Qingfeng Tower.
Yun Rong had just woken from a nap, feeling much refreshed. She glanced at the sky, satisfied. It was already nearing the end of the Shen hour, with dusk approaching. As usual, Dai Li should have come looking for her by now to return to the manor together.
Honestly, these past few days of wandering outside had left her with little appetite for dinner. Tomorrow, no matter what that troublemaker said, she absolutely wouldn’t leave the manor with her again.
No—not just tomorrow, but for the next few days as well…
"Madam! Madam of the Manor!!"
Just as Yun Rong was lost in thought, a panicked shout snapped her back to attention. She turned and saw Ding Xiang, and her irritation flared.
"Why are you so frantic? You’ll scare away all the good fortune—"
"Madam of the Manor, Lady Dai is missing!"
Their voices overlapped.
The surroundings fell silent in an instant.
Yun Rong’s eyes widened, wondering if she was still dreaming. Otherwise, how could she be hearing such absurd news?
Yun Rong stood frozen, while the square-faced guard captain beside her, who had been forcibly left behind by Dai Li’s orders, turned pale with alarm.
He immediately demanded, "How did Lady Dai disappear? Where did it happen? When? Speak quickly!"
Ding Xiang had run all the way to Qingfeng Tower and was still gasping for breath. Her explanation came in broken fragments, making Yun Rong even more anxious, her own breath nearly catching in her throat.
Once the details were finally pieced together, Yun Rong sucked in a sharp breath. "That troublemaker is the most willful person, always doing as she pleases without a care for others. Could it be that she quarreled with Lord Qin again last night, leading to this unnecessary drama today?"
After all, this favored concubine had a history of such behavior. Once, she had vanished from her pavilion without a word, throwing the entire manor into chaos.
Yun Rong hastily ordered, "Send people to search immediately—the jewelry shops, fabric stores, and silk shops in the North Market, the Moonlight Pavilion and Orchid House in the East Market, and check the West Market too. Oh, and we must return to the manor—she might have gone back ahead of us."
The servants quickly dispersed, rushing out of Qingfeng Tower in a flurry.
After some thought, Yun Rong decided Dai Li might still come to Qingfeng Tower, so she left Ding Xiang behind while she returned to the manor with the square-faced guard captain and another Jiang Manor attendant.
Jiang Manor.
Yun Rong entered through the side gate and asked the guards if Dai Li had returned. When they said no, her heart sank, but she still clung to hope as she stepped inside.
The manor had more than one gate—what if that troublemaker had come back through another entrance?
She headed toward the guest pavilion but happened to run into Qin Shaozong, who was just leaving the main house.
The setting sun cast a golden hue over the tall, imposing man, bathing his black robes in a soft, honeyed glow. Yet the warmth did nothing to soften his demeanor. The general, whose family had guarded the borders for generations, remained stern and distant, exuding an unshakable air of authority.
This was the first time Yun Rong had faced Qin Shaozong without her husband present, but she had no time for fear now. She cut straight to the point. "Lord Qin, has Xiao Li returned to see you?"
Qin Shaozong replied, "No. Why do you ask, Madam of the Manor?"
Yun Rong hesitated for a few breaths, torn between telling the truth outright or waiting to see if Dai Li would return first. In the end, she chose the former and tentatively shifted the blame.
"Xiao Li sent her maid away to buy snacks and then disappeared from Xinglong Silk Shop without a word. No one knows where she went. When she left the manor today, she seemed upset and even complained about you once or twice along the way. Did you two quarrel last night?"
The casual expression on Qin Shaozong’s face slowly faded, like a tide receding. "We had no quarrel. She dismissed one maid to buy snacks—what about the others? Don’t tell me only a single maid was with her the entire time?"
Yan San and Mo Yanyun, hearing the commotion, stepped out from the side room. Seeing the Madam of the Manor there, they curiously asked what had happened.
Yun Rong grew uneasy, stammering as she explained that she had grown tired and parted ways with Dai Li—she had gone to rest at an inn while Dai Li continued shopping. She emphasized that Dai Li had left with three guards and two maids.
The unspoken implication was clear: It wasn’t that she hadn’t arranged for attendants—Dai Li had dismissed them all herself.
Under their scrutinizing gazes, Yun Rong didn’t dare leave anything out. She swallowed hard and continued recounting what she had learned from Ding Xiang, her voice growing quieter.
When she mentioned that Dai Li had ordered seafood and sea cucumbers from a fishmonger in the West Market two days prior, scheduling pickup for today—hence why three guards had been sent there—Mo Yanyun froze.
But that wasn’t all. Yun Rong added that Dai Li had claimed she was short on silver and sent one maid back to the manor to fetch more. Then, not long after in the silk shop, she had dismissed the last maid to buy flatbreads.
Even the usually reserved Yan San couldn’t hide his shock.
What was Lady Dai doing?
Had Lord Qin discussed a new plan with her last night? But this didn’t seem like it…
Qin Shaozong stood motionless for several breaths before finally speaking, his voice devoid of emotion. "I understand. Thank you for informing me, Madam of the Manor. You may go now. I will handle the rest."
Yun Rong’s heart pounded with unease. The moment Qin Shaozong gave her leave, she wasted no time in departing.
Once she was gone, Mo Yanyun frowned and asked in a low voice, "My lord, could this be the work of Li Zan’s faction? They might have infiltrated Nankang County in secret, learned of Lady Dai’s recent favor, and orchestrated this."
Yan San, however, countered, "If that were the case, there’s one necessary assumption—that Lady Dai is one of Li Zan’s people."
"True. And since you’ve allowed her to serve by your side, why would she risk so much for so little?" Mo Yanyun scratched his head, utterly baffled.
Qin Shaozong took a deep breath and closed his eyes, replaying his recent interactions with Dai Li in his mind. Scenes flashed by like a reel unwinding.
"Since you’ve been gracious enough to overlook the past and still hold me in high regard, how could I possibly push you away?"
"A night of spring is worth a thousand in gold—why don’t we retire early?"
"...Let us find joy together, resolve our disputes in bed, and let things unfold naturally. That way, we may reconcile."
"I shall await your esteemed presence in my chambers tomorrow evening."
The lingering sweetness of her voice echoed in his ears, tender as honey, weaving an intricate web that ensnared him effortlessly.
Qin Shaozong suddenly opened his eyes and turned to Mo Yanyun, his gaze dark and unfathomable. "Is it true that all healthy women must bleed for exactly seven days during their monthly courses?"
Mo Yanyun, well-versed in such matters, instinctively answered, "Who said that? Of course not."
The air around them seemed to grow colder, biting to the bone. Mo Yanyun unconsciously lowered his voice. "It varies. A lover I once had in Yunzhong County was done in just three days. Why do you ask?"
Qin Shaozong’s expression turned thunderous. The corners of his lips curled into a humorless smile.
"She’s truly something!"
