When Wang Daxia knocked on the door, Wei Caiwei was weak and limp, like a lamb to the slaughter. The man in black held a hand firmly over her mouth, leaving only her nose free to breathe.
Wei Caiwei was still conscious. Hearing Wang Daxia's voice, she instinctively struggled and squirmed, making muffled sounds.
But with the door between them, Wang Daxia did not hear Wei Caiwei's warning.
The sudden silence after a loud crash made Wang Daxia very worried. He continued knocking and called out, "Doctor Wei, what on earth happened? Did you fall and pass out? Tell me quickly. If you don't answer, I'll assume you've fainted. Don't blame me for being a hooligan and kicking down a widow's door in the middle of the night."
Seeing that Wang Daxia was about to break down the door, the man in black drew his blade and pressed the tip against the windpipe on Wei Caiwei's neck. He whispered in her ear, "If you don't want to die, send him away. If you dare call for help, I'll pierce your throat with one stab. Blink if you understand."
A wise woman knows when to yield. Wei Caiwei blinked her eyes furiously.
Outside the door, Wang Daxia said, "Still not answering me? I'll count to three. One, two—"
The man in black released his hand, and Wei Caiwei said, "I'm fine. You can go."
Wang Daxia pressed his face to the crack of the door and said, "What happened just now? Why did it take you so long to answer me?"
The tip of the blade pierced the skin on Wei Caiwei's neck, and a thread-like line of red blood trickled down.
The man in black was warning her that he could take her life at any moment.
Wei Caiwei shrank her neck back. "It was too dark in the room. I accidentally kicked over the side table and broke the oil lamp while looking for a flint to light it."
Wang Daxia sniffed at the door crack like a dog, taking a deep whiff.
Candles burned brightly and without odor, but their price was slightly steep. Common folk generally couldn't afford them and mostly used oil lamps. The lamp oil was usually crudely refined soybean oil, which had a unique beany smell.
Wang Daxia smelled the soybean oil and felt relieved. He asked, "Are you hurt?"
Wei Caiwei said, "No, I just got the floor dirty. I'll have to scrub the oil stains properly, or I'll slip when I walk."
Wang Daxia asked, "Did you slip just now?"
The blade tip once again pressed closer to her neck. The man in black shook his head.
Like a puppet on a string, Wei Caiwei said, "No."
Seeing no light from the door crack, Wang Daxia asked, "Why haven't you lit a lamp yet? Do you only have one oil lamp in the house? How are you going to wipe the floor in the dark? Why don't I go home and have a maid bring you a few candles?"
The man in black whispered in her ear, "Tell him to scram!"
Wei Caiwei said, "No need. I have a lamp in my bedroom and study upstairs. I'll go get one now. It's getting late, and a widow's doorstep is a place for gossip. It's not proper for me to open the door for an outside man at night. Please leave."
Wang Daxia felt deeply wronged. "You're repaying my kindness with a bite, unable to recognize a good heart. I've helped you time and again, and you turn around and accuse me of being nosy. You don't have to chase me away, I'm leaving."
Wei Caiwei said, "I will finish preparing all twenty packs of cooling plum tea that Commander Lu wanted tonight. I'll have to trouble you to come and pick them up early tomorrow. The weather is hot, and I need to go out early to practice medicine. I can't wait at home for you for too long."
Upon hearing this, a chill ran down Wang Daxia's spine!
Commander Lu had clearly told Wei Caiwei to make a list of her losses from today and send it to the Imperial Guard Office for compensation. There was no mention of any cooling plum tea!
Something was wrong!
Wang Daxia had just managed to deceive Lu Ying at the Imperial Guard Office with Wei Caiwei through a combination of gestures and guesswork. Their tacit understanding was still fresh. He said, "What rotten luck. I can't even sleep in. I know, I'll have a maid wake me up early. I'm off."
Wang Daxia patted his horse's flank, urging the two steeds forward. The sound of hooves clopped from near to far, as if he had truly left. In reality, the horses were gone, but Wang Daxia remained.
The main gate was bolted, so forcing it was not an option. Wang Daxia silently circled around to the back courtyard.
The courtyard walls of a small household were low. With his long, nimble legs, Wang Daxia clambered over the wall like an ape and dropped into the yard.
However, the door leading from the back courtyard to the small building was closed.
But this was no challenge for Wang Daxia. He expertly retrieved a ladder from a clump of bamboo in the yard, climbed it to the second floor of the building, and vaulted onto the balcony.
After all, he was the landlord and knew the structure of this house all too well. He had been climbing up and down it since he was a child.
The weather was humid and stuffy. Before leaving home, Wei Caiwei had opened a small crack in both the north and south windows of her second-floor bedroom for ventilation, which would also keep the rain out.
Wang Daxia slipped through a window into the bedroom and quietly opened the door, intending to go downstairs to rescue Wei Caiwei.
