"Returning to Before Husband's Castration" 《回到老公自宫前》Chapter 31

 Wang Da Xia thought he had found out the information about Ding Ru Kui because he had given them watermelon, but it wasn’t true, he didn’t know he was already a rising star in the embroidered uniform guards, Lu Ying had personally recruited him, the commander Lu Bing “respectfully” welcomed him, it was equal to being the “disciple of the emperor”, it was because of these two things that he could strut around the embroidered uniform guards.

He had a favourable family background and was good looking as well as approachable, he didn’t have the attitude of someone being favoured, to find out about the prisoner he even bought everyone watermelon with his own money.

He was sometimes careless, unreliable and unpleasant, but when it came to important things he was reliable, especially during that stormy night, Wang Da Xia had gotten the embroidered uniform guards to put down their shovels midway, forcing the study companion to personally dig resulting in a streak of lightning to strike the shovel, killing the study companion, the embroidered uniform guards thought if it wasn’t for Wang Da Xia, that lightning would have struck them on the head.

Later it was also Wang Da Xia who suggested to spend the night at Tianan temple and had “expropriated” amulets from the Tianan temple before giving them out to everyone, he didn’t just think about himself, this undoubtedly led to their favourable impression of him, they felt Wang Da Xia was like the “brat” from next door, he was a little incapable, but they could still bear it, also he was only fourteen years old, his shortcomings can be excused because he was “young”.

Besides, the father and son Lu Bing and Lu Ying supported him, wanting to cultivate him into a trusted aide, he was able to come and go as he wished from the lord’s courtyard, in the future he was most likely to become an important person in the embroidered uniform guards.

Seeing the wind and setting the helm was a person’s instinct.

Ding Ru Kui was a prisoner awaiting for execution who they had been told to “look after well” by Lu Bing personally, he had waited for death for ten years, this was a little secret amongst the embroidered uniform guards, his movements weren’t lightly told to anyone, even Chen Qianhu that kind of fourth ranked official wasn’t sure either, but Wang Da Xia was the trusted aide of the father and son Lu Bing and Lu Ying. 

Thus the guards were willing to make things easy for Wang Da Xia.

Wang Da Xia was “a popular person” in the embroidered uniform guards without knowing, he was basically holding a golden bowl asking for food in the streets!

He also didn’t know how important Ding Ru Kui was and thought it was because he had given them watermelon, he returned to Wei Cai Wei in self-satisfaction seeking for credit, he said: “...They said Ding Ru Kui was a rather special prisoner, lord Lu ordered without his permission, no one can see him in his cell, but, I’m lucky, Ding Ru Kui will leave his cell tonight to offer sacrifices to his old friends in the courtyard, we can wait in the courtyard for an opportunity, that way we didn’t go and see Ding Ru Kui but he came across us, what’s more we didn’t actually go see him in his cell, it wouldn’t be going against Lord Lu’s order.”

Fortunately Lu Bing had given this order before he had a stroke, otherwise let alone Wang Da Xia, even Lu YIng wouldn’t be able to bring Wei Cai Wei to meet Ding Ru Kui in the prison.

Wang Da Xia had also arranged a low level embroidered uniform guard for Wei Cai Wei, “Your mourning clothes are too conspicuous at night, we’re catching Ding Ru Kui while he offers sacrifices tonight, we need to keep a low profile.”

Wang Da Xia was daring and careful, Wei Cai Wei saw a shadow of the Chief Eunuch of the Eastern Depot of his previous life.

Wang Da Xia saw Wei Cai Wei was looking at him in a daze, emotions in her eyes, he hurried wrapped his arms around himself, defending himself, “Don’t try to touch me, my pure self is reserved for my future wife, I’m not an easy person.” Actually Wang Da Xia wasn’t entirely  imagining things, his intuition wasn’t wrong: Wei Cai Wei always wouldn’t admit that she actually liked him— In the previous life.

But the current Wang Da Xia hadn’t grown up, his soul was thirty years younger, he hadn’t been baptised in violent winds and storms, Wei Cai Wei began to transfer her feelings a little without “awareness”.

