Chapter 143: The Deadline

Leaving the Wu residence, Zhang Yue felt somewhat vexed.

On his way back, he realized one thing: the night was already late, and he had no carriage to take him home. Fortunately, learning that Zhang Heng lived near the Imperial Academy, he was able to hitch a ride along the way.

Though slightly tipsy, Zhang Heng remarked along the journey, "If Third Lad wishes to excel in poetry and fu, you must master the rhymes and meters thoroughly in your heart."

Zhang Yue replied, "House Chief, I have long since memorized the *Jiyun*."

Zhang Heng said, "Memorization is not enough; your everyday speech still carries a rustic accent. Back at the clan school, I noticed your tones were inaccurate, and the entering tone was often mispronounced as the deflected tone. To compose poetry, merely memorizing rhyme books is insufficient. When learning poetry and lyrics, one must recite them aloud in accordance with the rhyme dictionaries."

Zhang Yue understood. Take the lines: "Wild grasses and flowers by the Zhuque Bridge, the setting sun slants past the mouth of Uyi Lane." This character for "slant" (*xie*) is pronounced as *xia*, which represents the error of pronouncing the entering tone as a deflected tone.

Only by pronouncing the character *xie* as *xia* could it rhyme with the character for "home" (*jia*) in the subsequent lines: "Swallows that once nested in the halls of the Wang and Xie families, now fly into the homes of ordinary people."

Nowadays, his speech had long since assimilated into the Pucheng dialect, which still differed in tones and entering tones from standard elegant speech. Ouyang Xiu himself spoke with a rustic accent and, unable to afford rhyme books, failed several imperial examinations as a result.

As for modern speech, the entering tone had long since vanished, diverging from classical standard speech by ten thousand miles.

Zhang Yue could follow the rhyme books when composing poetry within the Imperial Academy, but in his daily speech and recitation, he still lapsed into his old habits.

Zhang Yue thought to himself that changing his everyday speech wasn't strictly necessary. Much like the Qing Dynasty, which lacked the entering tone and had a different manner of speaking, one merely needed to remember to follow the PuserService standard when taking the imperial examinations.

Zhang Heng chuckled and said, "If one must consult a rhyme book to write poetry, why bother writing at all? Without grasping the orthodox tradition, it is difficult to strike the examiners' fancy."

Zhang Yue thought that Zhang Heng was being excessively demanding. This meant not only chanting poetry and lyrics in daily life, but even altering one's habitual speech according to the rhyme dictionaries. How could anyone accomplish such a feat overnight?

However, Zhang Heng was a top imperial scholar, so he was undoubtedly right in saying this. He would simply practice more—practicing speaking according to the rhyme books even in his dreams.

"I have received your instruction, House Chief," Zhang Yue said with utmost humility.

Zhang Heng smiled as he observed Zhang Yue's expression. Sitting opposite each other in the carriage, Zhang Yue felt a bit stuffy and casually lifted the carriage curtain.

At that moment, the night breeze was cool, and the grand avenues of Bianjing remained bustling and noisy.

Zhang Yue looked outside and saw that after a short while, several carriages were either heading in the opposite direction or passing by his own.

Inside the passing carriages, people from time to time lifted the curtains to gaze along the street.

Just as Zhang Yue was looking out, a young lady in an oncoming carriage happened to lift her curtain. She looked somewhat melancholic, but precisely as she raised her eyes to gaze outside, their gazes met. Then she let out a light laugh, and immediately her carriage sped past. The two of them exchanged a parting glance over their shoulders as they brushed past each other.

The fragrance of the woman seemed to linger in the wind, and Zhang Yue found himself lingering on the sensation within the carriage, his heart stirring. Zhang Heng, seated beside him, smiled and recited:

"Late, I chased the fragrant carriage into the phoenix city; the east wind lightly lifted the embroidered curtains, while she slowly turned her charming eyes, smiling radiantly."

"With no news communicated, what plan is there? I can only feign drunkenness and follow along, vaguely hearing someone call me a wild and reckless scholar."

With that, Zhang Heng burst into laughter. Zhang Yue knew he was teasing him, comparing him to this trip to the Wu residence.

This lyric described a man who saw a woman sitting in a fragrant carriage entering the city; as luck would have it, she lifted the curtain and cast a smiling glance at him.

The man wanted to chase after her to ask for her contact, so he feigned drunkenness and trailed behind, only to faintly hear her murmur that he was a "wild scholar."

Though merely a piece of verse, such a chance encounter made Zhang Yue think of the fleeting glimpse of the woman just now, and amidst his mild intoxication, he truly felt a flutter in his heart.

