"The martial civil service examinations are only a few days away. How are the Ministry of Personnel's preparations coming along?"
Zi Shou put the question to Fei Zhong.
At his words, Fei Zhong immediately stepped forward and reported, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Personnel has held extensive discussions on this matter recently, with the Ministry of War participating as well. We have decided to hold the martial civil service examinations at the Racecourse outside Chaoge City, with eight officials from the Ministry of Personnel and eight from the Ministry of War serving as joint examiners. The examinations will consist of three rounds, held at three-day intervals."
"The first round will test martial skills, including mounted and foot archery, as well as techniques with spears, sabers, swords, halberds, unarmed combat, and thrusting attacks. The second will test encampments and formations, including setting up camp, marching, and deploying troops. In the third, each candidate will discuss the military strategy and geography he is familiar with."
Zi Shou grunted in acknowledgment, then asked, "These are martial examinations, so naturally they should test martial skills. But the second round's encampments and formations, and the third round's military strategy and geography, seem rather unnecessary."
Lu Xiong stepped forward to remonstrate. "Your Majesty, the martial examinations are meant to select talented generals capable of commanding great armies on the battlefield. When two armies confront each other, brute strength alone cannot settle the matter."
"Testing encampments and formations reveals whether a candidate knows how to establish a camp. Testing military strategy and geography ensures that a general understands battlefield deployment and can command with composure amid ten thousand charging horses. Thus, the second and third rounds are both essential. Only by understanding the various formations on a battlefield can one win battles."
"If war were merely a