Chapter 28

The room fell silent, the temperature plummeting as if the air had frozen into ice, sending a chill down one's spine.

Hearing his cold laugh, Dai Li quickly added, "My travel permit has been confiscated by you. Without it, I cannot travel far. I truly have something I need to buy in the city this time."

"If there's something you want, just tell Mo Yanyun. He can bring it back for you," Qin Shaozong said.

Dai Li glanced at him cautiously. "Some things are... inconvenient."

"It's just a matter of a few words. What could be inconvenient?" Qin Shaozong retorted.

Seeing her feigning obedience, the fire that had never truly extinguished in his heart flared up again. "Or are you planning to contact this person, bribe that one again? Let me tell you, Dai Li, forget it! Those few who took your silver and helped you escape before have all been imprisoned by me. Tell me, should I sentence them to six years of hard labor, or simply give them a hundred lashes and beat their flesh to a pulp?"

With every word he spoke, Dai Li's lips pressed tighter together. Finally, hearing that the maidservants and the coachman had been thrown into prison, her face paled. "My Lord... in the past, you toiled tirelessly, personally leading troops to Bolei Mountain to eradicate bandits for the people, protecting the region from bandit raids for over a decade. This shows you are a man of broad mind and compassion for the world. They were merely carrying out tasks for me, completely unaware of the circumstances. Ignorance should not be a crime. Why must you trouble yourself with mere commoners, as insignificant as grass?"

Qin Shaozong rotated the jade thumb ring on his finger, then suddenly said, "Didn't you claim you lived in the Peach Blossom Spring?"

If it was truly isolated from the world, how did she know of outside affairs?

"I heard the squad leader mention it last night in the cave," Dai Li murmured, lowering her eyes.

After these words, silence filled the room once more.

Hearing no sound, Dai Li slowly raised her eyes. The man before her wore a cold, displeased expression, but he seemed slightly less furious than moments before.

Qin Shaozong dropped the matter of the servants and returned to the original topic. "What do you need to buy?"

Dai Li no longer concealed it. "Sanitary cloths."

Meeting his gaze again, she added, "My monthly courses have come. Sanitary cloths are indispensable. It wouldn't be appropriate to have Commandant Mo bring such an item back for me."

The words "monthly courses" seemed to strike Qin Shaozong's forehead, making a vein throb twice.

Monthly courses again...

"Didn't your monthly courses come just a few days ago?" Qin Shaozong's tone was sharp.

Dai Li averted her eyes, phrasing it delicately, "This time it's real."

Qin Shaozong's face darkened.

If this time was real, then last time was fake. Not only had she deceived him about a healthy woman's courses lasting seven days, but she hadn't even been having them at all.

"Then earlier, on the bed, you said you were unwell?" His tone grew even sharper.

Dai Li slowly bowed her head, silent.

Qin Shaozong's gaze was icy. "I don't recall gagging you, my lady. Or do you have a fondness for that wretched cloth and wish to get accustomed to it early?"

Dai Li kept her head down. "...The discomfort was because I sprained my ankle."

She spoke softly, almost mumbling, but Qin Shaozong didn't miss a single word.

Crack. Something seemed to shatter.

The fire in his chest erupted violently, blazing like oil poured on flames. For a moment, Qin Shaozong felt the urge to simply deal with her right then and there. Otherwise, he might not die wrapped in a horse's hide on the battlefield, nor fall to an assassin's blade, but rather perish one day from sheer rage provoked by her—an utterly absurd end that would invite the world's ridicule.

Sensing a penetrating chill, Dai Li immediately looked up and said, "That was in the past. I won't deceive you anymore."

She stood by the window, half her figure bathed in sunlight streaming through. With dark pupils, fair skin, and an enchanting grace, she wore the plainest gray-black dress and no ornaments, yet she radiated a stunning, jade-like brilliance. Like a luminous pearl temporarily resting on coarse, dark cloth, the contrast made her soft glow even more pronounced.

