Sect.

Two years of hard work couldn't compare to Zhang Xuezhou's timely help.

Zhang Cigong had gained some understanding of the ways of the world and also vaguely understood how to cultivate himself.

Spiritual practice is not something that can be achieved by brute force, nor is it something that can be achieved through self-discipline and hard work that moves one to tears. Rather, it requires combining favorable timing, location, and human factors, and even leveraging the power of others to propel one forward.

Otherwise, so many cultivators would not have flocked to rely on the King of Huainan's Household.

He could receive a Origin-Nurturing Pill from the King of Huainan's Household every month, but if he wanted to do it himself, he either needed to ask a certain Alchemist to refine it, or he needed to learn the art of alchemy, or he needed to purchase medicinal herbs. If he didn't have enough money, he would need to earn it, or he would need to collect the herbs himself.

These experiences may seem to make one's spiritual life incredibly fulfilling, constantly guiding one toward spiritual progress, but the passage of time is inevitable.

What Rogue Person cultivator would have to do painstakingly is simply for Zhang Cigong to go to the royal palace to collect the pills on time.

Moreover, Zhang Cigong has no official duties; his current task is cultivation, until he reaches the third realm of the Body Control Realm.

Compared to some younger cultivators, he was undoubtedly older and lacked a lot of knowledge, but securing a position in the King of Huainan's Household would save Zhang Cigong a lot of time.

The Beast Taming Sect's cultivation method also differs from other schools. While other schools require cultivation to a certain level before possessing powerful techniques, the Beast Taming Sect's abilities focus on taming beasts.

If Zhang Cigong could reach the Body Control Realm, he would not only be able to tame domestic dogs, but also wild horses, birds, and beasts, thus possessing considerable strength, which would be sufficient even for traveling the martial world.

Zhang Xuezhou did indeed secure a future for Zhang Cigong, a future so promising that he could make a living there.

"Study hard here," Zhang Xuezhou patted Zhang Cigong on the shoulder and said, "The King of Huainan's Household has no shortage of talent. If you don't understand something, you must ask. You must also learn to read. Putting everything else aside, you must at least understand the techniques of the Beast Taming Sect."

"I will definitely study hard, and when I've finished my studies, I'll come to Chang'an City to find you!"

Zhang Cigong's face still showed a hint of weakness, but his nod was undoubtedly resolute.

"I haven't bought a house in Chang'an City yet, nor have I become an official!"

Zhang Xuezhou sighed.

When Zhang Cigong brought up this topic, he couldn't help but ask Dong Zhongshu about official positions in the imperial court.

This involves a dilemma: he wants it all.

He wanted to benefit from the fortunes of the Great Han Dynasty, but also desired an easy life and did not want to engage in corvée labor.

"If you want to be a close advisor to His Majesty, but can't do too much work, then you can only be a favorite of His Majesty," Dong Zhongshu said with a smile.

"A celebrity? Is that easy to be?"

"It's not too difficult to get a position. As long as you have a decent appearance and proper manners, the requirements for these positions in the imperial court aren't too high," Dong Zhongshu nodded.

"Then I'll find this official position!"

"But this official cannot have descendants," Dong Zhongshu cautioned.

"How could someone like me be thinking about having offspring right now?" Zhang Xuezhou waved his hand and said, "I haven't even found a girl I like yet, I have plenty of time to think about having children!"

"What I mean is that they can never have offspring in this lifetime," Dong Zhongshu reminded him. "Many of His Majesty's close advisors have contact with the harem. To prevent unnecessary licentiousness, such favorites must be castrated!"

Dong Zhongshu pointed to his lower body, which made Zhang Xuezhou belatedly realize what was going on.

"Isn't this like a eunuch?"

He looked somewhat taken aback, unsure whether he could use the Supreme Purity True Technique to reattach his severed penis.

However, it's highly likely that he won't get this coveted position.

Zhang Xuezhou couldn't bring himself to be so ruthless.

He seeks to gain more, not to lose more.

"Our bodies and hair are gifts from our parents, and we must not harm them. I will not serve as an official in this position!"

He quickly waved his hand, which amused Dong Zhongshu.

However, the only position in the imperial court that could meet Zhang Xuezhou's requirements was that of a eunuch. If he wanted to become a formal official, Zhang Xuezhou would need to put in some effort.

"But if you truly wish to become a close advisor to the emperor, regardless of your official rank, you must secure the honorary title of 'Attendant Censor'," Dong Zhongshu said. "This is not a formal position, nor is it included in the official rank, but only by possessing the title of 'Attendant Censor' can you freely enter and leave the palace to serve the emperor, thus providing the best foundation for your cultivation!"

"How did you manage to get this position?" Zhang Xuezhou asked doubtfully.

"This requires you to do things that please His Majesty, so that he doesn't find you annoying, and so that His Majesty wants to see you often. Then His Majesty will grant you this position, even if you are just a captain or squad leader," Dong Zhongshu said.

Do you have this title of "Governor-General"?

"Without!"

Dong Zhongshu shook his head repeatedly.

He was always waiting to be summoned or to request an audience; he would never have a position that allowed him free access to the palace.

This position was of little use to high-ranking officials such as Grand Commandant and Chancellor, but for middle and lower-ranking officials, it was the only way to get close to the emperor.

If Zhang Xuezhou wanted to rely on the imperial system for advancement, regardless of the rank of his official position, he had to obtain the prestigious post of "Supervisor".