Chapter 99

Dai Li stood in front of the main room's door, facing the courtyard entrance. The two juniors faced her, their backs to the entrance.

Only she saw Qin Shaozong.

Across the distance, their eyes met lightly in the air.

There was no point in arguing with a kid of high school age. Although his tone wasn't great, his words could barely be considered a reminder, so Dai Li didn't say anything and just raised an eyebrow at Qin Shaozong.

"Qin Qinian!"

A heavy voice dropped from behind. Based on his years of experience getting into trouble and being beaten, Qin Qinian's back instantly stiffened, and his scalp went numb.

When his father called him by his full name, he was usually in for a disaster.

Qin Qinian reflexively spun around with a whoosh, his momentum instantly weakening. "Father, I..."

"If I hear such bastardly words again, you won't need to go to the military camp anymore," Qin Shaozong said expressionlessly.

Qin Qinian was shocked. If he had just shown a drastic change in expression, revealing dissatisfaction and condemnation upon hearing Dai Li's "heretical" remarks earlier, now his face turned completely pale with fright.

This sentence terrified Qin Qinian more than the threat of breaking both his legs last night.

His father had always been a man of his word, doing exactly what he said. In all his years, he had never seen his father break a promise.

If he could say it, he would definitely do it.

Not letting him go to the military camp in the future?

He was someone who wanted to become a great general. Not letting him practice martial arts and lead troops was worse than killing him.

Terrified and anxious, Qin Qinian immediately hurried forward, muttering, "Father, I know I was wrong, please don't forbid me from going to the military camp." He wanted to reach out and pull the corner of Qin Shaozong's clothes, but felt that this action was too much like a child acting spoiled, which was highly inappropriate.

Finally, his knees gave way, and he knelt in front of Qin Shaozong. "Father, your son knows his mistake."

Qin Shaozong looked down at him from above. "Are you apologizing to me?"

Qin Qinian understood the underlying meaning of his words and hesitated for a moment.

One kneels to heaven, earth, ancestors, and parents. He could kneel to Qin Shaozong without hesitation, but he couldn't soften his knees for one of his father's favored concubines.

He lowered his head, stood up from the ground, walked up to Dai Li, and gave her a deep bow. "I'm sorry. I spoke rudely just now, please don't take it to heart."

"Alright," Dai Li smiled.

Looking at Dai Li's curled lips, Qin Shaozong remembered what his youngest son had just said, and he couldn't help but let out a cold scoff in his heart.

Kick her out of the manor, and she would have nowhere to cry?

Hah, he feared that the moment he let her out, she would laugh out loud right at the manor's gates, and then take that boy Qin Yanzhou and leave Yuyang that very day.

Qin Shaozong: "Qin San, run twenty laps around the manor after the Shen hour today."

Qin Qinian quickly nodded.

As long as his father didn't mention forbidding him from stepping foot into the military camp, anything was fine.

Qin Shaozong looked at Dai Li, "Madam, this is my third son, Qin Qinian, aged sixteen. This boy is full of energy and very noisy. I hope you will be patient with him. If you really can't stand him, a beating is fine too."

Full of energy and very noisy. These were exactly Dai Li's original words from last night, but only the two of them knew this.

Dai Li looked away.

Then, Qin Shaozong introduced Dai Li and Qin Yanzhou to Qin Qinian, casually mentioning that Qin Yunce had already come to pay his respects yesterday. His underlying message was to tell him to behave himself in the future.

Hearing that Dai Li's surname was "Dai", Qin Qinian blurted out, "You are not a lady of the Wei family?"

Dai Li was baffled. "No."

Qin Qinian frowned and muttered, "That shouldn't be..."

He had never seen his father treat a woman like this, let alone formally introduce her to his eldest brother and him, and order him to pay respects to her in the exact manner a junior would greet an elder.

No matter how he looked at it, his father seemed to have some intention of taking a wife.

But his father had made a promise in his early years that his second wife must be a woman from the Wei family. If she wasn't a lady of the Wei family, wouldn't that mean she couldn't...

"She will not be surnamed Wei," Qin Shaozong said lightly.

