Transmigrating to the Ming Dynasty’s Imperial Examination Ch. 160

Chapter 160

As the year drew to a close, the New Year’s gifts from the Liu family in Yulin arrived as well, far more lavish than what Cui Xie had sent them. There were local specialties like millet, jujube, medicinal herbs, crates of furs and fabric… and even a few pairs of live animals: fawns, golden pheasants, rabbits and the like, for him to raise and enjoy.

Tucked into the accompanying letter was a set of tiny footprints: his eldest maternal cousin had just had a son, nicknamed ‘Lu-ge’ and they’d stamped the newborn’s footprints to send him. The note teased that even if Cui Xie couldn’t hold someone else’s chubby baby when he married one day, he could at least borrow a bit of good luck from these tiny feet to help him “get a son.”

Cui Xie quietly kept this letter to himself, not breathing a word to his Grandfather or Grandmother: he didn’t want to give them any ideas about arranging a marriage.

Everything from the Liu family was to be brought down and stored in the storage cellar. The live animals were kept in the courtyard, where Yun-jie and He-ge stared at them with wide eyes as if seeing some exotic spectacle. They even refused to return to their rooms at night. Cui Heng clutched a rabbit tightly and boasted, chin raised, about all the rare animals he’d seen: Western-region stallions, southern peacocks, lion-cats from Linqing. According to him, only people with no experience would be impressed by what the Liu family had sent.

Cui Xie plucked the rabbit from his arms and tossed it to Yun-jie, who had been gazing at it longingly. Then he pressed a hand to Cui Heng’s shoulder and said, “You’ve been dawdling in the yard long enough. Have you finished your assignments for today? You still have class tomorrow, go and get your work done.”

At the word assignments, Cui Heng immediately felt a chill run down his spine. Gritting his teeth, he huffed and returned to his room.

He-ge, now the focus of Teacher Lu’s educational efforts, had a heavy workload as well. Seeing that even his second brother had been sent packing, he obediently set the rabbit down and quietly went back to his studies.

Cui Xie smiled in satisfaction. “He-ge is growing up, too. I’m not saying you can’t play, just that there should be some order to raising pets. The rabbits and pheasants can be looked after by the servants. You two can come play with them in the mornings and evenings, but you’re not allowed to slack off on your studies. Yun-jie, on the other hand, can spend more time with them, just don’t tire yourself out.”

After all, she was a girl, she didn’t need to study for the civil service exams. A little more time spent playing with pets and taking walks would be good for her health.

Only the fawns couldn’t be kept at home.

The Cui Residence had too many people and too few courtyards–there was no way to set aside a whole space just to raise deer. Keeping them penned up like this would stunt their growth, and the household couldn’t afford to supply enough fresh grass anyway. So Cui Xie simply had red silk ribbons tied around the deer’s necks and sent the pair off to the Xie residence as a New Year’s gift.

The Xie family happened to own a patch of hilly land in the outskirts of the capital–perfect for raising deer.

When Xie Ying returned home, the Old Steward Xie Yu immediately came to tell him about the gift. Overjoyed, he praised effusively, “How thoughtful Young Master Cui is! Sending deer, it’s the same as sending lu (禄, official emolument)! Since you’ve just been appointed provisional Pacification Commissioner of the Northern Administrative Office, the Northern Depot, with this pair of deer, you’ll certainly be formally named Commissioner next year!”

Xie Ying went to the side courtyard to take a look at the two fawns, still wearing red silk ribbons around their necks. They were sika deer–dappled coats, large bright eyes, gentle and innocent expressions that made them impossible to dislike.

The two young deer were not yet wary of people. When they saw someone approaching, they lowered their heads and ambled over in a silly manner, gently nudging at his waist. Xie Ying stroked their fur and, squinting slightly, smiled: “If we’ve got the space, we might as well keep them at home for now. Once they’re bigger, we can send them off to the estate. Do we still have any deer hide at home? Find a couple of good ones and send them back as a return gift.”

Send someone live deer, and you send back their hide? Is that a return gift or a slap in the face?

The Old Steward and attendants following him out couldn’t bear to watch. They quickly advised, “If da-ren is not going to send back a live animal, at least give him a painting or something. Sending deer hide makes it look like we skinned his gift and mailed it back. Feels a bit… cruel.”

Xie Ying chuckled. “It’s not like we’re returning these deer’s hide–what’s cruel about it? Just pick a few good pelts–marten, fox—and add a few pieces of fine porcelain, ornaments, some of the usual dried goods, and a few bottles of liquor. That’ll do. The bond between our families is different. There’s no need to return empty, showy gifts like people do with others.”

