Dream of the Red Chamber: Starting with a Chronicle of Tragic Love

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Study.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

Consort Yuan stepped forward, her voice gentle.

The emperor, still furious, looked at her.

"What does my beloved concubine have to say?"

Consort Yuan bowed slightly and said softly, "Your Majesty, your health is of utmost importance. Please do not let the words of such arrogant scholars upset you and harm your body."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the exam paper again, her tone softening:

"In my humble opinion, although this article is strong in its language and lacks the decorum of a subject, a closer look at its content suggests that it may not be entirely unfounded."

The emperor's lips twitched involuntarily, and he let out a cold snort.

"Does my beloved concubine also think he's right? Is our Great Yi Dynasty truly 'burying our heads in the sand' as he says?"

"I dare not."

Consort Yuan quickly replied.

"Your Majesty's diligence and dedication to governing the country are known throughout the land."

"However... perhaps this young man is far removed from the world of martial arts, and what he sees and hears is slightly different from what is heard in the imperial court. As for what he said about the northern frontier and the eastern sea, I, living deep within the palace, have also occasionally heard about it."

She observed the emperor's expression, and only when she saw that his expression did not worsen did she continue speaking.

"In my humble opinion, that person... may not have intended to slander, but is merely young and impetuous, with extreme views, and moved by current events, hence uttering these indignant remarks. And Your Majesty, please consider..."

She pointed to the beginning of "Ode to the Singing Birds" on the exam paper.

"This article uses the metaphor of 'birdsong' to satirize and advise, and its conception is quite ingenious. The poem attached at the end is perfectly matched and sharp in its language. Although the content is inappropriate, it certainly shows talent."

Upon hearing this, the emperor's eyes blazed with renewed fury.

"Talent without virtue is even more hateful!"

"Do you know who this examinee is? He's the one who entered the court the other day carrying the token of Zhao Xuan's robes!"

"Given my sensitive position, I should be even more cautious in my words and actions, and loyal to the emperor and the country! How will the world view me now that I have written such words?"

Consort Yuan's eyes flickered slightly.

"So it was him!"

"Such talent, yet such a talkative mouth; in my opinion, it's somewhat like that...like that..."

"You mean that old devil Xin Like, right?"

Consort Yuan smiled and nodded gently.

The emperor snorted in annoyance.

"This kid is Old Ghost Xin's disciple!"

"Our master has directly criticized our lord, and now he has produced a disciple who scribbles so carelessly on the examination paper. Truly, 'a tiger master will not have a dog disciple!'"

Consort Yuan smiled again.

"The mantle of Zhao Xuanyi and the disciple of Xin Like, what a coincidence."

"Furthermore, this lad's handwriting does bear a resemblance to His Majesty's."

The emperor was taken aback. He looked at the paper with the characters resembling shrimp crawling and clams flipping over, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Virtuous Consort, what brings you to this?"

"This boy's handwriting is like a snake crawling and an worm wriggling; how could it possibly resemble my handwriting?"

Consort Yuan blinked innocently.

"Your Majesty, isn't this the same handwriting as the one you used to complete the unfinished poem for me the other day?"

"Or is it that the incomplete poem sent last time was not written by His Majesty?"

The emperor, slightly embarrassed, coughed.

"The Virtuous Consort has indeed reminded me."

He made amends without changing his expression.

"The other day I came across a fine line of poetry, but I was in a hurry, so I had a young eunuch copy it down for me. I suppose that eunuch's handwriting is clumsy, and I'm afraid my beloved concubine will find it laughable."

Consort Yuan smiled, not revealing her true feelings.

"I see. But... this handwriting does have a certain charm."

After this incident, the emperor's anger had subsided considerably.

He looked at the exam paper again, his gaze complex.

Anxious...

The holder of the Zhao Xuanyi token.

Xin Like's disciple.

A wild student who dared to criticize the ills of the times on his college exam paper.

The intertwining of these three identities makes the handling of the situation delicate.

A moment of silence.

The emperor said to the kneeling eunuch, "Get up."

The eunuch rose tremblingly.

"Reveal my imperial edict."

The emperor spoke slowly.

"Jiao Si's examination essay was inappropriate in language and disgraceful to literature; therefore, he is disqualified from this examination."

"He is to be strictly disciplined by his teacher, Xin Like, and confined to his room to reflect on his mistakes. Without my decree, he is not to leave Chongzheng Academy."

"This article... must not be circulated outside the publication area."

After saying this, he placed the "Ode to the Singing Bird" on his desk, clearly intending to read it several times.

The young eunuch bowed and accepted the decree. Just as he was about to leave to relay the message, he heard someone shouting outside the door.

"Wait a minute!"

A calm voice came from outside the Imperial Study.

The beaded curtain rustled softly.

Prince Zhongshun, dressed in a robe with four claws and a python pattern, stepped in.

His face was solemn, and he first bowed to the emperor.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty."

Then, his gaze swept over the examination papers on the imperial desk, and then he glanced at Consort Yuan.

"His Majesty."

Prince Chungshun's voice was heavy.

"I was out just now when I heard that a candidate wrote a rebellious essay during the provincial examination. Does Your Majesty intend to punish him leniently?"

The emperor frowned slightly. "Your Imperial Uncle is certainly well-informed."

Prince Chungshun bowed in apology, but his face remained serious.

"This matter concerns the dignity of the imperial court, and I dare not fail to investigate."

