Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 85 Grain Rain Branch Meeting, Wen Bao [Ji Shen Xiang]!
Zhao Bingzhu closed his eyes for a long time, his pale face appearing even more haggard in the candlelight.

When he slowly opened his eyes, a complex and indescribable emotion surged within them, and his gaze lingered on the figure in blue robes in the East City Hall.

"It looks so much like it!"

His hand unconsciously caressed the teacup in his hand.

In a daze, he saw the reflection of the misty Jiangnan region twenty years ago in the ripples of the tea soup—a ferry crossing when the plums were ripe, with a young man in a single layer of snow-white clothing standing at the bow of a black-awning boat.

Jiang Yan, a novice in the military, came to Jiangzhou Prefecture from Jiangyin County to take the imperial examination, and his small boat caused a sensation throughout the entire prefecture.

The academy I remember was always so lively.

Within the academy, Zhao Bingzhu was classmates with Prefect Xue Chonghu, Censor Jiang Yan, and Headmaster Zhou.

Jiang Yan, dressed in white, stood below the hall with a scroll in his hand, always managing to leave the students speechless with just a few words.

Xue Chonghu often blocked people's paths with his sword drawn, challenging them to duels. The fighting spirit in his tiger-like eyes could make his opponents tremble, but he would always slack off and admit defeat with a bitter smile under Jiang Yan's smiling gaze.

Back then, Zhou Shanchang was a shy and reserved young man who always carried books, and he was still unknown in the academy.

later,

Jiang Yan went to the capital to take the imperial examination and passed with flying colors. He was appointed as an inspector in the Demon Suppression Bureau, where he became a highly sought-after and influential figure.

Xue Chonghu also passed the imperial examination in the same year and is now in charge of Jiangzhou Prefecture, where he commands great power and influence.

The taciturn Zhou Shanzhang of that year, though he failed the imperial examination for the first time, spent three years in seclusion before returning to the capital. He accumulated knowledge and skills and eventually became a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination). Now he is the Prefect of Jiangzhou, in charge of education and culture, and his power is gradually increasing.

Only Zhao Bingzhu failed the imperial examinations, never reaching the level of a successful candidate, wasting half his life.

Those youthful exuberances have ultimately turned into a thorn in my heart; every time it is touched, it causes a dull ache and makes me increasingly resentful.

He once thought that with Jiang Yan's disappearance in Saibei, the Jiang family would fall into ruin, and that glorious past would eventually fade away like smoke and no one would mention it again.

But today,
The appearance of his son Jiang Xingzhou was like a cold, sharp sword, fiercely cleaving open his old wounds that had been sealed for many years!

This is hardly a student from a poor family.
It's clearly the same nightmare from twenty years ago that suffocated the entire Jiangzhou Academy, and it's returned once again!
"Back then, our generation at Jiangzhou Academy..."
Many people were suffocated by Jiang Yan's presence, unable to lift their heads.

Zhao Bingzhu's face was ashen as he stared intently at Jiang Xingzhou's profile. The expression between his brows gradually overlapped with that of the snow-white-clad youth in his memory.

He suddenly looked up, his eyes surging with the resentment he felt when he lost to Jiang Yan years ago.

But then he saw the young man in the blue robe who had remained silent below the hall slightly raise his eyes and look at him.

His eyes were clear and bright, almost blindingly so.

Just like that one back then,

The young man in white robes made the entire Jiangzhou Academy pale in comparison.

"Jiang Xingzhou's writings far surpass those of his peers."

This path to enlightenment and spiritual practice is also unfathomable.

He is even more terrifying than Jiang Yan was back then.

Given time,

They will surely become a major problem and must not be allowed to live!

When Zhao Bingzhu opened his eyes again, his expression had returned to normal, except for a scarlet mark on his clenched palm inside his sleeve.

On the east city tower, a spring breeze caresses the balustrade.

Zhou Yuanjun stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the upright young man in the blue robe before him. A trace of bewilderment flashed in his eyes, and then he clapped his hands and laughed.

"The younger generation is truly formidable! They surpass even your father in his prime!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Yuanjun turned to face the guests on the balcony, his wide sleeves billowing in the wind: "Today's Grain Rain Literary Gathering may begin, with ten essay competitions in total!"

