Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 112 Dragon Boat Festival is approaching! Medicinal bath! (Seeking monthly votes!)
Jiangzhou Prefecture Courtyard.

As dusk settled, the crimson sky slowly enveloped the Jiangzhou government compound. Strings of newly cut and dried artemisia banners were already hanging in the courtyard's corridors.

The treetops trembled slightly in the evening breeze, startling several weary birds returning to their nests.

As the last rays of the setting sun swept across the walls of the house in the "Humble Abode Inscription," the cultural glow gradually dimmed, turning the mottled characters amber.

The instructors and scholars were still engrossed in the scene, lingering there, unwilling to leave.

Lu Ming traced the still-wet ink marks of the "Ode to a Humble Abode" on the stone wall with his fingertips, as if the light of a sword were moving across the surface.

Zhang Youyi repeatedly recited the line "This is a humble abode, but my virtue makes it fragrant," swaying his head and completely absorbed in the moment.

Until the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), the drum of Jiangzhou Prefecture pierced through the reed-woven doors and wooden gates, reaching the inner world of the painted scroll cave.

These scholars in blue robes were then awakened, and reluctantly parted in twos and threes, their clothes still carrying the unique fragrance of orchids from the grotto.

The officials and students of the government and academy could not stay in this grotto for long. Although they looked back every few steps, they had no choice but to leave one after another along the bluestone path.

The Dragon Boat Festival is approaching.

The scholars' preliminary examinations were not yet over.
The instructors, along with the piles of official documents and the holiday gifts waiting to be prepared on their desks, were all urging them to leave this secluded paradise and return to the government office.

Only Cao An, Xue Fu, and others remained in the wooden house, reading by lamplight all night long.

A few swaying white gauze palace lanterns cast their slender silhouettes on the stone wall.

The rustling of pages turning could be heard all night, occasionally interspersed with a few soft recitations.

Moonlight filtered through the crevices in the rocks, flowing between their clothes and casting a soft glow on their all-night study.

Jiang Xingzhou finally stepped out of the cave, his sleeves fluttering slightly. The scroll painting of the cave, featuring the poem "Ode to a Humble Abode," on the table rolled up like flowing clouds and fell into his palm.

The moment the scroll was closed, all the ink-wash charm, literary spirit, and spiritual brilliance of the landscape within the grotto vanished, leaving only a serene and quiet courtyard.

The grotto in the painting is quite mysterious???if Cao An and the others wish to leave, they only need to step a few dozen feet away from the thatched wooden house, and as if shattering a reflection in water or a flower in a mirror, they will fall out of the painting and return to the mortal world.

The old scholar Li Changli suddenly bowed to Jiang Xingzhou, his pale face suddenly becoming bright and healthy, and his originally slightly hunched back now standing straight.

Without uttering a word, he turned and left, his brocade boots treading on the blue bricks, even the usually gloomy sound of his footsteps seemed a little lighter.

"."

Jiang Xingzhou was somewhat puzzled. He ran his fingertips along the edge of the scroll, watching Li Changli's figure disappear into the night, and wondered to himself.

Just before entering the cave, I saw that this person had a gloomy look between his brows and was quite dissatisfied with me. How come he changed his expression in the blink of an eye?
Upon seeing this, Zhou Yuanjun stroked his beard and chuckled.

Li Changli's denunciation of the Zhao family harboring a traitorous intellectual was largely thanks to the righteous spirit of "The Humble Abode Inscription," which cleansed his heart and soul.

If it weren't for the resounding influence of "Only My Virtue is Fragrant" that awakened even a scion of the Li family like Li Changli, he would never have revealed such a secret affair as "the Zhao family colluding with traitorous scholars."

However, the Zhao family is a prominent clan in Jiangzhou, with deep roots and wide connections. This matter must not be leaked, and the fewer people who know about it, the better.

The water clock has rung three times, and the sound of the clapper shatters the moonlight.

As Zhou Yuanjun walked through the frost-covered ground to the Jiangzhou government office, he suddenly saw a silhouette resembling a crouching tiger reflected in the hall.

