Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Project: Phoenix Totem (凤凰图腾） | Author: Huaishang (淮上) | Rating: Mature
Trigger Warnings: Non-con, rape, underage, grooming, age gap, abuse of authority, problematic gong, harem politics, depression, suicide, murder, death.
Tags: Abusive obsessive love, Imperial Court and aristocracy, Strong x Strong characters, Jianghu grievances
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Chapter 15 The Spring Civil Examination Essays
The Crown Prince was in a state of restlessness in the Eastern Palace, constantly sighing as he anxiously paced around in circles. The senior shanggong [1] watched him behave in this manner, and couldn’t keep herself from persuading him,:” If the Crown Prince still doesn’t rest, I fear that the Emperor may use this as a topic for ridicule.”
The Crown Prince wore a distressed and bitter expression,:” How can I sleep? My Father-Emperor said that I’m entirely incompetent and incapable and that I might as well not be the Crown Prince. Ah-Cui, you tell me, why am I the Crown Prince? If I was merely a wealthy idle nobleman, and bring my Mother-Empress and younger brother to the countryside to buy a large house and a few acres of land to spend our days, wouldn’t that be wonderful……”
Ah-Cui covered his mouth,:” Crown Prince, don’t say any more!”
The Crown Prince sighed once and hung his head as he said down. After a while, he abruptly got to his feet again,:” Ah-Cui, make a trip on my behalf to Mother-Empress’ palace to find out more about the current situation! Father-Emperor went to Mother-Empress’ Hall of Quiet Peace yesterday, I wonder if he said anything to her about me?”
The senior shanggong sighed again, then slung on a violet cloak as she left in a hurry.
This Crown Prince is a good person, but it is unfortunate that he was born into the Imperial family. He is loyal and generous, pure-hearted and kind. He enjoys studying and is extremely filial and respectful of his elders. Had he been born into any common family, as a son – he would be very well-liked by his elders.
Unfortunately, he was born into the Imperial family, and the son of the Qianwan Emperor. When the Qianwan Emperor was engaged in the struggle for the seat of the Eastern Palace, he had personally led the military expedition to subdue and kill the Qiang people on the battlefield In the midst of the flames of war, he had seized the position of Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace. In contrast, the current soft and weak Crown Prince was really too incompetent.
The senior shanggong hurried over to the Empress’ Hall of Quiet Peace. As she entered, she discovered that the palace maids went about their errands gingerly and silently, and the Imperial Physician rushed past with his head lowered. The door to the interior chambers hung open, and a medicinal aroma assailed one’s senses.
The senior shanggong was greatly shocked by this, and immediately grabbed onto one of the interior officials of the Empress’ palace,:” Does Daren know if the Empress-niangniang has fallen ill?”
The interior official shushed her, then spoke in hushed tones,:” The Empress-niangniang is taking care of someone.”
The senior shanggong vaguely guessed the identity of this person, and only sneaked a glance over. Behind the curtain, there was a person being supported onto a comfortable soft couch. Several palace staff then came over to lift the soft couch and carry it out. The Empress leaned over that person, continuously using her hands to wipe away her tears.
The senior shanggong spoke a word of “niangniang”, then lifted the curtain to enter. The Empress sat at the tea table, tears running down her face. Upon seeing her enter, she asked blankly,:” You’re here?”
The senior shanggong hurriedly knelt,” This maidservant [2] came on the Crown Prince’s behalf to pay respects. Just now that person……was……was……”
The Empress suddenly flung a teacup to the ground with a ringing crash.
The senior shanggong didn’t dare speak a word. The Empress’ countenance changed, and she gritted out the words in a fury,” Li Ji, that beast!”
The senior shanggong flusteredly got to her feet and shut the blue-green gauze partition to the inner room [3].
The Empress seemed not to have noticed this, and spoke harshly,” By the time they sent him over, he was barely breathing! He didn’t say a word, only had someone pass a message. What do you think it was?”
The senior shanggong shook her head,” This maidservant doesn’t know.”
“He said: Deliver him to the Empress to care for!”
The Empress’s voice was so sharp and cutting that it had changed in register,” – That beast! Absolutely inhuman! There are so many beautiful boys in the world, must he torture Mingde to death before he stops?”
The senior shanggong knelt down,” Niangniang, the most important thing at hand is to let Mingde-daren go for the examination. Mingde-daren possesses splendid and brilliant literary talent, as long as he goes for the examination, then at least he’ll have a chance.”
The Empress did her best to steady her breathing, and slowly patted the back of the senior shanggong, and said,” Good child. Your way of thinking in many aspects is similar to mine.”
The senior shanggong said,” This maidservant wouldn’t dare.”
