Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 199 Zeng Gong's life stopped at eighteen
Lu Beigu was slightly taken aback. He thought that Zeng Gong was a disciple of Ouyang Xiu and must also be a member of the Qingsong Society. He then replied.

"Indeed, it was given to me by Zen Master Zuyin."

Zeng Gong nodded and said, "Since he is a member of the Green Pine Society, he must be someone worth befriending."

Afterwards, the group chatted and exchanged pleasantries on Yueyang Tower.

When they learned that the reason they had left Jiangling Prefecture in a hurry was because they were worried that the cruel official Wang Kui would use some dirty tricks, they decided to rest briefly in Yuezhou for one night before continuing their journey.

“There’s no need for you all to be so anxious,” Zeng Gong reassured. “Wang Tao, the military judge of Yuezhou, is a good friend of mine and has always been an upright man. Although that cruel official Wang Kui holds the position of military commander of Jinghu North Road, he has no jurisdiction over this area. You can all rest and relax.”

Here I must mention again the administrative division system of the Song Dynasty, which is a real headache.

In the Song Dynasty, "zhou" was actually a general term, and different zhou were often very different from one another. Specifically, in the imperial system, "zhou" was further divided into Jieduzhou (the zhou where the Jiedushi were located in the Tang Dynasty), Fangyuzhou, Tuanlianzhou, and Junwuzhou.

The so-called "military judge" was not in charge of military affairs at all, but rather referred to as the "judge of the military prefecture," who was mainly responsible for judicial, cultural and educational affairs.

After leaving the Jiangling Prefecture, even if Wang Kui was still angry and wanted to arrest them—well, mainly the foul-mouthed Lü Huiqing—he certainly wouldn't mobilize the army. He could only resort to legal means, sending his men with documents to arrest people.

In Yuezhou, Wang Tao was in charge of the judiciary, which is why Zeng Gong said that.

Having navigated this bend, Lü Huiqing, who had been on tenterhooks the whole time, breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Then I can rest assured."

At this moment, a series of footsteps sounded, and someone else climbed Yueyang Tower and shouted.

"Brother Zigu, I've been working hard on official documents and only just found some free time."

Lu Beigu turned around and saw that the speaker was an official in a robe, followed by several clerks.

The official looked to be in his late thirties, with fair skin and a slightly overweight build.

It was none other than Wang Tao, the military judge of Yuezhou.

Zeng Gong hurriedly stepped forward and bowed to the other party, saying, "Brother Zhengzhong."

"Oh! You flatter me!" The official chuckled as he helped Zeng Gong up, looked him over carefully, and then said, "Brother Zigu, you've become quite thin."

To be honest, the reason why Lu Beigu did not initially associate it with Zeng Gong was because he simply could not imagine that this one of the "Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song" would appear in such a shabby manner.

Zeng Gong was wearing an old, faded long gown, patched upon patched. His hair had turned mostly white before he was forty, and he was so thin that the clothes couldn't even fill out his clothes.

This middle-aged man, his face etched with deep wrinkles and a sorrowful expression, squatted atop Yueyang Tower, weeping loudly in remembrance of Fan Zhongyan.

Who would have thought that he was Zeng Gong, who was famous throughout the world?
"Life is extremely bitter, I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Brother Zhengzhong," Zeng Gong said with a wry smile.

Looking at his friend, Wang Tao's eyes welled up with tears, and he mumbled, "It's good that we can meet, it's good that we can meet. The reason I sent this letter to invite Brother Zigu to come to Yuezhou was for this brief meeting. There are just so many things we want to talk about."

After the two composed themselves, Zeng Gong introduced the people beside him to Wang Tao.

Upon learning that the group consisted of scholars who were going to the capital to take the imperial examinations this year, and that some of them were old acquaintances of Zeng Gong, Wang Tao generously said, "Such distinguished figures gathering at Yueyang Tower is truly an elegant affair. Please allow me to extend my hospitality and invite you all to join me for a simple meal."

Upon hearing this, Lü Huiqing and the others were somewhat alarmed. These words were extremely polite, and it would be really inappropriate not to go.

Moreover, at Wang Kui's treacherous banquet, none of them were in the mood to eat properly, let alone on the boat, where there was anything delicious to eat, and now their stomachs were starting to protest.

So, everyone followed Wang Tao down from Yueyang Tower.

Wang Tao led them onto a small boat not far away. The boatman pushed off with a bamboo pole, and the boat glided lightly into the vast expanse of misty water.

Wang Tao pointed to a small, unremarkable island in the distance, but lush with vegetation, and said, "Several fishing families on the island have excellent skills. They cook the freshest fish from Dongting Lake, and their strength lies in the 'authentic flavor,' which has a unique rustic charm compared to the elaborate banquets in city restaurants."

His words carried a certain warmth, clearly indicating that he genuinely regarded Zeng Gong's friend as his own guest.

As the boat drew closer, the outline of the island became clearer.

Several simple but neatly maintained thatched huts were built by the water, with fishing nets drying on the shore and a few small boats casually tied to wooden stakes.

The air was filled with the smells of water, the smoke from burning firewood, and a faint, irresistible aroma of fresh fish.

Wang Tao was clearly a regular customer. The old fisherman greeted him with a simple, honest smile and bowed respectfully: "Judge Wang is here! Please come in! The fish are all ready, just waiting to be cooked!"

He led the group to a spacious thatched hut by the water. The hut was covered with thick reeds, and inside were a few simple but gleaming wooden tables and stools, which served as the place to entertain guests.

Everyone took their seats and looked around.

