ASER – Chapter 14

Qishan County was under the jurisdiction of Danzhou, and the provincial capital of Danzhou was Jinling. Although Danzhou ranked low in economic and political influence within the Tang Song Empire, the city of Jinling, due to certain historical reasons, was renowned throughout the country.

But A’Diao hadn’t thought of this city’s name for a long time; even her vague childhood memories had almost vanished. Now that it was suddenly mentioned… it seemed some memories were trying to surface, but she suppressed them and asked tepidly, “Does this have an impact? I used to be able to study here before.”

“It’s impossible to say it doesn’t. Because you’re from Jinling, your household registration isn’t in our Qishan. It was fine before; according to the law, household registration flowing from a higher administrative level downwards wasn’t restricted for school enrollment, but flowing upwards was prohibited. However, it’s different now. The imperial court has issued a decree: school registrations in different regions are not to be mixed. You study where your registration is. If there are special circumstances, you need to go with the head of the household under whom your registration is listed to the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Education to register and complete the procedures. Only after the review is passed and the results are communicated can you enroll in high schools in the subordinate counties.”

“Speaking of which, your household registration is an advantage. Many wealthy people have to spend a lot of money on property and investments to meet the rules set by the provincial government just to get a household registration, allowing their children to study in the provincial capital. Yours…”

Teachers, more than anyone, understand the importance of educational resources, so they know the weight of this household registration. The laws of this dynasty, to prevent educational inequality, keep student information sealed within the Ministry of Education. Even teachers at their own school don’t have the authority to view it. Therefore, most teachers don’t know the household registration or family background of the students in their classes.

Now that she knew, this teacher’s tone carried a hint of envy.

A Jinling household registration… even a million Star Coins couldn’t secure one.

But A’Diao’s expression was utterly miserable. “Teacher, is there no other way?”

The teacher quickly understood A’Diao’s predicament. A child from the provincial capital living in this remote, backwater little county town naturally had some unspoken difficulties. No wonder A’Diao was so conflicted. So, she said seriously, “If you can’t enroll in Jinling, you can only go to Jinling now… and complete the relevant procedures as soon as possible. Generally, as long as the head of the household accompanies you, the relevant departments won’t make things difficult. After all, you’re ‘jumping down,’ not ‘climbing up.'”

It didn’t sound difficult, but A’Diao still felt a knot in her chest. She only managed a few perfunctory replies and asked the teacher to issue an official letter to facilitate her affairs…

Watching A’Diao leave alone, dragging her suitcase, Zhao Min wanted to offer a few words of comfort but was dragged away by his family to register.

“Isn’t that girl first in your grade?”

“She is. We used to see her often at parent-teacher conferences.”

“Oh, so she’s from the provincial capital. Then can’t she study in the provincial capital?”

“You’re overthinking it. Spots in provincial capital schools are very scarce. All the wealthy people in Danzhou are scrambling for them. Even if her grades are good, she’s only number one in a small place. Having household registration is useless; she won’t be able to get an enrollment spot. The waiting list is years long. I think she can only hurry up and go through the procedures to transfer back here to study… But the procedures are too troublesome. Even adults get frustrated running around for them. She’s just a child and doesn’t understand anything. I’m afraid it will cause delays, and she might even miss the enrollment deadline and not be able to study at all. The teacher just said the enrollment period is set for half a month from now.”

“I don’t know how her family managed things to end up like this. It’s so irresponsible.”

“It seems she has no family… She was adopted by the Old Daoist Priest. They used to say that little Daoist apprentice who performs funeral rites for the dead, the one considered unlucky, that’s her… She must have been abandoned by her family. No wonder Zhao Min’s parents didn’t let him go over.”

Some felt pity, some gloated over her misfortune, and some told their family members to say less, as it was too unkind.

Amidst the noisy chatter, these people eventually refocused their attention on their own children’s education.

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Everyone was bustling inside the school, and the school gate suddenly became quiet again.

The old security guard at the school gate saw the girl come out alone, dragging her suitcase. She walked to a nearby stall selling roasted sweet potatoes, bought one, but didn’t eat it. Instead, she squatted by the roadside, holding it in both hands.

He recognized this child. Since the day she enrolled in her first year of high school, she had been skinny and looked unhealthy. She was much better now, but still much thinner and smaller than her classmates.

She looked like the pitiable type.

He was just about to go over and ask about the situation, worried something might happen, when he saw a line of hover cars stop by the roadside.

They stopped right in front of A’Diao.

The car door opened, and official boots and long legs came into view. A’Diao looked up to see the bear-like Feng Ting looking down at her.

He said nothing, just handed her a document.

A’Diao was puzzled. She took it and looked, her eyes suddenly widening. “A letter of recommendation?!!”

“You’ve been promoted?!”

Feng Ting raised an eyebrow. “You seem to know a lot about these official matters.”

High school spots in a place like Jinling are extremely tight. To get in, you primarily need household registration and good grades. Beyond that, you have to rely on connections. Of course, there’s also another way: a letter of recommendation.

A letter of recommendation is similar in effect to using back-door connections, but it’s more legitimate. It’s an internal recommendation to a school by an official of a certain rank within the bureaucracy, often carrying much more weight than a wealthy merchant bribing their way in, and it’s within the bounds of the law.

The textual explanation is: Potential talent observed under special circumstances may be granted admission through special handling and recommendation.

If he were still just a constable in Qishan County, not even a ninth-rank official, he naturally wouldn’t have the qualification to recommend anyone.

“No, I just happened to read about it in a book. What rank are you now?”

