Every sentence from Lu Bing seemed to complain about Wang Daxia causing trouble, but actually every sentence was planning to preserve his dog life. Wang Daxia knew what was good for him and obediently stayed in the Lu Mansion’s guest room.
But to the other people in the Lu Mansion, it appeared that the Fourth Miss, who had never been interested in men, had brought a man home!
Though Wang Daxia was arranged to stay in the outer courtyard, the inner household couldn’t contain their restless hearts and found various excuses to come see him.
First was the Lu Mansion’s matron, Li Yiren. Li Yiren was the niece of Lu Bing’s stepmother Lady Li. She bore Lu Bing five daughters. After Lu Bing’s four legitimate wives died in succession—enough to form a mahjong table in the underworld—he stopped remarrying and elevated his concubine Lady Li to Fifth Rank Lady with the title Yiren to manage household affairs.
Li Yiren’s first three daughters all married into wealthy noble families. When it came to Fourth Miss Lu Ying, Lu Ying had always refused to marry and had dragged it out until eighteen, almost becoming an old maid. No matter how Li Yiren pressed for marriage, Lu Ying just wouldn’t agree to meet potential suitors.
Recently, Li Yiren had her eye on Sun Xiang, the youngest son of Sun Sheng, Minister of Rites in Nanjing. The Sun family was a prominent clan from Jiangnan, a scholarly household that produced many talents. Sun Sheng had passed the imperial examination as second place (Bangyan), and his older brother was the military top scholar (Wuzhuangyuan).
Sun Sheng had five sons total, all talented men of Jiangnan. The first four sons had all passed the jinshi examination and would surely become high officials in the future (indeed, three later became Ministers). The youngest son Sun Xiang was still young, a tribute student at the Imperial Academy who hadn’t yet taken the imperial examination, but his talent was evident and he was sure to pass.
The whole family was refined and noble. The Sun family never participated in factional struggles and maintained neutrality. With such a flourishing family, if Lu Ying married in, no matter how the court struggled and changed, she would live in wealth and peace for life—the best possible fate.
Moreover, Sun Xiang was the youngest son, so Lu Ying wouldn’t need to manage the household or worry about trivial domestic affairs or social obligations after marrying in. She could just quietly enjoy her blessings.
Li Yiren felt that from the perspective of practical comfort, the Fourth Miss would have the best marriage.
Originally, Li Yiren planned to bring her three married daughters together to persuade Lu Ying through both soft and hard approaches to agree to this marriage. If Lu Ying disagreed, she would make the decision herself.
After all, in marriage matters, parents commanded and matchmakers arranged. She was doing this for her daughter’s good. Women all had to marry, and Sun Xiang was the best choice. Her daughter might hate her for making decisions arbitrarily, but she would be grateful in the future.
Just when Li Yiren was desperately preparing to force her daughter into marriage, Lu Ying brought a man home!
Li Yiren’s blood immediately boiled. Had the Fourth Miss finally awakened to love? Finally thinking about her lifelong affairs? If she liked someone herself, that would be best—Li Yiren wouldn’t need to risk breaking their mother-daughter relationship by forcing her to marry into the Sun family as a youngest daughter-in-law.
Truly “when one path seems blocked, another opens up”! Li Yiren was a middle-aged woman who didn’t much worry about propriety between men and women. She immediately ordered maids to bring several sets of men’s changing clothes and hurried to the outer courtyard with maids and servants to see the guest as an elder.
The servant had just finished cleaning Wang Daxia’s body, applied medicine, combed his hair, and changed him into a moon-white robe. Wang Daxia sat down to eat his delayed dinner—he was the type with a big heart. Though he’d brushed with death countless times today in heart-stopping fashion, it didn’t affect his appetite at all.
Halfway through eating, Li Yiren arrived.
Wang Daxia quickly put down his chopsticks and came forward to bow.
As the saying goes, “the mother-in-law finds the son-in-law more pleasing the more she looks.” Wang Daxia was handsome with clear eyes and an upright bearing. His looks could rank first in the Embroidered Uniform Guard—he was the Guard’s most handsome man, since Lu Ying was female and didn’t participate in the ranking.
