Mo Yanyun stared blankly at the cold smile on Qin Shaozong's face, his mind momentarily failing to catch up.
Lady Dai... what was 'very good' about it?
Why would His Lordship say such a thing? And why had he suddenly asked about the duration of the young lady's monthly courses earlier? He had never shown any concern for such matters in the past.
"Hu Bao, send your men into the city. Search where you must, inquire where you must," Qin Shaozong said, looking at the square-faced captain.
The courtyard was not a place for conversation. He turned and walked back to the main house.
Yan San immediately followed. Mo Yanyun, his soul seemingly detached from his body, drifted along behind them in a daze.
After Mo Yanyun, who was last to enter, came in, Yan San saw he was still standing there dumbfounded and turned to close the door. Just as the door shut, he heard Mo Yanyun speak: "My Lord, this subordinate has a question. I dare to ask for your instruction."
Qin Shaozong: "Speak."
Mo Yanyun took a deep breath. "That night seven days ago, when you suddenly left the main house... was it because Lady Dai's monthly courses had arrived then?"
He had previously speculated that Lady Dai had simply been unlucky with her timing, that her courses had inconveniently arrived, thus preventing her from serving. But that was merely speculation, and such a matter was awkward to state outright. Now, however, the situation was different.
His Lordship had specifically set a trap for Jiang and Li. Lady Dai was the most crucial piece in that scheme, yet such a circumstance had arisen halfway through the game. As his subordinate, some questions, no matter how awkward, had to be asked.
Qin Shaozong replied expressionlessly, "Correct."
Mentioning this only made the fire in his heart burn fiercer. Whether her courses had truly arrived seven days ago was still debatable, but one thing was certain: she truly had no desire to serve him.
Her previous interactions were merely an act, all that tender affection was false compliance, meant to beguile him so she could seize an opportunity to escape.
She was utterly audacious!
Connecting the dots, Mo Yanyun had also arrived at this realization and was momentarily speechless.
How dare a mere woman like Lady Dai act in such a manner? Could... could there be some misunderstanding here?
After a long pause, Mo Yanyun finally said, "My Lord, I feel this matter is full of doubts and strangeness. Moreover, the current situation cannot proceed without her. It might be best to first bring her back for careful questioning. Right! You previously issued her a travel pass. She must have used it to leave the city and head to her old residence in the western district! Please assign me a squad of men. I will go and bring Lady Dai back."
Qin Shaozong, standing by the window, offered no reply. He merely turned and walked towards a wooden box in the corner of the inner room.
Yan San suddenly uttered two words: "The array."
Mo Yanyun slapped his forehead. "Right! There's also a maze array. I almost forgot about that. The surrounding area has an array that can conceal dwellings within the wilderness. Ah, when you think about it, Lady Dai's old residence in the western district really is a perfect hiding place."
Creak. A layer of the wooden box was pulled open.
Mo Yanyun turned at the sound just in time to see an object flying through the air. It was caught with swift precision by Yan San, who raised his hand.
He focused his eyes. It was a small bamboo tablet, its appearance somewhat familiar. Before he could ponder further, he saw Yan San's expression suddenly change. "My Lord, this is..."
Mo Yanyun moved closer curiously to look and was instantly stunned.
The travel pass. It was Lady Dai's travel pass!
No wonder it looked familiar. Yan San had made it with his own hands, and Mo Yanyun, sharing a room with him, had seen it several times.
"Does this mean she didn't leave the city? Or does she have another pass?" Yan San said gravely.
Qin Shaozong let out a light, cold laugh. "She's full of deceit and falsehoods. Do you truly believe that so-called old residence in the western district and its maze array even exist?"
The ways of the Jianghu were bizarre and varied—talismans and spells, summoning spirits, exorcisms, divine possessions, prophecies, divinations, fortune-telling... all ultimately boiled down to one word: "deception."
They deceived the shallow-minded, the unenlightened common folk, manipulating these fools for their own ends. Whether it was to temporarily placate them and avoid unrest, or to turn them into weapons in their own hands, it all came with ulterior motives and couldn't escape the word "profit."
Those Taoist priests, he detested them deeply.
Therefore, when his men initially failed to find any dwelling at the address she provided, his first thought wasn't that he hadn't sent enough soldiers or that his subordinates had been negligent. It was... suspicion that she was lying.
