Chapter 25 Lessons
The sun sank further west, and the sunlight dimmed once more.
Qin Shaozong stood outside the simple hut, the warm orange sunset shining down on his angular face, dividing his features into light and shadow along the high bridge of his nose. Even his brown eyes appeared to change color, one as dark as ink, while the other remained the brown pupil of a large feline.
Dai Li instinctively took a step back, but before she could take another step, a strong hand reached out and gripped her upper arm tightly.
"Still trying to run away?" Qin Shaozong looked at Dai Li's face and saw that her skin was black, gray, and yellow, with several layers of color, making it seem like she was born that way.
If you don't look closely, you could easily be fooled by her.
The fire in his heart flared up again, his blood rushed to his head, and it burned so hard that his heart and liver ached.
Dai Li was too shocked to speak, only shaking her head repeatedly. The iron arm that was holding her pulled back, and she crashed into his solid chest.
This man was always full of energy, and today he seemed even more so. Dai Li placed one hand on his chest, and the heat emanating from his thin clothes made her feel as if she were in a furnace.
Before Dai Li could even find the right words, he suddenly grabbed both of her wrists, easily holding them together in his large hands. Then, he pulled out a brocade ribbon from somewhere, wrapped it around her wrists three times, and tied it tightly.
"Qin Shaozong, let me explain!" Dai Li exclaimed anxiously.
Qin Shaozong gave a cold snort, said nothing, tied her hands, picked her up by the waist, turned around and strode out of the alley.
Mo Yanyun and the others quickly followed, and upon hearing the name "Qin Shaozong," their brows twitched.
Goodness, it's only been a few days, but Madam Dai's ability to provoke anger hasn't diminished at all. Calling him "Lord" by his full name, she really isn't afraid of making him even angrier.
Lin Erniang's house was located at the far east end of the "urban village," quite close to the alley entrance. Qin Shaozong was tall and walked very fast; it seemed like only a blink of an eye before he appeared at the alley entrance carrying Dai Li.
A carriage had stopped there at some point, with the rear door wide open. Hu Bao sat on the carriage shaft. As soon as Qin Shaozong got in, he flicked the reins, and the horse, in pain, began to trot.
...
Inside the car.
Qin Shaozong shoved Dai Li into the corner of the soft chair, but instead of backing away, he moved forward, his knee pressing between her legs. He braced himself against the closed window sill with one hand, using the wooden planks of the carriage behind him and his own physique to trap her in the small corner.
"Didn't you want to explain? Then tell me properly why you told so many lies before, and what your purpose was?" His brown eyes were heavy, almost spitting fire.
But at this moment, Dai Li felt less fear than when she saw him standing outside the door.
Because she realized that he didn't seem to intend to kill her, at least not now; otherwise, the knife at his waist would have been drinking blood when he saw her at the door of the cabin.
Since that's the case...
Dai Li's eyelashes trembled violently, and she pursed her lips without saying a word.
Qin Shaozong reached out and grabbed her chin, lifting it slightly. "Speak! You don't speak when you should, and you spout lies when you shouldn't. Don't you want your mouth anymore?"
“I didn’t explain. I lied to you just now,” Dai Li said in a low voice.
Qin Shaozong almost thought he had misheard. His anger turned into calmness: "You were just thinking of lying?"
Dai Li's gaze fell lightly and cautiously on his face, then quickly looked away. She didn't speak, but her eyes clearly conveyed the message, "If I tell the truth, you won't be happy."
The veins on Qin Shaozong's forehead throbbed.
Okay, she really is very good!
Just then, the carriage stopped.
Qin Shaozong withdrew his hand, his rough palm covered in blackish-gray stains, but he didn't care. He dug the woman out from the corner, held her in his arms, and carried her off the carriage.
After her view shifted from narrow to wide, Dai Li was surprised to find that the carriage had stopped in front of a post station.
The entrance to the inn was clean, with an exquisite plaque hanging high above. On the second floor, some vines climbed along the windows, their intertwined stems blooming with lovely little flowers, adding a touch of brightness.
