Chapter 106
On the morning of the Double Seventh Festival, the seventh day of the seventh month, Cui Xie carefully rolled up a newly tailored snow-white straight robe and placed it on the bottom of his school bag before setting off to school in an ox cart. Just as he was about to leave, he remembered the numerous bottles of unused, grass-scented perfume stored in the ice cellar. Since they were lighter, and more suited for a man’s use, he decided to take one with him. He did not apply it immediately, fearing the pervasive scent of the flower dew that filled the courtyard would overpower it. Instead, he wrapped the bottle thickly in a bottle, tucking it inside his newly made robe.
That day marked the publicity and voting event at the Peace of Mind Study and Cui Xie, sitting in the study hall, was somewhat restless, constantly wondering about the proceedings there. Fortunately, it was a day dedicated to recitation, and his familiarity with the scriptures allowed him to recite flawlessly without even opening his eyes, sparing him from any immediate scolding from the instructors.
He was not the only one distracted. Many of his classmates seemed a bit dazed during the lessons, but became notably more animated during the breaks, eagerly inquiring about the voting process. Glancing at the sky, Cui Xie figured the performers representing the Five Beauties were likely singing right now to garner more votes. However, cautious of causing further distraction, he refrained from giving too much detail and reassured, “The real excitement happens after dark. We are not missing much.”
The counting of the votes for the number one beauty was scheduled for the evening, well after the city’s night curfew. Therefore they had arranged to use a large garden owned by Merchant Huang, located outside the city. Spanning several acres, the expansive garden provided ample space for leisure and featured several spacious courtyards for setting up colorful tents and stages for performances. The garden also housed guest rooms, which would allow judges and dedicated fans to stay over the night.
Staying outside the city for a night and returning after the city gates opened the next morning meant no one would miss work or school the next day.
His classmates, riled up by the anticipation of the evening’s beauty contest, temporarily left Cui Xie alone, themselves lost in their fantasies about the upcoming event. Cui Xie spent the morning amidst these eager expectations and took the opportunity at noon to ask the Teaching Assistant for an early leave. The Teaching Assistant readily agreed, “Today is the Double Seventh Festival, you must be spending it with your loved ones, right? Go ahead, I am not one of those unfeeling old scholars.”
Ah, it was not really about spending time with his beloved…they were just ordinary friends right now…
Cui Xie, preoccupied with his thoughts, misinterpreted the assistant’s kind words. Only when he heard the assistant mention, “I too, need to leave early today to spend time with my elderly mother and younger didi,” did he realize he had been overthinking; the Teaching Assistant was merely asking if he needed to accompany his family.
If only his thoughts had been a bit purer, he would not have misconstrued it like this…embarrassed, Cui Xie lowered his head and gulped down a shrimp and pork shaomai, finding the day excruciatingly long.
Finally, the bell signifying for the end of classes rang. The twenty-seven classmates slated to be judges at the event swiftly packed up, signing out on the attendance book in quick succession, and gathered around Cui Xie to leave.
Outside the Hall of Sincerity, seven talented scholars from the Hall of Natural Accordance were already waiting for the group. The scholars, known for their love of romantic pursuits, looked on excitedly, though a few appeared shy, seemingly apprehensive about attending an event with a somewhat romantic nature. They glanced around to see if any teachers were nearby. But, this shyness was somewhat feigned. Those who were genuinely uncomfortable had already gone home and did not join in the event.
One of them asked Cui Xie, “Many thanks to Cui anshou for the invitation. We too have written poems for voting, can we also participate in the poetry critique?”
Cui Xie responded, “Certainly, you can participate, but the poems will be scored by several judges, with scores ranging from one to ten. The votes submitted will be considered expert-level votes, and their scoring is calculated differently than that of the general populace’s votes. There is a separate scoring system in place at the establishment.”
He went on to explain the scoring rules: the average score for each poem, as determined by the expert-level votes, would be divided by ten to determine the number of votes. Before the final counting, there would be an elimination round, where these scholars were expected to collaborate in weeding out poems that were haphazardly compiled, riddled with errors, or simply did not qualify as poetry. Poems that blatantly plagiarized classical works or were off-topic would be considered invalid and excluded from the vote count.
For the final tally, expert-level votes would carry a 30% weight, while general populace votes would account for 70% — a reflection of the fact that the cards used in voting were more affordable than the books. In his plan, this was how the votes were to be calculated, but he did not explain the details of weighting and proportion to his classmates, who were less inclined towards complex arithmetic, focusing instead on the basic rules of scoring.
