Chapter 48 My appetite is huge, and my wife knows it all too well.
Passing through Yun County.
Dai Li looked at the booklet spread out in front of her, but her thoughts drifted far away.
The morning after that night, Qin Shaozong and a group of military officers went to the barracks in the suburbs and stayed there for the next two days without returning.
She slept alone at night, and no one disturbed her early in the morning. But Dai Li also knew that this was only temporary, and the agreement was set for a year; he couldn't just do it once.
Drinking contraceptives is too much of a hardship for me, but I'd rather make Qin Shaozong suffer than me; I need to get some condoms.
Condoms existed in the Tang Dynasty. At that time, they were generally made from fish bladders that had been cleaned and dried. They were soaked in warm water to soften them before use. Therefore, adultery was later also called "stealing fish".
Besides fish bladders, highly elastic sheep intestines and pig bladders can also be used. However, in terms of ease of processing, fish bladders are the first choice.
Dai Li had made up her mind. "Nian Xia Bi Po, you two come with me."
The two women, unaware of his purpose, quickly tidied themselves up and prepared to leave the mansion, but...
Dai Li was stopped in front of the side gate of the mansion.
"Madam Dai, do you wish to go out for a stroll?" The guard seemed somewhat nervous.
Dai Li, wearing a veiled hat, nodded. "Yes, she'll be back in about an hour."
The guard pondered for a moment, then said, "Please wait a moment, I'll make the arrangements."
Dai Li didn't ask him what his plans were, and watched him leave in a hurry from inside the side door. Not long after, Qiao Wangfei led several soldiers and rushed over.
It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone. Nearly three months have passed since Qiao Wangfei was seriously injured, and he is now in the final stages of recovery. In order to avoid any lingering problems, Ding Lianxi repeatedly told him not to overwork himself, and Qin Shaozong agreed.
So for the next few days, all the generals were busy running around the barracks, and Qiao Wangfei was left behind to guard the place.
As for why he wasn't kept in Ying County, it was entirely because he was the leader of the Xuanxiao Cavalry's eastern garrison. If the eastern garrison lost its head, it would cause many inconveniences for the Xuanxiao Cavalry's eastern garrison in later battles, so Qin Shaozong simply took him along the road to recover from his injuries.
Qiao Wangfei said respectfully, "Madam Dai, I will leave the mansion with you."
Dai Li didn't care, "Thank you for your trouble."
"No trouble at all," Qiao Wangfei said hastily. "I've been staying at home for a few days, so I might as well go out for a walk."
Since Guoyun County was named "County", it was naturally quite large in scale, and the goods sold in its several markets were clearly distinguished and well-organized.
Dai Li headed straight for her destination: the fish market. Under Qiao Wangfei's questioning gaze, she bought a lot of fish and even asked the fishmonger if they sold fish bladders separately.
Unfortunately, no.
In this era, commoners were reluctant to waste a single bit of fish, let alone the fact that fish maw could be made into fish roe, which was particularly appetizing.
"Then I'll take both baskets." Dai Li bought an extra basket of fish. There's no such thing as too much food; all the military officers in the manor are gluttons. These baskets of fish would probably disappear without a trace once they were thrown into their bellies.
The fishmonger was all smiles.
"Madam Dai, is there anything special about this fish bladder?" Qiao Wangfei couldn't help but ask.
He was rescued by Dai Li and later became involved in the salt project. Now he reveres her like a god. Seeing her interest in fish bladders, he couldn't help but start daydreaming.
It's almost like turning stone into gold; wherever Madam Dai touches, it turns to gold. Most likely, even fish bladders, after processing, can fetch a good price!
Dai Li: "..."
It has something special about it, but it can't be sold, and it's not good to promote it everywhere.
Dai Li decided to change the subject and casually said, "There are quite a lot of fish baskets, why don't we find someone to send them back first?"
Upon hearing this, Qiao Wangfei's expression changed drastically, and he almost pleaded earnestly, "Madam Dai, the Marquis has truly treated you exceptionally well. After capturing Ying County, the best of all the women's ornaments from Li Zan's storeroom were sent to your room. Also, when you were ill, Mr. Ding said you needed to rest and recuperate, but the Marquis held back his troops until you recovered before setting off south..."
Dai Li was taken aback, but then she realized that she had used the method of sending fish to get rid of the guards in Nankang County, which had now made Qiao Wangfei a frightened bird.
“My son hasn’t been found yet, so I have no plans to do anything else,” Dai Li said helplessly.
