Eternal Life: My Talent Increases by 1 Point Every Day

This only strengthened his resolve to leave with his parents and family.

"Huh? Fang Yue!"

He had just passed a few intersections, the distinctive architecture of the Observatory already visible in the distance.

A somewhat familiar voice rang out. Fang Yue couldn’t help but turn to look and saw Zhang Shu on the side of the street. Accompanied by several household servants, she seemed to be purchasing supplies.

"I never thought I’d see you here." Zhang Shu was also quite surprised to see Fang Yue.

She had been about to ridicule him. After all, despite passing the Prefecture Examination, Fang Yue had only managed to secure a minor post as a Military Officer in some remote county town.

But she immediately recalled that, given Fang Yue’s status, he would most likely be forced to remain in Shanyang Prefecture. He’d probably end up dead in some future battle between the Official Army and the Rebel Army.

Faced with a man as good as dead, Zhang Shu felt she should be a bit more magnanimous.

Fang Yue nodded. Since she wasn’t being insulting, he naturally wouldn’t go out of his way to provoke her.

"Oh, right, Junior Brother Fang, are you on your way to the Government Office to register?" Zhang Shu asked, her tone condescending. "Want me to put in a good word? I can get you assigned somewhere in the rear. That way, you might actually survive this chaos."

Given her husband’s family’s current status, while they couldn’t get an official out of the city, they could certainly plant a person or two in the safer Guard Army units.

When Fang Yue heard her say this, he couldn’t help but glance up at her.

"Thank you for the kind offer, but I won’t trouble you."

With that, Fang Yue turned and walked away.

"So ungrateful. Madam is trying to help him, and he doesn’t even appreciate it. People like him don’t live long, I tell you." The maid at her side, who was also familiar with Fang Yue, scoffed when she saw his lack of appreciation.

After all, many people had come to the Chen Family these past few days, begging for similar arrangements.

Those people had to come to their door with silver and gifts just to beg for a favor.

Now their Young Mistress was offering to help, and he acted like this? If that wasn’t being ungrateful, what was?

"Alright, alright, that’s enough. It looks like we’ve bought just about everything. Let’s head back."

Zhang Shu’s brow twitched slightly. She silenced the maid’s indignant sputtering and left with her entourage.

~~~~~

Meanwhile, Fang Yue arrived at the entrance to the Observatory.

He announced his visit to the Martial Artists at the gate, and someone quickly came to lead him inside.

The Observatory was an exceptionally powerful and unique institution within the Great Wei Dynasty, answering directly to the Emperor.

Once inside the Observatory, Fang Yue quickly met the man who called himself Hui Hengli.

"I can ensure you and your family leave Shanyang Prefecture safely. Your official honors will also be preserved. The conditions are that you must join the Observatory, and you must also take Bai Li with you," Hui Hengli said, getting straight to the point.

"Fine."

’Joining the Observatory is fine.’

’Taking that Bai Li with me is no problem either.’

Fang Yue knew before he came that the man wouldn’t be helping him for nothing. There would inevitably be a demand—or rather, a trade.

It was just that the man’s terms were far simpler than he had anticipated.

For him, joining the Observatory might even be a much better prospect than being a minor official in the Government Office.

’No matter how I look at it, I’m the one getting the better end of this deal.’

’There’s no reason not to agree.’

Thinking this, Fang Yue nodded without the slightest hesitation. "Here are your Identity Token and the Road Guide for passage."

Hui Hengli didn’t delay, handing Fang Yue his identification and some Road Guides.

He then dismissed Fang Yue.

He had important matters to attend to and naturally had little time to spare for Fang Yue.

Just as he stepped out of the Observatory’s main gate,

At that moment, an Inspector from the Observatory walked in with another man in tow. When the man behind the Inspector saw Fang Yue, he immediately spoke: "You?"

Fang Yue followed the sound of the voice and saw it was none other than Xue Bing.

’I didn’t expect to run into him here.’

"Heh, what are you doing here? Did you come to pull some strings with the Observatory too?"

Xue Bing sneered when he saw Fang Yue.

’This lackey of Bai Xingqiu’s is hard to kill,’ he thought. ’I’ve schemed against him several times, yet he’s still completely unscathed.’

’And he’s even thriving.’

’Now, from the looks of it, he’s somehow found out about the Observatory and wants to use its connections to escape this cage.’

’Too bad this bumpkin didn’t bother to find out what the Observatory is. As if a country hick like him has any business being here.’

"Did you get shut down?" Xue Bing chuckled. "A man has to know his place. I suggest you hurry over to the Government Office and register. Go early and you might still snag a decent post. Or... I could put in a word for you. I guarantee I’ll get you a *proper* arrangement."

Fang Yue shook his head. "No, thank you."

"You refuse? Don’t be an ungrateful fool." Xue Bing snorted, flicking his sleeve before turning to leave.

’In his eyes, if Fang Yue could find his way here, he obviously knew a thing or two.’

’If the man had just begged, he would have magnanimously arranged for Fang Yue to join the Guardian Team, letting him live a few more days.’

’But since he was so unappreciative, he would use his connections to have Fang Yue assigned to the Vanguard Team instead.’

’Let’s see him go fight the Rebel Army head-on.’

