Chapter Thirteen

The first imperial examination held by the Han Military Government was drawing to a close. The experience of serving as chief examiner was one that Commander Lin Feng would remember for a lifetime. When he had impulsively taken on the responsibilities of chief examiner, it seemed he had truly underestimated the difficulty of the task.

Of course, this was not to say that Lin Feng was lacking in learning; in fact, with his current grasp of the classics, he would likely not even qualify for entry into the academy. The real challenge lay in the procedural matters. Since this was the first examination under the Han Government, Lin Feng, no matter how unwilling, had to follow the old customs to the letter. To put it simply, the event began with a large group of dignitaries bringing offerings of pig and ox heads—the "four sacrificial animals"—to worship the ancient sages Confucius and Mencius. After several hours of solemn yet somewhat farcical ritual—chanting, singing, and burning incense—the group would return en masse to the examination hall to conduct further superstitious rites. The process was complex and completely impenetrable to outsiders. Allegedly, the original intent was to ward off plagues; only after appeasing the gods and spirits would they proceed to more "scientific" purification measures, such as burning mugwort or vinegar. Even then, the ordeal was not over. Lin Feng and Tang Bin would then lead everyone in swearing oaths before some inscrutable ancestral tablets, pledging to select the most worthy for the nation without favoritism.

Fortunately, although Beijing was lacking in almost everything at this time, it was not short on learned scholars. Lord Li Guangdi had already made all the necessary arrangements. Once the examination papers were collected, dozens of genuinely capable examiners set to work, leaving little for Commander Lin to do.

Thanks to Lin Feng’s special instructions, the majority of the successful candidates this year were scholars from other provinces. In truth, aside from a few outstanding individuals, most had been predetermined. All in all, everyone was pleased with the results. The scions of the capital’s great families and the local gentry of Zhili were all generously accommodated, so long as their intelligence was not below average. While this may have compromised scholarly integrity, since it was the commander’s own directive—following the principle that favors flow from above—no other officials dared voice objections. Thus, for several days, firecrackers echoed throughout Beijing, officials beamed with joy, and Lin Feng even dispatched his most elite and orderly personal guards to serve as an honor guard, allowing these newly minted scholars to parade down the imperial avenue in triumph.

When Lin Feng appeared before the group in full military regalia, they had already been waiting for two hours. Many were faint with hunger, having skipped breakfast, so his arrival was accompanied by tables laden with sumptuous food and wine.

“Come, come, gentlemen, be seated!” Lin Feng greeted them with a warm smile. “I was delayed by urgent business; I apologize for keeping you all waiting! Sit down, everyone, sit down!”

“Student Gao Shiqi pays respects to the teacher!” Gao Shiqi, the top scholar of this examination, led the others in announcing their names and offering their praises before bowing, then, guided by Lin Feng’s personal guards, they all took their seats.

“Let’s eat first—talk as we dine!” Lin Feng smiled as he picked up his chopsticks and got straight to the point. “Don’t let your minds wander. I’ve called you here today to discuss your futures!”

Seeing the assembly attentively awaiting his words, Lin Feng’s expression grew serious. “To be frank, I do not intend to have you serve under Lord Li—I’m preparing for you all to join the Han Army!”

The newly minted scholars were stunned into silence, then erupted into an uproar. The news was simply too astounding. After the commotion subsided, Gao Shiqi could not help but rise and bow respectfully. “May I ask, Teacher, why you have made such an arrangement?”

“Oh, it’s simple. Seeing how each of you braved long journeys to join the great cause of Han restoration, it’s clear you are all men of passion and loyalty. Surely you wish to march to the battlefield and slay our enemies with your own hands! How can I not help fulfill your ambitions?” Lin Feng replied.

“…”

“Teacher… to be honest, while we are full of zeal to serve the nation, we are, alas, scholars with little strength for arms…” Gao Shiqi replied with a wry smile.