With the tension released, Qiao Wangfei breathed a sigh of relief. "It's good that you don't have any other thoughts."
Mentioning her son, Dai Li suddenly thought of something else. Guoyun County was quite large, and given Qin Shaozong's promotion of refined salt and the profit-seeking nature of merchants, it was very likely that someone there was selling salt stones.
She immediately inquired with the fishmonger.
The fishmonger actually knew, "...You ask the salt stone merchant, there are indeed merchants in the county who sell salt stones. The man's surname is Gao, I heard he returned from the north a few days ago, and he brought a lot of expensive salt stones, which are specially supplied to large restaurants and the powerful and wealthy in the county. If you want to buy salt stones, remember to bring plenty of money, he sells them really cheaply."
After thanking the fishmonger, Dai Li followed the direction he indicated.
Shops owned by wealthy merchants are not hard to find.
This man was previously a traveling merchant who sold sauces. He had his own shop with a signboard that read "Gao's Sauces" hanging high. Not content with that, he made a "Salty Stone" flag and planted it high up, letting it flutter in the wind.
"Welcome! What would you like to buy?" The merchant's shrewd eyes swept over Dai Li's clothes, and his smile immediately widened. "Esteemed guest, I have salt stone here, which I obtained from the north. It is white and delicate, even purer than salt. I've heard from those foreign merchants that eating salt stone regularly can help expel toxins and impurities from the body, thus achieving the effect of prolonging life."
"Many nobles in the county are fond of it. Nobleman, why don't you buy some too?" The high-ranking merchant rubbed his hands together.
Dai Li was amazed.
It even claims to prolong life! It's not a health supplement, yet it's being sold as one. In modern times, this would immediately result in consumer complaints about false advertising.
However, Dai Li was not in Xian Shi on this trip. She looked around the shop and said, "I heard that the North is looking for a boy named 'Qin Yanzhou' and has asked many merchants to inquire about him. Are you aware of this?"
Merchant Gao hesitated before nodding: "I know. To be honest, when I first came back from the north, I went to the people market in the county and looked for a few caravan fairs, but no one knew about that kid. Later I realized that the reward money was like water in the water for me, something I could not obtain."
He went to seek out the monks' association entirely because he was lured in by the reward from the North.
This is a very difficult matter to handle.
The northern authorities only mentioned searching for a child, providing his name, age, and general appearance, but nothing else. His fate and whereabouts were unknown. This was akin to searching for a needle in a haystack; how could they possibly find him?
It's impossible to find!
Instead of wasting time on that vague reward, it would be better to work hard to sell more salt stones, which would bring in real money.
Seeing the merchant's demeanor, Dai Li understood his unspoken words and fell silent. She had worried that things would develop in this direction when she first accompanied Qin Shaozong south.
It has indeed come to pass.
Merchants who prioritize profit gradually lost their allure of the rewards offered by the moon reflected in the mirror.
"Why did you bring this up, sir?" Merchant Gao asked, puzzled. His gaze shifted back and landed on Qiao Wangfei.
This was quite a surprise; the man had a knife at his waist. Looking further outside, the men guarding his shop were all tall and burly, and didn't look like servants of an ordinary wealthy family!
Could it be a woman from the Feng family? Or perhaps from the Zhang family...?
By the way, I heard that Nangong Qingzhou has been settled in the county for some time now. Could she be from Nangong Qingzhou?
Just as he was making his own guesses, he heard the woman in front of him say something.
"How about I give you an idea? You write a notice, paste it on the outside of the door, only blurring the information about the birthmark, and wait for the monks to come looking for the child. If someone matches, you can get the most reward for the least amount of effort. What do you think?"
"Yes, yes, you're right." The merchant nodded repeatedly.
Not to mention that what this distinguished guest said made sense and was even considering his best interests at all times. Just the fact that she was so enigmatic and noble meant that even if she was talking nonsense, he would still have to nod in agreement at this point.
To show that he wasn't just going through the motions, the merchant immediately took a large piece of mulberry paper, quickly wrote a missing person notice, and then slapped it up outside his shop.
Dai Li didn't let him do any work for nothing; she bought some seasonings from his shop afterwards as a token gesture.
Having obtained the items she wanted and with something on her mind, Dai Li didn't linger outside and returned to the mansion with Qiao Wangfei.
As luck would have it, when she returned, she ran into Qin Shaozong, who had been staying in the military camp outside the city for two days.
"Where has Madam gone?"
A burly man rode a tall horse, blocking a large patch of sunlight from Dai Li's face. The golden Taotie helmet cast a shadow on his face as he lowered his head.
