Chapter 1354: Chapter 83: Rebuilding the Nation (11)_2

“I know you know.” Mason first calmly explained, hoarsely soothing Andre: “I’m not making fun of you.”

Then, he sighed deeply and softly said, “I’m just marveling at how great a power education is.”

“Huh?” Andre didn’t quite grasp what the senior’s words meant for a moment.

“Hurry and grade the exams, hurry.” While Andre was still reacting, Mason quickly shoved the exam booklets from the cart into Andre’s hands, urging, “The reserve officers who took the exam probably won’t be able to sleep tonight. Quickly grade the papers, so we can announce the next steps and put them at ease.”

Andre instinctively took the papers, about to lament about the lack of examiners, but Senior Mason had already pushed the cart away, slipping off quickly.

Andre exchanged a glance with Luosong, reluctantly returning to his post to continue facing those absurd answers that made their scalps tingle.

On the other hand, Mason pushed the cart back to the binding room located at the other end of the corridor, finding that the clerks responsible for binding were already gone, with the only one left in the binding room being Lieutenant Woods from Mont Blanc County, brewing floral tea with honey.

“Is everything bound?” Mason asked hoarsely.

“Yes, all bound.” Lieutenant Woods pointed to the exam booklets on the ground, answering hoarsely as well, “It’s too late, so I took the liberty of letting the clerks go home first.”

As he spoke, Engineer Lieutenant Woods poured a cup of fragrant, steaming honey water for Artillery Captain Mason, sighing, “It’s not easy, senior.”

Mason took the hot honey water but didn’t taste it immediately. He waited until Lieutenant Woods poured himself a cup, then clinked it gently with Woods’s as if celebrating a victory: “Yes, it’s not easy, but we’ve managed to get it done.”

Together, they both looked at the meeting table, where the last thirty sets of exam booklets waiting to be graded lay quietly, like a stack of ordinary files.

But seeing this plain result, it was impossible to imagine how much effort and sweat Richard Mason, Woods Flanders, and others involved in this exam preparation had put in to achieve it.

Compared to organizing the exam itself, the lack of examiners was no difficulty at all.

It must be understood that just instilling the concept of an “exam” into the examinees had already exhausted Mason and Woods.

Except for a small group who had been taught personally by Winters Montagne during the first army build-up, most non-formal officers and reserve officers had not received formal cultural education. They didn’t even understand what an “exam” was, confusing it with a “test.”

As a result, many examinees naturally assumed that an “exam” was similar to the questions one must answer to pass through the gates of heaven after mortal death, such as “Are you devout,” “Are you loyal,” “Have you lied?”

Or were like the legendary stories where great heroes must accomplish several feats—catching pigs, slaying snakes, capturing cattle, or even dueling to the death.

Many were terribly frightened, as the heavenly gatekeeper’s questions were probably not something the average person could pass; otherwise, what need would there be for purgatory and confessional chambers?

And the kind of heroic trials that involved catching pigs and capturing cattle, nine out of ten were life-threatening, which is obviously very dangerous.

In fact, detailed information about the form, subjects, and range of the exam had already been posted and distributed in announcements.

Yet, “the words were too small, there were too many,” “people couldn’t understand,” “and were too lazy to read,” so instead, exaggerated and bizarre rumors spread like wildfire, with people retelling them vividly.

Upon hearing the news, Mason and Woods, busy printing exam papers, had no choice but to personally visit the camps of various county forces to hold meetings with the examinees, explaining and clarifying exam-related content in person.

After countless words, answering laughably silly questions, patiently explaining things over and over, they finally managed to quell this unexpected commotion, allowing the “Grand Exam” to proceed smoothly without delay.

This “Grand Exam” not only had test sites in Maplestone City but also in Vernge County, Iron Peak County, Mont Blanc County, Thunder Group County, Riverside County, and even Mirror Lake County,

The pre-printed exams had already been dispatched on swift horses to each county. If the exam was delayed, it would “tug on a single thread and move the whole body.”

The distant exam sites in Iron Peak County and Riverside County couldn’t be notified in time. If the two opened the exams prematurely, then in principle, all the exams would have to be voided, and new questions would need to be prepared.

This would not only cause immense waste but would also make a fool of themselves in front of the entire province.

Conversely, the successful hosting of this “Grand Exam” across the Newly Reclaimed Lands was a brilliant display of acumen under the watchful eyes of county administrative bodies, autonomous cities, and the powerful families of Maplestone City.

This time, it was an internal “test” for the military.

The next time, it would be an “selection” covering the Newly Reclaimed Lands, but targeted at those outside the military.

The newly founded Republic will no longer just extract money, goods, and warhorses from the Newly Reclaimed Lands; it will also draw talents from this land.

At that time, the intellectual class and gentry families of the Newly Reclaimed Lands will face the choice of whether to jump on this new ship.

That will be their concern.

For now, having overcome various challenges and successfully accomplishing such a feat, Richard Mason and Woods Frank deserve to celebrate with a cup of warm honey water… and incidentally soothe their throats.