Could he already be a ninth-rank Martial Studies Instructor? No wonder he could check her household registration.

“Subordinate eighth-rank Deputy Regiment Commander.” Feng Ting said it lightly, but A’Diao was stunned. After a moment’s thought, her expression became serious as she asked, “Was the Demonic Spirit turmoil very severe this time?”

She didn’t think she had that much charisma or was so outstanding as to warrant an early investment. There had to be a reason for Feng Ting to help her for no apparent cause. It was nothing more than gratitude for her help. Working backward—if she hadn’t helped, the consequences would likely have been disastrous. Forget promotion; Feng Ting would have been lucky not to be stripped of his position. So, he was repaying a favor.

“In Qishan County and seven or eight other impoverished northern counties alone, 9 lairs were discovered. Those outside the county seats were somewhat better off. Within the county seats, the lairs mostly contained Demonic Spirits like the Fuqiu Creature. Their entrances and exits are highly concealed, they can change shape by wriggling, and they have a paralyzing toxin in their tails, allowing them to devour people silently. The casualties on their side are counted in the thousands. It’s not like here, where you insightfully reported it in advance and provided clues that led directly to the large banyan tree. Most of those 9 lairs were only found the next day, or even two or three days later. And they were only thoroughly investigated after receiving information that Fuqiu Creatures could use tree hollows as cover to enter and exit their lairs. How many people do you think died?”

A’Diao sucked in a cold breath, suddenly realizing how incredibly lucky she had been to emerge from that cellar and encounter the Fuqiu Creature on the large banyan tree.

Who would have thought the Demonic Spirits appearing would be Fuqiu Creatures? Who would have thought that today’s Fuqiu Creatures would use tree hollows and spirit gates to form lairs, entering and exiting to kill in the dead of night?

That paralyzing toxin didn’t seem potent on its own, but combined with the Fuqiu Creature’s characteristics, it was extremely formidable, making it impossible to guard against.

“It’s a case of ‘the tallest among the short.’ The consequences in other counties were so tragic, and public resentment was boiling, which in contrast made our Qishan County appear well-controlled with outstanding administrative achievements. From the county magistrate to myself and others, we all received commendations and promotions.”

“However, logically, one wouldn’t skip so many ranks. Why do you think that is?”

The county magistrate’s promotion is normal; he’s the top official. But for a government officer, a promotion wouldn’t jump three steps directly to an eighth-rank Regiment Commander, almost the same rank as the county magistrate who became a City Registrar after his promotion.

“Because… the government office is now selecting talent—cultivation talent. Your cultivation results at the spirit gate by the large banyan tree were significant, and the imperial court determined your aptitude is good, so they specifically promoted you, right?”

Feng Ting smiled and gestured towards the letter of recommendation in her hand. “It’s good that you understand. This is my thank-you gift. From now on, we owe each other nothing.”

Letters of recommendation aren’t written casually. Each official, during their term at their respective rank, only has a corresponding number of recommendation opportunities. For example, if Feng Ting remained a Deputy Regiment Commander, he would only have two recommendation opportunities over several years in his term.

With so few opportunities, given the current bureaucratic climate, most officials exchange recommendations for each other’s descendants to help their children get into good schools.

It’s unknown if Feng Ting has children, but even if not, his relatives are probably eagerly watching.

A’Diao was petty, but also thick-skinned and not overly burdened by moral scruples. “Although I did help you, and you could say you saved my life, you’re still the one at a disadvantage. But if you really want to count it this way and give me such a big favor, I won’t push it away. Thank you. In the future… anyway, when I make it big, I’ll definitely repay you. Can I have your contact information?”

A’Diao swiftly put away the letter of recommendation, thinking to herself that the other party’s future prospects were limitless. Best to get on his good side now; he might become a powerful backer in the future.

Feng Ting looked at her eyes, like black pearls, full of cunning childishness, and chuckled. “Let’s forget about contact. You’re too unlucky. Getting involved with you probably won’t lead to anything good.”

A’Diao: “…”

I don’t like hearing that.

“Chen A’Diao, although I don’t know what your past in Jinling was like, I remind you, the world has changed now. Human lives are like grass. You should have a deep understanding of this.”

“Broaden your perspective. If you can move up, then move up. Don’t confine your horizons to this small patch of land in Qishan.”

Feng Ting casually took the roasted sweet potato from her hand, got into the car, and drove off.

A’Diao: “?”

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Three days later, on a spaceship heading to Jinling, A’Diao read a book while lamenting the 888 Star Coin spaceship fare. However, spending the money did have its benefits.

The world was vast. Three kingdoms stood, dividing most of the territories and star regions. Even traveling between counties by hover train took a full day, let alone the distance from a remote county town to Jinling, which would take ten days by hover train.

Time was too precious now. Even though she had half a month, she still had to handle procedures and guard against various unexpected events. Time was tight. After parting with Feng Ting that day, she immediately chose to buy a spaceship ticket to Jinling.

This way, three days would be enough.

In fact, the county town’s spaceship was only slightly better than Jiang Chun’s family’s, but it couldn’t compare to those mid-to-high-grade spaceships.

However, it was a spaceship after all. Most people who could afford to travel by spaceship were financially well-off and well-informed when it came to gossip—about educational reforms, the outbreaks of Demonic Spirit turmoil in various places, and who had obtained spirit gates and Spiritual Vessels.

A’Diao ate in the restaurant several times and heard countless pieces of gossip. It was hard to tell what was true and what was false, but a few times, she was quite taken aback.