Transmigrating to the Ming Dynasty’s Imperial Examination Ch. 127

Chapter 127

Rumors of the divine fragrance spread from Yueshang,

Who brought it on a ship from the barbarian lands?

If I someday write the history of flowers,

I will surely list it as the first fragrance on earth.

This best fragrance naturally should be paired with the top beauty.

Senior Grand Secretary Wan’s most beloved concubine, Wang-shi, sat earnestly in front of Imperial Noble Consort Wan and said, “… People call this scent ‘First Fragrance’. This concubine wonders who else in the world is more worthy of using the ‘First Fragrance’ than niangniang? Your Majesty is supremely noble and honorable, possessing the Emperor’s love that is as vast as the sky and as deep as the sea. All the best things in the world should be offered to niangniang.”

Imperial Noble Consort Wan, now over forty years of age, though still respected and loved by the Emperor as before, did not enjoy the same intimate favor granted on younger consorts in the harem, like Worthy Consort Shao and Worthy Consort Yang, who had children. Over the years, she preferred dignified and grand things that suited her status as the foremost among the consorts and was indifferent to fashionable new items.

She lazily accepted the fragrance, glanced at the beautiful woman depicted on the box’s packaging and smiled, “This box is quite nice. Recently, Gao Liang presented the Emperor with a portrait of a beauty and I find its style somewhat similar to the one on this box. But, I wonder if the fragrance inside can match the elegance of the box.”

Wang-shi, who had tried the fragrance herself previously, quickly brought it out and offered to apply it to Imperial Noble Consort Wan, smiling, “The items they sell are all exquisite. Niangniang, there is also a piece of paper inside the box explaining how to use it and even for its consumption. The shop also sells eyeliner paste. This concubine originally intended to bring over a few boxes for niangniang, but then heard that Liang gonggong had already presented them, so this concubine refrained from imitating him.”

Imperial Noble Consort Wan glanced at the instructions, smelled the faint, distant scent floating off her body, as if it had been carried through a window and smiled gently. She generously commented, “No need to compare yourself to him. His intention is his, and yours is yours. Bengong is equally pleased. You are naturally my dear ones, there is no need to make an effort to please me. As long as you have bengong in your hearts, bengong is happy.”

If Senior Grand Secretary Wan keeps Imperial Noble Consort Wan in his thoughts, who, then, does not?

When Gao gonggong caught wind of this, he harshly scolded his careless nephew.

Last time, it was the eyeliner paste he first used and this time, it was the fragrance. Despite always being the first to use such items, how come he never thought to present them to Imperial Noble Consort Wan? To be the first to take the opportunity to be praised by Her Majesty?”

If Gao Su was not a close family member, he would have beaten him close to death with a large stick already!

Gao Su dodged the blows, covering his head and running, shouting, “Father, your son had filial intentions! Our family is not the same as Senior Grand Secretary Wan’s—they are legitimate relatives, connected by blood. They can give whatever they desire without any issue. If we send a fragrance with a portrait of a beautiful woman to Imperial Noble Consort Wan, would niangniang not feel slighted?”

Why would that…actually, there was some truth to that. Beautiful women were well loved by men, but what woman liked beauties younger and prettier than herself?

Eunuch Gao, pondering the resentment of the neglected concubines in the harem, paused the movement of the stick mid-air: “That Liang Fang is clever. The eyeliner paste he presented had no portraits, and even the eyes drawn on the accompanying paper were not particularly attractive, avoiding inciting any jealousy.”

Seeing that he had escaped further beating, Gao Su grinned, “So, Father understands now? Then this son will be on his way.”

Leaving?

Gao gonggong, with a flick of his wrist, struck Gao Su again, this time even harder: “That perfume was meant for you from the start. Could you not have swapped the box and presented it to me directly? If the Wan family offered it later, it would still be me, your father, who showed his filial piety first!”

 Gao Su muttered, “That perfume is not a rare item. Without that beautiful woman and the name ‘First Fragrance’, niangniang would not care.”

