"Returning to Before Husband's Castration" 《回到老公自宫前》Chapter 51

“Uncle Yan stop!” Lu Ying said: “I sent people to watch Ding Wu, I was the one who found this place and it was my idea to replace him with a fake to rescue Ding Wu. The person who was on the water wheel just now had always been him, Ding Wu has now already been taking to the embroidered uniform guard’s yamen, this is all, uncle Yan let go.”

You are the company you keep, the honest Lu Ying had been influenced into lying by Wang Da Xia, if Yan Shi Bo rushed next door to look for him, there was only an old housekeeper at the Lu courtyard, Ding Wu would definitely fall into Yan Shi Bo’s hands again.

That’s why Lu Ying said Ding Wu had already been taking away.

“You want me to let go?” Yan Shi Bo was so angry his fat was trembling, “You worked well together to put on this play to lie to me and you want me to let go? You repeatedly call me uncle, at my age, you actually toy with me and clap in joy.”

This wasn’t the time to anger Yan Shi Bo, otherwise Wang Da Xia would be burned into a Wang prawn, Lu Ying was rarely scared, “Uncle Yan, my second sister is your daughter-in-law, I’ve always respected you as an elder, you and my father have different opinions over the treatment of Ding Ru Kui, but the matters of adults, I as a youngster don’t understand, whatever father says, I’ll just do it, I only followed orders to rescue Ding Wu, I definitely didn’t toy with you.”

Lu Ying pushed everything onto her father but in fact she was reminding Yan Shi Bo, it was her father who is protecting the Ding father and son, it has nothing to do with her, if you want to seek revenge look for her father.

In any case we’re related by marriage and wouldn’t break off relations.

Yan Shi Bo wouldn’t be easily persuaded by Lu Ying, “You listen to your father’s orders, he listens to your orders, young man, before you do anything you ought to think of the consequences, those who offend me, you must know the consequences. You want to be an errand boy, you ought to know those charging and breaking through the enemy lines die the quickest.”

Yan Shi Bo finished speaking, using the torch he poked Wang Da Xia’s arm.

Ah! Wang Da Xia screamed, a huge blister formed on his arm immediately!

“Don’t touch him!” Lu Ying wanted to rush over to save Wang Da Xia, but was pushed down onto a chair firmly by two guards, she couldn’t move at all.

A wise man knows better than to fight when the odds are against him, under the acute pain, Wang Da Xia immediately changed tack, “I was wrong! Please be forgiving assistant minister Yan! I shouldn’t be the errand boy of the Lu father and son! They only know to tell me to do things and not know how to protect me, I want to work for assistant minister Yan instead and serve you, I’ll go to any length and not hesitant on anything!” 

Having spoken, Wang Da Xia knelt on the ground begging.

Yan Shi Bo stopped the burning torture, pushing the wet hair against Wang Da Xia’s cheek behind his ear, an attractive face appeared.

Yan Shi Bo looked at him carefully, “That night when I saw Ding Ru Kui in the prison, you were the one who was fanning me.”

Wang Da Xia remained on his knees, nodding repeatedly, saying in flattery: “Yes, yes, yes, assistant minister Yan has such a good memory, it was me, it seems destined for me to follow assistant minister Yan, this is predestined by the gods.”

When the evil genius Yan Shi Bo with a bellyful of tricks met the dandy Wang Da Xia with a bellyful of lies, the showdown was intense, let’s see who was more shameless.

Yan Shi Bo said to Lu Ying: “It seems there is a day your father makes an error in judgement, he picks those who are extremely loyal, even that ugly mask Wu would rather die than betray him, not saying a word. Tonight this youngster sang like a canary just from being scalded, changing to my side and kneeling like a dog here.”

Having spent some time together, Lu Ying and Wang Da Xia had somewhat of a mutual understanding, of course she realised this was his way of delaying things while they waited for her father’s reinforcement, she immediately glared at him, “A man should have dignity and not grovel or bow down, you traitor!”

“What dignity, I don’t see any, I only see a blister as large as the god of longevity’s forehead on my arm.” Wang Da Xia said in grievance: “Ding Wu’s life is a life but mine isn’t? I listened to you, took Ding Wu’s place on the water wheel, I almost choked to death, drowned half to death, then I was burnt. When I joined the embroidered uniform guards I was told I’d have a good life and reach the pinnacle of my career? Is this the pinnacle of my life, this is clearly a road leading to death. Leader Lu, the well-fed cannot know how the starving suffer, I don’t have an important and powerful father, I have to find a way to live.”