His brown eyes were hidden in the shadows, making them difficult to see clearly, yet one could vaguely sense the burning heat lurking deep within.
Dai Li looked away and took a step to the side, away from the overly intelligent red horse. "I bought a few baskets of fish in the city. Tonight, I'll have the chef prepare a whole fish feast for you."
Qin Shaozong dismounted. "Is the lady craving fish? She doesn't like meaty dishes, but prefers river delicacies that don't weigh much."
Dai Li couldn't help but whisper, "How can you say it doesn't weigh much? It's just that you have a big appetite."
Seasonings in this era were far less sophisticated than those of later times; chili peppers were nonexistent, not to mention white sugar and industrial condiments. Steaming fish was so convenient; simply adding a couple of slices of ginger to remove the fishy smell was all it took to get a fresh fish dish.
Qin Shaozong said meaningfully, "Alright, I do have a big appetite, as my wife knows all too well."
Dai Li: "..."
He had better be saying the same thing.
Dai Li ignored him and had the guards deliver several baskets of fish to the kitchen. She then instructed the cooks to keep the fish bladders separately in a small basin.
Wash, cut, sort, and finally place in a winnowing basket to dry.
After a flurry of activity, it was time for dinner.
Tonight's meal was a whole fish feast. A table was set up in the main hall, and Dai Li mingled among a group of military officers, eating while listening to their casual conversation.
"Once Lao Mo returns with the topographical map of the area around Huai'an County, it will be about time for us to take action."
"Sigh, if it weren't for the rather complicated terrain around Huai'an County, we wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble. It's really making me anxious."
"I've heard that the Green Lotus Sect is just a rabble with few regular troops, so it should be easy to defeat them. I'll try to get the first kill in the battle."
"Mr. Nalan said it has been raining for the past few days, and he hopes it won't rain on the day of the big battle, otherwise it will cause some trouble."
"That's true. It's not a surprise attack, so there's no need to hide the sound of horses' hooves. In the heavy rain, the range and accuracy of arrows will be greatly affected, and the ladders will be difficult to climb."
"Then wait until after the rain?"
"Let's see how you decide when the time comes."
...
As Dai Li ate the fish, she silently calculated the time in her mind.
They arrived in Guoyun County the day before yesterday. It seems that Commandant Mo was dispatched that day, and it has been three days since then. I don't know exactly where Huai'an County they mentioned is, or how far it is from Guoyun County.
It shouldn't be too far, too far and the men and horses would get tired. So, Commander Mo should be back soon…
Ideally, it should arrive before he goes to sleep tonight, so that Qin Shaozong will definitely have to go to his study.
After dinner, Dai Li left the main hall and strolled around the mansion to digest her food. Night had fallen, and only a handful of places in the mansion were lit; most of the pavilions and courtyards were shrouded in darkness.
Tonight there is neither a bright moon nor stars; the sky is dark and heavy, as if it might fall at any moment.
The wind is picking up.
The lantern in Nianxia's hand was blown so hard that it swayed violently from side to side, and the light inside flickered wildly.
“Madam, it looks like it’s going to rain. Why don’t we go back?” Nianxia said softly.
As if in agreement with her words, a muffled thunderclap suddenly resounded from the sky.
“Madam, let’s go back. Summer rain can be quite heavy, and with the wind blowing, you might catch a cold,” Bibo advised.
Dai Li looked up at the sky. At this moment, she could only hear thunder, but she could not see the lightning dragons wreaking havoc in the clouds.
For some reason, even though the sky was just as dark as yesterday, so dark that she couldn't see the clouds, she felt inexplicably suffocated.
I have a feeling something's going to happen tonight...
"Let's go back."
*
Back in the main room, Dai Li unfolded her mulberry paper booklet and began to write down things to improve.
It's not enough to just have the caravans deliver the message; they need to post notices, preferably at the shop entrance or on a prominent shelf.
The news of the purchased clothing spread like wildfire...
"What is Madam writing again?" A deep male voice sounded in my ear.
Dai Li was shocked and trembled violently.
A large, dark hand landed on her shoulder first, then moved down to gently pat her back. Qin Shaozong laughed, "You were capable of anything before, full of the courage of a leopard, why are you so timid today?"
This person scared her, and then turned around and accused her. Dai Li was impressed: "It was clearly you who walked without making a sound."
"How could there be no sound? Those two maids just now greeted us." Qin Shaozong suddenly wrapped his long arms around her waist and lifted her up from the chair amidst Dai Li's exclamation.
