Lu Ying listened and asked, "Chen Dalao has moral failings in his private life? He secretly married an official slave and got her pregnant?"
Wang Daxia chuckled, "Both Thousand Household Chen and his son are dead, which actually benefits the illegitimate child. If that official slave fiancée gives birth to a son, and the Chen family has had only one male heir for five generations, then this illegitimate child could inherit the title of Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand Household. If the Chen family doesn't acknowledge him, the title will be revoked by the court due to lack of heirs. So the Chen family has to accept him, even if reluctantly."
Lu Ying sneered, "Nonsense. Let's not even mention whether Miss He's child is male or female, or if it survives. Murdering one's own father or even grandfather for a title is pure fantasy."
"Lord Lu runs his household excellently, with harmonious relations among his children. Commander Lu would naturally think I'm talking nonsense." Wang Daxia first flattered Lu Bing obsequiously, then his eyes darkened as he said:
"My family is different. I'm the legitimate eldest son, but my stepmother has her own biological son. Her selfish intentions are as clear as day to everyone. The deaths of Thousand Household Chen and his son could benefit not only those with deep-seated grudges against them but also anyone who stands to gain from their demise." "So, stop focusing only on me. Go investigate others. I only had a fight with Chen Dalao, so please let me go." Wang Daxia laughed heartily, as if the gloom in his eyes moments before had been an illusion.
Hearing Wang Daxia's unconventional perspective, which seemed somewhat reasonable, Lu Ying said, "My lord, please return home to rest. I need to change course and go to the Chen family to inquire about that official slave fiancée."
Lu Bing pointed at Wang Daxia, "Take him along to investigate the case."
Upon hearing this, Wang Daxia quickly waved his hands, "This has nothing to do with me."
Lu Ying's face darkened, "My lord doesn't trust my abilities, but believes in a former suspect and wastrel?"
Lu Bing said, "Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. When it comes to understanding human relationships, all walks of life, and the darkness in the world, you're not as knowledgeable as Wang Daxia. To solve the case quickly, you need assistance. Following routine procedures and working behind closed doors won't do."
Before Lu Ying could respond, Wang Daxia hurriedly said, "I refuse. In this hot weather, isn't watermelon delicious enough or are bamboo mats not comfortable enough? I won't go looking for trouble hunting some murderer."
"This case has a connection with you—it always involves you somehow. Based on my years of intuition in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, you could play a significant role. Besides..." Lu Bing leisurely picked up his teacup and said, "If you don't help the Embroidered Uniform Guard investigate, I'll immediately tie you up and send you to the Wang residence."
Wang Daxia adopted a defiant attitude, stretching out his hands, "Come on, tie me up right now. Who knows my own home better than me? I'll just find another opportunity to run away from home."
"How will you run away?" Lu Bing suddenly drew his sword. Wang Daxia crouched to dodge, feeling a chill behind him as Lu Bing's sword flicked away the bundle on his shoulder!
Lu Bing threw the bundle into a chest and locked it, "This should be all your private savings, right? Penniless, are you planning to beg for a living if you escape?"
Wang Daxia jumped anxiously, "Lord Lu, what skill! Bullying the small with your size! Oppressing the weak with your strength!"
Seeing Wang Daxia in distress, Lu Ying felt secretly pleased and mocked, "Where could he go? He'd definitely seek out some Miss Yingying, looking for his lady love to support him."Lu Bing smiled and said, "Your father has already stationed people around Miss Yingying's residence, waiting for you to walk right into the trap. However, if you cooperate with Lu Ying to solve the case, I will return your private savings to you and even put in a good word with your father to lift your confinement and let bygones be bygones. How does that sound?"
Truly worthy of being the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Lu Bing struck with deadly precision, cutting off all of Wang Daxia's escape routes.
Wang Daxia was a scoundrel, but Lu Bing was a thousand-year-old fox who had long become a spirit, keeping Wang Daxia firmly under his control.
Wang Daxia crouched dejectedly in the corner of the carriage, clutching his head. "What choice do I have? There's no other option. But, Lord Lu, as a high-ranking official, you must not go back on your word."
Lu Bing nodded in satisfaction. "The two of you may get off the carriage now. I hope to see results soon."
Wang Daxia and Lu Ying exchanged a glance before turning away, each looking down on the other.
As they stepped out of the carriage together, Lu Bing called from the window, "Don't stay up late. You're still at an age when you need to grow."
Then, pointing at Wang Daxia, he added, "Assign any tasks that require staying up late to him. He’s at your disposal. His private savings are in my hands, so he won’t dare disobey."
Such blatant double standards from the esteemed commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Wang Daxia protested, "I’m also growing! I shouldn’t stay up late either."
Lu Bing replied, "You’ve repeatedly opposed the Embroidered Uniform Guard, caused a scene at the Imperial Guard Office today, and even hid under my carriage. Do you think the Embroidered Uniform Guard has no dignity? If we don’t make you suffer a little, who will fear us in the future?"
Lu Ying, in high spirits, crooked a finger at the helpless Wang Daxia. "Let’s go. We’re heading to the Chen family to ask some questions."
Wang Daxia, preoccupied with his private savings and freedom, was even more eager than Lu Ying to solve the case that very night. He said:
"The Chen family has no male heirs left, only two widows. Chen Dalao would definitely have kept the scandal of impregnating an official slave’s fiancée hidden from his mother and his wife. What do you expect to learn from them? The two widows would cry your ears deaf."
Lu Ying was taken aback. "What do you suggest we do?"
"Follow me." Wang Daxia mounted his horse and led Lu Ying to a bathhouse near Wang Gong Factory called Huaqing Pool.
By then, it was already dark. The night watchman on the street struck his drum, reminding people to return home immediately. The curfew was only half an hour away.
