Chapter 9

There was clearly nothing, but Chen Qianhu felt a pair of ironclad hands were firmly wrapped around his neck and was getting tighter.

Chen Qianhu scratched at his neck with all his might, his nails caused several wounds on his neck.

The subordinates hurriedly held his hands on the left and right side, lifting him up, finding the nearest medical clinic, kicking open the door, they dragged the doctor out from his home to treat Chen Qianhu.

The doctor saw Chen Qianhu was delirious, paralysed on one side of his body, his throat seemed restricted and someone said his only heir of the fifth generation had been murdered, at first he thought he had a stroke from the shock, he used three needles to pierce the nei guan, shui gou and shier jing, the three acupuncture points to let out blood.

After blood was let out, the doctor found the colour of the blood was wrong, it was black, indicating he was poisoned. 

Zhou xiaoqi who served Chen Qianhu in the yamen lowered his head in thought, “Ever since eldest young master was murdered, the lord has not eaten, no matter how I urged, he only drank a cup of tea in the Tianshui prefecture yamen! The poisoner must be one of the people at court!”

The embroidered uniform guards were so riled up by this they wanted to go back to the yamen to find the culprit, in the chaos, the doctor couldn’t tell what poison it was, he first used liquid medicine as an emetic, but Chen Qianhu was having difficulties breathing, his jaw was closed tightly, it simply couldn’t be poured in, the doctor used a piece of bamboo to pry open his mouth by force, he even broke two teeth, the medicine was poured in, Chen Qianhu had already taken his last breath.

When Chen Qianhu kicked the bucket, the third night period had been sounded, Chen Qianhu and Chen dailang, the father and son went to the Heavens on the same night.

The Chen residence which was handling funeral arrangements that very night were waiting for the head of the family to bring back the murderer to offer to Chen dailang, what they actually got was Chen Qianhu’s corpse.

The Chen family had been passed down by a single heir for five generations, Chen dailang had been killed, considering Chen Qianhu’s age, with a few healthy young concubines, he might have been able to get a second pregnancy, now even the Qianhu was dead, the Chen family’s bloodline had ended completely.

Chen Qianhu, father and son had died, the title of Qianhu of embroidered uniform guards was empty, the Chen clan fought over the hereditary title, they recommended their sons as Chen Qianhu’s adopted son in succession, inheriting the title by way of adoption.

When the father and son’s funeral came around, over ten members of the Chen clan fell over each other in their eagerness to carry the coffin, so much so they actually broke into a fight, the funeral became a farce, becoming a ridicule of the capital, of course, this only happened later.

Thus the Shuntian prefecture yamen quietened down after a storm, the witnesses went home with the travel passes given by mudfish Wang.

Wang Qianhu tied his wastrel Wa Ya Nei son into a dumpling and had stuffed his mouth, saying a few courteous words to mudfish Wang, he returned to Tianshui lane in Wanping county.

The yamen finally returned to serenity, the sound of the third night period rang outside, mudfish Wang said to the two private assistants: “You’ve worked hard today, go back home and rest, we’ll deal with anything tomorrow.”

Mudfish Wang got on his sedan chair, the sedan chair swayed, mudfish Wang dozed off inside, thinking about the only good thing being an official in the capital of Jia Jing’s reign, he could sleep in, there was no need to wake up at the fourth night period to go to morning court in the palace.

If it was during the first fifty years of the Great Ming, the former emperors were all energetic, morning court everyday wasn’t enough, there was also afternoon court, officials in the capital had to wake up at the fourth night period, regardless if there was a heatwave or the bitter winter, travel and work through night and day to rush to queue inside the palace.

Emperor Jia Jing was the best, from the fifteenth year of Jia Jing’s reign there was no need for court, for twenty or more years the officials in capital could get a good sleep—

“Lord!” 

Constable Wu escorting mudfish Wang back home on horseback came to report, “Embroidered uniform guards have returned!”

“Here we go again? Is there no end to this?” Mudfish Wang suddenly woke up.

The angered embroidered uniform guard Zhou xiaoqi came rushing at the official sedan chair on horseback, he had no intention of stopping, he wanted to kick the sedan chair door open to vent his anger.

However the yamen’s constable Wu wasn’t to be messed with, he had endured tonight when the embroidered uniform guards caused havoc at the yamen to steal the corpse, now a xiaoqi dared to collide with the magistrate, they honestly think we’re dead!

“Protect the magistrate!” Constable Wu controlled his horse, drawing out his sword to meet the enemy.

The bailiffs and embroidered uniform guards began to fight, mudfish Wang was a literary official, covering his head he hid in the sedan chair not daring to come out.