She watched him nervously, her peach-blossom eyes soft as water, the vermilion mark between her brows vividly alive.

Qin Shaozong was once again infuriated into a cold laugh. Now she knew how to play the obedient one—truly adaptable. "If you remain stubborn this time, single-mindedly scheming and causing trouble, you won't need those two legs of yours anymore. And those maidservants and coachmen in the Nan-kang Commandery prison will suffer severe torture because of you. Do you understand?"

Dai Li nodded, inwardly delighted at her success.

Ah, he agreed.

Qin Shaozong's face remained stern. "Use your words."

Dai Li didn't argue at this moment. "I understand."

Qin Shaozong: "Get out. Send Mo Yanyun and Hu Bao in."

Dai Li didn't linger for a second longer, swiftly turning and exiting the room.

Expressionlessly, Qin Shaozong removed the jade thumb ring now crisscrossed with cracks and tossed it into a wastebasket nearby.

Outside the room.

Mo Yanyun and Hu Bao still stood where they were. Hearing the door open, they both looked over simultaneously.

They were somewhat curious, wondering if Dai Li had managed to provoke the tiger.

Dai Li smiled. "Gentlemen, the Lord requests your presence."

Seeing her able to smile, Mo Yanyun's heart jolted.

Something was off. Could she have told the Lord the truth, and he actually agreed?

That shouldn't be!

Both men were bewildered. When they emerged from the room later, they looked even more dazed. Mo Yanyun nearly tripped over the threshold.

His mind was filled with those eight resounding words: If you lose sight of her, bring me your head.

Ximen Commandery was similar in size to Taiping Commandery. Dai Li, wearing a veil hat, was followed by Mo Yanyun, Hu Bao, and a group of elite soldiers.

Entering through the east gate, they split into two groups. The group led by Dai Li and Mo Yanyun headed for the west market, which sold fabrics; the other group, led by Hu Bao, went to the south market, where apothecaries were concentrated.

Ever since disembarking from the tower ship, Mo Yanyun's heart had been in a vise. He barely dared to blink, fearing Dai Li might vanish into thin air in that instant.

If Lady Dai disappeared, his life would be forfeit.

This time, however, Mo Yanyun worried unnecessarily. Dai Li had no plans to escape. She currently lacked advantageous timing, location, and support. Her goals were simply to procure some sanitary cloths and gather some information.

Dai Li lingered around the cloth shops. After spending over an hour, she left the city with her purchases, accompanied by Mo Yanyun and the others, and returned to the tower ships docked at the ferry.

Once back on board, Mo Yanyun instinctively turned his head.

Ah, his head was still attached.

"Commandant Mo, the Lord is on the stern deck. He requests your presence," a soldier reported.

Mo Yanyun glanced toward the staircase. Dai Li had already gone upstairs; only the fleeting hem of a gray-black skirt remained in his sight. The burly man with thick eyebrows rubbed his nose and headed for the stern deck.

Having set out separately, Dai Li's group returned later. After they boarded, bone whistles sounded, and the two tower ships set sail from the shore one after the other.

The afternoon sunlight was exceptionally brilliant, the rippling river water shimmered with golden light—truly a scene of sparkling waves under clear skies. Countless splashing droplets refracted the sky's glow and mirrored the reflections of the pleasure boats from various angles, as if forming myriad bizarre and kaleidoscopic little worlds.

Standing on the stern deck gazing into the distance, the distant city was being gradually pushed away by an invisible hand, slowly shrinking.

Qin Shaozong heard footsteps but did not turn around. "Any anomalies in the city?"

Mo Yanyun replied, "None. This time we encountered no special inspections; entering and exiting the city went smoothly. It seems Jiang Chonghai did not send word to the local governor."

Qin Shaozong asked, "How is she?"

Without naming anyone, Mo Yanyun understood perfectly. "Lady Dai went to the cloth shop, hired a seamstress to work for her, and spent most of her time there without going elsewhere. It's just that..."

