Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 109: Revising the Entire Poem! A First Glimpse into the Path! (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Jiang Xingzhou suddenly raised his head, his gaze as dark as ink, fixed on the "Ode to Xunyang Pavilion" on the wall of the pavilion.

[Ode to Xunyang Pavilion (original ode)]

Jiujiang, a strategic point, is where the Yangtze River surges. Mount Lu, towering above the clouds, overlooks the rivers and lakes; the pavilion stands in the southeast, guarding the nine tributaries. Its eaves seem to hold the stars and moon, embracing the vastness of the three rivers; its windows frame the mountains and waters, reflecting the verdant peaks of the Five Old Men Mountains.
"In this painting, the pavilions and eaves stand like swords over the river, cleaving through the vast expanse of misty waves. In the distance, where the mountains are shrouded in dark green, it seems as if a dragon is lurking, the ink colors vast and lifelike."

The paintings produced in the county are excellent!

Jiang Xingzhou hovered his fingertips over the inscription, feeling a stagnation in the flow of the words. He finally withdrew his hand from his sleeve and sighed softly, "However, this 'Ode to Xunyang Pavilion' seems somewhat lacking in skill."

"Oh, sailing, speak freely!"

Instructor Zhao's wide sleeves fluttered even without wind, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

"The student follows the instructor to learn the art of painting in this [cave dwelling], and has no way to repay him!"
This "Ode to Xunyang Pavilion" only captures the scenery of [Kouzhen], how can it be worthy of this painting of [Leaving the County]?!

Jiang Xingzhou suddenly raised his eyes, his gaze seemingly darting like a black dragon. "How about... letting the student dare to revise the poem? Perhaps he can be promoted to a position outside the county!"

"Oh, how should it be changed? Xingzhou, you just tell me."

Zhao Mengjie immediately flicked his sleeve, and three layers of ink patterns appeared on the jade brush washer on the table.

This instructor, renowned for his painting skills, now had the expectant look of a student in his eyes.

He excels in painting, but poetry and prose have always been his weak points. Compared to Jiang Xingzhou's poetry and prose, he can probably only be a student!

Jiang Xingzhou stood with his hands behind his back before the pavilion inscription, pondered for a moment, and a new poem had already come to mind. "The changes are a bit too significant, I hope the instructor will not mind!"

The air inside the pavilion was filled with the fragrance of ink, and a dozen or so scholars in blue robes had already gathered in front of the painted wall to admire the poem "Ode to Xunyang Pavilion".

They also felt that the poem was slightly lacking in skill.

But when it comes to actually making changes, they don't know where to start.

Xu Ziqian suddenly tapped his palm lightly with his folding fan and pondered, "If we change '[The Pavilion Stands in the Southeast, Suppressing the Nine Schools]' to 'The Flying Pavilion Soars Through the Sky, Suppressing the Nine Schools,' would the literary style be even better?"

"inappropriate!"

Before he could finish speaking, someone next to him immediately shook his head: "Brother Ziqian's change is just replacing Instructor Zhao's 'pavilion standing in the southeast' with 'flying pavilion soaring in the sky,' it is still not breaking out of the old mold."

"Such changes are probably not much different from Instructor Zhao's original text!"

A cacophony of voices erupted.

Some argued that "the eaves should pierce the moon over Wushan," while others countered that "it's better to let the frost of Chu sky linger over the vermilion railings." The debate raged, with everyone holding their own opinions.

"Sailing!"
But it's okay to change it, it's okay to change it!

Zhao Mengjie laughed loudly.

This usually composed instructor now had an almost fanatical anticipation burning in his eyes—

He had seen Jiang Xingzhou's poem "A Spray of Plum Blossoms: The Moon Over the West Tower," which captivated all the scholars in Jiangzhou; he had read "Looking at the Waterfall at Mount Lu," which stirred up the sea of ​​clouds at Mount Lu; and he had read "Bodhisattva's Charm: Ode to Feet," which made all the courtesans and dancers in the city envious. All of these were astonishing works.

