Chapter 300: The Mad Scholar Zhou Zijing

Jiang Jinshi lifted his feet and headed toward other boats. Since he was already here, he might as well take a good look. Even if he couldn't find a suitable person, it wouldn't be bad to appreciate the beautiful scenery of West Lake.

Passing through the deck to another boat, as soon as Jiang Jinshi entered, he saw a fair-faced scholar stand up.

"Student takes 'Autumn Night' as the topic and composes a seven-character quatrain: The Milky Way turns silently like a jade plate, the dew is newly wet and the osmanthus flowers are cold. Tonight the moon is bright and everyone gazes at it, not knowing whose home the autumn thoughts fall into."

"Good!" Everyone cheered one after another.

Jiang Jinshi listened quietly. The poem was indeed good, but it was too delicate, just like the aimless moaning of those literati.

Suffering is the hotbed of literature. Without real experience, the poems created will naturally lack some charm.

Another person stood up. It was a sallow and thin middle-aged man wearing a washed-white long gown: "Taking autumn as the topic, I am untalented and have a frontier autumn poem: The northern wind rolls across the earth and yellow sand rises, the lonely city sunset and the Hu flute are sad. One hundred thousand heroic souls have nowhere to return, still sending cold clothes toward the border mountains."

After the poem was finished, the cabin was silent. This poem was completely different from the previous works of wind, flowers, snow, and moon; it was rugged and desolate, carrying the aura of gold, iron, horses, and swords.

A young man in brocade clothes sneered: "This poem has too much killing intent and lacks the elegance of a literatus."

"Where should the elegance of a literatus lie?" the middle-aged man asked calmly.

"Naturally between the mountains and rivers, under the flowers and moon, accompanied by beautiful wine and beauties, and poems and songs echoing each other." The young man shook his folding fan, his posture elegant.

The middle-aged man nodded: "That is indeed a joy in life. But I don't know, if the border falls and the Xiongnu go south, what will happen to these mountains, rivers, flowers, moon, wine, and beauties?"

The young man was speechless for a moment, his face flushed red.

A strange look flashed in the eyes of the old man in the main seat, and he raised his hand to signal: "Poems have different realms, no need to force them to be the same."

The young man was relentless and, after thinking for a while, suddenly responded: "Matters of the battlefield are difficult to judge without being in them. For a general, victory or defeat is a common matter for soldiers; for a soldier, life and death is the duty of the country."

"What a 'duty to the country'!" The middle-aged man suddenly raised his voice, "But I don't know, does this country remember the names of those who did their duty? Has it ever comforted their families? Has it ever..."

"Zhou Zijing!" The old man in the main seat shouted to stop him, "Do not discuss state affairs recklessly!"

The middle-aged man named Zhou Zijing gritted his teeth and sat back in his seat.

Jiang Jinshi noticed that the people around him looked at Zhou Zijing with disdain, as if they were looking at a mad scholar who didn't know the rules.

About an hour later, the poetry gathering entered the free chanting session. The literati gathered in twos and threes, drinking wine, composing couplets, and exchanging poetry manuscripts.

Jiang Jinshi watched Zhou Zijing walk alone to the bow of the boat, looking at the pitch-black lake surface.

"Mr. Zhou!"

Zhou Zijing turned back and bowed quite politely: "May I ask who you are?"

"My name is Jiang Shi, and I come from Beijiang!"

"So it's Young Master Jiang."

Jiang Jinshi walked to his side and also looked at the lake surface: "Was Mr. Zhou's poem just now referring to Beijiang?"

"Beijiang..." Zhou Zijing muttered, "When I was young, I wanted to go to Beijiang to throw away the pen and join the army, but unfortunately my mother was seriously ill and I couldn't go. Later, after my mother passed away, I had to raise my younger siblings, and it dragged on for twenty years."

Jiang Jinshi looked at him sideways. In the dim light, the wrinkles on Zhou Zijing's face were deeper, but there was still a fire in his eyes that hadn't gone out.

"What is Mr. Zhou doing now?"

"I run a private school in the east of the city, teaching a few young children to read and write to make a living." Zhou Zijing laughed at himself, "Occasionally I attend this kind of poetry gathering and am treated as a laughingstock."

