Chapter 39

Daili followed Qin Shaozong to the salt-shoveling area by the salt lake.

The final step of the five-step salt production method was shoveling. Compared to the other steps, this one was purely manual labor, requiring only that the crystallized salt be piled onto salt mounds to await subsequent transport.

Looking out, one mound after another of snow-white "ice cream cone" peaks stood upon the ground. The pure white was a pleasing sight, utterly captivating.

After tasting the refined salt, everyone—whether it was Qin Shaozong or the Xuanxiao Cavalry he had transferred for salt production—was exceedingly happy.

Anyone could see this was a colossal fortune.

The world would be shaken by this refined salt. The nobility of Chang'an would become infatuated with it. Even foreign tribes from the Western Regions and the northern kingdoms would offer beautiful gems, precious furs, and fine warhorses, begging to trade for it.

Waves of scorching gazes fell upon her. Daili's footsteps subconsciously paused, and it was only then she realized that perhaps, just like with the dragon-bone waterwheel, he had not concealed the fact that the refined salt came from her hand.

While everyone was discussing the refined salt, he suddenly asked, "Is the Peach Blossom Spring you mentioned, madam, near Nankang Commandery or Qiantang?"

His tone was very ordinary, as if casually chatting with a friend. But Daili knew it wasn't like that. After the refined salt came into the world, he had developed an unusually strong interest in the "Peach Blossom Spring" she spoke of.

First the dragon-bone waterwheel, now refined salt... why couldn't there be other things?

What he was asking about was perhaps not just the Peach Blossom Spring at all.

Daili replied in a flat tone, "My lord, I too would like to know the answer to that question."

Just as she thought he would press for a couple more details, or simply tear away that thin veil of concealment to ask her what other things not yet present in this world existed within the Peach Blossom Spring besides refined salt...

He said this instead: "Not being able to find the way is no matter. After all, once you are reunited with your son, madam, is anywhere not a place to live?"

Qin Shaozong automatically ignored the "husband" in her words—the one she said she had a conflict with and did not mention.

Never mind that she couldn't find the Peach Blossom Spring for now and couldn't see old acquaintances. Even if an old acquaintance came looking for her, he could ensure they would not return.

"Madam, what price do you think is suitable for selling the refined salt to other regions?" Qin Shaozong asked.

Daili glanced at him, not believing he had no opinion on this himself. "Initially, the more expensive the better. After all, the salt field is too large, requiring many people to work together. This method won't be easy to keep secret."

Unlike a tightly closed-door, precise research project, the salt field's vast area lay open, accessible from all directions. Once refined salt appeared, various forces would inevitably trace its origins. Daili privately believed the production method for refined salt couldn't be kept secret for very long.

After a pause, Daili expressed deep suspicion, "But are you sure you can sell it? Selling private salt is illegal. Be careful the local nobility there confiscates your entire operation."

Qin Shaozong merely smiled and said, "I have my own methods."

There was a small salt pit ahead, not large, but two palms deep. Seeing she was about to step into it, Qin Shaozong reached out and pulled her back.

He did it naturally, but Daili was startled by him. By the time she reacted, the familiar feeling of restraint around her waist had already vanished. Looking at the man beside her, his expression was normal, as if he had merely lent her a hand.

Daili: "..."

The successful production of refined salt meant all previous processes were without issue. Therefore, the two of them spent much less time at the salt field today than before.

When leaving, Qin Shaozong also took a bag of refined salt back to his residence to improve meals. Daili thought he had finally done a decent thing.

Yangzhou, Congnan County.

A county was much smaller than a commandery, and this Congnan County was among the lower tier even among counties. Its already sparse population had been reduced by nearly a third due to a minor plague that occurred three years ago.

"Creak." A dilapidated wooden door opened, and a limping, elderly figure hobbled into the thatched cottage.

"Old Sun, see who's come?" His wife's voice inside the house was high-pitched and enthusiastic, greeting Old Man Sun as he entered.

Old Man Sun looked up.

Well, his married daughter had returned with her husband.

Old Man Sun grinned. Clearly happy, he insisted on speaking a couple of contrary, angry words, "Haven't seen you for two years, thought you'd died out there. What wind blows you back today?"

He turned and instructed his wife, Mrs. Wang, "Two more mouths to feed at home today. Go buy two more hu cakes from Old Li at the end of the street."

"No need for the trouble, I brought wine and meat." Sun Niangzi stopped her mother, then gave her husband a look. He understood and opened the hemp bag he was carrying.

Sure enough, inside was a small pot of millet wine and a roast duck.

The elderly couple was overjoyed at the sight.

The family sat around the table and began their midday meal.

