Transmigrating to the Ming Dynasty’s Imperial Examination Ch. 123

Chapter 123

Second Young Master is returning!

Second Young Master Cui Heng had been the true legitimate son and grandson in the Cui Residence for many years, showered with the affection of the Laoye and the second furen. The household staff had vied to curry favor with him. Even after Xu-shi was divorced , his name still remained in the ancestral hall. The love from his father, grandparents and the equal treatment received from his elder brother meant that Cui Heng remained a genuine, to be respected, Young Master.

However, upon hearing the news of his return, few servants, aside from those who had previously served him, could genuinely feel happy.

Just when they had adapted to the days of the eldest son being in charge, and the family’s conditions were gradually improving, another proud and temperamental Young Master was coming back. Would the household fall into chaos and turmoil again?

Cui Jinzhi and Cui Ting, the two Shopkeepers, were still unaware of this news. However, Cui Liangdong, who managed the external accounts, was already worried—if the Second Young Master wanted to take money from the accounts in the future, should it be given or not?

His mind was filled with concerns as he took out some silver to reward the steward sent by the Xie Residence.

Cui Xie asked the steward to wait a moment. He went back into his chambers, took a blank hanging scroll, rolled up the self-portrait and placed it in a bamboo painting tube before handing it over to the steward along with reward money, saying, “A few days ago, Xie da-ren kindly took me to a temple to pray for blessings. I have nothing else to offer as thanks, so please take this painting as a token of my gratitude and deliver it to your da-ren.”

The steward deftly pocketed the silver and smiled, “Every time the Young Master exchanges gifts with our da-ren, us servants all feel that it is very thoughtful. That Pingpo Temple is indeed a precious temple, known for its effective wish-fulfillment. Since Young Master has paid his respects there, Young Master can let go of any worries. Everything will be resolved smoothly.”

He carried the painting tube back to Xie Ying and even chimed in a good word for him, “Young Master Cui is truly broad-minded. With such a brother returning, his expression did not change and he still remembered to send a token of appreciation for our da-ren’s trip to the temple.”

Xie Ying weighed the bamboo tube in his hand and the corners of his lips turned up, “That is his younger brother, not his father. It is only right for the elder brother to discipline the younger one. Even if he beats him to death, it would only be seen as an accident, depending on whether he has the heart for it or not.”

However, with the Emperor watching, Cui Xie could not really beat him to death. Cui Xie should be able to find a more ingenious way to deal with him and prevent any trouble, right?

Xie Ying dismissed the steward and intended to look at the painting. The old steward, who had been serving him, suddenly commented, “It is quite a coincidence that Scholar Cui’s younger brother is coming back now. Maybe the Budhha at Pingpo Temple appreciates his Guanyin paintings and manifested such an event? Just look, after he prayed at the temple, his brother was safely brought back from the southern barbarians. A family reunion – what could be more important?”

Xie Ying chuckled lightly, uttering a soft ‘huh’ sound.

The old steward could not discern his meaning but continued, “Master also prayed at the temple with him. His brother has returned, only his father’s promotion and return home remains unfulfilled. It seems like nine out of ten wishes have come true. Perhaps good fortune for our family is also near; we should prepare some silver as offerings soon.”

Preparing silver…it indeed should be prepared.

Gao gonggong, having sent a message to Cui Xie requesting he take good care of his younger brother, must have been prompted by the Emperor to keep an eye on the situation. With his brother returning and being well-managed, wouldn’t Cui Xie catch the Emperor’s eyes once more, ensuring a smooth and prosperous future?

Xie Ying had prayed for Cui Xie’s peace and success at the temple, and it seemed to have worked. It was best to donate some silver for the reconstruction of the main hall in gratitude.

Xie Ying held the bamboo tube containing the painting, suspecting that Cui xie might have drawn one of those Buddha portraits with profound divine charm, thus earning Buddha’s protection. He hurried back to his quarters to view the painting. Upon unrolling it, he saw a tall and handsome youth dressed in a white, round-collared, form-fitting robe, with a soft cap on his head, a sword at his waist and his right hand resting on the sword hilt. The young man’s face was turned slightly outward, exuding a lifelike presence of steadiness and grandeur.

This figure looked familiar, yet appeared significantly taller and more robust than in reality. Was this longing for closer intimacy, showing his eagerness to grow up?

Would Cui Xie really grow up to look like this? Would he transform from his current poised mien and bold, passionate inner self into such a handsome and dignified young man?

Xie Ying could not help but reach out and stroke the face in the painting, his fingertips brushing over the slightly red lips. He slowly brought the painting closer, kissed it gently and achingly sighed, “How many years until you grow to be this tall? By then, you should be married with children, enjoying the true happiness of having a family and having made many friends and colleagues. I wonder if you will still remember this heart of yours today.”

