Inside the main residence.
In this era, meals were typically served on individual low tables. However, Dai Li found them inconvenient. After her son returned, she simply had a carpenter make a new set of small furniture.
A small round table and two wooden chairs. Dining together at the same table, no longer needing separate ones.
But the novelty lasted less than half a day. When Qin Shaozong saw this small round table, he also thought it was quite good, though a bit too small—cramped for three people.
So, with a single order from him, the carpenter set to work. Soon, the small round table in Dai Li's room had expanded by two sizes, becoming spacious enough to comfortably seat an additional grown man.
Dai Li: "..."
When under someone else's roof, and with the meals provided by the army cooks, she truly couldn't do anything to their commanding officer. She would just have to make do.
Today, upon hearing from Qin Shaozong about the suspected spies outside the residence, Dai Li furrowed her delicate brows. "Why didn't Commandant Mo apprehend and question them at the time?"
Qin Shaozong replied leisurely, "That fellow isn't as meticulous as some. He had urgent business at hand and only wanted to return swiftly to report. Furthermore..." He deliberately paused. As expected, she was watching him intently, her clear, jet-black eyes reflecting his own image from up close.
The man's thin lips curved into a smile. "Guoyun County sits on the border of two provinces. This place is teeming with spies. For all we know, they've already honeycombed it behind the scenes."
Such border areas were the hardest to control and also the most flexible. As the superior officer to a large number of spies himself, Qin Shaozong was quite fond of such places.
Dai Li muttered, "Could they be from Yanzhou?"
According to what her son later said, after the assassination failed, the sole surviving companion, upon learning of his intention to defect, had returned alone to report.
Fan Yanzhou must already know the details and would certainly wonder why Zhou Zhou chose to break from the organization in Guoyun County, and whether it had any connection to the northern territories.
Although Qin Yanzhou was sitting right beside them, Qin Shaozong acted as if he weren't there, speaking directly to Dai Li. "It could be any faction. It could also be other enemies this boy made in previous years. In any case, Madam, keep him from going out these next few days. If he goes strolling on the streets, gets a sack thrown over his head, and is beaten black and blue until even you wouldn't recognize him, don't say I didn't warn you."
Dai Li felt her temples throb listening to him.
Was his mouth smeared with poison? Speaking so harshly, isn't he afraid of poisoning himself?
Qin Yanzhou remained utterly unperturbed, treating it as empty noise.
Dai Li gritted her teeth slightly. "How is the Marquis so familiar with such matters? Could it be from personal experience?"
Qin Shaozong looked at her and suddenly chuckled. "Madam is clever. Indeed, in my youth, I most enjoyed doing things that left others swallowing their losses with no way to complain."
Dai Li: "..."
Dai Li was speechless. She simply ignored him and turned to her son. "Zhou Zhou, stay within the residence to lay low these next few days. If you need anything purchased, just tell Nianxia or the others. They will handle it properly."
Qin Yanzhou nodded. "Alright."
After the meal, Qin Shaozong left.
Dai Li was rather unlucky. This time, she had sprained her left foot again. Whether it was because of the previous injury or this sprain being more severe, the recovery was taking longer than last time.
Nianxia and Bipo had gone out of the residence a few times. Once, Dai Li accidentally overheard them talking.
"Today I went to the silk merchant's shop to pick up the custom-made clothes for the young master as agreed, but they said Embroiderer Su, who was in charge, had a sudden family emergency."
"Ah? So how will they handle it? It won't be delayed, will it?"
"A delay is certain. They've assigned a new embroiderer to take over the unfinished work. They said she would work overtime to finish within three days at most, and that the embroiderer would personally deliver the clothes to the residence as soon as they're done. Oh, and as an apology for the delay, they'll include an extra pair of black boots."
"Sigh, man proposes, God disposes. Nothing to be done about that."
Dai Li, leaning on her crutch, paused for a moment, then called out to the two women outside.