Dai Li didn't understand what riddle this father and son were playing at. Unable to figure it out, she simply stopped thinking about it and returned to the original topic of the fire starter. "Zhou Zhou, come with me to make the fire starter."

She had strolled around the manor yesterday and found it excessively large, bigger than any place she had lived in Guoyun County or Bairi City.

In the back garden, besides flowers and jagged rocks, there was unexpectedly a small bamboo grove, and a square pavilion within it. What Dai Li had her eye on now were the bamboos in the grove.

She thought Qin Shaozong had returned to the main courtyard because he had business with his son, so she only called Zhou Zhou. But after she and her son walked out of the main courtyard, footsteps sounded from behind.

Dai Li turned around.

"I have nothing to do, so I will go with you, Madam." Qin Shaozong took long strides and caught up with Dai Li in just a few steps, walking shoulder to shoulder with her.

Dai Li didn't mind.

Alright, come if you want. There will be an extra laborer later.

The group of four left the main courtyard, headed straight for the back garden, and walked into the small bamboo grove.

Bamboo is an evergreen plant. Even now, in the cool breezy autumn, except for the slightly yellowing leaves, it was mostly emerald green.

Dai Li walked around the bamboo grove and picked one of moderate thickness. "This one is suitable. Break this one off."

Hearing this, Qin Yanzhou was about to draw his sword, but before the short blade was fully unsheathed, a voice popped up from the side:

"Let me do it, let me do it!"

Qin Qinian was very excited. The sixteen-year-old boy didn't know the meaning of quiet, nor did he understand a low profile; he was solely focused on showing off.

Dai Li pressed her son's arm, pushing the partially unsheathed blade back in.

Qin Qinian walked up to the bamboo Dai Li had chosen and started chopping away vigorously. As he chopped, his mouth didn't stop either.

This time, he didn't dare say anything about heretical ways anymore, and just asked, "Lady Dai, you mentioned earlier that the fire starter only needs a blow to catch fire. Why is that?"

Catching fire with just a blow—was it a breath of fairy magic?

Dai Li explained to him, "Because fire needs oxy... needs air to burn. After covering it with a lid, the fire will die down to just sparks. Blowing on it is equivalent to adding fuel to the fire again, so the fire can burn up."

Qin Qinian was like a curious baby, "Why won't those sparks completely extinguish?"

"Naturally, because of the materials," Dai Li answered.

Qin Qinian: "Then what materials are needed?"

Dai Li: "Silvergrass flowers, paper mulberry bark, rosin, sulfur, and saltpeter, among other things."

Both saltpeter and sulfur are combustion-supporting, while the highly flammable rosin acts as an adhesive, binding the materials together.

"If I bring all these to you, can you make a fire starter right away?" Qin Qinian was itching with curiosity.

He felt that lighting a fire with just a blow was too mystical, and he wished he could see a fire starter today.

Dai Li poured cold water on his enthusiasm: "Not quite. The silvergrass flowers and paper mulberry bark need to be processed for seven days. These two started drying yesterday, so we still have to wait six more days."

If there were a microwave or an oven, baking the materials would only take a few minutes. But if those two things existed, there would be no need for a low-end lighter like a fire starter.

Qin Qinian let out an "Oh," his interest dropping a bit, but he quickly added, "Then when you make the fire starter, can I come and see?"

Dai Li said he could.

"Why do you know so much?" Qin Qinian continued to ask.

Dai Li: "It's written in books."

Qin Qinian shrank his head almost imperceptibly. "Then you are quite amazing to be able to read so many books. I can't do that; I can only be a great general."

"Cut it here, it needs to be about this long," Dai Li gestured.

"No problem!"

While the two were talking, Qin Shaozong leaned against another thick bamboo stalk with his arms crossed, watching the three of them with a curled lip.

Qin Yanzhou standing to the side with a sword at his waist, Qin Qinian working hard to whittle the bamboo, and her, looking down at the bamboo with lowered eyes.

The cool autumn breeze blew through the square pavilion, lifting the hem of her sweetgum-red dress. The vibrant color looked like a warm, dazzling fire in the woods, radiating an endless stream of warmth and brightness.

