"Returning to Before Husband's Castration" 《回到老公自宫前》Chapter 27

 Mu Baihu had followed Wang Qianhu since he was young, from an ordinary soldier he rose to Baihu because of Wang Qianhu’s promotions, Wang Qianhu recognised his worth and employed him.

After he lost his wife he didn’t remarry, and had no children, living alone, focused on being a capable subordinate to Wang Qianhu.

Wang Qianhu even gave him a courtyard in the residence to live in, at Chinese New Year and other festivities, Mu Baihu spent it with the Wang family, like a member of the Wang residence.

In Wang Da Xia’s eyes, Mu Baihu was like an actual uncle.

Madam Wu and Mu Baihu were also very close, Mu Baihu lived in the Wang residence, Madam Wu ordered the servants to take care of his daily needs, treating him like a younger brother-in-law.

Wang Qianhu was removed from his position, Mu Baihu had lost his supporter, very soon he was pushed out of being the leader of the northern city military, demoted to a commoner.

After Wang Qianhu died, the widow Wu was out of her wits, she only knew to clutch her son Wang Da Qiu who only had just learned how to walk in her arms and cry, Wang Da Xia didn’t know how to deal in business, he knew nothing, the funeral was all arranged by Mu Baihu.

At Wang Qianhu’s funeral, lady Wang and her stepson Wang Da Xia broke out into an argument as usual, almost missing the fortunate time for the deceased to be laid to rest.

Fortunately Mu Baihu ran over “putting out the fire”, he pulled the two of them apart allowing Wang Qianhu’s coffin to be buried on time.

In his grief and indignation, Wang Da Xia went to the extremity of castrating himself, Mu Baihu cursed him for being muddle-headed, dishonouring the Wang family, but he still took out all his savings and used his former connections to bribe a powerful eunuch in the palace, sending him into the palace to be an eunuch.

That’s why, Wang Da Xia has always been grateful to Mu Baihu.

Madam Wu became a widow, she wanted to return to her parental home with her young son to observe the period of mourning.

However her parents didn’t tolerate her, they felt this mother and son were freeloaders, they neglected her more with each passing day.

Madam Wu’s family were all self-centred— of course, madam Wu who also grew up in the contamination pool was the same, she wasn’t a good person.

At that time the Wu family knew Wang Da Xia that stepson had the reputation of being the northern city’s pestilence but they still married off their eldest daughter who was as delicate as a flower, refined as a precious jade to Wang Qianhu who was old enough to be her father as his second wife, this was so they could cling to the powerful and rich, getting a supporter for the Wu family, it was basically selling their daughter.

Madam Wu would become in charge of the household as the mistress of the residence as soon as she married, she would have money and power as well as the tempting title of fourth rank lady, what’s more she had sneaked a peek at Wang Qianhu from behind a curtain, although he was almost as old as her own father, but he was tall and imposing with a grand appearance, mature and reliable, immediately she nodded shyly, willing to be a second wife, marrying into the Wang residence, becoming the stepmother of the pestilence of northern city Wang Da Xia.

At first madam Wu was content with her newly wed life, but a man who is never content is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant, after madam Wu gave birth to Wang Da Qiu, Wang Da Xia became the thorn in her side— because the future successor would be the eldest son of the first wife, her son had no chance of a title.

Madam Wu wanted to chase Wang Da Xia out, she began to repeatedly urge her husband, saying Wang Da Xia was rude to her, driving a wedge between the father and son.

Of course, madam Wu hadn’t lied, Wang Da Xia really did despise her, being rude to her repeatedly and having guessed she wanted to get rid of him with the thought of putting her own son Wang Da Qiu in the line of succession, he was even more rude to her.

On one side was his young lovable wife with gentle thoughts, the other was a wastrel son who caused trouble everyday, Wang Qianhu was of course bias towards his young wife.

Madam Wu said she was worried about Wang Da Xia spending money like pouring water, and repeatedly visited the casinos, what if he accidentally squandered all his mother’s dowry, Wang Qianhu let madam Wu become in charge of it.

