Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 121, Ten Stories [Da Mansion], Shocks the Scholars!

Jiang Xingzhou devoted himself to cultivation and studied diligently behind closed doors at the Jinling Inn.

Inside the side room, a scroll of Wen Bao's "Ode to a Humble Abode" hangs on the wall, the ink as fresh as new, each character shining brightly.

The grotto-heaven hidden in this painting is filled with literary atmosphere. Being in it can increase one's spiritual cultivation by twice as much as usual.

Since painting this small grotto scroll, Jiang Xingzhou has sat quietly in the grotto-heaven within the scroll every day, concentrating on his understanding and clearing his mind, reading the scroll for one or two hours.

In just a few short months, his literary skills had reached perfection, his mind was clear and his talent naturally arose.

His aura of scholarship was solid and dense, like mist, with a subtle, flowing light emanating from his every move. He awaited the autumn imperial examination, then would take another step forward, easily surpassing the rank of Juren (a lower-level scholar).

Outside the inn, the sounds of oars and lanterns on the Qinhuai River still lingered, but once inside this secluded haven inspired by the "Humble Abode Inscription," one was completely unaffected by the outside noise.

The sky was clear and bright that day.

Jiang Xingzhou, along with Han Yugui, Cao An, and several other classmates, agreed to visit Wenmiao Street together, hoping to find some new books to study.

Jinling City truly deserves its reputation as the foremost of the ten prefectures in Jiangnan Circuit. The streets of Wenmiao are lined with bookstores, and the aroma of woodblock printing and ink fills the air.

Compared to the library of the Duke of Xue's mansion in Jiangyin County, the bookstores here are much more impressive.

Each shop had a bamboo curtain hanging in front of it, and rows of bookshelves were arranged under the curtain, with classics, history, philosophy and literature categorized into different sections, and newly engraved collections of contemporary essays stacked neatly.

The most eye-catching item is the copy of "Jiangnan Elegant Gathering" displayed in the most prominent place in each bookstore.

This newly published collection of essays is bound in indigo silk, embroidered with cloud patterns in gold thread, and shimmers in the sunlight. Sandalwood chips are also tucked between the pages, emitting a faint, pleasant fragrance that can be smelled from afar.

Seeing several scholars pausing to look at the bookshelves with curiosity, the bookstore owner knew they were students who had just arrived in Jinling to take the autumn imperial examinations. He quickly greeted them with a smile, brandishing a feather duster and pointing to the book "Jiangnan Elegant Gathering," saying with a laugh:

"My gentlemen have excellent eyesight!"

This book is the best-selling publication in Nanjing's literary circles!

Published monthly, demand far exceeds supply!

The shopkeeper's eyes gleamed, and he lowered his voice, with a hint of mystery: "This book has a preface personally written by Lord Du Jingchen, the Provincial Education Commissioner of Jiangnan, and was personally compiled by Hanlin Academician Zhou Dunshi."

Each issue includes many excellent articles written by people who have left their county or above.

If a poem is written in the "Kouzhen" style and is published there, it will be widely circulated among literary figures and will almost immediately break through to the "outside the county" level!

Scholars throughout Jiangnan consider it an honor to have their articles published in this journal.

Even works by renowned masters from regions such as the northern frontier, Jingchu, the Central Plains, Longyou, Guanzhong, Bashu, Lingnan, Mobei, and Jibei will be selected for inclusion.

If one can grasp its essence, one will be greatly enhanced in this year's autumn imperial examination!

He leaned closer and added meaningfully, "What's even better is that Academic Commissioner Du Jingchen reads every issue, and he's the deputy chief examiner for the autumn examinations. If your articles are fortunate enough to be published and catch Academic Commissioner Du's eye, you might be able to gain a three-point advantage during the autumn examinations!"

Before he finished speaking, he stroked his beard meaningfully and smiled without saying a word.

