Chapter 37

The doors within the room were wide open, and outside the windows lay a small, serene bamboo grove. In this leisurely afternoon, the intermittent chirping of insects drifted in from outside, becoming the only sound in the room now.

When he first heard Daili say, "Master Nalan, until we meet again," Nalan Zhi had a faint premonition in his heart.

"Until we meet again"—they would indeed meet later.

At the time, he simply felt that they really should meet again. They still had much to discuss, and he himself was not yet satisfied—how could they meet only once?

But later, after Mo Yanyun privately told him about the origins of this Lady Daili, Nalan Zhi thought to himself that she was not merely "extraordinary." Such boldness in action was perhaps one in ten thousand.

However, shock aside, Nalan Zhi still greatly admired Daili. Now, hearing her express a desire to join the strategist group, his face showed only surprise, without any trace of scorn or arrogance.

After a moment of silence, Nalan Zhi spoke, "Lady Dai, we share similar interests, so I will be frank with you. Unlike many powerful lords who keep thousands of retainers and advisors, our lord has rather strict requirements. In the early years, those scholars who came to seek patronage, once he deemed them merely mediocre, would not be employed at all. Later, he even established rigorous examinations, turning away many who did not meet his standards, showing a clear preference for quality over quantity."

Daili smiled gently. "Master Nalan treats me with sincerity, so I will also be honest with you. In fact, I already mentioned this to the Marquis yesterday. The most important reason he gave for refusing me then was that I am a woman. He said women are only suited to admiring flowers within the manor, and that dealing with schemes and intrigues is men's business."

As she spoke to the end, Daili lowered her eyelids, for she was truly furious, and looking directly at Nalan Zhi would too easily betray her feelings.

Daili's tone gradually became flat. "I privately believe the Marquis is mistaken in saying so. As the saying goes, whether a cat is black or white, if it catches mice, it's a good cat. If someone can bring a continuous stream of financial revenue to the Xuanxiao Cavalry, and indeed to the entire Northern region, why can't she become the precedent?"

Nalan Zhi was stunned.

Bring financial revenue to the Xuanxiao Cavalry, and the entire Northern region?

What an audacious and proud statement!

If Nalan Zhi had merely been helpless a moment ago, now his doubt was evident. "Might I ask where the continuous financial revenue Lady Dai speaks of would come from?"

Daili said only two words: "Refined salt."

This era had no refined salt, because in the not-too-distant pre-Qin period, the utilization of salt was still in a relatively primitive stage.

The Qin and Han dynasties saw its beginnings, and only when time entered the "Tang" period did the salt industry reach a completely new stage.

Daili was well aware that she was now walking a tightrope over a cliff; a single misstep could lead to utter ruin.

Salt taxes had existed since the Zhou dynasty. During the Spring and Autumn period, the state of Qi, under Guan Zhong's guidance, reorganized the salt industry, creating enormous profits through a system of "official procurement and official sale."

Whether it was the emperors of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, or later Huang Chao, the Yellow King who directly captured Chang'an, or even Li Zan, who previously occupied Ying Commandery and posed a threat and unease to Qin Shaozong, the ruler of the North—they all started by selling illegal salt.

Those in power were deeply aware of the profits from "salt," so they kept a very tight rein on this area, often resorting to the elimination of entire clans.

This matter absolutely could not be discussed directly with Qin Shaozong. Judging by the man's methods in dealing with Jiang Chonghai and Li Zan, he was undoubtedly a formidable figure.

To say such a man's rules and morals were flexible would be an overstatement.

Nalan Zhi's expression changed dramatically. "Refined salt?"

That single word "refined" was enough to shatter Nalan Zhi's composure. He had not considered the possibility that Daili might be speaking nonsense, but that thought lasted only a moment before he dismissed it.

There was no need.

Matters concerning salt were no trivial affair. Throughout history, countless people had lost their heads over it. She had no reason to make such a potentially life-threatening joke.

"Lady Dai, do you understand what those two words of yours represent?" Nalan Zhi asked her.

Daili looked at the fair-skinned man with a long beard before her. He was over fifty, the marks of time and hardship on his face heavier than on most, his hair mostly grayed—likely his earlier years had been very difficult. That ink-black mark clung to his face like a stubborn insect; timid children might burst into tears at the sight.

But Nalan Zhi's eyes were clear. Even though the lines of time surrounded them, and his face bore the mark of a convict, he remained gentle, like the clear stream in a mountain creek, or the spring breeze brushing over the open scrolls on the desk.

