Chapter 56 He smeared poison on his lips
The main house inside the mansion.
In this era, people typically ate at small tables, usually one table per person. But Dai Li wasn't used to it, so after her son returned, she simply had a carpenter make a new set of small table and chairs.
A small round table and two wooden chairs. People can eat together at the same table without needing to use separate serving dishes.
The novelty wore off after only half a day. Qin Shaozong saw the small round table and thought it was nice, but it was a bit small and cramped for three people.
So the man gave the order, and the carpenter got to work, working hard. Soon, the small round table in Dai Li's room had become much larger, and there was enough room for an adult man to sit comfortably.
Dai Li: "..."
Being under someone else's roof, and with all the meals provided by the cooks, she really couldn't do anything to their superiors, so she just had to make do with what she had.
Today, after hearing from Qin Shaozong about the suspected spies outside the mansion, Dai Li frowned and asked, "Why didn't Commandant Mo arrest them and question them back then?"
Qin Shaozong said slowly, "That guy isn't as meticulous as others, and he had important matters to attend to at the time, so he just wanted to return quickly to report. Plus..."
He paused deliberately, and sure enough, she was staring at him intently. In her clear, black agate-like eyes, her reflection was clearly visible, right in front of her.
The man curled his thin lips into a smile. "Guoyun County is on the border of two states. There are plenty of spies here. Who knows, they might have already turned it into a hornet's nest behind our backs."
These border areas are the most difficult to manage, but also the most flexible. As the superior of a large number of spies, Qin Shaozong himself particularly liked these kinds of places.
Dai Li muttered, "Could it be from Yanzhou?"
According to his son, after the assassination attempt failed, his only surviving comrade learned of his impending betrayal and went back alone to report.
Fan Yanzhou must already know the inside story, and he must also wonder why he chose to break away from the organization in Guoyun County, and whether it is related to the northern lands.
Qin Yanzhou was sitting right next to him, but Qin Shaozong acted as if he wasn't there, and said to Dai Li, "Any force could be involved, or it could be other enemies this kid made a few years ago. In any case, Madam, tell him to stay home these days. If he goes out and gets a sack over his head and beaten up so badly that you don't even recognize him, don't blame me for not warning you beforehand."
Dai Li's brow twitched as she listened.
Is this person smearing poison on their lips? They speak so rudely, aren't they afraid of poisoning themselves?
Qin Yanzhou remained unmoved by the eight winds, treating them as mere whispers in the wind.
Dai Li gritted her teeth slightly, "How come you are so familiar with these things, my lord? Could it be from your past experiences?"
Qin Shaozong looked at her and suddenly chuckled, “Madam is indeed intelligent. When I was young, I loved doing things that left others feeling wronged and unable to speak out.”
Dai Li: "..."
Dai Li had a lot to say, so she simply ignored him and turned to her son, saying, "Zhouzhou, stay in the manor for the next few days to avoid trouble. If you need to buy anything, just tell Nianxia and the others, and they will take care of it."
Qin Yanzhou nodded. "Alright."
After the meal, Qin Shaozong left.
Dai Li was rather unlucky; she twisted her left ankle again this time. Whether it was because she had injured it before or because this twist was more severe, the recovery time for this ankle injury was longer than before.
Nianxia and Bipo left the manor a few times along the way. On one occasion, Daili overheard them whispering to each other.
"Today I went to the silk shop, intending to pick up the clothes I had made for my young master as promised, but the silk shop said that Su Xiuniang, who was in charge of this matter, had an emergency at home."
"Huh? What's the follow-up? Will it be postponed?"
"A delay is certain. They've assigned a new embroiderer to handle the unfinished work, saying they'll work overtime to finish it within three days at most, and that the embroiderer will deliver the garment to your residence as soon as possible. Oh, and as an apology for the delay, they'll send an extra pair of black boots."
"Alas, man proposes, God disposes; there's nothing we can do about it."
Dai Li, who was leaning on her cane, paused for a moment, then called out to the two people outside.
Nianxia and Bibo entered upon hearing the noise.
"Madam, what are you going to get?" They saw Dai Li standing with her cane and assumed she wanted to retrieve something.
