Seeing that Wei Caiwei was easy to get along with, Lady Shang decided to press for details, "That girl... was she really born without that thing?"
Wei Caiwei didn't answer directly but instead asked, "If you were in a position where a single word could change another woman's fate, would the truth really matter?"
Lady Shang thought for a moment and said, "You're right. But I could never reach a position like Doctor Wei's. Someone like me would never be selected for the palace. My father is staying at an inn just outside the Baoding Prefecture office, waiting for me to be eliminated so he can take me home. Doctor Wei, do you think I have any hope?"
"Well..." Wei Caiwei said, "I'm only responsible for examining the physical condition of the candidates for the Imperial Concubine Selection. As for who gets selected or eliminated, that's beyond my control. What about you? Do you want to be selected?"
Lady Shang took out a handful of melon seeds from her pouch, shared half with Wei Caiwei, and chatted while cracking them, "Of course not. I've heard the palace has too many rules. I've been carefree since childhood and wouldn't fit in such a place. But the farthest I've been with my father was to the capital for fun, where I saw the palace from a distance. The palace is so huge, and I'm quite curious about it. If I could last until entering the palace for selection and gain some experience, even if I get eliminated in the end, it would be worth it. At least I could say I've been inside the palace in this lifetime."
"Doctor Wei, you're a palace female physician, so you must enter the palace frequently. Is it really luxurious there? Are the roads paved with gold? Are the imperial concubines exceptionally beautiful, like fairies from paintings? What do people in the palace eat? Do they have meat every meal, delicacies from land and sea, eating whatever they want?"
Wei Caiwei replied, "To be honest, although I'm a palace female physician, my medical skills aren't as renowned as other female physicians. So far, I've only treated women from noble and official families. The esteemed ladies in the palace haven't summoned me for medical treatment yet. I've only entered the palace to take the imperial physician examination at the Directorate of Ceremonial and haven't been to the Eastern and Western Six Palaces. However, the paths I walked were paved with stone slabs, not gold."
Lady Shang flattered, "That's because Doctor Wei is still young. Many people think older physicians have more experience."
She then asked, "As a candidate sent by Baoding Prefecture, if I remain in the palace for selection, could I summon Doctor Wei for medical treatment?"
Wei Caiwei, worried that Lady Shang might get whimsical ideas and pretend to be ill to call for a physician after entering the palace, quickly said, "If you're truly sick, you'll be immediately expelled from the palace. If you fake illness, that's the crime of deceiving the emperor, punishable by beheading."
Lady Shang stuck out her tongue, "So that means candidates like me aren't qualified to summon female physicians at all. Only the esteemed ladies in the palace can do that."
Wei Caiwei nodded, "The palace has many rules. However, the higher the status, the fewer rules constrain them. The esteemed ladies have privileges."
Lady Shang said somewhat naively, "I understand. Either don't enter the palace, or strive hard to become the most esteemed lady in the palace."
Although Lady Shang seemed like a careless, simple-minded girl, her comprehension was sharp. She immediately grasped the key point. Wei Caiwei said, "Even the most esteemed lady is beneath one person and cannot surpass the emperor."
Lady Shang said, "Oh, of course the emperor is the highest."
In the time it took to finish a pouch of melon seeds, the two became familiar. Finally, Lady Shang consulted Wei Caiwei, "My chin has been itching today, as if a sore is growing. Will this affect tomorrow's reselection?"Wei Caiwei looked closely at Madam Shang, who had a small round face with a full forehead, delicate eyebrows, and large eyes—a visage of good fortune. Her cheeks resembled ripe peaches, naturally radiant without any makeup. When she lowered her head, a double chin appeared, softened by baby fat, making her look even more youthful and rounded.
The sore was nestled within the folds of her double chin. Madam Shang tilted her head back, stretching the skin to reveal it for inspection.
After observing the sore’s shape and checking her pulse, Wei Caiwei said, "Don’t worry. You’re simply about to have your menstrual cycle. Once it’s over, the red sore will disappear on its own. Avoid squeezing it, or it may leave a scar."
"What is a menstrual cycle?" Madam Shang asked, bewildered. Having lost her mother early, she was raised solely by her doting father, who treated her as a perpetual little girl and never broached such private matters with her.