Although Jiangzhou Prefecture is large, comprising one prefecture and five counties, there is probably no one who can rival Jiang Xingzhou in poetry and prose.

A wisp of green light condensed between Jiang Xingzhou's fingers as he picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and revised his poem.

In the morning light, half a golden ray was drawn out, and right before everyone's eyes, the original poem of one hundred characters on the wall was directly deleted with a single stroke!
"laugh--!"

The sharp sound of the brush slicing through the air seemed to echo like a dragon's roar within the attic for a long time.

The ink stains are scattered across the wall, and the gilded inscription that had remained unchanged for a century has been completely deleted!

In that instant, while the sun was rising outside Xunyang Pavilion, the interior seemed to fall into twilight, becoming silent as the light quickly dimmed.

Only the bluish light of the wolf-hair brush in Jiang Xingzhou's hand shone brighter in the dimming morning light, like the last undying starlight before dawn.

"Brother Jiang, you've deleted everything? Are you planning a complete overhaul? To rewrite 'Ode to Xunyang Pavilion'?!"

Zhou Lingyun looked shocked.

Xu Ziqian was incredulous. The jade folding fan in his hand fell to the ground with a "crack," making a startlingly crisp sound as it hit the blue bricks.

The dozens of scholars in the pavilion gasped in shock, taking three steps back in unison. The wind stirred up by their fluttering robes caused the Xuan paper on the table inside to rustle loudly.

They stared at the jade writing brush suspended in Jiang Xingzhou's hand, their Adam's apples bobbing, but no sound came out—

Changing the characters is easy!
Revising sentences is difficult!
Revising the entire piece is like moving a mountain!

This requires him to rewrite the "Xunyang Pavilion Rhapsody" all by himself!
Jiang Xingzhou's pen strokes were sharp as knives, deleting the original text on the wall of Xunyang Pavilion with a single stroke. Wherever the ink traced, the gilded ancient poem melted away like ice and snow, peeling away inch by inch.

Just as the original text vanished—

"Buzz!"

Deep within Jiang Xingzhou's consciousness, the bronze bamboo slips trembled violently, revealing a string of scarlet characters:
The state of the "Xunyang Pavilion" cave dwelling -

Cultivation speed: 5% (original +15%) → Cultivation is like rowing against the current!

Talent recovery speed: 5% (original +25%) → Writing becomes stagnant and blocked!
Enlightenment: Zeroing out → Darkness of Heaven's Secrets!
Tranquility: +1 (originally +10) → Distracting thoughts surge like a tide, making it impossible to clear away the negative effects!

Poetry: Return to Zero → The brush and ink lose their soul, and the article has no beneficial effect!
...]

The entire Xunyang Pavilion creaked under the weight of the heavy load, and the scholarly atmosphere accumulated between the beams seemed to be dissipating rapidly!

"boom--"

The entire Xunyang Pavilion trembled violently, and the literary aura on the carved beams poured out like a burst dam.

Jiang Xingzhou's pupils suddenly contracted—

The scarlet characters on the bronze bamboo slips in his mind's eye continued to flicker, and the various attributes of Xunyang Cave continued to decline at a visible rate.

He suddenly realized:
Without the support of poetry and literature, all the beneficial attributes of Xunyang Cave have plummeted!
It seems that this painting, titled "Leaving the County," is merely the shell of a scholar's hermitage for cultivation!

The true essence lies in those poems and essays, each word a gem!

That's what truly brings the benefit!
Of course, this does not mean that the medium on which the painting is displayed is unimportant—the higher the quality of the painting, the stronger its carrying capacity is likely to be!

Paintings are like boats, poems are like sails—

The stronger the boat, the more it can carry.
The stronger the sail, the farther it can travel!
Ultimately, the core of a painting is still poetry and prose!

