Wang Daxia was good at nothing but lying.
He lived up to Lu Ying's expectations and said, "To force the real culprit into the open, the Embroidered Uniform Guard deliberately spread rumors that a guest at the Inn claimed to have seen someone lurking suspiciously around Thousand Household Chen's horse that night, with ill intentions."
"Your room window faces the Imperial Guard Office, and Commander Lu personally led men to Sweetwater Lane to question you before letting you go. The killer might think you're that guest and try to silence you. So Commander Lu sent people to protect you covertly, hoping to catch the real culprit."
This explanation was so seamless that even Lu Ying nearly believed he had actually done this!
Wei Caiwei hurriedly said, "Commander Lu, this humble woman knows nothing! If I'm truly being targeted by the killer, how should this bait protect herself?"
Given the current situation, they had to go along with the mistake. Lu Ying struggled through his lie: "Don't be afraid. I'll continue to have people protect you secretly. Just go about your business as usual, don't alert the enemy."
Hearing Lu Ying's rigid, word-by-word delivery, Wang Daxia thought, Is lying really this difficult? He quickly added, "You must trust Commander Lu. The Embroidered Uniform Guard won't harm you."
Yeah, right!
"Yes," Wei Caiwei said. "It's getting late, and the Northern City is far. This humble woman would be caught by the curfew halfway home. May I trouble Commander Lu for a Pass Permit?"
The Imperial Guard Office was located in Jiangmi Lane in the Southern City, while Sweetwater Lane was near Shichahai in the Northern City. In modern Beijing terms, this would be equivalent to crossing from the South Second Ring Road to the North Second Ring Road.
Lu Ying picked up a brush to issue the permit and pointed at Wang Daxia. "It's dangerous for a woman to walk alone at night. You're her neighbor—escort her home."
Lu Ying's consideration for a woman's safety at night and his proactive solution surprised Wei Caiwei, who was usually wary of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Is this Commander Lu just making it easier to monitor me?
What perfect timing—I just need to ask the young widow why she changed our escape plan without consulting me. Wang Daxia yawned. "Fine, I'll return Doctor Wei safely home. I didn't sleep well last night at Tian'an Temple—the monks started ringing bells and chanting before dawn, so annoying. Perfect chance to go home for proper rest."
Lu Ying reminded him, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard musters at 7 a.m. daily. Don't be late."
Wang Daxia grunted dismissively, fully intending to come only after sleeping enough.
After two days together, Lu Ying was well acquainted with Wang Daxia's lazy habits and warned, "My rules are strict: latecomers get their private funds held at the Guard docked—half a tael per delay. Even I get fined if I'm late. This money goes to public funds for treating brothers to meals and tea. If you don't mind losing silver, by all means, be late!"
Knowing Lu Ying's rigid, strict nature—and that he meant what he said—Wang Daxia finally behaved.
Lu Ying asked Wei Caiwei, "Doctor Wei, can you ride a horse?"
Wei Caiwei nodded. "Yes. Back in Tieling, I traveled by horseback. Now practicing medicine around the capital, going street to street, it's inconvenient to ride."
At the mention of "Tieling," Lu Bing—who had been resting with closed eyes, silent as if asleep—fluttered his eyelashes but didn't speak.
Lu Ying said, "You and Wang Daxia take a horse each and head home early."
Wei Caiwei hurriedly expressed her thanks.Lu Ying raised his right hand, "No need for formalities. You've had a fright today and suffered some property losses. Go back and make a list. Tomorrow morning, have Wang Daxia bring the horse and the list to the Embroidered Uniform Guard. We will compensate you in full."
Wei Caiwei expressed her gratitude again, "This humble woman runs a small business and truly cannot afford such setbacks. Commander Lu understands my difficulties, and I am deeply grateful. I won't decline and will certainly list everything in detail."
Outside the gate, Wei Caiwei skillfully mounted her horse. Wang Daxia asked the groom, "Where's my horse?"
Lu Ying, annoyed by his troublemaking, said, "Didn't you ride an Embroidered Uniform Guard horse back to the capital? That horse is for your use."
