Wang Daxia refused to believe his father would engage in lending usurious loans. He said, "Lord Lu, where did the evidence come from? Is it because I recently offended Vice Minister Yan? Did Vice Minister Yan promise you not to trouble us juniors anymore but said nothing about sparing my father? It must be Vice Minister Yan framing him! I beg you to investigate thoroughly."
Lu Bing replied, "Since that night's incident, I promised you I would keep an eye on your father. Given your father's sixth-rank military official status, his metropolitan evaluation falls under the Ministry of Personnel's jurisdiction. I've long since informed the Ministry that they should notify me immediately of any unusual activity involving your father."
"To be frank, Minister of Personnel Wu Peng and I have a close relationship. Moreover, our families are currently discussing a marriage alliance—otherwise, how would the Embroidered Uniform Guard have access to your father's metropolitan evaluation records? Minister Wu discreetly facilitated this for me. The Ministry wouldn't arbitrarily rule 'corruption' without solid evidence. Every family has its difficulties—you should return home quickly and ask your father what's going on."
Lu Bing's meaning was clear: this wasn't a frame-up but a substantiated matter. Without evidence, the Ministry wouldn't wrong an innocent person.
Wang Daxia once again marveled at Lu Bing's extensive connections and noted that Lu Bing kept his word, consistently monitoring Wang Commander's movements rather than merely paying lip service.
Like Lu Ying, Lu Bing was someone reliable. The metropolitan evaluation was still ongoing, with results not due until autumn, leaving room for maneuver.
Wang Daxia said, "Thank you for the warning, Lord Lu. I'll go find my father immediately."
Wang Daxia requested leave from Lu Ying, briefly explaining the situation. Protective of her subordinates, Lu Ying agreed at once: "Go ahead. Settle your family matters first. If you're tied up, you needn't report for morning roll call tomorrow."
Lu Ying's reasoning was simple: if she couldn't protect her own subordinates, how could she command respect? Wang Daxia had offended Vice Minister Yan while rescuing Ding Wu.
Wang Daxia went straight to the Northern City Military Command to find his father.
It was a calamity fallen from the sky. Wang Commander repeatedly shook his head, "This can't be! I've never touched usurious loans. Besides, I don't handle finances—the accounts are all with my wife."
Wang Daxia had always looked down on his stepmother Madam Wu. "It must be the madam's doing. Coming from a petty household, she's shortsighted. Whether the loans came from her hands or yours makes no difference—people will say it's the Wang family lending usurious money. The Ministry has evidence. If Lord Lu hadn't already notified the Minister of Personnel, you wouldn't even have a chance to remedy this. Once the metropolitan evaluation results are out, you'll be directly dismissed."
Wang Commander hurried home to confront his young wife, demanding Madam Wu produce the account books and household savings.
The accounts showed a shortage of four thousand taels of silver. Wang Commander's sudden arrival left Madam Wu no time to cover the massive deficit, making the discrepancy immediately apparent.
Wang Commander slammed the account book on the table. "Did you lend out four thousand taels in usurious loans?"
Madam Wu responded with delicate timidity, "They're not usurious loans—they're official debts. My brother said they're specifically lent to jinshi scholars awaiting official appointments in the capital. Officials would never default—it's the fastest and safest form of lending. I only did this to improve our household's finances."
"You—" Wang Commander closed his eyes and took a deep breath. All the "surprises" he'd received from his son Wang Daxia over the years combined couldn't compare to what his young wife had delivered today. He said:"What is this official debt? Did you personally see the loan contract? You foolish woman, you can't even distinguish between usurious loans and official debts. Whatever Uncle Wu says, you believe it. He took the money and issued usurious loans under the Wang family's name. Someone reported it to the Ministry of Personnel, and it's been recorded against me in the metropolitan evaluation. Now I'm labeled as a corrupt official."
Wang Commander was old enough to be his young wife's father, so they couldn't really have a heated argument. In his rage, he instead became unusually calm. "I've worked diligently these six years, still patrolling at night at this age, hoping to climb higher. But with you issuing usurious loans, all my efforts have been wasted. Forget promotion - I might not even keep my current sixth-rank commander position."
Madam Wu panicked, kneeling before Wang Commander. "I didn't mean to! I was wrong! My own brother deceived me - I never thought he'd cheat his own sister! If he had said it was usurious lending, I would never have agreed!"
