Chapter 262 This is a talent!
"Did my older sister suddenly come up the mountain to find me because she wanted to talk to me about the martial arts examination?"
"That's why we're called siblings; I could guess without you saying a word," Zhou Mujiao teased. "Why don't you tell me what you think first?"
"I've decided not to wait any longer."
The fifteen-year-old boy's eyes were resolute: "Entering the court doesn't require being the top scholar, and serving the country doesn't necessarily require being a military officer. I believe I am ready, and now is the best time to join the army."
Zhou Mujiao smiled and said, "I'm glad you have your own ideas, but you're still young. How about waiting another year?"
There's no need to say everything; people with a tacit understanding can understand each other with just a glance. Zhou Mujiao and Xiao Wu are siblings with a very close relationship, so they can naturally get the other's meaning immediately.
If we wait another year, that means that the military examination will be held at this time next year.
Xiao Wu licked his lips: "Does Sister want me to go with the title of Martial Arts Champion?"
"It's not that I wish it, it's that the Emperor wishes it. But most importantly, it's whether you yourself wish it or not."
Seeing his conflicted expression, Zhou Mujiao patted his shoulder: "If you can't answer immediately, it means your determination to join the army isn't strong enough right now. Don't rush to make a decision. When you feel ready and don't want to wait another day, I'll personally see you off from the capital."
"Thank you, sister."
The results came out in mid-October, and Yu Huaizhi won first place. Chu Liu and his classmates at the academy were all happy for Yu Huaizhi. However, this exam result brought back the rumor that Zhao Yunjing had leaked the exam questions to Chu Liu. It was said that Zhao Yunjing deliberately sacrificed a pawn to save the king. It didn't matter whether he achieved the top three honors or not. As long as he became the top scholar, the Zhao family could create a precedent of having two top scholars.
The emperor didn't react much the previous time, but he got angry when the news spread again this time. He personally ordered his secret guards to investigate and find the source. Then he had the perpetrator dragged to the city gate to be condemned by the people and criticized by the scholars.
This man was quite a character. He was a master of arguing; a whole group of people couldn't out-argue him. He had a loud voice, a lot of reasoning, and decent stamina. He was tall and strong. As for writing, well, that was even less of a challenge for him. In half an hour, he wrote a two-thousand-word essay, thoroughly criticizing all the scholars who came to watch the spectacle.
This insulting article was quickly delivered to Zhao Yunjing. After reading it, Zhao Yunjing laughed out loud. Then he went to see the emperor. The emperor read the article and was both angry and amused. He summoned Zhao Yunjing to the palace and watched as he debated with a group of scholars and won a great victory.
"It's a real pity that someone with such an imposing presence and eloquence doesn't serve the imperial court."
So the emperor asked him if he wanted to enter the court as an official.
This man's surname was Feng, and his name was Feng Bo. Feng Bo shook his head: "I do not want my talent and passion to be drowned in the tedium of the court. I want to go to the military camp. I hope that on the day the emperor decides to unify the world, I can use my mouth to contribute a little bit of strength."
With such eloquence, standing on the front lines facing the enemy, he might actually make the enemy general faint with anger.
The emperor smiled and agreed.
In no time, the emperor's reputation for recognizing and employing talented people spread throughout the entire Liang Dynasty, inspiring many young people and raising the level of education for their children. Those who wanted to study could study, and those who couldn't afford to or didn't want to study could join the army. There was always a path suitable for their children.
Xiao Wu also found Feng Bo quite amusing. Knowing that he was going to the Northern Desert Camp made him even more excited. He planned to go to the Northern Desert Camp in the future so he could see how Feng Bo challenged others up close.
The palace examination was scheduled for March. This was the first imperial examination after the emperor ascended the throne, and he attached great importance to it. He personally set the questions and supervised the entire examination. After the examination, there was no waiting for the day when the papers were read. He directly had the examiners review them in the palace. He waited there until midnight. Ten excellent papers were finally produced. Half an hour later, the emperor approved them with his vermilion pen, and the new top scholar, second-place scholar, and third-place scholar were born.