But that horse had been given to the young widow for her escape... Wang Daxia replied, "Commander Lu, you who are well-fed don't understand the hunger of the starving. I'm currently penniless—"
Wang Daxia shook his sleeves, "Without a single coin to my name, all my possessions are in Commander Lu's hands. Even my amulet and bronze Buddha were requisitioned from Tian'an Temple. But I can't drink tea or eat without paying, right? These small businesses struggle to get by, and I was worried about damaging the Embroidered Uniform Guard's reputation and being scolded by you. So I sold the horse for twenty taels of silver to cover investigation expenses."
"You—" Lu Ying could no longer contain himself and lashed out with his whip.
Wang Daxia, nimble and quick, dodged the blow, "When I requisition items, you say I disgrace the Embroidered Uniform Guard. When I sell a horse for funds instead of taking even a cup of tea or a meal from the people without payment, you whip me. Whatever I do is wrong! Ah, how hard it is to be a subordinate in your household! I cannot bear such treatment, so dismiss me soon!"
Lu Ying stated, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard's horses are all Great Yuan Breeds, capable of traveling a thousand li and charging into battle. One horse is worth at least fifty taels, yet you sold it for a mere twenty taels. You must compensate the difference from your own savings. Don't think you can get away with this."
Wang Daxia grumbled indignantly, "Others earn money while on duty, but I have to spend my own funds while serving. Commander Lu, this is utterly unreasonable."
"If you won't even assign me a horse, then I'll just ride home with Doctor Wei." Wang Daxia made a show of swinging his long leg, stepping onto the stirrup, preparing to sit closely behind Wei Caiwei.
"Men and women should not touch when handing things to each other! Don't you dare tarnish this widow's reputation!" Lu Ying, stern and proper, swung his whip, wrapping it around Wang Daxia's ankle and pulling him outward. Wang Daxia tumbled down from the stirrup.
"Get him a horse." Lu Ying pointed his whip at Wang Daxia, "We'll settle all accounts tomorrow!"
Wei Caiwei and Wang Daxia galloped out of the Imperial Guard Office, one after the other.
Lu Bing stood by the window, watching Wei Caiwei's skilled horsemanship. Lu Ying returned, "Father, Wang Daxia is simply outrageous."
In public, he addressed him as 'Sir,' but in private, he called him 'Father.'
Lu Bing retorted, "Do you want to expel him from the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"
Lu Ying fell silent for a moment, then said, "He... has his merits. He's quick-witted, silver-tongued, thrives in the common streets, and is well-versed in all walks of life. If it weren't for his laziness, disregard for discipline, extreme fear of ghosts, and superstitious nonsense, he might actually be the talent the Embroidered Uniform Guard needs. I'll tolerate him for now until this case is solved."Lu Bing cast an admiring gaze, "In the past, you would have surely driven him away. This case has helped you mature considerably, teaching you tolerance. Today, you even told a lie—something truly rare for someone of your character. Wang Daxia possesses strengths you lack; you must learn to utilize him for your own purposes. As for the rest, sometimes it's best to turn a blind eye and let it pass. I kept him here precisely to teach you the art of managing people."
Lu Ying replied, "I will remember your teachings, Father. It's getting late, you should return home and rest."
Lu Bing insisted, "No, you've been overworking yourself lately. Tonight, you must come home and rest."
Concerned about the case, Lu Ying said, "Father, Miss He's remains have been moved to the yamen, and there are still eleven suspects on the list who provided false addresses—"
"Will staying up all night help you find those inn guests who don't exist? Or will the remains run away on their own?" Lu Bing extinguished the candles in the room with a flick of his sleeve and firmly led Lu Ying to a luxurious carriage drawn by five horses, saying:
"When I was your age, I worked ten times harder than you, and now I'm plagued with illnesses in my old age. What did I strive for all my life? Was it so you could follow in my footsteps and ruin your health? Go home and sleep—no more late nights."
Unable to resist his father, Lu Ying complied. The carriage, cooled by an ice basin, was comfortable, and soon he fell asleep in the gently rocking compartment.
Even while dozing, Lu Ying didn't undo the collar button. Lu Bing loosened it for him so he could sleep more comfortably.
