Chapter 9 How many husbands have you had?
"My lord?"
Mo Yanyun was still quite shaken by the scene of Qin Shaozong kidnapping people earlier, and seeing that the moon had finally come out, he couldn't sleep for a while, so he simply went to the courtyard to admire the moon.
Not long after he began to admire the moon, he saw his superior come out of the main house.
Mo Yanyun was shocked and had a worry that he couldn't tell outsiders.
There's so much to do to savor such a vibrant and beautiful woman from head to toe, and to truly appreciate the flavors down to her marrow. It would take a considerable amount of time.
However, less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea has passed, and the Lord has actually appeared. Could it be...?
Qin Shaozong looked over upon hearing the sound. Mo Yanyun wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt that his superior's eyes were glowing green, just like the hungry wolves he had seen in the northern grasslands after a failed hunt.
He subconsciously shifted his gaze downwards, glancing quickly. As a fellow man, he could tell at a glance whether the other person was full or not.
Oh, so it wasn't his imagination just now. Lord Jun really wasn't full. If you count the time, he might not have even gotten a bite to eat.
Having been a seasoned player in the pleasure quarters, Mo Yanyun, after ruling out various possibilities, guessed that "Fengchun" was most likely menstruating and therefore unable to serve him. He knew that men would be extremely uncomfortable at this time, and since there were many dancers in the manor, he could find another beauty to serve him if she was unable to continue. Why should the lord suffer such humiliation? So he said, "How about I go and pick a beautiful dancer for you?"
Qin Shaozong: "Agreed."
"Never mind."
Mo Yanyun turned around in surprise: "Why are you doing this?"
Qin Shaozong's voice was very hoarse, but his tone was much calmer. "I have a plan that can make this twice as effective. It requires her participation, and it is not appropriate for other women to get involved at this time."
"My lord, is she trustworthy?" Mo Yanyun had deep doubts about this.
Based on his understanding of Qin Shaozong, since the other party could say that she was needed, then "Fengchun" would definitely not be just a minor, insignificant character.
The person she found on the spot has no background, and she even tricked the lord before. Can she really be trusted?
"She has no connection with the Jiang family." Qin Shaozong said calmly, "She has a young son named Qin Yanzhou, with short hair, five feet seven inches tall. He may be in the Jiang family. Tomorrow, take some men to search for him secretly. Also, check if any children from the Qin family in the north have gone missing, and investigate the movements of the noblewomen of the Qin family."
Mo Yanyun was quite shocked by these words. He blurted out, "My lord, you suspect that 'Fengchun' is a noblewoman? How... how is that possible?"
A wife's status rises with her husband's. A so-called noblewoman must come from a prominent family, and her husband himself must be accomplished, a man of talent and ability. Of course, such powerful families usually form strong alliances, and the wife's maternal family is unlikely to be inferior either.
In short, the noblewoman was a wealthy heiress before marriage, and her good fortune continued after marriage, with her husband's family and even her husband himself proving to be successful.
Qin Shaozong glanced at him sideways, not intending to explain in detail, "Why ask so many questions about heaven and earth? Are you thinking that when you can't be a captain anymore, you can go to a teahouse and become a know-it-all to make money?"
Mo Yanyun shook his head hesitantly and said no.
Qin Shaozong looked back at the houses behind him, his eyes filled with deep meaning.
Women in ordinary families have to do farm work, wash clothes, and cook. Over time, their hands will inevitably develop calluses. Dancers and the like are, in essence, servants, and even when they are not serving honored guests, they still have to do their own work. Only those noblewomen who are served by servants and pampered by their husbands' families can avoid lifting a finger.
Except for a slight callus on the inside of her right middle finger, her hands were incredibly soft. Her skin was delicate and smooth, and it even carried a fragrance that seemed to be floral. It was as if she had been carefully pampered.
Add to that the leather shoes and the undergarment with a few small iron pieces, and her husband's family must be quite prominent.
The name "Fengchun" is fake, and "Songlan" is also fake, but Qin Shaozong inexplicably feels that her eagerness to find her son is real, so "Qin Yanzhou" is most likely not a fake name.
Her husband's family was the Qin family, a prominent clan in the north. But in his memory, there didn't seem to be any noblewomen from the collateral branches of the Qin family who were known for their stunning beauty.
Is she not the legal wife?
It seems quite possible.
If she were the principal wife, how could she not have guards and servants at her beck and call? Furthermore, he couldn't possibly have been unaware that a son from a collateral branch had been kidnapped, and the matriarch wouldn't be so destitute as to personally go out to search for him…
Thinking of this, Qin Shaozong added an instruction: "In addition to noblewomen, also investigate concubines who have children and are greatly favored by their husbands."
"only."
*
As the moon sets and the sun rises, and the east turns white, a new day arrives as scheduled. Morning training is essential for military officers; no one sleeps in.
When Qin Shaozong returned from his morning exercise, he happened to see Yan San coming out of the main house. Upon seeing him, Yan San explained, "My lord, Fengchun said she had twisted her ankle and wanted to ask for a bottle of medicated oil, so I brought it to her."
Qin Shaozong responded with an "Mmm," and then spoke of other matters: "You pack up and move in with Mo Yanyun, empty the side room, and go find two maids to come over this afternoon."
Yesterday he refused Jiang Chonghai's servants, but today he's asking for them again—it's a classic case of changing one's mind overnight. But Yan San didn't ask why; he simply bowed and accepted the order.
