My Mother is the White Moonlight of a Tyrant - Chapter 8: The Game Between Her and Him

Chapter 8: The Game Between Her and Him

The night had deepened, with many households already extinguished their lights and their owners long lost in dreams. Yet one particular courtyard stood as an exception.

The room was silent, with only two sets of breathing audible, yet Dai Li felt as though she could hear the rumble of thunder—no, not spring thunder, but the frantic beating of her heart nearly leaping from her throat.

As the man leaned in, Dai Li instinctively raised her hand to press against his chest: I wasn’t making up excuses. It’s just that the matter is complicated, and I was thinking of how to explain it briefly.

Qin Shaozong didn’t retreat, but neither did he press further. He maintained his hovering posture, his gaze fixed intently on the woman beneath him.

Not expecting him to respond, Dai Li forced tears to her eyes and began weaving her story, half-truth and half-fiction: I have a young son who was abducted by villains some days ago. After investigation, it seems he is now somewhere in this estate. That is why I devised a plan to sneak in and search for him. Meeting you was entirely unexpected.

Qin Shaozong wasn’t surprised she had a child.

Women could marry as early as fifteen upon their coming-of-age ceremony. To boost population growth, the court had issued decrees encouraging childbirth and reducing taxes, one of which stipulated: unmarried women aged fifteen to thirty would be taxed five times the usual poll tax.

Thus, daughters from ordinary families typically married young. Influenced by societal norms, even noblewomen delayed marriage by only a year or two at most.

I know you are of exalted status and am grateful for your regard. Though fine clothes and lavish meals are tempting, as a mother, my son is dearer to me than my own heart. From the moment I decided to bear him, I vowed to cherish and raise him well. How could I bear to let him wander and suffer outside? In my desperation to find him today, I dared to use your name as a shield. The subsequent turmoil in the estate was unforeseen. I am terrified and deeply ashamed for betraying your favor, which is why I couldn’t bring myself to return.

Dai Li’s initial intention to feign hardship was genuine, but as she spoke, memories of her missing son, whose body had never been found, brought genuine tears to her eyes.

As for your accusation of stubborn resistance, that is mistaken. Dai Li naturally refused to admit it: At the time, I was utterly exhausted, half-conscious and half-asleep, and with the darkness and howling wind, I didn’t recognize you upon waking. I thought you were the villain from my dreams who had taken my son and now sought to abduct me. I beg your forgiveness.

Pausing, she flattered him: For you to overlook my faults and still hold me in high regard—I could not be more delighted. How could I push you away? After all, your noble bearing alone marks you as someone of imperial lineage.

This explanation neatly attributed his earlier remark—Will you come out on your own, or shall I drag you out?—to her drowsy state, claiming she hadn’t heard it. As for her struggles, she insisted it was due to poor visibility and failure to recognize him.

In short, what happened then was then, and now was now. Now she recognized Mount Tai—his true stature—and those past events no longer counted.

Finished, Dai Li heard him chuckle softly, uncertain whether he believed her or not. She pressed her lips together secretly, resolved to administer a stronger dose of persuasion.

Dai Li no longer wore the initial panic on her face. Her red lips curved slightly as the hand braced against the man’s chest slid downward along his black robe, her fingertips tracing a subtle yet unmistakably tantalizing arc. This humble woman knows little of politics and is unaware of Your Excellency’s precise status, but I have heard that even Lord Jiang follows your lead. You must be a figure of utmost importance. Finding a child would surely be a trivial matter for you. Might Your Excellency grant this small favor?

Her fair, slender fingers hooked onto the man’s waistband, brushing against the animal-faced buckle. Just as she intended to remove it, a rough, large hand abruptly seized hers.

He forced his way into her palm, enveloping her hand and wantonly kneading the soft skin—from the faintly pink fingertips to the bone above her elbow, leaving no inch untouched, even rubbing between her fingers repeatedly.

Qin Shaozong chuckled, Finding a child is no trouble. When the Golden Crow emerges at dawn tomorrow, I will send someone to handle it.

