Chapter 268: Academic Examination
By the time they arrived at Madam Chen's quarters, the members of the second branch had already gathered.
Madam Chen was inquiring about Chen Xuanan and Chen Xuanping's studies. "Are you adjusting well to Teacher Yu's lessons?"
The two had previously studied in a separate courtyard, but after their previous tutor returned home for mourning, they began studying with Chen Xuanxin. Chen Xuanxin's teacher was a retired Lecturer of the Imperial Academy.
Chen Xuanan smiled and replied, "Teacher Yu has only just begun teaching the eleventh brother from 'The Great Learning,' so keeping up isn't an issue."
Third Master Chen and Gu Jinzhao entered, paying their respects to Madam Chen, while the younger generation bowed to them in turn.
Surprisingly, Fourth Master Chen was also present—Gu Jinzhao rarely saw him in the inner courtyard. He wore a sapphire-blue Hangzhou silk robe and, though middle-aged, still carried an air of refinement. He spoke to Third Master Chen about visiting Sixth Master Chen at Bao Xiang Temple the day before.
"Old Sixth now listens daily to Master Jianming's sutras and abstains from meat. He seems much more spirited. I think he's settled his mind—perhaps it's time to bring him back sooner. Winter is approaching, and the mountains will only grow harsher."
Third Master Chen shook his head. "I know his temperament hasn't truly changed. I just want him to endure some hardship so he learns to think twice before acting. Let him return for the New Year, but the one-year term stands."
Madam Chen then instructed Fourth Master Chen, "Send more winter clothes and silver charcoal to him. Don’t let him freeze."
Third Master Chen reassured her, "Don’t worry. I have plenty of people at Bao Xiang Temple—he won’t freeze."
Chen Xuanqing and Chen Xuanxin arrived to pay their respects.
Seeing Gu Jinzhao and Third Master Chen there, Chen Xuanqing was momentarily taken aback. Since her pregnancy, Gu Jinzhao rarely came this early to greet Madam Chen.
Madam Chen beckoned Chen Xuanqing to sit beside her and asked with a smile, "In half a month, you'll be married. Are you happy?"
Chen Xuanqing wasn’t sure how to answer.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Gu Jinzhao watching him—in fact, everyone was. His reply was vague: "...I suppose so."
Wang Shi chuckled. "If you keep asking, Seventh Young Master will blush."
Madam Chen pulled him closer, examining him. "He really is a little flushed!"
Chen Xuanqing pressed his lips together tightly, thinking he wasn’t blushing at all.
Noticing his discomfort, Third Master Chen changed the subject to Chen Xuanxin's studies. "...How is your brother’s progress under your guidance? Which chapter of 'The Great Learning' has he reached?"
Chen Xuanqing replied, "Chapter Five—the essentials of understanding virtue. I’ve had him study it carefully."
Third Master Chen then motioned for Chen Xuanxin to approach. "Come here. Let your father test your understanding."
Chen Xuanxin dared not step out of line before his father, standing straight as he recited:
"'The fifth chapter of the commentary explains the principle of investigating things to extend knowledge, though it is now lost. Drawing from Master Cheng’s interpretation, it may be supplemented thus: To extend knowledge lies in the investigation of things, meaning that to broaden our understanding, we must exhaust the principles of all things. For the human mind is inherently perceptive, and all things under heaven possess their principles. Only when these principles remain unexplored does knowledge remain incomplete.'"
Third Master Chen then asked casually, "'To extend knowledge lies in the investigation of things, meaning that to broaden our understanding, we must exhaust the principles of all things.' How do you interpret this?"Chen Xuanxin felt a bit nervous looking at Third Master Chen and replied, "It's about 'investigating things to exhaust their principles.' Investigating things means 'reaching' them. By directly engaging with things to thoroughly understand their inherent principles, 'exhausting' principles is the goal of investigation. Faced with the innumerable phenomena of heaven and earth, one must observe even the smallest details—a blade of grass, a tree, or the tiniest insect—'each has its own principle.' Exhausting principles inevitably requires a stage of 'accumulated practice.'"
Third Master Chen smiled. "No need to be nervous. Your answer is passable. Go back and read the Annotations on the Four Books carefully, and take note of Master Zhu's key points."
Madam Chen tugged at Chen Xuanan. "It's rare for your Third Uncle to be here. Quickly ask him to give you some guidance too." Then she said to Third Master Chen, "Xuanan has finished studying The Great Learning . Why don't you ask him how well he's learned it?"
Getting guidance from Third Uncle was a rare opportunity. It was said that when he was in the Office of the Directorate of Instruction, he had even participated in setting questions for the Metropolitan Exam.
Chen Xuanan had been standing to the side earlier and didn’t understand why Chen Xuanxin was so nervous in front of his father. But when he stepped before Third Master Chen, his throat tightened. Though Third Uncle was gentle with people, just meeting his gaze made one feel inexplicably flustered.
Since his mother had spoken, Chen Yanyun couldn’t refuse. He selected a passage from Chapter Six: "'What is meant by making the thoughts sincere is allowing no self-deception, as when we hate a bad smell or love a beautiful color. This is called self-satisfaction.' You must have read the Annotations on the Four Books —how would you explain this?"
Chen Xuanan stammered out a rough interpretation but couldn’t articulate it clearly. He hadn’t actually read the Annotations on the Four Books , and his face flushed red with embarrassment. Just moments ago, he had boasted in front of his grandmother about keeping up with Tutor Yu’s lectures, yet now he couldn’t even answer one of Third Uncle’s questions...
Chen Xuanan knew in his heart that Chapter Six discussed the foundation of sincerity, which was much simpler than the question Third Master Chen had asked Chen Xuanxin.
Fourth Master Chen’s expression darkened when he saw him unable to answer.
