Chapter 15

Note: The names are retained in traditional Chinese characters as the RAWs I’m translating from are in traditional Chinese and it also makes it easier for me when I’m translating. The new vocabulary terms on the other hand are in simplified Chinese.Characters Shown / Mentioned in this Chapter:

葉璃璃兒 – Ye LiLi er – Main Female Protagonist – first di daughter of the Ye family, but the third child in the family.

黎王 墨景黎 – Li w.a.n.g  Mo Jing Li – Imperial Prince Li

Ye Family Members:

葉文華 葉尚書尚書大人 葉老爺 – Ye Wen Hua Ye Shangshu Shangshu daren Ye laoye – Ye Li‘s father who has the t.i.tle or position of official in charge of presenting memorials to the emperor and official correspondence / Minister of Revenue

葉瑩瑩兒 – Ye Ying Ying er – 4th daughter in the family

Xu Family Members:

徐御史御史大人 二舅舅 – Xu YushiYushi daren Second jiujiu – Ye Li‘s second jiujiu who is an imperial censor in the current dynasty

The Imperial Family Members + Subjects:

墨景祁 – Mo Jing Qi – Da Chu‘s current emperor and elder brother of the same mother as Mo Jing Li

Bold - Names of people, placesItalic - Chinese terms in pinyinUnderline - Unknown

Fu Imperial Capital

Chapter 15: The Golden Palace’s War of Words

On this day’s morning court[a], Xu Yushi[1] indeed presented a folded booklet in front of the emperor at the morning court, impeaching the minister of revenue Ye Wen Hua for not being able to educate his daughter.

Xu Yushi was indeed worthy of being from Da Chu‘s number one aristocratic family with a literary reputation; even a mere folded booklet intended for accusing someone of misconduct was written voluminously and magnificently.

As though quoting the cla.s.sics, he narrated how the Ye family’s fourth daughter had at the time when the Ye third xiaojie[2] and Li w.a.n.g‘s[3] engagement hadn’t been broken off yet, was always going around with Li w.a.n.g as a pair as well as how she completely lacked the demeanor of a well-bred young lady from a prestigious house. Of course, these were all entirely caused by  Ye Wen Hua daren[4] as the Minister of Revenue for not being able to educate his daughter.

What? You say that the Ye third xiaojie is also Ye Shangshu‘s[5] daughter? The Ye third xiaojie was Qing Yun xiansheng‘s[6] waisunnu[7], does the Xu family’s blood ties and upbringing need to be questioned?

As Ye Wen Hua‘s in-laws, the Xu family aiming fire right at the Ye family without the slightest hesitation absolutely caused people to be surprised by the turn of events; the Ye Shangshu who had been flushed with success these days was struck till the head was dizzy and the vision was blurred. Although he was now already the third level[b] Minister of Revenue, but Ye Wen Hua still absolutely revered his own former father-in-law daren. His face that could still be considered as handsome turned red through and through, yet he was unable to say anything to defend himself. Although several people from the w.a.n.g family had the mind to come forth in his defense, it was a pity their grade really didn’t carry any weight. Not to mention, among the group on the yushi‘s platform, which one wasn’t a Qingliu scholar and which one wasn’t upright and faithful? What was even more important was that the majority were also from the Lishan academy. That glib talk wasn’t at all just for show.

And although he wasn’t the person being implicated in this event of being accused of misconduct, His Highness Li w.a.n.g Mo Jing Li who obviously had something to do with it looked gloomy at this time, his coldness being freely emitted outwards[c]. It was a pity that although the official gown Xu Yushi had on was somewhat thin, but this weather that was approaching the fourth month…truly wasn’t cold.

In the golden palace hall, Da Chu‘s emperor Mo Jing Qi who was sitting high up on the dragon throne looked pensive as he attentively watched all the different expressions of the officials below him. As the monarch, he didn’t at all mind when his subjects would get into a dispute once in awhile; if they were all to band together only then would he need to get worried. However, the Xu family would actually go so far as to launch an attack at Ye Wen Hua without the slightest hesitation just for this little Ye Li–this was something that he didn’t think of.

Although the Xu family’s influence in the imperial court was already very much lessened, in the eyes of the scholars of the whole world, the Xu clan was nevertheless still the object of their reverence and worship. It would seem…Ye Shangshu wouldn’t be having it easy in the following days. This was also good; having an excess of grandeur will cause a person to think of things he shouldn’t be thinking about. There are people who also ought to get a beating.

