Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 72: The Top Officials of Five Counties, Undercurrents Raging! (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

"Since Brother Zhao Zilu has arranged this gathering, we'll definitely go!"

Upon hearing this, Xue Gui was overjoyed and immediately agreed.

Zhao Zilu of the Zhao family spent a fortune, spending five thousand taels of silver to host a banquet at Zuixianlou, inviting the sons of the five counties of the prefecture and the top five students of the imperial examinations. The level of this poetry banquet was among the best in Jiangzhou Prefecture.

This banquet brings together the top scholars and the five best scholars from one prefecture and five counties. The true strength of these scholars will be on full display during the banquet, allowing us to witness their abilities firsthand.

"Tonight at the hour of Xu!"
Zuixianlou and Zhaixing Pavilion await your arrival!
Farewell, we still have to invite Shen Zhiyun, the top scholar from Jiyang County, and Lin Haizhou, the top scholar from Taicang County.

Before the words were even finished, several young men from prominent families had already leaped off the green-tiled walls of the Xue State Duke's mansion, their clothes fluttering as they walked away into the distance.

Only three gilded poems remain, shining brightly in the setting sun on the wall.

"Who is this Zhao Zilu?"

Jiang Xingzhou put down the book in his hand and slowly walked out of the carved door of the study, his eyebrows slightly raised, showing a bit of interest.

"Brother-in-law!"

Xue Gui hurriedly stepped forward and explained with great interest: "This Zhao Zilu is the grandson of Zhao Huai, the transport commissioner of Jiangzhou Prefecture, and the eldest son of Zhao Bingzhu, the head of the Zhao family. He is the top candidate in the Jiangzhou Prefecture's civil service examination this year!"
The families of the Grand Canal transporters have always been known for their extravagant spending, and they also have a marriage alliance with the Vice Minister of Rites, making them one of the ten most prominent families in Jiangzhou.

"Just because the top officials from these five counties are all gathered here, we should go and join the fun tonight!"

Jiang Xingzhou's eyes flickered slightly. After a moment's thought, he nodded and said, "Alright."

With the prefectural examination just around the corner, it would be a good idea to meet the top students from the five counties in the prefecture at a poetry banquet in advance and test their abilities.

Large literary gatherings attract many students, making it difficult to find an opportunity to pay respects to senior scholars and exchange ideas.

As the city lights begin to illuminate the night, darkness deepens.

The Xue brothers, Fu and Gui, had already changed into newly tailored brocade robes, with jade pendants jingling at their waists and their hair tied up meticulously.

The two men, familiar with the area, led Jiang Xingzhou quietly to the base of the wall in the backyard of the Xue residence, intending to climb over the wall and escape.

"Since it's a formal poetry banquet, why not leave through the main gate?"

Jiang Xingzhou frowned and asked in surprise.

Xue Shibo was always open-minded and would never stop them from attending the literary gathering.

"this one"

Xue Fu rubbed his hands together, his ears turning red. "Tonight's poetry banquet, which cost five thousand taels of silver, is nothing like an ordinary gathering for reciting poems."

Not to mention the lavish banquets and delicacies, there would likely be all-night revelry, beautiful women adding fragrance to the air, and romantic embellishments.

Seeing this, Xue Gui winked and leaned closer, "Brother-in-law, tonight's occasion includes some 'refined and elegant' pieces for the poetry and literature exchange, which is not appropriate for my father to know about."

Let's go and come back quietly, wouldn't that be wonderful?

"All right!"

Jiang Xingzhou's eyes flickered slightly, and he suddenly understood.

He shook his head and smiled bitterly, then finally nodded.

The three of them lightly touched the brick wall with the tips of their boots, leaped over the high wall, and landed steadily amidst the fluttering of their clothes. They quickly walked along the moonlit bluestone path, passing through streets and alleys, their figures disappearing into the streetlights.

The lanterns on both sides of the long street were already as bright as stars, and the sounds of flutes and laughter drifted over.

The three walked through a willow-lined alley, where the aroma of styrax wine wafted towards them. Several foreign women, adorned with golden bells, swayed past. A flower-selling girl, carrying a bamboo basket, called out in a sweet voice, "Young master, buy a jade hairpin flower to give to the young lady—".

Xue Fu quickly unfolded his gold-plated folding fan to hide his flushed face.

But then they saw several foreign merchants leading white camels, nibbling on the corners of wine flags along the street, their camel bells mingling with the sounds of harps drifting from the pavilions.

At the beginning of Hai hour,

The dozens of glass lanterns at Zuixianlou illuminated the long street as if it were daytime, revealing every detail.

Luxury cars and fine horses filled the alleyways.

The carriage emblems of the scions of prominent families from the five counties—the cloud pattern belongs to the Shen family of Jiyang, and the lion-shaped emblem belongs to the Lin family of Taicang.