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Although the return of Cui Heng to the capital disrupted the peace of the Cui Residence, the Imperial College would not grant Cui Xie leave for such a minor issue, so he attended classes as usual. Arrangements to receive Cui Heng had been left to Cui Liangdong to handle.

Cui Xie instructed someone to withdraw two hundred taels of silver for Cui Liangdong and sternly reminded him, “The journey from Fujian is long and arduous, and we owe a great debt to those who have safeguarded Heng-ge all the way here. Do not be stingy with the silver when it is time to show our gratitude. Prepare the money and sincerely thank them. Once Heng-ge is home, keep a close watch on him and wait for my return to decide the next steps.”

“Moreover, having lost his mother suddenly and endured the rush of traveling back and forth, his spirits must be low. Ensure that a physician is brought in to prescribe some nourishing and calming medicine to help him rest and recuperate for a few days.”

Cui Liangdong, newly promoted to Head Steward and inexperienced in managing the Young Master, was uncertain about how to handle Cui Heng. Hearing these instructions, which seemed to lean towards strict supervision, he felt reassured and repeatedly nodded, saying, “Young Master is right. This subordinate will certainly handle everything properly tomorrow.”

The next morning, Cui Xie left early for school, while Cui Liangdong had set out even earlier with a carriage to wait on standby at the city gates. Given that Cui Heng’s return was under less than honorable circumstances and his appearance might be unsightly, Cui Liangdong brought along a change of robes, shoes and a headscarf. He also took Little Haijing, a servant who was used to serving Cui Heng and was now looking after the lateral courtyard in his absence, but did not bring many others along.

Shortly after the city gates opened, they saw a large carriage entering the city without paying the toll. Instead, a burly man wearing a three-crowned cap stuck his hand out and flashed a badge to the gate’s authorities. Although Cui Liangdong could not clearly see what the badge said, he approached cautiously, preferring to err on the side of caution. He bowed and asked, “Are you the officials who escorted the daughter of a retired Minister of Ceremonies official, criminal Xu-shi, to the border? This subordinate is the steward of the Cui family, whose Laoye is serving as the Yunnan Provincial Advisor…”

Before he could finish speaking, the burly man stuck his head out of the carriage window and grinned, “You are from the Cui family? Perfect timing, my brothers and I were just on our way to report back to our department. We have brought your man back safely. Once he is released from our custody, make sure Cui…Scholar Cui disciplines him properly.”

Cui Liangdong quickly handed over a pouch of silver from his sleeve, trembling as he spoke. “This subordinate is here on behalf of our Young Master Cui, an Imperial College student, to welcome both da-ren and offer some refreshments. Please, do not refuse our hospitality and come to our humble home for a drink.”

The Commandant squeezed the pouch, smiled and said, “Your Young Master is very courteous. But, we cannot drink, nor can we visit your home. We have to deliver this Cui Heng, who is specifically mentioned in the Imperial decree, to the Pinghai Garrison and then bring him back alive to Beijing. We need to take him to the Administrative Office first to report in. You can follow us to the yamen and wait outside. Once we finish our duties properly, we will hand him over to you.”

The Cui family had been frightened by the visits from the Jinyiwei several times before and relied on the good relationship between the Eldest Young Master and the Colonel in the Jinyiwei to muster the courage for this trip. Even so, they were still terrified at the prospect of dealing with the Administrative Courts. The driver of the carriage, just as scared, drove very slowly, following the other carriage through the city. They finally stopped on the street opposite the yamen on the west side of the Corridor of A Thousand Steps of the Imperial Palace.

After the two Jinyiwei officers disembarked, their Second Young Master finally stepped out of the carriage. He was dressed in a somewhat worn robe, but his face and hair were neatly washed and he seemed to be in relatively good spirits. However, his cheeks and eye sockets were deeply sunken and his eyes carried a dark, resentful and gloomy glint.

Cui Liangdong mustered his courage and bowed to Cui Heng, addressing him as ‘Second Young Master’ and said, “This subordinate is Cui Liangdong and now the Head Steward of the residence. If Young Master needs anything in the future, please let this subordinate know.”

Little Haijing, who had been left to guard the empty courtyard in Cui Heng’s absence and had been receiving a reduced stipend, felt aggrieved. Without the prestige of serving his Young Master, many people took advantage of the situation to take revenge and stepped all over him. He had suffered a lot of grievances and was on the verge of tears upon seeing Cui Heng.

Cui heng snorted coldly, squinting at them with a look of disdain, but he remained silent, seemingly intimidated by the presence of the two Jinyiwei officers.

Cui Liangdong watched as the officers escorted Cui Heng into the yamen, while he and the driver shrank back and hid, too scared to utter a word. They feared that if Cui Heng caused any trouble, they might be dragged inside for interrogation as well.

