CUI BUQU AND FENG XIAO sauntered off. The remaining members of the Cui family sat in the hall, silent, for a long time.
Cui-san was mired in guilt. Ultimately, it was his mistake they were all paying for. He said not a word, yearning for everyone to forget he existed. He needn't have worried; Cui Yong had no attention to spare for him. He'd realized that in his rush to reply to Cui Buqu, he'd forgotten to inquire about his alias. He hadn't discovered whether the name Feng Xiao was truly related to the Jiejian Bureau, or if Cui Buqu was simply a fox playing a tiger, using someone else's name to intimidate them.
Cui-da had realized the same thing. "He came here in bad faith. I fear he'll stir up trouble at the literary festival tomorrow. Should we drive them out and prevent them from attending?"
"Father, dage," said Cui Pei. "He is still a member of the Cui family. It's late, and they will have nowhere to go if we turn them out. We should strive for a resolution rather than letting bad blood fester. We must handle this properly."
Cui-da frowned. "Silang, after so many years, how can you be this naive? If it was reconciliation he sought, why come knocking now? He obviously means to embarrass us before the visiting scholars, the local gentry, and the newly appointed commandery governor!"
"We've wronged him!" said Cui Pei, voice rising. "Did you really expect him to come home and thank us for our attentive care in raising him?"
"Were we not generous with him?" Cui-da, too, was growing angry. "In any other family, a bastard like him would have been smothered in the cradle. Who else would have let him grow up!"
Cui Pei's blood roiled in his chest. All the remorse that'd dogged him over the years had come to a head upon seeing Cui Buqu in front of him, and it was this that finally gave him the courage to stand up to his eldest brother. "This is an ugly thing to say, but it's the truth. It's not him who should have been smothered, nor him who damaged the family reputation." He pointed at Cui-san, his hand trembling with rage. "It's San-ge!"
Cui-san leapt to his feet. "Silang, why do you go so far to defend that man? Could it be that you also lusted after her? Maybe that bastard is actually yours—"
Before Cui Pei could punch him, Cui-da had already knocked Cui-san to the floor.
The eldest Cui son was usually a steady man, yet right now, he seemed to be a different person as he called for the servants. "Sanlang has gone mad," he barked. "Gag him and take him away!"
Cui-san thrashed and struggled, but was inexorably dragged off. Cui Yong watched in silence, tacitly supporting his eldest son's decision.
Cui Pei took a deep breath and managed to calm himself. "Father, we can't drive them out now. They might go to the county magistrate in anger, and then everyone will know. It won't be pretty. If he really has some connection to the Jiejian Bureau, and the news reaches the emperor…"
Cui-da interrupted. "The emperor handles countless matters every day. Why would he care about something so trivial? Besides, the emperor himself comes from a wealthy family in Guanlong. All the noble houses are connected, and all of them have had their own scandals. If you ask me, we should drive the pair of them out of Boling before things get any worse!"
"Father!" Cui Pei was furious. "When his mother died, the Cui family exploited the fact that she had no one left. Her reputation suffered, and she wasn't even allowed to be buried with Erlang. That was injustice enough. All her child wants is fairness. Why not invite him here and explain everything frankly, then allow my sister-in-law to be interred in the family cemetery? Perhaps we can pacify the anger he's carried with him all these years. Surely that's a good thing? How will letting the incident blow up, reminding everyone of our shame, benefit the Cui family?!"
Cui Yong watched his two sons argue fiercely, each unable to persuade the other. Finally he raised his hand and gestured for quiet. "Are you certain you can persuade him?" he asked Cui Pei.
After a moment of silence, Cui Pei said, "As a son of the Cui family, he should have ranked fifth. But you raised him as a servant and never entered him into our genealogy. Now he's returned, but Father, have you changed your mind?"
"Letting his mother into the family cemetery is more than generous," Cui-da complained. "If we officially acknowledge him, how do you propose we explain it to the public? What will the younger generation think if they find out? It was scandal enough at the time. Do you think you can dress it up now?"
Cui Pei remained silent, looking at Cui Yong.
***
"Now that you've tipped your hand, they're probably going to throw us out."
Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao had sauntered back to the neighboring garden. News of what had happened was already spreading among the servants, but without orders from their master, they didn't dare stop the pair. At most, they were subjected to a few peculiar glances.
