Just as Lu Ying was explaining her plan, Wang Daxia vigorously chewed the sweet and sour fish tail in his mouth, gulped it down with tea water, and before Wei Caiwei could respond, he interrupted: “No way, it’s too dangerous. She’s a physician—don’t drag her into Embroidered Uniform Guard affairs.”
“The anonymous letters may not be true, but this matter is significant. If it is true, this nest would threaten the capital’s safety—the consequences would be unthinkable.” Lu Ying said: “Besides, I’m only asking her to appear publicly, letting others know she opened the medicine shop—this way it won’t arouse suspicion. The shop renovation and underground tunnel digging will all be done by Embroidered Uniform Guard secret agents. She only needs to visit the construction site every few days to take a look.”
“That still won’t do.” Wang Daxia said: “What if it’s true? The White Lotus Sect has long betrayed the Great Ming. During the Gengwu Rebellion, they led enemy forces and slaughtered their own countrymen—they’re completely insane and capable of any evil deed. If they target Dr. Wei in the future, and Dr. Wei doesn’t know martial arts, what would happen?”
Lu Ying said seriously: “The White Lotus Sect is the enemy of all people—everyone has the right to punish them. Dr. Wei is a Great Ming citizen; cooperating with the Embroidered Uniform Guard to investigate heretical cultists is her duty.”
“Oh please, ‘when there’s trouble, summon Zhong Wuyan; when there’s no trouble, dismiss Xia Yingchun.'” Wang Daxia had a sharp tongue and had never lost an argument, saying: “When there’s work, it becomes her duty. Does the Embroidered Uniform Guard include her share when distributing monthly salaries at month’s end? Why should she take risks?”
Lu Ying said: “Though she hasn’t received salary, how did she get her position as palace female physician?” It was through Lu Bing’s recommendation that Wei Caiwei had the opportunity to enter the palace.
Wang Daxia, disregarding insubordination, retorted: “Of course she earned it through her own abilities! What? Does the mighty Embroidered Uniform Guard want to coerce favors in return?”
Lu Ying had a fiery temper and stood up to slam the table. “She’s no longer an ordinary female physician—she’s a Great Ming palace female physician. The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility and accountability.”
Wang Daxia, who usually fawned over superiors with flattery and servile smiles like a grandson, was unusually confrontational tonight, daring to argue with Lu Ying: “Commander Lu also knows she’s a female physician, not an Embroidered Uniform Guard member! Even if she has responsibilities, they involve healing and saving lives—what does that have to do with destroying heretical nests? If it’s just opening a shop, I’ll do it.”
Lu Ying said: “You’re one of the Northern District’s Four Scoundrels, a notorious dandy. If you open a shop in First Alley, you’ll alert them—you’d be doing more harm than good.”
Wang Daxia was about to open his mouth to retort when Wei Caiwei grabbed his sleeve. “Sit down and listen to me.”
Wang Daxia obediently sat down. “Don’t agree to this. Once you get involved with those White Lotus lunatics, they’ll stick to you like medicinal plaster—impossible to shake off.”
Wei Caiwei said: “Commander Lu, I’m willing.”
Wang Daxia sprang up like a spring again. “Don’t be fooled by Commander Lu’s empty promises about ‘greater ability, greater responsibility.’ You clearly get no benefits while inviting a pile of dangers.”
“Sit down.” Wei Caiwei said: “This is my own affair, my own decision—it has nothing to do with you.”
“How does it have nothing to do with me? I—” Wang Daxia was so angry he scratched his head, truly frustrated and aggrieved, his bangs becoming disheveled like a bird’s nest.
Here someone was worrying about her, yet she found it bothersome.
Wei Caiwei said to Lu Ying: “Though I don’t remember childhood events, I know about the Gengwu Rebellion. My family probably died in that disaster, and Ding Wu also became an exile. Our fates were both changed by that great calamity, so the White Lotus Sect is our common enemy. I’m willing to join. If it’s true, consider it revenge for the family members I can’t remember.”
