Chapter 24: Close Planting, Survival of the Fittest
The assessment for the Start of Autumn was relatively normal, fitting the seasonal theme, and it tested both ability and endurance. This was entirely in line with Xue Wenzhong's consistent style, as he was a diligent and hardworking individual focused on accomplishing tasks.
The officials' reactions weren't as intense as the last time when Chen Shijie came up with the questions. Even if they didn't achieve good results, they just blamed their own lack of skills.
However, after Zhao Xing entered the Hundred Herbs Garden, he still noticed some unusual aspects.
"The seedling area seems ordinary, with enough quantity for the officials to choose from, but the planting area, it's a bit crowded, isn't it?"
Zhao Xing scanned the planting area and noticed that it wasn't very large, only the size of a soccer field. Considering the number of officials participating, there were likely three to four hundred, if not the full five hundred.
With unlimited planting quantities, the officials certainly wouldn't plant just one crop.
Especially the stronger ones, to ensure their advantage, would definitely occupy larger territories.
That left very little space for everyone else.
"The layout is also somewhat problematic." Zhao Xing activated his keen eyes and, after a closer look, clearly saw the arrangement of the planting area.
"The planting area is a square, distributed with twelve wells and thirty-six piles of grass ash, with signs that mark them as non-movable restricted areas."
"So, the locations of the twelve wells and thirty-six piles of grass ash are the best planting spots."
"Clearly, this is designed to make the officials compete for territory."
Nearby wells, using the Cloud Movement Skill, have beneficial effects, and grass ash acts as fertilizer that accelerates growth.
Without being said, this was arranged by Chen Shijie.
With Xue Wenzhong's personality, he definitely wouldn't set such a question, but as the main examiner, everything had to go through Chen Shijie. This Mr. Chen from West Mountain County, who had served as a Military Minister of Agriculture Officer, loved setting competitive questions the most.
"The layout of the planting area must have been added by him." Zhao Xing licked his lips. After understanding the assessment standards and surveying the assessment site, he immediately began to act upon discerning the examiners' intentions.
While the other officials hadn't caught on yet, he was the first to take action, quickly running to the northeast corner of the planting area.
"Clouds! Appear!"
Zhao Xing pointed his finger, and immediately, a dark cloud condensed above the northeast corner.
The clouds rolled and unfolded, turning seven times, performing the Seventh Transition of Cloud Movement!
Once they thoroughly stabilized, they covered the two wells and three piles of grass ash below.
How do ministers of agriculture compete for territory? Of course, with Cloud Movement!
The Cloud Movement Skill had exclusivity; occupying this piece of sky meant occupying the land below.
Dare to plant under someone else's cloud? Not a single blade of grass would survive.
Having grown accustomed to competition in his previous life, Zhao Xing was the first to understand the examiners' intentions in this vast examination field, and the first to set up a cloud layer and claim a territory.
"Not bad, not bad~" Chen Shijie, standing on a distant hill watching, stroked his beard and smiled softly.
It was the second time he had noticed Zhao Xing. In the last Grain-eating Bird Disaster question, Zhao Xing was also the first to come up with a solution.
Having his question guessed correctly gave Chen Shijie a sense of "this student understands me well."
He asked Xue Wenzhong, "Planting close by, survival of the fittest, what does Mr. Xue think of my modification?"
Xue Wenzhong nodded slightly and said, "Mr. Chen's modification will likely turn the officials into fierce competitors even before they start planting. It's far more exciting than my setup."
Under Xue Wenzhong's setting, the officials would finish planting in harmony, but the process would undoubtedly be very dull. Now, things were completely different.
Chen Shijie said calmly, "The world was never peaceful; only our dynasty is. Preparing for the worst and ensuring the survival of the fittest is my way. I hope Mr. Xue doesn't mind."
Xue Wenzhong nodded in agreement to Chen Shijie's explanation. Gao Linong, Tang Wanchun, and the other deputies, although they didn't fully agree in their hearts, also verbally supported their superior.
.......
"Buzz~" "Buzz~" "Buzz~"
More than just Zhao Xing moved quickly. Soon after entering, other standout officials began vying for resources.
Clouds rose one after another from the planting area. Some were large, some small, some black, some white, quickly filling the entire planting area.
However, there were only twelve wells and thirty-six piles of grass ash, which couldn't be evenly distributed.
Thus, the conflicts began.
"Mr. Liang, it's too crowded here; I can't extend my cloud. Could you please move over a bit?"
"Li Chengfeng?" Liang Bai turned around and, seeing a figure not far away, his face changed. After a moment of calculation, he reluctantly retreated to maintain his demeanor, "Since Mr. Li has requested, I have no reason to refuse."
With that, he shrank his cloud overhead and moved it elsewhere.
"Boom!" Li Chengfeng reached up to the sky, summoning a dark cloud spanning hundreds of meters. After a few transitions, he claimed three wells and four piles of grass ash at once. Thunder snakes appeared on the edge of the cloud, declaring sovereignty.
Wen Nanxing moved to the north, being the second to form his cloud, just a step behind Zhao Xing.
He occupied two wells and four piles of grass ash, with a cloud shaped like a long sword. The handle was black, the blade white, and lightning gathered along it like seven stars, making it quite mystical.
"A cloud in the form of a sword? Wen Nanxing must have achieved perfection in Cloud Movement, reaching a state of complete control."
"Not just perfection in Cloud Movement, but the lightning forming stars is probably perfected as well."
"Can't compete, can't compete."
Latecomers, seeing this, felt intimidated and avoided Wen Nanxing's territory.
In the southwest of the planting area, the third cloud rose, featuring four tiger heads at each corner, occupying three wells and three piles of grass ash.
Nearby clouds rose simultaneously, but the tiger head cloud expanded, and they didn't yield, instead crashing into it fiercely.
"Boom!"
The tiger heads were coated with blue-purple lightning. After a flash, the attacking clouds developed huge gaps, wobbling unsteadily.
Beneath the tiger head cloud, Xiao Ze cupped his hands in all directions, "Thank you for conceding."
Most of those attacking Xiao Ze were from the last top-ranking list. Seeing they couldn't win, they gave up, allowing Xiao Ze to secure a spot after passing the test.
But not everyone knew when to advance or retreat, and it wasn't always easy to distinguish the stronger from the weaker. Some with equal strength refused to back down, and they were not as cordial with one another.
"Huang Siping, you prematurely aged dwarf, mixing with Li Chengfeng, do you think you're also Fourth Rank in Gathering Essence now? How dare you compete with me?!"
"Scoundrel, you dare insult me?"
...
"Wang Hao, you placed lower than level B in the last small test and didn't even make it to the A-ranking. How dare you compete with me? Do you underestimate my Thunder Cloud?"
"My thunder is not weak either! Let's clash!"
......
In less than fifteen minutes, the sky over the planting area was rioting with fierce quarrels and clashes. The air was filled with wind, lightning, torrential rain, and colliding clouds, creating utter chaos!
Chen Shijie, seeing this scene, laughed heartily. He promptly ordered some tables, chairs, platters of melons, dried meat, and fine wine to be brought over, inviting the officials to sit down.
"Gentlemen, please take a seat and join me in enjoying the delights of the Start of Autumn!"