Dai Li asked, "You just said that the silk shop has changed to a new embroiderer, and that the embroiderer will personally deliver the clothes to your residence after they are finished?"
The two women nodded.
Dai Li pondered for a moment, "Nianxia, go to the silk shop again and tell them that the embroiderer doesn't need to send it over, nor do you need to send the black boots. Just have her leave the new clothes at the silk shop when they're finished, and you can pick them up later."
The usual embroiderer has been replaced, and the new embroiderer is personally running errands, even gifting her a pair of black boots. Whether these boots are finished products is still unknown; what if the other party disagrees with the previously given data and wants to measure again? Wouldn't that mean seeing the governor?
Whether Dai Li was overthinking it or not, she felt that she needed to be extremely cautious at this critical juncture.
It's just a pair of shoes; it's not like you absolutely need them.
Although she didn't know the reason, Nianxia always followed Daili's lead. When Daili said not to have the embroiderer send clothes, she immediately went to the silk shop.
As evening approached, just after finishing his meal, a guard rushed over, saying that Kuang Ye had something important to report.
Qin Shaozong put down his chopsticks and got up to go to his study.
As evening fell, the mansion gates opened wide, and Qin Shaozong rode off with several men to the military camp in the suburbs. Normally, he wouldn't be returning tonight.
Since her son returned, Dai Li has gone back to sleeping in the side room.
Mo Yanyun has returned to the manor, and the atmosphere inside is visibly tense, with war seemingly imminent. Sleeping in separate rooms is only natural, and besides, the assassin leader has already surrendered; let alone continuing assassinations, he would be the first to object if Dai Li were to be assassinated.
Summer nights are not very cool, but fortunately, Dai Li doesn't sweat much and can tolerate the heat. With her son found, her biggest worry has been resolved, and she quickly fell asleep.
Dai Li could sleep soundly, but Bi Po in the small house next door couldn't. Bi Po couldn't tolerate the heat and suffered from excessive sweating every summer. Naturally, with so much sweating, she wanted to drink water.
Normally, Bibo would place a glass of water beside the tatami mat, and when she was thirsty, she would pick it up and take a sip, and after doing this a few times, she would gradually fall asleep. But tonight, she poured less water, and after drinking water several times, just as she was about to fall into a deep sleep, she suddenly realized that the glass was empty.
That was terrible! The more she thought about it, the thirstier she became. After tossing and turning several times, Bibo was completely wide awake. She couldn't help but get up, intending to go outside to get some water.
Tonight there is a moon, a bright moon hanging high in the sky, gently scattering its light.
The small side room had a window. When Bibo glanced at it as she passed by, she was so frightened that she turned pale.
There was a dark figure in the courtyard.
The Lord is not in the manor tonight, and the young master has fallen asleep early. The patrolling guards will only pass by the entrance of the courtyard and will never enter the courtyard.
There are outsiders!
Bibo instinctively dodged to the side, completely hiding herself in the wall beside her, but the next moment she shuddered.
No, we can't hide. We have to inform the madam immediately!
"Assassins! Madam, assassins!" Bibo rushed to the outer room in a panic.
Dai Li woke up with a start, her first thought being that the assassin who had gone back to report had returned with his men to kill her again.
Bibo's shout was high-pitched and shrill, prompting the patrolling guards nearby to rush over in a hurry.
Firelight quickly broke out in the courtyard. While the guards surrounded the area in layers, the centurion led another group of men straight in, heading straight for Dai Li's room.
"Click." The door opened.
A still-shaken Bibo appeared before the guards, and their gazes went past her and into the room.
The room was quiet, with no other sounds.
The guards paused, realizing that the assassin was not among them; after all, if the assassin had arrived here, the maid would already be decapitated.
Not here, could it be the house next door?
"Click." Another door opened.
The front door opened, and a young man wearing only a thin undershirt and wooden clogs stood in the doorway.
The guards looked away; it seemed this wasn't the place either. They turned their gaze toward Qin Shaozong's residence.
The lord went to the military camp. The assassin failed in his attack. Could he be hiding inside?
Never mind, let's go in and take a look.
