But upon sniffing more carefully, that faint trace of fragrance was now nowhere to be found, as if the fleeting moment earlier had been nothing but his imagination. Yet Qin Shaozong never doubted his sense of smell.
In his youth, the imperial court had repeatedly sent assassins to target the Qin Clan’s descendants, employing methods ranging from ambushes and poisonings to internal betrayals and surprise attacks.
By his teenage years, Qin Shaozong had encountered poisoning attempts no fewer than ten times, yet he had never once fallen victim to such underhanded tactics.
Whether it was tainted soup, spiked wine, or even bitter medicinal brews, he could always detect the slightest hint of something amiss.
Qin Shaozong swept his gaze across the small courtyard. The space was modest—to the south stood a horse trough and stable, where an unusually tall crimson steed snorted and stamped its hooves. The western side connected to the neighboring courtyard through a small arched gate, offering an unobstructed view. Opposite the stable, to the north, was a small door used by servants to clean the stables without passing through the two pavilions housing distinguished guests.
In the northwest corner, a row of unhitched carriages stood neatly against the wall, silent and still. The courtyard was unlit, and the line of carriages, shrouded in darkness, resembled large black-shrouded chests.
"Will you come out on your own, or shall I drag you out?" The man’s voice was deep and resonant, laced with a faint amusement, as if offering a final courtesy before drawing his blade.
Only he and Qin Shaozong were present. At first, Mo Yanyun thought the lord was speaking to him and reflexively replied, "What?" But seeing Qin Shaozong’s unwavering gaze fixed ahead and recalling the implication of his words, Mo Yanyun suddenly realized—the words weren’t meant for him.
Could it be…?
Mo Yanyun’s face twisted in shock.
H-How was this possible?
After toying with the lord and knowing full well that the entire estate was searching for her, how could she dare return?
His eyes darted to the row of carriages. There was no sound—not even the buzz of a mosquito.
What Mo Yanyun didn’t know was that Dai Li had nearly screamed in terror moments ago. Now, a cold sweat coated her back, the night breeze raising goosebumps along her spine. The phrase "hair-raising fear" had never felt more apt.
The courtyard was so silent that every sound seemed amplified. Dai Li heard footsteps—measured and deliberate, yet each step felt like it pressed against her nerves, chilling her blood and stiffening her limbs.
The footsteps drew closer.
Had his earlier words not been a mere bluff?
Dai Li bit her lip, trembling as she curled tighter into herself.
"My lord, how did you know she was hiding here?" Mo Yanyun couldn’t resist asking.
Qin Shaozong replied simply, "Presence or absence—we’ll see."
The cargo carriages, designed for easy loading, had doors at both ends. The soldiers responsible for securing them must have had a touch of obsessive compulsion, as every door had been shut.
Qin Shaozong reached out and pushed.
"Creak—"
The wooden axle groaned as the small front door swung open.
But inside, there was no one.
"Creak, creak…"
One by one, the carriage doors were pried open, each revealing nothing but empty space.
When the last door was pushed aside, Mo Yanyun gaped at the emptiness within.
Nothing?
Every compartment had been checked, yet there was no trace of her. Had the lord’s earlier words just been a spur-of-the-moment attempt to scare the audacious girl into revealing herself?
But then, Qin Shaozong turned and strode forward, squeezing into the narrow gap between the wall and the carriages.
In just a few steps, he reached the end. From this angle, the rear of every carriage was visible—and still, no one.
Qin Shaozong arched a brow in amusement, then shifted his gaze elsewhere.
From Dai Li’s hiding spot beneath a carriage, the scene unfolding before her was more terrifying than the most chilling horror story.
The creaking of doors drew nearer, and soon, two pairs of black boots stopped right in front of her. Even after all the doors had been opened, the men didn’t leave. Dai Li clutched her hands to her chest, trying to stifle the frantic pounding of her heart.
One pair of boots moved—not away, but into the narrow passage beside her.
So close. If she reached out, she could touch his leather boots.
Dai Li held her breath. The boots soon vanished from view. She knew he had circled behind her, but she didn’t dare turn or even twitch, terrified of making a sound.
"My lord, I really don’t think that girl would dare come back—"
"Pull this carriage out."
The two voices overlapped.
Orders were orders. Without hesitation, Mo Yanyun grabbed the long shaft and yanked.
"Rumble—"
To Dai Li, the sound of rolling wheels was like thunder—or the last sheltering beast being driven away by a predator.
The clouds that had obscured the moon finally drifted apart, casting a pale glow over the courtyard.
In horror, Dai Li realized that every carriage cast a shadow in the moonlight—except hers.
Because her shadow was entirely swallowed by the towering, mountain-like silhouette looming behind her.
"She really is here?!" Mo Yanyun exclaimed.
