Chapter 70

When Xiuniang said this, Daili and Diting were playing chess in the main hall.

"Checking passing ships?" Diting raised an eyebrow.

Xiuniang nodded, "It's most likely the Marquis of Wu'an's men."

They were sailing upstream. Their ship, a two-story tower boat, carried at least ten people that Daili had seen, plus considerable supplies stored earlier, so their speed was truly not fast.

Traveling along the bank on horseback could indeed reach the upstream area first.

Diting pondered for a moment, then smiled at Daili across the chessboard. "I must ask you, madam, to return to your room for a short nap."

Daili's eyelids twitched.

Not just return to her room, but return to her room for a nap.

Did he intend to knock her out, or continue giving her that drowsiness-inducing medicine?

"You're worried I want to return to the Marquis of Wu'an?" Daili rose from her seat. Her smoky purple dress had been changed; today she wore an emerald green one from Bishan.

Green accentuated fairness, and in the brightly lit hall, her skin seemed to glow. Daili looked down at Diting from her standing position. Her beauty was already striking, and now, looking down at him, there was an aggressiveness not usually seen in her. "There's no need for that. The Marquis of Wu'an is merely a floating log to me. If there is better timber elsewhere, why wouldn't I abandon him?"

Diting was about to speak when she continued:

"Of course, I know you certainly aren't at ease. This time, I can cooperate with you as a gesture of my sincerity. But don't expect it next time."

Daili met his eyes directly. "With ships intercepting and checking nearby, if I truly intended to return to him, I could have just rushed out suddenly moments ago and vaulted over the railing into the river. If you tried to fish me out, the commotion would surely draw attention. If you didn't, I can swim and could have made my way to them myself."

Diting was momentarily taken aback, not expecting Daili to even mention jumping into the river.

However, her words weren't false.

"Alright," he replied with a gentle, warm smile.

Daili turned and went back to her room.

Out of sight, Daili slowly let out a breath.

She could swim, but barely—a clumsy doggy paddle. Forget being a swift river swimmer; even staying afloat for a few minutes in a calm swimming pool required a life ring.

Jump into the river? What a joke. She valued her life; Zhouzhou was waiting for her return.

Daili followed Xiuniang to another room.

Under Daili's watchful eye, Xiuniang gripped the edge of the bed platform and, with a forceful pull, lifted the entire plank to a ninety-degree angle.

Beneath the plank revealed another space, lined with bedding. It wasn't large, just enough for one person to lie down.

The outer-facing side of the wooden panel was carved with intricate, overlapping lattice patterns at both ends. The interlocking grids blocked the line of sight but allowed air to pass through.

Xiuniang took out a small lotus-patterned vial and poured a single black pill into her hand.

"Madam, please."

Daili took the pill but didn't swallow it immediately. "How long will this one make me sleep?"

Xiuniang: "Half a day, six hours."

Daili first sat down inside the hidden compartment, then, in front of Xiuniang, swallowed the pill.

She swallowed it dry. Her throat was narrow, and it caught for a moment. A strange bitterness spread in her mouth, making Daili grimace.

The pill took effect in less than half a minute. In her growing drowsiness, Daili heard the sound of the plank being lowered back into place.

In the last fleeting moment of consciousness, Daili thought this pill worked incredibly fast, more effective than sleeping pills. If it were in modern times, it would sell out instantly.

Xiuniang carefully arranged the bedclothes. She then took a pillow and quilt from a nearby clothing chest, placed them on the bed, and slightly ruffled the quilt to create the illusion that someone had recently slept there. She also took a ruqun skirt from the chest and casually hung it on a nearby clothes rack.

After completing all this, Xiuniang closed the door and left.

Meanwhile, two tower boats had flanked Diting's vessel, pinning it in the middle.

Someone shouted from the deck: "River bandits have been rampant recently, disguising themselves as merchant ships to harm the people. The authorities are now conducting inspections. We expect your cooperation."

It was a notification, not a request for a reply.

After this perfunctory statement, several rope-attached iron hooks were thrown from the opposite sides, accurately catching the wooden railings. Once loosely secured, a long wooden plank was lowered with a thud, forming a narrow bridge.

The plank was about fifteen feet long with no railings on either side, yet the men opposite, skilled and bold, stepped onto it without hesitation.

Planks were lowered from both sides simultaneously, and men crossed over in sync.

Eight men from each side, sixteen in total boarding the ship.

"Where is the owner of this vessel?" the centurion Lin Wu called out loudly.

Diting emerged from the main hall at that moment. "I haven't heard about river bandits on the Jin River, but if the authorities are inspecting ships, there must be a reason. How may I cooperate, sir?"

