My Mother is the White Moonlight of a Tyrant - Chapter 24: She Has the Heart of a Bear and Guts of a Leopard

Chapter 24: She Has the Heart of a Bear and Guts of a Leopard

When Dai Li woke up, she overheard a piece of gossip at Lin Erniang’s door:

Last night, a major search had been conducted at various courier stations across the county, apparently because the governor’s office was hunting for a fugitive.

Street rumors were plentiful, and some claimed with certainty that the authorities were looking for a female fugitive—a woman with dark skin and an ugly face, capable of making children cry.

As for her crime, it seemed she had stolen a family heirloom from a noble, hence the warrant for her arrest.

Dai Li held a bowl of porridge but had lost her appetite, her heart sinking steadily.

It sounded very much like Qin Shaozong had tracked her down.

No matter what, it was best not to go out these days. Fortunately, Lin Erniang had planned to focus on seclusion for the next few days and had bought three days’ worth of groceries in advance, sparing them the need to venture out today.

Dai Li stayed at Lin Erniang’s home for two days, playing with Lin Erniang’s four-year-old child, Shang Nu.

Lin Erniang lived in a commoners’ district, an area somewhat reminiscent of later urban villages. Almost every household had a single-courtyard home, and the houses were relatively close together. Standing by the Li family’s courtyard wall, one could hear the conversations of the Wang family next door.

Dai Li had intended to stay indoors on the third day as well, but while walking off her breakfast in the courtyard that morning, she suddenly overheard voices from the other side of the wall:

“When I went to the East Market today, I saw from a distance that the East Gate is still heavily guarded. It seems the female thief hasn’t been caught yet. Who knows how long this search will go on?”

“It should be over soon. Speaking of which, an hour ago, I saw soldiers heading toward Hemin Street with household registers, probably to conduct door-to-door checks. Once they finish that area, it’ll likely be our turn. With such a thorough screening, how could they fail to catch the female thief?”

“Notices have been posted around the city offering rewards for anyone who provides clues about the female thief…”

Dai Li lowered her gaze, turned, and went back inside. She said to Lin Erniang, who was intently embroidering, “Madam Lin, I’m going out to look for my brother. I’ll be back by dusk at the latest, so there’s no need to prepare dinner for me.”

Shang Nu also wanted to go out—he wished to visit his friend Tie Shuan at the end of the street to fight crickets.

Dai Li gently nudged the child back inside. “Be good and stay home, Shang Nu. If you do, Auntie will bring you a hu cake when she returns.”

At the mention of food, Shang Nu nodded eagerly.

Dai Li put on her veil hat and left.

During her chats with Lin Erniang the day before, she had already familiarized herself with the general layout of the area.

The streets here crisscrossed, somewhat resembling the character 曲.” Lin Erniang’s house was on the easternmost side, while the Hemin Street mentioned by the neighbor was on the western end.

Dai Li headed toward the eastern alley. Just as she reached the alley’s exit, she abruptly spotted a group of people approaching from ahead.

Among them was a familiar face—the square-faced soldier captain, whom Dai Li remembered was named Hu Bao.

So, Qin Shaozong had indeed found her!

Dai Li’s breath caught, and she immediately ducked back, turning without hesitation into another alley. After several twists and turns, narrowly avoiding another group of people, she finally left the commoners’ residential area.

Although the city was abuzz with the hunt for the thief, daily life for the common people remained largely unaffected. Shops operated as usual, and vendors still hawked their wares along the streets.

The streets were bustling with people, and aside from the occasional patrols of soldiers passing through, everything seemed no different from usual.

Dai Li entered an upscale teahouse, paid for a small private room on the second floor by the window, and settled in.

The young attendant set down the tray of dried melon strips, closed the door, and left.

Dai Li removed her veil hat and opened the window just enough to let in a sliver of light before starting to brew tea.

Teahouses were places for idle chatter, where one could hear all sorts of gossip. If one had the silver to spare for a private room, whiling away an entire afternoon was perfectly acceptable.

The streets were bustling with people. Dai Li had intended to observe the frequency of patrols by the soldiers, but unexpectedly, she caught sight of… Qin Shaozong.

Her hand trembled, causing the teacup to wobble. Tea splashed across the table like blooming flowers.

On the street, Qin Shaozong and Mo Yanyun were strolling through the market.

Lord, it seems the conflict between Yan Province and Qing Province has escalated fiercely. This battle won’t end anytime soon, or else the river pirates wouldn’t dare venture near Zhuya Ford, Mo Yanyun remarked with a sigh.

Qin Shaozong replied, Tensions have been brewing between them for a long time. It was only a matter of time before they tore off the pretense of civility. Now, with the Azure Lotus Sect involved, it’s the perfect opportunity…

Suddenly, he halted in his tracks.