But the house had been unoccupied for a long time, and the door hinges were not oiled. A gentle push produced a loud creak!
Downstairs, the man in black heard the hoofbeats fade into the distance. He put away his blade and took out a prepared rope, binding Wei Caiwei's hands and feet.
He had just tied a dead knot around Wei Caiwei's ankle when he heard the sound from the upstairs door. The man in black immediately grabbed his blade and held it to her neck. This time, the blade cut through her skin. A few hairs' breadth deeper, and it would have likely severed her windpipe!
You damn ghost of a husband, can't you be a little quieter!
Wei Caiwei said, "I am a widow living alone. There's no one else in the house. The weather is humid and hot, so I left the bedroom windows open for ventilation. It's just the sound of the wind blowing the door. Brave sir, please don't hurt me. I have some money, and I'm willing to give it all to you. If it's not enough, I have a house and land back in my hometown. I'm willing to sell everything and give it to you, I only beg you to spare my life."
The man in black pricked up his ears. It did indeed sound like a cross-breeze. He lowered his blade, took out a candle he had brought, and lit it with a flint, clearly well-prepared.
As the candlelight flared, Wei Caiwei's eyes couldn't take it. She instinctively shut them. After a moment, she adjusted to the light and opened her eyes. "It's you?"
It was Zhou Xiaoqi of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, a subordinate of the late Thousand Household Chen.
He was also the junior officer who, after Chen Dalao's throat was slit, had frantically hunted down Wang Daxia, crossing both Wanping and Daxing counties and causing a street brawl between the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Northern City Military Command.
Wei Caiwei remembered him, because when Wang Daxia had run to the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen to beat the drum of grievance, it was Zhou Xiaoqi who had fired a hidden arrow, intending to kill Wang Daxia on the spot!
Fortunately, at that time, Wei Caiwei was completely focused on the safety of her deceased husband's ghost and hadn't just gawked like the other onlookers. Her eyes and ears were wide open, and she spotted Zhou Xiaoqi's malicious act. She shouted a warning, helping Wang Daxia dodge the hidden arrow.
This Zhou Xiaoqi was a mad dog under Thousand Household Chen, biting anyone he saw.
Nearly killing Wang Daxia that night wasn't enough for him. Later, after Thousand Household Chen's sudden death, he assumed it was because of a cup of tea he drank at the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen. He once again led men to corner the Shuntian Prefecture Governor, Wang Niqiu, and ended up fighting with Commander Wu and other bailiffs from the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen.
Therefore, Wei Caiwei remembered his face.
"Since you recognize me, you should understand that I didn't sneak into your house for money," Zhou Xiaoqi said, laying out a delicate set of torture instruments on the luohan couch.
"Although the Embroidered Uniform Guard is in charge of the murder case of Thousand Household Chen and his son, Commander Lu won't let me touch it, saying I'm too impulsive. He handed the case to the wet-behind-the-ears Lu Ying. Hmph, I heard Lu Ying is his illegitimate son, passing himself off as a distant nephew to get by in the Guard. Lord Lu is abusing his power for personal gain, trying to give his bastard son a chance to solve a case and earn merit."
Zhou Xiaoqi wore a bitter expression of unappreciated talent. "Lord Lu even docked my pay and demoted me for brawling in the street with men from the Northern City Military Command and the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen!"
Wei Caiwei put on a trembling act. "Lord... Lord Zhou, I sympathize with your plight, but what does any of this have to do with a common woman like me? I am innocent."
"Before the instruments are applied, every suspect claims to be innocent." Zhou Xiaoqi picked out a scissor-like iron tool from the set, but its sides were smooth, without blades. He waved it in front of Wei Caiwei's eyes and said:
"Thousand Household Chen recognized my talents. Lu Ying is treating this case as a chance to make a name for himself. Only I am single-mindedly focused on solving the case, finding the real killer, and avenging Thousand Household Chen and his son. I've been following Lu Ying's investigation. I know everything about them going to the underground casino at Huaqing Pool to drag out the pageboy for a beating and forced confession, going to find Old Woman Wang at West Sanli River outside the city, the pageboy being struck by lightning and dying, and even digging up the grave to examine the corpse this afternoon."
Zhou Xiaoqi used the iron tool to frivolously lift Wei Caiwei's chin. "You are seventeen, the same age as Miss He Er. Coincidentally, in the seven days you've been in the capital, Old Woman Wang, Chen Dalao, and Thousand Household Chen have all died. You know medicine, and on the night Thousand Household Chen was poisoned, you happened to be staying at the Sijia Inn of the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen, with your room window directly facing the stables. You are the biggest suspect."
Wei Caiwei's chin trembled. "I'm not! I'm really not! Otherwise, why would Commander Lu let me out to practice medicine? With the way you Embroidered Uniform Guard operate, you would have locked me up in the Imperial Prison for harsh interrogation long ago. I'm truly innocent."
