Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

"explain."

"I wonder what the Sword Dancer likes?"

"Hmm?" Butler Qiu slowly raised his head and looked at Zhou Qingfeng with a strange expression: "How dare you covet Madam's personal sword attendant? Young man, you are just overestimating yourself and don't know the immensity of heaven and earth."

Seeing this, Zhou Qingfeng quickly explained, "Steward Qiu has misunderstood. During the magic test, I used some despicable means to win, which soiled the Sword Dancer's clothes and caused her to lose face. She felt uneasy and wanted to prepare some small gifts to apologize."

Upon hearing this, Butler Qiu's expression softened slightly: "I see. You are quite perceptive. Even I, the steward, have to show some deference to Miss Jianwu's status in the manor. It's normal for you to feel uneasy."

"However, the Sword Dancer is gentle and kind-hearted, and dislikes killing. It was just an unfair game. If you lost, you lost. The Sword Dancer is magnanimous and will not hold a grudge against you."

"If you are worried, you can prepare some sweets and go to apologize in person. Miss Sword Dance likes sweets."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Steward Qiu."

Butler Qiu nodded: "Go ahead."

The city lord's mansion is divided into an inner courtyard and an outer courtyard. The outer courtyard has a large number of servants, both men and women.

However, only the personal maids and the lady's family members are allowed to freely enter and exit the inner courtyard.

Zhou Qingfeng, a newly arrived servant in the manor, did not even have a formal identity, so he naturally could not enter the inner courtyard. He could only buy some sweets the next day and wait at the gate, asking the maids who came in and out of the inner courtyard to help pass on a message.

A moment later, a gentle woman with flowing white hair, dressed in a long blue dress, walked out of the inner courtyard.

"I heard you were looking for me?" Jianwu asked, looking puzzled.

Zhou Qingfeng got straight to the point, took out the packaged sweets, and offered them with both hands: "I felt guilty and uneasy because I dirtied the Sword Dancer's clothes during the last magic duel."

"I heard that Miss Sword Dance likes sweets, so I specially went to buy some sweet pastries to apologize."

Jianwu was slightly taken aback, then smiled and took the sweets: "You're so kind, kid. Alright, I forgive you."

"Well, farewell." Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Zhou Qingfeng clasped his hands in a fist salute and decisively took his leave.

Jianwu took out a piece of pastry and stuffed it into her mouth. She smiled and looked at Zhou Qingfeng's back, licking her lips: "Little brat, you're not that old, but you're quite cunning. You came all the way here to apologize because you were afraid I would make things difficult for you. Hehe."

As soon as he returned to the servants' courtyard, he bumped into Ye Tingxiu, who had been waiting for him for a long time.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Qingfeng turned and ran.

Ye Tingxiu, however, blocked Zhou Qingfeng's path before he could, glaring at him angrily: "Zhou Qingfeng, we agreed on a one-on-one duel to decide the winner. What do you mean by constantly avoiding me? Are you afraid, or do you look down on me?!"

This commotion immediately attracted the attention of Xiao Hongyun and the others, who all watched the spectacle unfold.

Seeing that he couldn't avoid it today, Zhou Qingfeng could only sigh helplessly.

"You absolutely must fight?"

"We must fight."

"Do you really have to fight?"

"They insist on fighting."

"I surrender."

"Damn it, you you you you..." Ye Tingxiu was furious, his finger pointing at Zhou Qingfeng was trembling.

Zhou Qingfeng acted like a rogue, saying whatever he wanted, and went back into the house and closed the door.

Ye Tingxiu: "..."

Xiao Hongyun quietly walked over, raised an eyebrow, and urged, "Old Ye, just because he says he won't fight doesn't mean he won't. Fighting is a matter for two people, and it's also a matter for one person. If he won't fight, you should fight him. How can he not fight back?"

Ye Tingxiu spat, "Pah! A one-sided attack is nothing but a sneak attack. I, Ye Tingxiu, have lived an upright and honest life. If we're going to fight, it has to be fair and just."

Xiao Hongyun covered his forehead and sighed, shaking his head repeatedly. He didn't understand. How could Ye Tingxiu's brain be so rigid? He had to ask for permission before he could fight. He was so damn inflexible.