He did not exclaim in shock, nor did he sternly reprimand her for being absurd, nor did he call guards to subject her to harsh interrogation to see how much could be extracted.

He was confirming her earlier words, giving her a well-intentioned reminder. A reminder that some words should not be spoken carelessly. If she denied it now, he would not speak of it to others and could pretend it never happened.

Daili thought to herself that while Qin Shaozong might not be much of a man, his judgment of people was indeed impeccable.

"I understand." Daili knew very well what she was doing. Some things, however dangerous, were necessary paths.

"Currently, salt largely comes from three sources: boiling seawater, excavating salt wells, and mining rock salt from mountains. The first method often results in disappointing purity due to impurities like silt and shells mixed in the water. The latter two are difficult to extract and limited in quantity, hence the saying, 'Boiling the sea is easy, boiling the well is hard.'"

At this point, Daili smiled. "Natural salt springs and salt wells are mostly located in the southwest. I imagine there are almost none in this region that the Marquis could utilize."

With each sentence she spoke, Nalan Zhi grew more solemn. By now, he was sitting upright with grave attention. "It is indeed 'Boiling the sea is easy, boiling the well is hard.' Then, in your view, Lady, how can today's salt be transformed into the refined salt you speak of?"

If Qin Shaozong had asked this, Daili would definitely have been evasive.

She and Qin Shaozong were almost like parties in a clear-cut transaction. She exchanged the dragon-bone water pump for information on the Qin clan's collateral branch, and then, with certain undisclosed bargaining chips, secured his order for that branch to search for her son and return him safely to her side.

She would not release the hawk without seeing the hare. If the person sitting across from her were Qin Shaozong, not to mention the follow-up, she wouldn't even have mentioned the two words "refined salt."

Just then, the attendant Musen entered with boiled water. Seeing a tea set and cups on the table, Daili simply took over the task of preparing tea, letting Musen return to tidying the previously unpacked chests.

Only after the other had left did Daili speak: "There are many methods. One method involves constructing high embankments on land where the tidal waves do not reach, making the land suitable for salt cultivation. Salt-growing households each have their own demarcated plots, not encroaching on each other's boundaries. If one anticipates no rain the next morning, then that day, one broadly spreads rice or wheat straw ash, or reed and rush ash, about an inch thick over the ground, pressing it flat and even. By dawn the next day, when the dew-laden air rises, salt efflorescence will emerge beneath. At midday, if it clears, the ash and salt are swept up together for leaching and boiling."

...

Nianxia and Bipo came with Daili but did not enter the room with her. The two women, knowing this courtyard housed an honored guest, dared not intrude. So, after Daili went inside, they merely waited outside the main gate of the courtyard.

Initially, they thought Lady Dai's visit wouldn't last long, but an hour passed with no sign of her emerging. After much more time, when the golden sun had nearly sunk to the horizon and their feet had grown numb from standing, the lady still hadn't come out.

Finally unable to stand any longer, the two maids sat down leaning against the wall.

So when Qin Shaozong returned from his study, he saw from a distance what looked like two short posts by the gate of Nalan Zhi's courtyard.

He had seen these two maids in the rear garden earlier and knew they were Lady Dai's personal attendants. Seeing them now outside Nalan Zhi's courtyard, and in such a seated state...

He couldn't help but suspect that a certain fox had been burrowing into that particular courtyard for over an hour. Such a long time—had she perhaps dug herself a fox den inside?

"Lord."

"Lord."

Upon seeing Qin Shaozong approach, the two women hurriedly stood and bowed.

Qin Shaozong didn't even bother asking if Lady Dai was inside, going straight to the point: "How long has the lady been here?"

Nianxia: "The lady arrived around the Hour of the Goat."

Qin Shaozong calculated in his mind.

Well then, she'd been inside for nearly two hours. Likely she'd managed to dig several fox holes by now.

Qin Shaozong stepped inside. Before even entering the main room, he could see from a distance the two of them chatting merrily, with Nalan Zhi smiling as he refilled the teacup for the lady opposite him.

If their encounter in the rear garden had seemed like they'd become fast friends, judging by the current scene, they had progressed to becoming close confidants despite the age difference.

Striding into the room, Qin Shaozong raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with meaning. "Wugong, what interesting matters are you discussing with the lady? Don't be stingy, share them with me as well."

Dai Li was slightly startled, turning her head at the sound of his voice.

Unnoticed, dusk had fallen.

The orange-gold sunlight dyed large swathes of the sky in brilliant hues, also draping a layer of golden gauze over the man in the courtyard. Yet this man's aura was truly formidable; even wrapped in the warmth of the setting sun, he still carried a sharp, dangerous edge, like a blade about to be drawn.

