就说 身有暗疾 无法再继续科举
“a chronic illness prevents you from continuing your studies,”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
你自上书礼部
“to the Ministry of Rites and claim that”
就说 身有 暗疾 无法 再继续 科举
“a chronic illness prevents you from continuing your studies,”
第二条
“or I”
“Take this fabricated excuse to step down quietly before worse consequences follow.”
In imperial Chinese bureaucratic culture, citing a hidden ailment allowed officials or candidates to withdraw from competition without publicly admitting political defeat, disgrace, or loss of favor.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
afflicted with a hidden ailment or unmentionable chronic illness
A formal, archaic idiom often used as an excuse to excuse oneself from public duties or military/bureaucratic service.
imperial examination system
Used in historical contexts to refer to the nationwide exams used to select civil servants in imperial China.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“If he really had the ability to pass the imperial exam,”
“Why don't you go study and take the imperial exams too?”
“if he really takes the exam,”
“The current imperial exams are plagued by fraud and corruption.”
“he probably won't even pass the preliminary exams.”
“He's gravely ill and beyond cure.”