Chapter 3: 3

 In her last lifetime, Wei Cai Wei was the second young lady of the Embroidered Uniform Guard He qianhu family, she had an older sister who was ten years older than her,  her mother had died early, her father missed her mother so didn’t remarry, her older sister was like a mother, it was always her older sister who looked after her.

 

The year her older sister turned seventeen, her father He qianhu arranged an appropriate marriage--- also an Embroidered Uniform Guard qianhu, Chen qianhu’s eldest son Chen dailang1. 

 

A close comrade, they knew everything about each other, this was a marriage of where water flows, a canal is formed.

 

The year of this betrothal, it was the twenty-ninth year of emperor Jiajing, 1550.

 

August fourteenth of that year, when the people of Beijing were preparing for the Mid-autumn festival the following day, the Mongolian Tumed2 leader An Da Han suddenly invaded the great Ming with eighty thousand armoured horses, the entire way they were almost unhindered, they fought their way to the capital city Beijing of great Ming. 

 

The great Ming, ever since the Tumu crisis with the Mongolians, had not been at war for over a hundred years.

 

Peace had lasted for so long, people already didn’t know what war was, Beijing’s defence was feeble, it only had forty thousand imperial guards defending the city--- most were old, weak, disabled and were on the payroll in name only.

 

Soldiers at the city walls, imperial guards couldn’t fight, troops to arrive from all areas to aid Beijing would need time, under emperor Jia Jing’s acquiescence, the cabinet grand secretary Yan Song ordered to close the gates and not fight, no matter how the Mongolian army killed and looted outside Beijing, and said “An Da Han will withdraw when he’s plundered enough.”

 

An Da Han plundered for half a month until emperor Jia Jing agreed to a trade deal with the Mongolians, the troops sent from all areas in assistance had arrived, An Da Han only then retreated.

 

In just half a month, outside the capital city, it was practically a scorched piece of earth, two million people and livestock were plundered, in history it became known as “1550 crisis”.

 

The year of the crisis, emperor Jiajing was viewed as a disgrace,  the cabinet grand secretary Yan Song shirked his responsibilities, he found some people to be made a scapegoat. Imprison those, behead these, exterminate the entire family.

 

Amongst them was her father He qianhu who “made a mistake in the intelligence, delayed military planning” as a reason, he was beheaded, family property confiscated, the two daughters sank to the level of official slaves and sold off.

 

Chen qianhu in remembrance of their camaraderie and marriage connections, he used fifty silvers to buy the two sisters, placing them in his countryside farm, saying they would be provided for their entire lives.

 

Official slaves were in the low class registry, low class cannot intermarry other classes. Older sister and Chen daiang’s marriage was naturally nullified.

 

Lodging under another person’s roof, her older sister had self-pride, she learned to be a peasant woman, raising chickens and weaving cloth, striving to provide for her and her sister with her own hands.

 

One day, her former fiancee Chen dalang came with rice, grains, oils and salts that the sisters needed, his young servant pulled Wei Cai Wei along by the hand to the market, only at night did they return. 

 

At that time Chen dalong had already left, older sister was crouching by the river washing the bedsheets.

 

Wei Cai Wei was only seven years old, she was ignorant and naive, she happily ran over: “Older sister, I brought you a lot of tasty food! There’s longan sweets, I didn’t sneakily eat any, I brought everything back!”

 

For a seven year old who hadn’t eaten sweets for half a year and could avoid the allure of sweets, it required a lot of self-control and love for her older sister.

 

Her older sister tightly held her, uttering: “I want...to leave, but if I leave, what would happen to you?”

 

Wei Cai Wei didn’t understand, she said: “Where my older sister goes, I will go.”

 

Older sister said: “You don’t understand, you’re still young, older sister needs to protect you.”

 

Afterwards, every time Chen dailang came to the farm, the young servant would take Wei Cai Wei out to play, until older sister suddenly gained weight, her stomach grew, Chen dailang then disappeared, but an old woman unexpectedly appeared at the house, monitoring the sisters day and night, not allowing to leave the house.

 

One day during the night, Wei Cai Wei was woken by her older sister’s miserable cries, she ran out barefooted calling for someone, “Help, my sister’s stomach hurts!”

