When Wang Daxia was initially involved in the murder case of Chen Dalang and interrogated as a suspect at the Shuntian Prefecture office, Zhang the Celestial Master who purchased this land cited that the background buyer was unusual and it was inconvenient to reveal the name on the spot. Later, he wrote it on a note for the plaintiff Chen Qianhu and Prefect Wang Niqiu to review, which was burned after reading.

At the time, Wang Qianhu thought it must be someone Chen Qianhu absolutely couldn’t afford to offend, but he never imagined it would be Lu Bing.

Lu Bing had married four wives. According to Ming dynasty protocol, wives could only be granted imperial honors for the primary wife and second wife – the third wife couldn’t receive imperial honors.

But Lu Bing’s status was special, and the court repeatedly made exceptions for him. Moreover, his third wife Lady Zhang was the daughter of Earl of Anding Zhang Rong, a lady from a prestigious family. Her father Earl of Anding also used connections to seek imperial honors for his daughter. Both her natal family and husband’s family had high status and influence, so the Ministry of Rites made an exception and agreed to Lu Bing’s petition, also granting Lady Zhang the title of First-Rank Imperial Wife.

As for the fourth wife Lady Zhao, her father Zhao Zupeng was a Hanlin Academy compiler who had once been the tutor for Lu Bing’s sons Lu Yi and Lu Cai. Zhao Zupeng held a low position and had a poor reputation. Relying on his son-in-law being Lu Bing, he brazenly took bribes and bullied others with his power – similar to Jia Yucun in “Dream of the Red Chamber” who tutored Lin Daiyu, becoming arrogant once successful.

Zhao Zupeng’s actions offended people in the Ministry of Rites, so when Lu Bing petitioned for honors for Lady Zhao, he was refused. Since his father-in-law was unreliable and constantly caused trouble for Lu Bing, after being rejected by the Ministry of Rites, Lu Bing didn’t persist and gave up.

Therefore, on the tombstones, three wives had First-Rank imperial honors, while only Lady Zhao had a simple “Tomb of Deceased Wife Lady Zhao.”

Four wives in one place – just enough for a mahjong table, none would be lonely.

It turned out that after Lu Bing’s first minor stroke, feeling the crisis, he was someone who thought ten steps ahead, so he invited Zhang the Celestial Master in advance to select a burial site to improve his fortune.

Zhang the Celestial Master was skilled in feng shui and divination. Carrying his bagua, he calculated around the outskirts of the capital and selected a plot in Sanlitun outside Chaoyang Gate – exactly Wang Daxia’s mother’s dowry fields.

Zhang the Celestial Master said this was an auspicious feng shui site that could bless descendants for generations.

Lu Bing found it inconvenient to appear personally, because if he went to buy land in person, before he could speak, the landowner would definitely offer the fields with both hands for free to curry favor with the powerful.

Lu Bing wasn’t short of money and didn’t want to owe favors, so he stayed behind the scenes and had Zhang the Celestial Master make the deal with Wang Daxia, purchasing the Sanlitun fields and converting them into burial grounds.

Tombs couldn’t be built in a day, especially since Lu Bing had four wives who all needed to be reburied there. Plus, Lu Bing had another stroke a month later and was temporarily immobilized, so he urged the construction schedule, preparing the afterlife. If he couldn’t recover, at least his children could arrange his funeral calmly and simply carry him over to bury him.

Li Jiubao’s father and brothers had been masons for generations. His father Li Wei had even participated in building Lu Bing’s current mansion and was skilled, so when the Lu family urgently needed workers in Sanlitun, they recruited Li Jiubao’s father and brothers.

So to speak, Li Wei was Lu Bing’s gravedigger.

Wang Qianhu was driven away by the gravekeeper. There was nothing to be done – his first wife’s dowry fields had become Lu Bing’s burial ground and definitely couldn’t be redeemed. He had to ask brokers to inquire about available land in the capital’s outskirts.