Jiang Xingzhou's brushstrokes flowed like ink dragons beneath his wrist, the jade-green tip dancing swiftly across the blank spaces of the pavilion wall.

But we see:

【Ode to Xunyang Pavilion (New Version)】

[Yi Zhen divides the field, and the nine sects are Chaozong.

It rises from Mount Lu to overlook the Yunmeng Mountains, and controls the Jing and Wu regions to suppress the primordial chaos.

The eaves soar like stars, swallowing the vastness of the three rivers;
The window embraces the Xiao and Xiang rivers, locking in the lush greenery of the Five Elders.

In spring, silver fish leap on the Poyang Lake; in autumn, the stone bell hangs in the sky, its frost melting under the moon.

Tao Yuanming's chrysanthemum fragrance lingers in the painted beams, while Bai Juyi's tears and ink soak the carved windows.

I once heard Lü Yan's iron flute pierce through the misty rain; now I see the Rainbow Bridge piercing the sky with carriages and horses.

The pavilion stands tall, and the literary hub flourishes; a thousand years have passed, and its elegant style remains!

—Original poem by Zhao Mengfu, revised by Jiang Xingzhou!

Before the ink was dry, a clear and melodious phoenix cry suddenly rose from the pavilion!
Jiang Xingzhou did not use any famous Chinese texts, but instead rewrote and refined a rhapsody based on the original text.

Each word is like gold and jade striking each other, and each sentence is like clouds and mist rising from the sky!
The powerful writing style greatly enhances the literary quality of the original text!

"boom--!"

In an instant, the entire Xunyang Pavilion shone brightly, as dazzling as daytime!
A surge of brilliant talent, like a sea of ​​clouds, instantly enveloped the entire pavilion.

The pavilion was filled with a vibrant literary atmosphere. Silver scales and phantom images leaped into the air, the fragrance of chrysanthemums drifted through the air, and the sound of reading aloud echoed between the beams and pillars.

The newly written poem on the gilded walls of the pavilion shone brightly, each character radiating brilliant literary light, making the entire pavilion appear like a crystal palace!
"Om-!"

Jiang Xingzhou's consciousness trembled violently, and the ancient patterns on the bronze bamboo slips suddenly lit up with a dazzling golden light.

[Blessed by the "Xunyang Pavilion" cave dwelling]

The rate of cultivation speed increased by 45% (the circulation of Qi in the body is like a surging river).
Talent recovery efficiency increased by 32% (Talent flows like a surging spring tide).
Enlightenment Aura +15 (Clear Mind, Seeing the Flow of Daoist Aura)
Purity of Mind +30 (Reduces the negative effects of demonic distractions by 30 points; a mind as clear as ice can suppress demonic distractions).
Composing poems +30 (Composing poems and essays can increase the effect by 30 points, making the writing brilliant and the article a masterpiece).
As the bamboo slips trembled, the golden seal script seemed to move and recombine as if alive, with mysterious Daoist annotations appearing after each addition.

Jiang Xingzhou put down his pen and stood in the Xunyang Pavilion. He felt the literary energy surging through his body, and even his breath carried a faint fragrance of ink.

"Excellent poem!"

"Wonderful! Only this poem is worthy of my painting [Leaving the County]!"

Instructor Zhao Mengjie stared wide-eyed at the new poem on the pavilion wall, his whole body trembling like a leaf.

The powerful literary style emanating from those words made his original poem pale in comparison.

In a daze, he seemed to see his original poem, which he had poured his heart and soul into, "[Jiujiang is a strategic point, the Yangtze River surges. Mount Lu soars into the clouds and overlooks the rivers and lakes, the pavilion stands in the southeast to guard the nine tributaries.]", curled up in a corner of the pavilion as a ball of scrap paper, the handwriting blurred like a child's scribbles.

"This revision is excellent!"

"[The wings and chariots divide the realm, the nine branches pay homage.] — These opening eight characters alone reveal the difference in quality!"