Fortunately, their fears did not materialize. Cui Heng was released shortly after, accompanied by one of the escorting officers, Commandant Dong. He scolded them, saying, “Make sure your Laoye and that scholarly Young Master of yours keep a tight rein on him. He and his mother constantly complained and caused trouble, making the journey very difficult and uneasy for us. He even got into trouble on the road, nearly delaying us several times. He is not a convict, so we could not manage him harshly, but he is truly a troublemaker. Have your Young Master keep a close watch on him to avoid any future problems.”

Cui Liangdong repeatedly nodded in agreement and  then helped Cui Heng board the carriage to return to the Cui Residence. Once at the residence, he instructed Little Haijing to assist Cui Heng in changing into new robes, boots and cap.

At the gates of the yamen, Cui Heng had not dared to say anything. However, once they had left that street, the expression on his face immediately changed and he coldly demanded, “Give me money! How much silver do you have on you?”

Cui Liangdong replied, “Second Young Master, just tell this subordinate what Young Master desires and it will be bought for Young Master as soon as we return home.”

Little Haijing, who still had some copper coins on him, quickly handed them over and complained, “Young Master, while you were away, the household was under the strict control of the Eldest Young Master. This subordinate has no money, this is all there is. Hoping Young Master does not mind the amount.”

Cui Heng did not seem to mind the small amount. He tucked the money into his sleeve and cast a ridiculing glance at Cui Liangdong. “You were just an outer courtyard steward, weren’t you? Now that you have latched onto my da-ge’s leg, you have become a Chief Steward and started throwing your weight around? Do not try to show off in front of me. I am still the Second Young Master of the Cui family and my maternal Uncle is still an official, unlike those who do not even have their maternal family’s support! You do not need to take me to the Cui Residence, I want to go to the Xu Residence!”

Cui Liangdong did not dare allow him to go to the Xu Residence and quickly tried to persuade him, “The Eldest Young Master said Young Master has suffered on this journey and needs to go home first to rest and recuperate…”

“He is really acting up…” Cui Heng gritted his teeth, gave a low snort and banged on the carriage wall. “I am your Young Master, follow my orders and take me to the Xu Residence.”

Cui Liangdong continuously bowed and pleaded, “My dear Second Young Master, please do not make a scene; this is the main street, it is unseemly!”

The carriage driver, understanding the household dynamics, knew that the Second Young Master’s words carried no weight here. He continued steering the carriage towards the Cui Residence. Seeing that the scenery outside the window was not changing as he directed, Cui Xie realized they were refusing to take him to the Xu Residence. Fearing he would end up under Cui Xie’s control and face retribution for his mother’s past transgressions, he clung to the windowsill and shouted, “Stop! Stop! You treacherous servants, are you trying to abduct the son of an official advisor and sell me off?”

Cui Liangdong was scared to the point he thought his soul was going to fly out and scatter away into the wind. He reached out to cover Cui Heng’s mouth. Little Haijing pushed him away and took the opportunity to bite his hand hard, causing the Chief Steward to yelp out loudly with a ‘Ah’ in pain. The commotion inside the carriage, coupled with the cries of distress, attracted the attention of passersby who began to approach the vehicle to see what was happening. The driver, unsure of what to do, tried to speed past the carriage ahead, but found the road clogged with people out for the Double Ninth Festival, making it impossible to move quickly.

Cui Heng, having honed his fierceness during the hard journey, pushed Cui Liangdong against the carriage wall, tumbled out and began to run. Cui Liangdong wanted to chase after him, but was held tightly by Little Haijing. His old limbs could not take the struggle, so he had to request the driver to go after Cui Heng.

Cui Heng, now quite nimble, dodged around the carriages in front and quickly ran several dozen steps away. Seeing a crowd gathering, he shouted even louder, “I am the nephew of Official Registrar Xu in the Ministry of Ceremonies. Those two behind me are thieves, they stole my silver and my carriage and they intend to harm me and my servants. Please, kind passersby, stop them! If anyone can escort me home, my family will surely reward you for your good deeds.”

The driver, chasing from behind, yelled, “Second Young Master, please come back! The Eldest Young Master specifically instructed us to bring your esteemed self home safely to rest. Young Master has been through a tough journey to Fujian, you must take care and not fall ill!

The crowd could not discern what was true, but the spectacle drew onlookers, blocking the street completely. Cui Heng, hearing the two men calling “Er-ge and Young Master” as they caught up, abandoned his lies and pushed through the crowd, dodging into an alley. He found a carriage driver and paid thirty copper coins to take him out of the city.

While he fled, the carriage carrying Cui Heng and the Cui family’s carriage were stuck in the traffic caused by the spectacle. Cui Liangdong, overwhelmed with regret, gave Little Haijing a few hard punches. How could they face returning home after losing Cui Heng so quickly after leaving the Jinyiwei yamen in good order?

