Chapter 1- The Li household
Located on the west side of the city is a humble residence.
This residence has housed a family for more than 30 years.
The Li household is the most ordinary family there is. Three generations of the Li family have lived in this imperial city and this humble residence.
It is an old residence, a normal square shape, and not very big. The layout followed the established standards with its blue roof tiles and ordinary white walls.
The outer yard also served as the front yard. The space is not as big as the inner courtyard. Excluding the main gate, there were four reverse-facing rooms and a main hall in the middle. The outer courtyard served as a place for the men to meet friends and entertain guests. Most prosperous families would have their outer courtyard’s rooms full of guests to show their wealth.
However, the current Li family had only a few heirs and very few lived in the courtyard. They had no servants either, so the residence was big enough for the remaining people living inside.
After passing through the second gate is the inner courtyard where the female members of the family lived. There are five large rooms in the main courtyard of which one was used as the central room or a place one can spend their time working on their needlework. Sometimes it even served female guests. The remaining four rooms were used as bedrooms with small side rooms attached to the left and right of the main courtyard.
Through the connecting corridors, one can reach the east and west side courtyards with each one consisting of three rooms. The east courtyard was occupied but the west courtyard remained empty.
The Li family had lived in this residence for three generations and there weren’t many occupants. In fact, in the eyes of others, the Li Family had slowly withered over the years.
Patriarch Li had passed many years ago and now Matriarch Sun held the most seniority and most authority in the family.
Matriarch Sun gave birth to four children but only one of them was male while the rest were girls.
However, Matriarch Sun’s luck can be considered good as when she entered the Li household, she gave birth to a son after ten months of hard pregnancy. Due to giving birth to a qilin son, she did not suffer at her mother-in-law’s hands. Although she gave birth to three daughters in succession in the following years, she only received a few surface-level verbal complaints.
When her in-laws passed away, she became the head of the household.
The only son was named Li Baode and he married a wife surnamed Bai at seventeen.
Her three daughters were also married soon after and left the household one after another.
When Bai shi married into the Li family, her first child was also a son. This was naturally a fortuitous event. Bai shi had wanted to give birth to another son but unexpectedly, this matter seemed to be fixed as after a few years only two more daughters were born.
Although somewhat of a disappointment, the Li family has had only a single heir in multiple generations now and so this matter was not taken to heart.
However, when outsiders saw this, they shook their heads and remarked that the Li Family’s incense burning was not enough and the branches of offspring have been thinned out due to a lack of blessings.
Nowadays, many people love to choose those who are prosperous and wealthy to have their sons married to. And the Li family was no exception.
Matriarch Sun is in her early fifties now, her once illustrious black hair is now streaked with a few gray strands at her temples. At this age, the old lady was most satisfied with two things. One that she was a native of the imperial capital and two, that her grandson is a scholar.
As the only grandson of the Li family, Li Chengze is now twenty years old and has reached the age of marriage. Matriarch Sun has been paying attention to her grandson’s marriage since he was sixteen. She had secretly gone to many households and observed many candidates for her grandson but the matter was still not settled yet.
This was because Li Chengze was sent out to learn and become a scholar since he was young. However, one didn’t know when but now he started to think highly of himself and had an aura of aloofness around him. His eyes were raised towards the sky and he looked down on the common people.
He had his own thoughts on the matter of his marriage and none of the women Bai shi or Matriarch Sun recommended to him entered his eyes. To put it bluntly, he thought they were all vulgar commoners that were unworthy of being his wife.
Since he is the only grandson and heir of the Li Family, he has been spoiled since young and Li Chengze has become a self-centered man with grandiose ideas. Furthermore, he is the only scholar in the family and held great status in the household.
As he grew older, every small and major matter in the family was discussed with him. After so many years, his clout within the family could not be overlooked.
He looked down on the commoner girls and didn’t want to get married. Matriarch Sun and Bai shi were both getting so anxious that their mouths grew blisters but they didn’t dare to decide their son/grandson’s marriage without his approval.
So he dragged it out and had recently turned twenty.
Last winter, Bai shi once again tentatively brought up the matter of Li Chengze’s marriage and Matriarch Sun had taken fancy to a girl that could possibly be her grandson’s future wife. The girl is very obedient and virtuous and her family ran an inn in the northern district of the city. The family is flourishing with heirs with six sons in the family and the girl was blessed with good looks and a kind nature.
