Author: Yue Xia Die Ying

NOTES:

  1. Fǔ – household; official residence; mansion
  2. Hou Shizi – Viscount; Marquis’ heir
  3. Xiangjun (Country Lord) – Title given to wives or daughters of high ranking noblemen
  4. Gōng zǐ – title used for sons of officials or nobility (I’ve translated this as Lord)
  5. Tanhua – Third ranked candidate in the Imperial examination system
  6. Jùn jūn – Title given to female members of the imperial clan; 2 ranks above Xiangjun; Translated as “Lady of a Commandery” or “Lady of the First Rank” (I will be using the term Jun Princess for this rank)

Chapter 7 (Part 1) – Jun Princess

Shen Yu had never thought that he would meet such humiliation and be whipped like a dog in the middle of the street, surrounded by people.

“Shen Tanhua is clean and upright like jade and he doesn’t want to be a vulgar person who hurts the other after leaving.” Ban Hua sneered down at him from horseback and the mockery was almost engraved on her face. “Well, treat it as though this Xiangjun was blind at the time to agree to your courtship after you pestered my parents relentlessly. Unexpectedly, you shamelessly burnt the bridge after crossing the river. Once you ranked as Tanhua, you betrayed your true colours and let me see your vile character. “

At this time, Shen Yu was caught between defending himself or not defending himself. He looked around with a flushed face at the people gathered around him to watch the scene and swallowing the anger in his heart, he stiffly said to Ban Hua, “Ban Xiangjun, please stop this.”

Had Ban Hua gone crazy? She was a Xiangjun who dared to publicly flog  the Tanhua personally chosen by the Emperor. Did she not care about her reputation or her future marriage?

“Oh, yes.” Ban Hua suddenly said, “You just said that I was being excessive because I whipped a court official in the streets? “

Watching Ban Hua sitting tall on horseback and looking down on him, a bad hunch was born in Shen Yu’s heart.

“Relax, very soon you won’t be a titled official of the imperial court any more.” Ban Hua looked at Shen Yu’s shocked and frightened face and laughed out loud. She immediately pulled the horse’s reins and let the horse trot away.

“Ban Xiang Jun!”

“Ban Xiang Jun!”

Shen Yu wanted to catch up with her, but Ban Heng, who was following Ban Hua, suddenly turned his head to stare at him, raising the whip in his hand, “Take one more step if you dare.” “

Shen Yu remembered the pain from being whipped just before and didn’t dare to move forward. All he could do was feel anxiety and hatred. Were all the Ban family people crazy?

Early in the morning the next day, as the Emperor held court, an Imperial Censor accused Ban Hua saying that she, as a Xiangjun related to the royal family whose title was bestowed by the Emperor’s grace, had exceeded limits and acted too unruly by going so far as to personally punish officials.

This was originally a trivial matter, but when the Imperial Censor described it, it became a big event. Before the emperor could speak, a few Imperial Censors had started to quarrel among themselves.

Fortunately, there were no major events to be discussed in court that day and so all the honoured courtiers started noisily discussing the issue of Ban Xiangjun flogging the Tanhua.

“Your Majesty,” Just as everyone became more and more noisy, an unexpected person stood up and said, “Your humble servant has an opinion on this issue. I wonder if the honoured courtiers would be willing to listen to my paltry words?”

The Censors saw that it was Count Cheng An who had spoken and hurriedly fell silent.

“In this humble servant’s view, this was not a case of the Xiangjun whipping an official of the court, but instead it was the beating of a heartless man by a jilted woman,” Rong Xia cupped his hands in salute “This humble servant heard that Shen Tanhua had begged Jingting Hou Fu for marriage before passing the imperial examination. Jingting Hou saw his infatuation and without looking down on him for lacking a status to match the Xiangjun, accepted his request to marry her.” Rong Xia said measuredly, “An engaged man who couldn’t wait to get out of the marriage he had begged for once he passed the Imperial Examination. Isn’t that the essence of ungratefulness? Honoured courtiers too have women in their families. Why not put yourself in the Ban family’s shoes and think?”

The whole Imperial court suddenly calmed down. After a long while, a single Imperial censor stood out to say, “Ban Xiangjun is so arrogant and extravagant and how many men in this world can bear her behaviour? Since Count Cheng An is so eloquent, it ’s better for him to marry her.”

“Honoured Censor,” Rong Xia said in a cold voice, “You have studied for dozens of years to your present status where you can stand in the Emperor’s Throne Room, just to sneer at a woman and demean a lady’s reputation?”

“If this is the Imperial Cendor’s noble demeanor,” Rong Xia cupped his hand in salute towards the emperor sitting on the throne, “Your Majesty, your humble servant is ashamed to be associated with such a person!”

“Your Majesty , this humble servant also feels that what Count Cheng An said is justified.”

“Your servant second this!”

The Censor who had been reprimanded by Rong Xia seemed to be tottering on the verge on collapse and his face was pale as paper. Without needing to look up, he knew what expressions the colleagues around him were looking at him with.

Rong Xia, who is a famous scholarly gentleman in Beijing has now said that he is ashamed to associate with him. What will people in Beijing think of him in the future? It’s over, it’s all over.

Rong Xia looked at him, then simply silently saluted the emperor and backed away. He retreated to stand quietly in his original position.

A jade-like elegant nobleman stood upright with a pale face, seemingly in a trance.

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TL’s Meanderings:

Shen Yu gets his just desserts and Rong Xia gets to stand up for Ban Hua.