Chapter 75

"My lady, my lady? You haven't paid your fare yet." Seeing Dai Li in a daze, the old man couldn't help but remind her.

Dai Li suddenly snapped back to her senses. After paying the bill swiftly, she walked briskly toward the ferry crossing.

It was now the early Shen hour, and there were quite a few boatmen soliciting customers at the ferry crossing. Dai Li did not choose a large, sturdy tower ship, but instead walked toward the small boats.

"Boatman, are you going to Xiagu? I have a close relative there who is gravely ill and running out of time. I must go to see him off on his final journey. If you are willing to set off for Xiagu immediately, how about I pay the fare for five people myself?" Dai Li didn't dare to offer too high a price, afraid that showing off her wealth would attract jealous eyes.

Hearing the last sentence, the boatman perked up instantly. "To Xiagu, we leave right now!"

Dai Li boarded the boat.

The boat was small in size, featuring nothing more than an arched-roof cabin. Inside the cabin, linen cloth was used as a partition, slightly separating it into two sections, forming two inner cabins.

This kind of small boat couldn't carry many people. Including the boatman, it could hold at most five people. If there were any more, it would easily capsize when encountering large waves on the river.

Because of Dai Li's offer, which was tantamount to chartering the entire boat, the boatman didn't take on any other passengers. He pulled in the anchor, pushed hard with the oars, and the boat slowly left the shore.

Dai Li looked inside from the rolled-up linen at the front and saw that the first inner cabin was completely empty. The linen further inside was slightly blown up by the wind, and a sliver of space opening from the middle allowed a glimpse inside.

There was someone in that inner cabin.

Dai Li sat in the first inner cabin.

The boatman sized her up, and seeing her empty-handed, couldn't help but ask curiously, "You didn't bring any luggage? From here to Xiagu, even if the weather is kind to us, it will take two days and one night."

Dai Li showed a helpless expression. "I didn't have the time to care about that. When I heard the news, my head was just buzzing. By the time I regained my senses, I was already on a donkey cart out of the city, almost at the ferry crossing. Seeing that I at least had my travel pass and some travel expenses, which would barely suffice, I simply decided not to go back."

The boatman had a quick mind. Moreover, for someone like him who made a living on a boat all year round, there must be a lot of dry rations on board.

He immediately probed, "My lady, I have some dry rations on this boat. How about I sell some to you?"

Dai Li was delighted inwardly; this was exactly like someone handing her a pillow right as she was nodding off. "Of course, that would be wonderful."

Dai Li, who was chatting with the boatman, didn't notice, or rather, couldn't see from her current line of sight, that a sailboat was approaching from not far away.

The linen sail was blown taut by the wind, pushing the boat forward rapidly. As it neared the shore, a burly man rolled up the sail, releasing the wind power and letting the boat slow down.

The boat docked, but before the burly man could set up the wooden plank for connecting to the shore, a slender figure suddenly leaped from the side of the boat, actually jumping directly from the boat onto the shore.

"Hey, take it easy," the burly man said.

That figure walked forward without looking back.

The burly man clicked his tongue in wonder. "What an agile young man. I wonder which family's young master has come out to gain experience."

The two boats crossed paths, drifting further and further apart.

"Clop, clop, clop—"

Horse hooves trampled over the yellow dirt road, coming menacingly. A group of horses galloped along the official road, and pedestrians quickly dodged upon seeing them. However, some carriages soon realized that dodging was useless; the other party was coming straight for them.

The rider reined in his horse, looking down at the driver from his high vantage point. The sword at his waist was exceptionally eye-catching.

"Have you carried a woman traveling alone to the ferry crossing?" the cavalryman asked.

The donkey cart driver shook his head repeatedly. In these times, one should never argue with an armed man. He answered forthrightly, "No, I didn't. I went to the ferry crossing in the morning to wait for cargo, and I just finished loading all the goods onto the cart. I haven't seen any woman."

The cavalryman then left. This scene was happening everywhere on the official road; all returning carriages were intercepted.

Qi Yu's subordinates scattered to interrogate the carriages returning to the city, and Qi Yu was no exception.

He intercepted a donkey cart, asked the same question as his subordinates, and said, "...This woman is a wanted criminal. Anyone who can provide clues will be rewarded. Conversely, anyone who harbors her will be guilty of the same crime."

The driver shook his head repeatedly and said, "No, no, I didn't see any woman traveling alone on my way there, I..."

