Shang Shi found Wei Caiwei easy to get along with, so she simply decided to get to the bottom of things. “That girl… is it true that she was born without that thing?”
Wei Caiwei didn’t answer directly, instead counter-asking: “If you were in a position where a single word could change the fate of other women, would the truth really matter?”
Shang Shi thought about it and said: “You’re right about that. However, I definitely couldn’t sit in a position like Dr. Wei’s. Someone like me could never be selected for the palace. My father is staying at an inn right outside the Baoding Prefecture yamen, just waiting for me to be eliminated so he can take me home. Dr. Wei, do you think I have any hope?”
“Well…” Wei Caiwei said: “I’m only responsible for examining the physical condition of the candidate maidens. As for being selected or eliminated, that’s not my concern. What about you—do you want to be chosen?”
Shang Shi pulled out a handful of sunflower seeds from her pouch, gave half to Wei Caiwei, and chatted while cracking them. “Of course I don’t want to be chosen. I heard the palace has so many rules, and I’ve been used to being carefree since childhood—I wouldn’t be suitable for that kind of place. However, the farthest I’ve ever traveled is to the capital with my father for fun, where I saw the imperial palace from afar. The palace is truly enormous! I’m quite curious about the imperial palace. If I could manage to make it to the palace selection and gain some experience, even being eliminated afterward would be worthwhile—at least I could say I was someone who entered the palace in this lifetime.”
“Dr. Wei, you’re a palace physician, so you must enter the palace frequently, right? Is the palace incredibly luxurious, with roads paved in gold? Are the imperial concubines extraordinarily beautiful, like immortal maidens from paintings? What do people in the palace eat? Do they have meat at every meal, delicacies from land and sea, eating whatever they want?”
Wei Caiwei said: “To be honest, although I am a palace physician, my medical skills are not yet as renowned as other female doctors. So far, I’ve only treated the female relatives of wealthy families and high officials. The noble ladies in the palace have never summoned me to treat their ailments. I’ve only entered the palace to attend medical examinations at the Ceremonial Directorate, but I’ve never been inside the Eastern or Western Six Palaces. However, all the roads I’ve walked on were stone-paved—there was no gold on the ground.”
Shang Shi flattered her: “That’s because Dr. Wei is young! Many people think older doctors have more experience.”
She then asked: “When I become one of Baoding Prefecture’s selected maidens and am staying in the palace awaiting selection, could I summon Dr. Wei to treat my illness?”
Wei Caiwei, fearing that this Shang Shi might have wild ideas after entering the palace and pretend to be sick to call for a doctor, quickly said: “If you’re truly ill, you’ll be immediately expelled from the palace. If you fake illness, that’s the crime of deceiving the emperor, punishable by death.”
Shang Shi stuck out her tongue. “So you’re saying someone like me, a candidate maiden, has no right to summon a female doctor—only the noble ladies in the palace can do that.”
Wei Caiwei nodded. “The palace has many rules. However, the higher-ranking the noble lady, the fewer rules that can constrain her. The noble ladies have special privileges.”
Shang Shi understood in a confused way: “I get it now. Either don’t enter the palace at all, or work hard to climb up and become the most prestigious noble lady in the palace.”
Although Shang Shi seemed like a carefree, foolish big sister, her comprehension was extremely sharp. She immediately grasped the key point. Wei Caiwei said: “Even the most prestigious noble lady is still beneath one person—she cannot surpass the emperor.”
Shang Shi said: “Oh, of course the emperor is the highest.”
In the time it took to finish a pouch of sunflower seeds, the two had become well acquainted. Finally, Shang Shi consulted Wei Caiwei: “My chin area has been itchy today, and it seems like a sore has developed. Will this affect tomorrow’s reselection?”
Wei Caiwei looked carefully. Shang Shi had a small round face, a full forehead, beautiful eyebrows and large eyes, and a blessed countenance. Her cheeks were like two ripe peaches—she had a natural rosy complexion without needing cosmetics. When she lowered her head, her chin showed a double chin with some baby fat, making her appear more youthfully round.
The sore was nestled between the folds of her double chin. Shang Shi tried hard to lift her head high, stretching her double chin flat to point out the sore.
Wei Caiwei examined the shape of the sore and took her pulse, then said: “Don’t worry, you’re just about to have your first monthly period. After your monthly period passes, the red sore will disappear naturally. Don’t squeeze it with your hands, or it will leave a scar.”
