In her previous life, Wei Caiwei was the second daughter of Lord He from the Embroidered Uniform Guard. She had an elder sister ten years her senior. Their mother passed away early, and their father, too devoted to his late wife's memory to remarry, left the elder sister to care for Caiwei as a mother would.
When the elder sister turned seventeen, their father arranged a suitable match for her—Chen Dalao, the eldest son of Thousand Household Chen, also from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
As comrades-in-arms and close friends, the families knew each other well, making the engagement a natural progression.
The betrothal took place in the twenty-ninth year of the Jiajing era, the Gengxu year.
On the fourteenth day of the eighth month that year, as Beijing's residents prepared for the Mid-Autumn Festival the following day, Anda Khan, leader of the Tumed Mongols, suddenly invaded the Ming Dynasty with 80,000 cavalry. They advanced almost unopposed all the way to the capital, Beijing.
Since the last major conflict with the Mongols at the Tumu Crisis, the Ming had enjoyed over a century of peace.
Accustomed to prolonged tranquility, people had forgotten the meaning of war. Beijing's defenses were weak, guarded by only 40,000 imperial troops—mostly elderly, infirm, or "ghost soldiers" whose salaries were pocketed by corrupt officers.
With enemy troops at the gates, the imperial guards were ineffective, and reinforcements from loyalist armies would take time to arrive. With the Jiajing Emperor's tacit approval, Grand Secretariat Chief Yan Song ordered the city gates shut, refusing to engage the Mongols as they pillaged and burned outside Beijing's walls, claiming, "Anda Khan will withdraw once he's taken his fill."
Anda Khan plundered for half a month until the Jiajing Emperor agreed to establish tribute trade with the Mongols and reinforcements finally arrived. Only then did the Mongols retreat.
In just fifteen days, the areas outside the capital were reduced to scorched earth. Two million people and livestock were seized, an event recorded in history as the "Gengxu Incident."
The Jiajing Emperor viewed the Gengxu Incident as a humiliation. Chief Minister Yan Song shifted blame, scapegoating several officials who were imprisoned, executed, or had their clans exterminated.
Among them was Wei Caiwei's father, Lord He, who was beheaded on charges of "providing faulty intelligence, delaying military operations." His property was confiscated, and his two daughters were enslaved and sold as government property.
Out of camaraderie and familial ties, Thousand Household Chen paid fifty taels of silver to purchase the sisters, settling them in a rural estate with a promise to provide for them lifelong.
As government slaves, they were registered as "low-status" citizens, and marriage between commoners and low-status individuals was forbidden. The elder sister's engagement to Chen Dalao was naturally annulled.
Living under others' roofs, the elder sister maintained her dignity. She learned to raise chickens and weave cloth like a peasant woman, striving to support herself and her younger sister through her own labor.
One day, former fiancé Chen Dalao brought much-needed rice, flour, oil, and salt to the estate. His servant took Wei Caiwei by the hand to visit the market, returning only at dusk.
By then, Chen Dalao had already left. The elder sister was kneeling by the river, washing bedsheets.
Wei Caiwei, merely seven years old and innocent of the world, ran over excitedly, "Sister! I bought lots of tasty treats for you! Tiger-eye honey twists—I didn't eat a single one! I brought them all back for you!"
For a seven-year-old girl who hadn't tasted sugar in half a year, resisting the temptation of honey twists required immense self-control and deep love for her elder sister.
The elder sister held her tightly, murmuring, "I want... to leave. But if I go, what will become of you?"
Wei Caiwei, not understanding, replied, "Wherever you go, I'll go with you."
The elder sister said, "You don't understand. You're still so young. I must protect you."After that, every time Chen Dalao came to the estate, the servant boy would take Wei Caiwei out to play. This continued until her sister suddenly grew plump, her belly swelling, and Chen Dalao vanished without a trace. Instead, an old maidservant appeared at their home, keeping the sisters under day-and-night surveillance, forbidding them from stepping outside.
