Chapter 269 Test results cause concern The literate people read the notice aloud, and the voice echoed in the crowd: "In order to let the people of the Song Dynasty have a sound body and improve the physical fitness of the people of the Song Dynasty, a National Fitness Championship is held. The competition is divided into county level, state level, and road level. There are four levels of competition and the Song Finals, and the winners will be selected step by step, and the winners will receive generous rewards.” When they heard the news that the county-level champion would be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver, the state-level champion would be rewarded with five hundred taels of silver, the Dao-level champion would be rewarded with one thousand taels of silver, and the overall champion of the Song Dynasty would be awarded two thousand taels of silver and be awarded an official position, those who were watching The people's eyes widened one by one, with expressions of disbelief on their faces. Such a generous reward is really exciting. "Oh my God, so much money! If you can win the championship, you will be prosperous!" someone exclaimed. "Yes, and there is still a chance to become an official! This is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" Another person echoed. After knowing the registration method, those young men who believed they had a chance were eager to give it a try. They rushed towards the Kaifeng government office one after another, wanting to be the first to sign up for the competition. On the small town school ground in the north of Kaifeng City, a wide space has been set aside for the qualification test. Only those who pass the qualification test can successfully register for the competition. Zhao Yingluo stood in a corner of the school grounds, quietly observing all this. She was filled with expectation and confidence.
She knew that people in this era did not undergo systematic physical exercise. Thirty feet was equivalent to 100 meters in later generations. People who could run in ten seconds may not exist. But she believes that through the promotion and implementation of the national fitness plan, the physical fitness of the people of the Song Dynasty will be significantly improved. However, Zhao Yingluo also understood that there was no concept of seconds in this era and it was impossible to accurately measure time. So, she had an idea and decided to use an hourglass to measure time. As an ancient timekeeping tool, the hourglass is not very accurate, but it is the best choice in this era. She had several large hourglasses made and placed next to the runway. When a contestant starts running, the hourglass flips over to start timing. The sand in the hourglass flows slowly, and each grain of sand falling represents the passage of time. When the last grain of sand falls, that's the deadline. This simple and practical timing method makes the game more fair and just. The sunshine was shining on the Kaifeng Prefecture campus, making the neat grassland shine brightly. The first batch of people who had registered at the Kaifeng Government Office were now sent to this vast venue with anxiety and anticipation to participate in the qualification test that was related to their future. Zhao Yingluo stood on the high platform and glanced at the thousand people one by one. She saw the determination and desire in their eyes, as well as the simplicity and tenacity in them. In order to change their own destiny, these people living at the bottom of society bravely stood here and were ready to accept the challenge. "It seems that they have high expectations for this competition." Zhao Yingluo said softly. Wen Boyuan on the side nodded and replied: "What the princess said is absolutely true. These people live a difficult life, and if they have such an opportunity to change their destiny, they will naturally go all out." Zhao Yingluo smiled slightly. She naturally knew the significance of this competition to these people. This is not only a fitness competition, but also an opportunity for them to change their destiny. She hopes that this competition can truly achieve the goal of national fitness and at the same time select more talents for the Song Dynasty.
Following the commander's whistle, the first batch of one hundred people rushed out like an arrow from a string. Although their running speed was much lower than that of later generations, their firm pace and courageous momentum were shocking. Zhao Yingluo stared at them intently. She found that these people did not master the skills of competitive sports when running. Their starting, sprinting and other actions are various. In the end, only 10% of the 100 people barely passed the test. According to the standards of later generations, their results were about fifteen seconds for 100 meters, which was not ideal. But in this era, this is a rare breakthrough. Two people ran for about twelve seconds. Although this result is ordinary in the eyes of modern people, it is already rare in this era. When the results of the test were announced, those who had successfully qualified for the competition instantly fell into a frenzy. They cheered loudly, hugged each other, and their faces were filled with indescribable joy. Some people were even moved to tears, as if at this moment, their lives had ushered in a new dawn. "I passed! I passed!" A young man shouted excitedly. He clenched his fists and jumped up high, as if to announce his result to everyone. "Great! I finally have a chance to win that huge bonus, thank you, Your Highness, Princess!" Another person burst into tears with excitement, and knelt down and kowtowed to the high platform of the school ground. Those who successfully passed the test gathered around and celebrated each other. They high-fived, hugged, and some even danced excitedly. However, outside the carnival crowd, those who were eliminated were deeply disappointed. They stood aside silently, watching those who successfully passed the test cheering, their hearts filled with envy and unwillingness. "Why? Why didn't I pass?" A young man who was eliminated muttered to himself, his eyes full of confusion and loss. "I have tried my best, but still failed." The other person lowered his head in despair, his shoulders trembling slightly, as if he was trying to suppress the sadness in his heart. Those who were eliminated were squatting or standing. Their faces no longer had the expectation and excitement before, leaving only endless disappointment and loneliness. Zhao Yingluo stood on the high platform, overlooking the entire school grounds. She witnessed the test results of the first batch of contestants, and she couldn't help but feel a little stir in her heart. This passing rate was beyond her expectations. The physical quality of the people of the Song Dynasty was so worrying. She couldn't help but sigh secretly, her heart filled with worry. As testing continues, the number of people eliminated continues to increase. Group after group of people were sent to the school grounds. They were either full of expectations or nervous and apprehensive, but the final results were often cruel. Very few people can pass the test, and most people can only leave with disappointment and regret. However, at this moment, a special group of contestants were sent over. They are the children of the royal family and powerful people, and their status is extremely noble. Their arrival immediately caused a commotion on the school grounds. These people usually live a privileged life and rarely have the opportunity to compete with ordinary people. Their purpose is not the bonuses, but to show off their strength and identity here. Unfortunately, their performance was shocking. Although these young men of power were gorgeously dressed and powerful, they all failed in the test. Their physical fitness is not much superior to ordinary people, and some are even worse than ordinary people.
In the end, their test pass rate was less than half.