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Chapter 60 0058 [A Masterpiece Published, Top Universities Compete for Graduates]

(The text has been revised, so I'll just post this chapter directly. That's all for today; I'll update again tomorrow on time.)
Hearing that a great article had appeared, everyone came to watch.

I just reviewed the preliminary round articles, and it was so painful for them to read. Now I need to cleanse my eyes.

Seeing that too many people were rushing towards her, and that she couldn't afford to offend any of them, Hu Weishi quickly came up with a solution and said, "Why don't we present it to Elder Wang for review first?"

After this statement was made, no one argued anymore.

Hu Weishi quickly took the papers from the semi-finals and placed Chen Guiliang's paper on top.

Wang Meng chuckled and put on her glasses: "I'd like to see what kind of brilliant article it is."

He buried his head close to the essay answer sheet, and was stunned after only one glance.

Ge Fei asked curiously, "Old Wang, shall I read it?"

"A literary prodigy!"

Wang Meng sighed, picked up the article, and stood up: "Let me read it to you."

【Journey to the Seas】

In the winter of the year Guiwei, I went to Shanghai and came across a fable, which I then wrote down to explain its meaning.

It is said that in ancient times, Jingwei carried tiny twigs to fill the ocean, and Yu Gong moved towering mountains by knocking on rocks and soil. Observing the universe, the smallest things can accomplish the greatest deeds, and the simplest things often contain the most complex principles.

Now there is a black bird, weak and frail, which flutters its wings and dares to leap across the vast ocean, carrying withered branches in hopes of crossing the boundless waves. Its will is firmer and its actions more courageous; does this not secretly align with the ultimate way of heaven and earth?

What does this mean? It means to strive for continuous self-improvement!
Our Chinese ancestors, through arduous pioneering efforts, opened up new frontiers and united as one to secure our nation. Today, in this age of great competition, with powerful nations vying for supremacy, we, the students, bear an inescapable responsibility for the rejuvenation of our nation.

As Zhuangzi once said, "The wren nests in the forest, but only on a single branch." I come from humble origins and possess nothing of value, yet I hope that my faint light may illuminate the Milky Way.

I hastily composed this three-hundred-word poem, "A Journey to the Seas," not merely to describe the scenery, but also to express my aspirations. With this preface, I hope readers will understand the essence of the poem. Within this humble, unrefined space lies a spirit that soars to the heavens and supports the earth!
Looking eastward from Yingzhou, how majestic the scenery is! A black bird carrying a branch breaks through the primordial chaos.

Its wings swept across Fusang for 30,000 miles, its beak held a withered tumbleweed of Taiyi.

In the shallow waters of Penglai, the Kunpeng lies dormant; in the deep clouds of Fangzhang, the dragon weeps.

Suddenly, a clear cry arose from beyond the heavens, and I searched straight for the immortals in the vast ocean.

As it takes flight, its wings flutter as it emerges from the Jade Terrace, its reflection shimmering in the cold stars of the moon's cave.

When the snow melts on Kunlun Mountain, the ice becomes a mirror; when the waves of the Weak Water subside, the jade turns to dust.

The fairy of Gusha threw down a jade pistil, and the goddess of Luochuan left behind a pearl embryo.

The fierce winds of the heavens tore at its wings, yet it clung to a lone branch, refusing to be broken.

Suddenly, we plunged into a hundred-foot abyss of raging torrents, with black waves pressing down like mountains overhead.

Mermaids wept pearls that turned into blood rain, and mirages vanished into wisps of smoke.

Soaring straight up ninety thousand miles, weary, I toss away a withered branch to make a duck boat.

Stars hang upside down in a cup of water, and the universe is turned upside down before your eyes.

Where Jingwei once filled the sea, the trees and stones still bear the angry cry of the cuckoo.

The Qin Emperor's warships sank into the blue waves, and Zheng He's giant ships had their masts decayed by insects.

Throughout history, rise and fall have been swept away by the tides of time, but this branch continues to fly ever onward.

Modern people also act as travelers carrying branches, while raging waves and turbulent tides appear as flat wastelands.

Alas.

Do not say that China has no extraordinary talents; behold, even a humble person can display a grand vision.

If one day I fulfill my ambition to mend the heavens, I will throw this branch again to fill the void!

After Wang Meng finished reading, the entire room fell silent.

Many people were stunned.

Many people didn't understand and wanted to see it for themselves.

Yu Hua didn't care about etiquette and went straight to Wang Meng's side, putting one hand on Wang Meng's shoulder and craning his neck to look at the article on the paper.

With him leading the way, Tie Yi, Su Tong, Ma Yuan, Cheng Cun, Ye Xin, Fang Fang and others also gathered around.

The directors and professors of various universities, on the other hand, were much more composed, sitting quietly in their seats and waiting.

Wang Meng read it aloud once, and now she is reading it silently for the second time.

