Chapter 100 Her Darling Cannot Be Spoken Of...
main hall.
Qin Yunce was receiving guests; this was the third group of visitors today, and they were members of the Cai family.
Cai Yuan's visit to the Qin residence was not only to present gifts and demonstrate his loyalty; he also came for another matter.
Cai Pei of the Cai family died at the hands of Wei Conglin. Cai Pei was a commandery commandant whom they had painstakingly trained. A commandery commandant was the right-hand man of the commandery governor and wielded considerable power.
And that's how it ended.
There's still no word on who will fill this vacant position of Commandant of the Prefecture.
Today, Cai Pei's elder brother, Cai Yuan, came to visit, not only to seek justice for his younger brother, but also to see if they could bring this "flower" back to the Cai family.
However, Marquis Wu'an was unwell, and he was received by the eldest son of the Qin family. To be honest, Cai Yuan wasn't sure what to do, but he still had to complain.
Cai Yuanxian then inquired about Fan Wu'an Hou's "injuries" with concern, expressing his utmost worry. Afterwards, he tearfully recounted the crimes of the Wei family to Qin Yunce.
"...Young Master, that Wei Conglin is utterly depraved! He dared to commit treason and murder his superior! According to the laws of the Great Yan, those who commit treason in the officialdom shall be punished with sixty strokes of the cane, shaved heads, and sentenced to five years of hard labor in the city." Thinking of his younger brother's death, Cai Yuan shed two streams of tears.
“Originally, everything should have been handled according to the law, but the Wei family initially delayed handing over the person, pushing it off again and again. Later, they were forced by the law to have no choice but to put Wei Conglin in prison. Even so, they sent people to take care of him in prison, making Wei Conglin feel comfortable, as if he were on vacation in a post station.”
“Young Master, there is a saying that ‘princes are subject to the same laws as commoners.’ Besides, Wei Conglin can hardly be considered a prince; at most, he is a relative of the emperor! My Cai family has been closely following you, my lord, for many years. Could you please consider our loyalty and allow the prison officials to handle this matter impartially?”
Midway through the conversation, Cai Yuan could no longer sit still. He rose from his seat, lifted his robe, and knelt down before Qin Yunce.
After he finished speaking, he kowtowed deeply, bowing his head to the ground.
Qin Yunce, seated at the head of the table, looked at Cai Yuan below, remained silent for a moment, and then sighed as if helpless.
This sigh terrified Cai Yuan, who feared that Qin Yunce would later tell him to be lenient with the situation.
"This matter concerns both the Commandant of the Prefecture and the Commandant of the Department, and is of utmost importance. I cannot make a decision on it. Fortunately, my father is in good condition today, so why don't you come with me to see him?" Qin Yunce said.
Cai Yuan was stunned, then overjoyed, "Good, good, thank you for your trouble, young master."
"Come with me." Qin Yunce stood up from his seat.
He led Cai Yuan out of the hall, through a long corridor, and finally into a courtyard with a very strong smell of medicine.
"Commander Cai, please wait here for a moment. I will go inside and announce your arrival," Qin Yunce said to him.
Cai Yuan nodded repeatedly.
He watched Qin Yunce go inside and waited anxiously outside. After about half a cup of tea, Qin Yunce came out of the courtyard.
Qin Yunce gestured with his palm, "Commander Cai, you may go in now. However, my father should not be exposed to the wind at this time. Please stand in front of the curtain and speak to him. Do not go into the inner room."
Cai Yuan hurriedly straightened his clothes and said, "Understood, I will remember your reminder, young master."
As he entered, he was immediately struck by the strong smell of medicine. The inner room was filled with medicinal herbs, some placed in cabinets, others on stacked wooden shelves, and even in the four corners of the room, nails hung with medicine packets hanging straight down.
Cai Yuan already knew that Qin Shaozong was seriously injured, so he was not surprised at this moment, and thought to himself that the rumors outside were true.
He stopped before the curtain in the inner room, and regardless of whether the person inside could see him, he bowed deeply before the curtain, "This humble servant, Cai Yuan, greets Your Majesty, congratulating you on your triumphant return and wishing you boundless health and well-being. This humble servant should not have disturbed you during your convalescence, but some people are truly abusive and have gone too far..."
His voice trembled with tears, as if he had been driven to the brink of despair and was filled with grief and indignation.
"I've already heard Yun Ce mention this matter briefly," a deep male voice came from inside.
Cai Yuan was slightly taken aback; judging from the voice alone, the Marquis of Wu'an still had a strong voice.
Is he forcing himself to stay healthy despite his illness?
The man whom Cai Yuan believed was struggling to hold on was now sitting imposingly at a long table, holding a booklet that had just been sent back from another state.
Outside, Cai Yuan heard Qin Shaozong mention it briefly, and immediately felt it was necessary to recount the story again.
So he tearfully pleaded with Qin Shaozong.
Inside the room, Qin Shaozong was multitasking. After the lamentation outside finished, he said, "Wei Conglin's murder of his superior was truly unforgivable..."
Cai Yuan's eyes lit up, but just as he was anticipating what would happen next, a cough suddenly came from inside.
