Chapter 133
The great affairs of the state lie in the rites of sacrifice and in warfare.
On the day of the New Year, while common families like the Cui family performed ancestral rites, the Imperial family naturally also conducted their ancestral worship rites. The Chenghua Emperor personally attended the sacrificial rites at the Hall of Ancestors, paying respects to his birth mother, Empress Dowager Zhou, before proceeding to the Hall of Supreme Harmony to receive the obeisance of officials and foreign envoys.
The previous year, the heads of the prefectures and counties had been summoned to the capital for an audience, and it would be three years before they would be called again. As a mere Left Assistant Administrative Commissioner, Cui Que, was not among those who would be summoned to the capital for such duties even after a few years; he would only have his performance evaluated lightly by his superiors and sent to the Ministry of Personnel for review.
This year, there was no major audit in the capital, nor reports of disasters such as earthquakes, floods or droughts—only the ominous sign of a red meteor falling in the west, accompanied by a thunderous roar for half a day. This inauspicious and ominous event forced the Chenghua Emperor to issue decrees blaming his ministers, but beyond that, there were no other troubling matters. With the Emperor free of worries, the Imperial Entertainment Bureau took the opportunity to curry favor, presenting new plays daily during the half-month New Year festival, with special performances for the New Year and Lantern Festival, showcasing newly written scripts.
While staging these performances, the performers from the Imperial Entertainment Bureau borrowed the makeup and stage arrangement methods from the current popular styles in the capital, with fragrant smoke swirling around the stage, entrances and exits softened and blurred by layers of sheer curtains. These techniques were becoming standard practice. When Gao taijian attended the performances with the Emperor, he noticed the solemnity and seriousness with which these effects were employed, almost as if they were some profound new art, and he could not help but sneer inwardly in his heart.
These methods had originated and were popularized by his own son, and now both father and son were nearly tired of them!
However, the more ordinary the New Year celebration plays and daily music performances appeared, the more his new play would stand out. With a heart burning like a hot coal, Gao taijian meticulously supervised the rehearsals by the Drum and Bell Department, eagerly awaiting the Lantern Festival.
On the night of the Lantern Festival, after the evening meal, the Emperor, accompanied by the Crown Prince and other princes, visited the magnificent display of the sea of lanterns on Mount Ao, before moving to the theater to enjoy the new play by the Drum and Bell Department.
Before the play began, the stage was shrouded in layers of light gauze curtains reaching the ground. Incense towers burning around the stage emitted a slightly heavy smoke that circled the stage. Since there was no breeze indoors, the smoke settled low before dispersing, creating an ethereal atmosphere that made the stage look like something straight out of the celestial realm.
When the Emperor first saw this kind of arrangement, he would have praised it, but now he was accustomed to it. He merely nodded and ordered the performance to begin.
The delicate sounds of bells and drums commenced, and the layers of gauze curtains began to rise into the air—this was unlike the usual setups from the Imperial Entertainment Bureau, which used ropes to hang curtains on the columns at the sides, sometimes obstructing the stage; these curtains were different.
This wasn’t a significant change, and except for the Chenghua Emperor, who had watched countless plays over the years, none of the younger princes noticed the difference.
However, as each layer of gauze curtain rose, becoming thinner and more transparent, everyone began to sense something unusual—normally, after the curtains were lifted, the dark walls and the doors leading on and off the stage would be visible. But this time, even after the last curtain was raised, there was still a faint whiteness behind it.
The Emperor finally sensed something special and focused intently as the final curtain rose, revealing a snow-covered world. The backdrop depicted a snow-viewing pavilion, with ethereal palaces in the distance, snow-covered mountains, and large snowflakes falling gently from above. The ground was covered with a white carpet, and the stage was adorned with white jade balustrades and carved pillars.
An immortal, wearing a lotus crown, a crane cloak, and holding a jade scepter, with jade ornaments jingling at his waist, emerged from the snowy scene. He was followed by two minor deities holding flags and swords. Standing amidst the heavy snow, he recited, “Practicing alchemy and cultivating immortality in the Supreme Purity, within the Jade Void Palace in the Purple Twilight..”
As he made his entrance, the snow falling above him gradually ceased, and not a single flake touched him or the minor gods trailing behind him. Instead, a warm golden light shone from above, like sunlight breaking through clouds just for the immortal, illuminating him with a radiant glow.
The lines the actor recited were ordinary, but his entrance did hold an ethereal quality. The Chenghua Emperor smiled and slowly uttered, “Reward”. The palace attendants below then scattered coins onto the stage.