Prefect Xue still hadn't returned home; the piles of files on his desk were so heavy they dimmed the candlelight.

The night watchman was startled and stumbled. When he saw the purple-robed official, he hurriedly tried to go inside to report.

"Wait a moment."

Zhou Yuanjun raised her hand to stop them, but she herself stood under the dripping eaves.

Inside the hall, Prefect Xue wielded his brush with the precision of a knife, his vermilion ink marks sweeping across the Xuan paper with the wolf-hair brush, the rustling sound like silkworms devouring mulberry leaves, exceptionally clear in the still night.

Occasionally, when deep in thought, the tip of his pen hovers half an inch above the paper, and the candlelight causes his brows to furrow into the shape of a river.

Xue Chonghu seemed to sense something, suddenly looked up, and said with a smile, "Brother Zhou, what brings you to the government office today?"

His vermilion brush hovered in mid-air, a drop of ink about to fall. In the candlelight, his eyes blazed like torches, burning intensely like the lingering smoke of war beacon fires on the frontier.

"Brother Xue!"

Zhou Yuanjun stepped in with a smile, the jade pendants at his waist striking each other with a clear, ringing sound, like ice being thrown into a pot, which was particularly distinct in the quiet night.

"Serving tea to His Excellency!"

The bailiffs on either side were about to step forward with a gilded tea tray when they saw Zhou Yuanjun roll up his wide sleeves, and a copy of "The Humble Abode Inscription" landed on Xue Chonghu's desk like a white crane spreading its wings.

The moment the scroll was unfurled, it stirred up a fierce wind, the candlelight crackled and popped, and the flames suddenly shot up, illuminating the deep furrows between Xue Chonghu's brows as if they had been carved by a knife and axe.

"You all step back!"

Zhou Yuanjun lightly flicked his sleeves,
The constables suddenly felt as if the teacups in their hands were incredibly heavy.

By the time they came to their senses, their feet had involuntarily retreated to the stone steps outside the hall.

"Squeak???!"

The vermilion doors closed automatically without wind, locking the candlelight and the two opposing figures within the imposing government hall.

"An interesting thing happened at the Academy today!"
Jiang Xingzhou painted a scroll depicting the poem "Ode to a Humble Abode" in a cave, inviting everyone to enter the cave and take a look.

Unexpectedly, this hidden paradise within the painting would influence a scholar.

Zhou Yuanjun chuckled, then suddenly lowered his voice, "That student has reported that someone in Jiangzhou Prefecture is harboring a traitorous scholar!"

The candlestick on the table popped open with a "snap" and the lamp flame flickered.

"Oh, let me guess???!"

Xue Chonghu's eyes widened suddenly. He put down his pen and whispered, "Is this the Zhao family in the east of the city who is harboring a traitor?!"

"Brother Xue, you already knew this?"

Zhou Yuanjun's eyebrows suddenly twitched, his expression momentarily stunned, somewhat surprised.

"The case of three hundred students from Jiangyin being attacked by a demon remains the top unsolved case in Jiangzhou Prefecture!"
This government has been investigating for months, but the clues have vanished without a trace???we have found no leads.

In this Jiangzhou region, who else but Zhao Huai, who is in charge of the canal transport, could hide hundreds of demon soldiers and generals without anyone noticing and erase all traces?
However, thoroughly investigating this transport commissioner is quite a difficult task.

It's hateful that the Zhao family has formed a marriage alliance with the Vice Minister of Rites. If we act rashly without solid evidence, we'll fail to destroy the Zhao family with a single blow and will surely be met with their retaliatory attacks!

Xue Chonghu slammed his hand on the table in anger, making the teacups clink.

"When the three hundred students of Jiangyin were attacked, Jiang Xingzhou personally witnessed three black-clad, masked, rebellious scholars acting together with a demon general."

Now, Li Changli, the eldest son of the Li family, is suing the Zhao family for harboring a traitorous scholar. The traitorous scholar harbored by the Zhao family is also dressed in black with his face covered!
Li Changli is related to the Zhao family by marriage; without solid evidence, he certainly wouldn't make false accusations against the Zhao family without cause!