By the second reading, combining the preface and the poem, he had fully understood Chen Guiliang's meaning.

On the third time, Wang Meng read out her favorite sentence directly:

"The smallest things can achieve the greatest results, and the simplest things often contain the most complex principles. These two sentences contain profound philosophical truths!"

"[I come from humble origins and possess nothing of value, yet I hope that my faint light may illuminate the Milky Way.] This line perfectly captures the spirit of a poor young man!"

"【Within this small, humble space, there exists a spirit that can support the heavens and the earth.】These two lines are even more remarkable, resounding and thought-provoking, forming the very foundation of the entire poem. He wanted to be that person who could support the heavens and the earth!"

"【The first flight took flight from the Jade Terrace, the cold stars of the moon reflected its image. The snow of Kunlun melted, ice became a mirror, the waves of the Weak Water were calm, jade turned to dust. The fairy of Gusha threw down her jade petals, the goddess of Luochuan left behind her pearl-like embryo. The fierce winds of the nine heavens tore its wings, yet it clung to a lone branch, refusing to break. Suddenly it plunged into a hundred-foot abyss of raging waves, black waves like mountains pressing down on its head. The mermaids wept pearls that turned into blood rain, the mirage vanished into blue smoke.】 Oh dear, these lines remind me of the poet Li He!"

"【The rise and fall of dynasties are swept away by the passing waves, but this branch remains forever. Today's people also become 'bearers of branches,' regarding raging waves as if they were flat plains.】 These four lines are also well written. The withered branch carried by the bird actually represents the aspirations of the Chinese people. The rise and fall of dynasties are like fleeting clouds, but aspirations endure. This contestant, Chen Guiliang, calls himself a 'bearer of branches,' and he wants to preserve this aspiration, regarding raging waves as if they were flat plains."

"【Do not say that China has no extraordinary talents, but behold this humble body unfolding a grand plan. If one day I fulfill my ambition to mend the heavens, I will throw this branch again to fill the void!】Good, well written. Don't be fooled by the irregular tones and rhymes, this is classical poetry, which doesn't adhere to such rules. Even the ancients wouldn't be so critical."

Wang Meng read it a fourth time before handing the article to Yu Hua: "Here, take it. You're like a monkey."

Yu Hua also read it twice and exclaimed repeatedly, "It's really well written. I could never write something like that. Damn, it's classical Chinese and ancient poetry. This ancient scholar must have been reincarnated without drinking the Meng Po soup."

Cheng Cun took it and read it carefully, saying, "He's comparing himself to the Black Bird. Kunlun Mountain is China, yet he's not seeking immortality there, but instead going to Yingzhou. Is he planning to study in the US or Japan?"

Fang Fang said, "That should be it. Seeking immortality overseas means studying abroad. Combining the preface and the last few sentences, he wants to return to serve his country after completing his studies."

Tie Yi nodded: "That interpretation makes sense too."

“I don’t think so,” Ma Yuan said. “Something must have happened to Kunlun Mountain, or rather, something must have happened to the whole of China. Even the Kunpeng and the Jiaolong were trapped in the shallows and clouds. These images should refer to the many disasters that have befallen modern China. The ‘Gujin’an’ mentioned in the preface is clearly referring to the War of Resistance against Japan.”

Following this line of thought, Fang Fang interpreted it as: "The mermaid's tears turning into blood rain, and the mirage being shattered by the raging waves, does this allude to the humanitarian torrent of those years?" Upon hearing this, Ma Yuan frowned; he disliked Fang Fang's interpretation.

How can such a vivid and passionate classical poem, which uses objects to express one's aspirations, be filled with all sorts of random things?

The discussion continues.

Instead of reviewing the other contestants' articles, everyone discussed and appreciated Chen Guiliang's "Journey to the Seas".

This classical Chinese poem and its preface not only exceed the level of a high school student, but also the level of most writers (limited to classical Chinese).

It's terrifying!

Especially since I just read a bunch of rubbish preliminary round articles.

The athletes had already returned to the hotel, and now it was free time. But after dinner, they had to stay in their rooms and keep an eye on the landline.

Because the competition results will be released tonight, and the editor-in-chief of "Mengya" magazine will personally call to inform us.

This wait time is probably going to be a bit long!

When the article reached Cao Wenxuan, he laughed and said, "If this article is included in the 'Selection of Award-Winning Works of the New Concept Writing Competition,' it will probably need annotations, otherwise many middle school students will not be able to understand it. I have edited Chinese textbooks before, so I can barely handle the task of annotation."

Two professors scoffed, too lazy to argue with Cao Wenxuan; they too had compiled Chinese language textbooks.

Soon, Ge Fei also read it twice, then left under the pretext of going to the toilet to smoke.

