Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 131 "A Night Mooring at Maple Bridge"! A literary analysis lesson from Mingzhou, the top scholar in Jiangnan!

Jiangnan Examination Hall, in front of Minglun Hall.

The morning light of June, in the height of summer, slanted through the eaves, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone slabs. Ancient cypress trees stood tall in front of the hall, and occasionally a bird would be startled and fly away among the branches, its flapping wings drowned out by the bustling noise of people.

The vermilion-lacquered tables in the hall were so shiny they could reflect a person's image, while hundreds of scholars knelt and sat below.

The blue silk robes billowed slightly in the morning breeze, appearing from afar like surging blue waves. Thousands of scholars crowded the corridors, their snow-white handkerchiefs forming a continuous cloud of light.

"Today, the Provincial Education Commissioner personally gave a lecture; such occasions are rare, occurring only three to five times a month!"

"But who knows what that teaching assistant—Jiang Xingzhou, the top scholar in Jiangnan—can teach? Can he really teach a candidate for the imperial examination?"

Whispers occasionally broke out from the crowd, their eyes filled with curiosity.

But it came to an abrupt end under the solemn gaze of the clerk in Minglun Hall.

"Students from National Taiwan University have arrived!"

Suddenly, the clappers sounded three times, and the entire audience of officials and their robes instantly turned into frozen waves.

All eyes were fixed on the slowly opening vermilion gate, making even the tinkling of the copper bells on the eaves sound particularly jarring.

The morning light streamed in through the vermilion gate, illuminating the figures of Du Xuezheng and his entourage.

Du Jingchen, dressed in a scarlet official robe with a jade belt around his waist, walked steadily, leading dozens of professors in single file.

Jiang Xingzhou, Yang Xianyu, and other outstanding figures followed closely behind, their robes fluttering lightly as their footsteps echoed across the bluestone steps, creating a solemn atmosphere with a subtle metallic sound.

Inside the Minglun Hall, on a thousand mats, the candidates sat upright, holding their breath and concentrating intently.

The corridors and windows were crowded with young scholars, who stood on tiptoe and craned their necks, afraid of missing even the slightest detail.

"This student pays respects to Your Excellency!"

A thousand people bowed in unison, their voices like thunder, and the bronze bells on the eaves trembled slightly, seemingly in harmony with the overwhelming momentum.

With a flick of his wide sleeves, Du Jingchen slowly ascended the platform and stood before the lecture hall. His piercing gaze swept over the assembled guests, and in an instant, the hall fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.

"Students—"

The two words, spoken with the force of gold and jade striking the ground, echoed between the beams and pillars.

He paused briefly, then spoke in a booming voice, each word carrying immense weight: "Today I will impart my knowledge and speak of—'the power of literature'!"

Du Jingchen stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering even without wind, and his voice, like the grandest of bells, echoed throughout the Minglun Hall.

"When you students pick up your pens to write essays and practice your literary skills, you will inevitably have a question in your mind—"

His gaze, sharp as lightning, swept over the students below, and he spoke, enunciating each word clearly:

"When two people who have passed the imperial examinations and are writing the same essay for the 'leaving the county' examination, some of them have amazing literary skills and can reach the pinnacle of their literary achievements; while others have weak literary skills and are so weak that they are easily defeated."

Why is there such a vastly different level of power in articles of the same quality?

With this remark,
The hundreds of candidates looked at each other, clearly realizing that their secret thoughts had been exposed.

The scholars crowded outside the window held their breath, remaining completely silent, straining their ears for fear of missing a single word.

"As everyone knows, poems and essays of the same grade, when categorized, naturally have different powers."

He counted them on his fingers,
"War poems, with their overwhelming killing intent, can rival a thousand troops!"

"Poems of summoning gods, odes of calling souls, poems of assassins, and chants of swordsmen are next in line, each with its own mysteries."

"Farmers' poetry is a cure-all, good for health, and can revive talent, restore vitality, and prolong life."

"As for graceful lyrics and poems expressing one's feelings, they are used to cultivate one's spirit, will, and soul!" Du Jingchen shook his head slightly, "They are ultimately more about literary talent than lethality."