One night, Wei Caiwei was jolted awake by her sister’s agonized screams. Barefoot, she rushed out to seek help, crying, "Help! My sister’s in pain—her stomach hurts!"
The old maidservant shut the door and scolded her, "You foolish girl! Your sister has no shame—she seduced the young master during the mourning period. Now she’s about to give birth."
Wei Caiwei lunged at the woman, knocking her to the ground. "Don’t you dare insult my sister! You’re the one without shame!"
"You little wretch!" The maidservant rose and slapped her so hard she lost consciousness.
When Wei Caiwei came to and went to find her sister, she saw her lying on the bed, her swollen belly exposed, the mattress soaked through with blood. Her eyes were wide open, her body already cold.
Wei Caiwei stood frozen like a wooden doll. Hearing footsteps approaching, she hastily crawled under the bed to hide.
The maidservant said, "See for yourself, Young Master. The shameful woman is dead. As agreed, both mother and child are gone—the child must not be born to taint the Chen family bloodline. Now, you owe me the remaining ten taels of silver."
The voice of her betrothed, Chen Dalao, replied, "Well done. Tell outsiders she died of consumption. My family is arranging a marriage for me now. If word got out that a lowly official’s slave girl carried a child of the Chen blood, it would be troublesome."
The maidservant added, "That little wretch is restless. If you pay a bit more, Young Master, I’ll prepare a potion to silence her—make sure she never causes trouble again. We can say she lost her voice from crying over her sister’s death, so she won’t spread nonsense in the future."
"Very well," Chen Dalao agreed. "I intended to dispose of the younger one today, but my father said two deaths in one day would raise suspicions. Silence her, keep her for a few more years... She’s a beauty in the making, bound to be even prettier than her sister. After I’ve had my fill of her, I’ll deal with her then."
Chen Dalao handed over the silver and left. The maidservant went out to buy the poison. Wei Caiwei crawled out from under the bed, bundled up her sister’s jewelry box, and fled stealthily.
As misfortune reaches its limit, prosperity follows. On her escape, she was rescued by a noble benefactor and given a new name. Her original surname was He, and the character "Wei" could be broken down into "He," "Nü," and "Gui"—"He Family’s Female Ghost.""
The "female ghost of the He family" was a tribute to her tragically deceased sister, who had been violated and raped by Chen Dalao, and even in death bore the shame of being accused of seducing him for favor during the mourning period.
"Caiwei" came from the "Book of Songs," in the section "Xiao Ya": "I gather the vetch, the vetch now sprouts. I long to return, but the year grows late. Without home or family, because of the Xianyun. No time to rest, because of the Xianyun."
It meant: I pick a handful of pea shoots, the pea shoots have grown, yet I cannot return home, for I must fight the enemy, with no moment to catch my breath.
Wei Caiwei buried her hatred within her name, a constant reminder to never forget her vengeance.
In her first life seeking revenge, the first person she killed was Chen Dalao. But back then, she was inexperienced, overwhelmed by grief and rage. Her first attempt was full of flaws and nearly failed.
After killing Chen Dalao, to evade pursuit by Thousand Household Chen and the authorities, she joined the selection of palace maids and entered the Forbidden City.
Skilled in medicine, she was quickly noticed by the Palace Bureau of Medicine and became a female physician. Among the palace maids who entered with her was a cheerful, outgoing girl surnamed Shang, only thirteen years old, who became her closest friend.One day when the Jiajing Emperor was playing the chime stone, he struck a wrong note. Everyone was so terrified they dared not even breathe loudly, yet this palace maid surnamed Shang actually laughed aloud in amusement.
A lowly palace maid actually dared to openly mock the emperor. Everyone, including Wei Caiwei, thought she was surely doomed. However, the Jiajing Emperor summoned her to serve him in bed, and from then on she gained unparalleled favor in the harem, being conferred as Consort Shou.