Madam Wu deliberately rented the house out cheaply to provoke Wang Da Xia in attacking the tenant, making his already bad reputation even worse.

Wang Da Xia naturally was unwilling to concede, one after the other he chased the tenants out, and sneakily stole his mother’s deed and sold it.

Actually madam Wu knew everything Wang Da Xia did, she deliberately “by accident” let slip where the deed was stored, coercing Wang Da Xia into stealing it, after all it didn’t belong to her, once this was discovered, her husband would be so disappointed in Wang Da Xia!

When Wang Da Xia exhausted all her husband’s patience and he was chased out, his name erased from the genealogical record, the title would fall into the hands of her son Wang Da Qiu.

However, Wang Qianhu was caught up at all, as everyone knows, deposing the successor at a young age was a huge risk, it would cause trouble to the family.

He only wanted to teach his wastrel of a son a tough lesson, mend the pen after sheep are lost, he wanted Wang Da Xia to walk the right path.

When madam Wu was still lady Wang, she could walk around her maternal home however she wanted, everytime she brought her young son back, she would boss her sister-in-law and siblings about like servants, she wanted the stars and moon, she liked to hear flattering words the most, she basically made her visits like the empress visiting her parents.

The Wu family wanted the benefits and support from the influential Wang family, they could only bear with and fawn over this arrogant and despotic woman, now that the Wang family was in ruins, when the tree topples the monkeys scatter, moreover who wanted to provide for this woman who had a child from her previous marriage?

Madam Wu was fussy at her maternal home, her elder brother and sister-in-law no longer amused her, even the servants followed suit and kicked her while she was down, madam Wu complained the kitchen had not cooked the meat given to Wang Da Qiu properly so it was hard to chew, she reprimanded the cook, the cook talked back: “...I urge you to calm down! A widow observing the mourning period should abstain from eating meat and pray to the Buddha, you should be glad you still have meat to eat!”

Madam Wu threw herself over wanting to fight, the sister-in-law and siblings watching at the side went to stop her, “You’re no longer a lady, don’t put on the airs of a wife of an official, you rely on this family, you live in this family, you want to beat a servant of this family, whatever next.”

Her maternal family basically had disdain written on their faces.

Afterwards, madam Wu’s life became even worse, even the servants looked down on her, mocking and ridiculing her, her elder brother, sister-in-law and siblings also didn’t stand up for her, madam Wu lived under another person’s roof,  she grew up pampered, she couldn’t provide for herself and her son if she left, she had no choice but to endure it.

Wang Da Qiu fell ill, a non-stop fever, madam Wu wanted to invite an imperial physician, when she was in the Wang residence, if he had a headache and temperature she would use a large sum of money to invite an imperial physician to take a look.

The Wu family mocked: “A young child, what need for an imperial physician, don’t hinder his long life.”

Madam Wu’s dowry had already been half swindled, half stolen by her elder brother, sister-in-law and siblings, she had no personal money.

Wang Da Xia was deep inside the palace and couldn’t be found, madam Wu ran to Mu Baihu for help.

Mu Baihu had dealt with Wang Qianhu’s funeral, then used his money to send Wang Da Xia into the palace to become an eunuch, he had nothing much left, he went to Sangtong armed escort service to become an armed escort to earn money to sustain himself, travelling extensively to transport goods, he had just returned to the capital.

Mu Baihu immediately took out his salary to invite an imperial physician to see Wang Da Qiu, seeing the widowed mother and orphaned son live a difficult life, deliberately pestered by the Wang family, he paid money to rent a house in the countryside, taking madam Wu and Wang Da Qiu there, relying on armed escort work he supported this mother and son.

Every time he returned to the capital and got his pay, Mu Baihu would deliver the money to the widow and orphan, after madam Wu had experienced hardship and seen clearly the true colours of the Wu family, she unexpectedly became enlightened, she was no longer vain or arrogant as before, she became considerate and thrifty, living her life with both feet firmly planted on the ground.

