IF CUI BUQU had reacted a little too slowly—or worse, not reacted at all—Yuxiu would surely have seen something wrong with this picture.
But the chief of the Zuoyue Bureau was the chief for a reason. Regardless of what curses he was hurling at Feng Xiao in his mind, the moment Feng Xiao pulled Cui Buqu's hand toward his body, Cui Buqu grabbed Feng Xiao's wrist and pinned it to the wall. His other hand came up to seize Feng Xiao's chin as he pretended to kiss him.
All the hair on Feng Xiao's body stood on end. Not due to Cui Buqu's bold actions, but the touch of his hands.
Cui Buqu had just examined a corpse—he'd even pried open the man's mouth. And afterward, he'd washed only once with soap. He felt as if those corpses were intimately caressing him through Cui Buqu's hand, and discomfort exploded through him.
Yet Cui Buqu seemed to think this still insufficient: he released Feng Xiao's wrist and brought his hand to the small of his back, palm trailing downward.
"That's—more—than—enough." Feng Xiao squeezed each word through gritted teeth.
"You didn't seem to think it was enough last time you tried to screw me over, hm?" Cui Buqu said with a smile.
Feng Xiao mouthed soundlessly, "Yuxiu is a clever man. If anything is off, he'll notice."
"That's why you must bear it," said Cui Buqu. "Don't give yourself away now."
They were pressed skin to skin, breaths mingling and noses brushing. To Yuxiu, it appeared he'd stumbled upon an indecent, thrill-seeking couple chasing pleasure in broad daylight. These deviants had no concept of propriety, neck and neck as they murmured into each other's ears.
It was rare to see such a dissolute woman in the capital. Were people really so open out in these border towns?
Yuxiu frowned slightly at their intertwined figures. Disgust flashed over his face, and he paused in his step. He turned from the alley and left without a backward glance.
Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu quickly made to retreat. Cui Buqu released Feng Xiao and took a couple of steps back. Feng Xiao raised his eyebrows.
Cui Buqu shrugged. "To avoid being shoved first. Remember, Deputy Chief Feng, I'm a scholar without even the strength to truss a chicken. I can't handle you flinging me into the wall the way you did before."
"Enough," snapped Feng Xiao. "Let's follow them, quick."
It was the middle of the day, and there were quite a few people about. But strangely, after Yuxiu and his companion left the mouth of the alley, they deliberately turned onto the road that was most crowded.
Feng Xiao grabbed Cui Buqu around the waist as he walked. To Cui Buqu, it felt as if there was a breeze beneath his feet—like he was gliding forward effortlessly. Though their pace was brisk through the crowd, they never bumped into anyone.
In the distance, they saw Yuxiu and his companion sit down at a roadside noodle stall. People milled about them, and they had no cover. But sitting in the open like this also made it easy for them to notice any suspicious characters approaching and was more convenient for conversation.
"We shouldn't get any closer." Feng Xiao said. He looked for a teahouse, and they entered and took a seat.
They were separated from Yuxiu by three or four stalls. It was a safe enough distance, but even Feng Xiao's excellent hearing couldn't catch what they were saying.
"Are Yuxiu's martial arts superior to yours?" Cui Buqu asked curiously.
"About the same." Feng Xiao pulled out a teacup and set it on the table, then ordered a pot of tea. Yet rather than drinking the tea, he began rinsing the cups: he poured tea into one cup, then rinsed another with it. He poured that tea out, refilled the cup, and started rinsing all over again. After repeating the process five times, he stopped, brows knit in disdain. "Right now, we're aware of Yuxiu, but Yuxiu isn't aware of us. This is an advantage. Before we figure out what he's doing here, we shouldn't let him catch us. Stop staring. A master's senses are sharp; he might notice."
Cui Buqu looked away. "I'm watching their mouths."
"Their mouths?" asked Feng Xiao. He instantly understood. "Lip reading?"
"Mm-hmm."
Feng Xiao would never admit Cui Buqu had managed to surprise him yet again. "Well? What did they say?"
"The other person's back is to me, and there are too many people in the way. I only caught two sentences of what Yuxiu said. The first was: 'Will Duan Qihu attend the banquet.' The second was: 'Do as we discussed.'"
Feng Xiao glanced in Yuxiu's direction and saw he was getting up to leave. The monk was quickly swallowed by the crowd, his destination unknown.
"What do you think?" asked Feng Xiao.
"First," Cui Buqu said, "I'm guessing Yuxiu and Duan Qihu know each other, but Duan Qihu doesn't know Yuxiu is here in Qiemo. Second, their plans will harm Duan Qihu in some way."
Feng Xiao pondered this. "Yuxiu is a mysterious character. How can the Prince of Jin have any connection with a bandit leader thousands of miles away?"
Cui Buqu correctly read this as an offer to exchange information. "The Zuoyue Bureau only knows that he was a disciple of Tiantai Sect in Jiangnan before he started working for the Prince of Jin. It should be impossible to achieve his level of martial arts at such a young age without devoting years to arduous training within his sect. On the other hand, Duan Qihu's activities have always been constrained to the western border; he's never been to Jiangnan. Logically, they shouldn't share any connection."
"One doesn't have to stay within their sect at all times, even if they're training arduously," said Feng Xiao. "Look at me. Someone born with outstanding talent who can achieve what others could merely dream, even at a young age. We exist too, you know."
"Hm?" Cui Buqu patted himself, then ducked his head and looked around, as if he'd dropped something. "Did you see it?"
"See what?"
"My respect for you. Where did it go?"
Feng Xiao was silent.