"Thud." A small charcoal pencil fell to the ground and rolled away alone.
In the blink of an eye, Dai Li was sitting on a soft chair, and he was the one sitting beneath her. His heat was intense, and his body was as warm as a furnace. Even on a chilly spring night, he could wear only a thin robe. But now, with no rain yet and the summer night stifling, Dai Li felt trapped in a scorching hot net.
"It's hot." Dai Li tried to get up.
His long arm, which had wrapped almost halfway around her waist, tightened slightly, while his large, well-defined hands opened and gripped her lower back. He knew that this area was particularly sensitive; if he held it, she would immediately lose most of her strength.
Sure enough, the person in his arms immediately went limp.
Qin Shaozong looked at her blushing earlobes and couldn't help but chuckle. He brushed his nose against her fair neck, his thin lips lightly touching her beautiful collarbone. "Madam, Mo Yanyun will be back soon."
Dai Li naturally understood the meaning behind his words.
Mo Yanyun's return means everything is ready, and wartime can begin immediately.
During wartime, women were forbidden in the army.
The two pressed themselves together, and his change was unmistakable. Enveloped in a net of heat, Dai Li also became somewhat restless.
She tried to pry the large hand off her waist, but those long fingers were like cast iron, still tightly gripping her, as if quite displeased with her actions, the thumb rubbing against her waist with a little more force.
The tingling sensation rising from her tailbone intensified, causing Dai Li to tremble slightly, her voice even carrying a hint of tremor at the end, "Did you drink at the banquet?"
"I only drank a little," Qin Shaozong said. It wasn't wartime yet, so how could a banquet for a large gathering be complete without wine jars?
As if remembering something, he asked, "Feeling dizzy again?"
This is because I remember her saying a few days ago that she felt dizzy from the smell of alcohol.
Dai Li nodded immediately, her nod so fast that Qin Shaozong narrowed his eyes. He asked ambiguously, "Is Madam truly dizzy, or is she faking it?"
His aura of oppression was already strong, and it intensified when he deliberately let go of it. His sharp gaze seemed to want to dissect her and see what was hidden deep inside.
Dai Li couldn't hold on and kept tilting her head to the side.
The next moment, a rough, large hand half-covered her chin and turned her back.
Those brown eyes were so close, bright as mirrors.
"Dislike me?" He seemed to utter those two words through clenched teeth.
Dai Li really wanted to lie and say no, but she couldn't get past her conscience. If she made up some other story, this person's eyes were too sharp, and he would probably see through her.
No one would do this or that, so Dai Li could only remain silent, watching him blink gently.
Qin Shaozong was amused by her words and said through gritted teeth, "The bathhouse in the main room is quite spacious. It would be very lonely to bathe alone. How about you accompany me, Madam?"
While asking how it was, he forcefully picked her up and carried her in his arms.
"I've already washed!"
"There's plenty of time in the long night, so please trouble you to wash again, Madam."
*
It was late at night, and a curfew had been imposed in Guoyun County.
In a small room on the first floor of a post station in the county, a faint candlelight still shone. If the post station's servant were inside, he would be astonished to find that the guest who had previously stayed as a merchant was now dressed in black, a nighttime garment.
Dressed in black, with a handkerchief covering his face, he looked like someone who was up to some petty theft.
The young man blew out the candle, pushed open the window, and nimbly climbed out.
The same scene unfolded simultaneously in different post stations throughout the county. From a bird's-eye view, several black dots, after leaving the post stations, all rushed towards the same place, where they met up.
There was no moon tonight, and the people on both sides of the street went to sleep early. The darkness was like a snake awakening from hibernation, opening its blood-red mouth to swallow up all the light.
The patrol's footsteps were muffled by the thunder, making it difficult to pinpoint their exact location, but this small team dressed in black always managed to avoid them precisely.
They walked and stopped intermittently, occasionally turning into alleys, or splitting up and standing close together in front of shops to avoid patrols passing by the alley entrance.
At this moment, Inu-ga was also leaning against the door of a shop with a sign that read "Gao's Sauces". High up, a flag was fluttering in the night wind, with the words "Ham-seok" written on it.
The group of figures that needed to be watched out for gradually disappeared from the distance.
Inu-Akuta took a step forward, and as he did so, he heard some faint noises, like the rubbing of clothes against paper.
The voice came from behind him.
The young man turned his head and could vaguely see a piece of mulberry paper pasted on the shop door, which looked like a notice.
Author's Note: Here I am, please give me some nutrient solution! [Orange Heart]
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