Ding Wu placed the unconscious Wu Dianyong on a small cart and pushed it into Fengzhou City.
The city gate guard examined his household certificate and pointed at the elderly woman on the cart. "Who is she?"
Ding Wu replied, "My mother. She's been bedridden for years and lost her senses. I heard the White Lotus Sect leader possesses divine powers that can revive the dead, so I brought her here to try my luck. I beg the sect leader to work his magic and awaken my mother."
The guard returned his household certificate. "You're quite the filial son."
Ding Wu quickly smiled ingratiatingly. "As a newcomer, I don't know where the White Lotus Sect's main altar is. Could you point me in the right direction?"
The guard indicated the main street. "Go straight until you see a place with many people kneeling at the entrance - that's their main altar. But there are too many seeking the sect leader's help. Since altering fate defies heaven's will and brings divine punishment, he can only use his power once a month to save one predestined person. It depends whether your mother has that connection with him."
After thanking the guard, Ding Wu pushed the cart into the city.
Arriving at the main altar, he indeed saw crowds of people kneeling densely packed at the entrance, with even the side alleys filled with those who had come seeking cures for their relatives. The White Lotus Sect, hunted throughout the Ming dynasty, was actually worshipped like deities in Fengcheng.
As Ding Wu approached with his cart, a sect member wearing a white lotus-embroidered Taoist robe immediately came to guide him. "There's no space at the front. Don't block the path - there's room at the back entrance. Go kneel there."
"I'm not here to beg the sect leader," Ding Wu said. "I'm here to claim the bounty."
He pointed at Wu Dianyong's wanted poster on the wall. "I just want to know if the White Lotus Sect keeps its word."
At these words, not only did the sect member's expression change, but even the ignorant commoners kneeling nearby glared at him angrily, wanting to beat him.
The sect member declared, "Our sect leader always keeps his word. Whoever brings the traitor Wu Dianyong's head shall become a Branch Leader and receive a thousand taels of silver."
"In that case..." Ding Wu tore off Wu Dianyong's fake eyebrows, revealing his distinctive mole between the eyebrows. "I've not only brought his head for the reward, but it's still fresh! Ding Wu, son of former Ming Minister of War Ding Rukui, here to claim the bounty!"
This announcement shocked not just the White Lotus Sect's main altar, but the entire Fengcheng!
Meanwhile, a thousand li away, in the carrier pigeon room of the Imperial Guard Office...
Wang Daxia arrived but before he could ask, the old pigeon keeper shook his head. "No messages from Fengcheng today."
Hearing this, Wang Daxia turned to leave and encountered Commander Lu at the courtyard entrance.
"Commander Lu." Wang Daxia respectfully made way. "Still no news from Fengcheng."
He knew why Lu Ying had come.
"Oh." Lu Ying stopped at the gate. "Today's the Mid-Autumn Festival, the office is closed, and you're not on duty. Why are you here so early?"
Wang Daxia countered, "Aren't you also on break? Also not on duty? Yet you came to the office too?"
Lu Ying looked at him coldly. "Are you the superior officer here, or am I? Just promoted to Hundred-Household Commander and already think you can challenge authority? Is that it, Commander Wang?"
Wang Daxia immediately smiled apologetically. "How could this humble Hundred-Household Commander dare act superior to a Battalion Commander. It's just that Doctor Wei keeps worrying about Ding Wu, so whether there's news or not, I come to update her daily."In a single night, two major strongholds of the White Lotus Sect were eradicated, fifty-seven leaders of various ranks were captured and beheaded for public display to quell popular anger. This action brought great satisfaction to the people, and Lu Ying, Wang Daxia, and others were credited with major achievements.
For their merits and rewards, Lu Ying was appointed as a Thousand-Household Commander, while Wang Daxia leaped three ranks from a common soldier, skipping the roles of Small Flag and Flag Commander, to become a Hundred-Household Commander—a military official of the sixth rank.
Lu Ying asked, "Does Doctor Wei ask about you every day?"
Wang Daxia replied, "No, it's me who reports to her daily."
Starting from digging graves at the mass burial ground and disguising themselves as mother and son, Ding Wu and Wu Dianyong would contact local spies at every stop, who then released carrier pigeons to send messages.
