Chapter 26: The Martial Examination

A few days later, the long-awaited martial examination for Qing'an Year 24 in Qingmu County finally arrived.

Unlike the scholarly examination, which was held under canopied examination booths near the county yamen's market area, the martial examination was conducted outdoors in an open space. The venue was set at the grand plaza before the Chenghuang Temple on West Main Street.

On the raised platform in front of the temple, a middle-aged official in a green robe sat at the center, flanked on both sides by the county's ranking officials—County Captain, Assistant Magistrate, and other minor county officers—all seated according to their respective ranks.

The different grades of official robes made it easy to distinguish their status. Below the platform, on both sides of the plaza, seats were filled with elegantly dressed scholars, wealthy merchants, and local gentry, all keenly observing the two to three hundred martial candidates gathered in the center with anticipation.

Martial arts had always been the privilege of the wealthy.

For an average well-off household, supporting a single scholar by covering the expenses of books and schooling was manageable. However, raising a martial artist was an entirely different matter. The cost of maintaining a child in dedicated martial training, with proper nourishment, teachers, and equipment, was far greater than raising a scholar.

As a result, nearly 60% of the candidates standing in the square today came from affluent families. Another 20% were retainers, private guards, or bodyguards employed by these same families. Only the remaining 20% came from truly humble backgrounds.

At a long wooden table in the plaza's corner, county clerks were verifying the candidates' registration documents, ensuring their identities and the validity of their guarantors.

Among these clerks, a man in a dark robe was flipping through a pile of certificates when his eyes suddenly caught a familiar name—Wei Tu.

Frowning, he quickly turned to the last page of the county's civil registry and cross-referenced the details. His brows lifted in surprise.

"It's him?"

This was the same man he had encountered half a year ago in the household registry office—the former household servant who had successfully bought back his freedom. Given how rare it was for a servant to gain full citizenship, he had remembered Wei Tu clearly.

"Trying to use the martial examination to change his fate? That won't be easy," the clerk muttered to himself.

Every three years, the county government conducted a cleanup of "hidden households"—people whose status had changed or who had slipped through the cracks of the system. As someone newly registered as a common citizen, Wei Tu's case was part of the clerk's performance records. Naturally, he didn't want Wei Tu to die in this examination.

In the crowd, Wei Tu wasn't the only one being recognized.

Seated among the local gentry was a well-dressed woman who also noticed him—Wei Hong.

She sat quietly behind Master Huang, her finely shaped eyebrows slightly furrowed as she studied the young man standing among the martial candidates.

It had been years since she last saw this nephew of hers, but the moment she laid eyes on him, she knew. Blood ties were not easily erased.

"What is he doing here?" she thought, surprised. "Is he really attempting to take the martial examination?"

Her gaze drifted over him, scrutinizing his form. Wei Tu was indeed more robust than when she had last seen him three years ago. His shoulders were broader, his stance steadier. However, compared to the many martial candidates surrounding him, he didn't seem particularly outstanding.

"He doesn't stand a chance," she concluded, shaking her head inwardly.

Part of her wanted to see him succeed. If he could rise through the ranks, she could call upon him in the future to support her own standing. Yet, another part of her was convinced he would fail.

For three years, Wei Tu had only trained in basic body-strengthening techniques. How could that compare to the rigorous training that wealthy martial candidates received since childhood?

Those candidates had the luxury of consuming meat daily, learning under renowned teachers, and even taking medicinal supplements to boost their physiques.

A mere peasant couldn't possibly compete.

The thought left her feeling conflicted.

Just then, the sound of drums and gongs reverberated across the plaza.

The martial examination had officially begun.

Wei Tu clutched the wooden plaque in his hand, marked with the designation "Bing Thirteen", and waited patiently among the crowd of candidates.

Compared to the prefecture-level and provincial-level martial examinations, the county-level martial examination was far simpler in its structure, consisting of only five test categories.

The martial examination consisted of five major tests: Strength, Archery, Mounted Archery, Combat, and Military Strategy.

The Strength Test was further divided into three sections—lifting stones, pulling a stiff bow, and wielding a heavy blade.

"Bing squad, step forward!"

A gunshot rang out, and the supervising martial official barked out the command.

Hearing this, Wei Tu adjusted his mindset, took a deep breath, and followed the line of martial candidates into the arena. Before them were four large stone weights, each differing in size and mass.

200 jin (100kg).

300 jin (150kg).

400 jin (200kg).

500 jin (250kg).

The county-level martial examination had a minimum weight requirement of 200 jin (100kg)—a challenge far beyond what an ordinary person could accomplish.

But Wei Tu wasn't focused on the lowest requirement. His eyes were locked on the largest stone weight—500 jin (250kg).

Taking a deep breath, he firmly planted his feet in a horse stance, stabilizing his lower body.

Then, he concentrated all his strength, placed his right hand on the stone, and exerted force.

The massive stone weight trembled before being lifted off the ground. It first reached his knees, then his elbows, and finally, with a final burst of strength, he raised it above his head.

He held it there for four to five seconds before his arm began to tremble. Slowly, he lowered it back to the ground in a controlled motion.

As the 500-jin stone weight made contact with the ground, a deep, reverberating thud echoed across the square, causing a slight tremor in the earth.

For a moment, the entire examination square fell into silence.

All eyes turned toward Wei Tu—expressions of shock and disbelief filled the faces of both spectators and martial candidates alike.

To lift 500 jin (250kg) with one arm in the Strength Test was an exceptional feat, something that had only occurred three times in the past century within Qingmu County.

And now, Wei Tu had become the fourth person in history to achieve this.

More importantly, all three of his predecessors had gone on to win first place in the county martial examination.

This meant that, unless something unexpected happened—this year's top martial scholar was already decided.

Unless…

"Unlikely…"

The wealthy gentry and scholars sitting in the audience exchanged knowing glances and shook their heads with amused smiles.

Wei Tu's plain, faded clothing exposed his humble background.

Martial candidates from poor backgrounds often struggled in Mounted Archery and Military Strategy, the two most difficult sections of the examination.

Mounted Archery required a well-trained horse. The county examination provided horses, but these were usually weak and untrained. Without a personal steed, even a skilled archer would struggle to hit targets from horseback.

Military Strategy required extensive tutelage. Without proper education and a knowledgeable mentor, crafting a sophisticated military essay—one that could impress the examiners—was incredibly difficult.

"Bing Thirteen, Strength Test—Top Grade!"

The supervising officer's clear voice echoed through the square, announcing Wei Tu's results.

According to the official grading system:

Raising 300 jin (150kg) with one arm above the head and holding it for 30 seconds earned a Top Grade.

Raising 400 jin (200kg) with two arms above the head and holding it for 20 seconds also earned a Top Grade.

But Wei Tu had lifted 500 jin (250kg) with one arm—far surpassing the standard. His strength level was already comparable to provincial-level martial scholars.

Achieving such a feat meant he had the potential to compete in the provincial martial examination for an official military position.

In the scholar seats, Wei Hong watched her nephew with a complicated expression.

"This level of strength…" she thought, "…Even if he doesn't take first place, a Top Grade in Strength ensures his advancement to the prefecture-level martial examination."

She frowned slightly as another thought crossed her mind.

"Wei Tu is still young… Only twenty or twenty-two years old at most…"

"If he secures a proper mentor, he might be able to overcome his weaknesses in Mounted Archery and Military Strategy by the time of the next examination…"

She let out a sigh.

She had never expected that, after all these years, her nephew—who once worked as a stable boy—would possess such terrifying strength.