Wang Daxia had only been upstairs once—the night he scaled the wall to rescue Wei Caiwei from Zhou Xiaoqi's kidnapping. Since then, he had never set foot on the upper floor again. After all, it was a private bedchamber, an intimate space where unrelated men were not permitted. Wang Daxia could only stop at the staircase.
Each day, as he rode past the Wei residence on horseback, he would whistle softly and wave at her while she sat at her second-floor dressing table, watching her wave back in response.
This place, which filled him with endless imagination, was where Wei Caiwei actually invited Lu Ying to sleep—and not even the study was acceptable!
Today, Wang Daxia had performed admirably, using both wit and strength to protect Wei Caiwei. Lu Ying asked him, "Do you want to sleep in the study?"
"I'd like to, but—" Wang Daxia glanced at Wei Caiwei, "I’ll follow the host’s arrangements, of course."
Lu Ying said to Wei Caiwei, "I don’t mind switching with him. What about you?"
In private, it didn’t matter, but with outsiders present, Lu Ying didn’t want to be treated specially. She hoped Wei Caiwei would regard her as an ordinary man to avoid arousing suspicion—though, given Wang Daxia’s level of intelligence, the likelihood of him suspecting she was a man was quite slim.
In truth, Wei Caiwei had always been quite indulgent toward Wang Daxia. Basically, if he acted a little spoiled, she would give in, and this time was no exception.
Wei Caiwei went along with the suggestion and said, "That’s fine."
Lu Ying slept on Ding Wu’s bed, which was spread with a cool mat and a bamboo-woven pillow. At the inner side of the bed lay a bamboo "wife," shaped like a vase. Though simple, everything was wiped clean, and a thin, checkered cotton quilt lay over it, free of any odor.
Wei Caiwei took Wang Daxia upstairs. In the study, there was a daybed. She removed the sitting cushions and small table from it, making it suitable for sleeping.
"You can sleep here. I’ll go get you some bedding."
Wei Caiwei went to the adjacent bedroom, opened a chest, and took out a quilt and pillow. When she returned to the study, she found Wang Daxia already asleep on the hard daybed, softly snoring.
He was truly exhausted.
Wei Caiwei covered him with the quilt. Autumn mosquitoes were fierce, and unlike Ding Wu’s bed, the daybed had no mosquito net. So she lit a mosquito coil and placed it beneath the daybed.
After setting the coil, she half-knelt, her gaze level with Wang Daxia’s sleeping face. Asleep, Wang Daxia looked exactly like her dead husband from her previous life. Even if their souls were not the same, both had done their utmost to protect her.
Wang Daxia wasn’t using a pillow and seemed uncomfortable, his head unconsciously shifting restlessly like a little puppy.
Wei Caiwei gently lifted his head and tucked her own soft, embroidered pillow behind his neck—she used two, just as in his past life, when Wang Daxia had preferred sleeping on a high pillow.
Sure enough, his habit remained the same in this life. With two pillows under his head, he grew comfortable and finally stopped moving.
With both her "new and old flames" settled, Wei Caiwei went down to the first-floor pharmacy to prepare Ginseng Nourishing Pills for the Dowager Lady of the Duke of Dingguo. Ordinary people didn’t know Lu Ying was a woman, but Lu Bing’s in-laws and the Jiajing Emperor were aware, so they didn’t believe the rumors about Wei Caiwei’s love life being more dramatic than an opera. They only trusted her medical skills.
Wei Caiwei had ranked first in the Directorate of Ceremonial’s imperial physician examination, her name listed at the top when the results were posted. Despite her youth, she had earned the recognition of the imperial physicians. The noble families of the capital, especially Lu Bing’s in-laws, were very curious about her and often invited her to treat ailments that imperial physicians found inconvenient to address. Even when there was no illness, they would request mild, health-preserving prescriptions. Among these aristocratic ladies, every one of them was meticulous about nurturing their well-being.From the moment lanterns were lit to the sounding of the curfew watch, the heavy rain outside showed no sign of stopping or easing. Passersby did not see Lu Ying or Wang Daxia emerge from Sweetwater Lane.
Could it be... that both old and new lovers were staying overnight together?
That night, many onlookers were too excited to sleep, imagining what the charming widow, her old flame, and her new lover might be doing together after dark. Surely they weren't just chatting under the covers or studying medicine.
This charming widow was under the protection of both the Four Pests of the North City and Lu Bing's illegitimate son - definitely not someone to provoke.
