Chapter 331

"Li Laoge, I heard that Marquis Yuan is handsome, so he often shows himself with a silver ghost face when charging into battle; is it true?"

Ma Xuan, an Assistant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, asked curiously.

Li Rui: "Marquis Yuan is indeed upright, as for wearing a ghost mask, I heard it is to facilitate killing without blinking."

Ma Xuan immediately shouted that it made sense.

"Sure enough, it is the gossip of those unscrupulous people."

In the future, when going out to find people to drink, he will have a reason to brag.

Talking again about that Marquis Yuan.

He himself is an expert.

Anyone in the capital can talk about the major affairs of the generals and ministers in the imperial court for a long time; it is the unique pride of the people of the capital, and capital officials naturally cannot be an exception.

Besides the Imperial Preceptor and the Grand Secretary who are in the capital, the pillars of the empire.

Marquis Yuan is also a figure often mentioned after tea and dinner.

Even because he has been fighting outside for many years, he has added a bit of mystery, and the number of times he is mentioned is even more.

Li Rui naturally does not hesitate to use these small means to narrow the relationship with several people.

After three rounds of drinks.

The atmosphere suddenly became warm, and they pushed cups and changed lamps, like old friends of many years.

This is, of course, because Li Rui wants to get to know them, and the other party has the same thoughts.

Otherwise, they are all human spirits, and they wouldn't admit to being younger brothers after drinking a few catties of wine.

Lin Hai was in a great mood.

Today, not only did he get to know Li Rui, who is very famous in Yunzhou, but he also gained face in front of his colleagues because of Li Rui.

In the future, when they meet again, he can have a bit more momentum.

"Li Laoge, this time the Third Princess enters the capital, and the Emperor specially set up the Town Subject; maybe the Emperor will personally watch the ceremony at that time."

Ma Xuan took over the conversation:

"Isn't it? Last month, the mission from the Witch Kingdom brought several fierce demonic beasts, and the Emperor was very happy, so he set up the Town Subject; I heard that if one can get the Top Three, one can get the Emperor's imperial sword, which is very glorious."

Lin Hai laughed:

"In seven days, we will see; I don't know which good family's son can get the Emperor's imperial gift."

That precious sword is really not bad.

It is a Fourth-Rank spirit weapon.

However, although spirit weapons are precious, what is more precious is the word "imperial gift."

This matter will be recorded in the Ministry of Personnel's book.

When the year of the capital inspection comes, it will be the capital for promotion.

Li Rui listened with a smile most of the time.

The five people drank until late at night.

Then they dispersed drunkenly.

Li Rui walked out of the White Crane Tower, and Tan Hu and Ge Hong, who had been waiting outside, greeted him; the others had long since left by carriage, but Li Rui did not have this treatment.

Tan Hu asked curiously: "Li Laoge, is it expensive to eat here, and how does it taste?"

"Average, seven vegetable dishes, only one meat dish."

Hearing this.

Tan Hu immediately lost interest.

Ge Hong said with a laugh: "Tiger, what do you know? People are eating a style; it's worth a lot of money."

Tan Hu rolled his eyes:

"These high officials have water in their brains."

"If it were me, having spent so much money, I would definitely have to eat a piece of dragon meat to be worth the meal money."

Li Rui agreed deeply:

"Tiger, what you said is correct."

Seven days passed in a flash.

The day of the Great Examination.

The Civil Examination is held in the Tribute Academy, and the Martial Examination is at the Ministry of War's drill ground outside the city.

Li Rui put on his official uniform early and took Tan Hu and Ge Hong out of the Guest Reception Office.

Originally, he did not bring his official robe when he left Yunzhou.

This official robe was specially borrowed by Lin Hai from a commander of the Imperial Guard; that commander is a Fifth-Rank martial official like Li Rui, and it fits surprisingly well when worn.

Before long.

Li Rui arrived at the drill ground outside the city.

At this time, the drill ground was already overcrowded.

Anxious examinees were waiting outside the drill ground early.

The Martial Examination did not specify age and gender.

So there were men and women, old and young.

Li Rui even saw an old man with white hair and beard among them, who looked like he was older than himself.

I just don't know if he is like himself, a late bloomer.

Seeing Li Rui in a cyan official robe with a bear patch, they all showed awe and obediently made way for a path.

Li Rui walked into the drill ground smoothly.

Inside, officials from the Ministry of War were prepared early, and he saw many familiar faces.

Lin Hai, Ma Xuan, and others saw Li Rui.

They came forward to greet him familiarly.

"Lord Li, when we are done, come to my mansion for a gathering; I have obtained a Seven-Star precious sword, please ask Li Laoge to take a look."

Ma Xuan said.

"Seven-Star precious sword... then I must take a good look."

Li Rui is not interested in the Seven-Star precious sword.

It is just an opportunity to deepen the relationship.

After some small talk.

Li Rui then found an opportunity to come to Nie Siming.

Nie Siming looked at Li Rui with a smile; he had seen the scene where Li Rui was laughing and talking with those capital officials just now.

"I really didn't misjudge the person."

Not bad.

Although Vice Minister Wang specially invited him to proctor, Li Rui was the one he specifically asked to bring. Now it seems that his move was quite successful.

