The people from the Northern City Military Command held an umbrella for Wang Daxia. His drenched clothes clung to his body, but like a young man sleeping on a cold kang who relies entirely on his vigorous vitality, he didn’t feel the chill. He continued beating the gong, pulling the stark-naked trio behind him all the way to the end of Drum Tower West Diagonal Street—the Drum Tower.
Beyond the Drum Tower lay Daxing. Wang Daxia, still unsatisfied, wanted to proceed along Drum Tower East Street. Officer Mu approached with an umbrella and said, “That’s enough. The Shuntian Prefecture Yamen is in Daxing, and they have a good relationship with our Northern City Military Command. If you parade around like this, Shuntian Prefecture Governor Wang Niqiu will lose face.”
Although they hadn’t paraded through the entire city, the thousands of mouths along Drum Tower West Diagonal Street would surely spread the fame of Wu Lianchi, Bu Yaolian, and Lu Renjia by the next day. With everyone adding their own exaggerations, all sorts of unsavory rumors would emerge.
Wang Daxia, still thinking of Wei Caiwei back at the inn, tossed the gong aside and turned back. Officer Mu stopped him, saying, “There’s a clothing shop over there. Go change into dry clothes—wearing wet ones will make you catch a cold.”
Wang Daxia changed into a new set of clothes and wore wooden clogs over his cloth shoes to keep them from getting soaked. The clogs made loud, clacking sounds as he walked, drowning out the patter of the rain.
Wherever the sound of the clogs reached, the onlookers along the street hurried back inside with their bowls, closing their doors and windows as if avoiding a plague.
The Four Pests of the North City truly lived up to their reputation—what formidable tactics!
Thanks to Wang Daxia’s commotion, the rumor of his romantic involvement with Wei Caiwei was solidified. But at least no one dared to discuss it in front of her or openly insult her anymore.
Meanwhile, at the inn, Wei Caiwei had calmed down from her anger. Having endured such a miserable childhood, how much worse could things get now? It would all pass.
Just then, a waiter arrived with a food box and asked, “Shall I still deliver the meal to your residence, ma’am?”
“No need,” Wei Caiwei replied, placing the awl on the table. “I’m hungry. I’ll eat here.”
The inn was now empty except for her, finally offering some peace.
Wei Caiwei said, “Bring me a pot of Huadiao wine.”
After drinking a cup of Huadiao, a warmth spread from her stomach. Halfway through her meal, footsteps sounded at the entrance. Wei Caiwei immediately set down her cup and gripped the handle of the awl, but upon seeing who it was, she quickly released it.
The shop assistant hurried over to greet the newcomer. “Apologies, ma’am, but we’ve closed early today.”
“I’m here to see her,” said the visitor—Lu Ying. To facilitate the operation, she had taken a room at the Three Thoroughfares Inn on Drum Tower West Diagonal Street and wouldn’t be returning home for the next few days.
That evening, she had held a briefing at the hidden stakeout to check on her subordinates’ progress. Having been awake for two days and a night, Lu Ying was exhausted. She skipped dinner and collapsed onto the bed to rest.
But before she could fall asleep, the commotion outside erupted—the clanging of a gong, followed by the sounds of doors creaking open and windows slamming shut or being thrown open in nearby rooms.
She immediately drew the short knife from under her pillow and sprang up.
From the adjacent room, a man’s voice roared, “Hurry up and close the window! Don’t let the women see!”
Lu Ying got up and pushed open her window, witnessing an unforgettable scene: Wang Daxia, braving the heavy rain, beating a gong with a rope tied around his waist, pulling three naked men behind him as they paraded through the streets.Since it concerned her own subordinate, Lu Ying hurried downstairs and saw that the inn's main hall was empty. Guests and even the innkeeper had crowded under the eaves, all craning their necks to watch this rare spectacle, like rows of roast ducks hanging in an oven.
"What a hero saving a beauty."
"More like a young master saving a widow."