 

The old woman closed the door, and scolded her, “Such a stupid girl, your older sister doesn’t know shame, seducing the eldest young master during her mourning period, now she’s giving birth.”

 

Wei Cai Wei pounced on the old woman head on, knocking her over, “You’re not allowed to scold my older sister! You’re the one who doesn’t know honour!”

 

“You hussy!” That old woman stood up, slapping her unconscious.

 

When Wei Cai Wei woke up to find her older sister, older sister was lying on the bed with her large stomach, the mattress was soaked through with blood, both her eyes were wide open, her body had turned cold.

 

Wei Cai Wei stood blankly like a puppet on the spot, hearing footsteps from outside, she immediately hid under the bed.

 

The old woman said: “Please look eldest young master, the hussy has already died, according to the agreement, one body two lives, the child can’t be born, in order to not taint the Chen family’s bloodline--- you ought to give me the remaining ten silvers.”

 

The fiancee Chen dailang’s voice came, “Good job, just say she died from tuberculosis. My family is just talking about marriage, if people knew a low official slave was pregnant with the Chen family’s flesh and blood it would be troublesome.”

 

The old woman said: “The younger hussy doesn’t know her place, eldest young master add a bit more money, I’ll force a muting drug down the young hussy’s throat, it’ll avoid future problems, just say because of her older sister’s death she cried herself mute, so the young hussy can’t talk rubbish in the future.”

 

“That’s fine.” Chen dailang said: “I had planned to eliminate that child as well today, but father said two people dying in one day, he feared outsiders would gossip, the child can be made mute, the bring her up for a few more years...she’ll become a beauty, she will definitely be prettier than her older sister in the future, let me enjoy her for a few years then deal with her.”

 

Chen dailang gave the money then left, the old woman left to buy the drugs, Wei Cai Wei crawled out from under the bed, taking her older sister’s jewellery box she wrapped it up carrying it on her back she snuck away.

 

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Extreme sorrow turns to joy as she fled down the road, she was saved by a benefactor, changing her surname, her surname was originally He, the word Wei disassembled, was He Nu Gui, He family’s female ghost, it was to commemorate her older sister’s terrible death. She had been violated by Chen dailang, and after her death she was burdened with the dishonour of climbing into his bed for benefits during the mourning period.

 

Cai Wei, came from the xiaoya division of the <Shijing>, “Here we are, picking the first fern-shoots and saying: When shall we get back to our country? Here we are because we have the Ken-nin for our foremen, we have no comfort because of these Mongols.”

 

The meaning was, I’m picking fern shoots, fern shoots have already ripened, but I can’t return home, because I must fight the enemy, there wasn’t even time to gasp for breath.

 

Wei Cai Wei hid her hatred in her name, reminding herself to seek revenge.

 

Seeking revenge in her first lifetime, the first person she killed was also Chen dailang, but at that time she didn’t have any experience, and was too emotional with grief, the first time she made a move it was full of flaws, she almost failed.

 

After she killed Chen dailang, in order to avoid being tracked down by Chen qianhu and the authorities, she became a palace maid candidate, entering the Forbidden City.

 

She knew medicine, very soon she was chosen by the the person in charge of the harem’s pharmacy, becoming a female doctor, and amongst those palace maids who entered the palace with her, there was one who was close to thirteen years old, an enthusiastic and optimistic young palace maid with the surname Shang who had a good relationship with her.

 

One day emperor Jia Jing was playing the qing,3 he hit the wrong note, everyone was so scared they didn’t even dare to breath, only the palace maid Shang laughed out loud in joy.

 

A lowly palace maid actually dared to openly mock the emperor. Everyone including Wei Cai Wei thought she was toast, but emperor Jia Jing actually promoted her to bed servant, from then on she was favoured, bestowed the title of Shou imperial concubine.

 

When a man achieves Dao, his poultry and dogs rise to the Heavens, Wei Cai Wei became the head maid in Shou imperial concubine’s Yunde palace, leaping to the position of a favourite person in the harem.

 

Emperor Jia Jing was almost sixty years old, but still played house that kind of childish game with Shou imperial concubine, he was addicted to Shou imperial concubine’s “children’s words carry no harm” and innocent young girl feeling, he fulfilled all of Shou imperial concubines requests.

