They say one establishes oneself at thirty—Ding Wu was thirty years old this year and had finally “stood up.”

Lu Ying was twenty-eight. Both were old enough to be grandparents, yet this was their first time cooking rice. However, during their three years in Fengcheng, they had been listening to Wang Daxia and Wei Caiwei cooking rice through a door, wall, or floor for three years.

As the saying goes, famous teachers produce outstanding students. Lu Ying and Ding Wu quickly mastered the art of cooking rice and cooked several pots in one night.

Early the next morning, Lu Ying’s years of habit overcame her fatigue. She opened her eyes while Ding Wu was still sleeping soundly.

Except in winter, Lu Ying always took cold baths. After pouring two buckets of cold water over herself, her fatigue was completely swept away. Lu Ying went to the courtyard to practice boxing and swordplay—having just had her house raided and left with nothing, she was wearing Ding Wu’s clothes and wielding the sword she had given him as a love token.

After working up a sweat, she poured two more buckets of cold water over herself and changed into clean clothes. Only then did Ding Wu wake up. “Why are you wearing my clothes?”

Lu Ying said, “Yesterday the maid took my dress to be washed—it’s not dry yet.” This was her only set of women’s clothing!

Ding Wu suddenly remembered that Lu Ying had brought nothing with her. Slapping his forehead, he said, “There’s no time to have new clothes tailored. I’ll go to Sister Banxia’s place to borrow some women’s clothes and jewelry.”

Ding Wu left without even eating breakfast, rushing to Wei Caiwei’s house. Wang Daxia had gone out at dawn, running around for the Lu family’s affairs. Wei Caiwei was still sleeping in when a maid woke her, saying Young Master Ding had come.

My elder brother has returned from Yunnan? Why isn’t he looking for Lu Ying but coming to me so early in the morning? Wei Caiwei thought something had happened, but Ding Wu was beaming as he asked to borrow clothes and jewelry. “…for your sister-in-law to use. She came home with me yesterday, and all her dowry was confiscated. Buying fabric and tailoring new clothes will take several days.”

“Wait.” Wei Caiwei hadn’t reacted yet. “Elder Brother Ding returned yesterday? Lu Ying spent last night at the Ding residence? You two…”

Did you consummate the marriage? Of course, no matter how thick-skinned Wei Caiwei was, she couldn’t voice this question.

Ding Wu was even more puzzled. “Didn’t brother-in-law tell you yesterday?”

Yesterday when Wang Daxia returned home, Feng Bao had given him a chest of “great gifts” right at the door, and then Wang Daxia had buried himself in examining these treasures…

Wei Caiwei: Wang Daxia!

At the Imperial Guard headquarters, Wang Daxia was planning the next operation with his subordinates when his spine suddenly felt cold, the hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he shivered for no reason.

At the Shichahai residence, Wei Caiwei suppressed the urge to call Wang Daxia home for a severe scolding. She rummaged through boxes and chests, taking out fine clothes and jewelry she had never worn, saying:

“…I usually dress simply. These were all bestowed by Imperial Consort Li in the palace—I’ve never worn them, they’re all new. Sister-in-law is entering the family, so don’t mention the word ‘borrow.’ Consider these my gifts to give sister-in-law dignity in public. Most people in the capital are snobbish—this will prevent those who fawn on the powerful and trample the weak from looking down on her.”

Seeing Wei Caiwei even take out an expensive black pearl shirt, Ding Wu quickly stopped her. “Don’t include anything too valuable—it might attract envy.”

Wei Caiwei packed a full chest, so full that the lid could barely close. She had to sit on the chest and press down hard with her body to barely get it locked.

Ding Wu returned home with his full load, saying, “There’s a family banquet tonight. You and brother-in-law come early.”

Seeing Ding Wu’s elated expression, Wei Caiwei guessed that the elder brother and sister-in-law had indeed consummated their marriage. She asked tactfully, “Are you and sister-in-law planning to have children now?”

Ding Wu said, “I haven’t discussed this with your sister-in-law yet.”

Wei Caiwei thought: This means they definitely consummated the marriage! If they hadn’t, Ding Wu would have put on airs as an elder brother and sternly lectured her not to speak nonsense.

Watching Ding Wu’s retreating figure, Wei Caiwei was filled with emotion: In the previous life, Lu Ying was forced to abandon her career and marry, spent her youth as a widow, and became a nun for spiritual cultivation; Ding Wu wandered the world, never staying in one place for more than a month, coming and going like the wind, remaining unmarried for life.

In this life, two lonely people had come together. Lovers finally became spouses—how wonderful.

Ding Wu returned home with Wei Caiwei’s gifts and helped Lu Ying change clothes. Since Lu Ying didn’t know how to style her hair in a bun, Ding Wu helped her.