The Li family only had this one seedling, and so they liked the families with many brothers as they thought that means the girl of the family must be blessed with the same fortune. A girl like that must have a fertile womb that will give births to many sons.
However, just like before, Li Chengze frowned when he learned of this and his face naturally didn’t look good.
He felt contempt in his heart, thinking that his mother and grandmother are really short-sighted. He is a scholar, how can those girls from small families be worthy of him?
Although he felt dissatisfied in his heart, he maintained his identity and dignity as a refined scholar and did not harshly rebuke his family.
He put on an obedient act and explained patiently: “Grandmother, this grandson wishes to enter the spring examinations next year. After I have my talent recognized and my status raised, won’t it be better if we discuss the matters of marriage then?”
Li Chengze disregarded the fact that his learning was not complete and he only seemed knowledgeable on the surface.
However, after years of this scholarly attitude, everyone in the Li family naturally came to believe that their son/grandson is incredibly skilled and that he will definitely be able to pass the examinations next year and achieve a high ranking.
Her grandson is grown up now and others his age have already married with kids, yet her grandson still dragged his feet on the matter. As someone who wanted to hold her grandchildren in her arms at least once before she died, Matriarch Sun couldn’t help but get angry.
But still Li Chengze did not cooperate and used many excuses to beat around the bush of the matter when his family asked. In fact, he did not need to coax them that much as all he had to do was put on an unhappy expression and say that he wanted to enter the exams first. Then he would say that after he gets an official post, he could get any official lady he wants. At that time, the Li family will truly be able to move up in the world and they’ll no longer be commoners.
Li Chengze might not have many skills, but he had a glib tongue that allowed him to exaggerate any situation so much that it made the uneducated old grandmother’s eyes spin dizzy. When her eyes straightened again, she would look at this grandson in front of her like he was a star rarely seen in a century.
Then Matriarch Sun would pat her chest and think in her heart, how could she be so blind as to casually match her grandson with a daughter from a small family? Wasn’t she simply sabotaging her own grandson’s future!
And so Grandmother Li was persuaded by her grandson and whenever she thought about all the girls from before, she would feel dissatisfied.
She would then raise her eyes to look at her grandson again, and then her face would be full of smiles as her tune completely changed, “Darling, it is grandmother’s fault for not thinking things through! And to think I almost sabotaged your future! Don’t worry, I will let your mother push this matter to the back for now so you can study with peace of mind. We can talk about it again once you’ve become an imperial scholar!”
Li Chengze was satisfied by this answer and then would say something to make the old lady happy before making an excuse to leave.
In front of her grandson, the old lady was completely benevolent and kind but when Li Chengze left, she grew angry and took it out on the Bai shi that was left behind.
“You shallow-eyed, stupid woman! Always whispering in my ears about this and that! You almost made me hurt Ze-er! You ignorant woman! Fortunately my dear grandson has a balance in his heart and knows how to weigh things carefully, or else he would’ve been harmed by you! And you call yourself a mother!”
She would scold harshly like this with a dark face, but completely forget that she is the one most desperate to see Li Chengze married.
Bai shi’s personality has always been shy and weak, so how could she dare argue with her overbearing mother-in-law? She could only listen to her mother-in-law’s scolding obediently and then admit to her mistakes over and over again. Only then was the matter put to rest.
As the only grandson of the Li family, Li Chengze naturally does not stay at home to receive his education but goes to a private academy.
Master Lin is well-known among the west side of the city. He is an accomplished Juren* and have reached the tail end of his lifespan. His children and grandchildren have all grown up, and have long given up in continuing his career. Instead he decided to open a small schoolroom in his home and accept some students. (*T/N: Juren: a successful candidate in the imperial provincial examination)
Nowadays, there are many scholars who will open private academies on their own and there were several residing in the west side of the cities, but most of them were old Xiucai* who had failed the provincial exams many times. These scholars understood that they could not advance any further and simply gave up. (*T/N: Xiucai:A scholar who has passed the entry-level examination. At this rank you can officially call yourself a scholar.)
