Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 196, "New Year's Day": [Amidst the crackling of firecrackers, the old year departs; the spring breeze brings warmth to the New Year's wine.]
A month has passed in the blink of an eye.

The cold air is getting deeper and deeper, and New Year's Eve is approaching.

Although the streets and alleys of Luoyang were still covered with snow, the city was filled with joy as people celebrated the Lunar New Year's Eve.

Every household in the city was decorated with colorful lanterns, the lintels were newly painted, and the aroma of cured meats and freshly cooked rice wafted from under the eaves.

Children playfully chased after the red embers of firecrackers, while vendors and laborers shouted their wares on New Year's Eve, and even the cold wind seemed to carry the warmth of the holiday.

The Xue family mansion in the south of the city had been quiet for many years, but now it showed a new look.

This grand mansion of the Duke of Xue has been idle for more than ten years since Xue Chonghu was transferred to serve as an official in Jiangyin County and Jiangzhou Prefecture, with only a few old servants guarding the empty courtyard.

Now, after months of repairs, the vermilion gate has been repainted with gold, and the copper bells on the eaves have been polished to a shine.

The faded carved beams and painted rafters have regained their splendor, and even the withered branches in the garden have been pruned into a neat and orderly fashion by the servants.

—Only after the imperial examinations in March of next year will this mansion welcome back its young mistress, Xue Lingqi, the eldest daughter of the Xue family.

However, she has not arrived yet.

The newly painted vermilion gates of the Duke of Xue's mansion opened slightly, welcoming in a young man dressed in a snow-white fur coat and robe.

Jiang Xingzhou stepped into the courtyard with a scroll in his hand. The newly hung crimson lanterns under the eaves reflected the accumulated snow.

Duke Xue Chonghu ordered his steward to renovate the mansion and temporarily lend it to him to live in while preparing for the exam, which solved his immediate problem.

—The Zhuangyuanlou Inn is nice, but it's noisy and crowded, and can't compare to the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of a secluded corner of a house.

It was the perfect place for Jiang Xingzhou to prepare for the exam in this newly renovated Xue Guogong Mansion.

Invite three or five fellow scholars to gather at the mansion and exchange tips on exam preparation—it would be the most pleasant thing ever.

On New Year's Eve, Jiang Xingzhou specially ordered Steward Xue to prepare a banquet and hot pot, inviting all the fellow villagers who had passed the imperial examinations to a feast.

The charcoal fire crackled in the bronze stove, where dozens of scholars in blue robes, including Gu Zhimian, Li Pan, and the eccentric Huang Chao, sat around. They were all travelers from afar heading to the capital for the imperial examinations.

These scholars had no relatives or friends in Luoyang to rely on, so they naturally gathered at the Duke of Xue's mansion to celebrate the New Year's Eve at Jiang Xingzhou's invitation.

Some people held the "Six Secret Teachings" while drinking, while others tapped their cups with chopsticks and recited the "Book of Songs." The rising steam blurred the frost flowers on the window lattice.

The hall was brightly lit by candlelight. Dozens of scholars, having shed the fatigue of months of arduous study, exchanged toasts, their brows displaying a rare air of ease and relaxation.

The soft snow falling outside the window only made the room feel warm and cozy.

After several rounds of drinks, Li Pan suddenly slammed his hand on the table and stood up, the wine scattering the lamplight in the room. He raised his jade cup high and said, "Gentlemen! We have left our homes and gathered here in Luoyang."

As we bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new, why don't you brothers compose a poem to commemorate this evening?

"it is good!"

The room erupted in cheers.

"Not bad!"

"Why don't you, Brother Jiang, take the lead and sing a poem to celebrate New Year's Eve?"

Some people tap their chopsticks to keep time, some slap the table with their hands, and some even grind ink and lay out paper, waiting for the fragrance of ink to inspire new words.

Jiang Xingzhou looked around at the crowd and saw that their young faces were glowing in the candlelight.

He gently tapped his wine cup, his clear voice silencing the clamor in the room: "Though tonight is not the night of my hometown, let us brew spring tea with the new snow."

Since you all have been so kind, it would be impolite to refuse!

Let's come up with a new New Year's greeting!

Jiang Xingzhou tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, then suddenly smiled and said, "Steward Xue, bring me a set of cinnabar couplet paper."

Upon hearing this, the old steward hurried away and soon returned with a scroll of gold-flecked red paper.

The assembled scholars held their breath, watching as Jiang Xingzhou's slender fingers held a wolf-hair brush, dipped it in thick ink, and with each stroke, a sound like metal striking stone could be heard—

The two-character banner ""Yuan Ri"" fell first,
Then the ink marks soared into the sky like a dragon:

"[Amidst the crackling of firecrackers, the old year departs, and the spring breeze brings warmth to the New Year's wine.]"