The young couple paid their respects to Ding Rukui. Seeing their sweet behavior, the slight resentment in Ding Rukui’s heart settled: Consider it repaying a debt. Lu Bing, I’ve even given you my own son in compensation.

To confirm this marriage, Ding Wu took the cross-dressed Lu Ying to visit relatives—naturally, the families of Lu Ying’s sisters’ husbands. They visited each household, deliberately publicizing their “ten-year secret marriage,” causing a sensation throughout the capital!

People exclaimed: How could the Lu family possibly have unmarriageable daughters? So she had been married all along.

Ding Wu’s character was too admirable—a true gentleman. For revenge, he had not hesitated to humiliate himself, separated from his newlywed wife for ten years. When he returned ten years later, his wife’s family had fallen while the Ding family had risen, yet Ding Wu voluntarily acknowledged this marriage and rescued his wife from dire straits.

Ding Wu’s faithfulness to love, his unchanged devotion over ten years—this was how a true man should be. For a time, the legendary marriage of Ding Wu and Fourth Miss Lu became a celebrated tale, far overshadowing the Lu residence raid.

Gossip is human instinct—people’s love for romantic affairs far exceeds their interest in politics.

Gao Gong had originally thought that given the Lu residence’s vast wealth, from court officials to common people, everyone would discuss the Lu residence’s enormous, forty-thousand-character inventory list, just as people still talked with relish about the “Tianshui Iceberg Record” from Yan Shifan’s house raid, thereby creating public pressure against the Lu family and inciting hatred toward them.

After all, hatred of the rich is also human instinct.

But ultimately, romantic affairs could overcome all other topics. Almost no one discussed the Lu residence inventory list—everyone was talking about Ding Wu and Fourth Miss Lu’s ten-year secret marriage.

Gao Gong had thought he’d lit a big firecracker, but it turned out to be a dud that made no noise at all. This made his beard turn white with anger. Ding Wu’s refusal to give face to the Chief Minister made Gao Gong very uncomfortable. Ding Wu and Wei Caiwei were sworn siblings, and Wei Caiwei was close to Imperial Consort Li…

Looking at it this way, Imperial Consort Li was inclined toward the Lu family—wasn’t this opposing me? This won’t do. The Crown Prince was born to Imperial Consort Li. I can’t let Imperial Consort Li be dragged into the Lu family camp by Wei Caiwei.

I need to find a way to bring Imperial Consort Li to my side. Gao Gong hatched a plan and said to Emperor Longqing: “The Lu family residence is well-built. Now that it has been legally confiscated and has become state property, leaving this residence empty would cause it to deteriorate within a few years. Why not bestow this grand mansion upon Imperial Relative Li, the father of Imperial Consort Li?”

“Every time Your Majesty wants to grant Imperial Relative Li titles and official positions, Imperial Consort Li dissuades you, saying that giving her father wealth is sufficient—official positions are unnecessary to avoid interference by imperial relatives in government. Imperial Relative Li’s family still lives in a three-courtyard house in Shichahai, which doesn’t match Imperial Consort Li’s status—even considering the Crown Prince’s dignity, it’s too shabby. This minister suggests bestowing the seven-courtyard Lu residence upon Imperial Relative Li to display Your Majesty’s boundless grace.”

Li Jiubao had always forbidden her father and brothers from taking office and strictly controlled her natal family. Emperor Longqing wanted to compensate them, and since Gao Gong also mentioned the Crown Prince’s dignity—after all, he was the Crown Prince’s grandfather… After thinking it over, Emperor Longqing agreed to Gao Gong’s suggestion. With a grand gesture, he bestowed the Lu residence upon Li Jiubao’s father, Li Wei. The plaque at the gate was changed to “Li Residence.”

Forbidden City, Chenggan Palace.

“What? The Lu residence was bestowed upon my father?” Li Jiubao frowned deeply. “Gao Gong is too vicious—he’s deliberately trying to drive a wedge between me and the Lu family, and Doctor Wei and the others. The Lu family’s case is still under investigation. The Lu residence might be returned to the Lu family in the future. With the outcome still unclear, bestowing the Lu residence to my father makes it impossible to return it later. Gao Gong is inciting conflict between the Lu family and my father.”

Chen Jingji, who had come to deliver the news, said, “Gao Gong also intends to win over Your Consort, thinking he’s sending a great gift to Your Consort’s natal family. This servant will go explain to Madam Ding (Lu Ying) about the bestowal of the Lu residence—that it wasn’t Your Consort’s request but Gao Gong’s scheming behind the scenes. Madam Ding is intelligent and certainly won’t fall for Gao Gong’s divisive tactics.”