Zhou Lingyun, Xu Ziqian, and dozens of other scholars stood there dumbfounded, their eyes reflecting the flowing literary light on the pavilion walls, forgetting even to breathe.

The entire poem was completely rewritten!

Each word is like a star arrayed in the sky, each sentence like a surging river. The landscape in the painting "Leaving the County" seems to have been infused with a soul, with clouds and mist rolling and the sound of the tides audible.

Everyone clearly saw—

Nine streams of water surge forth from the painting, and the brilliance of stars falls upon the eaves of the pavilion!
“This is no longer a simple harmony of poetry and painting,” Zhou Lingyun’s voice trembled. “This is using literature to enter the art of painting, enlightening the world!”

This elevates the painting of this cave dwelling to a whole new level!

After this, every day at 3:45 PM, the clear sound of boots would always echo on the bluestone path of Cheng Guan Painting Academy.

Jiang Xingzhou, dressed in a simple white robe with a jade pendant swaying at his waist, stepped into the painting studio.

Instructor Zhao Mengjie had already prepared Chengxintang Xuan paper in Tingsongxuan, and the ink on the desk was exuding the fragrance of pine soot.

"The art of grotto painting emphasizes the 'three distances' method."

Instructor Zhao demonstrated with his brush, the tip of which traced the winding mountain range on the paper. "High and distant views capture their grandeur, deep and far views capture their substance, level and distant views capture their rhythm—and look at the blank spaces left by the clouds and mist."

Jiang Xingzhou followed along, concentrating on his brushstrokes. A subtle flow of literary energy emanated from his wrist, and the outlines of the mountains and rocks subtly echoed the composition and spirit of "Ode to Xunyang Pavilion".

Zhao Mengjie imparted all his knowledge to Jiang Xingzhou, passing on the essence of the "Dongfu" painting style that he had comprehended throughout his life.

Every afternoon, I grind ink until dusk seeps through the windowpanes.

The stack of Xuan paper on the desk was taller than the inkstone, and each sheet was soaked in the fragrance of pine soot ink.

Instructor Zhao's voice often echoed in the studio, accompanied by the ticking of the water clock.

However, the "Dongfu Painting Path" is ultimately not an isolated path.

Jiang Xingzhou still paints landscapes, plants, fish, birds, and figures—the cave painting style involves these complex subjects.

The vastness and grandeur of mountains and rivers, the withering and flourishing of plants, the lively charm of fish and birds, and the spirit and character of people all need to find their place within the small space of the cave dwelling.

"Though the grotto in the painting is small, it must contain the whole world—grottoes, pavilions, people, mountains, water, grass, trees, fish, and birds!"

Instructor Zhao lightly touched the clouds and mist in the painting with his fingertips, saying, "For this stroke of wild orchids in the mountain stream, remember the beauty of 'sparse shadows cast horizontally and obliquely'; for that fisherman in his straw raincoat, you should understand the state of 'fishing alone in a boat'."

He suddenly lifted his wrist, and the tip of his brush lightly swept across the blank space—a few strokes of light ink transformed into a soaring blue phoenix, echoing the distant mountains and waterfalls.

Jiang Xingzhou was quick to learn and had a high comprehension level.

Painting orchids takes only one day.

With a slight movement of his fingertips, a wisp of green light flowed along the brushstrokes, and the ink-black orchid leaves gradually shone with spiritual light—withered vines sprouted flowers, old trees sprouted new shoots, and strange flowers and herbs suddenly appeared in barren places, with a faint fragrance floating in the air.

The orchid in the painting has three sword-like leaves, and the moonlight seems to flow faintly at the stamen.

Painting fish and birds took only a day.

The ink spread across the paper, transforming into a koi leaping from the water, its scales shimmering, its tail fin swaying gently, as if about to splash water at any moment. Then, a bluebird perched on a branch, its wings slightly spread, its beak gently parted, as if about to sing.

