Huangming

Chapter 174 The Music Hall Tempers the Mind, the Teahouse Forges the Soul

On the 18th day of the second month of the first year of the Tianqi reign, at noon, the spring sun shone warmly.

The imperial examination of the Gengshen year consisted of three sessions, and today is the closing day for the third session.

The area outside the Imperial Examination Hall in the capital was already teeming with people, and the noise was deafening.

The streets were packed with onlookers, including vendors craning their necks to get a glimpse, idlers whispering amongst themselves, and women carrying baskets, all eager to catch a glimpse of the new imperial examinee.

The crowd also included many family members of the test takers, some supporting the elderly and bringing children, some craning their necks in anticipation, some holding hot tea and waiting quietly, and some clutching their handkerchiefs and praying silently.

Carriages and sedan chairs filled the alleyway, and servants shouted their masters' names in a loud, rhythmic chorus.

dong dong dong-

Three deep, resonant drumbeats echoed from the depths of the Imperial Examination Hall, shaking the heavens.

The Dragon Gate slowly opened amidst the watchful eyes of the crowd, its heavy vermilion doors creaking softly. This examination, which concerned the fate of thousands, had finally come to an end.

In an instant, the candidates surged out like a tide, their blue robes fluttering and their sleeves billowing.

Some people strode with their heads held high, their brows beaming with pride, and a confident smile playing on their lips, as if they could already envision themselves passing the imperial examination with flying colors and being honored with a banquet at the Imperial Academy.

Some people looked ashen-faced, walked with heavy steps, and stared blankly ahead, as if they had already foreseen the desolation that would follow their failure in the exam.

Even worse, some beat their chests and stamped their feet in regret, muttering to themselves, "Give me just a quarter of an hour, and I could have finished that policy essay..."

With thousands of test takers, there are thousands of different reactions.

Some people looked up and sighed, some walked quickly with their heads down, some hugged their classmates and wept, and some hesitated alone, looking around blankly.

A spring breeze swept by, stirring up a few scattered scraps of paper—hastily discarded drafts covered with dense handwriting, bearing the weight of countless people's hard work and hopes.

Outside the examination hall, the noise, shouts, and sighs mingled together, like a symphony of human joys and sorrows.

Decades of hard study culminate in the release of exam results, bringing joy to some and sorrow to others – such is the nature of life.

Amidst the surging crowds and clamor, Lu Xiang-sheng, dressed in a blue robe, stepped steadily out of the Dragon Gate.

His features were clear and his expression was calm. He showed neither smugness nor anxiety, as if this imperial examination, which concerned his future, was nothing more than a matter of writing essays.

In all three exams, he was the first to hand in his paper.

With swift strokes of his pen, thousands of words were already on the paper, and before the ink was even dry, they were presented to the examiner.

The essay was finished, but whether he would pass the imperial examination was beyond his control.

Ultimately, whether or not one passes the imperial examination depends on the judgment of the examiners.

However, the young man harbored a sense of pride, thinking to himself: If even my essay cannot be admitted to the ranks of the Jinshi, then the examiner must be a complete idiot who can't tell the difference between beans and wheat!
Just as I was pondering this, a familiar call broke through the noise behind me—

"Brother Jiandou!"

Lu Xiang-sheng suddenly turned around and saw Huang Dao-zhou walking briskly through the crowd, his blue cloth robe still stained with ink, indicating that he had just put down his examination pen.

To his even greater surprise, the usually composed Wen Zhenmeng followed behind with his head bowed, his handkerchief pulled low, almost covering half of his face.

"So it's Brother Huang, and Brother Wen too." Lu Xiang-sheng bowed respectfully.

Upon closer inspection, the two men appeared pale and ashen.

Although Huang Daozhou forced a smile, fine lines appeared at the corners of his eyes; Wen Zhenmeng clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and even his sleeves trembled slightly when he returned the greeting.

Did the two of them fail their exams?

Seeing the somber expressions on their faces, Lu Xiang-sheng had already guessed seven or eight parts of what was going on.

