Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 114 The Final Sprint! The Last Trump Card: Jiang Xingzhou!

Hundreds of painted dragon boats from Jiangzhou Prefecture, participating in the dragon boat race, gathered from the banks of the three rivers and six banks, and were moored in rows under Wangjiang Pavilion.

The dragon head, painted in vermilion and gold, stood proudly in the morning light, while the brocade banners fluttered in the wind.

The participating boatmen, dressed in various colorful outfits, stood solemnly with oars in hand or beat drums to boost morale, making the clear river water appear colorful.

The sounds of string and wind instruments from the distant painted boats mingled with the shouts of boatmen nearby, adding a lively atmosphere to this grand Dragon Boat Festival event.

Jiang Xingzhou, along with Xue Fu, Xue Gui, Shen Zhiyun, Han Yugui, and other students from the academy, descended from Wangjiang Pavilion and hurried to the riverbank.

Xue Fu raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sun, gazed at the river, and laughed, "This year's spectacle is even more impressive than in previous years!"

Xue Gui, unable to contain himself any longer, took a few steps ahead and stepped onto the pontoon bridge, turning back to call out to the others: "Don't delay, hurry up and board the boat!"

Shen Zhiyun moved with light steps and leaped onto the dragon boat.

Jiang Xingzhou stood in front of the boat, took a deep breath, and felt the river wind blowing in his face, mixed with the sound of drums and shouts, which made him feel heroic.

His sharp gaze swept across the river.
On the various dragon boats, one could see many scholars sitting upright, their brocade robes and jade belts gleaming in the sunlight.

The air was filled with the sounds of people on both sides of the river. Acquaintances called out to each other across the boat, and for a time, the voices of "Brother Zhang" and "Brother Li" rose and fell.

Suddenly, a dragon boat with a blue flag appeared, cutting through the waves. The person at the helm, dressed in a purple robe and wearing a jade crown, was none other than Li Mo, the magistrate of Jiangyin County.

The official in charge of Jiangyin County had shed his official demeanor at this moment, with his sleeves rolled up high, revealing his strong forearms, and looked like an ordinary boatman.

"Lord Li, it's been a long time!"

Jiang Xingzhou bowed loudly, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes, "You're personally steering the dragon boat race for the Dragon Boat Festival?"

After all, he is the local official of Jiangyin County; you see him all the time.

"Jiang Lang?!"

Hearing the voice, Li Mo turned around, his long oar stirring up a string of sparkling water droplets on the blue waves, and laughed loudly: "To be honest, I'm ashamed to say it!"

For twelve years now, the dragon boats of my Jiangyin County have not made it into the top five of the Dragon Boat Festival literary competition.

The magistrate is determined to break into the top five this year!

He raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead; the hem of his purple robe was already soaked by the waves. His expression held unspeakable anxiety. "If we return defeated again this year, I will have nowhere to put my old face! Would you be willing to join my Jiangyin Dragon Boat Team and do your part for your hometown?!"

Before the words were finished, a clear shout suddenly came from the dragon boat of Jiangzhou Academy: "Wait!"

Zhao Mengjie, the instructor, was so anxious that his hat and belt were askew, and half of his body was leaning out of the boat: "The boat is made by students of my prefectural academy, so naturally they should participate in the dragon boat of my Jiangzhou Prefectural Academy! Magistrate Li, don't try to undermine my prefectural academy!"

At this point, his face turned bright red, and he finally managed to choke out, "Our academy's dragon boat team hasn't tasted victory in a dragon boat race for ten years!"

Whether the Academy's dragon boat team can win first place this year depends on their rowing!

The dragon boats erupted in laughter.

A man patted the side of the boat and laughed loudly: "Instructor Zhao, I've never seen you begging like this before!"

On another large dragon boat, Captain Lei Wanting laughed and chimed in, "Young Master Jiang, why don't you join our Jiangzhou Prefecture Dragon Boat Team? If you come, I guarantee we'll win first place!"