Nianxia and Bipo entered upon hearing her.
"Madam, did you want to fetch something?" Seeing Dai Li standing with her crutch, they thought she wanted to get an object.
Dai Li asked, "You just said the silk merchant changed to a new embroiderer, and that the embroiderer would personally deliver the clothes to the residence when finished?"
The two women nodded.
Dai Li pondered for a moment. "Nianxia, go to the silk merchant's shop again. Tell them there's no need for the embroiderer to deliver them, and no need for the extra boots either. Once the new clothes are ready, have her leave them at the shop. You can go pick them up then."
The usual embroiderer was replaced, the new one personally acting as a courier, and offering free boots. It was unknown if these boots were ready-made. What if the new person had doubts about the previous measurements and wanted to take them again? Wouldn't that require meeting Zhou Zhou?
Whether Dai Li was being overly cautious or not, she felt that at this critical juncture, it was better to be extra careful.
Just a pair of shoes, not something they absolutely had to have.
Although not fully understanding the reason, Nianxia always followed Dai Li's lead. Since Dai Li said not to have the embroiderer deliver the clothes, she immediately went out to the silk merchant's shop.
At dusk, just after the evening meal, a guard hurriedly came to report that Kuang Ye had urgent matters to relay.
Qin Shaozong put down his bowl and chopsticks and went to his study.
As evening deepened, the main gates opened. Qin Shaozong, on horseback, led several men to the military camp outside the city. As was usual in such cases, he would not return tonight.
Since her son's return, Dai Li had moved back to sleep in the side chamber.
Mo Yanyun had returned to the residence, and the atmosphere was visibly tense, with conflict seeming imminent. Sleeping separately was only natural. Moreover, the lead assassin had defected. Not only would he not continue any assassination attempts, but if Dai Li were threatened, he would be the first to object.
Summer nights were not very cool. Fortunately, Dai Li wasn't prone to sweating and could tolerate heat. With her son found and her heaviest burden lifted, she soon fell asleep.
Dai Li could sleep, but Bipo in the adjacent small room could not. Bipo couldn't stand the heat, suffering every summer, and was prone to heavy sweating. Sweating more naturally made her thirsty.
Usually, Bipo would keep a cup of water by her bed, taking a sip when thirsty, and would gradually fall asleep after a few times. But tonight, she had poured too little water. After drinking several times, just as she was approaching deep drowsiness, she found the cup empty.
That was unacceptable. The thirstier she thought about it, the thirstier she felt. After tossing and turning several times, Bipo was wide awake. She couldn't help but get up, intending to fetch water from outside.
There was a moon tonight, a bright wheel hanging high in the sky, shedding silvery moonlight.
The small side chamber had a window. Passing by it, Bipo glanced out unintentionally and was immediately frightened pale.
Th-there was a dark figure in the courtyard.
The Marquis was not in the residence tonight. The young master had gone to sleep early. The patrolling guards only passed by the courtyard entrance; they would never enter the courtyard itself.
There was an intruder!
Bipo instinctively dodged to the side, hiding herself completely against the adjacent wall, but the next instant, she shuddered.
No, she couldn't hide. She had to inform Madame immediately!
"Assassins! Madame, there are assassins!" Bipo hurriedly ran to the outer chamber.
Dai Li was jolted awake from her sleep. Her first thought was: had the assassin who went to report back returned with men to attack again?
Bipo's shout was high-pitched and sharp, causing the patrolling guards not far away to rush urgently toward the area.
Torchlight soon illuminated the courtyard. As guards encircled the outside in multiple layers, the centurion led another team straight in, heading directly for Dai Li's room.
"Creak." The door opened.
The terrified Bipo appeared before the guards. Their gazes swept past her, peering inside.
The room was quiet, with no other sounds.
The guards paused, all realizing the assassin wasn't inside. After all, if an assassin had reached this place, the maid would likely already be dead.
Not here, then perhaps the adjacent room?