Cui Xie could write plays and gift him prosperity and rank, but he himself had no such skill to help Cui Xie rise in office. The best he could do was return a pair of matching hides—a modest gesture of his sincerity and affection.

On the night of the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, Xie Ying personally accompanied a cart of gifts to deliver to the Cui residence.

That evening, he didn’t wear his Jinyiwei uniform. Instead, he was dressed in a simple red fitted zhishen robe with an ivory-colored hechang (crane cloak) draped over it, making him look youthful and strikingly handsome. The Cui family’s servants, seeing his elegant features and graceful bearing, and having heard stories of “Colonel Xie” brilliantly solving cases in the popular stage plays 《The Story of the Pipa》, 《The Headless Case》, and 《The Clever Trial of Yu Xiu》, had long forgotten the anxiety they felt back when he led men to search the house. Now, they all stole glances at him under the pretense of sweeping or serving tea.

Xie Ying’s manner was also gentle and courteous. Upon entering, he greeted the two elders with utmost politeness, without a trace of the usual haughtiness associated with the Jinyiwei.

Old Cui furen, too, had nearly forgotten that he was the one who had once led a raid that took away her daughter-in-law and second grandson. All she could remember now was how often Cui Xie spoke of him as a lifesaving benefactor, and so she lavished praise on him, repeatedly thanking him for finding such a good doctor for Cui Xie in Tongzhou… As she spoke, she nearly took off the jade bracelet on her wrist to give to him.

Cui Xie gently pressed down on his grandmother’s hand and said considerately, “It’s getting late. Grandfather, Grandmother, you should rest soon. Why not let me accompany Xie-daren to my study?”

Xie Ying, equally courteous, said, “I actually have some academic questions I’ve been wanting to ask Cui jiansheng, so I won’t disturb the elders any further.”

The old lady twisted her bracelet, finally realizing she had nearly given it to the wrong person, and laughed. “Yes, yes, you men have things to discuss. I, an old woman, won’t meddle. Ah Zhang, have them prepare some refreshments so Young Master Xie isn’t left sitting hungry.”

Zhang  mama answered and went to prepare food. Cui Xie personally led Xie Ying into his study. The room faced the entrance, and the first thing visible was an entire wall of bookshelves, packed with Four Books and Five Classics, the Comprehensive Mirror, Essential Annals, The Great Ming Code and other examination texts, alongside historical works, classical essays, musical anthologies, Tang, Song, and Yuan poetry, and poetry and essays from Li Dongyang, the Hanlin scholars, and Imperial Drafter Yang. The shelves also held the newly printed study guides from the Peace of Mind study, all crammed full to the point of resembling a private library.

Xie Ying looked at the book wall with sincere admiration and said with a smile, “Lately I’ve been working through your Essential Readings for the Civil Service Exams, and I do feel like I’ve learned quite a bit. But compared to a true scholar like you, I still don’t count as much of a reader–”

Xie Ying happened to glance at the wooden board hanging beside the book wall—bright red lacquered characters emblazoned across it, marking the countdown: “X days until the Autumn Exam.”

The sight hit him like a shock.

Even Xie Ying felt a deep awe rise within him. The impulse to speak lightheartedly vanished without a trace.

Cui Xie was fluffing the goose-feather cushion on the couch to loosen it a bit before inviting him to sit when he suddenly noticed Xie Ying had gone quiet. Looking up, he asked softly, “Xie-xiong?”

That one call finally pulled Xie Ying’s gaze away from the board. He gave a faint reply: “I’ve prepared a few gifts just for you, they’re in a box carved with pine and cypress. The gift list is here.”

He drew a crimson gift list from his sleeve and handed it to Cui Xie.

The handwriting on the list was neat and firm, listing out various leathers, curios, and delicacies line by line… Though it was densely packed, nearly dizzying to read, Cui Xie’s eye immediately landed on the words: “Two deerskins.”

Lu pi – the ceremonial “paired hides.”

One of the six traditional betrothal gifts in a formal engagement.

If even lu pi was included, didn’t that basically mean Xie Ying was proposing? Or… was it already as good as being married?

Cui Xie stared at those few characters, mind drifting into all manner of married-life daydreams, and then began to regret—not seriously, but with a touch of flustered pride: Why hadn’t he thought of this when he sent those live deer?

The Liu family had even gifted him some fine pelts, including a few deerskins—Cui Xie could’ve sent those along too! But then again… he did send the deer first, and they came with their own skin, didn’t they? That means technically he beat Xie Ying to the six-rites!

