Transmigrating to the Ming Dynasty’s Imperial Examination Ch. 109

Chapter 109

The robes prepared by Xie Ying for Cui Xie was a seemingly unassuming blue straight robe, reminiscent of the attire worn by the students at the Imperial College. Yet, upon closer inspection, the robe revealed an intricate design with delicately embroidered patterns of brocaded clouds and lanterns in the same shade of blue. These patterns shimmered distinctively under the light, reflecting various hues of color.

Remarkably, the robe fit Cui Xie perfectly. While it was not tailored like his new white garment, which focused on accentuating his form, this robe seemed to resemble his usual choice of clothing: loose and comfortable, allowing ease of movement without being cumbersome. Wondering how Xie Ying knew his measurements, he then remembered the occasions he had worn Xie Ying’s robes during his visits to the Xie Residence and had even taken a bundle home once. His own robes had also been laundered a few times as well…

Had the Xie Residence noted his measurements then? Xie Ying’s thoughtfulness truly warmed Cui Xie’s heart!

Holding the lantern high, Cui Xie closely examined his new attire, his eyes curving into crescents of joy. A hint of deviousness, unusual for his usually upright demeanor, played across his face, betraying an air of excitement and pride that he could not quite hide. Opting not to wear his damp inner garments, he bundled them up with his self-designed pristine white outer robes, stuffing them carelessly into his bag.

Xie Ying stood nearby, shielding Cui Xie from the cool breeze lifting from the lake, concern etched on his face as he watched Cui Xie’s smooth arms exposed while adjusting the robe. He inquired if Cui Xie was cold and where he planned to stay for the evening, even offering to escort him back to his room.

However, having changed into a fresh set of robes and with Xie Ying not dismissing his confession, Cui Xie felt as if they were almost boyfriends now. How could be ready to retreat to his room just yet? He yearned to flaunt their newfound relationship, albeit it would have to be in secluded spots away from the prying friends of his friends. “The robe isn’t too thin and I exercise daily—my body is quite resilient,” he explained, smoothing his sleeves. “Let us enjoy the night a bit more. Opportunities like this are rare, with Xie-xiong’s official duties and my studies. Why not make the most of it–”

Xie Ying suddenly straightened up, his gaze shifting towards the center of the garden. In a low voice, he warned, “Someone is coming.”

Cui Xie, unfazed, stood tall and looked at the direction Xie Ying indicated. Indeed, a vague figure emerged from behind the trees, carrying a lantern and a food box, approaching them in a leisurely manner.

As the figure neared, it became clear that it was Clerk Zhang, one of the personnel who had accompanied Cui Yuan and Shopkeeper Ji from Qian’an. Spotting the pair, he greeted them warmly, “This servant heard from the patrolling attendants that the Young Master was here with a friend, so I prepared some hot tea and snacks. The evening breeze by the water can be chilly, so this servant thought you and this esteemed official might appreciate something to warm up with.”

Cui Xie, clutching his sleeves, nodded in response, “Just leave the items in the waterside pavilion. We are enjoying the night view here and can hear the music from the courtyard. We will stay a while longer. How is the event going? Are the guests still enjoying themselves?”

Clerk Zhang beamed with enthusiasm as he shared, “The guests are absolutely delighted! When the five beauties emerged from behind the paper pavilions, the audience erupted in cheer. The songs they sang are more alluring than any boisterous play. This servant overhead some guests who favor martial arts plays say that they never cared for these gentle, lyrical dramas, but tonight, they seem to have been addicted…”

Back in the waterside pavilion, Clerk Zhang meticulously arranged the refreshments from the food box onto the table, presenting two steaming cups of milk tea, a selection of freshly steamed shaomai and dumplings, and two bowls of rich, saucy eel noodles. 

A warm bowl of soup noodles seemed just perfect for the later hour.

Cui Xie, seemingly half-listening, focused on the food box while Clerk Zhang enthusiastically continued, “All five beauties made their respective appearances and are now dancing on the stage: Diao Chan with her moon lantern, Lady Zhen trailed by colorful silks, the Qiao sisters dancing with fans and Lady Sun wielding a sword, each as enchanting as celestial maidens descended from the heavens! Little Businessman Cui Qi is closely monitoring the final round of voting. Once it is over, the judges and adjudicators will take to the stage to evaluate the poems written for the beauties. Would Young Master Cui and the esteemed guest like to see it?”

Clerk Zhang, having finished setting up the snacks, could not help but sneak a few glances at Xie Ying. Although Xie Ying’s attire was not markedly different from other young men, he exuded a natural air of martial elegance, standing beside their Young Master without being overshadowed. Clerk Zhang sensed that this esteemed guest was no ordinary person and internally yearned for him to witness and appreciate the grandeur of the event that the store had orchestrated, showcasing both the Young Master’s talents and the skills of their staff.

