CH 48

Although 《Jingcha Record》had been prohibited by the Imperial court several times, it always firmly dominated the top of the list among the most popular supplemental question banks. Later on, although similar teaching materials emerged onto the market, like 《Idea》,《Outline》,《Crucial Literary Points》 and《The Origin of Doctrines》, their sales volume and reputation were all inferior. 

Minister Zhang’s new article, 《Encouraging Learning》, was selected by the book’s editor as the foreword, juxtaposed along with Han Yu’s[1] 《Explanations for Studies》、and Song Lian’s[2] 《Gifted Prose for Mister Ma from Dongyang》as well as a few other famous pieces of writing. After Minister Zhang learned of the matter, he was rather pleased with himself and upon entering his office, he would  often take the book out to show his colleagues and underlings in private.

The Right Censor-in-Chief, Li Yu had some personal relationships with the Minister of War and when he heard that the child prodigy surnamed Cui was the son of Cui Que, an official in the Ministry of Revenue, he tried advising him in private, “When Cui Que’s son was still in the capital, no one had ever heard news of some child prodigy and there has never been any appearance of such extreme talent of those in the younger generation. How is it that only after he left the capital he could suddenly write antithetical couplets and become a child prodigy?  Tengxiao[3] xiong[4] is considering him as a poor scholar living in the countryside who picked up a knack for studying, but are you not afraid that it is the machinations of the father and son who are pretending to have gotten it from a fluke?”

If it was a 5-year-old child prodigy, then that was that, but as for a common 15-year-old, just how could they still be considered a child prodigy!

Li Yu was in charge of the Censorate and had seen many cases where minor officials counterfeited auspicious signs and made up fake child prodigies to receive the Emperor’s ample favor. Upon seeing Minister Zhang paying so much attention to Cui Xie, he could not help but remind him so that he would not be deceived by those plotting below him.

Zhang Peng smiled, waving a book back and forth to use as a fan: “Gutan[5] xiong, do not worry, this child prodigy is most certainly not a disingenuous one. His book was delivered to me by Xie Ying. The other is a righteous youth who has received an Imperial commendation and plaque. If there is anything amiss,neven if I do not investigate the matter, the Jinyiwei[6] will not let him go.”

Li Yu eyebrows jumped up and he shook his head as he stopped mentioning Cui Xie. Instead, he asked, “Has that Cui Qie ever said anything?”

Zhang Peng replied, “He can be regarded as one who is clear on the situation and has not come over to mention anything. Nor have there been any movements from the Ministry of Revenue.”

Li Yu snorted faintly, “With a reclusive child prodigy who is living in the mountains and fields as a son, this has already added a lot of brilliance to Cui Que’s name. If there were any detected movements, then he would truly have no sense of propriety. His son is quite interesting, he had no reputation in the capital but after leaving, he suddenly became a righteous citizen and child prodigy. Could it be that the feng shui[7] in Qian’an is particularly good for nurturing talents?”

Zhang Peng grinned, “That Qian’an county can’t even produce a jinshi[8] every few years, how could it have any good feng shui? 80% of it is attributed to the fact that Cui Que is not good at educating his own children as none of the sons and daughters at home have become worthy talents, but the one who has left home has rather made great achievements.

Living as a mediocre official, conducting himself with high sounding and impractical principles, and even as a father, he was not competent enough. If it wasn’t for the fact that he possesses the status as a disciple of Senior Grand Secretary Wan, at this age, even after simmering all this time, I am afraid he would not be able to reach the title of a fifth-rank official.”

Although these two individuals, the Minister of War and the Supreme Censor-in-Chief had gathered together to talk about Cui Xie, since there was truly nothing else to discuss about him, the two simply dropped the matter. Instead, the changed the topic and brought up the recent incident of how eunuch Wang Zhi had submitted an Imperial memorial that put the Left Deputy General Lu Qin stationed at the Datong garrison and Army-Supervisory taijian[9] Yang at a disadvantage, resulting in a raid by northern mongols who wantonly pillaged the border towns.

Lu Qin had the ability to direct troops, but the authority to mobilize them was grasped in the taijian’s hands. There were two garrison armies at his disposal, but the Army-Supervisory taijian had always held hostility towards him so they were ultimately unable to defeat the enemy.