Finally, Wang Qianhu took a liking to a plot in Wulitun outside Zhengyang Gate, buying it for 2,200 taels – adding 200 taels of his own. The deed was written in Wang Daxia’s name.

When Wang Daxia returned home from the office, Wang Qianhu gave him the new deed. “I collected the silver Miss Yingying repaid for you. Afraid you’d spend it recklessly, I took the liberty of buying farmland in Wulitun outside Zhengyang Gate. Keep it safe. The original land in Sanlitun outside Chaoyang Gate has been converted to a cemetery by the buyer and can’t be redeemed.”

Looking at the deed, Wang Daxia saw that despite everything, this was his real father. With the household in such difficulty now, his father still contributed 200 taels from his private savings to buy him farmland.

Wang Daxia was somewhat angry that his father always made decisions for him under the pretense of “doing good for him,” always treating him like a spendthrift who would immediately squander any money.

His father was helping by contributing 200 taels in hardship, which should be kindness, but though his father was doing good deeds, he never had a kind word, always suppressing and belittling him like an enemy – his father even knew to be polite and considerate of others’ feelings when talking to outsiders, so why was he always ruthlessly harsh like autumn wind sweeping fallen leaves toward his own son?

Doing good deeds while speaking harshly – what was the point?

Wang Daxia accepted the deed and said, “The annual income from the Wulitun farm should be collected by the steward for household expenses, don’t give it to me.”

Wang Qianhu was comforted inside – his son finally showed some responsibility – but still kept a stern face. “Now that you have a position, are you still going to freeload at home? I’ll be dismissed from office in autumn. You need to take responsibility for supporting the family.”

Wang Daxia choked. If he didn’t have business tonight, he probably would have fought with his father on the spot.

The family’s decline wasn’t my doing!

Wang Daxia stood up. “I still have business, going out first.”

Wang Qianhu: “It’s already dark, where are you going? To find the neighbor widow again? There’s much gossip around widows’ doors. There are already many unpleasant rumors recently. Restrain yourself.”

Wang Daxia couldn’t help but retort, “Father already knows they’re rumors, so why care? How can a good person be swayed by rumors? Become a slave to rumors?”

Wang Qianhu said, “Men establish careers and families to support households. You’ll need to arrange marriage and wed a lady from a good family in the future. Now with rumors about you and the neighbor widow flying everywhere, would any good family be willing to marry their daughter to you?”

Wang Daxia laughed heartily. “Oh, such good fortune? Perfect for me!”

With that, Wang Daxia strode away, suddenly in an excellent mood!

“Come back here!” Wang Qianhu was nearly apoplectic with rage. “Rebellious son! Rebellious son!”

Mu Baihu came over to comfort him. “Don’t get angry. Daxia is like this. Focus on properly educating second son Daqiu – everything’s still manageable. Now that Daqiu has no mother, you should care more about him.”

Wang Daxia hurried to Toutiao Alley, sneaking through the back door of the renovating medicine shop under cover of darkness.

Lu Ying had come here tonight to convene her subordinates for discussion.

The medicine shop’s warehouse was brightly lit, with portraits of White Lotus sect members covering the south wall. One portrait was circled in red ink with “Wu Dianyong, Sect Head” written beside it.

The White Lotus sect had strict hierarchy. From top to bottom: one sect leader, four sect heads (also called elders or trigram masters), eight incense chiefs (also called altar masters), and the lowest-level followers – male followers called “masses” and females called “second masses” or “second path.” Even in a heretical sect, women had the lowest status.

The masses and second masses called each other “path relatives.”

Lu Ying pointed at Wu Dianyong’s portrait. “He’s one of the four great White Lotus sect heads, very high status. This portrait was drawn by Jinyiwei artists ten years ago during the Gengwu Rebellion, when secret agents saw him guiding An Da Khan’s army.”

