Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 191 "Though the Tortoise Lives Long!" A birthday poem, a pledge of loyalty!
Luoyang.

Heavy snow.

Inside the main hall of the Lu residence, people came in an endless stream to offer their birthday wishes, but few of them were truly top figures capable of shaking the court.

Old Master Lu leaned on his sandalwood cane, gazing at the two men before him with a smile—Tang Xiujin, Minister of War and Grand Secretary of the Imperial Academy, and Wu Siqi, Academician of the Hanlin Academy.

These two men were his protégés whom he personally promoted when he served as Right Chancellor and chief examiner of the imperial examinations. Now they have long since entered the central government and hold the prestigious positions of Hanlin Academician and Grand Secretary.

Unfortunately, his time as prime minister was decades ago.

After he retired from office, the Lu family never produced another high-ranking official in the Six Ministries, and its prestige gradually declined.

People leave and the tea grows cold; the days grow increasingly desolate—this is a common occurrence in the court.

Today is his birthday, and he didn't hold a grand celebration. The fact that these two high-ranking students came to his door to offer their congratulations made him feel somewhat relieved.

Inside the hall, the charcoal fire glowed faintly red, and the aroma of tea filled the air.

Old Master Lu stroked his long beard and said with a smile, "It's quite a coincidence that I heard that Lord Tang is in charge of the imperial examinations this year."

My good-for-nothing great-grandson, Lu Ming, will be taking the imperial examination next year.

He paused, tapped his cane lightly on the ground, and sighed, "Barely passed the imperial examination, but with dull talent, unlikely to amount to much. However..."

A glint of light flashed in his murky eyes.

"If you could offer me some guidance, sir, and let me see if it is worth refining, I would be completely satisfied."

He raised his hand and gestured, "As for whether I can pass the imperial examination, it's all up to fate."

Minister of War Tang Xiujin laughed heartily upon hearing this: "My esteemed teacher is too kind!"

—If it weren't for his mentor's support back then, how could he have achieved his current position?
Now that he is fortunate enough to be in charge of the spring imperial examination, let alone giving guidance, what difficulty would it be for him to even guarantee a Jinshi degree?

With three hundred places available for the imperial examinations, assigning one of the Lu family members would be a simple matter.

Old Master Lu's gaze shifted slightly, landing on Wu Shiqi, and he asked gently, "How has Shiqi been lately?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Shiqi stood up solemnly.

Although he could not rise as quickly as Tang Xiujin, he still persevered for ten years and finally obtained the position of Hanlin Academician.

However, he made little progress during his years at the Hanlin Academy.

"I have come here to bid farewell to my teacher."

He bowed deeply, his voice steady, "By order of His Majesty, I shall depart immediately for the north to guard the Tianshan fortress—Beiting City."

The charcoal fire inside the hall crackled and popped.

"That Beiting City," Old Master Lu frowned slightly, "is the strategic pass of the northern frontier, a vital area at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, and has been frequently harassed by barbarian demons in recent years?"

"Exactly."

Wu Shiqi straightened his back. "The border garrison is weak and suffering heavy losses. We need a Hanlin scholar to oversee it. I have already volunteered to His Majesty to go and guard the border for ten years."

The wind and snow howled outside the window, as if echoing these resounding words.

"Ten years of guarding the border?"

Old Master Lu's eyes flickered slightly, his grip on the sandalwood cane tightened slightly, and a look of reminiscence appeared in his cloudy eyes.

The sunlight reflecting off the snow outside the window made his deeply lined face look exceptionally old.

"The northern frontier is bitterly cold and desolate; ten years can feel like an eternity. It's not an easy time at all!"

He sighed softly, his voice carrying the vicissitudes of time.

In addition, the barbarian demons attacked day and night, causing rivers of blood to flow.

It's even more difficult!

Ten years have passed since I went to Beiting City to guard the border; it feels like a lifetime ago!

The candlelight cast flickering shadows on Wu Shiqi's resolute face: "Although the Hanlin Academy is prestigious, it is like a bird in a gilded cage."

The student has wasted ten years, with no hope of being promoted to Grand Secretary, and has accomplished nothing to this day.

He suddenly tilted his head back and drank the rest of the wine in his glass, his Adam's apple bobbing as if he wanted to drink away all the pent-up emotions in his heart.

