Chapter 38

Qin Ran looked at the seal on the mulberry paper in his hand, confirming once more. Both the official seal and the private letter were present, there was no mistake.

But...

Go to Qiantang to find a nine-year-old child? And to send the Black Cavalry to deliver the message? Why would that lord attach such importance to this? What is so special about that child?

The surname is Qin. Could it be that the child is the lord's illegitimate son, lost to the outside world? But in his memory, the lord had not been to Qiantang ten years ago!

Or perhaps, a favored concubine went to Qiantang, and the lord only recently found out...

Qiantang is not a small place, and no one knows if the child has been moved elsewhere. A time limit of one month is quite tight.

This matter carries a certain degree of difficulty.

Myriad thoughts swirled in his mind, but one thing Qin Ran was absolutely certain of: this matter was an opportunity. It was a chance for his branch of the family, which had been distant from the main Qin clan of the north for many years, to finally distinguish itself!

Qin Shaozong's power and influence had grown increasingly formidable in recent years. Others worried about lacking a ladder, having no path to climb. Now, this ladder to the clouds had been delivered to his doorstep—how could he not seize it firmly?

Hu Bao and his men arrived at the Qin residence near the end of the Chen hour. Qin Ran did not delay for long. After issuing a few instructions, he personally led a group of his retainers and departed with Hu Bao and the others from Fanhua County for Qiantang.

As for whether news of his departure would leak and be reported to Prefect Song, Qin Ran paid it no mind.

So what if Prefect Song is displeased? The lord's matter takes precedence.

Fanhua County and Qiantang were not far apart. Qin Ran rode hard and fast, arriving at his destination the very next day.

The Qin family's shops were spread all over Yangzhou, and Qiantang was naturally no exception. Qin Ran used one of his mansions in Yangzhou as a base. Once settled, he immediately dispatched all the retainers who had come with him.

They were sent to the human markets to find brokers. Regardless of gender or age, anyone engaged in this trade was to be lured back with silver.

Hu Bao and his five men split up, each joining a team of retainers. The human market in Qiantang was not large, with roughly forty brokers. With all retainers deployed, in less than three hours, the main hall of the Qin mansion was packed with people.

Those in this trade were familiar faces to each other, having some degree of acquaintance. Now gathered in the hall, they whispered among themselves.

"Why is the Qin family so urgently seeking us out?"

"Whatever their purpose, we'll get silver for it, that's what matters."

"You always say I have shallow vision, but look—we haven't even done anything yet, just coming here earns us payment. If we help the Qin family succeed in their task, perhaps we won't need to work for several years and still live comfortably."

Others hearing this found it reasonable and grew even more eager for the master of the house to appear.

Upon hearing that everyone had basically arrived, Qin Ran finally emerged from the side corridor and made his appearance.

The present day was vastly different from the early years of the dynasty's founding. Back then, emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce was severe. Merchants could not register in the market census, were forbidden from riding in carriages or wearing silk garments, and their descendants were barred from entering official service.

But as time passed, especially with the highly developed trade with the Western Regions and northern states, the economy received an undeniable boost, and the government's attitude towards "commerce" gradually became more tolerant.

Not to mention the current turbulent times, where collusion between officials and merchants was commonplace. Many merchants no longer bowed and scraped as they had centuries before.

Qin Ran wore a deep blue robe with a round collar and wide sleeves, a headscarf, and an exquisite piece of jade of exceptional quality hung from his waist, exuding an aura of wealth and authority.

The crowd in the hall fell silent, their gazes fixed eagerly on him.

Qin Ran declared in a clear voice, "I have invited you all here today to entrust you with a matter. The Qin family has lost a young boy in Qiantang, named Qin Yanzhou. He is nine years old, about five chi and seven cun tall, fair-skinned, with peach-blossom eyes, and a light brown, teardrop-shaped birthmark on his back near the shoulder. He is handsome, with short hair, the longest strands reaching his shoulders."

His eyes swept over the people in the hall. "The misfortune has already occurred; dwelling on its causes is pointless. Better to do a good deed and accumulate merit. To anyone who can find our young boy, the Qin family will offer a reward of one hundred taels of silver, five prosperous shops, one residential property, and five mu of fertile land."

The hall erupted in an uproar.

So the meaning was not only a heavy reward, but also that they would not investigate how the boy was lost.

A significant number of these brokers had vested interests tied to human traffickers; where there was profit, there were dealings. Now that the Qin family had clearly stated they would not investigate, it seemed they were truly desperate to find the person.

