On the third day after the imperial examination, the list of candidates was posted outside the county government office. All candidates on the list could participate in the following provincial examination. As for those not on the list, they could go back to where they came from. Of course, if they were interested in watching others take the exam from a distance, no one would object.
Early in the morning of that day, Fatty Xue Chi put on gold and silver and dressed himself up like a bridegroom and ran to check the list.
In fact, this guy came to ask Zhu Ping'an to go and look at the list before daybreak, but Zhu Ping'an had no interest at all. He was already on the list, so why waste time looking at it? But the fat guy was very interested. He had waited for this day for too long and couldn't wait to show off. He couldn't help but show off in front of the scholars at the table next to him.
Young man, don't show off.
Zhu Ping'an looked at the fat man's proud back, and for some reason he always felt that there seemed to be thunder rolling in the sky.
Zhu Ping'an and the fat man parted ways at the door of the inn. The fat man went to the government office excitedly to wait for the imperial examination results to be announced, while Zhu Ping'an walked slowly towards the woods where he usually went, holding the black wooden board.
He repeated the same preparatory movements as before, then sat on a stone, laid a black wooden board, and began practicing calligraphy.
The environment is created by the mind, and the mind is like still water.
When practicing calligraphy today, Zhu Ping'an felt that he had entered a wonderful state. He felt that his calligraphy had entered a new realm since he broke through the bottleneck in Taihu Lake last time. This realm can almost be described as superb. The lone sail that was originally riding the wind and waves in the sea seemed to suddenly break through the sea and soar into the sky.
How can I describe this state of perfection? It's like the description of swordsmanship in martial arts novels:
When you first learn to practice, you use your hands to wield the sword, and sometimes the sword doesn't obey your command, and you may even hurt yourself. After practicing for a period of time, the hand and the sword become one, and the sword is controlled by the heart, and the sword follows the heart, and the sword technique reaches a higher level. The highest level of sword technique is the unity of heart and sword, without sword and self. Every move is a sword move. Flying flowers and picking leaves are all sharp swords. A thin embroidery needle can also resist three sword masters. Such sword technique can be said to have reached a superb level.
Now Zhu Ping'an feels that his calligraphy has reached the state where mind and brush are one, and there is no brush and no self.
When practicing calligraphy at the beginning, the hand controls the pen. There is a process from the pen not obeying the hand to gradually becoming proficient, and further development can be achieved to the second level of pen-hand unity. At this time, when writing, it feels that the pen is part of the hand. It is not writing with the pen, but writing with the hand. Zhu Pingan has reached this level a long time ago. At this moment, Zhu Pingan has reached the third level of calligraphy: the unity of mind and pen, no self and no pen.
Many famous calligraphers in ancient times were like this.
Wang Xizhi, watching the white geese swimming, reached this state and realized the unique skill of "floating goose hook"; Zhang Xu, watching the porters fighting for the road and Gongsun Da Niang dancing with swords, reached this state. From this, he realized the interweaving relationship of the structure and the strokes and the speed and rhythm of the brush, and achieved the perfection of cursive calligraphy; Huaisu, watching the summer clouds and sea waves, reached this state and realized the majestic and overwhelming momentum of cursive calligraphy.
When Zhu Pingan reached this state, he felt that his calligraphy not only had flesh and blood, but also had spirit, and his calligraphy had a momentum of riding the wind and waves.
At this time, Zhu Pingan felt that no matter he had a pen or no pen, a good pen or a bad pen, or even a rotten branch or a dogtail grass, he could write wonderful calligraphy.
This feeling is a bit unstoppable.
Zhu Ping'an splashed water with his brush. He was a little immersed in it, unable to extricate himself.
Until a drizzle of rain fell from the sky, waking Zhu Ping'an, who was in the frenzy of calligraphy.
Well
Is it raining
Zhu Ping'an, who was practicing calligraphy, raised his head and wiped the raindrops from his forehead. Then he realized that he was almost soaked.
How long has the rain been falling? I just realized it. That's all for today.
Zhu Pingan shook his head, put away the pen and bamboo tube reluctantly, stood up and walked out of the woods slowly. Looking up at the sky, he saw a drizzle of rain falling from the sky. The raindrops were so small and the rain curtain was so dense that it covered Yingtian City with a white gauze like a cicada's wing.
On the way back to the inn, the rain was getting heavier. The rainwater on the bluestone slabs gathered into small streams, gurgling forward along the city's drainage system.
When they returned to the inn, the innkeeper saw that Zhu Ping'an was wet from the rain, so he hurriedly handed him a dry towel for him to wipe the rain off his head, and asked the waiter to boil a bowl of ginger soup.
"Thank you, boss. Please bring some breakfast upstairs." Zhu Ping'an wiped the rain off his head and returned the towel to the shopkeeper to express his gratitude.
"Mr. Zhu, you are too polite. Oh, I almost forgot. Just now a messenger came with good news. You have passed the imperial examination." The shopkeeper took the towel and was about to turn around and tell the waiter to send a breakfast upstairs when he suddenly remembered what happened just now and hurriedly thanked Zhu Ping'an with a smile on his face.
"Oh, it's so early this time?" Zhu Ping'an was a little surprised.
"That's right, but the messenger also said that the education inspector finished reviewing the papers all night and arranged the announcement of the results without even taking a rest." The shopkeeper seemed to have a good impression of the education inspector, Lord Zhao.
"Oh, I see. Well, thank you, shopkeeper. Please bring me another bucket of hot water." Zhu Ping'an bowed to thank the shopkeeper, asked him to send a bucket of hot water upstairs, and then went upstairs.
Soon, several shop assistants brought ginger soup, breakfast and hot water upstairs. Zhu Ping'an drank ginger soup and ate breakfast, took a simple hot bath, changed into dry clothes, and then sat on the desk in front of the window to continue reading.
But the weather outside seems to be getting worse.
There was a violent storm, lightning and thunder, and heavy rain, like a river bursting through the sky. Zhu Ping'an was really worried that the roof would leak. The strong wind rolled up the raindrops like countless whips, lashing the wooden windows fiercely. Rain really got into the cracks of the windows and flowed down the windowsill. Lightning flashed, like a giant python leaping over the clouds, and a thunder suddenly exploded outside the window...
Zhu Ping'an had to close the window and move the desk back several steps.
"Uh, could it be that the fat guy was showing off too much? He caused so many thunders." Zhu Ping'an looked out the window and complained in his heart. His feeling in the morning was really right.
But with Fatty's character, he would definitely not pretend to be nine points if he could pretend to be ten points! I just don't know how he feels when he sees the lightning and thunder outside, and I don't know if he dares to continue pretending.
The list was announced today, and the provincial examination was not far away. Zhu Ping'an moved his desk a few steps back and continued to prepare for the exam. He read books and wrote... The lightning, thunder, wind and rain outside did not hinder him at all. ()