Last night, to preserve Wang Daxia’s chastity, Wei Caiwei devised another type of honey trap – creating the illusion that they had already been intimate. For this purpose, Wei Caiwei also had Wang Daxia shave his thick leg hair that mosquitoes could get lost in. Wang Daxia initially refused: “I’m a grown man – why would I shave leg hair?”

But when Wei Caiwei took out a razor, saying she would personally shave it for him, Wang Daxia abandoned his principles. He lay back in a grand armchair, lifting both legs high onto the left and right armrests, making it convenient for Wei Caiwei to work.

Feeling Wei Caiwei’s fingertips brush over his calves, Wang Daxia suddenly felt like the grand armchair might take flight on the spot. Fortunately, his bright red wide-sleeved robe was loose enough to conceal the awakened Wang Xiaoxia.

After shaving, Wei Caiwei detailed how to fake an affair scene. Some photinia flowers in Jiangnan were already blooming, so Wei Caiwei picked them overnight and extracted photinia flower hydrosol. The next day she gave it to Wang Daxia, telling him to sprinkle it in the bedroom, especially on the bed.

Strange – why sprinkle this?

Though Wang Daxia didn’t understand Wei Caiwei’s intention, he trusted her. After faking the scene according to her method, Wang Daxia took out a small gourd bottle and sprinkled the photinia flower hydrosol on the bed.

This sprinkling was trouble indeed. Wang Daxia smelled a strong odor – somewhat sour, somewhat lime-alkaline, somewhat putrid, and somewhat like spoiled soy milk.

In short, it smelled terrible, and moreover, this scent was somewhat familiar.

Wang Daxia twitched his nose and suddenly found this smell in his memory, letting out a long cry from his skull: “Ah!”

His handsome face turned red, and as if bitten by a venomous snake, he jumped off the bed and quickly lowered the bed curtains.

But even thick curtains couldn’t block this smell, which spread outward from the bed as its center.

Wang Daxia scattered the remaining hydrosol around the bedroom, then fled the room like an escape and shut the door.

Wei Caiwei! How do you know so much!

Outside in the courtyard, Ding Wu and Wei Caiwei took turns watching the two wokou guards at the door.

Ding Wu said: “They haven’t gone in at all. Wang Daxia should have succeeded. How long does your medicine last?”

Wei Caiwei said: “That depends on how much wine Wang Daxia gave Tie Niu. Generally three cups can make someone sleep for most of an hour – that’s enough.”

Wei Caiwei never imagined that Wang Daxia would be mischievous and go overboard, taking off his large embroidered shoe and forcing the Bright King to drink a cup of shoe wine.

“Shoe” is homophonous with “harmony,” implying marital harmony. Taking off shoes to offer wine – if a man refused, he’d be admitting inadequacy. How could that work! He had to drink!

Wang Daxia’s one shoe was equivalent to three normal women’s shoes. The Bright King slept through endless spring dreams, from morning until noon without waking.

Wang Daxia realized he’d gone too far, but there was no choice. The courtyard was heavily guarded outside – Wei Caiwei and Ding Wu couldn’t get in to give him an antidote, so he could only wait in the study. He didn’t dare enter the bedroom – that smell was simply too evil.

While bored, wokou came carrying food boxes to deliver lunch, knocking carefully: “Bright King? We’re here to deliver food.”

Wang Daxia quickly pinched his nose and returned to the bedroom, roughening his voice to imitate the Bright King: “You quickly set out the food.”

The wokou pushed open the door, first clearing the leftover food from the table, then setting out hot lunch.

The wokou walked to the room door and asked through it: “Does the Bright King have any other orders?”

Wang Daxia held his breath in the bedroom, not wanting to inhale the suffocating photinia hydrosol smell. He was nearly suffocating and just wanted to quickly send the wokou away so he could get some air.

I’m going all out!

Wang Daxia shook a bamboo couch in the room, making rhythmic creaking sounds. First he pinched his voice to make several coquettish complaints of “Oh, be gentle,” then roughly growled in a low voice: “Get lost!”

Wang Daxia had evolved without instruction, progressing from cross-dressing to playing two roles simultaneously.

Hearing the busy, heated activity inside, the wokou quickly grabbed the empty food boxes and ran off.

After the wokou left, Wang Daxia finally escaped to freedom, gasping for breath.

But the photinia smell from the bedroom had stuck to his hair and clothes like maggots on bones. Wang Daxia felt nauseous, so he simply removed his outer robe and skirt to air out the smell, sitting in just his underclothes and shorts to eat lunch.

He alone had to eat for two people using two sets of bowls and chopsticks. Fortunately, he was at an age of growth, so eating double portions was easy for him.

Outside in the courtyard, Wei Caiwei worried: “Why hasn’t he come out yet? This shouldn’t be – it’s already noon.” Heaven knows Wang Daxia would have the inspiration to use his size 45 embroidered shoe for wine! Even without adding ingredients, that would knock someone out!

Ding Wu said: “Probably drank too much and hasn’t sobered up. If anything unexpected happened, the Bright King would have called people in long ago.”

Just then, two wokou carrying food boxes went in and came rushing out.

Ding Wu appeared calm but was also uncertain inside. He picked up a list of gifts planned for Third Madam, pretending to seek the Bright King’s opinion. Midway he “coincidentally” met the wokou delivering food: “Is the Bright King free now? I have something to ask.”

The wokou exchanged lewd smiles. The right one made a small circle with thumb and forefinger, sliding it onto the left one’s index finger: “The Bright King is busy with Madam Ximen right now – so busy he’s forgotten food and tea. Messenger Ding, don’t disturb the Bright King’s pleasure. Men’s business can’t be interrupted – interrupt and he’ll lose his temper. Don’t touch that bad luck.”