"A battle of couplets!"

"Flying Flowers Challenge!"

"Arrows shot at a jug!"

"A poem in seven steps!"

"Grain Rain Poems!"

"Grain Rain Poems!"

"Grain Rain Articles!"

"Each of the above categories has a prize. Whoever wins the top prize will be invited to the upper floor to attend the banquet and will receive a prize!"

Each time Zhou Yuanjun reported a category,
A glimmer of light appeared in the eyes of the students below the East City Tower.

The more categories they have, the more opportunities they have.

Zhou Yuanjun smiled and looked around at the assembled scholars: "How about we, the seniors, add some auspiciousness to the literary gathering for the younger generation?"

He flicked his sleeve and took something out of the brocade pouch.

He held an amber-colored balm in his palm, and as soon as it appeared, a faint fragrance of grain lingered around the pavilion.

The top students looked at each other, clearly not recognizing the object.

"Hehe, Professor Yuan, you have quite the generosity!"
This is the "Spirit of Millet," made from the essence of the ears and flowers of five grains, refined through three rounds of steaming and drying. If a cultivator smells this fragrance, it can nourish their spirit and soul, inspiring a flow of inspiration!

Prefect Xue Chonghu laughed loudly.

Jiang Xingzhou's eyes lit up.

This artifact is a valuable item, and its quantity is extremely rare.

Because it requires collecting the spikes of five kinds of grains, and is subject to seasonal restrictions, the production process is very complicated, and very few people are willing to make this item.

He had been thinking about this item for quite some time.

Unfortunately, this rare item cannot be bought in the markets of Jiangyin County and Jiangzhou Prefecture, and it is unknown where it can be found.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Yuanjun had a piece of [Ji Shen Xiang] in his possession.

"Since Brother Zhou has brought out such a precious treasure, how could I be stingy?"

Prefect Xue Chonghu took out a sandalwood box from his bosom, opened it, and saw a tea cake, as green as jade, lying quietly inside, with golden buds faintly visible on its surface.

"This is the imperial gift of 'Pre-Rain Dragon Bud' tea, a special tea for scholars to drink to enhance their talents."

"Let alone a student or a scholar who has passed the county-level imperial examination, even a scholar who has exhausted all his talent can recover in no time simply by holding one of these tablets in his mouth!"

Upon hearing this, Master Pei Jingyi smiled and pulled out a jade wolf-hair brush from his sleeve, saying, "In that case, I will present this 'Literary Heart Brush,' which I have nurtured for many years, to today's champion."

The jade wolf-hair brush, suspended in the air, seemed to exude a faint aura of talent, clearly indicating its extraordinary quality.

Even if a wolf-hair brush used by a Hanlin scholar was originally an ordinary object, once it is imbued with the scholar's talent over the years, it becomes a minor masterpiece.

"I have come across a genuine copy from a previous dynasty by chance, and I present it to you today as a prize for the Grain Rain Literary Gathering!"

An elderly scholar with white hair and beard stroked his beard and smiled, taking out a yellowed book from his sleeve. The moment the pages were unfurled, a faint literary air flowed out like mist, drawing gasps of amazement from everyone present.

In an instant, the atmosphere on the East Gate Tower became even more lively.

The heads of various families, as well as the scholars and officials who had passed the imperial examinations, generously donated money to sponsor this literary gathering.

This has become a tradition of the Guyu Literary Gathering.

There is a scholar's inkstone.

There are fragments of genuine manuscripts from Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations).

There was a piece of exceptional ink stick, whose fragrance lingered and did not dissipate.

The two thousand students standing below the East City Tower were already filled with excitement. These rare writing treasures, which were seldom seen in ordinary times, had become the prizes for the Grain Rain Literary Competition.

Any one of these items would be enough to elevate their literary cultivation to a higher level, and might even become their secret weapon for changing their fate and passing the imperial examinations.

The official in charge of ceremonies, holding a jade tablet, stood on the high platform of the city tower and announced in a voice as clear as a chime:
"Today's Grain Rain literary gathering will feature ten small competitions—"

"The winner of any competition may ascend the tower to attend a banquet and receive a prize." After a pause, the official looked around at the students below the stage and continued, "If any essay can be presented at the local level, town level, or county level, an additional reward will be given."