Before he could finish his words, the driver suddenly felt a movement at the back of the cart. It turned out to be the strange passenger who had paid him the fare jumping off the cart.

"Qi Yu."

Suddenly being called by name, Qi Yu turned his head toward the sound. A flash of bright light reflected directly at him, stinging his eyes and making him squint. It was also at this moment that he realized the donkey cart was carrying another person in the back.

That person wore a black mask, concealing their face, and had a hoarse, rather unpleasant voice.

Qi Yu was stunned and carefully sized up the other party.

Many people in their cult had masks, and those who could obtain a mask were no ordinary cult members. Once the mask was put on, the face could no longer be seen; unless they were close acquaintances, no one would be able to recognize them.

However, it wasn't absolute. Besides the face, one could also listen to the voice. For example, if Xiuniang spoke in her usual voice, she would be very easy to recognize.

And apart from that, there was another person...

"Mingdeng?"

Qi Yu dismounted from his horse. "You're back? You haven't had any news for a while, and I was even thinking of going to look for you. But at that time, Diting said there was no need, and also said you would return sooner or later."

Mingdeng did not respond to this, but instead asked, "You are looking for a woman?"

The donkey cart driver was not suspicious, so Qi Yu waved his hand to let him go, and then said to the person in front of him, "Yes, looking for someone. You must know this woman, and maybe you've even seen her before. It is the former favorite concubine of the Marquis of Wu'an, Madam Dai."

Mingdeng asked, "Wasn't she invited to join the cult? Why are you still searching for her everywhere?"

Qi Yu sighed, "In a moment of inattention, she found a loophole and slipped away. I heard that on the way back from Bairi City, the Marquis of Wu'an set up quite a few obstacles on the river, attempting to intercept and bring her back. During those rounds of searches, Madam Dai was extremely cooperative. Everyone, including Diting, thought she was sincerely joining the cult. Who could have expected that it was just to make us lower our guard."

The young man beneath the mask slowly relaxed his brows. "She ran away?"

"Yes! At the very beginning of the ceremony, she drugged her two personal maids and ran away." Qi Yu hadn't stayed until the end, so he didn't yet know where Dai Li's sleeping pills came from. "Xiuniang said none of her drugs were missing, so I don't know where she got the sleeping pills either. Let's just hope there isn't a mole within our cult."

Mingdeng: "It's hard to say."

Qi Yu looked left and right, and as if wanting to do him a favor, whispered, "You hadn't replied to any messages before, and I noticed that Diting seemed a bit displeased. When you see him, he will definitely ask you for details, so you'd better explain it clearly."

In Qi Yu's view, explaining the matter was not exactly simple, but it couldn't be considered fraught with difficulties either.

If he were Mingdeng and had to report, he would definitely say that he went to assassinate the Marquis of Wu'an under the orders of Fan of Yanzhou, but was unfortunately captured. In order to survive, he had no choice but to cooperate with the Marquis of Wu'an and act as his excuse to eradicate Yanzhou.

Although everything was done out of necessity, it ultimately ruined the grand scheme. Qi Yu guessed that he would inevitably suffer some punishment.

Mingdeng seemed entirely unconcerned about this, returning to the previous topic. "You took your men to the ferry crossing. Are you certain she went there?"

"I am not certain," Qi Yu said. "But it has been less than four hours since she descended the mountain. If she enters the city, she will likely stay at an inn tonight. With the Third Young Master's help, if she dares to stay at an inn, we will definitely find her before noon tomorrow."

"The Third Young Master you speak of, is it Third Young Master Xie?" Mingdeng fell silent for a moment.

"It is indeed Xie Yuanxiu," Qi Yu laughed. "Coincidentally, this Third Young Master Xie has definitely taken a fancy to Madam Dai. During today's celebration, he even sent someone to sneak into her room to deliver a gift, only to find it empty. Thanks to this little commotion, we realized she had run away."

Mingdeng lowered his eyes.

Qi Yu could not see his expression, but looking into those cold, dark eyes, he could only sense the other man's displeasure.

"I will go with you to the ferry crossing," Mingdeng said suddenly.

Qi Yu was stunned. "You will go with me? That is hardly appropriate. You just managed to return; perhaps you should go back and report on your duties first."

"It will not make much of a difference," Mingdeng simply replied.

Qi Yu figured the other man might be trying to make amends for his past mistakes. Since that was the case, it was not his place to say more. He could only call over a subordinate and order him to give up his horse.

