West Garden.
"Mi Jia, why aren't you asleep yet? You might have to perform for the distinguished guests tomorrow—you should rest early."
"Did you hear any movement outside just now? A rustling sound, like leaves swaying in the wind or a cat slipping through the grass."
"I think there was a little, but why worry about it? You said yourself it was just the wind or a cat, not some ghost. If it weren’t for the unrest outside tonight, I’d go out and check for you."
"Never mind, let’s sleep. It seems quiet now."
……
The branches of the apple tree stopped trembling, revealing a faint shadow beneath it. Dai Li suppressed the discomfort in her left ankle and limped forward, muttering to herself, "Climbing up is easy, but climbing down is hard"—how true those words were. The ascent had gone smoothly, but she had twisted her foot on the way down.
The West Garden was silent, a stillness that stretched all the way to the courtyard entrance and the outer walkway. In the thick darkness of the night, it carried an eerie, unsettling quality. Yet, the tension in Dai Li’s chest eased slightly.
No one was around—good. That meant she could move to a new hiding place.
Yes, Dai Li intended to relocate.
The thought had struck her while she was still in the tree, perched high enough and settled in, ready to spend the night there.
But then, a cold breeze swept past, sending a shiver down her spine. In that moment, it was as if her soul had floated out of her body, rising to a higher vantage point where she could see everything from a detached, third-person perspective.
The obstructing leaves no longer blinded her—she saw possibilities she hadn’t before.
If she had thought to hide in the West Garden, would he—who already knew "Feng Chun" didn’t exist—have considered it too?
If he had met with the steward, he would know she had asked for directions, making it easy to deduce she wasn’t familiar with the mansion’s layout. By combining factors like unfamiliarity with the terrain, places suitable for a woman to hide, and spots convenient for escaping, he could easily narrow down the search.
The Thirty-Six Stratagems and The Art of War were testaments to the wisdom of the ancients, especially the aristocratic families and nobility who monopolized knowledge.
Of course, whether he had actually met the steward was mere speculation—she had no way of knowing. But the sword of Damocles now hung over her fragile nerves, compelling her to take the risk and move again.
The night was pitch black. Just as Dai Li stepped out of the West Garden and was about to enter a long corridor, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her.
From the sound, there was more than one or two people approaching.
Her breath hitched, but she didn’t dare look back. Instead, she quickened her pace into the corridor. Earlier, after borrowing the identity of the "Marquis’s concubine" to leave his courtyard, she hadn’t retraced her steps but had taken the opposite path. Now, she knew very well that the neighboring courtyard was reserved for distinguished guests—likely housing his subordinates.
Below the two courtyards lay a small, inverted "品"-shaped space used for parking carriages and horses. Dai Li remembered passing by earlier—only the inner archway had occasional foot traffic, while the outer area was unguarded.
This wasn’t surprising. Once the carriages were unloaded, they stood empty, and the horses were led to the feeding troughs up front. From the inner archway, one could see the horses without needing to step outside.
Dai Li planned to take shelter in that small area—the only place she knew of that might still conceal her.
Who would expect a delicate woman like her to dare venture into the lion’s den, hiding right under their noses?
No sooner had Dai Li left than Mo Yanyun arrived at the West Garden with his men. His entrance was nothing like her stealthy departure—he simply waved a hand, and the soldiers accompanying him flooded into the courtyard like a tide.
"Light the lamps. Everyone, dress and gather in the courtyard."
"What… what’s happening?" a Hu girl asked timidly.
"Enough questions. Just follow orders and be quick about it."
Soon, all the Hu girls emerged from their rooms, huddling together like drenched sparrows, trembling as they watched the men stride inside.
The West Garden had two buildings, each two stories high, housing only the Hu girls. But with all the women outside, the soldiers combed through every nook and cranny of both buildings—yet found nothing.
Mo Yanyun’s thick brows furrowed. He turned his gaze to the gathered Hu girls, holding up a lantern to inspect each one.
The differences between Hu girls and Han women were stark—no simple disguise could bridge them. After a single sweep, Mo Yanyun was certain "Feng Chun" wasn’t among them.
Strange. If she wasn’t in the buildings or among the girls, where was she hiding?
"Check the trees too," Mo Yanyun ordered, pointing at the two apple trees.
Immediately, agile soldiers scaled the trees, climbing swiftly to the higher branches. They descended just as fast—empty-handed.
Mo Yanyun muttered to himself: The Marquis ordered us to search the rear garden and the East and West Gardens. Since she’s not in the West Garden, could she be hiding in the rear garden or the East Garden?
With that thought, he casually pointed at two men. "You two stay here until the end of mao hour. The rest, follow me."
Just as he was about to leave the West Garden, Mo Yanyun remembered something and turned back to address the Hu girls. "If that 'Song Lan' sneaks back tonight, report it immediately to the guards. Anyone who knows and doesn’t speak up will face the consequences."
The Hu girls nodded fearfully in unison.
Dai Li moved with trepidation, silently praying she wouldn’t run into anyone—praying her path would remain as smooth as when she had returned to the West Garden earlier.
Perhaps luck was on her side, or perhaps the late hour worked in her favor—for now, she was alone.
She exhaled softly, but her relief was premature. The moment she relaxed, a warm glow suddenly appeared to her side, accompanied by two petite figures.
She stood at the left intersection of an "H"-shaped path, while they were on the right, barely a few meters apart. The lantern light spilled onto Dai Li’s round-toe silk shoes, and the sudden encounter left both parties momentarily stunned.
Dai Li reacted first, stepping back twice to vanish into the shadows again. Even though these were only maids and not guards, her tension didn’t ease in the slightest.