Zhang Peng sighed and Li Yu comforted, “Look on the bright side, originally Wang Zhi wanted to apprehend as many people as possible to capture them into the prison to punish them for their crimes, even if we wanted to rescue them, we would not even know where to start. Now, the Emperor is not blindly listening to his memorials but instead, is summoning people into the capital for questioning, we still have room to save the situation.”

After the Western Depot was abolished, Wang Zhi’s favor with the Emperor was becoming thinner and coupled with his provocation that created border conflict, and the inability to deal with it, as a result, the Mongols invaded again and again. The Holy One’s patience and favoritism towards him was waning. Both of them recognized the signs that the Imperial court was about to experience dramatic fluctuations and were waiting to pull the bow without shooting[10]. They were waiting for the opportunity to take Wang Zhi and his faction down in one blow.

For the entire month of May, the atmosphere in the Imperial court had grown tense from the internal strife between the high-ranking military officers stationed at the garrisons and the taijian. The Young Khan watched these two matters from with a face stretched taut with tension, looking for an opportunity. The Ministry of Revenue had to allocate army provisions to send to the border garrisons as well as provide relief aid to areas such as Datong due to natural disasters brought by locusts and drought. Henan and North Zhili as well as a few other areas were not liable to agricultural tax paid in grain so from top to to bottom, the bureau was suffering in trying to add up the numbers, so busy that they could not determine whether it was dusk or evening.

Cui Que had slept in the outer courtyard for more than ten days and Xu furen[11] delivered soup and medicine every morning and evening. He did not even have the time to pay a visit and on the days where work ended slightly earlier for the day, he would summon his two sons for teaching.

The youngest son, Cui He, had not yet begun school so when the wet nurse arrived with him, it was merely for him to make his salutations and pay his respects; the second son Cui Heng had already started his studies and upon every meeting, Cui Que had to ask a few questions about it. Customarily, he would recite a line of verse and then instruct his son to continue the sentence from memory. This time, for whatever reason, an upper half of a couplet from the 《Compilation of Antithetical Couplets from the Four Books》suddenly appeared in his mind and he blurted out, “Try to match the phrase ‘eight families, each having its private hundred mu’ ”.

Cui Heng, for some reason, as if it were demons and gods at work[11],involuntarily replied, “One person monopolizes the Four Beauties”.

Cui Que mulled over the response for a while and still felt it was better to use a sentence from the Four Books to couple with it, like ‘In one morning, ten birds are captured’. However, Cui Heng’s reply could still be regarded as neat and well done. Moreover, “One person monopolizes the Four Books’ was somewhat alluding to his elder brother’s  work, the《Compilation of Antithetical Couplets from the Four Books》. It also exhibited his respect and affection for his brotherly relationships, which was also wonderful.

Cui Que smiled slightly and praised, “Not bad, did you also read your elder brother’s book? Although all he did were just some small and exquisite things, it does not hurt to read more…”

Cui Heng excitedly said, “Is what father saying true? I also think so! Mother forbids me from reading da-ge[12]’s books, saying that it possesses depraved morals and evil conduct…”

“Scoundrel!” Cui Que suddenly stood up, knocked off his son’s hand and lowered his voice to say, “Just where did these muddleheaded thoughts come from! Your mother is also a daughter from a wealthy family who is literate and has proper etiquette, how could she give birth to such an idea? This is equivalent to insulting the Sage, if outsiders were to hear of this, I can no longer keep my official position!”

“Insulting the sage…” Cui Heng gazed at his father with a blank look and quickly explained, “Aren’t the books published by da-ge just the stories about the four pairs of talented men and beauties, just where are the words of the saint? Could it be that father is talking about his newly published 《The Six Talents and their Commentaries on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms》? Can father ask him to send a few copies home? Based on the rumors outside, it seems that the commentaries are pretty good, not to mention that there are printed pictures of heroes and beauties that look like paintings, those commentaries must be exceedingly marvelous!”

Cui Heng’s mind was full of the Four Beauties and Three Kingdoms. Although he had heard from others that Cui Xie had also produced the《Compilation of Antithetical Couplets from the Four Books》, it had temporarily escaped his memory at present.

Seeing him like this, the little joy that had arisen in Cui Que’s heart was stamped out and had long disappeared. Instead, the anger that had accumulated from the past busy couple of days arched its back. Suppressing his fury, he asked, “The ‘One person monopolizes the Four Books’, was that not talking about your brother…..”

