Regrettably, he failed the imperial examination for the juren degree three times in a row, his mastery of the eight-legged essay proving no match for the test, often prompting him to ask himself: “Could it be that my essays are inferior to others? Or perhaps I was simply not destined to enjoy the honor of becoming a xiaolian (successful candidate in the imperial examination).” By the nineteenth year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign, when the provincial examination was held again, he hired an “essay ghostwriter” at great expense to sit the exam for him. A man who was himself known for his skill in writing examination essays actually had to hire someone else to take the test for him — and under normal circumstances, he should have stayed hidden and avoided showing his face. Yet, unable to resist the urge to showcase his talents, he also took on ghostwriting jobs for others, accepting meager compensation for sitting exams on their behalf.
Unwilling to Let Go of the Governor’s Seat
According to historical anecdotes collected by the renowned scholar Gao Boyu, this particular examination produced quite a few notable figures. The illustrious Kang Youwei (also known as Kang Youwei) passed with distinction, as did Bao San, the father of Liang Shiyi. Jiang Kongyi succeeded, and he himself passed by ghostwriting for Li Qiaofen. Overjoyed, Xialord immediately picked up his brush to compose a couplet to boast of his feat:
An accomplished writer hiring a ghostwriter — if you must hide it, you're no hero;
A wealthy man setting off firecrackers — if you make it across, you’re a sage!
“Setting off firecrackers” was a slang term from the imperial examination era, referring to someone who ghostwrote for another candidate and still managed to pass. Xialord, who was himself an accomplished writer but took on ghostwriting jobs, and who, as a wealthy man (most of whom were not well-educated), still managed to pass the exams — truly had something to boast about. More than a decade later, Xialord passed the imperial examination in the 30th year of Guangxu’s reign (the 29th year according to Wang Xiwen’s writings, which is inaccurate), ranking 27th in the second class of the imperial list (Jinshi, second class). He became one of the last group of successful imperial examination candidates of the late Qing Dynasty. He entered the Hanlin Academy and was thus referred to as Jiang Taishi (Grand Secretary Jiang). He was appointed as a shujishi (a probationary official) and returned to Guangzhou to assist the Viceroy of Liangguang, Cen Chunxuan, in establishing modern schools. He repurposed the site of the old examination hall into the Liangguang Advanced Normal School (later renamed as the Higher Normal School, then Guangdong University, and eventually Sun Yat-sen University). He also closed down Changshou Temple and confiscated its property to fund these educational initiatives. Xialord played a significant role in these efforts and, upon recommendation from local officials, was exempted from the usual probationary period and directly appointed as a Hanlin compiler. Later, he invested in purchasing the position of a provincial governor candidate in Jiangsu, though he never assumed the post as the Qing Dynasty fell before he could do so.
When the Xinhai Revolution broke out, Xialord quickly adapted to the changing tides by being the first to cut off his queue (traditional Manchu-style hairstyle), supporting the revolution and the movement against the Manchus. He did so not out of political conviction but simply because he wanted an official position. Unexpectedly, after Hu Hanmin took over as Viceroy of Guangdong, he paid little attention to Xialord. Whenever Xialord made requests, they were mostly turned down by Hu Hanmin. Chen Jiongming, a Hakka native from Huizhou, was not very familiar with the backgrounds of Guangzhou’s gentry. However, seeing Xialord’s eloquence and seemingly versatile talents — as well as the fact that his residence in Henan, Guangzhou (Taishi Mansion) was always bustling with guests and filled with wine — Chen Jiongming took a liking to him. Thus, a close relationship developed between Chen Jiongming and Xialord. Liang Shiyi, Secretary-General of Yuan Shikai’s presidential office and a Hanlin scholar from the Jiawu year of the Guangxu reign (like Xialord, who was a Hanlin scholar from the Jiachen year), shared a traditional bond as fellow literati and fellow provincials. Their prior connections in Beijing naturally led to a warm and amicable relationship.
Dissatisfied with Hu Hanmin’s lack of cooperation and the absence of personal gain, and sensing Chen Jiongming’s lingering ambition for the governor’s seat in Guangdong, Xialord secretly arranged a meeting with Chen at his Taishi Mansion one night. Xialord revealed that he had old ties with Liang Shiyi and could travel to Beijing to help Chen remove Hu Hanmin, paving the way for Chen to become the Governor of Guangdong. Upon hearing this, Chen Jiongming found it perfectly aligned with his own wishes and rewarded Xialord with a substantial sum of money to cover his travel expenses for the Beijing mission. Xialord, who was always skilled in socializing and worldly-wise, managed to speak convincingly to Yuan Shikai. Yuan was naturally pleased and personally instructed Liang Shiyi to extend proper hospitality to Xialord.