At the Myriad Goods Trading Company in Headline Alley, White Lotus Sect Leader Zhao Quan and Branch Leader Wu Dianyong were thrilled to hear about the major incident at West Drum Tower Street where "old and new lovers joined forces to rescue the charming widow."
Zhao Quan remarked, "Last night on the decorated pleasure boat, I witnessed Doctor Wei performing the Zhezhi Dance with the top courtesan from Red Sleeve Brothel. Having seen her captivating charm beneath that cool exterior, it's no surprise that both Commander Lu and Young Master Wang went to protect her."
Wu Dianyong produced an invitation. "Young Master Wang invited us to a farewell banquet at Taotie Restaurant tomorrow, but it seems we'll need to change venues. I've heard Commander Lu was displeased with Taotie Restaurant for allowing the three prefectural students Wu Lianchi, Bu Yaolian, and Lu Renjia to insult Doctor Wei. He ordered the restaurant closed and banned them from doing business in the capital. Taotie Restaurant has been operating in the capital for over a hundred years with more than ten locations, yet they were all shut down overnight. Commander Lu truly wields immense power."
Actually, Wang Daxia's invitation to the farewell banquet was also meant to buy time and keep Zhao Quan stabilized. With Taotie Restaurant closed and expelled from the capital, it provided a perfect excuse to choose another venue, conveniently allowing more time to delay - an unexpected but favorable outcome.
"It's his father Lu Bing who's formidable. Who in the capital would dare cross the Embroidered Uniform Guard? Otherwise, a mere illegitimate son wouldn't command such respect," Zhao Quan opened the invitation. "Changing venues is fine. This heavy rain looks like it will continue for several days, making roads muddy and difficult to travel. We might as well stay in the capital a few more days. When the rain stops and the autumn weather turns crisp and clear, it will be perfect for departure."
Wu Dianyong replied, "Everything as the Sect Leader commands."
Meanwhile, back at the "closely watched" Sweetwater Lane.
Approaching the third watch, Ding Wu hurried home and knocked urgently. Wei Caiwei opened the door, and without even removing his bamboo hat and raincoat, Ding Wu immediately asked, "Where is Commander Lu? I have urgent business with her."
Wei Caiwei pointed toward his room. "Sleeping."
"She's... sleeping in my bed?" Ding Wu found it hard to believe.
Wei Caiwei said, "Should she sleep on the floor instead?"
No, this wasn't the time to dwell on that. Ding Wu rushed toward the bedroom but stopped at the doorway. "You'd better go wake her."
Ding Wu was a true gentleman. Though Lu Ying made every effort to conceal her female identity and presented herself as a man, Ding Wu still insisted on observing proper etiquette.
Wei Caiwei woke Lu Ying. Meanwhile, Wang Daxia was startled awake by the knocking downstairs, thinking someone was harassing Wei Caiwei. Without even putting on shoes, he immediately grabbed his sword and rushed downstairs.
Seeing Wei Caiwei hand Lu Ying a set of bamboo hat and raincoat, Lu Ying put them on and told Wang Daxia, "You came at the right time. There's some trouble at Headline Alley. We need to get there quickly."
It was serious trouble indeed.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard had dug a tunnel from the pharmacy leading to the underground warehouse of the Myriad Goods Trading Company. The progress had been smooth initially, encountering no obstacles like large rocks, with relatively soft soil that was easy to excavate.But today was the beginning of autumn, and heavy rain continued to fall. The soil layer above the unfinished tunnel, soaked by the rainwater, had already begun to leak in several places.
Once water seeped in, the supporting soil would become increasingly soft, making it prone to subsidence and collapse, rendering all previous efforts futile.
This was the drawback of soft soil—easy to dig but also highly susceptible to collapse. If it hadn't rained, it would have been fine in the short term, but who could have predicted that heavy rain would fall after the beginning of autumn, when the weather should have turned dry?
Ding Wu had already tried using wood and planks to support the tunnel and was constantly scooping out the seepage with small buckets to mitigate the collapse.
However, if the heavy rain persisted until the next day, Ding Wu's efforts would be like trying to extinguish a burning cartload of firewood with a cup of water—the tunnel could soften and collapse at any moment.
So Ding Wu rushed to consult Lu Ying in the middle of the night.
Lu Ying descended into the tunnel and found the seepage severe. Despite Ding Wu's use of wooden frames and planks to support the tunnel, murky muddy water still leaked through the gaps. The accumulated water in the tunnel had already reached the top of their shoes—and this was with the Embroidered Uniform Guard continuously scooping water out.
