On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the Provincial Examination began.
Compared with the County Examination, the Provincial Examination was far larger in scale. Students from across the province poured into the provincial capital.
However, while the Civil Exams were still held at the Civil Academy, the Martial Exams took place directly at the Hexi Military Camp outside the city.
Inside the camp, enclosed by wooden railings, stood numerous wooden buildings and tents. The banners hanging overhead carried a murderous air that made those entering feel a little intimidated before anything else.
A vast space had already been cleared in the middle, containing a riding ground, an archery range, fighting platforms, and a row of writing desks.
Numerous candidates had already arrived outside the military camp.
An Examination Inspector dispatched by the court stood before the camp and read aloud, "This Hexi Martial Examination will admit ninety-eight Martial Juren. We hope every candidate will give his all and leave no regrets. Today is the qualifying examination. Please undergo inspection before entering."
Unlike the County Examination, which was completed in a single day, the Provincial Examination took two days, though it was not as complicated as the Civil Exams.
Unlike the Civil Exams, where only one in over a hundred Cultivated Talents could become a Juren, the Martial Talents who registered had at least some confidence. There were probably fewer than a thousand people present.
The gap between a Martial Talent and a Martial Juren was considerable, so the first day used a few straightforward tests to screen for qualified candidates. These included a written examination, something neither the County Examination nor the Prefectural Examination had.
This was the most basic literacy requirement for junior military officers.
The first day alone might eliminate more than half the candidates who had