Chapter 13: On the List

"The preliminary assessment has concluded, with the theme being 'Famine Valley Bird Natural Disaster.' This time, the results are determined based on the damage to the fields each inspector is responsible for." 

"Those with less than ten percent damage are rated as Grade A." 

"Those with less than twenty percent damage are rated as Grade B." 

"Those with less than half damage are rated as Grade C." 

"If the damage exceeds half, there will be no score for this assessment, and they will be penalized to replant, using techniques to accelerate growth. If they can recover, they may be rated as Grade C." 

"The scores for the preliminary assessment have been posted. Please check them yourselves. Regardless of the results, continue to work diligently and avoid arrogance and impatience." 

After Chen Shi finished speaking, a small official on the Flying Boat waved his hand, and a sheet of yellow paper floated in the air, precisely attaching itself to the nine bulletin boards on the public field. 

The crowd of inspectors bowed towards the Flying Boat as it drifted away, then gathered around to see the results. 

"What? Only thirty people on the First List, and only five rated as Grade A?!" 

"It's over, it's over. There are only two hundred and fourteen people on the list. Doesn't this mean that more than half of the inspectors didn't qualify?" 

"Hey, you there, could you help me check if my name, Liang Bai, is on the list?" 

"Yes, you're ninth on the Third List, rated as Grade C. Congratulations, Brother Liang." 

"Sigh, only on the Third List? Last time I made it to the Grade B list..." 

"If the preliminary assessment is this difficult, how will we manage the autumn evaluation? Next spring, only a few will be appointed as officials. How can we even make up for it? Let's go drink!" 

"Yeah, you're right. If it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be!" 

The difficulty of the preliminary assessment was significantly greater than previous times, so the atmosphere before the list was quite gloomy. Few were truly happy, and most felt they had performed poorly. 

Among them, a small group of people were indifferent. Since only three to five people are appointed as officials each year, the difficulty of the assessments will only increase, weeding out those who don't work hard or lack talent. If it's not their fate, why rush? They might as well give up and not even bother with the supplementary exams. 

What? You say they were dismissed? Well, they were dismissed. It's not like they were earning much anyway. In this peaceful world, if they don't become officials, can they really starve to death? 

Of course, the vast majority still cared. Otherwise, why choose this path in the first place? After working hard for so long, they naturally held onto hope. 

Chen Ziyu and Qian Winter were also desperately pushing forward. Soon, they emerged, dejected. They both barely made it to Grade C. 

As they left the crowd, Chen Ziyu slapped his forehead: "Right, Qian Winter, how did Brother's results turn out? Did you check for me?" 

Qian Winter scratched his head, a bit puzzled: "I didn't see Brother's name on the Third List. Could it be..." 

"What do you mean 'could it be'? Are you saying Brother didn't make the list? Not even the Third List? Brother worked so hard before, if he didn't even make the Third List, how hard must it be for him? No wonder we haven't seen him, could he be thinking of something drastic?" 

Qian Winter quickly shook his head: "No, no way. Brother is usually so carefree, how could he be troubled by this... But, he might be heartbroken." 

Chen Ziyu worriedly said: "I'll go check the list again. Qian Winter, you go search around for Brother's whereabouts, and we'll meet at the Triangle Field Place." 

An hour later, at the Triangle Field Place. 

Qian Winter saw the dejected Chen Ziyu and wondered what had happened to make him look even gloomier than before. 

"I haven't found Brother yet, what's wrong with you now?" 

Chen Ziyu raised his head blankly: "Brother's name isn't on the Third List." 

"Not on it, so what? It's not unusual to miss the list..." Qian Winter said, then paused: "On the Grade B list?" 

Seeing Chen Ziyu not answer, Qian Winter's mouth gradually opened wide: "Could it be..." 

"Yes, Brother is on the First List, and he's ranked as Grade A. Alongside Wen Nanxing, Li Chengfeng, Zong Shichang, and Xiao Ze." 

"..." Qian Winter's expression changed to match Chen Ziyu's. 

Not far from the First List, Li Chengfeng was surrounded by people, sitting on a stone. He didn't need to check the list himself, confident that his name was on it. 

He enjoyed not the moment the list was posted, but the praise from the crowd at this moment. 

"Congratulations, Brother Li, for once again being on the First List and rated as Grade A!" 

"Brother Li truly lives up to his extraordinary talent. How many times have you been rated as Grade A now?" 

"The sixth time!" 

"Next spring, you might be called Lord Li." 

Li Chengfeng smiled and bowed to those around him: "No need for jokes, what great person or not, we're all brothers here. Besides, this Grade A rating isn't just mine, I'm not as far-sighted as Brother Zong... Brother Zong, Brother Zong! What are you looking at?" 

The young man with a solemn face, Zong Shichang, heard Li Chengfeng calling him and turned back with curiosity: "I'm looking at the list, Brother Li. There are five people rated as Grade A, besides you, me, Wen Nanxing, and Xiao Ze, this fifth person is someone I've never heard of." 

"Oh?" Li Chengfeng couldn't help but step forward to look. Seeing the unfamiliar name Zhao Xing, he raised an eyebrow: "Indeed, I've never heard of him. In the Department of Agriculture's Seventh Institute, I know most people. Where did this person come from?" 

"Could he be under the old Sinoong's command?" Zong Shichang suggested. 

"No need to overthink, we'll find out when we meet him someday." Li Chengfeng squinted his eyes. 

At the same time, Wen Nanxing, Xiao Ze, and others on the First List also noticed the name Zhao Xing. 

Every year, the Department of Agriculture appoints only three to five officials. The other lists aside, those on the First List are all competitors. If someone else makes it, you can't, and they might even become your superior. How could they not pay attention? 

But Zhao Xing was usually too low-key, not noticeable. When asking friends, almost no one had heard of him, only knowing he was a small official under the old Sinoong, which made people even more curious. 

Zhao Xing himself was unaware of the attention he was receiving. He hadn't even checked the list. 

After Chen Shi announced the rules, he immediately knew he would be on the First List. Why squeeze into the crowd in the hot weather and get all sweaty? It was better to go home early, take a bath, change clothes, and have a meal. 

If he returned late, Madam Cai might hide the meat, and she was definitely capable of doing that. 

"This year's assessment, including the preliminary, has been six times. According to the usual practice, there are still six more small assessments with the changing seasons." 

"In my previous five assessments, I was once in the middle of Grade B, twice in the upper Grade C, and twice in the lower Grade C. Quite average." 

"But it's okay, progress is fast, which is also a kind of achievement. These small assessments don't entirely depend on results. Good potential might also get recommended." 

"If I can enter the First List in each small assessment before the winter evaluation, I might catch the attention of the higher-ups. Even at the old Sinoong's place, who knows how much more influence I could gain." Zhao Xing thought to himself. 

"Old Sinoong Xue Wen is known as a good person, not competing or fighting, very clear and honest, never accepting gifts. If by then I'm not much different from others, the key moment will depend on whether the higher-ups fight for me." 

"Sniff, sniff~" The smell of meat suddenly wafted into his nose, interrupting Zhao Xing's thoughts. It turned out he had already arrived home, and the aroma was coming from the kitchen. 

"Hmm? It seems like it's stewed mountain ginseng chicken soup... Haha, arriving early is better than arriving just in time!" 

(End of Chapter)