Chapter 330

"Li Laoge, there are many young people in the capital; it is truly lively."

Tan Hu said with great enthusiasm.

He Qiannian had already taken Ning Zhongtian and the other Anning Guard soldiers back to Yunzhou on a large ship.

Li Rui, as a dignified Assistant Regional Commander.

Certainly couldn't stay in the capital and turn himself into a lone commander; Nie Siming brought seven or eight personal guards, so he also kept Tan Hu and Ge Hong behind.

Originally, Ning Zhongtian was the most capable.

But Ning Zhongtian is an Anning Guard Garrison Commander; without him, an Anning Guard Assistant Regional Commander, sitting in the large ship, there should at least be a Garrison Commander, otherwise, it would look too improper.

Tan Hu still remembers the resentful look on the other party's face when Ning Zhongtian left, and his own triumphant big mouth.

When they return to the Anning Guard, he can brag for a long time again.

Li Rui nodded.

As the day of the Great Examination approaches, what the capital lacks least are scholars in white robes and strong young men in black short-sleeved martial shirts.

If it weren't for joining the Anning Guard, there would be no need to cross this single-plank bridge.

Perhaps there would be more strong old men in the capital.

Li Rui: "Pack up, let's go to the Ministry of War's drill ground."

"Alright."

Tan Hu and Ge Hong nodded in agreement.

Ge Hong: "When I was young, I also thought about becoming a Martial Provincial Graduate, but unfortunately, I joined a martial arts school, so I lost that thought."

Back then in Qinghe, he was a candidate for Martial Provincial Graduate with high hopes.

Later, he joined a martial arts school and inherited the position of school master, so he dispelled that thought.

After all, most Martial Provincial Graduates can only become Eighth-Rank instructors.

They still have to be under the jurisdiction of the County Magistrate, which is far less free than being a school master.

As for later joining the Anning Guard.

It was just that when he reached middle age, he thought that trees die if moved, but people live if moved.

Tan Hu rolled his eyes: "Old Ge, even if you say it to the heavens, you are just a Provincial Graduate; who among those coming to this capital isn't a Provincial Graduate? If you want to talk, you should talk about being a Metropolitan Graduate."

Ge Hong didn't argue with Tan Hu, this blockhead.

Being a Provincial Graduate is already remarkable...

As for Metropolitan Graduates, any Metropolitan Graduate in the top three is a County Magistrate; if one can enter the second tier, one can even seek a post in the capital; the Yu Kingdom has always valued the capital and slighted the outer departments; serving as an official in the capital is a remarkable thing.

If one enters the top three, one can even directly enter the Martial Evaluation Office, with a bright future ahead.

Li Rui is a proctor, so of course, he doesn't have the pressure of those examinees.

He walked toward the Ministry of War's drill ground with his hands behind his back.

Yesterday.

Nie Siming came to him and told him to go to the Ministry of War today.

The person presiding over the Martial Examination this time is Vice Minister Wang of the Ministry of War; the Martial Examination is a serious matter, and one always needs to familiarize oneself with the situation in advance.

It is not just Li Rui.

The officials of the Ministry of War are the same.

Before long.

Li Rui arrived at the location of the Ministry of War's drill ground.

As one of the Six Ministries, the Ministry of War's government office is naturally located outside the Chengtian Gate, in what the people of the capital call the "Thousand-Step Corridor."

But because the drill ground occupies too much space, it is set up in an open area outside the capital.

Having been here for several days.

Li Rui had long since figured out the terrain of the capital, and he led Tan Hu and Ge Hong out of the city with ease, arriving at the Ministry of War's drill ground.

In the drill ground, besides the soldiers who were drilling daily.

There were also officials dressed in various official robes.

Nie Siming was also among them.

Among these people, a middle-aged man wearing a peacock patch was the most eye-catching.

A peacock patch represents that this person is a Third-Rank high official.

No need to think, it must be that Vice Minister Wang of the Ministry of War.

Li Rui quickened his pace and quickly scanned the other officials; they were all wearing casual clothes, but the patches on their chests were mostly bears and white pheasants, meaning they were Fifth-Rank like Li Rui, and the few leaders were wearing tiger, leopard, and cloud goose patches, meaning they were Fourth-Rank.

Seeing Li Rui appear, Nie Siming specifically called out: "Lord Li, you've come."

Many people also noticed Li Rui.

But Li Rui is a provincial official and has no reputation in the capital, so naturally, no one greeted him.

It was that Vice Minister Wang who smiled and nodded at Li Rui.

Li Rui returned the salute: "Lord Wang."

Then he stood obediently behind Nie Siming, looking at his nose and his nose at his heart.

As for Tan Hu and Ge Hong, they could only stand on the periphery of the drill ground.

Before long.

Several more martial generals arrived at the drill ground.

A total of forty-six people.

Nine Fourth-Rank, the rest were Fifth-Rank; the number was not small, but it was not exaggeratedly large either.

Clearly.

Nie Siming's claim that the Ministry of War was short on hands was just an excuse; this proctoring quota was not as easy as Nie Siming said.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Vice Minister Wang coughed lightly and said:

"Lords, thank you for your hard work."

"The Martial Examination is a major event for the imperial court and cannot have any mishaps; I, Wang, thank you all in advance."

Vice Minister Wang said a few polite words.

Then he left.

Subsequent matters were explained by a Ministry of War Director.

Proctoring is not complicated to talk about.

The Ministry of War has presided over it too many times and has long had a fixed team; these people are just there to hold the fort.