"Creak." Another door opening sound.
The door of the front room opened, revealing a young man standing at the threshold, wearing only thin undergarments and shuffling in wooden clogs.
The guards averted their eyes. It seemed not here either. They turned their attention toward Qin Shaozong's quarters.
The Lord had gone to the military camp. Having failed in one strike, could the assassin be hiding inside?
Never mind, they should go in and check first.
Dai Li saw her son enter and looked him over carefully. He was dressed in white, visibly clean, with no glaring red stains.
Dai Li breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, the centurion who had finished checking the neighboring room returned to report:
"Madame Dai, there are no assassins in the courtyard."
Just that one sentence, nothing more, but the implication was clear: it had been a false alarm.
Dai Li did not look at Bipo, only addressing the centurion: "My apologies for making you come for nothing."
"Please don't say that, Madame Dai. In such matters, we would rather run empty a thousand times than miss a single occurrence," the centurion said with a cupped-hand salute. "Please rest. We shall take our leave."
After the centurion left, Dai Li looked at her son. "Zhou Zhou, you should go back to sleep too."
"Goodnight, Mother," the young man said softly.
The door closed.
Bipo fell to her knees with a thud. "Madame, this servant truly did not missee. I really saw a dark shadow in the courtyard. I swear on everything. If I speak a single false word, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death."
Dai Li pressed her lips together.
Nianxia stood beside Bipo, anxiously nudging her secretly with a toe.
What was wrong with Bipo today? Why was she so obtuse? Madame's attitude clearly showed she wanted to let the matter drop. Why was Bipo still clinging to it?
Just as Bipo was about to speak again, she heard Dai Li sigh.
Dai Li did not say whether she believed her or not, only speaking gently, "Regardless, no assassin was caught tonight. The matter is settled as far as the outside is concerned. Bipo, from now on, do not speak to anyone about what you saw tonight, or it will make things difficult for the guards."
Hearing her gentle tone, Bipo privately felt her mistress trusted her and immediately nodded repeatedly. "This servant understands."
"It's late. Go back and rest, all of you." Dai Li sent them away.
The two maids returned to their small side room. Dai Li sat quietly by the bed for a moment before lying down.
Inside the dark bed curtains, nothing was visible, yet Dai Li lay with her eyes open for a while blankly. When she closed her eyes again to sleep, she could not drift off as quickly as before.
The minor night alarm was like a small ripple, insignificant in the churning river of greater events, soon forgotten by everyone.
A matter of utmost importance was decided not long after:
The Northern Army led by Qin Shaozong, the Qingzhou Army led by Nan Gongxiong, and the Yanzhou Army led by Fan Tianshi decided to hold a meeting at the border of Qing and Yan provinces to jointly discuss the campaign against the Qinglian Sect.
Qin Shaozong and Nan Gongxiong had already met previously, so the Northern and Qingzhou armies traveled together, arriving first at the designated location.
The meeting point was chosen on a small plain with elegant vegetation and an open view, making any ambush obvious at a glance.
A large command tent was erected there. Flanking the tent stood two massive command banners. Looking further out on both sides were soldiers from both armies, either standing or patrolling on horseback.
Half an hour after the tent was pitched, dust rose in the west. Amidst the rumble of hooves, a large banner bearing the character "Yan" came into view.
Fan Tianshi, his hair tied with a golden crown, wore Tang-ni armor, carried two swords at his waist, and rode a sturdy white horse. Beside him was his eldest son, Fan Boliang, flanked by a group of Yanzhou generals, followed by a vast mass of Yanzhou troops—a truly imposing sight.
When they were still over ten meters from the large command tent, Fan Tianshi reined in his horse. He shot a glance at his deputy beside him, who understood immediately and proclaimed in a loud voice:
"Fan, Governor of Yan, has arrived!"
His voice, resonant as a bell, was carried by the wind into the large tent not far away.
Inside the tent.