Madam Wu raised pigs and chickens, she cultivated the land and grew vegetables, becoming self-sufficient, when she had time, she would spin and weave cloth, the money Mu Baihu gave her, apart from buying the essentials of food and a spinning wheel, she saved up in preparation for Wang Da Xia future schooling.

Mu Baihu was shocked by madam Wu’s changes, madam Wu would use unscrupulous methods against Wang Da Xia, he knew this, but as an outsider, he couldn’t say it outright to Wang Qianhu, he could only try his hardest to mediate between the father and son.

Madam Wu had been shunned and insulted by her family, Mu Baihu felt it was deserved, madam Wu had a scheming heart, karma would alway come around.

Later Mu Baihu helped madam Wu and her son in establishing themselves because he was worried about Wang Qianhu’s orphan Wang Da Qiu, after all, the child was innocent, Wang Qianhu had been kind to him.

Now that madam Wu had drastically changed, whenever Mu Baihu returned from a job, madam Wu would give him a new pair of shoes, and dried pork she had made herself, “...my feminine arts are very poor, I don’t know how to cut and sew clothes, I only know how to make shoes. You travel extensively without a full three meals, leave the dried pork to eat on the road, it’ll keep for a month.”

Having found out Mu Baihu was going on a job, that very night she stewed a pan of tea eggs and delivered them to him, “...the eggs were laid by my chickens, there’s no charge.”

Just like this the three year mourning period passed by, Mu Baihu and madam Wu came to have good impressions of each other.

However the Mu family didn’t plan on letting madam Wu off— she was only twenty one years old, she was pretty and could bear children, now she had become hardworking and thrifty, her brother and sister-in-law planned to “sell her” again to get more betrothal gifts.

Her brother and sister-in-law went to visit madam Wu in the countryside with a gift, her brother said: “You are still young, why are you mourning! While you’re young and pretty with your looks still intact, hurry up and find an old man to remarry, live well with a large group of servants to serve you, letting you order them about, it’s bound to be better than raising pigs and chickens in the countryside like a peasant woman.”

Her sister-in-law said: “It’s hard for a woman to remarry with a child from her previous marriage, men are unwilling to be a convenient father, I’ll give you a solution, I’ll raise Da Qiu, I’ll make sure he becomes a worthy person.”

If it was before, madam Wu would have definitely been tempted, but right now madam Wu had already seen through the Wu family’s scheme: marrying her off to get a betrothal gift.

Raising Wang Da Qiu in the Wang family as a hostage, if her brother or sister-in-law wanted something in the future, how could she not give it to them? If she didn’t they’ll torture Wang Da Qiu.

Zeze, planning to “eat a fish twice”, steaming in broth and simmer-fry.

Thus, madam Wu brandished the wooden club for washing and chased her brother and sister-in-law away.

Her brother and sister-in-law didn’t give up, they sent a matchmaker to her house but were beaten and scolded away by madam Wu.

By then her brother and sister-in-law had already chosen an old military officer over sixty years old, he had been attracted by madam Wu’s delicate good looks and was willing to give five hundred silvers as a betrothal gift to marry her.

Her brother and sister-in-law had given the old man madam Wu’s written marriage proposal on which are stated the year, month, day and hour of her birth, thinking of setting this marriage first, once the rice was cooked, when the time came madam Wu would have to follow through even if she didn’t like it.

Mu Baihu was on a job and had yet to return, madam Wu had no one to rely on, she could only save herself, she directly made up her mind, entrusting Wang Da Qiu to a family in the village to look after, she took a kitchen knife and a chopping board back to her maternal home.

Madam Wu became to shout and curse in the opening of an alley near her maternal home!

A knife in her left hand, chopping board in her right, with each curse, she used the back of the knife to chop down on the chopping board, like an accompaniment, as she chopped she shouted, all kind of obscenities, never stopping, cursing her brother and sister-in-law for having the heart of a wolf and lungs of a dog selling their younger sister for glory and money, it was better if they died and so on.