Zhang Heng's recitation of this lyric was exceedingly fitting, albeit with a slight touch of mockery.

Zhang Yue said, "Brother Ziping, in the present time and setting, reciting *Huan Sha Sha* is hardly appropriate. However, Little Minister Song's *Partridge Sky* is the true reflection."

"In a narrow path we met, our painted carriages and carved saddles clashing; a single note of heartbreak within the embroidered curtains. Though our bodies lack the colorful twin wings of the magic phoenix, our hearts share the mutual understanding of the spiritual rhinoceros. Built of gold, caged in jade, carriages flow like water and horses gallop like dragons. Master Liu already laments the remoteness of Pengshan, now separated by tens of thousands of folds of Pengshan."

Hearing this, both Zhang Heng and Zhang Yue laughed out loud.

This lyric was written by Song Qi, who bore the moniker "Red Apricot Minister," and whose poetry was often adapted from the verses of others.

At the time, Song Qi was riding in his carriage when he happened to encounter a carriage from the imperial palace, the two vehicles colliding as they traveled in opposite directions.

The opposing carriage curtain was lifted, and a palace maid caught sight of Song Qi, whereupon she cried out in surprise, "Isn't this Little Song?"

After the two carriages parted, Song Qi became utterly infatuated with the woman, leading him to compose this lyric.

The final line expressed that Song Qi knew the other was a palace maid and that his chances of establishing a relationship with her were exceedingly slim, as if separated by tens of thousands of mountains.

And yet?

This poem came to the attention of Emperor Renzong of Song.

Emperor Renzong wondered what kind of palace maid could capture the fancy of Little Song.

Upon locating the palace maid, Emperor Renzong summoned Song Qi into the palace to discuss the matter. Song Qi was thoroughly embarrassed, but Emperor Renzong, acting as a matchmaker, bestowed the palace maid upon Song Qi, smiling as he said, "Pengshan is not so far away after all."

Zhang Heng and Zhang Yue engaged in a brisk exchange of witty remarks.

Each expressed his own view, and finally, both burst into laughter inside the carriage.

Zhang Heng smiled and said, "If we had wine, I should share a few more cups with Third Lad."

Zhang Yue replied, "I have no desire to drink with the House Chief any longer. By the way, I am returning this unlined outer garment."

"No need, I said I was giving it to you," Zhang Heng said with a smile. "Though you and the Wu family have no predestined affinity, today's outing was not bad. Another day, I shall arrange a match for you."

"It must at least possess the looks of the palace maid that Little Song fancied."

Zhang Heng looked at Zhang Yue and said earnestly, "Third Lad, when choosing a wife, choose virtue over beauty."

Zhang Yue replied, "Though I know the House Chief speaks sense, I refuse!"

Zhang Heng laughed heartily once more. "What a Third Lad."

Zhang Yue returned to the Imperial Academy.

The banquet event at the Wu residence that day gradually spread throughout the academy.

Aside from the phrase "Ten thousand people in the world look up" being discussed—though the poem was fine, it had not yet reached the level of astonishing brilliance—the students discussing Zhang Yue no longer merely referred to him as "so-and-so's relative" of Zhang Ziping or Zhang Zihou. Instead, they added the assessment that this person's literary talent was also worthy of notice.

A few individuals occasionally remarked that his talent fell short of Ziping and Zihou, yet his ambition for fame seemed to surpass theirs.

Zhang Yue paid little attention to these rumors and recently devoted himself wholeheartedly to the art of poetry composition.

People spoke of Tang poetry and Song lyrics.

Poetry expresses ambition, after which it can be set to tunes and sung.

Lyrics are different; they begin with a title of the tune, which means the writer composes words to fit an existing musical melody. Thus, Song lyrics resemble modern song lyrics.

However, the poetry required for the imperial examinations is distinct.

Zhang Yue himself was still not very skilled at writing poetry, yet poetry was a mandatory subject in the examinations.

Moreover, the poetry in the imperial examinations differed from Tang poetry or Song lyrics; it was *shitie shi* (pinned-rhyme poetry).

This type of poetry begins with a pre-arranged prompt.

For instance, the civil service examination essays of the Ming and Qing dynasties took a sentence from the Four Books and Five Classics as a prompt. However, the scope of pinned-rhyme poetry was extremely vast; any sentence from the Classics, Histories, Philosophers, or Collections could be used as an examination topic.

This tested the breadth of a student's erudition.