The silk cover of "Jiangnan Elegant Gathering" gleamed with a deep blue luster in the sunlight, concealing the allure of literary fame and official rank.

"Oh?"

Han Yugui snapped his folding fan shut and carefully examined the articles in the book, his eyes gleaming: "There really are so many excellent works at the level of 'county-level' and 'prefecture-level'!"

He lightly tapped the pages with his fingertips and could see a subtle flow of literary talent between the lines—clearly, it was all handwritten by a scholar, full of literary brilliance.

The shopkeeper smiled, his eyes narrowed, and said, "Ten taels of silver a portion, fair and square."

"Give me two!"

With a flick of her slender hand, Qingfei sent two ingots of snowflake silver landing on the counter with a crisp sound.

Seeing this, Cao An hurriedly pulled out an embroidered money pouch from his sleeve: "I want one too!"

In just a short while, they had swept away more than ten copies of "Jiangnan Elegant Gathering" from the bookshelf.

The shopkeeper was beaming with delight, wrapping the books as he said, "Gentlemen, you have excellent taste! This issue's 'Da Fu' level books were personally reviewed by Hanlin Academician Zhou Dunshi."

Han Yugui couldn't wait to turn the pages, and found that each article was a gem of wisdom, with a subtle literary air emanating from the paper.

He gently stroked the pages and murmured, "Worth it, so worth it."

Gu Zhimian touched his empty purse, shook his head with a wry smile, and said, "Alas, although these kinds of essays are good, they are ultimately other people's work. It would be better to first look at those classic texts and historical records, and solidify one's foundation. That is the right way."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ming rolled up the copy of "Jiangnan Elegant Gathering" in his hand and gently patted him on the shoulder: "Alright, stop with the pretentious nonsense! I'll let you have a look after I finish reading it."

"Oh dear, thank you so much, Brother Lu!"

Gu Zhimian's eyes lit up, and a smile immediately spread across his face as he repeatedly clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.

Han Yugui's fingers flew across the pages, quickly counting them, his eyes gleaming: "This issue contains four or five poems by Dafu!"

He carefully read through the flowing lines of the text, then turned a few more pages: "The remaining dozens of pieces are all written outside the county, and there are even a few articles at the level of visiting towns."

He suddenly closed the book, turned to look at Jiang Xingzhou who was engrossed in reading, and a mischievous glint flashed in his eyes: "Brother Jiang, why don't you submit those articles you wrote before as well?"

Jiang Xingzhou looked up and saw him.

"I find these poems and essays to be nothing special!"

Han Yugui waved the copy of "Jiangnan Elegant Gathering" in his hand and said confidently, "With your writing skills, publishing ten articles in the next issue is no problem! Then—"

He lowered his voice, but couldn't hide his excitement: "I'm afraid I'll become famous throughout the entire literary world of Jiangnan overnight!"

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper snapped the abacus beads in his hand, raised his eyebrows, and couldn't help but roll his eyes.

Could these pedantic scholars have come from some remote, impoverished place?
Their arrogance is beyond belief!
He secretly grumbled to himself, but forced a smile on his face: "Gentlemen, this 'Jiangnan Elegant Gathering' is no ordinary publication."

Let alone ten articles, even one article submitted to the capital is a rare gem, one in a hundred!

He stroked his goatee and said earnestly, "Even if Lord Du Xuezheng personally oversees the selection of manuscripts, it's not guaranteed that one out of a thousand submissions will be chosen."

If someone actually manages to have one selected.”

Before he could finish speaking, the group of scholars exchanged glances and burst into laughter in unison.

The shopkeeper was baffled by the laughter, but they didn't argue. Instead, they looked meaningfully at Jiang Xingzhou, who had remained silent.

Han Yugui waved his folding fan, a mischievous smile flashing in his eyes.

Ah, this shopkeeper probably doesn't know that Brother Jiang's articles are all at the county and prefecture level!

"Shopkeeper, where do you accept submissions for 'Jiangnan Elegant Gathering'?"

