Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 118 Its gains were illustrious, its losses were obvious.

Lu Beigu's writing flowed like a rushing river, extremely smooth, and he felt that his thoughts had never been so clear and sharp.

The insightful arguments, ingenious structures, and apt historical facts that had been forcibly imprinted in his mind on the fourth floor of the library were now laid out in an orderly fashion under his pen, like well-trained soldiers obeying the commander's orders.

The evaluation criteria repeatedly emphasized by the examiners in their comments, such as "comprehensive understanding," "seeing the big picture from small details," and "hitting the nail on the head," have been engraved in his mind and become his invisible guiding principles when writing.

The examination room was completely silent, with only the occasional soft sigh from a candidate or the rustling sound of someone scratching their head in deep thought.

The inspecting officers all wore cloth shoes, so their footsteps weren't loud, but because the examination hall was so quiet, they sounded quite jarring to the ears, causing considerable psychological pressure—which was, of course, part of the exam.

However, he was completely absorbed in his own world and couldn't hear any of the noise.

The questions on the Ink Scroll were conquered one after another by Lu Beigu, who had already broken through his bottleneck.

As for the poetry and prose scroll that followed, it wasn't a difficult problem for Lu Beigu either.

Although he hasn't had time to look through Zhao Bian's poetry manuscripts recently, and his test poems might not be considered top-notch in the entire state school, he can certainly get a slightly above-average score by making no mistakes in tonal patterns, rhymes, and other metrical rules.

Because the four exam papers for the separate examinations were distributed together, he did not pause after finishing the poetry and prose paper, and immediately opened the policy essay paper.

The title is prominently displayed at the beginning of the book: "On the Gains and Losses of Emperor Wu of Han's Expansion of the Borders".

Historical commentary!

A glint flashed in Lu Beigu's eyes.

If when he wrote "The Strategy for Defending Against the Summer" and "Ode to a Thousand-Mile Horse," he still carried a bit of the "unorthodox" air of a time traveler, with occasional flaws in paragraph transitions, word arrangement, and the standardization of historical citations, appearing free and unrestrained, then now, after being baptized by the vast sea of ​​authentic exam questions and model essays and examiners' annotations on the fourth floor of the library, he has been completely transformed.

He no longer relied on talent and quick wit to wield his pen; he clearly understood what kind of structure, what kind of density of arguments, what kind of depth of integration of history and theory the examiners expected, and how to seamlessly integrate "profound meaning in concise words" and "practical application of knowledge" into his historical arguments.

Lu Beigu did not start writing immediately, but instead placed the brush on the inkstone and closed his eyes to concentrate for a moment.

Several policy essays on the issue of border expansion in various dynasties, which I had studied on the fourth floor, flashed through my mind instantly. Their ingenious angles of approach, rigorous chain of arguments, and selection and editing of historical materials were like clear templates.

Having absorbed its essence, he has incorporated his own understanding and constructed a superior framework.

When he opened his eyes again, he was already confident.

Then, Lu Beigu picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and held the brush tip, which was full of ink, on the paper. After a moment's hesitation, he put the brush down.

"It is easy to achieve success in a time of maintaining the status quo, but difficult to establish a model for a new dynasty. Emperor Wu inherited the prosperous foundation laid by Emperors Wen and Jing, and built upon the legacy of Emperors Taizu and Gaozu. He drove the Xiongnu north and expanded the territory by thousands of miles. His achievements were unprecedented since the Han Dynasty gained its rule! However, his excessive military campaigns depleted the country, halved the population, and led to rampant banditry. His edict at Luntai made him deeply regret his past mistakes. Therefore, it is said: His gains were illustrious, and his losses were clear!"

The three sentences that break the ice are like a thunderclap!

The first sentence draws on the past to discuss the present, setting the tone; the second sentence elaborates on the achievements with a powerful and sweeping style; the third sentence takes a sharp turn, highlighting the core contradiction of "gains and losses." In just a few words, it not only accurately points out the theme but also captures the essence of the entire text through strong contrasts and highly concise historical facts.