Zhou Xiaoqi picked up the candle, the transparent wax swaying in the center of the wick. He said, "Lu Ying is utterly hypocritical. He wants to earn merit but is constrained by his reputation and scorns the method of extracting a confession through torture, so he didn't use it on you. But I'm different. I was born for this kind of work. I can't be bothered to unravel clues bit by bit. Without using some methods, how will you ever confess?"
Her hands and feet bound, Wei Caiwei was completely powerless. But she struggled to squirm across the floor, trying to lean herself against the south wall—because it was directly opposite the stairs. Zhou Xiaoqi's gaze was entirely on her, and with no eyes in the back of his head, he couldn't see any movement on the staircase. This would make it easier for Wang Daxia to sneak down from the second floor to save her.
Like an earthworm washed out of its burrow after a rain, Wei Caiwei arduously wriggled to the south wall and continued to plead with Zhou Xiaoqi, "I'm not the murderer, but I am of flesh and blood. Of course I'm afraid of pain. What's the point of a Confession Under Torture, brought on by immense pain?"
"Lord Zhou, you just said you're not seeking promotion or merit, only to find the true killer and avenge Thousand Household Chen and his son, to repay his kindness for recognizing your talent. If I'm forced to confess and wrongly sentenced to death, serving as a scapegoat for the real killer, wouldn't you be letting the true culprit go? Letting them remain at large?"
Zhou Xiaoqi savored Wei Caiwei's pathetic state. Seeing the beautiful little widow, who was so noble and aloof during the day like a female Bodhisattva, now as humble as dust before him was truly exhilarating!
So Zhou Xiaoqi didn't stop Wei Caiwei's futile squirming. He loved this cat-and-mouse feeling.
Zhou Xiaoqi laughed. "Better to kill a thousand by mistake than to let one escape. Tonight, if I can pry open your mouth and make you confess, I'll solve the case before Lu Ying and earn great merit. If I can't pry open your mouth and you are indeed innocent, I'll just kill you, fake a robbery-murder, and then go find the next suspect. One by one, I'll find the killer eventually."
This Zhou Xiaoqi and Thousand Household Chen were truly cut from the same cloth—deranged, vicious, and utterly malevolent!
At this moment, Wang Daxia, hiding in the bedroom, had already taken off his shoes. Wearing only his socks, he crept down the stairs as silently as a cat.
By the faint candlelight, Wei Caiwei could vaguely see a dark shape descending the stairs. Her heart settled slightly; Wang Daxia was here to save her.
Just like in her previous life.
Wei Caiwei did her best to stall Zhou Xiaoqi, squeezing out a few tears. "Please, I'm really not the murderer."
"Whether you are or not, we'll know after some interrogation." Zhou Xiaoqi's pupils suddenly constricted, and he clamped the scissor-like tool in his hand onto her left eye socket!
When an eye is suddenly stimulated, it instinctively closes. Her right eye shut, but no matter how hard Wei Caiwei tried, her left eye wouldn't close.
Because the tool in Zhou Xiaoqi's hand was forcibly holding her upper and lower eyelids open, exposing her large eye.
Wei Caiwei trembled all over, as if she had been thrown into a frozen river. "What... what are you doing?"
Zhou Xiaoqi held her eyelids open with the tool in his left hand and held the candle in his right, tilting the transparent wax as it dripped onto her neck.
"Ah!"
Wei Caiwei let out a cry of alarm. The skin on her neck was especially tender and sensitive, and it was instantly scalded red by the hot wax.
Zhou Xiaoqi said smugly, "Your only neighbor is the Wang residence. In a deep compound like the Wang residence, no one will hear you even if you scream your throat out."
"Does it feel hot?" Zhou Xiaoqi raised the candle and slowly brought it closer to Wei Caiwei's forced-open left eyeball. He said:
"Scalding your neck is just an appetizer. The main course is still to come. Doctor Wei has a pair of beautiful big eyes. What a pity."
The flickering candlelight in Zhou Xiaoqi's hand was like a venomous snake's tongue, flashing, now long, now short, as he savored his prey's fear. "One drop of wax, and your left eye will be scalded blind."
Wei Caiwei cried, "I'll confess, I killed them all! I'm guilty! I'll sign and fingerprint it right now, I'll admit to everything."
Zhou Xiaoqi tutted twice. "Scared like this before we've even started. No rush, let's take our time. Let's talk about how you killed three people in a row, and see if the details match up. To make you behave and not spout nonsense, I'll blind your left eye first. Once you know pain, you'll be obedient."
With that, Zhou Xiaoqi tilted the candle in his hand, and the transparent wax joyfully leaped towards Wei Caiwei's eyeball!
In the nick of time, a hand reached out and covered Wei Caiwei's left eye. The wax dripped onto the back of the hand, congealing into a translucent, white piece of wax.
It was Wang Daxia's hand.