Mo Yanyun hesitated slightly.

The report itself was ordinary, but reporting on a woman's affairs, especially in such meticulous detail, always made him feel like he was tattling, which undermined his dignity as a man of stature.

A gaze as cool and thin as water swept over from the side. Though it held no particular emotion, it made Mo Yanyun feel as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water in the height of summer, instantly sobering him up.

He hurriedly added, "Lady Dai did nothing else and had no contact with others. She just spoke rather more with the seamstress. She asked her which direction Ximen Commandery was from Taiping Commandery. Upon hearing it was northwest, she seemed quite disappointed."

Mo Yanyun recalled the coachman who had earlier said Dai Li wanted to go to Qiantang. "My Lord, Lady Dai previously wanted to go to Qiantang. Could she still be fixated on that now?"

"Naturally. Her mind is single-heartedly set on burrowing her way to Qiantang," Qin Shaozong said, his gaze dark and inscrutable.

Mo Yanyun fell silent, not daring to utter another word.

Qin Shaozong then said, "I recall a collateral branch of the Qin clan was skilled in commerce, led by a man named Qin Chong. Years ago, he took that branch south to Yangzhou for business. Many years have passed; the head of that collateral branch has likely changed. Send a message back to Yuyang for me. Have Yun Ce investigate who the current head of Qin Chong's branch is and exactly where they are now."

The Qin clan was a major northern family. With Qin Shaozong leading the main branch, which held immense influence, all collateral branches naturally took pride in this connection, eager to maintain frequent contact and intertwine themselves like vines around the main family tree.

Therefore, given the main branch's current prominence, the main family possessed comprehensive records. Which branch was where, who the current head was, who the family members were—all were meticulously documented.

Mo Yanyun's expression changed dramatically. "My Lord, are you still thinking of searching for Lady Dai's son?"

He was aware that Dai Li was looking for her son. He had played a part in the previous orders to search both the Jiang residence and Nankang Commandery.

Lady Dai had deceived His Lordship multiple times, even later scheming to escape, nearly ruining His Lordship's grand plans. With such a record of misconduct, how could His Lordship still want to help her find her son?

Why go to such lengths?

Qin Shaozong did not deny it. "Finding someone is merely a matter of my saying the word. A person without a weakness will never be obedient."

Yet Mo Yanyun remained full of doubts. "But Qiantang is a thousand li away from Nankang Commandery. Lady Dai's young son was abducted. She was in Nankang Commandery; there's no reason her son would be in Qiantang, a thousand li away."

Not one or two li, nor ten or a hundred li, but over a thousand. For an ordinary person to cover that distance would take at least several months.

Being so far apart, why was she so adamant about Qiantang? And why was she so certain her son hadn't been moved elsewhere by others during the months of his disappearance?

Qin Shaozong simply said, "Just carry out the order."

"...As you command."

Nankang Commandery.

A fast horse galloped from the east, pounding through the night to knock at the eastern city gate, then raced straight to the largest and most luxurious mansion in the southern market.

"Who comes visiting in the dead of night?" The gatekeeper, full of resentment, felt no goodwill toward this late-night visitor.

The person outside announced himself.

The gatekeeper's face paled, and he promptly opened the door. "So it's the Captain. My apologies, my apologies. Please, come in quickly."

The man paid him no mind, striding urgently inside toward the main hall. Soon, the main hall of the Jiang residence was ablaze with light, bright as day.

Jiang Chonghai, roused in the middle of the night, was uncharacteristically free of anger or weariness. His eyes shone with an alarming intensity. "...Is it truly so? Qin Shaozong was seriously wounded in the mountain ambush?"

The messenger nodded. "I heard Qin Shaozong was supported by his men as they retreated, suggesting the injury was critical. Moreover, when they passed through Ximen Commandery, his subordinates took all the resident physicians from three clinics in one go and cleared out most of the medicinal supplies."

Jiang Chonghai paced back and forth in the room, murmuring, "A leaderless dragon—a heaven-sent opportunity! Have him march his troops here directly? No, that's not suitable..."

