Transmigrating to the Ming Dynasty’s Imperial Examination Ch. 175

Chapter 175

The new play’s character designs were easy enough to draw, but once the designs were set, Cui Xie realized he had dug himself into another hole.

These characters didn’t overlap with the roles found in current popular operas. If he wanted audiences to accept them, he’d have to give each of these Colonel richer stage time to show off their personalities. And that, of course, ran completely counter to his original intention of putting together an easygoing, fight-scene-padded Jinyiwei variety play.

He stared at the ever-thickening stack of scene sketches with a headache, feeling like his “variety play” was about to turn into a serialized production.

A Northern-style opera consisted of only four acts, each act no more than ten songs–nowhere near enough to tell much of a story. Either he could do it like 《Water Margin》 had been done since the Song and Yuan dynasty: a series of connected plays, each focused on one lead character, then a final combined performance; or he could copy Southern opera, stretching a single play into ten or even twenty acts, bringing each character on stage in turn and letting the story unfold slowly.

But both had their flaws.

If he did a series, the market was already flooded with dramas starring this or that Colonel as the heroic male lead; his would be swept away in the tide. And as for Southern opera, well, the difficulty there was finding a writer. Northern opera’s advantage over Southern right now was overwhelming, and few people wrote in the Southern style anymore. In Beijing? Even less chance.

It seemed the only way forward was to make his storyboards as complete and accurate as possible, send them south, and see if they could find a talented playwright there to adapt it, then teach the troupe to perform it according to the illustrations.

Hmm… come to think of it, how old was Tang Bohu¹ right now?

Cui Xie’s grasp of Ming history was really not great; after thinking for a while, he still couldn’t remember exactly when theFour Talents of Jiangnan² had been born. He simply pushed the thought aside and went back to sketching each scene—actor positions, postures—according to the outline.

Watching him draw in such detail, Cui Qi sighed, “There’s no need to go this far. The last batch you gave Li  da-ren was already thorough enough. This time your drawings are practically as detailed as those half-text, half-picture 《Water Margin》 editions.”

Those editions printed an illustration on the top half of the page, text on the bottom, with a single line in between summarizing the scene and explaining the picture. Looked at alone, the image was almost like a comic, but the dividing text block made the page feel cramped and less pleasant than illustrations inserted between the text.

Almost like a comic…

Something stirred in Cui Xie’s mind. Narrowing his eyes, he studied the double-page sketch in his hand, then suddenly stood up, fetched the previous sheet, placed them side by side, snatched Cui Qi’s brush, dipped it in dark ink, and wrote two lines of caption outside the picture frames.

Cui Qi looked down at his empty hands, heart still pounding with lingering fear. “Da-ge, how could you just grab it like that? If I’d dropped it and smudged the paper, fixing that spot would have been such a pain!”

Ignoring his complaints, Cui Xie pushed the two sketches together on the table and told him to stand up and have a look.

What effect could this possibly have?

Puzzled, Cui Qi stood up and examined them closely for a while, then nodded. “Looks good. Dage, are you changing the layout again? Printing the courtyard play in two extra-wide volumes?”

Cui Xie shook his head and asked, “Just from looking at the pictures and the two lines I wrote—can you tell what’s happening in the scene?”

The right-hand picture showed a handsome young man in white robes, hanging upside-down from the eaves outside a roof, poking through a paper window to spy inside. The left-hand picture was an indoor banquet scene: among the seated men were several with shaved foreheads in the Japanese sakayaki³ style, and many weeping women sitting around them.

Below the right-hand picture, the caption read:

“Colonel Xu pursued the enemy into the compound. Fearing to alert the bandits, he dared not break in, but used a hook to hang upside down and peer through the window.”

Below the left-hand picture, the caption read:

“Inside, the crowd of bandits clustered around several Japanese men with shaved heads, while the abducted young women were forced to serve them in tears.”

In just a few lines, the captions made the story in the pictures crystal clear. Even without the words, one could still recognize the white-robed youth as the daring-vanguard Colonel Xu, and see the vile conduct of the villains within.

It really was good… just that they hadn’t gotten to the later scenes yet, and looking at it left one itching for more.

Cui Qi nodded vigorously, praising, “The drawings are great, and with the text added underneath, they’re even clearer! It’s easier to understand than before, when the story was written out in full with the pictures just serving as background.”