The voice has not fallen,

Suddenly, a student in the corner of the hall scoffed and asked, "I wonder what use those sentimental poems from young women are?!"

Du Jingchen's gaze sharpened, and the student immediately fell silent.

"No article is superior or inferior; all have their own unique uses!"
We scholars dedicate our lives to studying classics, seeking the ultimate truth—nothing more than how to elevate an article to a higher level, how to maximize its literary power, and how to reach the pinnacle of artistry!

"exactly!"

"This question has long puzzled the students!"
I earnestly request guidance from the scholars of National Taiwan University: how can I ensure my writing reaches beyond the county and prefecture levels, and that every word carries immense weight and every sentence commands respect?

Upon hearing this, all the students stood at attention, hands clasped in respect.

They have been exploring this problem for many years, but have never been able to find a solution.

"Empty talk about principles is all empty talk!"

My teaching always relies on concrete examples—today, I will use that piece from 'Mingzhou' as an example for you all!

Du Jingchen paused, his gaze sharp, then suddenly turned to Jiang Xingzhou, stroking his beard and smiling:
"Xingzhou, please enlighten us—how is it that your poem 'A Night Mooring at Maple Bridge' from Mingzhou, which uses literary techniques, can resonate with the literary world?"

"I will obey your command!"

Jiang Xingzhou bowed respectfully, his sleeves fluttering slightly, revealing his inherent elegance.

He glanced at the students below, pondered for a moment, and then said in a loud voice, "Gentlemen, I will use my humble work, 'A Night Mooring at Maple Bridge,' to explain it."

How can one transform the essence of heaven and earth into writing, and condense words into literary art?

In an instant,
The room was completely silent; the only sound was the ticking of a pin.

Jiang Xingzhou lightly tapped a white stone on the podium with his knuckles, producing a sound like a clear chime:

"The art of writing all involves three steps—"

"The first step is 'deconstructing the artistic conception,' the second step is 'translating the grammar,' and the third step is 'condensing the text into art!'"

With a flick of his sleeve, a streak of ink on the stone slab suddenly shone brightly:
Original sentence:

[The moon sets, crows caw, frost fills the sky; river maples and fishing lights reflect my sorrowful sleep.]
The three-step deconstruction is as follows:

[Moonset] → Taiyin-based literary arts → "The moon sets in the west, and Taiyin disappears."

[Crow's Cry] → Fire-type spell, hidden summoning spell → "The golden crow cries at dawn, summoning a demon general."

[Frosty Sky] → Cloud and Frost Series Literature → "Clouds, with their extreme yin energy, cover the heavens and earth with frost armor."

[Jiang Feng] → Water and Wood-based literary arts, Wood-based literary arts → "Winding waters give birth to trees, and the essence of wood gives birth to fragrance! — A subtle fragrance floats and bewitches the mind!"

[Fishing Light] → Fishing Light-type spell, hidden summoning spell → "This fire is not from stone, but from fishing lights in the human world!"

[Sleepless with Sorrow] → Soul-based literary technique → "The Yin spirit is restless, and the soul is disturbed!"

Jiang Xingzhou flicked his sleeves, causing the ink on the stone slab to flow and each character to shine:
"This sentence contains fourteen characters, nine of which are 'two-character' word techniques, which are divided and combined in various ways, forming a mysterious mystery."

"Among them, [Moonfall] and [Crow's Cry] are two textual arts that complement each other and combine to form a 'four-character' textual art, using [Moonfall] to greatly increase the power of [Golden Crow Demon General] by three times."

The two literary arts, [Jiang Feng] and [Yu Huo], complement each other and combine to form a 'four-character' literary art. Water nourishes fragrant wood, and fragrant wood ignites fire, greatly enhancing the power of [Yu Huo] by three times.

Ultimately, with nine literary techniques as the foundation and four combined literary techniques as the framework, the grand literary technique of the fourteen-character phrase "Mingzhou" was completed!

Jiang Xingzhou lightly tapped his fingertip, and all the runes suddenly intertwined.

"The three-step deconstruction method?"

The hall fell silent for a moment, then erupted in uproar.

"Such profound mysteries are not even recorded in the classics of sages!"