Based on looks alone, Li Yiren was satisfied, feeling he matched the Fourth Miss. She sat down to carefully ask about his family background.
Wang Daxia honestly told her everything, not even hiding his stepmother Wu Shi being divorced for lending money—he didn’t dare! This was Lu Ying’s mother!
Wang Daxia’s reputation as one of the Four Scourges of the Northern City was known throughout the capital, and Li Yiren had heard rumors. But Wang Daxia’s achievements after joining the Embroidered Uniform Guard were also evident—in four months he’d been promoted three ranks from common soldier to company commander purely on merit.
As for the rumors flying everywhere about Wang Daxia, Wei Caiwei, and Lu Ying’s supposed miscarriage and love triangle drama, Li Yiren certainly wouldn’t believe it. Lu Ying was female, and all the romantic stories were for the convenience of the Embroidered Uniform Guard solving major cases.
The divorce of money-lending Wu Shi and the demotion of Wang Qianhu were scandals in the capital, family disgrace.
But for Li Yiren, it was actually good news: no mother-in-law meant her daughter Lu Ying wouldn’t need to serve a mother-in-law after marrying into the Wang family. The father-in-law had no official position and couldn’t put on airs, but would instead need to please the Lu family.
This way, Lu Ying could walk sideways in her husband’s family in the future without constraint.
The key point was that Lu Ying liked him herself—this was more important than anything.
Li Yiren was even more satisfied with Wang Daxia and wished she could marry Lu Ying to him tomorrow.
Li Yiren nodded and asked, “How old are you this year?”
Wang Daxia: “Fourteen.”
Actually four full years younger than our Lady Ying… Four years is good! “When the woman is four years older, fortune and longevity arrive!” Like all marriage-pressing parents in the world, Li Yiren thought any reasonably decent candidate was wonderful—every aspect was an advantage, a perfect match, perfect timing.
Li Yiren said, “Just settle down and live here. Our master said you shouldn’t go out these few days. Men aren’t delicate young ladies who can’t stand being cooped up at home. Whatever you want to play with or eat, just tell the servants and they’ll buy it for you. If the servants don’t serve you well, tell me and I’ll discipline them.”
Wang Daxia quickly said, “They’re all very good. This junior will be imposing on Lady for this period.”
Li Yiren smiled, “It’s just one more set of chopsticks. Just stay peacefully and heal your injuries. Oh my, look at this face—so handsome, but with several bloody cuts. It would be terrible if they left scars. This is a secret palace recipe ointment. Remember to have the servants apply it at least three times a day, guaranteed not to leave scars.”
If my Fourth Miss has high standards, she might not want you if your face is ruined.
Wang Daxia received it with both hands and thanked her profusely. Naturally he had to treat Li Yiren with proper respect and not slight her in the least, or Lu Ying would beat him. He already couldn’t beat her, and now knowing she was a woman, he’d be too embarrassed to fight back.
Seeing the legendary Northern City Scourge Wang Yanei being so modest and polite, Li Yiren thought: truly a prodigal son returning! Hearing is false, seeing is true—clearly a good child.
In the Lu Mansion’s inner quarters, Lu Ying was bathing. She soaked in the tub, having fought almost half the day and feeling sore all over with several bruises. Soaking in hot water helped relax her muscles.
For Lu Ying’s bath, there were no flower petals or aromatics in the tub, but packets of herbs for promoting blood circulation and reducing bruising—a medicinal bath.
Fifth Sister Lu Xiaomei heard the news and eagerly came to find her. “Fourth Sister, I heard you brought a man home? Even Mother went to the front courtyard to see him.”
Lu Xiaomei was the youngest, sweet and charming. She was already familiar with the medicinal smell in Fourth Sister’s bath chamber, moved a small stool to sit by the tub, and skillfully massaged Lu Ying’s shoulders.
Lu Xiaomei was still unmarried and couldn’t go to the outer courtyard to observe strange men, so she came to ask her sister directly.