After Sun Niangzi saw her husband and Old Man Sun drink two rounds, she finally said, "Father, I want to ask you something. Back in the days when you worked as a broker in Qiantang, did you ever see a fair-skinned, nine-year-old boy with short hair?"

Sun Niangzi's husband, Li Aniu, added, "The boy had peach blossom eyes and a light brown, teardrop-shaped birthmark on his back shoulder."

At this moment, Sun Niangzi held little hope.

Returning to her parents' home with her husband was because Aniu remembered her father had once been a broker in Qiantang and wanted to ask for information. She thought about how long it had been since she last visited her parents, leading to their mutual agreement to come.

She was aware of the Qin family in Qiantang searching everywhere for someone. She knew her husband coveted that astonishing reward. After all, not only was there a heavy reward for finding the person, but one could also receive a sum of money for providing a verified, important lead.

Privately, Sun Niangzi didn't believe this trip would yield any results.

Her father hadn't worked as a broker for many years and had left Qiantang long ago. The boy the Qin family was looking for had only been missing for half a year. How could the timelines match?

Brokers going to the Qin family had almost worn out their doorstep, yet all returned empty-handed, even the most well-connected Zhao Tietou was no exception. In her view, that boy had most likely quietly died somewhere else. With wind and rain, the corpse would be beyond recognition, and might even have been carried off by wolves outside the city.

Her husband was money-mad, confused, now turning to her father in a desperate search for a cure. But she genuinely wanted to return to her parents' home, so naturally she wouldn't foolishly stop him.

After Li Aniu finished speaking, he looked anxiously at Old Man Sun.

Old Man Sun held a ceramic cup in his left hand and wooden chopsticks in his right, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the roast duck before him, as if contemplating which piece of meat to pick next.

The wait was so long Li Aniu was beginning to despair. He averted his gaze, intending to take a sip of millet wine to drown his sorrows, when he suddenly heard—

"I've seen him."

Li Aniu's body jolted. He fired off questions in succession, "Uncle Sun, are you sure the boy you saw is the one I just described? When did you see him? Where did you see him? What was the boy's condition then? Where did he go afterwards?"

Sun Niangzi was also stunned, "Father, didn't you stop being a broker seven years ago?"

Old Man Sun didn't look at anyone, as if lost in his own memories. "That was many years ago. Eight years, nine years, or ten years ago, I can't remember exactly. I came across that child by the river outside the city. He was all wet, his hair was very short, about this length..." Old Man Sun put down his wooden chopsticks and gestured with his hand near his head, his palm less than half a foot from his scalp.

"I had never seen a child with hair that short before, and the child was dressed very strangely, in short clothes and shorts, dressed like a farmer working in the fields. But his skin was delicate and fair, very clean. At the time, I saw he was all alone, and the wind was strong by the river. Worried he might catch a chill, and as I happened to have a flint on me, I told him to take off his clothes first so I could dry them for him."

"What happened then? What happened after?" Li Aniu pressed. "Did he have a light brown, teardrop-shaped birthmark? Oh, and it must be on his right shoulder."

Old Man Sun raised his cup and took a sip of wine. He didn't answer Li Aniu's question immediately, but continued with his memory. "He called me uncle, asked me to take him to some... bureau or office. He also said something in his hand was broken, he couldn't contact his mama, and he wanted to borrow something from me. The little fellow even proactively recited a long string of numbers and a name. I guess that name was the 'mama' he mentioned."

Sun Niangzi listened, utterly confused.

What on earth was her father talking about? What bureau? What broken thing in his hand...

What kind of address was 'mama'? Did it mean mother?

Could it be that because the other person was talking nonsense, her father remembered it all these years?

"The child was about this tall." Old Man Sun raised his hand and gestured to a height beside him. "Not big. He seemed quite clever, well-mannered, but his speech was baffling. Yet he wasn't a simpleton. At the time, I guessed he was the son of some wealthy family. Helping him dry his clothes was just so I could get a reward for sending him home."

Li Aniu jumped up from his chair in shock. Just now, neither Sun Niangzi nor he had mentioned the detail "five chi and seven cun" (approx. 5.7 ft).

But Old Man Sun's casual gesture just now indicated precisely that height.

Sun Niangzi was dumbfounded. It took her a moment to repeat her husband's earlier question. "Th-then, did he have a teardrop birthmark on his right shoulder?"

Old Man Sun nodded, then shook his head. "It seems there was a birthmark, but then again, maybe not. How could I remember clearly now?"

