Chapter 48

Guoyun County.

Daili stared at the small booklet spread open before her, but her thoughts drifted far away.

On the morning after that night, Qin Shaozong and a group of military officers went to the barracks outside the city and stayed there for the next two consecutive days without returning.

She slept alone at night, with no one disturbing her early in the morning. But Daili knew this was only temporary. A one-year deadline had been set; he couldn't possibly be satisfied with just that one time.

Drinking contraceptive medicine would only make her suffer. Rather than suffering herself, it was better to make Qin Shaozong suffer—she needed to get some condoms made.

Condoms already existed during the Tang dynasty. Back then, they were generally made from cleaned and dried fish bladders, softened in warm water before use—hence the later term "sneaking some fish" for infidelity.

Besides fish bladders, highly elastic sheep intestines and pig bladders could also be used. However, considering which was easiest to process, fish bladders were still the first choice.

Daili had made up her mind. "Nianxia, Bipo, come with me. We're going out."

The two maidservants didn't know her purpose, but they still quickly prepared to leave the residence. However...

At the side gate of the residence, Daili was stopped.

"Madam Dai, you wish to go out to the market?" The guard looked somewhat nervous.

Daili, wearing a veiled hat, nodded. "Yes, I should be back in about an hour."

The guard thought for a moment. "Please wait a moment, I'll make arrangements."

Daili didn't ask what arrangements he meant, standing inside the side gate as she watched him hurry off. Not long after, Qiao Wangfei led several soldiers over in haste.

A bone injury takes a hundred days to heal. It had been nearly three months since Qiao Wangfei's serious injury, and he was now in the final stage of recovery. To avoid leaving any hidden ailments, Ding Lianxi had repeatedly warned him not to overexert himself, which Qin Shaozong also agreed with.

So, while the other officers had been busy at the barracks these past few days, Qiao Wangfei became the one left behind to mind the house.

As for why he wasn't left in Ying County, it was entirely because he was the head of the Eastern Garrison of the Xuanxiao Cavalry. If the Eastern Garrison lacked its leader, it would be inconvenient for them in upcoming battles. Qin Shaozong simply brought him along on the journey to recuperate.

Qiao Wangfei said respectfully, "Madam Dai, I will accompany you out of the residence."

Daili didn't mind. "My apologies for the trouble."

"No trouble at all," Qiao Wangfei hurriedly replied. "I've been cooped up in the residence for days as well; it'll be good to take a walk outside."

Guoyun County bore the title "County," so its scale was naturally not small. Its several markets were clearly distinguished by what they sold, orderly and well-organized.

Daili headed straight for her target: the fish market. Under Qiao Wangfei's puzzled gaze, she bought many fish and specifically asked the fishmonger if he sold fish bladders separately.

Unfortunately, he did not.

In this era, common folk couldn't bear to waste the slightest bit, let alone fish bladders, which could be made into zhuyi, a particularly appetizing delicacy.

"Then I'll take both these baskets," Daili said, buying an extra basket of fish. There was no fear of having too much food. Those military officers in the residence were all gluttons; throwing these few baskets of fish into their stomachs probably wouldn't even make a sound.

The fishmonger beamed with joy.

"Madam Dai, is there something special about these fish bladders?" Qiao Wangfei couldn't help but ask.

He was someone Daili had personally saved. Later, he had also been involved in the refined salt matter, and now he revered her like a deity. Seeing her particular interest in fish bladders, he couldn't help but start to imagine.

It was probably similar to the Midas touch—wherever Madam Dai pointed, it could turn to gold. Most likely, these fish bladders, after processing, could also fetch a good price!

Daili: "..."

There was something special about them, but they couldn't be sold, nor was it appropriate to publicize their use everywhere.

Daili decided to change the subject, casually saying, "There are quite a few baskets of fish here. Perhaps we should find someone to send them back first."

To her surprise, upon hearing this, Qiao Wangfei's expression changed dramatically, and he spoke almost pleadingly, "Madam Dai, the Marquis truly treats you exceptionally well. Back after taking Ying County, all the finest women's ornaments from Li Zan's treasury were sent to your rooms. And when you fell ill previously, Master Ding said you needed quiet rest to restore your vitality. The Marquis held back the army from marching, only setting out south after you recovered..."

Daili was taken aback, then suddenly understood. It turned out that her method of sending fish to distract the guards back in Nankang County had now made Qiao Wangfei a nervous wreck.

"I haven't found my son yet; I have no plans to do anything else," Daili said helplessly.

The tense string loosened. Qiao Wangfei let out a sigh of relief. "It's good that you have no other ideas."