When Dai Li saw her son come in, she looked him over carefully. She noticed that he was dressed in all white, which was clean and tidy, without any glaring red.
Dai Li breathed a sigh of relief. At that moment, the centurion, who had finished inspecting the neighboring building, returned to report:
"Madam Dai, there are no assassins in the courtyard."
It was just one sentence, nothing else, but the implication was that the message had been misrepresented.
Dai Li didn't look at Bi Po at this moment, but said to the centurion, "I'm sorry to have made you come all this way for nothing."
"Madam Dai, you flatter me. We would rather make a thousand trips in vain than miss this opportunity." The centurion bowed. "Please continue to rest. We will take our leave."
After the centurion left, Dai Li looked at her son and said, "Zhou Zhou, go back to sleep too."
"Goodnight, Mom," the young man said softly.
The gatekeeper closed the door.
Bibo knelt down with a thud. "Madam, I really didn't see wrong. I did see a dark figure in the courtyard. I swear to it. If I'm lying, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death."
Dai Li pursed her lips.
Nianxia stood next to Bibo, so anxious that she secretly kicked her with her toes.
What's wrong with Bi Po? Why is she being so slow-witted today? Madam's attitude clearly shows that she wants to downplay the matter, so why is she still holding onto it?
Just as Bibo was about to speak again, she heard Daili sigh.
Dai Li didn't say whether she believed it or not, but said gently, "In any case, the assassin was not caught tonight, and the matter is closed outside. Bi Po, you must not tell anyone about what you saw tonight, otherwise it will make things difficult for the guards."
Hearing her gentle tone, Bibo secretly felt that her mistress trusted her, and immediately nodded repeatedly, "I understand."
"It's getting late, go back and rest," Dai Li told them.
The two women returned to the small side room. Dai Li sat quietly by the couch for a while before lying down instead of sitting.
The tent was dark, and she couldn't see anything, but Dai Li kept her eyes open for a moment in a daze. When she closed her eyes to sleep again, she couldn't fall asleep as quickly as before.
The little mishap during the night raid was like a tiny splash in the turbulent river, insignificant and quickly forgotten by everyone.
A top priority was soon settled:
The Northern Army, led by Qin Shaozong, the Qingzhou Army, led by Nangong Xiong, and the Yanzhou Army, led by Fan Tianshi, decided to hold a meeting at the border of Qingzhou and Yanzhou to discuss the matter of attacking the Qinglian Sect.
Qin Shaozong and Nangong Xiong had already met, so the armies from the North and Qingzhou traveled together and arrived at the agreed location first.
The meeting place was chosen to be a small plain, where the vegetation was lush and the view was wide open, making it easy to see whether there was an ambush.
A huge military tent was erected here, with two huge banners standing on the left and right sides of the tent as the center. Looking to both sides, you could see soldiers of both armies patrolling, some standing and some on horseback.
Half an hour after the military tent was set up, dust rose from the west, and amidst the thunder of horses' hooves, a large banner with the character "Yan" on it appeared in everyone's sight.
Fan Tianshi, with his hair tied up in a golden crown, wearing Tang Ni armor and two swords at his waist, rode a sturdy white horse. His eldest son, Fan Boliang, followed beside him, and a group of Yanzhou generals surrounded him on both sides. Behind them was a vast army of Yanzhou soldiers, making him look very imposing.
When they were still a dozen meters from the main military tent, Fan Tianshi reined in his horse. He gave his adjutant a wink, who immediately understood and called out loudly:
"Fan Yanzhou has arrived!"
The sound was as loud as a bell, carried by the wind into the large tent not far away.
Inside the tent.
Qin Shaozong laughed upon hearing this, "This guy really cares about his reputation; he wants us to come out and meet him."
"Never mind, it's just a few steps." Nangong Xiong stood up.
Qin Shaozong remained unmoved. Unlike Nangong Xiong, he was bound to break ties with Fan Tianshi on this trip, so he naturally wouldn't bother with these unnecessary formalities.
"I would like to trouble Nangong Qingzhou to pass on a message to Fan Yanzhou, saying that I am unwell and unable to travel far, and that I am waiting for him in my tent." Qin Shaozong continued to drink his tea.