"Instead of wasting my time in the Hanlin Academy, I'd rather go to Beiting City and strive for fame and fortune, so that my life will not have been in vain!"

He slammed down his wine glass, a long-lost sharpness rekindling in his eyes. "Even if I die on the battlefield, it's better than dying of old age amidst my writing!"

"If it weren't for my duties in the Ministry of War, I would truly like to accompany Brother Wu to Beiting, to wield my sword and slay demons—how exhilarating that would be!"

Tang Xiujin's knuckles turned slightly white, and his voice carried a hint of sighing and self-mockery.

The Three Departments and Six Ministries, though seemingly the highest-ranking officials, were in reality constantly embroiled in factional struggles and infighting within the court.

Behind those grand and impressive memorials lay shady schemes and calculations aimed at cultivating their own power.

They actually do very little.

Originally, he also planned to remain on the sidelines during this spring imperial examination and not participate in the competition among various factions for the chief examiner.

Unexpectedly, the emperor, in his own opinion, appointed him as the chief examiner.

This gave him a glimmer of hope—perhaps he could use this opportunity to select more scholars knowledgeable in military strategy for the court and to cultivate a pool of truly capable and skilled military talents.

Snow reflected in the window, and the three of them finished their conversation.

Old Master Lu slowly rose, holding his sandalwood cane. His frosty beard reflected the snow outside the window, and the smile lines at the corners of his eyes stretched out like plum branches: "The snow has cleared, so please follow me to the back garden."

My great-grandson, Lu Ming, has invited a hundred scholars to a literary gathering at Hanxue Nuange.

These young people have been composing poems for half a day; they must have already amassed quite a few gems.

He raised his hand and pointed to the end of the corridor, where dozens of glass palace lanterns hung among the plum branches, illuminating the snow and making it sparkle.

The faint sound of clapping and chanting could be heard, accompanied by the fragrance of plum blossoms.

Minister of War Tang Xiujin and Wu Shiqi, dressed in their finest clothes, followed Old Master Lu towards the Warm Pavilion.

The three of them stepped onto the newly laid scarlet carpet, the snow crunching softly on the soles of their boots, like crushed wildflowers.

The warm pavilion, with its gauze curtains reflecting the snow, and the soft candlelight shining through the window, illuminated the entire room.

Inside the pavilion, over a hundred scholars, dressed in their finest attire, were chatting and laughing in hushed tones.

Although the Lu family claimed to be hosting a "Great Snow Literary Gathering," everyone knew perfectly well why they had come, and none of them had any interest in poetry or prose.

The beaded curtain trembled slightly, and the charcoal fire crackled and popped.

Everyone felt a chill and fell silent.

Old Master Lu entered, leaning on his cane, followed by Minister of War Tang Xiujin and Hanlin Academician Wu Shiqi, and took their seats in the warm pavilion.

The assembled scholars, as if startled birds folding their feathers, instantly fell silent and bowed in unison: "These students pay their respects to Master Lu! They pay their respects to Lord Tang!"

"Greetings, Lord Wu!"

Inside the warm room, the charcoal fire crackled softly, so loud you could hear a pin drop.

The scholars, who had been laughing and joking just moments before, now held their breath, lowered their heads, and dared not speak loudly.

Only pairs of eyes couldn't help but stealthily glance at the main seat—beside the elderly man with snow-white hair and beard sat the imposing and dignified Minister of War, Tang Xiujin.

The scholars in the room knew perfectly well that even among such a large gathering, only one or two out of ten could catch Tang Shangshu's eye.

They came through the snow, ostensibly to celebrate Old Master Lu's birthday, but their true intentions were to prepare for the imperial examinations.

If one could receive even a few words of guidance from Master Tang, one might glimpse a sliver of divine secrets; if one were fortunate enough to gain his favor, it would be like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, with a promising future ahead!
Although the charcoal fire was warm and cozy inside the pavilion, everyone felt as if a cold blade was hanging over their hearts—wherever Minister Tang's gaze fell, there lay the dividing line between their success in the imperial examinations.

With a kind and gentle gaze, Old Master Lu slowly swept over the assembled new candidates for the imperial examination.

Those who can enter the warm pavilion of the Lu family are either the most outstanding talents in the Great Zhou Dynasty, or scions of powerful and influential families.