Cui Heng hurriedly expounded, “It can still be considered to be about him. Aren’t the four beauties all painted by him? He can be considered as a person who monopolizes four beauties…”

“Get out!” A tea cup crashed right onto his head, interrupting Cui Heng’s grumblings. Cui He’s wet nurse held Cui He closer and quietly withdrew into the inner room, coaxing the child in a low voice.

Cui Heng wanted to leave as well, but Official Cui rose up from his seat and grabbed him, swearing fiercely, “Vile spawn! Why couldn’t you think of a more favorable comparison to make?! At least, if your elder brother acts willfully and makes a scene, he is at the ancestral hometown so no one can catch sight of it. But, he can still publish a 《Compilation of Antithetical Couplets from the Four Books》and enter Minister Zhang’s good graces, how about you? Once you’re admitted to the Imperial College in the future, are you also going to become a person who ‘monopolizes four beauties’?!”

All of the anger accumulated from these days of bustling about at work and his indignation at his eldest son’s unbreakable bond with the Jingyiwei were lumped together and let loose onto Cui Heng, who was scolded as if he had been poured with dog’s blood.[13]

Cui Heng was endlessly aggrieved as he clutched his head and suffered from a half-night’s long admonishment. Cui Que was still not conciliated after he finished venting, so he simply told Xu furen to look after Cui Heng, and advise him not to read all those distasteful, regressive books.

Xu furen’s heart ached for her son and sorrowfully said, “This is all Heng-ge’s fault. How can he, as a younger brother, not know that he is not allowed to read those books printed by his elder brother? Esteemed mother treats me like an outsider and does not allow me to control Cui Xie, but how could he not be managed? Master, just think about it, Heng-ge has people to restrain him in the capital, but still read those dirty books from outside; Xie-ge is in the ancestral home, printing these kinds of books, what should be done if his thoughts turn crooked?”

Cui Que let out a cold snort, “You can manage him well? Then why did Cui Xie not receive the Holy One’s commendation nor receive the Minister of War’s respect when he was still at home?”

He said this line, but then analyzed that these two matters had to have been brought about by the Jinyiwei, but it hadn’t even given the slightest advantage to him as a father. Scolding Xu furen was the same as scolding himself, but he could not help but snort again, “This wicked spawn, if he is to become an official in the future, won’t he turn my clear and upright clan into a Jinyiwei department?! No need to worry about him, let him play around and make a ruckus in the countryside all he wants, but if dares to try to climb the ranks using the Jinyiwei  as a springboard, I will open the ancestral home and force him out of the family!”

Xu furen’s tears immediately ceased, and she squeezed out a few more tears before lowering her eyes to say, “I heard outsiders say that there is a ‘Cui beauty’ in his bookstore, who knows what kind of relation it has to do with Xie-ge. If he really fell in love with that beauty and ruined his body without getting married first, in the future, what kind of good family’s daughter will want to marry him?”

Since they had been married for many years, she knew that Cui Que most cared about his reputation, and could not stand to see his sons and daughters not conforming to proper etiquette. She originally thought as soon as this line came out, Cui Que would temporarily put aside Heng-ge’s matter and focus on disciplining the eldest son, but for some reason this time, Cui Que’s brows only furrowed and he faintly said, “To his left and right, there are daughters from the artisan families, even if he does take one for himself, so what? In the future, I will just choose an upright and honest wife with a lower status, that’s all.”

The droplets of tears that were about to fall condensed onto Xu furen’s eyelashes. She watched as Cui Que flicked his sleeves and left, her breath stifled in her chest. Annoyed, she angrily muttered, “Just what is the matter, has the Master’s soul been bewitched by that Cui beauty too, not even concerned about that little brute?”

Mama and the wet nurses came up to help her up and consoled her, saying things like the Master was disdainful of any good words said about da-ge, but no one knew the torment that lay in Cui Que’s heart at the moment —— 

Cui Que knew that his son did not have the ability to manufacture prints or print books, and the bookstore that had been a part of his late-wife’s dowry had always been half-dead. As for the appearance of the brightly colored portraits that was admired by the entire capital, it must be due to that Cui beauty’s skill.

