Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 209, "A Show to My Son," three chapters to uphold the nation! This... is probably his limit?!
The Imperial Examination Hall in Luoyang.

In the spring imperial examination hall, literary brilliance soared to the heavens.

Inside the examination hall with its blue bricks and gray tiles, Lü Mengzheng's hand, holding a brush, hovered in mid-air, ink dripping and spreading on the Xuan paper.

He stared blankly at the exam questions, his eyes reflecting the locust blossoms falling outside the exam room window, yet it seemed as if he could see the distant northern landscape.

"I spent thirty years in the northern frontier, enduring countless hardships."

The pen made a faint, crisp sound between his knuckles, filled with bitterness: "It's not even as good as a poem by a traveler from Jiangnan, 'On a Mission to the Frontier'!"

The inkstone reflected his distorted face, and the poem "Journey to the Northern Frontier," which he had written but which ended in Mingzhou, shone faintly on his desk.

Meanwhile, in the distance, above a certain examination hall, the aura of "[Zhenguo]" transformed into a phantom image stretching across the sky.

"[A lone plume of smoke rises straight from the desert, the setting sun hangs round over the long river]"

All the poems and essays I've written in my entire life cannot compare to a single line by Jiang Jieyuan!
The desert depicted by the talented scholars of Jiangnan is even more magnificent and desolate than the frontier youths like us who were born and raised here.

How could I possibly bear to utter a single line of frontier poetry?!

Suddenly, from the next examination room came the hoarse chanting of a candidate, followed by the "snap" of a pen being folded.

Lu Mengzheng smiled bitterly and lowered his head, only to find that his fingernails had already dug deeply into his palms.

The spring breeze swept through the thousand examination rooms, swirling the sighs of the candidates from the northern frontier into a vortex.

Someone was sobbing uncontrollably at their desk.

Inside the examination hall, someone knelt down and kowtowed.

Many more scholars from the northern frontier were bewildered, repeatedly copying the poem "On a Mission to the Frontier" on straw scrolls—the smoke, yellow sand, and camel bells they faced every day appeared to outsiders as such a scene.

Brother Jiang!

Lu Mengzheng sighed deeply, slamming down the wolf-hair brush in his hand. The ink splattered down, just like the turbulent emotions in his heart at that moment.

"From this day forward, wherever you are, I, Lü, shall retreat three zhang!"

He shook his head with a bitter smile, his gaze sweeping over the "Journey to the Northern Frontier" on the table, which only ended with "Mingzhou." Every word was like a knife, cutting into his heart with pain.

—I'm not writing anymore!

Even the questions about the northern frontier couldn't be solved better than his, let alone other questions.

Jiang Xingzhou, a talented scholar from Jiangnan, wrote a poem titled "On a Mission to the Frontier," which showcased his exceptional talent. However, despite having spent half his life pondering this work, he was still confined to the state of Mingzhou.

Even so, his essay was still enough to rank him among the top ten in the imperial examinations and secure his place as a tribute student.

only……

In the shadow of Jiang Xingzhou's brilliance, his calligraphy ultimately paled in comparison.

Inside the examination hall, the more than 1,500 candidates from Jiangnan remained calm and composed.

They had already witnessed Jiang Jieyuan's extraordinary talent, and now that he had written another masterpiece on the northern frontier, they were still excited, but they were not as shocked and disoriented as others.

Some shook their heads and smiled wryly: "Brother Jiang's literary talent is not only unparalleled in Jiangnan, but even the fierce winds of the North would give way to him."

In the next examination room, another person sighed softly: "Being able to take the exam in the same room as him is already a blessing in this life. How dare I hope to compete with him?"
If this weren't the imperial examination, where I had to answer questions, I would have already put down my pen.

With Brother Jiang here, I need not compose a poem!
To avoid showing off one's limited skills before an expert and bringing shame upon oneself!
This is common knowledge in Jiangnan!

They had long been accustomed to looking up at that lofty and unattainable figure, and now seeing that even the scholars from the northern frontier were captivated by his talent, they felt a subtle sense of relief.

It wasn't just the scholars from Jiangnan who were overwhelmed by his power and couldn't even lift their heads!

The scholars of the ten regions under the Great Zhou Dynasty could not escape their fate.

Li Yuankui, the top scholar from Longyou, gripped the edge of the exam paper tightly, his knuckles white.

The flickering candlelight in the examination room made his pale and uncertain face appear even more so.

That once spirited face now revealed a hint of ferocity.

"That's it!"

