The night was as dark as ink, the flickering candlelight casting a dim glow. Given the distance, Mo Lian couldn't quite make out the face of the person kneeling there.
From what he could vaguely discern, the person seemed familiar, but it wasn't clear enough.
The latter seemed to sense his gaze and quickly lowered their head.
Mo Lian frowned, then quickly averted his eyes, following Shen Yimin to find Consort Rong.
...
After leaving Chongzhou with great fanfare, Li Yue Shu and her companions disguised themselves and vanished.
They had brought few people with them, and if they were followed by someone with ulterior motives, it would inevitably cause trouble.
Focused on their journey, they arrived in Fengzhou in no time.
Beyond Fengzhou lay the territory of the Qingyan Kingdom.
Having traveled for so long, they decided to rest in Fengzhou for a day before continuing their journey the next.
As a border town between two countries, Fengzhou was the most prone to a mixed population. Yet, its residents lived in a state of peace and prosperity.
Li Yue Shu and her companions found a decent inn, booked their rooms, and then went out to a restaurant for a meal.
It was dinnertime, and the restaurant was bustling with people coming and going.
Just as Li Yue Shu's and her companions' dishes were served, several men in official uniforms entered through the doorway.
Fengzhou was the garrison of the Zhenbei Army, so seeing soldiers was not unusual. However, many people instinctively looked over, especially at the man walking at the forefront.
He exuded a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine. The official uniform he wore had subtle differences from the others, suggesting he was the leader of this group.
However, what was even more striking was his empty left arm.
"Captain Xie is here!" the waiter immediately approached. "The usual today?"
The one-armed man nodded, his expression decidedly cold, and directly took a seat at an empty table in the hall.
That table happened to be right next to Li Yue Shu and her companions, and the one-armed man's seat placed him directly opposite Li Yue Shu.
The moment their eyes met, Li Yue Shu calmly shifted her gaze, eating the food Qin Mo Yuan served her, as if completely oblivious to the other person.
On the other hand, the one-armed man frowned, looking at Li Yue Shu, a hint of confusion appearing in his eyes.
Li Yue Shu remained unfazed. Qin Mo Yuan, however, looked up, his gaze sweeping over the man icily.
The one-armed man's body stiffened. He felt an overwhelming presence from this man.
He must be mistaken. This woman only bore a slight resemblance.
Besides, the man beside that woman last time was exceptionally powerful and would never stoop to serving a woman food.
The one-armed man withdrew his gaze and began conversing with his companions, though his eyes would occasionally drift back.
Li Yue Shu showed no reaction throughout, appearing completely unaware.
After they finished eating and left, Hong Dai was the first to speak. "Xiao Yue Shu, do you know that one-armed man from earlier?"
The blatant scrutiny was so obvious that even she noticed it. Xiao Yue Shu couldn't possibly have felt nothing.
Yet, she had shown no reaction, clearly recognizing him but choosing not to alert him.
Li Yue Shu nodded. "He is Xie Qi Zhi."
Hong Dai looked bewildered. "Who is Xie Qi Zhi?"
"He was the former leader of the bandits on Qingyong Mountain," Qin Mo Yuan said, his lips thinly pressed together.
He hadn't initially recognized the man until he saw his severed left arm.
Hong Dai was aware of the Qingyong Mountain incident and knew that Xie Qi Zhi was a subordinate of the former Crown Prince, Qin Cheng Jin. She hadn't expected him to appear in Fengzhou.
"Did he recognize you just now?"
Li Yue Shu thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Probably not. If he had, he would likely be following us discreetly by now."
For convenience, she and Qin Mo Yuan had applied subtle disguises, retaining some of their original facial features. This was why Xie Qi Zhi had found her familiar and kept staring.
Qin Mo Yuan, on the other hand, had used Shen Wei's face at Qingyong Mountain, which was completely different from his current appearance, so Xie Qi Zhi naturally didn't recognize him.
Seeing Li Yue Shu's furrowed brow, Qin Mo Yuan asked, "What is A Shu worrying about?"
"It's not worry, just curiosity," Li Yue Shu said after a moment of silence. "Xie Qi Zhi was Qin Cheng Jin's right-hand man. His presence in Fengzhou must have a purpose."
Li Yue Shu looked up at Qin Mo Yuan. "His official uniform seemed unusual. How can a man with a severed arm join the army?"
Qin Mo Yuan, who commanded his own army, naturally recognized Xie Qi Zhi's uniform. "There is no explicit regulation in the military forbidding the disabled from enlisting."
He had fought Xie Qi Zhi at Qingyong Mountain and knew the man's capabilities.
Even with only one arm, fighting on the battlefield wouldn't be difficult.
"Judging by the insignia on his shoulder, he is indeed a captain, and his uniform belongs to the Zhenbei Army," Qin Mo Yuan said with a slight frown. "Since he is Qin Cheng Jin's man, his purpose in joining the Zhenbei Army must be significant."
Their voices were low, but Hong Dai, standing nearby, could hear them.
"Leave this to me," she said directly. "Ming Yue Tower has an outpost in Fengzhou as well. I'll send a message to have them investigate."
Li Yue Shu had the same intention.
...
With Qin Mo Yuan's help, Ming Yue Tower had developed rapidly. The information about Xie Qi Zhi arrived the very next morning.
"This Xie Qi Zhi is quite capable," Hong Dai remarked as she handed the message from Ming Yue Tower to Li Yue Shu.
Li Yue Shu opened the letter with curiosity and immediately understood why Hong Dai had said that.
Because of his severed arm, Xie Qi Zhi had been rejected when he first tried to enlist, even drawing mockery.
However, he immediately signed a military pledge and wagered five hundred taels of silver, stating that if he didn't become a captain within three months, he would present his head.
Although the Chen Nan Kingdom and the Qingyan Kingdom hadn't engaged in direct conflict in recent years, there were numerous minor skirmishes at the border, providing ample opportunities for military merit.
Xie Qi Zhi's tone had been arrogant at the time, and he happened to encounter General Gu Lianghong of the Zhenbei Army, who was visiting the camp. Gu Lianghong thus gave him an exceptional chance.
Upon joining the Zhenbei Army, Xie Qi Zhi indeed climbed to the rank of captain in less than three months.
Xie Qi Zhi had been in Fengzhou for nearly half a year. Despite his gloomy demeanor, he was well-liked among the Zhenbei Army, and his conduct seemed unremarkable.
The only notable detail was that he had saved the life of the prefectural secretary and had become sworn brothers with him.
Li Yue Shu frowned, asking, "Is there anything special about this prefectural secretary?"
Given Xie Qi Zhi's actions on Qingyong Mountain, she didn't believe he would save someone without a reason.
Hong Dai shook her head. "This prefectural secretary has been in his position for over ten years, with nothing particularly special about him. If you want to know his background, I'll have Ming Yue Tower investigate immediately."
At this, Qin Mo Yuan, who was beside them, suddenly spoke. "This prefectural secretary used to be Qin Ye Cheng's man, but he is now Qin Ye Xiu's man."
Upon hearing this, both Hong Dai and Li Yue Shu looked astonished.
Qin Ye Xiu and Qin Ye Cheng were fierce rivals. If this prefectural secretary was formerly Qin Ye Cheng's man, would Qin Ye Xiu dare to employ him?
Sensing their confusion, Qin Mo Yuan explained, "A Shu, do you remember the Li Mansion in Tongmu County that caused you trouble because of Shen Can?"
Li Yue Shu nodded.
This was a question Hong Dai had also asked her before.