Chapter 102 He and She Are Separated by Time
The courtyard was completely silent. After Qin Shaozong finished saying "Go back to till the land," he didn't say anything more, just stood quietly at the gate watching Mo Yanyun.
Those who rise to power through bloodshed and turmoil possess immense authority and an imposing presence. Even without uttering a word, their cold, unwavering gaze can send chills down one's spine.
Mo Yanyun was drenched in sweat. He kept his head down and glanced to the left and right, but could only see the tips of his brothers' boots.
They're all moving farther and farther, and some are even quietly moving to even more distant places.
Mo Yanyun was frantic with worry. So what? They said they'd share both good times and bad, and now that he was in dire straits, they were going their separate ways?
Feng Feng was still sneaking away, thinking to himself that he could help him take a hit on the battlefield, but as for the Lord's thunderous wrath, well, you'd better bear it yourself.
My thoughts were heavy, but it would only last for a few breaths.
Mo Yanyun racked his brains but couldn't find a way out. Finally, he knelt down before Qin Shaozong with a thud. "Your subordinate begs for forgiveness from Your Majesty. Please spare my life, considering the urgency of the situation and the fact that I had no choice but to take such a risky step."
Qin Shaozong initially thought that Mo Yanyun had simply hidden the matter, but since it involved his wife and he had heard that they had previously fooled Qin San, he became somewhat curious.
At first, he didn't think it was a big deal. The reason he raised the transfer so high was simply because he disliked his subordinates deceiving him and wanted to know anything about her.
To his surprise, Mo Yanyun even begged for mercy, which made Qin Shaozong realize that the matter was far more serious than he had anticipated.
His mind was racing, but Qin Shaozong remained expressionless. "What risky move did you make?"
Mo Yanyun swallowed hard. "Back then, when Madam Dai left Xia Valley with Young Master Qin, I was discovered following them in the eastern suburbs, and that's when Madam Dai said those things to me..."
Qin Shaozong knew what she had said.
She said she did not want to be a concubine.
Looking back now, there must have been a sequel, but Mo Yanyun didn't mention it at the time.
Qin Shaozong simply responded with an "Mmm," showing no sign of emotional fluctuation.
Mo Yanyun lowered his head even further. “Madam Dai seemed determined to leave. I couldn’t help but tell her that the Junhou Mansion hadn’t had a mistress for many years. Given your attitude towards her, she could do whatever she wanted in the mansion from now on. Madam Dai was still unwilling at the time, so I… I told her that it wouldn’t be so bad if she and the young master lived outside.”
A vein throbbed on Qin Shaozong's forehead.
No wonder she wanted to live outside the mansion; it turns out the reason was here.
When Kuang Ye and the others saw Qin Shaozong's face darken, they knew something was wrong and kept glancing at Mo Yanyun, trying to give him a signal.
That's enough. There's absolutely nothing more to say.
But Mo Yanyun was kneeling with his head down, looking like such a big person who wanted to shrink into the ground.
He was more straightforward than the others and less tactful. Feng Feng and the others thought he should be subtle and tactful, but Mo Yanyun was focused on how to make his words as tactful as possible.
“I praised you to Madam Dai for your stern and heroic appearance, your extraordinary bearing, and that in terms of power and looks, no one in the entire North could compare. She lives outside and occasionally sees you, which is definitely not a loss for her…” Mo Yanyun’s voice grew softer and softer.
Qin Shaozong was an extremely perceptive person; he first mentioned "living outside," then "appearance" and "loss."
Especially the word "loss," it's like a little man covered in sharp blades, dancing wildly on his nerves.
Qin Shaozong's mind was buzzing.
He was the dignified patriarch of the Qin clan, who once used his iron cavalry to conquer a country infested with wolves. Step by step on the battlefield, he earned an imperial decree from the King of Han and now controls a large territory north of Yanzhou.
What's this about losing money? He can't sell it if he puts it up for sale?
He knew perfectly well that Mo Yanyun's words had been embellished, and the original words must have been even more explicit and licentious.