Though it made the process somewhat more complicated, the scholars were primarily there for the excitement of the event. Learning that they, along with esteemed poets, would have the opportunity to score entries only heightened their enthusiasm. The uncle of the famed scholar Fei jieyuan even inquired specifically, “Since my nephew also qualifies as a judge, could Cui anshou also join us in evaluating the poems?”
Cui Xie, with a smile, demurred, “I am not very skilled in poetry or critique and wouldn’t want to delay the proceedings. Besides, it is likely to get busy and there might not even be time for a meal. Why don’t we, friends, find a place to have dinner together first…”
Hall Chief Zhang immediately stated, “My furen and children are already at the venue waiting for me and I will need to escort them back to the city while it is still light out. I won’t need to eat, they should have prepared something for me.”
One of the more forthright scholars chimed in, “When it comes to meals, there is always time for that. We are all here for the event, let us hurry over to where the real action is!”
Cui Xie suggested, “The host at the Peace of Mind Study prepared some food and there should be vendors outside the garden too. If everyone does not mind…”
Don’t mind at all, don’t mind at all, we’ve been waiting all day!
The scholars, having not easily obtained permission for leave for today, were more interested in witnessing the beauty contest than in dining. The group of over thirty in number, in high spirits, marched out the College and alighted six large carriages hired by the Cui family, heading toward Merchant Huang’s Garden of Tranquil Harmony located on the outskirts of the city.
Even before reaching the garden, they could hear the distant sound of drums and horns carried by the wind. Despite the sun still hanging high in the sky, the Garden of Tranquil Harmony was already festooned with hexagonal temple lanterns printed with characters from the Three Kingdoms: lanterns with beauties, heroes, Emperors, galloping horses, pavilions and trotting horses.
At the entrance stood life-sized drawings of the five beauties, the same ones that hung in the Peace of Mind Study’s shop, now boldly displayed for all to see. To enter, visitors simply needed to show their voting envelope or beauty prints to the clerks for verification, at no cost.
Cui Xie, who had not brought in any ticket with him, was recognized by his appearance alone.
As he spoke a few words and directed several large carriages into the gardens, fans waiting in line to enter could not help but protest, “Why does he get to go in first? Isn’t he just a poor scholar? I am here on behalf of the staff of the Commander-in-Chief from the Wang family. Why can’t we be allowed to enter before him?”
There were many people in line complaining.
Everyone had paid for the event, so why should they stand in a lengthy queue, while a mere scholar, with just a few words, could lead several carriages full of people in ahead of them?
Officers from the county and local militia, hired to maintain order, gently persuade the crowd, while the two ticket-checking clerks offered appeasing smiles, explaining, “Those are judges from the Imperial College, invited to critique the poems, and are not ordinary guests. Besides determining the number one beauty of the Three Kingdoms tonight, we are also holding a poetry contest. Without these judges, we would be unable to determine the best poem tonight. Would that not lessen the excitement of the evening?”
A public poetry critique? Weren’t votes supposed to be simply cast and counted?
Indeed, this was a sophisticated and cultured highlight. The scholars who had submitted their poems ceasing their grumbling, though they were slightly anxious about the caliber of the judges, subtly inquiring about their identities. Those who had not submitted poems for voting, however, expressed their impatience, dismissively remarking, “What’s so great about those poems? They’re all ‘this and that’ in classical language. Who can even understand them?”
The clerk smiled meaningfully and said, “The poetry is not just to be read aloud, we will also have musicians who will set these poems to music for a melodious rendition. How can that not be interesting?”
The thought of merely listening to poetry may not have been that enticing, but how could the idea of listening to songs not be captivating? Several opera troupes and courtesans had been talking about how they had been honored to perform at the event, to lend their voices in support. This naturally piqued the interest of regular patrons. Moreover, the beautiful paintings were visible even from the periphery of the garden and the melodious tunes carried by the wind contained rarities that one did not encounter every day. Even those indifferent to the contest of the most beautiful woman depicted in the paintings found the lively atmosphere compelling enough to warrant spending some silver to experience it.
Once the queue moved up and they entered the garden, the liveliness and buzz of the event intensified even further.