After Qin Ran finished speaking, he gave a servant a look. The servant understood and began distributing silver coins—the previously promised payment for simply coming to the Qin mansion, now settled on the spot.

Someone then asked, "May I ask, sir, how long has the boy been missing?"

Qin Ran recalled what the letter said. "Six months."

With the information obtained and the silver in hand, the brokers quickly dispersed.

After they left, Qin Ran looked at Hu Bao. "Captain, the matter in Qiantang has been set in motion. Shall we go to the neighboring county tomorrow?"

The letter said one month, but Qin Ran naturally wanted to finish as quickly as possible. Moreover, the boy had been missing for half a year; it was possible he had been sold elsewhere. They absolutely could not focus the search solely on Qiantang, or the chances would be vanishingly small.

Hu Bao naturally nodded in agreement.

For over half a month straight, Qin Ran traveled with Hu Bao and the others between Qiantang and the various counties surrounding it.

They visited every human market, large and small, in each county. Countless brokers learned of the silver offered and the reward, and even some traffickers proactively joined the search.

During this time, there were those with agile minds who quietly investigated and learned that Qin Ran's own household was complete, guessing he was helping someone else find a child. They then brought children to his door to claim the reward.

Hair, height, birthmark, general appearance—at first glance, many seemed to match. Qin Ran initially thought they had succeeded, but Hu Bao would take one look and shake his head in denial.

The child bore no resemblance to Lady Dai whatsoever, let alone showing no reaction upon hearing the name "Dai Li."

It was not the right person.

After such impostors were exposed several times, everyone came to understand:

Ah, even if the child is not a close junior relative of Qin Ran's, there is someone who recognizes him. This matter cannot be faked.

After several such incidents, attempts at fraudulent claims gradually ceased.

The days passed one by one, and the search area continued to expand. Qin Ran went from his initial ambitious determination to complete the task ahead of schedule to growing increasingly bewildered.

They actually couldn't find him?

Not even a single trace of a clue. It was as if no matter how large a stone was thrown into the sea, it could not stir even the faintest ripple on this strangely placid surface.

Qin Ran sat alone in his study all night, and finally made a decision.

The mobility within the broker trade wasn't enormous, but it wasn't small either. Some people found better opportunities and put down their burdens, retiring from the business. Since the current batch had no news to report, perhaps they should ask those who had already washed their hands of the trade.

It was worth a try. After all, there were no better options left.

Ying County, Prefect's Residence.

Dai Li was having her morning meal, eating a boiled wheat dish known in this era as "soup cakes," resembling palm-sized pieces of dough, served with fish balls made from mandarin fish meat and shrimp, garnished with some scallions. The color combination was quite appetizing.

"Madam, are you going to the salt ponds again today?" Nianxia stood before the clothing chest.

Daili swallowed the fish ball in her mouth. "Yes, I'm going again today."

The matter of refined salt had long been scheduled. Qin Shaozong had many capable people under his command. Strictly speaking, she didn't need to go to the site personally; she could enjoy the flowers, feed the fish in the mansion, and simply send out instructions.

But Daili had a clear understanding of her current position. The project of purifying crude salt was initiated by her. The more military officers knew she was a strategist, the safer she was.

Upon hearing this, Nianxia took out a set of deep cyan riding attire from the clothing chest. The deep cyan color was dark, making stains less noticeable, perfectly suitable for wearing to such a place. Then she fetched two hair ribbons and a peachwood hairpin, waiting to help Daili change after she finished her breakfast.

Looking at the rows of clothing chests and the several five-tiered dressing cases placed before the cloud-patterned bronze mirror, Nianxia felt it was such a pity. Even though the carved dressing case inlaid with jade beads wasn't open at the moment, she knew what treasures were hidden inside.

Gold filigree hairpins with bees and butterflies chasing flowers, gold hair ornaments inlaid with gemstone flower heads, gold sideburns covers inlaid with jade beads, pearl ear pendants, tinkling jade bracelets...

Just one category of jewelry could fill several layers of a dressing case. When Nianxia had moved the items back upon orders, she once suspected that the finest pieces from the young lady's ornament allowance in the storeroom were all here.

Unfortunately, for the past half month, the lady had often gone to the salt lake. Describing that place as merely unclean was an understatement; sometimes one even stepped into pits.

Nianxia felt both heartache over Daili's endless toils and regret that the beautiful clothes and jewelry filling the room never had a chance to be worn.