The curve at the corner of Dai Li's lips faded slightly. But recalling her conversation with Nalan Zhi, she raised her smile again. "Of course we can tell you, my lord. I only fear some of the talk might displease you."

She and Nalan Zhi sat facing each other at either end of a square table. Qin Shaozong took a seat to their side.

Without waiting for anyone to serve him, he reached over to the wooden box beside him, took out a cup, and said leisurely, "Have I not heard enough of the lady's disagreeable words?"

Dai Li looked at Nalan Zhi opposite her. He gave her an inquiring look. She smiled and nodded slightly, her left hand resting on her knee slowly curling into a fist.

There's no day like today. No need to wait any longer. She would muster her courage and fit the muzzle onto this fierce tiger in one go.

The corner of Qin Shaozong's eye seemed to sweep past them inadvertently, taking in their expressions. The man's narrow eyes narrowed further, a pool of darkness settling in their depths.

"For those in high positions, recognizing and promoting exceptional talent should not be hindered by lowly origins. For those below, recommending the worthy should not avoid one's own kin or enemies. My lord, today I wish to recommend an exceptional talent to you." Nalan Zhi stood up and bowed respectfully to Qin Shaozong.

Qin Shaozong didn't speak immediately. Instead, he turned to look at Dai Li. They sat side by side, merely an arm's length apart, close enough to touch each other with a reach. He clearly saw her eyes crinkle into a smile after Nalan Zhi stood up, her long, straight lashes lifting like tiny fans.

Well then. In just a short afternoon, she had truly managed to dig herself a fox den.

The stage was set. Qin Shaozong could only gesture for Nalan Zhi to rise. "Wugong, there's no need for such formality. Please, tell me, what remarkable person is worthy of you holding them in such esteem?"

Nalan Zhi straightened up, speaking solemnly. "It is Lady Dai. Many praise me as outstanding among my peers, saying I am learned and extraordinary. But today, I feel deeply ashamed. The phrase 'learned' is something I dare not claim in Lady Dai's presence."

Qin Shaozong had guessed Nalan Zhi would recommend Dai Li, but he hadn't expected him to humble himself to this extent.

Nalan Zhi had never been one to flatter and fawn. If in his early years in Chang'an he had been willing to bow and scrape before the powerful, the reforms he proposed back then would not have been entirely rejected. The Nalan family would not have been framed by treacherous individuals, causing him to suffer the indelible punishment of facial tattooing and his entire family to be exiled a thousand miles to Youzhou.

All these years, his original aspirations remained unchanged, his unyielding integrity unbroken.

Such a man would absolutely not use himself as a stepping stone for others to climb upon, whether out of pity or any other reason.

"Why is Wugong being so modest?" Qin Shaozong asked, puzzled.

Nalan Zhi shook his head with a smile. "My lord, it is not modesty, but facing facts. To be perfectly honest, even if I lived another sixty years, or even longer, I could not devise a method to perfectly purify the salt we have today."

Those brown pupils constricted sharply. Qin Shaozong instinctively turned to look at Dai Li beside him. She merely smiled politely, showing little surprise on her face, as if all his reactions were within her expectations.

"Purify salt? How?" Qin Shaozong pressed.

Dai Li did not answer his question. Instead, she picked up the earthenware pot on the table and poured water for him, tentatively asking, "My lord, may I now address you as 'my lord' in the manner of a retainer?"

Qin Shaozong's temple twitched.

The air seemed to solidify. Steam rose from the hot water in the cup, blurring Qin Shaozong's inscrutable, shadowed expression.

Nalan Zhi spoke up at the opportune moment. "My lord, in ancient times, there was the story of buying a horse bone for a thousand gold to show sincerity, and building a golden platform to widely recruit talents from across the land. In the past, you did not look down upon me, a convicted man bearing the mark of punishment. Today, why should you turn Lady Dai away from your door simply because she is a woman?"

That cup filled with tea sat beside Qin Shaozong's hand. The veins on the back of his hand stood out. The tip of his index finger subconsciously lifted towards the cup before being forced back down.

He stared at the steaming cup before him, his gaze fierce. It wasn't as if he was looking at an ordinary vessel, but rather a piece of fragrant meat dangled before his mouth that he simply couldn't bite.

"I beg you, my lord, to consider the greater picture," Nalan Zhi spoke again.