Wang Daxia would relay the latest updates to Wei Caiwei, so she had a clear grasp of Ding Wu's movements. Though worry was inevitable, at least she had a sense of certainty and wouldn't let her imagination run wild.
Gazing at the clear, boundless sky, Lu Ying said, "Calculating the schedule, they should reach Fengcheng today."
Wang Daxia followed her gaze toward the northwest. "I hope he can successfully infiltrate the enemy camp."
Lu Ying remarked, "The day he infiltrates the enemy camp will be the day his reputation is ruined, scorned by thousands. As the saying goes, good deeds stay hidden, but misfortunes travel far. Perhaps even before the carrier pigeon arrives, the stench of his notoriety as a Ming traitor will have spread to the capital."
Wang Daxia said, "Stench is good—the stinkier, the better. Without the foulness of manure, where would the fragrance of the five grains come from?"
At his words, Lu Ying was at a loss for a response and could only say, "It's a holiday today. Hurry home—you only have this one day off. Tomorrow morning, we must report for roll call, and there's a pile of tasks waiting."
Lu Ying's mind was entirely focused on her career. Wang Daxia quickly dashed off, afraid she might change her mind and drag him into working overtime.
Early that morning, to help Wei Caiwei retrieve a message, Wang Daxia had run from the north city to the south city and back again, just to spend the holiday with her.
Lu Ying did not go home. She detested holidays because every festive occasion brought pressure to marry. Her three elder sisters would inevitably return to their parents' home with their husbands to deliver gifts. While the three sons-in-law accompanied her father, Lu Bing, for tea, the noble sisters, keen on matchmaking, would gather and drag her over, insisting on telling her about the latest outstanding young talents in the capital.
The eldest sister, wife of the heir to the Duke of Cheng: "...Just take a distant glance. What if you happen to fancy one?"
The second sister, wife of the direct grandson of Chief Grand Secretary Yan Song: "Exactly, a look costs nothing."
The third sister, wife of the son of Grand Secretariat Minister Xu Jie: "In a family like ours, as long as it's not the imperial family, if you set your heart on someone, are you afraid Father couldn't secure him for you?"
Lu Ying was most annoyed by such talk. "I don't want to marry right now."
Her three sisters retorted, "You're already eighteen—don't miss your prime."
Lu Ying argued, "I've just been appointed Thousand-Household Commander; it's the perfect time to focus on my work."
Her sisters insisted, "Men should marry, women should wed. Even if you become the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, you still have to marry. Our father has been married four times..."
With her three sisters gathered together, and the eldest two pregnant, Lu Ying couldn't afford to lose her temper. She found an excuse and fled home, rushing to the Imperial Guard Office.
Only work could make her forget the troubles of forced matchmaking, immersing her in her own world for a moment of peace.
Arriving at the Duty Room, Lu Ying stood before a massive map on the wall detailing Ding Wu's journey. Using a ruler to measure and trace, she murmured, "He must have arrived this year..."
Her mind drifted to the image of Ding Wu on his final night before departure.She gave him a detailed explanation of the markings used by the Embroidered Uniform Guard's hidden stakeouts, as well as the coded phrases for making contact, and instructed him to memorize them thoroughly for future ease in transmitting intelligence.
Although Ding Wu's combat skills were only sufficient for slaughtering chickens and geese, his memory and comprehension were exceptionally sharp. Within half a day, he had committed everything to heart, and no matter how Lu Ying tested him with random questions, he answered fluently without hesitation.
Lu Ying said, "There is nothing more I can teach you. The rest depends on your luck. You may go now."
Ding Wu took his leave, hesitating as if he had something to say, but the words died on his lips.
Lu Ying guessed his thoughts, "You want to ask about your father in Yunnan, don't you? Rest assured, he is living well. The weather in Yunnan is warm, and there are hot springs that are beneficial for his rheumatism—far more comfortable than being in prison."
In truth, Ding Wu hadn’t intended to ask about that; Wang Daxia had already informed him. He had wanted to tell Lu Ying... that he had developed a slight fondness for her. But considering his identity and the tasks ahead, he felt too embarrassed to speak up.
He didn’t even know if he would return alive.
