Chapter 17: Registration

With a clear goal in sight, Cui Xiu devoted himself even more diligently to completing the assigned lessons. He employed every tactic imaginable—bargaining hard, acting coquettishly, even crying out loud—to secure an extra two incense sticks’ worth of time for calligraphy practice. He was determined to perfect the phrase his father had entrusted to him.

"Brother Xiu, you’ve already practiced twice tonight and your writing is excellent," Aunt Yu observed under the lamp’s glow, noting his solemn expression and steady grip on the brush. Despite the chill of the late spring cold snap, beads of sweat dotted his forehead. For a fleeting moment, she felt as if she were looking at Cui Qianting himself.

Though… though she favored her robust older son, Cui Qianting indeed possessed not only innate talent but also a relentless work ethic and the bearing of a general. Every gesture displayed a proud, unyielding spirit forged from true strength and scholarship, inspiring confidence and respect.

Reflecting on this, Aunt Yu lowered her gaze to the neatly formed characters—the beginnings of formal script—and her eyes gleamed. Some things, beyond talent, truly require personal effort.

Back when Brother was seven, he only then began tracing characters and holding the brush properly. Honestly, his writing then looked rather clumsy.

But… but Brother was so handsome!

Even with the Martial Emperor’s arranged marriage, the illustrious scholarly family from the previous dynasty, and the willingness of the Grand Tutor to marry off his daughter—all were because Brother was good-looking!

Thinking this, Aunt Yu’s heart ached anew. She gently urged, “Brother Xiu, it’s about time to stop. Staying up late isn’t good for your eyes. You don’t want to be like those poor, bookish types who ruin their eyesight by studying by lamplight. If you develop eye problems and everything becomes blurry, you’ll miss out on the big exams!”

Cui Xiu, deeply focused on his writing, remained silent.

Listening to the repeated admonitions, he only reluctantly set down his brush after finishing the last character. Then, looking around at the bright study lamps and the wall sconces lighting the room, he firmly said, “Aunt Yu, my room is already as bright as day! I do take care of my eyes. Let me write one more time, then I’ll rest, alright?”

“You have my word. Later you’ll need to learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—especially the guqin,” Aunt Yu said proudly. “Your fingers are so elegant and slender, like scallions, plucking the strings. Then you raise your gaze, eyes sparkling—it’s such a beautiful sight that any young lady would secretly admire it!”

Cui Xiu glanced at his ink-stained fingers.

Though he had some accomplishments in the imperial examinations, in his past life he never had the chance to learn refined skills like playing the guqin. In a scholarly family, one must first devote oneself to the classics. Only after achieving some success and official rank would the elders allow the younger generation to learn arts and etiquette, so they wouldn’t lose face at banquets.

Seeing Cui Xiu lost in thought, Aunt Yu gently scooped him up and headed toward the washroom. “Let’s hurry with the medicinal bath—good health is most important!”

Cui Xiu, feeling her tender embrace and sensing her concern, restrained his urge to sharpen his brush for more calligraphy practice and grumbled, “Then… I want to listen to the Thousand Character Classic while bathing!”

“Alright,” Aunt Yu smiled, “I’ll send someone to invite the storyteller.”

Having his secondary request granted, Cui Xiu smiled and, with shining phoenix-like eyes, cheerfully offered, “Aunt Yu, how about I recite the Thousand Character Classic for you?”

Without waiting for her reply, he began happily: “Heaven and earth, mysterious and yellow, the universe vast and desolate, the sun and moon wax and wane, the stars spread across the sky…”

As a child with a true photographic memory, Cui Xiu’s learning pace was somewhat slow. He constantly emphasized his ability to remember everything at a glance, hoping to soon study the Four Books and Five Classics, and to add more subjects—especially the Six Arts of the Gentleman, which he had yet to encounter.

Aunt Yu smiled and watched carefully as the maid assisted Cui Xiu with his bath. Seeing such conscientious effort, she dared to harbor hope that perhaps the Cui family might one day restore its former glory.

Thus, this old woman insisted on personally overseeing Cui Xiu’s upbringing, to prevent any petty gossip or scheming in the household from damaging their relationship.

Outside, the almost continuous recitation drifted on the night breeze.

The Marquis Cui En, brought to see “someone else’s children,” exclaimed, “My little nephew is truly remarkable!”

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Cui Qianting ground his teeth, holding the freshly written rice paper by Cui Xiu, itching to slap the Marquis Cui En on the head. “Cui En, can’t you prepare a little before the exam?”

The Marquis stiffened his neck and retorted, “Cui Qianting, are you belittling your brother’s ability to perform under pressure? I’ll show you how to take first place in the county exam!”

“Do you even know how to write the Eight-Legged Essay?”

The Marquis scoffed, “The emperor uncle said those are just tools to control subordinates. I don’t need to learn them; they would only limit my insight.”

Cui Qianting sighed deeply, seeing how the Marquis remained enamored with the Cui family’s power and the protection of the Martial Emperor. He pressed a vital point and dragged the Marquis aside for a private talk.

The other two, Cui Hu and Cui Cong, who were also brought over for “education,” exchanged glances.

Cui Hu dared not look at his father being led away like a puppet by his uncle. Instead, he gazed inside at Cui Xiu, bathing and reciting with bright eyes full of hope for the future. Watching him, Cui Hu sighed, “Only four years old and already so diligent and clever. If he weren’t tied to the Cui family, even in an ordinary farming household, little Brother Xiu's path in the imperial exams would surely be smooth!”

Leaving aside their grandfather’s infamous deeds, the feud between Marquis Cui En and Emperor Mingde meant that the Cui family’s future officials would face thorny roads, even if spared exile.

