After the summer rain, the air was refreshingly clear (Note 1). On the day of Beginning of Autumn, starting from dawn, heavy rain poured down like pouring water, dispersing the summer heat and bringing waves of autumn atmosphere. By evening, when Wei Caiwei finished testing medicines, there was still no sign of the rain stopping.
Wei Caiwei hired a horse carriage to go home and specifically asked the driver to make a detour through Head Alley to see how Ding Wu’s medicine shop was progressing.
With heavy rain falling, outdoor renovation work couldn’t proceed, so they were sawing wood and making cabinets inside. The sounds of hammering and banging could be heard even from Wei Caiwei’s carriage. The Ten Thousand Goods Trading House next door had no business due to the rain either, so the shopkeeper and clerks were drinking tea, cracking melon seeds, and chatting idly—stealing half a day of leisure in this floating life.
Everything was so peaceful, with only the sound of rain pattering, completely unaware that a great net was being spread.
She hoped the Embroidered Uniform Guard could catch all the White Lotus Sect’s lairs in one sweep and not repeat the tragedy of her previous life.
Wei Caiwei got off at a restaurant on West Gulou Diagonal Street. Ding Wu had been very busy lately with no time to cook, so she ate out.
Wei Caiwei pointed at the menu board displaying dish names and ordered several dishes, then found a quiet spot to sit down.
Several tables of diners in the restaurant were pointing and whispering behind her back:
A young man dressed like a scholar in a pink襕衫 pointed at her and said: “See that? That’s the pretty widow who has both Commander Lu and Wang Yanei wrapped around her finger.”
A companion at the same table quickly clipped a pair of tortoiseshell glasses onto his nose bridge. The frames had thin wires on both sides that hung behind his ears to keep the glasses balanced. This person took a closer look: “That’s her? So unremarkable. Her clothes and appearance are so shabby—even my servants dress better than her.”
The man in pink襕衫 said: “Brother Wang, your standards are too high. I think this woman is elegantly beautiful—those vulgar powder-faced women can’t compare.”
The man with glasses refused to accept this, snorting coldly: “She appears pure and noble on the surface, but privately she’s wanton and shameless. You can know a person’s face but not their heart.”
A short, stocky man at the same table had been staring at her ever since Wei Caiwei approached the restaurant. Though clearly lustful beyond measure, he said:
“She’s just a gossipy woman—what virtue could you expect from her? So what if she has the title of imperial court female physician? A good woman doesn’t serve two husbands, but she’s had at least three men already.”
The short man looked lecherous, covering his face with his hand and lowering his voice: “I heard she’s very experienced and knows all about romance better than prostitutes. Once a man gets a taste of her, he knows the marrow and flavor, and becomes addicted.”
The man with glasses shook his head and said: “A sixteen-year-old girl’s body is like pastry, with a sword at her waist that slays foolish men. Though you don’t see heads fall, she secretly makes men’s bones and marrow wither.’ Commander Lu was fortunate to break off relations with her. This morning at the bun shop, I ran into Wang Yanei by chance and saw him looking exhausted with terrible dark circles under his eyes, walking unsteadily and weakly, as if his soul had been sucked away by a female demon. He must have indulged with the pretty widow until dawn! At such a young age, having his essence drained by a witch—he definitely won’t live long.”
Hearing this, Wei Caiwei was both angry and amused. Wang Daxia had stayed up all night last night without sleep—of course he’d look like he had dark circles and was walking unsteadily.
No matter what we do, there are always people who think the worst.
The waiter came over singing out the dish names as he served: “Yam stewed pork ribs! Scallion-fried sea cucumber! Lotus seed and white fungus soup! One bowl of rice—all dishes served, please enjoy!”
Hearing the dish names, this table started gossiping again: “Tsk tsk, all dishes for nourishing yin and tonifying kidneys. Looks like last night…”
Wei Caiwei had been testing medicines all day and was tired. She just wanted to have a good meal. Besides, today was Beginning of Autumn—the perfect time to build up winter reserves—so she ordered more dishes to properly nourish herself.
But in vast Capital City, there wasn’t room for a peaceful dining table.