Without another word, he dropped the gift list, turned, and wrapped his arms around Xie Ying’s waist, intending to spin him around in delight. Unfortunately, Commissioner Xie da-ren did not cooperate, his feet refused to leave the ground entirely. Xie Ying allowed himself to be pulled along for a few turns, until his shin knocked against the couch and he dropped into the cushion with practiced steadiness.

Cui Xie leaned over him, bracing a hand against Xie Ying’s chest, lowering his head to gaze into the other’s eyes. Holding his breath, he asked in a low voice:

“Xie-xiong came today to propose marriage?”

If it were a betrothal, then it was more a proposal in truth, but what it was called didn’t really matter.

Xie Ying took his hand and gently guided him down to rest on his chest, smiling as he said,
“Whether you agree or not, that’s up to you. In all the world, there is no other Cui Xie who could catch my eye and never let go, no one else I’d be so utterly unable to part with, not even for a moment.”

Then Xie Ying lifted his head and kissed Cui Xie, one hand pressing firmly against the small of his back, locking him in his arms. In a low voice, he murmured,“Xie-ge, hurry up and grow up, won’t you?”

Cui Xie kicked off his left boot, his bare foot landing on the cold stone floor—but all he felt was warmth coursing up from the soles of his feet, as if the heat from his blood overpowered any trace of chill. Outside, the wind was sharp, and perhaps a light snow was falling, but inside the room the heated kang bed burned warm, thick straw curtains hung over the window, and for two young men trained in martial arts, it might as well have been spring, or even summer.

He savored the intimacy of this undisturbed moment, brushing a hand through Xie Ying’s hair as he said,
“I’ve already grown up. Can’t we stop waiting for the provincial exam? Let’s just pick a good day over the New Year and get married.”

Xie Ying’s gaze flicked to the thick shoe insole peeking out of Cui Xie’s boot on the floor. The corner of his mouth twitched ever so slightly:  “Wait until you’ve grown a little more. I’ve heard they say the kidneys govern the bones and produce marrow, too early and it’ll hurt your kidney energy… I can’t bear that.”

That’s superstition. That’s not even scientifically valid!

Cui Xie had been all ready to argue back with solid physiological reasoning, but the moment he heard those four words “I can’t bear that”, his heart softened. All his momentum dissipated. He couldn’t bear to press him anymore either.

Still, once he passed the provincial exam, he would be a juren, a proper titled scholar. And wasn’t it common to marry at eighteen back then? This wasn’t the modern age of delayed marriages and birth planning, eighteen was perfectly respectable.

Xie Ying, seeing how earnestly Cui Xie was pleading and thinking of the future that now seemed within reach, could no longer remain so resolute. He let out a quiet sigh and relented:  “After the provincial exam, you’ll still have the metropolitan one. Young men who indulge in desire too early lose focus easily. That won’t do. I think we should wait until after the metropolitan examination, as long as you pass it, whether you make the final cut or not, I’ll agree to it.”

Cui Xie nearly leapt off the couch in joy. Kneeling upright, he said excitedly,  “You said it! Once I pass the metropolitan examination…”

Xie Ying gently stroked Cui Xie’s forehead and replied, “I promise you.”

The power of a goal is truly boundless.

That entire year, the three Cui brothers spent their days immersed in study. Even Teacher Lu, who had once served as their tutor, now clutched those two annotated exam books, poring over them repeatedly, memorizing and drilling in hopes of passing the metropolitan examination taking place in two years. When Cui Xie visited his teacher’s home to pay New Year’s respects, he still had a book in hand, earning praise from Li Dongyang as an exemplar of dedication, and was held up as a model for Li Zhaoxian’s own studies.

Eldest Young Master Li had extraordinary natural talent and could grasp a concept instantly. Originally, with the doting love of both father and grandfather, he hadn’t needed to exert much effort in his studies. But unfortunately for him, Cui Xie also bore the title of “prodigy”, and not only was he a bookworm who never left his scrolls, constantly memorizing classics and writing his own mock exams, he even published his own textbooks and forced others to study alongside him. Now that Li Dongyang had such a diligent disciple as a comparison, his expectations for his own son naturally rose: gone were the days of freely composing poetry or essays—now came the strict grind of memorizing Confucian texts.

At this point, Li Zhaoxian grew anxious at the mere sight of Cui Xie. He privately begged him multiple times to ease up a little, asking that he leave some breathing room for geniuses who wished to coast on talent and enjoy a more carefree youth.

But Cui Xie, marching confidently down the road of being a successful and fulfilled scholar, could never allow a junior brother to squander his talent like that! With one hand he picked up Li Zhaoxian, hauled him back into the room, sat him firmly in a chair, and pulled out a fresh set of practice questions to begin tutoring him on the spot.