“Big Brother Hu, that’s not certain. If he joined a farming family, I heard he’d have to pull weeds and feed the chickens too!” Cui Cong hastily shared, responding to the elder’s gloomy lament with a family anecdote. “When my father took the exams, I overheard that three years ago, the stunningly talented Zhuo Shiheng was from a clever farming family. He was only ten when a poor scholar took pity on him and let him listen outside the private school. He pulled weeds and fed pigs, chickens, and ducks, only getting real study time after passing the county exam at twenty-five.”

“Ten years of hard work just to achieve success, but then the parents, narrow-minded, assumed becoming top scholar meant a high official and marrying a princess. They pressured Zhuo Shiheng to divorce and remarry out of filial duty, causing great embarrassment.”

“So I’m truly grateful that my uncle and you are broad-minded. Otherwise, with my father’s and uncle’s enmity, the Cui family’s private affairs would be as sordid as other noble households.”

Cui Hu’s words were heavy with gratitude as he looked at Cui Cong.

He wasn’t flattering insincerely—there were indeed some unsavory matters in the Cui household. His father’s stepmother’s wet nurse, incited by others, saw Cui Xiu the illegitimate son as a nuisance and sought to have him removed!

Luckily, Aunt Yu discovered it in time and saved Cui Xiu’s life.

Comforted by this, Cui Hu’s expression shifted repeatedly before firmly grasping Cui Cong’s shoulder, filled with hope. “Cui Cong, think of your name. You must study hard and uphold the family’s spirit. I really don’t want to wait until I’m thirty-five just to attend a banquet.”

Cui Cong, surprised that Cui Hu could be so shameless as to use his name, retorted, “Then you should put your hopes in my ambitious father.”

Ten years ago, his father was equally rebellious, using the name Cong to express his resentment toward the legitimate eldest son.

After all, “Cong” is the ritual vessel used in ancestral ceremonies.

Compared to “Hu”—the vessel for offerings—the “Cong” is more widely known and straightforwardly connected to ancestry and clan law.

Cui Hu stared at Cui Cong for a long moment, then sighed gloomily. “I won’t speak ill of our second uncle. He’s pitiful—talented but unable to display it. His resentment is natural. Honestly, it’s better to be like me, with no literary or martial skills but a decent appearance, and content to accept reality.”

Cui Cong grew somber too, pulling him back toward the study. “Stop waxing poetic. Let’s prepare for the exam. Maybe with some luck, our names will be on the list.”

Trailing behind, Cui Hu grew more anxious the closer they approached the study. He couldn’t help but sigh again, “If only Sister Yue were a boy!”

By the customs, boys and girls of seven years old did not study together, so Cui Yue could no longer learn with them. Yet… he had watched her grow up.

Cui Yue’s dedication and self-discipline matched Cui Xiu’s exactly. Neither needed prodding.

As Cui Yue’s older brother, Cui Cong’s face darkened. Practical as ever, he advised, “At the autumn hunt, try to make a good impression and marry a princess! Don’t waste hope on Cui Yue. Father said he reluctantly arranged a childhood betrothal but wants Cui Yue to live a normal young lady’s life.”

Among noble families, who truly raised their daughters as boys, cutting them off from female social networks, only to have them unable to get along with their in-laws after marriage?

Their family was special. So Cui Yue learned to read and write, studied court bulletins (though no one in the Cui family held office, the duke received court bulletins, and Cui Qianting used them to analyze political trends for the family), and trained in martial arts.

They had to guard against the worst: even if disaster didn’t befall the married daughter, what if her husband harbored ill will and abused Cui Yue? What if the emperor sanctioned such evil, humiliating the Cui family children and consigning Cui Yue to the music quarters?

Yet unexpectedly, Emperor Mingde publicly declared, “The Son of Heaven guards the borders,” and ordered royal descendants to defend the frontier—a model of a wise and just ruler.

So… hope was inevitable.

Whispering his conjectures to Cui Hu, Cui Cong said, “Let’s just wait and see if Father makes the list at the autumn exam.”

Cui Hu touched his face and replied softly, “If he fails again, I’ll urge Father to marry the widowed Princess Changping.”

One widowed, one bereaved husband; one slender mare with many suitors, one pampered beauty; one beloved by the Martial Emperor, the other the daughter of the Empress Dowager and sister of the former Crown Prince—their lives under Emperor Mingde’s gaze were awkward.

They were childhood playmates, indulged and mischievous with Emperor Mingde as children.

After speaking, Cui Hu hastily spat three times and stomped the ground.

Aunt Yu had said this was very effective—that words spoken thus would not count, and past spirits would not hear them!

Cui Cong fell silent for a moment, then gave Cui Hu a thumbs-up.

No wonder he was the sole heir of Marquis Cui En, excelling beyond his predecessor!

If Emperor Mingde were narrow-minded, he would be livid over their requests for marriage. For a princess to remarry, she must be granted the title of Eldest Princess, and the emperor would have to escort her wedding procession—of course, with a dowry!

The two imagined a bright future and diligently prepared for the exams.

After two days of intense study, news arrived that the county exam would be held on the fifteenth day of the second lunar month!

On the registration day, Cui Xiu proudly donned his young scholar’s robe and rode his little donkey to the main courtyard to join the others.

Besides Cui Cong, Cui Hu, and Marquis Cui En, the rules required pairing with one more person.

Due to the Cui family’s special circumstances, choosing the partner had to be done with great care.

According to Master Pei, it was Marquis Cui En’s connections that secured a companion.

Recalling whispered rumors, Cui Xiu, feeling like a mere filler this time, curiously looked up at the young man willing to help the Cui family—Changping Princess’s favored consort, Gao Feng.