Placid Chang’an

 Su Cen didn't stop his steps until the early evening when the first lantern was lit on. He took a glance at the surroundings. It wasn't the way home at all. A-Fu followed behind with his head down. He must have called him several times, but he didn't respond, so he could only follow after him helplessly. 

 The twilight was gradually rising, and a slight chill of early spring little by little passed through the thin clothes. Su Cen walked over holding the lantern and saw Tianji () Sweet Soup written in official script on the banner flag. It can be seen that the decade-long handwriting is already a little blurred. The shop is just a simple shack made of thatch, with a few tables and stools under it. There is a strict night curfew system in Chang'an City, and a sixty years (1) old man is ​​busy putting stools on the table. Obviously the shop is already closed in the evening.

 Su Cen took a step forward. Originally he just wanted to inquire where this is and how to get back to his residence in Changle Square. When he approached and saw that there were still two bowls of steaming pear soup on the table, he couldn't help but fish out a few copper coins to buy these two bowls of sweet soup.

 When the old man saw it, he hurriedly moved the stool off the table. Su Cen said in a hurry that there's no need and they will just finish drinking while standing here.

 A bowl of warm sweet soup pouring to his stomach made his hands and feet recover some temperature. Su Cen looked at the pitch-black mansion in a distant place and couldn't help asking, "Where is that?"

 The old man followed the person's gaze and said with a smile: "You look like you also came to the Capital to take part in the imperial examination? Why don't you even know the main entrance of the Imperial Institute?"

 Su Cen was startled: "This is the Imperial Institute?"

 The old man smiled kindly and said: "In the daytime, it still looks grand and magnificent. Tomorrow is the Imperial examination, the Imperial Institute is already under strict martial law. It's so pitch and it's no wonder you can't see it."

 "To travel far and wide even to the point of iron shoes being worn out but still being unable to find it, only to discover it by an accident" (2) Su Cen laughed. Seeing that the shop was already closed, he didn't stop there. After saying goodbye to the old man, he thought about walking around the Imperial Institute. He wanted to find out how does the Imperial Institute, which is the heart of myriads of officials, looks like.

 There were three gates in front, and they were all tightly closed now. The plaque above reads the Chang'an Imperial Institute, and there are couplets hanging on the left and right on red pillars:

 The general will fight for himself without any brush and ink. 

 High-ranking officials from clear houses win top marks in the imperial examinations. 

 The inscription with name was Lin Zongqing's, a scholar from the Hanlin Academy. He was the Teacher of the previous Emperor and was the example for all the scholars of the World under Heaven. However, since the death of the previous Emperor, he couldn't bear to see the common practises and atmosphere inside the Imperial Court. He resigned from the government post, returned to his home and established a private school in his hometown village. Although he didn't ask about the affairs of the Imperial Court, he continued to send there in an unending stream talented persons able to bear heavy responsibility.

 Su Cen couldn't refrain his teeth from hurting when he saw his Teacher's handwriting. It was the same writing style that criticized his literary work for not having even a one good point. The extraordinary (3) old man, changed his personality as soon as he picked up the pen. His words were sharp and drawing blood on the first prick , and his eyes were shining and glistening. He waited until the next day and went to find him with a new article. The little old man narrowed his eyes and said : The essay you wrote yesterday also had some positive points. You should consider the matter from both sides, and come to submit a new work tomorrow.

 Su Cen hurriedly avoided the main entrance and looked around the outer wall surrounding the Institute. The wall was more than two Zhang (4) high, and there were thorns on the wall. There is a corner tower every some distance, which shows the strictness.

 Su Cen walked all the way along the east wall. The Imperial Institute, which is enough to accommodate ten thousand people, is only more than one Li (4). In half of a time it takes an incense stick to burn one with Gong Fu can go from the south of the Institute to the north. Just as he was about to turn to the north wall, Su Cen turned around and stood still in the place.

 Immediately after that, he broke out in cold sweat, and his scalp was numb.

 He only saw the fire flame flickering one Chi (4) in front of him. Three or four people neatly knelt on the ground. They were burning paper offerings and muttering incantations (5). The flame was close to those few faces but there were no red cheek. The atmosphere was extremely strange.

 The two sides looked at each other with dismay, and after a while suddenly yelled.

