Chapter Sixty-Four: The Deer Banquet

A loud shout rang out, "The Magistrate has arrived!"

The surrounding commoners paid their respects to their local official one after another. Wang Xingyang walked at the front, followed by attendants carrying the imperial headwear, robes, and a plaque bestowed upon the new provincial graduate. In addition to the standard headwear, robes, and plaque normally sent to a provincial graduate by the Provincial Administration Commission, a top-five scorer in the provincial examination was additionally awarded twenty taels of silver, which were meant for building an archway in their honor.

Magistrate Wang walked forward and said to Li Jie, "Congratulations, brother, on placing first as the Jieyuan in the Fujian Jiyou Provincial Examination, and may you continuously ascend the imperial roster in the upcoming capital examination!"

Li Jie smiled and replied, "Thank you, Your Honor. It is merely a stroke of good fortune."

"There is no need for such modesty, younger brother. To achieve the rank of Jieyuan at such a youthful age—why, back in the day, Duke Wenyi was also twenty-one when he placed first. I wish you the same success as Duke Wenyi in achieving the 'Three Successive Firsts'!"

Duke Wenyi referred to Shang Lu, the Senior Grand Secretary of the Chenghua era. He was the second-ever recipient of the Three Successive Firsts as top scholar in Ming Dynasty history, though nowadays he was considered the only one. The other was Huang Guan, the "six-time top scholar" of the Jianwen era—who had placed first in the county examination, prefectural examination, academy examination, provincial examination, capital examination, and palace examination. However, after Zhu Di usurped the throne, Huang Guan remained loyal and drowned himself in the river, causing his name to be struck from the imperial roster until his reputation was finally vindicated during the Wanli era.

Once a student passed the provincial examination, they stepped into the ranks of the upper gentry. While an ordinary scholar's personal seal could only read "Seal of So-and-so," a provincial graduate was permitted to carve "Seal of Your Servant So-and-so," marking their formal entry into the bureaucratic class. When commoners met a magistrate, they were required to kneel; regular scholars addressed an audience with the magistrate as a humble petition; but provincial graduates interacted with magistrates on equal footing and could address each other as brothers. This was the reason why Wang Xingyang could address Li Jie as a brother.

The future of a provincial graduate was exceptionally bright, with multiple paths available to them. They could either continue to the capital examination and forge ahead courageously on the path of the imperial examinations, or they could content themselves with being a wealthy gentleman at home. There were countless people willing to offer gifts of money and property upon one's success in the provincial examinations, and many would even register their farmland under a provincial graduate's name to take advantage of tax exemptions.

This was precisely why so many students were passionately devoted to the provincial examinations, willing to spend their entire lives poring over the classics without regret.

Li Jie replied, "I dare not harbor extravagant hopes of the Three Successive Firsts; I only ask to be called out as a top contender at the Golden Hall!"

Magistrate Wang said, "Today, acting on the orders of Administration Commissioner Chen, I have come to deliver the bestowed garments and plaque. Once you have changed into the official attire, younger brother, you must proceed to the Examination Hall to pay your respects, and do not forget to attend tomorrow's Deer Banquet."

With that, he waved his hand to signal the bailiffs to step forward. The red cloth covering the plaque was pulled away, revealing the inscription: "Fujian Jiyou Provincial Examination Jieyuan," signed by Fujian Provincial Administration Commissioner Chen Bin.

***

After changing his clothes, Li Jie accompanied the magistrate to the Examination Hall to pay his respects to Zhang Yuanzhen, the chief examiner of this provincial examination. Zhang Yuanzhen was now the mentor to all the successful provincial graduates. Li Jie's journey to the Examination Hall was a scene of boundless glory; all along the way, he was escorted by drum music, an honor guard, and soldiers. From the Fengchi Ward all the way to the Examination Hall, the streets were deserted of stay-at-homes as countless curious onlookers crowded the thoroughfares to catch a glimpse of what the new Jieyuan looked like. The bustling atmosphere was no less grand than the triumphal horse-riding parade following the palace examination.

The scholars waiting outside the Examination Hall could not help but gaze upon this magnificent spectacle with envy, sighing with emotion that a true man should strive to be thus.

Li Jie glanced around and caught sight of Lun Wenxu. As the auspicious hour had arrived, there was no time for conversation; Li Jie led the assembled graduates into the Examination Hall to pay their respects to the examiners and express their gratitude for being selected. After the etiquette was concluded, Zhang Yuanzhen and the various examiners offered words of encouragement to the new graduates. By the time the ceremony ended, dusk was falling, and Zhang Yuanzhen said:

"Gentlemen, we shall meet again tomorrow at the Deer Banquet!"