The newly arrived carriages were still being unsaddled when the young noblemen who had arrived earlier were already exchanging greetings through the beaded curtains.

"Brother Zhou Wenyuan, it's been a long time!"

"Brother Lin Haizhou, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

The clinking of jade pendants and the exchange of pleasantries rose and fell as they walked hand in hand into the building.

The Drunken Immortal Pavilion is a large courtyard with several banquet halls.

Jiang Xingzhou, Xue Fu, and Xue Gui entered Zuixianlou and presented three gold-flecked poem invitations.

"Young Master Zhao has instructed that the three distinguished guests please proceed to the Star-Picking Pavilion!"

The pimp leading the way held a silver spittoon, bowing deeply in front, with a gilded bronze plaque of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion hanging from his waist belt.

Upon entering the pavilion and passing through the twelve sandalwood screens, the sound of a pipa suddenly pierced the air, and the candlelight in the bronze sparrow lamps under the corridor flickered in unison.

Several handsome young men in brocade robes stood on the steps at the entrance of the Star-Picking Pavilion, holding jade handles, to welcome the guests.

Zhao Zilu, who was in the lead and wore a light green brocade robe with a kingfisher feather on his forehead, smiled and revealed his tiger teeth as he said, "Zhao Zilu greets the Xue brothers!"
This must be the famous Jiang Xingzhou from Jiangyin?

The three of you have finally arrived!

"We'll begin the poetry banquet once the three of you arrive!"

"Thank you for waiting so long, Brother Zhao!"

Xue Fu greeted him warmly.

After exchanging greetings, Jiang Xingzhou and the Xue brothers followed Zhao Zilu and the others into the Zhaixing Pavilion.

Inside the pavilion's central courtyard, a white marble pool shimmered with light, upon which floated ten gilded lotus leaf lanterns. On each golden leaf stood a Hu woman holding a harp and a pipa, her light gauze skirt reflecting the lamplight.

Jiang Xingzhou glanced around and saw that the talented young scholars from Jiangyin County were already seated at the table on the east side.

Han Yugui, Cao An, Lu Ming, Li Yunxiao, and others sat around a large table, each pouring wine, appreciating poetry, and chatting.

The top five students from the five counties of Jiangzhou Prefecture were divided into six large tables and scattered throughout the Zhaixing Pavilion.

"Brother Jiang has arrived!"

The students from Jiangyin left their seats one after another, bowed to the boatmen on the river, and looked quite respectful.

Proper etiquette is like a junior student paying respects to a senior student.

From winning the top spot in the Jiangyin County examination to turning the tide when the ship in the middle of the river was attacked.

Among the young scholars in Jiangyin County today, Jiang Xingzhou's position is unshakeable, and no one dares to harbor any thoughts of challenging his prowess.

With Jiang Xingzhou present, all beings unconsciously held their breath, listening to him speak.

"Brothers, please have a seat!"

Jiang Xingzhou greeted everyone politely, and after he sat down, the students from Jiangyin followed suit. This commotion...

This surprised and shocked the students from various counties sitting at the other five tables in the pavilion.

Zhao Zilu, the top official in Jiangzhou Prefecture, frowned, snapped his folding fan shut, and looked rather grim.

At the head of the Jiyang examination hall, Shen Zhiyun held a half-empty wine cup to her lips, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.

But,

At each table,

The top students from the five counties of the prefecture exchanged glances, their expressions gradually becoming serious.

Although they were respected as the top candidates in the county, they never had such an authoritative and strict authority among the candidates in their own county.
Jiang Xingzhou's arrival, without his knowledge, established a formidable presence over the other five top candidates for the preliminary examination.

Xu Shi.

The poetry banquet begins.

At the Star-Picking Pavilion, twelve maids in green robes entered in single file, carrying gilded platters. They brought out a feast of delicacies, all of which were famous dishes from various regions of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

On the agate plate, crystal snowflakes were piled up.

Lamb wine floats in the amber cup.

A celadon lotus petal bowl holds Songjiang perch sashimi.

A silver dish with intertwined branches holds a honey-soaked carved piece.

A gilded lotus leaf cup holds seasonal fresh fruit, the lychee still bearing the morning dew of Lingnan.

The glassware from the Western Regions, filled with blood-red wine, shimmered under the candlelight.

The twelve maids walked with delicate, bound feet, their silver bracelets jingling on their arms.

At each table, she would first curtsy, and with a light twirl of her delicate hands, the table would blossom into a tapestry of food and beauty. Meanwhile, the musicians' fingers danced, the sound of the pipa mingling with the aroma of wine, and the entire building was bathed in a drunken haze of lights.

A moment of silence fell over the room.

Among the students who had achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations was a scholar from a poor family. They were dazzled and speechless, having never seen such a luxurious banquet in their entire lives.