For example, if the examiners set the prompt "Feng Fu rolls up his sleeves and steps down from the carriage," the candidates were required to write a pinned-rhyme poetry piece.

A candidate ignorant of the literary allusion might mistakenly believe Feng Fu was a woman and write lines such as "Slender jade hands emerge, golden lotus steps move step by step."

Furthermore, pinned-rhyme poetry imposed strict formatting requirements: no duplicate characters were permitted, and the language had to be dignified and graceful.

Much like the "Fēng, Yǎ, Sòng" in the *Classic of Poetry*, one had to write in accordance with the styles of "Yǎ" and "Sòng," and adhere to a structure where lines began with level tones and ended with deflected tones.

Additionally, there were rules requiring the couplets to match specific metrical structures: the opening couplet had to break the theme, the second couplet had to continue the theme, and so on.

Of course, the most crucial requirement was that the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth lines all had to rhyme, giving the entire poem a resonant, cyclical rhythm.

In short, bound by these rigid constraints, candidates were akin to dancing in heavy shackles, striving to produce brilliant, blossoming verses amid narrow maneuvers.

Such was pinned-rhyme poetry.

In the civil service examinations of the Song Dynasty, poetry and *fu* were held in the highest regard.

These were also the subjects evaluated in both the private and public examinations within the Imperial Academy.

The private examinations at the academy were held on days ending in three and eight, usually tested within each residential hall.

However, by the end of the month on the days ending in three and eight, all students assembled in Chonghua Hall for a collective examination to determine their academic rankings.

Typically, days ending in three tested poetry, *fu*, or policy discourse, while days ending in eight tested classical exegesis.

For three consecutive months, Zhang Yue had placed dead last in poetry and *fu* during the private exams, yet for those same three consecutive months, he had ranked first in the Imperial Academy's jinshi division for classical exegesis.

The contrast was glaringly obvious.

Yet this accomplishment was of little practical use. In the jinshi division, poetry and *fu* were paramount, followed by policy and discourse, with classical exegesis coming in last.

Furthermore, if one wished to plagiarize a fine poem from later eras, one could not afford to stumble during the routine examinations within the academy.

If one's opening statements failed to match the conclusion, the only person disgraced would be oneself, or others would promptly suspect plagiarism.

With the September private examinations rapidly approaching, Zhang Yue once again felt overwhelmed. The jinshi track was truly distinct from classical exegesis, reinforcing his conviction that natural talent played a crucial role.

"Third Lad, Instructor Li summons you. Prepare yourself!"

Liu Ji said to him with a grave expression.

Observing Liu Ji's demeanor, Zhang Yue wondered what Li Gou could possibly want with him.

Arriving at Li Gou's residence, Zhang Yue met him with a heart full of apprehension.

Li Gou asked, "Third Lad, have you been at the Imperial Academy for half a year?"

Zhang Yue replied, "Reporting to the Instructor, exactly half a year."

Li Gou said, "Over the past three months of private examinations, you have consistently ranked at the very bottom of the jinshi division. Do you feel no shame?"

Zhang Yue answered, "Reporting to the Instructor, your student has been studying poetry and *fu* for less than half a year, and the time is still short. I ask that you—"

Zhang Yue thought to himself that he had started from near "zero foundation" in a top-tier institution, so ranking at the bottom was hardly his fault.

"Enough of that; I have already given you ample time and effort," Li Gou said coldly. "If you rank at the bottom again in this month's private examination, your meal subsidy will be revoked. If you are also last in the public examination, you will be expelled and sent back to your native place."

Zhang Yue grew somewhat irritated, yet he still argued, "It was the Instructor's own idea in the first place that I enter the jinshi division. If my skills in the jinshi division are lacking, I should be permitted to transfer to the various specialized subjects or the Classics division. On what grounds is expulsion warranted? I ask the Instructor to consider this wisely!"

Li Gou retorted, "The specialized subjects and Classics division are already at full quota. Besides, when I initially directed you into the jinshi division, it was out of an intention to elevate you, yet who could have known you would turn out so incompetent? I am now in charge of the Imperial Academy, and the rules are set by me. If you are dissatisfied, you may go to the Directorate of Education and state your grievances there."

Zhang Yue thought to himself, Is this supposed to be personal retaliation disguised as official business?

"Instructor Li is truly worthy of being a renowned scholar across the realm. This student takes his leave!" Zhang Yue turned and walked away.

Li Gou watched Zhang Yue's retreating figure in silence, muttering to himself, "Am I being excessively harsh on the student? As the saying goes, lax instruction is the teacher's fault! I must not harbor any weak, sentimental feelings!"