At this moment, Wei Caiwei wished so much that she could be as formidable and martial as Lu Ying—to punch these gossipy men flat with one blow.
But she didn’t have that ability. If she acted in momentary anger, she alone definitely couldn’t fight a whole table of men and would suffer the loss.
A wise woman doesn’t court immediate disaster. She would endure.
Wei Caiwei took out half a string of coins and said: “Waiter, please make a trip—pack these dishes in a food box and deliver them to my home. My house is Wei Residence in Sweet Water Alley ahead. When you reach the end, you’ll see it. It’s just a cup of tea’s time away.”
Wei Caiwei was generous with her payment, and the waiter quickly agreed: “Right away! This humble one will go get a food box. Please take your time, esteemed guest. This humble one will arrive shortly.”
Wei Caiwei went to the counter to pay for her meal and left the restaurant with her umbrella.
As she passed the gossipy men’s table, the man in pink襕衫 stared at her brazenly, his gaze sticking to her chest like dog-skin plaster. A complete beast in human clothing.
The man with glasses covered his nose and mouth, even turning his face away as if her passing had defiled his body.
The short, stocky man could practically go straight to the opera stage to play Wu Dalang. As Wei Caiwei passed by, he sneakily stuck out his short leg, trying to trip her so she’d fall into his arms.
But Wei Caiwei was already on guard. Seeing a foot suddenly extend from under the table, she thought “this can be tolerated, but what cannot be!” and jabbed her umbrella hard at that foot!
“Ahh!”
The short man screamed in pain, clutching his foot.
The man with glasses instinctively flinched at the sound, but seeing that Wei Caiwei was just a woman, he immediately pointed at her and cursed: “Little whore, how dare you hit someone!”
The man in pink襕衫 immediately blocked Wei Caiwei’s path: “A gentleman uses words, not fists. My brother is injured—if he can’t walk properly in the future, how will you compensate?”
“What a fine ‘gentleman uses words, not fists’—you’ve all read your books into dogs’ bellies! Pointing and gossiping behind people’s backs, and this shorty dared to stick his leg out to trip me?” Wei Caiwei said loudly: “Everyone judge for yourselves—three grown men bullying one widow. Do you have any shame left?”
As Wei Caiwei spoke, she retreated eastward toward the main door, where she could escape more easily.
But the man with glasses and the man in pink襕衫 pressed forward step by step. The man with glasses cursed: “Your reputation is already rotten through and through. Everyone gossips about your wantonness behind your back—why can’t we talk about it?”
The man in pink襕衫 said: “Exactly! You can do such things, so why can’t we even talk about them? Just a few words and you’re jumping around like a cornered dog, stabbing people’s feet with umbrellas. Everyone judge—who’s really being unreasonable here!”
These two men were truly shameless, turning the accused into the accusers.
The restaurant diners had basically all “long admired” Wei Caiwei’s great reputation as the rumored flirtatious pretty widow. Hearing this, they all came over to watch the excitement.
Some diners who enjoyed drama gathered on the eastern side like a human wall, blocking Wei Caiwei’s escape route.
They didn’t want to judge right or wrong for either party, nor did they care who was reasonable. They just wanted to watch the show—if Wei Caiwei left, the performance would end.
Wei Caiwei had no retreat left.
The short man clutching his injured foot was filled with shame and rage, pointing at Wei Caiwei and cursing: “You wanton woman! The number of men you keep is like counting grains of rice! Others say a few words and you get angry? You have no shame—why fear what others say?”
The man with glasses chimed in: “Exactly! That Wang Yanei passes by your door every day—what kind of business is he doing? Is your front door made of sesame cakes or what?”
At these words, the restaurant erupted in laughter, the air filled with merry atmosphere.
This was typical slut-shaming—as if once a woman was labeled a “wanton woman,” everyone could justifiably humiliate her, each person becoming a righteous defender of morality.
Even though Wei Caiwei had lived through two lifetimes, she had never faced such public humiliation. These people were different from the Chen Qianhu father and son—they had no blood on their hands and weren’t heinously evil, but their small evils accumulated together caused tremendous harm.