The garden was lush with verdant flora, and along the paths were arranged numerous stack stalls offering an array of delights. Cold beverages such as jelly drinks and milk tea, along with steamed and baked pastries, chilled snack bowls, fresh fruit, crispy cheese and deep-fried snails awaited visitors. For those preferring something warm, there were noodle soups, steamed buns, baked flatbreads, steamed dumplings and mutton offal soup. Each stall brimmed with clean water in large buckets and their utensils sparkled immaculately clean under the light, while dirty water was promptly removed by dedicated staff, leaving the ground spotless and inviting for visitors to take a rest.
Local workers hired for the occasion weaved through the crows, carrying baskets to distribute cool water. Every guest received a bamboo tube of chilled water flavored with gardenia or jasmine syrup, ensuring no one suffered from thirst or dehydration amidst their explorations.
The flowerbeds bloomed with the season’s freshest flowers, interspersed with trees decorated with delicate ribbons and lanterns. In the spacious open areas of the garden, four colorful pavilions had been erected, each adorned with colorful paper and silk. Inside each pavilion, the story of a different beauty was showcased, with the notable exception of the Qiao sisters, who shared one pavilion between the two.
Outside the pavilions, vendors sold various items related to the beauties: cheese snacks said to have been favored by Diao Chan; jade cooling pillows purportedly used by Zhen Jing, jasmine soaps beloved by the Qiao sisters and hair combs akin to those carried by Sun Shangxiang. Purchases were accompanied by exquisitely woven small baskets, allowing customers to carry their items with ease.
Upon entering the pavilions, visitors were transported into a space reminiscent of a modern memorial hall. The entrance greeted them with walls adorned with large portraits, busts and solo paintings of the beauties, accompanied by large panels of paper narrating their legendary stories. At the center of each pavilion stood a small pedestal, upon which lacquered trays showcased items related to these legendary women—not mere souvenirs, but exquisite artifacts like Three Kingdoms-theme ceramic vases, painted portraits, bronze sculptures and wooden carvings.
In every pavilion, one or two female singers or musicians were stationed on a raised platform, narrating the tales of these women and the men behind them to the intrigued visitors, their stories accentuated by the rhythmic tapping of clappers and the strumming of the pipa.
A separate courtyard was dedicated to female guests and children, where the walls were adorned with paintings of the five beauties. Female storytellers were invited to recount their tales and the services in this area were provided by local women, ensuring a comfortable and respectful environment for the female guests. Though they could not roam all four pavilions like their male counterparts, they enjoyed a leisurely and comfortable experience.
After touring the pavilions, visitors found themselves in the heart of the garden, where a stage set up by the hosts showcased troupes dressed in costumes from the Three Kingdoms era, performing a continuous series of operas from morning onwards, vividly bringing to life the era’s rich history and drama.
In the operas, Diao Chan was featured prominently in several plays such as《The Silk Clouds Pavilion and its Interlocked Stratagems》, 《Dong Zhou Tricks Diao Chan》,《Lord Guan Ends Diao Chan under the Moon》Xiao Qiao was central in 《Zhou Yu’s Brilliant Triumph in Marrying Xiao Qiao》and《Xiao Qiao of Eastern Wu Weeps for Zhou Yu》. Additionally, there was a specific opera titled 《Empress Zhen》, which highlighted her story. These were all standard, well-known productions
In contrast, Sun Shangxiang’s role was rather limited in the 《Dueling Strategies of the Two Military Advisors Across the River》. Her part mainly consisted of a brief appearance and a bedroom scene with Liu Bei. Da Qiao, on the other hand, had even less presence in the traditional repertoire. Given this imbalance, if the operas were to be performed as is, the voting would likely be skewed, failing to provide a fiercely competitive environment.
To counter this, Cui Xie demonstrated remarkable boldness and creativity, fully embodying the spirit of ‘the bolder the effort, the greater the yield’. In the grand strategy for the beauty contest, he had taken a proactive approach. Cui Xie instructed Shopkeeper Ji to hire several scriptwriters and opera troupe leaders to creatively adapt the scripts of traditional operas. They significantly revised the 《Dueling Strategies of the Two Military Advisors Across the River》, reducing the strategic confrontations between Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu . Instead, they introduced elements from 《Wang Can Ascends the Tower》, which included a narrative by the Dowager of Eastern Wu, which articulated her hopes for Liu Bei. This addition turned the story into a grand finale where Sun Shangxiang was married to Liu Bei. Furthermore, they transformed 《Zhou Yu’s Brilliant Triumph in Marrying Xiao Qiao》into 《Sun Ce’s Brilliant Triumph in Marrying Da Qiao》.