"Why a laughingstock?"

"Because I always say things that are out of place." Zhou Zijing turned to look at him.

"For example, what I asked just now. In the eyes of these people, a poetry gathering should be about wind, flowers, snow, and moon; talking about politics and military affairs is vulgar. But I don't understand, if a literatus only knows how to chant about wind and moon and doesn't ask about the suffering of the people, then what is the use of reading?"

Jiang Jinshi's heart moved. This was exactly the person he was looking for—not only with literary talent but also with responsibility.

But Jiang Jinshi still had to probe further to see the person's true substance.

"Does Mr. Zhou have any views on governing the country and bringing peace to the people?"

Zhou Zijing was silent for a moment and said in a low voice: "Governing a country is like governing water; it is better to dredge than to block. The trouble of Beijiang and Xiliang is not in foreign enemies, but in internal politics. If the border people can live and work in peace and be on good terms with neighboring countries, how can there be continuous wars?"

"How can this be achieved?"

"Reduce taxes, promote military colonies, open border markets, and set up schools." Zhou Zijing finished in one breath and smiled bitterly again, "These are all the views of a scholar, making Young Master Jiang laugh."

"No," Jiang Jinshi said solemnly, "Every word is reasonable."

Although the idea was a bit naive, for example, being on good terms with neighboring countries—could the Xiongnu really be on good terms?

A weak country has no diplomacy; the gold content of this sentence was not low!

Just then, a commotion came from the cabin.

The two turned back and saw the old man in the main seat stand up and announce the start of the "Poetry Leader" selection for the night. Everyone presented their best poems, which were judged by three famous Yangzhou scholars.

Zhou Zijing hesitated for a moment, took out a scroll of poetry from his sleeve, but didn't step forward.

"Mr. Zhou is not participating in the evaluation?"

"Participating in the evaluation requires a 'brush fee' of two taels of silver." Zhou Zijing's voice was dry, "I can't afford it."

Jiang Jinshi understood in his heart. No wonder the young masters in gorgeous clothes at the poetry gathering were all eager; it turned out that this "Poetry Leader" was not just a false name.

He took an ingot of silver from his bosom: "I will pay for Mr. Zhou."

"How can this be!"

"Just take it as me buying Mr. Zhou's poetry manuscript." Jiang Jinshi took the scroll of poetry and unfolded it to see. It was a "Sympathy for the Farmers," with every word weeping blood and every sentence piercing the heart.

He took a deep breath and presented the poetry manuscript and his own silver together.

It was just that what Jiang Jinshi didn't understand was that the Cui family needed talent to participate in the imperial examination. Logically speaking, why would they use such a method? If a person with such learning as Zhou Zijing didn't have silver, wouldn't the Cui family miss out on talent?

"Young Master Jiang! My young lady invites you. I wonder if it's convenient?" At this time, Huai Xia walked onto the bow of the boat, and the sweat beads on her forehead showed that she had been looking for Jiang Jinshi for a while.

Jiang Jinshi bowed to Zhou Zijing, "Mr. Zhou, please wait for the result of the Poetry Leader first. I'll be back!"

"Young Master Jiang, I will wait for you!"

Jiang Jinshi followed behind Huai Xia and came into a boat. There was no one else here, only Cui Wangshu.

Cui Wangshu was still wearing a veil, and her attire was not much different from last time. It seemed that the other party liked this cold makeup and styling.

"What business does this Miss Cui want to talk to me about?" Jiang Jinshi sat down opposite Cui Wangshu, looking at the table full of delicacies and wine, but he didn't know what this woman was thinking.

Bai Ting stood outside the cabin, keeping watch for Jiang Jinshi.

"Please forgive me for rashly inviting Young Master Jiang to come!" Cui Wangshu stood up and bowed.

"No matter! Miss Cui, speak your mind!"

After Cui Wangshu sat down, she slowly opened her mouth, "I didn't know that Young Master Jiang was the master of Beijiang last time, and I was somewhat negligent. I hope Young Master Jiang will not blame me!" ===== CHAPTER 301 =====