The Blood Crown - Chapter 27
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Ten years later
A gentle spring breeze carried the scent of locust flowers for miles, making the city of the capital, now covered in peach blossoms, particularly enchanting. It was the most delightful time of the year in the capital, May.
Today, the weather was pleasant, the sky clear, and the court officials wore happy expressions. However, it wasn’t just because of the agreeable weather. Under the urging of many officials, the current Emperor had finally agreed to reopen the Imperial Lectures.
The Imperial Lectures were a platform set up specifically for the Emperor to lecture on classics and history. They had existed since the Han and Tang dynasties and had continued until now, serving as a way for the Emperor to study and inspire the officials. It was a major event in the court. If the reigning monarch was diligent, the Imperial Lectures would be held daily, and the pursuit of knowledge would be uninterrupted.
However, in recent times, the current Emperor frequently cited minor ailments and extreme weather as reasons to cancel the Imperial Lectures. Sometimes, holding them three or four times a year was a rarity. Many officials were dissatisfied and repeatedly submitted petitions, criticizing the Emperor for his neglect of learning, which was contrary to the path of an Emperor. Perhaps, out of frustration, the Emperor had finally agreed to reopen the Imperial Lectures, though it remained uncertain how long this renewed interest in learning would last.
After the morning court session, the officials moved to the Wen Hua Hall. The reopening of the Imperial Lectures necessitated a ceremony, and the Ministry of Rites had made all the necessary arrangements. In the grand hall, the tables and chairs were prepared, and the atmosphere was solemn.
The officials stood in the hall and quietly discussed.
“Who is the lecturer today? Have you heard?”
“I heard it’s two scholars who just passed the imperial examinations last year, both of them top scholars, and they were personally chosen by Grand Scholar Yan.”
“The Emperor is reopening the Imperial Lectures after a year. It’s significant. Why choose two new scholars?”
“You might not know this, but His Majesty said, ‘Don’t look at those old faces anymore.'”
The officials could only smile wryly.
“Quiet!” The eunuch in charge of the proceedings cleared his throat. “We respectfully welcome His Majesty to the Wen Hua Hall.”
The officials knelt down and said, “We respectfully welcome His Majesty.”
Emperor Chen Zhi (pronounced Chehn Jhee) entered the Wen Hua Hall with a retinue of eunuchs and took his seat on the throne. “Please rise.”
As the officials got up, they saw Emperor Chen Zhi yawn and half-cover his mouth with his sleeve.
Yan Zilian, the Chief Minister of the Imperial Cabinet, took a step forward and bowed, saying, “Your Majesty’s return to the Imperial Lectures is indeed a display of your virtue and commitment to learning. We are very pleased.”
Emperor Chen Zhi chuckled and had an unmistakably unhappy expression on his face. “So, dear minister, can you finally stop bothering us?”
Yan Zilian respectfully said, “For an emperor, the pursuit of knowledge during this grand occasion is of utmost importance. Continuing the study of classics and virtue is the way to govern wisely. As long as the Imperial Lectures are not interrupted, then the imperial learning and virtue will progress each day, and the benefit over the course of a month will be…”
“Alright, alright,” Emperor Chen Zhi impatiently waved his hand. “Let’s get started.”
The chief eunuch announced loudly, “Today’s lecturers are Scholar Shen Hexuan from the Hanlin Academy.”
A slim man, dressed in a red lecture robe, walked in with dignity, holding a bamboo tablet (hu) in both hands. He was in his twenties, elegant and refined, exuding a sense of righteousness. With just one glance, one could tell he was a man of honesty and virtue.
This man was the previous year’s top scholar, and not just any top scholar but a remarkable one. He was the second person in nearly 300 years in the history of Dacheng (pronounced Dah-chung) to consecutively earn all three top honors in the imperial examinations. Throughout the ages, under the system of imperial examinations spanning thousands of years, only a handful of individuals had achieved such a feat.
As a lowly compiler, apart from the palace examination and the top scholar ceremony, there shouldn’t be any opportunity to meet the Emperor. However, Shen Hexuan appeared exceptionally calm. He neither appeared overwhelmed by the honor of lecturing to the Emperor nor fearful of seeing the royal countenance. He remained calm and poised, neither obsequious nor presumptuous, as he knelt to pay his respects.