Li Dongyang happened to pass by and saw the scene, smiling in satisfaction:“Hezhong truly has the bearing of a senior brother. With Zhaoxian in your care, Master can rest easy.”

His furen, Zhu-shu was currently pregnant. Back in May, he’d dreamt of someone placing a baby boy in his arms and had found the vision strangely auspicious. He’d since devoted more attention to his furen and relaxed somewhat in overseeing his eldest son’s studies. At first, he worried that this might hinder Li Zhaoxian’s learning progress—but now, seeing that Cui Xie was far more thorough than even he was, he completely let go and entrusted his son’s education to Cui Xie.

Li Zhaoxian had hoped his father might protect him from the clutches of his overly diligent senior. Instead, his father had promptly thrown him into the fire, telling Cui Xie to teach him however he pleased, to push and pressure as much as he wanted. A promising young aristocrat destined to blossom into a carefree, poetic genius now looked poised to be ground down into yet another pedantic scholar.

He could bear it no longe, so he feigned illness.

Li Dongyang quickly summoned physicians to examine him, and to everyone’s surprise, they actually diagnosed something, not any serious or clear-cut condition, but a kind of congenital deficiency, a weak constitution from birth. The doctors didn’t accuse him of faking it; instead, they prescribed some restorative medicine and advised rest and recuperation.

Zhu-shi’s due date was in early June, and with Li Zhaoxian looking frail and bedridden, Li Dongyang was torn between worrying for his furen and fretting over his son. Li Dongyang’s father, meanwhile, stayed glued to his grandson’s side, refusing to let him out of sight, and called in several different doctors, afraid they’d missed a hidden, serious illness.

When Cui Xie arrived at the Li household, he walked right into this chaotic scene. He saw Li Zhaoxian listlessly propped up in bed and heard him weakly murmur, “Senior brother, I’m not well. I won’t be able to study with you anymore…”

Cui Xie hurried over and asked what illness he’d contracted. Old Master Li sighed helplessly and said, “No real symptoms. The court physicians say it’s a congenital weakness, delicate health from the womb. After studying hard for a while, he simply collapsed with fatigue…”

That’s just sub-health! Cui Xie immediately understood the situation.

He asked for the diagnostic notes and the prescriptions Li Zhaoxian had been taking. After a quick review, he turned to the grandfather and grandson and said confidently, “I know exactly what’s wrong with junior brother. Master, please do not worry. I know a divine physician surnamed Liu who once served in the Imperial Palace. Back when I was gravely injured and bedridden in Tongzhou, it was his medicine that helped me recover bit by bit. I’ll have someone invite him over to take a look.”

Old Master Li finally let out a breath of relief, smiling gratefully and ordering servants to prepare silver so Cui Xie wouldn’t have to spend his own money to bring in the physician.

Li Zhaoxian, however, couldn’t bring himself to smile. He was now even more anxious that a famous doctor would see through his ruse, or worse, that the treatments would actually work and his senior brother would resume pushing him to study again.

Just as he opened his mouth to try to dissuade them, saying that the current medicine was good enough and there was no need to trouble a famed physician, his senior brother dealt the cruelest blow of all:

“I’m afraid this isn’t just a matter of medicine. Junior brother’s condition comes from living too indulgently. He doesn’t know how to maintain his health. When I was gravely wounded and far weaker than he is now, I recovered by staying active and strengthening my body through exercise. I think Junior brother should do the same. Otherwise, the more he lies in bed, the worse he’ll get.”

No no no! How could a sick person exercise? Wouldn’t that only worsen the condition?

Though the Li family had military roots, they had been scholars since Li Zhaoxian’s grandfather’s generation. They were refined, delicate gentry–more used to reading books than lifting anything heavier than a brush. The notion of “physical training” was foreign to them.

But what the ailing youth said didn’t matter. His grandfather had already been thoroughly persuaded by Cui Xie. Stroking his beard, Old Master Li nodded firmly and said, “You’re right! Children need to stay active. Isn’t this exactly the kind of illness that comes from spending too long bent over books? Once he improves a bit, we’ll have you supervise his exercise, help him regain his strength through martial training.”

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TN: Hi everyone!! I just came back from a conference earlier this week which went well! I think its quite endearing that Xie Ying is so willing to continue and work on his scholarly learning thanks to Cui Xie. I think the best kind of relationships are the ones that make you want to be a better person and strive to do the best you can with a supportive partner by your side~

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 OR my new novel, 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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