Chapter 147

"Gently, you clumsy fool! I told you to be gentle, are you deaf?"

When Qin Shaozong arrived with his men, he heard Guo Nai roaring in anger.

The imperial court's envoy team consisted of only twenty men. Excluding the leaders Shen Tianming and Guo Nai, there were only eighteen. Such a small squad was made up of elite soldiers. Aside from the Palace Attendant Guo Nai, every one of them was robust and strong, striving to travel north at top speed to deliver the imperial decree.

With this setup, they obviously wouldn't bring along a frail military doctor. Besides, there was one town after another along the route; if anyone fell ill, they could seek local treatment.

Therefore, the Northern military doctors being yelled at were Ding Lianxi and his assistant.

Qin Shaozong said lightly, "Attendant Guo has such a strong voice, I suppose there is no serious harm. Cong Jian, Qiao Wangfei was also injured just now, go take a look at him."

Ding Lianxi had long since lost the desire to serve this man.

This imperial Palace Attendant surnamed Guo had poor martial arts skills but was first in throwing his weight around. While helping him bandage his severed arm, the man kept complaining and finding fault. If he was so capable, he shouldn't have come.

Now hearing Qin Shaozong speak, Ding Lianxi moved swiftly. With a sharp snap, he closed the wooden medicine box beside him, grabbed it, and walked away. He moved so fast that Guo Nai couldn't even react.

Qiao Wangfei had followed Qin Shaozong here. Seeing Ding Lianxi walking toward him, he looked completely bewildered.

He wasn't injured!

As if remembering something, Qiao Wangfei suddenly looked down at his own hand. During the battle earlier, he had deflected a scimitar. When the blade spun away, its tip had grazed the back of his hand.

It was insignificant, just a scrape that oozed a line of crimson. Later, he casually wiped his hand, and the bleeding stopped.

This must have been noticed by the Marquis when he cupped his hands to report just now.

It was just a minor flesh wound. If discovered any later, it would have already healed. How could he trouble Mr. Ding with this?

"Platoon Leader Qiao, you are so heavily injured, how can you move around on your own? Come, come, let me take you back for treatment." Ding Lianxi grabbed Qiao Wangfei's arm, half-dragging him away.

Qiao Wangfei: "..."

How could Guo Nai fail to see that Qin Shaozong was doing this on purpose? That military officer clearly had a ruddy complexion, how could he suddenly be severely injured? His eyes widened with fury. "Marquis of Wu'an, do you really think the sky above is surnamed 'Qin'?"

These words were too heavy and too sensitive, causing the surroundings to fall dead silent. No one dared to chime in.

Qin Shaozong suddenly chuckled softly. "Why is Attendant Guo so furious? You lost an arm to bandits during your mission to deliver the decree. When you return to Chang'an and His Majesty sees your unwavering dedication despite your disability, he will surely be deeply moved. He will likely promote you and reward you with fertile lands and beautiful maidens. Let alone losing one arm, even if you lost both, you wouldn't have to worry about the rest of your life. So, by all accounts, you should be thanking me. Why are you hurling insults instead of shedding tears of gratitude?"

Guo Nai nearly choked on a mouthful of blood.

He had lost an arm, and this man actually wanted him to thank him?

If this was a blessing, would he want it?!

He was so angry that his blood rushed up, and the severed arm that had just barely stopped bleeding began to seep crimson again.

Seeing the situation turning sour, Shen Tianming hurriedly advised, "Attendant Guo, please do not get angry, mind your wound. The ambush was unpredictable, it's all the fault of those blind bandits. Besides, what's done is done, why don't we..."

"Who says it was unpredictable!" Guo Nai's eyes were bloodshot as he glared fiercely at Qin Shaozong. "I heard it! Tonight's incident was clearly orchestrated by the North!"

Feng Feng and the others' expressions changed drastically.

"Attendant Guo, watch your words! You can eat whatever you want, but you cannot speak nonsense!"

