The carriage wheels rolled over the gravel on the road, moving slowly along the official road.

A city wall much lower than Jiannan Prefecture City's walls appeared in front of everyone, bringing a sense of relief to many people's hearts.

Although Jade Water City could not compare to Jiannan Prefecture City, for many in the caravan, this was where they truly belonged.

Returning to Jade Water City was like coming home.

Su Que didn't share this sentiment; he had only been in this world for a little over a year.

To Jade Water City, and to this world, he felt like an outsider.

Upon awakening his Golden Finger, his only thought was to cultivate and live a stable and comfortable life in this world.

Teaching and local exams were merely a facade for his cultivation.

As they approached Jade Water City, almost everyone stretched their heads out of the carriage, gazing at the city walls in the distance.

Only Su Que and Bo Shang remained inside the carriage.

One was circulating seven types of intense True Qi within, expanding the last meridian of his Foot Three Yang Meridians.

The other was bound in the carriage, his eyes vacant, speaking nonsense.

"Huh, why are there garrison troops?"

The highest-ranking Martial Artist among them suddenly spoke.

"Garrison troops? What garrison troops?"

Others quickly asked.

Most of them were ordinary people, their eyesight far inferior to that Martial Artist's, and they asked in surprise.

"No way, the White Lotus Sect just left and now the Rebel Army is here?"

"Can't a small city like Jade Water City have a bit of peace?"

Some felt uneasy and started to lament to each other.

The arrival of a new force often resulted in the redistribution of a city's wealth.

For example, the White Lotus Sect collected protection fees, while the Rebel Army imposed taxes.

Most people in the caravan were merchants who felt this impact most keenly.

Moreover, if the Rebel Army occupied the city, they might forcibly conscript people.

As the caravan got closer, everyone in it saw two soldiers with spears at the city gate.

And on the city walls, there were soldiers standing with bows.

It seemed Jade Water City had indeed been taken over by the Rebel Army.

As the caravan passed the city gate, everyone except Su Que and Bo Shang was anxious.

They feared being stopped by soldiers demanding goods.

In the end, the soldiers at the gate merely glanced at them and let them pass.

"Huh, this Rebel Army doesn't seem as undisciplined as we thought."

After passing the city gate, people in the carriage began to whisper among themselves.

"Maybe this Rebel Army is better than the Court..."

"Damn, do you have a death wish, talking nonsense..."

Entering the city, the caravan immediately asked the locals for information.

They learned that the Rebel Army was called the "Heaven-Breaking Army."

"Heaven-Breaking Army?"

A Darts Master immediately recalled something:

"I've heard this Rebel Army recently rose in the Southern Domain, led by 'King Qin' Li Xuanji, known for his magnanimity and wide breadth, and the troops under his command are quite disciplined."

"So does that mean they are a good army?" Lv Qixiu asked.

"I suppose so," the Darts Master said, "but this is just hearsay; I don't actually know the details."

"I'll ask my father when I get home," said Lv Qixiu.

Then, everyone started to disembark one after another.

Lv Qixiu and his scholar's attendant were the first to get off, saying goodbye to Su Que, and made an arrangement to visit Su Que's residence later.

Then, the sturdy man entrusted by Lv Qixiu carried off the bound Bo Shang towards Bo Shang's home.

A while later, Su Que also got off and went to Luo Tianli's home.

Before participating in the local exams, he had arranged with Luo Tianli that Su Jing would help at Luo Tianli's home, and Luo Tianli would provide food and shelter, so that a weak girl like Su Jing wouldn't be left at home and risk harassment from local thugs.

Upon reaching Luo Tianli's home, Su Que found that Su Jing was no longer there.

Luo Tianli said: "Now that Jade Water City is under the Heaven-Breaking Army, public security has improved somewhat. Besides, your sister recently met a rich young lady, and they seem to have hit it off well. Staying here isn't convenient for their conversations, so she went back to your place."

'What rich young lady...' Su Que thought, then snapped out of it and inquired about the situation in Jade Water City.

Luo Tianli explained that ever since the Heaven-Breaking Army arrived, the original County Magistrate, Zhan Qingtian, had fled and the Heaven-Breaking Army had appointed a new County Magistrate.

As for them, the constables, they were still in their original positions.

Then, Luo Tianli asked about Su Que's performance in the local exams and, hearing that Su Que had made the list, he immediately clasped his hands in congratulations.

Even though Jade Water City was currently held by the Heaven-Breaking Army, one could not rule out the possibility that someday the Court might send troops to reclaim the city.

No one could predict whether Su Que in front of him might become the new County Magistrate and his superior in the near future.

Even if he wasn't his superior, Su Que was a successful candidate now, his status had risen, and maintaining a good relationship with him might be beneficial in the future.

After bidding farewell to Luo Tianli and his family, Su Que proceeded homewards.

Upon reaching his doorstep, he smelled a faint fragrance.

From the direction of Su Jing's room in the house, two silvery bell-like female voices could be heard laughing.

As he pushed the door open, it creaked. The two silvery bell-like voices stopped immediately.

Soon after, the door to Su Jing's room also creaked open, revealing two women.

Su Que saw that the first woman who came out was Su Jing, and she looked much more radiant, her previously rough and sallow skin had become noticeably fairer.

Following her was an exceedingly beautiful woman, with fine eyebrows and red lips, whose features carried a hint of allure, her hair styled up with a jade hairpin.

Looking at her appearance, it was hard to guess her age instantly.

Yet, judging by her hairstyle and makeup, she seemed much older than Su Jing by a couple of years.

Moreover, her behavior was quite generous, not possessing the reserve typical of younger women.

Now that Su Que was already a master at the Meridian Opening Realm, he had crossed paths with many Martial Artists, and his eye power had become exceptional.

Observing the stranger woman initially, he noticed that she was slender and agile, evidently bearing considerable strength within.

This woman didn't change her stride as he did.

Noticing her foot's speed, angle, and strength when contacting the ground, he gauged that this woman was highly likely to be a "Five Blood Refining Viscera" Martial Artist.

'How did Su Jing come to know this person?' Su Que wondered.

"Xiao Que, you're back?" Su Jing said upon seeing him.

"How did you fare in the local exams?"

Su Que mentioned his ranking.

Su Jing's eyes lit up upon hearing it. Though his ranking wasn't among the top few, at least he had qualified for an official post.

"What do you plan to do next?" Su Jing further inquired.

Su Que glanced at the unfamiliar woman.

While buying and selling official positions was not uncommon, he intended to rely on certain connections to negotiate an official post, a plan he didn't want this unknown outsider to be aware of.

Su Jing noticed the look in Su Que's eyes and immediately caught on, hastily saying:

"This is Sister Yujing, Li Yujing, whom I've grown very fond of over these past days; if you have anything to discuss, feel free."

Su Que was silent for a while before saying: "I'm a bit fatigued, can we talk about this later?"

Su Jing and Li Yujing's acquaintance was Su Jing's business, to him, Li Yujing was just an unknown stranger, and there was no way he would discuss official matters in front of her.

At this moment, Li Yujing smiled gently, the corner of her red lips slightly lifted:

"Are you looking for someone to help with buying an official post, little brother Jing?"

"Coincidentally, my family has some influence over in Jian'an Prefecture City too. If you're interested in entering the official circles, perhaps I can lend a hand."

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