Based on Dai Li's experience walking through the streets and alleys today, this place can be compared to Mingyue Residence in Nankang County. At this moment, two strong soldiers are standing at the entrance of the post station. Looking inside from the entrance, the manager and servants are nowhere to be seen, as if the place has been cleared out.
But Dai Li has no time to care about any of that right now.
Dusk had fallen, the last vestiges of daylight swallowed by darkness, and the night was heavy, as if it might fall from above at any moment. Lanterns hung in the main hall and corridors of the inn, stretching out like flames, the night and the lamplight blending together to create a breathtakingly eerie atmosphere.
Dai Li kept turning her bound hands, her heart filled with worry. She had just made a small test and, although she was certain that her life was temporarily safe, some things were in grave danger...
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lied to you before."
"Bang."
Qin Shaozong used his foot to push open the door.
The two voices collided, the former being hidden and barely audible.
Qin Shaozong looked down, his face expressionless, his imposing aura heavy, still with the look of an impending storm.
Dai Li had been watching him the whole time, and seeing this, she quickly said, "I was wrong, I shouldn't have lied to you. You are magnanimous and a true man, please don't hold a grudge against a little woman like me."
"You're quite the flexible one," Qin Shaozong mocked. He placed her on the soft chair at the table and reached out to untie the ribbons from her wrists. "Wash your face clean."
Black, gray, yellow, and the little bit of white that had been smeared on his face earlier were all mixed together on his palm-sized face, making it an eyesore.
Several earthenware basins were placed on the table, with a brocade cloth draped around each basin, clearly indicating that a washing step had been planned.
Dai Li raised her hand, and her wide sleeve slipped down slightly, revealing her left hand, which was wrapped in bandages.
Qin Shaozong's gaze fell upon her. There was a medicinal smell in the tea room earlier, and he had also noticed the bandage on her hand when he arrested her. But considering the lessons learned from the past, he felt that Lin had most likely been deceived again.
Dai Li unwrapped the bandages from her hands, revealing her smooth, uninjured left hand.
Qin Shaozong's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
Dai Li began washing her face, and the water in the ceramic basin immediately became murky as the silk handkerchief soaked in it. While she was washing her face, Qin Shaozong sat opposite her, watching her intently.
It must be said that this scene was quite beautiful.
The black ointment was wiped away little by little, the charcoal powder was washed away with water, and the lead paint was washed away, revealing her fair and radiant skin and a bright red cinnabar mole. The lamplight gently shone on her face, and between her slightly lowered brows and eyes lay a vivid landscape, like the interplay of light and shadow in an oil painting, exceptionally captivating.
Dai Li cleansed her face slowly, but the gaze from the other side never left her the entire time.
It is extremely aggressive, like a raging flame coated with pine resin, or a gleaming blade reflecting a cold light.
Dai Li didn't show it on her face, but she was gradually becoming very confused.
She realized that at this point, there seemed to be no reason to hold him back, let alone get away.
She used four basins of water, turning the clear water into murky water, before Dai Li finally washed her face clean. Setting down the handkerchief, she straightened her stiff spine and said softly, "My lord, there's an old saying, 'Don't argue with petty people, don't get entangled in trivial matters.' You hold a high position; your time is as precious as gold..."
"Bring it out," Qin Shaozong interrupted her coldly.
Dai Li paused, then obediently took out a small bamboo token from her sleeve and placed it on the table, pushing it in front of him.
Qin Shaozong picked up the small bamboo token and saw that it read "Dai Li," the one she had tricked Yun Shi out of.
This is the last one.
"Snap." The small bamboo tablet broke in the man's hand, one becoming two, two becoming more.
Dai Li's eyelids twitched.
Qin Shaozong loosened his grip, and bamboo fragments of varying sizes fell from his palm with a clatter. "Next, I will ask you questions, and you will answer. If you utter even the slightest falsehood, after I finish tonight, I guarantee that you will break this piece into exactly the same number of pieces as it has cracked, not a single one will be missing."
Dai Li: "..."
Although she was skeptical, Dai Li maintained a proper attitude and quickly said, "Please ask."
Qin Shaozong: "Is someone behind you directing you?"
The question was easy to answer, and Dai Li immediately shook her head, "No. If I were, how could I be without anyone to help me?"