Nangong Xiong's lips twitched. He was about to try to persuade him again, but then he thought that the worse the relationship between the North and Yanzhou was, the more solid the alliance between him and Qingzhou would be.
He was happy to see things succeed.
Nangong Xiong immediately agreed and left the tent with several deputy generals from Qingzhou.
A moment later, two figures entered the tent side by side.
When Fan Tianshi heard that Qin Shaozong was unwell, he wondered for a moment if the night raid had injured him. But when he saw the man not far away, his face darkened.
Although he had never met Qin Shaozong before, that did not prevent Fan Tianshi from recognizing him at a glance.
A few steps away, a burly man sat imposingly. He was clad in black armor, his brown eyes were cold, and his long, slanted eyebrows had a sharp, curved quality. He exuded an aura of authority, like a mountain range, and his entire being radiated the majesty honed from commanding thousands of troops.
At this moment, he casually rested one hand on the table and held a teacup in the other. He was relaxed and had a rosy complexion. There was no sign of physical discomfort or inability to travel far.
Their eyes met, and Qin Shaozong gave Fan Tianshi a smile that had absolutely nothing to do with friendliness. "Fan Yanzhou, you are more refined and elegant than I imagined. Don't just stand there like a wooden stake, come and sit down."
Even if Fan Tianshi himself is indeed fair-skinned and has a gentle demeanor when not speaking, in this situation, no powerful ruler would be happy to be described as refined and elegant by others.
Not only was it sarcastic and unpleasant, but it also sounded like the host's tone from the moment it opened its mouth.
Fan Tianshi's face twisted slightly. Fan Boliang, who was a step behind him, jumped out at this moment, "I just heard Lord Qin say that he is not feeling well. You can't say such things carelessly. If you say too much, it might become true one day. Then you won't be able to get a healthy body back even if you pray to the gods and Buddhas."
Qin Shaozong looked at Fan Boliang with a half-smile: "My apologies, so you are the one from Yanzhou. By the way, Fan Boliang, why are you standing at the back? What kind of nonsense is it to send a subordinate to stand in the middle? Could it be that you're afraid this is a trap and are thinking of using a substitute later?"
Not only did Fan Boliang's face turn pale and then red, but Fan Tianshi's complexion was also quite unpleasant.
Nangong Xiong was speechless.
What untold conflicts have occurred between the northern regions and Yanzhou? Why did Qin Shaozong speak so veiledly to Fan Tianshi the moment he saw him?
Amidst his astonishment, Nangong Xiong also felt a sliver of relief.
Well, thankfully this person who spoke so harshly is now his ally, otherwise these hurtful words would have been directed at him.
"Lord Qin is quite witty," Fan Tianshi said with a forced smile. "However, sometimes he speaks without thinking and inadvertently offends enemies, which could lead to his death, which is not good."
Qin Shaozong sneered, "A death sentence? Who wants to kill me? Is it you, Fan Yanzhou?"
His words astonished everyone present.
Nangong Xiong did not expect that Qin Shaozong would not use veiled attacks this time, but would directly target the crumbling veneer of peace.
Fan Tianshi's pupils narrowed, shocked that Qin Shaozong laid everything out right from the start.
No, they not only spread it out and shook it off, but also added fuel to the fire.
Why would he want to kill Qin Shaozong?
"Lord Qin, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want," Fan Tianshi said coldly.
Qin Shaozong: "A few days ago, a group of assassins broke into my residence. This team of ten failed in their assassination attempt. Two were captured alive, one escaped, and the remaining seven were all killed. Fan Yanzhou, one of the two survivors said that you ordered them to carry out the assassination."
“Nonsense!” Fan Tianshi retorted.
Qin Shaozong simply said three words, "Bring him up."
Two people, one on each side, dragged a bundle of things inside, and a bloody smell immediately filled the tent.
The people of Qing and Yan provinces stared intently, and were all astonished. What was that thing? It was clearly a person.
The man's legs below the knees had been completely severed, and it seemed that a lot of bones and tendons had been removed. He was limp and could only be dragged forward by the two people on either side of him holding his wrists.
Along the way, occasional drops of dark blood and bits of flesh fell to the ground.
