Chapter 142

To build a legacy.

These words undoubtedly held an immense allure for any ambitious man.

"I do," Qin Yanzhou said without hesitation.

It was not a lie; he truly wanted to.

In every possible aspect.

The past could not be chased, he could not return to the modern era, and reeking of blood, he was completely out of place in that beautiful time. It was better to focus on the future right in front of him.

The past ten years had certainly been arduous, but his martial arts skills were undeniable. He did not want to waste the sole harvest of those ten years, nor did he want others to refer to him simply as the son of the Marquis of Wu'an when speaking of him in the future.

Furthermore, in the eyes of outsiders who did not know the truth, his mother's marriage to the Marquis of Wu'an was seen as a lone orphan girl climbing the social ladder, lucky to marry into a wealthy family.

His mother indeed lacked a prominent family background and had no backing to rely on. But that was in the past. From now on, he could be her safe harbor, letting everyone know that even if the Marquis of Wu'an proved unreliable one day, he could still hold up the sky for his mother.

This legacy had to be built!

Qin Shaozong said lightly, "Having ambition is a good thing. But you must know that hiding in a cushy position at the rear of the army will not earn you much military merit."

The four great military merits of this era were: being the first to scale the enemy walls, breaking the enemy formation, slaying an enemy general, and capturing the enemy flag.

The danger level for each of these was extremely high, but high risk also meant high reward. Any one of those four merits was enough to equal over a decade of hard work in a rear-echelon idle post.

Qin Shaozong did not speak too explicitly, but with the previous mention of bandit suppression and the subsequent mention of idle posts, Qin Yanzhou understood. He cupped his hands again and said solemnly, "Father, your son requests to go to the front lines."

Qin Shaozong's tone was calm. "Shedding blood on the front lines builds merit quickly, but it is indeed not as safe as the rear. Although you are my son, once you are truly on the battlefield, I cannot possibly assign a squad of men to do nothing but protect you."

The Qin family had guarded the borders for generations. Not only Qin Shaozong himself, but his father, his grandfather, and even the currently seventeen-year-old Qin Qinian had all been to the battlefield and engaged in close combat with the Northern Kingdom.

Bleeding and getting injured were unavoidable.

"I understand." Qin Yanzhou's words still carried no hesitation. "Going into battle is to kill the enemy; one cannot put the cart before the horse."

The man sitting behind the desk imperceptibly curled his lips. In the dimming twilight, this slight smile vanished in a flash, making it hard to see clearly.

"Madam's Divorce Agreement is with you, isn't it?" Qin Shaozong suddenly said.

This remark had nothing to do with what they were just discussing. Qin Yanzhou froze, a hint of suspicion entering his gaze.

When the young man did not speak, Qin Shaozong tapped his fingertips lightly on the desk twice. "Most likely it is. Have you read that agreement, boy?"

He asked if he had read it, but his tone was just like the previous declarative sentence, without the slightest doubt.

He was certain that Qin Yanzhou had already read it.

"I have," Qin Yanzhou answered truthfully.

The agreement had three clauses in total, two of which were related to him, both being his mother's plans for his future.

Qin Shaozong gave an affirmative sound in response.

When she handed over this agreement, she must have solemnly instructed her son, and since it involved his mother, this boy could not possibly sit still.

"The third clause involves conflicts regarding children, and conflicts that cannot be mediated..." Qin Shaozong's fingertips tapped quickly on the desk a few times. "Qin the Second, if I were the one to take the initiative and propose sending you to the front lines, Madam would definitely turn the world upside down arguing with me."

"I will volunteer for battle, and I will speak to Mother about this myself." Qin Yanzhou understood his meaning.

Pausing for a moment, the young man added, "When I discuss it in detail with Mother, I will not mention you from beginning to end. Father, you only need to nod and agree at the very end."

Qin Shaozong chuckled. "You do have some wit about you. Alright, handle this matter as you see fit."

As they were about to set off for Chang'an, the matter of the fertilizer had to be expedited. Dai Li thought it over and finally overturned her previous plans, deciding to concentrate their efforts on a single district.

First, they would establish a base and make this area an experimental field. This would not only facilitate the subsequent transportation of fertilizer but also help with future comparisons.

After all, scattering fertilizer everywhere like a fairy scattering flowers would yield far less obvious results than targeted application. Having a model in the first year would mean that when the composting method was announced in the winter after the golden autumn, the farmers' enthusiasm would surely run high.