Lu Ying said: “Didn’t I come to save you? I didn’t abandon you.”

Wang Da Xia pointed at the blister on his right arm, “It doesn’t matter if you have good intentions when you can’t do it! I’m fortunate to have only been burnt on the arm, if it was my face, my handsome face would be ruined! I’m so good looking!”

Lu Ying scolded: “Greedy for life, scared of death! You’re handsome face has been wasted!”

Yan Shi Bo asked Wang Da Xia: “Where is Ding Wu?”

“That— “ Wang Da Xia hesitated, glancing at Lu Ying, his eyes flashing.

Lu Ying exploded in anger: “You dare—”

Yang Shi Bo used his wall like body to block Lu Ying, helping Wang Da Xia up personally, “Changing sides isn’t as easy as saying it, I need you to show it— Ding Wu is a great way to do this. Tell me, where is Ding Wu? Which road did they take to bring him to the embroidered uniform guard’s yamen?”

Wang Da Xia said: “Leader Lu lied to you just now, Ding Wu isn’t being taken to the yamen. The goldfish pond is far from the centre of the capital and the gates will be shut soon for the night curfew, it’s hard to rush back, if they get stuck outside the gates, it would be risky when assistant minister Yan sends people to capture him so leader Lu sent people to take Ding Wu to the nearest temple— Tianqing temple to hide.”

Lu Ying coldly said: “Uncle Yan, can you believe the words of a traitor? He’s lying to you.”

Wang Da Xia said: “Assistant minister Yan, my and my family’s lives are in your hands, how could I lie to you? It would be futile for you to send people to search Tianqing temple, such a big temple, who would know where they’re hidden? Fortunately they don’t know I’m now on your side, I’m willing to be the bait to lure Ding Wu out, to present as a gift to you..”

Lu Ying was silent in despair, she leaned against the back of the chair, no longer struggling.

She however thought: It’s easier to find a way to escape in Tianqing temple than here in the den of wolves, Wang Da Xia had already previously misappropriated some talismans and a copper buddha from there, most likely those monks will remember him.

Yan Shi Bo watched Lu Ying’s expression to confirm Wang Da Xia had told the truth, “There’s no time to lose, we’ll go now.”

Wang Da Xia pointed at his clothes which had been burned by the torch and the translucent blister, “I need a change of clothes and the wound to be bandaged, if they see I’m injured they’ll think I couldn’t stand being tortured and betrayed leader Lu.”

Yan Shi Bo’s eyebrows twitched, “Oh, you’re really clever. Someone come, dress his wound and give him a set of dark clothes.”

Wang Da Xia deliberately cried out for his mum and dad when his wound was being dressed, he was also slow when he changed, dragging it out as long as possible to wait for reinforcement.

Yan Shi Bo urged: “Hurry up, I’ll give you an hour to bring Ding Wu back.”

When Wang Da Xia changed, he sneakily took out the bundle Wei Cai Wei gave him and took a look, the oil paper was wrapped very tightly, the powder inside hadn’t dissolved by the water.

It could still be used, under an unpredicted situation it should be able to take down five people.

Wang Da Xia put the bundle away, sorting out his clothes he came out, “I’ll get going. I only need five men to bring Ding Wu back.”

Yan Shi Bo waved his hand, “I’ll give you fifty.”

I can’t run from fifty men! 

Wang Da Xia said: “Too many people will alert them, they won’t believe me.”

Yan Shi Bo said: “Five people will go with you to Tianqing temple dressed as monks, the remaining forty-five will follow you from afar and surround Tianqing temple, watching over all paths, just in case.”

Wang Da Xia pumped out the flattery, “Assistant minister Yan has thought of everything, assistant minister Yan is wise!”

The old fox was used to plotting.

Wang Da Xia was aware it was tricky to deceive Yan Shi Bo, but at this stage, any delay was better than none, otherwise Yan Shi Bo would use the torch against his face.

I can’t become disfigured, I survive on this handsome face, even when doctor Wei first met me, she had a good impression of me, calling out to me about Zhou xiaoqi’s hidden arrow and saved my life.

My face is on par with Ding Wu’s, if I become disfigured, I would lose my biggest advantage.

