Qin Residence, in the study.
Qin Shaozong was listening to a debriefing. It had been several days since taking over Bai Ri City. A batch of the original Yanzhou officials had been replaced, and deciding how to fill the vacant positions was a delicate art.
This campaign had been a joint effort between two forces. Although Qingzhou was not the main force, they had contributed. It would be unreasonable not to give them even a small share of the spoils.
"...My Lord, Bai Ri City is fronted by Bai Ri Pass. That pass is strategically important, easy to defend and hard to attack. We absolutely cannot concede Bai Ri City. If Qingzhou pushes for it, at most we can cede a few other counties in Yanzhou instead," Nalan Zhi said.
Qin Shaozong: "Wugong's words are reasonable."
After discussing two other matters, the meeting was drawing to a close. Qin Shaozong glanced at the sky outside the window.
Brilliant sunset clouds spread across the entire firmament. As time passed, a shadow appeared on one side of the sky. The areas of light and dark were distinct, as if a corner had been swallowed by a giant beast.
"Let's stop here for today. We'll discuss other important matters tomorrow," Qin Shaozong said to the assembled group.
Everyone bowed with hands clasped and left the study one after another.
Qin Shaozong also rose from his seat, intending to return to the main courtyard.
She should be back by this time. There were still three fish she caught yesterday in the water vat in the courtyard. Finishing them all tonight would be perfect.
But just as he stepped out of the study, he saw someone rushing towards him. Urgent reports were common, but when he saw who it was, the curve of Qin Shaozong's lips flattened.
"My Lord..." Hu Bao's face was pale. Kneeling under that icy gaze, he said, "Lady Dai is missing."
His brown pupils constricted to pinpoints for an instant. Qin Shaozong strode forward, grabbed Hu Bao by the collar with one hand, and hauled him up. "When? How did she disappear?"
A string in Qin Shaozong's mind was vibrating, shaking him until his blood churned and his eyes turned crimson.
His first thought was that she had run away again.
The promise of "forever" she gave him that night was merely a stratagem, never meant to be kept.
Thinking back carefully now, the first time he brought it up, she said she needed a month to seriously consider it. He agreed, so the matter was postponed. Later, when he brought up the old matter again at night, she was evasive. From beginning to end, she never actually said "yes."
She had deceived him again!!
The collar tightening around his neck was uncomfortable, but Hu Bao reported without a moment's pause: "Between the end of the Hour of the Horse and the end of the Hour of the Monkey. At that time, Lady Dai went to a jewelry store called 'Gold Meets Jade.' The shop assistant said the second floor was full of ladies, including some unmarried young maidens, and asked me to wait on the first floor..."
Hu Bao reported every detail, including how he guarded the staircase without leaving, how Nianxia and Bipo twice asked him to buy honey tea and sweet melons, hinting that their mistress was resting and that's why she hadn't come downstairs, the surprise of the new customers later, his rush upstairs to find both maids unconscious, and most importantly, the fact that Dai Li had vanished into thin air.
Speaking in one breath and having run back, Hu Bao was panting. Filled with self-blame and guilt, he would have knelt again if Qin Shaozong weren't holding him up.
"This subordinate failed in his duty. Please punish me, Lord."
Qin Shaozong suddenly released his grip. Punishment was the last thing on his mind now. He immediately raised his voice to summon guards: "Pass the order! Seal the city. Seal Bai Ri City for me!"
As he strode out, Qin Shaozong said coldly, "What about the two maids who followed her? They attend to her day and night, watching over her closely. They couldn't possibly be unaware of her plans. If they refuse to talk, use torture."
But Hu Bao said, "My Lord, those two are still at the jewelry store. Somehow, they remain unconscious. Pinching the philtrum, wiping their faces with cold water, or even stimulating other acupoints with needles haven't been able to wake them. It's as if... they were drugged."
Qin Shaozong's temples throbbed. Fire surged in his chest, burning his internal organs with pain.
It seemed her preparations this time were unusually thorough. Had she learned from last time's lesson?
Very good. Just wonderful!
Qin Shaozong quickened his pace: "Notify Ding Congjian. Have him come with me. Last time, a female shop assistant from the silk shop covered for her. This time it must be related to the jewelry store staff. Are the shop assistants under control?"
Hu Bao kept up. "They have all been detained and are under watch."
Qin Shaozong couldn't wait a moment longer. He was originally headed to the stables to get his own horse, but after turning a corner in a side corridor, all the rage that had been rushing to make him vomit blood was suddenly doused by a bucket of cold water.
Qin Shaozong abruptly stopped, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on the tall, slender figure not far away.
Qin Yanzhou seemed to sense something and turned his head to look at Qin Shaozong. His face showed no expression, but a hint of barely perceptible confusion flickered in his eyes.