Wei Caiwei suddenly realized that Madam Shang was still a thirteen-year-old girl who had not yet experienced her first period. She took her to her room, retrieved a pack of spare Chen Mama (ancient cloth sanitary pads), and demonstrated how to use them.
Clutching the pack of Chen Mama, Madam Shang turned ashen. "...It happens every month, lasting several days, day and night? Oh heavens, I don’t want to be a woman anymore. Doctor Wei, is there medicine to stop this?"
"No," Wei Caiwei replied. "It only ceases when you’re past forty, or during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Until then, there’s no other way. Keep warm and drink plenty of hot water."
Unable to accept the reality of growing up, Madam Shang listlessly returned to her room. Coincidentally, she needed the supplies the very next day.
Of course, that was later. For now, Wang Daxia, having received the marriage certificate from Wei Caiwei sealed with a kiss, spent the morning secretly rejoicing in his room. At noon, he changed into a high-collared robe and went to find Wei Caiwei for a meal. Learning she was still busy examining the palace maid candidates, he refrained from disturbing her and instead wandered around Baoding Prefecture.
Upon his return, Wei Caiwei had just bid farewell to Madam Shang. Wang Daxia invited her out, saying, "I spent the afternoon inquiring about the best food and sights in Baoding Prefecture. Let’s go explore."
Shocking! The Embroidered Uniform Guard’s Hundred-Household Commander and the palace female physician were exploiting their duties for a publicly funded trip!
Though less bustling than the capital, Baoding had its charms. They boated on the Jiju River, listening to the rush of water from the upstream Yimu Spring merging into the river.
They admired "the new autumn dew dampening clusters of lotus" and "the evening glow casting brocade-like light upon hibiscus," while "pairs of little swallows darted gracefully through the curtains, and leisurely gulls drifted lightly over the water." (Note 1)
In love, everything appears in pairs, laden with symbolism. Wang Daxia, for instance, sought out twin lotus flowers on the water, plucking them to present to Wei Caiwei.
Gazing at the swallows on the shore and the gulls on the river, he saw them chasing and playing in pairs across the sky. Even the dragonflies... Ugh! How shameless these paired dragonflies were, openly engaging in the act of making little dragonflies in broad daylight!
Wang Daxia cursed inwardly yet envied them. Dragonflies were so free—once they fancied each other, they could wed instantly. Meanwhile, I have to wait three years.
As a human, I am... impatient.
Wang Daxia was "moved by the scene," while Wei Caiwei, having witnessed such sights in her previous life during their frequent outings, watched him instead. To her, no splendor in the world could compare to him.When Wang Daxia sensed her gaze and turned to look at her, she immediately averted her eyes, pretending to admire the scenery.
After several repetitions, Wang Daxia couldn't resist asking, "You could look at me openly, so why are you stealing glances?"
Because I fear it would make you proud, and I dare not let you know how deeply I truly love you. Wei Caiwei said with a serious expression, "I wasn't."
Wang Daxia insisted, "Yes, you were."
Wei Caiwei felt that, judging by their childish exchange, their combined ages probably didn't exceed eight years.
We're really regressing as we grow older. Wei Caiwei remarked, "Stop asking so many questions. The Marriage Certificate is already written—what more do you want? It's in black and white, sealed with my personal stamp."
Mentioning the Marriage Certificate, Wang Daxia promptly unfastened his collar and pulled out a cord from around his neck. Strung on it was a bronze round box the size of a pigeon egg, its lid featuring a dial engraved with the celestial stems and earthly branches—a meticulously crafted combination lock.
Wang Daxia handed the lockbox and cord to Wei Caiwei. "I bought this today at a locksmith shop in Baoding Prefecture. It's rare even in the capital. The shopkeeper said a master locksmith spent five years making this combination lock—it's their prized possession. I haggled for ages and finally got it for fifty taels of silver. I folded the Marriage Certificate, stuffed it inside, sealed it with wax, and set a code no one could possibly crack. I'll keep it close to me. Three years from now, this will be the most crucial proof when I come to propose."