Lin Wu saw a man in his early twenties, seemingly just of age, dressed moderately well but whose speech seemed somewhat brash—likely a young master from some family traveling for experience.

Lin Wu: "State your family background."

Diting: "My ancestral home is in Donghai County, Xuzhou. I am the fifth son of the Donghai County Deputy Magistrate, Kong Lishen. I set out from Xuzhou half a year ago to travel, visited Qingzhou, Yanzhou, and was planning to see Sizhou, passing through..."

"Enough," Lin Wu cut off his lengthy explanation. "How many people are on your ship?"

Diting: "Twenty."

"Did this ship of yours dock at the Nine Precepts Ferry?" The "Nine Precepts Ferry" Lin Wu mentioned was precisely the sloped ferry north of the city they had used during the day.

Diting nodded without hesitation. "Naturally. When traveling afar, one docks at every ferry. Sir, is there something amiss with the Nine Precepts Ferry?"

"Bring your travel permits," Lin Wu said, waving his hand. His guards immediately scattered.

The tower boat had two stories and was somewhat worn. Compared to the lower deck, which was closer to the water and less airy, the upper deck offered a better view. Therefore, on such ships, the masters usually resided on the upper level while servants stayed below.

Soon, a stack of travel permits was brought over.

Lin Wu examined them one by one. The group was from Xuzhou, and the permits contained information from there, mostly from Donghai County, with a few from neighboring counties.

"Sir, while I don't know how I've become associated with river bandits, I assure you I am a law-abiding citizen. Here is also a letter bearing the official seals of my father and his superior. Please have a look." Diting produced a letter.

Lin Wu took it and examined it.

Perhaps to minimize trouble for his son during travels, the letter was written earnestly and stamped with many red seals at the end.

It bore both the official and private seals of the county magistrate and the deputy magistrate. The paper wasn't new, with deep creases, suggesting it had been unfolded many times.

Lin Wu inspected it carefully, confirming it was genuine, but he didn't immediately call off the search.

Several guards went to the upper deck, inspecting each cabin room by room. The occupants had already heard the commotion and gone out. The rooms now appeared empty at a glance. Every clothing chest large enough to potentially hide a person was opened.

Room after room was checked, but nothing was found.

They then withdrew.

They shook their heads at Lin Wu.

Lin Wu tossed the letter back to Diting. "Stand down."

The team withdrew as swiftly as they had arrived. In the blink of an eye, the visitors had departed the ship.

Diting watched their retreating figures, a faint smirk curling his lips.

There would be no problems whatsoever.

Because the letter was genuine, the official seal was authentic, and every detail on the identity pass was verifiable—one could indeed trace a real person matching its description.

...

On the neighboring vessel.

After standing down, one of the guards muttered, "That ship had a few rooms that smelled rather pleasant earlier. I wonder what incense they were burning."

His companion chuckled. "People have their tastes for fragrances, and those young masters are the most fastidious of all. Probably some high-grade stuff."

"True enough."

This minor exchange remained between the two men and was soon forgotten.

White Sun City.

"My Lord, just as you anticipated, the young master has slipped out of the manor under cover of night," reported Hu Bao.

It had been three days since Lady Dai's disappearance.

Centered on White Sun City, the Lord had dispatched search parties in all directions—Luchuan County to the south, Qijiang County to the east, Luoxing County to the west, and Jinshui to the north. Not a single area was overlooked.

Over these past few days, they had stopped hundreds upon thousands of carriages and intercepted and searched countless vessels. Checkpoints were strictly enforced at all city gates, meticulously inspecting every entering and exiting vehicle.

The situation even escalated to the point where Governor Nangong, upon receiving news, enthusiastically joined the search efforts.

One could say that for this manhunt, Qing Province and the Northern Territories were working in tandem. With their combined forces, logically, not just a living, breathing person, but even a small cat should have been unearthed.

Yet, there was nothing.

Lady Dai remained missing, as if she had vanished from the face of the earth the moment she disappeared from "Gold Meets Jade."

The Lord's expression grew darker by the day, the oppressive atmosphere thickening. Everyone in the manor was ten thousand times more cautious, terrified of provoking his wrath at this critical juncture.

While the Lord was displeased, the young master under house confinement was anything but quiet. He schemed and struggled daily against his guards, having nearly dismantled several courtyards and almost lifted the roof tiles.

Yesterday, the Lord had ordered the surveillance to be slightly relaxed, leaving a gap for escape.

Sure enough, the young master fled that very night.