 

So much so when Shou imperial concubine suddenly had the idea of playing with fireworks on the bed, emperor Jia Jing was already of an age, but still he went along with Shou imperial concubine’s crazy idea, lighting fireworks inside the bed curtains, in the end the entire Yunde palace was burnt down!

 

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Burning down a palace, emperor Jia Jing spoiled her even more, ordering all the officials who called the Shou imperial concubine a witch and a calamity to the country to be beaten, removed from their positions or demoted.

 

Wei Cai Wei didn’t forget about revenge, she needed to eliminate Chen qianhu, but the harem couldn’t get involved in politics, she needed to use someone.

 

In the harem, palace maids and court eunuchs could become husband and wife, called meal partners. High ranked maids were never lacking eunuchs wooing them, especially a popular person as Wei Cai Wei, they all wanted to fawn on the most favoured Shou imperial concubine through her, and try to show their face to emperor Jia Jing, so they could rapidly go up in the world.

 

Wei Cai Wei picked left and right, she chose Wang Dai Xia.

 

Wang Dai Xia was young, younger than her by three years, he had only been in the palace for a few years, he had no support, good to control, the groundworks needed to be laid by Wei Cai Wei, he was recommended to the emperor Jia Jing by Shou imperial concubine, from a nameless person in the palace he suddenly became a member of the emperor’s inner ministerial circle.

 

Let alone Wang Dai Xia’s attractiveness and intelligence, even facing him morning and night, Wei Cai Wei wasn’t sick of his face for the moment.

 

Everyone loves beauty. Wei Cai Wei was no different.

 

Wei Cai Wei could support him, but could also let him have nothing at all overnight.

 

Wang Dai Xia used Wei Cai Wei’s shortcut, each takes what they need, she helped him obtain the opportunity to serve the emperor, he helped her find out the truth for vengeance.

 

Wang Dai Xia kept his promise, he began investigating Chen qianhu, he was startled--- so this Chen qianhu, “made a mistake in the intelligence, delayed military planning”, part of a group of malfeasant high officials, working hand in glove with each other to conspire, deceiving He qianhu to bear all the wrongdoings alone, family bankrupt and the people dead.

 

Wang Dai Xia finally became Chief eunuch of Eastern Depot, authority over all levels of society, in order to avenge her entire family, all who pushed the He family into the abyss suffered the consequences of their own actions in the end, and was able to extraordinarily retire after achieving his goal, personally asking to be a garrison eunuch at Nanjing, far away from the capital city with Wei Cai Wei.

 

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They had thought when they each achieved their own goals they would go their separate ways, but they had married first then it became love, having faced all kinds of trials and hardships in the palace together, over the changing of three emperors, they helped each other from beginning to end, steadfast loyal, becoming a pair of happily married couple, they lived three years of peaceful and quiet life in Nanjing.

 

Unfortunately because Wang Dai Xia had done his utmost, he had previously tired poison and blocked blades for Wei Cai Wei, his body had been worn down, he was barely forty-seven years old when he died from illness.

 

Wang Dai Xia’s dying words were: “I know after revenge you wanted children the most, but in this lifetime my body is broken, I am incapable of making your wish come true. If only...in the next life.”

 

The moment the coffin closed Wei Cai Wei fainted, when she woke up, she found she was once again seventeen years old, doing the maths, her deceased husband would castrate himself this year.

 

She decided to find him, then stop him from castrating himself: she’ll seek revenge herself, you should keep your root.

 

She rented a house, happily moving into her new home with Wang Dai Xia’s memorial tablet as the neighbour of the Wang family, the pavilion closest to the water enjoys moonlight first, she looked forward to reuniting with her dead husband’s younger self.

 

In her previous lifetime, she didn’t know the place or people, when she returned to the capital city for revenge, she only tailed Chen dailang, she spent a lot of time figuring out his schedule, with the enemy in front of her, she was emotional, Chen dailang almost escaped from her carefully planned inescapable net.

 

In a flurry as well as anger, she stabbed Chen dailang twenty-nine times, each stab was not fatal, Chen dailang didn’t actually die, and wanted to cry out loud for help, fortunately he choked on the fresh blood, he was unable to make a sound.

 

She simply discarded the knife, picking up a stone with both hands she smashed his face, only then did he stop breathing, and she was covered in blood, she almost couldn’t get away.