Han Yugui closed his folding fan and asked seriously.

The old shopkeeper assumed they were joking, stroked his beard, and pointed towards the Qinhuai River: "Go to the end of this street, turn the corner into an alley, and that's the one with the 'Jiangnan Bookstore' plaque."

There's a sandalwood submission box by the door; gentlemen, if you have any good works, please submit them there.

"Thank you!"

As dusk fell, the group finished strolling through the market and, having had their fill of fun, returned to the Jinling Inn.

Jiang Xingzhou sat alone by the window of his room, copying ten poems he had written in the past onto Xuelang paper by the light of an oil lamp. The ink was not yet dry, but it already exuded a subtle literary air.

He carefully rolled up the manuscript and, under the moonlight, arrived at the entrance of the Jiangnan Bookstore.

The sandalwood submission box was carved with plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums, and gleamed with a warm luster under the moonlight.

Jiang Xingzhou gently tossed the article into the paper, listening to the soft "tap." He didn't care too much about how many of his articles would be published.

Even as the night deepened and the dew grew heavy, the lights inside the Jiangnan Bookstore remained brightly lit.

Hanlin Academician Zhou Dunshi sat upright at his desk, his white hair and blue robe slightly yellowed by the candlelight.

He was originally a Hanlin scholar in the imperial court. After resigning from his post and retiring to a life of seclusion, he served as the chief editor of "Jiangnan Yaji" in Jinling City, Jiangnan Province, to support the students of Jiangnan Province.

He lightly tapped the mountain of manuscripts on the table with his fingertips, a hint of weariness showing between his brows, but his eyes were full of focus.

The rigorous selection process for manuscripts in "Jiangnan Elegant Gathering" is well known to all Jiangnan Daoren.

The minimum requirement for publication is that the author must be a native of the area. However, very few native authors are accepted; only one in a thousand is selected. An article must have immense potential to be chosen.

If the poem about [Kouzhen] were published there, it would definitely be able to easily break through [the county].

Trying to get in through connections is almost impossible. How much influence would one need to exert to get a Hanlin scholar to include a substandard poem or essay in the "Jiangnan Elegant Gathering"?

"Fifty-four articles are available for publication this month."

Zhou Dunshi muttered to himself as he sorted through the selected articles from the prefecture, county, and town levels one by one.

These are all excellent works submitted by scholars from Jiangnan and even from all over the world. They have been carefully compiled and are full of literary talent. In the flow of the literary style, one can vaguely see the brilliant thoughts of the top talents of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Of course, it is not limited to articles. Paintings, musical pieces, chess scores, and other literary works of the eight arts of the literati, which are above the county level, can also be published in "Jiangnan Elegant Gathering".

"This is a good article!"

He picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and carefully annotated each article.

The vermilion-inked small regular script flows like clouds and water, sometimes highlighting the exquisite composition, sometimes analyzing the profound meaning—all in the hope that students in Jiangnan can use it to understand the essence of writing and write their own good articles.

Outside the window, the night watchman's drum sounded deep and resonant. Zhou Dunshi rubbed his aching wrists and suddenly noticed some unread manuscripts piled up on the corner of his desk.

Zhou Dunshi sighed softly, then solemnly picked up the manuscript on the table to see if any gems had been overlooked.
"grown ups!"

The carved wooden door was suddenly pushed open, bringing in a gust of night wind.

A bead of sweat glistened on Yang Xianyu's forehead, and a stack of Xuelang paper in his hand trembled slightly, the ink still fresh. He strode forward, his robes brushing against the table: "These are some of the new manuscripts received today. Please take a look!"

Zhou Dunshi's vermilion brush continued to flow, and the frown lines between his brows deepened: "Tomorrow is the publication date, and we can't handle all of this already. It needs to be reviewed and approved before midnight!"

He pointed to the mountain of proofs piled on his desk, "I'll finish organizing these articles first!"
Let's put these new articles off until the month after next!