Wang Daxia said: “Those White Lotus lunatics bite randomly—they don’t care if you’re Embroidered Uniform Guard or not.”
Wei Caiwei said: “You’re Embroidered Uniform Guard. I trust you and Commander Lu can destroy the heretical nest and maybe even completely eliminate the White Lotus Sect someday. With your protection, I’m not afraid.”
Hearing her say she trusted him, Wang Daxia immediately stopped feeling aggrieved, but still disagreed with her decision. “You’re not afraid, but I am. The court messes up more things than it accomplishes—everyone only cares about themselves. Who will care if you live or die?”
Wang Daxia’s purpose in the Embroidered Uniform Guard was just to earn meals and gain some merit to pass the merit evaluation and inherit his family’s thousand-household title. Then he’d quit the Embroidered Uniform Guard, find some leisurely position without daily early morning roll calls, and comfortably enjoy life.
Wang Daxia was lazy and pleasure-seeking. He felt that most officials and soldiers in the Embroidered Uniform Guard—no, in most government offices—just wanted to earn their rice bowl and support their families. Few people like Lu Ying had such passionate dedication, constantly talking about responsibility, country, protecting the capital, and finding work to do even after office hours.
So Wang Daxia felt the Embroidered Uniform Guard couldn’t protect Wei Caiwei for life—he couldn’t even guarantee it himself.
Lu Ying, hearing this, was naturally unconvinced. “Don’t judge others by yourself—I won’t abandon Dr. Wei.”
“I believe Commander Lu keeps her word.” Ding Wu, who had been silent, stood up and said: “Give the Embroidered Uniform Guard warehouse position to someone else. I’ll open the medicine shop. Everyone knows I’m Banxia’s adoptive brother. Banxia makes house calls, I sell medicine—siblings earning two incomes together is perfectly natural. Even if the White Lotus Sect seeks revenge later, they’ll come for me.”
“Moreover, my father was imprisoned because of the Gengwu Rebellion. I’m willing to contribute my small part to eliminating the White Lotus Sect nest.”
Wang Daxia quickly raised his hand: “This method is good—I agree. Though Ding Wu doesn’t understand medical arts, he has a good memory, can prepare medicines, and can keep accounts. He’s perfectly suited to be a medicine shop manager.”
Plans never keep up with changes. Wei Caiwei was the only one who knew for certain that Ten Thousand Goods Trading Company was indeed a White Lotus Sect nest with an underground powder magazine. She naturally understood the dangers involved and had originally planned to appear herself. She hadn’t expected Ding Wu to give up his Embroidered Uniform Guard warehouse keeper position and step forward to open the medicine shop.
Wei Caiwei said: “I should still do it.”
Ding Wu said: “Don’t argue—I’ll do it. Commander Lu, please grant my request. I can serve you.”
Lu Ying’s gaze moved between Wei Caiwei and Ding Wu, finally settling on Ding Wu. “Fine, it’s you.”
As long as it wasn’t Wei Caiwei. Wang Daxia looked at Ding Wu with admiration. “Big Brother Ding truly has big brother demeanor—such a protective heart toward his sister. I deeply admire you.”
He said to Wei Caiwei: “Don’t worry—our Embroidered Uniform Guard will protect Big Brother Ding.”
Wei Caiwei asked: “Didn’t you just say ‘the court messes up more things than it accomplishes’ and ‘only cares about themselves, not whether others live or die’?”
He was contradicting himself so quickly. Fortunately, Wang Daxia was thick-skinned: “That was because I wasn’t involved. Now that I’ve joined the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I’m naturally a breath of fresh air, purifying officialdom. I’ll protect Big Brother Ding—don’t you remember how I infiltrated Duke Yansheng’s Goldfish Pool villa, sacrificing myself for him, serving as his body double to rescue him? Once there’s a first time, there’s a second—with me here, Big Brother Ding will definitely be fine.”