Qin Shaozong responded with an "Mmm," seemingly neither surprised nor doubtful. "Qin Yi, Qin Huali, does this person exist?"
Dai Li: "...Does not exist."
Qin Shaozong continued, "So you weren't from Jiaozhou to begin with, nor did you come from the south to the north. The so-called five husbands and the old site in the west of the city were all fabricated by you, weren't they?"
Dai Li lowered her eyes and replied meekly, "Yes."
Although he had expected that her lie was very likely to have originated from the root, Qin Shaozong's anger still surged when he heard her admit it herself.
"I'll let it go for now; she'll get what's coming to her later," Qin Shaozong suppressed his anger. "Where is your ancestral home?"
Dai Li: "Qiantang".
Qin Shaozong tapped the table twice with his finger.
This matched what the coachman had said earlier. Her ancestral home was Qiantang; she wanted to go to Qiantang, so it seemed she wanted to return to her homeland. He continued, "Why are you in the Jiang residence? What is your purpose?"
This time, Dai Li fell silent, and remained silent for a long time with her delicate eyebrows furrowed, so long that Qin Shaozong bent his knuckles and tapped heavily on the table as a warning.
"say."
Dai Li spoke softly, her tone helpless: "If I tell you the truth, you'll just think it's absurd and definitely won't believe me; but if I lie to you, you'll blame me. I can't choose the right path, it's a real dilemma."
Qin Shaozong: "Just tell the truth."
Dai Li pondered for a while, carefully choosing her words, and said, "Let me tell you a story. There is a place called Peach Blossom Spring, a place isolated from the world. Everyone can read, every household has surplus grain, and the elderly and children alike live happily. A young woman lived there with her young child, but one day the child suddenly disappeared. The woman searched for him as she went, and accidentally fell into the river. When she woke up, she was in a completely new place. The owner of that place was surnamed Jiang."
Qin Shaozong stared intently at the person in front of him, not missing a single change in her emotions.
Dai Li knew he didn't believe, and changing a person's mind is extremely difficult. Just like a Christian who is convinced that he will enter heaven and be with God after death, it's almost impossible to persuade him to renounce his faith with just a few words.
Similarly, it's impossible for an atheist to believe that there is a paradise outside the world, and that someone only went to the river once and then appeared elsewhere.
"The reason you knew I was in the side room was because you heard the sound of water, right? It was because my shoes were wet that you were exposed." Dai Li stopped there.
Whether he believes it or not, she has told the truth.
In fact, this is the only way she can get away for the time being. If she were to fabricate another story now, it would not only be easily exposed, but would also further enrage this already furious tiger.
Unlike young girls who have just come of age, she is no longer ashamed of sex and would not be willing to die for it.
Now she only has two choices: be bitten by the dog, or be bitten by the dog and then let him continue to help her find her son.
After she arrived here, she never had those bizarre dreams again. Zhouzhou must be here; she had to live, to live and find Zhouzhou!
Silence spread through the room; no one spoke.
The candlelight flickered slightly in the night breeze that slipped in through the window, causing the boundary between light and darkness to sway. A small moth fluttered its wings and crashed into the flame, leaving only a smoldering ember beside the lamp after a soft "sizzle."
As Dai Li watched the falling ashes, her heart raced uncontrollably.
She'd said everything she needed to say. If he still didn't believe her and thought she was lying to him again, she could press him for the "truth"...
Dai Li suddenly felt a headache coming on.
Suddenly, the lamplight on the table flickered violently, and the shadow cast on the ground to the side rose and stretched like a mountain.
Qin Shaozong rose from his seat.
He remained silent about Dai Li's earlier statement, it was unclear whether he believed it or not. The man walked around the table, reached out and scooped the woman sitting on the soft chair into his arms, carrying her towards the bed.
Dai Li placed her hand on his shoulder, unconsciously squeezing the area of his shoulder blade.
She knew what he wanted to do.
When she was placed on the couch, Dai Li neither shrank back nor avoided his unusually aggressive gaze. Now that things had come to this, she decided to negotiate with him, "My lord, I need to find my son."