Lu Ying was anxious on Wang Da Xia’s behalf, concerned about his life, what she wouldn’t have expected was that Wang Da Xia who had drank a bellyful of pond water would still be jealous at death’s door.

Yan Shi Bo’s death squad immediately shaved their heads, changing into monk’s clothing they followed Wang Da Xia, amongst them was the man who pretended to be mask Wu.

Wang Da Xia waved his hand, “Let’s go.”

Now he could only react as things came.

Just as they left the self-rain pavilion to the edge of the pond, there was a sudden flash of light like lightning from the south-east direction of the courtyard!

Immediately after a heat of smoke and dust came blowing with the night wind.

“Fire! The bamboo forest is on fire!” A group of guards came running over, “Assistant minister! The bamboo forest is on fire, you can’t stay here, you must leave quickly!”

The courtyard of Confucius was the only place where the embroidered uniform guards didn’t dare to burst into, Yan Shi Bo was not going to leave so easily.

He said: “Go put out the fire, this is the goldfish pond, there’s water everywhere, what’s there to worry about a fire in the bamboo forest!”

Just as he had finished speaking, the fire seemed to think Yan Shi Bo was looking down on her, the night sky in the south was again lit up by the fire and turned red.

“The pine forest is also on fire!”

Yan Shi Bo felt this couldn’t be a coincidence, he asked Wang Da Xia, “This was set by your comrades?”

Wang Da Xia thought about it, considering the fires were set everywhere, most likely it was done by Wei Cai Wei, he said: “It’s not us, it’s them, I’m assistant minister Yan’s man now, this was something they arranged in advance, if they don’t see me and leader Lu return they would set fires.”

Yan Shi Bo asked: “Why are they setting fires?”

“Because—” Wang Da Xia also wasn’t sure why Wei Cai Wei had set fires, “Because they think assistant minister Yan is afraid of death, the goldfish pond is surrounded by ponds and water, the fire couldn’t possibly spread to self-rain pavilion, but the smoke and dust is pungent, assistant minister Yan’s precious body wouldn’t be able to stand it.”

Yan Shi Bo said: “Inviting trouble by setting fires, hurry up and catch them, use iron wire around them and throw them into the flames.”

“Yes!” 

Wang Da Xia was really anxious! 

Yan Shi Bo urged: “You do your thing, go to Tianqing temple to catch Ding Wu.”

At this moment, Wei Cai Wei’s silhouette was lit up by the flames, a group of guards rushed over.

Wei Cai Wei simply couldn’t outrun them, she undid a bundle tossing the powder inside behind her, the guards didn’t have time to avoid it, their eyes, nose and throat were covered in the powder, there was a burning sensation.

The guards cried out one after the other, covering their eyes and rolling about on the ground.

Wei Cai Wei got away for the time being, she headed to the plum trees when another group of guards came after her, if Yan Shi Bo hadn’t given the order to burn her alive, Wei Cai Wei would have already been turned into a hedgehog by arrows.

It was at this moment ladders were placed over the courtyard doors, the well-trained embroidered uniform guards climbed up them and into the courtyard, killed those watching the doors and opened it up.

Lu Bing was on horseback, taking the lead in galloping over the threshold and followed by five hundred cavalry, these elite troops were like a human wall, separating Wei Cai Wei from the pursuing guards.

Wei Cai Wei hurriedly told Lu Bing: “Wang Da Xia and Lu Ying are at the self-rain pavilion.”

Lu Bing rode straight towards the self-rain pavilion, surrounding the goldfish pond, the dilly-dallying Wang Da Xia had still to leave to “catch the person”.

Yan Shi Bo sneered: “Such a great lord Lu, you even dare to barge into the courtyard of Yanshenggong, it seems the imperial censors will have a lot to talk about tomorrow, lord Lu you can wait for your impeachment.”

Lu Bing pointed at the fire all around, ordering his subordinates, “Why are you standing around? Help put out the fire!”

Lu Bing smiled at his relative by marriage: “Assistant minister Yan is mistaken, I came to put out the fire, seeing my neighbour on fire, how can I just watch with folded arms? A fire in the city gates is also a calamity for the fish in the moat, if the Confucius courtyard is burned down, my house would be caught up too.”

Wang Da Xia immediately understood why Wei Cai Wei set the fires: to give Lu Bing a reasonable explanation to enter the Confucious courtyard.