He had originally intended to ask the two of them how to solve the political essay question, but at that moment, the melancholy between Huang Daozhou's brows and Wen Zhenmeng's lowered head made him swallow back the words he was about to say.

After a moment's hesitation, he casually straightened his blue robe sleeves and said in a clear voice, "After three fierce battles, we're finally free. How about we find a refined place? I know a new restaurant that just opened on Qianmen Street. I've heard they make pear blossom wine."

He stopped talking before he finished.

Lu Xiang-sheng secretly calculated the remaining silver in his pocket—if he really went to a restaurant, he would probably have to eat cornbread for half a month straight.

But at this moment, he was more worried about the condition of his two close friends than about money.

Lu Xiang-sheng was secretly plotting how to comfort his two close friends when he saw Huang Dao-zhou suddenly look up at the sky and sigh.

"My dear brother."

Huang Daozhou suddenly turned around, sighing with a hint of self-abandonment.

"I'll take you to a great place!"

"A good place?"

Lu Xiang-sheng was taken aback upon hearing this, but then his eyes lit up with surprise.

He subconsciously touched the empty purse at his waist—if he went to a restaurant, he would probably have to eat hard steamed buns with plain water for the next two weeks.

Huang Daozhou's initiative in making the suggestion has solved his immediate problem.

"Then I shall respectfully comply."

Lu Xiang-sheng quickly cupped his hands in greeting, his blue cloth sleeves swaying gently in the spring breeze.

He stole a glance at Huang Daozhou and noticed that his usually frugal classmate was unusually extravagant today. He had a gold-embroidered pouch hanging from his waist, which gleamed suspiciously with an air of wealth in the sunlight.

Where did you go to make your fortune, Brother Huang?
"Where are you going?"

Lu Xiang-sheng couldn't help but press for an answer.

Huang Daozhou simply shook his head mysteriously and said, "Just follow me."

After saying that, he pushed through the crowd and led the two towards the east of the city.

As the three walked through the bustling streets, Lu Xiang-sheng gradually noticed something unusual—the vermilion-lacquered pavilions on both sides of the bluestone road were becoming more and more exquisite, and the colorful silks hanging from the eaves fluttered lightly in the wind.

What alarmed him even more was that the women coming and going all wore light gauze skirts and had their hair adorned with hairpins, leaning against the carved railings in twos and threes, smiling charmingly.

"Welcome to have some fun, sir/madam!"

"The moon is bright and the breeze is gentle tonight, perfect for listening to music. I've just finished arranging 'The Song of the Rear Courtyard,' and the pipa is tuned. All I need is a refined gentleman like you to appreciate it..."

"My lord, I am so lonely and so isolated! Come and fill my heart!"

The unpleasant sounds around him made Lu Xiang-sheng blush with embarrassment.

Walk a few hundred meters further.

Lu Xiang-sheng looked up and saw a magnificent vermilion gate tower.

"This"

The three large characters "Jiaofangsi" on the gilded plaque gleamed in the spring sun, and two blue-clad bailiffs with swords stood in front of the gate.

"Good guy!"

He gasped.

Inside the gate tower, winding corridors could be vaguely seen, and the sounds of sheng and xiao flutes accompanied by the faint laughter of women could be heard.

When Lu Xiang-sheng saw Huang Dao-zhou standing in front of the vermilion gate of the Jiaofangsi, his heart skipped a beat.

He subconsciously gripped the cuffs of his blue robe, and hesitated, "Brother Huang, could it be that the brothel you mentioned is this place?" Huang Daozhou laughed loudly, a few stray strands of hair flying in the spring breeze at his temples: "Fame and fortune trouble my heart; one should enjoy life to the fullest while one can!"

He turned around and patted Lu Xiang-sheng on the shoulder, his eyes gleaming with an unusual light. "What? Brother, don't you want to go in and broaden your horizons?"

Lu Xiang-sheng's throat bobbed, and he was momentarily speechless.

He naturally felt a longing—the faint sound of the pipa emanating from the carved beams and painted rafters, and the graceful figure behind the vermilion railings, all stirred the heartstrings of the young scholar.