A scholar in a blue robe suddenly stood up, his expression one of horror: "We only know poetry and prose, and to unleash literary arts, to speak eloquently, is to possess a literary supernatural power—"

Little did they know that this process involved navigating three crucial steps: 'deconstructing the meaning,' 'translating the grammar,' and 'condensing the text into a coherent art!'

His voice trembled slightly, as if he had glimpsed a sliver of the true essence of literature.

"[Moon sets and crows cry]—The moon sinks in the west, and the golden crow breaks the dawn!"

An elderly man with a white beard slammed his hand on the table and stood up, his expression one of horror: "Using 'the concealment of the Taiyin' as a trigger to summon the Golden Crow Demon General to appear in the world—this contains the Yin-Yang School's 'Yin-Yang Reversal Technique,' truly seizing the power of heaven and earth!"

Suddenly, a student in the hall exclaimed: "Taiyin, Li Huo/Zhao Yao, Xuan Shuang, Shui Mu, Hong Chen Huo, Zhao Hua, Shen Hun!"

Within just fourteen characters, seven literary incantations are hidden, and the elements of 'metal, wood, water, fire, humans, demons, gods, and souls' interact with each other in a continuous cycle of mutual generation and restraint!

All the scholars in the room paled, and as they looked at each other, they saw a storm of emotions raging in each other's eyes.

"Every word is a secret formula, and literary skills reach the heavens!"

"These two characters form a literary technique, combining to create an array—"

"They are interconnected, like the stars in the sky, mutually generating and restraining each other, like the rotation of yin and yang!"

A scholar in blue robes clenched his fists, his face pale:

Such literary skill is beyond human capability!

We, who have devoted our lives to studying classics, can only manage to fit two or three techniques into a single line of poetry or prose!
And this poem, "A Night Mooring by Maple Bridge," contains only one line, yet every word is full of hidden meaning!

The assembled scholars looked dejected.

This is a ruthless crushing defeat in the realm of literature and morality!
It shattered their Dao hearts!
On the podium.

Jiang Xingzhou ignored the dejected expressions of the scholars in the hall, and tapped lightly on the white stone slab with his slender fingers. The second line of the poem "Mooring at Maple Bridge at Night" appeared on the stone slab.

Original sentence:

[Outside Suzhou city, at Hanshan Temple, the midnight bell tolls, reaching the traveler's boat.]
The three-step deconstruction is as follows:

[Outside Suzhou] → Kunyu Literary Vein → Literary Qi Barrier → The talent of Suzhou City transforms into a sky full of golden clouds, enveloping the entire area within a ten-mile radius. This is the flourishing literary center of the ten prefectures of Jiangnan, where talent flows like a dragon!

[Hanshan Temple] → Earth-based Arts → Domain Barrier → This is the central node of the cultural lineage of Suzhou Prefecture. The temple is a place to suppress evil spirits and can suppress the evil energy of enemies! It can suppress enemies and also defend itself.

[Midnight] → Time of day → The stillness of the night, the moment of extreme darkness.

[Bell Toll] → Bell Sound Technique → In the still of the night, a bell suddenly tolls. This "Awakening Bell" is specifically designed to shatter the scholar's inner palace; those struck by it will have their three souls and seven spirits tremble.

[To the passenger ship] → The vessel for guiding the soul → A boatman in a straw raincoat stands at the bow of the passenger ship, which is a literary allusion to "the place where the soul returns". The soul of the person who is under the spell will be guided.

"[Outside Suzhou, at Hanshan Temple, the midnight bell tolls to the passenger boat!]"

Based in the ancient city of Suzhou, the city's talent flows like a river, gaining a powerful source of talent.

Using the earth-elemental magic of Hanshan Temple, a barrier was constructed, seemingly unbreakable. Wherever the bell tolled, the enemy cultivator's dantian trembled, their three souls became unstable, and their seven spirits threatened to dissipate!

At midnight, when the yin energy was at its peak, the bronze bell of Hanshan Temple suddenly rang out, its sound like a knife, severing the soul!
The passenger ship took them all away in one go!

The meaning of this sentence—

Suzhou's cultural heritage is the bow!

Hanshan Temple's protective barrier is a string!
The midnight bell tolls like an arrow!

With a single arrow, soul and spirit are annihilated!