~~~~~~~~

The next day, Fang Yue went to speak with the Bai Family.

They had been kind enough to offer to help his family leave. Now that he had found another way, it was only right to inform them.

Leaving without a word went against his principles.

"Madam, that boy is so ungrateful, spouting nonsense about having his own way to leave. He’s the type who won’t turn back until he’s hit a brick wall. Hmph. When the time comes and he realizes he can’t get out, he’ll be sorry."

The Bai Family’s Steward said quickly, watching Fang Yue’s retreating figure.

"Let it be," Bai Xingqiu’s mother said with a sigh, waving her hand. "To each their own path. Since he’s someone Xingqiu thought highly of, perhaps he really does have a way. We needn’t concern ourselves."

This was just a minor interlude. She had only offered to help for her son’s sake.

Since he had clearly stated he didn’t need help, she wouldn’t waste any more effort on him.

The Bai Family had plenty of their own matters to attend to. In truth, traveling with fewer people would make their journey safer anyway.

Meanwhile, Xue Bing had dispatched a household servant to the Government Office to report on Fang Yue.

"This Fang Yue is supposed to be the Garrison Training Instructor for Wenxi County. But Wenxi County Town has fallen, and now he shows up here. It looks like he deserted his post."

"A man like that should be assigned to the Sin Army in the Vanguard Camp, to atone for his crimes through meritorious service."

The Xue Family servant said this to the Government Office official in charge of military rosters, simultaneously handing over twenty taels of silver.

"You got it." The official in charge took the silver, tucked it into his robes, and said with a greasy smile, "I get it. It’s scum like him that allowed the Rebel Army to get so powerful. Rest assured, I’ll make sure he gets assigned to the Sin Army."

"Then I thank you, milord."

"Think nothing of it..."

~~~~~~~

According to Hui Hengli, they wouldn’t be leaving until tomorrow.

So Fang Yue spent the day buying more supplies.

But by now, silver banknotes were no longer readily accepted; most merchants demanded silver coins.

After all, if fighting truly broke out, the Silver Houses would certainly close their doors, leaving no place to exchange the banknotes.

After purchasing more supplies, Fang Yue had his brother head back first.

He then went to find Bai Li and brought her back to the tea shop.

"Oh, Zhi’Er, who is this young lady? She’s so beautiful!" Ms. Chen exclaimed when she saw Bai Li with Fang Yue.

She looked at Bai Li the way a mother-in-law looks at a prospective daughter-in-law—the more she looked, the more she liked what she saw.

Ms. Chen was even more delighted when she heard that Bai Li would be leaving Shanyang Prefecture with their family to go to Yujing City.

Even learning that Bai Li was blind didn’t diminish her enthusiasm in the slightest. On the contrary, she took Bai Li by the hand and warmly welcomed her into the house.

That evening, she pulled out all the stops and cooked a lavish feast to welcome Bai Li.

"Here, have some of this... and try this, too..."

At the dinner table, all the special attention that was usually reserved for Fang Yue was now lavished upon Bai Li.

It was clear how much Ms. Chen liked Bai Li.

After all, no matter what, this was the first girl Fang Yue had ever brought home.