"Exactly! Without proof or evidence, on what grounds do you claim the North did this? Assassinating an imperial official—do you have a death wish?"

Qin Shaozong's face also turned cold. Under the firelight, his brown eyes were as icy as the pupils of a large predatory beast. "Where did Attendant Guo hear this, and who was the one speaking?"

Intimidated by his imposing aura, Guo Nai was momentarily speechless.

"My Qin family has guarded the borders for generations. The number of casualties we've suffered to secure the peace of Great Yan's frontiers is countless. I never expected to be baselessly slandered in the end. Until this dirty water is washed clean and the truth of the matter is brought to light, I don't think there is any need to rush to the capital. General Shen, wouldn't you agree?" At the end of his speech, Qin Shaozong looked at Shen Tianming beside him.

Shen Tianming stiffened, but this matter indeed needed to be clarified. "Attendant Guo, this is no trivial matter. Please explain in detail."

"When those so-called bandits attacked just now, I heard them say things like 'The Marquis said to finish this quickly,' 'If caught, absolutely do not confess,' and 'Martyrdom.' The situation was chaotic then, so I couldn't remember every face of those who spoke, but I do remember one of them had a black mole on the left side of his mouth," Guo Nai recalled.

Qin Shaozong glanced at Feng Feng, who quickly left the ranks.

Mo Yanyun then said angrily, "This is utterly absurd. What is wrong with the Marquis saying to finish things quickly? Encountering such petty thieves disturbing our sleep in the middle of the night, if we don't finish it quickly, are we supposed to dawdle until dawn and let them enjoy tomorrow's sunrise before dealing with them?"

Shen Tianming's mouth twitched.

The words were crude but made sense; encountering such an event indeed required a swift resolution.

Guo Nai choked on his words, but immediately followed up, "Even if the first part makes sense, what about the rest? Who knows if you did this on purpose? Otherwise, why has the Marquis of Wu'an been following us for so long after leaving Yuyang? His Majesty did not summon you to the capital for an audience, and entering the capital without an imperial edict is tantamount to rebellion."

The last word dropped with particular weight.

Qin Shaozong said expressionlessly, "If I wanted to rebel, I could simply kill all of you right now, pin the blame on the bandits, and finally enter the capital to personally report to His Majesty under the pretext that the imperial envoys were attacked and entirely wiped out."

The expressions of Shen and Guo changed drastically.

Guo Nai instantly lost most of his bravado. They had lost nearly half their men in the ambush and now only had a scattered ten or so left. In terms of numbers, they were not even a fraction of the opposing side.

"My Lord, the man with the black mole under his mouth that Attendant Guo just mentioned has been found," Feng Feng returned at this moment.

The surroundings quieted down as everyone looked at him.

Feng Feng's expression was grave. "However, this person is one of the slain enemies and is already dead."

*

Not long after Dai Li returned to the main tent, she heard the sounds of clashing weapons outside cease, turning instead into shouting that sounded like an argument. They seemed to be disputing something, but it didn't last long before the voices sank slowly, like a boat overturned by the tide.

Dai Li lay back on the soft couch, completely devoid of sleepiness.

One moment she thought of Qin Yanzhou's resolute face, and the next she thought of the blood splattered from nowhere on Qin Qinian's face. All sorts of complicated thoughts crowded her mind, making her completely unable to sleep.

Perhaps fifteen minutes passed, or perhaps a very long time. Hugging her quilt with her back facing the door flap, Dai Li heard the soft rustle of the curtain being lifted.

The newcomer moved very lightly. Dai Li heard the sound of a sash being untied, followed by the rustling of robes. He must have taken off his outer garment and set it aside.

Dai Li did not move.

The space beside her dipped.

Hot breath fell upon the back of her neck, somewhat like a large carnivore sniffing before a meal.