"Zhao Zilu is quite impressive!"

A poetry banquet costing five thousand taels of silver—such extravagance! Aren't they worried about losing money? How wealthy is the Zhao family, the Grand Canal Commissioner, to withstand such expenditures?

Lu Ming glanced coldly, tilted his head back, and drank the wine in his cup to the last drop, then said...

He, a young master of the Lu family, comes from a distinguished family and cannot spend this much money in a year.

"He's not at a loss."

I heard that Brother Zhao's purpose in hosting this poetry banquet is actually to promote his poem "Knocking on the Town" written during the county examination, and to make a name for himself.

If one can get the recommendation of the candidates from the five counties, and take advantage of the gathering of candidates for the prefectural examination, the reputation of this article will spread throughout the prefecture, and one might really be able to be promoted to 'outstanding candidate'.

Only articles written at the county level or above are qualified to be engraved in the Confucian Temple and recited by future generations of scholars.

His five thousand taels, exchanged for a poem stele at the Confucian Temple, are not just a bargain; they're an incredible steal!

A knowing glint flashed in Cao An's eyes, and he lowered his voice.

Seeing that everyone seemed to be deep in thought, he added meaningfully, "Of course, those poems and essays written below the county level can't even get close to the Confucian Temple."

"That guy, he's got a real knack for it!"

Han Yugui scoffed, "You want the top students from our prefecture and five counties to praise his essays and make him famous throughout the county?"

To be honest, although he was not the top candidate in the preliminary examination.

However, he also looked down on the other top candidates in the county and its five counties.

Based on his abilities, if he had written a poem to express his admiration for the town during the county examination, he could have easily become the top candidate in Jiangyin in previous years. It's just a pity that this year he encountered Jiang Xingzhou, whose poem "Seeking a Hermit in the Deep Clouds but Not Finding Him" ​​was published in the county, which is why he failed to achieve his goal.

But Zhao Zilu only wrote one poem for the county examination, which was not much better than his.

"His schemes don't stop there!"

Li Yunxiao said coldly,
"In this county-level examination for children of scholars, out of the five counties under the jurisdiction of Jiangzhou, only Brother Jiang's essay, 'Seeking a Hermit in the Deep Clouds, but Not Finding Him,' was submitted."

If Brother Zhao Zilu were to also present his own poems and essays, it would be the second piece, "Leaving the County".

The two essays from the county-level examination, written outside the county, are equally matched!

Lord Zhou of Jiangzhou Prefecture is about to emerge from seclusion to jointly preside over a grand literary gathering on Grain Rain with Prefect Xue of Jiangzhou!

I dare say,

Professor Zhou's gaze was definitely fixed on Brother Jiang.

Zhao Zilu wanted to get the 'leaving the county' certificate before the Grain Rain literary gathering, so as to catch the eye of Master Zhou and gain his appreciation!
This scheme is clearly aimed at elevating myself, catching up with Brother Jiang, and gaining the qualification to compete for the top scholar position!

Li Yunxiao's analysis

The people of Jiangyin suddenly realized what was happening.

"Using his essays written outside the county to catch the eye of Lord Zhou and snatch the top spot in the scholar's examination?"

The Xue brothers gasped in shock.

They thought that tonight's lavish poetry banquet was just a gathering of the top scholars from five counties in the prefecture to discuss poetry and prose and have a good time.

"good!
If Zhao Zilu did not have a county-level examination essay to rely on, Zhou Yuanjun's attention would definitely be on Brother Jiang, and he would greatly appreciate him. Why would he care about Zhao Zilu?

"Every county has produced top scorers in the preliminary examinations; he's not the only one!"

Han Yugui nodded.

"Although the essays for the prefectural examinations are all sealed and anonymous!"

However, the style of the article is too easy to recognize!
With just a little attention, Professor Zhou could easily tell which student had written the essay!

First impressions lead to a higher level of appreciation and evaluation.

If Professor Zhou had already decided on Brother Jiang's article in his mind, he would have directly awarded it first-class honors.

Zhao Zilu didn't even make the list of top scholars in this Jiangzhou prefectural examination!

"Young Master Zhao has staked his fortune on a mere five thousand taels of silver for a single essay on 'Leaving the County'! He's hoping to snag an admission ticket to be the top scholar!"

"Who wouldn't want to be the top scholar in the imperial examination? Once you achieve the title of 'top scholar in the imperial examination' three times in a row, it will cause a sensation throughout the entire Great Zhou Dynasty."

But does Zhao Zilu have that qualification?

"The other top candidates in the county and prefecture probably have the same idea. If they want to catch the eye of Lord Zhou, they must perform well in front of him in order to have a chance to compete for the top spot in the county-level examination!"

"Hmph, what a clever scheme!"

The people of Jiangyin sneered.
-
Asking for a monthly ticket!
(End of this chapter)