Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

The chapter details the aftermath of the imperial examination in Zhongdu, where protests erupted among Zhou Dynasty scholars due to Tang Dynasty scholars' direct participation in the capital examination. The protests led to severe repercussions, including the revocation of degrees for thirteen organizers and the cancellation of food subsidies for those who had passed the provincial exam. This crackdown resulted in a mass exodus of scholars from Zhongdu. Meanwhile, the martial examination commenced with significantly fewer participants. The examination process involved qualification tests in weightlifting and archery, followed by a military ministry test. Only the top five hundred martial scholars would advance to the military examination, which included a written test with a focus on military strategy. The chapter also describes the military maneuvers of the Zhou army against the Tang forces at Taiyuan, highlighting the strategic challenges faced by both sides.

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