The former delicate, arrogant and malicious stepmother had become a shrew cursing in the streets in order to survive.

There were many people who stood and watched, the whole town really turned up, the Wu family was so embarrassed they didn’t dare to open their doors.

The old man heard this, he thought how could his old bones control such a shrew? Wouldn’t he be chopped up by this shrew?

Forget it, he asked the matchmaker to demand the return of the betrothal gift, he wanted to dispose of this marriage.

The cooked duck flew away and they had lost their honour, the brother and sister-in-law vowed to teach the shrew a lesson, she had no sense of shame so let’s see…

The brother and sister-in-law got the matchmaker to spread the word, if someone is willing to marry madam Wu, the Wu family would not ask for a betrothal gift and was willing to pay a dowry instead.

Outside the widow’s house was noisy.

Madam Wu’s house was not at peace from then on, those idle men in the town who could not find a wife, the old bachelors in the village, bums and such all came to harass her.

Madam Wu closed her doors and didn’t dare go out, they stole her chickens, destroyed her vegetable garden, they even chased her pigs into the river to drown.

Madam Wu was almost forced into collapsing, an adult could endure it but a child couldn’t, the four years old Wang Da Qiu was terrified by the movements outside, he again ran a temperature.

Madam Wu thought it over, she couldn’t let this carry on, while there were no one outside in the middle of the night, she snuck out of the village with her child, after dawn she entered the city to the house of the eunuch who had previously sent her stepson Wang Da Xia into the palace, begging him to pass a message to Wang Da Xia to save his younger brother.

At that time Wang Da Xia had already graduated first-rate from the imperial ceremony office and had been chosen by Wei Cai Wei as a meal partner.

Of course, in the eyes of those in the palace, the seventeen years old Wang Da Xia was only a “pretty boy who lived off a woman”.

Relying on the fact Wei Cai Wei was the main maid of concubine Shang Shou, he had just graduated from the imperial ceremony office when he was recommended to help the emperor Jia Jing by concubine Shang Shou.

Wang Da Xia was well versed in letters and military technology, he was a quick thinker and was good at his job, visually attractive and was supported by concubine Shang Shou, very soon he caught the attention of emperor Jia Jing, he became the most powerful person in the palace.

If it was an ordinary eunuch unless they work for over ten years, at least twenty years, they wouldn’t even be able to see the emperor’s face!

Ai, women were superficial, they only look at appearance, picking whoever looked good.

When Wang Da Xia heard about his stepmother and brother from the same father’s misfortune, he found Wei Cai Wei first, telling of this, “...We are husband and wife, my disorderly account at home isn’t hidden from you, I’m worried someone wants to use this to plot against you.”

Wei Cai Wei had met with misfortune when she was young, she and her sister had lived in the countryside, an older and younger official slave, suffering from all kinds of bullying and humiliation.

Wei Cai Wei said: “Deal with this yourself, we can’t let an orphan and widow be bullied.”

Wang Da Xia left the palace and found a place for madam Wu and her child to settle down, then he dealt with the Wu family.

He had previously hated these cheap aunties and uncles who often came to the Wang residence asking for money, and they had urged his stepmother to plan to seize his succession, now he had the free rein to seek revenge, it was extremely delightful.

His oldest Wu uncle worked in the imperial ceremony office, overseeing the Dayuan horse ranch, he often snuck out good horses from Dayuan to breed with seller’s mares and get money.

Military horses were an important asset to the country, stealing a horse’s sperm was a serious crime, in order to keep costs down, the stallions raised in the ranch were limited, a stallion had to breed with a hundred mares in Dayuan to preserve the purity of the horse’s lineage.

There weren’t enough for the mares in Dayuan yet oldest uncle Wu still took the stallion from Dayuan to breed with mares outside, this was just as bad as “prostitution”, forcing the good horse to be a prostitute!

Wang Da Xia “caught the horse in the stable”, with conclusive evidence, uncle Wu lost his job, punished by seizing all his family property, the entire family was sent to the border to breed horses, madam Wu and her child could live a peaceful life.

