Transmigrating to the Ming Dynasty’s Imperial Examination Ch. 126

Chapter 126

In early September, Cui Xie sent Steward Liu to deliver gifts to Cui Xie’s maternal family and casually packed some paper and ink for Cui Que, who was in Yunnan. The next thing he needed to focus on was repairing the water wheels at the farmstead.

Cui Xie could allocate funds, but could not personally oversee the repairs at the farmstead. Instead, he instructed both farmsteads to send a progress report every five days, detailing the quantity of wood and the proportion of construction completed. Each report had to be signed and sealed by the farmstead steward, overseer and the craftsmen, and then archived for filing at the Cui Residence. He also had Little Liang-ge, Little Shen-ge and reliable clerks from the  Peace of Mind Study shop to conduct random inspections. With this dual-wield approach, there was no fear of delays or shoddy workmanship.

The rice fields on the Changping farmstead were near a river, hence a cylindrical waterwheel, which would use hydraulic power to turn a wheel that continuously scooped water for irrigation purposes. The farmstead in Jiaxiang, on the other hand, had dry fields. Although it was near a water source, the water could not be directly diverted into the fields. Therefore, they constructed a water wheel powered by oxen. When water was needed, oxen would turn a gear that would engage a rotating disc connected to the waterwheel’s axle by wooden rods, similar to cogwheels, allowing water to be drawn into the field’s irrigation channels.

With these tasks well monitored, Cui Xie only needed to review the reports. Having no major concerns left, he turned his attention to tutoring his younger brother in various ways.

Actually, after Cui Heng returned home, he should have been handed over to Teacher Lu for education immediately. However, Cui Heng had picked up too many bad habits while away—or perhaps they had been taught by his parents. Insulting his elder brother seemed as natural as eating to him. Cui Xie found it disgraceful and feared he would be a bad influence on He-ge so, he simply kept Cui Heng confined to his room, effectively treating him as if he did not exist.

If it were in the past, Teacher Lu would have demanded that Cui Heng be handed over for proper education. However, ever since discovering the wonders of the pencil, Lu juren’s mind had been preoccupied with it, forgetting all about Cui Heng.

For a scholar, the three imperishables, three ways to distinguish oneself, was through one’s virtue, one’s service and one’s writings. Teacher Lu knew he could not achieve virtue. As for establishing his writing, although it was not difficult to publish books with a student living in a household that ran a printing press, it was not guaranteed his writings would be passed down through generations. But the matter of pencils was related to education and had the potential to benefit the world and ensure his lasting fame. How could he not put his heart into it?

He borrowed Cui Xie’s notebook and practiced writing with the pencil diligently to get accustomed to its characteristics. Even during He-ge’s lessons, Teacher Lu did not just recite from the book and shake his head around flamboyantly, he used a wooden board to write as he taught, and then had He-ge copy it afterward.

Seeing that Lu juren had independently mastered the use of blackboard and chalk teaching methods, Cui Xie specifically had a blackboard coated with ink and prepared blocks of talcum powder for writing. He asked Teacher Lu if he wanted to switch to this method.

Lu juren tried the chalk but found it less satisfactory compared to the baked graphite core. He shook his head and said, “Although the white does not stain clothes, the powder falls off easily, and its texture is too soft. It doesn’t feel as smooth as the stone graphite. Besides, black characters on a white background are easier on the eyes and not as uncomfortable as white characters on a black background. People use expensive materials like porcelain blue paper and gold powder¹ to copy scriptures due to its preciousness, but it is not as pleasing as the traditional white paper and black ink for regular writing.”

Having seen teachers use chalk to teach since elementary school and in college, they mostly used whiteboards and black markers, Cui Xie didn’t mind what Lu juren preferred. He simply said, “It’s up to Teacher. Teacher, please take a look at the newly fired graphite pencil and see if it fits Teacher’s hands well. If Teacher needs any adjustments to the pencils to make it thicker or thinner, just let me or Steward Cui know, and we’ll arrange it with Little Shen-ge.”