As the sun shines brightly on every door and window, new peachwood charms replace the old.

Just as the final stroke was finished, a watchman outside the hall struck a gong.

It was indeed a couplet, a first-class literary treasure of the [Mingzhou] level.

Li Pan slammed his hand on the table and stood up, spilling three-tenths of the fine wine in his cup: "Wonderful! These five characters, 'Replacing the old peachwood charms with new ones,' perfectly capture our intention to take the exam—"

"it is good!"

"Wonderful! Cheers to Brother Jiang's new New Year's poem!"

Before the words were even finished, everyone in blue robes excitedly left their seats, and dozens of wine cups clinked together under the candlelight.

"And hang this couplet beside the gate of the Duke of Xue's mansion."

Jiang Xingzhou lightly brushed the ink stains off his sleeve with his fingertips.

"Yes, son!"

Steward Xue excitedly held the cinnabar couplet in his hands, and saw that the writing had a hidden light flowing between it, as if the light was flowing across the gold-flecked red paper.

Just as the couplets were hanging high above the door, a clear, ringing sound suddenly rang out—

Inside the Xue residence, a warm spring breeze suddenly swept through.

The biting cold wind suddenly turned gentle!

The icicles hanging from the eaves of the Duke's mansion melted away in a soft rustling sound.

The strangest thing is the century-old peach tree in the back garden. Suddenly, tiny green shoots burst forth from its withered branches, and in the blink of an eye, tender buds sprouted. Amidst the wafting fragrance, even butterflies mistook the arrival of spring and emerged from their cocoons.

On the bluestone slab, several clumps of lush green moss quickly sprouted.

Jiang Xingzhou stood in front of the stone steps wearing a snow-white fur coat. He suddenly felt a slight heat from the sweat on his neck, and the snow-white fur coat became a burden.

He casually unbuttoned the collar of his silver fox fur coat, took off the expensive fur coat, and revealed a moon-white robe underneath.

"What a wonderful phrase, 'The spring breeze brings warmth to the New Year's wine'!"

This is a wonderful sentence!

Gu Zhimian patted the jade wine pot and laughed, "Now the Xue family can save money on charcoal for the winter! Steward Xue, you should return the silver charcoal you've stored up this year tomorrow!"

Before the words were even finished, the snow on the eaves melted and fell to the ground with a "plop," shattering into a pile of sparkling jade fragments.

Amidst the laughter of the scholars, snow began to fall softly from the old peach tree.

A few early-blooming petals drifted into the wine cup, floating in the amber light, as if a new peach blossom had bloomed in the cup.

soon,

The couplet written by Jiang Xingzhou and hung in front of the Duke of Xue's mansion was seen by passersby and spread like a spring breeze throughout the streets and alleys of Luoyang.

In just one night, wealthy families with vermilion gates and embroidered boudoirs, as well as ordinary people living in houses with gray bricks and black tiles, all unanimously replaced their old couplets with the new ones whose ink was still wet.

Now in Luoyang, many people are speculating that Jiang Xingzhou will pass the imperial examination with top honors, and naturally they want to share in the good fortune of this successful candidate.

The couplets, written in gold on red paper, shone brightly, as if the entire capital city of Luoyang was immersed in Jiang Jieyuan's literary talent.

"A year has passed with the sound of firecrackers, and the spring breeze brings warmth to Tusu."

The children jumped and recited, their clear voices blending with the crackling sounds of firecrackers.

The couplet above the doorways of every household, "The sun shines brightly on thousands of households, as new peachwood charms replace the old," trembles gently in the wind, bringing the joy of the New Year to every courtyard.

"Crackling~!"

In the streets and alleys of Luoyang, the smoke from firecrackers and the fragrance of ink create a misty atmosphere, making this divine capital city even more elegant.

"Brother Jiang, farewell!"

After several rounds of drinks, the guests were in high spirits, reciting poems and composing verses.

"Farewell, brothers!"

After the scholars had eaten and drunk their fill, some staggered away and returned to the Luoyang Inn; others, still slightly drunk, rested temporarily in the guest rooms of the Duke of Xue's mansion.

As the noise subsided, only faint sounds of laughter and drunken chatter could still be heard from the depths of the courtyard.

Jiang Xingzhou stood alone on the steps, hands behind his back, gazing at the sky.

Outside the mansion, firecrackers crackled incessantly, and in the distance, children played and laughed, their joyful sounds carried on the wind, sounding particularly crisp in the night.

He listened quietly, momentarily lost in thought.

Last year, during the Great Cold, he arrived in Da Zhou all alone, a nobody from Jiangyin County.

In just one year, he has become the top scholar in the Jiangnan Provincial Examination, making his name known throughout Luoyang and becoming an object of admiration for countless scholars in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The imperial examinations are just around the corner.

