Transmigrating to the Ming Dynasty’s Imperial Examination Ch. 153

Chapter 153

On this day, the Emperor Chenghua finally took a break from watching the new version of 《Story of the Pipa》presented by Commander Gao.

This was not because the Imperial Censorate’s memorials had any real effect—those memorials didn’t even make it to the Emperor. The astute taijian of the Directorate of Ceremonial filtered them out long before then, and even Chief Eunuch Huai En did not consider them significant. Instead, the reason was because the Emperor had simply seen enough of 《The Story of Wang Yao and the Pipa》. Just like indulging in dishes with generous amounts of meat and fish, His Majesty felt it was time for a change, time to sample something new.

Coincidentally, the Imperial Entertainment Bureau had recently submitted a new play, also a popular piece circulating among the common people streets, and naturally, the Emperor was eager to give it a try.

However, since the play had not been submitted by Commander Gao, the Emperor inquired, “Has it already been rehearsed? Have they prepared new scenes for it?”

Chief Eunuch Qin Chang eagerly responded, “Rest assured, Your Majesty. How could anyone dare present a half-hearted production to Your Imperial Gaze? This play is about matters from the Peony Pavilion, and the Imperial Entertainment Bureau had a realistic pavilion constructed—so lifelike that it’s said to surpass the real thing. They even made large clusters of peony flowers, so lifelike that even this servant couldn’t tell them apart from real ones!”

Gao gonggong pursed his lips, smiling quietly to himself—Just building a pavilion? How could that compare to the mastery of creating clouds, fog, rain, and snow? And yet they dare boast of this in front of the Emperor.

However, the Emperor had seen enough clouds and fog lately. Occasionally, something more down-to-earth, like a pavilion, was just the change he needed. When Qin taijian mentioned that this new play was written by someone from Senior Grand Secretary Liu’s household and depicted family affairs, the Emperor’s interest was immediately heightened.

Affairs of the Grand Secretary’s household? That’s certainly more relatable than some Jinyiwei he’s only heard of a few times.

Delighted, Emperor Chenghua said:  “Alright, present it.”

Although it was not as convenient to perform in the Imperial Entertainment Bureau as in the Drum and Bell Department, since this play had long been prepared for the Emperor, the actors and taijian were already waiting below. After a short delay, the setup was completed.

Soon enough, an inner attendant announced that the stage was ready for the Emperor.

The morning Imperial court session had already ended after being dragged on, and the memorials from the Grand Secretariat had been reviewed. It was the perfect time to enjoy a new play. In high spirits, Emperor Chenghua made his way to the theater. Just as he was about to settle in and watch the performance, a young inner attendant with poor timing arrived with a message. Qin Chang stepped outside to hear his report and, after a brief moment, returned with a memorial in his sleeves,  presenting it respectfully to the Emperor with both hands. “Secondary Grand Secretary Liu has submitted a memorial. This servant dared not delay its delivery and humbly present it for Your Majesty’s review.”

Naturally, a memorial from the Grand Secretariat was different from the others. While the Emperor might not care about the memorials of the Censorate, he had to give face to those in the Grand Secretariat. Glancing at the stage where the vibrant peonies were blooming beautifully beside the pavilion, Emperor Chenghua calmly said, “Read it.”

Better to finish reading the memorial before starting the play.

Qin Chang then opened the memorial and began reading aloud, his voice rising and falling in rhythm. The document began with the usual calls for the Emperor to reduce extravagance, restrain personal desires, distance himself from petty men, and not be swayed by indulgence in lascivious music and beauty. He also urged the Emperor to draw closer to his ministers, accept good counsel, and resume the Imperial Lectures to cultivate moral virtue…after these formalities, the memorial finally reached its main point.

He petitioned the Emperor to dismiss the system of appointing officials by Imperial command.

While abolishing the entire system was unrealistic, he specifically requested that the recently promoted Jinyiwei Colonel—elevated because of a play—be dismissed from his post. If this precedent was not addressed, he warned, others might follow suit, commissioning plays to flatter themselves, curry favor with taijian and corrupt ministers to have these performances presented before the Emperor, all in the pursuit of promotion.