Of these people, who knows how many will become Tang Xiujin's disciples in the future.

Of course, the Lu family facilitated this opportunity—which, for the Lu family's descendants, was also a matter of personal connections and goodwill.

The Lu family also urgently needs to support the next generation to sustain the large family.

Grandpa Lu looked at Tang Xiujin with a smile.

But who does Tang Xiujin belong to?
How do you choose the right students from among so many?

Tang Xiujin remained calm and took out a scroll of scriptures bound in gold thread from his wide sleeve: "Today, I am celebrating my teacher's birthday. I have nothing of value to offer but a fragment of the 'Annotations on Mountains and Rivers' handwritten by a great Confucian scholar of the previous dynasty as a gift."

As soon as the scroll was unfurled, golden light shone through it, filling the room with brilliance.

All the scholars in the pavilion held their breath—a great Confucian scholar annotating the classics is an extremely precious legacy, highly beneficial for enlightenment, and incredibly rare!
After presenting his gift, Minister of War Tang Xiujin made no further comment. He sat in a grand chair in the warm pavilion, lowered his eyes and held his breath, remaining silent.

The hundred or so candidates looked at each other in disbelief, their hearts filled with doubt and uncertainty—was this Minister of War really just here to wish the old man a happy birthday?

Did they not give any instructions or guidance to the candidates?
Tang Gong did not say a word.
Let them guess?

The purple-robed young master Li Junxiu's eyes flashed, and his fingertips tapped lightly in his sleeve as he quickly pondered.

wrong!

Who is Tang Gong, the newly appointed chief examiner of the imperial examination?

Since he personally visited the Lu residence and was willing to meet with these candidates at this literary gathering, how could his words and actions be without profound meaning?

Li Junxiu's gaze fell upon the scroll of literature, and suddenly, as if struck by a thunderbolt—

[Tang Gong gave a gift to Old Master Lu!]
Tang Gong was clearly reminding them that the relationship between a teacher and a student is essentially a cycle of giving and receiving.

Today, Tang Gong, a student, presented his mentor, Prime Minister Lu, with a copy of "Annotations on the Classics by Great Confucian Scholars," which is the student's way of repaying his mentor!
The charcoal fire crackled in the warm room.

A glint flashed in the purple-robed young man's eyes, his thoughts racing—he instantly understood Tang Gong's implication. However,

What is Tang Gong's current status?

How could he openly accept such generous gifts from these candidates who had not yet passed the imperial examinations, in full view of everyone?
This is too easy to give rise to gossip and impeachment by censors from both the court and the public, which is tantamount to asking for trouble for oneself.

To avoid suspicion, Tang Gong only talked to Old Master Lu from beginning to end, and didn't say a word to them.

Li Junxiu's gaze swept over Tang Xiujin, the Minister of War, who sat upright like a bell, and then looked at the smiling Old Master Lu. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him.

Yes!

This gift is not for Lord Tang!

Instead, it was given to Old Master Lu!
Old Master Lu retired from officialdom many years ago and has long since left behind his power and influence. No one from his family has risen to high office in recent years, leading to a decline in their social standing.

However, it was perfectly natural for the old man to accept birthday gifts from his younger relatives.

If they could present a substantial gift to Old Master Lu at this moment—then they would become Tang Gong's disciples, and in time, they would surely be able to repay Tang Gong even more.

This is clearly a test of "human relationships and worldly wisdom" set by Tang Gong!

This is the threshold for becoming Tang Gong's "mentor"!

It's not just about whether they have the ability, but also whether they understand the "rule"—the way students repay their teachers.

In the imperial court, talent alone is merely a stepping stone.

To truly gain entry into a prestigious institution, one must understand the principle of "returning a favor in return."

Otherwise, if a disciple has ability but is unwilling to give back to his master, then such a disciple is of no use to the master!

As he pondered this, he lightly stroked the jade pendant at his waist with his fingertips, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Suddenly, the purple-robed young master Li Junxiu stood up, and with a flick of his wide sleeves, he brought out a sandalwood box.

As soon as the wooden box appeared, a faint blue light emanated from it, causing all the candles in the room to dim.

“Li Junxiu, the heir of the Yongning Prince’s Mansion, is here on behalf of his father to offer birthday wishes to Elder Lu.”