The onlookers’ gawking and malice were like arrows shooting from all directions with nowhere to hide. Each arrow wasn’t fatal, but each one pierced her painfully.
Yet she couldn’t retaliate against these bystanders with the same intense methods she’d used against the Chen father and son.
If she got into a verbal fight with them in the restaurant now, she’d be playing right into the spectators’ hands. They hoped the “wanton woman” would fly into a rage and tear into her opponents—the louder the better. That would provide enough gossip material for a month.
Wei Caiwei couldn’t lower her principles to the same level as these three lecherous men and trade vulgar curses with them.
Escape was urgent. Wei Caiwei pressed the mechanism in her umbrella handle and drew out a long, thin, three-edged awl with three sharp sides from the handle!
The awl glinted coldly—one stab would create a bloody hole.
One must guard against others. Wei Caiwei’s cautious habits developed for revenge had carved out an escape route for her. She wouldn’t let herself be caught alone and defenseless.
Wei Caiwei brandished the awl: “A whole group of you bullying one widow—not only shameless, but do you not want your lives either?”
Seeing her draw a weapon, the watching diners immediately scattered in alarm, no longer daring to block her escape route—though they didn’t leave the restaurant, just kept their distance.
The awl flashed with cold light. The man with glasses immediately shrank behind the man in pink襕衫: “I see you’re not just a wanton woman, but a shrew too!”
The man in pink襕衫, pushed to the front by the man with glasses, was closest to Wei Caiwei. Somewhat frightened, he picked up a chair as a shield: “Don’t come closer! Stabbing people is illegal—a widow like you can’t afford a lawsuit!”
Wei Caiwei had no desire to continue fighting. She was outnumbered and needed to leave this place of trouble first.
Fearing the three lecherous men might attack from behind, Wei Caiwei didn’t dare turn around. She kept the awl pointed toward the restaurant interior, facing them as she backed step by step toward the door.
Seeing her about to leave, distant spectators began jeering: “You three grown men are intimidated by one woman? Are you even men? And that short runt—she stabbed your foot and you’re just letting her walk away? What a useless coward! I bet you’re not just short in height, but that thing down there is probably shorter than my thumb!”
The restaurant erupted in laughter again.
The short man, hearing this, was beside himself with shame and rage. The jeering diner was a tall, sturdy man dressed expensively who seemed to have significant backing. With one look, the short man became cowardly and didn’t dare confront him.
The delicate little widow was still easier to bully. But now the little widow had an awl, so the short man didn’t dare directly attack. He grabbed a wine pot from the table and hurled it in Wei Caiwei’s direction.
Wei Caiwei was facing inward, retreating toward the door, constantly watching the three lecherous men’s movements. So when the wine pot came flying, she immediately dodged to the side.
Clang! The wine pot smashed against the threshold.
The short man wasn’t satisfied yet and picked up a chair to throw at Wei Caiwei.
Wei Caiwei hadn’t steadied her footing when the chair came flying. The chair was large, and her thin, long awl couldn’t possibly swat it away. Just as the chair was about to hit her head, a pair of arms suddenly reached from behind, someone embracing her waist from behind, then spinning left. The chair scraped across his back and flew out the door, landing in the heavy rain.
Before the still-shaken Wei Caiwei could turn to see who this person was, she heard the watching diners exclaim in surprise: “It’s Wang Yanei!”
Author’s Note: The keyboard warriors of North City are always on the front lines of drama. Since it’s Saturday, I’m giving out 100 red envelopes. Wishing everyone a happy weekend—first come, first served! Early readers get red envelopes, hahaha!
Note 1: “After summer rain, the air is refreshingly clear, jade waves ripple evenly past the painted bridge. Small swallows through curtains paired so well, idle gulls on water each so light.” This was written by Ming Emperor Xuande, Zhu Zhanji, who is the male protagonist of the ancient romance “Hu Shanxiang” that I will write in the future. Pre-orders are now open—everyone go collect it!
Also, “the number of men you keep is like counting grains of rice” and “passes by your door every day—is your front door made of sesame cakes” are both insults from “Jin Ping Mei.”