"Returning to Before Husband's Castration" 《回到老公自宫前》Chapter 49

 Lu Ying knocked on her own family courtyard’s door, the old housekeeper opened the door, “Fourth—”, then he saw two strangers behind her, he hurriedly changed to say “Young master has returned.”

Lu Ying said: “No need to make a fuss, move three ladders to the pond.”

The three of them entered the courtyard, it was like a park in Jiangnan, a rock garden built with stones from Lake Tai, a multistory pavilion, two ponds were joined into one by a wooden bridge which looked like it was covered with wriggling snakes, under the wooden bridge were all kinds of green jade lotuses, pickable if one stooped over.

The middle class noble like the Wang family didn’t have such fine courtyards, Wang Da Xia was curious, he even threw away the basket full of cape jasmines and picked a few tender lotus seed heads to peel and eat.

“So sweet, the lotus centre isn’t bitter either.”

Even at this moment Wang Da Xia was in the mood to eat lotus seed head.

At the end of the east pond was yanshenggong’s courtyard, only a wall separated them.

It was because they were all well-known influential families who didn’t often stay here, coming only when they wanted some time away, they only guarded against people of low status and not noblemen, regardless if it was the Kong family or the Lu family, they never anticipated their neighbour to climb over their wall, so the inner walls were not built high up, a normal bamboo ladder could reach the top.

The three of them changed into black clothes, climbing to the top of the wall up the ladder, it was the fifth night of the dragon boat festival, the moon was as curved as a hook and would sometimes hide under the clouds, there was basically no moonlight.

Wang Da Xia reached out his hand, “It’s almost impossible to see my fingers, our eyes are basically blind, how will we find Ding Wu?”

Lu Ying said: “Our courtyards are neighbours, we’ve visited each other, I’ve been to the Kong family’s courtyard a few times. They have a long heritage, this building was obtained during the reign of Yongle emperor, it’s already been a hundred years, they had a skilled worker make a waterwheel in the goldfish pond, lifting the water up from the pond with it and pouring it on the roof of the pavilion in the middle of the pond, the water flows from the four corners of the roof, like its raining heavily, that’s why it’s called self-rain pavilion.”

“Self-rain pavilion is cooled down by the artificial rain, it doesn’t even need ice cubes in the summer for it to be extremely cool and refreshing, considering a fat person like Yan Shi Bo who is afraid of the heat, he must be in the self-rain pavilion.”

Wang Da Xia looked like a country bumpkin in the big city, he clicked his tongue: “This is only something you officials close to the emperor would do, our Wang family who has guarded the Shichaihai for five generations thought our four section courtyard is amazing but were were too ignorant and narrow-minded.”

Wei Cai Wei was concerned about Ding Wu, she said: “Yan Shi Bo is at the self-rain pavilion, considering his usually cautious self, Ding Wu ought to be nearby so that he can use him at any time.”

Lu Ying nodded, “That’s exactly it, you don’t know martial arts, stay near the top of the wall to help us, Wang Da Xia and I will go in, whether or not we can rescue Ding Wu, I can at least say with me here Ding Wu won’t die. I already sent a pigeon to father, father should be here to assist at any time.”

When things came to a head, Wang Da Xia wasn’t as calm as when he had eaten the lotus seed head, he became afraid, “Then what about me? Breaking into yanshenggong’s courtyard, my dad won’t be able to help me.”

Lu Ying said: “You are my people, I told you to climb over the wall, if something happened to you just say it was all under my order, I will keep you alive.”

With Lu Ying’s promise, Wang Da Xia relaxed, psyching himself up, “Nothing will happen to me, I am a very lucky person.” Then he said to Wei Cai Wei: “I will definitely bring Ding Wu back to you.”

Wei Cai Wei didn’t know martial arts, she knew if she went she would be a burden to Lu Ying and Wang Da Xia, it was the best decision to stay here.

Wei Cai Wei took out two greaseproof paper packages from her embroidered pouch, she said: “If you come across a sticky situation, like you’re surrounded and you can’t beat them, open these up, throw the powder inside at their eyes and nose.”

Wei Cai Wei always portrayed herself as a person who practised medicine to help others, this was another time after she had created the drug from flamengo stamen’s which made Ding Ru Kui appear to be in an incurable state where she showed she could create poison.