"Taotie Restaurant is going to take the fall this time. All the guests in the entire restaurant bullied the young widow, and the manager didn't even step in to stop it. If you take someone's money, they're your customer. If you think their money is dirty, then don't accept it."
Hearing that it was Wei Caiwei in trouble, Lu Ying immediately grabbed an umbrella and rushed toward Taotie Restaurant.
The people at the inn buzzed with discussion, "That young man who just passed by is really strange. Everyone else watching the excitement is following Young Master Wang with their umbrellas, but he's going the opposite way."
"That young man looks familiar, like I've seen him somewhere before."
"Ah! I remember! During the Dragon Boat Festival that day, outside Zhengyang Gate by the moat during the dragon boat race, he was the one who picked up that widow female physician. He's Commander Lu!"
The area under the inn's eaves instantly erupted like a boiling oil pot.
"So both the new and old lovers have come to support the widow?"
"This widow is too formidable! Young Master Wang as the new lover is one thing, but even Commander Lu, her old flame, has come to help. He must still have feelings for the widow!"
And so the rumors grew increasingly wild.
When Lu Ying arrived at Taotie Restaurant and saw Wei Caiwei still calmly eating her meal, she knew she wasn't seriously harmed.
"Waiter, bring another cup, add a set of bowls and chopsticks, and one more dish." Wei Caiwei invited Lu Ying to sit down and asked her, "What would you like to eat?"
Having stayed up late, Lu Ying only wanted something easy to digest. "A bowl of scallion oil noodles," she said.
Wei Caiwei poured her some wine and recounted what had happened. "...And that's how it was. I originally thought that dressing as a widow would make it easier to go out and work. On Dragon Boat Festival day, I was putting on an act with you to save Ding Wu. I don't regret it, and I've considered the consequences—I can accept them. As a woman, showing my face in public to work is already frowned upon by society. Being pointed at and talked about—I don't care what others say. But—"
Wei Caiwei downed the Huadiao wine in one gulp. "I was thinking too simply. I'm not an emotionless iron woman. Before, no one dared to gossip about me so brazenly to my face. I was too busy practicing medicine to pay attention to rumors, so I thought it didn't matter. But today I truly felt hurt."
Wei Caiwei poured more wine. "It's really hard for women to work outside."
Wei Caiwei spoke so openly with Lu Ying because they were the same kind of people—both wanting to make choices contrary to convention in this world where men work outside and women tend the home, except that Lu Ying had her father's protection.
"Alright, after this cup, no more drinking," Lu Ying said. "After we finish eating, I'll take you back. Let the rumors grow even fiercer. When my father stamps his foot, the capital trembles three times. Things like this won't happen again in the future."
Wei Caiwei nodded and mixed sea cucumber into her rice before eating.
After Lu Ying finished her scallion oil noodles, she offered the manager a silver ingot. By then, the manager had learned from the gossip who Lu Ying was and didn't dare accept the money. "The noodles are on the house," he said."This isn't for the meal." Lu Ying placed the silver on the counter. "This is compensation for your shop closing. My friend paid for her food, yet you took her money and let her swallow nothing but humiliation. The entire restaurant bullied her—the patrons are one thing, but your establishment did nothing to stop those three beasts from insulting my friend. That's utterly dishonorable."
"From this moment on, this shop is closed. There's no place for you in the capital. If you secretly reopen elsewhere, I'll bring the Embroidered Uniform Guard to smash your store—what charge should we use? How about 'colluding with Japanese pirates'?"
Hearing the words "colluding with Japanese pirates," the manager immediately dropped to his knees—it was a capital offense.
Lu Ying said, "Choose: your shop or your life."
While Lu Ying was reprimanding the manager, Wei Caiwei found her umbrella. Originally, she could have restored it by inserting the awl into the purple bamboo handle, but the umbrella had been trampled by onlookers, breaking its ribs beyond repair.
So, holding the awl, Wei Caiwei stepped under Lu Ying's umbrella, and the two walked side by side.