Although the head of the Xuanxiao Cavalry was lost, they were still elite armored troops. Clashing head-on with them would surely cost Brother Li some losses.

Perhaps send word to the Xuanxiao Cavalry outside the city, letting them know Qin Shaozong's life hangs by a thread, to throw them into disarray? That seems possible, but it must be done cautiously, or it could backfire.

"I am aware. You may go and rest," Jiang Chonghai said to his confidant.

Before Jiang Chonghai could decide how to proceed, as if someone offered a pillow just as he was dozing off, a Xuanxiao Cavalry officer came to his residence the very next day.

The visitor introduced himself as Su Xiuzhu, a marching instructor of the Xuanxiao Cavalry, and said he had come to the Jiang residence to find Yan San.

Accompanying him were several strong soldiers in light armor, all imposing in stature, clearly tempered repeatedly on battlefields shrouded in the smoke of war.

The household servants dared not slight them and hurriedly led them to the guest courtyard.

What transpired within the courtyard remained unknown to outsiders. Jiang Chonghai only knew that Su Xiuzhu and his party came and went in haste. They did not even wait to see him, the master of the house, before leaving swiftly with Yan San and the other soldiers stationed there.

The quarters were emptied, the stables cleared out—truly swept clean.

"Elder Brother, they are far too disrespectful. Eating and drinking for free is one thing, but now leaving without even bidding you farewell. They truly are crude northerners, arrogant and ill-mannered, lacking in propriety," Jiang Chongjiang complained.

He expected his elder brother to agree, but instead, Jiang Chonghai smiled meaningfully. "It's understandable. After all, with a fire at their heels, how would they have time for other matters?"

"What fire at their heels?" Jiang Chongjiang was puzzled.

Jiang Chonghai offered no explanation but turned and went to his study. He needed to write another letter to Brother Li, informing him that the time was ripe and urging him to come quickly to set an ambush at Peach Blossom Ridge.

Speaking of which, Peach Blossom Ridge was a marvelous place. Not only did it have endless stretches of peach blossoms, but the road was also wide, flanked by dense forests, with high terrain on both sides like sloping ladders.

Such a beautiful place would not be an unworthy burial ground for the Xuanxiao Cavalry.

A fast horse set out from the Governor's residence, speeding toward the eastern city gate.

The man did not notice that amidst the bustling crowd at Baima Ford, a fishmonger kept glancing frequently in a certain direction. After he watched a man board a dedicated boat and sail away, the fishmonger immediately broke into a beaming smile and even gave away the unsold fish in his hands to the buyer before him.

"Alright, time to call it a day!"

East of the city, at the Dark Cavalry camp.

"Finally back." Su Xiuzhu welcomed the returning scout. "How did it go? Smoothly?"

The burly man nodded. "Everything went smoothly. Confirmed it was that bastard. I've seen him before, couldn't possibly mistake him."

Su Xiuzhu said, "Jiang Chonghai has sent a letter to Ying Commandery. The Lord's letter says we are to wait one full day before setting out."

Yan San pondered for a moment. "That's indeed prudent. With no one currently in command at the camp, even though we are eager to avenge the Lord, we need time to decide on a temporary leader and also allow time for the messenger to travel far and deliver the report."

The location of Peach Blossom Ridge was actually quite strategic; it was closer to Ying Commandery. In other words, setting out from Ying Commandery to reach this place would be much, much faster than starting from Nankang Commandery.

Waiting one full day in the eastern outskirts also meant they would have to force-march at night to make up for the lost daylight.

Yan San ordered, "Pass the command: let the soldiers rest more. Starting from tonight at Xu hour (7-9 PM), we will begin a high-intensity march, day and night without rest."

Time flashed by. The sunlight gradually faded, the sky dyed with brilliant sunset hues before slowly being shrouded in a layer of dark gray.

Night fell.

