Li Yiren blocked her path, crying: “Do you have any heart at all? Your father passed away only a month ago, and you want to go out. What White Lotus or Black Lotus—is there anything more important than filial piety? You’re a woman carrying the reputation of being unfilial—how will you ever marry in the future!”
Lu Ying said: “What else then? Stay home crying like you? Can crying bring father back? The White Lotus sect brings disaster to the Great Ming—how many families have been broken and destroyed. Eliminating the White Lotus sect was father’s lifelong wish. As his daughter, inheriting father’s legacy—what’s wrong with that? This is the greatest filial piety.”
Li Yiren pushed Lu Ying toward her chamber: “You’re a girl! So-called ‘sons inherit their father’s career’—your brother is the one to inherit your father’s legacy. Eliminating the White Lotus sect isn’t for a boudoir daughter like you to do. Moreover, His Majesty has already appointed your brother as Assistant Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Whatever you do will merely be making wedding clothes for your brother—all the credit will belong to him.”
“In the end, you’ll gain a reputation for being unfilial, suffer wounds all over, perhaps even lose your life—all for nothing! When will you wake up!”
Li Yiren was already prepared. After pushing Lu Ying back, she locked the door with a clang, trapping her inside, and ordered servants to take prepared wooden boards and nail the windows shut to prevent her daughter from jumping out.
Lu Ying said loudly from inside the room: “Mother, you know this can’t hold me. Why go to such trouble?”
Li Yiren had servants bring a chair and sat by the door: “Don’t think about breaking down the door. I’m sitting right here. If you want to leave, step over my body.”
Li Yiren was determined this time—she must “straighten out” her daughter to become a normal woman who supports her husband and raises children. All women live this way—why can’t you? I’m not harming you, I’m doing this for your own good.
Without her husband, Li Yiren felt even more anxious about the future. She had borne Lu Bing five daughters. Lu Yi and Lu Cai, the two sons, were born to two other concubines. Though the brothers got along harmoniously with their sisters daily, they were still separated by different mothers.
The two brothers were still young, unmarried, and hadn’t started careers—blank slates. But what about the future? Even if inheriting son Lu Yi completed three years of mourning before starting family and career, he would only be seventeen. Once married with his own small family, once working and entering the realm of fame and profit—the officialdom was dark, and few could maintain their original intentions unchanged. People change.
By then, when I’m old and dead, won’t that brother find it troublesome to have an unmarriageable old sister at home? Hearts change easily—how many biological brothers would find an unwed old sister at home an eyesore, let alone a half-brother?
Li Yiren became anxious and sleepless thinking about Lu Ying’s future plight of being unable to marry while being despised by family—this pained her more than her husband’s death.
So Li Yiren resolved that Lu Ying must learn to submit.
With mother sitting at the door, Lu Ying didn’t dare kick it down. She paced anxiously in the room, feeling she was wasting time, so she simply began practicing martial arts.
Li Yiren heard the swishing sounds from the room and felt her heart break.
At noon, Li Yiren had craftsmen cut a small hole at the bottom of the door for passing food boxes and sent in lunch.
Li Yiren said: “Don’t think about going on hunger strike. If you eat, I eat. If you don’t eat, I don’t eat either.”
Let’s see who could outlast whom.
Lu Ying couldn’t let her hard-working mother go hungry, so she ate as usual.
Lu Ying ate lunch that tasted like chewing wax, and unprecedented fear enveloped her heart. If mother kept threatening with her life like this, what could she do?
She had descended blade-filled mountains, rushed through fires, once stood alone against tens of thousands at Qionghua Island, protecting subordinate Wang Daxia’s escape, even fearlessly confronting Prince Jing’s power with reasoned argument.
But facing her powerless mother, she truly didn’t know what to do.
Lu Ying felt trapped in a swamp called filial piety and feminine virtue. She was dragged in—the more she struggled, the faster and deeper she sank, unable to extricate herself.
In martial arts, she alone could fight ten Lu Yi brothers; in strategy, her brother was far inferior; but just because she was a woman, she had to yield to her brother, give him credit, and all family resources had to be used to support her brother, just because he was male and would continue the Lu family bloodline.
Even her birth mother didn’t stand with her! Feeling that no matter how hard she tried, she was just making wedding clothes for others.
Even mother threatened her with her life to become a docile woman, give credit to her brother, not compete with him, obediently take a dowry and marry out, bear sons, then spend her lifetime supporting husband and sons to get ahead.