The shouts and cheers rose and fell among the various dragon boats as they vied for the boats.

However, they also knew that Jiang Xingzhou was now studying at Jiangzhou Academy and would definitely prioritize joining the academy's dragon boat team.

The chances of joining another dragon boat team are slim.

"Fine! I'll just stay on the dragon boat at the academy!"

Jiang Xingzhou stood at the bow of his boat, and saw countless eager gazes shooting towards him from the hundreds of dragon boats of various sizes on the river.

He politely declined all the dragon boat invitations.

There are no restrictions on the number of participants in this Dragon Boat Race.

Almost every dragon boat vying for a place in the top ten has three to five scholars in charge, making the competition exceptionally fierce and brutal.

Hundreds of dragon boats, of varying sizes, carrying anywhere from ten to a hundred people.

These small dragon boats may not necessarily lack advantages.

The small boat, resembling a delicate "spinning shuttle," was no more than three zhang long. Its hull was painted with vermilion scale patterns, and ten strong men rowed it shirtless.

Whenever the drumbeats suddenly quicken, they weave through the gaps between the boats like swimming fish, their boats agile and swift, their impact speed extremely fast, and the paddles splashing up countless silver stars as they rise and fall.

However, its weaknesses are also obvious. Despite its agility and speed, the boat is prone to rocking and capsizing when it encounters a little wind and waves. It cannot withstand the wind and waves of the river, often causing onlookers on the shore to exclaim in surprise.

Those large dragon boats, such as the "Zhenjiang Dragon," were all giant boats more than ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) long, with two rows of scholars in blue robes sitting inside.

They also have advantages. Although they are a bit clumsy and slow when they start paddling, once they get going, they have a very strong momentum, like a giant whale breaking through the waves, and small boats have to give way wherever they go.

These large dragon boats can forcefully smash through three or five smaller boats blocking their path. Sparks fly from the copper-clad prows, yet they remain motionless and continue moving forward, enduring the brutal collisions.

A dark dragon boat was moored in the middle of the river. The boat, which was more than ten feet long, was completely black, except for the five gilded characters "Jiangzhou Academy" on the bow. It was the academy's large dragon boat.

The ten instructors, all with solemn expressions, sat upright before the rosewood desk in the middle cabin, where a row of neat jade pen holders reflected the sunlight.

Behind them, forty scholars in white robes held brushes in unison, with Xuan paper spread out in front of them.

Fifty shirtless strongmen lined the two sides of the dragon boat, their backs tanned and their oars held with great strength.

The helmsman of the dragon boat at Jiangzhou Academy was Instructor Wang Yizhou, who taught "Imperial Lessons" and was most skilled at navigating the boat.

"Gentlemen! Those who hold the oars of the dragon boat are all strongmen!"
We scholars, on the other hand, use our pens and ink as oars, and our thoughts and ideas as boats. We may write any poems, lyrics, songs, or essays related to dragon boats.

It is not limited to 'war poems' to bolster morale, 'enhancement poems' to add power, or 'auxiliary poems' to increase speed.
Even composing poems of obstruction, interfering with the progress of other boats, would not be unacceptable!

After a slight pause, Instructor Wang Yizhou's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "However, remember this well—poetry may hinder a boat, but it must not harm a person! This is the ironclad rule of the literary gathering!"

His gaze was sharp as he surveyed the crowd, finally lingering briefly on Jiang Xingzhou.

Many of Jiang Xingzhou and the others were participating in the Jiangzhou Prefecture Dragon Boat Festival for the first time, so he made sure to explain the rules in more detail.

Even with Jiang Xingzhou, the top talent of Jiangzhou Academy, participating, everyone's confidence was greatly boosted.

However, Jiang Xingzhou was only a scholar, far less talented than a successful candidate in the imperial examinations. Moreover, the dragon boat race was a team competition, so they still dared not be careless.

"Instructor Wang, what are some things we should pay particular attention to?"

Jiang Xingzhou cupped his hands in greeting and asked with a solemn expression.