That time he was nearly tortured to death by the water wheel punishment. Ding Wu didn’t want to recall it at all. Hearing about the goldfish pool made his throat feel choked with water and breathing difficult. He quickly drank a cup of rice wine to calm his nerves.
Seeing Ding Wu’s face turn pale at the mention of the goldfish pool, looking like a weak scholar, Lu Ying said: “Don’t be afraid—I’ll protect you.”
Hearing this, whether it was the rice wine in his stomach or Lu Ying’s words that took effect, Ding Wu suddenly felt warmth in his body. “I’m not afraid—I trust you all.”
The matter was thus decided.
Lu Ying dipped her finger in water and drew the approximate terrain and location of First Alley on the table surface. “The medicine shop is right next door, currently for rent. From the color depth of the ‘Prosperous Shop for Rent’ red paper on the shop door, it seems to have been unrented for some time—the red paper has faded to pink, and the paste at the corners has come off. When Ding Wu goes to negotiate prices tomorrow, you can take the opportunity to drive down the price. Make everything seem realistic, like a profit-seeking merchant.”
Ding Wu nodded: “When we were in Tieling, Banxia’s parents also ran a medicine shop. I often helped there—I know medicine shops better than Banxia. There won’t be any flaws.”
Lu Ying said: “Observe carefully and pay attention to the goods entering and leaving Ten Thousand Goods Trading Company. The Embroidered Uniform Guard has keen-nosed Shandong fine dogs that can smell gunpowder and saltpeter through boxes. If confirmed, then that anonymous letter should be true.”
Ding Wu said: “Good, I’ll bring the fine dogs tomorrow as guard dogs.”
The two exchanged ideas and had already begun conducting official business with seamless cooperation.
Wei Caiwei thought: These two are both careful people. This time the previous life’s tragedy shouldn’t occur, right?
Wang Daxia listened absent-mindedly, occasionally covering his throat, widening his eyes, with his Adam’s apple moving erratically up and down.
Ding Wu and Lu Ying were focused on the table surface and didn’t notice Wang Daxia’s abnormality, but Wei Caiwei did and asked: “What’s wrong with you?”
“I’m fine.” Wang Daxia scooped a bowl of cold rice that had already cooled down, stuffed a big lump into his mouth, and tried to swallow it whole without chewing.
“Stop!” Wei Caiwei was quick with her hands and slapped the back of Wang Daxia’s head, forcing him to spit out the rice.
“Did you get a fish bone stuck?” Wei Caiwei asked.
Wang Daxia nodded, pointing at his throat. “It’s stuck here. I ate too hastily when having the sweet and sour fish tail and got it stuck.”
When Lu Ying had asked Wei Caiwei to open the medicine shop, Wang Daxia was anxious to interrupt but reluctant to waste the meat in his mouth, so he swallowed it hastily, resulting in this tragedy.
Wei Caiwei asked: “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
Wang Daxia’s earlier argumentative appearance with Lu Ying didn’t look like someone with a fish bone stuck in his throat.
Wang Daxia said: “I was worried about you, so I ignored this fish bone.”
Wei Caiwei felt guilty—she shouldn’t have said “it has nothing to do with you” earlier. “Open your mouth.”
Ah! Wang Daxia obediently opened his mouth. Wei Caiwei used a chopstick to press down his tongue and held up a lantern for a close look. The fish bone was stuck quite deep. Since she had come to dine, she hadn’t brought tweezers or other tools with her—removing the fish bone would be difficult.
Wei Caiwei glanced at the table setting. Among the vinegared lotus root slices were several raw scallions carved into lush green scenery as decoration. She picked up a scallion, tied fishing line around its middle section from the painted boat, then stuffed the scallion into Wang Daxia’s mouth. “Chew it and swallow.”
Wang Daxia obediently swallowed the scallion. Wei Caiwei held the fishing line, and when the chewed scallion reached his throat and caught the broken fish bone, she pulled the line up, extracting the fish bone tangled in scallion fibers.
Author’s Note: You defied your superior for me. I… removed your fish bone for you.