When one person attains enlightenment, even their pets ascend to heaven. Wei Caiwei became the chief palace matron of Consort Shou's Yunde Palace, instantly rising to become a prominent figure in the harem.
Though the Jiajing Emperor was nearly sixty, he still indulged in childish games like playing house with Consort Shou, immersed in her "innocent remarks" and naive romantic feelings, fulfilling all her whims.
Once when Consort Shou whimsically wanted to play with fireworks in bed, the elderly emperor joined her madness, setting off fireworks inside the bed curtains, which ended up burning down the entire Yunde Palace!
Instead of punishing her for burning down a palace, the emperor doted on her even more, ordering court beatings for all officials who accused Consort Shou of being a demon consort ruining the country, with some dismissed from office and others demoted.
Wei Caiwei in the harem never forgot her revenge. She needed to eliminate Thousand Household Chen, but as harem women couldn't interfere in politics, she required someone else's help.
In the harem, when palace maids and eunuchs formed couples, it was called "eating together." High-ranking palace matrons never lacked suitors among eunuchs, especially prominent ones like Wei Caiwei. Everyone sought to curry favor with her to get close to the emperor's most favored Consort Shou, hoping to gain the emperor's notice and rapid promotion.
After careful consideration, Wei Caiwei chose Wang Daxia.
Wang Daxia was young - three years her junior - and had only recently entered the palace without established connections, making him easy to control. He needed Wei Caiwei to pave his way, and through Consort Shou's recommendation to the Jiajing Emperor, he rose from an obscure palace figure to becoming the emperor's close attendant.
Moreover, Wang Daxia was handsome. Even seeing him day and night, Wei Caiwei hadn't grown tired of his face yet.
The love of beauty is inherent in human nature, and Wei Caiwei was no exception.
Wei Caiwei could elevate him, but could also leave him with nothing overnight.
Wang Daxia took Wei Caiwei's shortcut - they each got what they needed. She helped him gain opportunity to serve before the emperor, while he helped her investigate the truth for revenge.
Wang Daxia kept his promise, starting investigations from Thousand Household Chen. The findings shocked him - behind Lord He's "miscommunication of intelligence delaying military operations" was actually a conspiracy among high-ranking court officials colluding together, deceiving Lord He into taking all the blame alone, resulting in his family's destruction.
Wang Daxia eventually became Chief of the Eastern Depot, wielding immense court power. He avenged her entire family - all those who pushed the He family into the abyss ultimately reaped what they sowed. Unusually, he retired after achieving success, voluntarily requesting to become garrison eunuch in Nanjing, leaving the capital with Wei Caiwei.
Though they initially thought they would part ways after achieving their respective goals, they fell in love after marriage. Having experienced various storms together through three reign periods in the palace, they always supported each other through thick and thin, eventually becoming an ideal couple who spent three peaceful, tranquil years together in Nanjing.
Unfortunately, Wang Daxia's body deteriorated from his previous desperate efforts - having tested poison and taken blows for Wei Caiwei - and he fell ill and died at just forty-seven.
Wang Daxia's final words were: "I know that after your revenge, what you wanted most was to have your own child. But in this life, my body is incomplete and I cannot fulfill this wish for you. I only hope... in the next life."Wei Caiwei fainted the moment the coffin lid closed. When she awoke, she found herself reborn at seventeen. Calculating the days, this was the year her dead husband would take the knife to castrate himself.
She decided to find him and stop his self-mutilation: I’ll handle the revenge myself—you keep your roots intact.
She rented a house and, cradling Wang Daxia’s spirit tablet, joyfully moved into her new home as the Wang family’s neighbor. Believing proximity breeds opportunity, she eagerly anticipated reuniting with her dead husband from his youth.