Wang Da Xia was like a magnet, his magnetic field was like the Chief Eunuch of his previous life. Wei Cai Wei was a needle, as long as a magnet gave off a magnetic field, no matter how deep a needle was buried, it would be attracted in a moment, firmly fixed on the magnet.

It was hard to resist the emotions from a lifetime.

Damn it! She couldn't help it again.

Wei Cai Wei swiftly looked away, coughing twice, she twisted words and forced her logic, saying: “Don’t be mistaken, the drug still hasn’t dissipated, sometimes I feel dizzy and blank out, staring out into space, I’m only lost in thought, you’re in my eyes but not my heart.”

“That’s good.” Wang Da Xia uncrossed his arms, “Zhou Xiaoqi is really ruthless, he must have added something really bad in the drug against you.”

Wei Cai Wei didn’t elaborate: “Get out, I need to change.”

After Wei Cai Wei finished changing into a low level guard, Wang Da Xia knocked on the door from outside, “Are you done changing?”

Wei Cai Wei smoothed the creases on her clothes, saying: “You can come in.”

Wang Da Xia pushed the door open and entered, he still held a thick branch from a tree.

Wei Cai Wei saw this afternoon his childhood innocence had yet to disappear, crouching under the shade of a tree pulling at grass and provoking ants, now he was holding a thick stick to…poke through the tile on the roof?

Wang Da Xia took out a handkerchief, wrapping it around the rough end of the stick, tying a knot, he passed it over to Wei Cai Wei, “This way it won’t scratch your hand, a crutch for you— I cut it from a tree just now. You have a crutch so you don’t need me to support you.”

The first day Wang Da Xia came to work he did nothing, he only slept in the guest room, cut down a branch.

Presenting the Buddha with borrowed flowers, he gave it to Wei Cai Wei as a crutch.

Wei Cai Wei took the branch with the edge covered by a handkerchief, using it to support herself up, she took two steps, the crutch was well made, it wasn’t too long or short, just perfect for her height, like it was tailor made.

The halo of her previous life’s deceased husband was once again shining above the younger Wang Da Xia’s head, Wei Cai Wei’s gaze on him was like a spider extruding a web, strands of emotions, full of tender feelings, firmly wrapping around him with nowhere to escape.

It seems to Wang Da Xia that the way the young widow looked at him always had a hook, hooking onto his young boy’s heart into leaping like a frog.

Wang Da Xia covered his chest, forcing down the frog in his heart: Aiya, I can’t be moved like this.

We have a huge difference in status, it won’t work. I’ve already said many times, don’t fall frantically in love with me, why didn’t you listen!

I need to inherit the position of Qianhu, my future wife has to be a wise and virtuous lady from a prestigious family. If you look at me like that again, I won’t…I won’t play with you.

Wang Da Xia said: “I gave you a crutch, because a man and woman should not have contact, I can’t support you, there’s no special meaning, don’t misunderstand.”

Being rejected by her deceased husband in a straightforward manner, Wei Cai Wei hurriedly looked away, lowering her eyes to the crutch, “I didn’t have any misunderstanding, thank you, wait until I’ve recovered, I’ll make ten bags of refreshing pills for you as repayment.”

Wang Da Xia let out a breath, “That’s good enough.” He said this but his heart was a little disappointed, how could it be?

It was already dark, the bright moonlight shone a cold light over the world, the night wind brushed by, there seemed to be a faint cape jasmine scent lingering in the air.

Waiting for Ding Ru Kui’s night sacrificial offering to end, Wei Cai Wei used the crutch to leave, from start to finish her and Wang Da Xia kept a two people distance, they walked side by side.

In the south east corner of the large training courtyard, Ding Ru Kui he threw the last of the ritual money into the brazier as sacrifice to the loyal Wei Nan Shan and his wife.

This family had been servants to them for several generations, they were originally slaves until Ding Ru Kui’s generation, he released them, granting them freedom, Wei Nan Shan still served the Ding family, such a honourable servant was called a retainer.