Always making sarcastic remarks and pouring cold water on ideas, without giving face to his father—what was the use of having such a son!

Gao gonggong, after all, was a taijian. Despite beating his son while standing up, he could not make the other budge. Leaning on his cane, he threatened, “Get out of my sight! When Liang Fang and Wei Xing push me out, let us see what you have left to flaunt!”

Gao Su could not leave at this moment. Not only could he not leave, but he also had to come back, even under the threat of being caned, to coax his father, “What is a bit of perfume and eyeliner paste? Is Young Master Cui not close to our family? All the good products from his shops come to me, your son first, do they not? They may be able to snatch the spotlight once or twice, but we will have countless opportunities to present offerings to the Emperor and niangniang in the future. Besides, no matter how good something from outside the Imperial Palace is, once it is presented, who knows how many eyes will scrutinize it in search of flaws? If a noble personage dislikes it, we will be blamed.”

Noticing his adoptive father’s discontent, he quickly changed his tone, “Father is not like Old Liang gonggong, who has a bunch of adopted sons scouring the south for treasures. Even if the items we present are few, it is still not enough to beat theirs.”

Gao gonggong snorted lightly through his nose.

What good were Liang Fang’s many adopted sons? They were outsiders, after all. While his nephew might be inept, he was still kin–someone to care for him in his old age and carry on his lineage.

Seeing his father’s anger slightly ebb away, Gao Su hurried to massage his shoulders and flatter him, “No need to compete with those petty men by presenting things. With your son’s skills, I still have ways to obtain the Emperor’s favor!”

Not to mention, he had put a lot of effort into setting up stages for plays lately. Why else would so many noble families be vying to invite him? If he taught these showmanship skills to his adoptive father for use in the songs, dances and plays appreciated by the Emperor, how could they not be outstanding?

Even if there’s something he could not anticipate, he could always turn to Scholar Cui. What could the Cui family not do?

Cui Xie was a modest and unassuming youth who did not like to associate with other taijian or the Jinyiwei. There was no risk of someone stealing the limelight from the Gao family due to this. If they asked him for advice and help, it was not as if the other would not benefit. Which high official would not want the assistance from someone a part of the trusted inner court? When Cui Xie eventually entered the Imperial court, would his adoptive father not lend his support?

Gao Suo spoke so eloquently that his father’s anger transformed into joy. Gao gonggong then began pondering how to secure such an opportunity for his adoptive son to shine.

Gao Su himself could not sit idle either. He decided to personally visit the Peace of Mind Study and greet Shopkeeper Ji, whom he usually contacted, to give Cui Xie advance notice so that the other could assist him when the right time came.

To his surprise, Shopkeeper Ji was nowhere to be seen at the Peace of Mind Study. Instead, a few senior clerks were enthusiastically promoting a new collection of Nanjing ink, with a purchase bonus of five graphite pencils and a finely coated white writing board. There was a wizened old scholar, around forty years old, inside the shop demonstrating the use of the graphite pencil to other scholars.

Outside the shop, a large illustrated poster depicted turbulent waves with Guan Yu standing on the water wielding a sword. Next to it, bold letters proclaimed: ：’《The Six Talents and their Commentaries on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms》Volume Fifteen is soon to be released. Stay tuned for ‘Liu Bei Becomes King of Hanzhong, Guan Yu Floods the Seven Armies.’ “

The shop was bustling with activity, but where was the Shopkeeper?

Seeing his wealthy attire and recognizing him as someone familiar with their Shopkeeper and also mentioning the Young Master’s name, the clerk eagerly explained, “Today, Shopkeeper Ji has a joyful occasion to celebrate. Relatives from the west have arrived, and the family summoned him back to entertain guests.”

Huh, just when he had important business, visitors had to show up!

Gao Suo cocked an eyebrow, “What relatives came from the west? I distinctly remember him having a Yongping Prefecture accent, which is in Northern Zhili.”

The clerk laughed, “This gentleman indeed knows our Shopkeeper well. His relatives used to live in Yongping Prefecture, but later moved to the northwest with their master. It has been over ten years since they last visited. Now that they are in the capital, they need some time to catch up. If there are any matters, please let us know. If it is something confidential, do not worry. Shopkeeper Ji should be back in a day or two.”