Qin Shaozong sat behind the long desk, his face like still water. "Since the boy slipped away at night, he will surely wait for daylight to exit the city. Ensure sentries are placed at all four city gates and locations like the Nine-Caution Ford. I must know which direction he heads."

That boy had backing.

Initially, he thought his wife had been kidnapped by the Blue Lotus Sect. But later, he considered adding another suspect to the list.

For instance, the forces behind that boy.

Because upon learning of Lady Dai's disappearance, the boy's behavior had been highly unusual. He repeatedly insisted on leaving, determined and decisive, as if he already had a target in mind.

Since the other party refused to disclose the truth, he had no choice but to let him go and secretly follow this young wolf cub.

Dai Li was still on the boat.

On the seventh day of the voyage, the ship docked, not because they had reached their destination, but to send people ashore for supplies.

Once replenished, the ship set sail again.

Another five days passed—twelve days in total since Dai Li boarded. The ship finally docked. Dai Li had traveled from White Sun City on the border of Yan and Qing Provinces, crossed the boundary into Si Province, and arrived at a ferry crossing outside Tianshui County in Si Province.

"My lady, let us disembark," Xiuniang said, handing Dai Li a wide-brimmed hat with a veil.

Stepping out of the cabin, Dai Li saw Diting. At first glance, she thought she had mistaken the person.

His style of dress had changed completely, no longer ethereal and immortal. He now wore a purple-gold "Facing the Sun" crown and a sapphire-blue robe with a curved hem, patterned with subtle gourd designs—the very picture of a dashing young master from a wealthy family.

Even his face was not the one Dai Li remembered.

At a quick glance, he seemed a different person altogether. But upon closer inspection of his features, one could see only minor alterations had been made. A tiny difference created a vast divergence in impression. The feeling he now projected was entirely different.

One was a mystic, the other a rich young master.

"My lady does not recognize me?" Diting said with a smile.

Dai Li stared fixedly at his face, inexplicably stirred by a strange thought. But before she could grasp it, the man before her spoke again:

"My lady will grow accustomed after a few more glances. The world is descending into chaos. When traveling abroad, it's best to be prepared."

Dai Li snapped back to attention. "The way you say that makes it sound like you've offended many people out there."

Diting made a gesture of invitation. "In this world, some revere us as deities, honoring and loving us; naturally, others despise us as demons, wishing to eradicate us. Caution ensures a long life. Only by staying alive can we fulfill the mission entrusted to us by the Unborn Venerable Mother: to deliver the common people from their suffering."

Dai Li walked ahead of him down the gangplank, not letting him see the expression on her face.

"For our travels, I must ask my lady to temporarily pose as my elder sister. Your surname is He, given name Hua. You are recently widowed, childless, and have returned to your family to rely on your younger brother," Diting explained.

As soon as he finished speaking, the woman in front of him suddenly turned and extended her hand toward him, palm upturned.

Diting raised an eyebrow.

"My identity pass?" he heard her say.

Dai Li spoke as if it were the most natural thing. "Since we are upstanding citizens, and since you can provide specific details, there must be a pass. Let me see it."

Diting didn't move.

Everyone around him took their cue from him. Since he remained still, Xiuniang and the others did not move either.

Dai Li continued on her own. "During these past two weeks on the ship, I've determined you are easier to get along with than Lord Wu'an. Until I find my son, staying anywhere is the same. You are a decent option. Once we enter the city, I'll give you a gift."

At the last sentence, a glint of interest flashed in Diting's eyes. "What exactly does my lady's gift refer to?"

Dai Li gave a faint, ambiguous smile. "Similar to what's in the Northern Territories, yet not entirely the same. We are now in Si Province. Qin Changgeng's arm, however long, cannot reach here. I am alone, without funds, without connections, and unfamiliar with the roads. Where could I possibly go if I left you?"

Diting glanced sideways at Xiuniang, who understood. She took a small wooden tablet from her pouch and handed it to Dai Li.

Dai Li took it and examined it.

It indeed read "He Hua," with details like place of origin and an official seal. It was nearly identical to the one she had previously tricked out of Yun Rong.

A shallow smile spread in Dai Li's eyes. Although she had said she just wanted to "see" it, once the pass was in her hands, she openly tucked it into her own sleeve, clearly with no intention of returning it.

Diting let out a soft chuckle, unsurprised.

They disembarked at the ferry crossing. To Dai Li's surprise, a carriage was already waiting there.

They boarded and entered the city.

Tianshui County was somewhat smaller in scale than the average county. But no matter how small a place, with boundless means, one could create a gilded nest.