Mention of her son reminded Daili of another matter. Guoyun County was sizable. Given Qin Shaozong's promotion of refined salt and the profit-seeking nature of merchants, it was very likely someone here was selling salt stones.

She immediately asked the fishmonger.

The fishmonger actually knew. "...You're asking about the salt stone merchant? Yes, there is a merchant in the county selling salt stones. His surname is Gao. I heard he returned from the north a few days ago, bringing many expensive salt stones specifically for large eateries and the county's nobility. Madam, if you want to buy salt stones, remember to bring plenty of silver. He really doesn't sell them cheaply."

After thanking the fishmonger, Daili followed the direction he indicated.

Merchant Gao's shop wasn't hard to find.

He had previously been a traveling merchant in the sauce business, with his own shop. The signboard "Gao's Sauces" hung high, but he found that insufficient. He had made a "Salt Stones" flag himself and planted it high up, letting it flutter in the wind.

"Welcome! What would you like to buy?" Merchant Gao's shrewd eyes swept over Daili's clothing, and his smile immediately widened by eight degrees. "Esteemed guest, I have salt stones procured from the north. They are white, fine, and even purer than salt. I heard from those foreign merchants that regularly consuming more salt stones helps expel troublesome and stagnant impurities from the body, thereby achieving the effect of prolonging life."

"Many nobles in the county are fond of them. Noble guest, would you like to buy some?" Merchant Gao rubbed his hands together.

Daili was astounded.

Prolonging life? Selling something that isn't a health supplement as if it were one—if this were modern times, a consumer complaint for false advertising would be filed immediately.

However, Daili's purpose here wasn't the salt stones. She looked around the shop. "I heard that people in the north are looking for a child named 'Qin Yanzhou,' and have entrusted many traveling merchants to inquire. Do you know about this?"

Merchant Gao hesitated, then nodded. "I know about it. To be frank, when I first returned from the north, I visited the county's human market and asked several brokers, but none of them knew of that child. Later, I realized that reward money was like a flower in a mirror, the moon in the water—not something I could obtain."

He had gone to the brokers, completely hooked by the reward offered from the north.

However, after asking several brokers and finding none who knew, the merchant's agile mind made him realize—

This matter was extremely difficult.

The north only said to find a child, giving a name, approximate age, and general appearance. Nothing else was said. His status, whether alive or dead, his whereabouts—all unknown. This was no different from finding a needle in a haystack. How could one search?

It simply couldn't be found!

Rather than wasting time on that illusory reward, it would be better to put in more effort selling saltpeter. The latter brings solid silver coins into one's pocket.

Daili observed Merchant Gao's demeanor and understood his unspoken words, falling into silence. When she first followed Qin Shaozong south, she had worried things might develop in this direction.

And now it had indeed come to pass.

Profit-driven merchants were gradually losing interest in the moon-in-the-water reward.

"Noble lady, why do you mention this?" Merchant Gao asked, puzzled. His gaze shifted backward, landing on Qiao Wangfei.

One look was enough to startle him—this man actually had a sword at his waist! Looking further outside, the several men guarding in front of his shop were all tall and burly, not looking like ordinary retainers of a wealthy family at all!

Could she be a female relative of Prefect Feng's household? Or from the Zhang family...

Wait, I've heard Governor Nangong has been settled in the commandery for some time. Could she be one of Governor Nangong's people?

Just as he was secretly speculating, he heard the young lady before him speak.

"How about I give you an idea? Write a notice, paste it outside your door with glue, just omitting the specific detail about the birthmark. Then sit back and wait for the brokers to bring children to your door. If there really is a match, you'll exert the least effort for the greatest share of the reward. What do you think?"

"Excellent, excellent, you speak wisely," Merchant Gao nodded repeatedly.

Not only did this noble guest's words make sense and seem to consider his interests at every turn, but given her elusive and prestigious status, even if she were talking nonsense, he would have to nod along right now.

To show he wasn't just being perfunctory, Merchant Gao immediately fetched a large sheet of mulberry bark paper, swiftly wrote a missing person notice, and with a "smack," pasted it outside his shop.

Daili didn't let him work for nothing. Later, she made a point of buying some seasonings from his store.

Having obtained what she needed to buy and with matters weighing on her mind, Daili didn't linger outside. She returned to the residence with Qiao Wangfei.

As luck would have it, upon her return, she ran into Qin Shaozong at the gate, who had been staying at the military camp outside the city for two consecutive days.

"Where has my lady been?"

The burly man sat astride a tall horse, blocking a large swath of sunlight before Daili. The golden taotie-patterned helmet cast a shadow on his face as he lowered his head.

