[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty":3,"chapter-a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-chapter-5":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","A Literary Genius in the Song Dynasty",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2336388,4568,"Chapter 5: The Grudge of He Cong","a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-chapter-5",5,"\u003Cp>“He Cong, Bing-Xia.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lu Beigu, Jia-Zhong!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the school director announced Lu Beigu’s policy essay score aloud, the entire examination hall fell utterly silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jia-Jia-Zhong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every face froze, as if they had heard some impossible fable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is impossible!” He Cong leapt to his feet, his desk shaking violently from the force, “In decades of county school history, no one has ever received a Jia rating in policy essays!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The school director cast him a cold glance: “Student He, mind your manners.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Cong finally realized his lapse, his face flushing red as he sat back down, yet the shock and resentment in his eyes could not be hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, since the Qingli Reforms established the Hejiang County School, the highest policy essay score ever awarded had been Yi-Shang; even students from deeply scholarly families considered Yi-Zhong an exceptional achievement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia? That was a score no one dared even imagine!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jia-Zhong?” The student who had helped Lu Beigu earlier murmured to himself, eyes gleaming with disbelief, “Could Lu Brother truly possess such talent?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His companion was equally stunned: “I thought Yi-Shang was the absolute limit—Jia-Zhong? This is simply unbelievable!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A murmur of discussion rose gradually through the hall, everyone utterly stunned by this unprecedented score.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in their minds, a vast question began to form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of policy essay had Lu Beigu written?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Silence!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The school director barked sharply; once the hall quieted again, he continued announcing the other students’ scores.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, no one truly cared about their own results—every mind remained fixed on that shocking “Jia-Zhong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all scores were read, He Cong stood and shouted loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, Director, allow us to see Lu Beigu’s policy essay!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Cong’s voice rang out sharply in the hall; his face flushed, and several wealthy students behind him joined in the clamor: “Yes, let us see this Jia-Zhong masterpiece!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The school director frowned, about to rebuke them, when County Magistrate Li Pan stepped out from the inner chamber, holding Lu Beigu’s examination paper in hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Want to see?” Li Pan’s hoarse voice carried a hint of mockery. “Then look your fill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gestured to the scribe to post the original essay on the notice board beneath the school’s eave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The paper shimmered faintly in the sunlight, and the students surged forward in a crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Cong pushed to the front, his gaze slicing like a blade toward the essay titled “On Defending Against Xia.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more he read, the paler his face grew, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This—this—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother He, why aren’t you speaking?” someone taunted deliberately. “Didn’t you just claim Lu Brother stole someone else’s draft?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Cong’s lips trembled, but not a single word came out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raised since childhood under the influence of his uncle, an official in the prefectural office, he fully understood the significance of this essay—the mere precision of its classical allusions alone was beyond the reach of any ordinary student!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘Wearing the emperor’s robe while pursuing market profits, holding weapons while counting copper coins!’” one student exclaimed in admiration, “What an unparalleled metaphor!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look at the third section—‘Strategize to disrupt the heart and mind’—it analyzes the internal contradictions of Xia with such clarity!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Voices surged like a tide; He Cong felt his ears ringing—he himself had written “Following the Example of Emperor Wu of Han,” and before this “On Defending Against Xia,” it seemed childish and laughable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Born into wealth and having always been the top student in the county school, he had long grown arrogant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be outshone so utterly now—how could his heart not ache?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, He Cong pushed through the crowd and met Li Pan’s gaze directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Student He,” Li Pan said slowly, “I hear your family runs a prosperous wine tavern—surely your home holds many books. But policy essays ultimately depend on one’s own insight and thought.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the magistrate of a hundred li, Li Pan wielded absolute authority within the county.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, he could speak to any student in the county school however he pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, what Li Pan said was not even particularly humiliating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet He Cong’s face shifted from red to white, then white to green, like a mask changing color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Master, I understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After bowing, He Cong lowered his head and left; the surrounding voices felt like countless needles piercing his skin—no matter what others said, every word struck his ears as mockery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard he just mocked Lu Beigu…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now he’s lost face completely…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Always flaunting his family’s status—just another spoiled brat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clenching his teeth, He Cong gripped his fists so tightly his nails dug deep into his palms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lu Beigu! Even if your policy essay is good, what of it? Only two months remain until the county examination—you’ll never pass into the prefectural school!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shortly after, County Magistrate Li Pan returned indoors. The school’s chief scribe brought over Lu Beigu’s previous academic records, as Li Pan had requested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Li Pan flip through the documents, the scribe carefully chose his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lu Beigu’s Mo-Yi scores are far too weak; his Tie-Jing and poetry compositions are merely average. The county examination is drawing near.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His implication was clear: even with an outstanding policy essay, Lu Beigu’s other scores dragged him down—he would struggle to pass the county examination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this was Lu Beigu’s fatal flaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, under the complex imperial examination system of the Song Dynasty, ordinary scholars, unless they had completely given up on their scholarly prospects, almost always took the Jinshi examination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the Taiping Xingguo third year, the Jinshi examination had been fixed to five components: poetry, fu, policy essay, Mo-Yi, and Tie-Jing. In the Qingli fourth year, major revisions were made, but many elements were later restored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the present Jiayou first year, the five components remained unchanged, yet policy essay had been elevated to highest priority, while Mo-Yi now emphasized understanding over rote memorization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet regardless, no candidate could afford severe imbalance—where one component was outstanding while others were weak—because the overall score would fail to meet the passing threshold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Pan nodded slightly. Though the magistrate oversaw the county school and held authority over student advancement to the prefectural school,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Song Dynasty placed great emphasis on fairness in its examination system; many rules were rigidly fixed to prevent the resurgence of aristocratic clans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though a loophole called “En-Yin” existed for those of especially noble birth but lacking ability,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>for the vast majority of scholar candidates, the Song examination system was vastly fairer than that of the Tang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under this system, even if Li Pan admired talent, he could not openly recommend a student whose overall score was insufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To do so would invite trouble—effectively handing enemies a weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go fetch Lu Beigu now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This policy essay contained unspoken implications that could not be discussed before the public.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there were other matters Li Pan wished to discuss privately with Lu Beigu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>——————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>① Mo-Yi: Questions drawn from classical texts, requiring written answers; typically selected from the Spring and Autumn Annals or the Book of Rites, with ten questions set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>② Tie-Jing: Passages from classical texts had their beginning and end removed, leaving only a middle segment; students must reconstruct the missing parts; typically drawn from the Analects, with ten questions set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>③ The Song imperial examination system was divided into regular and special categories: regular included Jinshi, various specialized subjects, and military examinations; special included imperial decree examinations and child prodigy examinations. Specialized subjects included the Nine Classics, Five Classics, Kaiyuan Rites, Three Histories, Three Rites, Three Commentaries, Mingjing, Mingfa, and Mingzi—these were less difficult but offered extremely difficult career paths upon passing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>④ Privilege granted to descendants due to the merit of their ancestors, allowing entry into school or official appointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1294,"2026-06-20T21:44:14.864Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b89d79e4203343ad663fa9313b5c3e6d600443b7597232c19542c63535bafd3b","a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-chapter-6","a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-chapter-4",56,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-cover.jpg"]