Despite his chatter, Qin Qinian's movements were very swift. In just a few strokes, he chopped down the bamboo stalk Dai Li had pointed out, stripped away its leaves, and finally cut it into many small sections according to her instructions.

Dai Li took one to examine and said to Qin Qinian, "Cut another small piece here to make a lid. Then, make a hole in the top of the lid. Don't make it too big; about the size of a soybean is enough."

The purpose of the hole was to preserve the spark. After all, if no air could get in at all, the tinder would go out.

"Alright," Qin Qinian agreed readily.

The bamboo stalk was quite long. Cutting it into many small sections and turning each one into a little bamboo tube with a lid was no small task.

There was a square pavilion nearby, furnished with a stone table and chairs. Servants cleaned the furniture daily, ensuring they were spotless and looked brand new.

The group now moved their workspace into the pavilion.

There were quite a few small bamboo joints, about twenty or so. Qin Yanzhou also joined in the task of making the little bamboo tubes.

Both of the younger generation were skilled with knives. Working together, it did not take them long to fit all the little bamboo tubes with lids.

"Everything is ready. Now we just have to wait for the silvergrass and paper mulberry bark to finish drying in the sun," Dai Li said, placing the small bamboo tubes into a basket.

Qin Qinian asked anxiously, "Do we really have to wait six days? Would five days work?"

"No," Dai Li shook her head.

"Alright. Father will not let me go out anyway." After saying this, Qin Qinian belatedly looked at Qin Shaozong, who was playing with a bamboo tube nearby. "Father, why have you grounded me here?"

He was still unaware that the Wei family had been looking for him several times.

Qin Shaozong seemed displeased. "You are sixteen years old and still so flighty. What kind of behavior is this? You need to temper your character. Tomorrow, your eldest brother will also come to stay at the manor for a while. You will study with him."

Clack. The man tossed the little bamboo tube in his hand back into the basket.

The sound was not loud, but to Qin Qinian, it sounded like a bolt from the blue, followed by the sky collapsing.

Dark clouds gathered over Qin Qinian's head. He deeply regretted bringing the matter up.

If his father told him to stay in the manor, he should have just stayed. Why did he have to get to the bottom of it and ask why? He had really brought this upon himself.

Indeed, just as Qin Shaozong had said, Qin Yunce arrived in a carriage the next day.

Unlike the last time when he just had a simple meal, this time Qin Yunce brought his luggage. He rode in one carriage, followed by two other carriages carrying his belongings.

Many prominent families were watching openly and secretly. The more they observed, the more alarmed they became by the situation.

The Marquis of Wu'an had kept his doors firmly shut, and the trend of purchasing medicinal herbs was growing stronger, even spreading beyond Youzhou.

The eldest son of the Marquis of Wu'an even brought his luggage into the manor to tend to the sick. Some said his third son had also returned to the city overnight and had been staying in the manor to care for the sick without taking a single step outside.

Apart from the daughter who had married into another commandery, both sons had returned to tend to the sick.

This situation did not look good!

But regardless, since the other party lacked medicinal herbs, they had to show some gesture. Therefore, the major prominent families rummaged through their private storehouses, taking out the best medicinal herbs to send over.

The herbs were delivered, but naturally, they did not get to see anyone, nor could they pry out even the slightest bit of information.

Days passed one by one. In the blink of an eye, six days had gone by. Suddenly, a rumor sprang up from nowhere, saying that the Marquis of Wu'an had narrowly escaped death and his condition was gradually improving.

Some also said that since he had overcome the crisis, they should go and offer their congratulations. Regardless of whether they could see the Marquis of Wu'an in person, they needed to make their presence known again! They had to let him know they were constantly concerned about his safety.

Upon reflection, everyone felt this made sense.

Especially the Cai family, who had recently been fighting fiercely with the Wei family. They immediately opened their storehouse again, took out gifts, and set out in their carriages.

Qin Manor, the main courtyard.

"Lady Dai, today is the sixth day!"

Dai Li had just finished breakfast when she heard a raspy voice shouting outside.

The voice was unpleasant, but it was incredibly loud. Before the person had even stepped through the moon gate, the sound had already reached the main courtyard.

"Hey, why are you pulling me? Your mother is definitely up by this time."