Wang Daxia threw a punch at Zhou Xiaoqi's face, then lifted the overturned side table and smashed it over his head, instantly opening a jam shop on his scalp. Two of the table's legs broke off.
Struck by the heavy blow, Zhou Xiaoqi immediately collapsed to the ground, motionless.
Wang Daxia stood the fallen candle upright, picked up the small knife from the floor to untie Wei Caiwei. Wei Caiwei hurriedly said, "Tie him up first, don't worry about me."
If Zhou Xiaoqi was faking unconsciousness and got up to attack Wang Daxia while he was freeing her, there would be no one left to save either of them.
"I still need a rope to tie him." Wang Daxia used the knife to cut the rope on her wrists, then swung the broken side table and smashed it onto Zhou Xiaoqi's body again.
Zhou Xiaoqi remained motionless on the floor. It seemed he was truly unconscious.
Wang Daxia grabbed Zhou Xiaoqi's arms, intending to tie his hands behind his back.
Wei Caiwei saw Zhou Xiaoqi's right hand twitch. Sensing danger, she quickly reached out and shoved Wang Daxia with all her might!
Swoosh! A sleeve arrow shot out from Zhou Xiaoqi's sleeve and, with a thud , embedded itself in a roof beam.
Zhou Xiaoqi was truly resilient. He had continued to feign unconsciousness even after being beaten, fooling Wang Daxia and nearly landing a fatal blow.
Pushed to the ground by Wei Caiwei, Wang Daxia had escaped disaster.
Zhou Xiaoqi pressed his advantage. He rolled over and aimed the sleeve arrow on his wrist at Wang Daxia again.
Wei Caiwei was frantic. Although her hands were free, her legs were still bound, and she couldn't walk to help. In her desperation, she puffed up her cheeks and blew out the candle!
The room was instantly plunged into darkness. Wang Daxia took the opportunity to roll away, escaping disaster yet again.
Moonlight filtered through the Korean paper covering the windows, which would have allowed them to see silhouettes. But human eyes need a moment to adjust from dim light to darkness to regain night vision. So, although Zhou Xiaoqi had a sleeve arrow, he was momentarily "blinded" and lost his target.
Zhou Xiaoqi was furious. This cunning, treacherous little widow!
The little widow's legs were bound, she couldn't run. So, relying on his memory from moments before, Zhou Xiaoqi aimed his sleeve arrow at the south wall where Wei Caiwei had been and pressed the mechanism.
Another thud . The sleeve arrow lodged in the wooden floor. If it had hit a person, it would have been a dull thud of flesh being pierced.
Although Wei Caiwei couldn't walk, she could still roll. The moment she blew out the candle, she had rolled under the incense table in the main hall.
In the darkness, Wei Caiwei didn't dare to breathe, crouching silently under the incense table, her ears pricked to listen for any movement and pinpoint Zhou Xiaoqi's position.
Before their eyes could adjust to the dark, none of the three dared to move, afraid of revealing their location.
But once their night vision returned, Wang Daxia was unarmed and Wei Caiwei couldn't walk. Zhou Xiaoqi, holding a weapon, would still have the upper hand.
They had to subdue Zhou Xiaoqi before that happened.
Wang Daxia fumbled in his sleeve pocket and pulled out the small Bronze Buddha he had "requisitioned" from Tian'an Temple. He silently prayed, "My apologies, Buddha. As they say, saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda. I am forced to do this, to profane your venerable self."
Wang Daxia threw the Bronze Buddha towards the staircase!
Thump!
The Bronze Buddha hit the stairs, sounding like someone was taking a heavy step.
Zhou Xiaoqi aimed his sleeve arrow at the staircase and, with a click, pressed the mechanism. An arrow shot through the air!
At the same time, Wang Daxia identified the direction of the clicking sound. He swung the broken tabletop and charged forward with a vicious slam!
This time, Wang Daxia used his full strength. With a loud CRACK , a dark figure was sent flying, crashing into the south wall.
Having learned his lesson, Wang Daxia didn't give Zhou Xiaoqi another chance to breathe. He rained down a flurry of blows, not stopping until the wooden board in his hands had shattered into pieces.
Both Wang Daxia's and Wei Caiwei's eyes had adjusted to the dark, and they could make out general shapes. Wang Daxia saw Wei Caiwei hiding under the incense table.
Once bitten, twice shy. Wang Daxia first removed the sleeve arrow from Zhou Xiaoqi's wrist, then checked for his breath. He wasn't dead, just breathing faintly.
Wang Daxia simply unbolted and opened the door, letting the moonlight stream in. In the moonlight, the sharp knife used to cut Wei Caiwei earlier glinted coldly.
Wang Daxia picked up the knife, untied Wei Caiwei's legs, then took the rope and tied the unconscious Zhou Xiaoqi up tightly, first his hands, then his legs, like a zongzi ready to be boiled for the Dragon Boat Festival.