Gao gonggong’s role in arranging plays was not yet finalized and Gao Su was not desperate enough to rush to the Cui residence for advice, so he left reluctantly.

Shopkeeper Ji went back, not to entertain some relatives, but to welcome the Eldest furen, Qin-shi, from the Liu family and the only son, Liu Yunshou of the Third Laoye, Liu Xu. They had traveled all the way from Shaanxi, but unfortunately, Cui Xie was at the Imperial College and could not take leave during the day. Hence, they had Shopkeeper Ji, who had come with the late Liu furen, as part of her dowry, to keep them company.

Last month, Steward Liu traveled all the way to Yulin, where he learned that the old Colonel had been promoted to Adjudicator and had settled there. He had brought gifts to pay a visit. Due to Adjudicator Liu’s high rank, the residence had been heavily guarded and the soldiers at the gate stopped him, asking him to send in his calling card first. Steward Liu handed over Cui Xie’s calling card, stating that he had been sent by the Cui family. Unexpectedly, just saying the surname ‘Cui’ nearly got him beaten up by an old servant who had come out to check

Fortunately, Steward Liu had sharp eyes and recognized the old servant as the former Chief Steward of the Liu family’s outer courtyard. He quickly called out, “Uncle, it’s me, Liu San’er. I was a part of Young Miss’s dowry and am here on behalf of Young Miss’s son. Patriarch Cui has been posted to Yunnan and our Young Master is now in charge at the residence!”

The stick hovering over his shoulder narrowly missed him, allowing Steward Liu to enter the residence. Meeting his old masters, he explained the current circumstances: how Cui Xie had become a student of the Imperial College, his father’s posting to Yunnan, and that he was now managing family affairs and wished to reconnect with his maternal family.

The news was met with disbelief by the Liu family. Steward Liu hurriedly presented Cui Xie’s letter and portrait, excitedly saying, “The Young Master is truly a part of the Liu family. He never saw our Young Miss, yet he drew such a lifelike portrait based on just a few words from this subordinate’s wife. Is it not clear that our lady’s spirit has always been watching over her son, ensuring he remembers her in his heart?”

His words sounded almost supernatural and miraculous. The old Adjudicator, seeing his daughter’s long-missed likeness on paper, could not help but feel emotional, his eyes reddening as he shook his head and sighed, “If our whole family had not followed my transfer to Yulin, leaving her without maternal support, my daughter might not have met with such misfortune…”

The fallout between the two families had been severe, and although they had fought to maintain their honor, it had ultimately damaged their relationship. Later, Cui Que remarried a government official’s daughter and was even less willing to let the Liu family visit.

Yulin was a long way from Beijing, making it inconvenient for women to travel back and forth. Men could not easily leave their posts, and servants were not allowed into the high-ranking gates of the capital’s officials. They could only send things in from the outside, hearing from people within that Cui Xie was well provided for and able to study, so there was nothing more to be said.

A few years ago, his third son was impeached for delaying a military operation. Although his petition to the Imperial Court saved his life, he was demoted to guarding the garrisons in Sichuan and was waiting to return with meritorious service. The family was in turmoil over this matter and this turned into neglecting the grandson. To their surprise, Cui Xie had grown up well and reached out to them first.

The old Adjudicator had thought that Cui Xie, raised by a stepmother, might not even know of the Liu family. Unexpectedly, Cui Xie not only remembered his maternal family, but had also painted his mother’s portrait. He was indeed a loving and good child.

The Liu family had not seen this grandson for over ten years. Receiving his letter and gifts, and seeing his likeness in the portrait, made them yearn to see him in person.

The Liu family always acted with efficiency. Knowing that Cui Xie was thinking of them, they decided to visit him. Since all three sons and older grandsons held military positions, only the youngest son’s family had a young grandson still studying martial arts that could go. The old Adjudicator sent his Eldest Daughter-in-Law from Yongping with the young grandson from the Third Branch back to their hometown—first, to see Cui Xie and secondly, to pay respects at the Liu family’s ancestral graves.