Cai Yuan's heart immediately jumped into his throat.
A moment later, the person inside stopped coughing, followed by a period of silence, as if they were gathering their breath.
inside the house.
Qin Shaozong picked up his wolf-hair brush and quickly wrote a reply before placing the booklet aside.
After processing the two letters, the man finally spoke, “The Wei family has indeed become somewhat reckless in recent years. Cai Yuan, as the Agricultural Commandant, you are in charge of the military farms and grain production. The Northern Army has consumed a lot of grain and fodder in the battles against the salt smugglers and Sizhou. Please pay close attention to this year’s autumn harvest.”
Cai Yuan's pupils narrowed slightly.
In officialdom, many things are not said explicitly, but rather hinted at. If it weren't for the first sentence about the Wei family, Cai Yuan would have thought that Marquis Wu'an was urging him to do his job just by hearing the second half.
But by connecting the dots, Cai Yuan immediately understood the implied meaning. Marquis Wu'an wanted him to start with the land reclamation project and make things difficult for the Wei family.
The amount of information contained here was so overwhelming that Cai Yuan was completely stunned.
The Qin and Wei families are related by marriage. Marquis Wu'an has been widowed for fifteen years and has not remarried. Outsiders, out of respect for the Wei family, usually give them a lot of deference.
However, now, Marquis Wu'an himself has revealed a different meaning.
The relationship between the Qin and Wei clans doesn't seem to be as good as it appears. Indeed, as the third young master of Qin has grown older, the Wei family has become somewhat complacent in recent years.
Qin Shaozong continued, "As for Cai Pei's matter, let's put it aside for now. We'll deal with it when I'm feeling better. You should go back now; I need to rest."
Having been ordered to leave, Cai Yuan dared not linger. He could only bow again, say some auspicious words, and then leave the house.
Cai Yuan went in overjoyed, but came out with a heavy heart.
Marquis Wu'an suggested that the matter of Cai Pei should be put on hold for now and dealt with later.
Whether the two sentences together will allow the situation to improve and what the outcome will be depends entirely on the effectiveness of his actions as the Agricultural Commandant.
...
inside the house.
The man, who said he wanted to rest, finished dealing with the booklets on his desk, got up and left, showing no intention of resting at all.
"What's the difference between this and summoning the wind and rain? Madam Dai, you're amazing!"
The man's voice was very distinctive; it was loud and emotionally charged—it was his youngest son's voice.
Qin Shaozong raised his eyebrows and quickened his pace. He had barely entered the courtyard when he heard that gentle female voice:
"The difference is still significant; I can't command the wind and rain."
Dai Li thought to herself that these two were not on the same level.
To summon wind and rain, to artificially induce rainfall.
The earliest artificial rainmaking occurred in the mid-20th century. The difference between then and now is just a matter of having an airplane that can soar to 9,000 meters and dry ice.
Qin Qinian caught a glimpse of a dark figure approaching from outside. He turned his head and his eyes lit up. He grabbed a tinderbox and ran out happily.
"Father, look at this!"
Qin Qinian held the item up to Qin Shaozong, saying, "This is a tinderbox that Lady Dai just made. It's quite amazing; you only need to blow on it to start a fire. It will make lighting fires much easier when we're on the march or fighting."
Although flint is not difficult to use, it will certainly not light if it comes into contact with wet wood or cloth.
A tinderbox is different; you can light it with a single breath.
"Father, look." Qin Qinian lifted the lid, took a long breath, and demonstrated to Qin Shaozong on the spot.
The charred bamboo tube head slowly turned red, and finally, under Qin Shaozong's gaze, a ball of fire burst forth with a "whoosh".
A look of astonishment flashed across Qin Shaozong's brown eyes as he took the tinderbox from his son. He had just seen Qin Qinian lift the lid and blow on it, so he put the bamboo lid back on and then lifted it again a moment later.
The flames have disappeared.
But when the air currents passed by, the sparks suddenly reappeared and quickly grew into small flames.
Qin Shaozong suddenly looked up at the main room.
The main room doors were wide open, and she was sitting at the table, talking to that kid Qin Yanzhou.
Sunlight streamed obliquely into the room, casting a vibrant stroke of color on the floor. The color stretched out and touched the petal-like hem of the woman's skirt, painting it with iridescent hues.
Seemingly sensing his gaze, the woman in the room turned her head.
Her eyes were dark, like black pearls soaked in a cold spring, clear and bright, more captivating than the light spreading on the ground.
Dai Li felt an exceptionally intense gaze fall upon her. She tilted her head, meeting those brown eyes. She paused for a moment, then casually looked away, pretending not to see the emotion in his eyes.
Dai Li is talking to her son.
Today is the eighth day since they returned to Yuyang County. On the day they returned, they went to the Ding family to seek medical treatment.
The next day, Ding Luying came to give Zhouzhou acupuncture.
Not counting the acupuncture session we're going to have later today, my son has already had the old man perform acupuncture three times since we arrived in Yuyang.
Dai Li asked, "You've had acupuncture three times already. Compared to before, does Zhouzhou feel any better on the night the Gu worm flared up?"