After all this, Wang Daxia turned back and saw Wei Caiwei still huddled under the incense table, motionless. He quickly asked, "Where are you hurt?"
Wei Caiwei said, "I'm not hurt. When I came in, Zhou Xiaoqi covered my mouth and nose. I inhaled some kind of drug. My limbs are weak. Rolling on the floor took all my strength. I can't stand up now."
"That bastard!" Wang Daxia kicked the unconscious Zhou Xiaoqi, sending him rolling three times, then squatted down. "Do you mind if I carry you to the luohan couch?"
Wei Caiwei thought: You carried me countless times in our last life!
Wei Caiwei said, "Do you think I enjoy squatting here with cobwebs and dust for company?"
Wang Daxia said, "What I mean is, I'm only carrying you out of goodwill and righteousness. There are no romantic feelings involved. I'll carry you, but I won't be responsible for this act. I saved you, but you don't have to pledge yourself to me in return. Our statuses are too different. I would never marry a widow. You should consider this."
Wang Daxia was truly a master of killing the mood. With just a few words, he shattered the harmonious atmosphere of tacit cooperation and life-and-death solidarity they had just shared. His reliability didn't last longer than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
Wei Caiwei thought: You really are a gentleman. Heh.
Wei Caiwei said, "Young Master Wang, don't be so full of yourself. My heart is narrow; it only has room for my late husband."
Wang Daxia thought: The little widow is just being stubborn. She clearly sees me as a substitute for her late husband. After her failed attempt to seduce me that night, she just refuses to admit it. Tsk, tsk, women.
Wang Daxia was afraid of ghosts. He first bowed to Wang Erlang's memorial tablet on the incense table. "You saw and heard everything just now. I have no improper thoughts about your widow. I'm only carrying her out of a sense of duty. Don't come looking for me at night to settle scores."
Wei Caiwei thought: Bowing to yourself. How superfluous.
Having placated the ghost, Wang Daxia scooped Wei Caiwei up in his arms. "You look so slender and delicate, I didn't expect you to be so heavy."
He was even being picky about her weight!
Wei Caiwei said, "I won't trouble you again in the future. It's none of your business if I get fatter."
Wang Daxia placed Wei Caiwei on the luohan couch. "Wait here a moment. I'll go get the Northern City Military Command on night patrol and have Zhou Xiaoqi taken to their prison."
Wei Caiwei said, "This case is under the jurisdiction of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Why send him to the Military Command's prison?"
Wang Daxia said, "Who knows if Zhou Xiaoqi has accomplices? I suspect he even has a spy by Lu Ying's side. Otherwise, how would he know every detail of our investigation?"
Wang Daxia walked to the door, but Wei Caiwei called out to him, "Wait."
Wang Daxia turned around. "Now what?"
Wei Caiwei said, "What if Zhou Xiaoqi has accomplices? If you go get help and they sneak in, I'll be completely defenseless, a fish on the chopping block."
That was true. The little widow was meticulous and made a good point.
Wang Daxia returned to the side of the luohan couch and half-squatted. "I'll carry you on my back. We'll go for help together."
Wei Caiwei nodded, pressing close and wrapping her arms around his neck.
Wang Daxia lifted her onto his back. As her soft chest pressed against him, his heart pounded like a frantic deer crashing against walls.
Feeling Wang Daxia stiffen, Wei Caiwei wanted to arch her back to avoid the awkward contact, but she lacked the strength. She could only pretend not to notice, lying limply against his spine.
With his hands supporting her bent knees, Wang Daxia stood up and found himself facing the northern wall’s incense altar, where the spirit tablet of "Deceased Husband Wang Erlang" stood.
My apologies, my apologies! I didn’t mean to offend! I’m only protecting your widow’s safety!
Wang Daxia, who feared ghosts, felt his earlier stirrings vanish instantly. The restless deer in his heart ceased their frantic pounding and peacefully grazed on wild greens.
Carrying Wei Caiwei out the door, Wang Daxia walked through Sweetwater Lane. With the widow on his back swaying with his steps and no spirit tablet in sight to restrain his thoughts, he suddenly felt as if his entire body had gone numb except for his spine.
It seemed all his nerves had concentrated in his back. The young widow no longer felt heavy but light as a cloud resting against him. Even the bluestone pavement of Sweetwater Lane turned into soft, buoyant mist beneath his feet, each step as blissful as soaring through clouds.
Ten thousand deer stampeded in his heart, and Wang Daxia lost all control over the chaotic herd crashing in every direction.
Once, he had complained about Sweetwater Lane’s length, but now it felt short as a tongue—a single stride of his long legs would traverse it.
At the lane’s end lay Drum Tower West Diagonal Street, one of the Northern City’s main thoroughfares.
To create the illusion of their departure, Wang Daxia had released the two fine horses. The riderless steeds roaming the curfew-enforced streets immediately caught the attention of the Northern City Military Command’s night patrol. Noticing the Embroidered Uniform Guard insignia on the saddles, they grew alert and began a thorough search.