Wang Yizhou's gaze was serious as he surveyed the crowd and slowly said:

"Dragon boat races, covering a distance of ten miles."

He held up one finger, his voice steady:

First, respond to each move as it comes!
During the dragon boat literary competition, the situation changes rapidly, and the poetic exchanges between the boats surge like waves, far beyond what can be dealt with simply by preparing a few poems beforehand.

Raise a second finger, emphasizing the tone:

"Secondly, the distribution of talents among the people on the boat, and the relay of their efforts, must be handled with utmost care!"
One should not be impetuous and exhaust one's talent too early. Especially in the final sprint, if one has no energy left to compose poetry, one is like a boat without oars, destined to fail!

Instructor Wang Yizhou's sharp gaze fell upon the new students, and he said, word by word, "Therefore—everyone on board must obey the orders of the helmsman at the bow!"

"Xingzhou, the final sprint is in your hands! Are you confident?"

Instructor Wang Yizhou's eyes were filled with hope.

"Okay, then, I'll take care of it!"

Jiang Xingzhou's expression remained unchanged; he merely nodded slightly, but a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

"Jiangzhou Prefecture Dragon Boat Race – Begin!"

Prefect Xue stood on the high platform, and with a wave of his wide sleeves, his voice was as loud as a bell.

"Raise the dragon boat flag!"

"Beat the drums—!"

At Wangjiang Pavilion, the commander on the drum platform gave a long shout, and the colorful dragon boat flags fluttered in the wind.

As soon as the word was uttered, the river surface suddenly boiled!

Dozens of small dragon boats, light and agile, and the fastest, shot out of the waves like arrows released from a bow, stirring up layers of snowy waves as the oars flew.

On the Wangjiang Pavilion, colorful flags fluttered in the wind, and the cheers of the people were like a tidal wave, their voices shaking the heavens.

Crowds surged along the riverbank, cheers, drumbeats, and the sound of waves mingled together, making the entire river city boil with excitement!

Followed by,

There are more than ten large dragon boats.

In the Jiangzhou government office, the golden dragon boat led by Captain Lei Wanting remained steadily in the middle of the river.
Jiangzhou Prefectural Academy, a black dragon boat led by Instructor Wang Yizhou.

The black dragon boat carrying grain darted in from the side, closely following the dragon boat of the Imperial Academy.

Dragon boat teams formed by five counties!

A gilded dragon boat, assembled by the scions of ten prominent families in Jiangzhou, stretches across the middle of the river.

There are also some second-tier dragon boats that are not in a hurry to take the lead, but follow behind the large dragon boats to conserve their energy and strength.

Jiang Xingzhou sat on the academy's dragon boat, his clothes fluttering, his eyes reflecting the shimmering waves, and his ears filled with deafening shouts.

As the drumbeats began, fifty pairs of iron arms swung oars into the water, creating splashes of water.

Suddenly, a sound like tearing silk was heard, and the entire dragon boat was suddenly bathed in a yellowish glow like a scripture scroll—it turned out that the ten instructors had simultaneously unfolded a short poem manuscript that they had written in advance.

[Dragon Boat Scales], [Dragon Boat Cloud Armor]!

The ink on the snow wave paper in their hands was not yet dry when it turned into streaks of golden light and disappeared into the hull of the ship.

A faint golden aura rippled around the boat, covering a full ten layers of protective shield!

"Instructor Wang, why have you devoted so much effort to the dragon boat's protective shield?"

Jiang Xingzhou frowned slightly.
Han Yugui and the others also looked surprised.

"The dragon boat race is chaotic!"
Various despicable tactics will be used one after another, and you will soon find out—in this dragon boat race on the river, it's hard to guard against hidden arrows!
First ensure your own safety, then you can seek victory!

Seeing the puzzled looks on the faces of the scholars and students, Instructor Wang Yizhou smiled and explained.

As soon as he finished speaking,
In the distance, a dragon boat suddenly stirred up waves several meters high, hurtling towards its neighboring boat. The faint sound of poetry drifted over, seemingly trying to disrupt the rhythm of the other boats.