Cui Xie stood and looked at the two sheets on the desk. He placed them on a chair, then spread them out on the floor, framing the pictures with his hands as if viewing them through a window. Slowly, he asked, “Tell me, if we only added two lines of text beneath each illustration like this, could it still work as a book?”

Cui Qi frowned. “Then…wouldn’t that make it a picture album?” Aside from erotic picture albums, or albums of immortals, flowers, and birds, no one prints them like this! Though… if you ignore that oddity, the illustrations are quite nice. Even the fight poses look good.

He hesitated. “But if it’s all pictures, and the pages this large, it’s hard to carve the woodblocks, uses a lot of ink, and printing would be expensive. Wouldn’t that scare off buyers?”

 No, Cui Xie believed that more people would buy picture books than proper texts!

Cui Xie took a ruler and marked off a frame only half the height of a normal book page. He called to Cui Qi: “Try shrinking all my drawings to fit within this size. If we can do that, we can print four pages on a single block, the block cost would be half that of a normal illustrated book!”

If they printed only black-and-white line engravings, skipping the coloring, carving would be easier still and cheaper.

Cui Qi obeyed without argument, immediately trying it out. But his skills were still at the stage of tracing and copying; he couldn’t scale drawings freely. To make the images that small, they’d need an experienced draftsman. Looking at the twisted figures he’d just drawn, Cui Qi shook his head helplessly. “I’d better get someone for Da-ge, my hands can’t manage this.”

But with bride-snatching still the rage outside, Cui Xie dared not let such a fair-skinned, delicate youth go out. Instead, he summoned Cui Liangdong, telling him to send a driver to the Peace of Mind Study for help, preferably to find Li Jinbao, the odd-job man who had been with them from the start. The man was older and plain-looking; he could walk there without fear of being abducted.

Who knew how long this trouble stirred up by the consort-selection rumors would last?

With a heavy sigh, Cui Xie told Cui Liangdong to be careful as well, and to bring along some snacks for Teacher Li while asking for two more days of leave on his behalf.

Cui Liangdong’s chest swelled with a righteous air as he patted his chest, “This subordinate guarantees two go out, three come back, nothing we shouldn’t lose will be lost, and nothing we shouldn’t gain will be gained!”

Once the carriage set off, Cui Xie had Cui Qi help arrange the finished illustrations in order, matching each to its text and checking whether the story flowed smoothly, noting where gaps needed filling.

If they made this into a serial picture story, like comics, they wouldn’t have to keep actors’ likenesses consistent, characters could be drawn more distinctly. And drawings had far more freedom than stage plays: forget scaling walls; they could have the Colonels literally soaring through the skies in a fight!

And no more worrying about finding playwrights!

True, he could never compose flowery verses like “How can one withstand the slanting rain at dusk in such ecstasy? Will the debt of romance ever be repaid?”—the sort of lines audiences adored—nor pen fine opening arias or set-piece poems. But he could certainly write simple, straightforward prose captions. Pair those with colorful illustrations, and who would be so picky about the text as if grading examination essays?

As long as common folk could understand and enjoy it, that was enough!

Cui Xie, brimming with confidence, laid out the pictures and captions, planning the next scenes. About an hour and a half later, Cui Liangdong suddenly burst in, Li Jinbao the handyman at his heels, both flustered and wide-eyed, charging straight into the study.

“Bad news, Young Master, something’s happened!” they shouted. “Academician Li was in trouble!”

Cui Xie shot to his feet. “What happened?” he barked.

Cui Liangdong didn’t even stop to swallow. “Yesterday, Academician Li submitted a memorial accusing the eunuchs Liang Fang and Wei Xing of maliciously spreading the rumor about selecting refined ladies, so they could extort money from wealthy families in the capital. He also said they were currying favor with Imperial Noble Consort Wan and shielding her brothers, who were taking advantage of the chaos to coerce respectable women into becoming concubines. He asked His Majesty to punish them and put out an official clarification before panic marriages and mismatched unions became widespread.

“But His Majesty dotes on those two eunuchs, and with Imperial Noble Consort Wan whispering in his ear, of course he wouldn’t punish them! Instead, they wriggled free of blame and turned it around, saying Academician Li’s memorial violated court regulations. They’ve had the Jinyiwei drag him off to the Imperial Prison!”

