My Mother is the White Moonlight of a Tyrant - Chapter 34: I Came for My Lady

Chapter 34: I Came for My Lady

The dark shadow rose like a swelling tide beneath the moonlit night, gradually engulfing Dai Li. In a fleeting moment, she snapped awake as if from a dream and hastily retreated two steps, moving beyond the shadow’s reach.

Why have you come?Dai Li initiated the conversation.

Her voice was soft and composed, with no trace of the momentary panic that had flashed across her face.

Dai Li had expected Qin Shaozong to claim he’d stepped out due to the stifling atmosphere indoors, or to excuse himself for a breath of fresh air—anything to maintain their delicate balance with a safe, neutral topic.

But just as she hadn’t anticipated him pursuing her all the way to Taiping County, she was equally unprepared for his response now…

I came for my lady,the man’s voice was low, tinged with the huskiness of one who had been drinking.

He offered no excuses, instead anchoring the conversation firmly upon her. In the darkness, Qin Shaozong’s brown eyes appeared far deeper than usual, like whirlpools in the abyssal sea that could swallow a person whole.

Dai Li’s breath hitched. Her sensitive nerves hummed in alarm, making even the night breeze brushing her face feel sharper and colder. I… I’ve finished eating and should return to rest. The banquet isn’t over yet—your subordinates must be waiting for you to preside over the gathering. You should go back now.

With those words, Dai Li turned to leave.

As her sleeves fluttered like a slipping fish, a large, calloused hand shot out and precisely captured her fair, soft hand concealed beneath the fabric.

His fingers splayed, emphasizing the breadth of his palm that nearly enveloped hers completely.

Qin Shaozong drew his arm back, effortlessly pulling her into his embrace. The hand that had held hers loosened, only to circle her slender waist instead. In this world, only a handful hold higher status than I do. Why do you resist me so?

The world bustles with people chasing profit; the world hustles with those pursuing gain. Qin Shaozong had always understood clearly that many flattered and attached themselves to him precisely because he was the Qin clan’s leader, the court-appointed Marquis Wu’an, the most powerful figure in the Northern Territory—because the authority in his hands could benefit them.

There was no reason to resent this, nor any need to dwell on it. After all, he similarly utilized and directed these followers, setting them to work for greater gains.

In essence, it was a transaction.

He believed he never treated women unfairly, so why did she repeatedly reject him?

Dai Li was forced to turn and face Qin Shaozong. They stood extremely close, nearly chest-to-chest, so near she could clearly smell the strong scent of alcohol on him.

He had drunk heavily at the banquet. He might not be as clear-headed as usual, or perhaps—

He was intentionally or unintentionally indulging his actions.

The latter possibility was more dangerous, indicating he knew exactly what he was doing from start to finish.

Dai Li raised her hands to press against his sturdy chest, preventing him from drawing closer. Everyone has their preferences. Some favor fine swords over calligraphy and paintings, while others prefer the opposite.

Qin Shaozong fell silent for a moment before suddenly remarking, Was your former husband perhaps a scholar too weak to truss a chicken?

Dai Li: …

The moonless night left Dai Li shrouded in his shadow. Though the surroundings were dim, it didn’t hinder Qin Shaozong from discerning her expression.

He abruptly chuckled, genuinely amused. When you were in Taiping County, you told me you lived there with your young son. Your words made no mention of a husband. My guess is he’s likely no longer among the living.

As a man, if one could possess such a peerless beauty, they would never give her a chance to leave.

Dai Li’s pupils contracted slightly. She knew he had always been perceptive, but this ability to piece together the general picture from others’ casual remarks was truly terrifying.

He hasn’t passed away. The reason I didn’t mention him earlier was because we had a disagreement, and I was still upset, so I didn’t bring him up at the time.Dai Li insisted on denying it.

Qin Shaozong remained silent, whether he believed her or not was unclear. He removed the delicate hand pressed against his chest, his thumb rubbing heavily against the soft skin on the inside of her wrist. If you wish to find your son, I can assist you. Back then, when we were in bed, you told me to help you find him. If it was possible then, why not now?

Dai Li couldn’t help but regret having spoken those words in haste. She struggled to free her hand but failed, growing increasingly anxious.