Encouraged by the reward, the taijian performing on stage put even more effort into his acting. His voice was clear and resonant as he recited the lines, creating a long, melodious rhythm. As he finished speaking his celebration speech, the snowy backdrop, which seemed neither a wall nor a curtain, parted, and a young immortal sitting cross-legged on a crane emerged.
The celestial crane spread its wings from beneath the celestial immortal’s robes, and they flapped as it moved. The stage emitted a few crane calls, awakening the drowsy young princes who had been dozing off during the performance, causing them to chuckle quietly.
Although the palace had previously used fake palanquins and mountains made of fabric in their various shows, they had never had such a lifelike crane. As the God of the Nine Heavens ascended the stage, he commanded the white crane to kneel. As he rose, he unfolded his legs, and wearing wide robes, he walked to The Jade Void’s Teacher and Minister, the Dark Heavenly Emperor, to receive his command. Then, he was sent to invite the other immortals.
At this moment, layers of gauze curtains descended, enveloping the snow-white scene. The God of the Nine Heavens slowly passed through the curtains, still riding the crane. Upon closer inspection, it was evident that the performer was the Emperor’s favorite actor from the Drum and Bell Department, Ah Chou.
Seeing this, the Emperor could not help but laugh, praising, “Excellent.” The young princes, not understanding much else, clapped their hands in delight at the sight of the crane, calling for rewards.
Gao taijian, attending the Emperor, lowered his eyelids, his gaze discreetly scanning the room. The Emperor and the young princes were all engrossed in the performance, even the usually indifferent Crown Prince was captivated by the show. Seeing this, Gao taijian’s heart swelled with pride and sweetness at the beautiful sight, and he slyly glanced at Liang Fang, who had previously outshone him several times.
Liang Fang, equally stunned by the performance, did not keep his usual vigilant eye on the surroundings and quickly returned Gao taijian’s look with one of his own.
Inside, the taijian attended the Imperial audience, while outside, the Jinyiwei stood guard. Xie Ying, standing under the eaves, could not see the performance. Although he could not watch, Cui Xie had explained the titles and lyrics of each act in detail to him, and they had even discussed many of the stagecraft techniques together. As the celestial tunes played, Xie Ying could tell where the play was at and imagined the vivid celestial scenes playing on stage.
This act was set in the Jade Void Immortal Emperor’s celestial palace. The next act would move to the palace of the God of Culture and Literature.
Humming a segment of ‘Following the command of the Primordial Immortal, the deities descended’, Xie Ying smiled as he looked towards the courtyard lights. He imagined the bustling Lantern Festival outside the Imperial palace, with Cui Xie wandering among the lanterns, admiring the lights and solving riddles.
He wondered what kind of lanterns Cui Xie’s shops had lit and whether they had staged any new and interesting performances…
As the song ‘Oily Cricket’ played in his mind, the scene on the stage changed again: The new backdrop was a painting of verdant mountains and waters on a wide white canvas, while the ground remained covered with a white carpet, creating a high in the clouds effect with the surrounding smoke on all four sides.
The Gods stood amidst white clouds at their feet, with tall flower trees arranged behind them, and petals falling from above, covering the ground. The painted, verdant mountains on the backdrop extended to a large wax sculpture resembling a boulder. When the wax was almost dry, the surface had been sprinkled with finely crushed rice-paper plants to mimic fluffy moss. A silk waterfall flowed between the rocks, with a hidden manual blower causing the fabric to ripple and undulate, and there was a spotlight above it that shone on the silk cloth. As the light moved, it created the illusion of flowing water.
The High Gods and the God of Culture and Literature sang passionately about celebrating the Lantern Festival on earth. For the Chenghua Emperor, the Crown Prince, and the other princes, it was their first time witnessing such a combination of 2D and 3D scenery. They were so fascinated by the stage effects that they barely paid attention to the lyrics, squinting to fully appreciate the visual spectacle.
When this act ended, the green mountains and clear waters faded into the backdrop, and Ah Chou, playing the God of the Nine Heavens, pretending to be riding a crane, stood alone in front of the gauze curtain, reciting his lines about inviting The Great Emperor of the Five Spirit Manifestations and the Five Sacred Mountain Gods. He mounted the crane again and swayed, making a few jokes as he moved.
The Emperor loved his jokes the most. In the past, Ah Chou had boldly criticized Wang Zhi’s corruption through his performances, to which the Emperor did not think his performances were bad. On the contrary, this led to Wang Zhi’s gradual fall from favor while Ah Chou remained beloved. Today, however, the Emperor was more interested in the stage setup behind the curtain as colors changed. Eager to see it, he paid little attention to the jokes and quietly asked Gao Liang, “Why, this long, not revealing?”