Qin Shaozong stood rooted to the spot.
She treasured her son more than her own eyeballs. There was absolutely no reason for her to leave alone while leaving her son behind in the residence.
Was this going against expectations, deliberately leaving in separate groups? Or was there foul play from the beginning, and it had nothing to do with her?
Hu Bao also saw Qin Yanzhou, and his face changed color.
How much Dai Li cherished this son she had regained, they all knew. Logically, it shouldn't be...
"Keep this confidential for now. Don't let that boy know. Send people to watch him secretly, around the clock. Guard the perimeter of his courtyard at night. I need to know his every move," Qin Shaozong said in a low voice.
If it was the former scenario he suspected, the other party would certainly make a move soon and would definitely go to reunite with her. Following the trail would surely reveal her whereabouts.
But if it was the latter...
Qin Shaozong's eyes darkened frighteningly.
The distance wasn't close. Qin Yanzhou didn't hear the conversation between the two men. He only saw Qin Shaozong say something, then lead his men away in a frantic hurry.
The young man withdrew his gaze, not particularly concerned.
"Clatter, clatter, clatter—"
Hooves beat against the bluestone paving stones still bathed in the last glow of dusk. The dust stirred up by one set of hooves hadn't even had time to settle before being stamped back down by another.
Several groups of riders split up and went their separate ways.
Teams were sent to each of the four city gates—east, south, west, and north—to seal the city while questioning the guards about the general situation of people leaving the city that day.
Furthermore, people were sent to the Household Registration Office to obtain the census records, then immediately began door-to-door inspections without pause. Meanwhile, the group led by Qin Shaozong himself arrived at the front of 'Gold Meets Jade.'
The tall man reined in his red steed, Chijiao, and dismounted.
The northern soldiers guarding the front of the shop all bowed with clasped hands. Qin Shaozong strode inside without a sideways glance.
Inside the shop, three shop assistants were being held separately. Only after Qin Shaozong arrived did the guards bring them together.
"My Lord, these are all shop assistants. They were attending to customers on the first floor earlier," Hu Bao said.
The shop assistants were pale and trembling.
One of them, his knees giving way, knelt directly on the floor. "Your Excellency, this humble one only started working here ten days ago. This humble one knows nothing!"
The other two also chimed in.
One said he had only been in the shop for seven days, the other said eight days; in short, they had both arrived recently.
"Where is the shopkeeper?" Qin Shaozong asked.
"Lord, at that time, there were only these three young assistants on the first floor. They said the shopkeeper had gone out at noon. Before leaving, he had ordered an assistant named Liu to mind the shop, and this Liu..." Hu Bao pointed at the middle assistant, "...is him."
This person was the very one who had spoken up first earlier, claiming to have been hired only ten days prior.
Qin Shaozong's gaze swept over him coldly and sharply, making the man shiver. However, Qin Shaozong did not question him further for now and proceeded upstairs first.
Second floor.
Nianxia and Bipo were still in the rest area, having barely moved from their spots. Ding Lianxi, carrying his medicine chest, was bustling about. After setting down the chest, he took their pulses.
Qin Shaozong surveyed this floor.
There were quite a few shelves, arranged neatly at equal intervals, each section clearly demarcated. At first glance, it was no different from any other jewelry shop.
But after walking a few steps inward, Qin Shaozong quickly discovered the secret of the "louvered" shelves.
The area near the staircase entrance was much higher; one had to go down a few steps to reach the shelf level. Earlier, standing at the staircase entrance, he could see the people behind the shelves through the latticework of the wooden frames.
He could clearly see where the other person was moving and what they were doing, every single action. However, if one stood among the shelves and looked out, they couldn't see anything at all.
Qin Shaozong closed his eyes.
There was no need to wait until tonight to verify whether that brat had made a move; he could now be certain that someone had abducted her. Relying on her own strength alone, it was absolutely impossible for her to have orchestrated all this without his knowledge.
As if confirming his thoughts, someone called out, "Lord, there's a hidden passage here."
Qin Shaozong's eyes snapped open, and he followed the sound.
A bronze mirror, used for adjusting attire and viewing jewelry, had been pushed aside, revealing a narrow, downward-sloping passage. A row of small lanterns hung in the passage, but the candles inside had burned out, not emitting the slightest glimmer of light.
Looking down from the entrance, this pitch-black corridor resembled a long serpent with a gaping maw, ready to devour any passerby.
Qin Shaozong descended the passage and found himself in the backyard of the first floor.
A small courtyard led to a back door, which connected to a rear alley. From that alley, one could turn onto the main street leading to all four city gates.
"Lord, those young assistants might just be decoys," Hu Bao said in a low voice.
Having arrived only a few days ago and knowing nothing when questioned—what else could they be but decoys prepared to deal with the situation?