That large, dark hand finally moved. It shifted forward a foot, grasping the teacup. Qin Shaozong turned to look at Dai Li, a terrifying darkness settled in his eyes. His smile didn't reach them as he said, "The lady has remarkable skills. Regarding the matter of salt purification, I await with great interest. I hope the lady does not disappoint me."

Dai Li could hardly miss his anger. His gaze was still ferociously intense, as if he wished to tear her apart and devour her.

But now that she had been promoted to advisor, with a figurative "pardon token" added to her person, Dai Li wasn't the least bit flustered. On the contrary, she deliberately addressed him once more as "my lord," then said, "You shall see."

Crick. A faint sound.

A small crack appeared in the ceramic teacup in Qin Shaozong's hand, tiny beads of water slowly seeping out from within.

Yangzhou.

The Qin clan's rising heat in the northern lands sent shockwaves rippling a thousand miles away, its terrifying aftershocks still felt.

This branch of the Qin clan, rooted in Fanhua County of Yangzhou, often had a bustling gate with constant streams of visitors and carriages. Today the Wang family paid a visit, tomorrow the Zhang family arrived with gifts, the day after they received a warm invitation from the Zhao family.

Prospering daily, surrounded by splendor, it truly lived up to the name of its county, Fanhua—"Flourishing Flowers."

The current head of the Yangzhou Qin family is Qin Ran, who has just reached the age of forty. His father, named Qin Chong, was the one who made the decision years ago to move the entire family south.

The main gate of a wealthy household is usually kept closed, unless distinguished guests are visiting or the family is hosting a major banquet. Only on such occasions would the main gate be opened in advance to show respect.

The side gate, however, is always open, guarded by a gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper had long grown accustomed to visitors arriving every few days, so when someone came to the door today, he wasn't the least bit surprised. His eyes swept over the group, and his demeanor grew even more casual.

They were all dressed in black, with no valuable ornaments at their waists, to the point of being called plain.

Servants represent the face of their master. If the servants sent to deliver a visiting card were dressed so shabbily, how distinguished could their master possibly be?

Yet the next moment, the gatekeeper heard the visitor announce himself: "I am from the Northern Xuanxiao Cavalry. On this trip, I am following the Marquis's orders to pay a visit to Qin Ran. I hope you can announce us."

The Northern Xuanxiao Cavalry, that elite force which once helped Qin Shaozong subdue the northern barbarians, was renowned far and wide. Not just in Yangzhou, even in the southernmost Jiaozhou, their thunderous reputation was known.

The Northern Xuanxiao Cavalry... the Marquis...

They were from that person!

The gatekeeper gave a start. Stunned to the extreme, he couldn't utter a single word, only flushed red, hurriedly opened the gate wide, and bowed deeply to invite them in.

The men quickly entered.

Qin Ran had just finished dressing properly and was about to leave the residence to attend a banquet. The Governor of Fanhua County was hosting a hundred-day celebration for his eldest grandson today, having invited a wide circle of friends and relatives.

His second son held a sinecure in the official administration. Officials and merchants were like one family, so it was only proper, both in sentiment and reason, for him to attend this banquet hosted by Prefect Song.

His attire was in order, and the gift was prepared.

Just as Qin Ran, accompanied by his sons, was about to board the carriage to depart, a servant came running in a panic.

The servant said urgently, "Master, the Northern Xuanxiao Cavalry has come. They say they are following the Marquis's orders to pay you a visit."

Qin Ran was stunned, then drew a sharp breath. "How many have come? Have they been properly received?"

Following the Marquis's orders? There was only one Marquis in the north—he was both the Marquis of Wu'an and the clan leader of the Qin family.

And they had actually sent the Xuanxiao Cavalry. This matter was absolutely no trivial affair.

The servant replied, "Five in total. They are all in the main hall and have been served good tea."

Qin Ran turned to his two sons beside him and said, "I will not be attending Prefect Song's banquet. The two of you can go. If Prefect Song asks why I am absent, tell him I caught a slight chill last night. Children are delicate, and it's not suitable to pass on any illness."

The two sons acknowledged his instructions.

After giving his sons their orders, Qin Ran hurried to the main hall.

As the servant had said, there were five visitors. Qin Ran discreetly sized them up. They were uniformly dressed in black, each man robust and powerfully built—exceptionally skilled individuals.

Just by their sharp, blade-like aura, they indeed lived up to the formidable reputation of the Xuanxiao Cavalry.

The leader, Hu Bao, was also observing Qin Ran. Seeing him in fine robes, with features and age matching the description, he knew this was undoubtedly the head of the Yangzhou Qin family.