He held the box above his head with both hands, his voice clear and melodious: "This is from the Niu Man Kingdom in the south of Lingnan Road. A small piece of the natal horn of a demon king, the Azure Ox, was ground into powder and then refined by the Taoist Longhu Mountain Celestial Master with Samadhi True Fire for forty-nine days to create this Azure Rhinoceros Longevity Pill."

The moment the wooden box was gently opened, a beam of azure light shot into the sky, and the pavilion was immediately filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees.

The pill spun around in the box, and a small, illusory blue ox appeared, its head raised towards the sky as if neighing.

According to the Daoist Canon, green ox horn can be ground into medicine and has excellent effects on prolonging life. This elixir is a top-grade Daoist elixir.

It's said to add ten years to one's life, no problem at all!

Li Junxiu stopped there.

Suddenly, he noticed Tang Xiujin slightly raising her eyelids and giving him a meaningful look.

Li Junxiu was secretly delighted, knowing that he had caught the eye of Minister Tang of the Ministry of War.

He said no more, but added with a smile, "This junior presents this gift to the esteemed elder as a token of my respect!"

All the candidates in the room paled, their fingers unconsciously clenching under their sleeves.

The illusory image of the blue ox appeared and disappeared amidst the sandalwood incense, and for a moment it seemed as if a purple aura was coming from the east.

Although it is not the sacred beast Qingniu that Laozi rode back then, it is still a demon king-level literary pill—this is a pill treasure equivalent to the human race's Grand Scholar realm!
It is by no means something that a scholar can easily obtain!

The Crown Prince of Yongning has quite the grand gesture!
Gasps of astonishment filled the room.

Their carefully prepared thousand-year-old ginseng and calligraphy and paintings from previous dynasties seem utterly ridiculous in the face of such precious treasures.

Several scholars from impoverished families instinctively pressed their hands against their sleeves, their knuckles turning white.

They were already struggling to come up with a hundred or so taels of silver, let alone a literary treasure of this caliber!

"The filial piety of the Crown Prince Yongning is truly astonishing!"

Amidst the flattery of the scholars, there was a hint of gritted teeth.

Li Junxiu's move raised the bar for birthday gift-giving to an unprecedented level.

Someone secretly glanced at Minister Tang, only to see that the official was sipping his tea with his head down, not saying a word, but his expression seemed to have a faint smile and approval.

Apparently!

The generous gift that Li Junxiu presented to Old Master Lu of the Lu family was a perfect indication of Tang Gong's intentions!

—Prove with your own strength that taking on the Crown Prince of Yongning as a "disciple" is definitely useful.

The atmosphere inside the warm pavilion was as still and stagnant as ink.

The hundred or so candidates looked at each other in bewilderment, and finally each stepped forward to present their gifts.

With a flick of his sleeves, one birthday gift after another was presented, but it could no longer stir up the slightest ripple.

Someone easily presented a weathered bamboo slip from the Warring States period, dating back to ancient times. The cinnabar annotations on the bamboo slips had long since faded, suggesting it was the work of ancient sages, which was truly astonishing.

Someone unfurled a landscape scroll by a famous artist from a previous dynasty; the ink and wash paintings radiated a glow.
Even more impressively, a student from a poor family presented a piece of ancestral pine soot ink as a gift, his fingertips trembling slightly from the effort, his face filled with shame.

Minister Tang half-closed his eyes, his fingertips gently stroking the rim of the teacup.

Only when a rare treasure catches the eye will one merely raise an eyebrow;

But most of the time, those eyes remained as still as an ancient well.

The sound of sweat dripping from the table gradually filled the air.

The backs of the scholars' clothes were already soaked through, but they still forced smiles.

The [Azure Rhinoceros Longevity Pill], a top-grade demon king pill belonging to the Crown Prince of Yongning, seemed to transform into an invisible shackle, making it difficult for everyone to breathe.

Finally, very few people remained who had not yet offered their gifts.

Only a few poor scholars remained, which was truly shameful. Since their congratulatory gifts were not presentable, they simply hid behind the other scholars and remained silent.

"This humble scholar, a native of Jiangnan, respectfully wishes Grandpa Lu a long and healthy life!"

Jiang Xingzhou performed the rituals with perfect decorum, his clear voice breaking the stagnant air. The jade pendant at his waist tapped lightly with his movements, creating a circle of moon-white ripples amidst the azure light filling the room.