"Investigate the information on this shop," Qin Shaozong left the order and exited through the back door.
Summer rains were plentiful, and a light rain had fallen last night. The rear alleyway wasn't very wide, and the walls on both sides blocked the sunlight, making this place cooler and gloomier than the outside.
The bluestone bricks used for paving became patchy here—some areas were paved, others were not.
Qin Shaozong lowered his gaze to the ground.
Both donkey and horse dung could be used as fertilizer after processing. Therefore, if such things appeared on the main streets, they would be collected.
Of course, some people preferred not to let others benefit; believing that "fertile water should not flow into another's fields" (i.e., don't let outsiders reap the benefits), they would hang a bag behind their donkey and replace it when it was full.
Currently, this rear alley was clean, with no trace of donkey or horse dung on the ground, as if no carriage had ever passed through here.
But it was only 'as if.'
Qin Shaozong spotted some faint hoof prints. He walked over and examined them carefully. "A donkey cart."
Donkey carts were far less conspicuous than horse carriages. In the commandery, households owning donkeys numbered at least in the hundreds.
Moreover, with a hidden passage, special shelves, and temporarily hired assistants... Since the other party was willing to go to such great lengths to set up this scheme, they must have ensured a successful outcome in one move.
They definitely wouldn't lack even a few horses.
Though he was extremely reluctant to admit it, Qin Shaozong knew in his heart that there was over a fifty percent chance she had already been moved elsewhere...
Qin Shaozong's expression turned extremely grim.
"Lord, the two maidservants have regained consciousness," a guard reported.
Without a word, Qin Shaozong turned and went back upstairs via the passage.
Ding Lianxi was packing his chest. Seeing Qin Shaozong, he cupped his hands respectfully. "My lord, these two most likely ingested pills made from henbane seeds. I have already cleared the henbane's effects from their systems. However, while henbane is easy to counteract, 'dumb grass' cannot be neutralized quickly."
Qin Shaozong paused. "'Dumb grass'?"
Ding Lianxi nodded. "Yes. They ingested dumb grass and will be unable to speak for a while."
Nianxia and Bipo were now awake. Seeing Qin Shaozong's terrifying expression and surrounded by a circle of armed guards, their faces turned as pale as gold paper.
Both women tried to speak, but when they opened their mouths, no sound came from their throats. They immediately broke into a frantic sweat.
"If you can't speak, then write it down," Hu Bao said, then realized his mistake.
The likelihood of maidservants being literate wasn't high.
"Can you read?" Hu Bao amended his question.
Sure enough, both women shook their heads.
The atmosphere seemed to freeze. Everyone looked at Qin Shaozong, awaiting his instructions.
Qin Shaozong looked at the two women, his eyes like sharp blades. "I will ask questions. You answer. Nod for yes, shake your head for no. If I later discover you have lied..."
Before he could finish, both women were already kowtowing, their foreheads thumping loudly against the wooden floorboards.
Qin Shaozong asked, "Did you lose consciousness upstairs?"
Bipo nodded.
Nianxia shook her head. She pointed downstairs and even mimicked the action of relieving herself.
Hu Bao beside them exclaimed in shock, "Impossible! I clearly saw you go upstairs!"
Nianxia waved her hands frantically and then raised a hand as if swearing an oath.
Qin Shaozong twisted the thumb ring on his finger, his gaze dark and unreadable.
Hu Bao had joined the Northern Army before coming of age and had served for twenty years now. His entire family was in Yuyang. He couldn't possibly betray him.
These two maidservants were selected in Ying Commandery, screened repeatedly. Ying Commandery was hundreds of kilometers from White Sun City and was previously under a different jurisdiction. Moreover, the selection of maidservants happened almost immediately after Madam drew the dragon-bone waterwheel, within less than twelve hours. There was no time for them to set up a scheme.
Plus, with the hidden passage downstairs, if she had been drugged in the privy, she could indeed have been brought back upstairs via the passage.
Hu Bao wasn't lying, and the maidservants weren't lying either.
Qin Shaozong looked at Hu Bao. "Are you certain the person you saw was really her?"
Hu Bao nodded. "Certain. Putting aside height and appearance, even the clothing and hairstyle were identical."
Upon hearing this, Nianxia's tears welled up. She kowtowed repeatedly and gestured frantically with her hands, utterly frustrated by her current inability to speak.
Qin Shaozong asked again, "Do you have any memory of buying honeyed tea?"
Both women shook their heads; they had no memory of it.
"When was the first time she asked you to buy honeyed tea?" Qin Shaozong asked, turning his head to Hu Bao.
Hu Bao had been guarding the staircase and was not sensitive to the passage of time, so he called over the errand-running guard.