“Ye Shangshu, is Xu Yushi‘s memorial indeed the truth?” Mo Jing Qi had a smile on his face towards Ye Wen Hua as he asked.

That warm smile of the monarch nevertheless caused Ye Wen Hua to feel a bit of coldness for no reason at all.

“Emperor…weichen[8], weichen is being accused wrongly ah……”

“Ye daren‘s meaning is that Xu daren is framing his colleague? But according to what this lowly official knows, it was early as last year’s Double Ninth Festival (9th day of 9th lunar month) when there was someone who saw your precious daughter and his highness Li w.a.n.g going in and out of places as a pair. At the time…his highness Li w.a.n.g and Ye third xiaojie had not yet rescinded the engagement, right?” Another yushi stepped forward bravely, casting sidelong glances at Ye Wen Hua as he said it.

These officials on the yushi platform although didn’t have any real power, they were all people with real ability and learning. In addition, they mostly disdained following the bad examples of others; it was only natural that they also didn’t fear offending people. Yanguan[9] do not commit crimes; as long as it wasn’t talking rubbish, even the emperor won’t be able blame them–what can others even do?

“That’s right, weichen seems to have also heard furen[10] mention these things. I heard that at this year’s Lantern Festival fair (lantern displays and traditional folk performances), Ye fourth xiaojie had also with…walked around together hand in hand.” Ye Shangshu‘s old rival, Liu guifei‘s[11] father as the shangshu of the Ministry of Appointments naturally wouldn’t fall behind others in hitting a person who is down. The two Liu and Ye families’ daughters were in the palace contending against one another to the point of being irreconcilable adversaries; in the morning court, the two families were also fighting both out in the open and in secret incessantly.

It’s a pity that the Ye family’s foundation was superficial; since they have now climbed up on Li w.a.n.g this big tree, after awhile it also wouldn’t be able to shake up the Liu family this kind of aristocratic and influential clan a tiny bit. Not to mention, now even Ye Wen Hua‘s own houyuan[12] is under fire due to his own external family accusing him of misconduct; if he didn’t take the advantage of the situation to step on him with his own foot, Liu Shangshu himself would feel that it would be a waste. Although Li w.a.n.g was the emperor’s own blood-related brother as well as had the empress dowager’s support, his Liu family also wasn’t to be trifled with. His two waisun[13] and one waisunnu were the emperor’s own princes and princess.

((This translation is originally found on: h t t p : / / g u q i n t r a n s l a t i o n s . w o r d p r e s s . c o m))

“Jing Li, what do you have to say?” Mo Jing Qi swept a glance over everyone in the palace hall and rested his gaze on the gloomy-looking Mo Jing Li as he asked with a smile on his face.

The palace hall was silent for a while and only then heard Mo Jing Li say in a cold voice, “Chen[14] younger brother has nothing to say.”

Some of the old chenzi gave a cold humph on the inside, their evaluation of this w.a.n.gye[15] getting even lower. Indeed had nothing to say; this kind of matter was originally a matter where if the public didn’t report it, the officials wouldn’t investigate it, but once it had been turned over and brought to light, however you punish wouldn’t be considered wrong.

Who allowed Mo Jing Li and Ye Ying to be too arrogant to think that no one would dare to talk much about anything and openly went in and out of places together as a pair. Not just the officials of the imperial court, even among the common people there were also a lot of people who knew about it. Now that it had been brought up by the Xu family, the more they quibbled would only make it all the more embarra.s.sing.

Li w.a.n.g‘s department of chenzi[16] naturally was unable to watch their own master swallow down these pent up unspoken grievances and promptly stepped forward to report to the emperor, “Reporting to the emperor, that Ye third xiaojie with no talent, no virtue, and no looks originally wasn’t worthy of his highness Li w.a.n.g. Not to mention, his highness Li w.a.n.g now being with Ye fourth xiaojie is because the empress dowager niangniang[17] personally decreed the marriage.”