Zhou Yuanjun nodded slightly.

He then realized that Xue Chonghu's previous words were merely speculation, and that he had not obtained any evidence that the Zhao family was harboring a traitor.

With Li Changli now a key witness, the case has finally made a substantial breakthrough.

Xue Chonghu slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, his eyes flashing with cold light.
"That matches up!"

The attack on the ship carrying three hundred students in Jiangyin was undoubtedly the work of the Zhao family!
Zhao Bingzhu, the head of the Zhao family, was a classmate of Li Mo, the magistrate of Jiangyin County, and they both passed the imperial examinations and were as close as brothers.

But fate played a cruel trick on them???Li Mo was granted a real position and became the governor of a region, while Zhao Bingzhu could only wait idly for a vacancy, feeling frustrated and resentful.

He had coveted the seal of Jiangyin County for many years, secretly colluding with rebellious scholars and demons, and was willing to use the blood of three hundred students to stain the Yangtze River red, all in order to push Li Mo into an abyss of no return!

Li Mo probably never imagined, even in his death, that the person who stabbed him in the back was none other than his 'classmate and friend' of twenty years!

Suddenly, the candlelight burst open, illuminating Xue Chonghu's five fingers as he slowly closed them, revealing prominent veins.

His voice was deep and his words were sharp as knives: "I sent people to the capital to investigate. Zhao Bingzhu recently sent his confidants to the capital to secretly visit the residence of the Vice Minister of Rites!"
Zhao Bingzhu is most likely trying to use the power of the imperial court to seize the seal of Jiangyin County!

Changing the subject, Xue Chonghu sneered: "It's a pity that although Jiangyin County Magistrate Li Mo came from a poor family, he is not a pushover!"
He was the third son-in-law of Wei Guanlan, the governor of Jiangnan Circuit, and thus had powerful backing.

How could Zhao Bingzhu, a mere candidate for the imperial examination, be so easily persuaded to be the son-in-law of a high-ranking official of the third rank?

Zhao Bingzhu wants to bring down Li Mo? Ha... that's wishful thinking!

"Is this really true?... Our friendship as classmates has come to this!"

Zhou Shanchang frowned deeply, tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, and let out a long sigh as cold as frost falling to the ground.

Xue Chonghu strode into the main hall of the government office, where a huge "Jiangzhou City Defense Map" was solemnly unfurled under the candlelight???

The entire city's layout is revealed in minute detail:
The official roads surged like blood vessels, the markets were like intertwined bones, and the local garrisons were arrayed like sharp teeth!
Xue Chonghu slammed his iron palm on the eastern part of the city, causing the blueprints to rustle.

"The Zhao residence!"

???I sent Commander Lei to keep an eye on things for several days. The Zhao family has at least three hundred assassins, and they have hidden bows, crossbows and armor. It???s practically a small military camp!??? He traced his finger along the winding waterway and stopped at the canal dock.

"But the most troublesome one is Zhao Huai, the transport commissioner! He is in charge of transporting grain, repairing grain ships, dispatching orders, reconciling accounts, inspecting grain, and supervising the collection of grain!"

"This transport commissioner commands three thousand soldiers and twenty warships of various sizes, deployed at the transport docks. Half of the entire river within Jiangzhou Prefecture is under his control!"

Xue Chonghu stood before the "Jiangzhou City Defense Map." In the candlelight, his eyes gleamed with a cold light, and his fingertips slowly traced the map, as if a blade were cutting through silk, carving a chilling killing intent into the city defenses.

"The Zhao family is a den of venomous snakes???we must strike them where it hurts!"

His voice was deep, and he pointed his finger heavily, "Those rebellious scholars hiding in the mansion are perfect tinder!"

Xue Chonghu sneered, his five fingers suddenly closing like iron clamps locking his throat. "Since we're going to make a move, we must strike decisively and ensure that the Zhao family will never be able to rise again!"

"The inner courtyard of the Zhao residence, the canal wharf, the official road outside the city..."

He pointed his finger at three spots in succession, and the candlelight trembled with each touch. "Three blades of slaughter, strike down at the same time!"