At this moment, a morning breeze suddenly arose, stirring the robes of the official in charge of ceremonies.

He suddenly raised his voice: "But if—"

"A student who can compose a poem in the 'Dafu' category, or who wins the top prize in three or more sub-events, or who has the most top prizes!"

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.

The official's voice echoed from the city tower: "Bestow upon him the title of 'Grain Rain Scholar'! Regardless of his performance in the prefectural examination, this prefecture will guarantee him the title of 'Discretionary Scholar'!"

As the last word fell,
"Great!"

Immediately, the students below the pavilion erupted in a thunderous cheer!
This is not just an ordinary literary gathering, but a shortcut to becoming a scholar!

Gu Zhimian felt his blood surging in his chest, and his fingertips trembled slightly with excitement.

This Gu Yuwen will have such tremendous benefits!
The Jiangzhou Prefecture Examination was extremely difficult, consisting of three sessions, each with different content, as if they were worlds apart.

Many talented scholars, despite their vast knowledge, have failed in one of the prefectural examinations due to their unbalanced academic performance, thus losing their chance to become scholars.

Not to mention ordinary students, even those who topped the list of students in their respective counties often failed in the prefectural examinations.

For this reason, the title of "Discretionary Scholar" has always been granted only to the top-ranking students in each county, ensuring that even if they stumble, they can still retain the title of "Discretionary Scholar".

And today at this Grain Rain literary gathering, the [Grain Rain Literary Champion] may also receive the favor of being granted the title of Scholar at the discretion of the judges!

The Jiangzhou Grain Rain Literary Gathering has officially begun.

Master Pei Jingyi, Prefect Xue Chonghu, and Headmaster Zhou, along with other scholars and officials, descended from the East City Tower to join the students in this grand event and participate in the literary gathering.

The six top students in the preliminary examinations also followed behind them.

In an instant, the countryside outside the East City Tower was bustling with activity, with the ten sub-venues filled with lively chatter.

Couplets! — Deconstruct various palindromic couplets and word-based couplets. The person with the most couplets will be the champion of this round and will be awarded the prize of "Pre-Rain Dragon Sprouts" by the Emperor.

Arrow Shooting Pot – Fine works from past Grain Rain years are engraved on a sandalwood plaque, placed in a pot, and students throw arrows from dozens of feet away to try and catch the plaque. The one who hits the most arrows is the champion and wins the prize of incense from the God of Millet.

Grain Rain Poems and Lyrics – The higher the quality of the poems, lyrics, and essays written, the more outstanding they will be! The prize is a Wenxin Pen (a type of writing brush).

These are all classic topics from the Grain Rain Literary Gathering, and the students are already very familiar with them.

Gu Zhimian suddenly sighed, "It's a pity that Brother Jiang's two [Dafu] poems couldn't be shown here! If even one of them were here, the title of Guyu Literary Champion would undoubtedly belong to him!"

Han Yugui waved his fan and smiled calmly: "Why would he need such empty titles? As the top scholar in Jiangyin, he should at least be guaranteed the title of 'Discretionary Scholar'."

Now, his participation in the prefectural examination is merely a matter of competing—whether he can once again claim the top spot in the county-level examination!

Gu Zhimian suddenly realized and nodded, "That's true!"

"Let's go check out the poetry gathering!"

The academy's headmaster Zhou Shanzhang, Prefect Xue Chonghu, and six top students including Jiang Xingzhou, arrived in a grand procession directly at one of the literary gathering venues—the Grain Rain Poetry Gathering.

More than two hundred young scholars had already gathered here, some with their hands behind their backs pondering, others writing furiously, all racking their brains for the best lines, vying for the title of champion in the poetry gathering.

Han Yugui, Cao An, Gu Zhimian, and other young scholars from Jiangyin were also waiting there early, pondering how to write a superior poem for Grain Rain.

Gu Zhimian, with his sharp eyes, spotted the figures of Headmaster Zhou and Prefect Xue from afar and immediately called out loudly:
"I was deeply moved when I witnessed the might of Lord Yuanjun in suppressing the demons in the East Sea the other day. I have composed a humble poem, which I wish to offer to you!"