They continued toward the ferry crossing.

Along the way, they kept intercepting carriage drivers.

They questioned group after group, turning up empty-handed time and time again, until one instance—

"...You have seen her?!" Qi Yu was overjoyed, immediately firing off a string of questions at the old man. "When was this? What was the situation at the time?"

If Dai Li were here, she would certainly recognize this apprehended old man as the very driver she had hitched a ride with earlier.

The old man did not dare to hide anything and recounted everything in full detail. Finally, he said, "...She told me she was heading to Jiulu County."

Qi Yu did a quick calculation.

It had already been more than an hour since Madam Dai arrived at the ferry crossing; she must have boarded a boat by now.

"She is already gone, and the speed of a boat traveling downstream is far beyond what horses can match. We might as well return and report this, then wait for Diting's arrangements," Mingdeng suddenly suggested.

Qi Yu thought for a moment and found it reasonable.

Diting had tasked him with tracking down Madam Dai's whereabouts. Now that the mission was accomplished, he really ought to go back and report first.

*

"...It cannot be Jiulu County." Upon hearing Qi Yu's report, Diting shook his head. "Her words cannot be trusted. Since she also mentioned Xiagu during the conversation, it is highly likely she went to Xiagu."

However, after saying this, Diting smiled and shook his head again. "But we cannot ignore Jiulu County either. Her mind is full of schemes."

Xie Yuanxiu was standing nearby.

Ever since he received the message brought back by his servant, he had been overjoyed and had come to visit once again.

It was almost dusk, but Xie Yuanxiu showed no sign of leaving. "Jiulu County is very close to here. I will send a troop of men to rush over overnight and thoroughly search the inns in the county."

"As for the slightly farther Xiagu, we can take both land and water routes. We will send men on light boats downstream toward the east to enter through the north city gate; meanwhile, another squad will set out from the south of Tianshui Commandery and take the southern route to Xiagu." Xie Yuanxiu grew increasingly excited as he spoke. "With a pincer attack from both the north and the south, your esteemed sister will have nowhere to go and will have no choice but to obediently return home."

"What if she is not in Xiagu, but has gone to a commandery or county further east?" someone suddenly spoke up.

It was the first time Xie Yuanxiu had heard such a grating voice. He instinctively frowned, feeling his mood thoroughly dampened.

Although the man's words were not without reason, he had just talked about bringing her back home, and this person's remark was like a bucket of cold water poured right over his head.

His earlier excitement instantly dissipated by more than half.

"It does not matter if she has gone to other commanderies or counties. The believers of our cult are spread across all provinces, and she only has a single travel pass in her possession. Sooner or later, we will know where she is," Diting said.

Xie Yuanxiu did not like the phrase "sooner or later." He wished he could find her tonight and share a night of passion with her. Regarding the search, Xie Yuanxiu eagerly offered his suggestions: "Aside from Xiagu and Jiulu, we naturally cannot overlook the other commanderies and counties to the east."

"The Marquis of Wu'an and Governor Nangong just conquered Yanzhou. If we mobilize troops on a large scale to search for someone at this time, would it not be seen as a provocation by the Northern Territory and Qingzhou?" Mingdeng asked in a calm tone.

At these words, Xie Yuanxiu froze for a moment.

He had gained the support of the Green Lotus Cult, but his eldest and second brothers were still around, and his position as the Governor of Sizhou was not yet secure. Provoking the Northern Territory and Qingzhou at this time was indeed unwise.

Diting glanced at the person beside him. "Go in disguise and keep a low profile. It should not be a big problem."

Xie Yuanxiu's expression improved significantly. "I will send men to set out overnight for Xiagu, Jiulu, and other places."

Diting nodded.

After exchanging a few more words, Diting asked Xie Yuanxiu to return first. Once the other man and his entourage left, only he and one other person remained in the room.

With no outsiders present, Diting took off the silver-white mask on his face, revealing a casual demeanor rarely seen in front of others. "Why were you delayed outside for so long this time?"

Mingdeng replied, "The Marquis of Wu'an is difficult to deal with. Just making it back took a tremendous amount of effort."

"Are you injured?" Diting scrutinized him.

The young man wore a black robe and looked travel-worn, yet his posture remained as straight as a pine tree. Just by looking, one could not tell whether he was injured.

Mingdeng said, "It is nothing serious."

"Diting, I want to lead a team in the search."

"Mingdeng, you stayed by the Marquis of Wu'an's side for so long. What happened during that time?"