Qin Shaozong flew into a rage, "Mo Yanyun, are you tired of living? If there's nothing else in this world that you'd want to stay, just say so, and I'll end you with one stroke."
Mo Yanyun was shocked. "My lord, please spare my life, considering that Lady Dai has been living a peaceful life since returning to Yuyang."
Upon hearing this, Bai Jianping and the others nearby all twitched at the corners of their mouths.
What nonsense is this idiot spouting? Lady Dai's peaceful life is not only because she has nowhere else to run, but also mainly because the Lord is helping the young master get treatment.
Look at the way he's talking, as if he's done something incredibly great.
After a moment of silence in the courtyard, Qin Shaozong spoke, "How did she react at the time?"
Everyone was taken aback.
"Madam Dai didn't respond," Mo Yanyun said, recalling the events.
Qin Shaozong then asked, "Did she show any surprise or shyness at the time?"
Mo Yanyun tried hard to recall, "It seems not."
"You'll be responsible for cleaning the stables in the manor this month and next month," Qin Shaozong said coldly.
After speaking, he turned and left, the autumn wind lifting a corner of his black robe, even the curve of which was cold and sharp.
Mo Yanyun, standing in the courtyard, looked up in disbelief. "I... I don't have to go home to plow the fields anymore?"
Compared to going home to farm and never having to go to the battlefield to earn military merits again, what is washing horses in the stable for two months!
No sooner had he finished speaking than someone kicked him in the butt from behind. "You're really lucky. It seems the Lord is in a particularly good mood today, hence the lot of noise but little action."
Mo Yanyun fell flat on his face, but he wasn't angry. He said cheerfully, "Perhaps the Lord thinks there's some truth to what I said, or maybe he's letting me off the hook because of Lady Dai."
He let out a long sigh of relief. "No matter what, a major concern is resolved, and I can finally get a good night's sleep tonight."
"Sleep my ass! You have to go wash the stables tonight."
...
When Dai Li arrived at the courtyard, her son's treatment was not yet over.
She waited for a while, but Qin Yanzhou didn't come out. Instead, Qin Shaozong came in from outside.
His clothes are mostly black and gray, the heavy colors reflecting his imposing aura. Combined with the imposing presence of his height, he is hard to ignore whenever he appears.
"Madam." A deep male voice came, its tone devoid of any discernible emotion.
Dai Li and he had spent almost every day together, and she immediately sensed something different about him. She turned to look into his brown eyes, but didn't speak, waiting for him to finish his sentence.
Qin Shaozong did indeed have a follow-up: "Back at the Ding residence, the lady once said, 'If only there were airplanes here, it would be no problem to travel back and forth between the north and south in a single day.' Madam, what are airplanes, and why would it be no problem to travel back and forth between the north and south in a single day?"
Dai Li was stunned. More than a week had passed since then, and she had felt something was wrong after she finished murmuring.
Qin Shaozong was so close to her then, he must have heard it. But strangely, she waited and waited, day after day, but he never mentioned it at all.
He didn't bring it up, and Dai Li was happy to be at ease, and she certainly wouldn't bring it up herself.
I thought it was all in the past, but I never expected him to bring it up again, and he still remembers it word for word.
Dai Li pursed her lips, trying to brush it off, "What airplane, what north-south travel, I didn't say that, did I?"
Qin Shaozong stared at her intently. "Besides me, another maid overheard this. Would you like to see her, Madam?"
Dai Li's brow twitched; she hadn't expected there to be another party involved. "Then what about her..."
“Even if she tells others, they will only think she is talking nonsense and will not believe her.” Qin Shaozong turned the jade ring on his thumb.
Dai Li swallowed back what she was about to say.
"Madam." The two words were spoken in a heavy tone.
Dai Li frowned and then relaxed, unable to fathom what this person was thinking.
If he's just naturally curious, why didn't he ask then, and instead waited until now to bring it up? Could something have happened that triggered him...?
