Frost for a Thousand Years

Chapter 147 Correct Strategies

All exam papers were anonymous.

In the initial review of ordinary bachelor's degree papers, because the total number of papers is too large, there is no need to copy them. After selecting one-fifth of the papers, the more outstanding ones are submitted to the ranking of bachelor's degree papers, which need to be copied again (as emphasized in the previous chapter).

Sun Kang had read countless articles, but he was familiar with Sun Qian's handwriting because the talented sons of top families had many interactions with scholars, and thus could remember it.

Therefore, the only thing that can be confirmed in this article is not Sun Qian's.

Then it seems his chances of getting first place in the poetry and prose examination are in jeopardy again.

No, it's not uncertain.

All of Sun Qian's previous writings pale in comparison to this exam essay.

Unless he performs exceptionally well in this exam, with his thoughts flowing like a mighty river, unstoppable, he cannot compare to him.

Pity.

If this article was indeed written by Sun Qian, even if his policy arguments were nonsensical, given the biased attitude already established by the Grand Secretaries, he would definitely be the top scholar.

Furthermore, this poem will ensure his lasting fame in history.

Whether later generations are interested in the history of Yu is unknown.

Even fewer people know about the Battle of Shuofeng, a relatively minor event in the history of Yu.

The north wind earns him fame in this era.

Only with this "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River" can one earn fame for ten thousand generations.

and many more……

Could this handwriting possibly be Song Shi'an's?
He suddenly had an extremely bold idea.

But soon, that was rejected.

The writing styles of "Exhortation to Learning" and "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River" are completely unrelated.

No matter how you look at them, they don't seem to be the work of the same person.

If someone reaches the pinnacle of reasoned and factual writing and then reaches new heights in ornate writing style, that person is truly terrifying.

If one understands one method, then all methods are understood?
But the more he looked at it, the more it seemed to resemble Song Shi'an's handwriting.

But instinct, or perhaps the pride of a scholar, prevented him from admitting it. After all, could there really be a literary giant in this world, barely twenty years old, who was already poised to dominate the entire literary scene of the Great Yu?
He might as well hang himself with a white silk ribbon.

"Professor Sun, what do you think?" At this moment, the scholar grading the papers looked at him and asked pleadingly, "Is it off-topic?"

Is this off-topic?

If this is Song Shi'an's, but his name is obscured, can I use the excuse of being off-topic to directly demote it and place it after the 600th place?

Even if one's policy essay is exceptionally outstanding, one can only achieve the rank of Jinshi at best.

Forget about being the top scorer, he can't even make the top ten.

Hasn't this battle been won?

However, the next moment, his heart tightened, and fear swept over him.

Foolish, why would I care about this?
Other people's articles can be blocked if they want, since the exam papers won't be released and no one will care. But Song Shi'an is now the focus of the whole world. If someone were to say that he, who wrote "Exhortation to Learning," didn't even get a second grade in his poetry, what would be the first reaction of the world?
It's possible that they won't directly identify a conspiracy.

But you'll definitely wonder, if it doesn't even have a Grade B, what exactly did it write?

I want to take a good look.

The final result is only one: who is it that has refuted this article as completely worthless?
It's true that intellectuals often look down on each other.

But it's true that intellectuals care about their reputation.

No one will take responsibility for this. In the end, they will become the clown who is jealous of talent and shamelessly suppresses "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River", and be infamous for eternity along with this famous article.

"The cross-marking was your own decision, why are you asking me? Don't you even have that much judgment?"

Sun Kang immediately passed the exam papers back and said, "Time is tight and responsibilities are heavy. After you've finished reading them, go back to your seats and start grading the papers."

After that, he turned and left.

The "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River" has returned to the hands of those who corrected it.

He already greatly admired and praised this article, so when he first reviewed it, he naturally gave it an unhesitating rating: A.

Another scholar who was cross-grading the papers also greatly admired this essay, able to immediately discern that it wasn't merely well-written for the sake of writing. However, he also felt it was somewhat off-topic. After all, it didn't directly describe the river, digressing slightly.

Of course, no one wants to be the petty person who suppresses a universally acclaimed excellent article. The suggestion is to treat everyone equally: Person A.

.........

Meanwhile, in Sun Situ's study.

Last night, Sun Qian completely memorized the essay section on rhymed prose. As for policy essays, they were lengthy and he couldn't possibly copy them word for word, but he at least copied down all the key points.

Then, early in the morning, I compared answers with my father.

Upon seeing the poems and essays, Sun Yan smiled, looked up at his son opposite him, and asked, "Why didn't you write about the streams and rivers of Yangzhou?"

Xihe is a tributary of the Yangtze River, passing through Quyang, the hometown of Sun Situ.

It can be considered their mother river.

“Father, what I’m thinking is that the court has always been dissatisfied with the fact that the Sun family of Yangzhou is estranged from Sheng’an. They have always felt that we are not like those families in Jiangbei who are grateful for the Emperor’s grace.” Sun Qian analyzed himself, “Writing about streams and rivers is indeed more convenient and can express the feelings of hometown and clan to the fullest extent, but the mind is too narrow. In His Majesty’s eyes, the patriotism is not sincere.”