Just as Wang Daxia emerged from Sweetwater Lane with Wei Caiwei on his back, he encountered the Northern City Military Command leading the two horses. Coincidentally, the officer on duty was his own father, Wang Commander.
Lu Bing had kept his promise, informing Wang Commander: "Your second son is exceptionally talented. I’m borrowing him for a few days—don’t confine him."
Wang Commander never expected his wastrel son to gain such a dignitary’s favor and readily agreed, assuming the boy had finally reformed. He certainly didn’t anticipate finding his son carrying a seemingly frail woman in the dead of night!
Noticing the conspicuous mourning bun on the woman’s head—the very lodger, the young widow!—the stern father erupted: "You little beast! Two days gone, and you’re already bullying women and trampling morals!"
The roar instantly scattered the stampeding deer in Wang Daxia’s heart. Indignant and hurt, he retorted, "Father, is that what you think of me? You won’t even ask, just accuse me blindly! If I’m a little beast, what does that make you?"
Wang Commander nearly toppled from his horse from the rebuttal. Wei Caiwei, leaning against Wang Daxia’s shoulder, spoke up: "Commander Wang misunderstands. A villain tried to harm me, and Young Master Wang subdued him. I’ve been drugged and can’t walk, so he’s carrying me to seek help from the Northern City Military Command."
Wang Daxia added, "I tied the criminal up inside. Arrest him quickly."
Raising his lantern for a closer look, Wang Commander saw blood on his son’s shoulder and two wounds on the widow’s neck, the gash near her windpipe still seeping blood. Realizing his mistake, he fell silent.However, as a strict father, he had to maintain his dignity and would never admit his mistake in public. Wang Commander said, "Why didn't you say so earlier? If you needed help, just ask for it. Why argue with your father?"
Upon hearing this, if he hadn't been carrying someone on his back, Wang Daxia would have stormed off on the spot. He said, "Hurry and arrest the culprit. The assailant is Zhou Xiaoqi of the Embroidered Uniform Guard—the very one who chased me all over the streets. This matter must also be reported to Lord Lu, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
In Wei Caiwei's home, a dozen or so lanterns illuminated the space as bright as day. Scattered wooden planks, shattered glass lamp shades, greasy soybean oil on the floor, the faintly glowing poisoned darts embedded in the floorboards and staircase, and Zhou Xiaoqi—beaten to a pulp and tied up like a zongzi in the corner—all bore witness to the fierce and harrowing struggle that had just taken place.
Wei Caiwei said, "The darts are likely poisoned. Everyone, be careful not to touch them with your hands. In the second drawer to the left of the incense table, there's a celadon vase containing wound medicine. Could someone please fetch it to help stop my bleeding?"
Only now, under the bright light, did Wang Daxia notice the wound on Wei Caiwei's neck. He immediately rushed to get the medicine to stop the bleeding. "Why didn't you mention this earlier?"
Wei Caiwei replied, "It's just a superficial wound. I was too tense earlier and forgot about the injury on my neck."
After all, this was part of his late wife's dowry. Wang Commander surveyed the chaotic scene and said, "Doctor Wei, you're injured and still weak. We don't know if the assailant has accomplices who might come seeking revenge. It's not safe for you to stay here alone. A near neighbor is better than a distant relative. If you don't mind, please spend the night at my humble abode. There will be maids and servants to take care of you. Even if there are other assailants, they wouldn't dare to intrude and harm you there."
As long as he wasn't dealing with his second son, Wang Commander was always polite to everyone. Even when speaking to Wei Caiwei, a wandering physician and commoner, he remained courteous.
If the Wang family's five-generation-old mansion could be called a "humble abode," then Wei Caiwei's house was nothing more than a cramped dwelling.
Wei Caiwei, who happened to want to get closer to the Wang family, seized the opportunity and agreed readily. "Thank you, Wang Commander. This common woman is deeply grateful."
Wang Dxia ordered a sedan chair to be brought to carry Wei Caiwei home.
As Wang Daxia prepared to follow the sedan chair home, his father stopped him. "What time do you think it is? All you think about is sleeping! You're on duty now. When the Embroidered Uniform Guard arrives, you must explain everything that happened in detail."
With Wei Caiwei no longer nearby, Wang Daxia didn't hold back. "Father, am I your enemy or your son? I saved someone tonight and made a contribution. I don't even expect to be rewarded for my merits or punished for my faults. I never hoped for your praise. But do you even know that I almost died tonight from the assailant's poisoned darts?"
Fuming, Wang Daxia jumped onto the table, holding up a lantern to illuminate the dark beams. The beams were studded with the cold, faintly glowing blue poisoned darts. "If Doctor Wei hadn't pushed me out of the way with all her strength, both she and I would have been killed by the assailant. You probably wouldn't have noticed anything was wrong until the stench of our corpses reached our home!"