“This person has a black mole in the middle of his left eyebrow. We don’t know his name, but Wu Dianyong, the steward of Wanhuo Trading Company, has the same feature. However, Wu Dianyong is much fatter than this person and has a full beard covering half his face, so we can’t be completely certain.”

Wang Daxia said, “Ten years have passed – middle-aged weight gain, obviously.”

Ding Wu said, “When I delivered gifts to the Wanhuo Trading Company owner, Wu Dianyong was present – seems to be Boss Wang’s confidant. From my observations these past days, Wu Dianyong manages warehouse inventory and doesn’t appear in the shop. Every time large shipments arrive, he personally inspects and counts them.”

Lu Ying said, “Investigate this Boss Wang’s background. If Wu Dianyong is confirmed as one of the four sect heads, Boss Wang’s status shouldn’t be low.”

Ding Wu said, “I’ve been giving gifts and building relationships with several shop owners on Toutiao Alley recently, gathering some information. This Boss Wang doesn’t spend many days at Wanhuo Trading Company year-round. He’s always traveling, with properties and shops in Jinan, Tianjin, and other places. His business extends beyond Shanhai Pass. He usually inspects shops in various locations, basically returning once per quarter to check accounts, staying no more than ten days to half a month before leaving.”

“This time Boss Wang came about eight days ago. Every time he comes, he must go to Lakeside Restaurant at the end of Toutiao Alley for the Lake Eight Delicacies, always ordering sweet and sour fish, generous with tips. The waiters compete to serve him – this is what the restaurant manager told me.”

These past days, Ding Wu had been out early and back late, making connections everywhere, even finding time to bake peach pastries for gifts, quickly opening up the situation.

Wang Daxia laughed. “What an intelligence gatherer! Lucky Brother Ding didn’t join the Jinyiwei warehouse – I see you’re clearly cut out to be a Jinyiwei agent. Our Jinyiwei needs talent like you!”

This hit Lu Ying’s heart – Ding Wu indeed performed excellently, and she couldn’t help but look at him several more times.

Feeling Lu Ying’s gaze, Ding Wu outwardly maintained “eyes on nose, nose on heart,” unmoved, but internally was excited: She’s looking at me, she finally looked at me properly. Good thing I bathed and changed into clean clothes before going out tonight, not reeking of sweat.

Lu Ying said, “Now the problem is, according to past patterns, Boss Wang will leave in two days. His position in the White Lotus sect should at least be at sect head level, but the tunnel needs at least five days to reach Wanhuo Trading Company. We can’t let this big fish escape – we need to find a way to detain him.”

Wang Daxia said, “Just tail him all the way – he can run but his temple can’t.”

Lu Ying shook her head. “That works in the capital, but outside the capital, across the vast country, it’s hard to follow and easy to alert the enemy.”

Wang Daxia’s mind raced. “Let’s set a trap, stage an accident, find an excuse to delay him a few days…”

Wang Daxia was best at scheming and quickly thought of a method.

The next day, Boss Wang indeed began packing, preparing to leave tomorrow. Following his usual habit, he went to Lakeside Restaurant for his final Lake Eight Delicacies meal.

That morning, a spice merchant (actually a disguised Jinyiwei agent) made a deal with Wanhuo Trading Company, selling two cartloads of Western perfume to the company. The company paid with a 200-tael bank note, immediately inspecting and warehousing the goods – money and goods settled on the spot.

In the afternoon, Shuntian Prefecture’s Wu the Constable brought officers to the trading company, saying: “Someone filed a complaint at Shuntian Prefecture, accusing you of using counterfeit bank notes. They took the bank note you gave them to Santong Bank to exchange for silver and were immediately exposed as fraudulent, kicked out by the bank, and reported to the authorities. They cry innocence, saying the bank note came from your Wanhuo Trading Company, and they can confront you face-to-face. Two hundred taels is a large sum – please have your boss make a trip!”

Author’s Note: Wang Qianhu: Main account ruined, delete and restart.