At dawn, as the first light of day broke and the dew on the flowers and grass had yet to dry, most of the Wei household was already awake. A patrol of soldiers marched through the expansive courtyard, diligently ensuring the security of the Commander’s residence. Lu Chang, with his head lowered and hands folded within his sleeves, hurried through the courtyard. He nodded to the patrolling soldiers before continuing inside.
It was another morning after a sleepless night. He still wore the same clothes from the previous day, his hair slightly disheveled, and his face showed signs of fatigue. From a distance, he heard some shouting and saw Wei Zhuo and Cao Hai practicing martial arts in the training yard, both moving with great energy.
This was Wei Zhuo’s daily routine. He was a disciplined man who never missed his morning training unless something important came up. Despite being in his forties, he maintained himself well. Cao Hai, on the other hand, could barely last twenty moves before he was gasping for breath, leaning against a stone lion for support. Life in Jiangning had been too comfortable for him. Although he and Wei Zhuo were the same age, without his armor, Cao Hai’s slight belly was quite noticeable, making him look sturdy yet a bit slick.
Lu Chang stood by the corridor, watching for a while. Two men passed by, discussing the day’s tasks.
“Have we hired the gardener?”
“Yes, he’s hired. As soon as the flowers and trees arrive, we can start planting. They should be here early today. Where are they to be planted?”
“In the southern Xingbang Garden. When moving and planting, make sure not to make too much noise to avoid disturbing the residents there.”
The Xingbang Garden in the south was a small courtyard within the Wei residence set aside for the Zeng family. Although Wei Zhuo’s residence was imposing, it lacked the lush greenery seen in other wealthy households. The Zeng family had been staying at the Wei residence for some time. Occasionally, Wei Zhuo and Zeng would chat when they met, and he knew she liked plants. The flowers and trees were likely bought specifically for her.
Wei Zhuo was a man of few words, but his actions were thoughtful. Knowing Zeng loved to cook, he had the small kitchen in Xingbang Garden cleaned and fully equipped. Knowing the garden was too barren, he sent potted plants. Knowing she was skilled in embroidery, he somehow procured old books on embroidery patterns and techniques for her. She didn’t like to see people, so except for the Lu family members, no one from the Wei household was allowed in the garden.
Lu Chang stood in the corridor for a moment longer until he heard Wei Zhuo calling him.
“You didn’t come back last night?” Wei Zhuo walked over, wiping sweat from his brow with a towel. His tone was gentle and concerned. “Did you inform your mother and Ming Shu? It’s normal to be busy and not come back, but remember to let them know, so they don’t worry.”
It sounded like a familial admonition, without any condescension. Lu Chang lowered his head and replied, “Thank you for your concern, Uncle Wei. I have informed them.”
“You’re a considerate young man; it’s my oversight. You haven’t slept all night. Go and rest,” Wei Zhuo patted his shoulder. “Some things can’t be rushed. If you wear yourself out, who will take care of your mother and Ming Shu in the future?”
Lu Chang nodded and thanked him, then said, “Uncle Wei, there’s something I need to discuss with you.”
Wei Zhuo glanced around and replied, “Let’s talk in my study.”
They went to Wei Zhuo’s study. Once inside, the room was quiet. Wei Zhuo walked to the table by the window and said, “Have some tea first.”
But as he turned to pour the tea, he heard Lu Chang’s cold, clear voice behind him.
“Uncle Wei, I, Lu Chang, have an impertinent request and seek your help.”
Wei Zhuo turned around to see Lu Chang kneeling on one knee before him. Startled, he quickly bent down to help him up. “What’s the matter? Get up and then tell me.”
Lu Chang remained kneeling. “Uncle Wei, if anything happens to me in the future, please, I beg you to protect my mother.”
Wei Zhuo had not expected Lu Chang’s request to concern the Zeng family. His expression grew serious. Without questioning Lu Chang further, he said, “As long as I’m here, nothing will happen to your mother. But Lu Chang, you should know who your mother truly cares about.”
Lu Chang stood up and said, “I know. This is just a precaution. With your assurance, I can take risks.”
This contingency wasn’t for him; it was for his mother. He had no retreat.