But at the time, she had been calm and composed. She had even proactively set a time to personally lead people to the old residence, and later submitted the travel pass. So he had suppressed his doubts, thinking he would grant her those three days.
And as a result of waiting, he had waited until she vanished!
His first impression had been correct after all. She was no docile little rabbit, but clearly a cunning fox with more schemes than a honeycomb has holes.
"My Lord, what should we do now?" Mo Yanyun was at a loss. He tentatively offered a suggestion: "Should we search the city? It's the Hour of the Rooster now. The city gates are closed. Without a pass, she cannot leave. We could catch her like a turtle in a jar. We would surely apprehend Lady Dai."
"She may not be without a pass," Yan San suddenly interjected.
When His Lordship gifted something to the young lady, it was given and he never condescended to ask for it back. The fact that this travel pass had now returned to His Lordship's hands must mean Lady Dai had actively returned it.
She clearly knew her deception would provoke His Lordship's great wrath. She clearly knew one couldn't leave the city without a pass. Why would she actively return it?
Clearly, she had a backup plan!
Qin Shaozong said in a low voice, "Mo Yanyun, go and summon one of Lady Yun's personal maidservants. I have questions for her."
Mo Yanyun bowed, accepting the order, and quickly left.
Qin Shaozong twisted the thumb ring on his finger, his gaze dark and turbulent like a black sea. Numerous conjectures flashed through his mind, only to be swiftly dismissed one by one.
Nankang Commandery, Eastern Suburbs.
The donkey cart traveled through the desolate outskirts of the city, passing the ruined temple in the eastern suburbs from a distance, and finally arrived at White Horse Ferry. As the only ferry within a ten-mile radius of Nankang Commandery, White Horse Ferry was undeniably bustling.
The crescent-shaped ferry was clearly organized. The area closer to the upstream was concentrated with cargo ships, though by now, with the sun setting in the west, there were few ships left, whether arriving or departing.
Further downstream, there were many passenger ships, large and small, new and old. One could see a continuous stream of travelers boarding the ships via long planks from the shore.
"We're here," said the brawny man in short attire.
Perhaps because he had earned a particularly handsome sum for this trip, he didn't mind saying a few more words to Dai Li. "The large passenger ships are all capable of long voyages, the furthest reaching White Wave Ferry in Haijian Kingdom. If you wish to travel far and aren't short on funds, I suggest you board a newer ship... There, that one."
He pointed towards a two-story passenger ship. "The helmsman of that ship is the son of the Commandery Deputy. His family isn't lacking in silver, so he runs this ferry purely out of interest—he loves being a 'white strip in the waves' on the river. Therefore, compared to other helmsmen, he's a bit more straightforward."
Seeing the other party was in a talkative mood, Dai Li seized the chance to ask: "If I want to go south to Hang... to Qiantang, which route from White Horse Ferry would get me there the fastest?"
The ancient name for Hangzhou was Qiantang. If she said Hangzhou directly, no one would understand. Yet even so, the young man in his twenties scratched his head, puzzled. "Where is Qiantang?"
Dai Li was momentarily taken aback before she realized that in this era, due to inconvenient transportation, ordinary people rarely traveled far from home, except for merchants who traveled north and south for business and some wandering tourists or knights-errant. For most, visiting a few nearby commanderies was likely the limit; they would not journey to a foreign land a thousand miles away.
The older, burly man said, "I don't know where Qiantang is either, but since you're heading south, you can take a boat to Riyue Crossing. It's less than half a day's journey from here. Once you reach Riyue Crossing, head south, and you'll soon arrive at Taiping Commandery. Continue south through Taiping Commandery, and you'll see a ferry called Zhuya Crossing. It connects to the Qi River flowing from north to south; you can change course there and head south."
Beneath her veil hat, Dai Li curved her lips into a smile and gave a slight bow of thanks to the two men. "Thank you."
Jiang Residence, Guest Courtyard.
Mo Yanyun made a quick round trip and soon returned with a maid.
Qin Shaozong, Mo Yanyun, Yan San—each of them had fought their way through scenes of swordplay and bloodshed. They had beheaded others, built victory mounds of enemy heads, and taken countless lives.
The maid had never faced such an intimidating scene, like a tribunal. Standing before them, under the gaze of three pairs of eyes as cold as icy blades, looking at her as if she were already dead, she nearly fainted from fright.
