"Returning to Before Husband's Castration" 《回到老公自宫前》Chapter 25

 Wang Da Xia could do nothing well, but he was best at lying.

He didn’t let Lu Ying down, he said: “The embroidered uniform guards deliberately released false news to catch the real culprit, they said that night at the tavern a guest claimed to have seen someone sneakily dithering around Chen Qianhu’s horse saddle from their window, they seemed to have errant intent.”

“Your room’s window faced directly to the yamen, and Leader Lu personally went to question you in Tianshui lane then let you go, the murderer might have thought you were the guest so wanted to stop you from speaking, that’s why Leader Lu sent someone to secretly protect you and catch the culprit.”

His words were so seamless even Lu Ying almost believed he himself had actually done this!

Wei Cai Wei hurriedly said: “Leader Lu, this common woman doesn’t know anything, if I really caught the attention of the murderer, how could this bait have protected herself?”

In this situation, he could only make the best after a mistake, Lu Ying struggled to lie: “Don’t be afraid, I will continue to have someone protect you secretly, go about doing what you do as usual, don’t beat the grass to scare the snake.”

Wang Da Xia listened to Lu Ying enunciate each word solemnly and orderly, wondering is it that hard to lie?

He hurriedly added, “You should believe Leader Lu, the embroidered uniform guards won’t hurt you.”

As if!

“Yes.” Wei Cai Wei said: “It’s already late, the north of the city is far, it’ll be night curfew by the time I’m halfway home, can Leader Lu please give me a permit.”

The embroidered uniform guards yamen was in the south of the city at Jiangmi lane, Tianshui lane was near the Shichahai area of the north of the city, if speaking about the Beijing five hundred years later, it would be equivalent to travelling from the second ring of the south of the city crossing to the second ring of the north of the city.

Lu Ying raised his brush to issue a permit, pointing at Wang Da Xia he said: “A woman walking home alone at night, it is indeed rather dangerous, you are her neighbour, escort her home.”

Lu Ying had unexpectedly considered the dangers of a woman walking alone at night and had taken the initiative to help, this somewhat surprised Wei Cai Wei who had her guard up against the embroidered uniform guards.

This Leader Lu was doing this to keep an eye on me? I’m really tired that I’ll sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, I happened to want to ask the young widow why she decided to change from the plan to runaway.

Wang Da Xia yawned, “Fine, I’ll make sure doctor Wei returns home in one piece. I didn’t sleep well last night at Tianan temple, the head monk was striking his wooden fish and chanting scriptures before the sun was up, it was so noisy, I might as well go home and have a good night of sleep.”

Lu Ying reminded him: “The embroidered uniform guards have a roll call every day at chenshi (seven in the morning), you cannot be late.”

Wang Da Xia gave an en, not taking it seriously, of course he was going to come back after he had slept enough.

Having interacted for two days, Lu Ying had a deep understanding of Wang Da Xia’s attitude of happy to partake but not prepared to do any work, he warned: “My rules are rather strict, if you’re late your secret stash held with the embroidered uniform guards will be deducted, if you’re late once half a liang of silver will be deducted, it’s the same if I’m late…the money confiscated will be used for the brothers to drink and eat, if you don’t care about money, then come late!”

Wang Da Xia knew Lu Ying had a stiff and strict personality, he was good as his word, he finally took him seriously.

Lu Ying asked Wei Cai Wei: “Can doctor Wei ride a horse?”

Wei Cai Wei nodded, “I can, when I was in Tieling, I travelled around on a horse, now as a wondering doctor in the capital, walking through the streets and alleys, riding isn’t convenient.”

Hearing the word “Tieling”, Lu Bing who had kept quiet all this time and looked like he was about to fall asleep, fluttered his eyelashes but didn’t open his mouth.

Lu Ying said: “You and Wang Da Xia can ride a horse each, return home earlier.”

Wei Cai Wei hurriedly thanked him.

Lu Ying raised his right hand, “No need, you’ve been frightened today and had lost some of your possessions, make a list when you return, tomorrow morning get Wang Da Xia to return to the embroidered uniform guards on horseback with the list, the embroidered uniform guards will pay you back.”

