The Red Mansion

Chapter 312 Farewell My Concubine, Taishun's Son's Discipline

On this day, a light rain fell. Although the rain was fine, it carried a chill, just as the old saying goes, "One layer of autumn rain brings one layer of coolness."

In the back garden theater of Prince Xun's mansion, however, a completely different scene unfolded.

This opera house, with its vermilion railings carved with lotus scrolls and painted beams depicting the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, features a three-foot-high stage in the center, with tables and chairs set up in front. Though not as exquisite as the waterside pavilion in the back garden of Prince Zhongshun's mansion, it possesses its own spacious and grand atmosphere. Several pots of blooming flowers are placed at the corner of the stage, adding a touch of warmth to this gloomy, rainy day.

The thirty-eight-year-old Prince Xun, Yuan Ti, sat upright in the main seat, dressed in a floral robe with a white jade belt around his waist. There were no noble officials or scholars accompanying him, only a group of concubines and mistresses, all dressed in their finest attire, yet all holding their breath and remaining silent, none daring to speak or laugh loudly.

Yuan Ti's wife died of illness last year, and now there is only one concubine and several maids in the mansion.

On the stage, "The Story of a Thousand Pieces of Gold" is being performed. This is a Kunqu opera created by Shen Cai, a playwright of the Ming Dynasty. It is set against the backdrop of the Chu-Han Contention at the end of the Qin Dynasty and tells the story of Han Xin's defection from Chu to Han, his appointment as a general and king, and his eventual triumphant return home to give a thousand pieces of gold to the old woman who had given him a ride.

In the play, Xiang Yu appears in the "Eight Black" costume of a painted-face character, combining "Peerless Palm" movements with "Waaaa" vocal techniques to enhance dramatic tension. Although the play mainly tells the story of Han Xin, it successfully portrays the image of Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Chu.

At this moment, the play is performing the "Secretly Crossing the Chencang Pass" scene. The actor playing Han Xin, wearing a golden helmet and a python robe, is holding a command flag and singing with great passion: "Back when I suffered the humiliation of crawling between someone's legs, who would have thought that I would command a mighty army today? The dust rises on the ancient road of Chencang, and I will hold the mountains and rivers in my palm!"

The musicians on the side of the stage played their hearts out, the sounds of gongs and drums mingling with the sound of rain outside the window.

Yuan Ti was engrossed in the reading, unconsciously gripping the jade wine cup in his hand tightly. In a daze, he seemed to be transported back to those days: when he was appointed Grand General and led a vast army on a western expedition. He remembered the day he set out, fully armored, receiving the commander's seal from his father. The thunderous shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" from the soldiers still echoed in his ears. How majestic he had been then!

"Report! The King of Zhao has surrendered!" The good news came from the stage.

Yuan Ti was suddenly jolted. The Han Xin on the stage before him seemed to gradually transform into himself in his younger days. Back then, he led his army westward, winning battle after battle, driving out the Dzungars and protecting Tibet, and pacifying the Western Regions. When the news of the victory reached the capital, all the officials were full of admiration. He remembered that his father had written three "good" characters in his imperial edict, and the thought still lingered in his mind.

In the blink of an eye, the scene on the stage had changed. There came Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, with a dark face and a bushy beard. He let out a furious roar that seemed to shake the dust off the beams.

"My strength can move mountains and my spirit can conquer the world, but the time is not right and my horse will not move!"

The performance of "Farewell My Concubine" was deeply moving. Yu Ji danced with her sword to bid farewell, tears streaming down her face; Xiang Yu sang a mournful and stirring song, his eyes blazing with grief.

Yuan Ti felt a tightness in his heart. The Xiang Yu on the stage seemed to have become himself. And wasn't Liu Bang, who sat on the dragon throne and forced Xiang Yu into a dead end, just like his fourth brother, the current Emperor Taishun, Yuan Zhen?

"The throne should have been mine!" Yuan Ti shouted in his heart, his nails digging into his palms. "That year, my father clearly favored me. If it weren't for the fourth prince causing trouble in the capital while I was on a western expedition, I would be the Emperor of Daqing now!"