With the Marquis’s search sweeping through the entire mansion, anyone spotting her walking alone at this hour would find it highly suspicious.
"Are you that—" The taller maid didn’t finish before her companion yanked her sleeve sharply. The two turned away, pretending to be busy with their lanterns as they hurried off.
Watching their retreating figures, Dai Li fell into thought. Something flickered in her mind—too fleeting to grasp.
The rest of the journey passed without incident. Dai Li deliberately took a detour, entering the "parking area" from the rear. As she had guessed, the place was unguarded. The carriages stood in a neat row against the wall, while the horses had been led away to their troughs.
The courtyard was hushed, the insects silent, with only the occasional flick of a horse’s tail or a soft snort breaking the stillness.
Dai Li let out a long breath and limped along the wall, finally settling down between the carriages, her back against the cool stone.
Tonight, I might be able to evade them, but what about tomorrow...
"Lord, I’ve searched the rear garden, the East and West Pavilions, but found no trace of Feng Chun." Mo Yanyun was puzzled. It was rare for the lord to miscalculate. Well, though this wasn’t exactly a major matter.
Qin Shaozong raised an eyebrow. "Nowhere?"
Mo Yanyun nodded. "My men combed through every inch of those three places, leaving no chest or hidden compartment unchecked. But she truly wasn’t there."
After a pause, Mo Yanyun ventured a guess. "Could she be hiding among the concubines’ quarters?"
He still believed the beautiful woman was connected to Jiang Chonghai—otherwise, how could she be in Jiang Mansion? If they were acquainted, she could be hiding anywhere.
Just as Qin Shaozong was about to speak, footsteps approached from outside. Yan San had returned.
The soldiers accompanying Yan San halted at the courtyard gate, while Yan San stepped inside and lowered his voice. "Lord, Jiang Mansion’s hidden treasury is shockingly well-stocked. A governor’s salary is two thousand dan, with a monthly stipend of one hundred twenty hu. Yet, a mere corner of Jiang Chonghai’s private vault holds wealth far surpassing what twenty governors could save in ten years, even if they starved themselves."
Mo Yanyun gaped. "That much?"
"The vault is heavily guarded, with shifts changing every two hours. Clearly, Jiang Chonghai knows it’s not something to flaunt." Yan San’s tone was indifferent, as if infiltrating the treasury had been effortless.
"Gorged himself to the point of bursting," Qin Shaozong remarked dryly.
Mo Yanyun frowned. "Judging by the treasures in that vault, the relationship between Li and Jiang must be unusually close. Lord, our military movements haven’t been concealed. If Li and Jiang are colluding, Jiang Chonghai will surely scheme behind our backs."
"That’s exactly what I want—for him to scheme. I’d be more worried if he cowered like a quail, too afraid to move." Qin Shaozong glanced at the sky. The dark clouds still hadn’t dispersed. Tonight, there would be no moon. A perfect night for hiding.
Mo Yanyun’s brow smoothed. The lord already had a plan, so there was no need for concern.
Qin Shaozong turned to Yan San, shifting the topic. "Did you find any sign of Feng Chun near the treasury?"
Yan San shook his head.
With an inscrutable smile, Qin Shaozong said, "She’s good at hiding. No matter. Tonight ends here. She may evade us today, but not forever."
With the search called off, the men were free to do as they pleased—rest or attend to other matters.
Mo Yanyun chose the latter. Instead of heading straight to his quarters, he walked toward the rear, intending to pass through the stable courtyard to the adjacent pavilion. The guest quarters were well-equipped, but they lacked something important to him.
His nightly ritual involved flipping through a book of beauties, which was still packed in his luggage. No trouble—just a short walk to retrieve it.
Dai Li sat with her back against the wall, curling into herself. Earlier, her focus had been solely on fleeing, but now that she’d stopped, the pain in her left ankle flared sharply.
She touched her swollen ankle, wincing. Would it heal by tomorrow? Just as the worry set in, footsteps approached.
Someone had entered the neighboring pavilion. Muffled voices rose and fell, too indistinct to decipher.
Dai Li had expected visitors nearby and wasn’t alarmed. Surely, they’d finish their conversation and retire for the night.
As predicted, the voices soon faded. But contrary to her expectations, someone stepped through the small arched gate into her hiding spot.
Holding her breath, Dai Li clenched her fingers, listening to the footsteps.
The two pavilions’ arched gates faced each other. Under normal circumstances, no one would notice her concealed behind the carriage.
Please, no mishaps...
"Neigh!"
A sturdy, crimson-maned horse in the stable suddenly whinnied.
Mo Yanyun turned, amused. "The stable’s a bit cramped, I know. Bear with it, Red Dragon."
He continued forward, passing through the opposite gate. Moments later, he returned with a book in hand.
"Neigh!"
The horse called out again.
Mo Yanyun chuckled. "Red Dragon, no use complaining. Your master says we stay, so we stay. Don’t worry—you’ll get the finest fodder... Lord?"
Spotting Qin Shaozong’s tall figure crossing the gate, Mo Yanyun explained without being asked, "Red Dragon’s unhappy with the tight quarters."
Horses were rare treasures these days. Even an average steed could cost a commoner twenty years’ wages.
When Jiang Mansion was built, Jiang Chonghai never imagined hosting so many cavalry. Now, two courtyards shared one stable.
Qin Shaozong acknowledged with a hum. His gaze swept past the opposite gate, where soldiers bustled about, tending to their duties after the search.
Everything was in order.
He strode over, smoothing Red Dragon’s mane and patting its neck in reassurance before turning to leave.
Just as he reached the gate, the wind shifted—from north to northwest.
And on that cool breeze, Qin Shaozong caught a faint, elusive fragrance. He halted abruptly, his sharp brown eyes narrowing.