Upon hearing this, Qin Shaozong laughed. "That fellow really cares about face. He wants us to go out and greet him."
"Fine, it's only a few steps," Nan Gongxiong said, rising.
Qin Shaozong, however, did not move. Unlike Nan Gongxiong, he was bound to clash openly with Fan Tianshi on this trip, so naturally, he wouldn't bother with such superfluous formalities.
"Please relay a message to Governor Fan for me, Lord Nan of Qingzhou. Tell him I'm feeling unwell, can't walk far, and await him inside the tent," Qin Shaozong said, continuing to sip his tea.
Nan Gongxiong's mouth twitched. He had initially intended to persuade him further, but then it occurred to him: the worse the relationship between the North and Yanzhou, the more solid the alliance with his Qingzhou would be.
He was happy to see it happen.
He immediately agreed and left the tent with several Qingzhou deputies.
Moments later, two figures entered the tent side by side.
Hearing that Qin Shaozong was unwell, Fan Tianshi briefly wondered if the night raid had injured him somewhat. But when he saw the man not far away, his face darkened instantly.
He had never met Qin Shaozong before, but that didn't stop Fan Tianshi from recognizing him at a glance.
A few paces away, a burly man sat with an imposing air. Clad in black armor, his brown eyes were cold, his long, sweeping brows sharp as scimitars. His presence was like a mountain or sea, exuding the authority honed from commanding tens of thousands of troops.
At that moment, one hand rested casually on the table, the other held a teacup. His posture was leisurely, his complexion ruddy—there was no sign of being unwell or unable to walk far.
Their eyes met. Qin Shaozong offered Fan Tianshi a smile that had absolutely nothing to do with friendliness. "Governor Fan, you're more refined and delicate-looking than I imagined. Don't just stand there like a post, come and sit."
Even if Fan Tianshi was indeed fair-skinned and his quiet demeanor somewhat gentle, in this context, no ruler would appreciate being called refined and delicate-looking by another.
Not only was it sarcastic, but the opening words also assumed the tone of a host.
Fan Tianshi's face twisted slightly. Fan Boliang, who stood a step behind him, now stepped forward. "I just heard Marquis Qin say he was feeling unwell. One shouldn't speak such words carelessly. Speak them too often, and should one day a mishap turn them true, no amount of praying to gods or buddhas would bring back a healthy body."
Qin Shaozong looked at Fan Boliang with a half-smile. "My apologies, so you are the Governor of Yan. By the way, Governor Fan, why are you standing at the back? What's the meaning of sending a subordinate to stand in the middle? Could it be you fear this is a trap, and plan to use a substitute later?"
Not only did Fan Boliang's face turn pale then flushed, but Fan Tianshi's expression also became exceedingly grim.
Nangong Xiong was dumbfounded.
Had some unknown friction occurred between the Northern Territories and Yan Province? Why did Qin Shaozong speak with such pointed barbs the moment he saw Fan Tianshi?
Amidst his shock, Nangong Xiong felt a sliver of relief.
Ahem, it's fortunate this man with the sharp tongue is now my ally. Otherwise, these harsh words would likely be directed at me.
"Marquis Qin is quite the wit," Fan Tianshi said with a forced smile. "But sometimes, a loose tongue can inadvertently make enemies, and invite fatal disaster. That would be most unfortunate."
Qin Shaozong scoffed. "Fatal disaster? Who wants to kill me? Is it you, Governor Fan?"
His words shocked everyone present.
Nangong Xiong hadn't expected Qin Shaozong to move beyond pointed remarks this time, directly targeting the already fragile cloak of peace.
Fan Tianshi's pupils contracted, stunned that Qin Shaozong would lay everything out in the open right from the start.
No, not just laying it out, but adding fuel to the fire.
When did he ever want to kill Qin Shaozong?
"Marquis Qin, one might eat carelessly, but one must not speak carelessly," Fan Tianshi said coldly.