He straightened up, his tone turning serious.

"Your Majesty, I believe it is quite inappropriate to treat such unruly students lightly."

"The provincial examination is a grand ceremony for selecting talent in the nation; how solemn it is!"

"This child dared to openly ridicule the government and criticize the emperor and his ministers on his exam paper; this is tantamount to treason!"

"If this is how it is handled, won't scholars throughout the land think that imperial power is easily disregarded and laws are to be trifled with?"

"If this continues, and everyone follows suit, where will the laws and regulations stand? Where will the authority of the court be?"

The emperor remained silent.

Seeing this, Consort Yuan spoke gently: "What Your Highness says is naturally for the sake of the court's decorum."

"But I believe that the way to govern a country is to combine leniency with severity."

"Although this young man's writing is outrageous, upon closer examination of his heart, he may not truly have any rebellious intentions. Perhaps he is just young and impetuous, and his views are biased."

"If a person is severely punished for writing a single article, it may discourage those who dare to speak out from the public."

Prince Chungshun turned to Consort Yuan, his gaze deep and intense.

"The Empress Yuan is compassionate and kind-hearted, which is a virtue."

"But Your Highness has lived in the deep palace for so long that you may not know about the affairs of the court, which concern the very foundation of the nation."

"This young man possesses the 'Yellow Dragon Mandate Talisman,' indicating a special status. He should be even more cautious in his words and actions, setting an example for the world."

"Now, instead of respecting himself, he is using the imperial examination as an opportunity to slander others."

"If this trend continues, everyone will be able to freely discuss state affairs. Where will His Majesty's authority remain? Where will the dignity of the Great Yi Dynasty be?"

He elevated the issue to the level of "the old system of Emperor Taizu" and "the authority and dignity of the emperor".

Consort Yuan's expression remained unchanged, still gentle.

"Your Highness is absolutely right."

"I have only heard that this man once fought against the Japanese pirates alone on the top of Plum Blossom Mountain, protecting the Princess of Changle County and the people of Jinling."

"If such righteous and courageous people are severely punished for a single penny, it would discourage loyal and righteous people."

"Moreover," she paused, looking at the emperor, "Your Majesty has just issued an imperial edict. If the edict is changed again, it may damage your reputation."

A cold glint flashed in Prince Chungshun's eyes.

This was not the first clash between the Wuxun family and him.

"Your Highness, Consort Yuan."

His tone already carried a hint of sharpness.

"Righteousness is right, and disobedience is disobedience."

"Can merits and demerits be offset against each other?"

"If everyone uses merit as a pretext to engage in slander, then the authority of the national law will be completely undermined!"

"This child... should be severely punished as a warning to others!"

The last sentence was resolute and unequivocal.

The atmosphere in the imperial study suddenly became tense.

On one side is Prince Zhongshun, who holds immense power and influence in charge of the imperial guards and secret police.

On one side is the virtuous concubine, who is deeply favored and possesses both talent and wit.

Although neither of them said it explicitly, their words subtly revealed a confrontational attitude.

The emperor sat behind his desk, his fingers lightly tapping the tabletop.

He glanced at Prince Zhongshun, then at Consort Yuan.

Weighing the options in my mind.

What Prince Chungshun said is not without reason.

Jiao Si's article is indeed excessive.

If they are not severely punished, it will indeed damage the dignity of the imperial court.

But Consort Yuan's words also touched him.

Jiao Si has rendered meritorious service and is also the holder of Zhao Xuanyi's token.

Will severe punishment lead to unpredictable consequences?

and......

The emperor's gaze darkened slightly.

Is Prince Zhongshun's concern for this matter truly for the sake of the court's prestige?

Or... do you have ulterior motives?

He recalled that night in the Imperial Study, when Prince Zhongshun questioned Jiao Si and suggested "shelving" the matter.

I recalled the Imperial Guards' attempt to ambush Jiao Si.

I recalled what Xin Like had gone through back then.

Various clues connected in my mind.

long silence.

The emperor spoke slowly.

"What the Imperial Uncle and the Beloved Consort said makes sense."

"Jiao Si's article is indeed rebellious and should not be tolerated."

"However, their meritorious deeds cannot be denied."

"It is certainly undesirable to have merits and demerits offset each other. However, punishing someone to death is not the behavior of a wise ruler."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the two of them.

"I have a plan."

Prince Chungshun and Consort Yuan both looked at the Emperor.

"Jiao Si was stripped of his official rank and his status as a commoner."

The emperor's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable determination.

However, considering his righteousness and courage, he was spared the death penalty.

"Send it to..."

He thought for a moment.

"They were then sent to the home of the Virtuous Consort and the Ningguo Mansion to serve as household servants."

"Firstly, it serves as a punishment, letting them know that the laws of the court cannot be lightly violated."

"Secondly, the Ning and Rong families are noble and powerful, with strict rules and regulations, which can temper their sharpness and cultivate their character."

"Thirdly... his great-grandfather served in the Ningguo Mansion. Since he has some connection with the Jia family, it is appropriate to settle him here."

This statement came out.

Prince Chungshun frowned slightly.

The punishment for this servant seemed severe—stripping him of his commoner status and reducing him to a slave.

But compared to beheading or exile, it was far too lenient.

Moreover, they were settled in the Ning and Rong mansions...

That's not a place he can completely control.

He was about to speak.

The emperor waved his hand.

"That's settled then."

"Uncle, there's no need for further words."