Lu Ming suddenly stood up, his brocade robe billowing a fragrant breeze, and said with a smile, "Great-grandfather, this Brother Jiang is the top scholar of this year's Jiangnan Circuit!"

A subtle light flickered in his eyes, “He was also his great-grandson’s close friend and classmate from his time at the private school in Jiangyin.”

Jiangnan Circuit Top Scholar?
Lu Ming and he were classmates.
Old Master Lu, who had been somewhat listless, suddenly straightened his back and his eyes flashed with a sharp light—Lu Ming's seemingly ordinary introduction clearly contained three layers of hidden meaning.

Firstly, his talent was evident; the literary tradition of Jiangnan is unparalleled, and the title of Jieyuan (top scholar in the provincial examination) carries extraordinary weight.

Secondly, it highlights their kinship. The great-grandson of the Lu family was publicly referred to as a "close classmate and friend," the deeper meaning of which is intriguing; the others, though classmates, did not receive this treatment.

Its threefold strength overwhelmed all the other candidates!
"Oh?

"Young friend Jiang, what birthday gift do you have to present?"

When Old Master Lu saw that it was his great-grandson's close friend, he raised his silver eyebrows slightly, glanced at Jiang Xingzhou's empty sleeves, and suddenly clapped his hands and said with a smile, "With so many jewels in front of you, you actually come to congratulate us empty-handed?"

Jiang Xingzhou's ears turned slightly red, and he said with a faint smile, "I am from a poor family and have no surplus wealth. The only thing I can show off is my knowledge."

I would like to humbly offer my congratulations to the old master on the spot with a poem to celebrate his birthday.

The warm pavilion fell silent suddenly.

"Good! Good! Good!"

The old man said "good" three times in a row, his withered fingers tapping the table with a loud thud: "Of the hundred people present, only you dare to personally write an article for me, the former prime minister. No one else dares to even mention it."

Suddenly, the sound of fabric rubbing together filled the room.

The candidates either lowered their heads to drink tea or pretended to straighten their clothes—their faces were filled with embarrassment and flushed red.

Who among them dares to write it?
Not to mention that when Old Master Lu was the Right Chancellor, he reviewed countless examination papers of the Jinshi degree. Ordinary essays from outside the county were simply beneath his notice. Even essays from the prefecture level would at most receive a single word of praise: "Not bad."

Just the presence of Jiang Jieyuan, and his pen—

Throughout the entire Lu family's "Great Snow Literary Gathering," no one mentioned poetry or prose. It was as if everyone had forgotten that this was a literary gathering.

"Brother Jiang, please!"

Lu Ming suddenly coughed lightly.

Only then did everyone realize that the ink-serving boy had already placed a roll of fine Xuan paper on the table, holding pine soot ink, and was standing beside Jiang Xingzhou.

The four small, gilded characters "Lu Family of Wu County" on the inkstone were so bright and delicate that they hurt one's eyes in the candlelight.

Jiang Xingzhou pondered for a moment, then picked up his brush and concentrated, lightly dipping the sheep's hair brush three times on the inkstone, considering which birthday poem to present.

Although this piece was presented to Old Master Lu, it was actually a pledge of allegiance to Master Tang!

Whether I can pass the imperial examination smoothly, or even achieve the highest rank and be recorded in the annals of the Great Zhou Dynasty as the "Triple Crown Scholar," depends entirely on the favor of the Duke of Tang!

Countless forces, both within and outside the court, are eyeing the throne of the top scholar in the imperial examination!
With the chief examiner, Master Tang, personally overseeing and protecting you, you can rest easy!
This matter cannot afford the slightest mistake!

Moreover, Lu Ming is my close friend and classmate, and he is sure to pass the imperial examination. If the Lu family rises again, they will be my ally in the court in the future.

Jiang Xingzhou's gaze swept over Minister Tang, who sat upright like a pine tree, and then over Lu Ming, whose face was full of anticipation.

When the ink spreads its first dark mark on the rice paper, it's as if one can see the future political turmoil in the imperial court.

"Let's choose this one!"

He picked up his brush and wrote on the Xuan paper—"Though the Tortoise Lives Long, a Gift to Lord Lu"!
With a flourish of his brush, six large characters burst forth from the air, their power even penetrating the back of the paper.

(End of this chapter)