If such things were allowed to deceive the Imperial ear, these plays would become the stepping stones for treacherous men, and what kind of people would dominate the court then? Where would upright gentlemen find their place!

Secondary Grand Secretary Liu’s words rang out like the clashing of gold and jade, exposing all the flaws in the current administration. It seemed as though he had channeled all his frustration over the years—his inability to reform the government against the combined forces of other Grand Secretaries Wan An and Liu Ji, his powerless role as one of the ‘three paper cabinet elders’—into this memorial. He had even endured Wang Zhi, the head of the Western Depot, Li Zisheng, and Ji Xiao… but was he now expected to tolerate yet another wave of petty opportunists entering the court?!

The passion in the memorial was palpable, as though it might burst from the paper. Qin Chang, reading it, began to sweat under the intensity. Gao taijian, realizing that the memorial directly accused his adopted son, Commander Gao, of using theatrical performances to secure positions for others, had long since removed his hat. He knelt before the Emperor, weeping and pleading on behalf of his son.

Emperor Chenghua let out a light scoff and motioned for someone to help Gao gonggong to his feet, saying lightly, “This does not concern you. Gao gonggong rise. Tomorrow, go on Zhen’s behalf to the Northern Administrative Division and and see how Xie…” The Emperor trailed off, implying that he wanted Gao gonggong to check on Xie Ying’s progress and to bring back something tangible to shut the mouths of the censors and the Grand Secretariat, thus reducing the number of memorials from the ministers.

Gao gonggong kowtowed deeply and, with practiced efficiency, rose from the ground, discreetly wiping away his tears as he softly acknowledged the Emperor’s command.

Emperor Chenghua gestured for Qin Chang to take the memorial away, his mood souring to the point where he almost lost interest in watching the play altogether. However, Qin Chang had invested too much effort in preparing this performance for the Emperor to leave now, so he quickly advised, “Your Majesty, the affairs of court are indeed burdensome. Why not take a moment to enjoy the pleasures of the common scholars and townsfolk outside?”

After Secondary Grand Secretary Liu’s memorial dampened the Emperor’s mood, the prospect of watching Young Master Liu appreciate peonies no longer seemed as charming or intriguing as before. Still, the pavilion was beautifully constructed, and the peonies were impeccably crafted. For the sake of admiring the fine scenery, the Emperor decided to stay and watch at least one act of the play.

With a faint nod from the Emperor, Qin Chang loudly ordered the actors to begin.

The first to appear were a few young scholars, each wearing black gauze hats and brightly colored silk brocade straight robes. They exchanged light and frivolous banter, discussing playful and seductive topics. The conversation soon shifted to Secondary Grand Secretary’s third son, a young man who had placed second in the provincial examinations. They spoke of his outstanding talent, handsome appearance, and reputation as the most dashing figure in the capital, known for his fondness for taking courtesans on outings. The group wondered aloud how they might secure an invitation to join him.

One of the youths suggested hosting a peony banquet, as the flowers were in full bloom, and they could invite Young Master Liu to join them in appreciating the beauties of both the flowers and the women.

The Emperor, having recently grown accustomed to the fast-paced nature of the new 《Story of Wang Yao and the Pipa》with its rapid changes in scenery and frequent deaths within just a few songs, found this traditional slow-paced play—filled with familiar dialogue and an interspersed, outdated style—somewhat tedious. Annoyed, Emperor Chenghua turned to Qin Chang and asked, “When does Young Master Liu make his entrance?”

Young Master Liu soon appeared on stage.

The stage version of Young Master Liu wore a juren’s robe, his hat tilted slightly askew, flanked by several courtesans. Standing proudly at the center of the stage, he began by boasting about his background—the son of a grand secretary, with a brother in the imperial court, and himself a young scholar who had passed the provincial exams with a bright future ahead. Who in the capital could compare to him?

