Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 248 A great reputation is not without merit!

Yang Anguo frowned. This was a good result; he didn't want any complications.

"Liu Ji! The result is already decided. It was agreed upon by the Hanlin Academy and the scholars. How dare you question it?"

"Scholar Yang".

Hu Yuan then spoke slowly, saying, "Since this is a discussion of scholarship, the criteria for judgment should be clear. Liu Ji's request is reasonable. Why not ask the judge to grant his request and read the two essays aloud in public, so that everyone present can judge their merits and provide a clear witness to today's discussion?"

Hu Yuan's tone was calm, but also firm.

Although he did not directly question the scoring, Liu Ji's request undoubtedly represented a hint of doubt in his mind.

Hu Yuan also wanted to know just how significant Lu Beigu's "On Zhongda," which had earned him the "lower-ranked" grade, truly was!
This is not only about Liu Ji's reputation, but also about the prestige of the Imperial Academy's literary style!

The elderly referee whispered a few words to the scholars and doctors beside him, and finally nodded solemnly.

"Since this is a discussion of scholarship, it should be conducted openly and honestly. Therefore, as requested by Liu, we will read aloud the full text of Liu Ji and Lu Beigu's 'On Zhongda'! Please have the clerks take the manuscript!"

The atmosphere inside the hall was instantly pushed to its peak!

Everyone held their breath, craned their necks, and waited for this decisive "battle of wits"!
The two manuscripts were quickly presented.

The clerk in charge of reading the document cleared his throat and picked up Liu Ji's document first.

"Liu Ji of the Imperial Academy, 'On Zhongda'—"

The clerk's voice, with its intonation and rhythm, clearly carried Liu Ji's magnificent essay in the style of the Imperial Academy throughout the hall.

"The dark clouds hang low, concealing the schemes of the stars to eclipse the moon; the serpent coils in the deep, harboring the power to seize the clouds. Zhongda, a dragon hidden in Wen County of Henan, is the black-haired chin of the Sima clan."

Liu Ji's literary talent is evident from the very beginning.

He used the stars "Xuanxiao" and "Chenwei" to metaphorically represent Sima Yi's hidden malice and his infiltration of the Wei dynasty. He used "Tengshe" and "Yuansou" to symbolize his ambition to lurk deep and seize the world. He used the rare and precious pearl under the chin of the dragon to point out Sima Yi's extraordinary background and outstanding talent, and to imply that he was not someone to be underestimated.

The bizarre imagery, obscure allusions, and ornate phrases such as "hanging radiance," "silent erosion," "coiled in the secluded place," and "grasping the clouds" instantly create a sense of perilous and strange atmosphere.

This is precisely the most distinctive feature of the Imperial Academy style.

— It captivates people from the start with its "uniqueness," "danger," and "mystery"!
Many of the Imperial Academy enthusiasts and some scholars who admired this ornate and profound style of writing couldn't help but nod slightly and show admiration upon hearing this opening.

A great reputation is not undeserved!

The sheer power and exquisite diction of this article truly live up to Liu Ji's great reputation!

"As for the six expeditions to Qishan, Zhuge Liang exhausted himself. Zhongda (Zhongda) held firm as a rock, avoiding their sharp edge. Even when he was humiliated by the insult of being a woman, he still fortified his position with deep trenches. It was not that he lacked the courage to fight, but that he knew that 'even a strong crossbow at the end can hardly pierce a piece of fine silk.' When Liaodong became arrogant and Gongsun Yuan usurped the title of Liaosui, Zhongda launched a thousand-mile expedition, dug trenches to besiege Xiangping, drove his black armored soldiers to break through the sea, and poured down the torrents to flood the isolated city, ultimately causing the leader to hang his head."

This passage describes Sima Yi's main military achievements, namely resisting Zhuge Liang and pacifying Liaodong. Liu Ji acknowledges his talent, but his writing style is full of subtle denigration, such as his avoidance of battle by "indulging the humiliation of women" and his ruthless use of troops by "dredging up the city with torrential water".

At the same time, the elaborate parallelism, the vivid and colorful language, and the skillful use of allusions imbue each battle with a sense of mystery, reinforcing his image as a "tyrant" rather than a "famous general."

Those in the audience who preferred literary flair and powerful delivery listened with even greater fascination, secretly admiring Liu Ji's mastery of language. The clerk's voice grew increasingly resounding as he read aloud.

"When Wei Ming ascended the throne, Zhongda (Cao Shuang) concealed his ambitions and remained in the imperial court. Cao Shuang and his ilk, on the other hand, arbitrarily held power, indulging in banquets and revelry all day long, regarding the imperial court as a jade garden. Zhongda alone remained as docile as a tilted vessel in the Zhou ancestral temple, silently wielding his secret power, outwardly feigning weakness while inwardly tempering his sharp edges, and suddenly locking the gates and unleashing thunderous force."

