In years of famine and drought, their village even rejected fatty meat.

Chapter 761 Talented Individuals of the World

Scholars from all over Liangzhou were converging on the prefectural city, giving Wei Zijie the feeling that all the world's talents were now within his grasp.

However, Wei Zijie was also aware that not all of these scholars were truly talented; some of them were simply charlatans.

Therefore, when these scholars arrive in the prefectural city, the prefectural government will prepare a unified examination. Only those scholars who pass this examination and prove their abilities can be granted official positions and go to Qingzhou to take up their posts.

As for these scholars who had never served as officials and had no experience in holding office...

Wei Zijie didn't think this was a big problem. Even among the officials selected by the Xia Dynasty through the imperial examination, how many had experience in governing a region?

To put it bluntly, becoming an official is never a difficult thing. Even if you don't know how, you can learn while you're in office. As long as you're willing to learn, with the intelligence of the scholars in Xia State, you'll probably become a qualified official very quickly.

Thus, the selection of officials in Liangzhou proceeded in full swing. A large number of scholars from poor families passed the tests of the government office and were successfully granted official positions. They then went to Qingzhou to fill the vacant official positions that had been created by Yang Zheng's mass execution of officials.

"After years of wasting my life, I've finally become an official! Heaven has eyes!"

"Hahaha! I've finally become an official. All those years of studying have finally paid off."

"Thank you, Prefect Wei, and thank you, Marshal Yang."

"..."

Countless impoverished students from Liangzhou wept with joy. After years of studying, they finally saw hope of making a name for themselves, which filled them with elation. They couldn't wait to rush to Qingzhou to take up their posts.

Wei Zijie didn't keep them waiting long. Soon, the first batch of scholars who passed the exam received a notice from the government office, ordering them to immediately go to Qingzhou to take up their posts, escorted by soldiers from the Yang family army along the way.

Just as these scholars were heading to Qingzhou to take up their posts, caravans from Taicang County arrived one after another in Qingzhou Prefecture.

"Is this the capital city? It is truly magnificent and imposing!"

Looking at the majestic city ahead, Manager Ma of the Zheng Family Trading Company couldn't help but sigh.

About ten days ago, Zheng Qing received a letter from Yang Zheng, in which Yang Zheng explained in detail the predicament facing the prefecture and requested assistance from Taicang County.

Zheng Qing had no reason to refuse, but the grain reserves in Taicang County were running low, and he could no longer give Yang Zheng grain for free as before.

After discussions with Chenjia Village, both sides made a joint decision: to help Fucheng overcome its difficulties through business.

Simply put, Taicang County and Chenjia Village would not directly send grain to the prefectural city. Instead, they would transport goods from Taicang County and Chenjia Village to the prefectural city for sale through trade.

In this way, Taicang County and Chenjia Village can make profits, while the people of the prefectural city can obtain high-quality and inexpensive goods, and both sides can benefit from this.

After the matter was agreed upon, under the instruction of Chen Dao and Zheng Qing, a large number of caravans loaded with goods set off for the prefectural city.

The caravan led by Manager Ma was one of the caravans heading from Taicang County to the prefectural city.

As the manager of Zheng's Trading Company, Manager Ma has been working tirelessly for the company's business for many years, traveling to countless places. However, as a native of Qingzhou, this is his first time visiting Qingzhou Prefecture.

The reason is simple: when the Qing King was still alive, the Zheng family's business could not reach the prefectural city because the business here had long been monopolized by the Qing King and the powerful and wealthy people in the city. The Zheng family's backer was just a prefect, which was obviously not enough to get a share of the pie in the prefectural city. Therefore, the former manager Wu mostly went to various counties in Taicang County, and was occasionally sent to other counties in Taiqing County to do business. This was the first time he had come to the prefectural city.

"Manager Ma, is this the prefectural city? It's damn huge!"

One of the accompanying guards exclaimed in surprise.

"Ah."

Manager Ma nodded slightly, urging everyone to speed up. Before long, the caravan arrived at the city gate.

Meanwhile, the soldiers guarding the city also noticed the caravan flying the Zheng flag and stopped it.

Seeing this, Manager Ma quickly forced a fawning smile and said, "Sir, we are a caravan from the Zheng Family Trading Company. Please do us a favor."

As the manager of Zheng's Trading Company, Manager Ma, who frequently traveled around the country, had the most dealings with the city's garrison soldiers.

In every city he visited, Manager Ma had to deal with the soldiers guarding the city, so he naturally learned some of the unspoken rules.

As he introduced himself, he took out a few taels of silver from his sleeve and stuffed them into the hands of the soldiers guarding the city.

However, the reaction of the soldiers guarding the city was beyond Manager Ma's expectations.

But the soldier guarding the city retreated quickly, as if what the shopkeeper had handed him was not a piece of silver, but a scorching hot iron.

While returning the money, he said, "You mustn't harm me. If I take your money, I'll be punished."

Now that the Yang family army has taken over the city, the people guarding it have naturally changed to soldiers from the Yang family army.

Such acts as accepting money from merchants are common practice and established rules for the imperial city guards, but they are punishable by law in the Yang family army.

The Yang family army was known for its strict discipline. Even something as trivial as accepting money from a merchant caravan entering the city was severely punished, so the soldier naturally dared not accept money from Manager Ma.

"Uh……"

Manager Ma's hand, holding the silver, froze in mid-air, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He had seen many greedy city guards, but this was the first time he had ever seen a city guard who feared money like a snake.

For a moment, Manager Ma was at a loss for what to do.

Fortunately, at this moment, another soldier guarding the city spoke up: "You just said that you are a caravan from the Zheng family's trading company?"

"Yes, sir."

Once he came to his senses, Manager Ma nodded.

"Is there any proof?"

"Yes! This is my travel permit, and also a letter in Zheng's own handwriting."

"Let me see."

After confirming Manager Ma's identity, the city guard smiled and said politely, "You're Manager Ma? Commander Yang instructed that Zheng's caravan doesn't need to be checked; you can go straight in."

"Thank you, Master Jun!"

Manager Ma's eyes lit up, and he quickly thanked him.

The soldiers guarding the city waved their hands and said, "No need to be polite. We haven't thanked you yet. If it weren't for the grain from your Taicang County, we wouldn't have been able to take Taicang County."

The Yang family army, from top to bottom, had a very favorable impression of Taicang County and Chenjia Village, because they knew that the grain and supplies provided by Taicang County and Chenjia Village were of paramount importance in their ability to conquer Liangzhou.

That's why the soldiers guarding the city were so polite to Manager Ma's caravan.