"not good!"

Instructor Wang Yizhou's expression suddenly changed.
On the dragon boat of Jiangzhou Prefecture, Lei Wanting and ten other scholars simultaneously rose up, shouted in unison, and wrote four characters in mid-air:

"Silence is golden!"

The four words exploded like thunder, and ten streams of literary energy instantly intertwined into a net, transforming into an invisible wave of silence that swept across the river!
[Silence is Golden] - Centered on the one who released the literary technique, a "silent domain" with a range of more than ten feet is formed. All sound waves within the domain are suppressed, and this effect lasts for about a few breaths.

However, the combined efforts of ten scholars increased the scope of this literary art by dozens of times.

"Wow—"

Wherever the literary arts passed, the scholars and officials on the hundreds of dragon boats all paled. Some opened their mouths to recite, but could not utter a sound; others tried to use their magic, but felt as if a fishbone was stuck in their throats.

His mouth was as if it were sealed shut!
The entire river fell into an eerie silence in an instant, with only the sound of dragon boats paddling and waves lapping against the hull.

"What a wonderful saying, 'Silence is golden'!"

Jiang Xingzhou's eyes narrowed, and he thought to himself.

Instead of writing poems or essays about dragon boats, these scholars quickly wrote four-character idioms to launch a surprise attack, interfering with the release of literary spells by the other dragon boat participants.

"Well--!"

On the dragon boats on the river, the silenced scholars glared with fury, but could only utter meaningless groans.

They pounded on the ship's side in anger, stamped their feet in frustration, their hair and beards bristling, but they couldn't utter a single word.

"Shh!"

It's unclear who was the first to react, but they suddenly pulled out a wolf-hair brush, dipped it in ink, and began to write.

In the blink of an eye, hundreds of calligraphy brushes were drawn simultaneously, tracing sharp lines on the rice paper—

Since silence is golden and words cannot be spoken, then let us pick up our pens, dip them in ink, and write down our literary skills!

That should be fine, right?

"boom!"

A stream of ink-black literary energy soared into the sky first, followed by a second and a third stream of countless exquisite articles that shone brightly on the pages, even more dazzling than the previous recitations!
In the distance, Lei Wanting's expression suddenly changed.

He didn't expect that this silencing technique would force his opponents to display their literary talents, and for a time the river was filled with literary energy, even more spectacular than before!

but,

An even more "despicable" tactic of literary manipulation has emerged.

But then, the ten scholars on the canal dragon boat, their fingertips moving swiftly, wrote a four-character idiom:
"[That's enough!]!"

Four words form a technique, and ink waves surge to the heavens!
"Om-"

An invisible ripple of restriction swept across the river, and hundreds of scholars suddenly felt a weight on their wrists.

Some people's brushstrokes suddenly stopped, some people's ink flowed stagnated, and some even managed to draw a comical dot on the paper with their wolf-hair brush before being unable to move it any further!
[Stop when you've reached the point] - Centered on the person who released the writing technique, a "forbidden writing domain" is created within a radius of several feet. All writing within the domain is suppressed, lasting for about a few breaths.

With the combined efforts of the ten scholars, the scope of this literary technique expanded to a radius of one hundred feet.

"Snapped!"

The scholars and officials in the surrounding dragon boats stopped writing with a thud, only to discover, to their dismay, that the ink dripping from their brushes onto the Xuan paper could only produce a single dot in humiliation.

This is the art of "stopping at the point," and no more words can be written!
The river was deathly silent.
Hundreds of scholars were furious, their eyes bulging with rage, yet they could only manage hoarse groans. Their veins stood on end, their knuckles turned white, and some even pressed their hands to the swords at their waists in their fury!
mean!

Shameless!
First, seal their throat!

Stop writing!
Unable to speak or write poetry or prose, they longed to throw down their pens, draw their swords, and duel with the dragon boat teams from the government offices and the grain transport vessels.

"boom!"

