After more than ten days of non-stop writing, Lin Zezu had finally refined his prose style to align with the conventions of examination poetry, the eight-legged essay, and parallel prose. His use of allusions was no longer restricted to *The Spring and Autumn Annals* but had gradually expanded to include *The Classic of Poetry* and *The Analects*. As a result, Master Zhu had even praised him, noting that his writing had become "less cluttered and more inspired."
This afternoon, while Lin Zezu was still hard at work, Master Zhu summoned him to the backyard.
"Your studies should not be pushed too far. One piece of poetry and one essay a day is sufficient. Do not become too rigid, or you will lose the spirit essential to a scholar," Master Zhu said earnestly, looking at the respectfully standing Lin Zezu. He had noticed that Lin Zezu's recent work—whether in examination poetry, the eight-legged essay, or parallel prose—had become overly "correct," showing signs of an extreme overcorrection.
Chapter 137