His brown eyes were hidden within the shadow, making them hard to see clearly, yet one could vaguely sense a smoldering heat deep within.

Daili averted her gaze and simultaneously took a step to the side, putting distance between herself and the overly perceptive chestnut horse. "I went to the market to buy a few baskets of fish. Tonight, I'll have the kitchen prepare a full fish banquet for you all."

Qin Shaozong dismounted. "My lady craves fish? You don't care much for heavy meats, always preferring these river delicacies that don't have much substance."

Daili couldn't help muttering softly, "How is there no substance? It's just that your own appetite is large."

The seasonings of this era were far inferior to later times. There were no chili peppers, let alone white sugar or industrial flavorings. Steamed fish was convenient—simply add a couple of ginger slices to remove the fishy smell, and you'd have a dish of fresh fish.

Qin Shaozong said meaningfully, "Alright, it's true my appetite is large. My lady knows that well from experience."

Daili: "..."

He'd better be talking about the same thing.

Ignoring him, Daili had the guards deliver the baskets of fish to the kitchen, then instructed the army cooks to separately save the fish bladders in a small basin.

Wash, cut, sort, and finally lay them out on winnowing baskets to dry.

After all this busywork, it was mealtime—time for the evening meal.

Tonight's full fish banquet was set with individual low tables in the main hall. Daili mingled among the military officers, eating while listening to their casual conversation.

"Once Old Mo returns with the topographic maps of the area around Huai'an Commandery, we'll be almost ready to move."

"Ah, if the terrain around Huai'an Commandery weren't so complex, we wouldn't need to go through all this trouble. The waiting is truly grating."

I've heard the Green Lotus Sect is just a ragtag bunch, not many regular soldiers. It should be an easy fight. I plan to earn the honor of being the first on the walls.

"Mr. Nalan says it might rain in the coming days. Let's hope it doesn't rain on the day of the big battle, or it would be troublesome."

Indeed. Since it's not a surprise attack, we don't need to muffle the sound of hooves. Heavy rain greatly reduces the range and accuracy of arrows, and scaling the siege ladders would also be difficult.

"Wait until after the rain then?"

"We'll see how the Marquis decides when the time comes."

...

While eating fish, Daili silently calculated the time in her mind.

They had arrived in Guoyun Commandery the day before yesterday. Commander Mo was sent out that same day, so he had been gone for three days now. She didn't know exactly where the Huai'an Commandery they mentioned was located, nor how far it was from Guoyun Commandery.

It probably wasn't too far. Too great a distance would exhaust both men and horses. Calculating this way, Commander Mo should be able to return soon...

Hopefully, he'd arrive before bedtime tonight. If so, Qin Shaozong would surely have to go to the study.

After the meal, Daili left the main hall and strolled around the residence to aid digestion. Night had fallen. Only a handful of places in the residence were lit; the vast majority of courtyards and buildings were shrouded in darkness.

There was neither moon nor stars tonight. The sky was dark and heavy, as if it might come crashing down at any moment.

"Whoosh—"

The wind picked up.

The lantern in Nianxia's hand swayed violently from side to side, the light inside flickering wildly.

"My lady, it seems like it's going to rain. Perhaps we should head back," Nianxia whispered softly.

As if agreeing with her words, a dull rumble of thunder suddenly rolled across the sky, booming loudly.

"My lady, let's return. Summer rains, once they start, can be torrential. Coupled with the wind, you might catch a chill," Bipo also urged.

Daili looked up at the sky. For now, there was only the sound of thunder, no lightning dragons yet wreaking havoc within the clouds.

For some reason, even though the sky was as dark as yesterday—so dark the storm clouds were invisible—she felt an inexplicable heaviness in her heart.

She had a feeling something would happen tonight...

"Let's go back."

Back in the main chamber, Daili spread open her little mulberry bark paper booklet and began writing down improvement items.

Merely entrusting messages to merchant caravans wasn't enough. They needed to post notices, preferably on shop doors or conspicuous shelves.

The purchased cloth garments would spread the word from ten to a hundred...

"What is my lady writing again?" A deep male voice sounded close to her ear.

Daili was greatly startled, her whole body jolting violently.

A large, tanned hand first landed on her shoulder, then slid down, gently patting her back as if smoothing ruffled feathers. Qin Shaozong laughed, "Before, you were capable of anything, full of audacity from head to toe. Why so timid today?"

This man scared her and then had the nerve to blame her. Daili was impressed. "It's clearly because you walk without a sound."

"How could there be no sound? Those two maidservants just now paid their respects." Qin Shaozong's long arm suddenly tightened around her waist, and with Daili's gasp of surprise, he lifted her from the chair.