From when he was a high official in the Ministry of War to when he became a prisoner waiting for execution, what friends and colleagues, what master and disciple, in the end the person who stood by him throughout was his humble retainer.

Ding Ru Kui said a prayer in his mind, and took out a thousand words long eulogy he had spent the day writing, burning it for Wei Nan Shan and his wife below.

When he was a high official in the Ministry of War, a lot of people offered thousands of silvers, relying on all types of connections to ask him to write eulogies, epitaphs and so on, there were people from the beginning of the year through to the end— yet he might not accept them.

Now his work was only burned for his loyal servant, he had not seen the day sky in over ten years, seeing the moonlight was also nice, Ding Ru Kui threw the eulogy into the brazier, raising his head he greedily looked at the moon.

The moon was so beautiful.

Ding Ru Kui’s eyes didn’t blink, engraving the scene into his mind, this was a great memory, if his name is ticked with a brushstroke at the end of this year, he’ll be dragged to the market and have his head chopped off, it was worth it.

“Uncle Ding.” A voice came from behind him.

Ding Ru Kui turned his head to look, it was two low levelled guards, one of them was using a crutch with a delicate and pretty appearance, it seems their health wasn’t good.

Ding Ru Kui looked through his memories, he couldn’t recall who this was.

Wei Cai Wei said: “I’m Wei Nan Shan’s adopted daughter, called Wei Cai Wei, ten years ago during the Gengxu revolution, it was a chaos outside the capital, I was separated from my family, as I wandered aimlessly, Wei Nan Shan and his wife adopted me and we went to Tieling together, Ding Wu always thought of you, when I was coming to the capital, he told me to bring a message to you, he’s doing well, he found a job at Tieling yamen, he is self-sufficient, passing his days, you don’t need to be concerned about him.”

Ding Ru Kui suddenly recalled Lu Bing’s abrupt visit this morning, he asked him about Wei Nan Shan.

Lu Bing never spoke without logic, his words from this morning had to have a reason.

Ding Ru Kui saw Wei Cai Wei was wearing an embroidered uniform guards outfit, her mere verbal statement couldn’t be taken as proof, Wei Nan Shan and his wife had already passed away, his son Ding Wu was faraway in Tieling, unable to leave the exiled place for the rest of his life, who could proof Wei Cai Wei was telling the truth?

Ding Ru Kui had become a prisoner from a high official, he was hypocritical of the world, his views on people had changed, he couldn’t be moved just from Wei Cai Wei’s words.

Who was this woman? What was her aim? She was wearing the embroidered uniform guards outfit and could appear when he was offering sacrifice to an old friend, was she Lu Bing’s subordinate? Sent here to test me?

Ding Ru Kui was first moved, then he calmed down, he didn’t acknowledge Wei Cai Wei, he said to the jailor: “I’ve troubled you to bring me up tonight and help me set up the altar, I’m already done with the offering, I can return.”

“Uncle Ding, I really am friends with Ding Wu.” Wei Cai Wei hurriedly walked over on the crutch, but Ding Ru Kui was as cold as before, “Don’t think you can use Ding Wu to threaten me, I’m a prisoner waiting death, if you come closer, are you trying to break me out?”

Once bitten by a snake, ten years in fear of a well rope.

Back then Ding Ru Kui had trusted Yan Song’s words “As long as I’m the chancellor, nothing will happen to you”, in the end his wife died and his son was lost to him, the family ruined, learning from his past, Ding Ru Kui didn’t dare to trust anyone.

If he tried to escape from prison he would be killed on sight.

Wei Cai Wei could only stop.

Ding Ru Kui followed the jailor, his five catty leg-irons dragging on the ground, making scraping noises.

Wei Cai Wei words had not moved Ding Ru Kui, but it made Wang Da Xia jealous for some reason, he asked five questions successively: “Who is Ding Wu? How old is he? Is he handsome? Is he as good looking as me? What is your relationship with him?”