Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 38 Entering the County School, Four Laurel Wreaths!
At the end of Yin hour and the beginning of Mao hour, the sky was as dark as fading gauze.

A ray of morning light peeked through the window.

On the rosewood desk, in the bamboo tube chamber of the phoenix-tail bamboo, the mayfly huddled among the dew-covered bamboo joints, its scales and wings faintly tinged with moonlight, still fast asleep.

Jiang Xingzhou picked a newly broken willow branch from under the eaves, dipped it in salt frost to clean his teeth, and rinsed his mouth with cold well water. His mouth was immediately filled with the bitter, cold and sweet fragrance of willow salt.

He changed into a brand-new scholar's robe made of ice silk, fastened it with a dragon-patterned buckle, and wore a scholar's jade pendant on his belt, with a three-foot scholar's sword hanging at his waist.

The bronze mirror on the table reflected the young man's sword-like eyebrows and cold, stern features. His hair was tied up, and his tall, handsome figure gave him a somewhat ethereal appearance.

"Brother Jiang, the time is approaching!"

The Xue brothers were already waiting at the gate of the Langhuan Pavilion, calling out to each other to go to the county school together.

"go!"

Jiang Xingzhou smiled faintly and went out to meet up with his brothers.

The three newly appointed students of the Xue family strolled out of the Xue residence together, walking along the dew-covered bluestone street, and arrived at the nearby county academy.

Two bronze-cast xiezhi rings hang above the vermilion gate of the county school.

Xue Gui pushed open the door and entered. He immediately saw hundreds of elderly students in faded scholar's robes gathered in small groups inside the county school.

There are many students in Jiangyin who have passed the imperial examinations and become scholars. Before they pass the county-level examinations, these older students can continue their studies at the county school.

The county school provides stipends, and each month students receive three bushels of "literary millet" from the imperial court, enough to satisfy their intellectual curiosity. From then on, they can devote themselves wholeheartedly to literary cultivation without worrying about making a living.

Over the years, the number of students in the county school has exceeded several hundred.

However, the stipend was only enough to support the student himself; it was still a stretch to support an entire family on it.

Therefore, many former students who had reached the lowest level of the imperial examinations gave up on continuing their studies after realizing they had no hope, and sought a livelihood on their own, remaining stuck at the lowest level of the imperial examinations for the rest of their lives.

Jiang Xingzhou's toes touched the lintel of the county school.

The schoolroom fell silent.

"Greetings, Brother Jiang!"

Han Yugui lowered his head and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

"Greetings, Brother Jiang!"

Afterwards, Cao An, Li Yunxiao, Lu Ming, and other newly promoted students from humble backgrounds, including Gu Zhimian, all took the initiative to bow to Jiang Xingzhou in a salute.

Although the young nobles were unwilling, it was already a foregone conclusion that Jiang Xingzhou would be the leader of the newly selected scholars.

Upon seeing them, one must take the initiative to greet them, to show the hierarchy among classmates.

If you encounter external enemies in the future, your classmates will be the easiest helpers to ask for.

Good morning, everyone!

Jiang Xingzhou returned the greeting to his classmates.

Under the corridor, the senior students, dressed in faded robes, looked at Jiang Xingzhou and the other newly promoted students with complicated expressions.

"Alas, several exceptionally talented students have emerged from Jiangyin County this year. It seems my chances of passing the county-level imperial examination in Jiangzhou this midsummer are slim again!"

The number of candidates selected for the county-level imperial examination in Jiangzhou Prefecture was only thirty, which was already very limited.

This year, five more students have emerged who are among the top five in the imperial examinations. Their strength is quite formidable, and they may well be able to take away two or three spots for the county-level scholar in the prefectural examinations.

The hopes of these older students were naturally even more remote.

"It's hard to say about the others, but Jiang Xingzhou will definitely take up a spot as a scholar!"

"Oh, why are you so certain, brother?"

"Our Great Zhou Imperial Examination has four laurels—Triple Success, Same Year, Imperial Judgment, and Passing the Imperial Examination!"
[Triple Top Scholar] refers to a person who passes the county, prefectural and state examinations three times in a row, becoming the top scholar in the county, prefectural and provincial examinations, and the top scholar in the provincial examination. This is called the Triple Top Scholar or the Little Three Scholars.

[In the same year, he passed the imperial examinations] and in the same spring, summer and autumn, he passed the examinations for the positions of Tongsheng, Xiucai, and Juren.

[Confucian Temple Judgment] When an essay is written during an examination, and the essay is described as "reaching beyond the county, reaching the prefecture, becoming famous throughout the state, protecting the nation, and spreading throughout the world", the Confucian Temple Judgment will be triggered, and the student will automatically be ranked first in the first class.

[Jinshi Jidi] refers to the top three candidates in the palace examination, who are ranked first, second, and third respectively.
Achieving any one of the above would be considered winning the crown of the Great Zhou Dynasty's imperial examination, a tremendous honor and a testament to one's strength, attracting much attention.