There was no need for threats or bribes. She answered whatever Qin Shaozong asked, trembling as she confessed how Dai Li had lost her travel pass, then used Yun Rong's hand to have a replacement made—not just one, but two passes.
Qin Shaozong had long stopped twisting the jade thumb ring on his finger. As the questioning deepened, a web of fine cracks appeared on the surface of the ring.
Mo Yanyun couldn't help but rub his face.
What a masterful deception!
Good heavens, this Lady Dai truly has a heart of seven apertures and eight cavities—exceedingly clever, perhaps too clever.
Two passes. It seemed extremely likely that Lady Dai had already left the city. No, not just likely—she must have gotten out! Otherwise, staying in the city would only mean capture.
Just as they finished questioning the maid, Hu Bao came to report that some traces of Dai Li had been found.
Hu Bao: "My Lord, we went to several major markets besides the Southern Market, visiting the jewelry shops, bookstores, fabric and silk shops, eateries, teahouses, as well as inns and courier stations that Lady Dai had frequented these past few days. The proprietors of both the Moonlight Lodge and the Orchid Court stated that Lady Dai had both deposited and retrieved packages at their establishments, though the times differed slightly."
Mo Yanyun exclaimed in surprise, "When were the packages deposited? Who deposited them for her?"
Hu Bao continued, "The proprietor of Moonlight Lodge said a package was deposited at his shop at the end of the Shen hour the day before yesterday and retrieved at the Zheng quarter of the Shen hour today. The proprietor of Orchid Court said a package was deposited at the end of the Shen hour yesterday and retrieved at the Zheng quarter of the Shen hour today. As for the depositor..."
The cold, piercing gaze from directly ahead remained fixed on him. Even though Hu Bao knew it wasn't directed at him, his square face paled slightly. "Both inn proprietors said the young woman who deposited the packages wore a veil hat, so her features were unclear. However, her clothing appeared quite plain, most likely that of a servant girl."
Mo Yanyun blurted out, "She had an accomplice? Could it be one of those hidden servants from the old residence in the west city?"
"Is that fifty-ounce lump you call a head only capable of remembering the old residence in the west city? Or is everything else just deadwood and weeds to you?" Qin Shaozong couldn't be bothered to look at him.
Mo Yanyun choked back his words, not daring to respond.
"If she had an accomplice, she wouldn't have needed to wait until today," Yan San recalled Dai Li's schedule. "Before today, Lady Dai had left the residence for three consecutive days, each time wandering the streets and alleys. That very much seems like preparation for today. If she had help, why would she need to go through three full days of effort?"
Qin Shaozong turned to look out the window. Through the carved wooden lattice, he could see only the faintest, almost imperceptible remnants of twilight in the sky. The golden crow had already set in the west. Dusk was nearly over, and night was about to fall.
From the moment Yun Rong returned to the residence with news of Dai Li's disappearance to the soldiers being dispatched to search and bring back messages from the inns, more than an hour had passed.
The city gates closed at the end of the Shen hour, the beginning of the You hour. That time had long since passed.
Qin Shaozong pondered for a moment, then instructed Hu Bao, "Hu Bao, take a squad of men. Bring along her two former personal maids. Have them identify all the maids from the silk and fabric shops she had contact with in recent days, and question each one about their whereabouts at the end of the Shen hour yesterday and the day before yesterday. Anyone who can't give a proper account, bring them all before those two proprietors and have them identify each one."
Hu Bao cupped his hands and accepted the order.
Mo Yanyun said in a low voice, "My Lord, Nan Kang Commandery borders Yulin to the east, Chizhou to the south, Gu Han to the west, and Tian Wu to the north. There aren't too many cities and commanderies nearby, but they're not few either. If she really has left the city, there are plenty of places she could go. The sky is vast for the bird to fly... maybe... just let it go."
By the last two words, his voice had dropped several more notches, barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.
"The sky is vast for the bird to fly? Hah, I'd like to see where she can fly to." Dark clouds seemed to churn in Qin Shaozong's eyes.
A soft crunch sounded. Qin Shaozong's jade thumb ring completely shattered into pieces. The man opened his hand, and fragments of jade scattered down.
Mo Yanyun fell silent, not daring to respond to that.
Qin Shaozong asked, "If you were her, how would you travel after leaving the city?"
"Head west to Gu Han Commandery. She mentioned her old residence was in the west city before. I always felt there might be a grain of truth in that... she might have gone west..." Mo Yanyun muttered.