Then, Lu Bing opened the case files Lu Ying had intended to review at home and found a copy of Wei Caiwei's Household Certificate. His eyes settled on the names of the four Tieling officials who had issued it: "Tieling Garrison Coordinator Official," "Magistrate Qian Wende," "Assistant Magistrate Fu Xue," and "Clerk Ding Wu."
The Household Certificate was the most crucial document for the imperial court to track the nation's population movements, recording not only individuals but also their movable and immovable properties like houses, carriages, boats, and land. It served as proof for tax collection, military service, and corvée labor—essentially the Ming dynasty's version of "big data."
Thus, issuing a Household Certificate required multiple layers of verification, with each level checked and signed off from top to bottom.
The Assistant Magistrate held the lowest official rank, at the eighth grade, while the "Clerk" wasn't even an official—it had no rank and was merely a minor "functionary" handling paperwork. In simple terms, those above the Assistant Magistrate were state civil servants with formal appointments, receiving salaries from the court and working within the system.
The "Clerk," however, was an unappointed temporary worker, paid by the county yamen and operating outside the system.
Yet Lu Bing's gaze remained fixed on the minor functionary "Clerk Ding Wu," lost in thought. He then wrote down Ding Wu's name and handed it to a guard on horseback stationed by the carriage window, whispering, "Tomorrow, place all intelligence on this person from the past decade in Tieling on my desk."
The subordinate accepted the order and departed.
Meanwhile, Wei Caiwei and Wang Daxia galloped home swiftly. Along the way, patrols from the Five Cities Patrol Battalion, seeing their Embroidered Uniform Guard pass, let them through without question.
Upon reaching Sweetwater Lane, where no one was around, Wang Daxia stopped her. "Why didn't you listen to me? We almost got exposed today."
If only I could tell you it's because I need to stay in the capital to prevent your future self-castration!Wei Caiwei said, "I'm not the murderer, why should I hide? Hiding would only make me more suspicious. Besides, Commander Lu doesn't seem like the type of cruel official who resorts to torture for confessions—he's reasonable. Come tomorrow morning to get the compensation list. I need to rest now."
Wei Caiwei dismounted, took out her keys to unlock the door, and went inside. Wang Daxia had no choice but to lead the two horses back home.
Once inside, Wei Caiwei closed the door and bolted it. Just as she was about to strike a flint to light the oil lamp, a black-clad figure who had been hiding behind the door for some time launched a surprise attack from behind, tightly embracing her and pressing a cloth soaked with anesthetic over her nose and mouth.
Caught off guard, Wei Caiwei inhaled a strange floral scent, and her limbs immediately went weak. Her heart sank as she realized the danger. Summoning all her strength, she kicked over the small table. The table fell with a dull thud, followed by a crisp shattering sound as the glass shade of the oil lamp on the tabletop broke into pieces on the floor.
Wang Daxia, still leading the two horses in Sweetwater Lane, hadn't gone far. Fuming with frustration, he felt Wei Caiwei was "like a dog biting Lü Dongbin—not recognizing a good heart."
But faintly hearing movement from inside the house, he led the horses back and knocked on the door. "Doctor Wei, are you alright?"
Author's Note: Tomorrow at 00:00:18, we'll enter the V-chapter phase with a hefty 10,000-word update! To thank everyone for supporting the official version, readers who subscribe to the V-chapters will automatically join a lottery to share 20,000 Jinjiang Coins among 1,000 winners! Early chapter subscriptions are crucial for Zhou—how long I can keep writing doesn't really depend on me, but on how long readers are willing to listen to Zhou's stories. "Back to Before My Husband Castrated Himself" is a light-hearted, healing tale. While typing, Zhou always has a fond, grinning expression. Zhou awaits everyone at the end of this story, hoping to bring you all joy.
Thank you again for your support.
Additionally, the preview for the upcoming ancient-style romance "Hu Shanxiang" is now available. Please add it to your collection! This is the story of an ordinary girl from Jining, Shandong, who rises from a commoner to a palace maid, then to Crown Princess Consort, Crown Princess, Empress, and ultimately finds herself and makes a stunning transformation. It's super captivating
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