Madam Wu kowtowed and admitted her wrongs to Wang Da Xia, repenting for driving a wedge between the father and son before.

Wang Da Xia still couldn’t forgive madam Wu for her conducts and deeds, “I did this for Da Qiu, not for you, take care of yourself.”

Madam Wu didn’t want to stay in the house Wang Da Xia gave her, she took Wang Da Qiu back to the countryside.

At the end of the year, Wang Da Xia came to find Wei Cai Wei with a wedding invitation, “Uncle Mu is getting married the day after tomorrow, I want to give him a gift, drink a cup of celebratory wine, the wedding is at night, I won’t be able to return to the palace, I can only stay in the house outside.”

The pair of meal partners with the status of Wang Da Xia and Wei Cai Wei had a house inside and outside of the palace, when they weren’t working, they lived in the house outside, ordering servants about just like the household of a high official.

Wang Da Xia was a very frank person, if he lived off a woman, then he lived off a woman, he served on his wife like a superior, whatever he did he would promptly report to her, explaining clearly.

When he came across someone who ridiculed him out of jealousy, he would say without changing expression, soft rice is very tasty, pity you can’t eat it.

Wei Cai Wei opened the invitation, “Your uncle Mu is around fifty years old, who is he marrying?”

Wang Da Xia opened and closed his mouth for a moment, “He’s marrying my stepmother madam Wu.”

Pu! Wei Cai Wei was drinking tea, hearing this she was about to spit it out but she had manners, she forced her mouth shut, the tea flowed back down into her windpipes.

Wei Cai Wei suddenly began coughing, Wang Da Xia lightly patted her back, “I actually don’t agree to this marriage, but they get along with each other and both sides are willing, uncle Mu already treats Da Qiu like his own son, I can’t say anything. I owe uncle Mu, he sent me an invitation to his second marriage, I have to give my blessings.”

Wei Cai Wei was interested in this old husband and young wife who had been down a windy and complicated path, she wanted to see them in person, closing the invitation she said: “Give them a large gift under our names, I also want to join the fun the day after tomorrow.”

Wang Da Xia was very surprised, he always felt he was living off her and was lower than his wife, but Wei Cai Wei’s action treated him with the respect of an equal, willing to go with him to witness the wedding of the only elder he accepted, giving him the honour.

The two joined in the wedding hand in hand, the groom and bride were an old husband and young wife, the young wife had even been the groom’s former superior’s wife, of course it attracted a lot of peculiar looks.

However the meal partners Wang Da Xia and Wei Cai Wei were there, they immediately attracted a lot of peculiar looks!

A pair of meal partner and a old husband and young wife, it was simply incomparable, like not knowing whether arsenic or red arsenic was more poisonous.

Seeing Wei Cai Wei’s elegance, Mu Baihu began to query whether it was right or wrong for Wang Da Xia to castrate himself, this brat he had watched grow up had found another way to establish himself, rapidly going up in the world, bringing his wife over to see him.

Wei Cai Wei saw the bride madam Wu in the bridal chamber, she understood why Wang Qianhu had always defended his young delicate bride, she was very pretty, madam Wu really was a beauty.

Men were single-minded, no matter their age, they all liked young pretty women.

Madam Wu had married twice and had gone through experiences and toils, she wasn’t shy at all, she calmly welcomed the female guests, Wei Cai Wei saw madam Wu busying about and she couldn’t help but think of her poor sister.

Madam Wu had earned a living in the countryside by herself with her child, her sister had also brought her to the countryside at the age of seven years old to live independently from farm work.

If someone in the countryside had been able to help her sister escape from the evil claws of Chen Dailang, like madam Wu was able to get help, her sister wouldn’t have been dishonoured by Chen Dailang and die in pain giving birth…

If sister was alive, she would have been thirty two years old this year, she ought to have married and had children, the children would be running about.

Sadly the me who was seven years old then was only a burden, I couldn’t help sister.