What was even more embarrassing was that their commotion drew too much attention and with this many passersby in one place, it blocked the road and soon officials from Daxing County arrived on the scene. Fortunately, Scribe Wang, who had previously visited the Cui Residence with Magistrate Jiang, recognized Cui Liangdong as the Chief Steward of a reputable family. He ordered the yamen runners and constables to disperse the crowd and politely asked about the situation.

Cui Liangdong, extremely embarrassed and ashamed, explained, “Our Second Young Master did not want to stay in the carriage and ran off. We must find him. Many thanks for da-ren’s aid.”

Scribe Wang was surprised, “Your little Young Master? You must hurry and find him! A child of that age could easily be kidnapped!”

Hearing this, Cui Liangdong grew even more anxious, Although Cui Heng was not a small child, he was only fourteen or fifteen, and after a difficult journey, he was frail and thin. What if he were abducted?

Determined to find him, Cui Liangdong prepared to leave, but Scribe Wang, knowing the reputation of the Cui Residence, sent several runners and constables to assist in the search. Cui Liangdong initially resisted, not wanting to draw more attention, but Scribe Wang persuaded, “Say he went to his maternal family’s home and he is not there, what then? Having experienced investigators along will help in the search.”

Desperate after losing Cui Heng and running his task, Cui Liangdong assented. They loaded the carriage with two experienced constables and sped toward the Xu Residence near the southern gates.

Their horses were fast and their carriage well-maintained. Knowing the route, they reached the Xu Residence almost as quickly as Cui Heng. When they arrived, they saw the scene of him at the gate, banging the doors and shouting, “Let me in! I am your Young Master!”

The driver sighed in relief and stopped the carriage. 

The main gates of the Xu Residence remained closed and a cold voice from behind the side gates said, “Young Master Cui, please return home. The Xu family has long severed ties with the Cui family. Even if Young Madam were here, you are no longer her son. Besides, Young Madam has been disowned and expelled from the ancestral hall by Laoye and cannot enter the Xu Residence herself. Nothing you say will change this.”

That voice was not loud and was muffled by the gates, so only Cui Heng could hear it. Cui Liangdong and the driver only heard Cui Heng shouting and assumed he was about to enter the Xu Residence. They were burning with rage while the constables seemed relieved, saying, “Looks like he found his grandmother’s residence. This boy is not lost, do you still need our help to bring him back?”

Little Haijing, desperate to escape with his master and return to the Xu Residence to reclaim his status, wriggled around and shouted, “I am the one Young Madam bought for the Second Young Master. My servant deed is with him, let me out!”

Cui Heng, unaware that anyone was behind him, slid down the door, kneeling as he banged on it heavily, shouting, “Let me in! Call for my grandmother! She loved me and my mother the most. She would never abandon me! The Cui family has been taken over by that bastard  born to that military household. The whole residence is under his control. I cannot go back. I will not go back!”

His cries and curses reached the coachman’s ears, attracting the attention of neighbors who started to gather. The driver, scared, quickly pulled the reins, jumped off the cart, and ran toward Cui Heng to silence him.

From behind the door, came a cold and stern woman’s voice, “Young Master Cui, this is the Xu Residence, not the Cui Residence. We do not want to hear you insult your elder brother! My son has already suffered greatly and lost his official position because of you. The Xu family has lost its reputation, how can we further risk the disgrace of kidnapping another’s child? If this leads to another lawsuit, I would not dare face the Xu family ancestors after my death.”

This firm response shattered Cui Heng’s hopes. He pounded desperately on the door, shouting, “Grandmother! Grandmother! It is me, Heng-ge! Did you not always love me the most? Let me in. I am still your Heng-ge. My mother made mistakes but I did not. I did not harm my Uncle, it was all because of that evil…”

The driver grabbed Cui Heng from behind, covering his mouth with a cloth, dragging him back without a word. As Cui Heng struggled, the young and strong driver, aided by the two constables, managed to force him back into the carriage.

Everyone exchanged uneasy glances. Cui Liangdong, trembling with fear and drenched in sweat that was flowing like water, was reassured by the constables: “Sometimes children are just weak and get easily spooked, causing them to act out like this. Do not take it seriously. Just use some of his urine to cleanse the bad spirits¹. We’ve been on this job for a long time. We’re familiar with you and won’t spread any rumors.”

Cui Liangdong forced a weak smile, handing over some silver pieces as hush money to the two constables. He then asked the constables to help escort Cui Heng back home. Upon returning, he ordered Little Haijing to be tied up, prepared calming medicine for the Second Young Master, and sat in the courtyard, anxiously awaiting Cui Xie’s return.

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Footnotes:

1. A boy’s urine is sometimes placed in a home, so that its strong yang energy can counteract yin energy, expelling evil, deflecting misfortune, and bringing good luck.
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TN: An extra long chapter this time, hope you guys enjoy! Stay safe and happy ❤

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