Xu Yushi laughed coldly and said, “Since Li w.a.n.g questions the Ye third xiaojie‘s talent, looks, and virtue, openly and honorably withdrawing the engagement and then seeking a marriage match would’ve been right. What need is there to do things by sneaking around in this way? According to what this lowly official knows, that day when the Ye third xiaojie had her engagement broken off, she didn’t at all have an overly tense expression and also didn’t pester to resist the breaking of the engagement. The Ye third xiaojie‘s virtue is as one can well imagine. What’s even more is that…His Highness Li w.a.n.g and Ye third xiaojie‘s engagement at the time was…decreed by the previous emperor!”

The empress dowager’s bestowed marriage and the previous emperor’s bestowed marriage–when compared, which carries more weight? To say again of the serious bit that the empress dowager bestowed a marriage completely contrary to that of the previous emperor, it could already call into question the empress dowager’s morality and conduct.

“….” The chenzi who was loyally defending his lord turned pale in the face as he retreated in defeat. The rest of the people were on one side enjoying themselves as they watched the scene and on the other side expressed sympathy towards the reckless attempt to pit one's self against Xu Yushi's glib talk.

Among the people with a bit of insight, who didn't know that that year the Xu family's second gongzi[18] had at the age of sixteen made a name for himself when he verbally sparred with Nanzhao‘s top six scholars. These years he had become even more low-key but it didn’t mean that the person would suddenly become a clumsy speaker.

“That’s enough, does Ye Shangshu have a statement to defend yourself with?” Mo Jing Qi put a stop to the people who still restlessly wanted to say something.

Ye Wen Hua for so many years in the officialdom going from being an ordinary juzi[19]  to a third-level high official also wasn’t lacking in achievement; in his mind, he knew Xu Yushi had come prepared and furthermore, he himself indeed had no way of explaining himself.  He straightforwardly admitted his guilt, “Weichen for the past many years had all along failed to pay sufficient attention to the affairs of the fu[20] , the disciplining of my daughter not strict. Requesting the emperor to condemn this crime.” Men originally shouldn’t interfere with the inner fu, failing to pay sufficient attention to the affairs of the fu was completely understandable.

The emperor obviously also didn’t plan to sort out his own chenzi who had use and his most favoured younger brother because of this mere trivial matter.

Because Ye Wen Hua had adapted to the circ.u.mstances, he was completely satisfied; if he had still continued to quibble, perhaps he would have been compelled to give a heavier punishment, “Since it is like this, Ye Shangshu shall forfeit his salary for one year, as for Li w.a.n.g, forfeit salary for half a year. In addition, the Ye third xiaojie is elegant, keen and virtuous; bestow hundred gold taels and two jade ruyi. Count it as zhen[21] adding to the trousseau for Qing Yun xiansheng‘s waisunnu.”

Jade Ruyi Example

“Many thanks for the emperor’s grace.” said the ashen-faced Ye Shangshu.

“Many thanks to the emperor.” said the tranquil and calm-looking Xu Yushi.

“Many thanks to emperor elder brother.” said the even gloomier Li w.a.n.g‘s royal highness.

Glossary:Yushi (御史 – imperial censor)Xiaojie (小姐 – Young miss / lady)w.a.n.g (王 – imperial prince)Daren (大人 – adult / grownup / t.i.tle of respect toward superiors)Shangshu (尚書 – t.i.tle or position of official in charge of presenting memorials to the emperor and official correspondence)Xiansheng (先生 – mister / teacher)Waisunnu (外孫女 – granddaughter through female descendant)Weichen (微臣 – this small official / this humble servant)Yanguan (言官 – supervisors and advisers in charge of supervision and admonition)Furen (夫人 – lady or madam of the house / wife)Guifei (贵妃 – imperial n.o.ble consort / senior concubine)Houyuan (后院 – rear residence / refers to the concubines of a.s.sorted rank and social status in a household themselves or their residence)Waisun (外孙 – daughter's son / grandson / descendant through the female line)Chen (臣 – this subject / “I, your servant” when addressing the sovereign)w.a.n.gye (王爺 – term for addressing an imperial prince)Chenzi (臣子 – imperial court officials or subjects)Niangniang (娘娘 – term meaning ‘mother’ but is used when addressing the empress, concubine, female royal, etc. by someone of lower rank)Gongzi (公子 – son of n.o.bility / young man)Juzi (举子 – student recommended to take the imperial examination)Fu (府 – official residence / family residence compound / household / term for family and home put together)Zhen (朕 – the specific term used by the emperor to refer to himself, subst.i.tuting ‘I’)More Info