Ding Wu looked understanding and slipped the wokou two silver ingots: “Thank you both for the guidance. I understand.”

Ding Wu returned and told Wei Caiwei: “Wang Daxia is still performing. Really got him too drunk.”

Only then did Wei Caiwei relax. Ding Wu observed her expression: “You seem very concerned about him. Even in the capital, you treated him differently from others. In Tieling you were used to being alone and didn’t like making friends, but in the capital, when he came to mooch meals from us every day, you never refused.”

Wei Caiwei firmly denied it: “Brother Ding is overthinking. I was just finding a patron in the capital.”

Ding Wu said: “Now you have Shang Zhaoyi as backing. Is this Embroidered Uniform Guard centurion Wang Daxia still so important?”

Wei Caiwei said: “He’s not a rag to throw away after use. After getting along for almost a year, we’re friends now.”

Ding Wu pressed: “What kind of friends?”

Wei Caiwei thought and said: “Like the friendship between Brother Ding and Lu Ying.”

Hearing this, Ding Wu fell silent. This girl had been clever since childhood – one careless moment and she’d turned the tables on him.

Seeing Ding Wu’s sudden silence, Wei Caiwei’s vague suspicions were confirmed. But now wasn’t the time to discuss romantic feelings – first, the White Lotus Sect wasn’t broken yet, and second, Lu Ying was still in mourning.

Wei Caiwei could only say: “Lu Ying’s face was disfigured saving Brother Ding. Forget women – that scar would be hard for even men to accept. I’ll do everything I can to help reduce the scarring. She came out to work during her mourning period and sacrificed a lot. Though born to a prestigious family with loving parents and harmonious siblings, her pressure isn’t less than Brother Ding’s.”

“Her mother at home constantly pressures her to marry. Currently Wang Daxia is selling his looks as a cover to temporarily stabilize Li Yiren. After three years, this problem must still be faced. I hope Brother Ding and Lu Ying can break the White Lotus Sect soon. Then with great merit upon returning to the capital and proper rewards, Brother Ding can restore his reputation and Lu Ying can use her achievements to prove her value far exceeds being a virtuous wife and good mother. Then things will have hope.”

Three years. Ding Wu secretly clenched his fists.

Smart people don’t need to pierce that window paper when talking.

Wei Caiwei looked at Ding Wu’s expression, sincerely hoping all lovers in the world could be together – even undercover agents and contacts could become couples. Lu Ying wouldn’t be forced to marry or become a widow nun. Ding Wu could finally have a family this lifetime instead of wandering alone.

In this life, we must all live well.

Not until dusk did the Bright King Tie Niu finally wake up. He was completely naked and bald, with skin darkened from years of sun and wind while disguised as a real wokou at sea. Not even wearing pants, his skin was bronzed like a smooth loach.

The Bright King got up, but as soon as he stood, his legs went weak and he couldn’t stand steady. He quickly grabbed the bedpost, feeling his chest and back ache. Looking in the mirror, he saw several bloody scratches like cat claws. The air was filled with a post-coital scent – this smell was intense and intoxicating.

The bed was scattered with fallen crabapple petals from pillow to foot, many crushed into flower mud. Clearly this place had been swept by storms, with petals scattered by wind and rain.

Madam Ximen had worn two crabapple flowers today.

The Bright King picked up a broken flower and sniffed it at his nose, chuckling. Today he’d met his match – he hadn’t felt this satisfied in ages. Married women were still the most interesting; those delicate virgin girls only knew how to cry, truly disappointing.

Several torn garments lay scattered on the ground, none wearable. The Bright King went to the wardrobe for a robe, put it on, and opened the window to air out the room.

“Beauty! Where’s my beauty?” the Bright King called for Wang Daxia.

“I’m here,” Wang Daxia answered lazily from the study.

The Bright King pushed open the study door: “Beauty, why are you here? Why not sleep with me?”

“The Bright King was too vigorous – my waist nearly broke. How dare I provoke such fire?” Wang Daxia rubbed his waist while skillfully arranging his hair in a round bun. Wei Caiwei’s hydrosol really was too evil – he couldn’t stay there a moment longer.

Having played a woman for over a month, Wang Daxia did his own makeup and hair styling, practicing his skills well. He gave himself peach blossom makeup, looking exactly like someone who’d just been intimate.

Seeing such beauty, the Bright King wanted to revisit tender pleasures, but his walking steps were unsteady, as if treading on clouds. Having the will but lacking strength, he couldn’t show “cowardice” before his beauty – he’d need to recuperate for a few days before reasserting his prowess.

So he gave Wang Daxia a jade ruyi scepter, two sets of gold and jeweled hair ornaments, and a bolt of Shu brocade: “Today, Madam Ximen worked hard. This is my small token of appreciation.”

Wang Daxia accepted everything. Seeing him walk safely out of the courtyard gate, Wei Caiwei and Ding Wu finally truly relaxed.

After returning, Wang Daxia told everyone about the day’s bedroom affairs: “Today’s trial is over, but I don’t know when the Bright King will have lustful thoughts about me again.”

“He probably won’t,” Wei Caiwei said. “I used strong medicine that damaged his liver and kidneys. From now on, he won’t be able to get it up even if he wants to. He can’t harm other girls anymore. Even if he wants to pester you again, he lacks the tools for the crime.”

Author’s Note: Speaking of ruthlessness, it’s still Banxia – another move of castration for permanent cure.