Chapter 32 The Feudal Elder Father's Speech
After Hu Bao left, the courtyard fell silent.
A sycamore tree grows in the courtyard. A breeze blows, and its branches sway gently, casting dappled shadows that dance on the ground. The sky is clear, the sun is shining brightly, and today is a pleasant day.
Dai Li composed herself and decided to lay the groundwork, "Congratulations to Your Excellency on another great victory in capturing Ying County."
Qin Shaozong stepped into the house and said, "A group of maids will be delivered around Shenshi (3-5 PM). Pick two to take with you."
Dai Li followed him, "My lord, I thank you in advance for something, but I don't need anyone to serve me."
"Why?" After entering the room, Qin Shaozong sat down at the table, lit the charcoal with flint, and began to boil water.
Dai Li sat down opposite him. "I'm not used to it. In the past, I didn't have any maids to serve me at home."
She bought all sorts of machines to do the work for her: dishwasher, dryer, robot vacuum, and even a smart home assistant... She also hires a part-time cleaner every weekend, which is a unique way to free up her hands.
“You weren’t used to it before, but you’ll learn to get used to it now.” Qin Shaozong raised his eyes, his gaze deep and unfathomable. “Or does Madam feel that it’s inconvenient to do certain small things with two more people watching you?”
Dai Li's hands, resting on her knees, involuntarily curled up. This man was always so perceptive. Of course, she couldn't admit to Qin Shaozong's words. "Your Excellency has wronged me greatly. I had no such thoughts. You previously said you would reward those who had contributed, and now that Commander Qiao is out of danger, I'm too busy asking for a reward to think about anything else."
This was the second time she had brought up the matter of asking for a reward. Unlike the previous time when it was just a cursory mention, this time Dai Li decided to take it seriously.
The preparatory work has been done, the groundwork has been laid, and Qiao Wangfei has indeed stabilized. Now is the best time; if we don't bring it up now, it will only be less effective later.
Qin Shaozong suddenly curled the corners of his mouth, "Alright, then let's reward them according to their merits. For saving people, Madam, you are rewarded with ten warhorses, five treasure chests, two maids, and three brothels. I will give you the deed to the brothels after we return to Yuyang."
Dai Li: "..."
He didn't ask her what she wanted; he just gave it to her directly. This was something Dai Li hadn't expected, but upon reflection, it was very much in line with his style.
He probably guessed it.
Dai Li decided to get straight to the point, "I don't want the four things you mentioned, I want something else. And what I ask for doesn't require you to spend any money. I wonder if, considering that Commander Qiao has worked so hard for you and risked his life for you, Your Excellency could allow me to exchange this merit for what I want?"
First, say that what you want is worthless, which is equivalent to exchanging a high price for a low price, which benefits the other party. Then, bring up Qiao Wangfei's life-saving grace to put moral pressure on the other party.
Look, I saved my subordinate who was willing to go through fire and water for you, and this subordinate played a crucial role in killing Wang Qinglie in the last battle. For his sake, you should at least agree to my not-too-excessive little request!
When Qin Shaozong saw the smile in her eyes, it was as if he could see a fluffy tail swaying behind her.
Oh, she's up to her old tricks again.
Qin Shaozong didn't respond to her question, but instead said with a half-smile, "Madam, why don't you guess how tall the grass is on the grave of the person who deceived me before?"
Dai Li: "..."
He actually brought up old grievances with her at this critical juncture.
Seeing that she remained silent, Qin Shaozong began to list her secrets one by one, "Your background and experiences are fake, your 'menstrual blood' is fabricated, you didn't tell the truth about when you sprained your ankle, and you even ran away on your own and almost ruined my grand plan. You have deceived me time and time again, tell me how many times I should chop off your head?"
Dai Li: "..."
Qin Shaozong laughed and said, "If there are rewards for merit, there are also ways to atone for sins. Madam, tell me yourself, how many lives can you save by offering ox belly to Qiao Wangfei to heal your wounds?"
The water in the small earthenware pot was boiling, bubbling and gurgling. Steam rose from the spout, drifting leisurely between the two, as if forming a thin mist that concealed all the undercurrents beneath.
Dai Li pursed her lips, knowing that some things had to be put aside, otherwise it would never end. "It's not just Commander Qiao; the abdominal massage therapy might save many soldiers in the future. Let's cancel out the good and bad deeds, and let's wipe the slate clean. Including the fact that you shouldn't hold a grudge against those maids and coachmen in Nankang County, what does Your Excellency think?"
"Okay." This time he responded quickly.
