Chapter 94: Volume 1, Chapter 94: This Deal Isn't a Loss

"Brother Dai, what is it you wanted to ask?" Rong Luoge had no idea what Dai Qi was going to ask, and was already figuring out how to bluff her way through. If he asked about Hu Dachuan, how would she know any of that?

"Brother Xiao Rong, everyone says the chief manager's mistress is in the capital. Have you seen her?" Dai Qi asked with a lecherous grin.

Rong Luoge was startled by this news. Hu Dachuan had a mistress in the capital?

"Brother Dai, who told you that? I haven't seen her. Is it true or false — such a thing actually happened?" Rong Luoge was certain that He Huai and the others had been watching these people closely, and had never seen Hu Dachuan secretly meeting with any lover.

Dai Qi saw that Brother Xiao Rong looked genuinely shocked and didn't seem to be lying, so he said slyly, "Of course it's true. I heard the two of them couldn't be together back then. His lover couldn't enter the Hu family's doors, so in a fit of rage she followed Hu Dachuan when he went trading and settled down in the capital, never to return to Qiongchuan. Chief Manager Hu insisted on coming in person this time precisely to see his sweetheart."

A strange thought arose in Rong Luoge's mind. She looked at Dai Qi and asked tentatively, "Brother Dai, when you say 'back then,' how many years ago was that? The chief manager is devoted indeed, still thinking of her after all these years?"

"That must be over ten years ago. I'm not too clear on the details — I hadn't joined the caravan yet, I heard it from others." Dai Qi clicked his tongue. "Devoted indeed. Over ten years — no matter how pretty a young lady was, she'd have lost her looks by now. What's there to pine over?"

Over ten years ago... Di Yue Nu became the Protector Duke's kept woman over ten years ago. The timing matched.

Could Hu Dachuan actually be Di Yue Nu's lover?

If true, this news was truly hard to believe.

But thinking it over, if the two really did have that kind of relationship, then Hu Dachuan running around on Di Yue Nu's behalf would make sense.

Rong Luoge truly hadn't expected such twists in this matter. Her eyes darted, and she said to Dai Qi, "Brother Dai is really impressive, knowing all these things."

"That's nothing. I know plenty of things. You're still too young — you've got a lot to learn."

"Brother Dai is right. Then you'll have to teach me well. I'm being targeted at every turn over at the chief manager's side — is there any way I could come over to the second manager's side? That way I could be with Brother Dai every day," Rong Luoge asked tentatively.

Dai Qi shook his head gently upon hearing this. "That won't be easy. The chief manager and our second manager don't get along well. If you want to come over, aren't you afraid the second manager will think you're a spy?"

Rong Luoge's probing had indeed confirmed that the two managers' relationship wasn't good. She felt a sense of relief, and an idea gradually formed in her mind.

"Then I'll just endure it for now, day by day," Rong Luoge said, putting on a disappointed look.

Dai Qi couldn't bear to see him so downcast. He'd taken his fair share of benefits from the lad, so after a moment's thought he said, "Don't be anxious. It won't work for now, but once we get back to Qiongchuan I'll think of something for you."

"Really?" Rong Luoge broke into a delighted smile. "Brother Dai, thank you so much. Aside from my old mother, you're the best to me. From now on I'll treat you like my own elder brother."

Dai Qi chuckled. "That'd be great. Came out on this trip and gained a younger brother — this deal isn't a loss."

Rong Luoge kept chatting with Dai Qi, indirectly fishing for all kinds of information. But why had there been no activity from the valley side for so long? Had Han Xinglan's people not discovered this place, or did they not plan to make a move today?

If that were the case, she'd have to figure out a way to slip out first.

Now that she knew the location of this place, making a move later would be much easier. The important thing was to get the news out first.

"Brother, it's getting dark. Why hasn't anyone come to deliver food yet?" Rong Luoge asked, lightly clutching her stomach.

"You're hungry? You're built like a skinny monkey, truly can't go without food. It's not time for the food delivery yet — another half a shichen to go," Dai Qi said.

Rong Luoge put on a miserable face. "I really can't go without food. Today I was patrolling the mountain and getting into fights — I can't stand this hunger. Brother, let me go out and see if I can find something to eat, all right?"

"Fine, go ahead, don't wander around." Dai Qi couldn't bear to watch him go hungry. He pointed toward a distant spot where smoke was rising. "The kitchen is over that way. Be smart about it — go buy something to eat, they won't give you trouble."

Rong Luoge was overjoyed. "Thanks, Brother Dai. I'll bring something back for you too."

Dai Qi waved his hand. "Get lost."

Once Rong Luoge stepped outside, the fawning smile vanished from her face. She gathered her clothes and headed toward the kitchen. The smoking spot was quite far from here — it would take the time of one stick of incense to walk there, which was perfect for scouting the route along the way.

There were patrols in the valley, but seeing her clothes and recognizing her as someone from within the valley, no one checked her. She made it most of the way smoothly. Just as she was about to reach the kitchen, she suddenly saw a group of people pouring in through the valley entrance, and she had a bad premonition.

Rong Luoge remembered that the corpse she'd stripped of clothes earlier hadn't been buried yet. Had it been discovered?

Not sure if it was true, her eyes swept around, and she immediately quickened her pace toward the kitchen area. But instead of entering the kitchen, she looked toward the woodshed, pulled open the door, and went into the firewood storage. Through the window, she watched for activity outside.

Sure enough, before long, a search began within the valley.

The Ding quarters where she'd been had only Dai Qi. With her gone, if those people were searching for someone, they'd definitely suspect her.

By now the sky had already darkened. Rong Luoge saw that the kitchen area was brightly lit — if they went over there and asked Dai Qi, he'd surely come to the kitchen.

She couldn't wait any longer.

Rong Luoge selected dry, flammable firewood from the woodshed and piled it against the door. Then she rummaged through a box in the corner and, sure enough, found a fire starter. She lit it and tossed it directly onto the firewood.

The firewood was dry and with flammable material to ignite it, the woodshed went up in flames at once. Rong Luoge climbed out the window and hid in the shadows. In an instant the fire was spotted — someone immediately shouted to put it out, and the entire kitchen area descended into chaos.

Under cover of darkness, Rong Luoge mingled with the people rushing to fight the fire, grabbed a wooden bucket, and ran along with everyone. Halfway there, she ducked into the kitchen. Sure enough, the kitchen was completely empty — everyone had gone to fight the fire.

Rong Luoge kicked over the kitchen stove and splashed oil from jars everywhere. The fire blazed up instantly, and the entire kitchen was engulfed in roaring flames, with crackling sounds like firecrackers going off from time to time.

The sky-wide blaze seemed to set the entire valley alight. Rong Luoge had already scouted the terrain earlier, and she quietly slipped out among the crowd fighting the fire.

Just as she was about to reach the valley entrance, someone came hurrying toward her leading a squad of men, blocking her right there.