“What is there for you not to dare? The Crown Prince being like that, if he didn’t have you watching out for him and caring for him by the side, how would I……”
The senior shanggong lifted her eyes to look at the Empress, as a tear ran down the Empress-niangniang’s exquisitely made-up face,:” I’ve already paid out so much for him, what else could I want? Isn’t it for him to ascend the throne? If he doesn’t ascend the throne, how could he prove worthy of my efforts, of his younger brother’s efforts! How can he live up to our many years of enduring and suffering in silence……”
Actually, Mingde was actually not very lucid. It was only after a while of being bumped around in the soft-carrying sedan, that he seemed to have arrived at the Empress’ Phoenix Immortal Palace. Just as he was about to fall asleep, his nape was jabbed with a silver needle – literally stabbing him into consciousness.
Later, the same soft sedan carried him to the venue of the Imperial examination venue, rushing to the Imperial Academy Hall within the Imperial City before the cock crowed thrice.
He felt that his mind was extremely muddled, and alternated between feeling extremely hot and extremely cold. He didn’t even know how he’d gotten to his seat. The examination candidates came one after another, and the great hall was utterly silent. Every minute and each second was an agonizing moment of torment for him.
He was thirsty and burned with a high fever. Every inch of his bones seemed to have been broken and then reconnected, and he couldn’t even sit in a stable manner. His grip on the writing brush shook as his hands trembled violently, practically unable to write anything.
The invigilating official from the Imperial College strolled past this seat, and saw this examinee’s abnormal state, hence he stopped to ask an additional question,:” Are you alright?”
Mingde was on the verge of collapse; he didn’t even have the strength to lift his head, but could only shake his head slightly.
After three years of diligent hard work, many candidates have pinned great hopes on this examination. Even if they aren’t feeling well at the time, they would still force themselves to endure and enter the examination venue. The Imperial College official sighed in empathy and didn’t speak any further. He shook his head as he walked away.
Mingde leaned over the table and gasped for breath for a short while, as he read the topic word by word. The test question was in relation to the ethics of a minister, to inquire in the context of morality and righteousness, how a son desiring to be filial should act. Each and every word alludes to the current Emperor and Crown Prince.
Not bad at all, the impressive Spring Imperial civil examinations – those test questions for an examination with tens of thousands of candidates ….. Unexpectedly, this examination question was actually meant for my eyes only.
Mingde’s lips stretched a little as if he were about to smile, but then he abruptly covered his mouth due to pain.
That man really behaved like he wanted to consume his entire being, not even sparing the delicate skin on the inside of his mouth. Every inch of his skin was bitten, leaving behind a disordered pitiful mess.
Mingde raised his brush. The way of a father and child [4] differs from the way of a minister…… A father will grow old and muddleheaded with age, and his son will have to do his utmost to remedy the situation and console him; When a ruler is fatuous, intemperate in his actions, poor at government, transgresses human ethics and morality, then the officials should admonish and strongly remonstrate him. How can one muddle loyalty and filial piety together and speak of them as if they were the same?
– Li Ji, Mingde thought coldly: Since you have set such a question for my eyes only, then my response is certain to give you a proper answer.
By the time the examination ended, it was already noon. The chief examiner set the stage with one beat of the gong, and the ancient clock sounded. The entire Chang’an city could hear its endless reverberation. The examination scripts were collected in turn, and the chief examiner again gave them another lecture on the upright gentleman and the way of the minister, before waving his hand in dismissal.
The Imperial College gradually filled with the clamour of people’s voices. Mingde realized in a daze that it was time to go. His fingers trembled so much that he couldn’t pick up anything. Ultimately he had no choice but to abandon all his stationery on the table. He got up and staggered out in a wobbly manner.
A fellow examinee thought that he had forgotten his writing paraphernalia [5], hence came forward and patted his back,” This fellow brother [6]……”
It was just that with this pat, Mingde didn’t even make a sound as he slumped to the ground.
The candidate got a shock at this,” Fellow brother! Fellow brother! What’s happened to you? How are you?”
In this trance-like state, it seemed as if he was surrounded by confused, tumultuous noises and cries of alarm. But these seemed to gradually distance themselves from him. Mingde blacked out and fell down the platform in front of the stairs of the Imperial College Hall.
An examination candidate fainting after an exam wasn’t actually a big deal.
The Chief Examiner Ding Huang hadn’t really paid much attention to the matter. It was just that in the presence of others, he needed to be self-aware of his status as an official, and mindful of his image of ‘loving the people like his own children’. Hence, he ordered his staff,:” The Imperial College officials-daren should bring that candidate into the inner chamber, and bring a physician to come to examine him.”
Having spoken these words, he turned back and saw the Emperor’s favourite, Zhang-gonggong standing to one side. He hurriedly greeted him with a smile,” Is Zhang-gonggong well?”
Zhang Kuo bowed in a courtesy greeting,:” With Daren’s blessings, this one is extremely well. Now that the Spring Civil examinations are concluded, Daren is going to have to work hard.”