Wang Daxia dismounted and pushed aside the curtain to enter Huaqing Pool.
"Why are we at a bathhouse?" Lu Ying asked.
Wang Daxia explained, "Behind this bathhouse is an underground gambling den. Like master, like servant—Chen Dalao’s page is a regular there. I’m going to catch him for questioning. That page has been with Chen Dalao since childhood, inseparable. He even hands him paper when he goes to the toilet, let alone something like getting a woman pregnant."
Indeed, only an opponent truly understands another. Though Wang Daxia and Chen Dalao were enemies, he knew him best.
Lu Ying hesitated at the entrance of the bathhouse.
Wang Daxia turned back. "Why are you stopping? The underground gambling den is crowded. If the page sees me, he’ll probably run. I can’t catch him alone. Are you planning to sit back and do nothing?"
Lu Ying steeled himself and waved a hand. "Let’s go!"
The counter manager was about to pull a hidden rope to send a warning, but Wang Daxia vaulted over the counter and grabbed his hand. "The Embroidered Uniform Guard is on a case. We’re only here to arrest one person, and we’ll leave once we have him. If you alert anyone, we’ll shut down this gambling den. Do you believe me?"
The manager forced a smile. "Of course I believe you, Young Master Wang."Lu Ying thought to herself, Wang Daxia is so familiar with everything here—it seems he's been a frequent visitor to gambling dens since a young age.
"Let's go." Wang Daxia led the way ahead.
Lu Ying walked through the bathhouse with her eyes fixed straight ahead, her body stiff and rigid like a wooden puppet.
Wang Daxia teased her, "Why so nervous? You have what they have too."
Lu Ying gritted her teeth and said, "I think they're ugly! A bunch of misfits!"
Wang Daxia glanced around—it was true, not a single handsome one in sight, unbearable to look at.
Passing through the bathhouse, they arrived at a brightly lit basement. The air was foul, filled with indescribable sweat odors that nearly made the pampered Lu Ying vomit!
"The third table on the left, the one in mourning attire is the page boy." Wang Daxia stepped aside. "Your turn now."
Lu Ying ordered her subordinates to tie up the page boy and drag him out—she couldn't stand the nauseating smell any longer.
Just as Lu Ying was about to begin the interrogation, Wang Daxia said, "Let me go first."
With that, he kicked the page boy flying, followed by a storm of punches and kicks—fierce and relentless, yet carefully avoiding the face.
The beating left the page boy without even the will to escape, collapsing on the ground like a pile of mud. Wang Daxia nodded to Lu Ying, "He shouldn't lie now. This will save time. Ask your questions, Commander Lu."
Even the Embroidered Uniform Guard was astonished by this technique. A subordinate whispered in Lu Ying's ear, "Commander Lu, this Young Master Wang's methods are more like ours than we are."
Lu Ying asked, "Miss He, Chen Dalao's former fiancée, was pregnant. What happened to the child later?"
Before the page boy could speak, Wang Daxia stepped on his wrist. "Tell the whole story from beginning to end. One lie and I'll chop off a hand."
The page boy cried, "Our Chen family are the victims here! Why are you torturing me instead of looking for the real culprit?"
Wang Daxia sneered coldly, "We're helping you quit gambling. How can you gamble without hands? Speak now!"
Forced into a corner, the page boy revealed how Chen Dalao had violated Miss He. "...The Chen family wouldn't allow a government slave to bear offspring. Besides, the young master was arranging a marriage and feared scandal, so they ordered Old Woman Wang to kill both mother and child. Originally they planned to poison the younger one to cover up the disgrace, but the child disappeared—probably kidnapped by traffickers—and was never heard from again. Later the Chen family announced that Miss He had died of depression and the child had drowned while playing in water. After all, they were just government slaves, treated like livestock—family property that nobody would investigate."
Every word dripped with blood.
Even the steady and calm Lu Ying couldn't help whipping the page boy twice.
The page boy screamed in pain, "Please don't chop my hands off! I'm telling the truth! If you don't believe me, dig up the He sisters' graves—two coffins, one large and one small. The large one definitely contains adult and fetal bones, while the small coffin is empty!"
Lu Ying whipped him again. "Where does that Old Woman Wang live? Take us there now!"
The page boy led everyone to a village by West Three-Mile River outside the city, where the Chen family had settled the He sisters years ago.
Old Woman Wang, a midwife, lived on the east bank of Three-Mile River.From a distance, the smell of smoke wafted through the air. Drawing closer, I saw funeral couplets hanging at the entrance, with a group of filial descendants dressed in mourning attire kneeling on the ground, burning paper money along with some clothing and shoes.
Old Woman Wang had died, and today happened to be her seventh day after death—the night when the soul returns. Her family was burning clothes for her.
Due to the summer heat, it was impractical to keep the corpse for long, so Old Woman Wang had been hastily buried on the third day.
"How did she die?" Lu Ying asked.
"She was washing clothes by the river at night and accidentally fell in, drowning."
Meanwhile, in Sweetwater Lane in the northern part of the capital, Wei Caiwei was soaking in a bathtub.
Floating on the water were water lily petals, each like a tiny boat. Wei Caiwei stretched out her index finger contentedly and effortlessly pressed one of the petals beneath the hot water.
Just like on the first day of her rebirth, when she went to West Sanli River and drowned Old Woman Wang, who had caused her sister's death along with her unborn child.
Revenge, from the easy to the difficult, starting with Old Woman Wang—an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life.
In her previous life, she had killed Old Woman Wang this way; in this reborn life, she used the same method to kill the old woman a second time.
No retreat, no forgiveness, no regrets—a life for a life.
No one would look too deeply into the death of a rural woman, just as no one had cared about the lives of two government slaves back in the day.
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