Jiang Xingzhou finished speaking.

The scholars and literati in the hall turned pale, feeling the murderous intent in the poem wash over them. Cold sweat beaded on their foreheads, and their throats were so dry that they could not utter a sound.

"This 'Mooring at Maple Bridge at Night,' a work of the Mingzhou caliber, is so exquisitely crafted?"

A scholar's lips trembled, his voice barely audible.

He tried to deduce the meaning in his mind, but found that the words were twisted and intertwined like living things, making it impossible to understand them.

The text, its imagery, and its literary techniques intertwine, creating a labyrinth that draws you deeper into the story the more you ponder it!

"How can I possibly integrate such a vast and complex body of literature?"

Another scholar muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously tracing patterns on the table, but he couldn't even write a single complete character.

The hall was eerily silent, with only the occasional heavy breathing.

suddenly--

"Snapped!"

The writing brush in the hand of a scholar in a blue robe suddenly broke.

His gaze was unfocused, and his lips trembled: "I...I can't write poetry anymore!"

He was horrified to discover that not only could he not compose poems according to this method, but he couldn't even remember the most basic rules of poetry!

Those scriptures I had read so well and famous texts I knew by heart were now flowing through my mind like quicksand!
How should one write poetry and prose?

The scholar's voice was hoarse, and he gripped his hair tightly with both hands. "I'm not even as good as a child! What kind of scholar am I?!" This desperate cry was like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone's hearts.

The literary world is in turmoil!

The foundation of the Dao is shaken!

Jiang Xingzhou's detailed analysis of poetry and literature nearly drove the scholars and literati present to the brink of collapse!

Jiang Xingzhou raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over the dejected scholars in the room, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes: "Was my analysis of literary arts... that complicated?"

“Extremely difficult!”

Yang Xianyu exhaled a heavy breath, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

His mind was in turmoil at this moment. The deconstruction of those literary works felt like a heavy burden, making his mind tremble.

Even with his literary talent as a Juren (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), it would take him at least several months of seclusion to fully comprehend this explanation.

As for complete mastery?
It's probably something you could never achieve even if you spent your whole life doing it. That's a difference in talent!
"Disaster!"

Du Jingchen, the academic commissioner, stroked his beard and sighed, his aged fingers unconsciously breaking off a few strands of his beard: "This three-step method of deconstructing articles, dismantling literary techniques and their combinations, is extremely complex."

This is not something that scholars or those who have passed the imperial examinations can easily learn.

He surveyed the pale-faced students below and said in a deep voice, "Forcing this method is like a child trying to learn to walk in Handan; not only will it be useless, it will also harm oneself!"

The old education official's voice suddenly rose: "If any of you here today find it too strenuous, go back and immediately recite the Book of Poetry. Forget this method, and do not pick up a pen to write for three days!"
So as not to damage one's literary and moral character!

He turned to Jiang Xingzhou and said with a faint wry smile, "This method is extremely ingenious, but too complex. I'm afraid only those scholars in the Hanlin Academy who have spent their lives studying the classics would have the talent to delve into it."

A collective sigh of relief immediately filled the hall.

Many of the scholars even collapsed onto their seats, their backs already soaked with cold sweat.

"Jiang Sheng has devoted so much effort to creating the literary style of 'A Night Mooring by Maple Bridge'!"

The scholar Wang Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed, and his hands unconsciously clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white: "But I wonder, just how powerful is this technique?"

"Wang Yuan of the Wang family of Jinling!"

He took a deep breath and solemnly cupped his hands in greeting: "May I ask Mr. Jiang for some guidance?"

There was a sudden silence in the hall.

Jiang Xingzhou glanced at Du Jingchen, the academic administrator.

"Alright! Let's stop here. Don't kill anyone!"

Du Jingchen nodded slightly.

Jiang Xingzhou's lips curled slightly, his blue robe fluttering even without wind: "Alright."

The moment the word was uttered, everyone present was delighted!

Although they had seen Jiang Xingzhou's [Mingzhou] articles, they had never seen him use the literary techniques of [Mingzhou], and they did not know how powerful the literary techniques of "Mooring at Maple Bridge at Night" in [Mingzhou] were.