Xie Ying, with his keen sense of perception, easily saw through Clerk Zhang’s subtle hopes. Although this grand celebration had been indeed a novel experience, Xie Ying, who originally hesitated due to the crowded and bustling environment not suited for private conversations, was now more open to the idea of joining the festivities. After his candid exchange with Cui Xie, future interactions and conservations would be inevitable, diminishing the desperate need to cherish these moments of solitude with the other. Contemplating a visit to the main event, Xie Ying’s lips curved up distantly at the lively scene and said, “Please fetch a cloak or covering for us. After we eat, we will head over there.”

Clerk Zhang glanced at Cui Xie before departing in a swift manner, soon returning with two cloaks. Having just finished their meal in the waterside pavilion, both men felt comfortably warmed up. Clutching cups of hot milk tea, they were well-prepared to face against the chilly breeze. Xie Ying did not need additional layers himself, but watched as Cui Xie donned a cloak. He then picked up the bundled clothes, signaling for Cui Xie to take them as well.

Cui Xie, unable to argue, shook his head and suggested, “It may be better for Clerk Zhang to take them back, they can be sent back to my residence later.”

Xie Ying chuckled, casting a glance at him and teased, “Do you want everyone to see you have taken off your middle garments? Even if these people are from your household, it would not seem quite appropriate, would it?”

Around others, Cui Xie had always maintained a clear distinction between his professional and personal life. But, in Xie Ying’s presence, such pretenses were unnecessary to uphold. Grinning and holding his tea, Cui Xie said playfully, “It is fine. The clothes are rolled up into a ball. I can just say I accidentally stepped into a puddle and got them wet. No one will think too much of it.”

Carrying the bundle of clothes, Xie Ying led the way, distancing himself slightly from Cui Xie upon spotting people approaching from ahead. Upon entering the courtyard, Xie Ying did not head to his original seat, but chose a secluded corner to stand and watch.

Cui Xie followed him inside, intending to brief him on the stage arrangement, but Xie Ying quietly suggested, “You should go ahead. This is a major event for your family and requires your direct attention. I prefer the quiet here. If you are outside waiting without any specific tasks, I can see you from here.:

Indeed, under the crowd’s watchful eyes, standing together would not allow for much more. They could catch up during the Mid-Autumn Festival at his residence.

Cui Xie replied with a smile, “Then I will go check on things. In truth, Little Qi has been overseeing this event from the start, my presence is not really needed.”

On stage, the five beauties were engaged in an intense dance competition. In the absence of dry ice to enhance the dramaticness, a row of incense burners surrounded the stage, filled with a mix of lychee shells, acorn shells, pear peels and sugarcane dregs–a blend known as the ‘The Poor Man’s Four-Fold Fragrance”. The tendrils and spiraling smoke rose into the air, creating an ethereal, cloud-like effect that filled the entire courtyard with fragrance and made the dancers seem like celestial beings.

On the stage’s periphery, large portraits of the five beauties from the Three Kingdoms era had been hung and in front, there were red lacquered wooden ballot boxes for voting. Beside them, a long table was set up for selling ballots, offering one last opportunity for fervent fans to spend their money in support of their favorite beauty.

As the final moments of voting approached an end, the music and singing on stage began to fade. Maids with poles were seen removing the lanterns hanging behind the stage. The five beauties slowly receded from their dance, gradually disappearing into the darkness. The music from the string and bamboo instruments became intermittent, lending a somber, melancholic air to the scene. With the final strike of the drums, complete silence reigned the stage, leaving only the lingering incense smoke that gently dispersed upwards in the candlelit night.

This quiet conclusion stirred a deep sense of melancholy in the audience, as if they were mourning the departure of the beauties from this world. There was an urge among some onlookers to sing a tune or compose a poem to express the emotions welling up from the depths of their hearts.

However, this tranquil moment was suddenly disrupted by a series of chaotic noises from the stage, including the sound of men talking. This was a stark contrast to the nearly imperceptible changes and movements during the dance and music performance which had previously dominated the atmosphere from earlier.

The murmur of voices, though indistinct, served to gently draw the listeners out of their contemplative moods. The guests, taken aback, turned their gaze towards the stage, only to discover that the maids who had been clearing the stage, had pushed back the paper screens, which had previously encircled a beauty, into a single row on the outside, arranging tables and chairs within. Due to the dim lighting, only a row of connected tables and chairs were visible, behind which sat a number of individuals donned in square caps, their exact number indiscernible.

The beauties stood abashedly before the crowd, while several men were hidden behind the screens, for reasons unknown.