Dai Li sat upright, striving to appear sincere and serious. She looked directly into those imposing brown eyes and said, without flinching, word by word, "My lord, your fame is renowned throughout the world, and there are countless women willing to serve you. I believe that a useful advisor to your army would please you more than a dispensable concubine."
This completely unveiled the thin veil that both of them knew: she was unwilling to serve him and did not want to be his woman.
Qin Shaozong looked away and slowly began to put dried melon and orange peel into the cup.
"Pat, pat."
The firm dried melon fell into the cup, making a crisp clinking sound.
"My staff members are either people I've known since my humble beginnings who helped me rise to power, or renowned scholars who later sought my help and are indeed exceptionally talented. None of them are women," Qin Shaozong said calmly.
He picked up the kettle beside him and poured hot water into the teacup. “There will never be any female teachers under my command, either in the past or in the future. Ladies can stay in the mansion to admire the flowers and feed the fish. Dealing with conspiracies and bloodshed is the duty and mission of men, and there is no need for women to worry about it.”
The hot water was poured into the cup, and the steam became even thicker, making it almost impossible to see the other person's face.
Dai Li gritted her teeth inwardly. What kind of feudalistic, patriarchal speech was this? It was incredibly chauvinistic. Before she could even finish speaking, he insisted that there could be no female staff members under his command.
Dai Li took a breath, suppressing her surging anger. "My lord, everything has a process of going from nothing to something. If you grant me this request, I will write down the detailed method of making mulberry bark thread and give it to Mr. Ding later."
Qin Shaozong placed the teacup in front of Dai Li and suddenly smiled. "Ding Lianxi is quite flexible in medicine and good at applying knowledge to new situations. Since Madam has already told him that mulberry bark thread can replace silk thread, I think mulberry bark thread will be available soon."
The subtext is that you don't need to write it out in detail; it's only a matter of time before Ding Lianxi figures it out on his own.
Whether this item is present or not, it makes no difference.
Dai Li understood, but it didn't bother her, as she could simply change the word: "Sowing in spring, harvesting in autumn. Spring is the season for cultivating all things, so I wonder if Your Excellency has ever considered trying to plant more grain?"
The topic shifted abruptly, but Qin Shaozong found it quite interesting. "If the amount of fertile land remains the same, and the number of farmers also remains the same, how can we grow more grain?"
"Has Your Excellency ever heard of the dragon bone waterwheel?" Dai Li asked instead of answering.
Qin Shaozong remained silent.
Observing his expression, Dai Li knew the answer in her heart: he had never heard of it.
After arriving in this era, Dai Li has been gathering information. This dynasty is called "Yan," and the current emperor's surname is "Han," and he is known as the Emperor of Han. The "Yan State" once existed in Chinese history, but there was no "Yan Dynasty."
This is an unfamiliar ancient dynasty that has never appeared in history. Considering the clothing and daily necessities of people in this era, Dai Li personally thinks that the Yan Dynasty today is very similar to the Han Dynasty.
But there was a Han Dynasty in the east and another in the west, spanning more than four hundred years. In which period of the Han Dynasty did she actually live? Did this unfamiliar Yan Dynasty follow the historical trajectory she was familiar with?
Even Dai Li herself couldn't say for sure.
No, it's not exactly bad. Because she discovered that the stirrups, which were supposed to be introduced later, had appeared ahead of schedule.
History is largely similar, yet not entirely the same.
After a moment, Qin Shaozong finally asked, "What is a dragon bone waterwheel?"
Dai Li felt completely at ease. She picked up the teacup in front of her and took a sip. "The dragon bone waterwheel is an irrigation tool. You can think of it as an upgraded version of the lever and the scoop. It draws water by hand or foot, which is more time-saving, labor-saving and efficient than the lever and the scoop. In this way, those places that were originally short of water or required a lot of effort to irrigate can be easily turned into fertile fields."
The essence of a lever is a waterwheel, with a heavy object hanging at one end and a bucket of water suspended at the other. It uses the lever principle to pump water from a lower place to a higher place, or to transfer it to another place. A bucket is made of bamboo strips and rattan and is shaped like a bucket, hence its name.
Whether it's a scoop bucket or a small bucket tied to a lever, they can only hold a limited amount of water, and can never compare to a continuous flow of water.
"How is the dragon bone waterwheel made?" Qin Shaozong asked.
Dai Li's eyes were filled with laughter. "So you mean to admit that I am your advisor?"
Qin Shaozong saw her smiling, her eyes curving into two little crescents, like a cunning little fox squatting beside a trap, wagging its tail and waiting for its meal. He felt both annoyed and amused.
She used all her cunning on him.