A flash of heat surged up in Cui Xie’s chest, leaving his mouth dry and breath hot, but his mind stayed coldly clear: Li Dongyang was destined to become a Senior Grand Secretary; this case could never end too badly.

But what if…?

He had traveled through time, taken Li Dongyang as his teacher, and written these plays, what if he had already altered history, so that a wrongful case that never happened in the real past was now unfolding before him?

Two completely opposing emotions wrapped themselves around him, making his expression so severe it was frightening, while the words he spoke were so cold that no one dared refuse him. In an even tone, he asked, “When did the Jinyiwei take him? Who went? Why did no one from the Li household send word?”

Cui Liangdong’s heart quivered. He lowered his head and replied, “They only took him away this morning. I don’t know the man’s name, only that he was a Commander surnamed Lu. Academician Li’s father is bedridden now, and Young Master Li is still a child, he can’t manage much of anything. As for the women in the back courtyard, even less so. They did say they’ve gone to seek help from Right Vice Minister Li, Imperial Censor Liu, Secretary Yang, and other old friends, but thinking you’re young yourself, and with no one in our household holding office, they didn’t send word to us.”

Young, with no one in court, and powerless, that was all true. But he was Li Dongyang’s personal disciple. If his master was in trouble, how could a student possibly stand by and do nothing?!

Cui Xie gave a faint nod, even looking at Cui Liangdong with some approval. “You’ve improved, you’ve done well. I’ll go to the Li residence at once. You go to the accounts room and draw three hundred taels of silver, then gather some respectable gifts. Better to bring too many than too few. Also, send someone to fetch Imperial Physician Liu to treat my Master’s father.”

Cui Liangdong wiped the sweat from his face and quickly agreed, only asking, “Young Master, you mean to visit the Li household yourself? Isn’t three hundred taels a bit too much?”

Too much? More likely not enough.

He ordered Cui Liangdong to pack only the finest things, each in brocade boxes, and load them onto the carriage. Pushing the manuscripts on the table aside, he had Cui Qi take them to Li Jinbao to handle. Then he went back to his room, changed into his juren’s robes, adjusted his gauze cap before the mirror, shook out his sleeves, and strode out with resolute steps.

When he reached the Li residence, chaos reigned, panic and unease everywhere, just as in the Cui household when the Jinyiwei had once taken someone away.

No, this was worse.

At least the Cui family had lost only Xu-furen, someone they could sever ties with, not the very pillar of the household as in the Li household’s case.

He first visited Old Master Li, who in a single day seemed to have aged several years, all his vitality drained away. “Please take care of your health, Master’s Father,” Cui Xie said gravely. “Wait in peace. None of the ministers at court will sit idle and let the eunuchs frame my teacher. Though I am of little use, I know the Pacification Commissioner of the Northern Depot and will do my utmost to see that my teacher comes through safely.”

Old Master Li struggled to breathe, but his voice was firm. “If you can see my son, tell him this, do not worry about the family. He has been imprisoned for speaking out against the eunuchs’ crimes. We old and weak womenfolk can do nothing for him, but we take pride in him and are willing to live and die at his side!”

His face was sallow, but his eyes shone with an unnatural brightness. Afraid that grief and anger would harm him further, Cui Xie clasped his hand and murmured a sliver of history: “Please don’t worry, Master’s Father, Heaven will surely protect a man like my dear Master. He is destined to become Senior Grand Secretary; how could he come to harm at the hands of a few taijian?”

The old man coughed lightly, then smiled. “This child always knew how to speak to cheer people up… No wonder Dongyang likes you so much… cough. Before he left, he was still worried for you, told them not to let you know. And you needn’t go to him, the Imperial prison isn’t a place ordinary people can set foot in…”

Cui Xie shook his head, forcing a smile. “Hasn’t Master’s Father seen those Jinyiwei plays in the marketplace? They aren’t what they once were, they understand loyalty, filial piety, righteousness. They won’t harm a good man…”

Taking his leave, he left two envelopes of silver and several packets of medicine with the Li family’s steward, told him an eminent physician had been summoned, and urged him to care well for the Old Master.