“Is that so?!” Lin Feng exclaimed in surprise. “You are being too modest. I’ve already had inquiries made—anyone who could endure such a journey is surely in sound health. Rest assured, I have made preparations,” he said as he tapped the table. “This place is called Ma Village, and it will be our Han military academy. You will be the academy’s first class of students. Ha! Who is born knowing how to wage war? You can learn!”

“… Teacher…” Gao Shiqi could not help but object. “Commander… as the saying goes, each profession has its own expertise. We are all men of letters; it is enough to serve you with brush and ink, but as for crossing swords and blades…”

“Oh—” Lin Feng drew out his words, feigning sudden understanding. “You misunderstand. I didn’t say you would have to fight on the front lines yourselves!”

“Then… what do you mean, Teacher?!”

“Well then, since you are all now officers of the Han, I will speak plainly,” Lin Feng replied solemnly. “We have many troops, but most of our commanders are illiterate in military theory. This is a serious problem—how can an army hope to campaign across the land if its leaders can’t even read maps or understand orders? So, my intention is for a group of loyal scholars to set aside their pens for the sword and devote themselves to military strategy for our army!”

The scholars became intrigued, their earlier unease replaced with excitement. This position was indeed appealing: it promised the thrill of commanding armies without the dangers of frontline combat. Gao Shiqi, more prudent than the rest, pressed further, “So, Teacher, you wish us to learn to command the army in battle?”

“Exactly—don’t we have the tradition of the ‘scholar-general’?” Lin Feng nodded with a smile. Seeing the students’ spirits rising, he continued, “But you are not ready yet—you must learn horsemanship and archery, the use of firearms and artillery; you must study our military organization, learn to read military maps, to march and camp…”

“We have to learn horsemanship and archery?!” Gao Shiqi blanched, clearly daunted by the prospect; it seemed he had tried before and suffered for it.

“If these were peaceful times, with our people living in security, I would gladly send you out to govern and educate the masses,” Lin Feng said with some indignation. “But what times are these? The Tartars still occupy thousands of miles of our land. Good steel must be used on the blade’s edge. If we, men of passion, do not rise up, are we to rely on those traitors who have sold out their ancestors?” He swept his arm. “If any of you are unwilling to drive out the invaders with me, step forward now. I swear I will not hold it against you; you will be given travel expenses and may return home freely…”

“Teacher… your words are just, we were wrong!” Gao Shiqi promptly stepped forward, his face flushed with shame, his eyes moist. Leading the way, he knelt, raising his voice: “We beg the Commander’s pardon—we are willing to follow you to the battlefield!”

“We beg the Commander’s pardon—we are willing to follow you to the battlefield!” The young scholars knelt one after another, shouting with emotion.

Lin Feng looked with appreciation at the new top scholar, thinking to himself how clever and smooth this young man was. He reached out to help him up. “Rise, all of you—you have such lofty aspirations, which pleases me greatly. There is no need to speak of guilt or pardon!”

“Teacher… to be honest, I was fearful at the mention of battle, but after your exhortation, I am deeply ashamed…” Gao Shiqi, playing the part, wiped his eyes and choked out the words.

“Haha, it’s nothing, it’s only natural for young scholars to feel that way…” Lin Feng said with a genial smile, pressing him back into his seat. “Then it is settled. Here in the camp you will find every kind of book on military strategy—study as you see fit. For the time being, you will learn from General Zhou Peigong. I will assign a thousand firearm troops and cannons for your study and inspection. Once you pass muster, you will be officially granted military ranks and positions. What do you say?”

“We obey the Teacher’s command!” the young men responded in unison, this time much more coordinated than before.

“Excellent. But remember, until you pass the tests, you are all common soldiers in the Han army. If you don’t work hard and are outdone by others, you can forget about becoming generals or ministers!” Lin Feng teased, shaking his head playfully.

A hush fell over the group, then suddenly everyone burst into laughter. At the prospect of such high office, their earlier gloom vanished, and their spirits soared as they exchanged glances, each eager to prove himself.