At the time, Liang Shiyi reportedly told Xialord that the Beijing government’s policy toward provincial governance required a separation between military and civil administration — the governor would oversee military affairs while a separate civil governor would manage civil matters. He suggested that if Xialord could ensure Chen Jiongming’s support for the Beijing government, Xialord would be appointed as the civil governor of Guangdong. Delighted, Xialord stayed in Beijing, awaiting good news.
The Dream of Becoming Civil Governor Shattered
Around this time, the assassination of Song Jiaoren in Shanghai gradually escalated tensions. Relations between the Beijing government and the Kuomintang grew hostile, and governors of four southeastern provinces issued telegrams in solidarity with members of parliament, opposing Yuan Shikai’s massive foreign loan. The momentum was intense. Enraged and humiliated, Yuan Shikai dismissed the governors of Jiangsu (Cheng Dequan), Anhui (Bai Wenwei), Jiangxi (Li Liejun), and Guangdong (Hu Hanmin) during the summer and autumn of 1913. He then appointed Chen Jiongming as the Governor of Guangdong.
Soon after, Li Liejun raised the anti-Yuan flag in Hukou, Jiangxi. At the behest of Huang Xing, Wang Jingwei traveled from Shanghai to the south to urge Chen Jiongming to declare independence in Guangdong and join the anti-Yuan front. Chen Jiongming, a man driven by self-interest, had originally hoped to rely on Yuan Shikai to establish his own rule in southern China. Being urged to declare independence and rise against Yuan was certainly not music to his ears.
Therefore, Wang Jingwei specially invited Zhu Zhixin to accompany him on this mission. As a senior member of the party, Wang was highly respected, and Zhu Zhixin, a mentor to Chen Jiongming, was someone Chen deeply revered. With their combined persuasive powers, the two managed to convince Chen Jiongming within a single night.
Chen Jiongming issued a telegram declaring war against Yuan Shikai. The most embarrassed person at this point was Jiang Xialord, who was still in Beijing. Yuan Shikai summoned Xialord to the presidential palace for a harsh interrogation, with even Liang Shiyi unable to help. Fortunately, Xialord was a clever and eloquent man. He argued: “Anyone can father a son, but no one can father their son’s heart. Chen Jiongming’s fickleness was beyond expectation. As for Kongyi (Jiang Xialord), his lack of caution is undeniable.” Though Yuan Shikai remained visibly angry, Liang Shiyi intervened to smooth things over, and Xialord was allowed to leave. He promptly booked passage back south, and his dream of becoming civil governor of Guangdong was shattered — this time, thanks to Chen Jiongming dragging him down significantly.
In 1915, Xialord was hired as the southern China general agent for the British-American Tobacco Company, engaging in fierce commercial competition with the Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company. The Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company was founded by the Jian brothers from Nanhai — Jian Zhaonan and Jian Yujie. Xialord accused Nanyang Tobacco of being backed by Japanese capital, with Jian Zhaonan (who had acquired Japanese citizenship) serving as the face of the company. During this period, when the Japanese government pressured China to sign the Twenty-One Demands, sparking nationwide anti-Japanese sentiment and boycotts of Japanese goods, this accusation proved effective. As a result, Nanyang Tobacco’s business plummeted, while British-American Tobacco’s sales soared. According to Gao Boyu’s writings, Xialord earned an annual income of 200,000 yuan, though some claimed it was even higher. But judging by his extravagant spending habits, it was clear he was living in great prosperity — “making waves and raking in profits.”
In 1930, Xialord returned to Guangzhou and leased over a thousand acres of unclaimed government land in Luogang Cave, a suburb, where he established the Jianglanzhai Farm and Bee Farm. He improved fruit varieties and introduced high-quality foreign bee species, yielding renowned produce such as Luogang oranges, black lychees, and golden honey — all of which remain famous to this day. His concubine Rui Xin, fifth son Yu Gui, and eleventh daughter Wan Zheng served as farm manager, technician, and other roles respectively, turning it into a true family enterprise. He also developed a small railway from Nangang to Luogang Market and invested in water conservancy projects, eventually depleting his fortune. In 1938, when Guangzhou fell to Japanese forces, Xialord fled to Hong Kong with his family, and the Jianglanzhai Farm ceased operations. (To be continued)