—
It was hard to say if Li Wan’er was just lucky or if there were other reasons. Her proposal to set up a pavilion to help the poor during the Hungry Ghost Festival had initially met with little support and seemed awkward. But three days after the Qixi Festival, everything changed.
The Third Prince, Zhao Jing, suggested to the Emperor that he would take his place in the ritual, praying to the Buddhas and ancient sages for the health of all parents in the land, fulfilling his filial duty.
The Hungry Ghost Festival ritual had always been a custom, but it had been performed by a highly virtuous monk on behalf of the Emperor. Having a royal heir perform the ritual showed greater sincerity.
However, this ritual was no easy task. The altar was seven stories high, and the one performing the ritual had to sit there from dawn without eating or drinking until the monks finished chanting at the end of the day.
This was quite arduous.
Moved by Zhao Jing’s filial piety, the Emperor praised him greatly, and news spread quickly in Bianjing, inspiring others. As a result, Li Waner’s proposal gained sudden attention.
Without much effort from Li Waner, many ladies and young mistresses volunteered to join the charity effort. Some even set up their pavilions to distribute porridge, though their efforts paled compared to Li Waner’s well-planned initiative. Within two days, Li Waner’s charity event had gained significant momentum. Now, instead of others avoiding her, they sought her approval.
The Ministry of Rites’ mansion gained significant attention in the capital because of this event. Madam Feng received praise from the Empress Dowager, and Lu Zezhang was even more pleased, favoring the newly arrived Lady Lu.
When Ming Shu heard about these events from Wen An, she didn’t know how to feel.
—
With three days left until the Hungry Ghost Festival, the shops in the capital had already started selling festival items—gold and silver paper, sacrificial offerings, pastries, river lanterns, and sky lanterns—all in abundance.
Lu Chang had been so busy these past two days that he barely came home. Ming Shu didn’t know what he was investigating. After staying at home for two days, she grew restless. When she received a letter from Ying Xun today, she couldn’t wait any longer. Instead of waiting for him to come to her, she arranged to meet on North Xie Street. As usual, a group of guards followed her.
Ying Xun was waiting for her under the old locust tree on North Xie Street. When he saw her, he immediately reported an address.
“The Da Xing Gambling House again?” Ming Shu asked in surprise.
Wasn’t that the place where she had saved Yu Lian?
“Let’s walk and talk,” Ying Xun said as they headed towards the gambling house. As they walked, he explained the recent developments. “I took the sketch and visited every pawnshop and place the Peng family frequented on North Xie Street and Ma Xing Street. Finally, we found something. Someone had seen Yu Lian using the longevity lock at the Da Xing Gambling House to pay off a debt to Manager Qian.”
“When did this happen?” Ming Shu stopped abruptly, staring at Ying Xun in shock.
Ying Xun had been equally shocked when he first learned about it.
“Around four months ago, at the end of February this year,” he replied.
If the longevity lock was still in Yu Lian’s possession four months ago, Li Wan’er’s claim that it was left with her as an infant was completely false.
“Furthermore, from Yu Lian’s friends, I learned that Yu Lian was a compulsive gambler who owed a lot of money. However, in March, he suddenly paid off all his debts and lived lavishly for a while until he fell into debt again due to his gambling habit.”
“Yu Lian and his mother, Madam Peng, barely got by with Cai’s support. She couldn’t have paid off his debts. Someone else must have done it,” Ming Shu mused.
And that person was the one they were looking for.
Soon, they arrived at the Da Xing Gambling House. Thanks to a previous encounter, Ming Shu and Ying Xun had no trouble finding Manager Qian. Upon seeing Ming Shu, he greeted her warmly and invited them inside for tea.
After some small talk, Ming Shu explained their purpose and handed Manager Qian the drawing.
Manager Qian squinted at it for a long time before saying, “Yes, I remember this. Yu Lian owed me over a hundred taels of silver at that time. Miss Lu, you know the gambling house’s rules; debts must be repaid, or else… I gave him a final deadline. When he couldn’t come up with the silver, he brought me this longevity lock as an interest and begged for a few more days. Seeing that it wasn’t something from an ordinary family, I asked him where he got it. He said it was a treasured heirloom from his mother, which he had stolen. The silk handkerchief in the drawing was wrapped around the longevity lock at that time.”