 After a while, a fat man stood up and made a silencing gesture to the two of them. After leaving the radius of strange fire flame, Su Cen realized that these were people.

 "What are you doing?" Su Cen asked with a frown.

 The fat man pulled the person aside and asked in a low voice, "You're also going to take the exam tomorrow, right?"

 Su Cen didn't answer, but the Fatty also didn't mind. He divided half of the paper money he had on hand and handed it to Su Cen, "Quickly go bow and pay your respects (6). Tomorrow you are guaranteed to win top marks in the imperial examination. (7)"

 Su Cen didn't answer, only asked: "You are burning paper here to have your name signed in the Golden List (7)."

 "You must have never inquired about it, right?" The fat man leaned and said into Su Cen's ear mysteriously: "There are ghosts in this Imperial Institute."

 Su Cen was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help rolling his eyes, thinking in his heart : You are like ghosts. Fortunately he was hidden from view by the dim light of night, and the fatty also didn't care. He dragged Su Cen and continued: "Many years ago, there was an official who participated in the imperial examination. As a result, he died of coughing too much blood (8) in the examination room. Because of his resentment he turned into a malicious ghost and wandered inside. He came out to harass those scholars before the exam. But if you came to pay respects and offer sacrifices the day before the examination, he will not make things difficult for you," he said. He put the paper money in Su Cen's hand again, "Hurry up and make an offering, you must be respectful, otherwise it will not work."

 Su Cen returned the paper money to Fatty, "No need, I don't believe in this."

 "It's better to believe it than not," Fatty was still persistently trying to convince him: "Young people should still be revered. I only tell you this because we were brought together by fate. I won't tell this to others."

 Didn't you say this to these three kneeling people?

 "Thank you." Su Cen smiled, turned and left.

 The fat man shook his head helplessly, and continued to kneel down and burn the paper money in his hand.

 The two finally returned home before the night curfew. The inn near the Chunqi City was already full. Fortunately, the Old Master bought a residence for him. If not, he perhaps would have to follow those who came over to the temples outside the city and would have to discuss with others. After  instructing A-Fu to lock the door, Su Cen sat on the chair for a while. For a while it was Qu Ling'er's delicate face, and for a while it was that fat man burning paper money under the fire light. In the end it turned into a pair of that bottomless eyes. He claims to be someone who has seen the world, but no one has ever given him such a strong sense of oppression.

 If it was said that before  he was like a cat baring his fangs and brandishing his claws while making threatening gestures (9), then now in front of that person, he was like being pinched on the back of his neck. He was scared all over his body but was unable to move even a bit.

 And that man just glanced at him.

 A-Fu held the lantern and brought it up. He asked cautiously while probing, "Second Young Master, are you still studying (10)?"

 Su Cen looked at the stack of scriptures on the table, and said, "Put the lantern down, and then you can withdraw." Without extra trouble he took out the copy of Doctrine of the Mean, flipped through two pages, and threw it back.

 He used all his strength as usual. This kind of professing devotion only when in trouble and doing things in the last minute was really not his style (11). When he turned around a little, he saw that A-Fu was still standing in the same place, carefully saying: "Second Young Master, how about I go to burn some paper money on behalf of you? I know that the Second Young Master disdains to do this kind of thing, but just like the fat man said, I would rather believe it than not. I will go for the Second Young Master, and you will rest at home."

 This A-Fu is the man under the Old Master. Su Cen originally thought that he was the man sent by the Old Master to supervise him, but now it seems that he really cares about him. He couldn't help joking: "You are really not afraid that when going in the middle of the night you will be dragged in and eaten by that malicious ghost?"

 A-Fu was startled, his face turned pale, but he insisted: "This...but..."

 Su Cen said with a smile: "Don't worry, your Second Young Master has real skills. You don't need to rely on the protection of spirits and gods. You can go back and rest now. Don't make any noise to disturb my sleep. And if you do, when the time comes I will pull you to feed the ghosts."

 A-Fu grinned, bowed and walked out.

 The next day, Su Cen prepared books, equipment, lanterns, three candles, and followed the majestic army of officials to the gate of the Imperial Institute. Looking at his Teacher's large writing, he bared his teeth and entered the main entrance.