As the guests were pondering this scene, the two central screens suddenly parted slightly and an actress dressed as Diao Chan gracefully emerged, pausing amidst the dispersing fragrant incense smoke. She bowed to the audience, saying, “This concubine is Diao Chan, who did not hesitate to offer herself to Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu for the sake of the Han Dynasty. It was this concubine who helped Minister Wang Yun execute a strategy of these two men against each other, leading to Dong Zhuo’s downfall. Unexpectedly, even after a thousand years, there are still poets and scholars who write poems about me, empathizing with this concubine’s life story and praising my righteous deeds. How can this concubine not reciprocate this honor? Therefore, this concubine has invited ten gifted scholars to act as ‘adjudicators’, and judge the finest writings.”

The scholars who had submitted poems instantly buzzed with excitement, loudly inquired, “Who are these adjudicators? On what basis were they deemed suitable to judge and can their evaluations truly be impartial?”

Diao Chan, with a gentle smile, replied, “These judges are also talented individuals who cherish both this concubine and my sisters. Sharing the same spirit as you scholars, how could their appraisal of the poems be anything but fair? Should any gentleman’s poems be ranked first by these ten adjudicators, we, women of humble fate, have nothing to bestow but a small portrait, which we ask the gentleman to take home for his own enjoyment.”

With a soft smile, she turned around, cast a fleeting glance at the audience, and then gracefully retreated, as if she were walking on clouds.

From behind the screens, a voice then rose, clear and calm, yet tinged with a youthful tone. “We have preliminary reviewed the submissions from the scholars. Poems that were poorly written, duplicated in submission, or mismatched with the intended subject have been eliminated. The remaining masterpieces will be read aloud by the beauties, with the ten adjudicators jointly scoring them. The average score will be announced publicly. Please listen quietly to the results.”

The host, naturally, was Cui Xie.

Originally, he had intended only to observe how the adjudicators had prepared and then leave, but he found himself unexpectedly drawn in by their enthusiasm. The adjudicators had insisted on his company, citing that their first appearance on a stage was a bit daunting. Reluctantly, Cui Xie accepted to partially take over the hosting duties. Standing behind the screens, he announced the rules and demonstrated public speaking for his peers who were stepping onto the stage for the first time.

—Yet, the screen was to remain closed.

All of them were students of the Imperial College, usually disallowed from venturing beyond its gates and certainly could not act as carefree as the scholars and examinees outside. Their presence here to judge who was the number one beauty was a risky venture; if their instructors were to find out, it would not be well received.

Xie Ying leaned against an ancient pine tree behind his seat, casually hanging his bundle on a lower branch, his gaze fixed on the faint silhouette projected onto the screen. The figure, wearing a square cap and a straight robe, seemed merely like an ordinary scholar. But in his eyes, every aspect of that silhouette—whether the stature, the voice and manner of speaking, or every movement—seemed vividly present, as if there were no screen or distance separating them.

He could even discern, just based on the voice, what Cui Xie’s expression must have been on stage–how he would be standing tall, chest out, speaking these words with solemnity and earnestness.

Cui Xie’s speech was succinct, focusing primarily on explaining the scoring rules. When it came for the poetry section, it was managed by the five beauties, each reciting their respective poems, with the judges scoring each poem live. To determine an average score, the highest and lowest scores were discarded before calculating. Outside the screen, several attendants hung large pieces of white hemp cloth, each inscribed with the names of the five beauties. On the east side, they tallied, “True Love’s Votes’ which were from the guests, while on the west, the tallied ‘Expert Poetry Master’s Votes’ in sync with the voices sounding from behind the screens.

Initially, the vote counts rose wildly for all, but due to varying popularity and favoritism among the five beauties, disparities soon became evident. The audience, watching the numbers soar, felt their heart rates and blood pressure spike in tandem with the increased votes. They shouted the names of their favored beauties, hating they could not leap onto the stage themselves to add more votes to the tally.

After the white clothes had been draped, Cui Xie stealthily slipped out from backstage, keeping his head low as he quietly made his way to the spot in the courtyard where Xie Ying had stood upon entering. The lantern light was dim and his blue clothes were less conspicuous than his white garments from earlier, making him harder to spot as he left the seating area and slowly searched along the garden path, glancing left and right.

As he rounded a grove of ancient trees, Cui Xie suddenly smelled the faint scent of jasmine carried by the breeze. Turning his head, he saw a bundle of clothes hanging between the branches, and beneath the tree, a figure reclined in a relaxed, carefree posture, idly playing with a small porcelain bottle used for holding flower dew, lifting it to his nose for a gentle sniff.

That person raised his eyes and lifted their gaze to meet Cui Xie’s, offering a gentle smile that played on his lips. It seemed as though this smile alone brightened the entire shade of the tree, casting a clear and vivid image into Cui Xie’s eyes. His heart felt unexpectedly light, as if a flood of dopamine had suddenly surged through his brain, coaxing an involuntary smile onto his face, mirroring the warm and tender expression directed towards him.

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TN: Hope you are all doing well, have a great weekend and stay safe! A fun chapter to translate!

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!

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