He then sang of how he did not wish to waste the spring, locked away in a study hall, and instead desired to enjoy the season by spending it with the beautiful women he frequented, sharing in the splendor of the peonies.

The writer of this play had heard of Young Master Liu’s escapades and affairs with courtesans and composed a song to mock him. However, before the performance began, an inner attendant had pulled aside the young actor playing Young Master Liu. The inner attendant instructed him to add a line—a veiled insinuation that one of the courtesans beside Young Master Liu had also once been involved in a brief tryst with Secondary Grand Secretary Liu himself.

Such a scandal, of father and son both being involved with the same woman, would be a grave disgrace. If the Emperor were to catch wind of it, Liu Xu would surely be forced to resign in shame, unable to have the face to stay in court any longer.

Unfortunately for the schemers, the line needed to be laid out so that it would be ‘inadvertently’ introduced into the scene, but the Emperor lacked the patience to sit through the necessary setup. After having been chastised by Secondary Grand Secretary Liu’s memorial earlier, watching the Secondary Grand Secretary’s son behave so decadently on stage—even with humorous banter added—the Emperor was not amused no matter how many jokes were added.

He couldn’t promote a capable Jinyiwei officer, but it was acceptable for such a debauched, openly promiscuous son of a grand secretary to hold a high-ranking position in the court?

The scholars constantly criticized the appointment of special officials, saying how inappropriate it was, but they only thought about the civil ministers, about themselves, without considering the Emperor—Did they really think he was the kind of incompetent Emperor who would promote someone based on a single play?

He had questioned Zhu Ji and reviewed Xie Ying’s case files before promoting him to the position of provisional Pacification Commissioner. How had this been twisted into him promoting someone just because of a play? Was it because he, as Emperor, had seen a play from the common folk and appointed someone who was portrayed in the play? Was it because he had not issued a decree through the Grand Secretariat, but instead had the Chief Eunuch Huai En issue the edict?

What these ministers opposed was not just the officials appointed through internal orders, but the Emperor’s authority to promote whomever he deemed fit!

Emperor Chenghua waved his hand, dismissing the actors and coldly ordered, “Summon Wan An and Liu Ji.”

By this time, it was late in the evening. Grand Secretaries, Wan An and Liu Ji, hurried to the corner palace gates after receiving the summons, but they could not enter. They had to ask through the gate, “What is His Majesty’s command?”

Qin Chang handed them a handwritten note from the Emperor, on which were scrawled six large characters in heavy ink:《Young Master Liu Appreciating Peonies》 Following that, there was a blunt and impolite remark: ‘Gentlemen should reflect upon yourself.’

Earlier in the year, there had been omens in the sky—shooting stars, white vapors, and thunderous noises—portents of impending disaster. At the time, the Chenghua Emperor had written to the three Grand Secretaries, advising them, ‘Gentlemen should reflect upon yourselves.’ Now, after watching this play, he had written the same words again. This showed how gravely the Emperor regarded Liu Xu’s transgression.

The skin on Wan An’s face twitched involuntarily as he whispered, “Did His Majesty finish watching the play?”

Qin Chang sighed, “Only half an act. After the memorial was delivered, His Majesty became displeased. During the play… he stopped at the part where Young Master Liu entered with courtesans, and that was enough to shake him.”

Unfortunately, the Emperor had become angry too soon. Otherwise, if the damning ‘father and son with the same woman’ line had been heard, there would be not even the slightest chance of Liu Xu ever regaining his position in the court.

After the three lamented for a while, Wan An and Liu Ji prepared to return to their offices when Qin Chang suddenly stopped them and said in a low voice, “His Majesty read the Secondary Grand Secretary’s memorial, and he was not pleased. He has ordered Gao Liang to visit the Northern Administrative Office tomorrow to assess how Xie Ying is handling the criminal cases. From what this servant can tell, the better Xie Ying performs, the more that memorial will…” the more it would reveal Liu Xu’s petty intentions, making him seem unreasonable.