"Clatter." A small charcoal pencil fell to the ground, rolling away alone and forlorn.

In the blink of an eye, Daili found herself sitting on his lap instead of the soft chair. He ran extremely hot, his body as warm as a stove. On that chilly spring night, he could wear nothing but a thin robe. Now, before the heavy rain, the summer night was stiflingly stuffy. Trapped in his embrace, Daili felt as if she was caught in a searing net.

"I'm hot," Daili tried to get up.

The long arm that had wrapped around her waist tightened slightly. At the same time, his large hand with distinct knuckles spread out and grasped her waist. He knew that this part of her body was particularly sensitive. As long as he held it, she would lose most of her strength immediately.

Sure enough, the woman in his arms went limp right away.

Qin Shaozong looked at the tips of her ears tinged with a blush and couldn't help letting out a soft laugh. He rubbed the side of her fair neck with his nose, and his thin lips landed on her beautiful collarbone from time to time. "My lady, Mo Yanyun will be back soon."

Daili naturally understood what he meant.

Mo Yanyun's return meant that everything was ready and they would enter the war zone immediately.

During the war, women were forbidden in the military camp.

The two of them were pressed closely against each other, and his physical reaction was obvious. Enveloped by the net of heat, Daili also became a bit restless.

She tried to pry the big hand off her waist, but those long fingers were as if made of iron, still tightly holding on to her. As if displeased with her actions, the thumb rubbing on her waist pressed a little harder.

The tingling sensation that rose from the base of her spine became even stronger. Daili couldn't help trembling slightly, and even the end of her voice quivered. "Did you drink at the dinner?"

"Just a little," Qin Shaozong replied. Before the war, how could there be no wine at a group dinner?

As if thinking of something, he asked, "Are you dizzy again?"

He remembered that she said a few days ago that the smell of alcohol made her dizzy.

Daili nodded immediately, and the speed of her nodding was unusually fast, so fast that Qin Shaozong squinted his eyes slightly. He said in an unclear tone, "Is my lady really dizzy or just pretending?"

The oppression around him was already strong, and it became even more intense when he deliberately let it out. That sharp gaze seemed to cut her open and see what was hidden inside.

Daili couldn't stand it and kept turning her head to the side.

The next moment, a rough big hand half - wrapped around her chin and turned her back.

Those brown eyes were right in front of her, as bright as a mirror.

"Do you dislike me?" These two words seemed to be forced out between his teeth.

Daili really wanted to lie and say no, but she couldn't get past her conscience. If she tried to talk about something else, his gaze was too sharp, and he would probably see through her.

Since neither of these methods worked, Daili could only keep silent and blinked her eyes at him gently.

Qin Shaozong was both amused and angry. Gritting his teeth, he said, "The bathtub in the main room is very spacious. It's very lonely to bathe alone. How about my lady accompany me?"

Although he was asking how, he directly picked her up forcefully.

"I've already taken a bath!"

"The night is long and we have plenty of time. Please trouble my lady to take another bath."

*

It was already late at night, and the curfew had been imposed in Guoyun County.

In a wing - room on the first floor of a post - house in the county, there was still a faint candlelight flickering. If the young servant of the post - house were inside at this time, he would surely be greatly surprised. The guests who had checked in as merchants had now changed into black night - clothes.

Black clothes and trousers, with a handkerchief covering their faces, they looked like they were going to do some shady things.

The young man blew out the candle, pushed open the window, and nimbly climbed out.

The same scene happened simultaneously in different post - houses in the county. Seen from above, some black dots left the post - houses and rushed towards the same place, meeting there.

There was no moon tonight. The residents on both sides of the street had gone to sleep early. The darkness was like a snake waking up from hibernation, opening its huge mouth to devour all the light.

The footsteps of the patrol team were drowned out by the thunder, making it difficult to tell their exact location. However, this group of people in black could always accurately avoid them.

They walked and stopped, occasionally turning into alleys. Sometimes they dispersed and acted individually, standing close to the fronts of shops to avoid the patrollers passing by the alley entrances.

At this time, Quanjie was also leaning against the front of a shop. The shop had a plaque that read "Gao's Sauce", and there was a flag fluttering in the night wind on top, with the words "Xianshi" written on it.

The group of people they needed to be wary of gradually moved away in the distance.

Quanjie took a step forward. During this process, he heard some faint noises, as if it was the friction between clothes and paper.

The sound came from behind him.

The young man couldn't help turning sideways and looking back. Vaguely, he could see a piece of mulberry paper pasted on the shop door, which looked like a notice.