"clever."

This is the difference between Sun Qian and Sun Heng.

He was constantly being lectured by Sun Situ for being foolish, and his mind was completely rigid.

The other one not only grasped things quickly but was also very confident.

Ask questions, and answer them boldly. And answer them all on point.

"The great river originates from the mysterious garden of Kunlun and flows into the jade-like stream of the stars."

This opening line pleased Sun Situ quite a bit. He nodded and said, "I had my younger sister practice the zither, learning 'Lotus Emerging from Water,' which is our own literary tradition in Yangzhou. The small bridges and flowing water are gentle and moving. Northern scholars who come to the south of the Yangtze River are often reluctant to leave, lingering there because of the beauty of the women of the south. But you must know that our literature is self-contained, and to some extent, it is also somewhat narrow-minded."

"I understand," Sun Qian nodded.

What northerners in Dayu often criticize is that southerners are not patriotic.

They lack a deep sense of national and familial sentiment.

Sun Yan did not shy away from this point.

Throughout history, whoever controls the Central Plains controls the world.

The unification of the country never proceeded from south to north.

In many cases, the north was already established before the south submitted.

The powerful clans and families were essentially the 'court' of the South.

But Sun Yan did not think there was anything wrong with doing so.

Is it reasonable to expect the powerful families of Jiangnan to be loyal to the emperor and love their country like nobles, without giving them power?
Sun Qian's articles now reveal an attitude.

I can talk, and I can love my country.

"Waves crash against the majestic pass, once shattering the horse of Ji Wang; waves sink the sword of Qi... This allusion is quite good."

Ji Wang was Ji Yuan's ancestor.

When Ji Wang was at the height of his power, he had taken over all of Hebei and raised an army of hundreds of thousands to cross the Yangtze River to the south, showing a strong momentum to unify the world.

The result was self-evident: they lost that battle.

The occupied territories in Hebei were also returned to China.

Although this statement may be somewhat offensive to Ji Yuan, so what?
The Battle of Shuofeng was won, meaning the North will not be easily lost for at least ten years.

The possibility of Ji Yuan unifying the world in his generation is not high.

Even if they really marched south and the Great Yu Kingdom perished, would they still have to belittle the Sun family of Yangzhou because of this poem?

Will not.

The limit that Ji Yuan could reach in his life was to unify Jiangbei. He wanted to become a powerful ruler who unified the country and become the emperor who ended the chaos of the world. Therefore, his policy towards Jiangnan could only be to offer him amnesty.

After reading the entire piece, Sun Yan concluded, "It is qualified to be the top-ranked poem in the imperial examination."

Of course, it's just enough.

One should not have too high expectations for a test essay.

The vast majority of so-called perfect score essays in the college entrance examination are, in terms of literary merit, zero.

Meaningless.

Exams test one's resourcefulness and accumulated knowledge; they are a reward for a scholar's diligence and a glimpse into one's talent and ability.

This is why the vast majority of famous works that have been passed down through generations are not based on scientific expeditions.

"Father, how does he compare to Song Shi'an?" Sun Qian asked.

“It’s far inferior to ‘Exhortation to Learning’.” Sun Yan then changed his mind, “No, it’s incomparable.”

Sun Qian had nothing to say.

“The ‘Exhortation to Learning’ goes beyond the scope of the imperial examinations and has enlightening significance.” When Sun Yan said this, it was also a form of consolation. “But this exam is in your favor. In terms of writing, you are better than him. Of course, he certainly has writing skills, but it is definitely not his strong point.”

It would be excessive if he were flawless.

How can a person be good at everything?
"Let's skip the poetry and prose, and talk about policy essays."

Sun Yan continued reading, and Sun Qian summarized the policy essay, saying, "When I heard this topic yesterday, I guessed that it was set by His Majesty."

"Is this a warning to us?" Sun Qian asked.

“This is a warning to the powerful families of the land,” Sun Yan said without any pretense. “Don’t take the north wind entirely as a victory for Song Shi’an. This should be the Emperor’s victory. So Your Majesty is very confident now.”

With the victory against the north wind, everyone's attention turned to Song Shi'an, the Sixth Prince, and the Wu King's faction, feeling that they were unstoppable.

But they forgot that the emperor was happier than anyone else.

When gambling with the fate of the nation, he did not back down or replace anyone; instead, he continued to reinforce troops and expand the battle.

If they lose, he and Song Shi'an will both be in trouble.

“That’s good, your understanding is quite good.” Sun Yan nodded after reading it. “It’s good that you didn’t shy away from the topic of salt and iron.”

The salt and iron monopoly, also known as the 'state-run salt and iron monopoly'.

The absolute main source of revenue and taxation for Dayu.

To try and justify saving public funds would be self-deception.

“I focused on the reform of salt and iron management, and I wrote about this in more depth,” Sun Qian said.

The salt and iron monopoly system has been in place for at least a thousand years.

But anything, once it reaches the later stages, is bound to have problems.

Now it is time to write down how to repay His Majesty.

"Good, good, good."

Sun Yan stood up, said "good" three times, and said with certainty, "No matter which year of the imperial examination you are in, you will be the top scholar."

(End of this chapter)