Initially, she had thought that by crafting a Dragon Bone Waterwheel into a Bite Suppressor and placing it on this vicious tiger, then dangling a piece of meat in front of him—much like a carrot before a donkey—she could make him serve her.

But the plan had deviated from reality.

A vicious tiger was, after all, a vicious tiger. He was cunning, unpredictable, and deep-minded, worlds apart from a docile donkey.

Perhaps it was because women of this era rarely received any education, and he had personally heard her say that the creator of the waterwheel was named Ma Jun, not Dai Li herself. Even though she promised a reward and deliberately framed it as something beneficial to his political power, he remained skeptical.

It was like hiking in the wilderness in modern times and suddenly encountering a stranger who tells you that a cave in the mountain ahead holds ten tons of gold, urging you to hurry and bring it home to get rich. To prove it, he shows you a gold ring.

Would you believe it or not?

Most likely not.

In a socialist society, not only are all mineral resources owned by the state, but even if there were a gold deposit, it wouldn’t be found in a place that isn’t exactly remote. Did they think the prospectors were incompetent?

Yet Dai Li understood clearly that she must not reveal everything she knew just because of his suspicions. Otherwise, she would face a nightmare-like situation.

Her heart gradually tightened. Lord, I previously said that if you had any news of my son, I would repay you handsomely. That was no empty promise. With so many women in the world admiring you, and the Dancers at the banquet earlier—any one of them would gladly please and charm you if you wished. Why bother with someone else’s cold indifference?

With one arm encircling her waist and the other gripping her wrist, Dai Li could only move her left hand. But she dared not struggle forcefully, fearing it would provoke the ferocity of this vicious tiger.

Qin Shaozong chuckled and was about to speak when he suddenly heard voices in the distance.

Where has the Lord gone?

I think he’s in the garden. What do you need him for?

There’s an urgent letter from Yuyang. I must deliver it to him immediately.

Qin Shaozong’s smile deepened as he looked down at the woman in his arms. Madam, a letter has arrived from Yuyang.

Dai Li didn’t share his keen hearing. She only caught fragments of the distant conversation—words like Lord,garden,and deliver.The specifics were unclear.

Now, hearing him mention Yuyang, Dai Li froze.

She remembered him saying his ancestral home was in Yuyang, and recalled how he mentioned today that a branch of the Qin family had moved to Yangzhou years ago. He had already sent word back to Yuyang to investigate that branch’s movements, saying it would take at most one more day to receive a reply.

Had… the reply arrived now?!

Quick, go get it. In her excitement, Dai Li completely forgot all restraint. She pushed aside his large hand with her left hand, then grabbed the area near his waist belt, trying to make him turn around.

Qin Shaozong raised an eyebrow slightly, turning with her movement and taking two steps forward under her pushing force. Why is my lady in such a hurry? The letter won’t grow legs and run away.

Dai Li retorted, The letter won’t run, but the soldier carrying it might. Please hurry.

The more she urged him to hurry, the more he seemed to deliberately slow down, moving lazily—taking only one step for each of her pushes.

Dai Li gritted her teeth secretly, thinking this man was utterly detestable.

However, the delay wasn’t long before Qin Shaozong returned to normal, as the soldier carrying the letter found them.

My Lord, a letter from Yuyang. The soldier presented the letter with both hands.

Qin Shaozong accepted it.

The soldier’s peripheral glance quickly swept past the person beside him before he tactfully withdrew.

After the soldier left, silence returned to their surroundings. The earlier undercurrent that had made her heart race seemed to surge again with the departure of the third party.

Both now faced the carved candle stand. Dai Li clearly saw the sealing wax on the letter and noticed a small moth fluttering its wings nearby, flying toward the candle flame.

Like a moth to flame—after a faint sizzle too quiet to hear clearly, only a trace of ash remained in the carved candle stand.

Dai Li stood frozen in place.

Qin Shaozong raised his hand to embrace her shoulders, pulling her into his arms. She had also drunk during the banquet—a full pot, which was rather much for a woman.

Though she had consumed the same millet wine as him, Qin Shaozong detected a different scent—the aroma of wine interwoven with strands of elegant fragrance. The two scents intertwined like vines, making her distinct from anyone else.