Lu juren, freshly enthusiastic about mastering his newfound pencil writing skills, waved off the offer. “No need for you to worry about that. If I am to teach others to use this writing instrument, I must use it myself to set an example, otherwise, how can I teach others?” Although he had not started his foray into rural education yet, he often visited the Peace of Mind Study and would recommend the advantages of pencils to scholars dressed in plain clothes.

As he was talking, he suddenly remembered, “Did you finish the homework I assigned you last time? Composing a poem using inverted forms should not have been difficult since it does not follow strict tonal patterns. Why have you not handed them in yet?”

…..

It is not because there have been too many things to do at home, hence the assignment had been forgotten in a rush.

 Fortunately, Teacher Lu’s requirement was to not compose an extremely strict regulated verse, so it didn’t need much deliberation. Cui Xie pondered briefly and then picked up the pencil to compose a poem on the spot:

“In the suburbs of the capital, graphite is produced,

In boudoirs, it is used to paint the eyebrows.

People cherish the black pigment,

Unaware of the wonder of this substance.

After countless refinements in the kiln,

It writes thousands of words on paper.

For poor families, having this pen

Means no longer worrying about the cost of study.”

Since there was no need to worry about tonal patterns and the requirements for couplets were not strict, improvising the poem wasn’t difficult.

Master Lu read the poem and laughed, “I asked you to write a verse in the inverted form, but you composed it like prose, straightforward and unadorned. However, the third couplet can be matched, and the entire poem maintains a single rhyme, so it still fits within the realm of regulated verse. If you were to write in an ancient style, it could be even more lively. For instance, using this ‘zhi rhyme’, you could also incorporate the neighboring ‘wei and qi rhymes’, but only the level tones can be interchanged. The entering tone cannot be mixed with other rhyme groups.”

He had a whiteboard and pencil at hand and began to categorize the fifteen major groups of rhymes where level and rising tones could interchange, while the entering tones were classified into eight separate groups, which could not mix with the level and rising tones.

As poetic rhyming became increasingly lenient over time, it was only the entering tones that remained strictly regulated, quite the opposite of how 《Rhymes of the Central Plain》 integrated entering tones into three different tones, the ‘level, rising, and departing’ tones and how in southern drama, entering tones could rhyme with level tones².

Cui Xie wanted to take notes in his notebook, but Teacher Lu stroked his beard proudly and waved his hand, “Just listen carefully. Later, you can copy from my board. Do not get distracted during my lecture.”

Not having to take notes was certainly relaxing, and Cui Xie happily put away his paper and pencil, focusing on the whiteboard and listening to the lesson attentively.

After explaining the interchangeability of neighboring rhymes, Teacher Lu moved on to changing rhymes. When composing ancient poetry, unlike regulated and quatrain poems that maintain the same rhyme throughout, one can change rhymes every two lines. However, it is best if the first line of the new rhyme pair ends with a rhyme. If one wants to change rhymes after more lines, it could be done every four, six, or eight lines…without any strict limitations.

The absence of strict rules also meant the poem can be long, and if it isn’t lengthy, there wouldn’t even be enough lines to switch rhymes. Cui Xie had memorized numerous Han and Tang dynastic yuefu poems, such as 《The Song of Everlasting Regret》,《A Departing Song of Travelling to Tianmu in a Dream》 , 《Hard Roads to Shu》, 《The Three Officials》 and 《The Three Farewells》³. Their common characteristic could be summed up with one word: lengthy. Back in his previous life, memorizing them for school exams was a struggle, and he wanted to forget them immediately after the tests and return the knowledge to his teacher. Now, although he had memorized a lot of classical Chinese texts, making their length and difficulty seem less daunting, composing something similar himself was…

Looking on the bright side, if he could write an ancient poem that would be passed down to future generations, causing students to suffer while memorizing it, he would consider his life well-lived.

