Dai Li's foot was only slightly sprained, not serious, and after resting in the mansion for two days, she could walk again. During these two days, Yun Rong came to keep her company every day, chatting about everything under the sun, doing her utmost to amuse Dai Li and cheer her up. Since Yun Rong never arrived empty-handed—each time bringing gifts better than the last—the two became as close as sisters in just two days.
"Sister Yun, I’ve been in Nankang County for some time but haven’t left the mansion yet. Now that I can walk, why don’t we go out and explore the market?" Dai Li asked for her opinion, though she had already beckoned a maid to help her change.
Yun Rong hesitated. "Little sister, as they say, 'a torn ligament takes a hundred days to heal.' Shouldn’t you rest a bit longer in the mansion?" If anything happened outside, she wouldn’t be able to explain it to Marquis Qin.
Dai Li waved it off. "It’s just a minor sprain—my foot isn’t broken. Besides, we’ll take the carriage and won’t have to walk much."
Yun Rong tried again. "My husband is hosting a banquet this evening, and the Marquis will surely bring you along. If we return late..."
"It’s still early!" Dai Li cut her off. "If Sister Yun doesn’t want to accompany me, just say so. I’ll go out on my own."
With things put so bluntly, Yun Rong could hardly refuse. She had no choice but to order the carriage prepared and accompany this demanding lady out.
Only then did Dai Li smile in satisfaction.
Her smile was genuine. Over the past two days, her people had secretly combed through Jiang Mansion without finding any trace of Zhou Zhou. It seemed her son truly wasn’t there.
If he wasn’t in the mansion, she would have to look outside.
The carriage wheels rumbled over the stone-paved road, heading toward the bustling market. Once outside the mansion, the quiet gave way to clamor, and the lively scent of everyday life seeped through the lowered curtains.
Dai Li lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, letting in the warm sunlight as she caught sight of the lively streets. Vendors crowded shoulder to shoulder, their stalls packed with an array of goods, a dazzling spectacle.
Her brows relaxed slightly.
The dancers’ indifference to the corpse had led her to believe they were numb to death, and with salt smugglers running rampant, she had assumed the world had already descended into chaos.
Yet the bustling city brought her a sense of reassurance. Perhaps the times were troubled, or perhaps the world was on the brink of upheaval, but everything happened gradually—chaos didn’t arrive overnight.
Take the late Eastern Han Dynasty, for example. Thirty-six years passed between the Yellow Turban Rebellion and Emperor Xian’s abdication. For someone short-lived, that could be an entire lifetime.
Dai Li fervently hoped this "unrest" was merely a budding sign, not yet at its worst.
Their first stop was a silk shop, a favorite among ladies. As a local, Yun Rong naturally took on the role of guide, selecting Ruixiang Silk Shop. The shop was spacious, its entrance spotless, with a few donkey carts and a carriage parked outside. Neatly dressed attendants carried out bundles of wrapped fabric.
Clearly, this shop catered to high-end clientele.
The moment their carriage stopped, a sharp-eyed attendant rushed over with a small stool in hand. He placed it by the carriage door, and if not for the guards blocking him, he would have opened the door himself.
After all, carriages were rare in Nankang County—only a handful of households owned one.
When he recognized Yun Rong stepping out, his smile turned obsequious. "No wonder the magpies were singing on the branches today—it’s because the Prefect’s Lady has graced us with her presence! Please, come inside."
But then Yun Rong turned back, eagerly speaking to the lady still inside the carriage. Soon, a second woman descended, bringing with her a wave of exquisite fragrance.
The attendant froze, only snapping out of it after the two had already entered the shop.
It was nearly noon, the busiest time of day. Inside, Dai Li saw young ladies shopping together for clothes, as well as women with their hair tied in simple buns.
With so many people, the noise was inevitable—some chatting idly, others discussing fabrics, and attendants bustling about.
Amid the din, Dai Li faintly overheard someone say:
"I’ve heard there’s been an increase in refugees lately. That ruined temple outside the eastern suburbs has practically become their battleground."
"My son told me he passed by that temple yesterday while out for a stroll. He saw about a dozen people inside—some old, some young, all dressed in rags."
"With so many refugees appearing suddenly, there must have been a disaster somewhere, and disasters always bring more suffering. Heaven knows how many more will lose their homes."
"Exactly. My son mentioned seeing a child there, about eight or nine years old, fair-skinned and dressed a little better than the others, with short hair. Who knows if he was kidnapped and had his hair cut by traffickers."
"It must be traffickers—they’re experts at disguising their victims..."
Dai Li didn’t catch the rest. Those key words—eight or nine years old, fair-skinned, short hair—swelled in her mind like a sponge soaking up water, consuming her thoughts entirely.
Could it be Zhou Zhou?
"Ah—sister, where are you going? Didn’t we agree to look at clothes?" Yun Rong reached out instinctively as Dai Li suddenly turned to leave.
Dai Li’s arm was caught, and with it, her scattered thoughts snapped back. She stood still for a moment, listening expressionlessly as Yun Rong called her name several times.
"Sister, what’s wrong?" Yun Rong felt a flicker of unease.
Finally, Dai Li turned to her, the corners of her eyes faintly red. "Sister Yun, I just overheard them talking about refugees outside the city—there are even children among them. They must be starving and barely clothed. It’s heartbreaking. Why don’t we bring them some food at the temple outside the city?"