Gao taijian quickly whispered an explanation, “They are making sure everything is perfect for Your Majesty, would they not arrange everything carefully? Please enjoy Ah Chou’s jokes for a moment longer. When the curtain lifts, you will see a truly unique palace of The Great Emperors of the Five Spirit Manifestations.”
The Emperor, though impatient, waited a bit longer. Finally, the gauze curtain slowly rose, revealing a pitch-black palace. In front of the palace stood crimson lacquered columns adorned with gold, between which hung sheer curtains. Overhead, glass-tiled lanterns glowed like celestial stars, and dots of starlight shone through the walls, converging into a representation of the Ninth Heavens, the Milky Way.
The Five Emperors of Guangji, Guanghui, Guangyou, Guangze, and Guangcheng appeared on stage accompanied by ghost soldiers and judges. Instead of floating on white clouds, these underworld kings had many spherical glass lamps placed at their feet, casting light upwards and illuminating their saintly bodies, ensuring the scene did not appear dim despite the lighting and scenery.
The rapid and intricate scene changes overwhelmed the audience, making them feel as if they were being transported through various celestial palaces along with the immortals.
In the final act, the Gods descended into the Imperial Palace to enjoy the lantern display at Mount Ao and celebrate the Emperor’s eternal reign.
The main character, the Jade Void Immortal Emperor, who had played a minor role in the previous acts, finally took center stage! He sang a solo, ‘Offering Fine Wine’, and after singing, “All celebrate the era of Emperor Yao of the Tang Period,” he recited, “The God gathered to wish our Emperor eternal health and eternal peace.” He then produced a golden elixir from his sleeve to present to the Emperor
The Chenghua Emperor loved this auspicious gesture and ordered someone to receive it. Gao taijian had already prepared for this moment, instructing a junior taijian to bring a tray with a red cushion to receive the golden pill.
However, the Jade Void Immortal Emperor stopped the taijian and said, “This golden elixir is no ordinary pill and must not be handled carelessly. Allow me to open it for the Emperor.”
With a gentle swipe over the pill and a flick, the pill split in half, releasing a shower of gold powder. From his vantage point, the Chenghua Emperor could not see clearly and asked, “What is that?”
Gao taijian signaled, and the junior taijian tilted the tray, revealing the bottom. The bottom of the plate had been pre-applied with glue in the shape of characters. When opened, the gold powder from the golden pill had stuck to the glue and excess gold powder fell off, leaving the bright and clear words “May You Enjoy Boundless Longevity.”
The Chenghua Emperor, understanding the clever trick, could not help but smile in delight and praised, “Well done, very thoughtful.”
This was much better than offering the Emperor a golden pill to consume. Huai En taijian breathed a sigh of relief, and the Crown Prince also felt that Gao Liang was a person of discernment, knowing how to please the Emperor without overstepping, unlike those monks and Taoists who offered pills and conducted rituals at will.
Following his father and brothers, the Crown Prince praised, ‘Excellent’, but couldn’t help but sigh, “These lanterns, curtains, and flower trees must have consumed a great deal of labor and resources…”
Gao taijian was worried about missing an opportunity to explain himself and showing off his merits. Hearing the Crown Prince’s concerns about the expenses, he quickly explained, “Rest assured, Your Highness. These items did not cost much. This old slave learned from many years of serving His Majesty and how could this old slave dare to waste the treasury’s silver on mere amusements? The trees, mountains, and jade pillars in the celestial palaces may look exquisite…but they are all made from fine bamboo strips covered with a thin layer of wax. This wax costs only one tael of silver for ten pounds. To make them look adequate, people had to carefully carve and apply colorful paint to make them look good, but they didn’t require much effort or expense.”
He did not mention the additional colorful silk and gold oil used that was also used for decoration..
Hearing the reasonable cost, the Crown Prince felt more at ease. Knowing his father loved grand spectacles and performances, he didn’t want to say too much and risk displeasing him. Smiling, he nodded, “Gao taijian is indeed a prudent man.”
The fourth prince, Zhu Youyuan, asked, “How was the crane made? Can it really carry a person?”
Even the Chenghua Emperor was curious about this, let alone a little prince who was less than ten years old.
Gao Liang, feeling proud, humbly lowered his head and replied with a smile, “It is simply a silk crane made by the lantern craftsmen, with an empty space inside for a person to stand. The legs that seem to be folded are actually crinoline made of horsehair. When the bottom is fastened tightly around the legs and when the crane is lowered to the waist, the crinoline spreads out like a lantern, covered by a robe, making it appear as though the legs are folded above.”
This was his own innovation after noticing the awkwardness of the fake legs during rehearsals. Proud of his contribution, he eagerly explained the details with even more enthusiasm than when discussing the scenery.