“Use more strength,” Lu Ying closed her eyes and leaned against the tub edge. “Wang Daxia—you’ve heard of the Four Scourges of the Northern City?”
Lu Xiaomei obediently nodded. “I’ve heard—the number one wastrel of the Northern City, the nightmare of unmarried young ladies.”
Lu Ying said, “That’s him. I brought him home.”
“What?” Lu Xiaomei’s hands paused. “Fourth Sister, marriage is a lifelong matter. Don’t let Mother and the sisters pressure you into randomly finding a man to marry!”
Lu Ying remained silent, neither confirming nor denying. If she confirmed, she’d have to marry out. If she denied, Wang Daxia would die. So she simply said nothing.
Lu Xiaomei didn’t know the inside story. After brief surprise, she said, “Fourth Sister is a hero among women, different from childhood. I believe in Fourth Sister’s judgment. If Wang Daxia were really a worthless wastrel, he wouldn’t have been promoted to company commander so quickly. Since Sister likes him and brought him home directly, he must have exceptional qualities, but—”
To help Fourth Sister’s romance succeed, Lu Xiaomei revealed even her most secret information: “Fourth Sister must act quickly. A few days ago I overheard Mother discussing your marriage with First, Second, and Third Sisters. They said if all else fails, they’ll just arrange things first and ask forgiveness later, setting your marriage with Sun Xiang, youngest son of Minister of Rites Sun Sheng in Nanjing.”
“The Sun family has a whole house of jinshi scholars—they’re the best examination-taking family in the Ming Dynasty, with deep scholarly traditions and refined nobility. I heard he’s also gentle and handsome. With Mother and the sisters’ standards, they definitely think Sun Xiang is a hundred times better than Wang Daxia. If Fourth Sister likes Wang Daxia, you must plan early!”
There was this kind of matchmaking chaos and forced marriage?
Lu Ying opened her eyes and patted Fifth Sister’s hand. “Thank you for telling me, Little Sister. I know what to do.”
Lu Xiaomei nodded and said, “Fourth Sister can beg Father for support. Father dotes on you most and is the family head. If he speaks, Mother and the sisters must listen to Father.”
After Lu Ying’s bath, it was already the second night watch. September autumn nights already had dew. Lu Ying changed clothes—this time into women’s clothing—and went to the outer courtyard.
Wang Daxia had eaten and drunk his fill and was about to sleep when the servant attending him said with a strange expression, “Company Commander Wang, our Fourth Miss requests you to come to Moon-Inviting Platform.”
This was unprecedented! The Fourth Miss actually wore women’s clothing to meet a strange man!
Wang Daxia thought: It can’t be—I’m injured like this and she still wants to supervise my martial practice at night? What kind of demon are you?
Wang Daxia had no choice. Now dependent on others, he could only follow the host family’s orders.
Wang Daxia wearily dragged a long staff to spar with Lu Ying.
The servant stared at the staff in shock. “This… isn’t appropriate.” Who brings a long staff to a romantic meeting?
Wang Daxia thought he hadn’t brought enough weapons, said “Oh,” and also took his embroidered spring sword. After practicing staff, they’d need to practice sword—this would probably go until the third watch.
Wang Daxia thus went to Moon-Inviting Platform with a long sword at his waist and a long staff on his shoulder.
He saw a graceful beauty standing on the high platform, autumn wind blowing through her long hair, her waist ornaments tinkling.
Wang Daxia: “Please trouble the young lady to inform your family’s Fourth Miss that Wang Daxia has arrived.”
The beauty turned around.
Wang Daxia immediately froze as if fallen into an ice cave, the long staff dropping from his hands and hitting his foot without him noticing the pain.
Lu Ying said, “There’s something I need your cooperation with. We can each get what we need. You can preserve your life, and I won’t be forced to marry into the Sun family.”
Author’s Note: Lu Ying’s fate in this lifetime has also changed—she won’t have to marry someone who dies after a few months, leaving her widowed in youth and entering a nunnery!