Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 115 Breaking through the bottleneck
"Time is running out!"

Lu Beigu acted immediately, like a hungry traveler rushing towards a feast.

His goal was clear: to examine the provincial examination questions from the last seven years, from the first year of the Huangyou reign to this year, to get a feel for the latest trends in question design and evaluation criteria.

He carefully unfolded the exam paper, took out his own pen, ink, paper and inkstone, and quickly flipped through it with his left hand while writing furiously on the paper with his right hand, recording those thought-provoking arguments, ingenious solutions to the questions, and subtle tendencies revealed in the examiners' comments.

Lu Beigu's eyes were almost touching the paper in the dim morning light.

As his mind became highly focused, he forgot the passage of time and his physical exhaustion, completely immersed in a vast ocean of supreme wisdom.

Occasionally, he would stop and ponder a brilliant argument or a previously unheard-of viewpoint, his eyes sparkling with sudden enlightenment.

The troubles he had caused by the many subtle and profound debates about the Spring and Autumn Annals began to gradually dissipate, like an iceberg melting away.

After an unknown amount of time, a soft footstep sounded at the top of the stairs.

It was the same minor official who carried a small food box and a ceramic jar filled with water, and gently placed them on an empty table not far from Lu Beigu.

"It's getting late, let's have some food."

The clerk lowered his voice and said, "Two people will bring you a lamp at night."

Lu Beigu was startled out of his deep thoughts. He looked up and saw the food box and water jug, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

He quickly put down his pen, stood up, and bowed deeply: "Thank you! I am extremely grateful!"

The clerk waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the pile of notes on Lu Beigu's desk and the almost untouched steamed buns. Without saying another word, he quietly withdrew.

Lu Beigu opened the food box, inside were two sesame cakes, which did not look dry or hard, probably the canteen's dinner, along with a small dish of pickled vegetables and a boiled egg.

Although simple, it is exceptionally precious on the fourth floor of this secluded library.

"He must have bought it with his own money. He should repay the favor when he gets out of here."

He picked up the egg, feeling its warmth, and ate it with pickled vegetables and water, for the first time earnestly and gratefully finishing this "extra meal."

The warmth of the food dispelled the hunger that had just surged up, and also slightly relaxed his nerves, which had been tense from excessive excitement.

This is not good for maintaining a learning state, because the inertia is broken and the mind starts to feel sleepy after the meal. But it is very important for his body to stay so excited, which is dangerous.

After replenishing his energy, Lu Beigu turned his gaze back to the test papers that contained invaluable knowledge.

Three days, thirty-six hours!
He had to make the most of every minute and second, ensuring his health remained intact!
Lu Beigu was like a greedy sponge, frantically absorbing everything. His notes grew thicker and thicker, and his thoughts became clearer and clearer. The bottleneck that had been bothering him for so long seemed to be finally about to be broken through under the repeated tapping of the wisdom of his predecessors.

Outside the window, the night was deep and all was quiet. Two servants carrying pumps and fire extinguishers came up to the fourth floor of the library. They sat on chairs with fire extinguishers in hand and watched Lu Beigu read at night.

The faint light from the gourd lamp was the only glimmer of light in this pitch-black darkness.

Lu Beigu's heart, which was persistently exploring the abyss of knowledge and yearning for breakthroughs, was also beating silently in the stillness.

However, when it was past midnight, Lu Beigu still chose to sleep on the ground.

From midnight to 11 pm, which is the time when the body's organs rest and produce blood, sleeping at this time can ensure the body recovers to the greatest extent in the shortest amount of time.

He had already time-traveled once due to staying up all night, and not knowing if he would have a second chance, he didn't plan to take the risk.

The chimes of the hour of Yin (3-5 AM) were long and clear, penetrating the thick walls and reaching the fourth floor as if from another world.

The Song Dynasty had a custom of dividing the night into five watches. At night, the clock was used to tell time, and the fifth watch was the hour of Yin. Usually, the clock was struck 100 times at 5 o'clock in the fifth watch to mark the end of the nighttime timekeeping. During the day, to avoid disturbing the people, the clock was usually struck with a drum. Generally, after the rooster crowed or a rooster-man sang, the clock tower would strike the clock first and then the drum in the morning.

Lu Beigu opened his eyes; the brief deep sleep had washed away all the fatigue in his body and the confusion in his mind.

Having experienced the breakfast stall owner's routine, he slowly sat up to prevent himself from feeling dizzy. The two servants who were keeping him company while he studied late into the night, carrying fire extinguishers, also woke up when they heard the noise, without complaining.

For them, the state school provides extra subsidies for this special task. Although they can't talk and don't get much sleep, this kind of job where they can get paid just by sitting in a chair and spacing out is actually quite easy compared to other jobs.

"Please turn on the light."

Lu Beigu did not have any tinder; the tinder was held by two servants.

They watched as Lu Beigu, full of energy, sat back down at his desk and picked up his pen again by the dim light of the gourd lamp.

The two exchanged a glance, both looking on with surprise.

This young man is such a quick learner!
Lu Beigu ignored their gazes and looked at the classic exam question "Zheng Bo Ke Duan Yu Yan" on the second year of Huangyou's reign. He had already reconnected with the thoughts that had been interrupted last night.

Now, with his body fully rested and his mind exceptionally clear, he gazed once more at the opening sentence of the "Top A" exam paper.

“‘克’ means to overcome by force. Duan was not a brother, so he did not mention brother; but since there were two rulers, he said ‘克’.”

This is a classic interpretation of the Zuo Zhuan, but the brilliance of this top-scoring candidate lies in his immediate shift in focus. He quotes the Guliang Zhuan, "What is '克' (ke)? It is ability. What is ability? It is the ability to kill," and cleverly places it within the context of "Duke Zhuang of Zheng meticulously planned and nurtured evil before eliminating it," thus demonstrating that the word "克" here implies forbearance, scheming, and the final, thunderous strike of ruthlessness.

The examiner's comments were also very clear: "To be able to integrate the 'ability to kill' of Guliang into the narrative of Zuo Zhuan, to see the big picture from small details, and to hit the nail on the head, is something that only someone who is well-versed in the classics and has a thorough understanding of the three commentaries can do."

right here!

Lu Beigu's heart skipped a beat, as if a lightning bolt had pierced through the fog!
He previously focused on distinguishing the differences in the specific meanings of words in the Guliang and Gongyang commentaries, but neglected the Guliang commentary's in-depth exploration of the background and psychology of events, and how to integrate its essence into the discourse based on the narrative of the Zuo Zhuan, thus giving the classic a new and more profound interpretation!
Isn't this exactly the combination of "profound meaning in concise words" and "practical application of knowledge" that examiners favor?
(End of this chapter)