I can clearly get ahead through my own abilities—why must I pin hopes on men? Brother, husband, son—why must it be for them? Why can’t I get ahead for myself?
Lu Ying was unwilling, angry, and sorrowful. Like a caged beast, she paced anxiously in her exquisite chamber.
In the afternoon, Li Yiren dozed in her chair by the door when the steward reported: “Madam, Wang Baihu has come.”
Li Yiren’s eyes immediately opened, asking: “What’s he here for? If he’s looking for Fourth Miss, tell him she’s ill and needs rest—have him leave.”
The steward’s expression was strange: “He’s not here for Fourth Miss. Wang Baihu brought his father Wang Qianhu and North City Military Commissioner Mu Zhihui together, saying they want to offer incense to the Earl.”
Li Yiren immediately stood up from her chair: “His father Wang Qianhu came too? Why didn’t his mother come?”
The steward said: “Madam truly forgets—wasn’t Wang Qianhu’s second wife dismissed after lending at usury caused her husband to lose his position?”
The capital had various excitement year-round. Li Yiren momentarily couldn’t remember: “Oh, right.”
The steward asked: “Should we invite them in?”
During his lifetime, Lu Bing was the Great Ming’s first person to gather all three ducal and three mentor positions. After death, he was posthumously enfeoffed as earl and buried with ducal rites—such honor meant middle and low-ranking military officers like Wang Qianhu and Mu Zhihui weren’t qualified to offer incense at the Lu mansion.
Of course, Wang Daxia was Lu Bing’s trusted aide and needn’t be constrained by official rank—he had already come to the Lu mansion to kowtow.
Li Yiren thought about Lu Ying and Wang Daxia’s ambiguous relationship, but since Lu Ying had never personally acknowledged it and Wang Daxia’s family hadn’t come to propose marriage, and Lu Ying was in mourning when marriage couldn’t be discussed for three years, Li Yiren had set Wang Daxia aside.
Unexpectedly, Wang Daxia had come calling, bringing his biological father!
However, bringing his father made sense, but who was this Mu Zhihui? Why had Wang Daxia brought him too?
Li Yiren couldn’t figure it out and asked Lu Ying through the door. As an inner-palace woman, she didn’t know that Mu Zhihui was actually the North City Military Commissioner whom her husband Lu Bing had deliberately promoted to compensate Wang Qianhu.
Hearing Wang Daxia had come, Lu Ying’s anxious heart gradually calmed: “Mu Zhihui was originally Wang Qianhu’s trusted aide. After losing his wife, he’s lived at the Wang family, treating Wang Daxia as nephew, living together. When Wang Qianhu failed last year’s evaluation and lost his position, he pushed Mu Zhihui up.”
In front of mother, Lu Ying didn’t dare mention Yan Shifan’s scheming, since mother had to call Yan Shifan in-law.
So that’s it—Mu Zhihui counted as Wang Daxia’s family.
This was getting interesting… Wang Daxia had brought both his biological father and uncle—could this be matrimonial intentions?
The steward presented the funeral gifts from the Wang family and Mu Baihu. Li Yiren looked at the long gift list—this far exceeded what middle and low-ranking military officers could afford, truly too generous.
Li Yiren accepted the funeral gifts: “Take them to the spirit hall. After offering incense, invite Wang Qianhu and Mu Zhihui for tea and vegetarian refreshments—receive them well. Then call Wang Daxia over—I want to speak with him.”
Men and women were different. Li Yiren was about Wang Qianhu’s age and shouldn’t meet him. The inheriting eldest son Lu Yi had already gone to the Sanlitun memorial house to guard his father’s tomb. Youngest son Lu Cai wasn’t yet ten and couldn’t receive guests—only the steward could receive male visitors.
But Wang Daxia was different. He was young, a junior—Li Yiren could meet him.
Through the door, Lu Ying heard the steward and Li Yiren’s conversation. Having been Wang Daxia’s comrade for half a year, through life and death, they had some understanding. Wang Daxia had the most tricks—probably seeing she hadn’t come to the Embroidered Uniform Guard office on New Year’s first day, he guessed the reason and dragged father and Mu Zhihui over to “rescue her.”
Strange—how would Wang Qianhu and Mu Zhihui listen to his arrangements?
Lu Ying was puzzled but still cooperated with Wang Daxia’s act. She pretended urgency, patting the door: “Mother! Don’t make things difficult for Wang Daxia! If there’s anything, come at me—he’s my… subordinate. Everything was ordered by me.”