The candlelight suddenly exploded, illuminating half of his face, which was stained with blood.

Zhou Shanzhang narrowed his eyes and pondered, "But we need to find a foolproof opportunity to both sever Zhao Huai's connection with the three thousand canal soldiers and wipe out the core of the Zhao family in one fell swoop! ... Brother Xue, do you have a good plan?"

"I heard that the Zhao family is currently making grand preparations to celebrate the 70th birthday of that old scoundrel Zhao Huai soon."

Xue Chonghu's lips slowly curled up, his smile as sharp as a drawn blade, its cold light chilling: "On the day of the birthday banquet???the direct descendants of the Zhao family, the trusted confidants of the grain transport commissioner, and the traitorous literati will all gather together!"
All we need to do is block off the three streets and six alleys surrounding the Zhao residence, cutting off its canal transport and communication, and then enter the Zhao residence under the pretext of celebrating a birthday!

Slaughter the entire Zhao family estate!

The candlelight flickered and then flared again, revealing the ruthless determination in his eyes.

Their eyes met, like swords clashing, their sharp edges revealed.

"At that time, it will be the flood season, and the transport troops will be stationed on various dikes, unable to return to provide reinforcements!"

"This is a golden opportunity!"

Xue Chonghu smiled grimly, ???The day of the birthday banquet will be the auspicious day to pluck the heads off Zhao Huai and Zhao Bingzhu!???

Outside the window, a sudden night wind rose, stirring up a chilling atmosphere.

The Duke of Xue's Mansion.

The gentle breeze of the Dragon Boat Festival, carrying the fragrance of mugwort, wafts through the red-lacquered gates and embroidered doors.

Everywhere in the mansion, verdant mugwort leaves were hung, and newly hung calamus swords swayed gently in the wind, dispelling the summer's stale air.

Miss Xue Lingqi originally planned to stay in Jiangzhou for three days before returning to Jiangyin, so as not to be entangled with Jiang Xingzhou day and night and neglect his studies.

However, Madam Xue insisted on keeping her there.

"At least wait until after the Dragon Boat Festival before you leave!"

Madam Xue held her daughter's hand, her eyes filled with affection, "Now that you're gone, I don't know when I'll be able to taste the rice dumplings made at home again."

In the west wing,

Chuntao led several young maids to sit around an embroidered stool. With nimble fingers, she embroidered auspicious patterns on a sachet with five-colored silk threads.

The sachet contained medicinal herbs such as cinnabar and realgar, and its fragrance wafted out from the brocade pouch, mingling with the girls' silvery laughter and echoing through the corridor.

"Look, miss!"

Chun Tao held up a sachet with gold thread trim and shook it like a treasure, "This servant specially stuffed in extra mugwort leaves, guaranteed to keep those mosquitoes away."

"Hmm! The embroidery is quite good! Embroider a few more for Young Master Jiang, and also for Fugui!"

Xue Lingqi took the sachet handed to her by the maid, her slender, jade-like fingers tracing the delicate "longevity thread" on it.

Five-colored silk threads are wrapped around the wrist, just like this rare family bliss, which is something to be cherished.

The aroma of bamboo leaves wafted from the direction of the kitchen, and the large iron pot on the stove gurgled loudly.

Several old women chatted as they wrapped zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), piling the glutinous rice, jujubes, and red bean paste into small mountains among the green bamboo leaves.

By evening,

In the main hall, Duke Xue held up a gilded wine cup, the amber-colored realgar wine shimmering in the candlelight, reflecting the joyful faces of the entire room.

"Come on, fill them all up!"

He greeted Madam Xue, Xue Lingqi, Jiang Xingzhou, Xue Fu, Xue Gui, and the others with a smile, "Tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival, and there will be a literary gathering! We must drink to our hearts' content today."

Xue Gui, unable to contain himself any longer, raised his cup and exclaimed, "Father is right! We must drink to our hearts' content today!"

The realgar wine of the Duke's Mansion is made by steeping aged Shaoxing wine.

Jiang Xingzhou's cheeks were already flushed after taking only half a sip of wine.