The guard reported thus: "The honey tea was bought at the end of the Hour of the Horse, the sweet melon at the end of the Hour of the Goat."
"She was already gone by the end of the Hour of the Horse." Qin Shaozong expressionlessly removed the jade thumb ring, now crisscrossed with cracks. "Send men to the four city gates. Ask them how many donkey carts left the city during the Hour of the Goat."
The guard accepted the order and left.
Qin Shaozong lowered his gaze to Nianxia and Bipo. "Before entering this jewelry shop today, did anything unusual happen? For instance, did anyone stop the carriage or approach her on their own initiative?"
The two maidservants shook their heads again.
Nothing unusual had occurred. Everything was as normal.
It was precisely because of this that Bipo and Nianxia felt a creeping dread in their hearts. It was over. No one could vouch for their innocence...
"Take them back to the manor first, post guards to keep them under strict watch. Also, send someone to the Census Office to investigate the owner of this 'Gold Meets Jade' shop. Find out who he is, his ancestral hometown, his family members, and when he took over this shop." After leaving these instructions, Qin Shaozong turned and walked toward the staircase without looking back.
He went downstairs, mounted his horse with practiced ease, the hem of his black robe flaring in a sharp arc. Before it had even settled completely, Red Serpent, having felt the sting of the whip, charged forward.
White Sun Pass had fallen, and White Sun City was undergoing a transfer of power. Like Qin Shaozong before him, Nangong Xiong was now pondering how to secure more key positions for his own men.
Before he could even decide how to broach the subject, he heard a soldier report that the Marquis of Wu'an had come to his door.
Nangong Xiong was greatly surprised, thinking to himself that his little schemes had only just begun to take shape, yet Qin Changgeng was already at his doorstep. Could that fellow actually divine the future?
And it was already the Hour of the Rooster, wasn't it? Looking outside, only a faint glimmer of light remained in the sky. What matter was so urgent for Qin Changgeng?
Composing himself, Nangong Xiong went out to greet his guest. Upon entering the main hall, he was inwardly startled.
Qin Shaozong had not taken a seat!
One must know that when he went to see Fan Tianshi, this man hadn't even bothered to rise to greet him, sitting arrogantly in his chair with an air of utmost importance. Yet now he was standing, waiting for Nangong to appear.
For a moment, Nangong Xiong felt rather flattered, but this feeling came quickly and faded just as fast.
From the moment he entered, the other man's icy, even murderous gaze shot straight at him. If looks could turn into blades, he would likely be in several pieces by now.
Nangong Xiong frowned with displeasure. "Qin Changgeng, what kind of look is that? When did I offend you?"
Qin Shaozong stared fixedly at him. "When will Nangong Qingzhou return my person to me? If he returns her, what would it matter if I gave you this White Sun City?"
Nangong Xiong was first stunned, then pressed urgently, "What do you mean, 'return your person'? Who? Who are you talking about? Give me a name, and I promise I'll catch her and drag her right before you!"
But Qin Shaozong suddenly turned and walked out.
Nangong Xiong sprinted after him. "Qin Changgeng, don't leave! Make it clear to me, who are you looking for? Hey, hey, have you eaten dinner? Why not stay and eat at my residence? We can drink and sing, and discuss White Sun City in detail."
Qin Shaozong said nothing, only quickened his pace, leaving the residence in moments.
Red Serpent was pacing before the gate and snorted upon seeing his master emerge.
Qin Shaozong swung onto the horse, but before he could raise his whip, the horse's reins were seized by another hand—it was Nangong Xiong, who had chased him out.
"Qin Changgeng, explain your words clearly. What do you mean, 'return her, and White Sun City is yours'?" Nangong Xiong's heart was itching unbearably.
Qin Shaozong suddenly laughed. "I just saw you were itching for the city, scratching your heart and lungs, so I was joking with you."
Nangong Xiong was dumbfounded, then immediately began cursing furiously. "Qin Changgeng, you scoundrel! You actually made a fool of me! Do you not know what it means that 'a true man's word, once spoken, cannot be overtaken even by a team of four horses'?"
"I know. That's why I added a precondition, didn't I?" Qin Shaozong brushed aside the hand holding the reins. "No need to get angry over such a small thing. Alright, go back and have your meal. I'm returning to my manor."
Nangong Xiong nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.
This fellow plays a trick on someone and then blames them for getting angry? Is there no justice in the world? Qin Changgeng is so arrogant, just wait, he'll get his comeuppance one day!
Qin Shaozong raised his whip and urged his horse on. Red Serpent carried him swiftly into the distance. Only after leaving Nangong's residence did the ease and nonchalance he had worn on his face finally vanish, like the last bit of light in the sky, utterly swallowed by gloom.
It doesn't seem like Qingzhou's doing. Then who on earth is it?