I wonder which powerful or influential family in Jiangnan sent this letter? Why is Yang Xianyu taking it so seriously!

Most likely, powerful and wealthy people want to take advantage of the autumn examination period to have the scholar's article included in "Jiangnan Elegant Collection," so that it can be known by many literati, boost their literary reputation, and have one or two more articles to write for the county!

He was used to such things and couldn't be bothered to bother with them.

"You must take a look, sir!"

Yang Xianyu, however, braced himself and respectfully handed the manuscripts closer, the Xuan paper rustling softly as it brushed against the inkstone: "This student dares to say—these articles are worthy of your time to expend a cup of tea!"

Before he could finish speaking, the topmost poem was suddenly lifted by a corner of the wind outside the curtain.

"Very well, just a cup of tea will do!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Zhou Dunshi noticed the short poem at the very top, "Deep in the Clouds: Seeking a Hermit in Vain," and his hanging red brush suddenly paused.

[Leaving the County / "In the Depths of the Clouds: Seeking the Hermit in Vain" - Jiangnan Road, Jiangzhou Prefecture, Scholar Jiang Xingzhou.]

Matsushita asked the boy, and the teacher went to gather medicine.

Only in this mountain, where the clouds are so deep that one cannot see its location.
Zhou Dunshi's withered fingers stroked the poem paper, the eight characters "In the Depths of the Clouds: Seeking the Hermit in Vain" on the Xuan paper still fresh in ink.

His eyes lit up, and he lingered over the five characters "Where the Clouds Remain Unknown," before suddenly slamming his hand on the table and exclaiming, "Excellent!"

The ink left in the inkstone reflected in his suddenly bright eyes.

With the keen eye honed over decades of studying at the Hanlin Academy, he could immediately discern the brilliance of this piece, "Seeking the Hermit in Vain."

The words are imbued with literary elegance, surging endlessly like the sea of ​​clouds in a poem—given time, they will surely transform into a rainbow and soar into the sky.

"Hmm, not bad, not bad! Replace this one, 'Seeking the Hermit in Vain,' with the one about leaving the county, 'Spring Lament,' and take it down!"

Zhou Dunshi stroked his beard in approval.

"I dare say that this piece will be far more than just a [county-level] piece! Once it is included in the 'Jiangnan Elegant Collection' and published, it will reach the [prefecture-level] level or higher in no time!"

Although many articles were originally written outside the county.

However, some who leave the county are stuck at the county level and cannot advance further in rank. Others, after becoming widely known, can break through and enter the ranks of "Da Prefecture" or even "Ming Prefecture".

He naturally prioritizes selecting poems and articles that can break through the usual standards.

"Envy the fish!"
Well done! If it weren't for your discerning eye, I would have almost missed a masterpiece!
Jiang Xingzhou, the scholar from Jiangzhou Prefecture, is truly remarkable!

"To think that a mere scholar could write such a fine piece, surpassing even the best works from outside the county, is remarkable. This piece, 'Seeking the Hermit in Vain,' will likely soon reach the level of a prefecture-level city."

Zhou Dunshi placed a stack of new manuscripts on the table, poured himself a cup of pre-rain Longjing tea, stroked his beard, and smiled approvingly.

He was already quite satisfied with just this one piece, "Seeking the Hermit in Vain." This meant that Jiangnan Circuit would soon have another article by a "Da Fu" (a local official).

"Sir, why don't you take a look at the following article?"

Yang Xianyu smiled awkwardly, but there was no joy in his expression, and his usually calm voice trembled slightly.

The candlelight reflected his hesitant expression on the wall.

His fingertips trembled as he flipped through the stack of manuscripts—in his thirty years as a scholar, he had never seen anything so shocking.
Before he could finish speaking, a nightingale's cry broke the silence outside the window, startling the candlelight on the table, which flickered violently.

"Oh!"