The faint sound of drums signaling the dragon boat's trial run could be heard outside the window, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Deeper stillness,

The moon is like water.

Inside a side room in the courtyard, a cypress bathtub steamed with rising heat. Orchids and mugwort leaves swirled in the hot water, and the aroma of herbs, combined with a scholarly atmosphere, condensed into a pale blue mist in the room.

Jiang Xingzhou loosened his hair crown, and his long, black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, reflecting a faint blue glow in the candlelight.

He lightly touched the water's surface with his fingertips, causing ripples to spread, and the medicinal properties seeped into his skin along with the rising steam.

According to the Han Dynasty text "Da Dai Li", "In the fifth month, people gather orchids for bathing", using herbs to boil water for bathing to cure diseases - this is an ancient ritual of the Dragon Boat Festival that has been passed down to this day.

Clothes completely removed

His slender figure was submerged in the medicinal soup. He sat with his eyes closed, his face cold and indifferent.

The fair skin gradually turned rosy, like cinnabar spreading on rice paper.

The energy in his chest and abdomen surged like a river, interacting with the surging medicinal power, creating a clear, gurgling sound as it flowed through his meridians.

Outside the window, a single orchid leaf drifted down and landed right on the window frame.

But then I heard???

"squeak"

With a soft sound, the door was pushed open by a slender hand.

Jiang Xingzhou couldn't help but open his eyes from his closed meditation.

Xue Lingqi walked in gracefully.

She stood beside the screen in the side room, her fingertips lightly twirling the ribbon at her waist, causing her red dress to slide down like the sunset, piling up on the blue brick floor, resembling a blooming red lotus.

In the steaming bathtub,
Her delicate feet lightly touched the bathwater, creating ripples.

The fragrance of orchids rose gently with the steam, casting a faint blush on her alabaster skin.

Xue Lingqi nestled in Jiang Xingzhou's arms, her almond-shaped eyes lowered, her long eyelashes casting butterfly-like shadows, hiding her shyness entirely in the misty haze.

The water rippled gently, and the bathtub swayed like a wooden boat.

The moonlight, like a veil, spilled over the west wing, enveloping it in a hazy, clear glow.

The boat rose and fell gently with the waves.

The sound of oars echoed through the air.
Startled, two or three sparrows slept outside the window, fluttering past the window frame before disappearing into the depths of the bamboo shadows in the side courtyard.

a long time.

"Would you like to join me for the literary gathering tomorrow for the Dragon Boat Festival?"

Jiang Xingzhou put his arm around her slender waist, his fingertips caressing her side, and looked down at the blush on her cheeks, asking softly with a smile.

"Of course I'll go! But I won't go with you!"

Upon hearing this, Xue Lingqi's eyes sparkled, and she smiled with great interest, saying, "Father is hosting the Dragon Boat Festival literary gathering this year. All the talented scholars from the five counties of Jiangzhou Prefecture are eagerly anticipating this event, hoping to make a name for themselves."

I had already arranged to go with several young ladies from Jiangzhou Prefecture, including Zhou Yunyao, the eldest daughter of the Salt and Iron Commissioner Zhou, Shen Mingluo, the daughter of the Grand Secretary Shen, and Chen Yuntang, the eldest granddaughter of the retired Hanlin scholar Chen, to see the excitement!
You can enjoy poetry and essays, and also watch dragon boat races!
I often hear them mention you, and their eyes always light up!
Just the other day, Sister Zhou was saying, "If we're talking about poetry, who can compare to Young Master Jiang even a fraction?" And that girl from the Shen family is even more outrageous; she's compiled your poems into a book called "A Collection of Masterpieces" and recites it every day.

Xue Lingqi suddenly leaned closer, a subtle fragrance wafting over her, her soft breath gently nibbling at his ear, "How could we miss such a lively occasion?"

"That's it!"

Jiang Xingzhou was both amused and exasperated. "Since you've invited several young ladies, it would be quite inconvenient for me to go along. Tomorrow I'll go with Xue Fu and Xue Gui; they're clamoring to go to the dragon boat race."
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May 1st! Requesting double monthly votes!!!
(End of this chapter)