The aftershocks of the two literary techniques finally dissipated, but the lead had already been established.

The government's dragon boat shot off like an arrow, leading the way, and Lei Wanting's official robe with python patterns fluttered in the river wind.

He turned around with his hands behind his back, his eyes full of smiles: "Gentlemen, you flatter me."

After that, the red-flag dragon boat of the Grand Canal had already surged to second place, and the scholars clapped and celebrated.

Someone deliberately raised their voice: "The combination of 'silence is golden' and 'stopping at the right point' actually complements each other perfectly, doesn't it?"

"boom--!"

The turbid waves from the two forbidden techniques crashed against the protective shield of the dragon boat in the manor, but shattered as if hitting a reef—they were completely blocked by the shield.

Instructor Wang Yizhou, his hair and beard flying wildly, flicked his fingers through the air, and the vigorous ancient seal script resonated in the river breeze—

"The Records of the Grand Historian says: 'If it does not cry out, it is because it is soaring; if it does, it will astound the world! If it does not fly, it is because it is soaring; if it does, it will soar to the heavens!'"

The instructors shouted in unison, writing scriptures in the air.

break--!
A burst of blue light!

Those two shackles of silence and prohibition of writing were actually torn open by this piece of writing from the Spring and Autumn Annals.

The dragon boats resumed reciting and writing their battle cries.

The dragon boat from the academy was like a dragon awakening from hibernation, suddenly accelerating and splitting two snow waves at the bow, rushing straight into the first echelon of dragon boats amidst the thunderous cheers of the students!

"What a brilliant counter-attack!"

Han Yugui slapped the railing and laughed loudly, his eyes flashing with a sharp light: "So the instructor had already predicted that they would use such methods!"

"What a brilliant '[If you don't fly, you don't fly at all; once you do, you soar to the sky!' This is going to break through the waves by stepping on their faces!"

The scholars and students watched with great interest and excitement.

"Crack-!"

A streak of green light pierced through the waves, and the bow of the government dragon boat pierced the river like a sharp sword. The waves from the bow had already crashed onto the sterns of the government dragon boat and the canal transport dragon boat.

Instructor Wang Yizhou stood with his hands behind his back at the bow of the boat, his hands on the helm. His gray robe fluttered in the surging scholarly air as he said calmly, "Such petty tricks, trying to stop my academy's dragon boat? Not so easy."

"not good!"

On the canal dragon boat, the scholar who had been chatting and laughing just moments before suddenly changed his expression. Someone staggered towards the stern and shouted hoarsely, "Row faster! Quickly—! The academy's dragon boat is catching up!"

The drumbeats of the dragon boat in the government office suddenly became rapid, and Lei Wanting's official sleeves with python patterns were pulled straight by the strong wind.

He turned around abruptly, his pupils reflecting the approaching green shadow!
Three feet!

Two feet!

Amidst the splashing waves, Instructor Wang Yizhou's grey robe fluttered like a flag at the bow of the ship.

For a time, the sound of drums and horns filled the air as dragon boats raced, and waves splashed everywhere.

Hundreds of boats raced on the river, and the banks were packed with onlookers.

The most thrilling and dramatic battle was the one fought in the middle of the river.

"[The waves are towering!]"

A scholar in a blue robe wielded his brush and splashed ink.

"boom--"

A ten-zhang-high wall of water burst open in the middle of the river, stirring up a turbid wave that seemed to overwhelm the mountains.

Dozens of dragon boats were caught in the turbulent waves and swept into the swirling eddies.

The adjacent dragon boat was pushed sideways for several meters. As the boat tilted, one of the boatmen lost his footing and fell into the water, causing gasps of surprise from the onlookers on the shore.

"[Strike the oar midstream]!"

Suddenly, crimson aura burst forth from the dragon boat used for transporting goods, and the oars struck the water like thunder, forcefully cleaving a crack in the towering waves.

The scholar at the bow of the boat, his robes soaked through, smiled and pointed the blood-stained tip of his pen at the one who had just performed the spell: "Come on, try again!"