The northern city military on night patrol heard the disturbance, hastily ran over, seeing the deja vu scene.

Did the embroidered uniform guards contract rabies today? Biting whoever they saw?

The northern city military was already annoyed when they had come to blows with the embroidered uniform guards on Gulouxixie street, now seeing the embroidered uniform guards pushing down the bailiffs, Mu Baihu who had a good temperament couldn’t stand it either, shouting aloud: “You mad fools dare to beat up a third rank official in the northern city! Is there  law? Brothers, attack!”

The northern city military joined in, two versus one, instantly the circumstances reversed.

Zhou xiaoqi was dragged off his horse by constable Wu and Mu Baihu, Zhou xiaoqi’s face was stuck onto the green slabbed street, shouting loudly: “Our Qianhu was poisoned in the Shuntian prefecture yamen, he died from poisoning! The northern military and yamen’s bailiffs clearly collaborated! Killing the entire Chen Qianhu family!”

When they heard Chen Qianhu was dead, mudfish Wang who was pretending to be dead in the sedan chair finally opened his mouth, “You’re talking rubbish, it wasn’t me, I didn’t do it, it’s a serious matter to harm an official of the court, our yamen doesn’t have the power, the three judicial chief ministries of the Ministry of Justice, Justice of the Peace and the Censorate will jointly carry out a hearing!”

Mudfish Wang’s nickname was not in vain, he poured feces over the top of the embroidered uniform guards, his first reaction was to pass the buck, chucking the matter aside first.

Mu Baihu regretted helping him.

Constable Wu couldn’t put up with it anymore, reminding mudfish Wang in the sedan chair: “Magistrate, this mad fools are speaking off the cuff, slandering our yamen for poisoning Chen Qianhu with no rhyme or reason, and attacked the magistrate’s sedan chair in the middle of the night, now the northern city military has helped as suppress the mad fools, what should we do now?”

Mudfish Wang wanted to say to let them go, it’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble, but he had a second thought. If the mad dog Zhou xiaoqi ran to Commander Lu Bing of the embroidered uniform guards to report them, Shutian prefecture yamen would be in huge trouble.

He could only change his mind saying: “First take them back to the yamen and take their statements, this official needs to hurry to knock on the doors of Commander Lu Bing’s residence tonight, tell him of this incident.”

Wei Cai Wei had already put out the lights in the tavern and pretended to be asleep, she observed the Shuntian prefecture yamen, around third night period second part, the northern city military and Shuntian prefecture bailiffs escorted a group of embroidered uniform guards back, this group of people were swearing while they spoke, the one who cursed the most was Zhou xiaoqi who had arrested Wang Dai Xia last night.

In the still of the night, his curses were very cutting, Wei Cai Wei heard it very clearly: “My lord drank your yamen’s tea and died! Shutian prefecture and northern city military, none of you will be able to get away with it!”

“Don’t think just because our Qianhu has died, the embroidered uniform guards are weak! We still have Commander Lu Bing! You’ll suffer the consequences!”

Wei Cai Wei heard the cursing, it was as joyful as listening to heavenly music, I’ve succeeded!

The first three days of her rebirth, she had gotten rid of her two foes Chen Qianhu and Chen dailang! 

Father, older sister, I’ve avenged you!

Wei Cai Wei laid on the bed, it was hard to fall asleep, only when the sky was a little light at the fifth night period did she sleep.

Wei Cai Wei had thought she would wake up after a nap— in her last lifetime she was already fifty years old, she slept little and lightly.

However when she woke up, the sun was already high in the sky, it was already midday.

She woke up from hunger, her stomach rumbled in protest, if it wasn’t for hunger, she probably would have slept into the afternoon.

Wei Cai Wei rubbed her shrivelled belly, she was still slightly unused to her seventeen years old body, she was going through puberty, of course she could sleep and eat.

After oversleeping, while Wei Cai Wei washed her face and rinsed her mouth, she thought about her dead husband’s “brilliant” performance  from last night, she really wanted to personally castrate him then.

However she was now calm and thought, that damn eunuch was only currently fourteen years old, he was just like a weed that has just grown in spring, he hasn’t experienced any trials and hardships, Wang Qianhu had spoiled him into a maverick, grew up uncivilised.

The fourteen years old Wang Dai Xia, of course believed in a prostitute, he sold his mother’s dowry farm to help her from prostitution, and believed she would one day repay him!

Later, as the Chief eunuch of Eastern Depot Wang Dai Xia, apart from fearing his wife, he didn’t have any weak points, no soft spots, he was naturally suspicious, at a glance you could tell he was someone who had been heavily ravaged and beaten by society.