Zhao Mengjie stroked his beard and stared intently, his gaze following Jiang Xingzhou's brushstrokes. He saw the koi in the painting suddenly sway its tail and the bluebird flap its wings as if about to take flight—though not truly alive, they already seemed to burst forth from the paper.

Jiang Xingzhou infused the painting with his azure energy, and immediately the blue sparrow in the painting tilted its head and turned its eyes, as if it were peering into the outside world.

Cheng Guan Painting Academy.

The dozens of scholars who had chosen to study painting felt as if the sky had fallen.

They painted a clump of asparagus fern, practicing diligently for months, copying the clump of asparagus fern in the courtyard, but they could only capture its form, not its essence.

But Jiang Xingzhou only glanced up at the bamboo in the courtyard of the mansion, and he immediately picked up his brush and began to paint.

Wolf-hair brushes are used to create textured and dotted patterns on Xuan paper.

Jiang Xingzhou pondered for a moment, then incorporated Zheng Banqiao's "random stones paving the street" style into his writing, blending it into the bamboo joints.

The ink gradually lightens, one stroke forms a pole, two strokes form a joint, and three strokes create a branch.

As the last stroke of white light swept across the painting, the bamboo in the painting suddenly rustled, and the sound of metal striking metal could be faintly heard from among the bamboo leaves.

In just one day, Wen Zhuhua was ready to graduate.

Jiang Xingzhou painted something different every day: landscapes by Gu Kaizhi, rugged rocks by Zhang Zao, bamboo by Zheng Banqiao, flowers and birds by Zhao Mengfu, and shrimp by Qi Baishi!

"this!"

A scholar was so angry that his hands trembled, and his paintbrush fell to the ground with a clatter. He lamented his own clumsiness, "We spend a hundred days copying bamboo, but we only manage to paint the skin and flesh. This one stroke of his has even captured the soul of the bamboo!"

Zhao Jiaoyu stood with his hands behind his back in front of the desk, looking at the painting. He gazed at the real bamboo in the courtyard and the ink bamboo in the painting moving without wind, echoing each other. A deep meaning flashed in his eyes.

Where the bamboo joints in the painting are clearly defined, there is a faint blue halo flowing around, just like the new bamboo shoots just unfurling under the moon.

"Excellent! This ink bamboo is as slender and vigorous as bent iron, and as graceful as flowing clouds when it stretches out. Its form, its meaning, and its color are all of the highest quality!"

The student surpasses the teacher! This asparagus fern, painted with even greater spirit than its master!

Instructor Zhao Mengjie was greatly impressed and praised him highly.

Xu Ziqian's face was ashen, his knuckles were clenched so tightly they turned blue, and he almost broke the paintbrush in his hand.

Just half a month ago, he was arrogant in front of Jiang Xingzhou, having studied painting for three years. Now, however, he was hunched over like a broken bamboo.

But now, only half a month has passed,
He gazed at the pile of paintings on Jiang Xingzhou's desk—the rugged rocks still carried the warmth of the inkstone, the ink shrimp on the rice paper seemed about to leap out, and the branches and leaves of the asparagus fern even had lingering morning dew.

No matter what he was drawing, Jiang Xingzhou learned it in just one day and mastered it in just a few pages of paper, developing his own unique style!
It almost never takes two days!
What terrified Xu Ziqian the most was that Jiang Xingzhou didn't even need to repeatedly outline his strokes when painting—his brushstrokes were powerful and elegant, as if he already had the mountains, rocks, and fish in his mind.

Xu Ziqian looked at Jiang Xingzhou with a sense of shame and humility, not daring to look up at him!

Such insight is truly astounding!

Half a month has passed in the blink of an eye, and the Dragon Boat Festival is just around the corner.

The mugwort hanging from the eaves of the studio has gradually dried, releasing a bittersweet fragrance in the warm breeze.

When Jiang Xingzhou painted by the window, he could always hear the distant drumbeats of dragon boat practice piercing through the humid air, rumbling across the rice paper like thunder.