This place is well-ventilated on all sides and has an excellent view, directly facing the Dongting Lake where the sunset melts into gold and the sky is bathed in a myriad of glowing clouds.

The same view of Dongting Lake offers completely different experiences depending on whether you're on a boat, atop Yueyang Tower, or on an island in the middle of the lake. As the evening breeze blew by, Lu Beigu felt his heart finally calm down.

“Amidst mountains and rivers, one can forget one’s worries,” Zeng Gong exclaimed.

Wang Tao then asked, "How is things at home, Brother Zigu?"

Although Zeng Gong was only one year older than Wang Tao, he actually looked much older than the fair-skinned and plump Wang Tao. He was extremely thin, with many wrinkles around his eyes and brows, and often had a bitter expression.

Zeng Gong forced a smile and said, "Things are alright at home. My younger siblings are all adults now, so things aren't as tiring as they were during the Qingli era. We are also grateful for the help from my brothers Zhengzhong and Jiefu."

In the seventh year of the Qingli era, Zeng Gong's father passed away, forcing him to drop out of the Imperial Academy and return to his hometown.

Zeng Gong was always filial to his parents and loving to his younger siblings. So after his father passed away, he not only served his stepmother with utmost care, but also did not shirk his responsibilities when the family was in decline. He bravely took on the heavy burden of raising his four younger brothers and nine younger sisters.

Wang Tao and Wang Anshi, as Zeng Gong's close friends, were well aware of Zeng Gong's family's difficult circumstances after passing the imperial examination in the second year of the Qingli era. Therefore, they often sent him silk and other valuables through official post stations to help him support his life.

Similarly, mentors such as Ouyang Xiu and Fan Zhongyan also provided Zeng Gong with considerable help and encouragement.

This is why, upon arriving at Yueyang Tower, where everything has changed and people have changed, and recalling the deceased Fan Zhongyan, Zeng Gong was overcome with emotion and even lost his composure for a moment.

"Alas," Wang Tao sighed, "Brother Zigu, there's really no need for this. With your talent, if it weren't for family matters, you would have passed the imperial examination long ago. Next year, it's possible that Ouyang Gong will be the chief examiner for the Ministry of Rites' provincial examination, and you still have a very good chance."

In reality, the first half of the statement was purely comforting, while the second half might actually be true.

Zeng Gong opened his mouth, but could only manage a bitter smile in the end.

"Hopefully."

Wang Tao and Zeng Gong, two old friends who had been separated for a long time, were chatting. They didn't want to interrupt, so they could only sit aside and listen to their conversation while waiting for the food to be served.

After listening carefully, Lu Beigu couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

What's so remarkable about it? It's the imperial examination system of the Song Dynasty, which was so fair it was almost cruel!

Zeng Gong was born into a scholar-official family. His grandfather, Zeng Zhiyao, served as a secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, and his father, Zeng Yizhan, served as a doctor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Zeng Gong was exceptionally intelligent and had a remarkable memory. As a child, he could recite poems and books fluently. At the age of twelve, he was able to write "Six Essays" in one go. He was a prodigy with an exceptionally high level of talent.

His life thereafter was remarkably smooth sailing.

At the age of eighteen, he went to the capital with his father and became acquainted with Wang Anshi and Wang Tao through their literary works. They became close friends. He then entered the Imperial Academy, wrote to Ouyang Xiu and presented his "Strategies for Current Affairs". Ouyang Xiu accepted him as a student. He also corresponded with famous officials such as Du Yan and Fan Zhongyan, submitted articles, and discussed current affairs. From then on, he became famous throughout the country.

However, Zeng Gong's life seemed to have been put on pause after he turned eighteen.

He failed the imperial examinations repeatedly. Before the family misfortune in the seventh year of the Qingli era, Zeng Gong was already failing the exams. Later, after his family's situation stabilized, he went to the capital several times to take the exams but still failed.

In other dynasties, how could someone whose father and grandfather were both officials in the capital, who knew so many high-ranking officials, and who was so talented, still fail to pass the imperial examination?

However, the imperial examination system of the Song Dynasty was just like that—fair to the point of being cruel.

After the Qingli era began promoting education, it didn't matter whose son or nephew you were, who you knew, or how talented you thought you were.

If you can't pass the exam, you can't pass it.

Even if it were Su Xun and Zeng Gong, two of the "Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song," they wouldn't pass the imperial examination if they didn't score high enough.

This year marks twenty years since Zeng Gong entered Beijing at the age of eighteen.

Twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye, and black hair has turned white.

The previous generation that Zeng Gong knew or heard about in his youth were the group of Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) during the Tiansheng era: Song Xiang, Song Qi, Ye Qingchen, and Zheng Jian in the second year of Tiansheng; Wen Yanbo, Han Qi, and Bao Zheng in the fifth year of Tiansheng; and Ouyang Xiu, Fu Bi, and Wang Gongchen in the eighth year of Tiansheng.

These people were either high-ranking officials or had already passed away.

Meanwhile, his peers have mostly risen to high-ranking official positions.

Wang Anshi, who is three years younger than Zeng Gong, is now the prefect of Changzhou. If he takes another step, he will become a truly powerful figure who can stir up trouble in the imperial court.

Wang Tao, who is one year younger than Zeng Gong, has been a step behind Wang Anshi in his official career. He is currently only a military judge in Yuezhou, but he will most likely be transferred back to the central government to enrich his resume. After a few years, he will be sent to a prefecture.

Only Zeng Gong remained a down-on-his-luck scholar.

His life seemed to have been frozen at the age of eighteen, as he could only watch his peers move forward and drift further and further away.

(End of this chapter)