The sound of rain suddenly intensified, pattering against the glazed tiles of the opera house like thousands of iron cavalry trampling across a battlefield.

"Han Xin was eventually appointed a general and made a king, and Xiang Yu was still honored despite his defeat." Yuan Ti felt a tightness in his chest and tilted his head back to drink the wine in his cup in one gulp. "But what about me? Trapped in this golden cage, when my eighth, ninth, and tenth brothers are not causing trouble, I can't even freely enter or leave the palace. Now I've only just gained a little freedom!"

At this moment, the play was depicting the scene of Xiang Yu committing suicide at Wujiang. With his sword in hand, Xiang Yu sang a tragic and desolate song: "All eight thousand of my men have scattered. How can I face Jiangdong?"

Yuan Ti suddenly slammed the wine jug in his hand to the ground! With a crisp "bang," the wine jug shattered, and amber-colored wine splashed everywhere.

The entire audience was astonished. The concubines and mistresses gasped in surprise, some staring in disbelief. The drums and gongs on the stage abruptly stopped, and the actor playing Xiang Yu, sword in hand, froze, unsure what to do. The musicians, holding their instruments, exchanged bewildered glances.

The autumn rain outside the window continues to fall tirelessly, pattering softly, like a mournful lament.

Yuan Ti remained seated, but his chest heaved violently. He gazed at the shards scattered on the ground, recalling how he himself had smashed a wine jug in the west years ago, vowing to destroy it and preserve it. But now…

He sighed deeply and waved his hand: "Keep singing."

On the stage, Xiang Yu finally came to his senses, raised his sword, and sang the last line: "Heaven has forsaken Chu, not because of our failure in battle!"

The autumn rains are getting heavier.

……

……

In Changchun Garden, there is a secluded spot called "Wuyi Zhai" (Studio of No Leisure). The name of this studio is taken from the "Wuyi" chapter of the Book of Documents, meaning "The gentleman should not be idle." It was originally intended to remind the princes and grandsons of the emperor to study diligently and not to be greedy for comfort.

Outside the study, locust and cypress trees are planted everywhere, lush and verdant, subtly echoing the Han Dynasty's "Locust Market" lecture tradition. To the west, the "Inkstone Washing Pool" was dug by drawing water from the Wanquan River. The pool's banks are lined with rugged Taihu stones, on which are engraved the full text of Emperor Jingning's "Wu Yi Pian" (On Leisure), each word a gem.

In front of the temple is a spacious training ground, covered with fine sand and set up with archery targets, which is the place for practicing martial arts and military drills.

At present, Emperor Taishun has only one son, Yuan Zhou, who lives and studies at Wuyizhai. There are also several sons of the retired Emperor Jingning, such as Yuan Xi, Yuan Hu, Yuan Qi, and Yuan Mi, as well as several sons of imperial relatives and nobles who study with him.

On this clear afternoon, the martial arts arena was bustling with activity. Galloping horses neighed in the wind, and bows were drawn to the moon. The sons and grandsons of the emperor, including Yuan Xi, Yuan Hu, Yuan Qi, and Yuan Mi, were either urging their horses on or ready to fire their bows, each move displaying remarkable skill and discipline.

Yuan Zhou, who was only fourteen years old, had an oval face and a pointed chin. Although he was wearing a silk riding and archery uniform, he hid behind the weapon rack, holding a horsewhip and idly whipping the fallen leaves on the ground. His eyes were looking around, showing no intention of practicing martial arts.

While they were idly playing, they suddenly saw a group of people approaching from outside the field. The person in the lead was dressed in bright yellow casual clothes and walked with a powerful stride. Who else could it be but Emperor Taishun? Yuan Zhou was so frightened that his soul almost left his body. The riding whip in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud." Like a mouse seeing a cat, he hurriedly straightened his clothes and stood at attention.

Emperor Taishun's face was ashen, and he shouted sternly, "I saw you slacking off here from afar! How dare you be so negligent!"

Yuan Zhou knelt down with a thud, replying tremblingly, "Your subject... Your subject was tired from practicing just now, and rested for a moment..."