This year the Wang family will meet with great changes, Wang Dai Xia went to the extreme of castrating himself to enter the palace, Wei Cai Wei had never heard this Miss Ying Ying had repaid the money or offered a helping hand, and never heard the damn eunuch mention he had saved a prostitute during his frivolous youth during his lifetime.

It was very clear, Wang Dai Xia’s innocence was exploited by Miss Ying Ying.

Thinking about this, Wei Cai Wei’s anger subsided a bit, so much so she felt pity for the dead eunuch.

This lifetime, I’ll be the one to protect your reckless and bright smile, I know what kind of disaster the Wang family will face in the future, I’ll deal with the disaster before it happens.

Only, she needed to first establish a relationship with Wang Dai Xia. Starting as friends.

Wei Cai Wei went down to the tavern to eat, most of the diners were talking about the overnight murder case of embroidered uniform guard Chen Qianhu and his son, it shocked all levels of society, Shuntian prefecture magistrate mudfish Wang had presented a petition about this to the emperor early this morning, emperor Jia Jing personally read it, he told the embroidered uniform guards to oversee this case.

Inside the restaurant, stuck everywhere was reminders to “not speak of politics”, but under the Son of Heaven, almost everyone thought they understood politics, everything was a great conspiracy, spit flying everywhere, with methodology:

“An official of the court father and son were killed, the three ministries, Ministry of Justice, Justice of the Peace and the Censorate will be jointly dealing with this case, the emperor however wants the embroidered uniform guards to investigate, it’s become an imperial case, I don’t think it’s as simple as finding a culprit.”

“I think the emperor wants to make a move against some of the cabinet ministers, he doesn’t have information against them, using the murder cases, he can conveniently frame them…”

“I don’t so, the emperor has not had court for over twenty years, he’s only looking for a pretext to show off his power as a warning, he wants the officials to listen, they can’t neglect politics just because there’s no court, this land will always be the emperor’s.”

Wei Cai Wei silently ate, paying for the room and meal, she put on her hat, putting down the piece of gauze to protect against the willow catkins, sticking the two flags “Miracle doctor”, “Divine gynecologist” to her tough silk bag, she put the bag on her back, putting the tiger palm as big as a fist around her thumb, spinning it.

Hualala sounded out on the street of the Shutian prefecture yamen, the capital was bustling, humanity at its peak, when Wei Cai Wei arrived at Guloudong street, someone asked her to see a patient.

Wei Cai Wei stopped and started like this, no different from any other wandering doctor, there weren’t any problems. 

In an afternoon she saw two women who had not been able to fall pregnant after three years of marriage, a girl with irregular periods, a young woman with hives on her body, and a woman with a huge belly asking if she can deliver babies.

Wei Cai Wei nodded, “I live in the T shaped house on Tianshui lane at Wanping county’s Gulouxiexi street, but these few days I’ll be moving, I’ll tell my neighbours my new address, they’ll pass it on— don’t worry, it should be close to Tianshui lane, it’ll be easy to find.”

Wei Cai Wei still needed to become friends with her dead husband’s young self, rabbits needed to eat and nest near grass, the closer she lived the easier she “ate”.

At dusk, Wei Cai Wei returned to Tianshui lane, beside the sweet water well not far from the entrance, manager Chen sat at the well platform eating watermelon, seeing her from afar, he hurriedly put down the half-eaten watermelon to run over, a key in his hand: “Doctor Wei! I’ve finally waited for you to return! I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to get in.”

Manager Chen offered the key to Wei Cai Wei with both hands, “Second young master Wang gave the key to me to pass onto you, he said considering you called out last night and saved him from being hit by an arrow, you can stay in this house, he hopes you’ll cherish it, after all the furniture inside were his mother’s dowry.”

Money can make someone change their tone.

Yesterday he kept on calling him Wang Ya Nei, today it was second young master Wang, manager Chen was a businessman, five silvers in management fees finally reached his hands, he had earned a large sum of money for marriage, he immediately forgot how Wang Da Xia had beaten him up.

This was beyond Wei Cai Wei’s expectations, she didn’t think such a surprise would be waiting for her, taking the key, she asked: “Where’s Wang Da Xia? Let’s have a meal, the three of us tonight, my treat.”

Manager Chen pointed at the high walls of the Wang residence saying: “Young master Wang wanted to thank you personally, but he has been confined by Wang Qianhu, he can’t come out, that’s why he gave me the key. He even ordered me to wait at the door for you to come back, so that you can’t come home like yesterday after paying rent, I’m really sorry.”

Wei Cai Wei’s heart warmed hearing this, her tiredness completely disappeared.

It seems her damn husband wasn’t completely unreasonable.

His dandy self, can still be saved?