Chapter 143

Dai Li froze. Her son's tone was much more solemn than usual; Zhou Zhou rarely spoke to her like this.

Along with her curiosity, a sudden, inexplicable sense of unease crept into her heart.

Dai Li didn't agree immediately. Instead, she raised a hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. After a brief moment of thought, she asked with a smile, "What is it that has made you so serious? Let me state beforehand, if it's something major, I can't just agree to it right away."

Qin Yanzhou lowered his eyes. "Mom, I heard that on our journey south, we will lose the other imperial edict due to a bandit attack."

Dai Li wasn't surprised that he knew about this; there were simply too many channels of information. Qin Changgeng himself was one, Nalan Zhi, who was Zhou Zhou's master, was another, not to mention the gossip among the military officers.

"Yes, that's the plan," Dai Li nodded.

"They say there really is a group of bandits in the Yan and Ji provinces, it's not a fabrication," Qin Yanzhou finished the rest in one breath. "After encountering the mountain bandits, there will inevitably be an operation to eradicate them. Mom, I want to join the soldiers in the troops to wipe out the bandits."

Dai Li's heart suddenly trembled. The words "wipe out the bandits" seemed to be infinitely magnified, echoing so loudly that her mind went blank for a moment.

And after that blankness, she seemed to envision a scene of flashing swords, glinting steel, and flying blood and flesh.

"No!" Dai Li refused immediately. "The mountain bandits are familiar with the terrain. They know exactly where every ravine and steep slope is. It's too dangerous!"

"The three hundred soldiers of the Qin clan are all elites. In terms of skill, they outmatch those outlaws by an unknown measure; the enemy only has a geographical advantage at best. But I figure that before launching an attack, scouts will definitely be sent out to assess the situation, so their geographical advantage isn't actually that absolute," Qin Yanzhou stated firmly.

As he continued, his tone softened slightly. "Mom, the Qin clan has helped me a lot along the way, and I remember all of it. Now, it's just a small bandit suppression operation. If the other soldiers can go, why can't I? I am just like them."

"It's not the same!" Dai Li stared fixedly at the young man in front of her, repeating, "Zhou Zhou, you are not like them. Whatever we owe the Qin clan, whatever we owe Qin Changgeng, I can pay it back—with grain or anything else. There's no need for you to risk your life."

"But Mom, I've grown up. I can be your backing now. I shouldn't and cannot continue hiding behind you like a coward." Qin Yanzhou twitched the corners of his mouth, revealing a forced smile.

Dai Li lowered her eyelashes, her gaze falling on his heavily scarred hands. Her eyes grew hot. "Zhou Zhou, making a name for yourself, going down in history... those are not what Mom expects of you. You've suffered enough in the past ten years. I just want my son to be healthy, safe, and happy from now on. Nothing else matters."

In the era of cold weapons, there were no antibiotics. Once an infection occurred, it basically meant having one foot in the grave.

If a wound wasn't cleaned properly, localized tissue necrosis could occur, and in more severe cases, amputation wasn't impossible.

Noticing her gaze, Qin Yanzhou subconsciously hid his hands in his sleeves and said with feigned lightness, "You have more than one son now. If Qin Qinian can go, I want to go too."

Dai Li's tears were dried up by her anger at him. She turned her head away. "No. In short, I do not agree to you going to the front lines."

"Mom..."

A gentle tug came from her sleeve, and this single action instantly dragged Dai Li back to the past.

For Qin Yanzhou, the events of the modern world were ten years ago and had become very distant. But for Dai Li, it wasn't so. Those scenes were just over a year ago, and the figure of that little boy had not yet faded away.

In the past, whenever her son had a request—whether he wanted to buy an extracurricular book, eat a certain snack, or go to the old professor's house next door to pet the dog—he would gently pull on the corner of her clothes and look at her with eager eyes.

This trick worked very well; it was almost foolproof.

Dai Li's eyelashes fluttered slightly. She didn't turn her head, trying hard to restrain herself from looking and from softening her heart. "No means no. There is no room for discussion on this!"

As soon as she finished speaking, her sleeve was gently tugged again.

"Mom, I have martial arts skills. I managed to survive perfectly fine fighting alone in the past. Now that I have three hundred comrades by my side, for what is merely an insignificant bandit suppression, how could anything go wrong? Please believe in me."

These words were spoken very solemnly. Even though Dai Li didn't turn her head, she could imagine the seriousness on her son's face.

Dai Li put her hands behind her back, withdrawing the corner of her clothes that was being tugged, and only then did she look back at Qin Yanzhou. "Zhou Zhou, the medical care in this era is very primitive. The weapons used by those bandits are unclean, and it's hard to guarantee they aren't covered in dangerous bacteria. What if you get hurt somewhere and end up dying from an infection, or lose an arm or a leg..."