Although the contents of the operas had been modified, the actresses playing these iconic beauties were meticulously dressed to match the portrayals in Cui Xie’s illustrations. Their makeup was applied with careful attention to detail, featuring thickly drawn eyeliner and cheeks roughed to accentuate bright brows and large eyes against their delicate, rosy complexions, From a distance, these actresses appeared as if they had stepped right out of the paintings, radiating a stunning beauty that was both vivid and captivating.
With such captivatingly beautiful actresses on stage, the audience easily overlooked any superficialities in the lyrics. The melodious singing drifted to the room where the judges were stationed, tickling the fancy of the scholars who were there to evaluate poetry. They held poems in their hands, but their thoughts had already drifted to the performance stage. Even the cold, refreshing milk tea had failed to recapture their wandering attention.
One scholar, the midst of marking up a poem, sighed, “It seems that Xiufeng-xiong who was farsighted in bringing his family along. Upon entering, he can immediately visit his furen, sparing himself the task of reviewing these mediocre verses.”
However, another scholar, who had just come across an exceptional poem, disagreed, “Sifting through the sand to find gold, if we can identify a truly outstanding poem tonight, wouldn’t that achievement be more rewarding than gazing upon any beauty?”
The task of preliminary selection was arduous and Cui xie, well-versed in the intricacies of talent shows from years of prior viewership, subtly signaled Cui Qi to prepare refreshments. Cui Qi promptly stepped out and instructed the servers to bring an array of appetizing dishes, including fresh fruits, cured fish and meats, and fried sparrows, to whet the judges’ appetites. Careful not to serve strong spirits, they offered mild, mulled-rice wine and fruit wines instead. Meanwhile, Cui Qi ensured that the main course was being prepared, encouraging the judges to dine heartily before resuming their evaluations.
Grateful for the consideration, the scholars all thanked him. Cui Qi, astute as ever, suggested, “With the gardens bustling with visitors now, it is hard to truly appreciate the attractions due to the crowds. Why not have a meal first? Many visitors will head back to the city later in the evening. Afterwards, this servant can guide the esteemed guests through the gardens when it is quieter and more serene.”
Despite his youthful age and his endearingly round, pleasing face, several of the older scholars felt a sense of pity for Cui Qi: “Such a bright young boy should be pursuing his studies. It is a pity to see him so immersed in business instead.”
Cui Qi, with a gentle smile, listened to their comments without objection, simply attending to their needs by pouring wine and serving dishes. Cui Xie suggested that he join them for a drink and introduce him to the scholars. Cui Qi obligingly toasted the group, addressing each with respectful titles like ‘jiansheng’ and ‘uncle’.
As they were enjoying their drinks, Hall Chief Zhang suddenly came from the garden to bid them farewell. The scholars stood up to see him off, but Zhang Luan, who had just arrived and had a couple of drinks, declined their offer politely, “My family is waiting outside and I mustn’t stay long. I need to escort them home before the curfew. I do not wish to impose on you all, so I will just borrow Cui Hezhong, our half-host here, to guide my family out.”
Cui Xie, not wishing to be discourteous, also stood up to bid the group farewell, “Then I will accompany Hall Chief Zhang first. Seniors, please feel at ease to converse with Little Businessman Cui, he is no ordinary person. I shall return shortly to join you all.”
The scholars responded, “Indeed, we too are looking forward to you guiding us through the colorful pavilions. Please make haste on your return!”
Cui Xie, in truth, was not familiar with the layout of the gardens either. Upon exiting, he saw a waiter serving water and stopped him to ask for directions. However, Hall Chief Zhang waved the waiter away, saying, “There is no need for his guidance. I have already familiarized myself with the paths here. I actually asked you to come out to pass on my furen’s words of praise—the way they’ve arranged this garden is impressively meticulous! We thought that you had only set up a few pavilions in the courtyard for the ladies to sit and watch.”
Hall Chief Zhang’s furen stood quietly not farr off, watching them. She was accompanied by two sons and a daughter, along with a plainly dressed nanny and a few young maids. The women and girls all wore veils, obscuring their faces, only the faces of the two boys were visible. The eldest one appeared to be just over ten years old while the younger one around eight or nine. Both bore a resemblance to Hall Chief Zhang, their fair complexions rendering them quite handsome.
Hearing Zhang Luan’s remarks, Zhang furen stepped forward and gently bowed, saying softly, “We are grateful for Young Master Cui’s hospitality at today’s garden event.”