Qin Shaozong: "Some days ago, a group of assassins infiltrated my residence. This squad of ten failed in their mission. Two were captured alive, one escaped, and the remaining seven were cut down. Governor Fan, one of the two captives claimed you ordered the assassination."
"Nonsense!" Fan Tianshi retorted.
Qin Shaozong merely uttered three words: "Bring him in."
Two men entered, dragging a formless mass between them. The scent of blood immediately began to spread through the tent.
The men from Qing and Yan Provinces stared intently, all gasping in shock. That was no 'thing'; it was clearly a person.
The man's legs had been severed below the knees, and it seemed many of his bones and tendons had been removed, leaving his body utterly limp, forced forward only by the two men gripping his wrists.
Along the path he was dragged, occasional dark blood droplets and tiny bits of flesh fell to the ground.
Although they all relied on family backing to rise to power, the lords of this era could roughly be divided into two types:
One type possessed formidable martial prowess themselves, like Qin Shaozong and Nangong Xiong. These men often led troops into battle personally. The other type were not fighters. They preferred commanding from the rear, delegating tasks to their fierce generals rather than taking the field themselves—men like Fan Tianshi.
The former were accustomed to the sight of blood. Faced with such a mutilated, barely-living wreck, they could generally remain expressionless, at most frowning slightly. The latter, however, could not.
Fan Tianshi's face changed on the spot. "Qin Changgeng, what is the meaning of dragging this random person in here? Don't tell me you'll first claim this is one of the captured assassins, then say that under interrogation, this man implicated me. Hah, who knows where you found this wretch."
Qin Shaozong raised a long eyebrow. "You truly don't recognize this man?"
"I do not!" Fan Tianshi insisted firmly.
But Qin Shaozong smiled. "Why are you in such a hurry to shut down the conversation? I haven't even had the chance to say this man was remarkably tenacious, withstanding round after round of torture, and later, taking advantage of his guard's negligence, bit off half his own tongue."
Fan Tianshi's nostrils flared, his fists clenched. "If he is a tongueless man, why bring him here at all?"
Qin Shaozong looked past him at the array of deputy generals, his meaning clear: "Your lord's speed in discarding his pieces is truly unmatched."
"Qin Changgeng!" Fan Tianshi roared in fury.
"He indeed said nothing. But there is one person who knows the entire story, and this is someone you, Governor Fan, must be very familiar with. After all, you spent seven years together, and later you even adopted him as your sworn son. He knows the layout of your Fan Manor, remembers every task he performed for you over those seven years, every person he killed. Governor Fan, you haven't forgotten the one called 'Quanjie', have you?"
With each sentence Qin Shaozong uttered, Fan Tianshi's face grew darker, until finally the knuckles of his clenched fists emitted audible cracks.
"Qin Changgeng, cease this thief crying 'stop thief' here! I already issued a notice declaring Quanjie a traitor. He is clearly your man!" Fan Tianshi was livid with rage.
The thought that his most useful tool had actually been another's spy made his blood boil.
"Such utter rubbish. Has Governor Fan lost his head in panic? You show no benevolence, I show no righteousness. We agreed to jointly crusade against the Green Lotus Sect, yet someone among us secretly plays foul tricks. Who knows what their true intentions are." Qin Shaozong rose from his seat and drew the ring-pommeled sword from his waist.
Nangong Xiong hadn't anticipated this further twist.
Quanjie was no minor figure within the Fan household. If his testimony existed, then the matter of Yan Province secretly assassinating an ally on the eve of the crusade against the Green Lotus Sect could not be denied, no matter how much Fan Tianshi protested.
This was a trap. Qin Shaozong had long been determined to tear off all pretenses with Yan Province!
But then, Nangong Xiong realized another crucial matter.
As the one who had brought Qin Shaozong from the Northern Territories as an ally, he was now forcibly drawn into this sudden, unannounced trap. He was completely aboard the Northern Territories' ship, with no possibility of disembarking anytime soon.