The tears she had just barely held back filled her eyes once again. Dai Li grew more emotional as she spoke. "I finally found you. If... if something like that really happens, it means I would lose my son again in less than a year. Have you ever thought about how I would feel? What would you have Mom do then?"

Qin Yanzhou was stunned by her tearful eyes. He opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word.

Dai Li's expression suddenly shifted, revealing a hint of fierceness. "Did Qin Changgeng put you up to this? Did he give you some kind of hint? Is that why you want to join the army?!"

"No," Qin Yanzhou shook his head.

Dai Li wanted to say more, but she saw the young man in front of her, who had already grown much taller than her, suddenly lift his robes and kneel down.

Her dark pupils abruptly contracted.

"I've had the thought of joining the army for a long time, even before you married him." The young man looked up at Dai Li, his height completely reverting to what it was ten years ago.

There was pleading in his eyes. "I want you to be proud of me. I want those ignorant outsiders to know that you have more to rely on than just the Marquis of Wu'an, and I want to prove that I am not useless. A lifetime is so long; I cannot spend it living incompetently under your protection forever. That is not what I desire..."

With that, he bent his spine, and his forehead heavily struck the ground.

Dai Li felt as if she had been bitten by a snake, stumbling back a step unsteadily. And that venomous snake that bit her slyly slithered into her head, roaming wildly inside, giving her a splitting headache. "Qin Yanzhou, get up!"

Qin Yanzhou merely lifted his head, but did not rise.

Dai Li heard footsteps outside the corridor; it must be the others returning after having their evening meal.

Dai Li cast a tearful glance at her son, who was still kneeling on the floor, before silently opening the door and leaving.

Only when Dai Li's footsteps faded away did Qin Yanzhou rise from the ground. This was his guest room. Now that dinner was over, he could normally stay in his room for the rest of the evening.

However, Qin Yanzhou went out.

The entire third floor consisted of guest rooms for the people of the Northern Lands. Qin Yanzhou had just stepped out and barely walked a few steps when he saw Shi Rongyue turning the corner from the stairs.

The two walked toward each other.

"Brother Chongle," Shi Rongyue smiled and greeted Qin Yanzhou.

Ever since Dai Li and Qin Shaozong had married, she had dropped her previous address of "Young Master Qin" and started calling him Brother Chongle.

Qin Yanzhou stopped in his tracks. "Rongrong, I have a favor to ask of you."

The young girl's light brown, round eyes blinked, a bright gleam rising from the depths of her gaze. "No problem!"

Qin Yanzhou was slightly taken aback. "I haven't even told you what it is yet."

Shi Rongyue realized this belatedly. Her gaze drifted to the side in a guilty conscience, while she reached out a slender finger to gently scratch her cheek. "I... I just think that since it's a rare occasion for Brother Chongle to ask me for a favor, given our friendship, I absolutely cannot refuse. So just tell me what it is."

Qin Yanzhou shook his head. "This matter is of great importance, and you must consider it seriously. This is not the place to talk. Come with me."

Qin Yanzhou originally wanted to take Shi Rongyue downstairs to the courtyard of the inn. This inn was designed in a square shape, with the guest rooms on all sides facing outward. Looking down from the current corridor, one could see the central courtyard below.

He had good eyesight and saw a few imperial soldiers chatting idly down there.

The young man stopped in his tracks.

"Brother Chongle?" Shi Rongyue was confused.

Qin Yanzhou turned to look at her. "There are quite a few imperial people in the courtyard below, so it is inconvenient to talk. Rongrong, would you mind coming to my room?"

Shi Rongyue hurriedly shook her head. "I don't mind."

Qin Yanzhou nodded and walked back. In a place he couldn't see, the young girl behind him couldn't help but reveal a big smile, and then happily followed him.

Several rooms in a row on the third floor were the highest-grade guest rooms, and their layouts were exactly the same. But after coming in, Shi Rongyue still couldn't help but secretly look around.

Before dinner, the owner of the room must have stayed in the room briefly, as some traces could be seen left inside.

A sheathed long sword was placed on the desk; his clothes box was placed at the end of the bed, and a dark blue robe was folded a few times into a rough square before being placed on top.

Shi Rongyue had two full brothers, and she had been to their rooms before. The only feeling she had then was that it was a mess, and she despised their inability to take care of themselves without servants.

She withdrew her gaze and curled her lips slightly in an imperceptible manner.

Since the visitor was a guest, Qin Yanzhou used a fire starter to ignite the small stove, heating the warm water inside slightly for later tea brewing.

Shi Rongyue sat down opposite the desk, placed her hands on her knees, kept her back straight, and said very seriously, "Brother Chongle, generally speaking, I would directly agree to you. But if it really is as you said before that 'this matter is of great importance' and requires a great deal of effort from me, I will still agree to you, but after it is done, please do me a small favor, brother."