"They won't." Cui Buqu was unruffled. "They'll be arguing themselves in circles. Cui Yong is afraid we'll grow angry and make our grievances public. Before the literary festival is over, he'll try to pacify us and ensure we don't cause trouble. Only after the county magistrate and scholars have left tomorrow will he come to settle the score."
"Lady Yu entrusted you to your fourth uncle, Cui Pei, on her deathbed. Yet he failed to protect you. If he'd done his utmost, you'd have had a much happier childhood."
"He has a conscience, but he was limited in what he could do," Cui Buqu said coolly. "As an illegitimate child, it was impossible for him to stand up to the entire Cui family for my sake. If he hadn't been the only person in the family she could rely on, Lady Yu wouldn't have entrusted me to him. People have to look out for themselves first. I bear him no grudge."
Feng Xiao smiled. "Perhaps I should thank him. If he'd insisted on keeping you with him, my number of worthy rivals would have decreased by one."
He left the rest of the thought unvoiced: And then my days would be far duller.
Cui Buqu caught his meaning nonetheless. He nodded sympathetically. "I understand. I've seen many like Deputy Chief Feng, people like the Prince of Jin and the Thirteen Floors of Yunhai. Children blessed by the heavens with above-average talent and intellect, who've never lacked for anything…"
Feng Xiao hummed and raised his voice in a veiled threat. "Am I only above average when it comes to intellect?"
Unfazed, Cui Buqu continued, "But because their paths are so smooth, their lives are boring. They look for ways to meddle and people to harass. Such behavior can only be described as moronic, as well as tragically masochistic."
"And yet I seem to recall that someone was ordered to arrange an alliance with the Göktürk Khaganate," Feng Xiao retorted, "but after hearing that the envoy from Khotan had been murdered, this man hatched every possible scheme to take the credit for himself. He ended up poisoned by incense of helplessness and almost died, vanquishing the enemy at the cost of crippling himself. Who was that, I wonder? Was he not a masochist?"
Cui Buqu's lips twitched. "Surely it's because I thought Deputy Chief Feng's life was too boring? I took the initiative to deliver myself to your door."
Feng Xiao chuckled. "Now that's what I like to hear! The Cui family will be thinking that if they enter you into the genealogy as a legitimate member of the clan, you'll be so overflowing with gratitude that you'll forget all your past grievances. What foolishness—I admit I pity them. They don't know what Cui Buqu is like at all. How can they think you returned for something so trivial?"
Cui Buqu sighed. There was no pity in his expression, only mockery. "They aren't stupid. They've simply been standing at the top for too long, and so they underestimate others."
The instant he finished speaking, the Zuoyue Bureau chief's elegant demeanor was undermined by a flurry of sneezes.
"Letting yourself get soaked like that with your poor health," Feng Xiao gloated. "At this rate you'll collapse before you serve the Cui family their just deserts."
Cui Buqu sneezed until his nose burned. His voice was muffled. "I'll be fine after a night's rest. But there's a high chance that Cui Pei will come to see me. I must ask Deputy Chief Feng to ward him off if you wish to enjoy the spectacle tomorrow."
Feng Xiao arched a brow. "What happened to your Zuoyue guards?"
"I've assigned both of them elsewhere. They won't be back until tomorrow."
"That can't be right." Feng Xiao stopped in his tracks.
Cui Buqu held his nose in an attempt to relieve the stinging sensation, but it only made his eyes water. "Qiao Xian isn't here, and considering the circumstances, I can't call a doctor. The Cui family would love it if I perished of illness before dawn. I need to go back to my room, take my medicine, and lie down. I must ask Erlang to see to these trivial matters."
Feng Xiao was stunned by his gentle tone, so rarely heard. He met Cui Buqu's hazy eyes, and for a moment no teasing or clever comebacks came to his lips. Combined with that familiar Erlang, Feng Xiao almost suspected Cui Buqu had been possessed, though the Ghost Month was some ways off.
As Feng Xiao stared at Cui Buqu's retreating back, he suddenly remembered something. "Wait."
But Cui Buqu had already sped out of sight, with no sign of his previous stumbling weakness.
