"Returning to Before Husband's Castration" 《回到老公自宫前》Chapter 45

 Lu Ying was the precious daughter of a powerful family, she didn’t know the smokes and fires of the human world, the guards she had secretly sent to mix in with the commoners had been noticed by Wang Da Xia.

However Lu Ying’s attitude was straightforward, she’ll change if she knew she was wrong, she didn’t take offence to Wang Da Xia’s teasing of “that brainless person”, of course she was also indifferent to his flattery, she only knew she had to solve the problem, she asked: “I really didn’t think it through, in your opinion what should the tea stand be changed to?”

Having an open-minded superior asking for advice, Wang Da Xia didn’t hold back, he said: “The tea stand has already been set up, the owner being changed twice in one day would be suspicious, why not move a few carts of watermelon over, sell large cups of tea and watermelons, it’s so hot people will eat watermelons throughout the day to quench the thirst and heat.”

Lu Ying ordered a subordinate, “Buy a few carts of watermelon and send them over.”

Wang Da Xia added: “Remember to buy Daxing watermelons, us Wanping people like to eat Daxing watermelons.”

Lu Ying said: “Follow his words.”

Thinking about it she asked Wang Da Xia, “What’s the difference between Wanping watermelon and Daxing watermelon?”

“Hit it.” Wang Da Xia crooked his palm, using his fingers to tap the air, “You just ask `Hey, are you Wanping or Daxing?”

Lu Ying was surprised, she then realised Wang Da Xia was teasing her, she kicked the oar at him, “Go paddle your boat!”

Wang Da Xia grinned, walking away with the oar.

Lu Ying went to pay her respect to Lu Bing, Lu Bing’s facial expression had almost completely recovered, he could walk with no problems, after over half a month, his complexion was a lot rosier, he looked at himself in the mirror, “Tonight we’ll return home together, if we continue to stay at the yamen people at home will be suspicious, my complexion is too good for someone who is so busy at the yamen to not be able to return home, yiren will be suspicious.”

Lu Bing’s four wives had died consecutively, the yiren he referred to was the mother of Lu Ying and his five daughters, although madam Li was a concubine, she however was bestowed a fifth rank title, those bestowed a fifth rank in the Ming dynasty were called yiren, that’s why she was often called yiren Li.

Yiren Li was also the niece of Lu Bing’s stepmother, old lady Li, at first when she entered the Lu residence, she was a treasured concubine.

Lu Bing’s birth mother was the wet nurse of emperor Jia Jing, she died early, even though old lady Li was his stepmother, she still brought Lu Bing up with great care, nurturing him to become a person worthy of respect, a great warrior.

Lu Bing really respected his stepmother, Lu Bing lost his wife, his eldest and second son had died prematurely, in order to have an heir, old lady Li married her niece into the family.

Madam Li gave birth to five daughters in a row, each one was still alive, not an easy feat, Lu Bing then requested for her to be bestowed the fifth rank title of yiren.

Lu Ying said: “I said to yiren that I have been supervising father and urging you to eat on time and made you quit drinking so your health is better than before. This year’s dragon boat festival, you can’t even drink realgar wine, I’ll keep you company and drink fruit drink.”

Fortunately his daughter was giving him a cover, Lu Bing smiled: “We’ll do as you said, let’s return home tonight, tomorrow is the dragon boat festival, we don’t need to work.”

Lu Ying saw her father was well, her mood was also a lot better, after she went back to finish her work, she thought about how Wang Da Xia could tell with a glance there was something wrong with the tea stand, she became aware of her failings so she changed into plain clothes to go take a look at the tea stand herself.

The tea stand was covered with watermelons, there were more people eating watermelons than drinking tea, the peanuts, melon seeds and other roasted snacks were not being sold at all.

In the middle of summer, apart from the wealthy families who had ice in their house, commoners wouldn’t touch snacks which were easy to cause internal heat like the roasted snacks.

Lu Ying found a place to sit, she ordered two slices of watermelon, when she handed over the money she quietly instructed the subordinate pretending to sell watermelons, “Just get rid of the peanuts and melon seeds.”