"I've lost my appetite." Li Aniu threw down his chopsticks, in no mood to eat at all. "Uncle Sun, come with us to Qiantang quickly! Let's go claim the reward! A large estate, prosperous shops, fertile land, and over a hundred taels of silver—they'll all be ours!"

Old Man Sun had downed several cups of wine. Whether he was somewhat drunk or still lost in his memories, he didn't move.

He didn't react, but his wife, Mrs. Wang, heard this and her eyes lit up. "Old Sun, go to Qiantang and claim the reward. Over a hundred taels! And shops that can keep making money. Even if your other leg breaks, you won't have to worry for the rest of your life. How much good wine couldn't you buy then?"

Old Man Sun gave a start and hurriedly stood up as well. "Let's go, let's go to Qiantang. We'll go right now."

The whole family was excited, except for Sun Niangzi. She hadn't spoken again, a small frown knotting her brow.

The "sighting" her father spoke of was at least seven years ago. The noble family's child had only been missing for half a year. This just didn't match up, no matter how you looked at it.

Qiantang, Qin Residence.

Ever since receiving Qin Shaozong's letter over half a month ago, Qin Ran had not returned to Fanhua County. Using Qiantang as a base, he had traveled to various counties, later mainly staying in Qiantang.

With less than seven days left until the one-month deadline, Qin Ran was so anxious that several blisters had broken out on his lips.

"What if we still can't find the person after these seven days? How do we explain it to that lord?" He paced in the room. Beside him was his eldest son, Qin Yishang, who had been ordered to come to Qiantang to help search.

Qin Yishang felt his father was overly anxious. "If we can't find him, we can't find him. We did our best and can report truthfully. The Marquis is magnanimous; surely he won't blame us."

Qin Ran said with frustration, "It has been exactly thirty-five years since your grandfather moved our branch of the family from the north to Yangzhou."

Outsiders saw the Qin clan as united. When Prefect Song of Fanhua County had tea with him, they often talked about that Marquis Wu'an from the north, and Qin Ran would put on a proud expression. But deep down, Qin Ran knew well that their branch in Yangzhou had had very little connection with the main family over these thirty-plus years.

Apart from sending someone north with New Year's gifts once a year, there was virtually no other communication.

Now that an opportunity had finally presented itself, this feeling of helplessness was truly galling.

Just then, a servant came to report. "Master, there's an old broker at the door. He says he has important information to provide."

At the beginning of the search, Qin Ran had heard this until his ears calloused. People came every day, each claiming to have important information, all with their eyes fixed on the reward money in his pocket. He didn't care about the silver, but he was annoyed that these people tried to deceive him with lies, unnecessarily hindering the search.

Later, it was that Captain Hu who came up with an idea, which finally stopped the endless stream of trouble.

"Father, the last person who said he had important information exhausted me terribly," Qin Yishang said, still feeling the strain when he remembered. He had traveled day and night through several counties, even running a horse to death, only to find it was all fabricated. His fury and rage at the time were entirely justified.

Qin Ran pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fewer people have been coming lately. Regardless, we must see this old broker."

When the Qin father and son entered the main hall, Hu Bao happened to be leading someone back from outside. Seeing people approaching from both sides, Old Man Sun's family immediately became very nervous. Especially Sun Niangzi, who couldn't help but tug at her husband's sleeve.

She still felt this matter was somewhat unreliable.

No matter how many other details matched, the timeline didn't align! Not by a month or two, but by several years—enough for a nine-year-old child to grow into a youth.

No matter how confused the noble family was, they couldn't mistake losing a young boy for losing a youth...

Hu Bao's gaze swept over them, taking in Sun Niangzi's small gesture, but he didn't say anything for now.

Qin Ran looked down at Old Man Sun. "So you have important information? Keep it brief. If the information is true, the reward will be yours. But if I find you're full of lies and only came here to swindle the reward, don't blame me for having the captain throw you in jail."

The hall was brightly lit, furnished with exquisite ornaments that were clearly valuable. The two men at the head of the hall were dressed richly, with jade pendants hanging from their belts. Behind them stood several tall, burly men, all dressed in black, with what hung at their waists...

Were those swords.

Old Man Sun gradually trembled like a sieve. The journey from Nanjun to Qiantang had taken quite a while, and his drunkenness had long since worn off. Now standing in the main hall, his heart was filled with trepidation: "Your Honor, I will only speak of what I know. You judge if it's credible. If you don't believe me, can we just pretend this never happened and give me a few coppers for my journey home?"

Qin Yishang's anger flared.

He had merely been given a slight warning and was already showing fear. This man was most likely another swindler after reward money. According to him, why even receive an audience? They should just throw him out.