Having said that, he raised his head high, held a prepared poem in his hand, and recited it aloud:
"Grain Rain - A Gift to Zhou Yuanjun on His Demon-Slaying Journey"

The ink pool suddenly seemed to overflow like the Eastern Sea.
Thunder roars and dragons howl on the paper.

The three-foot-long sword remained unsheathed.
First came the story of Wen Guang shooting down the demon star!
How could a scholar ever lack chivalry?
The strokes of the pen are the path of the sword's edge.

When the poem about Dafu was completed,
We must use heavenly lightning to cleanse the demon's lair!

The students present were terrified.

"That kid's a real shrewd one! How come I didn't think of that?!"

Someone whispered to themselves, and immediately regretted it to the core.

Everyone could see that Gu Zhimian had clearly prepared this poem in advance, just waiting for the Prince to appear so that he could make a name for himself.

The instructor in charge of the poetry recital's branch venue brightened up, clapped his hands, and exclaimed, "Wonderful! This poem deserves at least the 'Kouzhen' rating, and according to custom, it should be rewarded with a 'Kouzhen' level reward!"

After saying this, he personally picked up the poem and hurriedly and respectfully presented it to Professor Zhou, who had arrived at the branch venue.

Regardless of whether the poem is good or not,

Does the Prince like it?

Wear it a thousand times, but flattery never wears it.

If one were to give silver to officials, that would be considered bribery, a despicable act that cannot be brought to the table.

However, if you publicly and openly compose a poem for a local official, praising his reputation in the poem, the official will definitely be all smiles and will not refuse.

In case this article gets circulated,
With the accumulation of years, one can rise through the ranks from county to prefecture, leaving a lasting legacy and making a name for oneself in history.

This is a way to both give benefits and receive potential rewards.

"Excellent! This battle poem is quite at the level of the [Kouzhen]!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuanjun felt both amused and exasperated.

He had no choice but to accept the poem praising his slaying of the demon in the East Sea with a smile.

As for whether this poem was written upon hearing news from one's hometown or upon visiting a town, we will not delve into that.

He saw the signature on the poem: "Gu Zhimian from Jiangyin! Go and collect your reward for writing this poem!"

"Student Gu Zhimian thanks you, Your Excellency!"

Gu Zhimian was overjoyed and bowed respectfully.

The Prince pronounced his name once, which shows that his name has caught the Prince's eye.

If Lord Zhou remembers this moment when the prefectural examination comes, he might show leniency when grading the papers.

For a time,

The students followed suit, and poems were presented at the Grain Rain literary gathering, which became a popular practice.

"Brother Jiang, do you have any good poems?"

Gu Zhimian saw Jiang Xingzhou coming towards him and laughed loudly.

"Fine, I won't compete with Brother Gu for the title of champion at this Grain Rain Poetry Gathering!"

Jiang Xingzhou waved his hand and smiled, but his gaze had already turned elsewhere.

He set his sights on another precious artifact—the Incense of the God of Millet.

"Alright, let's go to another venue!"

Originally, Zhou Yuanjun wanted to see if the top students could compose a good poem for Grain Rain.

However, he was annoyed by the enthusiasm of the students who were presenting poems, so he had to give up the idea and led everyone away from the poetry gathering in a hurry. After wandering around, they arrived at the "Arrow Shooting Pot" sub-venue.

Here, only the clanging of arrows and the sounds of words and literary techniques could be heard, but not a single poem or article praising him could be seen. It was a rare quiet place for the Grain Rain Literary Gathering.

"Do you all wish to compete for the title of champion in the 'Arrow and Arrow Throwing Pot' event at the Grain Rain Literary Gathering?!"

Prefect Xue smiled at the six top students.

"The students have some experience with shooting arrows into pots!"

Shen Zhiyun, the top scholar from Jiyang, quickly cupped his hands in greeting.

The top students all nodded in agreement.

They haven't had a chance to shine yet, and if they don't seize the opportunity to do so soon, they might end up with nothing at this Guyu Literary Gathering.

(End of this chapter)