The provincial examination and the palace examination—these two hurdles will determine whether he can truly enter the imperial court and complete that most perilous leap.

With the Minister of War, Tang Xiujin, presiding over the imperial examination, this stage was easy and without any problems.

But then came the palace examination.
It's hard to say!

After all, the emperor himself presided over the examination, and no one could fathom the emperor's mind. Many top scholars in the provincial examinations struggled to achieve the highest rank in the palace examination. Even the final ranking depended on luck.

If one can pass these two hurdles, one will become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

Either pass the imperial examination and enter the Hanlin Academy.

At the very least, one could serve as a prefect in a local area or as a censor in the Censorate.

From then on, he experienced the ups and downs of official life, rising rapidly through the ranks. He raised his eyes, gazing at the dissipating fireworks on the horizon, his eyes reflecting the twinkling stars, deep and serene.

Late at night, the dew is heavy.

Jiang Xingzhou turned and walked into the backyard, strolling slowly along the corridor until he arrived.

This place was originally Miss Xue's boudoir, but it has long been renovated and become his residence. Everyone in the mansion knows that Young Master Jiang is the future son-in-law of the Xue family.

After the imperial examination, the marriage between the two families will be arranged.

As he walked into the courtyard, he paused slightly and called out to Steward Xue, who was about to leave.

"Steward! How much did tonight's banquet cost? This impromptu banquet is not recorded in the household accounts, so I will make up the difference myself."

Wealthy families have budgets and expenditure plans, and such banquets cost a considerable amount of money and were not part of those plans.

He didn't want to make things difficult for the servants in the Xue household.

Upon hearing this, the steward immediately bowed and replied, "Young master, the banquet, wine, and delicacies were all prepared by the head chef of Zhuangyuanlou Restaurant, costing approximately one thousand taels of silver."

However, the master had already instructed that since the young master would inevitably have social engagements while in Luoyang, these expenses should all be recorded in the household accounts.

Jiang Xingzhou pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly.

He wasn't short of money, but since Uncle Xue had already made arrangements, insisting on giving him more money would seem like a distant gesture.

Jiang Xingzhou returned to the main room, where the candlelight flickered.

Steward Xue bowed and was about to leave, but hesitated for a moment before finally whispering, "Young Master, Huang Chao is known as a madman. He offended the examiner and failed the exam three times in a row."

This old servant has heard rumors that he has been added to the Ministry of Rites' list of 'bad students,' meaning he will never pass the exams no matter what. How could the young master possibly get close to him?

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Xingzhou raised his hand to stop him.

"I have my own uses."

Jiang Xingzhou's lips curled slightly, but a deep look flashed in his eyes.

He tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, and the candlelight suddenly flickered, casting a long shadow on the wall.

"It's the old slave who talked too much."

Steward Xue dared not say another word and quickly bowed and withdrew.

Just as they reached the door, they heard a soft laugh and a shake of the head from behind: "This evil student is a sharp knife!"

In this world, there are countless powerful and wealthy families…

The candle flame popped and burst into sparks.

Steward Xue suddenly stopped in his tracks, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

He was startled. Before he could turn around, he seemed to see Young Master Jiang in the candlelight, his handsome profile revealing a chilling sharpness. His fingertips, holding the scroll, lightly traced the ink on the page, the characters as sharp as knives.

When he turned around, he saw Young Master Jiang already sitting at his desk, reading a book late into the night. The young man was gentle and kind, with a refined and jade-like demeanor.

It was as if everything that had just happened was an illusion!

Snow falls on the heavenly street at night, like scattered jade fragments.

Huang Chao was drunk, staggering as he stepped on the snow, his gourd jingling as he walked.

"Brother Jiang, hiccup... Today's drinking session was quite enjoyable!"

He suddenly turned around, pointed at the lanterns hanging high above the Xue residence in the distance, and laughed loudly: "Much more satisfying than the shamelessness of those pedantic scholars!"

Snowflakes fell softly into his open collar, but could not extinguish the burning passion in his heart.

His family were salt merchants, so they were never short of money. He was a talented poet from a young age, skilled in riding and archery, a chivalrous knight-errant, and had a free and unrestrained nature!

—Back then, I didn't know the rules and offended the chief examiner. For three consecutive spring examinations, my name was forcibly removed from the list when the red pen was used to mark it.

Nowadays, all the scholars in Luoyang avoid him like the plague.

But tonight, Jiang Jieyuan, who is already famous in Luoyang, actually invited him to the New Year's Eve banquet and personally poured wine for him in front of all the other scholars present.

He even said, "Brother Huang is a man of exceptional poetic talent and is skilled in archery, horsemanship, and literature. He is a man of the talent to become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and will surely become a pillar of the court in the future."