Because Zhou Qingfeng deliberately avoided the fight, a good show ended before it even started, leaving everyone somewhat disappointed.

In the days that followed, Ye Tingxiu would challenge Zhou Qingfeng to a duel whenever he saw him, but Zhou Qingfeng would selectively ignore him. In fact, Ye Tingxiu, who was determined to defeat Zhou Qingfeng, was the only one in the entire courtyard who got closer to him.

The days passed day by day.

Two days later, Butler Qiu arrived, and everyone gathered in the courtyard to wait.

Butler Qiu stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly, "Enough with the idle talk. I know you've all been working hard in the manor these past few days, eager to show your talents and gain the Madam's favor."

"Now the opportunity has come. Starting today, you will be assigned to important positions throughout the city and make achievements."

"The place I'm about to describe is where you'll go."

"The alchemy workshop, weapon-making workshop, brewing workshop, oil mill, and textile workshop are the five main industries and sources of income for our manor."

"In addition, we also operated four caravans, mainly to exchange goods with other cities."

"Finally, there is the Night Patrol Division, whose main duties are to maintain order in the city, patrol at night, arrest criminals, investigate cases, and apprehend culprits."

"Listen carefully, no matter where you choose to work, you must do your best to achieve results. If you just loaf around and live a life of leisure, you will be sent out of the city after a year, and then it will be too late to cry."

Everyone was invigorated upon hearing this, as they hadn't expected to be given such an important position so soon after being assigned to their jobs, and they were overjoyed.

Previously, both the entry-level assessment and the spell assessment only tested a person's talent for cultivation.

But now it's a test of a person's ability to get things done.

Zhou Qingfeng clenched his fist, naturally knowing the importance of this opportunity. If he did well, he would gain more fame, power, and cultivation resources, and would surely rise rapidly in the future.

Butler Qiu glanced around, then looked at Zhou Qingfeng with a smile: "As usual, the first place winner still has the priority to choose. Zhou Qingfeng, is there a place you like?"

Zhou Qingfeng hesitated for a moment: "Butler Qiu, could you give me a little time to think about it?"

Butler Qiu smiled slightly: "Alright, you can all think it over carefully. Where you take up your post will determine your fate, so you should be cautious and think twice before you act."

Upon hearing this, everyone lowered their heads and began to exchange words.

Where do you think we should go?

"I think the alchemy workshop is the best place. It's not only safe to practice alchemy, but you can also learn the art. In the future, you can directly use pills for cultivation and sell them at high prices. It won't be difficult to achieve results."

"The weapon-refining workshop is not bad either. If you learn weapon-refining techniques, you can sell magic weapons at high prices and arm yourself to the teeth with magic weapons. When you encounter an enemy, you can just throw the magic weapon directly. Just thinking about it is exciting."

"Being a winemaker isn't so bad, actually..."

Everyone had their own reasons, and they all made valid points.

Zhou Qingfeng lowered his head silently, pretending to ponder, but in reality, he summoned the mysterious divination bucket from the depths of his consciousness.

Whenever he faced a decision about the course of his life, he would consult the oracle to inquire about good or bad fortune.

As the saying goes, choice is more important than talent, which is more important than effort.

Draw lots!

Zhou Qingfeng muttered a prayer, and the scarlet divination bucket shook, sending out several divination sticks.

[A very unlucky omen. Being appointed to a high-ranking position in the alchemy workshop is ominous.]

[A very unlucky omen. Being appointed to a high-ranking position in the weapon-refining workshop is ominous.]

[A very unlucky omen. Being appointed to a high-ranking position in the brewery is inauspicious.]

[A very unlucky omen; being appointed to an important position in an oil mill is inauspicious.]

[A very unlucky omen. Being appointed to a high-ranking position in a textile workshop is inauspicious.]

[A very unlucky omen; being appointed to an important position in a caravan is ominous.]

[Auspicious divination: You will be appointed to an important position in the Night Parade Bureau. Good fortune.]

A series of glaringly menacing words shocked Zhou Qingfeng, and a myriad of thoughts instantly surfaced in his mind.

The divination slips before me were telling me that something was wrong, very wrong.

So many bad luck lots were drawn at once.

There must be a reason why leather pants are worn over cotton pants.