This is a big move, involving the Han Dynasty's overall military strategy on the foreign races in the northwest, and is of great value. If Yang Ji can succeed, he will become a nobleman in the military. This will be a great achievement, and his future will be promising.
Brocade is priceless!
As for the imperial court, it will also make great progress unprecedented in hundreds of years!
This was the reason why Wang Tai valued Yang Ji's article so much. Therefore, after arriving in the capital, Wang Tai also strongly recommended it.
However, Yang Ji is not the only one who sees the strategic significance of Cangxu City. And Wang Tai is not the only one!
Especially when Wang Tai vigorously promoted Yang Ji's article in the Imperial City, on the one hand, it unexpectedly increased the popularity of Yang Ji, an unknown person, in the military and the Imperial City, but on the other hand, the Yang Ji article promoted by Wang Tai
Some of the views in the policy articles also attracted the attention of many people.
Yang Ji is far from the only one who wants to earn this huge credit!
Moreover, Wang Tai also mentioned an official detail that Yang Ji did not notice. The imperial court was held every three years, and each session would produce hundreds of "martial arts candidates."
In ten years, there will be four to five hundred "martial arts examiners". And the lifespan of a strong martial artist is long. Over the years, the number of "martial arts examiners" accumulated by the court is quite considerable.
However, there were too many monks and too few people. The Han Dynasty did not have so many officials and titles, so the generals had to confer titles. Therefore, a principle of selective admissions was born.
Only the best and most powerful "martial arts men" would be canonized and become "military generals" of the Han Dynasty. But even so, the number of these "military generals" was extremely large.
The Han Dynasty still did not have so many armies for so many "generals" to lead. Therefore, there was a distinction between "generals with strong power" and "generals with virtual power", or "honorary generals".
Among the people, those generals who cannot lead troops but only receive military generals' salaries are called "generals without power." In fact, for the imperial court, there is no such distinction at all.
The imperial court preferred to call this power class "powerful generals" and "substitute generals".
The latter is the substitute of the former. Only when there is a "vacancy" in the former, can the latter successfully replace him and become a true "military general" with real power!
Martial arts flourished in the Han Dynasty, and there were many masters. There were too many top masters.
As a result, the competition for "real power generals" is very fierce, so the number of such "substitute generals" is very large. Even the military families have accumulated a lot of "substitute generals".
"Cangxu City" involves a very special thing:
Although that place is dangerous, the guarding general of "Cangxu City" is a very powerful "general with real power". Therefore, there are too many people who are interested in this position. They want to be golden.
Aristocratic families, nobles, nobles, and those who have a large number of "substitute generals" in their families all covet this position.
In this matter, Yang Ji faced extremely cruel competition!
The situation was completely different from what Yang Ji and Wang Tai had initially discussed!
In the letter, Wang Tai mentioned a pertinent but cruel suggestion:
Unless Yang Ji can stand out in the martial arts examination and win the first place "Wu Jieyuan", otherwise, this matter may be difficult to achieve.
This idea came to him after he received a letter from Zhou Tong, the examiner of this year's martial arts examination, in which Zhou Tong greatly praised the student Wang Tai had chosen.
The military circle was too small, and it was only at this time that Yang Ji realized that Wang Tai and Zhou Tong, two famous figures in the Imperial City, were far more familiar than he knew.
And Zhou Tong told Wang Tai about his participation in the martial arts examination!
There are too many masters in the world, and there are even more "martial arts practitioners". There are hundreds of them in each session.
Wang Tai mentioned in the letter that if Yang Ji wanted to compete with these people and stand out as the guard of "Cangxu City", just being a "Martial Arts Scholar" would not be enough.
Even the title of "Top Three" won't work!
Unless Yang Ji gets a "Wu Jieyuan" position, he can pursue it this time and show strong competitiveness!
Although there are many "Martial Arts Scholars" in the world, "Wu Jieyuan" can never be counted!
Only in this way can Yang Ji compete with the large number of "substitute generals" supported by the military, aristocratic families, nobles, and clans.
In the letter, Wang Tai told Yang Ji not to lose heart. No matter what, he would work hard to achieve what he and Yang Ji had agreed upon.
But even Yang Ji could feel that Wang Tai showed an extreme pessimism in his letter. Obviously, even Wang Tai himself knew that this matter was too harsh and there was little hope.
"Is this important to you?"
On the side, Elder Zhang looked away from the letter, turned to look at Yang Ji, and asked.
"Um."
Yang Ji nodded:
"If I can succeed, I can save at least ten years of time! Opportunities like this don't always come across."
This time he met Wang Tai, a general who was born in the Imperial City and was also the main fighting faction in the northwest frontier. Yang Jicai had this opportunity.
