In the following days, Cao Bin traveled back and forth between the Hou Mansion and Li's House, completely immersed in the gentle countryside, unaware of the wasted time of the day and the moon.
The only thing that bothered him was Li Yun, the madam of Master Li's family.
Although this woman was only in her thirties, she was very stubborn and shrewd. She didn't know what she was thinking. No matter how much money Cao Bin offered, she just didn't agree with Master Li.
Moreover, this man accepted both black and white and was not afraid of anything, which made Cao Bin lose his temper.
In desperation, Cao Bin had to ask people to secretly inquire about Li Yun's obsession and reliance.
More than a month has passed in the blink of an eye.
On this day, Cao Bin was having lunch when he saw Uncle Fu coming over with a energetic old man and four young people.
Uncle Fu quickly introduced: "Master, this is your uncle, who just came from his hometown."
Cao Bin looked confused, and the food on his chopsticks fell onto the plate. This relative came from nowhere, why didn't he have any impression of it?
The old man stared at the food on the table, sat down without any courtesy and said: "Old Fu, bring a pair of chopsticks."
Uncle Fu nodded quickly and said: "Hey, uncle, wait a moment..."
The old man didn't say anything. First he ate, then he burped, stroked his chest and said:
"It's more comfortable than the capital. Even the food is so delicious."
With this look, the four young men behind him were so greedy that they almost lost their temper. They didn't see him asking them to sit down. Cao Bin felt a little embarrassed and invited:
"Four...brothers? Have something to eat together?"
The uncle waved his hand and said, "Don't worry about them, we'll come when we're full."
Cao Bin couldn't help but rolled his eyes and said to himself, "You are so good at making things after you are full!"
"Brother Bin, do you know why I came to the capital?"
Cao Bin shook his head and said, "I don't know."
The uncle slapped his thigh and said sadly: "The knighthood exam will be held in more than two months. If you fail the exam, our family's title will be gone. Can I not come?"
After listening to his explanation, Cao Bin became clear.
The titles of the Song Dynasty are divided into duke, marquis, third-class earl and third-class viscount.
Generally speaking, hereditary titles are reduced by one level.
But in order to inherit the title, the holder of the title needs to pass the imperial examination. If he fails the examination, he will be demoted to the third rank.
The title of the Cao family is because Cao Bin's father failed the title examination when he inherited the title, and only inherited a third-class earl.
If Cao Bin fails to pass the imperial examination, their family's title will be reduced to third-class viscount.
By his next generation, there will be no title to inherit.
This is also the reason why the Cao family is anxious. The Song Dynasty is a clan society. Although Cao Bin and this uncle are no longer of the same lineage, they are not qualified to inherit the title.
But the title is related to the future and destiny of all the Cao family.
After the introduction, the uncle waved his hand and said, "So I decided to train you hard in seclusion for two months, and make sure you pass the exam."
Cao Bin didn't take it seriously and nodded: "Then uncle, please stay here. You have to give me some guidance."
But my uncle shook his head and said: "It's not me who stays here, it's you who comes back to our hometown with us..."
Cao Bin shook his head like a rattle: "No, no, what else do I have to do in the capital?"
The uncle smiled and said: "In the colorful world of the capital, where is the place for hard training?"
As he spoke, he shouted to the four young men behind him: "You guys, take your brothers and go home."
The four young men agreed, grabbed his arms around his waist, lifted Cao Bin up, and shouted, "Let's go!"
Seeing that these people were going to be tough, Cao Bin quickly shouted: "Put me down quickly, I will explain something to you before I follow you!"
The uncle shook his head and said with a smile:
"You're nothing more than a romantic person. I've heard of your reputation a long time ago. You'd better prepare for the exam with peace of mind and don't be distracted."
"Besides, we took you out of Beijing in secret. Only Lao Fu knows. Don't think about those maids and concubines coming to accompany you."
"Sedan, sedan, come and save me!"
At this time, Uncle Fu shouted from behind: "Master, I have sent the sedan and Shi Qian away a long time ago. You can go in peace. I will take care of the family."