Those participating in the Martial Examination are all martial artists, and they are all hot-blooded; if someone dies or causes trouble, it would be a great misfortune, and the Ministry of War would lose face. This year's Metropolitan Examination for the Martial Examination is different from the past.

Previously, they competed in the two subjects of strength and military, which are personal martial prowess and military strategy.

This year, the Emperor specially bestowed a Town Subject.

Every examinee needs to wrestle with a demonic beast.

I heard it was because of the marriage alliance between the two countries, and the Emperor was happy, so he added it.

It counts as a major highlight this year.

Demonic beasts are fierce, which is why the Ministry of War found so many proctors this year to prevent the demonic beasts from causing chaos.

By the time he finished speaking, it was already the Hour of the Rooster.

It was time to eat.

These civil and military officials gathered in groups of three or five to drink.

Not a single line, not a single word, not a single content, look at it one by one!

For proctors, preventing cheating is certainly important, but it is an even better opportunity to get to know colleagues.

How could one miss it?

Li Rui, an outer provincial official, being able to participate in proctoring is already a great blessing; these capital officials are all high and mighty, and provincial officials have no value to them at all, so naturally, they wouldn't take the initiative to get to know him.

Regarding being left out in the cold, Li Rui took it very openly.

Expecting everyone to come and flatter him is impossible.

But since he is here, of course, he must have some gains.

He walked slowly to the side of a middle-aged man and said: "Lord Lin, I heard you are from Yunzhou?"

Lin Hai, a Director of the Ministry of War's Armory Bureau, looked at Li Rui with some surprise.

He felt like a stranger.

But those who can come here are not ordinary people, so he still asked patiently: "Who is this lord?"

Li Rui: "Annan Town Assistant Regional Commander, Li Rui."

Hearing the two words Li Rui, surprise flashed in Lin Hai's eyes.

He only knew that the old man in front of him was a provincial official, but he didn't expect that he was actually a military officer from his hometown.

Lin Hai recalled what was said in the family letter.

He immediately smiled and cupped his hands: "So it is Lord Li; I have long admired your name. Why don't we go to the White Crane Tower for a small gathering?"

Li Rui: "I have often heard people mention that Lord Lin is a talent of Yunzhou, and I have long wanted to ask Lord Lin for advice."

Seeing the two talking warmly.

The officials who had arranged to drink with Lin Hai couldn't help but be curious about the background of this provincial official.

Lin Hai is notoriously shrewd.

He saw it was a personal guard of Nie Siming who had come to the door.

"Lord Li, General Nie invites you to his room for a chat."

Li Rui nodded.

After dressing neatly, he followed the guard to Nie Siming's residence.

Walking into the door.

He saw Nie Siming in a dark cyan robe, sitting on a wooden stool in the center of the main hall with a bold and unconstrained posture.

"Lord Li, sit."

Seeing Li Rui enter, Nie Siming greeted him.

Before Li Rui could sit down.

He spoke: "Coincidentally, we have just caught up with the year of the Great Examination. The Ministry of War is short of manpower, and Vice Minister Wang happened to hear that we are in the capital, so he asked you and me to invigilate."

The so-called year of the Great Examination.

Refers to the imperial examination.

What the Ministry of War manages is naturally the Martial Examination.

The imperial examination is divided into four rounds: the Academy Examination, the Provincial Examination, the Metropolitan Examination, and the Palace Examination; only the year of the Metropolitan Examination is called the year of the Great Examination.

Every time this happens.

The martial arts talents of the world gather in the capital to participate in the competition; the winners can enter the Palace Examination, where the Holy Emperor personally examines them to select the top three.

That is, the Top Graduate, the Second Graduate, and the Third Graduate.

As the role models for the martial arts of the world.

Generally speaking, the cultivation level of candidates participating in the Martial Examination will not exceed the fifth rank.

If one is already a fourth-rank master, there is no need to seek an official career through the Martial Examination.

Whether it is the civil or martial examination, in the end, it is a way out for students from humble backgrounds; those with noble origins do not need to cross this single-plank bridge at all, as they have long since had a smooth path paved for them.

Li Rui was dumbfounded.

When he had just redeemed himself from the Zhu family in Qinghe, he had actually intended to participate in the Martial Examination to seek an official position.

It was just that later, by a stroke of luck, he followed Ning Zhongtian into the Anning Guard, which dispelled this thought.

Unexpectedly.

He didn't take the Martial Examination, but instead directly became an invigilator.

Li Rui laughed: "Being able to invigilate the Martial Examination is the subordinate's blessing; how could there be any reason not to go?"

Invigilating the Martial Examination is a lucrative job.

Having reached the Metropolitan Examination, they are naturally not mediocre people.

As an invigilator, one naturally gains the closeness of the examinees; in the future, when these people go out to serve as officials, they can all be considered juniors.

It is a great opportunity to befriend these future pillars of the Yu Kingdom's martial officials.

Otherwise, the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of War could even compete with the Ministry of Personnel.

A large part of this is because they control the Civil and Martial Examinations.

Those who can proctor are carefully selected; that Nie Siming could ask for this opportunity shows that his relationship with that Vice Minister of War is extremely good, and he only pulled Li Rui in because he truly considers him one of his own.

Li Rui is not someone who doesn't understand the big picture.

Since Nie Siming is giving him face, he certainly couldn't be a killjoy.

"Very good."

Seeing Li Rui agree readily, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

"The Great Examination lasts for half a month; you and I are afraid we won't be able to return for the time being. I have already spoken with Elder He; he will take the Anning Guard soldiers and return first, and we will go back after we finish our business."

Li Rui nodded: "Good."

After speaking.

Nie Siming then looked at Li Rui with interest: "Lord Li, have you made progress again?"