Wang Daxia remarked, "If the heavy rain keeps up, by tomorrow, we could raise fish in this tunnel."
Lu Ying shot him a glare. "At a time like this, you still have the mood for sarcastic remarks."
Ding Wu said, "Raising fish isn't the issue. What's worrisome is the tunnel filling with water, creating pressure from both inside and outside, which will accelerate the collapse."
Lu Ying asked, "If we assign more people to dig, can we break through by tomorrow night?"
Ding Wu replied, "If we're just making a hole big enough for one person to crawl through, it's possible. We don't need to dig this deep."
Lu Ying surveyed the leaking tunnel and made a decisive call. "Then we'll make a hole. The tunnel is vulnerable to water, and gunpowder is also water-sensitive. Once soaked, it becomes unusable, posing no threat to us or the nearby residents."
Wang Daxia said, "In that case, we'll have to act two days earlier. We'll make our move tomorrow night."
Lu Ying asked, "Do you have any issues with that?"
Wang Daxia replied, "None from my end. The targets are under surveillance. Besides, on rainy nights, people prefer to stay indoors. The sound of the rain will also help mask the noise of us scaling walls, picking locks, and breaking in. We're just waiting for Commander Lu's order."
Fortune and misfortune are intertwined—everything has its pros and cons.
Lu Ying acted decisively. "Then we begin tomorrow night."
Both Lu Ying and Wang Daxia had slept during the first half of the night, but Ding Wu had not closed his eyes at all. He swayed unsteadily, on the verge of exhaustion.
Lu Ying said, "I have a task for you."
Ding Wu pinched the flesh at his waist to rouse his spirits. "Ding is at Commander Lu's disposal."
Lu Ying said, "Your task is to sleep. There's a tough battle ahead tomorrow."
Ding Wu returned to Tianshui Alley to sleep. Lying in bed, the thin quilt still faintly carried Lu Ying's warmth, leaving his mind in turmoil and his sleep filled with restless dreams.
Wang Daxia wrote another invitation for a farewell banquet, canceling the next day's reservation at Taotie Restaurant and instead inviting Boss Wang and Wu Dianyong to dine at Santong Restaurant the day after—since they were taking action tomorrow night, they had to ensure the two stayed at the trading company, going nowhere, so the Embroidered Uniform Guard could catch the White Lotus followers like turtles in a jar.
Thus, the farewell banquet at Santong Restaurant would never take place. It was also a good way to save some money.
Unbeknownst to himself, the formerly extravagant playboy Wang Daxia had begun to learn how to live frugally!The situation was urgent and of great importance. Lu Ying rushed home overnight, woke up Lu Bing, and informed him that the plan had changed—they would take action the following evening.
This was Lu Ying’s first time leading such a critical operation, and her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Lu Bing fully supported his daughter’s ambitions to achieve greatness. He said, “I’ve assigned you the best personnel from the Embroidered Uniform Guard. They will follow your orders, and I trust you to command with authority.”
In truth, Lu Bing wasn’t entirely certain that Lu Ying could flawlessly dismantle the White Lotus Sect. But with the arrow already on the bowstring, he had to show unwavering confidence in her to bolster her spirits and avoid discouraging her.
Even if things went awry, Lu Bing had a contingency plan to protect his daughter—he had secretly dispatched trusted agents to shadow the operation. Like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, the White Lotus Sect had plagued the land for a decade. Now that there was a chance to destroy their nest in the capital, Lu Bing would not let it slip away.
Thus, in this battle, Lu Bing believed Lu Ying would surely triumph.
Hearing her father’s unwavering trust, Lu Ying decided not to dwell on the previous incident when he had impulsively scolded her after taking the imperial-bestowed elixir.
Lu Ying said, “I will give it my all and will not disappoint you, Father. There is one more matter I need to ask for your help with.”
Seizing the opportunity to reconcile with his daughter, Lu Bing smiled and said, “Between father and daughter, there’s no need for formalities. What is it?”
Lu Ying replied, “It’s about Wang Dxia parading the three prefectural school scholars through the streets as a public shaming.”
Lu Bing had, of course, heard about it. “No need to worry. Wang Daxia is a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and my trusted subordinate. The prefectural school wouldn’t dare cause trouble.”
Lu Ying said, “Naturally. What I mean is, I’d like you to pressure the prefectural school and the Ministry of Rites to expel these three students, revoke Lu Renjia’s scholarly rank, and permanently bar them from participating in the imperial examinations.”
Author’s Note: Lu Ying has the demeanor of a domineering CEO~
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