A fire seemed to blaze along her arm, sending shivers down Dai Li’s spine. Suppressing the urge to withdraw her right hand, she raised her left to gently hook around the man’s neck. My son is named Qin Yanzhou, standing five chi and seven cun tall. Half a month ago, a Taoist advised me to cut his hair short, so he should be easily recognizable.

A flicker of contemplation passed through Qin Shaozong’s eyes. The surname Qin?

Dai Li’s heart skipped a beat.

The surname Qin was not particularly unusual—it was, after all, among the hundred common surnames. But she knew that in certain eras, a surname could become dominant, firmly controlling a region. For instance, the Sun clan of Jiangzuo produced three heroes; the Lü clan of Luoyang yielded four officials over three generations…

Could it be that Qin was coincidentally a prominent surname in this era?

What was your husband’s name? he suddenly changed the subject.

Dai Li inwardly confirmed that Qin was indeed a major surname. In that moment, countless thoughts surfaced but vanished as quickly as burst bubbles.

No, it was impossible to fabricate anything.

She currently knew neither the region nor the era she was in, completely in the dark about her surroundings. Inventing a prestigious family out of thin air would be like grasping at the moon’s reflection—it would dissipate at the slightest probe.

As if guilty, Dai Li averted her gaze. H-he was merely an unknown commoner. Even if I told you, Your Excellency would not recognize him. Since a night of spring is worth a fortune in gold, why don’t we retire early? That way, this humble woman may see her son sooner tomorrow.

She applied slight pressure with her left hand around Qin Shaozong’s neck, signaling him to lean down.

Qin Shaozong’s expression was inscrutable, revealing nothing of his thoughts. Suddenly, he let out a soft laugh. Well said—’a night of spring is worth a fortune in gold.’ As you wish, madam, let us embrace the spring night early.

His long arm, previously wrapped around her waist, withdrew only to slip between her upper garment and skirt.

Despite her mental preparation, Dai Li couldn’t help stiffening at this moment. What touched her skin felt not like a hand, but scalding sandpaper—rough and unbearably hot. With just a slight glide, it seemed to sear away a layer of flesh.

This blazing fire clung to her waistline, snaking upward like a serpent. Dai Li’s eyelashes trembled faintly, her thin eyelids flushing a delicate pink, like peach blossoms against snow.

The shadow looming above finally descended, engulfing her completely like a towering mountain. The distance between them vanished entirely, and no one could be more acutely aware than she was in that moment how ready he was, like an arrow poised on the bowstring.

Dai Li’s breath hitched slightly, as if she could smell the mingled scents of gunpowder and desert winds. The scorching air currents passed through her eardrums, landing on the tips and lobes of her ears, leaving faint crimson marks and tremors before slowly descending lower.

However…

Hmm? Qin Shaozong propped himself up. He was particularly intrigued by the small object he had just touched, which felt similar to iron.

The candlelight in the room flickered brightly. The woman on the bed had a loosely tied waistband, her deep robe unfastened to reveal an equally disheveled inner garment. Beneath the inner garment lay a dazzling expanse of lush curves.

Like pristine snow covering towering cliffs, it was astonishingly exquisite.

Unlike ordinary women, she wasn’t wearing a waist wrap.

No, that wasn’t quite right.

Qin Shaozong caught a glimpse of a faint, smoky purple corner peeking out from beneath her inner garment.

When he let out that questioning sound, Dai Li froze momentarily. At first, she couldn’t pinpoint what had gone wrong to disrupt her plan—until Qin Shaozong flipped her over.

The already loose deep robe and inner garment were pulled open further by the man. Her ink-black hair cascaded like water over the woman’s fair back, a scene of enchanting grace and natural allure.

Qin Shaozong brushed aside her silky long hair, revealing a rather peculiar undergarment.

Most women’s waist wraps nowadays had ties at the back, fastened with one or two knots at the back or waist. But this waist wrap had no ties. It clung smoothly to the woman’s back like an uncut piece of fabric, though upon closer inspection, one could discern hidden intricacies in its midsection.

Lying prone on the bed, Dai Li clearly felt the movement of that large hand—from skin-to-skin contact to the barrier of the undergarment, followed by a soft snap.