A mysterious grin appeared at the corner of his mouth. Cui Xie rubbed his hands together, actually looking forward to his homework today.

Teacher Lu had just written ‘three-level tone’ on the wooden board. When he turned around and saw Cui Xie’s sparkling eyes and excited expression, his forehead creased, “I just finished explaining how to conclude a complex sentence, and you are smiling? Is your mind wandering somewhere else?”

Cui Xie quickly shook his head and explained, “This student used to struggle with rhyming and matching in regulated poetry, but now, learning ancient poetry from Teacher has broadened my horizons, making this student very happy.”

Teacher Lu gave him a slight side-eye, “Just because you have learned ancient poetry doesn’t mean you can be lax. You aim to become a jinshi through the imperial exams, and composing examination poems is your main focus when responding to Imperial orders! Moreover, not all ancient poetry is unregulated. Some ancient poems follow strict rules, and pay attention to the flat and level tones, with alternating oblique and level tones, although they don’t maintain a single rhyme throughout like regulated poetry.”

Indeed, not all ancient poems were written by ancient poets. After the rules of regulated poetry were established, poets like Gao Shi and Wang Wei composed regulated ancient poems. However, Cui Xie still preferred the unregulated ancient poetry he had heard about, finding it simple, straightforward, and easier to write, unlike the rigid, demanding and robotic nature of regulated poetry.

Teacher Lu, who asked Cui Xie to write extended verses, was clearly not one of those poets who was a stickler for strictly regulated ancient poetry. When assigning homework, he allowed for a more flexible, unregulated ancient style, letting Cui Xie use the pencil to compose long pieces.

Recognizing Teacher Lu’s determination to promote the pencil, Cui Xie had Little Shen-ge make some sturdy pencil leads as thick as chalk and found someone to make a steel-bladed pencil sharpener, which he then sent to Teacher Lu through Little Songyan.

Teacher Lu was busy designing new pedagogical methods and did not have time to check on Cui Xie’s homework. Cui Xie took advantage of this, slacking off a bit and transferred his study pressure to the unfortunate Cui Heng. No matter how busy or tired Cui Xie was with his own studies, the thought of Cui Heng struggling with his assignments always made him feel more balanced.

The《Great Announcement Compiled by His Majesty》had 73 chapters in the first volume, 85 chapters in the second volume, 42 chapters in the third volume in addition to the 32 chapters in the 《Ming Code》. This meant that Cui Xie could easily create a stack of examination papers several feet high. Without even needing to use the 《Ming Code》, this was enough to keep Cui Heng confined to his room and make him more compliant each day.

With Cui Heng behaving, Cui Xie had more time to focus on his own matters. The first batch of floral dew packaging was completed, and before it hit the market, he took the bottle tied with a red string that he had prepared for Gao Su. He placed it in a box lined with soft silk, wrapped it neatly, and sent it, along with five production-grade bottles, to Gao Su’s restaurant.

Gao Su had been enjoying a period of popularity and great success due to promoting the Autumn Festival troupe, visiting various noble residences, drinking, and giving advice on stage setups. He had almost forgotten about his previous scolding from his adoptive father regarding the eyeliner.

When he suddenly received these bottles of floral dew, he remembered his old relationship with the Cui family and was overjoyed that he could not help but beam from ear to ear. “I almost forgot about this matter. Scholar Cui is truly a sincere gentleman who still remembers me! Look at this box; it’s decorated with a depiction of one of the Three Kingdoms’ greatest beauties. Does it not perfectly suit a heroic, prodigal son like me?”

The servant who brought the items bent slightly and smiled, saying, “Indeed, the Laoye and the Young Master have good judgment. The person who delivered the floral dew from the Cui family said that it hasn’t been sold in the cosmetics shop yet. They are waiting for da-ren to review it before they dare to sell it.”

Hasn’t been sold yet?

Good, good, good! Finally, it was Gao Su’s turn to lead the current trends and be the object of envy and admiration!