Chen Jingji went to the Ding residence to visit Lu Ying and explained the matter of the Lu residence becoming the Li residence. “…This wasn’t Imperial Consort’s intention—it’s all Minister Gao’s divisive scheming.”

Hearing that her family home was gone, Lu Ying felt somewhat melancholy. This was where she was born, with too many beautiful memories and moments with her father. Now she didn’t even have a memento left.

Lu Ying said, “My family’s property was confiscated, and the house has long been empty—just an shell remains. Our family takes wealth lightly. If the house is gone, so be it. But there are still spirit tablets of my father and ancestors in the Lu residence’s ancestral hall. Please convey to Imperial Relative Li that he should carefully preserve the tablets and give them to me, so I can take them to the Sanli Village ancestral house to continue the offerings.”

Chen Jingji said, “Madam Ding, rest assured. This servant will immediately go to Imperial Relative Li’s residence and personally collect the tablets to deliver to you.”

Li Wei, Imperial Consort Li’s father, received the imperial edict bestowing the mansion and was overjoyed. He quickly brought his sons and grandsons to view the house, exclaiming along the way:

“When the Lu residence was being built, Dalang and I were still tile workers. We hung roof tiles on many of the Lu residence buildings. At that time, I was hanging tiles under the scorching sun on the rooftops, fantasizing that if I could spend just one night living in this house, it would be worth it. I never imagined that the rooftops we built with our own hands would become our Li family’s new home.”

Getting above his station, Li Wei was so excited he wanted to roll around on the Lu residence grounds.

When the family toured the Lu ancestral hall, Li Wei saw that his house actually contained other people’s spirit tablets and immediately felt it was inauspicious. He ordered people to tear off the seals and collect the tablets to chop up for firewood to drive away the bad luck.

“Stop!” Chen Jingji arrived breathlessly and rescued the tablets from the axes and flames.

Ministry of Justice prison. Lu Yi, Lu Cai, and Yan Shaoting inevitably suffered some physical punishment, but with Minister Li secretly caring for them due to Wang Daxia’s scandalous warnings, the three were placed in well-ventilated cells and secretly given medicine and food prepared by Wei Caiwei. Though beaten until their bodies had not a single uninjured spot, none faced mortal danger.

This was also part of the secret deal. Minister Li had to report to Minister Gao and couldn’t avoid beatings, or Gao would become suspicious and replace him with someone else to investigate the case. So severe punishment was necessary—just don’t kill the three of them.

No matter how the Ministry of Justice interrogated them, the three gritted their teeth and refused to admit to harboring the Yan family’s stolen goods.

Gao Gong didn’t care about all this—he ordered the Ministry of Justice to close the case immediately. Minister Li was forced into a corner and issued the closing statement: “…hoarding wealth, with estates and fields yielding tens of thousands annually, jewels and gold amounting to thousands. This violates the law and arouses universal indignation… hiding Shifan’s stolen goods and concealing Yan Shaoting in the household—cunning and unrighteous.”

“…The Three Judicial Offices have deliberated: exhume the coffin for corporal punishment, strip away official titles, confiscate all property, and recover stolen goods for the state. Lu Yi and Lu Cai are to be permanently exiled to the frontier. Yan Shaoting is to receive corporal punishment and permanent military service.”

Minister Li’s meaning was to exhume Lu Bing’s coffin for posthumous punishment, while Lu Yi, Lu Cai, and Yan Shaoting would all be exiled—Wang Daxia had said to preserve the living’s lives, and he had done so! Moreover, he had spared all the Lu family women and children, who wouldn’t face punishment and could continue staying in the ancestral house.

As for flogging Lu Bing’s corpse, Lu Bing was dead, and Wang Daxia had only mentioned the living, not the dead.

This was an imperial case—the Ministry of Justice’s verdict was only for reference, solely for imperial consideration. According to procedure, the Ministry’s memorial had to be sent first to the Cabinet, where Cabinet members would make annotations, then sent to the Ceremonial Directorate, which would make further annotations on the Cabinet’s comments.

This meant that when the emperor handled government affairs, the Cabinet and Ceremonial Directorate separately offered opinions for the emperor’s reference before the emperor made the final decision.

The Ministry of Justice’s verdict was sent to the Cabinet. Minister Gao was unsatisfied and annotated that Lu Yi, Lu Cai, and Yan Shaoting’s crimes warranted execution according to law.

Gao Gong’s annotation was sent to the Ceremonial Directorate. The Chief Eunuch of the Ceremonial Directorate was Meng Chong, who came from a cook’s background. When it was Meng Chong’s turn to make annotations, Wang Daxia came calling.