About half an hour later, Chu Fengge's attendant Xu San walked out of the lobby, glanced at the crowd present, and shouted loudly: "Ma Qin, are you there?"

"I'm here!" Ma Qin immediately took two steps forward, nodded and said.

"The results of your promotion assessment are out," Xu San said to him, "Master Chu is waiting for you in the lobby. He wants to talk to you alone."

"yes."

Ma Qin took a deep breath, climbed up the stairs again, and entered the Yamen lobby.

Although he already had the worst expectations for the results of the assessment, Ma Qin still inevitably felt the pressure and his heartstrings tightened when he thought that he was about to have a private conversation with Mr. Chu in front of everyone.

Chu Fengge, the fifth-rank doctor in the Exorcism Department, was still sitting lazily on the Taishi chair with his legs crossed.

I saw his handsome eyes, eyebrows trimmed, pink face and red lips, as delicate as the person in the painting.

"Sit." Chu Fengge said calmly.

After hearing this, Ma Qin carefully sat down on the side of the lobby, letting only the lower half of his butt touch the chair, leaning forward slightly, and straightening his waist.

"What do you think of your performance?" After a brief silence, Chu Fengge said slowly.

Ma Qin didn't know why Chu Fengge would ask such a question.

But he still lowered his head and answered honestly: "In terms of talent, talent, and courage, I am far inferior to Gu Xu. I think he is more qualified for this position than me."

Chu Fengge chuckled lightly.

His beautiful peach blossom eyes narrowed into two crescent moons, showing his heroism and charm for a moment.

"Congratulations, Ma Qin." I heard Chu Fengge pronounce Ma Qin's fate in a calm tone, "From today on, you will be the Ninth Grade Inspector of the Yishui County Exorcism Department."

What?

I?

Lord Ninth Grade Inspector?

Ma Qin froze on the spot, unable to believe his ears for a moment.

Anyone with a discerning eye knows that Gu Xu performed much better than himself in the two days of assessment.

But why did this job fall on him in the end?

"Chu... Master Chu, this... this is not... a mistake, is it?" Ma Qin stammered.

"This is the decision of the Chief Secretary," Chu Fengge replied, "there will be no mistake."

After saying that, he waved his sleeves gently.

An appointment letter flew up from the table and floated straight into Ma Qin's hands.

The appointment letter, also known as "Gao Shen", is the certificate of official appointment in the Daqi Dynasty.

Ma Qin took the appointment letter with both hands and read it carefully.

The black and white words on the appointment letter told him that he was not dreaming.

He stood still, as if he had received an electric shock, looking dazed.

After a while, he came back to his senses with sincerity, bowed his head to the ground, and thanked Chu Fengge and the chief minister who was far away in the capital.

"Work hard from now on," Chu Fengge encouraged nonchalantly, "and don't let down the chief executive's expectations of you."

"Then... what about Gu Xu?" Driven by curiosity, Ma Qin hesitated for a long time, then mustered up the courage and couldn't help but ask.

He really couldn't believe that with Gu Xu's talent, he would fail in the assessment.

"This is none of your business," Chu Fengge replied coldly, "Besides, call Gu Xu for me."

…………

A moment later, Ma Qin walked out of the Yamen lobby with the appointment letter in his arms under the gaze of everyone.

At this time, his pressure was gone and his mind was completely empty.

His steps were also light and smooth, as if he were stepping on soft clouds.

As for the plan he had thought up before to sneak back to Qingzhou Mansion overnight... he had completely forgotten about it.

"From today on, I am also the fortune teller of Da Qi's court." The corners of his mouth could not help but turn up slightly, "That fortune teller who calls himself 'Zhang Banxian' is not accurate in his calculations!"

He looked around and saw Gu Xu sitting quietly on the flower bed at the edge of the courtyard, holding a charcoal pencil and scribbling on a booklet.

So he walked straight towards where Gu Xu was with a smile on his face.

"Brother Gu Xian, Mr. Chu is waiting for you in the lobby. He wants to discuss the results of the assessment with you alone." He said to Gu Xu.

Gu Xu opened his eyes, his gaze as calm as a winter lake.

"Congratulations to Mr. Ma!" He cupped his hands towards Ma Qin, without any emotion in his voice. "We will work together in Yishui County in the future. I hope Mr. Ma will take good care of you."

"How did you know?" Ma Qin felt a little surprised.

In the Daqi Dynasty, only officials could be called "adults".

But now, except Chu Fengge and Ma Qin himself, no one has seen his appointment letter.

If that's the case, how did Gu Xu guess that he had succeeded in taking the position of the exorcist department of Yishui County?

I heard Gu Xu smile slightly and say: "Brother Ma's expression at the moment is very proud."

Seeing the young man's indifferent smile, Ma Qin suddenly felt a sense of regret in his heart.

Because he always felt that Gu Xu was more worthy of this official position than himself - and the reason why the senior officials of the Exorcism Department chose him was most likely because he was more senior.

Discussing seniority is nothing new in Daqi officialdom.

So Ma Qin patted Gu Xu on the shoulder and comforted him: "Brother Gu Xian, it doesn't matter if you lose this time. You are still young and your talent is not bad. There will be many opportunities in the future."

Gu Xu raised his head and raised the corners of his mouth: "Then thank you, Mr. Ma, for your kind words."

…………

Afterwards, Gu Xu walked into the Yamen lobby calmly, straightened his clothes, and sat down on the chair in front of Chu Fengge.

Neither humble nor arrogant, polite and courteous.

"You don't seem to be disappointed at all." A meaningful smile appeared on Chu Fengge's face.

"I am born with talents that will be useful." Gu Xu replied calmly.

This poem may sound a little arrogant.

But if you tell Chu Fengge, a narcissistic person who likes to be arty, you are just following his fancy.

Talking to people and talking to ghosts - Gu Xu has always been good at this kind of thing.

Sure enough, after hearing Gu Xu's reply, Chu Fengge's expression did not change on the surface, but he secretly wrote down this very powerful poem in his heart, planning to ask his subordinates to help him write a few similar sentences after returning to the capital.

"Your letter of appointment was written by the Chief of Staff himself and stamped with His Majesty the Emperor's jade seal," Chu Fengge continued, "Take it and take a look!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a blank piece of paper appeared in Gu Xu's hand.

The handwriting on the paper floats like floating clouds, is as powerful as a frightening dragon, is beautiful and strong, and has a penetrating spirit.

It's like a fairy's handwriting, which makes people admire it.

The content of the appointment letter is as follows:

"Edict: The people are the foundation of the country, and if the people are safe, the country will be peaceful. However, ghosts and monsters are now rampant and demons are causing trouble. If we strengthen the foundation, we will drive away evil spirits. How can we keep the people safe if we do not seek loyalty and virtuous people?

"Gu Xu, the magistrate of Yishui County, Qingzhou Prefecture, has an exemplary moral character and conduct. He has great knowledge and knowledge, and everyone admires him. He reports on his duties in a remote place and serves the country. He is quiet due to his straight direction, so he uses it as a suspended solution.

"Only if there is one, it can be settled in a corner.

"The system of one king, please promote it, fill the post of Yishui exorcism department, and have an official rank of eighth grade."

…………

Note:

(1) "Quietness is determined by its straight direction, and it is called a suspended solution when used." - Tang Dynasty Yan Zhenqing's "Zi Shu Gao Shen Tie"

(Meaning: Because you attach great importance to moral cultivation at ordinary times, you can be calm and focused; when enforcing the law, you can solve problems.)

(2) "Only one exists": Once such a talent is possessed.
Chapter completed!