What was the use of dressing well, having a slim waist? Books did not praise slim-waisted beauties. Wasn’t the most famous and handsome man in the Three Kingdoms the perfumed Xun Yu who left a lingering fragrance wherever he went? If Gao Su exuded a jasmine fragrance in this cold winter, would it not drive countless people mad with envy?

The servant then asked, “Shopkeeper Lin stated that this floral dew from the Hall of Glorious Brocade can also be mixed with water to drink. Would Master like to try it?”

Forget that, who hasn’t tasted jasmine water? He has also drunk plenty of imported rose floral dew, but drinking it would not make him fragrant all over. It is better to apply it to his body.

Gao Su picked up the bottle of pure dew with the red string, lowered his head, and sniffed it. The floral fragrance was pure but faint, requiring more application to achieve a lasting and lingering scent. But should he flaunt this new fragrance at a play or make a round at the Northern Administrative Office and the Guard-and-Battalion first?

After much consideration, he decided that since Xie Ying had previously gained attention by wearing new robes, it might seem too ostentatious to rush to the Guard-and-Battalion  just to show off a new fragrance. It would be better to loiter somewhere else for a while, wait until the Hall of Glorious Brocade’s floral dew officially went on sale, and then let people recognize his scent from afar. For those that could pick up the lingering fragrance, someone would say, “Is this not the fragrance Commander Gao used first?”…

Would this not be much better than personally boasting about his new floral dew and fragrance?

With this thought in mind, he immediately called for all the invitations to the plays he had received, and no longer decided to be picky, willing to attend every one that didn’t conflict in timing with his schedule. Especially those households with children in the Jinyiwei, he paid extra attention to and was even more willing to get close. Not only would he critique the performances, but before the main play started, he would personally go on stage to give pointers on how to set up the muslin curtains, release incense, and create a shrouded mist effect.

When inspecting the incense, he would deliberately act pretentious, criticizing others’ incense as too common and suggesting blends like hundred flowers, apricot blossom, and cape jasmines—all supposedly inferior to the distant clarity of jasmine fragrance.

Having mingled among numerous theaters in the capital, he spread his theory that his flower fragrance was superior, more refined than any common incense. His body always carried a faint jasmine scent, and people would praise his understanding and use of fragrance, claiming that this pure scent was far more elegant than anything like agarwood or storax.

However, he had to be restrained and patient and could not just inadvertently mention that he used floral dew, nor could he easily show the bottle to people. He had to wait until someone specifically asked about his scent before he could proudly show off the fragrance.

This kind of flaunting was not as satisfying as flaunting new robes, but he had to bear with it until the Hall of Glorious Brocade’s floral dew was finally on the market!

After several days of anxious waiting and enduring, he was almost ready to send someone to hurry them up. Finally, his Pure Jasmine Dew was officially launched.

On the day it was released, half of the capital was filled with the scent of the floral dew. The name ‘The Hall of Glorious Brocade’s Pure Jasmine Dew; was too cumbersome for buyers to pronounce, who privately gave it a nickname—

The floral dew endorsed by the ‘First Beauty of the Three Kingdoms’ was naturally the most fragrant in the Three kingdoms. Hence, naturally became known as the ‘The First Fragrance of the Three Kingdoms’. Abbreviating it further, it was simply called the ‘First Fragrance’.

Gao Su had finally waited for this day. He selected a day, booked the Autumn Festival Troupe, and had them dress up for the Three Kingdoms play. He invited all of his acquaintances and friends who had seen him apply the floral water for guidance, ‘incidentally’ inviting  Assistant Commissioner Zhu, the newly appointed Assistant Commissioner Li, two Administrative Assistants, and fourteen Colonels and others. Though not everyone could attend, seven or eight did show up.

Most of the guests had heard about his fondness for jasmine fragrance. Upon entering, apart from a few older attendees who were still wearing their usual clothes fumigated with incense , the rest were all doused in jasmine floral dew. The courtyard, in the middle of early winter, was filled with a scent that made it feel like summer had returned.