Dai Li was about to head south, so the subsequent fertilizer matters had to be handed over, and the person taking charge was Yan San.

The Yan clan had been personally supported by Qin Shaozong. As the current leader of the Yan clan, Yan San was not only efficient but also had relatively few conflicting interests.

Qin Shaozong had been very at ease entrusting the previous salt stone matter to him, and the same was true for the fertilizer issue now.

On this side, Dai Li completed the handover, while on the other side, Nianxia and Bipo had also packed the luggage for the journey south. Dai Li's various belongings alone filled three entire carriages.

Everything was ready, waiting only for tomorrow's departure.

In the main room of the primary courtyard.

"...What? Rongrong is also going south with us? This journey isn't very safe; it's inappropriate to bring her. What if she gets hurt? How will we explain it to Hongying?" Dai Li looked at Qin Shaozong in astonishment.

"Who told you it wasn't safe?" Qin Shaozong pulled her in front of him and flicked the golden hairpin on her head, watching the gold tassels sway back and forth. "Marching life is dull, and the ranks are filled with men, each with their own duties, so they probably won't have time to chat with you, Madam. But Shi Rongrong is different. She is a girl and doesn't have to work, so she can keep you entertained."

"I came to Yuyang just like that in the beginning, so why can't I leave the same way now?" Dai Li still felt it was inappropriate.

Putting herself in the other's shoes, if she were Qin Hongying, she wouldn't want her daughter to travel with the army either. Why give up a comfortable life to suffer with the troops, all just to keep someone entertained?

Qin Shaozong replied, "We didn't have the conditions back then, but it's different now. Besides, I've already spoken to Shi Rongrong about this beforehand, and she is very willing."

Dai Li choked on her words.

She truly hadn't expected the young girl to agree.

Qin Shaozong continued, "Madam, this trip south will be undertaken alongside Shen Tianming's group of imperial messengers, and I will initially accompany them under the banner of an escort. The escorting party shouldn't look too formidable, or it will definitely arouse their suspicion. If those people send a letter to Chang'an, when the incident in Chang'an occurs, it will be inevitable that someone in the imperial court will connect it to the North. Whether or not they receive a hint to seek the true culprit makes a world of difference."

Bringing a niece along with several carriages of a lady's luggage gave a very different impression than having Madam travel light with barely any baggage, accompanied instead by thousands of armored cavalry.

The former looked like going to the capital to receive a title while enjoying the scenery along the way; the latter looked exactly like marching to war.

But the destination was Chang'an; against whom could they be rebelling?

Dai Li furrowed her brows, then relaxed them, repeating this several times. "I'll go write a letter to Hongying."

Qin Shaozong let the golden tassels slip from his palm, smiling without saying a word.

The ink-black color of the sky faded from dark to light, until finally, a sliver of pale white dawned on the horizon.

The night passed in the blink of an eye.

As they were to depart today, Shen Tianming and his party woke up the moment the first rays of morning light touched the earth.

They got up, had breakfast, and tidied up a bit.

Fully equipped and ready to go.

As a result, when they had everything ready and sent someone to ask when they would set off, the reply they received was—

"What? The Marquis's Madam hasn't gotten out of bed yet?" Guo Nai was dumbfounded.

"She is still not up?" Shen Tianming turned his head to look at the sundial, his expression turning rather ugly. "It is already the beginning of the hour of Chen, how is she still not awake?"

The imperial soldier looked miserable. "That is indeed what the maidservant said. She said her mistress always wakes at the end of the hour of Chen every day, so it is still quite early right now."

"How can today be the same as any other day?" Shen Tianming said in dissatisfaction. "There are priorities. Today is the day of departure, how can she be so negligent?"

Seeing the soldier hesitating to speak, Guo Nai said, "If you have something to say, just say it."

The soldier swallowed hard. "General Shen, Attendant Guo, the Marquis of Wuan was right there in the room. He said that this trip to Chang'an is to receive a title, not to rush to reincarnate, so what is the hurry."

Shen Tianming: ...

Guo Nai: ...

Shen Tianming's face twisted, and he finally squeezed out two words: "How arrogant."

Guo Nai signaled for the soldier to step down. "The Marquis of Wuan has always been arrogant, so it is not surprising that he would say such a thing. Forget it, there is no need to argue with him over such trivial matters. Let us just wait. It is a good thing that he is willing to let his wife and children depart at all."

This wait lasted until nearly noon.

