Chapter Seventy-Two: The Second Battle

In the preparation room, Master Zhang explained to Su Lu:

"Although the parallel structure and antithetical phrasing are mainly the domain of the Eight-Legged Essay, the opening argument—the beginning of one’s thesis—also requires concise and forceful prose to lay a solid foundation."

"So you can deliberately employ parallelism to enhance the strength of your argument and fortify the opening’s momentum!" As he spoke, his voice rose:

"The Eight-Legged Essay is a piece of reasoning; to instruct, one must possess vigor! The clarity of logic does not rely on loudness, but if the words lack force, how can they persuade?"

"Why did the teachers appreciate your essay during the last monthly exam? Because the opening sixteen characters—‘Human nature is constant; guide it and it is upright. Understanding reason is hard to force; conforming brings peace!’—were brimming with momentum, as if declaring, ‘If not me, then who?’"

"But why did they later withhold your score? Because you failed to sustain that momentum throughout!" Master Zhang, visibly excited, slapped the table, the veins on his hand standing out.

"Remember, boy, what does it mean to open with vigor? What does it mean to speak on behalf of the sages? It’s as if I am a sage myself, addressing you from above! It’s not about equal persuasion, but commanding presence and assertiveness—‘If not me, then who?’ Do you understand?"

"I understand!" Su Lu felt enlightened. Though it was somewhat inappropriate, he couldn’t help thinking of a certain mustachioed orator…

Actually, if Zhang weren’t concerned that Su Lu might fail again, he would have waited until graduation to teach these ‘tricks.’ For they easily lead students astray, encouraging shortcuts rather than genuine improvement, which is the true path.

But he believed that with Su Lu's maturity, well beyond his peers, it shouldn’t pose much of a problem… hopefully.

In Zhang’s view, Su Lu’s thesis opening was stunning, and given that the body of the argument rarely offered much room for flair, if the opening could also be elevated, the entire ‘framework’ would be improved. When the examiners saw it, wouldn’t they at least… grant half a point?

Thus, Zhang Yanqiu gathered thirty essays he deemed suitable, concealed their opening sections, and tasked Su Lu with imitating the structure—‘Thus… is…; Indeed… is…; Therefore…’—to practice parallel openings.

With four days left, Su Lu needed to craft seven or eight parallel openings each day. Truth be told, it wasn’t easy. Compared to memorization, reasoning, and structuring, this was his undeniable weakness.

Fortunately, he could seek help from classmates; Lin Zhihong and Qiao Feng both enthusiastically assisted him, sharing their insights without reserve.

Naturally, no one offers help for nothing… Not long after the first monthly exam results were released, both had sought Su Lu’s guidance on the principles and structure of the Eight-Legged Essay. Su Lu, withholding nothing, imparted his own method of argumentation.

So now, they reciprocated, even feeling that their help to Su Lu was far too modest…

~~

Four days later, April fifteenth arrived—the day of the second monthly exam.

Coincidentally, it was raining again. In Yongning, the rain generally concentrated between March and July; now was indeed the season of continuous overcast.

The monthly exam followed the usual routine: first, the test on classical texts; second, the essay.

There was little to say about the first part, so let’s jump to the essay. The topic was:

‘The gentleman bestows benefit without waste, labors without complaint, desires without greed, maintains composure without arrogance, commands respect without severity.’

Su Lu immediately recognized it as coming from the last chapter of the Analects, ‘Yao said.’ This sort of topic is called a ‘comprehensive chapter topic,’ requiring the discussion to center on the whole passage’s essential meaning, not just isolated phrases.

It was a straightforward topic, without any tricks, requiring no intricate analysis—evidence that the novice protection period was still in effect.

After much deliberation, Su Lu ultimately opened with a four-character sentence…

He considered changing his style to avoid aesthetic fatigue, but his own skills were limited; adopting another style might not win the teachers’ approval, so he dared not take the risk.

This time, his goal was clear—he must score, so stability was paramount!

He proceeded as before, first drafting a semi-classical draft, then thoroughly applying his recent studies: parallel openings, and the ‘Nine Swords of Solitude’ technique taught by the Headmaster, refining and polishing with all his strength until he completed ‘The Gentleman Bestows Benefit Without Waste.’

Upon submission, the students were temporarily set free. Though the rain poured harder, nothing could dampen their yearning for freedom; umbrellas raised and rain cloaks donned, they rushed from the mountain gate to the town for merriment.

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Their papers, as before, were sent to Daonan Hall.

After lunch, the teachers rested briefly before beginning the grading. As mentioned previously, the academy had no midday nap: ‘Zai Yu slept during the day; Confucius said, “Rotten wood cannot be carved.”’

The annotation reads, ‘Scholars must cherish time and not be idle.’

Thus, in the Confucian view, daytime sleep is a sign of laziness…

Of course, teachers also felt drowsy after a full meal, especially when faced with essay after essay, tedious and uninspiring, making it even harder to stay alert.

They could only rely on strong tea or betel leaves for stimulation…

The luckiest moment was encountering a spirited essay that could instantly revive one’s energy! Whenever a teacher found such a piece, they would clap in praise, reading it aloud to refresh everyone.

Yet such essays were rare; halfway through grading, only Zhu Zi He, Lin Zhihong, Qiao Feng, and a couple of others had produced noteworthy work.

"Zi He’s essay is more earnest than last time—truly startling—but it feels somewhat overdone," the teachers commented after hearing it.