Cui Xie hurriedly returned the gesture, “I hardly did anything, I merely sent an invitation and shouldn’t be credited with such honor. Although the Peace of Mind Study is run by people formerly associated with my family, the arrangements and creativity are all of their own doing. As a scholar who’s seldom ventured out, what do I know? Today is also my first time watching the performances from the audience…”
Shameful, his previous experience with such events had been limited to watching them on television.
Zhang Luan chuckled, “No need to be so modest. After all, it is the people from your family who organized this. How could the servants from other families achieve something like this? I have walked around the entire garden and everything here is refreshingly unique. It would be wonderful if we could enjoy such events on our days off in the future as well.”
That would have to wait until next year. Cui Xie did have a plan in mind —once the 《The Six Talents and their Commentaries on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms》series was complete, he intended to organize another Three Kingdoms-themed garden gathering.
Momentarily speechless, Cui Xie did not respond immediately. However, Zhang Luan did not wait for a reply and turned to his three children, “This is your father’s schoolmate, the renowned Cui anshou, the Little Tertiary Winner from Hebei. Come, greet Cui anshou!”
The eldest daughter bowed gently and softly called him ‘Cui anshou’. The two boys, educated and well-mannered, raised their hands in a respectful greeting.
Cui Xie hurriedly returned a half bow and realizing he had nothing suitable to offer as a gift, said, “Zhang-xiong and I are like brothers, I should have brought gifts for your children. Regrettably, I have nothing with me now, so I’ll have to make do with what is available in this garden.”
He turned to a young manservant standing by the gates and beckoned him closer to speak. Nearby, under the eaves, bloomed several potted oleanders with their delicate, slender and elegantly pale petals almost touching his sleeve as he gestured for the servant.
As Cui Xie waved his hand, he suddenly felt a slight tension at the back of his neck, as if someone was covertly observing him from behind. Instinctively, as he turned around, his sleeve catching the wind, it created a graceful arc as it fell gently through the air.
Affected by the breeze, a white petal from the nearby oleander quivered and then delicately fell, landing softly on the deep blue fabric of his scholar’s robe. It lingered for a moment before gracefully sliding to the ground.
The petal’s brief touch, light and transient, mirrored the fleeting sensation of being watched, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.
Turning back around, Cui Xie saw Zhang Luan and his family looking at him, their eyes filled with a hint of concern. But, how could such a scholarly and genteel family be the cause of his sudden unease?
Shaking his head and apologizing, Cui Xie said, “I thought something had fallen on my beck, hence the abrupt movements. Hall Chief Zhang, sister-in-law, when you take your sons and daughter out, please feel free to take two sets of new books and some portraits from the book stall outside. They gave it to me, so do not be polite.”
Zhang Luan laughed heartily and said, “These books belong to someone else, yet you are generously offering them as if they were your own. That is like offering a Buddha with borrowed flowers, I cannot accept that. Even a copy written by your own hand would be more valuable than this. But never mind, today you could not present a gift, however, I have one for you. Remember the female teacher I promised to find for you?”
He gestured towards a woman in modest attire standing among the group, “This is Lady Song. She wished to meet you first before agreeing to teach your sister. My furen has brought her here.”
Cui Xie nodded towards her and greeted, respectfully, “Teacher Song.”
Teacher Song curtsied slightly, her voice serene yet firm, “I have heard that today’s garden event is organized by people previously associated with your family. From this, I have gleaned insights into how your household operates and manages its servants. Observing you personally, I can further discern the character of your younger sister. If you would have me, I shall start teaching at your residence from tomorrow.”
TN: Hope you are all doing well, have a great weekend and stay safe! ❤
Huge Announcement: We have set up a kofi and patreon account! If you would like to support us or get early access to advance chapters for Blood-Sucking Empress OR TMD, those options are available for you (in support us page)! I have just added a patreon tier for Transmigrating to the Ming Dynasty’s Imperial Examinations in which patreons can have access to a google document with ALL of my advanced translated chapters for the novel. Since I am a college student, there should usually be at least 10 advance chapters in the document at a time, but depending on my schedules, there may be fewer or more. I’m currently extremely busy, but I have translated out some new chapters for you all! But, I will still post each week with the same schedule. Thanks!
Twin Dragons Translations 
Thank You for the new chapter (ෆ❛ัᵌ❛ัෆ)°
LikeLiked by 1 person