"Zhao Yunfei, the top scholar; Hu Hanwen, the second-ranked scholar; and Yu Huaizhi, the least successful candidate in the imperial examinations. Congratulations to Zhao Yunfei! Congratulations, Lord Zhao, on having two top scholars from one family!"
What an honor it is to have two top scorers in the national college entrance examination!
This matter not only attracted the attention of the entire Liang Kingdom, but the other six kingdoms were also secretly envious. One particularly superstitious emperor summoned the imperial advisor and asked if the Liang Kingdom's case could be replicated. The imperial advisor said no, because their Da'an Kingdom did not have the same profound foundation as the Liang Kingdom.
The next day, the top scholar paraded through the flower-lined streets, and Zhao Yunjing publicly announced that the martial arts imperial examination would be held in three months: "We welcome all those with ambition to participate, to gather our courage and strength, to build a Great Wall for the Great Liang Kingdom, to protect the long-term peace and stability of the Great Liang Kingdom, and to bless the people of the Great Liang Kingdom to live and work in peace and contentment!"
This move caused excitement throughout the country. From the imperial court to the common people, the entire Liang Kingdom was overjoyed. It was said that some martial artists who originally planned to become bandits gave up their ideas, and some mountain bandits even abandoned their posts and went home to train day and night in preparation for the martial arts examination three months later.
Anyway, participating in the imperial examination won't make you lose any weight. If you really become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination), you'll directly enter the court as a military officer. Even if you don't pass the provincial examination, having participated in the military examination means you won't have to start from the bottom as a soldier. Even if you still have to start from the bottom, you'll have more opportunities than others.
The martial arts examination is different from the civil service examination. Some people who are not good at studying may still dare to try their luck in the arena. However, in the martial arts examination, if you do not have any real skills, even if luck carries you all the way to the final stage and you arrive at the arena, you will only have one outcome: to be beaten to death or maimed.
Therefore, selecting those who can govern the country through civil examinations and those who can defend the country through military examinations is a very good approach, as each has its own expertise and focus.
Xiao Wu was also eager to try. Since he was going to participate in the martial arts exam, it was naturally not good to stay in the academy anymore, since Canglan Academy did not have any martial arts instructors.
Since learning that Xiao Wu was going to participate in the martial arts examination, Ning Xian was so angry that he couldn't sleep. For three consecutive days, he came over every day to try to persuade Xiao Wu to change his mindset. Because Xiao Wu was very good at his studies and had his own unique insights into issues, he was sometimes even more eloquent than Chu Liu and Yu Huaizhi. Ning Xian believed that in three years, Xiao Wu should be the next top scholar.
However, Xiao Wu did not want to be the top scholar and said, "Dean Ning, since ancient times, civil and military officials have been inseparable. Whether they are civil officials or military generals, as long as they can make contributions to the Great Liang and benefit the Great Liang, they should not be treated differently. Dean Ning, you are now valuing civil officials over military officials, which is not good, not good."
Ning Xian almost spat out a mouthful of blood, thinking to himself, "Who am I doing this for? Isn't it all for you and your sister!"
Your Li family only has you two siblings left. On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes. It's fine if he's safe and sound, but if something happens to him on the battlefield, the Li family line will end!
If Xiao Wu knew what Ning Xian was thinking, he would probably roll his eyes at him in public.
What do you mean by "never having no descendants"? Is the purpose of living to continue the family line? If you continue the family line, then what? You haven't fulfilled your own wishes, nor have you set a good example for future generations. You've accomplished nothing and haven't established anything. What's the point of such a legacy?
From ancient times to the present, people have always said that one should establish a family and a career, but there's nothing wrong with establishing a career and then starting a family, is there?
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