Beyond sheer astonishment, a stray thought flickered through his mind:
The lord’s earlier words hadn’t been a bluff—he’d known she was here all along. And now, by circling behind and ordering the carriage moved, he’d trapped her between two fronts. Was this… meant to utterly crush her will to flee?
But was that necessary? Once caught, surely she’d recognize her helplessness and abandon any further schemes.
Dai Li didn’t know what Mo Yanyun was thinking. All she felt was the icy grip of terror, her breath coming in shallow gasps.
Every nerve screamed at her to flee. Instinct took over—she scrambled to her feet, but before she could take a single step, a powerful arm wrapped around her waist from behind, yanking her backward.
"I thought I’d caught a little rabbit, but it seems I’ve got a cunning fox instead," he mused, amused.
Dai Li crashed into a solid chest. Despite the lingering chill of early spring, the man wore surprisingly little, radiating heat like an inescapable wildfire or a scorching cliff face. The warmth did nothing to comfort her—instead, it sent a shiver down her spine.
Qin Shaozong held her from behind, feeling as though he’d captured a wisp of soft cloud. He lowered his head, burying his face in the crook of her neck, where the elusive fragrance from earlier now bloomed richly, intoxicating his senses.
His nose brushed against the side of her neck, his scorching breath like the bared fangs of a beast. The last thread of restraint in Dai Li’s mind snapped. Instinctively, she dug her nails into the iron-like arm clamped around her waist, struggling to break free. "Let me go!"
The grip around her waist suddenly loosened, only for her to be spun around—from facing away to staring directly at him.
The full moon slanted behind him, casting his face in shadow, leaving only a pair of predatory brown eyes gleaming with intensity.
Suppressing her panic, Dai Li opened her mouth to speak, but in the next moment, her feet left the ground as Qin Shaozong hauled her over his shoulder in one swift motion.
Her vision flipped abruptly, sending a dizzying rush through her head. Her waist pressed against the solid plane of his shoulder blade, one arm forced to loop around his neck while her legs kicked uselessly in the air, the other arm too weak to resist.
Mo Yanyun gaped, stunned, as Qin Shaozong strode away with the struggling woman slung over his shoulder.
Having followed the lord through countless campaigns, he had never seen the marquis act with such urgency.
Was this truly fury driving him, or…?
The courtyard was mere steps from the main house, so the distance Qin Shaozong carried her was short.
"Bang." The door swung open.
The man strode inside, crossing the outer chamber before passing through the inner doorway.
By the time Dai Li was deposited onto the bed, her cheeks were flushed with heat, her chest rising and falling rapidly. The spacious divan left ample room behind her, so the moment she landed, she instinctively scrambled backward.
But before she could move far, his large hand closed around her left ankle. With a flick of his long fingers, her rounded silk slipper slipped off and landed with a soft "tap" on the footrest below.
A sharp pain shot through her injured ankle, drawing a hiss from her lips. The pain was acute, yet it acted like a bucket of ice water dumped over her in midsummer, cooling the feverish haze in her mind.
The room was lit by lamps, their golden glow illuminating every detail. The shadows that had obscured his face earlier now receded, revealing sharp brows that arched like swords, deep-set eyes that bore into her with relentless intensity.
Now, his lips curled lazily, but his gaze never wavered—Dai Li felt as if she were staring at a vicious tiger licking its claws, ready to devour its prey.
She thought, This is a man of unyielding dominance. Dominance that came with arrogance.
Perhaps she could use that to her advantage…
The beautiful woman on the bed lowered and then lifted her thick lashes, her expression shifting into one of fearful grievance. "It’s not that this humble one refuses to serve you, my lord, but circumstances have forced my hand. Some matters… were beyond my control."
Qin Shaozong suddenly raised his hand.
Dai Li’s pupils trembled, her self-control the only thing stopping her from raising her arms in defense.
His stature was imposing, his broad palm large enough to engulf her face. His calloused thumb pressed against her forehead, slowly wiping away the rice powder that had concealed the crimson beauty mark there.
Her skin was porcelain-pale, glowing like lustrous pearl under the candlelight, her hair a cascade of dark silk—a vision of breathtaking allure.
Qin Shaozong’s lips curved in satisfaction. "Oh? Then tell me, what circumstances led you to break your word, flee like a coward, and still resist me to the end?"
Where his fingers had traced, her skin burned as if licked by the barbed tongue of a beast, sending shivers down her spine. Dai Li’s words caught in her throat.
"Still fabricating excuses? Then spare me the trouble." His hand, still dusted with rice powder, slid downward. His arm looped around her waist, pulling her close before tossing her back onto the bed.
His shadow loomed over her, and for a fleeting moment, Dai Li felt as though she had been dragged back to that stable courtyard.