So Ding Wu ruthlessly suppressed his budding feelings and said, "Understood. I will not return until the White Lotus Sect is destroyed."
Lu Ying, who admired martial prowess and revered the strong, had never been particularly drawn to scholarly, frail types like Ding Wu. However, upon hearing his vow, "I will not return until the White Lotus Sect is destroyed," she instantly felt that the slender Ding Wu possessed boundless strength and found him the most agreeable young man she had encountered so far.
Lu Ying unfolded the map of Fengcheng, her gaze settling on the headquarters of the White Lotus Sect. Pressing her finger on the spot, she murmured to herself, "You will surely succeed."
North City, Sweetwater Lane.
Wang Dxia galloped over on horseback to deliver news, giving him a daily excuse to knock on Wei Caiwei’s door.
Wei Caiwei opened the door, wearing an apron smudged with flour and soot. It was an old apron Ding Wu used specifically for cooking, and it was a bit too large for her, the hem nearly brushing the tops of her shoes.
With Ding Wu gone, there was no one to cook for her, so Wei Caiwei had been eating all her meals out. Today, on the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunions, she decided to try cooking a meal herself.
Wang Daxia said, "No new updates today."
"Understood," Wei Caiwei replied, lowering her head and rubbing the half-dried flour from her fingers.
Seeing her despondent, Wang Daxia quickly comforted her, "In our line of work, no news is good news. It means everything is proceeding smoothly without unexpected complications."
Wei Caiwei said, "I’ve troubled you these past days, coming to report every day. There’s no need to continue. Brother Ding has his own path to walk, and he must walk it alone. Unless something major happens, you don’t need to update me anymore to avoid raising suspicions."
She understood that Ding Wu was acting for the greater good, but accepting this harsh reality was difficult. She couldn’t help feeling anxious and worried. Wang Daxia’s daily visits, whether he had news or not, had eased much of her anxiety.
A month had passed, and she was gradually coming to terms with reality. She and Ding Wu had long grown up, each with their own paths to follow. Sometimes, boundless worry only becomes a burden and constraint on the other.
When something is beyond her reach and she is powerless to change it, the only thing she can do is live her own life well, focus on her own tasks, and grow stronger. If Ding Wu ever needs her help in the future, she will be capable of supporting him.Seeing that Wei Caiwei had finally come around, her expression brightening, Wang Daxia was delighted. He playfully tugged at her apron, asking, "What delicious food are you making?"
"Mooncakes. They should be done baking. Come in and try one," Wei Caiwei invited Wang Daxia inside. The two arrived in the small courtyard, where the aroma of pastries wafted from the oven Ding Wu had made.
Wang Daxia sniffed the air. "It smells wonderful. They must be delicious."
Wei Caiwei put on thick cotton mitts and pulled the iron tray out of the oven. There were nine mooncakes in total, molded with the words "Blooming Flowers and Full Moon" imprinted on the crust. They looked quite good.
After removing the mitts, she used chopsticks to transfer the mooncakes onto a plate. "They're too hot. Let them cool for a bit before eating. Have some grapes first."
Noticing a chicken stewing in the stove, Wang Daxia perceptively offered, "Let me help you add more firewood."
This being Wei Caiwei's first time cooking, she was indeed overwhelmed. She still needed to fetch water from the well to clean mushrooms and vegetables, so she quickly nodded. "Make yourself at home. Don't forget to try the mooncakes."
Only when cooking for herself did she realize how efficient Ding Wu had been. Missing him dearly, she relied on her memory to recreate the dishes and mooncakes he used to make during Mid-Autumn Festival.
Unable to resist his craving, as soon as Wei Caiwei left, Wang Daxia folded a handkerchief into two layers and picked up a mooncake to eat. The moment he bit into it, it felt like biting into a piece of hot charcoal—scalding and rock-hard!
The shock made him tremble, and the mooncake fell to the ground. Looking down, Wang Daxia saw that it had actually left a shallow dent in the ground, yet the mooncake itself hadn't lost even a crumb of its crust!
How could it be this hard? Was this baking mooncakes or forging iron cakes?
Author's Note: Daxia: To eat or not to eat, that is the question. Eating risks damaging teeth, not eating risks hurting feelings.
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