After breakfast, Daili changed into the riding attire and went out. She didn't know how to ride a horse, so she traveled by carriage.

The carriage stopped at the entrance of the main courtyard. When Daili came out from her side chamber, she saw Qin Shaozong was already beside the carriage.

For the past half month, both she and he had been frequenting the salt lake. "Refined salt" was like a giant bomb dropped into the sea, its countdown already ticking, waiting only for a deafening explosion to set off a towering, earth-shattering wave starting from the northern lands.

"It seems you rested well last night, Madam," Qin Shaozong said, looking at Daili as she walked towards him.

Her complexion was excellent indeed. Her already delicate, snow-white skin glowed with a healthy pink hue. Her eyes were dark and bright, sparkling with vitality. The vermilion mole on her forehead looked vivid and lively. Her whole person carried the vigorous, thriving energy of plants striving upward in spring.

When did it start?

Ah, yes. Since over half a month ago, when she used Wugong's help to dig a fox's den among the strategists under his command. From that day on, she had visibly grown more pleased with herself day by day.

Swishing her fluffy fox tail arrogantly before him, occasionally scratching him with a paw without restraint—truly audacious.

Daili smiled and nodded. "Thanks to the Marquis's fortune, I did indeed rest well. After the efforts of the previous days, the various tiers of ponds by the salt lake are now completed, and plant ash has all been collected. The preparatory work is completely finished. I believe refined salt will see the light of day in at most two more days."

The "Kěnqí Jiāoshài" (reclaimed-plot irrigation and sun-drying) method of salt production, also called the "five-step salt-making method."

When she first explained the steps to Nalan Zhi, she only covered the initial stage of brine collection and evaporation. The subsequent steps—sifting, brine storage, crystallization, and shoveling out—were still to come.

With flawless preparatory work and clear weather, the operational cycle of the irrigation-and-sun-drying method for reclaimed ridges was five to seven days.

The weather had been excellent lately. When Daili said "two more days," it was the maximum estimate; the actual time would likely be less.

Avoiding that large, dark hand meant to assist her onto the carriage, Daili got on by herself. "Thank you. But I need everyone to know that the strategists under the Marquis's command are not only resourceful but also physically robust. Merely boarding a carriage requires no assistance from the Marquis."

As she spoke, Daili grabbed the wooden beam for leverage and entered the carriage.

Qin Shaozong only caught a whiff of fragrant breeze, and in the blink of an eye, she had disappeared from before him. The faint, elusive scent still lingered at the tip of his nose, but she herself, like the fragrance, was untouchable and ungraspable.

Listen to what she just said—her fox tail was proudly raised again.

Qin Shaozong stood still outside the carriage for two breaths, then stepped into the compartment with a calm expression.

Once that child is found, there will be a time when she begs him.

The carriage left the mansion, passed through the bustling streets filled with traffic, and headed towards the south city gate.

As distance from the marketplace increased, the clamor gradually faded, and quietness gradually settled around them. All the fine details, like planks swept into the depths by a torrent, resurfaced after the noise receded, leaving nowhere to hide.

The gaze from across had been on her the entire time, its presence intense, its aggression unconcealed. Whenever she lifted her eyes or turned her head, she would meet those large, feline-like brown pupils.

Daili cast a casual glance, pretending not to see.

The carriage exited the city through the south gate.

On the way to the salt lake, they would first pass by a stretch of farmland. Daili lifted the side curtain and looked out.

"Plant one seed in spring, reap ten thousand grains in autumn." Spring was the sowing season. The previously captured male prisoners of war had now all been put to work plowing the fields.

By the fields, Daili saw the silhouette of a dragon-bone waterwheel. A man in short clothes turned the front wheel, and water immediately gushed from the dragon's head with a splash. The burly man was elated, and the other farmers, lined up nearby—most of them waiting to "borrow the wheel"—also watched with expressions of admiration.

The spring breeze carried snippets of conversation.

"It's truly like the Dragon King from the waters, flying from the rivers into our fields, bestowing favor upon us nameless commoners."

"Exactly. Actually, farming is good. I never liked all that fighting and killing. A single misstep and you report to the King of Hell. I haven't lived enough yet."

"If we plant more wheat as instructed by the authorities, with this divine tool, the wheat is sure to grow splendidly. Once we deliver the required amount of grain, that lord said he would release us from prisoner-of-war status and let us become commoners again."

"Then we must work harder. Speaking of which, we're truly grateful to that Lady Dai for bringing this divine tool to Ying County..."

...