Wei Cai Wei once again thanked him, “I only run a small business and cannot withstand problems, Leader Lu emphasising with my plight, I cannot thank you enough, I won’t refuse and will write the cost on the list.”

Outside, Wei Cai Wei skillfully mounted the horse.

Wang Da Xia asked the stable hand:” Where’s my horse?”

Lu Ying was worried he would make trouble out of nothing, he said: “Didn’t you come back on an embroidered uniform guard’s horse? That horse is for your use.”

But that horse was given to the young widow to escape with…

Wang Da Xia said: “Leader Lu, the well-fed cannot know how the starving suffer, I came empty handed today—” Wang Da Xia shook his sleeves, “Penniless, all my wealth is in Commander Lu’s hands, even the amulets and buddha came from Tianan temple, but it’s not possible to not pay for food and drink, it’s not easy to run a small business, and I’m worried about ruining the embroidered uniform guard’s reputation, get scolded by you so I sold the horse. I got twenty silvers so take it as payment for the case.”

“You—” Lu Ying couldn’t stand him anymore, he brandished his whip.

Wang Da Xia was nimble, dodging away, “Expropriating goods you said it was a dishonour to the embroidered uniform guards, I sold a horse for money to not rob someone of their food and drink, you’re using a whip on me, whatever I do is wrong, aiya, it’s hard, if Mother thinks I am no good, what use to stay, I should return without delay!¹”

Lu Ying said: “All the horses of the embroidered uniform guards are of Daiyuan pedigree, they can travel for thousands of miles, ride into battle, a horse costs more than fifty silvers, but you only sold it for twenty silvers, you need to repay it the difference from your secret stash, don’t think about reneging.”

Wang Da Xia was aggrieved, “Others work to make money, I work but have to give money, Leader Lu is very unreasonable.”

“You don’t even arrange a horse for me, since it’s like that, I’ll ride the same horse as doctor Wei home.”

Wang Da Xia struck a pose and raised his leg, stepping onto the stirrup, he was about to sit behind Wei Cai Wei in close contact.

“Men and women should not touch, you want to disgrace the widow’s pure reputation!” Lu Ying was uptight and strict, he raised his whip, the whip wrapped around Wang Da Xia’s ankle, pullign, Wang Da Xia fell down from the stirrup.

“Give him a horse.” Lu Ying pointed his whip at Wang Da Xia, “I’ll settle the debt with you tomorrow!”

Wei Cai Wei and Wang Da Xia galloped one after the other out of the embroidered uniform guards yamen.

Lu Bing stood before the window, watching Wei Cai Wei’s skillful horse-riding, Lu Ying returned, “Father, Wang Da Xia is outrageous.”

He called him lord in front of others, behind them he called him father.

Lu Bing asked him: “You want to chase him out of the embroidered uniform guards?”

Lu Ying fell silent, he said: “He…has his own redeeming features, his brain is quick, and he has a glib tongue, he’s like a fish back in water around the city, proficient at all trades. If it wasn’t for his happy to partake but not prepared to do any work attitude, ignoring rules, extremely scared of ghosts and his odd shortcomings, he would be a talent for the embroidered uniform guards. I’ll bear with him, after this case is over I’ll think about it again.”

Lu Bing showed an appreciative look, “If it was before, you would definitely have chased him out, this case has made you mature a lot, you understand how to be tolerant, you even lied today, based on your character, it really is a rare phenomenon. Wang Da Xia has strengths you don’t, you need to learn how to motivate him for your use, as for the other things, turn a blind eye, let it be. I kept him here to also use him to teach you how to control people.”

Lu Ying said: “This child remember’s father’s teachings. It’s late, father ought to hurry home and rest.”

Lu Bing said: “No, you’ve been working too hard lately, you must go home tonight to rest.”

Lu Ying was worried about the case, “Father, young lady He’s skeleton has already arrived at the yamen, there are still eleven suspects who gave false address who haven’t been found—”

“Can you find all these guests by working overnight? Or can the skeleton run out of the yamen by itself?” 

Lu Bing flicked his sleeve distinguishing all the candles in the room, forcefully pulling Lu Ying onto the luxurious carriage pulled by five horses, he said, “When I was your age, I was ten times as hard working as you, in the end when I turned old my body was full of ailments, why did I work so hard? Was it so I can see you follow in the same path? Damage your body? Go home and sleep, don’t stay up late.”