Nie Siming is not the kind of muddled superior who would be jealous of his subordinates.

Li Rui is his subordinate, and Li Rui's connections are his connections.

The more people he knows in the capital, the easier some things will become.

This is the purpose of him letting Li Rui stay in the capital.

Regarding Nie Siming's subtext, Li Rui knew it well; he cupped his hands and smiled: "Thank you, General Nie, for your promotion."

Nie Siming didn't care:

"It is your own ability; you can repay this favor after you break through."

Li Rui knew that the favor Nie Siming mentioned was to fight him.

While they were talking.

A dragon roar shook the sky from a corner of the drill ground.

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

Nie Siming looked at that place: "What a fierce dragon."

I saw a huge cage covered with white cloth there, which was the demonic beast for the trial of this Martial Examination.

"It is a Nine-Yin Dragon; its Nine-Yin evil aura is extremely domineering; I am afraid there are not many people in the Sea-Observing Realm who can subdue it."

"This time, I am afraid no one can subdue it."

"At least the Martial Top Graduate of the previous session can't."

Li Rui agreed deeply.

He knows a lot about the Witch Kingdom, naturally including knowledge of demonic beasts.

This Nine-Yin Dragon is famous for its killing power and is invincible in the same rank.

Even Nie Siming said that there are not many people who can subdue it, which means there are very few; I am afraid that no one in this Martial Examination can subdue this fierce dragon.

Officials of all kinds on the drill ground perform their duties.

Proctoring officials like Li Rui are just one of them; there are also coordinating officials, patrolling officials, martial judging officials, and supply officials, etc., with a number of no less than hundreds of people; the momentum is not grand, and the specifications are not grand.

Such a grand scene is to show the Emperor's love for talent to the world.

Unlike the Civil Examination.

The Martial Examination will directly determine the top three and the second tier, and then the second tier will enter the Fengtian Hall to be personally examined by the Emperor.

"If someone can defeat this dragon, I am afraid it will be the candidate for the Top Three, and it is highly likely to be the Top Graduate."

As for why it is highly likely.

Because the candidate for the Top Graduate is personally designated by the Emperor.

The results are only a part.

The key is to see the Emperor's eye.

Just like the Second Place in the Civil Examination of the previous session, the article was written very well, but the martial arts were average, plus the appearance was extremely ugly, and finally, he was designated as the Second Place, missing the Top Graduate.

Soon.

With a dull and thick drum sound of dong dong dong.

The Martial Examination begins!

Compared to those examinees who were nervous, Li Rui was much more leisurely; he was just an outsider.

The first two days.

First is the strength test, then the town test.

After the two subjects are completed, go to the Hanlin Academy to participate in the military subject.

Like the Civil Examination, it lasts for three days in total.

It's just that the Martial Examination is much better than the Civil Examination; there is no need to be locked in the Tribute Academy, and the taste of eating, drinking, and sleeping in a small grid is not good.

As the examinees entered the field.

First, Vice Minister Wang of the Ministry of War said some words about the Emperor's grace, to inspire people and show the Emperor's benevolence.

Then officials of all kinds began to be responsible for guiding the examinees to participate in the competition.

Martial artists, the skill is to kill.

The strength test is to compete for absolute martial power, and the method is to draw lots to fight on the ring.

It's just that unlike the ordinary martial arts ring, there is a time limit of a quarter of an hour; if the outcome is not decided, it will be judged by the examination official and reviewed by the proctor.

Li Rui knew early on that he was assigned to the Si-character ring.

The examination official who partnered with him was a Ministry of War official.

The process matters were all done by the official with the clerks, and he only needed to watch the battle leisurely.

The ring was truly wonderful.

Because there is a time limit, if the outcome is not decided when the incense burns out, it will be judged by the examination official, and the examinees will naturally have to go all out, with killing moves appearing frequently.

It was truly pleasing to the eye.

Generally speaking.

There are only forty or so people in the second tier, and almost all of them are Sea-Observing martial artists who can make the list.

Examinees need to meet the proctoring officials before the competition.

Even if there is a bit of promotion friendship.

After becoming an official in the future, there will be more closeness.

Li Rui came here to receive a bit of incense friendship, so as long as it wasn't too much, his attitude was extremely good.

He established friendship with several good examinees.

He took extra care of the examinees from Yunzhou.

This is not favoritism, but human nature.

If you don't help your own fellow villagers, it's really unreasonable.

Not only did he do this, but other proctors actually did the same; such a phenomenon is too common in the Yu Kingdom.

If everything was done impartially, who would be willing to do the thankless job of proctoring.

In the evening.

Li Rui, Lin Hai, and other officials gathered at the Ma mansion, pushing cups and changing lamps.

Such scenes were staged in many mansions in the capital.

"This time, many good seedlings have appeared; that Xu Yan from Haizhou is very good, and he is a hot candidate for the Top Graduate of this Martial Examination."

"I think that kid from the Bai family in our capital is also powerful."

"It is truly a generation of talents."

"I just don't know who can get the top grade in the Town Subject, which is the most important this time; that Nine-Yin Dragon is really hard to deal with."

(End of chapter)