Speaking of that Juren, Master Lin, his teaching fee was not cheap at about twelve taels a year and this did not include the money needed to ‘pay respects’ and show ‘filial piety’ to the Master. (T/N: ‘paying respects’ to a teacher/scholar usually means giving them money in some way.)
And don’t even mention the money needed to guarantee a good rank on the exams (T/N: bribe), there were still brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone that needed to be bought as well as expenses for eating, clothing, making friends, etc. Therefore, for an ordinary person, becoming a scholar is no easy feat.
Take the Li family for example. In the eyes of the common people, they live in a outstanding residence and they live rather comfortably, In addition, the Li family also own 200 Mu* of paddy fields and 100 Mu of woodlands somewhere in the countryside. Those fields and woodlands are family property that the Li family has passed down for several generations. Most of their yearly income relies on this family property. The land is rented out every year and the rent collection is enough to provide the Li family with everything they need. (*T/N: Mu = ancient Chinese measurement with 1 Mu = 666.7 square meters)
Compared to the ordinary and common families, the Li family are considered quite wealthy. However, because the family is raising a scholar and lives in the imperial city, the money is barely enough to cover their family’s annual costs. After all, it takes a lot of money to build connections and relationships in the imperial city.
The Li family doesn’t even have enough money to hire a maid or servant to do all the washing and cleaning.
The Li family never considered themselves as either a farmer family or scholar family and their lives were quite rich. They never expected to raise a scholar in their family, let alone have a competent official come from their household.
Additionally, the old Patriarch Li who passed years ago and the current head of the household, Li Baode, only had around two years of schooling at a young age. While there was no problem in their literacy and basic mathematics, their knowledge did not go any deeper than that. When Li Badoe had started his schooling, he didn’t show any extraordinary skills so his education did not go much deeper than his father’s.
When it was Li Chengze’s turn, he entered a private academy at the age of eight. However, it was not an academy run but Juren Lin, but by a Xiucai who acted more as a private tutor and they only paid him a few silvers for his teaching.
After three years of schooling, the Li family felt it was enough. Li Baode planned to take his son to the countryside and teach him how to manage the fields. However, Li Chengze refused to comply. In his heart he held many ambitions. Although he was still young, his head was already filled with power-hungry thoughts by that bitter Xiucai who taught him for three years. He believed that reading and then becoming an official was the best path in life. Soon he became the selfish and aloof man he is today.
The Li family has never had a scholar come from their family before and thus never thought much about it. They had only sent their children and grandchildren to receive some schooling so they would be able to manage the family business passed down the generations.
So when Li Chengzi started crying and pleaded to continue school, it surprised everyone. Then the child said he wanted to continue his studies and then earn a name for himself in the imperial examinations. That surprised even his grandfather and grandmother.
There was only this one seed left in the family, and since he voluntarily asked to continue studying, Patriarch Li barely hesitated before he agreed. One year later he even switched Li Chengze’s teacher to the current Juren Lin.
And so, Li Chengze learned how to coax the adults in his family and get his way. With a determined look in his eyes and a cautious temperament, he has long planned out what he wanted and how to get it. Therefore, he was especially cautious and unwilling to compromise when it came to matters about his marriage.
After persuading his grandmother, Li Chengze met up with a few friends and then went somewhere quiet to read his books. People like him looked good on the surface, someone who brags about his great ability and reputation. When in reality, his mind is empty and barely has a drop of ink inside. After studying for many years, he still proclaimed proudly to the skies that he was going to become an official after scoring high on the imperial examinations!
After several months of immersive studying, the year came and went, and soon it was the beginning of spring.
Li Chengze was about to enter the stage, and he did not have to worry about the preparations before the exam. Matriarch Sun and Bai shi had everything properly arranged beforehand for fear that their darling son/grandson would be disturbed by thes trivial matters.
And Li Chengze entered the examination room with his back straight and with no fear.
A few days after the test, the dust had settled and some families rejoiced while others mourned.
And who knows if Li Chengze was just lucky or actually had some skills as when the red list of rankings was released, his name was on it!
He had successfully passed all the entry-level exams! He had become a real scholar, a Xiucai!
Although his ranking was low, this was already a great blessing for the Li family!
The ancestors had heard their prayers and blessed them with great fortune!