Before Dai Li could use the motion of rolling over to avoid it, a sturdy long arm reached over from behind. It clamped around her waist and pulled her back slightly, pressing her against his broad chest.

"Why is Madam not asleep yet?"

Dai Li was slightly taken aback, unsure of how he had managed to sense her mood. She was currently troubled by her stubborn, disobedient son, so she had no patience for the instigator lying behind her.

Dai Li said, "I am asleep. Do not bother me."

A low chuckle came from behind, and then Qin Shaozong took the initiative to bring up the events of the night. "Madam, Attendant Guo lost an arm and is claiming that this whole affair was directed and staged by our Northern Territory."

Surprised, Dai Li could not help but blurt out, "Have you not even started yet?"

Qin Changgeng indeed wanted to stage a scenario where the imperial edict was lost, but that was something planned for later, when they reached the border of Yan and Ji provinces. After all, the dust explosion in Chang'an required time to set up, and extending the timeline was also necessary to avoid suspicion.

Qin Shaozong replied, "Indeed, I have not started. Someone else acted ahead of time, wanting to muddy the waters."

Dai Li rolled over in his arms to lie flat on her back. "Did you capture any alive? Were you able to interrogate them to find out who is behind this?"

"We caught five alive, but strangely, they all withstood the interrogation without confessing. They insisted they were just commoners who could no longer make a living and were forced into banditry." Qin Shaozong's gaze was heavy. "And then, all five of them died from poison."

Dai Li was stunned. "Did they know beforehand that the poison would act up? Otherwise, why would they all refuse to confess so fiercely?"

Qin Shaozong said calmly, "Most likely."

"How did Attendant Guo react when he found out?" Dai Li asked.

Qin Shaozong answered, "He lost an arm, so naturally he harbors extreme hatred in his heart. After all, with his appearance marred, he will never be allowed to serve by the young emperor's side again. His official career is effectively over for the rest of his life. But so what if he hates it? The imperial court's envoy only has a few scattered men left. As the saying goes, a person standing under someone else's roof has no choice but to bow their head. No matter how dissatisfied he is, he has to swallow it."

Hearing his last remark, Dai Li's brow twitched. She suspected that this man had likely spoken some arrogant words to them.

Qin Shaozong continued, "Half of the 'bandits' escaped, and they might mount a comeback later to kill more people from the imperial court."

If at first he only had a mindset of watching a good show, feeling that Shen, Guo, and the others were simply unlucky, how could he not know that the other party was specifically targeting the imperial court's troops after the captives all died at the same time?

Dai Li pondered, "Let them stay in the center of the formation from now on. Do not place them on the edges."

Qin Shaozong gave a murmur of agreement and pulled Dai Li, who was facing the ceiling, over so that she was face-to-face with him.

The two were very close, their noses almost touching, their exhaled breaths intertwining. "I heard from the others that the kid, Qin the Second, performed quite well tonight. Furthermore, when he came back earlier, his clothes were neat, so he likely was not injured. After this experience, Madam should finally be able to rest a little easier."

"Rest easier about what?" Dai Li reached out and pressed her hands against his chest, trying to push him away. "Tonight we had the advantage of numbers. The enemy was weak and we were strong; it was a favorable situation and we had good luck. But who can guarantee that every time in the future will be just like tonight?"

"Qin the Second is quite stubborn in his bones," Qin Shaozong said.

The subtext was that Qin Yanzhou would not give up.

Dai Li was already worried sick. She knew these things well enough, but she did not appreciate someone else repeating them to her.

Her fair hand, which had been pressing against the man's chest, moved up to cover his mouth. Dai Li said unhappily, "You still have the nerve to speak? Is it not because you were fanning the flames? This is all your fault."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Dai Li withdrew her hand as if she had been electrocuted, her expression shifting rapidly.

This man had actually licked her palm. How shameless.

"I have a method that might solve Madam's urgent problem. Would Madam care to listen?" Qin Shaozong asked at that moment.