Wan An understood immediately. After some thought, he requested a copy of the script from Qin Chang. He carefully wrote in the line that was supposed to expose Young Master Liu’s scandal to the Emperor at a suitable point in the dialogue. He let the ink dry as he walked and then delivered both the Emperor’s note and the amended script to Liu Xu.

Early the next morning, Liu Xu submitted a letter of resignation.

The words ‘father and son with the same woman’ were too damning.

After receiving the Emperor’s handwritten note and the play’s script the day before, Liu Xu knew without a doubt that this was a conspiracy between Wan An, Liu Ji, and the palace eunuchs to frame him. But his son’s act of taking courtesans out drinking, which had spread widely enough to be turned into a play, was an undeniable fact. He could not deny his son’s wrongdoing. Nor did he want others to know about the scandalous phrase ‘father and son with the same woman’, so he could not submit a memorial defending himself. His only option was to follow protocol and submit his resignation, awaiting the Emperor’s decision.

If the Emperor trusted him, he would retain him. If not… leaving now would preserve a bit of his dignity, and he could still enjoy the retirement benefits accorded to those given in the Grand Secretariat.

Under normal circumstances, when a grand secretary or a high-ranking minister from the Six Ministries submitted their resignation, the Emperor would insist they remain in office. However, this time, the Emperor was so enraged that he did not even attempt to retain Liu Xu. He immediately approved the resignation, granting him transport home, a monthly allowance of five shi of rice, and eight laborers for his service.

Liu Xu received the imperial edict and was truly dispirited. He submitted another memorial requesting to take his troublesome third son and his youngest, who was not yet ten, back to his hometown with him.

This departure was not entirely justified, nor was it entirely unjust, leaving others unsure whether to sympathize or scorn him. It created an awkward situation. Yang Yiqing, who worked in the Imperial Central Secretariat and frequently encountered the grand secretaries, had even brought Liu Xu’s young and talented son into the palace on several occasions, so they had a rapport. He went to offer Liu Xu some words of comfort.

Liu Xu remained silent.

Yang Yiqing couldn’t criticize the 《The Story of Wang Yao and the Pipa》—after all, the play had been overseen by his senior brother, created by the Hanlin scholars based on folk legends, and there was nothing objectionable in the content or the lyrics, at least in his opinion.

The only problem was that it was too well done, which made Young Master Liu seem like a perfect foil and negative example.

All Yang Yiqing could do was console Liu Xu by saying, “I inquired about the matter inside the palace. The play itself did not cause any real harm; it was merely that His Majesty was in a bad mood at the time… Give it a few years, and when His Majesty’s anger subsides, da-ren will surely be able to return.”

Liu Xu shook his head. “As long as Wan An and Liu Ji remain in court, I will not be allowed back. You young ones do not need to submit memorials on my behalf either. I, Liu Xu, raised such a frivolous son, yet I kept my eyes on others instead of looking inward. How could I have the face to cry injustice? My only regret is that I let myself get caught in Wan An and Liu Ji’s treacherous schemes, all for a fleeting moment of pride and fame.”

With gritted teeth, he took his two sons and returned to his hometown. Yang Yiqing, after seeing him off, went to visit Li Dongyang and shared the news with a tinge of pity, saying, “I’ve seen 《Young Master Liu’s Appreciating the Peonies》, and it’s nothing more than a scholar’s dalliance—there’s nothing inherently wrong with it. Unfortunately, Liu Xu’s memorial angered His Majesty at the worst possible time, and with his son’s disgraceful behavior compounding the issue, it stoked His Majesty’s fury and led to his dismissal.”

Li Dongyang shook his head and said worriedly, “Secondary Grand Secretary Liu may have been a man of temper, but he was loyal and patriotic. Now that he has been ousted by the combined efforts of Wan An and Liu Ji, leaving only these two in the cabinet, the court will undoubtedly grow darker.”

With a sigh, he added, “We can only hope that the Pacification Commissioner Xie can keep the Jinyiwei under control and maintain the righteousness he demonstrated while leading their patrols.”