Although both relied on family connections to rise to power, the lords of this era could be roughly divided into two categories:
One type is those with exceptional martial arts skills, such as Qin Shaozong and Nangong Xiong, who occasionally lead troops into battle personally. The other type is those who cannot fight, preferring to sit in command and delegate tasks to their fierce generals rather than take the lead themselves, such as Fan Tianshi.
The former is used to seeing blood, and can remain unfazed by these inhuman, living dead, at most just frowning. But the latter is different.
Fan Tianshi's expression changed immediately. "Qin Changgeng, what do you mean by dragging someone in here at will? Are you going to say first that this is one of the assassins captured alive, and then say that after interrogation, this person has implicated me? Heh, who knows where you found this person from?"
Qin Shaozong raised his eyebrows slightly, "You really don't recognize this person?"
"I don't recognize him!" Fan Tianshi insisted.
Qin Shaozong laughed, "Why are you so eager to shut me up? I haven't even had a chance to say how strong-willed this person is, that he withstood round after round of torture, and that he even bit off half of his tongue when the guards weren't looking."
Fan Tianshi flared his nostrils and clenched his fists. "Since he's a tongueless person, why bring him up here?"
Qin Shaozong glanced at the group of deputy generals behind him, and said meaningfully, "Your lord's speed in discarding pieces is truly exceptional."
"Qin Changgeng!" Fan Tianshi roared in fury.
"He didn't say it out loud, but there is one person who knows the whole story, and you must be very familiar with this person, Fan Yanzhou. After all, you spent seven years together, and later you even adopted him as your godson. He knows the layout of your Fan family, and clearly remembers everything he did for you over the past seven years, and everyone he killed. Fan Yanzhou, that guy named 'Quan Jie,' you shouldn't have forgotten him, right?"
With each word Qin Shaozong spoke, Fan Tianshi's face grew increasingly grim, until finally his clenched fists cracked.
"Qin Changgeng, stop crying wolf here! I have already issued a notice of Quan Jie's betrayal. He is clearly one of your men!" Fan Tianshi was furious.
The thought that his most readily available tool was actually someone else's inside man made Fan Tianshi's blood boil.
"How could you say such absurd things? Has Fan Yanzhou lost his mind? You are unjust, so I will be unjust too. We originally agreed to attack the Qinglian Sect, but who knew that someone among us would cause trouble in secret. I wonder what their intentions are." Qin Shaozong stood up from his seat and drew his ring-pommel sword from his waist.
Nangong Xiong never expected this turn of events.
Quan Jie was no small fry in the Fan family. If he had given a testimony, then Fan Tianshi would not be able to deny that he had secretly assassinated an ally in Yanzhou on the eve of the campaign against the Qinglian Sect.
This was a trap; Qin Shaozong had long been determined to break ties with Yanzhou!
But then, Nangong Xiong realized something else big.
As the ally who single-handedly brought Qin Shaozong from the north, he was forced into this unexpected trap at the Feast at Hongmen, completely boarding the ship of the north, with no possibility of getting off in the short term.
Author's Note: I wonder if you all understood. This part is about exploitation and counter-exploitation. Nangong invited Lao Qin over, and the initiative was on Nangong's side. 1. Qingzhou territory; 2. Qingzhou and Yanzhou had formed an alliance earlier; 3. There was a marriage agreement between Qingzhou and Yanzhou (although they haven't been formally married yet).
Now, Qin, with the unsuspecting Nangong by his side, has set a trap for Yanzhou. From Fan's perspective, Nangong is definitely in the know (after all, he and Qin not only live in the same prefecture, but their mansions are also next to each other).
The already fragile alliance between Qing and Yan provinces was completely broken, which meant that Qin had firmly tied Qing province to its own ship.
Finally, a few words: I personally feel that "tender and poignant" ancient love stories are inseparable from the narrative. Therefore, it's not enough to just develop the characters; you also need to write the world-building, the story's background, and the plot (political intrigue or various conflicts). It's impossible to dedicate every chapter to a romantic subplot. I'll try to make each chapter a bit longer. Those who are impatient can let the story run its course, just don't forget about it while you're reading! [pleading]
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