In the past few months, many people intermittently asked him about the bookstore’s color printing and he also wanted to summon Cui Xie back into Beijing to ask questions, so that he could take that printing method and offer it to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. However, due to that noble and virtuous image he always wanted to maintain from the bottom of his heart, he was afraid that people would say he was currying favor with the internal officials by attempting to use his brilliant skill with these depraved, yet opportunely printed portraits, as if he was just waiting for the right moment. 

Right now, Cui Xie was labeled by Minister Zhang as an impoverished model student so he could obediently stay to study in the county. If he suddenly summoned him into the capital and then offered his concubine’s products, wouldn’t he offend Minister Zhang in vain and ruin the Holy One’s arranged, important, large-scale plan for the military academy?

On one hand, it was an artisan’s craftsmanship, and the other side concerned an Imperial court’s proper business, how could he not know which side to choose? It was merely after recalling how Cui Xie repeatedly made a name for himself and received favors, and he, as his father, had never received more than half of those benefits, that made it so hard for him to calm down his heart.

Next year, the Ministry of Appointments was enacting a large-scale audit, and he had stagnated as a fifth-rank official for a long time, if he could just be shifted up…

He was at a loss on whether he should just throw out his face and take some initiatives this time, but he could not determine whether he wanted to follow after Minister Zhang or Grand Secretary Wan, whether to show off his genius son or son’s wife who knew how to print colored pictures.

These entangled thoughts lingered until the time came when the news of Young Khan[14] invaded the border again. From Datong all the way to the Shanhai Pass, the garrisons were heavily guarded and on high alert. The expressions of several high-ranking academicians and officials turned dark. Whether Cui Que’s son was a child prodigy who printed a book about the antithetical couplets from the Four Books or his son’s wife, who was skilled at printing colored pictures, he did not dare to tell this to anyone during this time.

Even Qian’an county, which was hidden behind the Yongping Prefectural lines, was affected by this atmosphere. Increasingly more and more soldiers amassed onto the Wang family’s drill grounds and racetrack, and even Young Master Wang began to wake up early to practice drills. Cui Xie felt embarrassed to go to the horse racetrack again so he just threw out an excuse that he needed to focus on writing an essay for Prefectural Magistrate Wang to look at, saying that he was going to busier due to his studies in the future and could no longer come over to ride horses.

With one glance, Young Master Wang saw through his excuse and understood Cui Xie’s thoughts, laughing, “You still take out these empty words to use on your ge-ge. In fact, the protection needed for Qian’an’s garrisons is not too urgent, in front of us are mountains and seas as well as the Lulong Guard. This is just a matter of making preparations beforehand as preparedness averts peril. It is up to you if you want to come back. The training grounds have hundreds of people performing drills, it is nothing if there is one more person.”

Cui Xie replied, “This is an urgent matter mandated by the Imperial court after all, you all will be seriously training , what is the point of adding me then? I have inconvenienced you much in these past few months. In these next two months, I will take a break so that I may have more time to paint the portraits in the 《Three Kingdoms》, once the Tartar Mongols have left, I will return.”

Wang Xiangzhen suddenly became energetic, opening his eyes wide to ask, “Are there any new ones? Your portrait of ‘Lu Fengxian (Lu Bu) Shooting at Halberd from the Gate * was truly too lively. I have also been practicing archery these past few days and asked someone to find a set of worn out silver armor to wear. Later, once I’ve dressed up, you should also draw a portrait of me, how about it?”

Cui Xie stared at him——Young Master Wang could be considered to have a wasp’s waist and muscular arms like those of an ape[15] and looked rather handsome, bright. His figure was also tall and slender, so the proportion when wearing the armored girdle should be pretty good. He stroked his chin a little bit and grinned, “If you put up with it, how about I print a collection of famous armor set portraits and then paint a full-length portrait of your entire body in casual clothes. You can cut out the armor sets and put them on your portrait, this way, won’t you be able to play a few more hero roles?”

Young Master Wang’s eyes lit up with a  ‘ding’ and he slapped his thigh, “This is a good idea! My good xiongdi, ge-ge didn’t spoil you for nothing. Later, we must go to the Guandi Temple to become sworn brothers!”

Cui Xie’s lips curved up, “This is also a way for me to be lazy and save some trouble. Later on, if Wang xiong dislikes the printing for being too crude, then I will have that great expert of yours paint an exquisite large portrait for you.”

*Image: 

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