Qin Shaozong didn't rush to answer her. He picked up his teacup and took a sip. "A branch of the Qin family went south to do business in the early years and went to the Yangzhou area. A few days ago, I sent a message back to Yuyang and asked people to investigate the movements of this branch. I think we should get a reply in a day at most. Qiantang, which you are so concerned about, is in Yangzhou. I will ask them to go to Qiantang and see if they can find your son."
"Clatter".
"Are you telling the truth?!" Dai Li was so excited that she accidentally knocked over the teacup next to her.
The tea was added to about seven-tenths full, and since Dai Li had already drunk some, even if all the tea in the cup overflowed, it wasn't too disastrous.
Dai Li's hand was scalded by the tea before she belatedly realized she had knocked over the cup. A handkerchief lay beside the teapot, meant to insulate the holder from the heat, but Qin Shaozong hadn't needed it; he had been holding it barehanded.
Dai Li's fingertips touched the handkerchief, and she took it. Just as she was about to pull her hand back, a large, dark hand reached out and covered her hand.
The man, with his long arms and legs, had hands two sizes larger than Dai Li's, and when placed on her hand, only a glimpse of white skin could be seen underneath.
Dai Li's pupils trembled slightly.
Qin Shaozong moved to the side, close to the back of her hand, and scooped up her palm with his four fingers, along with the handkerchief, and wrapped it in his own palm.
The two pressed their palms together through a thin handkerchief, and Dai Li felt a continuous warmth, as if she were pressing against a small ceramic pot that had just been boiled.
His long, calloused fingers caressed the delicate skin inside her wrist, then slipped through the gap at the top of the handkerchief, completely removing the troublesome cloth, and then once again gathered her hand in his palm.
Without any interval, Dai Li could hear his every subtle movement more clearly.
The man's eyes were deep and dark, his brown eyes like a tiger lurking in the shadows, its claws retracted, patiently waiting for its prey to approach. "Of course it's true, I've never lied to you, madam."
Dai Li slowly lowered her eyes, and when she looked up again, she had adjusted her emotions and returned to her previous calm and composed demeanor.
She withdrew her hand, not forgetting to take the handkerchief with her. "Thank you for your concern for my son, my lord. If I have any news of him, I will repay you. I guarantee that the gift will satisfy you."
She didn't mention what the reward would be, and her words sounded like a promise of marriage. But Dai Li's tone was too calm, and even though her voice was still that captivatingly gentle tone, it contained no hint of flirtation.
Qin Shaozong raised his eyebrows slightly, unable to figure out what she was up to for the time being.
Dai Li used a towel to absorb the water, then straightened the overturned teacup and said, "May I borrow the study in the mansion for a while? I will give you the drawing of the dragon bone waterwheel later."
*
The study was decorated in the same style as the rest of the mansion, all of which were extremely luxurious. The floor was paved with Han jade, the cups were made of crystal jade, and even the curtains were woven from round pearls.
Dai Li's first impression was that this place didn't feel like a solemn meeting place, but rather like a rest area.
That salt smuggler surnamed Li was someone who knew how to enjoy life.
On one side of the table were silk, mulberry paper, and uncarved bamboo slips, while on the other side were carving knives, wolf-hair brushes, and pine soot ink.
All the four treasures of the study are provided; feel free to take them.
Dai Li hesitated.
Although both are paper, the paper of this era is far inferior to that of modern paper in terms of smoothness and fineness, and she has never learned calligraphy and does not know how to use a calligraphy brush.
With these two points combined, even before she had started writing, Dai Li could foresee a ghostly painting about to be created.
Dai Li: "..."
"Madam?" Qin Shaozong asked, noticing that she hadn't moved for a long time.
Dai Li turned to look at him, her tone somewhat detached, "If I said I'm not used to using a brush and therefore find it difficult to paint, would you think I'm lying to you?"
Qin Shaozong said meaningfully, "What do you think?"
The atmosphere froze, and no one spoke. Dai Li couldn't bear it any longer and looked away first.
She steeled herself and stepped forward to spread out the mulberry paper. The paper was rough and uneven, and you could even feel the fibers when you ran your hand over it.
Next, she took out the pine soot ink and wolf hair brush, ground them, dipped them in the ink, and held the brush in the same way a modern person holds a brush, starting from the top of the brush tip, and then tried to draw.
Qin Shaozong's gaze was fixed on her pen-holding motion, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
She only had a thin callus on the inside of the middle finger of her right hand. If she used this pen-holding posture, over time, the callus that should have grown on the ring finger would indeed have grown on the inside of the middle finger.
The young woman was literate and could paint. Qin Shaozong had only seen three women with such abilities before.
Even noble ladies would at most learn a little arithmetic for managing household accounts, and that was it, because it was completely useless. And no school would accept female students, so how could they learn anything if no teacher was willing to teach them?