But then he remembered that the three of them had just come out of the examination hall, their blue robes still stained with the scent of ink. If they were seen entering such a place of pleasure...
This could ruin his career.

Lu Xiang-sheng's heart tightened, and he quickly turned his gaze to Wen Zhen-meng, his eyes full of pleading for help.

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, saying, "Brother Wen, the Jiaofangsi is a place of pleasure and debauchery. We are all candidates for the imperial examinations. If we are seen entering and leaving such places, it may damage our reputation. Why not find an elegant restaurant and discuss poetry over wine? Wouldn't that be more pleasant?"

In Lu Xiang-sheng's view, Wen Zhen-meng always valued fame and official rank the most.

This middle-aged scholar, whose temples were already streaked with gray, had taken more than ten imperial examinations in his quest for official advancement, and rarely even frequented taverns.

Now that the imperial examination has just ended, one should be even more cautious in speech and action.

Lu Xiang-sheng secretly calculated: as long as Wen Zhen-meng voiced his opposition, two of the three would veto the motion, and he could then leave this place of trouble in a legitimate way.

Unexpectedly, Wen Zhenmeng stood there stunned for a long time after hearing this, then suddenly burst into laughter.

The laughter carried a hint of desolation: "Having wasted most of my life, what's the point of caring about empty fame?"

Having said that, he suddenly abandoned his usual reserved demeanor and strode after Huang Daozhou.

Lu Xiang-sheng stood there stunned, watching as Wen Zhen-meng's figure paused slightly before the vermilion gate, before resolutely stepping across the threshold that symbolized the boundary between propriety and debauchery.

What exactly happened to cause these two to change like this?
Does failing the high school entrance exam really turn a person into a ghost?

Lu Xiang-sheng hesitated, but seeing that the two figures were almost gone, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and follow them inside.

Upon entering the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution), Huang Daozhou was seen taking out a piece of gilded paper from his robes.

The paper gleamed with subtle patterns under the spring sun, and the corners were stamped with a vermilion official seal—clearly a top-grade ticket from the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau)!
"This"

Lu Xiang-sheng's pupils contracted sharply, and his throat bobbed involuntarily.

He clearly remembered that such a ticket was worth nearly a hundred taels of silver, and even ordinary wealthy merchants would find it difficult to obtain one even if they held real gold and silver.

Last year, the Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture went to great lengths to obtain three official documents to entertain the Imperial Envoy, a matter that became a laughing stock among scholars.

What alarmed him even more was that the ticket slip held between Huang Daozhou's fingers was clearly printed with the seal script "Supervised by the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices".

This is not something an ordinary scholar could obtain.
unless
"What are you still standing there for, my dear brother?" Huang Daozhou shook the ticket in his hand, the gold-threaded paper making a soft rustling sound.

He raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice, saying, "It was sent by a guest of Eunuch Wei's mansion yesterday, saying that he appreciates our writing."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiang-sheng felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

The intricate connections between the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and the inner court were known to everyone in the court and the public.

Who else in the world could be the eunuch Wei who could casually give away first-class tickets, besides the one from the Directorate of Ceremonial?
Lu Xiang-sheng was still in a daze as he followed Huang Dao-zhou and the other man into the superior private room.

Inside the vermilion-colored room, the golden lion-shaped incense burner emitted wisps of smoke, and the aroma of sandalwood mixed with the smell of wine lingered among the carved beams and pillars.

The courtesan, a high-class official, plucked the strings of a zither with her slender fingers. Before she had finished playing "Yangguan Sandie," Wen Zhenmeng suddenly threw his cup to the ground.

"Everyone get out!"

The sound of the porcelain cup shattering startled the maids, who turned pale with fright.

As the beaded curtain rustled down, the usually dignified old scholar suddenly hunched over, his white beard trembling with wine stains: "Thirty years, a full thirty years of a good reputation!"

His thin, bony fingers dug deeply into the rosewood table, his knuckles turning bluish-white.

Huang Daozhou's forced smile suddenly collapsed.

He stared at the gilded warrant on the table, then suddenly let out a bitter laugh: "Ha, the Qingliu?"