For instance, the residence where Dai Li was now staying.

The exterior looked quite old, not very large in area, and even showed signs of years of neglect and decay, but inside was a different world altogether. It wasn't a garish, unrestrained luxury of gold and jade carvings, but an elegance decorated with great care and thought.

Pavilions, terraces, and towers were arranged in a proper, orderly manner, with the main courtyard leading directly to a rear garden. The garden was filled with imposing strange rocks and exotic flowers and plants competing in full bloom. Water had been channeled to form a pond, upon which jade-colored koi even spouted water to create a small waterfall. To call it a masterpiece of nature's craft would not be an exaggeration.

As Daili looked around, she marveled inwardly at the capabilities of the Green Lotus Sect—luxurious pleasure boats, horse-drawn carriages, and now this residence hidden within the city.

She just didn't know where all the money came from.

It was possibly from the middle and lower classes.

Wealthy merchant believers made large donations, while the cloth-clad commoners with meager means gave what little they could, coin by coin. Each contributed according to their ability, gathering sand to form a dune, eventually creating a breathtaking sea of sand.

They had moved into the residence at noon, and not even half an hour had passed before Diting came looking for her.

The young man stood at the doorway of her room, blocking a large portion of the slanting sunlight that streamed inside, leaving a small part of his face hidden in shadow and unseen.

Compared to Qin Shaozong's heavy, battlefield-hardened aura of authority, Diting was quieter, like deep, still waters running profound.

"Madam, I've come for the gift," he stated bluntly, without preamble.

Daili smiled. "You are truly one who worries about the nation and its people. Then you will surely like this item."

Diting's movements paused slightly.

The way she said it, could it be...

"The Recluse Scholar Feng truly existed. Back then, he entrusted me with taking two things out. The dragon-bone waterwheel was one. The remaining item is the curved-shaft plow. Compared to the straight-shaft plow currently in use, which requires two oxen to pull, this one is much lighter and more efficient, increasing productivity by more than double while saving the labor of one ox." Daili observed his expression closely.

Although the man wore a disguise, perhaps due to his relative youth, his emotions weren't completely concealed. At this moment, Daili clearly saw him freeze for a moment.

She was inwardly delighted.

Compared to the saltpeter that could bring immense wealth, the curved-shaft plow was obviously not valuable. First, like the dragon-bone waterwheel, it was the type of thing that could be copied once seen, with no real technical secrets. Second, it was a farming tool.

This destined its users and most direct beneficiaries to be the lowest-tier tenant farmers and small landholders.

If the Green Lotus Sect relied on donations from followers for its wealth, unless every single believer led an ox to plow fields, this improved version of the straight-shaft plow—which wouldn't appear historically until the Tang Dynasty—wouldn't bring immediate, tangible benefits.

Fine, even if every believer used the curved-shaft plow, it would take at least a year to see results.

After all, crops need time to grow, don't they?

Just as Daili thought he might get angry, the man before her instead smiled and said, "This item is excellent. Thank you, Madam."

Daili raised an eyebrow. "You really like it?"

"Naturally. The Unborn Venerable Mother is compassionate and merciful. Our Green Lotus Sect also takes delivering all living beings as its responsibility. We share the worries and the joys of the common people under heaven."

By the end, Diting's words carried a pointed meaning. "Madam, it's just that this road is long and fraught with difficulties. Not only are dark clouds covering the sky above, but fierce tigers and jackals block the path. If one merely follows the old rules, great deeds will certainly be hard to accomplish. For the sake of future equality and freedom, for the soul's eventual ascension to the Pure Land, all sacrifices are worthwhile. You have contributed to saving the people; the deities will protect you."

The teasing smile slowly faded from Daili's face.

She suddenly realized that the Green Lotus Sect's ability to stand unshaken for a hundred years, with followers spread across the land, was no simple feat. It could even be called highly sophisticated.

This era emphasized the Mandate of Heaven, meaning the deities bestowed supreme authority upon the monarch, who was thus destined to rule.

The Green Lotus Sect worshipped the Unborn Venerable Mother, believing she was the true creator. And the Unborn Venerable Mother advocated for the equality of all and the pursuit of rebirth in the Pure Land. This essentially bypassed the "monarch."

The two ideologies were inevitably in conflict. The latter challenged imperial authority and traditional ethics, but it was certainly popular among the lower classes.

Without sufficient material foundation, grand talk of universal equality is mere fantasy. Therefore, whether it's the Mandate of Heaven or the Green Lotus Sect's equality and bliss, if you peel back the layers to see the essence, both use religion to serve political ends.