"You still dare to lie!" Emperor Taishun laughed in anger. "I haven't checked your martial arts skills these days, but today I'll see how much you've improved."

Yuan Zhou had no choice but to grit his teeth and demonstrate foot archery. His hand trembled slightly as he drew the bow, and the first arrow missed the target; the second barely grazed the edge. His mounted archery was even more disastrous. The horse seemed to sense his unease, stamping its hooves and rearing up. His arrow, instead of hitting the bullseye, struck a locust tree outside the range, startling a bird into a fluttering flight.

Emperor Taishun grew increasingly furious, pointing his finger at Yuan Zhou and berating him, "What a worthless piece of trash! Your uncles are all diligently practicing, yet you are so lazy. How will you ever shoulder great responsibilities in the future?" These words turned Yuan Zhou's face ashen, and he was drenched in sweat. Seeing him like this, Emperor Taishun became even angrier, and with a flick of his sleeve, said, "Come in with me!"

The two entered Wuyi Studio one after the other.

The room is elegantly furnished, with twelve towering nanmu bookshelves standing majestically, complemented by "revolving treasury" style bookcases crafted by skilled artisans during the Jingning era, capable of holding over three thousand volumes of classic texts. The floor is paved with Suzhou imperial kiln gold bricks, so shiny they reflect light. The room is filled with the fragrance of ink mingling with the scent of locust trees outside the window, truly an ideal place for reading.

Emperor Taishun settled into his grand chair and asked in a deep voice, "Has the policy on water conservancy and agricultural development in the capital region that I assigned three days ago been completed?"

It turns out that three days ago, Emperor Taishun ordered Yuan Zhou to write a policy essay on water conservancy and land reclamation in the capital region, and agreed to check it in three days.

Yuan Zhou stammered for a long time before finally saying, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty has written it, but it hasn't been polished yet. I originally planned to finish it after the riding and archery lessons, but I didn't expect Your Majesty to arrive a little early today..."

According to the usual practice of Wuyizhai, horseback riding and archery training and military courses usually begin at 1 p.m., and policy writing and classical recitation begin at 4 p.m. Emperor Jingning or Emperor Taishun usually come to check the students' work in the evening. Yuan Zhou originally wanted to wait until the last minute, but today Emperor Taishun came early.

"Bring it here for me to see!" Emperor Taishun's voice was now frosty.

Yuan Zhou had no choice but to take out his policy essay from his book box and present it with both hands. Emperor Taishun opened the scroll and immediately turned pale. The paper was written in crooked handwriting, with only a few lines, full of childish phrases such as "water flows downhill" and "farming requires water." In Emperor Taishun's eyes, the writing was utter nonsense.

As Emperor Taishun looked at this incoherent policy essay, he suddenly thought of the recently deceased Crown Prince Yuan Li. If Li were still alive, he would have already composed a thousand-word essay in a single stroke. He also thought of Yuan Yi, who had recently returned to the imperial family. Although only three years older than Yuan Zhou, Yuan Yi was far superior and had already taken charge of the water conservancy and agricultural development in the capital region, managing all affairs in an orderly manner.

Thinking of this, Emperor Taishun felt as if his heart was being torn apart, and his anger burned fiercely. He took out a ruler and ordered Yuan Zhou to extend his hand. The ruler landed on Yuan Zhou's palm, making a "smack, smack" sound, striking each hand ten times. Yuan Zhou couldn't help but scream in pain, and both hands quickly swelled up and turned bright red.

Emperor Taishun threw down the ruler and sighed, "Do you think I want to punish you? Do you know that this vast country and hundreds of millions of people will face many challenges in the future..." He stopped abruptly and changed his words, "How can I be at ease with someone like you who is neither good at literature nor martial arts, and who is only interested in playing and enjoying life?"

After saying this, he stood up, looked at the shadows of the locust trees outside the window, and remained silent for a long time. His back view even showed a bit of desolation.

……

……

At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM) that day, Yuan Zhou was finally able to leave school.