After Qin Shaozong left last night, Dai Li naturally dared not sleep in the main room. She quickly moved to a small side room next to the main room, which was used for servants to rest.
The side room was small and the bed was narrow, but it was safe and much better than being outdoors, so Dai Li got a good night's sleep.
With the matter on her mind, she woke up early the next day. After waking up, she didn't go out, but listened quietly in her room. Only after the man next door left did she ask his subordinate for a bottle of medicinal wine.
I didn't expect him to come back so soon after I applied the medicine.
This is the best courtyard for entertaining guests. The orientation of the building and its furnishings are excellent, and even the small side rooms connected to it are not as dark as ordinary side rooms.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on his figure and outlining a majestic, mountain-like silhouette. Even though it was daytime, the chilling sense of oppression was only slightly less than at night, not gone at all.
Just as Dai Li composed herself, he asked, "Sprained your ankle? When did that happen?"
The sprain must not have happened before she was exposed, otherwise he might not be able to guess that the reason she was uncomfortable last night was not due to her menstrual blood.
"After Your Excellency left last night, I was filled with anxiety and worry. When I returned to my room, I was distracted and tripped on the threshold," Dai Li said, using an excuse she had prepared beforehand.
Qin Shaozong's gaze shifted downwards. She was sitting cross-legged on the couch, her shoes and socks removed, her wide skirt spread out like flower petals, completely covering one foot. Her left foot, which was being treated with medicine, revealed the lower part of her calf. In the dimly lit room, it gleamed with a white, smooth luster like mutton fat jade. Her ankle, where the medicated oil had been applied, was slightly swollen, indicating that she had indeed injured her foot.
His gaze was just as aggressive as his master's. Dai Li felt as if her calves had been burned, and she instinctively tried to roll down the skirt that was rolled up on her legs.
However, just as she began to move, Dai Li suddenly remembered something and abruptly stopped herself.
A woman who actively seduces the powerful and wealthy, wanting to share her intimate moments with them, would definitely not dislike such gazes.
"Your Excellency has come to see me. Is there any news about my son?" Dai Li asked excitedly.
The medicinal wine was opened, and its strong aroma filled the room, like a ravenous beast that seemed to devour the woman's delicate fragrance. As a seasoned general who had fought on the battlefield, Qin Shaozong was extremely familiar with all kinds of medicinal wines, but this was the first time he had found the smell of medicine quite irritating.
Qin Shaozong: "There is no news about your son yet."
Dai Li lowered her eyes, her disappointment barely concealed.
"It's still early, let's take another look later." The small room used to house servants was sparsely furnished, containing only a table, a cabinet, and a chair. Influenced by the invasion of Hu culture, the chair was a small Hu chair. Qin Shaozong picked up the Hu chair with one hand and placed it in front of the couch, sitting on it with a grand air, facing Dai Li on the couch.
"What is your name, madam?" he suddenly asked.
Just as Dai Li was about to speak, she heard him say in an ambiguous tone, "Madam, there's no need to mention any false names like Fengchun Songlan."
“…Dai Li. Dai as in distant mountains and Li as in dawn.” Dai Li had no intention of lying this time. She still needed to stay here for a few days, and it would be unpleasant if she didn’t react when others called her by her pseudonym and thus gave herself away.
Qin Shaozong frowned almost imperceptibly.
Dai, of the Dai clan.
Among the prominent families of the North, there is no surname "Dai," indicating that she did not come from a prominent family. For a girl from a humble family to live a life of wealth and honor, the only option is to become a concubine for a son of a high-ranking family.
Qin Shaozong: "Madam does not seem to be from Nankang County."
Dai Li smiled and sighed, "Your Excellency has a good eye. I am indeed not a local. My arrival in Nankang County was merely due to a chance encounter."
He continued, "Where is your hometown, madam?"
Dai Li knew something was wrong. Unlike many TV dramas, she came directly from the modern world and left no trace here, essentially making her an undocumented immigrant.
If she didn't tell him, he definitely wouldn't give up, and might even disrupt the balance she had painstakingly maintained. But how could she tell him…?
A jumble of thoughts swirled like a ball of yarn tangled by a cat. Dai Li's eyelids twitched twice, and suddenly, a thought struck her: "Jiaozhou, I am from Cangwu County in Jiaozhou in the south."
In ancient times, transportation was underdeveloped; traveling from south to north was not as quick as it is today, taking only a few hours. Even if he was determined to get to the bottom of things, it would take at least several months for him to travel back and forth, and by the time news returned, she would no longer be in Nankang County.
"Cangwu County, Jiaozhou?" Qin Shaozong raised his eyebrows slightly: "Jiaozhou is at least three or four thousand miles away from here. Why would you leave your hometown, Madam?"
Dai Li offered a set of feudalistic arguments: "Of course, a woman should follow her husband wherever he goes, whether he's a chicken or a dog."
The man nodded, clearly agreeing with her words, but his questions didn't stop there: "Why are you searching for your son alone, madam? Where is your husband?"
Dai Li looked sad and dejected: "I wonder which of my husbands you are asking about?"
Qin Shaozong paused, "How many husbands have you had?"
A note from the author:
Like Old Huo next door, Qin Shaozong was initially attracted to Dai Li's beauty at first sight. But since they had just met, it wasn't to the point where he couldn't live without her. As for what happened later… well, there's a reference point next door, haha.
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