In her previous life, unfamiliar with the capital and focused on revenge, she had spent considerable time just tailing Chen Dalao and mapping his routines. With her enemy before her, emotions running high, Chen Dalao nearly slipped through her meticulously laid trap.
Flustered and furious, she stabbed him over twenty times—each strike non-lethal—and he still clung to life, attempting to cry out for help. Fortunately, blood choked his throat, silencing him.
She abandoned the knife, grabbed a stone with both hands, and smashed it into his face, finally ending him. Covered in blood, she barely escaped.
First time clumsy, second time skilled. In this life, eliminating her brother-in-law Chen Dalao was swift and precise.
Having learned in her past life that Chen Dalao sneaked out after dark from the government school to seek pleasure, she disguised herself as a woman of the night, deliberately bumping into him on the street and luring him under a large willow tree by the river.
“Right here? So the lady enjoys a bit of wilderness fun—suits me just fine.”
As Chen Dalao eagerly undressed, she slit his throat cleanly, without a word of excess—unlike her previous life, where too much talk had alerted him, sending him fleeing until she caught up and delivered twenty-eight stabs.
The first enemy responsible for her elder sister’s death was smoothly eliminated, Chen Dalao’s eyes wide with disbelief.
Wei Caiwei quickly changed back into her guise as a young widow and itinerant doctor. She bought a bundle of paper money, burned the bloodstained gauze dress in the offering, and tossed the throat-cutting knife into the vast, misty waters of Shichahai, leaving no trace.
Perfect.
Then, Wei Caiwei headed home and encountered Chen Jingji in Sweetwater Lane. They shared a bowl of wontons while waiting for Wang Daxia to return.
Finally, you’re here!
Even though this fourteen-year-old boy was arrogant and his gaze frivolous, the joy of their reunion made Wei Caiwei’s entire soul tremble.
Out of propriety, she dared not look directly at him, but her heart was so full of him that she couldn’t even eat the three-delicacy wontons in her bowl.
Wang Daxia, focused solely on his meal, finished his bowl of wontons and cupped his hands in thanks to Wei Caiwei. “Thank you, Doctor Wei, for the treat. When you move to your new place, be sure to let me know—if I ever have a headache or fever, I’ll send for you to treat me.”
Meaning: I’ve eaten the wontons, but you still need to move out. A bowl of wontons won’t change my mind.
Unlike the carefree Wang Daxia, Chen Jingji was still shaken by the throat-slitting incident and quickly interjected, “Doctor Wei is a Gynecological Master—she only treats women.”
Wang Daxia sighed regretfully. “Ah, such a pity. If there’s a next life, I’ll be reborn a woman so I can be Doctor Wei’s patient.”
Chen Jingji’s skin crawled at the remark! What a little beast—even flirting with a widow!Wei Caiwei, however, said, "Actually... I can treat men as well. In a physician's eyes, there are only patients, no distinction between men and women. But in the eyes of patients, there is a difference between male and female doctors. Most men don't trust the medical skills of female physicians, yet Second Young Master Wang was able to break through such prejudice and chose to believe in me. I am deeply moved."
Chen Jingji hurriedly interjected, "Young Master Wang didn’t believe in you, he—"
"Broker Chen is quite talkative tonight," Wang Daxia interrupted, slapping him on the shoulder and giving him a warning glare.
Afraid of getting beaten, Chen Jingji swallowed the words, "He just wanted to flirt with you, a pretty young widow."
Wang Daxia continued trying to win the beauty's favor, "I broke through prejudice, and Doctor Wei did the same. Did Broker Chen paint me as a useless young master in front of you? Yet Doctor Wei has a discerning eye and recognized my merits."
Wei Caiwei said, "Second Young Master Wang is an uncut piece of jade. In the future, you will surely be like King Zhuang of Chu—either silent, or astonishing the world with one remarkable feat."
Please, don’t let anger drive you to extremes like in your previous life, taking up a blade to castrate yourself! You can have a bright future without doing that.
I will help you.
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