Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 156 See You Again in Kaifeng

July 26th, the first year of Jiayou.

The fifth and final day of the "Four States Elite State Examination Workshop".

As the morning bell rang, the remaining eight people in Songtao Studio gathered together.

The days of rigorous training have given these already outstanding students an even sharper look, like a well-polished sword blade with a hidden glint of cold light.

However, there was no lecture hall or scholar in sight inside the study. Only the mountain wind blew through the hall, stirring up the scattered pages on the desk.

“Students, today’s lesson is not for instruction, but for reflection and self-improvement.”

The teaching assistant stood at the front of the hall, his voice more gentle than usual: "Professor Chen Yuanli once said that with the provincial examination approaching, a balance between work and rest is necessary. Blindly forcing yourself to study will only exhaust your mind. Therefore, today, you may arrange your own time, or quietly reflect on what you have learned in the past five days, integrating and applying it; or discuss your doubts with each other, learning from each other's strengths and making up for your weaknesses; if there is anything you do not understand, you may also ask the teachers who will be making their rounds later. I hope that you will make good use of this day, cleanse your minds and spirits, and conserve your energy so that you can be in the best possible condition to leap over the dragon gate!"

This arrangement was unexpected, yet perfectly logical.

The days of intense pressure and brutal elimination have left everyone like a fully drawn bowstring, needing a moment of relaxation to unwind, internalize and internalize the complex, intricate, and profound principles, and adjust their tense nerves to build up strength for the crucial battle that will soon determine their fate.

The atmosphere inside the room relaxed, and time seemed even more precious because of this rare "freedom".

Su Xun sat upright at his desk, closed his eyes and concentrated, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on his knees as he repeatedly recalled Lu Beigu's "On Xiang Ji" and the essence of the "Book of Rites" taught by Yan Zheng.

Su Zhe spread out his thick notebook, his gaze calm, and quietly looked at it and pondered.

Lu Beigu then spread out a new sheet of paper, weighed it down with a paperweight, and picked up his brush to dip it in ink.

He did not rush to write, but let his thoughts churn in his mind.

— Zhao Yuanlang’s insightful analysis of the profound meaning of the Spring and Autumn Annals, Li Xueguan’s wake-up call on “insight” and “logic” in his policy essays, Wang Jingzhi’s painstaking guidance on “relevance” and “innovation” in his poems and prose, and Yan Zheng’s rigorous training in “extracting the essence” and “integrating and understanding” in the Book of Rites.

Scene after scene, sentence after sentence, like fragments of refined iron repeatedly forged, melting in the furnace of thought.

His pen finally came to a close, and he wrote down a few key words in a concise manner: "measure", "momentum", "change", "reality", "harmony", and "distinction".

Furthermore, he outlined crisscrossing lines below, attempting to connect and verify the praise and criticism in the Spring and Autumn Annals, the excerpts in the Book of Rites, Su Xun's theories on "power" and "profit", his own thoughts on "dynastic change", and even the requirements of "insight" and "order" in policy essays.

He attempted to build a solid bridge of his own between the complexities of classical texts and the realities of life.

This is not a simple induction, but a deeper understanding, an attempt to grasp the fundamental principles behind different scriptures and question types.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the peaceful contemplation and hushed discussions.

Occasionally, an academic official would stroll slowly into the study, either Professor Chen Yuanli himself, or familiar faces such as Zhao Yuanlang and Yan Zheng.

They didn't speak up, but simply patrolled quietly, their gazes sweeping over the focused faces in the study.

If a student rises up and respectfully asks for advice on a difficult point, they will stop and either enlighten the student in a few words or provide a detailed analysis with references to classical texts, their words full of wisdom that can enlighten the student.

Lu Beigu also seized the opportunity to ask Zhao Yuanlang a question about how to grasp the appropriate degree of the "avoiding mentioning the faults of the superiors" writing style in specific historical examples in the Spring and Autumn Annals.

Zhao Yuanlang's few words were like the sun breaking through the clouds, giving him a deeper understanding of "profound meaning in concise words".

Professor Chen Yuanli gave Lu Beigu extra care, explaining things to him alone for a long time, which almost completely cleared up the confusion that Lu Beigu had accumulated over the past five days!

After a day of learning, the pressure on everyone's hearts seemed to have eased a bit. Although there was still some seriousness between their brows, no matter what, the suppressed sense of relief could still be revealed in their subtle gestures.

As the afterglow of the setting sun painted the mountains on the horizon red and illuminated the windows of Songtaozhai in a golden-red hue, the teaching assistant stepped in once more.

"Students," his voice was exceptionally clear in the silence, "the seminar for outstanding talents from the four prefectures in the first year of the Jiayou era has now come to a successful conclusion." There were no more words, no sentimental encouragement.

This simple declaration brought this brief journey of tempering to a close.

The eight people silently got up and began to pack their belongings, their movements carrying a heavy sense of accomplishment, as well as a silent solemnity about the upcoming state examination.

The satchel became full again, carrying not only books, pens, ink, paper, and inkstones, but also the crystallization of five days of sweat, pressure, confrontation, and epiphanies.

Stepping out of Songtaozhai, a mountain breeze carrying the coolness of the evening hits you.

Looking back at the gate with the three ancient characters "Songtaozhai" hanging on it, a complex emotion rose in everyone's hearts.

Here you'll find the somber silhouettes of those who are eliminated, the intense sparks of debate, the enlightening guidance of mentors, and the joy of repeatedly challenging and breaking through your own limits.

After saying goodbye to each other, the students from different dormitories returned to their respective dormitories.

They walked in silence, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing in the empty courtyard.

The tension of the past five days suddenly eased, and a wave of exhaustion washed over them, but their minds remained unusually clear.

Back in their simple four-person dorm room, Su Xun and his son began packing. They weren't far from here, and the road was safe, so they decided to return overnight. They would hire a covered cart, get some sleep, and arrive at the Meizhou Prefectural School before dawn the next morning.

Lu Beigu and Cui Wenjing also quietly started packing up, leaving only the rustling sound of moving items in the small space.

After his belongings were ready, Su Xun took one last look around the small room that had held five days of his life, and said to Lu and Cui, "Gentlemen, I shall take my leave first."

"Mr. Su, please take care."

"Take care, Mr. Su."

Lu and Cui said respectfully.

"Brother Lu, until we meet again."

Su Zhe walked to Lu Beigu's side, sincerely cupped his hands and said, "I have benefited greatly from this lecture, especially from Brother Lu's theories, which have enlightened me deeply. I hope that we will both succeed in the provincial examinations. See you in Kaifeng again."

Lu Beigu returned the greeting solemnly: "Brother Su, you flatter me. Mr. Su is very knowledgeable, and you are also quick-witted. It is my honor to be able to discuss scholarship with you two."

Su Zhe's gaze also swept over Cui Wenjing behind Lu Beigu, and the two talked and said goodbye.

After the Su father and son left, only Lu Beigu and Cui Wenjing remained in the house.

The two sat silently on their respective beds. Outside the window, the Jiaozhou Prefectural School was shrouded in the quiet night forest, with only the sound of the pine trees still echoing, rising and falling like the tides.

"Looking north."

Cui Wenjing finally spoke, but he seemed unsure of his words and could only say, "Give it your all in the provincial examination!"

"Go all out!"

Lu Beigu nodded heavily, and the two looked at each other, everything understood without words.

Tomorrow, they will embark on their journey home, joining the remaining students from Luzhou on a boat trip down the river to return to the Luzhou State School.

(End of this chapter)