"Returning to Before Husband's Castration" 《回到老公自宫前》Chapter 18

 Lu Ying asked when he heard this: “Chen Dailang lacked morals, he secretly married an official slave and impregnated her?”

Wang Da Xia chuckled: “Chen Qianhu father and son both dying is beneficial to the illegitimate child. If that fiancee official slave gave birth to a son, the Chen family has only had one heir for the last five generations, then that illegitimate son will inherit the position of embroidered uniform guard Qianhu. If the Chen family doesn’t accept him, the position will be cancelled by the imperial court for not having a successor. The Chen family will have to pinch their nose and accept him.”

Lu Ying felt it was not worth thinking, “Rubbish, let’s not mention if young lady He gave birth to a boy or girl, whether they’re alive. Killing one’s father and even one’s grandfather for the position, this is too much of a fantasy.”

“Lord Lu comes from a good household, the children get along with each other, leader Lu would of course feel I’m speaking rubbish.”

Wang Da Xia first flattered Lu Bing, then his eyes darkened, saying: “My family is different, I am the eldest son of the first wife, but stepmother has her own children, her selfish motives are like Sima Zhao's tricks, obvious to every man in the street. Chen Qianhu father and son died together, apart from having a deep animosity with the family, it’s likely to be someone who would gain from the death of the father and son.”

“So, you shouldn’t just have your attention on me, go find someone else. I only had a fight with Chen dailang, please let me go.” Wang Da Xia laughed out loud, it felt like there was a haze under his eyes for a moment.

Lu Ying heard Wang Da Xia’s alternative suggestion, it seemed to make sense, thus he said: “Lord ought to go home and rest first, I need to change route to the Chen residence to ask about that official slave fiancee.”

Lu Bing pointed at Wang Da Xia, “Take him with you to investigate.”

Wang Da Xia heard this and quickly waved his hands, “It has nothing to do with me.”

Lu Ying’s face darkened, “Lord doesn’t believe my ability yet believe in a former suspect of a dandy?”

Lu Bing said: “Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Knowing the ways of the world, the Three Religions and Nine Schools, the world is dark, you’re not as good as Wang Da Xia, if you want to solve the case quickly, you need assistance, following the prescribed order and being overly subjective and disregarding the outside world won’t do.”

Without waiting for Lu Ying’s response, Wang Da Xia hurriedly said: “I don’t agree, on such a hot day, isn’t it better to eat watermelon and lie on a summer sleeping mat? I won’t ask for trouble by finding a murderer.”

“This case is related to you, it will always implicate you, my intuition from the many years with the embroidered uniform guards makes me think you will be very helpful. Let alone…” Lu Bing raised the teacup in a leisurely manner, saying: “You don’t help embroidered uniform guards with the case, I will immediately tie you up, deliver you to the Wang residence.”

Wang Da Xia looked like a dead pig not fearing scalding water, extending his hands, “Come, come, come, tie me up, who knows my family better than me? I’ll just find another opportunity to escape.”

“What did you take to run away from home?” Lu Bing suddenly took out a sword, Wang Da Xia crouched down to avoid it, he only felt his back turn cold, Lu Bing’s sword took the bundle from his shoulder!

Lu Bing threw the bundle into a chest, and put on a lock, “This ought to be all your money, penniless, you want to run out and beg to pass your days?”

Wang Da Xia stomped his foot in anger, “Commander Lu is great! An adult bullying a child! Strong bullying the weak!”

Seeing Wang Da Xia was deflated, Lu Ying felt happy, and mockingly said: “Where can he go? Maybe he’ll seek shelter with Miss Ying Ying, going to a close female friend and depend on a woman to provide for him.”

Lu Bing smiled; “Your father has already set men to watch Miss Ying Ying’s house, waiting for you to walk right into the trap. However, if you cooperate with Lu Ying to solve the case, I will return the money to you, and will plead your case on your behalf, get your father to get rid of the house arrest, let bygones be bygones, what do you say?”

As expected of embroidered uniform guards’ commander, Lu Bing’s moves were deadly, blocking all the ways out for Wang Da Xia.