The two voices rang out simultaneously.

Diting raised an eyebrow. "Why are you taking this matter so much to heart?"

"I bear part of the responsibility for Yanzhou being captured. If I had not been taken alive by the Marquis of Wu'an, allowing him to use me as a pretext to crusade against Yanzhou, Fan Tianshi would not have lost his life over this, causing the cult to lose a decent ally for nothing," Mingdeng explained.

In truth, compared to the title "Mingdeng," the young man preferred the name his mother had given him: Qin Yanzhou.

*

On the Jin River, the river breeze blew the sails into the shape of crescent moons as the multi-storied ship rode the waves.

A gyrfalcon with white and brownish feathers let out a long cry before tilting its wings and beginning to dive.

A tall figure stepped out from the cabin and casually raised his hand. The gyrfalcon, weighing over four pounds, swooped down and landed on his long arm. The man's bent arm only swayed slightly.

Qin Shaozong single-handedly untied the thin ribbon on the gyrfalcon's leg, retrieved the small bamboo tube attached to it, and then gave his arm a sharp jerk upwards.

The gyrfalcon spread its wings once more, circled once in the air, and landed on the crossbeam of the mast, where it began to preen its feathers.

Hearing the falcon's cry, several men followed him out of the inner cabin.

"My Lord, is there a message from the front? Have they found her?!" Mo Yanyun asked impatiently.

The Marquis's secret departure from Bairi City was quite a risky move. Yanzhou had only recently been acquired, and there were countless matters to attend to. Furthermore, right next door was Qingzhou, whose obedience could be genuine or merely a facade.

With the Marquis gone, many orders would not be transmitted in time, and certain vacant positions left by Yanzhou officials might be opportunistically seized by Qingzhou.

But anxiety was useless. Given his superior's temperament, once he had made a decision, not even nine oxen could drag him back.

Qin Shaozong finished reading the letter and said, "That kid finally disembarked at Tianshui Commandery."

"Tianshui Commandery?"

Mo Yanyun had a sharp memory for maps and instantly pinpointed its location in Sizhou. "What is he doing in Sizhou? Could he be someone from Sizhou?"

Qin Shaozong had never explicitly mentioned that Qin Yanzhou had another faction backing him. However, there was no shortage of shrewd individuals under his command. Ever since he let Qin Yanzhou go and dispatched people to secretly tail him, some had already deduced the underlying implications.

Since they were all comrades, they inevitably gathered around to chat. As they gossiped, everyone eventually figured it out. However, Mo Yanyun was the first to bring the matter up directly to Qin Shaozong's face.

Feng Feng silently shifted his seat, putting some distance between himself and Mo Yanyun.

Qin Shaozong knew exactly what kind of temperament his subordinates had and was well aware of their habit of holding little secret meetings. "Third Young Master Xie has also appeared in Tianshui Commandery recently, and even paid a visit to the members of the Green Lotus Cult."

Feng Feng stroked his chin.

If that was the case, did that not mean there were two different factions operating in Tianshui Commandery?

"We will reach Tianshui Commandery in three days," Mo Yanyun prayed. "May the Heavens show us some favor and let the winds blow a bit fiercer."

After enduring a long and grueling journey on the small boat, Dai Li finally arrived at Xiagu near the end of the noon hour on the third day.

She had always considered herself to have a strong constitution; she never suffered from motion sickness or seasickness, rarely fell ill, and had an excellent appetite. But this time, after stepping off the boat, Dai Li felt as if her soul was still swaying out on the water.

The small boat was light and traveled swiftly downstream, but precisely because of its light weight, it lacked the stability of a larger vessel and was prone to intense bumping and swaying.

Dai Li walked dizzily for a short distance before casually finding a donkey cart to ride into the city.

Xiagu Commandery was truly massive. Even if the enemy knew her destination, it would be impossible for them to dig her out in a short amount of time.

In other words, she was safe for today.

Upon entering the city, Dai Li headed straight for a pawnshop and sold a few pieces of jewelry for some silver. Afterward, she went for a hearty meal to comfort her empty stomach, bought a few necessities, and only then went to pick out a place to stay for the night.

After taking a thoroughly comfortable bath at the inn, she fell into a deep, oblivious slumber.

Fast asleep, Dai Li was completely unaware that during the darkest part of the night, near the end of the Yin hour, several ships had sailed in from the west and finally docked at the northern ferry crossing outside the commandery.