He suddenly let out a low shout, which caused the ink in the inkstone to ripple slightly.

"Since the [Zhenguo] chapter is unavailable, then let quantity take precedence!"

The brush tip was dipped hard in ink, leaving dark, blood-like trails on the rice paper.

"For ten years, I have traversed the mountains and rivers of the Great Zhou, from the Gobi Desert in Longxi to the miasma-ridden areas of Lingnan. Where have I not measured the land with my own two feet?"

The lamentations of the scholars from the northern frontier drifted in from outside the window, but a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

—He has put in all his effort; three or five more [Dafu] and [Mingzhou] pieces are still possible!
Although his poetry is not as good as Jiang Xingzhou's, he still has a chance to surpass Jiang Xingzhou in terms of quantity!
As the brushstrokes flowed like dragons and snakes, it was as if I could see the snow line of my hometown, the Qilian Mountains.

His father's parting words, "When you go to the examination, do not disgrace the literary tradition of Longyou," still echoed in his ears. Suddenly, he felt that the wolf-hair brush in his hand was as heavy as a thousand pounds.

On Jiang Xingzhou's desk, two poems entitled "Zhenguo" were quietly laid out, their talent seemingly solidified, transforming into shimmering, illusory images of literary treasures on the Xuan paper.

I glanced up at the water clock; the copper kettle had only been dripping water for three quarters of an hour.

Only half an hour has passed.

There was still an hour and a half left before the first question of the imperial examination ended.

"It's still early, let's continue."

He tapped the table lightly with a sigh, then picked up a crumpled piece of paper from the pile. Unfolding it, he saw that it contained the words "Central Plains".

His fingertips paused slightly, then he suddenly burst into laughter.

This land of the Central Plains, tempered by war for thousands of years, has witnessed countless kings and generals fall and sink to their deaths, and countless literati and poets lament their fate.

When he closed his eyes, he seemed to hear the clanging of swords and the thunder of horses shattering the snow at Tongguan Pass, and to see the smoke of war dyeing the setting sun over Luoyang red.

Among all the poems about the Central Plains,
What he found most unforgettable was Lu You's poignant and timeless masterpiece—every word of it a testament to his grief.

"A Letter to My Son from the Southern Song Dynasty"

I know that all things are empty when I die, but I grieve that I cannot see the unification of the nine provinces.

When the royal army has pacified the Central Plains, remember to tell your grandfather at the family sacrifice.

A sudden gust of wind swept through the examination hall, causing hundreds of green lamps to sway in unison.

Before the scholars could recover from their previous shock, an even more magnificent aura of literature soared into the sky, transforming in mid-air into a tattered battle flag and bloodstained swords and halberds.

—The third chapter, "Protecting the Nation," is now complete.

"boom--"

A thunderous roar echoed through the sky above Luoyang!
Before the ink from Jiang Xingzhou's brush was even dry, the entire examination hall suddenly trembled violently.

That soaring talent transformed into a crimson rainbow, painting the sky with a blood-red scroll.

On the battlefield of the Central Plains, the phantoms of countless fallen heroes appeared in the clouds, tattered banners fluttered in the wind, and rusted swords clashed, producing the sounds of metal and horses.

The entire city of Luojing was shrouded in a tragic and desolate atmosphere, and even the water in the moat rippled with blood.

Amidst the raging flames of war, the phantom of an old man with white hair, leaning on a cane, seemed to be bowing to the north, his ancestral spirits bowing—his turbid tears falling onto the scorched earth of the Central Plains.

Inside the examination room.

Li Yuankui, the top scholar from Longyou, was stunned. He looked up abruptly, his face full of disbelief.

Inside the Minglun Hall, there was an eerie silence.

Minister of War Tang Xiujin held a teacup filled with boiling hot tea.

His eyes were bloodshot as he stared in the direction of the examination hall, his Adam's apple bobbing violently.

"What a fine line! 'But sadly, the land is not united!'"

This veteran general, who had spent half his life in the military, was struck dumb at this moment.

The somber sorrow in those verses seemed to carry the scent of rust and blood—not the youthful exuberance of war and conquest.
Rather, it was the tremor that seeped from the very marrow of an octogenarian kneeling before his ancestral grave, his chapped fingers tracing the broken tombstone—

The Southern Song Dynasty, one of the previous dynasties, had its border fortresses breached by barbarian demons, who slaughtered the people of the Central Plains. The imperial army finally conquered the Central Plains and recovered its lost territory!

That requires such extensive experience!