“What’s a monthly period?” Shang Shi didn’t understand. Her mother had died early, and her father had raised her alone, always doting on her as a little girl. He hadn’t realized his daughter was about to become a young woman, so how could he possibly tell her about these private feminine matters?
Wei Caiwei suddenly realized that Shang Shi was still a thirteen-year-old girl who hadn’t yet experienced menarche, so she took her to her own room, pulled out a package of cloth strips she kept as backup (the ancient version of cloth sanitary pads), and taught her how to use them.
Shang Shi held the package of cloth strips with a face as pale as death: “…It comes once every month, lasting several days each time, whether day or night. Heavens, I don’t want to be a woman anymore! Dr. Wei, is there any medicine that can stop this from coming?”
“No.” Wei Caiwei said: “It will only stop when you’re old, in your forties, or when you’re pregnant or nursing. During this period, there’s no alternative. Keep warm and drink plenty of hot water.”
Shang Shi couldn’t yet accept the reality of growing up and returned to her room feeling dejected. As it happened, she indeed needed them the next day.
Of course, this was all a story for later. Let’s return to Wang Daxia, who had obtained the marriage contract written by Wei Caiwei and sealed with a kiss. He secretly rejoiced in his room all morning. At noon, he changed into a standing-collar robe, wanting to find Wei Caiwei for lunch together. Learning she was still busy examining the candidate maidens, he didn’t disturb her and went to tour Baoding Prefecture.
When he returned, Wei Caiwei had just seen off Shang Shi. Wang Daxia invited her out: “This afternoon I inquired about the good food and fun places in Baoding Prefecture. Let’s go out and have some fun.”
Shocking! A Brocade Guard Centurion and a palace physician abusing their official positions for a publicly-funded vacation!
Although Baoding wasn’t as prosperous as the capital, it had several scenic spots. They went boating on the Jiju River, listening to the rushing spring water from the Yimu Spring upstream flowing into the riverway.
They saw “new autumn’s cool dew moistening lotus clusters” and “evening glow casting brocade light on hibiscus,” witnessing “paired swallows darting gracefully through curtains, idle gulls floating lightly on the water.” (Note 1)
People in love see everything in pairs, finding meaning everywhere. For instance, Wang Daxia specifically looked for twin lotus flowers while boating, picking them to give to Wei Caiwei.
Watching the swallows on the shore and the gulls on the water, all in pairs chasing and playing in the sky, even the dragonflies were… ah, bah! These pairs of dragonflies were utterly shameless! Actually doing the business of making little dragonflies in broad daylight and in public!
Wang Daxia cursed under his breath while feeling envious. Dragonflies were truly free—they could immediately have their wedding night when they took a fancy to each other. I have to wait three more years.
Being human, I feel very… anxious.
Wang Daxia was “moved by the scenery,” while Wei Caiwei, having seen such scenes countless times in her previous life during their frequent travels together, now watched Wang Daxia instead of the scenery. She could never tire of looking at him—all the beautiful scenery couldn’t compare to him.
When Wang Daxia sensed her gaze and turned to look at her, she immediately looked away, pretending to admire the scenery.
After this happened several times, Wang Daxia couldn’t help asking: “You could look at me openly and honestly, so why do you keep stealing glances at me?”
Because I’m afraid you’ll become proud, and I don’t dare let you know just how much I love you. Wei Caiwei said seriously: “I wasn’t doing that.”
Wang Daxia: “You were.”
Wei Caiwei felt that judging from their current childish conversation, their combined ages shouldn’t exceed eight years old.
They were truly growing more immature with age. Wei Caiwei said: “Stop asking so many questions. We’ve already written the marriage contract—what more do you want? It’s there in black and white, sealed with my personal seal.”
Mentioning the marriage contract, Wang Daxia immediately loosened his standing collar and pulled out a rope hanging around his neck. The rope was threaded through a copper round box about the size of a pigeon egg. The box’s lid was a series of circular dials with heavenly stems and earthly branches—this was an ingeniously crafted combination lock.
Wang Daxia gave Wei Caiwei the combination lock along with the rope: “I bought this today at a locksmith shop in Baoding Prefecture. It’s rare even in the capital. The shopkeeper said this combination lock was made by a locksmith who spent five years on it—it’s the treasure of the shop. I haggled for a long time and finally got it for fifty taels of silver. I folded the marriage contract and stuffed it into the combination lock, sealed it with wax, and set a code that others absolutely cannot crack. I’ll keep it close to my body, and three years later, this will be the most important evidence when I come to propose marriage.”