After drawing a little blood, Cui Buqu mood was buoyant. "Let's not delve into possible grudges between Yuxiu and Duan Qihu. Duan Qihu is surrounded by martial experts, and he himself is by all accounts a first-class master. Never mind sending an accomplice; even if Yuxiu went himself, he might not fell Duan Qihu in a single blow. So how is Yuxiu's ally supposed to get close to him?"
Feng Xiao stroked his chin. "Poison? Honeytrap? No, that can't be right. If it was that easy, Duan Qihu would be dead a few times over by now. There must be many who despise him. If Yuxiu isn't going personally, he needs a suitable opportunity—a time when Duan Qihu's guard is lowered, or when he has no choice but to lower it…"
He looked up at Cui Buqu in realization. The two of them stared at each other before exclaiming in unison, "The birthday banquet!"
At that moment, the man who'd been sitting with Yuxiu stood. He paid the bill, then left in the opposite direction as the monk.
There was no time to discuss. Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao threw down their money and sprang up to tail him.
"How are his martial arts?" Just as before, Feng Xiao half-carried Cui Buqu as they sped through the city. Cui Buqu noted that Feng Xiao kept noticeably closer to their mark this time, less cautious than he'd been with Yuxiu.
"Not bad. But not good enough to discover me," Feng Xiao said.
The other man walked slowly. He seemed to be in no hurry; as they watched, he stopped along the road and purchased two savory pastries and a long skewer of snacks before continuing on his way.
They soon realized the man's destination was an ordinary one. All around were the houses and courtyards of ordinary citizens. He turned to enter a yard with two children playing at the gate. On seeing him, they ran to welcome him with calls of "Daddy!" He handed out the snacks, then scooped a child into each arm, talking and laughing with them as he carried them inside.
***
Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu let the trail end there. They agreed to split up, each going their separate ways to the bases of the Jiejian and Zuoyue Bureaus to look into the man's background. Cui Buqu's men had lived in Qiemo five or six years and knew the city like the back of their hands; they could recite the history of anyone of even minor fame by heart. He merely needed to point them in the right direction and a report would quickly follow.
"My lord, the master of that house is a man named Peng Xiang. He's Xing Mao's third steward."
Cui Buqu's face was impassive as he listened. "Xing Mao seems to have a lot of stewards."
"It's just as you say," the Zuoyue agent agreed. "Xing Mao's family is powerful; the clan has considerable wealth and is successful in business. In addition to his family members, he has three stewards who help manage clan affairs. It's said the head steward is Xing Mao's closest confidant and a man of no little influence himself. Ordinary folk rarely glimpse him. The second steward manages Xing Mao's external affairs, while the third steward is responsible for more trivial matters of the household."
Upon hearing the last words, Cui Buqu started as if he'd realized the answer to some of his questions. "I heard Xing Mao's mother is celebrating her birthday in a few days. Then this third steward must be responsible for the banquet?"
"If nothing's changed, that should be correct."
Now this will be a sight to see, Cui Buqu thought. He bid the man farewell and hurried back to the inn.
Feng Xiao had returned a step ahead of him; when Cui Buqu arrived, he was relaxing in their room, drinking tea and eating snacks. The moment he heard the creak of the door, he smiled. "Looks like you found something."
"What are you so happy about?" Cui Buqu asked, suspicious. "Do you have a grudge against Duan Qihu? Are you so thrilled he's going to die?"
"I have no grudge against Duan Qihu, but it's true someone wants him dead. No, I'm happy because someone has kindly handed me a pillow right as I was about to doze off."
He produced an invitation and pushed it across the table toward Cui Buqu.
Cui Buqu picked it up. His brows shot up in surprise.
"You tell me," said Feng Xiao gleefully. "Should I not be happy?"
Cui Buqu nodded. "It's indeed convenient timing."
His fake identity as nephew of the king of Kucha had been revealed mere hours ago, yet a banquet invitation for Xing Mao's mother's sixtieth birthday had already arrived. Xing Mao was quick on the draw and a skilled diplomat to boot. Small wonder he'd dominated Qiemo for so many years.
Feng Xiao had clearly also discovered the identity of Yuxiu's accomplice. "Xing Mao's third steward is colluding with a counselor of the Prince of Jin, a disciple of the Tiantai Sect. How fascinating! I was wondering how to get my hands on an invitation, but it seems the king of Kucha's influence is not to be underestimated."
"My wife just lost our child, and her body took a severe toll. She should be lying in bed recuperating. Look how the autopsy frayed your nerves. You needn't attend the banquet; I'll take Qiao Xian."
"For my lord's sake, A-Feng would walk through fire and flood. A lost child is a trifle. Who knows what you may encounter at the banquet. How can I be at ease if I'm not by your side?"
In other words: Don't even think about hoarding all the credit for yourself.
Cui Buqu smiled. "You're a married woman. If you can't learn how to be an obedient wife, I'll have to set you aside."
"Even if I haven't given you a child yet, my lord's flesh and blood has lain within my belly. Is your lordship so callous?"
On the surface, they were talking nonsense, but Cui Buqu truly didn't want Feng Xiao to attend the banquet. Feng Xiao, however, insisted—and if Cui Buqu obstructed him, he'd undoubtedly find a way to spoil Cui Buqu's plans.
At the same time, Qiao Xian was on her way over to perform her routine check of Cui Buqu's pulse. She'd just reached the door when she heard Cui Buqu's voice inside: "The only thing you're good for is producing children. Don't think so highly of yourself!"
Qiao Xian stopped short. She stood in the doorway wearing a bewildered expression, wondering what she'd missed.