Chapter 8, The First Day of a New Life

Zhang Dianzao collected the yellow paper, inserted it into a stack of documents, then took a volume and turned to a blank page, using his pen to transcribe Zhao Ran's name. When he closed the volume, Zhao Ran saw that the cover was inscribed with "Register of Scholars"

Yes

Zhao Ran was taken aback, unable to comprehend the meaning. Suddenly, a triangular head emerged from the corner of the bed, saying: "One can only be called a senior brother after receiving the degree certificate; do not overstep your bounds." After saying this, the triangular head retreated back.

It is unclear how long the boredom lasted, but a few Taoists gradually returned to the small courtyard, some old and some young. They placed the large brooms they had slung over their shoulders and the bamboo dustpans they were carrying into a small side room, and then entered the northern and western rooms. Among them were a few with kind expressions who nodded in greeting to Zhao Ran, who was sitting on the steps, and Zhao Ran hurriedly stood up to respond. He paid no mind to those who regarded him as if he were invisible.

He could not help but secretly marvel at his good fortune in encountering such a benefactor as Chu Yangcheng. Could this be the legendary protagonist's halo? At the same time, he could not help but feel a sense of relief, thinking that if he had acted impulsively on Qingping Mountain, charging forward with a knife, he would not have the fortunate circumstances he enjoys today. Perhaps he would have long been buried in a pit, or maybe there wouldn't even be a pit at all.

The other party waved their hand to interrupt: "Do not call me senior brother, I cannot bear it, and I would be laughed at if I went out."

This scene left Zhao Ran in awe. He did not want to disturb Liu Kutou's enthusiasm, so he left the storeroom while holding the package.

The one with the small green bean eyes scoffed, "Ha, your own dwelling? My dear brother, do not harbor foolish dreams; just make do for now!"

Zhao Ran nodded: "Yes, I was just admitted to the hospital today, Senior Brother..."

Zhao Ran was momentarily stunned, groping his way to the east end of the bed, placing the bundle in the corner, and then pulling the blanket over himself. Just as he was about to close his eyes, he suddenly sat up again, patting his forehead, thinking to himself how foolish he was to sleep in broad daylight

A lifetime and an eternity, devoted to the teachings of the Daoist school

Yes

A sudden cry of "Ouch!" startled Zhao Ran, who had been feeling restless. It turned out that there was someone sleeping soundly under the blanket in the very spot where he had lain down! This person turned over and glared at Zhao Ran, saying, "I mean, can't you be a little more observant?"

In that case, please affix your seal

He quietly climbed down from the bed, put on his shoes, and tiptoed out of the room, closing the door behind him. He then sat on the stone steps at the entrance and finally let out a long sigh

Zhao Ran lowered his head, and in a daze, he felt a sense of déjà vu reminiscent of his graduation interview in a past life. However, this time, facing Zhang Dianzhao, one of the eight stewards of the Wujiyuan, the pressure he felt was immense, as Zhang Dianzhao had demonstrated the formidable strength of the Wujiyuan—within just seven days, all his credentials had been inscribed on this yellow paper, including many details that he himself was unaware of.

Zhao Ran stepped forward, dipped ink from the red clay seal box on the table, and pressed his thumb heavily on the end of the yellow paper. In that moment, he suddenly felt a sense of selling himself

According to the teachings of previous lives, Zhao Ran was assigned to the dormitory. As one of the eight major departments of the Dao Academy, the dormitory is actually the largest department within the academy. Among the "Five Masters and Eighteen Heads" responsible for management in the Wujiyuan, there are "Eight Heads" belonging to the dormitory, including the Water Head, Fire Head, Rice Head, Vegetable Head, Grinding Head, Trough Head, Cleaning Head, and Toilet Head. As the name suggests, the dormitory is responsible for all matters related to daily living within the academy

Suddenly, a melodious bell rang out, and the Taoists in the northern and eastern rooms hurriedly exited, making their way to the courtyard. Just as Zhao Ran was puzzled by this, the door of the west room, where he resided, swung open with a flap, and a pair of small green bean-like eyes and a triangular head poked out from inside, all the while tiptoeing to put on shoes.

The bundle of bedding in the corner added an explanation: "Only by getting involved in management can one have their own dwelling"

The term "圊" (qīng) refers to a toilet, and to "扫圊" means to clean the toilet. Do not blame Zhao Ran for his lack of education; throughout his past and present life, he has received a total of twenty-three years of schooling and has truly never encountered such a peculiar character! Yet, at this moment, Zhao Ran, who is encountering this character for the first time, harbors an immense hatred for it.