“Fifty taels of silver—that’s a year’s rent for me.” Wei Caiwei played with the combination lock, trying to turn the code dials on the lid. With a click, the box opened, revealing the wax-sealed marriage contract.
She had cracked the code in just one try.
The slap in the face came too quickly—Wang Daxia was immediately stunned.
Wei Caiwei: “This is your absolutely unbreakable code?”
The atmosphere became awkward. Wang Daxia muttered: “You… how do you know my birth date and time?”
Wei Caiwei asked: “What kind of person uses their own birth date and time to set a combination lock code? It’s the easiest to crack.”
“Don’t make fun of me.” Wang Daxia felt both ashamed and wronged. “I… I was afraid I’d forget the code. Three years—one thousand and ninety-five days, thirteen thousand one hundred and forty hours! It’s too long. I don’t even remember what I ate yesterday.”
Wei Caiwei sighed and shook her head, clicking the code dials to reset a new number, closed the box, and returned it to Wang Daxia: “This is a code that only you and I know. It’s the date of our agreed three-year appointment for the marriage proposal—the Guihai year, Jiashen month, Wuxu day. Will you forget this number?”
Wang Daxia immediately felt utmost admiration, quickly took the combination lock and hung it back around his neck to hide it: “This number is easy to remember. Of course I’ll always remember it. I might forget my own birthday, but I’ll never forget this date.”
The two enjoyed the early autumn scenery of Baoding Prefecture, then went to the famous Daci Pavilion for vegetarian food. The vegetarian cuisine there was indeed excellent—tofu made to resemble chicken, duck, fish, and meat could fool anyone. While the meat-loving Wang Daxia was eating with gusto, he suddenly thought of a question: “How do you know my birth date and time? We never exchanged betrothal cards.”
Birth dates and times were precise down to specific hours and quarters. Only parents would know them. If one’s birth date and time were leaked, it could easily attract curses from enemies. Therefore, men and women only learned each other’s specific birth dates when they exchanged betrothal cards and went to fortune tellers to see if their birth dates were compatible.
Uh… this stumped Wei Caiwei. She had “cheated”—in her previous life, they had become food-sharing spouses and exchanged betrothal cards. She celebrated Wang Daxia’s birthday every year, so how could she not know? She might forget her own birthday, but she’d never forget Wang Daxia’s birth date and time!
“I…” Wei Caiwei stammered and couldn’t answer. She never expected to be exposed in such a minor detail. There was no way she could explain this question.
Wang Daxia pressed her for an answer, forcing Wei Caiwei to use her three-year agreement trump card: “Three years—when the day on that combination lock arrives, I’ll tell you the truth.”
The next day’s reselection examined the candidate maidens’ speech, demeanor, and walking posture, eliminating more than half and leaving a carefully selected forty-nine. Among them was naturally Shang Shi. Under the escort of Baoding Prefecture yamen runners, everyone headed to the capital together. Wei Caiwei returned to Sweet Water Lane, while the forty-nine selected maidens were settled in the Chuxiu Palace in the rear palace.
Wang Daxia had just returned home when he was urgently summoned to the Brocade Guard headquarters by Lu Bing’s trusted aide.
Lu Bing dismissed everyone else and showed him a secret letter he had just received.
Wang Daxia’s face changed drastically upon reading it: This was a secret letter from Ding Wu, saying he had successfully joined the White Lotus Sect, been appointed as a leader, and become the new military advisor.
Sect Master Zhao Quan had brought him into the Khan’s court and recommended him to An Da Khan. He had also encountered an acquaintance in the Khan’s court—Jin Ying, the former courtesan from Red Sleeves Pavilion.
But Jin Ying had another identity in the Khan’s court: she was the daughter of Zheheng Aha, chief of the Qilagu tribe, and nominally An Da Khan’s granddaughter. An Da Khan’s daughter had been made a princess and married Zheheng Aha as his second wife. Although Jin Ying wasn’t the princess’s biological daughter, the princess was very fond of her and had her granted the title of county lady—a position of high status.
Author’s Note: What follows, whether in the Ming palace or An Da Khan’s court, will be pots upon pots of crazy melodrama, even more magical than fantasy.