What profound compassion it must take to write such a powerful and moving work!

"Bang!" Minister of Rites Wei Shili suddenly staggered backward, his vermilion brush splattering bright bloodstains on the blue bricks.

"[When the royal army has pacified the Central Plains, do not forget to tell your father at the family sacrifice] How can this be a family poem?"

Clearly yes.
A national sacrificial ceremony that awes the world—a grand and solemn ritual!

The words stopped abruptly.

The Grand Master of Literature and Daoism, who was in charge of the Ministry of Rites of the Great Zhou Dynasty, was deeply shaken and bowed solemnly in the direction of Jiang Xingzhou's examination room.

In a daze, the officials of the Ministry of Rites seemed to see beacon towers lighting up one after another on the distant border.

The spirits of countless fallen soldiers are arrayed and waiting on the Central Plains, following the rhythm of these verses.

Cao Jin, the top scholar of the Central Plains region, held his wolf-hair brush in mid-air. A drop of ink fell onto the Xuan paper, spreading out into fragments of rivers and mountains.

A long silence followed!

He slowly closed his eyes, but could not stop the tears from welling up in his eyes.

The tears streamed down his usually proud face, forming a glistening arc on his chin before finally crashing heavily onto the examination desk.

"Snapped!"

With a crisp sound, it seemed as if some heart of literature and morality had shattered.

"what"

He suddenly chuckled softly, his laughter carrying three parts sorrow and seven parts relief: "I, Cao Jin, come from the prestigious Cao family of Xuchang in the Central Plains. I recited the Chu Ci at the age of three and composed poems at the age of five."

Who in Xuchang doesn't praise the Cao family's jade tree?

"A child prodigy since childhood, I have never met my match. I believe that in the world, there is no one else as dashing and debonair as me!"

His fingertips brushed against the priceless Hetian jade belt hook at his waist, a treasure bestowed upon him by the clan chief when he came of age last year, who instructed him to become the top scholar in this imperial examination.

At this moment, however, he felt that the jade was chillingly cold, as cold as the light in the eyes of those poor students whom he had scorned.

Cao Jin suddenly looked up and saw that in the literary atmosphere of the examination hall, the outline of the wars in the Central Plains over thousands of years was faintly emerging.

"It turns out I've been reckless for half my life."

He suddenly threw his priceless purple-tipped writing brush onto the table, and solemnly bowed towards the direction of the examination hall in Jiangnan:
"I have only come here to see you today!"
Like fireflies, only to be seen under the bright moon in the sky!

Inside the examination hall, the scent of ink lingered, yet a mournful sound could be heard.

The candidates from the Central Plains region were ashen-faced and wailed in despair.

Someone threw down their pen, and vermilion ink splattered like blood.

Someone tore the draft to shreds, and snowflakes of paper fluttered down.

"Fine! I kneel down!"

A scholar in a blue robe suddenly gave up, his voice hoarse: "My literary heart is shattered, and I can no longer write anything! I'll just submit this clumsy piece that barely makes it out of the county, and leave the success or failure to fate!"

In the adjacent examination hall, a scholar in white suddenly burst into wild laughter, tears welling in his eyes: "How laughable! We, the scholars of the Central Plains, who pride ourselves on the orthodox lineage of literature, have produced such utterly worthless poems and lyrics today, which are not even worth a fraction of the top scholar from Jiangnan!"

A middle-aged scholar covered his face with his sleeve, his voice trembling: "After twenty years of hard study, I only realize today that I am nothing but a useless piece of trash!"

They've thrown it into the spring imperial examination hall!

"The brothers from the northern frontier have already experienced it all, and their hearts are ashen. Now it's finally our turn, the scholars from the Central Plains, to be ruthlessly crushed!"

From a corner came a faint sigh: "I was still hoping for the best. But when Jiang Jieyuan from Jiangnan made his move, I realized what true crushing pain was."

No rush!
Just wait!
And to my brothers from Bashu, Jibei, and Jingchu, you'd better watch yourselves!
Wait for Jiang Jieyuan to write your own chapter that will protect the nation.

Only then will you truly understand what it means to have your Dao heart shattered and to no longer want to live!

Grand Secretary, Chen's residence.

The silence of the courtyard was shattered by hurried footsteps. A servant stumbled into the inner courtyard, his robes disheveled and his face deathly pale.

"My lord! My lord!"

He knelt on the steps, his voice trembling, "Jiang Xingzhou, the top scholar of Jiangnan Province... he... he has written another article that will protect the nation!"
This is the third one...