Mo Yanyun asked, puzzled, Lord?

The imposing man in black robes stood at the crossroads, his gaze sweeping from east to west. He took in the scene: the vendors behind their stalls smiling as they collected payment, the children playing with mud at the alley entrance, the teahouse attendant greeting customers at the door…

Each image imprinted itself in his mind like a frozen painting.

The bustling market was filled with shops, eateries, and teahouses with wide-open doors. Crowds of people moved to and fro. Buildings with two stories were everywhere. Some private rooms had their windows wide open to let in the sunlight, others were tightly shut as if unused, and a few were cracked open just a sliver.

Everything appeared normal, with nothing out of the ordinary.

Lord? Mo Yanyun called again when there was no response. What’s wrong? Is there something amiss?

Qin Shaozong turned and gestured to the guards from the prefectural residence who were following at a distance. Search this area. Focus on the eateries and teahouses. Ask the attendants if there are any individuals, pairs, or groups using private rooms.

The guards acknowledged the order and dispersed, quickly heading toward different establishments.

Lord, do you think she would dare to come out onto the streets? Mo Yanyun was astonished, his first reaction being disbelief. The entire prefecture is caught up in the hunt for criminals. Not only are the commoners discussing it fervently, but the patrols have also multiplied several times over. Madam Dai must know you’re searching for her. How could she possibly show her face?

Qin Shaozong let out a cold laugh. What wouldn’t she dare? Beneath that Fox Pelt lies a heart of a bear and guts of a leopard. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do.

Mo Yanyun knew his superior was still seething with anger. Only by capturing the culprit could the ever-intensifying flames of his rage be extinguished.

…

A little over a quarter of an hour later, a soldier hurried back.

Lord, there’s a private room at the Jade Bamboo Teahouse that matches the description. One of the attendants in the main hall mentioned that the person who reserved the room was a lone woman. She wore a veil hat when she entered, making it difficult to see her features.

As he spoke, the soldier gestured to indicate her height. The attendant also said she was about this tall, roughly seven feet three inches. The height matches.

Qin Shaozong abruptly turned his gaze toward the building beside them.

Jade Bamboo Teahouse.

Mo Yanyun quickly asked, Are the front and back entrances of the teahouse secured?

The soldier nodded immediately. The woman’s private room is on the second floor. I’ve stationed two men to guard each staircase. Unless she jumps out of a window or grows wings, there’s no way she can leave.

Qin Shaozong strode into the Jade Bamboo Teahouse. The teahouse attendants and the manager moved to greet him, but the soldiers held them back. Just bring the attendant who served her forward.

The teahouse had two staircases, their entrances positioned on either side of the main door like two massive arms encircling the building.

Qin Shaozong randomly chose one to ascend, followed by the tea attendant who spoke as they climbed, That female guest arrived alone about half an hour ago and ordered the Blooming Fortune tea set. When this humble one entered the private room a second time with the tray, her veil hat was still on. At the time, I merely thought her shy—how could I have guessed she might be the female thief…

The entire city was searching for someone. Logically, a thief should lie low, so why would they boldly stroll through the streets?

Creak—

With a push of Qin Shaozong’s hand, the unlocked private room door swung open abruptly.

It was a small room—just five paces from the entrance to the window. Without any screens, everything was visible at a glance: a window cracked open just enough for a palm to slip through, a tea cauldron boiling water, some scattered dried melon strips, a small incense burner in the corner, and a low table with a small puddle of moisture on its surface.

Everything was there—except for a person.

Mo Yanyun stared in disbelief, immediately turning to question the soldier who had earlier thumped his chest guaranteeing the staircase was secure. Where is she?

She runs faster than a rabbit, Qin Shaozong clicked his tongue lightly.

I—I really had people guard the staircase immediately, the soldier stammered, his face flushing red. He had secured the staircase right away, then rushed back to claim credit, leaving no time to verify the situation upstairs.

Mo Yanyun inwardly scoffed at the incompetence of Taiping County’s soldiers—even this simple task was bungled, disappointing the Lord for nothing.

Qin Shaozong suddenly furrowed his brows. There’s a medicinal smell?

Mo Yanyun froze, sniffing hard but detecting only the faint fragrance drifting from the incense burner.

She left recently and couldn’t have gone far. Keep searching, Qin Shaozong ordered.

…

The moment Dai Li saw Qin Shaozong, she knew trouble had arrived.

This feeling was hard to describe—like a taut string humming in her mind, making it impossible to sit still for even a moment.

Her previous successes in deceiving him had relied entirely on Qin Shaozong’s belief that she would inevitably cling to his coattails. Blinded by this assumption, he had overlooked many details, allowing her to slip through.