Her bra clasp had come undone.

Back when she changed clothes in the West Garden, Dai Li had considered replacing everything from the inside out but ultimately decided against it.

For one, undergarments weren’t as conspicuous as skirts or robes—who would see them? For another, she wasn’t accustomed to, nor did she wish to wear, someone else’s intimate apparel.

But plans could never keep up with changes. She hadn’t expected him to search the residence for her, nor had she anticipated failing to evade him.

In modern times, bra hooks were made of iron—iron was commonplace, scrap metal worth only a couple of coins per pound. But in an era of cold weapons, iron was equivalent to weaponry, the most indispensable force for overthrowing regimes. Even during the Han Dynasty, which saw significant leaps in iron smelting technology, iron remained precious. Commoners might have iron plows or hoes as farm tools, but not necessarily iron pots.

And now, this valuable material had appeared in a woman’s intimate undergarment.

Dai Li remembered the hooks were the same color as her bra, so they shouldn’t appear metallic from the outside. She prayed he wouldn’t recognize them.

Iron-made? Qin Shaozong pressed down on them.

Dai Li: …

Where did you buy this waist wrap, madam? he asked.

Dai Li hugged her chest and slowly turned over. From a merchant from the Western Regions, she drawled. That traveling merchant claimed this undergarment was special and swore that only he sold it, ensuring it wouldn’t clash with other women’s styles. I found it novel, so I bought one.

As she spoke, she reached to hook her arms around his neck. Your Excellency, pay no mind to such trivialities. Seizing the moment is what truly matters now. I dearly hope to see my son early tomorrow.

Qin Shaozong didn’t stop her from turning over, seemingly having instantly forgotten about the iron-buckled clasp. He lowered his head following her movement, Rest assured, as long as your son is within this residence, even if he’s hidden in the master’s private vault, I can bring him back.

I naturally trust in your capabilities, Dai Li said softly. With their faces no longer facing each other, she finally allowed the strange expression on her face to show unrestrained.

The familiar scorching heat surged once more, flowing downward from her neck. While mentally counting the time, Dai Li’s hand also ventured downward. Her fingertips first touched his waist—the man still wore his black robe, and even through the outer garments, she could feel the firm, robust muscles beneath, radiating intense heat.

Dai Li paused briefly before undoing his belt.

The belt of this era was quite similar to modern waistbands, complete with a hook and ring. Just as his belt came loose, seeing the timing was right, Dai Li sharply twisted her left ankle.

Your Excellency, I’m feeling unwell… it seems my Monthly Blood is coming, Dai Li said, her hands returning to press against his chest as she pushed him away.

Qin Shaozong’s face instantly darkened. He scrutinized the woman beneath him with suspicion, only to find her biting her red lips, face pale, with what appeared to be faint cold sweat on her forehead.

Expressions could be feigned, but the body’s reactions couldn’t lie.

With a pained expression, Dai Li timidly asked, Will you still send someone to help me find my son tomorrow?

The woman on the bed wore only a crooked undergarment on her upper body, nearly completely undressed. Resting on her cascading black hair, her fair skin tinged with delicate pink bore scattered red marks, like ripe peaches exuding moisture.

A vein throbbed at Qin Shaozong’s temple. The arm gripping her waist showed prominent veins, as if he was restraining something with great effort. He took a deep breath and exhaled heavily before finally straightening up and fastening his half-undone belt. I keep my word.

With those words, he left the fragrant chamber without looking back.

Only when the tall figure completely disappeared did Dai Li hear the sound of a heavy weight lifting from her heart.

She had succeeded!

Indeed, men in ancient times all considered Monthly Blood unclean and avoided it, hence the prohibitions against menstruating women entering temples or touching sacrificial offerings.

Just as she had thought, such powerful men in high positions were extremely proud. No matter how urgent his desires, he would disdain to verify the truth about her Monthly Blood.

She would use her period to avoid him for a few days while leveraging his help to search the residence once more, then find an opportunity to leave this place…

Author’s note:

In this battle of wits between two parties, Dai Li temporarily holds the upper hand.