The Deer Banquet was modeled after the ancient ritual of village wine-drinking, where successful candidates were invited to a banquet. First, it celebrated their selection, and second, it served as a farewell for their journey to the capital the following year to take the metropolitan examination. Because the banquet featured the singing of "The Deer Sings" from the *Classic of Poetry*, it was known as the Deer Banquet.

The following day, the Deer Banquet was generally hosted by the provincial administration commissioner's office or the regional inspector's office. Because the regional inspector was not yet a permanent office during the Hongzhi era, it was hosted by the Provincial Administration Commission office as per convention, and the new graduates flocked to attend.

In the eighth lunar month, the osmanthus flowers across the full city were in full bloom, enveloping the entire city of Fuzhou in their sweet fragrance. Chariots rumbled and horses neighed; the Provincial Administration Commission office was brightly lit with lanterns and colorful ribbons, and the sounds of ritual music played on without end.

By the time Li Jie arrived, many graduates had already gathered in small groups, chatting with one another. There were also smooth-talking social butterflies weaving through the crowd, skillfully managing relationships on all sides. The Deer Banquet was also an important social venue; in one's future official career, mentors and fellow examination classmates were vital networks of human resources. Upon seeing Li Jie, many people stepped forward to offer their congratulations.

Seeing Li Jie arrive, Lun Wenxu walked up to him and said, "Junior brother, congratulations on claiming the top spot!"

"Congratulations to you as well, Senior brother. How did it feel when you heard your name called out at the Singing Hall?"

Lun Wenxu wore an intoxicated smile, as if savoring the memory, and then recited: "Few are those who reach the highest peak, like the tall pine standing proud and unique."

"The Administration Commissioner has arrived!"

***

At the loud cry of the bailiffs, the hall instantly fell into dead silence. The new graduates stopped talking and bowed in anticipation, while the ritual music ceased its playing.

Chen Bin, the Left Administration Commissioner of the Fujian Provincial Administration Commission, walked forward surrounded by an entourage. Having just been promoted from Right Administration Commissioner to Left Administration Commissioner in May, he was in charge of a province's civil administration, land taxes, and household registration, making him the highest-ranking civil official in the province.

When Li Jie raised his eyes and caught sight of Chen Bin, a look of profound astonishment crossed his face. Although ten people were walking toward them, there were only nine sounds of footsteps. As Administration Commissioner Chen walked, the sound of his breathing was barely perceptible, and if one closed their eyes, it was entirely impossible to sense his presence. This state was precisely the sign of internal martial arts reaching the pinnacle of perfection, with all eight extraordinary meridians completely open. When Chen Shanxhang had previously mentioned renowned masters, he had not included this man; presumably, he had only just stepped into this realm in recent years.

Chen Bin swept his gaze across the surroundings, and the scholars whose eyes met his were instantly overwhelmed by his imposing aura, involuntarily taking half a step back. Only Li Jie met his gaze with calm composure. Seeing this, the corners of Chen Bin's mouth curled up slightly as he looked Li Jie over with keen interest.

Chen Bin addressed the crowd, saying, "Today's banquet serves two purposes: first, to congratulate you all on placing on the osmanthus roll, and second, to wish you all continuous victories in the capital examination next year. Everyone seated here is a pillar of our province. The reigning emperor is sagely and wise, and we live in an era ripe for establishing great achievements—let us encourage one another!"

Hearing this, the crowd bowed in unison and said, "Thank you, Your Honor, for your instruction!"

When the Deer Banquet commenced, it was customary to first sing the poem "The Deer Sings," a musical piece originating from "Minor Odes of the Kingdom" in the *Classic of Poetry*. The first three chapters begin with: "呦呦鹿鸣，食野之苹" (呦呦 calls the deer, eating the wild duckweed), "呦呦鹿鸣，食野之蒿" (呦呦 calls the deer, eating the wild mugwort), and "呦呦鹿鸣，食野之芩" (呦呦 calls the deer, eating the wild parsnip).

The meaning was that when a deer discovered delicious food, it would not forget its companions, issuing "you-you" cries to summon its peers to eat together. The ancients considered this behavior a virtue, and thus the common people followed the example of their superiors. The Son of Heaven feasted his ministers, and local officials feasted their colleagues, local graduates, and local gentry, using this gesture to win the hearts of the people and display their humility in welcoming the wise. The Deer Banquet originated in the Tang Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty followed the tradition, holding it on the second day after the provincial examination results were posted.

When the wind and string instruments began to play, Li Jie, as the newly minted Jieyuan, naturally took the lead in singing: "呦呦鹿鸣，食野之苹。我有嘉宾，鼓瑟吹笙。吹笙鼓簧，承筐是将。人之好我，示我周行。"

The other graduates harmonized with Li Jie's voice. As everyone sang in unison, dancers moved gracefully to the music, performing the Kui Star Dance. After the three chapters were sung, the ritual was complete, and the dancers slowly withdrew.