Qin Shaozong clicked his tongue lightly. "With a brain like yours, it's no wonder you get swindled out of your silver by young women every time. You deserve it."
Mo Yanyun seethed inwardly but dared not speak.
Yan San said seriously, "White Horse Crossing. If Lady Dai has truly left the city, this subordinate guesses she would head east, to White Horse Crossing. My Lord, your forces are strong, your horses sturdy, and you have countless well-fed steeds. She most likely travels by donkey cart, and a donkey cart's pace is far inferior to that of horses, let alone unharnessed warhorses. Her departure would be fully exposed within an hour and a half at the latest. If she chooses land routes, being caught up is only a matter of time. Moreover, it's unsafe for a woman to travel through the night. However, waterways are different."
Traveling by water means traveling by boat, and a boat has an owner.
The boat owner, having collected the passenger's fare, must protect the passenger's safety to some extent, whether for the sake of peace or to maintain his own reputation.
Mo Yanyun looked at the sky outside. "At this hour, the boats have long since departed. Besides, there are several docks east of White Horse Crossing. We don't know at which one she might disembark."
Qin Shaozong thought for a moment. "The Jiang residence maids attended to her closely. The only time they left her side these past few days was when she was trying on clothes at the fabric and silk shops. That must have been when she found an opportunity. In those fitting areas for noblewomen and ladies, male servants would absolutely not be present. As long as we find that maid, follow the trail, we can learn how she left the city, whose carriage she took, which boat she boarded at White Horse Crossing, and whether she revealed any information along the way."
Mo Yanyun suddenly understood.
Indeed, as long as one finds the flaw and follows these threads of clues, there will always be a lead.
Qin Shaozong turned and instructed Yan San, "Go and notify Jiang Chonghai, have him prepare a tower ship for me."
Yan San did not leave. He bowed respectfully to Qin Shaozong and said, "My Lord, please entrust the task of retrieving Lady Dai to me."
"No, I will go personally," Qin Shaozong refused.
Mo Yanyun exclaimed in shock, "My Lord, you must not! With the prior collusion between Jiang and Li, your going will surely prompt Jiang Chonghai to send word to Li Zan. Ying Commandery is east of Nankang Commandery, and while we don't yet know where Lady Dai has gone, venturing into enemy territory when they are prepared is truly perilous. We are men of action, perhaps... we should not bother with a mere woman."
Yan San also advised, "Lady Dai's current actions show she is not the unlearned woman she initially appeared to be. Her contradictory behavior means this pawn is now useless. Retrieving her at this point would be futile; it would be better to readjust our plans. My Lord, I beg you to reconsider."
However, Qin Shaozong curled his thin lips into a smile. "Do you remember when I said that using a feint to split our forces along the central and lower routes would make Jiang Chonghai about eighty percent convinced?"
The two men nodded, saying they remembered.
The curve of Qin Shaozong's mouth deepened. "The remaining twenty percent has now come knocking on our door of its own accord. Why should I turn it away?"
Mo Yanyun frowned in confusion, while Yan San seemed thoughtful.
Qin Shaozong continued, "Jiang Chonghai, using the Yun clan as his eyes and ears, certainly knows she has been my favored concubine for only a short time. Since his understanding of her is shallow, why couldn't she be a spy planted by another faction beside me? Now that the spy has succeeded, what's wrong with her retreating with secrets, mission accomplished? Moreover, at this point, her true identity is no longer the key issue. The key lies in my subsequent attitude and actions."
The more reckless, foolish, and besotted by beauty he appeared, the more people would believe that there truly was a deeply hidden Mr. Junzi behind him, and that the information she had initially revealed was genuine.
After all, he and this "spy" belonged to opposing camps; she would delight in his misfortune. And after this incident, Jiang Chonghai would likely not harbor the slightest doubt again.
"Have Jiang Chonghai prepare a tower ship for me," Qin Shaozong repeated the order, then added, "Mo Yanyun, you will accompany me. Yan San, you stay at the Jiang residence."
Seeing Mo Yanyun hesitate to speak, Qin Shaozong scoffed, "Back in the northern lands, when I hunted the Wuhuan prince Langye, I took his head right from amidst twenty thousand Wuhuan jackals, was pursued for a hundred li after succeeding, and still managed to retreat unscathed. Even if Li Zan has many capable men and strategists under his command, with both wisdom and courage, could the local terrain here possibly be more treacherous than the northern lands?"