Ge Fei, the deputy director of the Chinese Department at Tsinghua University, called the director of the department from the restroom: "Director Wang, I'd like to secure a special admission spot."

"New concept?" Director Wang asked.

“Yes,” Ge Fei said, “If possible, I would like to have a spot without taking the exam, rather than being admitted with lowered scores.”

Director Wang said, "Absolutely not. The quotas were decided long ago and allocated to major key high schools across the country. We can't even spare half a quota now."

Ge Fei said, "The professors from various schools will be meeting with the award-winning contestants tonight. Once they've made their decisions, it will be very difficult for us to poach them!"

After the winners were announced tonight, the first-prize winners received a phone call and were asked to meet with professors who had enrollment slots available.

Mutual communication and two-way selection.

In principle, a contestant can apply to multiple prestigious universities.

However, this is impossible in practice, as students still need to take the independent admissions exam in March. Since the exam dates for different schools are close together, it's very difficult for a candidate to apply to one school after taking the exam at another.

Even if you pass the independent admission exam, the spot is still uncertain because your college entrance exam score must reach the admission line.

For example, someone who applies to Fudan University will definitely be admitted with a lower admission score. However, if they want to try Peking University instead, they might pass the independent admission exam but fail to meet Peking University's lower admission score requirement in the national college entrance examination. Ultimately, they might end up with nothing, as neither Peking University nor Fudan University will admit them.

"What kind of contestant are you so interested in?" Director Wang asked.

Ge Fei said, "Old Mr. Wang personally read the article aloud and then analyzed it three or four times in front of everyone. Cao Wenxuan said that when this article was being compiled, he would personally annotate the poems and prose. Yu Hua immediately exclaimed that this contestant was awesome, saying that this contestant was an ancient scholar who didn't drink the Meng Po soup when he was reincarnated."

Director Wang muttered to himself, "You've really convinced me."

“Anyway, I definitely couldn’t write an essay on that topic on the spot,” Ge Fei said. “If I went home and used reference books, I might be able to write something, but it probably wouldn’t be as good as his.”

"Wait a minute, let me call and ask." Director Wang was persuaded.

Just as he hung up the phone, Cao Wenxuan suddenly walked in.

The two exchanged a smile, both knowing what the other was thinking.

Even if Tsinghua and Peking Universities lower their admission scores, the cut-off lines are still incredibly high, so they might lose that contestant.

We must disregard the college entrance examination; admission without examination is the proper course of action!
"Hello, Minister Cheng," Cao Wenxuan dialed the phone, "It's like this, I need a special admission spot without examination... Yes, the New Concept Writing Competition... This contestant is different, an absolute prodigy. If we recruit him, we'll have achieved something, and the public will definitely praise us..."

In recent years, Lao Cao has repeatedly made his presence felt among students and parents by leveraging the "Budding Talent" and "New Concept" programs, earning a fortune.

He desperately wants another student to generate buzz, and ideally, he'd be directly admitted to Peking University!

Ge Fei stayed in the toilet and refused to leave, openly eavesdropping on Cao Wenxuan's phone call.

Before Cao Wenxuan could finish his call, Director Wang from Tsinghua University called back.

"Director Wang, is there a chance?" Ge Fei asked.

Director Wang said, "Things that have already been decided cannot be changed at the last minute. Even if changes are needed, a meeting must be held and the matter discussed repeatedly before it can be approved. Let's just forget about it; it's just a student who writes well. There's no need to make such a fuss."

Ge Fei asked, "Is it really impossible to try again?"

"I'm hanging up," Director Wang said.

"Sigh, goodbye." Ge Fei said with a sense of helplessness.

Cao Wenxuan was still on the other end of the phone: "Okay, okay... I'll keep him calm for now. When can we have a meeting to discuss this... after school starts? He'll be snatched up by now!"

If Peking University holds a meeting to discuss this, it's quite possible they might grant a spot without taking the entrance exam.

They are very adaptable.

Last year, they had two contestants from the New Concept Writing Competition who successfully passed the independent admissions exam. One of them, a top student, was admitted without needing to lower his score. The other needed to lower his score by 30 points, but Peking University initially set a 20-point reduction. After several meetings, they still admitted him.

After Cao Wenxuan hung up the phone, Ge Fei went over and offered him a cigarette: "How's Peking University?"

“Absolutely no problem,” Cao Wenxuan said haphazardly.

Ge Fei smiled.

He didn't care anyway; since the Tsinghua leaders disagreed, he didn't need to think about how to poach the talent.

Just then, another professor entered; it was Director Chen from the Chinese Department of Fudan University.

Cao Wenxuan thought to himself, "I'm doomed."

Last year, Fudan University's independent admissions quotas were so tight that they lowered the admission scores to admit five first-prize winners of the New Concept Writing Competition. This year, encountering a literary genius like this, they might even be able to secure a special admission without taking the entrance exam!

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(End of this chapter)