The Chenghua Emperor praised him, “Must be rewarded. Later, the Drum and Bell Department, you make sure it is properly guided…”
Gao taijian immediately expressed his gratitude for the Emperor’s grace and also sought a reward for his son, “At this age, how could this old slave have come up with such modern stage effects? It is mostly my adopted son who helped. To receive the praise of Your Majesty and the young princes is his greatest honor of a lifetime. This old slave will convey this to him.”
The Emperor acknowledged this and inquired about Gao Su’s name, age, and position. Upon learning that he was still a salaried Commander without an official post, the Emperor ordered Qin Chang to visit the Gao residence and formally appoint Gao Su as a full-fledged Commander in the Front Guard.
Colonel Xie from the Front Guard had some connections with their family and was a capable, modest and respectable person. Gao Su would surely receive his care and support once he joined.
Gao taijian, feeling very pleased, expressed gratitude on behalf of his nephew for the Emperor’s favor, and he mentally noted his debt to Cui Xie’s kindness.
Since both he and his nephew benefited, it would not be fair for Cui Xie not to receive any reward, right?
Serving the Chenghua Emperor, it was easy for him to say a few good words. In the first two busy months after taking over the Drum and Bell Department, he hadn’t had time to attend to Cui Xie. Once things settled with his subordinates and emptied his schedule, he seized an opportunity when the Emperor was in a good mood, without any advisors around, to bring it up: “Your Majesty once instructed this old slave to keep an eye on the prodigy Scholar Cui. This old slave has kept this in my heart and dared not forget. Now that his younger brother has returned home and Cui Xie is preparing for the Imperial examinations, would Your Majesty like to hear about his family matters?”
Nothing would have happened if this matter had not been mentioned. But, once mentioned, this piqued the Emperor’s curiosity, and he asked, “His brother has returned? How is he managing at home?”
Gao taijian wiped his eyes as if moved and said, “Your Majesty has great foresight. That Scholar Cui is not only filial to his parents but also deeply cares for his brother! This old slave had someone look into it, and when his brother returned from the south, he was gravely ill. It was Scholar Cui that ensured he received proper medical care and even personally tutored his brother, giving him assignments and grading his work, turning a previously unruly child that dared to act spoiled in front of the Jinyiwei into a well-behaved and well-mannered one.”
The Chenghua Emperor asked, “How did, he teach him?”
Gao taijian was prepared. He had a junior taijian fetch a pen and paper and write down some pre-prepared fill-in-the-blank, multiple-choice, and true/false questions to the Emperor.
The questions were lengthy, showing earnestness regardless of content. The Emperor tried a few and found them straightforward and not out of place, containing essential teachings of the Taizu Emperor and classical texts, suitable for proper education. The Emperor nodded, asking, “As expected, he loves his younger brother. This, all for his second brother, or…”
Eunuch Gao replied, “These are all for his second brother. Why should he worry over his youngest brother who studies with juren and needs no extra attention? His second brother, however, was unwell when he arrived and could not go out. Scholar Cui, despite his own studies, stayed up late to teach him—now that his brother is healthier and studying with a juren, he still gives him assignments.”
Indeed, the more troublesome a child is, the more attention they need from their father…or brother. The Emperor nodded, looking at the assignments, and said, “Like a prodigy… Someday, summon him to the Imperial palace, and have him, lecture zhen’s princes on the 《Classic of Poetry》.”
Gao taijian, though having recommended Cui Xie himself, was surprised by the high regard the Emperor had for him.
The Chenghua Emperor glanced at him and said, “Just like, Li Dongyang’s path.”
Li Dongyang had been summoned to the Imperial palace twice to lecture on the 《Classic of History》as a child prodigy because he had been at the level of a Hanlin Academy scholar’s level at the age of five or six1. Similarly, calling Cui Xie to the Imperial palace to lecture would encourage the studious youth and allow the Crown Prince to see talents beyond the Eastern Palace lecturers.
Footnotes:
- Li Dongyang: Chinese historian, poet, and politician during the Ming dynasty. Born in Beijing, it is said Li began writing since 4 years old. He was invited by the Jingtai Emperor to the court for testing and requested his presence twice for his own interpretation on Shangshu and was delighted by his response. In 1464, Li Dongyang ranked second in the court exam and entered the Hanlin Academy afterwards. From 1465 to 1467, he was included in the project of compiling Veritable Records of the Jingtai Reign (Yingzong shilu) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Dongyang ↩︎
TN: Have a good rest of your week everyone and enjoy the chapter! Just finished some really important presentations today and wrapping up finals for grad school! Really excited to be visiting my boyfriend and family a couple of days as well after everything is finished! Happy holidays 🙂
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