The more satisfied Wang Commander had been with his young wife before, the more disappointed he was now. "Husband and wife are one. Five thousand taels - almost all the liquid assets the Wang family has - you took it just like that without consulting me. Since you're so close with your maiden family, you should go back and live with them."
This meant he intended to divorce her.
Wang Commander was utterly disappointed. He had trusted his young wife, entrusting her with household management and even his former wife's dowry, without any suspicion. But she had been so devoted to her maiden family that she nearly transferred the entire family fortune to them, while Wang Commander remained completely unaware.
Madam Wu clung tightly to Wang Commander's leg, crying, "I was wrong, Master! I caused you to lose your official position! I accept divorce as punishment! But if I leave, what will happen to Daqiu? Please give me a chance to redeem myself! I'll go to my family to get the money back! I'll explain to the officials that it was my brother who issued the usurious loans, it has nothing to do with you!"
Just then, Wang Daqiu woke from his nap looking for his mother. Seeing her crying, he started wailing too. The household descended into chaos with everyone making noise, so Wang Daxia went to the neighbor's house to escape the commotion.
Ding Wu had just returned from the market with two chickens to slaughter, planning to make braised chicken with mushrooms that evening to celebrate Wei Caiwei passing the palace female physician examination. He had temporarily postponed his return to Tieling, spending his days doing household chores, cooking, and helping Wei Caiwei make various medicinal pills - keeping quite busy.
As Ding Wu put on his apron and slit one chicken's throat to drain blood into a bowl, Wang Daxia entered through the back door looking around. "Doctor Wei isn't home?"
Ding Wu replied, "The Directorate of Ceremonial just delivered her nameplate when someone immediately came requesting her medical services - said it was for the female relatives of the Duke of Chengguo's household. Truly, good wine needs no bush - once famous, the whole world knows."
After finishing with one chicken, Ding Wu picked up the second.
Wang Daxia had little to say to him, but silence would be more awkward, so he made conversation: "You bought two chickens today."
Ding Wu efficiently slaughtered the chicken and drained its blood. "Banxia said you'd definitely come for dinner tonight, and that you alone can eat one whole chicken, so she told me to prepare two."
Hearing this, Wang Daxia's heart blossomed with joy - Wei Caiwei still cares about me, always thinking of me.
Ding Wu poured prepared hot water over both chickens and began plucking feathers. Wang Daxia brought over a small stool and helped pluck. "Have you noticed anyone watching or following you recently? I don't think Yan Shifan has given up yet. You and Caiwei need to be careful..."Wang Daxia revealed his stepmother Madam Wu's involvement with usurious loans. "As a stepson, I couldn't enter the room properly, but I overheard from outside. This matter only came to light less than a month ago, yet it's already been conclusively exposed during the metropolitan evaluation. If anyone says Yan Shifan isn't secretly manipulating this, I won't believe it. He's just being very discreet—his underlings must be monitoring my father, waiting to seize any leverage to relentlessly pursue him."
As the son of a former Minister of War, Ding Wu naturally understood the metropolitan evaluation system. He asked, "The metropolitan evaluation falls under the Ministry of Personnel's jurisdiction. How does Lord Lu have such detailed knowledge about it?"
Wang Daxia explained, "Minister of Personnel Wu Peng has a good relationship with Lord Lu. Their families are currently discussing a marriage alliance. While this is a major affair for our family, for Minister Wu it's just a trivial matter."
Ding Wu's hand suddenly stilled while plucking chicken feathers. "Minister Wu is discussing a marriage alliance with Lord Lu's family? Which of Lord Lu's children is involved?"
Ding Wu instinctively thought of Lu Ying, as she was the fourth young lady of the Lu residence. With two younger brothers and one younger sister remaining, according to seniority rules, it should be Lu Ying being considered for marriage with one of Minister Wu's sons.
Wang Daxia, completely unaware that Lu Ying was actually female and still thinking she was an illegitimate son, said, "The Lu family's three elder daughters all married into prominent families. It should be the fourth young lady's turn now. The two families are quite well-matched in status..."
Upon hearing this, Ding Wu's mind buzzed as if swarmed by wild bees, recalling the "kiss" at the Goldfish Pond. Though he knew their families were enemies and their statuses vastly different, he often found himself remembering that "kiss" in his midnight dreams.