Army life was austere; most people appeared disheveled and dusty. Even those who valued cleanliness couldn’t bathe daily. It was common for the rougher ones to go days without water, while the less fastidious might last even longer…

Hadn’t he seen some camps reeking so foully that dogs would vomit upon entering, horses would bolt when passing by, and even mosquitoes and flies would avoid the place in disgust?

But Qin Shaozong had always felt she carried a unique fragrance—reminiscent of floral notes or the rich aroma of ripened fruit—as if it seeped from her very skin and flesh. As long as she was present, the scent remained.

And now, the source of that fragrance was in his embrace. Qin Shaozong found himself bending slightly, his chin brushing against her cloud-like hair. He asked knowingly, his tone laced with coaxing, Does my lady wish to see this letter?

The slight stubble on his jaw felt like sandpaper against her temple. She snapped back to reality instantly, her previously agitated mind cooling rapidly.

Dai Li didn’t rush to move. Instead, she said, Of course I wish to see it. However, letters are important documents—we should handle them securely. Why don’t we go to the study? What does my Lord think?

The surroundings were dim, the carved candle stand’s glow too faint. The atmosphere here wasn’t favorable for her.

Footsteps of the patrol echoed in the distance, growing louder and closer. They were approaching.

Qin Shaozong straightened up and released her. Very well.

In the study.

Breaking the wax seal, the mulberry paper unfurled across the desk.

The letter had been rolled into a cylindrical bundle. Upon opening it, Dai Li found two separate letters inside. Before she could examine them closely, Qin Shaozong took the top one.

With the upper layer removed, the one beneath was revealed.

Having been coiled for too long, it attempted to curl back upon itself when unfolded, but a delicate hand pressed it flat. Dai Li smoothed it out again and weighted it with the tiger-shaped paperweight from the desk.

The script was Cursive Script.

Cursive Script had evolved from the clerical cursive of the Qin Dynasty and was also the precursor to modern cursive. Traditional characters combined with Cursive Script—these two layers stacked together made Dai Li’s head ache slightly.

So when Qin Shaozong finished reading his rather lengthy report and pondered how to respond, he looked up to find Dai Li still frowning delicately, wholly absorbed in staring at the mulberry paper before her.

His gaze drifted downward, scanning that letter, and he raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Just three lines, and she had been at it for half the night. Judging by her expression, she genuinely hadn’t finished—could she be deciphering each character one by one?

Qin Shaozong set his own letter aside casually. Have you understood it, my lady? If there are any characters you don’t recognize, you may ask me.

Without looking up, Dai Li replied, Thank you, but I won’t trouble you.

Qin Shaozong chuckled softly, leaving her to struggle with those few characters on her own. He fetched a fresh sheet of paper, ground the ink, lifted the brush, and completed his reply in one fluid motion.

In mere moments, a letter destined for Yuyang was ready.

As Qin Shaozong set down his brush and raised his eyes, he happened to see Dai Li’s brow relax, her expression that of someone who had just solved a great dilemma.

Placing the wolf hair brush on its rest, the man rotated his jade thumb ring and suddenly leaned back into his chair, reverting to his earlier indolent posture.

When Dai Li finally looked up, Qin Shaozong gestured toward the paper nearby. Paper and brush are here, and the ink is ground for you. Help yourself, my lady.

Dai Li: …

Their eyes met, and in this unwavering stare, Dai Li clearly saw the corners of his mouth slowly curve upward.

This man was doing it on purpose—he knew full well she couldn’t use a brush pen.

Qin Shaozong smiled. If my lady requires a scribe, I would be glad to assist. However, even common scholars in the marketplace earn a few coppers for their work. As a marquis officially enfeoffed by the court, I surely cannot labor for free. Don’t you agree, my lady?

Dai Li stared at him for two breaths, then suddenly snatched up the mulberry paper containing the information about the Qin family of Yangzhou. Without a word, she turned to leave.

If he wouldn’t help her write it, she would find someone else. It wasn’t as if Qin Shaozong was the only literate person in this residence.

But she had taken only two steps when the man behind her spoke again, his tone as languid as his current posture, devoid of much pressure. You may try seeking others, to see if they will write for you, and also observe whether a letter penned by another ultimately leaves Ying County.

Yet these words alone made Dai Li halt abruptly.

Only a small panel of the window was open, and the wine fumes lingering in the room had scarcely dissipated; instead, they grew heavier with time.