Young Master Li Zhaoxian was also waiting under the porch. As soon as he saw him, he rushed forward. “Senior Brother, my father will be all right, won’t he? The uncles all looked grim when they came, what if my father really…”

His eyes were red, but he refused to cry. Cui Xie patted the back of his head and said evenly, “Don’t worry. Master will be fine. There are so many da-ren working in court, and the Emperor is a wise and enlightened ruler. Your father will be back soon.”

Even if not soon, so long as he wasn’t tortured in the Imperial prison, once Imperial Noble Consort Wan died next year, this matter could be turned around.

Hardening his heart, he left his junior behind and ordered the driver  to head for the Northern Depot.

The words “Northern Depot” were like thunderbolts from a clear sky. Even though the driver had seen plenty of Jinyiwei plays, hearing they were going there made his legs shake. He pleaded with the Young Master not to risk his life.

Cui Xie said impatiently, “We have to go! If you won’t take me, I’ll hire another carriage. How can a disciple lounge at home as if nothing’s happened when his teacher’s in prison?”

On the way, he still stopped to buy several boxes of prepared dishes, a basket of steaming meat buns, and a jar of good wine. The coachman, cowardly as he was, could hardly be persuaded to drive even to the street outside the Daming Gate. Cui Xie didn’t bother with him any further, he tucked forty taels in small silver ingots into his sash, picked up the food box and wine jar, and strode toward the Northern Depot.

The Imperial Prison was a penal institution established by the Emperor; no one could visit inmates there as easily as at the Ministry of Justice or the Court of Judicial Review.

Cui Xie drew out silver from his sash, clasped his hands in salute, and said, “I am the disciple of Academician  Li who was taken today. I’ve come to see my Master. He was arrested unjustly, please, sirs, grant this disciple this small favor and allow me to bring him food and see if he’s in good health.”

The two guards eyed the silver greedily, but still bit their tongues and refused. “Guilty or not, that’s for His Majesty to decide, it’s not your word that counts. Everyone in this prison has already been judged in the Emperor’s presence. Li Dongyang angered His Majesty greatly, he was arrested by Imperial command. You think it’s so easy to see him?”

Cui Xie’s entreaties were useless. He was sorely tempted to have them send word to Xie Ying, to enjoy the privileges of high rank for once, but he knew full well that the last person he should approach now was Xie Ying.

At least, not here in the Northern Depot.

If anyone suspected a connection between Xie Ying and Li Dongyang, and were asked about it, and someone currying favor with the Wan family to investigate the case, they might just torture his teacher to death.

Swallowing his anger, Cui Xie gritted his teeth and asked instead, “Then can these two da-ge at least take this food in for him? My Master is over forty and in frail health. How could he endure the damp chill of the prison? At least let him have some wine to keep out the cold.”

The two gate guards glanced at the wine jar, hesitating. “The man in this case…” They knew full well, this was someone both palace taijian Liang and Wan da-ren had personally warned them about. How could they not keep the strictest watch?

They were just about to refuse again when, from the side door of the depot, there emerged a handsome, mild-looking official in crimson robes. Waving the guards back to their posts, he strode over to Cui Xie, his gaze shadowed. Lowering his eyes, he said quietly, “This is the second time I’ve seen you come to the Northern Depot to visit a prisoner.”

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Footnotes:

1. Tang Bohu: Known as Tang Yin, courtesy name Bohu, he was a Chinese painter, calligrapher and poet of the Ming Dynasty period. He is one of the most notable painters in the history of Chinese art and is one of the Four Masters of the Ming Dynasty.  ↩︎
2. The Four Talents of Jiangnan: They are four outstanding figures from the Wuzhong region (now Suzhou, Jiangsu) during the Ming Dynasty. They are: Zhu Yunming, Tang Yin, Wen Zhengming, and Xu Zhenqing. ↩︎
3. Sakayaki: (also known as “nakazori”) refers to a specific samurai hairstyle where the top of the head is shaved, and the remaining hair is pulled up into a topknot or ponytail, often called a “mage” or “chonmage”. This hairstyle was prevalent during the Edo period and was associated with samurai warriors. ↩︎

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TN: Hi everyone, I’ve decided to switch translating the “Northern Administrative Division” to “Northern Depot” as that is more accurate and actually shows up in the Wikipedia.

Announcement: We have set up a kofi and patreon account! If you would like to support us or get early access to advance chapters to my current works (TMD and Spring Tree North of the Wei River), 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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