Wang Da Xia trembled with fear as he took the parcel, “Will they be blinded?” He didn’t imagine doctor Wei could be so scary.

Wei Cai Wei said: “This is what I use for self-defence, it’s not as bad as blinding them, it only irritates the eyes, make them cry and their eyes red, temporarily their sights will be blurry, if they breath in this substance, it would also be very irritating, they’ll not be able to attack. Once they’ve washed in water they’ll be fine, it’s not deadly.”

That’s just—oh well?

Wang Da Xia thought: Luckily I haven’t angered her! If I fell into her hands it would be better off dying!

Actually Wang Da Xia was overthinking things, Wei Cai Wei didn’t like to torment him, she would only say a few words, thinking about cutting off little Wei Cai Wei.

Lu Ying felt more and more that Wei Cai Wei was the second young miss He who came to seek revenge, she saw through it but didn’t reveal this, she took the package, “After this, give me a price, the embroidered uniform guards will buy your recipe.”

Lu Ying was still thinking about work at a time like this.

The two of them climbed over the wall, they had practised martial arts since young, they were as lithe as a swallow, they jumped directly from the wall to the pine tree beside the wall, then they climbed down along the branches, disappearing into the night.

A layer of clouds covered the moon again, it really was impossible to see your fingers in front of you, sprawled on the top of the wall, Wei Cai Wei wanted to tear apart the night and find Ding Wu.

Lu Ying had visited the Kong courtyard before, she was familiar with the way, also the sound of the self-rain pavilion was particularly loud in the still night, the two of them arrived at the goldfish pond quickly, they saw the self-rain pavilion in the middle of the pond.

It was as Lu Ying had guessed, the self-rain pavilion was brightly lit, and there was the sound of a melodious guqin, that fatty Yan Shi Bo who was scared of the heat was spending the summer here.

The rain water over the roof of the self-rain pavilion was from the two water wheels rotating in the pond, gathering water from the pond then pouring it together over the pavilion roof, making rain.

The two giant water wheels were like two levelled round pavilions, when the water was poured out the rotation slowed down, there were twenty scoops on each water wheel, the pond water was transported through these.

The self-rain pavilion was lit up like daytime, the water wheels could also be clearly seen so the two of them could see on the south water wheel there was a person tied firmly with rope on one of the scoops!

The person was like a zongzi, tied unmoving to the water wheel, moving without a choice with the water wheel.

While the water wheel rotated, half of it was in water, the other half on top, moving in turn, so the person was also moving in the same manner as the water wheel, in the water one moment then out the next!

When they were above the water, they were able to breath, underwater however if they didn’t hold their breath they would choke on water, then when they came out of the water they could only cough back out the water they had swallowed, after catching their breath, the water scoop beneath them would once again enter the water, beginning a new cycle of torture.

This was cruel, a slow water torture.

It was immensely painful but wasn’t deadly.

The genius Yan Shi Bo was like a butcher in politics, he was even more ruthless when it came to torture methods compared to the embroidered uniform guards.

Lu Ying gritted her teeth in anger, “This is too much.”

Wang Da Xia couldn’t bear to watch, he said: “Fortunately doctor Wei didn’t come, if she saw this she would be so distressed.”

Lu Ying clenched her fists tightly, she wanted to rush over to Yan Shi Bo and get him to let him go but was stopped by Wang Da Xia.

Wang Da Xia shook his head, “Yan Shi Bo killed masked Wu and framed him, such a vicious person would even plot against your father, would he listen to you and kindly release Ding Wu from the water wheel? I have a way to save Ding Wu.”

Wang Da Xia told her his plan, “...Anyway I’m good at swimming, I can stand it without dying.”

Lu Ying listened to him, “No, it’s too risky, I should go.”

Wang Da Xia said: “I was the one who insisted on him coming to the dragon boat race, only then did he come across this situation, I’m ashamed of myself, besides my stature and his is almost the same, you’re relatively small, it would be easily noticed. Just don’t fight me on this, hurry up and save Ding Wu, take him somewhere safe then help me escape.”