Dai Li took a deep breath and turned back, her tone displeased. What do you want?

Come here, my lady. He beckoned to her.

Pressing her lips together, Dai Li eventually returned, though she stopped across the long desk, facing him.

Qin Shaozong said nothing, but his gaze drifted downward, lingering on the mulberry paper in her hand, before he beckoned again.

Not close enough.

He wanted her to come nearer.

Dai Li averted her gaze from those brown eyes and slowly circled around the long desk. Behind it, the man sat with imposing authority, his dark robe just visible from her lowered, narrowed line of sight.

The deep, heavy black was as inscrutable as the man himself, radiating the same oppressive aura.

Her wrist was suddenly seized, her vision swaying violently for a moment. By the time Dai Li registered what was happening, she had gone from standing to sitting—perched sideways on his lap, her back supported only by the long arm encircling her waist.

Qin Shaozong’s arm wrapped around her, his large palm first pressing against the small of her back until she settled, then sliding along her waist to rest in front.

The moment he gripped that sensitive spot, Dai Li shuddered involuntarily. She instinctively twisted away in the opposite direction, only to collide with his chest.

All her attempts to rise or break free halted at his next words:

What would my lady like to command in the letter? The Qin branch families obey only me. They will execute this handwritten order to the letter.

Dai Li’s eyelashes fluttered rapidly. A scale teetered in her heart.

On one side: offering something like the Dragon Bone Waterwheel—a bombshellas leverage—to secure his help and escape her current predicament.

On the other: enduring for now, withholding further bargaining chips. After all, things hadn’t escalated to that point yet, and Nalan—reputed to hold high prestige in the military—had not yet arrived in Ying County.

She needed an ally to help restrain Qin Shaozong, and clearly, this potential partner had not arrived.

He had drunk heavily at the banquet, and after their confrontation in the corridor, she realized this man followed no conventional rules.

The scale swayed several times before finally tipping decisively to the left.

Have them go to Qiantang to find a nine-year-old boy named ‘Qin Yanzhou.’ He…Her voice trembled slightly.

The large hand around her waist seized the one resting on her lap. Rough calluses pressed unmistakably against her skin, burning with possessive intensity as they encircled her wrist.

The dark hand slid upward along her wrist, first hooking her index finger, then slipping between her fingers to slowly caress the soft flesh inside.

Dai Li instinctively tried to clench her fist, but his fingers slid into the gaps between hers, one after another.

With his right hand, Qin Shaozong picked up the wolf hair brush from the desk. With swift, fluid strokes, he wrote the boy’s description on the spread mulberry paper.

What else, besides your son’s appearance?The ink-laden brush tip lifted and returned to its rest.

Qin Shaozong turned his head, tightening his arm around Dai Li and forcing her to lean closer.

Seated on his lap, she was momentarily taller than him, but now, pressed forward by his grip on her waist, she had to brace a hand against his solid shoulder.

Why not give them a month to search all of Qiantang and the surrounding hundred-mile radius—every slave market in every town and county—and investigate all kidnappers in Qiantang?With each word he spoke, the resistance against his shoulder weakened slightly.

Before him, her slender, pale neck resembled a swan’s elegant curve. Qin Shaozong pressed his lips against it, feeling the subtle tremor of her throat bone beneath his touch.

That unique elegant fragrance seemed to intensify in this moment. Qin Shaozong leaned closer, pressing the tip of his nose against the fair skin before him—so delicate it appeared one could squeeze water from it.

He gradually traced upward along her neck, following the woman’s involuntary tilt of her head, until finally placing a kiss beneath her lips. What does my lady think of my proposal just now?

Dai Li’s breathing grew somewhat heavy. Setting out from Ying County, traveling day and night with urgent haste to Yangzhou—we can absolutely reach it within half a month. The round trip will take one month total. I want to know the search results within two months.

Qin Shaozong chuckled lightly. Naturally. If I cannot handle such a small matter properly, it would truly disgrace my Qin family’s reputation.

Write quickly. Dai Li urged him to pick up the brush again.

Instead of taking the brush, Qin Shaozong leaned in once more and kissed her. Unlike the previous kiss that had landed on the tip of her chin, this time his lips met those crimson ones.

Author’s Note: Begging for nutrient solutions Yellow Heart