Fearing he wouldn't take it seriously, as he leaned closer, Dai Li raised her hand to press against his chest, looked directly into his eyes, and repeated, "You must help me find my son, you absolutely must!"
Qin Shaozong's anger was burning fiercely, and it had not diminished since the day she fled. As the search continued day by day, the already intense anger transformed into something else entirely.
He looked at her lips as they opened and closed. Her lips were truly beautiful, naturally red, with a rich color like the deep red of a red peony root. Her lip pearls were full, and the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned. It was just that what she said was never pleasant to hear.
Qin Shaozong raised his hand and wrapped it around Dai Li's neck, placing his large hand on the back of her neck. Like a tiger seizing its prey, his long fingers spread wide, fixing the woman in front of him with absolute control.
Dai Li was quite taken aback by his action.
She had previously thought he wouldn't kill her; could it be that those two slightly commanding sentences had angered him?
Her breath hitched. The large, rough hand on the back of her neck felt like a red-hot iron clamp, making it impossible for Dai Li to turn her head or move. But she quickly realized that she had misunderstood; this person really didn't intend to break her neck.
The man leaned down, and the distance between them quickly disappeared. The hand that Dai Li had been holding against his chest eventually turned back to her.
Even though she was mentally prepared, Dai Li still got goosebumps when the moment came.
He was too fierce, and his kisses were too intense. He was conquering and dominating, as if he had unleashed a raging wildfire, and as if he were dragging her down into a boiling sea.
The prelude, which began lightly and gradually deepened, was fleeting. The scorching heat engulfed her, and the innermost nerve was repeatedly and cruelly teased. Dai Li trembled and whimpered. Her hand, which was pressed against his chest, slowly curled up, tearing the man's clothes into disarray and making the whole thing wrinkled.
Qin Shaozong had one hand around her waist and the other around the back of her neck. As the kiss deepened, he loosened his grip on her waist and instead untied the sash around her waist, his large, dark hand slipping inside like a fish.
Dai Li trembled even more violently, but her tongue was being forcefully sucked and gripped, and she couldn't even turn her head to the side, let alone do anything else.
Her gray-black sash was loose, her clothes were open, and one could vaguely glimpse her porcelain-white skin deep inside.
However, at that moment...
"Knock knock!" Someone is knocking on the door.
The force was heavy, clearly coming from a military officer, and the person knocking seemed quite anxious.
Qin Shaozong paused, but ignored him.
Seeing no response from inside, the people outside knocked harder.
"My lord, our scouts report that Li Zan's troops are here, and they're coming in a fierce force, numbering no less than a thousand. We must retreat immediately." It was Mo Yanyun's voice.
Qin Shaozong's breathing was heavy, and the veins on the side of his neck throbbed and then disappeared, repeating this several times.
Dai Li also heard what the person outside the door said. She was slightly taken aback, not expecting things to take such a turn for the better. After clearly feeling Qin Shaozong release her, Dai Li turned to her side and buried her face in the blanket.
Qin Shaozong was panting heavily. He had intended to get up, as leaving Taiping County was now an unavoidable situation. However, seeing Dai Li's subtle movement, he stopped and gently pushed her outside.
Dai Li didn't expect him to act so unexpectedly; before she knew it, half of her face was exposed.
So, with nothing obstructing her view, Qin Shaozong saw the corners of her mouth turned up.
He was seething with frustration, while she was secretly enjoying herself.
Qin Shaozong hadn't been this furious in a long time. Ever since the Qin family made him their patriarch, and ever since he had beaten the northern wolves into obedient puppies, things had gone smoothly, if not perfectly. He hadn't suffered any more hidden losses.
—Until now!
Dai Li was startled, realizing something was wrong. "My lord, I didn't mean to..."
Before she could finish speaking, she was flipped over, then lifted up by the waist, so that she was lying face down on his lap.
Immediately afterwards, "smack—"
It wasn't heavy, but it was loud enough.
Dai Li's pupils suddenly narrowed, and the smile that had not yet completely faded from her face froze.
Shock, doubt, shame, anger, frustration.
A variety of obvious emotions appeared on Dai Li's face.