Cao Bin roared angrily: "You old Bideng is plotting against me, I'm not done with you..."
The Cao family's ancestral home is in Zhending, Hebei Province, and they even specially found a mountain village for Cao Bin to retreat.
Cao Bin lived there for more than a month and almost turned into a savage.
That uncle was not a master, so he just gave Cao a few military books and a few stone locks and asked him to practice stupidly.
There were no entertainment projects in this mountain village. He really had nothing else to do except study.
When he returned to the capital again, it was already the day before the Jue Examination. In just two months, he actually felt like he was in another world.
There was no preparation for the examination equipment, so it was another busy day...
The Jue Kao is divided into a literary test and a martial arts test.
The literary test tests the art of war, and the martial arts test tests hunting.
Test your martial arts and riding and shooting skills through hunting.
There was no way to take the martial arts exam, and there was no way to fake it. In two months, Cao Bin couldn't improve much.
Fortunately, he managed to collect enough points and bought a "triple physical fitness card", which greatly increased his strength.
Coupled with the repeated crossbows and sweaty horses, the hope of passing is not small.
The focus of his preparation is still on the art of war exam, which requires studying military strategies and answering on paper.
The nearly two months of seclusion in the mountain village had allowed him to memorize several military books by heart.
This is also the test item he is most confident about. After all, after nine years of compulsory education, he is still afraid of written examinations?
After all, this is not a test of the actual ability to lead troops in combat, and the court does not have that much cost.
It's just a test of some rote theoretical knowledge.
Early the next morning, Pang Yu brought Pan Bao to him and set off together to the Xishan hunting ground.
Pang Yu didn't need to take the exam. He was considered a relative of the emperor, and his title was not hereditary. He went here just to join in the fun.
Pan Bao is the son of Zheng Guogong Pan Renmei, and his family also belongs to the lineage of Pang Taishi in the court.
So I often hang out with Pang Yu, Cao Bin and others.
The two of them looked at Cao Bin wearing a helmet and armor, clumsily riding on a sweaty horse, with a gleaming golden look on his face, and a weird look on his face.
Pan Bao looked at the gray leather armor on his body, feeling low, and said very depressed:
"Brother Bin, is your armor made of gold? Why is it so dazzling? Even the horse is wearing armor, are you going to waste it like this?"
Cao Bin laughed and said:
"You don't understand this. Whether you are strong or not is a temporary matter, but whether you are handsome or not is a lifelong matter."
"Although my armor is not made of gold, it is fully gilded."
"And it's extremely strong. If a wild animal bites me, I can pop its teeth out."
This set of golden armor was made by an old local craftsman during his retreat to prepare for the exam.
Because he was afraid of death, he not only used the best and most expensive materials, but also tripled the thickness.
If he hadn't just tripled his physique, he wouldn't be able to wear it at all.
This set of armor alone cost thousands of taels of silver.
Pan Bao said sourly: "You are really rich. You are just hunting, not fighting."
At this moment, Xia Laodao ran out with a large bag of odds and ends, hung it directly on Cao Bin's horse, yawned and said:
"Proprietor, I've collected all the things you want overnight, but be sure not to be eaten by wild beasts!"
Cao Bin looked through it.
I saw Zhuge Liannu inside, a large bundle of crossbow arrows, a kerosene gourd, a thunderbolt slingshot, sleeve arrows, back arrows, ground crossbows, iron sticks, lime powder...
He couldn't help but nodded with satisfaction and said, "Well done, I'll reward you when I come back."
With that said, he drove the BMW and rushed towards the Xishan hunting ground.
Pan Bao looked at Cao Bin's equipment and then at himself. He only brought a big sword and a pair of bows and arrows, and couldn't help but feel extremely ashamed.
He quickly urged his horse to follow Cao Bin and said: "Brother Bin, I think you have a lot of good things, why don't you lend me a few of them?"
Cao Bin quickly covered his bag and said, "Don't even think about it. These are all the things I keep at the bottom of the box. How can I give you the key to passing the exam?"