Lu Ying ate the watermelon while looking around, she listened to everything, feeling the smoke and fire of the market, the commoner’s world and the world she grew up in were completely different, they bustled about to have three meals a day, they were vexed over things she felt were trivial and would put their all into it…

Actually even if they got to her father’s position, even the emperor, they still had their own problems and things they wanted, could this be what the scripture meant by all living things suffer, only when the four elements are void, then you can escape from suffering?

As she was thinking about this, a familiar person came over to buy watermelon, it was Ding Wu.

Ding Wu saw Lu Ying, at first he was surprised, then he understood the embroidered uniform guards were watching him, he was a person who needed to be repatriated back to the exile land.

Ding Wu picked a watermelon and using the excuse of taking a rest he sat next to Lu Ying, he said quietly: “I’ve spent the day at home helping Banxia make medicine, apart from coming out to buy things to eat, I won’t go out.”

Lu Ying said: “You went to the public baths last night.” Lu YIng always spoke directly.

The embroidered uniform guards had been watching him all along, they were very clear of his whereabouts.

Ding Wu coughed, he had gone to the public baths last night for ulterior motives, it was because at the dining table he had noticed the boy next door clearly “harboured evil intentions” towards Banxia, that’s why he went to find out about Wang Da Xia at the public baths.

However he couldn’t tell Lu Ying this, Ding Wu said: “I won’t go to the public baths tonight.” He’ll wash at home.

Lu Ying said: “You’re someone who has been banished yet you went to the public bath to find out about my subordinate? Don’t do this again, set your mind on just returning to Tieling. Wang Da Xia belongs to me, even though he’s annoying he’s not a bad person.”

Lu Ying defended him, even when her father complained about Wang Da Xia, she would lightly defend him, let alone Ding Wu a person in exile.

Ding Wu silently bowed his head, he picked up the watermelon and said farewell.

Returning home, Wei Cai Wei was making safflower angelica sinenis powder for women with unstable periods, Ding Wu sliced the watermelon, “Take a break, eat watermelon.”

While Wei Cai Wei was eating the watermelon Ding Wu told her about meeting Lu Ying at Tiangshui lane’s watermelon stand, “...I didn’t think I would be followed even to the bath.” he wasn’t aware Lu Ying was female.

Wei Cai Wei said: “Leader Lu puts a lot of effort into work, he’s not always sensitive to others but he’s a good person, I pretended to be a widow to practise medicine but she didn’t reveal my identity.”

Ding Wu looked at the “Deceased husband Wang erlang memorial tablet” on the incense table, he said: “Did you have to write Wang erlang? This is too much of a coincidence, did Wang Ya Nei not complain after finding out the truth?”

Ding Wu was going to leave the day after tomorrow, he was really not at ease about the “dog” next door who was watching his sister Banxia like a tiger watching a prey.

“The word `Er` is the easiest so I just wrote it.” Wei Cai Wei said: “He didn’t ask me to change the name on the memorial tablet so he should be fine.”

Ding Wu was still uneasy, “He has no problem but has ulterior motives.”

“Don’t let your imagination run wild, eat watermelon.” Wei Cai Wei stuffed a piece of watermelon into Ding Wu’s mouth, “I’m just a flower from Tieling’s Xiangya mountain, you’ve seen a lot of people take a fancy to me in Tieling, it’s not my fault I’m pretty and can make money, it’s normal for the boy next door to want to look at me, but he’s the heir of a qianhu, I’m just an illegal female doctor, I’m like you, we’ll both stay single with no thoughts of marriage, you and I both know what we want, we won’t be held back by other things and follow the norm of getting married and having children, why does brother Ding not trust me after meeting Wang Da Xia?”

Ding Wu chewed on a mouthful of watermelon, “I was just overly concerned, it’s my fault.”

Wei Cai Wei managed to get out of this.

She thought to herself: Wang Da Xia can you calm down for a moment, don’t make Ding Wu any more suspicious.

The two of them had been busy the entire day, their three meals were brought back by Ding Wu who ventured out in the heat, they were too busy to cook.

Wang Da Xia returned home again that night, he had wanted to freeload a meal but the two of them weren’t cooking today and had already finished eating what Ding Wu had bought, they were sitting in the courtyard enjoying the cool air and chatting.

Wang Da Xia once again invited the two of them, “Tomorrow’s dragon boat festival, the twenty-four guards of the capital will compete in a dragon boat race on the moat, you have to watch me get number one.”