The northern grasslands were vast, with nomadic tribes following water and grass. There were no large forests, only yellow sand or low, sparse grass. With no cover for miles, one could see far into the distance, with nowhere to hide.
But inside the Great Wall, it was different—rolling mountains and endless forests provided plenty of hiding places.
Mo Yanyun and Yan San exchanged a glance, both simultaneously recalling an old story.
Back when the Qin family was not yet so powerful, there was a prominent Wu clan in the north that rivaled the Qins. Normally, two such prominent families would end up forming a marriage alliance, creating a bond for mutual benefit.
But the Qin and Wu families were an exception due to a blood feud from their ancestors' generation.
Qin Shaozong's own paternal granduncle, the Qin heir at the time, had died indirectly because of the Wu family. The Qins naturally refused to let it go, attacking the Wus openly and covertly, not only costing the Wus their heir but also making them lose a nearly secured provincial governor position.
The Wu family hated them to the bone, wishing they could devour their flesh and crush their bones. The conflict reached the younger generation... or rather, the Wu family targeted several direct descendants of the Qin clan, aiming to uproot them completely and leave the Qins without successors.
Back then, the not-yet-crowned Lord was sent by his father on a distant mission. On the road, he was ambushed and hunted by several hundred men. The Lord immediately abandoned his horse and fled into the mountains.
After three days and two nights, all of the Wu family's hunters were dead. The Lord efficiently completed his mission and leisurely returned home, even having the leisure to pen a letter of admonishment to the Wu family, advising them to send men with better skills next time.
How the Wu family raged afterward and how they eventually fell is beside the point. The key is that once the Lord entered the mountains, it was like a fish returning to the sea or a bird soaring into the sky.
If he didn't wish to be caught, he truly couldn't be.
The two men felt their hearts settle back into place.
Qin Shaozong took the tally from Yan San's hand and, with a slight exertion, the bamboo tally cracked under the pressure. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If this trip can succeed in swallowing Li Zan's main forces in one go, taking Ying Commandery afterward will be as easy as reaching into a bag. Using the letters and other evidence from Li Zan as proof, we can then use them as grounds to remove all officials, large and small, who colluded with him, and replace them with our own men."
Mo Yanyun and Yan San bowed respectfully and said no more.
But secretly, Mo Yanyun couldn't help but mutter to himself: Actually, an eighty percent chance seemed pretty high already. Was the Lord truly seeking absolute certainty, or was he unwilling to simply give up on Lady Dai?
Or perhaps, both?
Main Hall.
"My Lord, these are..."
Jiang Chonghai looked at the several individuals brought back under Hu Bao's guard and asked, though he already knew the answer. The news of Dai Li's disappearance, or rather her opportunistic departure from the city, had already reached his ears.
Upon first hearing it, Jiang Chonghai was greatly shocked. His first thought was to wonder which faction Lady Dai belonged to, that her methods could be so formidable as to thoroughly dupe Qin Shaozong.
His second reaction was to ponder whether the words spoken through Dai Li's mouth were actually true—had Qin Shaozong really said he wanted to take her to see the peach forest?
But as events unfolded, Jiang Chonghai's doubts gradually diminished. Qin Shaozong seemed unable to swallow this insult, dead set on getting to the bottom of it and recapturing her.
Qin Shaozong replied, "Lady Dai's disappearance is related to these individuals. I hope Prefect Jiang will temporarily lend me this main hall to use as an interrogation room."
"Of course, my Lord. This humble official also wishes to know who is so bold as to dare persuade your favored concubine to run away from home." Jiang Chonghai smiled with a kindly expression, his words making it clear he intended to stay and listen.
Hu Bao looked at Qin Shaozong, who said indifferently, "Speak directly."
So Hu Bao first pointed to the young woman on the far left. "My Lord, this person is a maidservant from the Ruixiang Silk Shop. Her whereabouts were unknown for the last two days at the end of the Shen hour (around 5 PM). Furthermore, the shopkeepers of both the Bright Moon Residence and the Hidden Orchid Courtyard identified her as the person who deposited the packages."
Jiang Chonghai asked curiously, "My wife previously mentioned to me that there was only one depositor. Why have you brought back two young women and a man?"
Hu Bao replied, "The one in the middle is a maidservant from the Xinglong Silk Shop. This woman arranged transportation out of the city for Lady Dai."