"Wow—"

Thousands of scholars dispersed like a tide, their collisions echoing in the air.

In the blink of an eye, a space of about a hundred feet in diameter had been cleared in the center of the hall.

Wang Yuan's face was as solemn as iron, and the jade pendant at his waist jingled.

He slowly untied the scholar's sword from his waist, and with a flick of the blade, a faint aura of talent emanated from his body!

"Please enlighten me, Mr. Jiang!"

His voice trembled slightly, containing both awe and a hidden fighting spirit.

Jiang Xingzhou unfurled his wide sleeves, and a volume of "A Night Mooring at Maple Bridge," the first edition of Mingzhou Wenbao, gleaming with a bluish light, slid out from his sleeve.

The moment the talent was infused, the entire Minglun Hall fell silent—

"The moon sets, crows cry, and frost fills the sky!"

Jiang Xingzhou chanted.

The seven-character mantra exploded like a thunderclap!

A poem that an ordinary scholar would need to recite slowly and deliberately, taking seven breaths to finish—would probably be killed on the spot by the scholar opposite him before he could even finish reciting it.

He spoke with such fluency and ease that it flowed like a mighty river!
Jiang Xingzhou was the top student in Jiangyin County and had practiced the rapid writing technique of the "Jijiuzhang".

This is precisely the mystery of the rapid writing technique in the "Jijiuzhang"—the extreme speed of "ten characters in an instant" allows the literary skills to be released as fast as lightning!

[Moonset]!

"boom!"

Heaven and earth lose color!

The entire Minglun Hall seemed to be dragged into eternal night, and all the candles went out instantly.

Outside, the sun was shining brightly, but inside, it was pitch black.

In the darkness, only the Mingzhou Wenbao in Jiang Xingzhou's hand emitted a faint blue light, like a cold, imprisoned moon.

[The crow cries!]

"Ah-"

A cry that pierced the clouds and split rocks resounded through the heavens, and the dome suddenly burst open with a vortex of flames.

A three-legged golden crow flapped its wings and swooped down, its ten-foot-long crimson-gold wings stirring up waves of fire that blazed the sky, turning the entire Minglun Hall ablaze with crimson light!
"Bah!"

Wang Yuan's hair and beard stood on end, and his scholar's sword flashed with a blinding, cold light.

Where the sword's edge points—

"cut!"

A mighty sword aura, as swift as a bolt of lightning, shot into the sky, splitting the flames in its wake, seemingly intent on annihilating the demonic bird formed from the talent in mid-air!

"boom--"

The golden crow flaps its wings and roars, and the flames cascade like a waterfall!
Each flap of those crimson-gold wings unleashed a raging inferno.

Wang Yuan's mighty sword energy was sizzling as it was burned, and the azure light of the sword energy melted away at a speed visible to the naked eye.

This seasoned scholar broke out in a cold sweat – the demonic bird's fire actually carried an ancient, malevolent aura!

Even more terrifying, as the three-word incantation "[Frost Fills the Sky]" was uttered, three inches of frost instantly formed over the entire Minglun Hall.

Wang Yuan's brocade robe was instantly covered with ice armor, and the tassel of the scholar's sword froze into icicles.

Under the combined attack of ice and fire, Wang Yuan's face turned deathly pale.

His left side felt like it was falling into a deep ice cave, while his right side felt like it was being plunged into a furnace. His protective energy was torn to shreds!

"River maples and fishing lights, I lie awake with sorrow!"

Jiang Xingzhou's clear and melodious recitation had just ended—

"Hoohoo!"

A small boat suddenly materialized in the void, with a fisherman in a straw raincoat standing there holding a lantern.

The seemingly dim fishing light flickered slightly, and a single spark flew out, transforming into a raging inferno that poured down!

"not good!"

Wang Yuan's sword vibrated and hummed, and cracks appeared on the blade.

The dignified scholar was forced to retreat repeatedly by the weight of the fishing lights, and wisps of smoke rose from the hem of his robe.

What's even more terrifying is that the firelight carries a bone-chilling sorrow, almost causing him to lose his composure.

"Thank you, Brother Xie! Brother Lu! For helping me!"

When Wang Yuan cried out for help, he already tasted blood in his throat.