Wang Da Xia was a rascal, Lu Bing was a millennium old fox who had already become a spirit, eating Wang Da Xia whole.

Wang Da Xia dejectedly wrapped his hands around his head and crouched down in a corner of the carriage, “What else can I do, there’s simply no choice. But, Lord Lu is such a great official, you mustn’t break your promise.”

Lu Bing nodded his head in satisfaction, “The two of you can get out of the carriage, I want to hear the results soon.”

Wang Da Xia and Lu Ying looked at each other, then turned away, they looked down on each other.

The two of them got out together, Lu Bing said out of the window: “Don’t stay up too late, you’re still growing.” Then pointing at Wang Da Xia he said: “Give him the things which require doing overnight, he will do what you say, his money is in my hands, he won’t dare to refuse.”

A grand embroidered uniform guard commander, unexpectedly made such double standards out in the open.

Wang Da Xia wasn’t willing, “I’m also growing, I also can’t stay up late.”

Lu Bing said: “You’ve repeatedly been going against the embroidered uniform guards, today you caused havoc at the embroidered uniform guard yamen and hid under my carriage, embroidered uniform guard has a reputation, if we don’t let you suffer a little then who will be scared of us from now on?”

Lu Ying was in a very good mood, curling his finger at the Wang Da Xia who manipulated others, “Let’s go to Chen residence to ask questions.”

Wang Da Xia thought of his money and freedom, he wished the case would be solved tonight, he was more anxious than Lu Ying, he said: “Chen family has lost its successor, there’s only two widows left, Chen dailang would have kept the scandal of getting his official slave fiancee pregnant from his mother and wife, what could you ask them? Two widows can cry your ears off.”

Lu Ying choked up, asking: “What do you want to do?”

“Follow me.” Wang Da Xia rode a horse, leading Lu Ying to a public bath close to the Wanggong yard, it was called Huaqingchi.

Now the sky had already darkened, the night watchman on the street rang the night clapper, reminding people to go home immediately, the night curfew was going to start in an hour.

Wang Da Xia got off the horse, pushing aside Huaqingchi’s cloth doors he was about to enter.

“Why are you at a public bath?” Lu Ying asked.

Wang Da Xia said: “There’s an underground casino behind the public bath, an owner will have a servant, Chen dailang’s study companion is a frequent visitor of this casino, I’ll grab him for questioning, this study companion has been with Chen Dailang since he was young, they were inseparable, Chen dailang going to the toilet he would have to hand toilet paper to him, let alone a matter of getting a woman pregnant.” 

As expected only a rival understood a rival, Wang Da Xia and Chen dailang had a feud, yet understood him the best.

Lu Ying stopped at the doorway of the public bath.

Wang Da Xia turned his head back, “Why aren’t you walking? There are a lot of people in the underground casino, I guess the study companion will run when he sees me, it’s unlikely I would be able to catch him myself. You want me to do the work but do nothing yourself?”

Lu Ying steadied his heart and waved his hand: “Go!”

The shopkeeper at the front desk was about to pull the rope beneath the desk to give a warning, Wang Da Xia flipped over the table, holding his hand, “Embroidered uniform guard is handling a case, we only want to catch one person, we’ll leave after, if you sound the alarm, we will shut this casino down. Do you believe me?”

The shopkeeper smiled: “Of course I believe in Wang Ya Nei.”

Lu Ying said in his mind: Wang Da Xia is familiar with everything here, he seems young but is a frequent visitor of this casino.

“Let’s go.” Wang Da Xia led the way.

Lu Ying’s eyes looked at his nose, his nose looked at this heart as he passed through the public bath, his body was stiff like a wooden block.

Wang Da Xia teased him: “Why are you anxious? What they have you have too.”

Lu Ying gritted his teeth: “I think they’re ugly! A group of repulsive people!”

Wang Da Xia looked around, it was true, there wasn’t anyone handsome, he couldn’t bear to look straight at them.

Passing through the public bath, they came to a brightly lit basement, the air was stuffy, there were also some kind of hard to describe smell of sweat, almost making Lu Ying who lived like a price to throw up!