Dai Li looked at him suspiciously.

He had a suggestion?

He was the one fanning the flames earlier, and now he was the one claiming to have a solution. Could this guy be secretly plotting some wicked trick?

Qin Shaozong added, "Just listen to it. As for whether you adopt it later, the decision is entirely up to Madam."

Dai Li hesitated but could not overcome her curiosity. "Alright, tell me."

Qin Shaozong curled his thin lips, though his tone remained very serious. "Madam once signed a written agreement with me in black and white. I believe that this time, we can refer to the past and have Qin the Second make a pact with you."

Dai Li's eyebrows moved slightly. "Make a pact?"

Qin Shaozong replied, "Exactly. That kid is entirely focused on going into battle right now; most likely, a team of nine oxen could not pull him back. Why does Madam not temporarily take a step back, retreating in order to advance? It would also save your mother-son relationship from becoming too strained."

"Are you saying you still want him to participate in suppressing the bandits?" Dai Li's tone gradually turned hostile.

Qin Shaozong explained, "He ran off on his own to fight the enemy tonight. When the time actually comes for bandit suppression, who is to say he will not repeat his old tricks? Madam might as well make a pact with him early on. If he sustains a severe injury next time—for example, if his back is sliced open or his limbs are broken—then..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Qin Shaozong's calf received a swift rabbit kick.

Dai Li's anger flared. "Qin Changgeng, although Zhou Zhou is not your biological son, you do not need to harbor such malice when speculating about him."

"Madam, it is not malice. These are all things I have experienced myself." Qin Shaozong pulled back the blanket she had kicked askew. "However, today is different from the past. The Northern Kingdom has been subdued, and many of the armies in the Central Plains are far less ferocious than the Northern Kingdom was back then. Besides, with the Northern Territory as our backing, and with the help of Madam's fertilizer, we certainly will not have to worry about provisions in the future."

It was not like Youzhou in the past, which was restricted by the imperial court. While their military pay was repeatedly delayed, they also had to face the arrogant and aggressive tribes of the Northern Kingdom.

Dai Li suddenly thought of the scars all over his body.

Those scars were long and short, the new and the old crisscrossing over one another. In some places, they even formed a grid pattern. If those injuries had been sustained all at once, a massive chunk of flesh would undoubtedly have been carved right off.

Dai Li opened her mouth, but she could not bring herself to say a single word.

"So Madam does not need to worry too much." In truth, what Qin Shaozong did not mention was that he was not the only one; Qin San had also gone through such experiences.

During the battle with the Northern Kingdom back then, that boy had nearly reported to the King of Hell for reincarnation. It was precisely for this reason that when he went south to deal with the salt smugglers, he had not brought Qin San along.

However, Qin the Second and Qin San were both of the younger generation. If she knew about this, she might project her fears onto her son and become entirely consumed by fright, so he decided it was best to simply say nothing.

Dai Li lowered her eyes, hugged the blanket, and rolled over, muttering a muffled, "Let us sleep."

In the darkness, the man smiled silently.

*

After staying out in the wilderness for a night, the caravan resumed its journey early the next morning, heading toward their next destination, Manjiang County.

Because there were quite a few injured individuals on the imperial court's side—especially Guo Nai, one of the leading commanders, who had lost an arm—their marching speed was much slower than usual. They had originally planned to arrive at Manjiang County at noon, but it dragged on until the late afternoon before they finally entered the city.

As soon as they entered the city, Guo Nai impatiently led his people to a medical clinic to seek treatment.

Clearly, he did not trust the physicians of the Northern Territory.

Qin Shaozong let him be and took Dai Li to check into a guest house. Manjiang County was not particularly large, but it was a crucial transit point for those traveling from the Western Regions to Ji Province, so there were quite a few people from the Western Regions present in the town.

This was Shi Rongyue's first time seeing such blonde-haired, hook-nosed foreigners. Sitting by the carriage window, she leaned further and further out, until finally, both of her hands were resting on the windowsill, much like a curious cat peeking its head out.