 Seeing that his Young Master finally entered the gate without any mishap (12), and that until the entrance was closed securely, there wasn't even a moth going out, A-Fu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

 The test-taking place in Imperial Institute is an examination room (13) with a length of five Chi, a width of four Chi and a height of eight Chi. If it has to be pleasant to hear, it's called examination room, but if it can be unpleasant, it's not even as good as a cage. There are three exams in total, each for three days. It means that at night one have to sleep in this small cage. The weather was cold, and the ground was frozen, even the legs couldn't be stretched. Su Cen couldn't help twitching the corners of his mouth when he saw it. He just wanted to finish writing his essay as soon as possible and go out early. He didn't want to stay overnight if he could. 

 After finding his own number of examination room, Su Cen who just wanted to enter, heard a few clamors behind him. He turned around a little, and saw a tall and thin man pointing at a fat man and yelling at him.

 Su Cen raised his eyebrows, and by coincidence, this fat man was the one who burned the paper last night.

 "You are a butcher's son. Passing the exam and becoming a Juren was already a blessing smoked from the ancestral grave, and you dare to come to the spring examination (14). We are all from private schools, are you not clear about your background? You still dare to come out and be a dusgrace!"

 Not long after, there was a circle of people around him. The thin man had a tendency to become more and more courageous, and the fat man just lowered his head and wiped the sweat from his forehead from time to time. In February, he was scolded and began sweating, but he didn't retaliate. Either this person was too timid or too shrewd with deep plans.

 It was not until the crowd of soldiers who were patrolling in the Imperial Institute were disturbed, that the crowd gradually dispersed. The thin man scolded and walked away. The fat man wiped his sweat and turned his head to look at Su Cen's profound smile.

 Fatty obviously recognized Su Cen as well, he forced out a smile, cupped his hands, and entered an examination room next door.

 Only then did Su Cen turn around and walked into his small cage. As soon as he entered the door, someone locked them. Su Cen put the pen and inkstone on the table one by one and stretched out. He closed his eyes, concentrated, and suddenly again opened them. His eyes were clear, bright and sharp.

__________

Notes:

() 田记 Tianji

-I wasn't sure how to translate it, quess it's the name of the shop, so leaving in pinyin. 

(1)花甲

• complete sexagenary cycle

• a 60 year-old person

(2) 踏破铁鞋无觅处得来全不费工夫

-To travel far and wide looking for something but not finding it, only to find it later easily. 

-It means that when someone was looking for something, even the iron shoes on his feet were worn out but he still could not find it. But when he didn't expect, he discovered it without any effort. 

- Something that is urgently needed can't be found even with great effort, but is obtained by accident.

-From "Water Margin" 《水浒传》

(3)仙风鹤骨

-lit. Wind Immortal with crane bones

? 

~A little strange, but did some searching:

-It is used to describe an extraordinary person. 

(4) Ancient Chinese Measurements:

1丈 (zhang)=10尺 (chi)= 3.33m

1尺 (chi)=10寸 (cun)= 33.3cm

1寸 (cun)=3.33cm

1里 (li) = ~500m 

(5)念念有词

-'muttering to oneself/mumbling

-It is used to refer to superstitious people who kept reciting spoken words and incantations when they prayed to communicate with the gods. 

-(Now it is mostly used to describe people who mumble and talk non-stop.)

-From "Yourney to the West" 《西游记》

(6)拜拜

-lit.'bow'

***

• to pay one's respects by bowing with hands in front of one's chest clasping joss sticks, or with palms pressed together

(7)金榜题名

-one's name signed in the Golden List 

-to win top marks in the imperial examinations

(8)咯血

-it's hemoptysis

-but those are ancient times so I used coughing blood.

(9)张牙舞爪

• to bare fangs and brandish claws 

-to make threatening gestures

(10)读书

-(also many other meanings) 

• to read a book

• to study

• to attend school

(11)临时抱佛脚

• to clasp the Buddha's feet when danger arises - to profess devotion only when in trouble

• doing things at the last minute

• making a hasty last-minute effort

-From "Reading of the classics"《读经》 by Meng Jiao 孟郊

(12)有惊无险

• to be more scared than hurt 

• to get through a daunting experience without mishaps

(13)舍 She

-This is the place where the ancients took the exams, so I translated it as examination room. 

- The room is similar to this 舍 character:

 舍

(14)春闱

~because it was organized around spring