This is exactly the kind of approach a top-tier policy essay should have – getting straight to the point, captivating the reader, and presenting a clear viewpoint!
Lu Beigu felt that he was in better shape than ever before.

He seemed to have entered a state of complete absorption, and what flowed from his pen was a masterpiece that combined the wisdom of his predecessors, his own insights, and test-taking skills after three days and three nights of intensive training!

On the examination paper, the blank spaces of the policy essay were being filled at a visible speed with lines of bold, logically rigorous, and classically cited ink, exuding a confidence that was in complete control.

Regarding the "gains," he cited Chao Cuo's "Memorial on Valuing Grain" to say that the abundant reserves accumulated during Emperor Wen's reign laid the foundation for Emperor Wu's military campaigns; he cited Wei Qing and Huo Qubing's achievements in sealing the wolf's lair in the northern desert to demonstrate the greatness of their military prowess; and he cited Zhang Qian's exploration of the Western Regions and the opening of the Silk Road to emphasize its far-reaching influence.

When discussing "losses," Sima Qian's lament in "The Treatise on the Balance of Power" about "the treasury becoming increasingly depleted" is cited, as well as the record in "The Treatise on Criminal Law" of the Book of Han that "due to years of war, the levies were numerous and the people were impoverished, the poor broke the law, cruel officials punished them, and wickedness was rampant." Ultimately, the discussion culminates in the sorrow and reflection in Emperor Wu of Han's "Edict of Self-Reproach at Luntai" in his later years.

The historical materials are detailed, taking into account both positive and negative aspects, and progressing step by step.

What's even more remarkable is that in this historical essay, Lu Beigu doesn't simply pile up historical materials, but rather weaves "gains" and "losses" into the entire historical process, analyzing their causal relationships.

The accumulation of wealth during the reigns of Emperors Wen and Jing laid the foundation for "gain," but it also fueled Emperor Wu's ambition and desire for great achievements; expanding territory was a "gain," but overdrawing the people's resources would inevitably lead to "loss."

He even cleverly used the subtle style of historical writing at the end, subtly alluding to the classic text while elevating the historical commentary.

Not far behind Lu Beigu, Zhu Nanxing was in pain. He had just barely finished the previous content and was now facing the title of the policy essay, "On the Gains and Losses of Emperor Wu of Han's Expansion of the Borders," with his brows furrowed.

It was lunchtime, but it was impossible for students to go out for a meal and come back to answer questions during the dormitory exam. So, the thin porridge and sesame cakes in his stomach had long been digested, and the familiar feeling of hunger was like a persistent ailment, constantly eroding his concentration.

What's worse, whether it's psychological or a faint, lingering aroma, he seems to smell roast goose again! The image of that plump, glistening, and fragrant goose lingers in his mind, causing his Adam's apple to bob involuntarily and his mouth to water.

"For roast goose! For a hot bath!"

Zhu Nanxing mentally rallied himself, shaking his head violently in an attempt to dispel the alluring illusion.

He gritted his teeth, trying hard to recall what he had learned and what he had crammed for at the last minute, and painstakingly sorted out his thoughts on the draft paper.

"Emperor Wu of Han fought the Xiongnu. Wei Qing and Huo Qubing... Hmm, that's a 'gain'. Uh, a 'loss'. It seems like a lot of money was spent? Yes! The salt and iron monopoly! The common people suffered greatly."

Zhu Nanxing's writing was halting and clumsy, far from the effortless fluency and erudition of Lu Beigu.

Lu Guangyu, standing next to him, was also sweating profusely, deep in thought about the poem's title, and was clearly not having an easy time either.

Zhu Zhen remained calm as always, writing each stroke with utmost care. Although his speed was not fast, his writing was steady. Huang Jingji, on the other hand, appeared more relaxed, answering the questions methodically and with a relaxed demeanor.

Soon, the dormitory assignment exam was over.

(End of this chapter)