"You impudent brat! You've only been on the job for two days, and you dare talk back to me! If you work in the Embroidered Uniform Guard for a year, will you think you can defy the heavens?" Wang Commander scolded. "Cursing yourself to death in front of your own father—such disrespect!"
"Anyway, no matter what I do, you always find a reason to scold me. Even a harsh mother-in-law picking on her daughter-in-law isn't this bad! Since that's the case—" Wang Daxia simply lay flat on the Arhat bed and said:"Go ahead and scold me, feel free. Just consider it as humming a lullaby to help me sleep. If I talk back even once, I'll renounce the Wang surname!"
Wang Commander was so enraged he made as if to discipline his son right then and there. Officer Mu, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion, wrapped his arms around his superior's waist to restrain him. "Don't be angry. The second young master survived a disaster tonight - those who escape great danger are destined for good fortune. This was the residence of his late mother. Who's to say it wasn't Madame Wang's spirit watching over her son? For the sake of the departed, please forgive the second young master."
Hearing this, Wang Daxia felt a sudden sting in the corners of his eyes. Even an outsider understood it was inappropriate to punish a son in his deceased mother's former home, yet his own father was shouting threats without showing any concern.
Wang Daxia turned over, presenting his back to his father. What if he couldn't hold back tears? That would be too embarrassing.
No matter what, he couldn't show weakness in front of his father.
Since Wei Caiwei had rented the property, Wang Commander couldn't very well go upstairs to the widow's bedroom and study, so he went to sit in the courtyard - out of sight, out of mind.
They were going to be up all night, without even dozing off. Officer Mu had his subordinates bring night snacks and called Wang Daxia to eat.
Wang Daxia was at that growing age and couldn't go hungry. He noisily devoured a bowl of wontons and a bowl of zhajiangmian, with such good appetite that he showed no signs of having just been scolded.
Officer Mu filled another bowl of zhajiangmian and gestured toward the courtyard with his chin, whispering, "Take this to your father."
Wang Daxia lay flat again on the daybed, rubbing his full stomach. "I'm not going. I need to catch up on sleep quickly - once the Embroidered Uniform Guard arrives, I won't be able to sleep."
Officer Mu persuaded him, "You're going to inherit the title someday. If you gain a reputation for being unfilial, you might not pass the merit assessment during succession. Look at yourself - no literary or martial achievements, unwilling to endure hardship. If you can't inherit the commander title that's been passed down through five generations, what will you do? Live on air?"
During the early Ming dynasty, hereditary military nobles could inherit titles and receive lifelong stipends as long as they had legitimate heirs.
But by the Chenghua era of the seventh emperor, Depot Director Wang Zhi of the powerful Western Depot, backed by the favored Consort Wan, proposed sweeping reforms. Nobles seeking inheritance now had to pass the court's "merit assessment" first.
The assessment tested heirs on archery, horsemanship, military strategy, and moral character. Those who failed would have their titles revoked regardless of how many generations the honor had been maintained - immediate dismissal without exception.
This served to reduce state expenditures while eliminating incompetent officials who occupied positions and collected salaries without any real skills.
Filial piety was crucial to moral character. If one gained a reputation for being unfilial, their title would be immediately revoked.
Officer Mu, who had watched Wang Daxia grow up, understood him well - knowing he was lazy and unmotivated, only wanting to inherit the title for an easy official position and comfortable life. He had struck directly at his weak spot.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Wang Daxia immediately got up and took the noodle bowl. "I'm doing this for the future inheritance, not admitting defeat or trying to please him."
Officer Mu waved his hand. "I know, I know. Hurry and take it over before the noodles get soggy and unpalatable."
As Wang Daxia brought the night snack to his father, he heard several slapping sounds - Wang Commander sitting in the courtyard swatting mosquitoes.
Last night's heavy rain had left the weather hot and humid, with mosquitoes running rampant. Wang Commander was sacrificing himself to the mosquitoes in the courtyard, thoroughly uncomfortable yet unwilling to go back inside and continue arguing with his son."Officer Mu asked me to bring you some late-night supper." Wang Daxia placed the bowl on the stone table in the courtyard, then returned to the hall. With practiced ease, he retrieved mosquito-repellent incense from a drawer in the incense altar, lit it, placed it in a incense burner beneath the stone table to ward off mosquitoes, ensuring his father could eat undisturbed.
Wang Daxia lay back down on the Arhat bed, and Officer Mu nodded in satisfaction, though something felt amiss. After a moment's thought, he asked, "How did you know the mosquito incense was in that drawer?"
Because I slept here the night before last, and the young widow fetched it from there for me.
Wang Daxia excelled at nothing except eating and leaving nothing behind, but he was a champion liar. Yawning, he turned to face the wall. "Just lucky, I guess. Poisoned arrows missed me twice, and finding the mosquito incense was just as easy."
Wang Residence.