Li Yiren, hearing her daughter so concerned about Wang Daxia, wasn’t angry but pleased. Her daughter also had stirrings of spring feelings.
Li Yiren said: “Don’t worry—I won’t eat him.”
Li Yiren met Wang Daxia in the warm pavilion. Wang Daxia performed junior courtesies.
Mother-in-law viewing son-in-law—the more she looked, the more pleased she became. After New Year, Wang Daxia had grown taller and more handsome. If daughter could truly be with him… that would be quite fortunate.
Wang Daxia respectfully inquired about Li Yiren’s health. Li Yiren asked: “Why did you bring your father and Mu Zhihui today?”
Wang Daxia said: “Father and Mu Zhihui have long admired Earl of Loyalty, but regrettably one has no official position, only an empty qianhu title; the other has humble rank. Both didn’t dare join the distinguished officials in worshipping Earl of Loyalty, so they chose a quiet day to submit cards and try.”
Li Yiren held her teacup, stirring the floating leaves, taking a light sip: “Oh, is that all?”
“Of course not—actually there’s also… but…” Wang Daxia awkwardly scratched his head as if infested with lice, his eyes constantly glancing toward Lu Ying’s door, hesitant to speak.
Li Yiren asked knowingly: “What is it?”
“This… Earl of Loyalty just passed away—this junior doesn’t dare speak now. Moreover, this matter isn’t for this junior to mention—only my father has the qualification.” Wang Daxia stood up, dropping to his knees before Li Yiren with a thud: “This junior’s intentions, Madam should know. This junior swears before Earl of Loyalty’s spirit—this life will never fail Lu Ying. If I break this oath, may heaven strike with lightning, five thunderbolts crash down, may I die badly!”
Li Yiren thought: This boy Wang Daxia is quite sincere. Though marriage can’t be discussed during mourning, he’s done his best to prove his intentions. Moreover, today even Wang Qianhu came calling.
“Stand up and speak.” Li Yiren said: “I’m not one who despises poverty and loves wealth or clings to power. It’s just that after three years, Lu Ying will be twenty-one. Can you wait?”
Wang Daxia said: “What’s wrong with that? After three years, this junior will be just eighteen—perfect age for marriage and career. By then, Third Master Lu (Lu Yi, ranked third, as the first two brothers died young) will finish mourning and go to the Embroidered Uniform Guard as Assistant Commander. This junior will be fully fledged, able to be Third Master Lu’s right-hand man.”
Li Yiren thought: This would be good too. Wang Daxia would be like a son-in-law living with the wife’s family, a helper for the Lu family in the Embroidered Uniform Guard. His loyalty need not be questioned. Working under the Lu family’s eyes, he presumably wouldn’t have ulterior motives. Understanding, obedient, and handsome—meeting such a son-in-law, accept him.
Seeing Li Yiren’s expression soften, Wang Daxia quickly “fanned the flames”: “It’s just that this junior currently has no foundation in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, can’t command respect, and doesn’t know the new Commander Zhu’s temperament. This junior still needs Lu Ying to come out of retirement. Though Earl of Loyalty is gone, many in the Embroidered Uniform Guard still remember him. With Lu Ying returning to the office, everyone will have a backbone and naturally lean toward the Lu family—hearts won’t scatter.”
“This junior swears never to let Lu Ying tire herself. If there’s danger, this junior will charge ahead, absolutely never letting Lu Ying risk herself. After three years when mourning ends, Third Master Lu will go to the Embroidered Uniform Guard as Assistant Commander. Then please ask Li Yiren to fulfill this junior and Lu Ying.” Fulfill this junior’s and Lu Ying’s respective choices.
Regarding Wang Daxia’s request to bring Lu Ying back to the Embroidered Uniform Guard office as a mascot-like existence, Li Yiren was tempted. As long as Lu Ying didn’t constantly risk herself and would obediently marry after mourning ended, this condition wasn’t excessive.
“Wait here.” Li Yiren left the warm pavilion, took out her key, and opened Lu Ying’s door.
Author’s Note: You can believe there are ghosts in the world, but you can’t trust Wang Daxia’s smooth talk. Seeing comments, some readers don’t know how to participate in the 50,000 Jinjiang coin lottery. Here’s the unified reply: readers with 90% subscription rate for this story by midnight September 18th automatically enter the lottery. 1000 readers will win with randomly distributed amounts—depends on luck.
Set at 90% because sometimes the system delays, causing 100% subscribers to be unable to participate, so I lowered it to 90% to avoid missing anyone.