Ding Huang hurriedly replied,” It’s not hard, not hard at all. This subject will do his best in order to be worthy of the Emperor’s great trust.”
He’d originally intended to inquire about his youngest daughter who was in the palace, but Zhang Kuo cut him off even before he’d opened his mouth,:” Daren, this one has suddenly thought of a matter. Who was the examination candidate who fainted just now?”
How would Ding Huang know who that person was – hence he turned to ask a boy servant,:” What was the surname and name of that candidate? Where is his clan from?”
The boy servant ran off quickly to inquire, and returned, saying,:” To respond to Daren, it was Shangguan-shilang’s youngest son, Mingde.
Zhang Kuo’s countenance suddenly discoloured, and he abruptly moved forward to ask,” Where is he?”
Ding Huang was taken aback, only to see Zhang Kuo turn to whisper to him,:” Ding-daren may not be aware, but that person is the Emperor’s favoured pet……but……but it is extremely complicated!”
Ding Huang hurriedly accompanied him into the inner rooms. Shangguan Mingde lay on a small bed inside, his complexion ghastly pale as he breathed shallowly. There wasn’t a single person around to wait on him, everyone outside was extremely busy, bustling about. A boy servant saw Ding Huang and Zhang-gonggong bring several retainers with them from afar, and hurriedly rushed over while crying out,:” Daren！ I’ve just brewed some red maple tea, would Daren like to try it now?”
Zhang Kuo lifted his hand and gave that boy servant a slap across his face,” What are you here for? Quickly get out of the way!”
The boy servant fell to the ground with that slap and retreated in a hurry to one side. Zhang Kuo hurriedly lifted the curtain to the inner room, and upon seeing Mingde’s situation, he hastily called out,:” Hurry and send him into the palace!”
Ding Huang was about to instruct people to invite Shangguan-shilang over, but upon hearing this he waved to his subordinates to withdraw. He then moved closer and gestured at Shangguan Mingde, and asked quietly,:” Then is Gonggong aware of this person’s identity……”
Zhang Kuo made a hand gesture indicating silence, then said,:” Originally, this one shouldn’t speak out of turn. But since Daren and I have been associates for so many years, such matters shouldn’t be hidden from Daren. This person and the Empress, originally have some sort of……some sort of kinship.”
After which, he leaned over to gently push at Mingde. He leaned over to whisper in his ear,” Mingde-gongzi, Mingde-gongzi?”
Mingde was in a daze as he blearily frowned, and opened his eyes slightly. A good while passed before he could see a little more clearly, and then he asked quietly,:” What are you doing here?”
Zhang Kuo let his arms droop, as he said,:” The Emperor sent this one here.”
Ding Huang was startled by this, only to see Mingde shut his eyes and hear his whisper,:”……tell him to get lost.”
Ding Huang nearly failed to keep his balance. But he noticed that Zhang Kuo seemed to have long been used to such behaviour, thus laughed along with him,” Gongzi needs to be well cared for in this state. Why make life difficult for yourself? This slave [7] has already sent people to return to your residence and report back to your respected father-daren, informing him that the Emperor has issued an edict: since your health is poor, you will remain in the palace to recuperate and improve your health. This is also an expression of showing care and concern for one’s subjects……”
He spoke at length in a long-winded manner, and Mingde gradually ran out of energy to listen to him, only watching blearily as his mouth opened and closed – without understanding a word of what he was talking about, as he gradually sank into a dazed and confused sleep.
Zhang Kuo waited by the side respectfully, watching as he gradually closed his eyes and fell asleep. He slowly shut his mouth and gave a pointed look at the outside palace staff who’d been waiting for some time. The Qianwan Emperor’s order had been: Bring that child to Zhen’s side, but he hadn’t added any time frame to that command.
Could it be that the Emperor has already made his intentions clear to the Shangguan family?
……possibly.
The Shangguan family didn’t merely have this one son as an heir; If the incense and offerings and the future of the family would fall solely on this one’s shoulders, then perhaps as an old minister, there would still be some grounds to argue and refuse to obey; but since the family has this extraneous youngest son born of a concubine, and the Emperor has euphemistically expressed his liking and love, most people are unlikely to be vehement in their refusal.
It isn’t as if there wasn’t a previous precedent during the prior dynasty. An Emperor with several beautiful boys as companions wasn’t a big deal. A defenceless young boy like him, entering the cruel Imperial harem that would swallow people up without even leaving bones behind – utterly destroying them. Other than the Emperor’s ardent favour and love, what else would he be able to rely on?”
It is only by leaving the Shangguan family, that he would lose the status of a minister’s descendant; While it will be challenging for the Qianwan Emperor to take possession of a son of a ministerial family, if he is separated from his identity as the scion of a powerful minister’s family, then the Qianwan Emperor can even flay his skin and devour him alive and no one would care.
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