 

The first time she was new to it, second time she was familiar with it, in this lifetime she once again killed her older sister’s husband Chen dailang, she struck directly, last lifetime she had figured out Chen dailang would sneak out from the study in his residence at nightfall, to find pleasure outside, she disguised herself as a prostitute, deliberately bumping into his embrace on the sidewalk, luring him under a large willow tree by the river bank.

 

“Here? So young lady likes to be in the open, very to my taste.”

 

While Chen dailang was removing his clothes in haste, she cut his throat, squeaky clean, not wasting any words--- last lifetime she had spoken too much, alerting Chen dailang to break into a run, she gave chase stabbing him twenty-eight times.

 

She had successfully eliminated the first person that caused her older sister’s death, Chen dailang died with a remaining grievance.

 

Wei Cai Wei speedily changed, once again becoming a young widow wandering doctor, buying a hundred ritual money made of paper, she tossed the muslin prostitute dress stained with blood with the paper money burning them to ash, the knife used to slit his throat was thrown into the vast mist covered waters of Shichachai4, leaving no trace behind.

 

Perfect.

 

Afterwards, Wei Cai Wei returned home, coming across manager Chen at Tianshui lane, the two of them ate wonton, while they ate they waited for Wang Dai Xia to return home. 

 

Finally I waited for you!

 

Even if this fourteen years old youngster was bossy and domineering, his gaze immodest, but being reunited again at this moment Wei Cai Wei was so happy that her entire soul shook.

 

Due to respect, she didn’t dare to stare at him, but her heart was filled with him, so much that she couldn’t continue eating that bowl of three fresh ingredients wontons.

 

Wang Dai Xia’s heart had nothing but greed, he focused on eating, a bowl of wontons entered his stomach, he cupped his hands to thank Wei Cai Wei, “Thank you for the treat doctor Wei, when doctor Wei moves into a new home, you must tell me--- if I have a headache or fever, I’ll send someone to request doctor Wei to treat me.”

 

His meaning was I ate the wontons, but you should still move out, a bowl of wontons won’t change my mind.

 

Manager Chen wasn’t as heartless as Wang Dai Xia, he was still immersed in the horror of the throat slitting incident, having heard what was said he hurriedly interrupted: “Doctor Wei is a highly skilled gynecologist, she only treats women.”

 

Wang Dai Xia sighed: “Aiya, it’s my bad luck, in my next life, I wish to be reincarnated into a woman, then I can be a patient of doctor Wei.”

 

Manager Chen had goosebumps all over hearing this! He really was a bast**d, he even mocks a widow!

 

Wei Cai Wei however said: “Actually...I also treat men, to a medical practitioner, there’s only patients, there’s no men or women, but to patients, there is a difference between male and female doctors. Most men don’t trust the medical expertise of a female doctor, second young master Wang can break such prejudice, choosing to trust me, I’m very touched.”

 

Manager Chen rushed to say: “How is Wang Ya Nei trusting you, he---”

 

“Manager Chen has a lot to say tonight.” Wang Dai Xia interrupted, the palm of his hand patted his shoulder, and gave him a warning glance.

 

Manager Chen was afraid of being beaten, swallowing down the sentence “he only wants to tease you, a beautiful young widow”.

 

Wang Dai Xia continued to woo the beauty, “I’m breaking prejudice, doctor Wei should do the same. Did manager Chen say I am a Ya Nei who has no good points? Doctor Wei is smart enough to recognise a hero, you can see my good.”

 

Wei Cai Wei said: “Second young master Wang is an unpolished jade, in the future you will become like King Zhuang of Chu5, once it cries, it will startle the world with a single cry.”

 

By all means he cannot get emotional like in his last lifetime, he went to the extreme, castrating himself! You can still have a bright future without castrating yourself.

 

I will help you.

 

 

 

1 First/Eldest son.↩

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumed↩

3 Chime stones, an ancient percussion instrument made of stone or jade pieces hung in a row and struck like a xylophone.↩

4 Scenic area of northwest Beijing with three lakes.↩

5 The Five Hegemons refers to several especially powerful rulers of Chinese states of the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history, sometimes alternatively referred to as the "Age of Hegemons".↩

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