The Dark Cavalry in the east of the city quickly struck camp. The thunderous rumble of hooves echoed like distant thunder as they galloped straight onto the main road.

Traveling by starlight and moonlight without rest, after days of marching, the Dark Cavalry, temporarily led by Yan San, arrived near Peach Blossom Ridge.

Yan San did not immediately lead the main force into Peach Blossom Ridge. Instead, he cautiously dispatched two teams of scouts, splitting them to ascend along the ridge from two different paths to survey the situation within the hills.

A little over two shichen (over four hours) later, the scouts returned, reporting no ambush in the mountains.

Upon hearing this, Su Xiuzhu couldn't help but smile. True to his name, he possessed an elegant and handsome appearance, a kind of clean-cut, refreshing handsomeness. "This so-called Grand Marshal of All Under Heaven is truly arrogant and overconfident. He really took it for granted that we would arrive late."

Yan San reminded him, "Not late. He simply assumed we would travel at a normal pace."

For the forced march, the Dark Cavalry had split into two parts.

One part was the vanguard forced-march unit. Each man in this group had a fast horse, carrying only dried rations, water skins, and the like, spending most of the subsequent days on horseback.

The other part was the logistics corps responsible for supplies. They followed behind, bringing pots, pans, bowls, and ladles, herding the army's livestock, grain, and fodder.

The vanguard unit, by force-marching, arrived at Peach Blossom Ridge a full three days ahead of the estimated time.

Yan San began assigning tasks. "The North and South units will enter the mountains from both sides to lie in ambush. The East and West units will position themselves at the eastern and western ends of Peach Blossom Ridge respectively. The East unit will guard the eastern pass. When Li Zan's troops scatter and flee in defeat, you will charge out and cut off their retreat. During this time, be careful to avoid enemy scouts; they might send troops to reconnoiter and probe."

The Dark Cavalry quickly divided into four units, each led by its commander to carry out the orders.

After a brief period of clamor, Peach Blossom Ridge returned to silence once more. A breeze swept through, causing the peach blossoms on the ridge to rustle and sway, like a silent welcome from the buds and fallen petals.

The sun rose and set. In the blink of an eye, two days passed, and the tranquil Peach Blossom Ridge welcomed another large group of guests.

These past few days, Li Zan had been in high spirits. First, he learned from his sworn brother Jiang that Qin Shaozong's reputation did not match reality. Then, Qin Shaozong, having lost his head, actually chased after a fleeing concubine with only a handful of men to Taiping Commandery, followed later by news of him sustaining serious injuries.

With Qin Shaozong severely wounded ahead and his knowledge of the Dark Cavalry's marching route behind, what worry was there about burying this famously formidable cavalry right here?

Li Zan felt victory was firmly within his grasp and, wanting to witness this moment in history, personally led his troops to Peach Blossom Ridge this time.

Simultaneously, neither Yan San nor Li Zan were aware—

Two tower ships that had earlier turned out from the main river channel had sailed along a minor waterway until they ran aground. Everyone on the tower ships disembarked and proceeded on foot towards the rear of Peach Blossom Ridge.

And there, was precisely where the Dark Cavalry's logistics corps was stationed.

Daili walked beside Qin Shaozong, with Mo Yan, Yunhu Bao, and others behind them. After walking a stretch, she slowed her pace, slipping back from Qin Shaozong's side.

Qin Shaozong tilted his head slightly, his peripheral glance sweeping over Daili who was now walking beside Yunhu Bao. He said nothing.

After another stretch of road, it so happened that Mo Yan started chatting idly about anything and everything. As Qin Shaozong responded, his gaze inadvertently swept past them again, only to see that the spot beside Yunhu Bao was now empty.

Looking further back, well, she had drifted further and further back as she walked, all the way to the tail end of the group. Given a little more time, she might just vanish into the forest altogether.

"My Lord?" Mo Yan noticed Qin Shaozong suddenly turning back.

Qin Shaozong simply said, "You lead the group forward for now. I'm going to check on the rear."