Everyone smelled the fragrance and could not help but praise the host for being at the forefront of aesthetic trends, the first to wear off-season floral dew, leading them to catch up with the trend.

Commander Gao could not contain his delight as he listened to their praises and he greeted each guest one by one. When he reached Xie Ying, he raised his hands in a particularly high bow, causing the fragrance from his sleeves to spread more strongly outwards.

Xie Ying returned the bow and praised him for using the floral dew so early and setting the trend in the capital. Xie Ying was wearing a narrow-sleeved robe, and when he returned the bow, there was also a faint but distinct floral scent that was different from the jasmine permeating the courtyard. It was a light yet unique fragrance of gardenia?

Wearing gardenia in summer wasn’t unusual, but in the middle of winter, while everyone else was using jasmine, how did he manage to have gardenia as a fragrance?

Could it be that Young Master Cui’s family specially made this floral dew for him?

Gao Su could not help but pull Xie Ying aside and ask in a low voice, “Did Xie da-ren sprinkle floral dew on your clothes or wear a perfume sachet? It is rare to smell gardenia in this weather ah.”

Xie Ying smiled generously and replied, “I do not really like using incense. I just use the Hall of Brocade’s scented soap for bathing. They did not quite succeed in distilling gardenia flower water, so they made a batch of gardenia-scented soap with the leftover dried flowers. There was not much, so I bought the entire batch at the time.”

……

Miscalculated!

While he was still gloating of being the first to use floral dew, Xie Ying had already been using gardenia-scented soap for months, which could non longer be bought anywhere now! If he had known, he would have bought all of the Hall of Glorious Brocade’s floral dew back then, instead of showing off early and letting everyone know about this ‘First Fragrance’!

Half of Gao Su’s pride in showing off vanished in an instant. The other half only returned when he saw the trendy narrow-sleeved robes and fitted garments all around the courtyard—

From the clothes alone, it was clear that once something became fashionable, it would soon be sold everywhere. At least he still held the title of the first to use this ‘First Fragrance’, which was no less impressive than Colonel Xie’s debut with those new robes.

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Footnotes:

1. Porcelain blue paper was used by Ming and Qing literati. It is a gorgeous dyed, processed paper that is thick and heavy. It can be peeled off in layers or dyed with indigo. It is called porcelain blue paper because of the paper which is like the celadon glaze of porcelain.
   
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2. Rhymes of the Central Plain: is a rhyme dictionary written during the Yuan period 元 (1279-1368) scholar Zhou Deqing 周德清 (1277-1365). The two juan “scrolls” long book was finished in 1324. Zhou Deqing himself was an expert in the northern style of airs (beiqu 北曲), a sung poem very popular in northern China during the Yuan period. He had observed that a lot of composers did not accurately use the proper rhymes in their poems and therefore started compiling a handbook on the accuracy of rhymes, the structure of the verses, and the right words, in order to elevate the literary niveau of the northern airs.
   http://www.chinaknowledge.de/Literature/Science/zhongyuanyinyun.html ↩︎
3. Yuefu: poetic genre prevalent during the Han Period. It introduced both a new kind of shape (five-syllable verses) and new contents at a social and often very personal level into Chinese poetry. The yuefu was so popular that Han period yuefu were imitated by later poets until the mid-Tang period 唐 (618-907).
   http://www.chinaknowledge.de/Literature/Poetry/yuefu.html
   《A Departing Song of Travelling to Tianmu in a Dream》by Li Bai: Translation here: https://eastasiastudent.net/china/classical/li-bai-mengyou-tianmu/
   《Hard Roads to Shu》by Li Ba: Translation here: https://qinshuroads.org/docs/PDF/Shu_Roads_Introduction.pdf  ↩︎

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TN: Apologies for not posting last week, it was midterm season and i was busy finishing some presentations and assignments for grad school! I will make it up by posting two chapters today! Hope you guys are doing well and happy halloween!

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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