Just then, Cui Xie happened to walk in to hand in his assignment and overheard them mention ‘Pacification Commissioner Xie’ from outside the window. He hurried inside and asked, “Why is Master and Uncle talking about Pacification Commissioner Xie? Could it be the same one that this disciple knows?”

Yang Yiqing chuckled, “What business do children have asking about court matters? The founding emperor ordered that students are not discuss politics. You can only ask such questions when you’ve passed the Imperial examinations.”

Cui Xie protested, “This disciple is from the Imperial College, not a mere scholar. The court hasn’t forbid candidates from discussing politics…Uncle may hide things from me, but my Master surely won’t, right?”

Li Dongyang took the paper from him, noting the neatly written characters that lined and densely filled the page, and nodded with satisfaction. Tapping the paper, he said, “Nothing to worry about with Pacification Commissioner Xie. It’s the one who impeached him, Secondary Grand Secretary Liu, who’s in trouble.”

Secondary Grand Secretary Liu… impeach Xie Ying? What for? Xie Ying had not done anything wrong; he was as clean as a whistle!

Cui Xie clenched his jaw, his muscles tightening, frowning as he asked, “Xie da-ren has no blemish on his record, and he’s merely a fourth-ranked Commissioner. Why would he incite the Secondary Grand Secretary’s impeachment? Please explain, Master.”

Li Dongyang sighed, “Liu Xu was framed by Wan An and Liu Ji. He has now resigned and returned home, while Pacification Commissioner Xie remains unscathed. My junior and I were simply lamenting how virtuous men are disappearing from the court while petty schemers take their place, leaving the future uncertain.”

Wan An, Liu Ji, and Liu Xu… weren’t these the infamous ‘Three Paper Grand Secretaries’? Even after being labeled as such, they were still playing political games and impeaching someone as upright as Xie Ying? Wouldn’t it be better for them to step down quietly together when the new Emperor takes over?

Impeaching a man as honest and diligent as Xie Ying could hardly be considered virtuous behavior!

Cui Xie mentally rolled his eyes at Secondary Grand Secretary Liu and solemnly declared, “Where have all the virtuous men gone? This disciple can see two honorable, upright ministers right before my eyes—pillars of the state! In the palace and in Master’s residence, I’ve encountered nothing but virtuous and capable officials. In a few years, the court will be filled with worthy ministers, and we will no longer hear about ‘paper grand secretaries and the six clay figurine ministers’!”

In a few years, it would be Emperor Hongzhi’s reign, and these two esteemed teachers of his would surely rise to the highest positions in the Grand Secretariat. These were the kind of men who judged others by their merit, not their background, who did not file baseless impeachments. Such men were the true paragons of virtue!

Li Dongyang chuckled and lightly swatted him with the rolled-up paper. He waved it at Cui Xie and told him to go back and memorize the works of Master Cheng Yi—This child was truly bold, how could he praise and criticize the court officials so freely?

Yang Yiqing watched Cui Xie’s confident stride as he left, and said with a smile, “Shixiong, why be so strict with him? Young people should have some spirit—it’s better than those who only follow orders. Besides, he’s friendly with Xie Ying… Let’s be frank, with the Emperor favoring the Jinyiwei more these days, having an upright man like Xie Ying in charge of the Imperial prison might at least protect some innocent ministers from being wrongfully persecuted…”

In a hushed tone, he added, “I’ve heard from within the palace that since taking office, Pacification Commissioner Xie has carefully reviewed old cases, showing concern for the prisoners, and  has not rushed to align himself with the Wan family or the other Grand Secretaries… I’m relieved Liu Xu did not succeed in bringing him down.”

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TN: Have a good rest of your week everyone and enjoy the chapter! I plan on taking a break for about a month. Hence, I will be starting hiatus, but should return around June 1st. In the meantime, I will be translating so as to have more advance chapters and hopefully begin releasing some new novels 🙂

Update 12/23/24: I just updated it so that all my advance chapters for TMD are up on patreon (and will be continually updated)! Sorry for being so lazy with it and apologies for taking so long to do so. I had to organize a lot of my random documents after a long hiatus last year.

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 grad 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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