This section begins to delve into Sima Yi's political maneuvering. Liu Ji uses "韬鳞" (taolin, meaning to conceal one's intentions) and "滢翼" (jiyi, meaning to restrain one's wings) to describe his forbearance and lurking, and "周庙欹器" (zhoumiao qi, meaning a tilted water vessel placed in the ancestral temple) to symbolize humility and self-restraint. A series of carefully crafted words, such as "阴符" (yinfu, meaning secret symbol) and "羸疴" (leike, meaning weak illness), portray Sima Yi as a deep-seated, treacherous, and scheming conspirator.

As for the phrase "locking the heavy gates and unleashing thunder," it vividly portrays the coup with dramatic tension and visual impact.

“In the past, three horses peered into the trough, and prophecies lingered in the Bronze Sparrow Terrace; now, six dragons hold the reins, and auspicious signs shine on the bronze camel. It is as if the coffers of gold are entrusted to the children; the supreme position of the emperor is left to his grandsons.”

"Observe the hidden weapons in his sleeves, his laughter and conversation can dispel the miasma; observe the strategies he employs before the wine cup, his coughs and spittle can transform into wind and thunder. Even if Liu Hou borrowed chopsticks, he could not fathom his secrets, and Chen Ping could not fathom his depths. Yet, the dragon-raising cauldron and the cauldron of fire ultimately burn; the thorns planted on the imperial steps ultimately pierce back. When the Yongjia Rebellion broke out, the Five Barbarian tribes split Yan, and the foundation was completely lost. Was this not the backlash of his insidious tactics and the burning of his cunning schemes?"

In these two passages, Liu Ji first uses prophecies and auspicious omens to imply that Sima Yi's usurpation of the throne was foreshadowed, and compares him to two famous strategists, Zhang Liang and Chen Ping, to emphasize the unfathomable depth of his political schemes.

Liu then abruptly shifted his tone, using the metaphors of "raising dragons and burning their scales" and "planting thorns and thorns" to point out that those who engage in intrigue and power struggles will ultimately suffer the consequences. He directly attributed the devastating calamities of the Western Jin Dynasty's demise and the Five Barbarian Invasions to Sima Yi's "insidious tactics" and "cunning schemes."
This passage brings the article's critical and fatalistic tone to a climax.

Many people in the audience were stunned by the sharp strokes of the writing and the bizarre imagery, and let out low gasps of amazement.

Even some originally neutral scholars nodded slightly, believing that although the argument was perilous, it had its own unique charm.

"When the North Star is upright and in a dignified position, the constellations do not deviate from their proper course; when the king's benevolence is pure and profound, the barbarians naturally retreat to the wilderness. In the past, Wen Bo held jade and silk and Lu Hun was pacified; Zhan Qin dismissed the axe and halberd and Su Mai Zi was pacified. If Zhong Da had held loyalty and integrity as the Nine Tripods and spread trust and righteousness as the Three Stars, how could things have come to this?"
This is why the five principles of the *Hong Fan* (Great Plan) value uprightness, and why the eight officials of the *Zhou Guan* (Rites of Zhou) prioritize virtue.

The ending elevates the theme, taking "royal transformation" as the ideal and emphasizing that when the monarch is righteous and the kingly way is practiced, the world will naturally submit and the barbarians will be subdued. It uses the positive examples of two ancient virtuous ministers, Wen Bo, a minister of the State of Lu in the Spring and Autumn Period, who won people over with his virtue, and Liu Xia Hui, who influenced the bandit Zhi with his virtue, to highlight the disastrous consequences of Sima Yi's lack of virtue.

Finally, the main point is made: the fundamental principle of governing a country lies in "uprightness" and "virtue," which is the core essence of Confucian classics such as "Hong Fan" and "Zhou Li," and the conclusion is orthodox and powerful.

"it is good!"

As the official finished speaking, someone in the audience finally couldn't help but cheer loudly!

The Imperial Academy camp was even more invigorated, as if victory was in sight.

This article is magnificent in style, beautiful in language, rich in allusions, and sharp in viewpoints, fully demonstrating the characteristics of the Imperial Academy style: "emphasizing the unusual and dangerous, valuing diction, and seeking novelty and difference"!
Even the two Cheng brothers had complicated expressions at this moment.

Cheng Hao whispered to Cheng Yi, "This boy's literary talent is indeed top-notch. In terms of diction and allusions, neither you nor I can match him."

Although Cheng Yi still disliked its writing style, he had to admit that "although its arguments are risky and unconventional, they are closely related to the great distinction between loyalty and treachery, and its principles are correct. The citations of classics are also not empty words."

At this moment, Liu Ji's eyes regained their arrogance. He was confident that this essay had brought out the advantages of the Imperial Academy style to the extreme, and no one could surpass him. He believed that the scholars who graded the essay must have been instructed by Yang Anguo.

Liu Ji raised his head slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Lu Beigu, awaiting the reading of his opponent's article.

The clerk put down Liu Ji's manuscript and picked up Lu Beigu's.

"Lu Beigu, a student of the Imperial Academy's Guangwen Hall, wrote 'On Zhongda'—"

(End of this chapter)