In the dead of night, the master of the house brought home a beautiful woman and instructed the servants to take good care of her, startling the lady of the house, Madam Wu!
Wang Commander had three sons in total. The first and second were born to his late wife, Madam Zhang. The eldest, Wang Dachun, died at age five. Due to the early loss of their firstborn, the couple doted excessively on the second son, Wang Daxia, spoiling him into a wastrel.
Three years ago, Madam Zhang passed away from illness, and Wang Commander remarried, taking Madam Wu as his second wife. The following autumn, Madam Wu gave birth to their third son, named Wang Daqiu.
Wang Daqiu was still nursing and slept with his wet nurse. Madam Wu, having bathed and powdered herself, waited drowsily for her husband's return, hoping to conceive another child. But upon hearing that a beautiful woman had entered the household in a sedan chair, her sleepiness vanished instantly.
Wang Commander was a decent man who had never taken a concubine. Aside from his stepson Wang Daxia's incorrigible behavior—Madam Wu was only four years older than Wang Daxia and found it difficult to discipline him—the young wife was quite satisfied with her married life.
Suddenly, a woman was carried in late at night, and rumors of her beauty set Madam Wu on edge. She naturally assumed her husband had taken a mistress outside.
"Let's go see," Madam Wu said, rising to dress. Her hair impeccably styled, she carried herself with the dignity of the primary wife as she went to the guest room. There, she found a widow with a Mourning Bun lying in bed, dictating a prescription:
"... half a qian of rhinoceros horn, one qian of bezoar, three xing of antelope horn, half a qian each of musk and borneol, five xing each of ophiopogon, acorus, white peony root, and realgar... Two doses, boiled from three bowls of water to one. Thank you."
A servant recorded the prescription and hurried out to knock on an herbal shop's door for the ingredients.
Running an herbal shop required substantial capital. Wei Caiwei was merely an itinerant physician, earning consultation fees and selling ready-made pills. For raw herbs needing decoction, which she didn't stock, patients had to take her prescriptions to specialized shops.
Meeting Madam Wu's astonished gaze, Wei Caiwei bowed her head slightly and said, "Madam Wu, I am Wei, a physician making a living as an itinerant doctor. I am the tenant renting the small building next to your residence. Due to an attack by villains, I am unable to walk or rise to greet you properly. Wang Commander, in his kindness, did not disdain my humble origins and had me brought here to rest. I apologize for disturbing you so late at night."
Seeing she was a widow engaged in the lowly trade of an itinerant healer—a profession looked down upon among the nine streams—Madam Wu immediately relaxed her guard. Her husband would never consort with a widow who practiced medicine.Madam Wang spoke polite words: "A near neighbor is better than a distant relative. Since we're all neighbors, we ought to look out for each other. Since my husband has given the order, you are our honored guest. If you need anything, just ask. If the servants aren't attentive enough, feel free to tell me, and I'll discipline them."
Wei Caiwei quickly replied, "They've all been very good, even helping me fetch and brew medicine through the night. I'm nothing but grateful."
"That's good then," said Madam Wang. "You look quite tired, so I won't disturb your rest any longer. I'll come see you again tomorrow."
Wei Caiwei said, "Please forgive this common woman for not seeing you out."
Madam Wang had arrived with an aggressive demeanor and left with disdainful indifference. Wei Caiwei was not surprised by her arrogant manner.
In her previous life, Wang Commander had been embroiled in a dispute, losing the hereditary commander position that had been passed down through five generations. Reduced to commoner status, he couldn't even keep the Wang residence where the family had lived for five generations, and the entire family was driven out.
Wang Commander died from worry and frustration, Wang Daxia castrated himself with a knife to enter the palace as a eunuch and seek advancement, and Madam Wang remarried after completing the mourning period for her husband, taking her younger son Wang Daqiu with her.
She married none other than Wang Commander's most loyal subordinate, Officer Mu.
Author's note: Delivering a hefty 10,000-word update for your reading pleasure! Thank you all for your subscription support. Drawing 1,000 readers to share 20,000 Jinjiang coins equally, lottery opens at 10 AM on the 16th.
Another reader benefit: Today on the 12th, my historical romance "Storm in Mu Manor" is free for a limited time - completely free to download within 24 hours. Feel free to check it out if interested.
Wang Daxia's name uses the surname of Wang Zhi, the most famous eunuch of the Chenghua era, who was rare among depot directors for having a peaceful end. His given name comes from his wife Wei Caiwei - "wei" meaning pea shoots. "Caiwei" means gathering pea shoots in spring, and after spring comes summer, hence the male lead is named Wang Daxia (Big Summer).
Wang Daxia: I protest! I'm the male lead, yet even my name is borrowed from others. I want a name that clearly marks me as the male lead. How about "Ximen Shangguan Xiongba Tian · Aragorn · Louis · Montolovsky · Caesar · Jack · Su"?
Lan Zhou: Um, I think I'll just change the male lead instead.
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