In the center of the melee, the oars of seven or eight dragon boats were tangled together, making it difficult to determine which was superior.

Those light boats that were originally nimble and agile have completely lost their advantage of speed and agility in these turbulent waves, and are being pushed about by the waves.

"Wow—"

A towering, turbid wave crashed down, nearly lifting several nimble dragon boats upright. The scholars on board clung desperately to the deck, their jade pendants jingling wildly in the spray.

"Hold on!"

Before the words were even finished, the stern of a large dragon boat carrying grain on the side swept across.

With a crisp "crack," it shattered, splintering wood as a small boat spun like a falling leaf and was swept out of the battle.

The scholars and officials on each dragon boat were already in a frenzy, completely disregarding the need to conserve their talents, and desperately and quickly displaying their literary skills.

They're too lazy to even write poetry—they think releasing a poem or piece of literature is too slow!
Just as one boat used the "raging waves" technique to push aside the dragon boat beside it, it was immediately thrown back ten feet by another boat's "striking the oars in the middle of the stream".

Various four-character idioms are being typed out in a frenzy!
"Crack!"

A dragon boat was cut in half by the aftershock of the flying literary energy, and the tung oil-soaked deck crashed into the water with a loud thud.

The river breeze, carrying bits of wood and the smell of sweat, rushed towards me, while the scorching sunlight reflected off the crests of the waves, creating a cold, razor-sharp light.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The sound of drums and gongs at the finish line could already be faintly heard.

Instructor Wang's gray robe was filled with the river wind. He stood at the bow of the boat, squinting at the distance—the finish line of the dragon boat race was just two or three miles ahead.

The final sprint is just around the corner!

However, there are still more than ten dragon boats in the first group.
The dragon boat from the government compound was always caught in the middle of the melee, always just a step away from standing out!

He turned around and saw that all the instructors and scholars on the boat had faces as red as livers, their pens trembling as they drew crooked ink marks on the Xuan paper.
They roared as they hurled the incantation "[Riding the Waves]" at the dragon boat, swallowing incantations, but their energy recovery couldn't keep up with the speed at which they released the incantation.

They've almost reached the limit of their talent!
Meanwhile, the dozens of scholars in the manor were in a bloodthirsty frenzy, and were in no better shape. They clutched their literary treasures tightly, blood and foam spilling from their lips as they recited battle poems—the burning pain of their overexerted talents burned along their meridians, yet none of them dared to hold back even a fraction of their strength.

If they had been conserving their energy, the academy's dragon boat would probably have already fallen behind the other dragon boats.

Looking at his equally exhausted opponents, Instructor Wang knew that the final sprint, the most frantic battle, was about to begin.

Each dragon boat will definitely pull out all the stops!

The river wind, carrying the stench of blood, howled past, while the drums on the entire academy's dragon boat resounded loudly.

Amidst the chaos, only one person sat calmly, as still as a deep pool.

Jiang Xingzhou closed his eyes, sat cross-legged at the bow of the boat, holding a brush in his hand, with Xuan paper on the table and an unsheathed sword lying across his lap.

The scholars' hoarse chanting, the instructors' angry shouts and coughing blood, and even the ship's tremors from the bombardment of literary works—all seemed to be separated from him by an invisible barrier.

Wang Jiaoyu glanced at Jiang Xingzhou's figure out of the corner of his eye, and the veins on the back of his hand holding the ruler bulged.

He looked at the finish line buoy getting closer and closer, then glanced at the creaking and trembling hull of the boat, and his Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty.

Jiang Xingzhou—Wang Jiaoyu's trump card, which he still couldn't bear to use until this moment, is almost ready to be used.

"Your Majesty's instruction!"

The boatman, his face covered in sweat and blood, suddenly pointed to the starboard side, shouting, "The government's red boat is about to break out!"

"Move the boat! Go!"

Instructor Wang Yizhou gritted his teeth and suddenly let out a roar.

(End of this chapter)