The water soon boiled, and the teapot steamed with heat. Qin Yanzhou took a handful of tea leaves and put them into the clay bowl. The tightly furled tea leaves slowly unfurled in the hot water, tinting the water with the color of tea.

Through the rising hot mist, the young man's handsome features seemed to be coated with a layer of soft water color, making him less aloof than usual, like ice and snow melting and spring returning to the earth.

As if sensing her gaze, or perhaps intending to ask her anyway, he looked up. His eyes were like black agate soaked in a mountain spring, dark and shiny, with their brilliance restrained in the fading twilight of the dusk.

Shi Rongyue's hands on her knees subconsciously tightened, crumpling her dress.

He asked, "What favor?"

Shi Rongyue stuttered a bit, "I... I just want to keep a puppy. That time we went to the market and passed by a stall selling dogs, I saw you, Brother Chongle, glancing at it several times, so I guessed that you must know how to pick a puppy. So I want you to help me pick one after we return to Yuyang."

As she spoke, Shi Rongyue swayed slightly from side to side in delight, and her stray lock of hair swayed with the little girl's movements. "Oh, right, I want a white dog, preferably with dark eyes, as beautiful as jade."

Qin Yanzhou fell silent for a moment.

"I actually don't know much about picking, but I can ask others."

"That's my only request, nothing else. Brother Chongle, what do you want to ask of me?"

The two voices overlapped, one slow and the other fast. The former was hoarse with hesitation, and the latter was soft and full of vitality.

The tea water boiled. Qin Yanzhou took a cup and poured tea, first for Shi Rongyue, and then said, "In a while, there will be a bandit suppression operation. I want to join the other soldiers in eliminating the harm for the people, but my mother is worried that I might get hurt and won't let me go into battle. Rongrong, you ride in the same carriage with my mother during the day, and she mentioned to me before that she gets along quite well with you, so I want to ask you to try and persuade her."

Shi Rongyue held the teacup in both hands, her mouth slightly open in surprise.

Seeing her completely stunned, Qin Yanzhou lowered his eyes. "Is it very difficult? If..."

"Did Second Aunt really tell you that she feels a connection with me?" Shi Rongyue's eyes were bright, as if an invisible tail was wagging behind her. "That's wonderful!"

This time it was Qin Yanzhou's turn to be stunned.

Realizing that she was being too expressive, Shi Rongyue coughed lightly. "No problem, I will talk to her. But I can't guarantee the result."

Her voice lowered towards the end, because Shi Rongyue had realized by now that perhaps he had already mentioned this matter to Dai Li beforehand, but failed, which was why he resorted to a roundabout tactic.

"That is natural. No matter the result, I will give you a little white dog after we return to Yuyang," Qin Yanzhou promised.

Shi Rongyue suddenly raised her hands to cover her face.

"Rongrong?" Qin Yanzhou was confused.

The little girl's hands moved down a little, revealing only a pair of big eyes smiling like crescents. "It's nothing, I'm just so happy, hehe."

Qin Yanzhou instructed further, "The matter regarding the bandits must not be known to the imperial people."

Shi Rongyue nodded profusely. "I understand."

*

Shi Rongyue walked out of Qin Yanzhou's room with brisk steps. Before she could unabashedly reveal a smile, she suddenly saw Qin Shaozong approaching from not far away.

The two were not far apart, only a few steps away.

Shi Rongyue was caught right as she came out, and even her expression was completely seen by Qin Shaozong.

The little girl stiffened and hurriedly put on a serious face. "Second Uncle."

Qin Shaozong's gaze glanced at the tightly closed door behind her, and he said meaningfully, "What happy event has made Rongrong so delighted?"

Shi Rongyue kept her eyes lowered and said, "It's my first time traveling far from home, so it's very novel."

Qin Shaozong chuckled softly but said nothing else, passing by her and heading straight to his room.

Shi Rongyue turned slightly to steal a glance at the tall figure walking away, doubt in her eyes.

Was it her illusion? She felt that Second Uncle seemed to be in a quite good mood.

...

"Creak." The door was pushed open.

The last ray of twilight had faded just now. There were no lights in the room, and the tide-like dimness stretched endlessly, inexplicably giving rise to a sense of oppression.

Qin Shaozong swept his gaze and accurately caught the beautiful silhouette from the dark tide.

She stood by the window, facing outward with her back to the inside, her expression unseen.

"Why hasn't my wife lit the lamps?" Qin Shaozong took out a fire starter and lit the lamps in the room one by one.

As the firelight grew brighter, the room was filled with warm brightness, and her emerald cross-collared dress lost a bit of its unapproachable solemnity.

However, when the woman by the window turned her head, the coldness that had just melted away once again covered her beautiful profile. "Qin Changgeng, would you lie to me?"

This voice was extremely gentle, carrying an indescribable dependence, like being coated in a circle of charming honey.

Qin Shaozong's footsteps stopped abruptly. For some inexplicable reason, his back subconsciously tensed up at this moment.