“Then what happened? Did you accept the longevity lock?” Ming Shu asked.
“Of course, I did. Why wouldn’t I? But I didn’t take the handkerchief; he took that back,” Manager Qian said, returning the drawing. “That very night, someone came to buy the longevity lock, offering ten times its value in silver, so I sold it.”
“What did that person look like? Was it a man or a woman?” Ming Shu inquired.
“It was a man, scholarly and refined, like a student,” Manager Qian replied.
A man? So it wasn’t Li Wan’er herself. Did she have an accomplice?
Ming Shu and Ying Xun exchanged a glance. Ming Shu then asked, “Is it true that Yu Lian later paid off his gambling debt in full?”
“Ah the kid must have had incredible luck. He always found someone to pay his debts. Miss Lu, you paid once, and then in March, someone else paid another large sum for him.”
“Do you know who paid off his debt?” Ming Shu asked.
“I don’t know. I never saw them. I only heard him bragging about encountering a great benefactor,” Manager Qian said.
After a few more questions that yielded no further information, Ming Shu and Ying Xun took their leave.
—
On the way back, they stopped at an open-air tea shop to rest, choosing a shady spot under a tree.
“I’ve visited the doctor from Qing’an Hall,” Ying Xun said while sipping his tea. “I couldn’t get much from his family, but their situation is similar to Yu Lian’s. After the doctor’s death, they suddenly moved into a new, much larger house, and their circumstances improved significantly.”
A doctor from Qing’an Hall earned a modest salary of just two taels of silver a month, barely enough for daily expenses. How could he afford a large house?
“Money can make the impossible possible,” Ming Shu said, not too surprised after hearing about Yu Lian. “The person who bribed the doctor is likely the same one who bought the longevity lock.”
“This longevity lock was stolen by Yu Lian from Madam Peng, proving it was always in her possession. It makes sense that the kidnappers wouldn’t keep such a valuable item on an infant. If the lock was with Madam Peng, then Li Wan’er’s background was fabricated to enter the Lu family. The mysterious person obtained the lock in early March, likely around the time they discovered Lu San Niang’s questionable background.
In April, ‘Li Wan’er’ recovered and moved back to the Li family. In early June, she approached me for help. Yu Lian and Madam Peng were coerced into providing false testimony and then fled afterward.” Ming Shu spoke slowly, piecing everything together. The more she thought about it, the more she felt a chill. “This was no spur-of-the-moment plan but a scheme that started in March. Master, someone is deliberately setting this up, using me to send Li Wan’er back to the Lu family.”
But why?
Was it just because of Lu San Niang’s identity?
Ying Xun nodded. “This person must be very familiar with the Lu family to dig up a seventeen-year-old case and use it.”
“Could it be a scheme by someone within the Lu family?” Ming Shu speculated.
Otherwise, it didn’t make sense why someone would be so fixated on the Lu family, constantly investigating them.
“Possibly an enemy,” Ying Xun suggested.
“Although Lu Shangshu can be somewhat ambitious and opportunistic, he’s been in the officialdom for years and is quite smooth and tactful. I’ve never heard of him making any significant enemies,” Ming Shu said, holding her head in frustration. “Ugh, it’s so frustrating, I can’t figure it out.”
“If you can’t figure it out, don’t think about it for now. Take a break,” Ying Xun leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting to the small vendor by the locust tree.
The vendor was selling river lanterns, folded in the shape of lotus flowers in various colors, looking very beautiful.
“This year’s Ullambana Festival will be quite lively,” he said, trying to change the topic and give Ming Shu’s mind a break. “Are you planning to go?”
“Where? To Daxiang Temple?” Ming Shu asked.
“Yes. The court is placing great importance on it this year. The Ministry of Revenue has allocated substantial funds for the festival, and the Ministry of Works is overseeing the preparations along with Daxiang Temple. Plus, there will be three princes attending, so it should be quite a grand event,” Ying Xun said, adding, “This Ullambana Festival is making the Lu family shine.”
“The Lu family? Are you talking about Li Wan’er again?” Ming Shu asked with some irritation.
“Not her. I’m talking about Lu Zezhang,” Ying Xun replied.
The Ministry of Works was responsible for overseeing the festival preparations, and Lu Zezhang was the Minister of Works.