Anyone who wins these four laurels will have a smooth and successful career.

Now, in our Jiangyin County School, we already have a student who has won the "Confucian Temple Judgment" for his essay and has been selected as a candidate for the county school. He must have already been noticed by the officials of the prefecture and the court and has long been prepared for the selection.

The examiners of the prefectural academy were naturally delighted to see such a renowned scholar from the Confucian Temple in Jiangzhou go to the prefectural academy to study.

Even though Jiang Xingzhou's performance in the prefectural examination was unsatisfactory, they would still consider ranking him as the last scholar and enrolling him in the prefectural academy.

"Would they deliberately obstruct and eliminate the candidates for the Imperial Examination?" "When the examiners mark the dragon with their vermilion brush, what do they care if we, the fish in the pond, turn belly up? I heard that last year Suzhou Prefecture had a 'discretionary last-place ranking' system."

Before the old scholar could finish speaking, his throat was already choked with emotion.

"Alas~, the prefectural examination is as difficult as climbing to heaven for us, but for him, it's as easy as taking candy from a baby!"

At this point, the old students murmured amongst themselves, sighing deeply, their eyes filled with envy, their hearts aching with bitterness.

Jiang Xingzhou has already won one of the four great titles in the imperial examinations of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Looking at the entire county school, this is the only one.

Nowadays, whenever the people of Jiangyin or the families of prominent households mention the candidates for the imperial examinations, they invariably talk about Jiang Xingzhou's remarkable achievement in the county examination. Who would even mention the other candidates?!

"Dang~!"

The "Encouraging Learning Bell" hanging between the pillars of the Jiangyin County School suddenly rang.

Upon hearing the school bell, the students ceased their idle chatter and hurried into the schoolhouse, where they sat upright on prayer mats, awaiting the instructor's arrival.

Because of their different academic progress, the thirty newly admitted students are all in the outer dormitory.

Older students mostly stayed in the inner dormitory.

The top students in the county school went directly to the upper dormitory—which had about a hundred students and were the main force among the students in Jiangyin County who would take the prefectural examination to become scholars.

"Silence~!"

"New students entering the county school must not be negligent!"
Government officials are evaluated annually to be promoted. Similarly, students taking the imperial examinations are evaluated quarterly to advance in their literary ranks!

"There are small tests during solar terms and big tests during festivals!"

"If you fail the assessment, your monthly salary will be reduced. If you want to go to the prefectural city to take the Xiucai exam, you must pass the Tongsheng exam! If you fail the assessment, you may even be stripped of the right to take the prefectural exam to become a Xiucai."

Instructor Zheng Shuqian, carrying a ruler in his hand, stepped into the lecture hall and addressed the newly enrolled students.

"Is the evaluation for candidates for the lowest level of education really that strict?"

The thirty newly appointed students were shocked upon hearing this.

"That's for sure!"
Alright, enough of that.

Today, the county school classroom will be taught by this instructor.

The primary focus of young scholars was on cultivating the literary arts of the "Four-Character Formula."

Zheng Shuqian looked around at the newly appointed students, then slid a scroll of "Essential Techniques for the Common People" from his sleeve and placed it on the stage, saying:
"I will teach you the first literary skill for beginners in the cultivation of a young scholar - [Seeing every blade of grass as an enemy], which can also be called [The Armor of Grass and Trees].

This is a combination of agricultural and military literary techniques, used in warfare.

This four-character formula is based on three core elements: "grass," "wood," and "soldiers." An additional "armor" character can be added!

The school has hundreds of materials of various kinds, including bamboo, wood, grass, vines, flowers, leaves and branches.

You may take what you need and use it to cultivate your literary skills!

Zheng Shuqian briefly explained the usage of this four-character mantra and then let them try to use it.

These four words are not difficult to understand.

Meng Sheng had already practiced the single-character techniques of 'grass', 'wood', and 'soldier'. With this foundation, he only needed to master these three single-character techniques to unleash the [All Grass and Trees Are Soldiers] technique.

The important thing is to try and improve your skills.

"Here you go!"

The newly enrolled students were immediately excited and began to use the plant materials prepared for them by the county school to practice this literary art.

"[Every bush and tree seems like an enemy soldier], rise up!"

The white-haired old man, Zhang Youyi, chanted incantations as he shot out a beam of green light from his fingertip, striking the wooden stake and unleashing the "All Grass and Trees Are Soldiers" spell.

Soon, he transformed a wooden stake into a puppet soldier, who stood up unsteadily from the ground, pitifully holding a wooden sword in his hand, and stiffly gesturing with his body.

"It's done!"

Zhang Youyi was overjoyed upon seeing this.

The students all put their literary skills to use.

A moment later, dozens of crooked and twisted wooden puppet soldiers emerged from the outer school, each holding a forked halberd and a scarecrow, their shapes bizarre and indescribable.

(End of this chapter)