Xu Ziqian still arrives at his studio first thing every afternoon, but the pile on his desk is no longer filled with practice works, but with crumpled and discarded paper balls.

Jiang Xingzhou stood before the painting table, brush in hand, sometimes sketching towering peaks and precipitous valleys, sometimes adding touches of misty waves and fishermen.

Those seemingly complex techniques—the grandeur of mountains and rivers, the elegance of plants and trees, the vitality of fish and birds, and the charm of figures—gradually blend together in his brushstrokes.

"Wonderful!"

After admiring Jiang Xingzhou's newly painted work, Instructor Zhao's white beard trembled slightly, and he sighed, "In just half a month, you have already grasped the true meaning of the 'Three Distances' in the [Cave Abode Painting Path]. Such progress... I spent three years cultivating diligently back then!"

Then he addressed the assembled scholars, saying, "It is customary in Jiangzhou Prefecture to hold minor examinations on every festival and solar term!"

His voice was calm and unhurried, yet it struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer: "In three days it will be the Dragon Boat Festival, a major festival of our Great Zhou Dynasty."

Before the Dragon Boat Festival, let's do it tomorrow! Students, please brainstorm and create a painting as a mini-test!
Those ranked from first to fifth in the painting category will receive rewards from the government!

Those who rank in the bottom five will be reprimanded and punished!

"Here!"

Dozens of scholars responded in unison, their voices echoing between the beams and rafters of the painting studio.

The scholars below the hall had various expressions—some were already secretly calculating the time, some had beads of sweat on their foreheads, and some even unconsciously rubbed the Xuan paper on the table with their knuckles, as if they were tracing the outline in advance.

After giving some instructions, Zhao Jiaoyu's sleeves fluttered even without wind. He gave Jiang Xingzhou a deep look, then turned and left.

The moment the instructor's footsteps faded at the end of the corridor, the studio erupted in turmoil, like boiling water.

Brother Jiang!

Zhou Lingyun pushed through the crowd, the vermilion stain on her sleeve as vibrant as a pomegranate blossom. "Tomorrow is the minor examination. I wonder what painting Brother Jiang wishes to create?"

Jiang Xingzhou gently stroked the Xuan paper and calamus leaves on the table with his fingertips, and a line of golden light suddenly flowed through the veins of the leaves.

"I cultivate the [Cave Painting Path]!"

When he looked up, a phantom image of flying eaves and brackets seemed to flash across his eyes: "Naturally, I will paint a [cave dwelling]."

The whole room was in uproar.

In the past two weeks, everyone has seen Jiang Xingzhou's paintings—in the paintings, the green bricks and gray tiles change with the phases of the moon, and the cloud patterns between the pillars can truly flow on the rice paper.

Xu Ziqian clenched his wolf-hair brush tightly, oblivious to the ink splattering on his sleeve. The ink shrimp swimming in the water that Jiang Xingzhou painted that day still haunts his nightmares.

Brother Jiang is truly talented!

Zhou Lingyun said enviously.

The scholars breathed a sigh of relief. If Jiang Xingzhou had painted birds, beasts, insects, and fish, the pressure on them would have been immense; it would have been like embarrassing themselves in front of everyone during a small exam.

"Brother Zhou, you flatter me. I've only just begun to understand the basics!"

Jiang Xingzhou smiled.

In the past two weeks, he has made some progress in this "Cave Painting Path." He has been able to initially integrate pavilions, mountains and rivers, birds and fish into a unified whole.

While it can't be called a great mastery, a minor mastery is already considered a glimpse into the [Cave Painting Path].

He already had a plan in mind.

The cave paintings are merely a medium; they are sufficient for their purpose!

The true essence of a painting in a cave dwelling lies in the inscription of a superb poem or essay on it.

He happened to be painting a picture for the Dragon Boat Festival mini-exam at the Jiangzhou government office, which also served as a test of his skills in painting.
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(End of this chapter)