Daili was stunned. Before she could listen more carefully, the carriage had already moved away from them.

For the past half month, she had been running back and forth between two points and had not gone anywhere else. It was only today that she learned the Dragon Bone Waterwheel's promotion seemed somewhat different from what she had imagined.

Daili turned to look at the man opposite, meeting those brown eyes. She asked, "When you promoted the dragon bone waterwheel, did you tell the commoners about my involvement?"

"Stealing another's wealth is called theft; how much more blameworthy is it to claim as one's own the credit that belongs to Heaven?" Qin Shaozong smiled. "The dragon-bone waterwheel came to my attention precisely because of you, Madam. What harm is there in privately informing them of that?"

The public notice did not mention Daili; it only summoned the city's carpenters to rush the production of dragon-bone waterwheels. The news was spread separately by privately sending people to teahouses and eateries.

The rumor circulating among the people was: The dragon bone waterwheel was invented by a recluse surnamed Ma. However, the recluse, overworked, fell gravely ill. On his deathbed, he entrusted a lady surnamed Dai to take this object to the authorities, to use the government's power to promote it.

Seeing Daili staring at him blankly, Qin Shaozong raised his long eyebrows slightly. "What are you looking at me with those big eyes for? A true man stands firm between heaven and earth—how could he covet a woman's achievements? My lady deserves to leave her name in the annals of history."

Of course, what he didn't say was that apart from disdaining to steal credit, he had other plans in mind.

When one lacked the power to protect oneself, a prominent reputation was anything but a good thing. With her intelligence, she would sooner or later realize that rashly leaving his side would only lead to a dead end.

Daili hadn't yet thought that deeply. Hearing his words, she smiled and flattered him, "The Marquis is wise. Serving under you is truly a stroke of fortune."

Qin Shaozong smiled without speaking.

The carriage rumbled along the official road, soon arriving at the salt lake.

Due to differences in ion composition and various physical factors, salt lakes display a vast array of colors—blue, green, brown, pink... every hue imaginable.

The salt lake before Daili was a cyan-green, a very beautiful shade reminiscent of a washed-clean sky or a captivating expanse of emerald waves. The lake's surface was smooth as a mirror, occasionally rippling under the caress of the wind.

The salt crystals formed naturally around the lake were large-grained and whiter than the salt produced by boiling seawater or sun-drying.

However, whether it was the salt from this place or other crude salts of the time, the taste was actually quite bitter and astringent, no different from the strongest bitterness of seawater.

Refined salt is sodium chloride. Crude salt, besides sodium chloride, contains many impurities, among which magnesium chloride tastes particularly bitter. The purification process from crude to refined salt is, in essence, a matter of removing impurities.

Seeing the familiar carriage stop, Feng Feng and Bai Jianping, the chief of Nantun, who had been working at the salt lake for over half a month, quickly hurried forward to greet it.

Both men wore expressions of excitement, nearly dancing with joy. "Marquis, Lady Dai, we've succeeded!"

As they spoke, they held out cloth bags in their hands, the openings wide to reveal a crystalline, snow-like purity within.

Unlike the salt from the lake, the contents of these small bags were visibly purer and finer.

Daili hadn't expected it to be ready even earlier than planned and couldn't help but smile. "That's excellent."

Qin Shaozong reached into a bag, hooked a bit of the white substance with his long finger, and brought it to his lips for a taste.

A pure saltiness, incomparable to anything from the past, exploded on his taste buds. With that single taste, Qin Shaozong knew the value of this small bag of salt in Feng and Bai's hands surpassed even that of gold.

What the nobles of Chang'an lacked was never silver, but the ultimate luxury of possessing what others did not, or having what was superior to all others.

Daili did not taste it, as no one knew better than her how salty refined salt was. Perhaps the wind by the lake was strong, but she suddenly felt inexplicably cold, a chill rising from her back that made her shiver.

She instinctively turned to look behind her. There stood the carriage, the tall horses hitched beside it snorting and whinnying. Casting her gaze further back, she saw a sky as blue as crystal and mountains stretching into the distance like an unbroken jade belt.

This era was free of pollution; everything was beautifully unreal, like a painting.

Just as Daili was about to turn back, a small patch of black shadow suddenly intruded into the corner of her vision.

It was a corner of the black robe worn by the man beside her, lifted by the wind. This small touch of black became the only shadow in the otherwise idyllic scene, like the glimpse of a black claw tip revealed by a tiger lurking in the forest.

Daili froze. In that moment of clarity, she seemed to understand where the chill had come from.