Zhou Dunshi was taken aback. He looked up and saw that Yang Xianyu's face was as solemn as iron, and fine beads of sweat were seeping from his forehead.

Look at Yang Xianyu's hesitant expression.

Could it be that there's some hidden story?
His heart suddenly tightened, and his aged fingers unconsciously turned to the next page of the manuscript.

Zhou Dunshi's gaze fell on the second manuscript—

[Dafu] "Grass" - Jiangnan Circuit, Jiangzhou Prefecture, Scholar Jiang Xingzhou
The grass on the plain grows lush and green, withering and flourishing year after year.

Wild fire, in spring.

The distant fragrance invades the ancient road, and the clear green meets the deserted city.

Again, I see the young nobleman off, my heart heavy with parting sorrow.
"Wild fire, in spring!"

Zhou Dunshi slammed his hand on the table, making the teacup clatter, and his aged voice couldn't hide his excitement: "Excellent! Excellent 'Wildfire cannot burn it all, the spring breeze brings it back to life'! This line deserves a big toast!"

However, upon seeing the signature, his pupils constricted sharply, and he froze on the spot as if struck by lightning—

It's Jiang Xingzhou, the scholar, again?

Is this another piece from Dafu?!

The Zhou Dynasty was a time of great literary prosperity, and it was rare to see a scholar, even a mere xiucai (a scholar who had passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations) directly produce a masterpiece.
Even those renowned literary figures and scholars rarely possessed such literary talent before passing the imperial examinations!

But now, this journey on the river is actually a journey out of the county and a journey to the prefecture?!

Zhou Dunshi's throat bobbed, his fingertips trembled slightly, and his eyes were fixed on the still-wet manuscript, as if trying to discern some clue from it.

"Sir, please look further ahead!"

Yang Xianyu's voice was trembling, his fingers were gripping his sleeves tightly, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Zhou Dunshi suddenly turned the page—

Part Three:
[Leaving the County] "Bodhisattva's Charm - Ode to Feet - Presented to the Courtesan Xiaomannu of Jiangzhou" - Jiang Xingzhou
"Delicate and subtle details are difficult to describe; they must be observed in the palm of one's hand."

Zhou Dunshi recited in a low voice, his brows furrowing slightly, then gradually relaxing. "Although it is an erotic poem, it takes a unique approach, using delicate feet to express feelings. This line is exquisite and can be sent to the prefecture soon!"

Part Four:
[Leaving the County] "Shooting the Pot" - Jiang Xingzhou
"Already drunk and no longer a sage, suddenly hearing the music of strings and songs, it's like hearing the immortals." He lightly tapped the table with his fingertips, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "What a wonderful 'like hearing the immortals'! This line is elegant and transcendent, quite like the spirit of immortals, excellent! It has the air of a great man!"

Part 5:
[Dazhou] "The Ballad of the Frontier: The Stone Arrow" - Jiang Xingzhou
"At dawn I searched for the white feather, but it was nowhere to be found among the stone edges!"

Zhou Dunshi slammed his hand on the table, making the teacup rattle. "With just a few words, the murderous aura was like a muffled thunderclap, rolling over us!"

Such skillful writing is worthy of any work other than that of the renowned calligrapher Da Fu!

Part Six:
[Dazhou] "Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu" - Jiang Xingzhou
"A waterfall plunges three thousand feet, as if the Milky Way were falling from the ninth heaven."

His voice suddenly choked, his aged fingers gripping the manuscript tightly until his knuckles turned white. "These sentences are not something a mortal could write! They are the work of a celestial being, truly astonishing. This piece will surely become famous throughout the land!"

Part Seven:
[Dafu] "A Spray of Plum Blossoms - Full Moon Over the West Tower - A Gift to Xue Lingqi" - Jiang Xingzhou
Who sends a letter from the clouds?

As Zhou Dunshi read this, he suddenly paused, a hint of moisture welling up in his cloudy old eyes. "This feeling is impossible to dispel; it just moves from my brow to my heart."