Lu Ying couldn’t persuade his father, he could only comply, there was a basin of ice in the carriage, it was cool and refreshing, in just a moment he fell asleep in the carriage. 

Lu Ying didn’t even loosen the button around his neck when he dozed off, Lu Bing undid it for him, allowing Lu Ying to sleep more comfortably.

Soon after, Lu Bing opened up the files Lu Ying had prepared to bring home to read, he found the handwritten copy of Wei Cai Wei’s household record, his gaze fell on the four names of the the Tieling officials who had issued it, they were, “Tieling Wei Promoting Officer”, “County Head Magistrate Qian Wen De”, “County deputy Tutor”, and “minor official Ding Wu”.

The household record was the most important resource for the country to understand the number of the population, along with the household register, houses, carriages, boats, land and such immovable properties were also included, for collecting tax, military service, proof of labour, it could be considered the Ming dynasty’s version of the “big data”.

That’s why a household record being issued needed to go through so many stages, being checked from top to bottom, the signature must match.

County deputy Tutor was the lowest level, a regular eight grade official, and a “minor official” wasn’t even an official, they had no grade, they only worked as secretaries as “minor officials” that’s all.

To simplify it, only those who are county deputy and above had permanent posts in the functioning of the country, they lived on the official salary provided by the court, mixed into the organisation.

A “minor official” was someone who had no permanent position, the salaries were issued by their yamen, considered an outsider to the organisation.

However Lu Bing’s eyes remained on “minor official Ding Wu” this minor official, his gaze thoughtful, soon after, he wrote down Ding Wu’s name, handing it to the guard who was riding on horseback beside the carriage, he said quietly: “Tomorrow place any information about this person from Tieling over the last ten years on my desk.”

The subordinate accepted the order and left.

Somewhere else, Wei Cai Wei and Wang Da Xia sped home, on the streets were city guards patrolling, seeing they had the embroidered uniform guard permit, they let them pass.

Reaching Tianshui lane, there was no one around, Wang Da Xia stopped her, “Why didn’t you listen to me? We were almost exposed today.”

Didn’t I stay in the capital to stop you from castrating yourself in the future? 

Wei Cai Wei said: “I’m not a murderer, why should I hide? It’s even more suspicious to hide, besides Leader Lu doesn’t seem like a ruthless official who interrogates and extorts a confession under torture, he speaks reason, come early tomorrrow morning to pick up the list, I need to rest.”

Wei Cai Wei dismounted, fishing out the key to open the door.

Wang Da Xia was helpless, he could only take two horses home.

Wei Cai Wei entered, locking the door with a bar, as she was about to strike a flint and light a lamp, a man inblack who had been hiding behind the door for however long attacked, tightly holding her, using a cloth soaked with anesthetic drug to cover her mouth and nose.

Wei Cai Wei was caught off guard, a strange fragrant flower scent entered her mouth and nose, immediately her arms and legs weakened, she couldn’t let it be, using all her strength she kicked over a table, it fell to the ground with a bang, then there was a crack, the glass cover of the lamp on the table shattered onto the ground.

Wang Da Xia who was walking down Tianshui lane with two horses hadn’t gotten far, he had a bellyful of anger, he felt Wei Cai Wei was a “dog which bit Lu Dongbin, not recognising his kindness”.

However when he faintly heard noises from the house, he still went back with the horses, knocking on the door, “Doctor Wei, are you alright?”

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1 A play on the poem “Southeast Fly the Peacocks”. It is one of the longest poems in premodern China, traditionally believed to be written in the Jian'an period (192–220 ce). It tells the tragic love story of Jiao Zhongqing and Liu Lanzhi, a married couple forced to separate and remarry by their senior family members. At the center of the tragedy is the irreconcilable conflict between individual free will and Confucian family duty. The poem is the literary precedent and inspiration of many great love stories later in the Chinese tradition. The plot of romantic love being destroyed by society and family bears similarities to some classic works of European literature, yet the social and familial contexts surrounding the protagonists' struggle for love are situated uniquely in a Confucian society. The poem's remarkable and nuanced treatment of the tragedy of love and creation of several compelling characters deserve a distinguished place in the classics of world literature.^↩