She remembered her son saying that every ten days he would have one night when he felt particularly uncomfortable, with dizziness, tinnitus, and abdominal pain, making it impossible for him to fall asleep.
Qin Yanzhou nodded, "I'm feeling better. My head isn't as dizzy anymore, and the chirping and flapping of insects are much quieter."
He didn't mention that his stomach pain had improved. Dai Li knew that this condition had most likely remained unchanged, and she felt both distressed and helpless.
"Mom, acupuncture treatment can't make a huge difference overnight, but it's already better than before," Qin Yanzhou comforted his mother.
"The tinderbox made by the lady is exquisite." Qin Shaozong said as he entered the room.
As Qin San said, this item would be of great value in military campaigns, especially in rainy weather. Moreover, it's so small and light that it's extremely convenient to carry.
Dai Li casually remarked, "Did I lie to you before? It's certainly much more convenient than flint."
After only responding to Qin Shaozong's words, Dai Li returned the topic to her son, "Old Master Ding should be arriving at the mansion by now, Zhouzhou, I'll go with you."
Dai Li had taken her son to the doctor several times before, and today was no exception.
Dai Li initially thought Qin Shaozong had gone back to his room for something, but after she and her son left the main courtyard, they heard footsteps behind them.
Dai Li turned her head and saw the father and son following behind. When the man behind her saw her turn around, he quickened his pace, and in the blink of an eye, he was standing next to her.
The corridor wasn't narrow, and it wasn't crowded for three people to walk side by side, but as they walked, Qin Yanzhou fell behind and walked alongside Qin Qinian.
Qin Shaozong didn't speak, nor did Dai Li.
Qin Qinian was chatting away with Qin Yanzhou, or rather, he was talking non-stop, asking all sorts of questions. The latter was so annoyed by him that he only gave Qin Qinian a few words in response.
Encouraged, Qin Qinian continued to pester Qin Yanzhou with conversation.
Dai Li's eyelashes slowly lowered.
The golden crow led the four of them forward from behind. They stood side by side, each with a longer shadow than the one beside them, creating a similar harmony.
When Dai Li arrived at another small courtyard, Mr. Ding had just arrived.
"My lord." Ding Luying bowed to Qin Shaozong, concealing the astonishment in his eyes as he bent down.
Including today, he has come to the Qin residence four times to administer acupuncture to that young master. And in those four visits, Marquis Wu'an personally accompanied him three times.
"Mr. Ding, there's no need for such formalities." Qin Shaozong gently helped the man up. "I'm entrusting Yanzhou to you."
Acupuncture requires removing clothing, and sometimes bloodletting is also necessary depending on the situation. With outsiders interfering with the doctor's work, Dai Li could not go in.
"Father, what illness does Qin Yanzhou have?" Qin Qinian had been trying to figure it out for several days.
He had initially thought the herbs were for his father to prolong his life, but later discovered that they were not at all.
Someone else needs the medicinal herbs.
Qin Shaozong glanced at his youngest son, knowing that the boy was just as talkative as Mo Yanyun and was naturally restless, so there was no guarantee that he wouldn't be able to resist the temptation and would sneak out later.
"I wasn't focused on practicing martial arts and accidentally sustained internal injuries," Qin Shaozong casually offered as an excuse.
No sooner had he said that than Dai Li gave him a disapproving look.
Qin Shaozong: "..."
Well, her precious son can't say a single word about it.
...
With a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, Qin Qinian wandered aimlessly around the mansion.
He was so bored he was restless and uncomfortable.
His father forbade him from leaving the manor. Fine, he wouldn't go out then; he'd just play inside.
But after a few days, having visited all the places he wanted to go, Qin Qinian gradually began to feel bored.
He thought to himself that it was a pity, a pity that Qin Yanzhou, who was very skilled in martial arts, had to go to the doctor and couldn't fight him with all his might, otherwise he couldn't even imagine how exciting it would have been.
"If I can't spar with Qin Yanzhou, I can find the captains of the Xuanxiao Cavalry, right?" Qin Qinian muttered. He immediately turned and headed towards another courtyard.
Most of the high-ranking military officers under Qin Shaozong were originally from Youzhou.
Even when they leave the mansion to return to their own homes, they generally don't stay for too long.
Qin Qinian went to two different courtyards, but found them empty both times. He wondered where Uncle Bai and the others had gone instead of staying in their own courtyard.
Qin Qinian continued walking forward, vaguely hearing movement ahead.
"Please help me. Ever since I moved in here, I haven't had a good night's sleep. Every day, as soon as I close my eyes, I start having nightmares about how things are exposed."
"Old Mo, you deserve it! Who told you to speak so recklessly?"
"I...I didn't know Madam Xiaodai would take it seriously..."
Upon hearing this, Qin Qinian perked up his ears.
Is it true, Madam Dai? If it is true, what is it?
Something's not right. Is there something in this mansion that even he, the future great general, doesn't know?
Author's Note: Before I knew it, it's already reached chapter 100! Damn, after glancing at the outline, it seems like another long novel. [Chin resting on hand]
Please, please provide nutrient solution. [Hands clasped in prayer]
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