Emperor Zhi was intrigued, leaning forward and even lifting the jade curtain before him to take a closer look at Shen Hexuan. “Aren’t you the extraordinary talent who consecutively earned the top three honors?”
Shen Hexuan arched his hand and replied with dignity, “One should always show respect when facing an emperor.”
Emperor Zhi was slightly taken aback, not expecting such a straightforward response from a mere compiler. He grew disinterested, put down the jade curtain, sat up properly, but looked at Shen Hexuan with impatience.
Below, the court officials whispered to each other, praising Shen Hexuan for his courage in speaking directly and for not dishonoring the spirit of academic pursuit. At the same time, some thought him rigid and predicted he might face disadvantages in the future.
Shen Hexuan could hear the murmurs from both sides, but his gaze remained unwavering. He waited for the Emperor’s command to rise, a necessary protocol after giving a lecture, but Emperor Zhi seemed reluctant to issue the order.
Eunuch Yu Ji cautiously glanced at the Emperor, who reluctantly said, “You can get up now; continue.”
Shen Hexuan rose and walked to the lectern. The norm was that esteemed lecturers received a seat from the Emperor, while lower-ranking officials had to stand. Shen Hexuan held his notes and began his lecture on “The Doctrine of the Mean” by Confucius, focusing on the idea that “when near, appear distant, and when distant, appear near.”
As he lectured, his tone was both dynamic and rhythmic, resonating like jade and stone. He managed to connect ancient wisdom with contemporary concepts, offering his unique insights into the topic. The court officials couldn’t help but admire his erudition.
However, Emperor Zhi clearly didn’t share the same enthusiasm. He remained seated on his dragon throne, frequently yawning, and found Shen Hexuan’s lecture dull, even though it was highly regarded by the officials.
After Shen Hexuan’s lecture concluded, Emperor Zhi praised him half-heartedly, expressing his disappointment. Shen Hexuan received this comment calmly and made his respectful exit.
Eunuch Yu Ji’s voice reverberated in the grand hall, “We now invite today’s lecturer, Yansikong, a compiler from the Hanlin Academy.”
Most court officials hadn’t heard of this person, and they grew curious. He hadn’t even placed among the top scholars, being a recent addition to the Imperial examinations. Why had he received this honor?
Typically, lecturers at the Imperial Lectures were either highly respected officials or scholars chosen by the Cabinet who served as tutors to the Emperor or Crown Prince. Shen Hexuan’s consecutive top honors had earned him this opportunity, and it was reasonable. But for Yansikong, who didn’t even place among the top scholars, there must be some other reason. Perhaps it was because he was favored by Yan Zilian, who had supervised the previous year’s palace examination, as Emperor Zhi was absent.
In a moment, a tall young man entered the hall, dressed in the same deep red lecture attire and holding a bamboo tablet, just as Shen Hexuan had. However, his gait was less formal, exuding an air of nonchalance.
The court officials gazed at him, somewhat astonished. This young man, barely in his twenties, was incredibly handsome, with porcelain-like skin radiating beneath his red robe. His appearance was filled with the aura of a dashing scholar.
Emperor Zhi, curious once more, remembered Shen Hexuan’s reprimand regarding his posture earlier. However, he refrained from making any comments and only cleared his throat lightly.
Yansikong knelt, offering a respectful bow, and declared, “I, Yansikong, bow before Your Majesty.”
This was Yansikong’s first time meeting Emperor Zhi. During the palace examination, Yan Zilian had presided, and the Emperor had not attended. So this was his first audience with the Emperor.
“Arise, Scholar Yansikong.”
Yansikong stood.
“Yansikong, look up.”
Yansikong complied, raising his head. He observed Emperor Zhi, seated on the golden dragon throne. Despite being draped in magnificent yellow robes, the Emperor’s clouded eyes, pallid complexion, and corpulent figure couldn’t hide the pervasive signs of decay and mediocrity.
Yansikong tightened his grip on the bamboo tablet, his eyes reflecting a sense of foreboding.
Emperor Zhi, however, remained oblivious to Yansikong’s unease and praised him, saying, “Scholar Yansikong, you have the looks of Pan An.”
Yansikong replied with humility, “Thank you, Your Majesty. This humble scholar dare not rely on his appearance.”