"Fifty taels—that's a year's rent for me," Wei Caiwei mused, fiddling with the lockbox. She tried turning the combination dial on the lid, and with a click, the box opened, revealing the wax-sealed Marriage Certificate.
She had cracked the code on her first attempt.
The rebuttal came too swiftly, leaving Wang Daxia momentarily stunned.
Wei Caiwei asked, "Is this your so-called uncrackable code?"
The atmosphere grew awkward. Wang Daxia mumbled, "How... how did you know my birth date?"
Wei Caiwei countered, "Who in their right mind uses their own birth date as a combination lock code? It's the easiest to guess."
"Don't mock me," Wang Daxia said, both embarrassed and aggrieved. "I... I was afraid I'd forget the code. Three years—one thousand and ninety-five days, thirteen thousand one hundred and forty shichen! It's so long, I can't even remember what I ate yesterday."
Wei Caiwei sighed and shook her head. Click-clack, she reset the dial to a new number, closed the box, and returned it to Wang Daxia. "This is a code only you and I know. It's the date we agreed upon for your proposal in three years: the year Guihai, month Jiashen, day Wuxu. You won't forget this number, will you?"
Wang Daxia was instantly filled with admiration. He hastily took the lockbox and hung it back around his neck, tucking it away. "This number is easy to remember. Of course I'll always remember it. I'd forget my own birthday before forgetting this date."
The two enjoyed the early autumn scenery of Baoding Prefecture, then went to the famed Daci Pavilion for vegetarian cuisine. The vegetarian dishes there were indeed exceptional—tofu crafted to imitate chicken, duck, fish, and meat so convincingly it could fool anyone. Wang Daxia, who was never happy without meat, was thoroughly enjoying his meal when a sudden thought struck him. "How did you know my birth date? We never exchanged our horoscopes."The exact hour and quarter of one's birth, as recorded in the eight characters of their birth date, are known only to their parents. If this information were to be leaked, it could easily invite curses from rivals. Therefore, men and women only learn the precise details of each other's birth dates when exchanging betrothal cards and consulting a fortune-teller to determine their compatibility.
Uh... This question stumped Wei Caiwei. She had "cheated"—in her previous life, they had become a eunuch and maid pairing and exchanged betrothal cards. She had celebrated Wang Daxia's birthday every year; how could she not know? Even if she forgot her own birthday, she would never forget Wang Daxia's birth date!
"I..." Wei Caiwei stammered, unable to answer, never expecting such a minute detail to give her away. There was no way she could explain this away.
Wang Daxia pressed her relentlessly, forcing Wei Caiwei to resort to her ultimate trump card: the three-year agreement. "Three years. When the date on the cipher disk arrives, I will tell you the truth."
The next day, during the second round of the selection, the candidates' speech, demeanor, and posture were assessed, eliminating another large portion. Only forty-nine meticulously chosen women remained, including Lady Shang. Under the escort of Baoding Prefecture yamen officers, they all proceeded to the capital. Wei Caiwei returned to Tianshui Lane, while the forty-nine selected women were settled in the Palace of Gathered Elegance within the inner court.
No sooner had Wang Daxia returned home than he was urgently summoned to the Imperial Guard Office by Lu Bing's trusted aide.
Lu Bing dismissed everyone else and showed him a secret letter that had just arrived.
Wang Daxia's face instantly paled upon reading it: it was a secret message from Ding Wu, stating that he had successfully joined the White Lotus Sect, been appointed as a Branch Leader, and become the new strategist.
The sect leader, Zhao Quan, had brought him to the Khanate Court and recommended him to Anda Khan. There, he encountered a familiar face—the former Top Courtesan of the Red Sleeve Brothel, Miss Jin Ying.
However, Jin Ying held another identity at the Khanate Court: she was the daughter of Zheheng Aha, the chieftain of the Qira Gut Tribe, and nominally the granddaughter of Anda Khan. Anda Khan's daughter, granted the title of princess, had married Zheheng Aha as his second wife. Though Jin Ying was not the princess's biological daughter, she was deeply favored by the princess, who secured her the title of Junjun, granting her a noble status.
Author's Note: What follows, whether in the Ming imperial palace or Anda Khan's Khanate Court, will be a series of wildly dramatic and absurd twists, more surreal than fiction.
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