This discovery was purely a pleasant surprise.
At the time, Hu Bao was leading Ding Xiang and Tao Xiang to thoroughly visit silk and cloth shops, attempting to screen out all suspicious individuals. By chance, he noticed a maidservant acting strangely. When he pulled her out, she was even more terrified out of her wits.
Upon interrogation, the woman indeed proved to be problematic.
Hu Bao then pointed to a brawny man dressed in short work clothes: "This man has some kinship with a maid from the Xinglong Silk Shop. He was commissioned by her to escort Lady Dai out of the city to White Horse Ford."
The three of them trembled like chaff in a sieve, never imagining that a simple transaction would not only alarm the city guards but even bring the Prefect Lord Jiang himself to the scene.
Considering Prefect Jiang's earlier attitude, the man he addressed as "Junhou" (Marquis/Lord) likely held a rank no lower, if not higher.
No further interrogation was needed. The brawny man spilled everything like beans from a sack, including Lady Dai's attire at the time, how he escorted her to White Horse Ford, her inquiry about the fastest route to Qiantang by water, his own recommendation, and finally, he stammered, "...My Lord Prefect, this commoner is truly wronged! Had I known the passenger was a nobleman's consort, I would never have dared to help her leave the city!"
Jiang Chonghai paid no heed to the man's subsequent pleas. Stroking his chin with two thick fingers, he mused, "Sun-Moon Ford, Taiping Commandery."
Then, as if recalling something, he asked Qin Shaozong, "Junhou, I just heard Commander Yan mention that you requested a lou-chuan (tower ship). Do you intend to send someone to bring Lady Dai back?"
Qin Shaozong: "I will go myself."
Jiang Chonghai was taken aback, then exclaimed in surprise, "You yourself?"
Qin Shaozong nodded. "It's the first time in my life I've been played for a fool by a woman to this extent. If I don't capture the Dai woman, I can hardly quell the fury in my heart. Moreover, Taiping Commandery does not border Ying Commandery. That salt smuggler surnamed Li likely won't know of my arrival. It will be a quick trip there and back, it shouldn't pose a major problem."
Jiang Chonghai secretly sneered. Truly, fame often exceeds reality. He had thought a vicious tiger had been bred in the north, but now it seemed it was no tiger, but clearly just a wildcat.
Once this Qin Shaozong left, he would immediately send word to Brother Li, ensuring this northern wildcat would never return!
Suppressing his surging thoughts, Jiang Chonghai gestured towards the three captives, his tone as casual as if commenting on weeds in a stone crack. "Junhou, how would you like to deal with these people?"
"Ignorance is no crime. They are but innocent commoners. Besides, they cooperated during the questioning earlier. Release them all," said Qin Shaozong. He then brought up the matter of the lou-chuan again, his words implicitly urging Jiang Chonghai to prepare the ship quickly.
Jiang Chonghai smiled like the Maitreya Buddha, inwardly scoffing at his 'womanly benevolence', yet feeling considerably more at ease.
...
A heavy darkness spread across the sky. The night was deep, with chickens and dogs silent. During the thickest darkness of the Yin hour (3-5 am), the east gate of Nankang Commandery slowly opened. A contingent of men and horses slipped out under cover of night, the commotion so great it startled a dozing gate guard awake.
"Who's making such a grand procession?"
"It's Lord Qin and Prefect Jiang leaving the city together. I caught a bit of it earlier; seems the latter is escorting the former to White Horse Ford."
"White Horse Ford? What business is at the ferry in the middle of the night?"
"How would I know the affairs of nobles?"
...
White Horse Ford.
A two-story lou-chuan was moored at the dock. Qin Shaozong dismounted. "Prefect Jiang, you may stop here. This is far enough."
Jiang Chonghai also dismounted, squinting as he watched a group of soldiers board the ship first. He thought to himself that the escort was merely thirty men; this Qin Shaozong was far too arrogant and unaware of the dangers.
On the surface, however, Jiang Chonghai offered a deep bow. "I pray Junhou takes great care. This humble official awaits good news in Nankang Commandery. May Junhou achieve all his wishes on this journey."
Qin Shaozong replied with a faint, ambiguous smile, "I accept your auspicious words."
After Qin Mo and the last two men boarded, the gangplank connecting the ship to the shore was hauled up.