Chen Yanyun said, "Perhaps you’ve forgotten after studying it so long ago. Just review it again when you return."
Chen Xuanan noticed his two younger brothers watching him and felt deeply humiliated. With burning cheeks, he retreated to Wang Shi’s side.
Just then, maids brought out several plates of pastries, and Madam Chen urged everyone to eat.
Chen Xuanxin tugged at Chen Xuanqing’s sleeve and whispered to him. A plate of sour jujube cakes was placed near Chen Xuanqing, and Madam Chen said to him, "Pass the sour jujube cakes to your mother. She enjoys sour flavors now."
Chen Xuanqing hadn’t glanced in Gu Jinzhao’s direction the entire time. Hearing this, he sighed inwardly and had no choice but to hand her the plate. Seeing Gu Jinzhao smile in thanks, her face glowing in the sunlight, pale as polished jade... he quickly looked away. To Chen Xuanxin, he said, "Then I’ll go with you to take a look, so we don’t miss it later."
Chen Xuanxin was delighted. "Great! Let’s go now!" He pulled Chen Xuanqing along as they excused themselves and left.
Gu Jinzhao found Chen Xuanqing’s behavior odd, assuming he was still upset, and paid him no mind.
Truthfully, since becoming pregnant, her tastes hadn’t changed much—she still disliked sour foods. Not wanting to slight Madam Chen, she forced herself to eat a couple of pieces.
Third Master Chen noticed and murmured to her, "If you don’t like it, don’t force yourself..." He set the sour jujube cakes aside and handed her a handful of freshly shelled walnuts, still warm from his palm.
No one touched that plate of sour jujube cakes again.
After returning from Madam Chen’s quarters, Fourth Master Chen’s expression turned icy.Wang Shi asked him what was wrong, and Fourth Master Chen couldn't help but start reprimanding her, saying she hadn't raised Chen Xuanan properly.
At first, Wang Shi listened to his scolding, but eventually, she couldn't hold back and retorted, "How is this my fault? I told you long ago to let him study at the Imperial Academy with his second brother, but you refused. I suggested hiring a tutor from the third branch, but you wouldn't agree! Instead, you insisted on finding a teacher yourself in the separate courtyard. I hardly see him all year—how would I know how he's learning?"
Fourth Master Chen sneered, "He's your son—how could you not know? Not only is he failing in his studies, but he also made me lose face in front of Third Brother. You even know what dishes I eat at Concubine You's place, don't you?"
Wang Shi refused to back down, "You send bear paws and deer antlers to her—how could I not know? You're a Scholar of the Two Boards, and Second Master and Third Master both serve in the court. Yet you insist on dirtying your hands with business. If you're so capable, why don't you become an official?"
Fourth Master Chen frowned deeply and snapped, "Shut up! If word of this gets out, what will Second Brother and Third Brother think?"
... The argument grew so heated that even Wang Shi's maid felt uneasy and quickly retreated, signaling the surrounding attendants to leave.
Wang Shi's eyes reddened with anger. "I cover for you—I cover everything for you. When that maid and the servant boy were secretly involved, you were ashamed, so I was the one who had them removed from the estate. I bear all this grievance, yet I can't tell a soul..."
Chen Yanwen had no desire to continue the argument. He glared at her coldly. "As a wife, you should know the virtues of obedience and propriety. Family scandals shouldn't be aired in public, yet you act as if you want the whole world to know. I had Chen Xuanan study in the separate courtyard so he could earn a respectable title. I'm busy outside all day—you're the one managing the household. If he's failing, how can you not share the blame? Think carefully about this!" With that, he ignored Wang Shi and went out to order the maids to summon Chen Xuanan.
Wang Shi collapsed onto the armrest, sobbing.
After a while, she called Pomegranate in to fetch water for washing her face. Pomegranate looked worried and comforted her, "Madam, don't dwell on that maid's matter—she's already dead. No matter how angry you are with Fourth Master, you must still yield to him... If he stays angry, he might ignore you for months."
Wang Shi felt her vision blur, her head heavy and unsteady—perhaps she was catching a cold.
Covering her mouth with a handkerchief, she sneezed before turning to ask Pomegranate, "Did you say... Baoyue is dead?"
Pomegranate nodded. "She hanged herself. At first, she cried and begged to live, but as soon as she was sent away, she took her own life..."
Wang Shi's brow furrowed, an inexplicable chill creeping into her heart.
Pomegranate whispered, "You know how Fourth Master holds grudges... He remembers every slight for years. It's best not to provoke him."
Wang Shi nodded absently, Chen Yanwen's slightly delicate face surfacing in her mind.
Gu Jinzhao received a letter from Daxing in the morning and informed Old Madam Chen. However, Second Madam and Gu Lian didn't arrive in Wanping until the next day.
This was Gu Lian's first visit to the Chen Family. She hadn't expected the estate to be so grand—guards in Chengzi uniforms stood at the entrance instead of ordinary watchmen. Weren't those the Golden Crow Guard? They served the Emperor... Why were they stationed at the Chen Family?Gu Lian wanted to ask Granny Sun who had come to fetch them, but fearing she might appear ignorant, she held back her words.
The carriage passed through the festooned gate yet showed no sign of stopping. Granny Sun explained with a smile, "...The path to the inner courtyard is quite long. We wouldn't want to trouble you ladies with the walk."
The carriage continued along the broad, smooth flagstone path, first passing artificial hills piled with Taihu rocks where clear springs flowed down into small pools. After crossing an arched white marble bridge over one such pool, a three-sectioned courtyard came into view in the distance. As they proceeded along the pink-walled path, the scenery grew increasingly refined, quite unlike the traditional architectural styles of Northern Zhili. Yet Gu Lian found herself feeling somewhat unsettled as she took in the view.
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