Cui Xie had sent cotton, furs, and specialty foods from Beijing, along with his own paintings, clothing, and cosmetics, all thoughtfully prepared. The Liu family, recognizing his sincerity, prepared excellent gifts in return: woolen rugs from beyond the frontier, various furs, a mountain of medicinal herbs, and antiques and jade artifacts gifted by others.

Although living on the border in Yulin, the Liu family was wealthier than the Cui family in Beijing. If Cui Xie had not been a girl and had no space for such items, they would have sent more jewelry.

Qin-shi was familiar with North Zhili and had visited the Cui Residence in the capital before. She simply had Steward Liu stay and talk with the old officials and several other gentlemen at the yamen while she and her nephew took a carriage into the city.

They did not send any advance notice; instead, they arrived at the Cui Residence’s gate with several carriages full of goods. The servants pulling the carriages, recalling the time they had been blocked at this gate years ago, smugly declared, “Our mistress is the aunt of your esteemed Scholar Cui, here to visit her nephew. Open the main gate at once to welcome our family inside!”

The servants of the Cui family, now lacking the prestige they had when Laoye was around, scrambled to respond. Although Cui Liangdong did not recognize them, he was aware that Cui Xie had sent gifts to his maternal family. He hurried out to greet them, inquiring if Steward Liu was present.

Qin-shi, seated steadily in her carriage, stated, “Ask the elders in your household. When your family’s late furen, I came to pay my respects. Surely, someone in your household will recognize me!”

Even if the Cui family did not recognize them, the Liu family certainly would. While most of the Liu family servants were at the farmstead, they did have Shopkeeper Ji in the capital. Cui Liangdong sent word to the Old furen and summoned Shopkeeper Ji, respectfully ushering Qin-shi and her family into the residence.

Old Song furen had not seen her in-laws for many years and had long forgotten the animosities from the past. She only remembered the close relationship they had when both families lived in the county and the benefits of having her daughter-in-law at home. She hurriedly changed her clothes to receive the guests and summoned her grandchildren to meet their relatives.

Cui Liangdong, still haunted by the lesson from his five-thousand-word punishment, was reluctant to let the Second Young Master out. When the Old furen ordered him to, he resorted to using some cunning tactics, saying, “The Second Young Master is the son of Xu-shi. Was not the conflict between our family and the Liu family originally because of Xu-shi? Moreover, when the Eldest Young Master was beaten, was it not also due to the Second Young Master pretending to be ill and instigating Laoye’s anger? If the Liu family learns of this, would they not be even more upset with us?”

Old Song furen’s temples throbbed, and she clutched her forehead, asking, “Was Er-ge pretending to be ill back then?”

Cui Liangdong, with a pained expression, replied, “Although the personal servants of Er-ge and Xu-shi have all gone to the Xu family, weren’t there still some servants outside sweeping and those with sharp ears who could hear what was going on? When Xu-shi claimed that Er-ge was unconscious and bedridden, although he did not leave his quarters, those with sharp ears could hear him moving around in his room.”

Old Song furen remained silent, her lips pressed into deep lines. Cui Liangdong continued in a low voice, “The Eldest Young Master considered Er-ge’s youth and believed he was incited by Xu-shi. He is his brother, after all, and did not want to pursue the matter…”

Old Song furen suddenly slapped the table, “Bring him out.”

Cui Liangdong was taken aback, “Qin-shi has a fiery temper. What if she loses her temper upon seeing the Er-ge…”

The old lady retorted, “All the more reason to bring him out. When Cui Xie returns, he will meet the guests, and Heng-ge must kneel before his elder brother and sincerely apologize! They are all my grandsons. Should I protect the one who was wrong and unjustly wrong the one who was right? If he did wrong, he must earnestly admit his mistake to his elder brother. This matter cannot be hidden away!”

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TN: Definitely a fun chapter to translate! Hope you guys are doing well and happy halloween!

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