Looking at her ever-changing expressions, Qin Shaozong felt the tightness in his chest dissipate. Instead of moving his hand away, he opened it and squeezed her firm, soft flesh hard. "We'll be leaving Taiping County soon. Be good on the way. Keep all your wicked schemes to yourself, or I'll make you suffer both ways when we get back."
*
"Click." The door opened, and two people came out of the room one after the other.
Mo Yanyun breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Fortunately, the Marquis came out, otherwise he would have disrespectfully barged in.
"My lord, everything is ready, and we can depart at any time." Mo Yanyun's eyes darted around, looking here and there, his mind filled with unease.
Lord Junhou clearly hadn't eaten yet, but strangely enough, he seemed to be in a good mood. In contrast, Lady Dai behind him had a cold face and looked very unhappy.
Within half an hour of entering the room, the two seemed to have completely switched emotions.
What exactly happened inside this house?
Regardless, Madam Dai's abilities are truly remarkable. She was able to extinguish the continuous, almost scorching wildfire in an instant, and then escape unscathed.
"Keep up."
The heavy two words crashed down on Mo Yanyun, who was pondering the journey to the West, and he immediately snapped back to reality.
On the very first day Qin Shaozong arrived in Taiping County, he asked Lord Deng Tuo for more than thirty fine horses, one for each soldier, to form a cavalry unit.
Now that they needed to evacuate, Qin Shaozong decided to head south first. He exited through the south gate of Taiping County, then turned west, taking a detour back to Nankang County.
Dai Li had no idea what this man was planning. All she knew was that she was led onto a horse, and then Qin Shaozong mounted the horse and sat behind her.
The whip cracked and fell, the horse neighed and reared up, carrying its riders swiftly into the distance. Under the cover of night, the group of people traveled rapidly south and soon passed through the south gate.
Shortly after they left, another large group entered the city from the east, marched at breakneck speed, and stormed into Deng Tuo's prefectural residence to drag the man out.
After a series of questions, upon learning that Qin Shaozong had requested many horses, Feng Liang, the leader, angrily exclaimed, "How could you give him horses?"
Deng Tuo, his white beard trembling, dared not utter a sound, his heart filled with unspeakable bitterness, lamenting his bad luck.
Qin Shaozong wanted horses, could he refuse? Would he dare to refuse? He was just a minor official awaiting retirement, how could he possibly defy a powerful warlord?
"Commander, they've headed south," a soldier said.
Feng Liang frowned, puzzled. "South? What are they going to the south for? They could have returned to Nankang County much faster by leaving the city from the west. Why would Qin Shaozong choose the far way instead of the closer option?"
Before he could figure it out, another soldier said, "Commander, the city guards said they left no more than a quarter of an hour ago."
Feng Liang's eyes immediately flashed with a fierce light. "Who cares what they are, just chase them! They came by boat. What good horses could a small Taiping County have? They can't have gone far."
*
Dai Li thought she would have to sit on the horse for at least a night, but unexpectedly, Qin Shaozong stopped the horse only an hour after they left the city.
"dismount."
At his command, all the soldiers nimbly dismounted.
The strong chest that had been pressed against Dai Li's back was gone. She sat on the horse, her hands gripping the front arch of the saddle tightly, and looked down, wondering how to dismount.
Although he had brought her up, after what happened in the room earlier, she really didn't want to talk to him.
Qin Shaozong conjured several more brocade ribbons from who-knows-where. Standing beside the horse, he first lifted Dai Li's skirt, then tucked the cuffs of her trousers into her socks, and neatly tied the top edge of the socks with the brocade ribbons.
After Dai Li's legs were tied with brocade ribbons, he lifted her off the horse. "What are you staring at with those big eyes? If you don't want to be sucked dry by the insects in the mountains, raise your hands."
-----------------------
Author's Note: The game will never end so simply. [cat emoji]
By the way, following my previous book, I got called out by some newspaper again for this one, basically saying I didn't understand the value of modern women [crying emoji].
The next update will be at 11 PM tomorrow night. All updates are currently scheduled for 11 PM (because I'm out of drafts, sob).
I'm still asking for nutrient solution [let me see].
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