Just as they stepped outside, they encountered Wang Daxia returning in his wooden clogs.
Three people, three pairs of eyes: you look at me, I look at you, and then at her.
It was a classic scene of old and new flames crossing paths, and the onlookers under the eaves were nearly bursting with excitement!
"You... Commander Lu is here." Wang Daxia never expected Lu Ying to arrive so quickly.
The bystanders under the eaves were close and eagerly pricked up their ears to catch every word of their exchange.
Lu Ying shot him a meaningful glance and declared loudly, "I never should have entrusted her to you in the first place. Is this how you protect her?"
Huh? Wang Daxia was taken aback but quickly grasped Lu Ying's intent—she was using the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and even Lu Bing's greater influence, to shield Wei Caiwei.
Though he knew it was an act, a pang of jealousy stirred in Wang Daxia—unaware that Lu Ying was a woman, he felt as if the pattering wasn't rain but vinegar pouring down.
Wang Daxia blocked their path, refusing to yield, and vowed loudly, "I swear, there won't be a next time!"
The onlookers: Wow!
Lu Ying retorted, "I won't trust you again. Caiwei, let's go."
Wei Caiwei followed Lu Ying but glanced back at Wang Daxia, her expression hesitant, as if she had more to say.
"Wait!" Wang Daxia rushed forward, stretching out his right arm to stop them.
Lu Ying cast a disdainful look. "When she was with me, nothing ever happened. But in just a few days with you, she's already in trouble. How dare you compete with me?"
Two sons of high officials vying for a charming widow on the street? The spectators wished they could etch this moment into their minds—a story to boast about for a lifetime!
"I—" Wang Daxia took off his wooden clogs and set them before Wei Caiwei. "Wear these, so your shoes and socks don't get wet."
Wei Caiwei immediately slipped into character. She first glanced at Lu Ying, who nodded, then she put on the clogs.
Lu Ying held the umbrella as they headed toward Sweetwater Lane, with Wei Caiwei beside her. Wang Daxia, tall and holding his umbrella high, walked on Wei Caiwei's other side, tilting it over her so that her dress wouldn't get splashed by the rain.
However, in leaning his umbrella toward Wei Caiwei and standing too close, the rainwater from Lu Ying's umbrella poured down, instantly soaking Wang Daxia's right shoulder.
But Wang Daxia stood firm, unflinching as the rain drenched half of his clothing.Passersby whispered among themselves, "Ah, I never imagined Young Master Wang could be so devoted."
"I think Commander Lu, her former love, is even more infatuated."
"Who will the young widow choose?"
Some bold onlookers, pretending to shop while holding umbrellas, followed at a distance. Then they watched as the trio with two umbrellas arrived at the Wei residence in Sweetwater Lane. Wei Caiwei took out her keys to unlock the door, and then... Lu Ying and Wang Daxia closed their respective umbrellas, stepping almost simultaneously across the threshold!
The door shut, sparking endless speculation. The charming widow didn’t choose—she wanted both!
Wei Caiwei fetched Ding Wu’s clothes and handed them to Wang Daxia. "Your outfit is half-soaked. Change quickly."
Wang Daxia changed in Ding Wu’s room. Both men had been awake for two days and a night, utterly exhausted. They nearly asked in unison, "Can I rest here for a while?"
To protect Wei Caiwei, they had to stay until late, maintaining the appearance of deeply caring for her safety.
Wei Caiwei directed Wang Daxia to sleep in Ding Wu’s bed, then took Lu Ying upstairs to rest in the study—after all, she couldn’t let Lu Ying sleep in Brother Ding’s bed; she was a girl.
Wang Daxia grumbled, "Why does Commander Lu get to sleep upstairs? I’ve hardly ever been up there." The second floor had two rooms: the study adjacent to Wei Caiwei’s bedroom.
Author’s Note: Daxia, forever failing to stay cool for more than three seconds. The rumors continue to brew~
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