Dai Li was unaware of what the man beside her was thinking; she was currently trying to tame the wolf-hair brush in her hand.
The idea is wonderful, but...
She failed.
The paper was uneven, the brush tip was very soft, and there was a distance between the handhold and the tip.
All of this combined means that what Dai Li was thinking and what she was painting were completely different things; the attempt to tame her had failed.
As Dai Li put the pen down on the table, she turned her head and saw Qin Shaozong staring at her, looking thoughtful.
Dai Li didn't mind. She knew he was shrewd and understood that such cautious people were often suspicious. From the moment she told him she came from "Peach Blossom Spring," she was destined to be his object of suspicion.
“My lord, let’s go to the courtyard.” Dai Li decided to take a different approach.
Qin Shaozong didn't say anything and followed her out.
The courtyard outside the study was also beautifully maintained, with cobblestone paths branching out and meandering like leaf veins, dividing the once complete courtyard into fragmented sections.
Although the courtyard was unusable, Dai Li took a liking to a tree branch of suitable thickness. After cutting it down with a knife, she told Qin Shaozong that they would go look elsewhere.
Qin Shaozong roughly understood her intentions, so he went with her.
As the two walked out of the study courtyard, they ran into Su Xiuzhu and Mo Yanyun, who were coming together.
"My lord." The two men bowed respectfully; they were both there to report on their duties.
With the capture of Yingjun, there are many things to handle. These don't require the higher-ups' personal involvement, but the other side needs to be informed of the progress of each task.
"It doesn't matter where you hear the report," Qin Shaozong said. "Come with me."
Su Xiuzhu and Mo Yanyun exchanged a glance, both puzzled. This confusion reached its peak as they followed Dai Li through three courtyards.
What is Madam Dai up to? Is she just wandering around this mansion?
Let her wander around, why should the Lord accompany her? Ying County has been riddled with holes by Li Zan, and everything is in need of rebuilding. How can he have so much time to waste at the You residence?
Just as Mo Yanyun was about to offer a word of advice, he heard Dai Li say, "This place is fine, let's do it here."
Qin Shaozong looked at his two subordinates and said, "What is it? Speak."
Mo Yanyun glanced at Dai Li, who was bending over with a tree branch in her hand, hesitated, and finally called out softly, "My Lord." This was a secluded little courtyard, and Madam Dai was still here.
"Just say it," Qin Shaozong said.
The branches were sturdy and easy to use. Once Dai Li got into work mode, she would automatically block out external noise. When someone was giving a presentation, it went in one ear and out the other, completely unaffected.
The dragon-bone waterwheel can be roughly divided into two parts. One is the dragon bone embedded in a long groove at the bottom, and the other is a giant bearing with a rotating shaft and gear at the top, which is connected to a foot pedal.
Since the whole thing was difficult to draw, Dai Li used a step-by-step approach. First, she drew a long keel groove, then pointed to the side with a small arrow, and then enlarged and drew the two connecting panels inside the car that were connected by the keel in detail.
Qin Shaozong was multitasking, listening to the two men's reports while watching Dai Li and the gradually forming shape under the tree branch.
"Go to the study and fetch some mulberry paper and a brush," Qin Shaozong suddenly said to Mo Yanyun, who was stunned.
Qin Shaozong: "Go quickly."
This time, Mo Yanyun dared not delay and hurriedly returned to his study. On the way, he encountered Yan San and Feng Feng and couldn't help but mutter a few words as he walked. When he returned to the courtyard with his things, he was surprised to find that Yan San and Feng Feng were also there.
The two stood beside Su Xiuzhu, making the only civil official present appear much thinner in comparison.
Su Xiuzhu's report had stopped at some point, and now the three of them, along with Qin Shaozong, were all looking at Dai Li in front of them.
Mo Yanyun was puzzled. He looked at his comrade with a surprised expression. Yan San noticed, but looked away expressionlessly, not intending to pay attention to him.
Mo Yanyun's lips twitched, and he decided to look at the cheerful Feng Feng, but unfortunately, Feng Feng was so focused on Madam Dai that he didn't notice him at all.
Feeling aggrieved, Mo Yanyun grumbled as she walked past, completely oblivious to her footing.
"Stop."
"Don't step on it!"
"You idiot!"
Several sounds came crashing down at once, stunning Mo Yanyun.
What... what's going on?
Why are you looking at him like that? Have you broken some kind of law?
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Author's Note: Another 5k-word day [pat on the head]
The stirrups and saddle have already been described, so I'll just butterfly them first, but I won't butterfly them all [orange heart][yellow heart][green heart].
Still begging for nutrient solution [shy]
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