Under normal circumstances, after Yang Ji is promoted to the top three, it will take about one to two years to obtain the title of general. However, there is a high probability that this general will be an "unauthorized general" without military power, or a "substitute general."
Just hang a title.
This is not because Yang Ji is not strong enough or does not have enough advantages, it is just that he is full of "actual powerful generals".
After becoming a general, it would be good if he could be stationed in an area close to the border. When the war spreads, there will always be a time when he can make meritorious service and become a full-time official.
And if it were a prosperous and comfortable place in the inland, Yang Ji would stay in the position of an ordinary "military general" for only ten years, or even more than ten years, or even longer, and would not be promoted for the rest of his life.
Three points are destined, seven points depend on hard work!
Yang Ji is a person with no background. The opportunity of "Cangxu City" is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Yang Ji. If he misses this time, there may not be anyone in the court who is willing to work and plan for Yang Ji like this in the future.
"So that's it."
Elder Zhang fell into deep thought after listening.
What Yang Ji said is a huge opportunity for anyone. Opportunities don't come forever. If you seize it, seize it. If you don't seize it, you will waste years or even decades of youth.
These all need to be measured.
But the method Wang Tai mentioned is by no means an easy task. It is not that easy to win the martial arts examination and win the position of "Wu Jieyuan" in one fell swoop.
"I can't give you much advice on this matter!"
Elder Zhang returned the letter to Yang Ji and said after careful consideration:
"I can only tell you something as a person who has experienced it. These things may be useful to you, or they may not be useful to you."
"It's impossible for everything in life to go as you wish. For example, when I was young, I actually thought about becoming a king, joining a large sect, becoming a master, and becoming a world-famous master. But fate has changed
However, my qualifications are limited, so I did not become a disciple of a major sect, but became an elder of the Iron Crown Sect. Over the past few decades, I have gradually gotten used to it."
Elder Zhang patted Yang Ji's shoulder, feeling quite emotional.
"Elder..."
Yang Ji looked at Elder Zhang and didn't know what to say. This was the first time he heard about his past from Elder Zhang.
"Haha, you don't need to comfort me. I am telling you this not to tell you to give up or anything else. I just want to tell you that some things are indeed difficult, and some dreams are difficult to realize. But no matter what
No matter what the result is, as long as you try your best at that time, go all out and leave no regrets, then no matter what the final result is, it actually doesn't matter anymore."
"You are still young, only nineteen years old. It is the time when you are young and passionate and have dreams. At this age, no matter what you want, try your best to do it. Don't leave any regrets, and don't leave any traces in your life.
.As for the result, don’t care about it! That’s beyond our control!”
"You still have a long way to go!"
Elder Zhang said with a smile.
Yang Ji's eyes flashed. He had never heard of this remark before. He could feel that Elder Zhang's remark was completely sincere and from the bottom of his heart.
Yang Ji turned his eyes and thoughts flashed in his mind.
"Elder, I understand what to do. Thank you."
Yang Ji said solemnly.
"Haha, come on!"
Elder Zhang had a look of encouragement in his eyes, patted Yang Ji on the shoulder, then turned and walked out of the room.
…
Time passed by in a hurry, and one night passed before I knew it.
When the east turned white and the windows showed bright colors, Yang Ji finally raised his head from "The Book of Great Confucianism". He collected the "Pen of Benevolence and Righteousness" and put it together with "The Book of Great Confucianism" between his eyebrows.
After a day, the "Evil God Storm" was finally suppressed by the court. At the same time, the critical day for the martial arts examination finally arrived.
This year's martial arts examination will determine the first place "Wu Jieyuan", the second place and the third place today!
After that, there will be competitions in the martial arts examination, but that is just to compete for the remaining nine "martial arts examination candidates", and is no longer the focus.
For Yang Ji, those games have nothing to do with him.
A group of brothers from the Iron Crown Sect accompanied Yang Ji and the three elders, laughing and joking happily, having breakfast in a restaurant, and then headed towards the Martial Palace together.
"Look! Yang Ji is here!"
Yang Ji and the Iron Crown Sect had just appeared when they were spotted by the dense crowd outside the Martial Palace. Within a short period of time, a burst of warm cheers erupted from the scene:
"Wu Jieyuan!"
"Wu Jieyuan!"
"Wu Jieyuan!..."
…
There were enthusiastic cheers everywhere, like landslides and tsunamis, and they were all Yang Ji's fans. In the last round of the finals, Yang Ji defeated Zhang Pu and won a lot of fans.
Those candidates who watched the whole game at the scene and knew the details of the entire incident were deeply impressed by Yang Ji almost on the spot and became his loyal fans. (~^~)