So he really was faking most of it, thought Feng Xiao. Had he come here to watch the show, or to be one of Cui Buqu's guards? He rubbed his chin and seriously considered the question.
***
During the fifth month, the pomegranates were abloom.
In fact, pomegranates blossomed throughout the summer. This year's gathering had been dubbed a literary festival on the subject of pomegranate flowers, but the pomegranates were only a temporary addition. Last year, the theme had been Right General Wang's Orchid Pavilion7 instead. Though the subject changed each year, the overall structure remained the same.
The Cui clan's literary festival was renowned throughout Boling Commandery—in fact, throughout the whole of the north. Many participants traveled there each year, all of them hoping for a chance at overnight fame. Some were scholars who'd made a name for themselves elsewhere. In the past, Boling's commandery governors had been known for their love of talented men, and could be expected to attend every year as a distinguished guest. An outstanding performance could earn one the governor's recommendation to become an official themselves. With the change in dynasty, a new commandery governor had been appointed. Still, to express his fellowship with the people, he'd confirmed that he too would attend and partake in the festivities.
The festival was set to take place in one of the Cui family's many gardens, this one bordering an area of the countryside that babbled with streams. Pear blossoms, yet to wither, still clung to the branches, and the ponds of the garden shone pristine as mirrors. Several pomegranate trees had been planted in a gorgeous arrangement. The wooden gate at the entrance had been left slightly ajar, so that anyone could enter and leave as they pleased. Maids came and went carrying fruit and wine, all of them beautifully attired and anointed with fresh fragrance. The scholars came in their billowing, wide-sleeved robes, their hair bound up with jade hairpins and silk ribbons. The whole made for a dazzling sight.
Cui Pei stood at Cui Yong's side, introducing to him the many distinguished guests who'd come to pay their respects. Among them were senior scholars more prestigious than Cui Pei, as well as old friends with whom he'd sometimes recited poetry. Cui Pei's literary talent was such that even if he didn't take first place at the festival today, he was sure to capture the attention of the crowd.
Yet for some reason, he felt uneasy. His eyelids kept twitching, an ill omen.
Cui-dalang had been greeting guests elsewhere, but now found an opportunity to pull Cui Pei aside. "What did he say when you went to see him last night?" he whispered.
Cui Pei gave a strained smile. "He was unwell from being caught in the rain and went to rest. His friend stopped me before I could see him."
"What impudence!" Cui-dalang frowned. "He must be waiting for us to make him an even better offer."
"I don't think he's that kind of person, Dage. If that's what he was after, he would have come back long before this. The Cui family has failed him."
Cui-dalang disagreed. "He has some kind of relationship with the Jiejian Bureau, and he thinks he can use it to threaten us. That's why he's acting so high and mighty; he believes he'll return in glory. Well, whatever trouble he plans to stir up today, we won't let it happen. I've sent men to keep an eye on them, and the moment they say or do anything they shouldn't, we'll have them carted away."
As they spoke, the commandery governor and county magistrate both arrived, surrounded by commandery officials of all ranks. The atmosphere grew livelier still. Cui-dalang hadn't time to say anything more; he stepped up at once to help his father forward as they greeted the officials.
Cui Pei ran his eyes over the crowd, finally locating Cui Buqu within a throng of dark heads. He was neither near nor far, standing under a pear tree beside Feng Xiao with a cheerful smile on his face. He looked just like every other attendee, ready to join the festivities.
The elegance of the pear blossoms heightened Feng Xiao's matchless charm. Even Cui Pei, whose focus was Cui Buqu, found his attention straying to him.
Cui Pei suddenly realized. Cui Buqu had used the false name of "Feng Xiao"—could his friend also be using an alias? Surely a man like that, who exuded the air of a flawless jade, couldn't be a person of such little fame and import.
At the other side of the garden, Cui Yong brimmed with enthusiasm. He greeted the county magistrate and the other important attendees, then stood and bowed to everyone present. After speaking a few words about the original purpose of the festival and expressing his welcome, he said, "This year, we have more attendees than ever before. We are surrounded by distinguished friends and guests. This old man will declare it now: We are certain to produce a legendary masterpiece today. As a gesture of goodwill, I shall bestow a prize upon the most exceptional poet—the antique zither, Yuyin!"