Yan San and a few soldiers stood on the shore watching until the lou-chuan completely disappeared from view. Then, he and the remaining handful of soldiers took hold of the horses.
Jiang Chonghai secretly shot a look at one of his accompanying retainers. The man understood and suddenly called out, asking if anyone needed to relieve themselves.
Several voices answered immediately, all from Jiang Chonghai's retinue. They headed together into the nearby woods. After the sound of flowing water, they returned one after another.
Yan San's gaze swept over the returning Jiang retainers. He noticed one was missing but said nothing, pretending not to know, and left White Horse Ford with Jiang Chonghai and the others.
After the hoofbeats faded into the distance, a figure furtively emerged from the grass. He walked along the dock and finally found a hidden canopy boat in a dense thicket.
A man in a rain hat and cape was inside. Without a word, the man untied the mooring rope as soon as the other boarded, then pushed off from the bank with an oar.
The canopy boat drifted leisurely from the shore, then was swiftly carried eastward by the rushing current.
The sun rose in the east. A gentle breeze skimmed the river surface, carrying a damp, watery chill towards the bustling shore. Sun-Moon Ford was undoubtedly lively in the morning, teeming with noise and clamor, occasionally punctuated by the braying of donkeys.
Fishing boats of all sizes, laden with catch, pulled up to the bank. Basket after basket of fish was loaded onto donkey carts onshore. Fishmongers haggled with the boat owners, money finally changed hands, and some headed back to the city while others prepared to depart.
In another corner of Sun-Moon Ford, passenger lou-chuan began disgorging and taking on travelers.
A tall yet utterly ordinary figure descended from a large lou-chuan. As if new to the place, she walked slowly.
Since disembarking, Dai Li's mood had improved another notch. However, being alone in a foreign place, she didn't let her guard down. There were donkey carts for hire on the shore; a few copper coins could spare her the walk.
But Dai Li did not take one. She observed covertly and noticed that those willing to pay for a ride were mostly in groups and dressed well, almost wearing the words "financially comfortable" on their faces.
Dai Li adjusted her veil hat and followed the crowd walking south. After the better part of an hour, an ancient-looking commandery city came into her view. She stopped to look, her brow furrowing beneath the veil.
The scale of this Taiping Commandery was noticeably smaller than that of Nankang Commandery.
Small places are prone to disorder.
But it didn't matter. It was still morning, and she had plenty of time to pass through Taiping Commandery and continue south to Red Cliff Ford. Once aboard a long-distance lou-chuan at Red Cliff Ford, safety would be less of a concern.
She didn't get carsick or seasick and had given last night's lou-chuan journey high marks.
She entered the city using her travel pass.
Once inside, Dai Li didn't head south immediately. Instead, she found a food stall, planning to appease her stomach before leaving the city.
The morning food stall was bustling. Amidst the shouts and haggling, Dai Li also listened to the chatter around her.
"Things are chaotic out there lately. My peddler cousin told me the Governors of Qingzhou and Yanzhou seem to have had a major falling out over suppressing the Green Lotus Sect, and it ended with their armies clashing."
Someone sucked in a sharp breath through their teeth. "They're fighting? But the border between Qing and Yan is quite a distance from us. The impact shouldn't be too great here."
"Hah, who says the impact isn't significant? They fought fiercely. Seeing the situation turning bad, several bandit lairs on the nearby mountains all packed up and fled. My cousin said a bunch of those bandits simply headed north and put down roots near Taiping County. Haven't you heard that the barges at Zhuya Ford haven't been coming lately?"
Daili, who was eating noodles, abruptly stopped.
Someone chimed in, "They won't stop coming completely, I reckon they'll just lay low for a while at most. The Qi River isn't as mighty as the Hutuo River, and Zhuya Ford was always smaller in scale anyway. It's common for boatmen to lay low during times like these, biding their time and waiting for more passengers to gather. After all, people still need to travel south—they wouldn't just pass up silver, would they?"
"Tsk, you don't get it. Just look at what kind of places Qingzhou and Yanzhou are? Everywhere is nestled against mountains and rivers, full of waterways. The bandits from those parts are all like 'White Streaks in the Waves'—toss them into the water and it's like releasing a fish into a river, every one of them is an excellent swimmer. Sure, boatmen want to earn silver, but they value their own lives and their boats even more!"
Daili's heart sank steadily.
These days, there might be no southbound boats at Zhuya Ford.