There was no one else around. Nianxia and Bibohou were outside and did not come in with Daili. Qin Qinian was showing off his tinderbox and did not come with her either.
There were only the two of them in the courtyard.
It's like the secret of "Peach Blossom Spring" is known only to the two of them.
Dai Li sighed, knowing he wouldn't give up until he got an answer: "Qin Changgeng, you can think of an airplane as one that is made of iron, can carry many people at a time, and is operated by people... Qu Ru."
She hesitated slightly when she said the last two words.
Quru is a strange bird from the Classic of Mountains and Seas. This strange bird looks like a quail, with a white head and three legs.
Dai Li's answer was abstract, but Qin Shaozong did not say she was talking nonsense. Instead, he asked, "The Quru is a bird that can soar through the nine heavens. Madam said that airplanes are made of iron. Does that mean that the airplane itself weighs tens of millions of stones?"
Dai Li nodded. "Indeed."
Qin Shaozong then asked, "Since it can carry many people, what is its size?"
Dai Li recalled the enormous creature she had ridden in before, “There were different sizes, so it couldn’t be generalized. The largest could be eight zhang tall, with a wingspan of about twenty-one zhang, and a length of about fifteen zhang from head to tail, and could carry nearly a thousand people at a time; the smallest was less than two zhang long and could only carry one person.”
Qin Shaozong remained silent.
Dai Li glanced at him, completely understanding his taciturnity at that moment.
In the world of the ancients, the idea of millions of stones of iron flying in the sky was not much different from the ability to summon wind and rain, achieve immortality, or ascend to heaven and become an immortal.
Well, although she had briefly mentioned "Peach Blossom Spring" to him before, it was not on the same level.
The story about the "airplane" and "traveling back and forth between the north and south on the same day" couldn't be fooled, and Dai Li didn't have the energy to make up stories to deceive him, so she simply told the truth.
Whether he believes it or not is Qin Shaozong's own business.
Of course, Dai Li was prepared for him to continue asking questions.
This man is ambitious; he's not after just one corner or one small town.
From the northern lands, to selling refined salt to merchants across the land with Ying County as its core, and then to forming an alliance with Qingzhou to jointly attack Yanzhou.
Every step he took was precisely on the path to becoming king and domineering, a path fraught with bloodshed and danger, where a single misstep could lead to utter destruction.
But now, this long, thorny road has come to a fork in the road. Standing at this fork, one can vaguely see a quiet, unknown shortcut.
In Dai Li's mind, Qin Shaozong would face many problems afterward.
He might ask how airplanes are built? What weapons are used in Peach Blossom Spring? Or he might ask again where Peach Blossom Spring is, and who else besides her comes from that secluded paradise.
but……
"Madam, there are brothels in the world, but are there brothels in Peach Blossom Spring?" After a long silence, Qin Shaozong asked this question.
At this moment, Dai Li's eyes widened slightly, and she couldn't help but show astonishment on her face.
Her expression was so shocked, as if she were meeting him for the first time, that Qin Shaozong couldn't help but laugh, and the tightness in his chest instantly dissipated.
"Why is Madam looking at me like that?" Qin Shaozong chuckled.
He clearly understood her surprise and silence, yet he still asked the question knowing the answer.
Dai Li opened her mouth, wanting to say many things, but couldn't utter a single word.
Qin Shaozong looked up at the sky. The sky was a clear blue, without a single cloud, as clean as a boundless scroll that could be freely painted with ink, depicting the entire landscape.
“A true man born in chaotic times should wield a three-foot sword and establish unparalleled merit. Forcing a woman to serve him is the act of a petty person. Dai Li, I admit that the Peach Blossom Spring is full of rare and extraordinary things, each of which is worthy of exploration. If you are willing to tell me, I will be overjoyed and treasure it like a precious gem; but if you do not wish to tell me, then so be it. I will simply consider it a dream, a beautiful dream that the people of the world may one day have.”
Dai Li's pupils trembled slightly.