Now she was discussing marriage with Minister Wu's son—a perfectly matched union that was bound to succeed. Otherwise, Lord Lu wouldn't have told Wang Daxia about it...
"Ah!"
Wang Daxia's piercing shriek pulled Ding Wu from his thoughts. "What's wrong? Why are you howling?"
Wang Daxia pointed at Ding Wu's hand, "Why are you plucking my leg hair?"
Ding Wu looked down and realized that Wang Daxia, feeling hot in Wei Caiwei's absence, had loosened his trousers and rolled them up to his thighs for coolness. Wang Daxia's lower legs were densely covered with curly hair that even mosquitoes couldn't penetrate.
Sitting side by side while plucking chicken feathers, Ding Wu had absentmindedly started plucking Wang Daxia's leg hair instead.
Ding Wu hurriedly apologized, "I'm sorry, I was just thinking... Now that Yan Shifan has targeted your father, what trap might he set for Caiwei and me next."
Wang Daxia took this at face value. Having witnessed Ding Wu being tied to a waterwheel and nearly tortured to death by Yan Shifan, anyone would become overly cautious, fearing further torment. Thus, he accepted Ding Wu's distracted state. "It's fine, I have plenty of leg hair. Losing a few strands won't matter."
Just as he finished speaking, Officer Mu came looking for him, saying Wang Commander wanted to see him.
Wang Daxia swiftly finished plucking the remaining feathers from the chicken in his hands and followed Officer Mu back, quietly asking, "Has my father divorced that woman?"
Given Madam Wu's actions, she had already violated multiple marital codes, giving Wang Commander grounds for divorce.
Officer Mu replied, "The lady has returned to her maternal home—she said she'll retrieve the loan money and stop the usurious lending. Once the money is recovered, everything will be at the commander's discretion."
This meant the divorce hadn't happened.
Wang Daxia snorted coldly, "Retreating to advance—that woman has my father completely wrapped around her finger."Officer Mu remained relatively optimistic, "Retrieve the money and shift the blame onto Uncle Wu to prove the Commander's innocence. With Lord Lu's relationship with Minister Wu, the 'corruption' label against your father can be removed during this metropolitan evaluation. Everything can still be salvaged."
However, when Wang Daxia met his father, Wang Commander asked him, "Tell me honestly, have you offended someone outside?"
"No," Wang Daxia said indignantly. "It's clearly my stepmother's doing, and even now you're still defending her."
Wang Commander replied, "Having served in the Northern City Military Command for so many years, I can recognize a trap when I see one—this is deliberately targeting me. Ever since you joined the Embroidered Uniform Guard, you've been running over to the neighbors' house every day. They have an extra man there named Ding Wu, the son of a former Minister of War who should have been exiled to Tieling. Why has he been hanging around with you all this time?"
"You're serving in the Embroidered Uniform Guard and handling classified matters. I understand the principle that 'a minister who is not discreet will lose his life,' so I turned a blind eye and didn't question you. But now that this has landed on my head, I deserve to know something, don't I?"
Surprised by his father's move, Wang Daxia had no choice but to briefly explain the matter involving Yan Shifan.
After hearing this, Wang Commander fell silent for a moment and said, "Go tell Lord Lu not to pursue overturning the case or seek Minister Wu's help. Just let the Ministry of Personnel remove me from my position during the metropolitan evaluation."
"What?" Wang Daxia wondered if he had misheard. "Lord Lu gave us an early warning precisely to buy time to resolve this and protect your official position. With his capabilities and his relationship with Minister Wu, you're sure to pass the metropolitan evaluation."
"Absolutely not," Wang Commander shook his head repeatedly. "You don't understand the ways of officialdom, nor do you know how terrifying Yan Shifan is. You've offended him—though it's not your fault, you were just doing your duty, and Lord Lu ordered you to protect Ding Wu. But if Yan Shifan can't get to you, he'll certainly target me to vent his anger. If I let him have his way, once he's vented, he won't come after you. I'll only lose my position as Commander of the Northern City Military Command; our hereditary Thousand-Household Title remains. If he insists on targeting you, you could very well lose your life."
Author's Note: Actually, the one arranging a marriage was Lu Bing's son Lu Yi, who married the daughter of Minister of Personnel Wu Peng—hahaha, Ding Wu misunderstood.
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