Pan Bao looked at Cao Bin like he was looking at the God of Wealth, and his mouth watered with envy.
By the time they arrived at the Xishan Hunting Ground, the Forbidden Army was already under martial law, and various military tents and royal tents had been set up inside.
When they arrived at the military tent assigned to them, Cao Bin, with the help of the sedan chair, assembled the back arrows, sleeve arrows, gourds, and put on the slingshot and lime powder...
Just as Cao Bin was getting ready, the emperor's chariot arrived.
The imperial dragon marched to the left and right, accompanied by guards from the east and west squadrons of the Forbidden Army, and marched into the Xishan hunting ground.
Cao Bin and the others quickly left their servants behind and went to greet him.
After some sacrifices, drinking, and drumming, Cao Bin and other general disciples led their horses into the school grounds, waiting for the emperor's instructions.
Among all the children of the family, Cao Bin is undoubtedly the brightest one.
Not only is he fully armored and shining with gold, but he also has countless parts hanging all over his body.
Coupled with his increasingly majestic body and handsome face, he suddenly felt like he was surrounded by lights.
What makes Cao Bin curious is that there is actually a female general among these people who participated in the imperial examination.
I saw the female general's almond-shaped eyes like the moon, her brows furrowed, and her face like peach blossoms and spring dew.
Her lead-like hair hangs down like a waterfall, and against the silver helmet and armor, she looks even more charming and heroic.
She holds a gold-encrusted pear blossom gun in her hand, and beside her is a peach blossom horse, carrying a knife and a bow. There is an indescribable beauty about her.
Perhaps feeling Cao Bin's eyes, the female general glared at him fiercely before turning her head.
Cao Bin couldn't help but touch his cheek and muttered: "You are not fascinated by my handsome appearance!"
Pan Bao said next to Cao Bin: "Don't you recognize her? She is a female evil star. I advise you not to mess with her."
Cao Bin asked curiously: "Who is she?"
Pan Bao rolled his eyes and said, "I really doubt that you have been hit in the head and even forgot about her."
"Isn't she the eighth sister of the Yang family? When the relationship between our two families was good, she often played with us."
As he spoke, he sighed and said:
"Later, Yang Wudi and his son were defeated and died. Their family felt that my father was responsible for his death. They have hated my family for many years."
Cao Bin asked: "Then why did she come to take the knighthood exam? Doesn't their family's title belong to Yang Zongbao?"
Pan Bao said sourly: "Their family is different. The Yang family now has two hereditary titles and a non-hereditary 'Huntian Hou'."
"The title Yang Zongbao holds belongs to Ling Gong Yang Wudi, and the title she wants to inherit now belongs to her brother."
"A few years ago, Zongzhengji felt that their family had too many titles, and they have been holding back on inheriting them. It seems that they want to take back this title."
"But after the Hu family was wiped out this year, Zongzheng Temple relaxed and said that her family had done a good job in suppressing thieves and asked her family to choose someone to inherit it."
As he spoke, he laughed and said:
"Now the only bloodline left in the Yang family is Yang Zongbao, and the rest are widows. Besides her, who else can be chosen to inherit?"
Cao Bin suddenly understood that Zongzheng Temple had unscrupulous intentions and was pouring dirty water on the Yang family.
The annihilation of the Hu family is a credit, but the Yang family will definitely not want it...
At this time, the emperor simply gave a few words of instruction and announced the start of the exam.
Following the order from Zongzheng Temple officials, everyone scrambled to get on their horses and gallop out, fearing that they would fall behind and fail to catch the prey.
In the blink of an eye, Cao Bin was the only one left in the middle of the school field.
At this time, he was still competing with the sweaty horse and tried several times without success.
The armor he wore was too heavy, too thick, and a bit bloated. It would be difficult to get on and off the horse without help.
Pang Ji was so stomping his feet that even Concubine Pang beside the emperor was sweating a little.
Gao Qiu and others couldn't help but laugh, and the Imperial Guards standing around couldn't help but laugh.
The emperor couldn't help but shook his head, looking very disappointed.