I am, after all, a cadre at the departmental level, so why am I here cleaning the toilets

Zhao Ran was momentarily taken aback—who else could be on this bed!

Zhao Ran exerted great effort to discern the anger in the other party's pea-sized eyes, and quickly bowed his head, saying: "This senior brother..."

The head of the latrine was named Zhou Zhixiu. It was not until he listlessly finished introducing the details of cleaning the latrine to Zhao Ran that Zhao Ran finally understood what he was supposed to do. He gaped for a long time without closing his mouth, and then, under Zhou's impatient wave, he turned around in a daze and walked towards the quarters assigned to him

This is a small courtyard with three rooms and a wall. The room on the east side is where I live with the green bean-eyed and triangular-headed individual, while the north and west rooms are unknown in terms of their occupants, and at this moment, there is no one present. In the center of the small courtyard, there are several clusters of shrubs and flowers, which appear to have been neglected and are sparsely grown. Additionally, there is a small room situated between the west room and the wall.

In the study, Zhang Dianzao sat behind the desk, unfolded a sheet of yellow paper, and, looking at Zhao Ran, who was respectfully standing before him, recited expressionlessly: "Zhao Shisanlang, born in September of the 11th year of the Zhengde era, a resident of Zhao Village, Shiquan County, Long'an Prefecture, Sichuan Province. His great-grandfather, named Heng, served as the chief clerk and county magistrate in Qinghe County, Shandong. His uncle, named An, was once a layman at the Jingming Temple in Shiquan County—uh, that can be considered a clean family background... After seven years in the academy, he achieved excellent results in his studies—uh, that can also be considered as being diligent..."

The mung bean's small eyes caught sight of Zhao Ran's inexplicable expression at the stone steps, and thus it explained, "It's time to eat." With its right hand, which had just removed its shoe, it directly grabbed Zhao Ran's arm, pulling him up and leading him away, causing Zhao Ran to feel quite nauseous

After completing the formalities, Zhao Ran took the receipt issued by Zhang Dianzhao and headed to the storeroom. The chief steward of the storeroom was not present; in charge was Liu Koutou, who was playing Pai Gow with several Daoists. After receiving the receipt, he tossed a package at Zhao Ran's face and hurriedly sat down, fixating on the cards in his hand, nervously flipping them over, with beads of sweat covering his shiny forehead

After Zhang Dian finished reciting, he silently gazed at Zhao Ran for a long time. Only when Zhao Ran's demeanor became increasingly respectful did he nod and say: "Do you wish to enter the Wujiyuan as a layman?"

Therefore, Zhao Ran's first position after entering the Wujiyuan was that of a sweeper

The other party's small eyes rolled a few times on Zhao Ran, and asked: "Are you new here?"

Zhao Ran was completely unable to accept his newly emerged profession in such a short time, feeling an inexplicable sorrow. With a heart full of resentment, he staggered into his dwelling and collapsed onto the bed.

The green bean with small eyes nudged its head and said: "Brother, is your surname Zhao? I have heard about you. Look, you sleep on that side, and the bedding is newly prepared by Kuli. Hurry up and sleep, I am dead tired!" After saying this, it turned over and lay down again.

When Zhao Ran learned that he had been accepted into the Wujiyuan as a Fire Artisan, he could not help but be filled with tears of joy. He was unaware of what Chu Yangcheng had instructed Wujiyuan before his departure, but it was an undeniable fact that Wujiyuan had taken him in out of respect for Chu Yangcheng. Perhaps in Chu Yangcheng's eyes, this was a trivial matter, but for Zhao Ran, it represented a significant opportunity in his life journey.

I apologize, I mistakenly thought it was my own residence and entered the wrong place

What are the rules for newly initiated fire workers? According to tradition, newly initiated fire workers must clean the dormitory for one year, and only when the next batch of new personnel arrives can they change shifts. This is the rule, not only of the Wujiyuan but also of all Daoist sects in the world

Zhao Ran let out a sigh. The so-called "layman" is not a Daoist in body; according to Zhao Ran's understanding, it is akin to an "external member." However, relying on the Daoist sect, even if one is "external," it is still an identity that countless people yearn for. Laymen are further divided into firework laymen and household laymen, and Zhao Ran is currently a firework layman. As for household laymen, they are those who have donated a substantial amount of silver, allowing them to avoid labor and instead rely on the prestige of the Daoist sect.

At this moment, which is around the hour of Wei (Zhao Ran calculated it to be approximately 3 or 4 PM), it is unclear what was troubling those two fellows, as they were sleeping in on such a bright and sunny afternoon. Zhao Ran had no choice but to sit here and gaze at the clusters of flowers and grass, while continuously encouraging himself to strive and work hard.