"But Zhihong’s progress is remarkable; before, he lagged behind Zi He in every aspect, but now he’s caught up in reasoning and structure."

"Indeed, Zhihong’s essay reads very smoothly, making one’s whole body feel refreshed, though it still lacks a bit of force."

"Perhaps it’s his temperament—you can’t force a western warrior to sing a mournful song, nor a southern lady to sing of mighty rivers," Qian Huairen joked.

"So who ranks higher this time?" asked Zhu.

"As usual," Qian said calmly. Though he didn’t grade personally, he had to ensure the process was orderly.

"Alright," Zhu nodded, thinking his question was unnecessary…

"By the way, who’s read Su Lu’s essay?" Qian Huairen knew the Headmaster would ask about this student later, so he wanted to be prepared.

Everyone looked curiously at the teachers grading the Shengshenzhai papers.

"Not yet," they replied, but since the Deputy Headmaster had spoken, they sifted through the remaining papers and found Su Lu’s.

"Let me read it, see if he’s improved this month," Zhu said, and recited aloud:

"Uphold benevolence, follow righteousness, act in accordance with circumstance, maintain moderation, virtue shining forth!"

"Excellent!" The teachers, hearing the sixteen-character opening, instantly felt invigorated, praising, "As powerful as ever, clear and commanding, even better than last time!"

"Indeed," the youngest, Teacher Niu, analyzed, "He used a subtle opening. Mencius said, ‘Uphold benevolence, follow righteousness; thus is the work of the great man.’ He pointed out the fundamental principle of a gentleman’s conduct, echoing the moral standards of the five virtues in the topic."

"‘Act in accordance with circumstances’ matches ‘bestows benefit without waste, commands respect without severity’; ‘maintain moderation’ aligns with the remaining three traits; ending with ‘virtue shining forth’ summarizes all! Flawless, more mature than before."

"Yes, with the thesis clear, this essay cannot go astray," Zhu said, clapping.

"Don’t celebrate too soon; with others, yes, but with this boy, you never know," a teacher laughed, "He might again start strong and finish weak."

"Haha, indeed…" The teachers agreed.

"Mo Wang, continue reading," Qian Huairen instructed, thinking ahead how he might salvage Su Lu if the teachers again gave him zero.

He couldn’t really let the Headmaster’s ‘rough gem’ be cast out, could he?

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But these fellows were stubborn, and if it was still as plain as before, it would be difficult…

Teacher Niu Ziru, whose given name was Mo Wang, continued reading the body of the essay:

"The gentleman’s cultivation begins with benevolence and follows righteousness, responds to circumstances and conforms to reason, thus exemplifying the rites of great virtue."

"Not bad, an improvement," Zhu quickly affirmed.

The teachers agreed, "Indeed, and there’s even rhythm now."

"In such a short time, this is truly impressive," they praised, urging, "Continue with the opening argument."

Teacher Niu read aloud in a resonant voice:

"With benevolent heart, bestows benefit; drawing from what is inherent, wealth is unharmed. Upholding righteousness, undertakes labor; fulfilling what is within, no complaint arises. Curbing desires within bounds, keeping discipline, greed is distant. Composed in high position, humility dispels pride. Upright conduct, dignified bearing—all are effects of benevolence and righteousness."

"Excellent, tremendous progress!" the teachers applauded. "It’s clear the boy has worked hard on his prose; though the parallelism is still somewhat stiff and the cadence imperfect, it’s beginning to take shape."

"Indeed, the reasoning remains first-rate, and the prose is not unpleasant," Qian Huairen breathed a sigh of relief, stroking his beard, "Such improvement in a month is rare."

"Now for the Eight-Legged Essay, where prose skill truly shows," the teachers prompted again.

Teacher Niu continued with the opening section:

"Bestows benefit with measure, not stingy but appropriate in giving and taking; undertakes labor with perseverance, not stubborn but steadfast in duty. Curbing desires with moderation, not ascetic but guided by principle; maintains composure with humility, not servile but dignified in modesty. Commands respect with order, not fierce but upright and trusted."

The middle section:

"Benefit is not wasted, guided by circumstance, its favor ever shines; labor is not mere routine, effort devoted, duty nurtured, heart at peace. Desire is not indulged, thus natural law prevails, aspirations remain within bounds; composure is not prideful, thus humanity stands, honor never loses humility. Respect is not reliant on severity, virtue spreads far, discipline harms not warmth."

The later section:

"Benefit is not forced, follows inherent advantage; labor is not empty toil, fulfills rightful duty. Desire is not abolished, keeps within proper bounds; composure is not based on position, holds humility at heart. Respect is not dependent on law, cultivates inner virtue."

The conclusion:

"The five virtues practiced together, rooted in benevolence and righteousness; all virtues complete, establishing oneself in the world—this is the path of supreme virtue!"

~~

After Teacher Niu finished, he couldn’t help but praise:

"Three days apart, you must see him anew. This boy improves at lightning speed; his parallel prose now has form, reads fluently, and is essentially error-free."

"And quite bold," Zhu also remarked with satisfaction, "somewhat reminiscent of Mencius viewing the lords as mere chickens and dogs."

"Indeed, it’s fierce," the teachers agreed, "but the previous essay’s calm and balanced style suits him better."

"He’s clearly improving his prose, so overcorrection is inevitable," Zhu defended Su Lu, "which shows his adaptability!"

After the teachers finished discussing, Qian Huairen asked, "In your expert opinions, how should he be scored?"

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