Within a single subject and a single question, he wrote three essays on the theme of "Protecting the Nation"!

The servant prostrated himself on the ground, his voice hoarse: "At the examination hall... all the officials of the Ministry of Rites are in chaos! They don't know what to do!"

Inside the hall, Grand Secretary Chen's hand, which was holding a pen, suddenly paused, and ink dripped from the tip of the pen, spreading a dark patch on the memorial.

He slowly raised his head, a complex look flashing in his eyes—astonishment, fear, a sigh, and finally, a deep composure.

In fact, the officials of the court had long noticed the sudden rise of Jiang Xingzhou, the unexpected champion of Jiangnan Circuit.

Born into a poor family, yet possessing extraordinary literary talent;

Having no one to rely on, he became very close to the Xue family, a faction of meritorious officials in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Such a person is certainly not something that high-ranking officials in the court would want to see.

In the imperial court, among the deeply entrenched powerful families and clans, who would be willing to share a piece of the pie with this suddenly rising scholar from humble beginnings?

Even though he was famous throughout Jiangnan and his literary talent was enough to govern the country, the high-ranking officials in the court merely watched coldly from the sidelines, pretending not to see him.

Jiang Xingzhou even deliberately created a pitfall in "Watching the Sea," accusing it of "usurpation."

They weren't blind to the truth; they were just deliberately giving him the cold shoulder—to prevent Jiang Xingzhou from using the opportunity to enhance his own literary reputation.

No matter how sharp and ambitious Ren Jiangxingzhou may be, as long as the officials in the court tacitly ignore him, it will be like a bright pearl covered in dust, and he will ultimately find it difficult to achieve great things.

This forced him to go to the White Horse Temple to debate with the eminent monks, using the Buddhist community to spread his name and have the people of Luoyang sing his praises.

But now.
This is the most important place for the imperial examinations, the foundation of the nation—the most solemn place for the imperial examinations in the Great Zhou Dynasty, where talented people are selected and where candidates from all over the country can advance their literary and official careers.

Three essays that brought peace to the nation, astonishing the world in the examination hall.

The high-ranking officials could no longer turn a blind eye.

We can't help but discuss this!

Jiang Xingzhou's dominance in the imperial examinations was simply astonishing, unprecedented and unparalleled.

This was no longer a display of brilliance, but a blazing sun, so intense that it stung the eyes of all the officials in the court!

"Three articles to protect the nation"

Grand Secretary Chen Shaoqing's throat bobbed, his voice dry as if sandpaper had been rubbed against it, "Three national treasures in just one hour?"

This... is probably his limit?

The servants below the hall prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to raise their heads, feeling as if the air in the room was solid and suffocating.

It should be noted that in previous imperial examinations—the highest-level talent selection ceremony of the Great Zhou Dynasty—it was often difficult to produce a single outstanding work that could "protect the nation."

Sometimes, even among all the candidates in a single examination, no one could evoke a sense of resonance in their literary pursuits.

Decades ago, he stood out among scholars for his unparalleled achievement of passing the imperial examinations three times in a row, and was praised by the late emperor as a "once-in-a-century" talent.

Even during the imperial examinations that year, he only produced one essay entitled "[Protecting the Nation]"!

Chen Shaoqing slowly put down his wolf-hair brush, his knuckles tapping out a dull echo on the table.

It seems that the glory of achieving the highest honor in all three levels of the imperial examinations will eventually change hands. From now on, when presenting memorials to the emperor, these will no longer be the only memorials with imperial annotations on his desk.

Jiang Xingzhou is likely to achieve an even more astonishing feat of "passing the imperial examination with top honors"—

"A scholar who passed the imperial examination with top honors!"
Is he provoking me?!

As Chen Shaoqing gazed at the apricot blossoms falling outside the window, he seemed to see that poor scholar from Jiangnan sweeping all before him.

His examination paper in the preliminary examinations astonished the education officials; his essays in the prefectural examinations were copied and circulated in Jiangzhou; and he even won first place in the provincial examinations in Jiangnan.

This spring's imperial examination produced three essays that could defend the nation!

The pride of the entire court, adorned with high-ranking officials, will likely be crushed to dust by these three thunderclaps.

Even more nerve-wracking was the imperial examination! With Jiang Xingzhou's brilliant talent, he was presented to the emperor and received the prestigious title of top scholar.
I fear that in the blink of an eye, Jiang Xingzhou will become the most dazzling star in the entire court and in His Majesty's eyes.

(End of this chapter)