"Second Aunt, they are so unique. Some have blue eyes, and some have green eyes. I suppose most of the foreigners from the Western Regions look like this." There was a trace of subtle envy in the little girl's tone.

If not for her second uncle's prominent status and immense power, she would certainly have faced much more criticism in the past for sharing his eye color.

Dai Li was absent-minded, her attention divided. Different environments nurture different kinds of people. On the other side of the distant world, some people even have black skin, the kind that practically blends into the dark of night.

Shi Rongyue marveled, Second Aunt, you are truly amazing to know even this.

Dai Li just smiled and said nothing.

Not long after, they arrived at the relay station.

Just as before, Qin Shaozong waved his hand and booked the entire relay station. Dai Li and the other core members of the Northern Territory stayed on the highest floor, the third floor.

It was the Shen hour, not yet time for dinner. Dai Li watched Nianxia and Bipo as they tidied up the guest room, eventually saying, Nianxia, take out the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from the chest. Oh, and the inkpad too.

Nianxia didn't understand why, but she briskly complied.

The mulberry paper was rolled out. Dai Li ground the ink, picked up her brush, and slowly began to write on the paper. She didn't write fast, but she was very serious and didn't pause at all.

After finishing one page, Dai Li slightly lifted her wolf-hair brush, looking at another brand-new sheet of paper with some hesitation. After hesitating for a long time, she finally pulled that sheet over as well and began to ink it again.

This time, her writing was far less fluid than before. Dai Li paused many times halfway through, and even crossed out what she had written, scrapping the paper to start over.

By the time she finished writing on the mulberry paper, nearly half an hour had passed.

Bipo, go and have Yanzhou and Qinian come here, Dai Li instructed.

Bipo received the order and took her leave.

Shortly after, two figures, one tall and one short, arrived side by side.

The room door was not closed, but both stopped at the threshold. Qin Yanzhou knocked on the doorframe. Mother, you were looking for us?

Dai Li said, Come in.

Only then did the two enter.

Without avoiding Qin Qinian, Dai Li looked at the young man and said in a cold tone, Zhou Zhou, I will ask you one last time. Are you absolutely determined to go bandit hunting?

Qin Yanzhou lowered his head in a submissive posture, yet he said, I beg Mother's permission.

The expected scolding did not come. He only heard the woman ask, What about you, Qinian? You as well?

Qin Qinian was momentarily stunned. He had thought Dai Li called him over to act as a persuader, never expecting her to ask him too.

Of course, Qin Qinian said without hesitation.

Dai Li waved for the two to step forward. When they reached the table, she handed the brothers each a sheet of mulberry paper. Since you want to go to the front lines, sign this. If you don't sign, don't even think about going to hunt bandits. Let me make this clear in advance: Qin Changgeng has agreed to let me have full authority over this matter. Even if you try to find another way by going to him, it will be useless.

Compared to Qin Qinian, who was frowning in distress and struggling to read word by word, Qin Yanzhou read very quickly.

He finished reading first and looked up in astonishment, his eyes full of joy. Mother, I can do this. I promise you!

The agreement in his hand was very concise. Dai Li agreed to let him go bandit hunting, but on two conditions. First, he had to obey commands unconditionally. Second, if he got injured during this expedition, even if it was just a superficial flesh wound, he would never be allowed on the front lines again.

Dai Li remained cold. If you agree, sign it, and then stamp your fingerprint at the end.

On this side, Qin Yanzhou had already finished signing his name and stamping his fingerprint.

On the other side, Qin Qinian's face was scrunched up into a ball, wearing a miserable expression as if he had been struck by lightning. Mother, can you change the condition? Finishing four books in half a month and writing a twenty-thousand-word reflection is impossible for me. A beating would be much more pleasant.

Dai Li: ...No, it has to be this.