Wang Da Xia’s plan was very simple, replace the original with a fake, when Ding Wu was under water, he'd use a knife to cut the rope, rescue Ding Wu then tie Wang Da Xia onto the water wheel to pretend as Ding Wu.

It was dark and gloomy tonight, Ding Wu’s bun had already loosened from the struggle, his kelp like hair would cover his face from time to time, he was also tied onto the water wheel, from head to toe he was dirtied by water plants, duckweeds and such, if the two’s statures were similar, without close inspection no one would notice the person on the water wheel had been replaced.

Lu Ying was a girl, her stature was a little smaller and much more noticeable.

Apart from the self-rain pavilion being brightly lit, the other parts of the goldfish pond were in pitch-black, also the large lotus leaves and lotuses could hide them when they needed to breathe.

The two entered the water, they swam to the lotuses and took a breathe, they waited until Ding Wu was about to enter the water before swimming over, cutting lose the rope, Ding Wu’s hand and feet were already numb from being tied up, he couldn’t move them properly and directly sank under water.

Lu Ying swiftly tied Wang Da Xia onto the water wheel, Ding Wu was wearing green from head to toe but under the darkness they appeared black, Wang Da Xia’s clothes were also black, with his hair scattered over his face they looked alike.

After tying up Wang Da Xia, Lu Ying dived into the water, pulling up the sunken Ding Wu like diggin up a lotus root.

Ding Wu had been tied up for too long, his limbs were numb and couldn’t move at all like a corpse, it made it even easier for Lu Ying to save him.

When she was swimming underwater, Lu Ying noticed Ding Wu couldn’t blow out bubbles, she rushed over and pressed her lips to his, giving him some oxygen.

On reaching an area where the lotus leaves were so dense the sky couldn’t be seen, only then did they stick their heads out and breathe.

Fresh air entered their lungs, Ding Wu aroused himself from his half dead state, he could instinctively tread water.

Lu Ying dragged Ding Wu onto land, helping him through the trees to the wall.

Wei Cai Wei was keeping watch here, hearing Lu Ying’s voice she hurriedly threw the rope down.

Lu Ying said: “Ding Wu still hasn’t got the strength to climb the wall with the rope, throw the ladder over.”

Wei Cai Wei used all her strength to place the ladder over the wall, Lu Ying tied the rope around Ding Wu’s waist and got Ding Wu to climb up the ladder onto the wall with her helping him from behind, Wei Cai Wei pulled on the rope, Ding Wu also dragged his numb legs up the ladder, they didn’t listen at times and a few times he almost stepped on air.

Wei Cai Wei put all her strength into pulling the rope, her fingers were almost going to be cut by the rope, she said: “Wang Da Xia use your strength to push.”

Because it was too dark, and they didn’t dare to light a lantern and make themselves known, Wei Cai Wei was always in the dark, she simply didn’t know Wang Da Xia wasn’t there.

Lu Ying used all her strength to push on Ding Wu’s bottom, she said: “Wang Da Xia is holding them off, he’s not here yet.”

With the three of them working together, they finally got Ding Wu over to the other side and to the old housekeeper to look after.

Wei Cai Wei waved over the wall at Lu Ying, “Hurry over…has Wang Da Xia returned?” Wei Cai Wei thought Wang Da Xia wasn’t actually holding them back.

Lu Ying didn’t climb the ladder, she said: “He’s currently...in a bit of trouble, I need to go and save him.”

With these words Lu Ying disappeared into the night, the sound of her footsteps also gradually faded.

Ding Wu had been tortured over and over in the water, he had drank too much water, his throat was inflamed and hoarse, he couldn’t speak, he wanted to tell Wei Cai Wei, it was Wang Da Xia who had replaced him in suffering the water wheel torture, but he could only croak.

Wei Cai Wei on hearing Wang Da Xia was in trouble, even though she couldn’t understand what Ding Wu was saying, she knew from Lu Ying’s behaviour that it wasn’t a minor situation but a big problem!

“I’ll trouble the housekeeper to look after him, I’m going to go over and take a look.” Wei Cai Wei was too anxious, she had returned to let Wang Da Xia have a better life and not have any regrets, now that Wang Da Xia was in trouble, she couldn’t just sit and watch.

She had to do her best to save her damn husband!