Emperor Zhi asked, “What place did you achieve in the imperial examination?”
Yansikong responded, “Your Majesty, I ranked ninth.”
Emperor Zhi praised Yansikong’s talents and asked, “Do you have a spouse?”
Yan Zilian loudly cleared his throat.
Emperor Zhi changed the topic, saying, “Alright, let’s start the lecture.”
Yansikong walked up to the lectern and opened the prepared scroll of documents. His lecture for the day was also from “The Doctrine of the Mean,” speaking about “The way of a gentleman does not distance itself from others” and “‘To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it; to remember it is not to forget it; it is better to forget it.’”
Yansikong’s voice was clear and composed, slowly and eloquently. While he didn’t exude the same gravity as Shen Hexuan, he demonstrated profound knowledge, bridging the past with the present. Surprisingly, Emperor Zhi began to pay attention.
“The path of a gentleman is pure, the same on the inside as it appears on the outside. When looking up, he observes the heavens; when looking down, he observes the laws of the earth. To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it; it is better to forget it. The way of loyalty and forgiveness is to apply to others the same as you desire for yourself.”
Yansikong introduced a humorous anecdote, causing Emperor Zhi to laugh heartily and even granting him a seat.
After Yansikong’s lecture, Emperor Zhi praised him repeatedly, saying, “You’ve made this quite interesting. Those anecdotes you shared, are they true?”
Yansikong smiled and replied, “I dare not spread falsehoods, Your Majesty. I am but an avid reader of historical texts, and I hope this provided some amusement. Yet, the teachings of Confucius and Mencius are sacrosanct, and I dare not speak falsely.”
Emperor Zhi, still in a good mood, gestured towards Yan Zilian and remarked, “Minister Yan, this man is your student, isn’t he?”
Yan Zilian respectfully confirmed, “Indeed, he is my student.”
Emperor Zhi continued to commend the choice of Yansikong as the lecturer.
Yan Zilian took this opportunity to make a request: “I humbly beseech Your Majesty to restore the frequency of the Imperial Lectures to… thrice a month.”
Emperor Zhi remained non-committal, stating, “Let’s discuss this later.”
Eunuch Yu Ji then signaled the end of the Imperial Lecture: “Today’s Imperial Lecture ends here. The luncheon has been arranged, and I invite all esteemed guests to join us.”
Yansikong discreetly observed the Emperor as he left the hall. He noticed a vigilant and sharp look in the Emperor’s eyes.
Receiving praise from the Emperor during the Imperial Lecture brought Yansikong considerable attention. Some officials who aimed to build connections struck up conversations with him during the journey out of the hall. Yansikong responded with a polite and deferential demeanor.
During the lunch, attendees were seated based on their rank. Yansikong and Shen Hexuan sat at a table farthest from the Emperor.
After seating, Yansikong extended his hand and said, “Brother Shen, your lecture today has given me fresh insights. I greatly benefited from it.”
Shen Hexuan returned the gesture, responding modestly, “You’re being too kind. Your lecture was profound, and your ability to make it engaging is admirable.”
These were the only pleasantries they exchanged during the lunch. Yansikong continued engaging in lively conversation with Yang Yue, the Left Attendant of the Ministry of Rites, while Shen Hexuan quietly enjoyed his meal and wine, mostly in solitude.
Yansikong was well aware that Shen Hexuan held some reservations about him, not based on his ranking but his apparent charm and diplomacy. He admired Shen Hexuan for his straightforwardness and integrity, untouched by the intrigue that plagued the court, but he wasn’t sure if that was a blessing or a curse.
By the way, have you heard? The Crown Prince of Jingyuan is returning to the capital.”
Yansikong was taken aback and turned to Yang Yue, asking, “Minister Yang, what did you just say?”
“Oh, it’s about the Crown Prince of Jingyuan. They say he’s returning to the capital.”
“You mean the ‘Little Wolf King’ as rumored? This young man is extraordinary…”
Yansikong clenched his wine glass, feeling a sudden wave of unease.
Feng Ye…
That name, once so distant, was now vivid in his memory. It was his lifelong nightmare, but it was both remote and clear at the same time.
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Rei
ahhhh im enjoying this so much so far!!! thank you so much for the translation <3