For a long time, the Li family’s residence was like a small city and was full of liveliness. Neighbors came flooding to the door to congratulate them and a few days later, the three married daughters of Matriarch Sun had returned to celebrate their nephew’s great fortune.
Li Chengze’s success fortune for the entire family, and the daughter’s faces were bright with joy as they now stood even more confidently in front of their husbands’ family.
However, the eldest aunt of the Li family had other designs for this talented nephew of hers. Her mind couldn’t help but think about her two daughters who did not come with her. The eldest daughter is 16 while the second one just turned 15. They have come of age and were like flowers blooming in the peak of spring, ready to be married off. Previously the eldest aunt had negotiated with a few matchmakers and decided on a few candidates in her heart.
Then suddenly received the news that her nephew had become a Xiucai and her head became filled with other thoughts.
The eldest aunt had heard from her sister-in-law that this nephew of hers was studying to be a scholar but she didn’t take it seriously at the time. There were so many who wished to become scholars, but the exams are not as easy as they seem. She has seen many people study for years in vain and fail even the county exam. They kept trying and trying until they reached old age, resulting in a waste of money as their parents, wives and children suffered for a lifetime.
Besides, the Li family has never had a scholar come from their family and they did not have any support to speak of. She believed that her old mother had been tricked by this spoiled child and the money they spent on him would go into a bottomless pit, running the family’s wealth in the end.
Yet, despite these thoughts in her heart, she did not voice them out loud. She is no fool after all.
But now the situation has changed drastically! Her nephew actually became a real scholar! And so, the gears in her mind began turning quickly. Her nephew was not matched to anyone yet and her daughters needed to be married. As long as she could convince her mother to this rejoining of families, then wouldn’t it be perfect for her and her daughters?
And even if her nephew can only become an old Juren, it would still be a great fortune for her family!
The more she thought about it, the more excited she became. Then the eldest aunt immediately cleaned herself up, hired an ox cart and then took her two daughters to visit her maternal home.
Meanwhile the Li family was celebrating their great fortune, they had set up two tables full of wine and food and invited all their friends, relatives and neighbors to celebrate. After a few hours of celebration, the atmosphere gradually calmed down.
On that day, in the afternoon, the eldest aunt accompanied Grandmother Li to her room and took this opportunity to mention this matter of marriage.
After hearing her daughter’s words, Grandmother Li did not say anything as her eyes half-folded. She opened her mouth after a while, “It is not that your mother doesn’t agree with your proposal, but this marriage cannot happen. Your nephew already has a plan in his heart. He is a scholar and perhaps he wants a friend or fellow scholar to matchmake for him. We cannot decide his marriage indiscriminately, lest we spoil his grand plans.”
Grandmother Li was actually full of anger inside of her heart. To put it simply, she did not care for her daughter’s face.
What kind of family is her eldest daughter’s family? How can they compare to her grandson?
The eldest aunt’s face turned ugly for a moment but she quickly adjusted it back into a neutral expression. She felt unhappy in her heart and felt that her one maternal family was looking down on her. Her nephew was only a Xiucai and he was already letting his accomplishments go to his head.
Meanwhile, the second aunt who sat beside them pretended she did not know anything about this on the surface when in fact she had long guessed her sister’s plans. She ridiculed her sister in her heart, thinking that her eldest sister was as ignorant as always.
However it was not just this eldest aunt for several matchmakers came knocking on their door for Li Chengze. They came in waves but in the end we’re all turned down by Matriarch Sun.
Bai shi stood to the side and said nothing, but felt it was a pity inside her heart.
Half a month later, Matriarch Sun could no longer sit still and decided it was time to talk to her grandson. She needed to know which girl her grandson had in his heart so their family could go and propose a marriage.
However, before she could even ask, Li Chengze returned home first and dropped a piece of news that shocked the entire family,
“Grandmother, father, mother! Our family will soon join the Marquis’ family in marriage!”
MooMoo’s Translation Notes:
The ranks of the scholars who passed the exams are as follows:
- Jinshi
- Juren
- Xiucai
You can only call yourself a scholar after passing the entry-level exams and thus become a Xiucai.
shi-title used for common people meaning missus, miss (basically women without a noble title is Madam “blank” but in this case shi was kept in the romanized pinyin for translation purposes).
*Note: The protagonist will transmigrate into the story in chapter 4.
Twin Dragons Translations 