“Third table to the left, wearing mourning garments, is the study companion.” Wang Da Xia made a path, “You have to take the lead.”

Lu Ying ordered his subordinates to tie the study companion up, dragging him out--- Lu Ying simply couldn’t stand the sickening smell in here. 

Lu Ying was about to open his mouth to ask when Wang Da Xia said: “I’ll go first.” 

Having said this, he kicked the study companion flying, then violently raised his fists, ruthless and rapid--- he didn’t hit the face. 

He beat the study companion up so much the study companion couldn’t think of fleeing, like a pile of mud he laid still on the ground, Wang Da Xia nodded his head at Lu Ying, “Right now he shouldn’t be able to lie, this will save time, Leader Lu ask him.”

Even the embroidered uniform guards gasped in amazement at this method, a subordinate said into Lu Ying’s ear: “Leader Lu, Wang Ya Nei’s methods seem more like the embroidered uniform guard than us the embroidered uniform guard.”

Lu Ying asked: “Chen dailang impregnated his former fiancee young lady He, what happened to the child?”

Before the study companion could open his mouth, Wang Da Xia stepped onto his wrist, “Tell us everything from the start, if you say a single lie your hand will be chopped off.”

The study companion cried out: “Our Chen family is the victim, you embroidered uniform guards aren’t looking for the killer but want to extort a confession from me?”

Wang Da Xia coldly smiled, saying: “We’re helping you quit gambling, how can you gamble with no hands, speak quickly!”

The study companion was helplessly forced, he could only tell them about Chen dailang and young lady He, “...The Chen family wouldn’t allow an official slave to give birth to an heir, what’s more the young master was just talking of a marriage, he was afraid the scandal would be made known, so he got the old woman Wang to ensure young lady He’s death included two lives. They had planned to poison the little one to become a mute, to cover up the scandal, but that little one had run off somewhere, most likely she was taken by a child trafficker, there has never been any news of her. Later the Chen family told outsiders that young lady He became depressed and passed away, that little one had drowned playing in the water. Anyway two official slaves are the same as pigs and dogs, they’re merely property of the family, no one looked into it.”

Every word was blood.

At this moment even the calm and earnest Lu Ying couldn’t help but whip the study companion twice.

The study companion cried aloud: “I beg you to not chop off my hands! I really haven’t lied, if you don’t believe me dig up the He sisters’ graves, there’s a big and small coffin, there’s definitely an adult and unborn child skeleton in the big one, the small coffin is empty, there’s nothing inside!”

Lu Ying again brandished his whip, “Where does that old woman Wang live? Hurry up and lead the way!”

The study companion took everyone to a village to the western outskirts of the city of Sanlihe, there was the place where the Chen family had previously settled the He sisters.

Old woman Wang was a midwife, she lived on the east bank of Sanlihe.

From a good distance, there was a smell of smoke, on getting closer, a pair of couplets hung at the doorway, a group of filial sons and grandsons in mourning garments knelt on the ground burning paper money, some clothes and shoes and such.

The old woman Wang had died, today it just happened to be the seventh day after her death, the seventh day was when her spirit would return, her family were just burning clothes for her.

It was a hot summer day, not good for keeping the body, on the third day old woman Wang’s body had already been hurriedly buried in the ground.

“How did she die?” Lu Ying asked.

“She was washing clothes by the river at night, she accidentally fell into the river and drowned.”

At the same time, the capital’s Tianshui lane, Wei Cai Wei was washing in the bathtub.

Water lily petals were floating on the top of the bathtub like little boats, Wei Cai Wei reached out her index finger in satisfaction, easily pushing a petal into the hot water.

Just like the first day she was reborn, she went to the west of Sanlihe, pushing the old woman Wang who had caused her sister to die with her unborn child into the water to drown.

Revenge, from easy to hard, starting with old woman Wang, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life.

In her last lifetime, she had killed old woman Wang in this way; in her next life, she used the same method to kill the old woman for the second time.

She didn’t cower, she didn’t forgive, she didn’t regret, killing someone to repay a life.

No one would investigate the death of a woman in the countryside, just like back then no one cared about the deaths of two official slaves.