Ding Wu thought of Lu Ying’s warning, he said: “I won’t go.”

Ding Wu was leaving the day after tomorrow, of course Wei Cai Wei wouldn’t go either, she said: “The embroidered uniform guards have been winning every year recently, with you cheering them on this year, I’m sure you’ll get number one even without me there.”

Wang Da Xia was very disappointed, “Didn’t you say yesterday you would go, how can you just change your mind.”

It’s because yesterday she didn’t know Lu Ying had set up a tea stand to watch Ding Wu, it wasn’t even proper for him to go to the local public baths, let alone going to the moat where a lot of people would be to watch the dragon boat race.

There would definitely be a huge crowd tomorrow.

Ding Wu wasn’t an unreasonable person, he explained: “As a person waiting to be repatriated to exile, I can’t easily move about.”

Wang Da Xia was thinking about showing off his dashing figure winning the race in front of Wei Cai Wei, this was a rare opportunity which he couldn’t give up, he said: “You have been banished but not imprisoned, you don’t need to confine yourself.”

Wei Cai Wei said: “You are an embroidered uniform guard, the tea stand on Tianshui lane, you are very clear on what it is, don't tie your shoelaces in a melon patch, and don't adjust your hat under a plum tree, brother Ding is staying at home to avoid suspicion and avoid giving the embroidered uniform guards trouble. How can you turn it on him and say he’s confining himself?”

He, he, he, it was him again!

Wang Da Xia stomped his foot, then suddenly disappeared like a wisp of smoke!

This behaviour… only then did Ding Wu relax, a hot-tempered child wouldn’t be liked by sister Banxia.

Wang Da Xia didn’t return to his home next door, rather he went to the watermelon stand at the mouth of Tianshui lane— because there were too many people buying watermelons, Lu Ying already gave up selling tea, she turned to selling watermelons.

Wang Da Xia found Lu Ying, “The embroidered uniform guards won’t let Ding Wu out?”

Lu Ying said: “We didn’t forbid him.”

Wang Da Xia said: “Following him like this of course Ding Wu wouldn’t leave the house, doctor Wei also won’t leave so no one will watch me at the dragon boat race tomorrow.”

Lu Ying pointed at herself: “Am I not a person? Is my father not a person?”

After all this was a competition between the twenty-four guards in the capital, reputations were on the line, each commander would find the time to show his face.

Wang Da Xia said: “There’s a place by the moat where a canopy is set up for the high officials and noble families to watch the dragon boat race, I beg leader Lu to give them two places, I’ll be responsible for bringing them there and back, that won’t be a problem right.”

Lu Ying was a little hesitant, it was after all better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Wang Da Xia continued to beg, “I trained so hard for over ten days so I can win in front of my friends and gain a bit of respect. See how upset I am, if it affects my abilities then what will happen? The embroidered uniform guards have always won, we can’t lose that fame this year.”

Wang Da Xia’s silver tongue finally persuaded Lu Ying’s wish for honour, “Why are you talking rubbish, of course we’ll get number one this year, I’ll arrange a place for them, you bring them there and drop them off.”

Wang Da Xia was ecstatic, “Leader Lu is sympathetic to my situation, I will definitely work hard for leader Lu, I wouldn’t hesitate to jump into scalding water and plunge into raging fire!”

“I’m not telling you to plunge into raging fire, just win the dragon boat race.”

Wang Da Xia happily and diligently ran back to give the good news, “...Then that’s settled, tomorrow I’ll bring a carriage to take you.”

Ding Wu heard it was Lu Ying’s idea so he didn’t refuse.

Dragon boat festival, there were great crowds on both sides of the moat, the twenty-four guards of the capital were split into six groups, the preliminary races had four teams in each race, the first team in each group were selected to participate in the final six.

Wei Cai Wei and Ding Wu didn’t need to be crammed in with the commoners, they sat on a viewing platform by the river, there was an arbour to block the sun.

It was especially hot today, even under the arbour sweat was breaking out, there were a few hawkers pushing carts and selling bowls of ice, and customers rushed over.

Ding Wu went to buy a bowl of ice, but when the race was about to start, Wei Cai Wei didn’t see him return.