The corner of Qin Ran's mouth twitched, and similar doubts rose in his heart. But since he was already here, he might as well hear the so-called lead. "Speak."

Old Man Sun was initially somewhat stammering, keeping his head down and not daring to look at anyone. But as he spoke, he became immersed in his memories.

He gave a specific location, described how he had chanced upon the other person, and detailed the child's clothing, appearance, a birthmark on the body, and the child's strange words.

"...His parents must have been people of exceptionally outstanding appearance. In all my years, I've never seen such a handsome little boy. It's just that his mind wasn't clear, always talking nonsense," Old Man Sun said.

The Qin father and son initially held little hope, but as they listened, they exchanged a glance, inexplicably feeling a flicker of anticipation.

It sounded without major holes. Moreover, unlike other swindlers who desperately tried to tailor their stories to fit known information, this old man still hadn't uttered the child's name.

Old Man Sun, perhaps having forgotten, or perhaps subconsciously finding it absurd himself, didn't immediately mention the time this time.

Until later...

"When did you see that child?" Qin Ran asked.

The hall immediately fell silent. Old Man Sun, who had been looking up, lowered his head. This silence was like a bucket of cold water, drenching the Qin father and son.

Something was wrong.

Had they been mistaken earlier?

"Ten years ago," someone said softly.

Not only the Qin father and son, but even Hu Bao standing nearby had a drastic change in expression.

"Ten years ago?!"

"Do you know what you're saying? Even the most absurd claim must have its limits! You dare to spout such lies here, attempting to deceive and swindle? Do you believe I'll have the guards throw you into prison this instant?"

At the mention of "prison," Old Man Sun, who had been somewhat timid just moments before, now seemed to throw caution to the wind, words pouring out in a torrent: "I truly am not lying. I really did meet that child ten years ago. His height, hair, and appearance all matched. He even told me his... possibly his mother's name. His relative was called, called..."

Old Man Sun choked up, sweating profusely in his anxiety.

A decade had passed. The only reason he still remembered this incident was because that child had been so peculiar back then. But some of the terms the child used then, including that string of numbers and the name that followed, had long been cast into the river of time by the years, leaving not a trace.

"Father, don't listen to his nonsense anymore. Hurry and chase him out, lest we waste more time," Qin Ran's eldest son, Qin Yishang, said indignantly.

Qin Ran was of the same mind. "You may lea..."

"You said the child was by the river, his clothes completely soaked at the time?" Hu Bao, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.

Seeing someone was still asking him for details, Old Man Sun felt like a drowning man clutching a lifeline. "Yes, yes, yes! As if he had swum a lap in the river, completely drenched."

Hu Bao fell into thought.

Mo Yanyun had a loose tongue, especially after drinking, with no filter on what he might let slip.

He had once heard him say that the reason Lady Dai was discovered by the Lord back then was because the Lord heard movement in the side room in the courtyard and went in to investigate. The two were in the room for less than half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before Lady Dai emerged, draped in a man's long robe.

Why was Lady Dai wearing a man's long robe at that time?

Why couldn't she appear in women's attire? Could it be that there was a problem with her own clothes?

Hu Bao hadn't been present. He had no answer.

But faintly, he felt a subtle, indescribable connection between these two events, like spider silk wrapping around his nerves, tugging at them again and again.

"Think carefully! What did the child say his mother's name was?" Hu Bao pressed sternly.

Old Man Sun was sweating profusely, trembling, yet unable to utter a word.

Qin Yishang was about to speak but was stopped by a look from his father, who shook his head slightly, signaling him not to interfere.

Time flowed slowly, the atmosphere in the hall growing increasingly tense. Old Man Sun and his family began to think of retreat.

Old Man Sun still couldn't say anything. Hu Bao sighed. "Forget it. You may lea..."

That word "lea" drifted into Old Man Sun's ears like an invisible heavy hammer striking his temple, shaking off all the dust-covered, rust-stained grime accumulated over the years.

Thus, a tide rose in the long river of time, swelling and then receding. And as the water receded, the discarded past on the riverbed reappeared.

"Li... Li Dai, or Dai Li..." Old Man Sun only remembered two characters. "Just these two characters. As for the order, I've forgotten."

Hu Bao's pupils contracted to pinpoints, a tidal wave surging in his heart. Not only him, but the other four Xuanxiao Cavalrymen also looked utterly shocked.

This old man had actually uttered Lady Dai's name.

Could it be that the strange child he spoke of was truly Lady Dai's son?

But...

But the old man said this happened ten years ago!

Lady Dai was desperately searching for her son. The time of her son's disappearance was such a crucial detail; she absolutely could not have misremembered it.

Just where... had things gone wrong?