But times had changed. Dai Li didn’t dare relax for a second, swiftly exiting through the teahouse’s back door.

The area was full of shops. Dai Li moved discreetly, timing her movements against the crowds. Perhaps her demeanor was too casual, or perhaps—like the tea attendant—most assumed a female thief would be hiding in fear rather than brazenly walking the streets.

Regardless, Dai Li safely navigated two blocks.

She checked all four city gates in turn, spotting from a distance that each had at least double the guards compared to when she had entered the city two days prior.

There was no leaving for now.

Dai Li sighed, turning back. After wandering outside for two hours, dusk approached. By now, Lin Erniang’s neighborhood had likely been searched thoroughly.

Returning might be perfectly timed.

Pretending she wasn’t worried would be false, but where else could she go if not back to Lin Erniang’s?

Her Talisman bore the name Dai Li—unchangeable. Using it at a Courier Station would be no different from walking into a trap.

A flicker of regret stirred in Dai Li’s heart. Had she known this would happen, she should never have disembarked at Taiping County. She cursed the infrequent ferry schedules at Riyue Crossing.

After buying a flatbread from a street vendor, Dai Li entered an alleyway. Bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, she wove left and right through the lanes, heading toward Lin Erniang’s home.

When she had set out earlier, she had encountered two groups of people in succession, nearly bumping into them, but the return journey was strangely smooth all the way.

She hadn’t run into a single soldier.

That was a good thing.

Knock, knock. Dai Li rapped on the door.

The door opened quickly, and Lin Erniang stood behind it with a smile. You’re back!

Whether it was because of the veil hat or the orientation of the house preventing the evening sun from reaching Lin Erniang, Dai Li felt that she seemed somewhat unfamiliar at that moment.

Dai Li nodded and entered the house carrying a flatbread wrapped in straw paper. Where’s Shang Nu? I promised to buy him a flatbread before I left. It’s still a bit warm—he should eat it while it’s hot.

Tie Shuan from next door came by earlier and insisted on taking Shang Nu out to play, Lin Erniang explained.

Dai Li paused, handed the flatbread to Lin Erniang, and then removed her veil hat. Then he can eat it when he returns.

The flatbread was passed over, but even after Dai Li removed her hat, she didn’t hear Lin Erniang’s footsteps retreating. She looked up and met the other woman’s eyes.

When they first met, Lin Erniang had been startled by the black flame birthmark on Dai Li’s face and had since avoided looking directly at her. Even when speaking, her gaze would linger on Dai Li’s collar or drift elsewhere.

This was the first time she had stared so intently at Dai Li.

Feeling a bit strange inside, Dai Li showed no expression and simply smiled back. What’s wrong?

Nothing. I just wanted to ask if you’d like fish for dinner tonight? The fish in the water vat won’t last much longer, Lin Erniang hastily averted her eyes.

Dai Li froze, and the sense of strangeness suddenly intensified. Before leaving, she had explicitly told Lin Erniang not to prepare a meal for her that evening.

Why was she asking if she wanted fish tonight…

Dai Li turned her gaze to the courtyard, intending to check on the fish in the earthen water vat to see how they were faring.

Yet, that casual glance felt like an ice arrow suddenly piercing her chest, freezing her in place.

Lin Erniang lived in an urban village, where most residents were financially strained. Their house was a single-room dwelling with plain tiled roofing, only slightly better than a thatched hut.

With limited resources, money was spent only on essentials, so many households, including Lin Erniang’s, had courtyards without paved bricks.

The ground was bare earth, turning muddy and messy on rainy days. If the weather stayed clear, it wasn’t too bad.

But in either case, anyone walking across it would leave footprints, deep or shallow.

And now, a series of footprints appeared in the courtyard.

There were only two women and one child in the household. None of them could have left such large, broad footprints, let alone the chaotic and dense pattern, which clearly indicated more than one person.

Dai Li felt her muscles trembling and cramping, her skin hypersensitive. A mere cool breeze brushing past made her heart race.

She abruptly turned and walked swiftly outside without a word.

Creak

The double wooden doors swung open, and from the crack between them, a patch of black emerged first.

At that moment, time seemed to slow down imperceptibly. The cool wind lifted the hem of the tall man’s black robe outside, like a fierce tiger raising its sharp claws or a warrior’s prelude to drawing his blade.

The sky seemed to abruptly darken, then split open by a white lightning strike resembling tiger claws. Dai Li’s pupils trembled with the startling thunder, the color draining completely from her face.

Author’s Note: Perhaps I caught a chill—this period has been particularly uncomfortable, and I’ve been feeling quite down. Combined with tomorrow’s featured ranking update, there will be no midnight release. Darlings, don’t wait up cheek propped

Any schedule changes will likely be announced in the comments section. Thanks for your attention orange heart.