"From this day forward, you and I will be the eunuch faction's lackeys as recorded in history!"

Seeing the two men's unusual expressions, Lu Xiang-sheng was even more alarmed and asked quickly, "Brothers, what has happened?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Zhenmeng abruptly stopped drinking from his wine cup.

Amber-colored wine splashed on the table, reflecting his suddenly aged face.

He swallowed hard a few times, and finally said in a hoarse voice, "The incident at the Ministry of Justice a few days ago."

Huang Daozhou slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly. His eyes were bloodshot, but his voice was extremely low: "That eunuch traitor had already set up a trap! Half of the scholars who gathered to protest in front of the Office of Transmission were actually agents of the Eastern Depot in disguise."

"We've fallen into a trap. By the time we realized it, the Imperial Guards were already there with the portraits and drawings to arrest us."

Lu Xiang-sheng gasped.

He had heard about the candidates causing trouble at the Ministry of Justice, but he never expected that Wen Zhenmeng and Huang Daozhou would also be involved.

He quickly asked, "And then?"

"later?"

Huang Daozhou suddenly burst into a hysterical laugh and said, "A 'letter of repentance' sent by Wei Zhongxian's confidant. As long as I sign it, I can continue taking the imperial examinations. How hateful! Our decades of good reputation are only worth this piece of paper!"

"Our names are now recorded in the Directorate of Ceremonial's 'Records of Tamed Scholars'! Pure Stream? Ha. In the future, my name, Wen Zhenmeng, will probably be listed alongside Wang Wenyan in the history books!"

Seeing the two men's distressed expressions, Lu Xiang-sheng comforted them, saying, "Now that the Holy Emperor is in court, the so-called eunuch faction is also the Emperor's faction. As long as they work diligently, they may still be able to make a name for themselves in history. Why are you so heartbroken?"

"With such a bleak future, how can one not be heartbroken?"

Wen Zhenmeng looked at Lu Xiangshan with some regret and said, "I regret not listening to my brother's words that day!"

"Gentlemen, please hear what I have to say."

Seeing that the two men's expressions had eased slightly, Lu Xiang-sheng took the opportunity to fill three cups with pear blossom wine and lowered his voice to say:

"My two elder brothers, please read the *Huangming Daily*. His Majesty is currently conducting a thorough land survey, a crucial matter for the restoration of the nation. Although Wei Zhongxian is arrogant, he is ultimately acting on behalf of the Emperor. Since you are valued by the Directorate of Ceremonial, aren't you also favored by the Emperor? If you can seize this opportunity to participate in the land survey and clarify the tax base for the court, you might just achieve lasting fame in history."

Before he could finish speaking, Huang Daozhou suddenly grabbed his wrist.

The wine swirled violently in the glass, reflecting in his suddenly bright eyes:

"Jian Dou means to use land survey as a springboard? The powerful families in Beizhili and Jiangnan have hidden more than a million acres of land. If we can conduct a land survey for His Majesty, that would be an immense achievement."

"Exactly!"

Lu Xiang-sheng grabbed his trembling fingertips with his backhand, completely unaware that his blue shirt sleeves were stained with wine.

"The Donglin gentlemen's empty talk is misleading the country; they should focus on concrete achievements. Once the land survey is completed, who will remember any 'confessions'? History's pen is iron; it will only record the meritorious officials of the land survey in the first year of the Tianqi reign!"

Wen Zhenmeng's handkerchief had slipped to the ground at some point.

However, he seemed oblivious, and instead clapped his hands and said, "Brilliant! When the eunuch faction wants us to be knives, we will be knives—but the blades must be pointed at the gentry! Let those parasites who have seized farmland taste what the power of the 'Imperial Party' is!"

Although the Imperial Party and the Eunuch Party differ by only one character.

However, Wen Zhenmeng and Huang Daozhou held vastly different views.

To wield a knife for His Majesty is to be a loyal minister; to wield a knife for the eunuch faction is to be a treacherous villain!
What they must do is be His Majesty's loyal subjects!

(End of this chapter)