Dai Li walked out the door of the main room and saw two teenagers, one tall and one short, walking over from a short distance away.

The taller one seemed to want the shorter one to shut up, nudging him in the chest with his elbow in an attempt to distract him.

Seeing this, the shorter one suddenly got energetic. He stopped talking, immediately raised his hands to block, and began sparring with his companion as they walked. In just a few steps, they had exchanged several moves.

It was Qin Yanzhou who saw Dai Li first. He immediately stopped his hands. "Good morning, Mother."

Hearing his voice, Qin Qinian also stopped at once and respectfully bowed to Dai Li with folded hands. "Lady Dai."

He was holding a bag in his hand. As he bowed, the cloth bag hung down from his grip, and then was lifted slightly as he straightened up.

"The weather has been quite nice these past few days. Not a single drop of rain has fallen, so the items are ready to be collected," Dai Li said, her gaze falling on the cloth bag Qin Qinian was carrying.

Sure enough, after she spoke, the youth happily opened the bag. "I brought them all over."

The small bamboo tubes from before were kept in a little basket in the main room. As for the rest, such as the pine resin and sulfur, they had been stored elsewhere with the raw materials.

Now, Qin Qinian had brought everything over.

Dai Li said, "Come inside."

Dai Li asked Qin Qinian to place everything on the table.

After being washed, repeatedly pounded, and sun-dried, the silvergrass and paper mulberry bark had formed a very stiff grass cake.

The pine resin, sulfur, and saltpeter had all been ground into powder. Dai Li sprinkled them over the grass cake and began to roll it up.

She rolled it up and then stuffed it into a small bamboo tube.

"Is this all it takes?" Qin Qinian craned his neck to watch from the side.

Whenever he unconsciously leaned too close to Dai Li, Qin Yanzhou would quickly reach out, grab the back of Qin Qinian's collar, and pull him away a bit.

Dai Li replied, "It is done. Bring a piece of flint to light it."

Qin Qinian did not have any flint on him, so he immediately went to look for some upon hearing her request. Not finding any in the outer room, he entered the inner chamber.

But upon entering, he belatedly realized that this room bore very heavy traces of male presence.

A black robe and a leather belt with an animal-head buckle were casually draped over a wooden stand. In one corner of the room stood a sword rack, upon which rested a ring-pommel sword about five feet long.

In front of the dressing mirror were many wooden boxes, which were clearly a lady's jewelry boxes. On the table lay the lady's beautiful hairpins, alongside a jade archer's ring that was obviously worn by a man.

There had never been a moment when Qin Qinian realized more clearly that his father shared a bed day and night with a lady, their lives so intertwined that even the subtlest traces of their daily routines were mixed together.

There was an oil lamp on the small cabinet, with a piece of flint resting beside it. Qin Qinian withdrew his gaze, picked up the flint, and went outside.

Dai Li was not very skilled at using flint, so she simply let Qin Qinian light the fire.

With a sharp clack, sparks leaped onto the tinder roll.

Silvergrass and paper mulberry bark are incredibly rich in fiber. After being dehydrated, sun-dried, and mixed with sulfur and other materials, they ignite at the slightest touch.

Dai Li instructed, "Just put the cap straight on."

Qin Qinian did as he was told. He swiftly capped it, and the flames were instantly extinguished.

Dai Li took the fire starter tube from his hand. She first peered through the small hole at the top, then pulled the cap back off.

Because it had been burned just moments ago, the tinder at the mouth of the bamboo tube was now covered in a charred black layer. Dai Li handed the fire starter to Qin Yanzhou and said, "Zhou Zhou, come blow on this."

Qin Yanzhou paused for a moment, a faint glimmer lighting up his eyes. Under their watchful gazes, he took a breath and blew out.

As the current of air swept over it, the previously charred spot grew redder and redder until finally, like a blooming little firework, it burst into a warm, bright flame with a soft poof.

Qin Qinian was completely dumbfounded. It took him quite a while to finally stammer, "It... it really can start a fire!"

Qin Yanzhou was also stunned. When he came to his senses, he quickly turned to look at Dai Li. His eyes were shining, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. "Mom, it lit."