A convoy of carriages finally slowly emerged from the Marquis's estate. Qin Shaozong, riding his horse Red Dragon, rode parallel at the front with Shen Tianming, the General of Agile Cavalry.

"General Shen is indeed fit to be a commander; your patience is much better than those lowly soldiers," Qin Shaozong said with a smile.

Shen Tianming's mouth twitched.

The soldier only dared to rush them because he was ordered to do so by him, right? This man surnamed Qin was insulting him in a roundabout way.

Shen Tianming smiled without the smile reaching his eyes. "Actually, departing earlier means your esteemed wife could receive His Majesty's reward sooner, which is not a bad thing. You should know that the number of living titled ladies in the court today can be counted on one hand."

Women in the imperial family or the wives and daughters of important ministers could hold the title of a Lady. For example, Empress Dowager Wang was titled Lady Xiangyu.

Once titled, they would have their own fiefdom, and the recipient would enjoy rights such as taxation and conscription within their territory. It could be said that they were like a minor feudal lord.

Of course, the title of Lady was not bestowed casually. It depended not only on the husband's status and identity but also on the woman's own abilities.

Shen Tianming was not lying; counting Dai Li, who had not yet been officially titled, there were only five living titled ladies in the current dynasty.

Because of this, this grace was clear and plain; at least in the eyes of the people, it was completely genuine.

Qin Shaozong and Shen Tianming rode side by side, chatting as they went.

After leaving Yuyang Commandery and traveling another twenty miles, Shen Tianming turned to Qin Shaozong and said, "Even if you escort someone for a thousand miles, there must eventually be a parting. My Lord Marquis, you may stop your escort here. Rest assured, I will definitely escort your esteemed wife and son to the capital without a single scratch."

Guo Nai chimed in from the side, "Even if the Marquis does not trust our twenty elite soldiers, you should at least have confidence in the three-hundred-strong guard detail you are leaving behind."

Qin Shaozong, however, replied, "The journey is long, over mountains and waters. A round trip will take at least several months. I finally managed to marry a wife, and we are deeply in love. A single day apart feels like three years. Escorting her a mere twenty miles is still too little."

Guo and Shen both choked on their words, their expressions turning strange.

A grown, manly man acting so overly affectionate in front of outsiders—what kind of propriety was this?

Did he not feel embarrassed?

"Furthermore, my niece is also traveling with my wife, so no matter how you look at it, twenty miles is still too short," Qin Shaozong said leisurely.

Guo and Shen were speechless.

And so, this escort lasted until dusk.

Two fine steeds pulled the carriage together. The horses were not only extremely sturdy but also an excellent breed from the North, boasting outstanding endurance and speed. Therefore, despite the slightly late departure, the group still arrived at a small county south of Yuyang before the curfew.

With a wave of his hand, Qin Shaozong directly booked several inns to settle the soldiers, and he had the renowned chef traveling with their entourage take over the inn's kitchen, putting on a grand display.

Shen Tianming and Guo Nai exchanged a glance.

It was also at this time that they finally saw Dai Li, who had remained hidden inside the carriage all along.

The beautiful woman dressed in mountain-green took off her veiled hat. The afterglow of the setting sun shone in from outside, completely enveloping her gorgeous face. She looked like a glowing pearl radiating a soft halo, indescribably captivating.

As the two men stared in a daze, they also felt a sudden flash of realization.

So that was it. No wonder the Marquis of Wuan was so reluctant to leave.

Dinner was served in the main hall. The inn was not as particular as noble households, so they did not use individual dining tables for each person.

Everyone sat around large tables, though men and women were separated.

Qin Shaozong and Guo Nai shared a table. Dai Li sat with Shi Rongyue, while Qin Yanzhou and Qin Qinian sat at another table.

After the meal, just as Dai Li put down her chopsticks, the young man at the next table also set his chopsticks down.

"Mother, I have something to discuss with you," Qin Yanzhou said in a low voice.

Dai Li's gaze swept over Guo Nai and the others not far away, and she stood up to head upstairs with Qin Yanzhou.

The second and third floors were entirely their rooms. At this moment, the stairs were empty, so Dai Li asked, "Zhou Zhou, what is it?"

Qin Yanzhou: "Mom, let's talk when we get back to the room."

Dai Li raised an eyebrow. "Being all mysterious and keeping me in suspense, are we?"

Once they reached the third floor and she followed her son into his room, before Dai Li could even ask, Qin Yanzhou said, "Mom, I want to beg you to promise me something."