The two scholars from Jinling, Xie and Lu, both passed the imperial examinations and their expressions changed simultaneously.

One person wields a brush and splashes ink, creating a barrier of literary elegance.

One person offered up an inkstone, a precious writing implement, to ward off the fishing fires.

The three scholars, working together, barely managed to withstand this literary attack from the lower-level scholar!
"boom--!"

The blazing fishing lights collided with the barrier of literary energy, exploding into a sky full of flowing fire.

The inkstone and literary treasures that Scholar Lu presented seemed to groan under the strain. He suddenly bit his tongue and spat out a mouthful of his talent onto the inkstone.

"Thank you, Brother Xie! Hang in there, Brother Wang!"
We cannot sit idly by and await defeat; we must launch a counterattack to have any chance of victory!

Lu Juren's veins bulged, and with a flick of his finger, a sword beam shot out, heading straight for Jiang Xingzhou.

"Hanshan Temple outside Suzhou City—"

The moment Jiang Xingzhou finished speaking, the world changed drastically!

"boom!"

A thousand-year-old temple, a product of his talent, rose from the ground around him, with Sanskrit characters subtly flowing between the blue bricks and gray tiles.

The three characters "Hanshan Temple" on the mottled mountain gate suddenly shone brightly and condensed into the phantom images of the Eight Heavenly Dragons and their guardians in the air.

"clang--!"

Lu Juren's flying sword struck the barrier, and the recoil caused the sword to crack with spiderweb-like patterns.

Even more terrifying, each impact triggered a chanting echo, causing the three scholars to bleed from their ears and noses.

The flying sword that Wang Yuan had launched was deflected by the golden light, leaving a tiny nick the size of a grain of rice on its blade.

This protective barrier of Hanshan Temple carries the true meaning of the indestructible Vajra of Buddhism!

"Crack!"

The scholar's sword in Wang Yuan's hand, engraved with "Literary Mind and Sword Spirit," suddenly shattered, and fragments of the blade fell like withered autumn leaves.

He staggered back three steps, and the jade crown that bound his hair snapped in two. A streak of bright red blood trickled down his forehead as his black hair fell loose.

Wang Yuan's pupils contracted sharply, revealing despair.

We can't break through their defenses!
We can't hold on!
Three successful candidates in the imperial examinations couldn't even get close to becoming a mere novice?!

"[The midnight bell tolls—time for the passenger ship!]"

Jiang Xingzhou parted his lips slightly, and a line of poetry was recited, like a cold blade being drawn from its sheath.

In an instant,

As darkness fell, all sounds ceased.

"Boom--!"

The ancient bell of Hanshan Temple suddenly rang out, its sound like a raging tide, instantly engulfing the entire Minglun Hall!
The three scholars, who had intended to launch a fierce attack, were struck as if by lightning, their bodies trembling violently and their souls shaking!
The bell tolled loudly, like the might of heaven descending upon the world.

Several people's dantian churned, their seven souls were about to dissipate, and they couldn't even hold on for a single breath before collapsing to the ground and fainting!
Jiang Xingzhou stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes slightly narrowed. At the last moment, he restrained his talent and did not strike with full force.

Otherwise, the sound of the bell would not only cause someone to faint, but would cause them to... be utterly annihilated on the spot!
Inside the Minglun Hall, there was an eerie silence.

The thousands of scholars and officials, filled with awe, dared not utter a sound.

Even though they were outside the battlefield, the lingering power of the resounding bell tolled like a raging wave crashing against the shore, shaking everyone to their core, soaking their backs in cold sweat, and leaving them dizzy.

Inside the battlefield, the three scholars who faced the tolling bell were as if they had been punished by heaven. They were stunned on the spot and collapsed to the ground!

"This... is the power of a [Mingzhou]-level literary technique?"

Someone whispered in a trembling voice, their voice dry.

"One against three, a mere scholar suppressing a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations... Jiang Xingzhou, the number one scholar in Jiangnan, is such a terrifying fighter?!"

"[Mingzhou]'s writings are truly terrifying!"

Inside the hall, all the scholars looked at the young man standing with his hands behind his back, their gazes filled not just with awe, but with fear!
(End of this chapter)