She found it hard to describe how she felt at that moment; it was like a sudden realization, a sudden understanding of why the Northern Army was so full of talented people, even someone as noble and pure as Nalan Zhi was willing to serve them.
Qin Shaozong possesses a certain arrogance, a quality befitting a person in power. He is capable of handling matters and has his own principles, disdaining to overstep boundaries.
It was as if a touch from time itself had suddenly appeared between her and him, as if an invisible screen had been erected between them.
The vast expanse of time is compressed into this; he stands on one side a thousand years ago, and she stands on the other side a thousand years later.
As they talked, and with that final "future," the invisible barrier rippled like water.
Every ripple is a fold of time, sweeping across thousands of years, reflecting the rise and fall of dynasties.
Finally, a new era emerged from the ripples, with towering buildings faintly visible and countless women in business attire entering and leaving official and workplace settings.
Dai Li smiled unconsciously, "Yes, it really is a beautiful dream for the future."
Qin Shaozong looked at the curve of her lips and felt a strange and unfamiliar feeling.
It wasn't aloofness that kept people at arm's length, but rather an air of mystery. She was clearly so close, yet at this moment, she was shrouded in an unapproachable distance.
"Creak." Just then, the door on the other side opened.
Qin Yanzhou and Ding Luying came out one after the other.
Seeing this, Dai Li hurried to meet her. As she walked past Qin Shaozong, she casually tossed out two sentences, "There are indeed brothels there, quite a few, for you to choose from. But the past is the past, there's nothing to say about it now."
Qin Shaozong's face darkened instantly, and a spiderweb-like crack appeared on the jade thumb ring in his hand.
A breeze swept by, lifting a corner of the woman's dress in front and scattering the tiny jade shavings that had fallen from the man's fingers behind.
*
On the other side.
Wei Congmu walked out of the Qin residence with a worried look on his face. He still hadn't seen Marquis Wu'an this time.
Was Cai Yuan just bluffing?
In reality, he never actually saw Marquis Wu'an. What he said earlier about seeing the man and needing his guidance was just to make him anxious.
Thinking about how his younger brother's situation was still unresolved, Wei Congmu suddenly felt a headache coming on.
However, two days later, the Wei family realized that their headaches were not limited to Wei Conglin's drunken murder. There were also some of the Wei family's land and various shady dealings that were not for outsiders to know about.
Cai Yuan served as the Agricultural Commandant, in charge of military farms and grain production.
The practice of "tuntian zhigu" (屯田殖谷) refers to the imperial court's practice of using soldiers and landless peasants to cultivate wasteland in order to accumulate grain for the army. The tuntian system can be divided into three types: military tuntian, civilian tuntian, and merchant tuntian.
The so-called military settlements refer to soldiers who, during non-combat periods, transformed into farmers and cultivated the land purely by soldiers.
The civilian settlements were established by agricultural officials who recruited people to cultivate the land. After a portion of the grain produced was handed over to the officials, the remainder went to the hired farmers.
As for merchant settlements, they were not much different from civilian settlements, except that the leaders were changed from agricultural officials to merchants who wanted to obtain salt permits.
In general, under strict supervision of land reclamation, this system was tantamount to installing several grain-producing machines that worked day and night, constantly "chugging" out grain.
However, everything has its advantages and disadvantages, and the military-agricultural colony system also had its drawbacks.
Although those who participated in the military settlements were exempt from military service and corvée labor, the system was prone to corruption and exploitation if it was not strictly supervised.
These prominent families have existed for a long time, their roots extending deep into the lower levels like towering trees, their roots intertwined and interconnected.
"Water that is too clear has no fish," and Qin Shaozong was not unaware of the filth and corruption hidden within it, so he could only tighten his belt on them from time to time.
This time, the Cai and Wei families happened to have a conflict. While Qin Shaozong asked the Cai family to express his stance, he also took the opportunity to use the Cai family to get rid of a group of sycophants.
This is a perfect way to kill two birds with one stone.
Author's Note: [Hands clasped in prayer]
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