Though phrased as a question, she was already pulling Yun Rong toward the exit.
Yun Rong was stunned. Over the past two days, she had come to realize that this favored consort of the Marquis was a spoiled, naive woman—as if heaven had poured all its blessings into her beauty, leaving none for her brains.
But she never expected Dai Li to be so sentimental on top of being empty-headed.
Disasters and suffering were hardly rare these days. There were too many pitiable souls in the world—uttering a word or two of sympathy was kindness enough. Who had the time to help every single one?
Yet Dai Li was already dragging her into the carriage, ordering Yan San to buy flatbread along the way.
The carriage, which had been parked outside Ruixiang Silk Shop, now headed out of the county. The sturdy horses moved swiftly, and before long, Dai Li caught sight of a temple.
The place truly lived up to its description as "ruined." The lacquer on the signboard had peeled away, the wood riddled with worm-eaten holes. Broken walls, crumbling pillars, and drafty windows—it was impossible to tell how many years it had been abandoned.
An old saying warned, "Never enter a temple alone," as these deserted places often harbored bandits evading the authorities.
But Dai Li, accompanied by guards, paid no heed. The moment the carriage stopped, she leaped out eagerly.
The dilapidated temple was small but unusually filthy, the moment they stepped inside, a wave of rancid stench assaulted their senses. A few heads peeked out at the sound, initially thinking their own comrades had returned or some fool had come to challenge their territory—only to be met with the sight of a stunningly beautiful woman.
Some faces immediately twisted with greed, but then they noticed the man following close behind her, a short knife hanging at his waist. His gaze was sharp as a blade, making them instinctively shrink back.
Armed, physically imposing, and not alone.
These were no ordinary visitors.
Dai Li paid no mind to the onlookers’ thoughts and cut straight to the point: "Is there a nine-year-old child with short hair here? Where is he now?"
The vagrants exchanged uneasy glances.
Yun Rong, recalling fragments of gossip she’d overheard at the silk shop, couldn’t help but give Dai Li a thoughtful look.
"Lady Dai once had a nephew who was abducted. She and her brother were deeply attached, so she’s been distraught over it. The Prefect’s wife understands," Yan San explained briefly.
Yun Rong suddenly grasped the situation.
With this context, she wasn’t surprised when Dai Li began searching every corner of the temple.
Dai Li combed through the place with desperate hope, spotting several children along the way—including the fair-skinned, short-haired boy others had mentioned.
But alas, it wasn’t her little one.
Watching the child devour a flatbread with ravenous hunger, Dai Li’s heart ached with a cold, piercing pain.
"Everyone has their own fate. We’ve done all we can—some things simply can’t be forced, sister. Let’s go back," Yun Rong said, covering her nose with a perfumed handkerchief, unable to bear another moment in the foul-smelling ruin. Assuming Dai Li was hesitating out of misplaced sympathy, she added firmly, "We’ve already distributed all our supplies. Standing around won’t help. We should return to the mansion and send more food later."
Dai Li seemed to think of something, then suddenly glanced down, her eyes glinting with something unreadable. "As you say, sister," she replied.
Yun Rong wasted no time heading out.
Noticing no one was paying attention, Dai Li quickly untied the small bamboo token hanging at her waist and slipped it into her sleeve, using the wide fabric to conceal the now-empty spot at her hip.
The two women left the temple and boarded their carriage.
By the time they returned to Nankang County and entered the bustling streets, Dai Li gasped softly, "Where’s my token?!"
Yun Rong immediately looked at her waist—the small wooden plaque that usually hung there was indeed missing. Her first thought was that someone in the temple had sticky fingers, stealing it when they got too close.
"I told you that place was crawling with thieves!" Yun Rong fumed. "Turn the carriage around—we’re going back."
"No!" Dai Li stopped her urgently. Meeting Yun Rong’s puzzled gaze, she lowered her voice. "Some of the guards accompanying us today are Marquis Qin’s men. If we turn back now, he’ll know I lost the token—our keepsake."
Yun Rong scoffed, "So what? Given how much he dotes on you, he’d just make you another."
Dai Li laughed awkwardly. "True, but... I’ve already lost it four times before."
Yun Rong: "..."
No wonder—if she flaunted it every day, losing it was inevitable.
"Besides, I’ve been quarreling with him lately. I can’t let him catch me at a disadvantage now. He mustn’t find out," Dai Li pleaded, clutching Yun Rong’s sleeve. "Dearest sister, could you do me a favor...?"
That evening, a banquet was held—once again in honor of Qin Shaozong. But unlike before, Dai Li’s recovery meant female guests could now attend.
When the two women arrived at the main hall, Qin Shaozong and Jiang Chonghai were already there, seated at the head of the table, drinking competitively.
A slender silhouette stretched into the hall with the setting sun, a delicate fragrance drifting in on the breeze. The man at the head of the table relaxed his brows, casually setting down his wine cup as he stood.
Qin Shaozong was tall—descending from the dais seemed to take only a few strides.
This was Dai Li’s first time performing this act in front of the Jiang couple. She was still gauging how far to take it when a strong arm suddenly wrapped around her waist, pulling her into an embrace.
The man held her close, his lips curving as he looked down. "Back from your outing, my lady? No trouble, I hope?"
Dai Li’s heart skipped a beat.