He slowly closed his eyes and sighed deeply, "Such tender emotions are truly the pinnacle of graceful poetry! This young man... this young man's talent is unbelievable. Just who is he?"

Part 8

[Dazhou] "Inscription of a Humble Abode" - Jiang Xingzhou
"This"

When Zhou Dunshi saw this, his hands trembled slightly, and his fingertips could barely hold the paper.
"This is a humble abode, but my virtuous character is renowned, and I am surrounded by learned scholars; no uncultured person comes to visit!"

He murmured, his voice choked with emotion, "What a wonderful piece! This 'Ode to a Humble Abode' is so well-written! How could this be considered 'the best of the best'? If this piece were to spread throughout the ten prefectures of Jiangnan, it would surely become a legend!"

Ninth article:
[Da Fu] "Like a Dream - I Often Remember the Sunset at the Creek Pavilion" - Jiang Xingzhou
I often recall the sunset at the stream pavilion, so intoxicated that I forgot the way home.

Zhou Dunshi recited softly, his fingertips gently caressing the pages, as if touching a distant summer evening, a boat drifting among lotus leaves.

"Excellent! Excellent 'Struggling to cross, struggling to cross, startling a flock of gulls and egrets!'"
In just a few words, the intoxication, the twilight, the sound of water, and the startled birds are all captured! How vividly the word "struggle" is used! How expressively the word "startled" is used!

He suddenly threw his head back and laughed, but there was a hint of desolation in his laughter: "I have spent half my life studying poetry and thought I had grasped its essence. Today I realize that I was just a frog in a well!"

Chapter Ten:
[Dafu] "Presented to Zhao Huai, the Transport Commissioner - A Banquet at the Vermilion Gate" - Jiang Xingzhou
"Behind the red gates, meat and wine go to waste; on the roads, the frozen dead lie."

Zhou Dunshi suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot and tears streaming down his face. His voice choked with emotion, “This young man is barely twenty years old, yet he can write such heart-wrenching and awe-inspiring lines?! This is clearly a manifesto written with blood and tears!”

He recalled that snowy night decades ago when he was on his way to take the imperial examination and saw the scene in the city—the red gates were filled with the sounds of music and revelry, while in the corner of the wall, the frozen body of a beggar was being slowly buried by the heavy snow.
A sudden gust of wind rose outside the window, causing the candlelight to flicker unpredictably.

The stack of manuscripts trembled slightly in his hands, as if it weighed a ton.

"Three pieces [from the county], seven pieces [from the prefecture]."

The scholar Zhou Dunshi swayed, his manuscripts scattered on the table, and his face was ashen in the candlelight.

If these ten articles, each with a distinct style, were written by different writers, he would surely be overjoyed, get drunk tonight, and read them until dawn.

But they were all made by the same person?
How can this be believed?!

"That's impossible! In my entire life, I've only written two pieces of 'Da Fu' and one piece of 'Ming Zhou'!"
But those were things I only managed to achieve after passing the imperial examinations and experiencing the ups and downs of officialdom! How could a mere scholar like myself possibly write such an essay?!

Zhou Dunshi stared blankly at the scattered articles on the table.

"Sir, even I can't believe it!"

Yang Xianyu's face was ashen: "However, the Confucian Temple has its own mechanism. Every article above the level of 'leaving the county' is automatically recorded in the Confucian Temple from the moment it is created. It can be easily checked to find out who wrote it, and there is absolutely no possibility of forgery!"

"Have you checked at the Confucian Temple?"

"I'm a student. I just returned from the Confucian Temple!" Yang Xianyu said, bowing slightly, his voice trembling. "Every single piece is signed Jiang Xingzhou!"

Outside the window, a bolt of lightning struck, illuminating the face of Hanlin scholar Zhou Dunshi, who was filled with shock and disbelief.

(End of this chapter)