Although Wuyizhai was located within Changchun Garden, it was a place under closed management, which, to Yuan Zhou, was like a cage wrapped in gold and jade. Not to mention that he could not see the scenery outside the garden, even his birth mother, Consort Yu, who lived in the garden, seemed to be separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, and he could not see her at will.

That day, Emperor Taishun tested Yuan Zhou's studies and, seeing that he was neither good at literature nor martial arts, he was furious and slapped his hand. However, he granted Consort Yu permission to see her son that evening so that she could give Yuan Zhou a proper lesson. Therefore, after school that evening, Yuan Zhou hurriedly went to his birth mother's residence.

Consort Yu dismissed the ordinary palace servants, leaving only her trusted maid Yueheng to serve her. Upon seeing Yuan Zhou enter, she called out "Mother" before even bowing, a sound that carried seven parts grievance and three parts coquetry, making Consort Yu's heart ache.

According to palace rules, princes could only address the Empress as "Mother Empress," and their birth mothers as "Niang." The title "Mother Consort" was merely a formality in writing.

"Your father told me everything today." Consort Yu took her son's swollen hand, her heart aching, but she forced a calm expression. "Is it very painful?"

Yuan Zhou couldn't help but complain, "Mother, you don't know, Wu Yi Zhai was always very strict, but ever since Fourth Brother... ever since Fifth Brother passed away, Father has been even more harsh on me." As he spoke, his voice lowered, like the sobbing of an autumn insect, "I feel like I have a thousand-pound burden on my shoulders, I'm so tired..."

Upon hearing this, Consort Yu felt as if her heart had been pierced by needles.

In the past, she only wished for her son's safety, happiness, and to become a wealthy prince. She was naturally open-minded, unlike those scheming concubines, and only sought a peaceful life. But ever since Crown Prince Yuan Li died young, her good-for-nothing son had become a hot candidate for the throne. Not only Emperor Taishun, but even the retired Emperor Jingning placed high hopes on him. This sudden expectation thrust both mother and son into the eye of the storm.

“My son,” Consort Yu gently stroked her son’s head, speaking earnestly, “the situation is different now. Your father has high hopes for you, so you should work harder.”

Before he could finish speaking, Yueheng interjected with a smile: "Sixth Master is exceptionally intelligent. As long as he studies diligently, he will surely achieve great things in the future."

Yuan Zhou couldn't stand the words "diligent study," and immediately frowned, pouting and remaining silent. Seeing his expression, Consort Yu knew he was unhappy, but didn't try to comfort him further. After chatting for a while, seeing that it was time, Yuan Zhou had no choice but to get up and take his leave.

After seeing her son off, Consort Yu sat alone in her room.

The candlelight flickers, casting red tears; the water clock drips, carrying away my sorrow.

She couldn't help but think of Yuan Yi, who had recently returned to the imperial family, and sighed inwardly, "In terms of talent, my son is far behind Yuan Yi. Even though my son grew up in the palace and is a descendant of the emperor and a member of the righteous path, if he continues to make no progress like this, I'm afraid he will..."

She didn't dare to think about it anymore.

It's truly a cruel twist of fate that forces my fledgling son to soar through the skies!

"Master." Yueheng entered unnoticed and draped a brocade robe over her shoulders. "Be careful not to catch a cold."

Consort Yu forced a smile and said, "I'm thinking about what kind of snacks I should send to Zhou'er tomorrow. He really likes your steamed sweet cheese."

Yueheng understood: "It is my honor to be able to make sweet steamed cheese for Sixth Master. However..." She hesitated for a moment, "Sixth Master has been having digestive issues lately, and the imperial physician advised him to eat less sweet and greasy food."

Consort Yu paused for a moment, then smiled wryly and said, "Then let's prepare some Poria cocos cakes."

As she spoke, she walked to the dressing table, took off her headdress and jewelry. Although her face in the mirror was still beautiful, fine lines had crept up around her eyes.

At this moment, she felt both heartache for her son's suffering and worry about his difficult future, and she also felt a bit wary of Yuan Yi.

The peaceful days of the past are truly gone, like flowing water and fallen petals, never to return...

(End of this chapter)