Jiang Xingzhou's toast made his eyes sting with tears.

Unfortunately, after leaving the Xue residence, the other scholars still refused to pay him any attention and dispersed.

He was alone on the street, staggering drunkenly.

"Damn the Ministry of Rites! Why can't I pass the imperial examination with all my talent?"

Huang Chao suddenly kicked away a snowdrift at his feet, startling the crows on the eaves.

The words stopped abruptly.

A cold wind suddenly rose, and the sound of whips pierced the air.

"Go away!"

A black lacquered and gold-painted carriage rolled over the snow, and the Xu family's coachman's long whip, like a venomous snake, aimed straight for the drunkard's throat.

Huang Chao swayed slightly, dodging the vicious whip, but the "Xu" family emblem on the carriage shaft was particularly eye-catching in the snow.

Huang Chao staggered to his feet, the effects of the alcohol escaping his lips from the cold wind turning his eyes bloodshot.

In the fleeting moment the curtain fluttered, a glimpse of the interior was revealed—

The figure inside the carriage could be vaguely seen—it was Xu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, dressed in a purple robe and jade belt, who was looking down at the roster in his hand, not even sparing a glance at the drunken ants on the street.

"Bah~!"

The smell of alcohol mixed with the stench of blood surged in Huang Chao's throat, while in the distance, the carriage had already turned into a speck of ink in the snow.

He stared intently in the direction the carriage had disappeared, a nameless rage blazing in his eyes. He clenched his fists, "A mere Vice Minister of Rites, and he dares to be so arrogant! Wait till I..."

The residence of Vice Minister Xu.

As night deepened, Xu Shiheng and his colleagues returned from a banquet. As soon as they arrived at the gate of his mansion, they saw servants joyfully hanging a brand-new couplet on the lintel.

The red paper with gold lettering was none other than Jiang Xingzhou's poem "New Year's Day"!
"Withdraw!"

Xu Shiheng's face darkened, and his voice was as cold and sharp as a knife.

He angrily flung his sleeves and strode into the mansion, his whole body radiating a chilling aura.

Upon reaching the backyard, he stood in the courtyard, his gaze dark and brooding as he stared into the depths of the night, seemingly muttering to himself, "How did things go?"

Before the words were finished, a dark figure knelt silently in the shadows and whispered, "My lord, we have made contact with the Palace Master of Wuxin Palace—Fei Wuxin."

A night wind suddenly rose, rustling the withered leaves in the courtyard.

What did he say?

Xu Shiheng stood with his hands behind his back, his knuckles slightly white, and asked in a deep voice.

The man in black whispered, "My lord! Fei Wuxin has a grudge against him and has long wanted to eliminate Jiang Xingzhou. He has been actively contacting various demons and barbarians recently."

However, he still lacks some funds and needs adult assistance.

Fei Wuxin asked for three million taels of silver, plus a number of literary treasures of various grades. That would give him a good chance of success!

Xu Shiheng remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a soft sigh.

Three million taels!

In addition, there are various grades of literary treasures, whose value is in no way inferior to these!

—This is no small amount.

It should be noted that Zhao Huai, the transport commissioner of Jiangzhou, secretly gave him no more than one million taels of silver each year.

With just one word from Fei Wuxin, he was about to empty Zhao Huai's six years' worth of tribute!

He looked up towards Luojing, his gaze as sinister as a knife.

Jiang Xingzhou.
This poor scholar paid such a heavy price!

Xu Shiheng's gaze was gloomy, and his knuckles slowly clenched and unclenched in his sleeve.

"Fine! Give it to me!"

Xu Shiheng waved his hand, his voice as cold and hard as iron.

He didn't want to dwell on these things.

—If we don't eliminate Jiang Xingzhou soon, he'll eventually enter the central government.

His Xu family, the Vice Minister, probably doesn't even have a chance to struggle!

Even with immense wealth, it will all vanish.

Although Fei Wuxin had a grudge against Jiang Xingzhou, Wuxin Palace was far away in the Northern Frontier, so even if she failed to get revenge, she had nothing to worry about.

"Could he say when he will make his move?"

Xu Shiheng asked in a low voice.

The man in black shook his head and said in a low voice, "Fei Wuxin only said that this matter has been meticulously planned, but he did not reveal any details. He only promised that it would be done before the imperial examination!"
After the imperial examination, if Jiang Xingzhou were to pass the examination and become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), his literary talent would be infused into him, and his abilities would surge.
By then, even the Heartless Palace Master would not be entirely confident.

Even if we take action, the price we pay will far exceed what we pay today!

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Xu Shiheng's eyes.

—Even Fei Wuxin, the infamous traitor known throughout the world, is so wary of Jiang Xingzhou as he steps into the realm of Jinshi!

(End of this chapter)