Wei Cai Wei drank quite a lot of wine that night, she was helped into the carriage by Wang Da Xia.

Returning home, Wang Da Xia carried the drunk Wei Cai Wei into their room, they had become meal partners for their own gains and had slept in different beds.

Wei Cai Wei slept on the bed, Wang Da Xia as a person who lived off a woman, slept like a maid on the heatable brick bed by the window wrapped in bedding, on call at all times.

Wei Cai Wei got up in the night, because she was thirsty and wanted water, or a mosquito had gotten through the mosquito net and she wanted to get rid of it, it was Wang Da Xia who helped her.

Wang Da Xia carried Wei Cai Wei to the bed, proficiently taking off her shoes, took out the hairpins and jewelleries, took off her outer clothing, covered her with the quilt and placed a hot-water bottle by her leg.

Then holding his own bedding, he was about to sleep on the heatable brick bed.

“Stay here tonight.” Suddenly, Wei Cai Wei reached out a pale hand from under the quilt, grabbing the corner of his jacket.

Wang Da Xia stiffened, he said: “I’ll just be sleeping on the bed by the window, I won’t leave.”

Most likely his wife was acting up from the alcohol, so long as I don’t cross the line, I can sleep in the same room as her every night.

Wei Cai Wei said: “Sleep on the bed.”

Living off a woman, of course he had to listen to his wife.

Wang Da Xia put his own bedding on the bed, sleeping beside Wei Cai Wei, “If you need water, or if you don’t feel comfortable tell me.”

Wei Cai Wei said: “I feel a bit achy, give me a massage.”

Living off a woman, knowing how to massage was something you definitely needed to learn.

Wang Da Xia immediately got up, kneeling on the bed, he reached under the quilt, massaging Wei Cai Wei, and asked: “Is this pressure enough?”

Wei Cai Wei gave a hum, it ought to mean good.

Wang Da Xia softly massaged, from the shoulders to the ankles, when he reached the toes, Wang Da Xia asked: “Your feet is slightly dry, do you want me to apply some cream?”

Wei Cai Wei again hummed.

Wang Da Xia rubbed her jade feet until they were fragrant, Wei Cai Wei’s breathing gradually became even, Wang Da Xia thought she had fallen asleep, he stopped and got off the bed to wash his hands, then laid by her side again.

Wei Cai Wei turned around, her head buried in the hollow of Wang Da Xia’s shoulder.

Living off a woman, it was only expected for his shoulder to be used as a pillow by his wife.

Wang Da Xia was aware he was living off a woman, he didn’t push Wei Cai Wei’s head back onto her own pillow.

Wei Cai Wei reached out her right hand, holding his neck, like his head was a pumpkin pillow, her messy black hair rubbed against his neck, it was very ticklish, tickling to his heart.

This still wasn’t enough, Wei Cai Wei was breathing against his ear, his ear instantly changed colours, a plump bright red.

Wang Da Xia began to have impure thoughts, but he lived off a woman, he couldn’t take advantage of his drunk wife, so he gently pushed Wei Cai Wei back inside the bed.

When Wei Cai Wei’s head returned to her own pillow, she opened her eyes.

They looked at each other in the eyes, he felt his wife’s gaze held some anger, Wang Da Xia hurriedly explained: “I didn’t do anything, you wanted me to sleep in the bed, you can’t blame me for your drunken behaviour, you really did say this.”

Wei Cai Wei said: “Come here, closer.”

Wang Da Xia leaned forward, “What is it? Just tell me.”

Wei Cai Wei said: “A little more closer.”

Wang Da Xia continued to lean forward, face to face, the tips of their noses were about to touch.

Wei Cai Wei: “A little more.”

If he got closer he would touch his wife’s nose, as someone who lived off a woman, how can he hurt his wife’s nose.

Wang Da Xia cautiously moved forward, their noses touched lightly.

Wei Cai Wei thought, if I continue to give hints like this, I’m worried this will carry on until dawn, life is short.

Wei Cai Wei raised her head and kissed his lips.