RONG QING STOPPED his frantic search and whipped his head around to meet Yang Yun's gaze. Yang Yun's eyes were serene, as if he'd anticipated this result—or as if the paintings and message had all been Rong Qing's hallucination in the first place.
In an instant, Rong Qing understood everything.
Huang Lüe had indeed been the creator of the three paintings. He had likely provided them clues in hopes of saving his own skin. But the enemy had discovered him. They'd thus lured Cui Buqu and his guards away and set a trap for Rong Qing. Yang Yun sent Rong Qing a letter pretending to be Huang Lüe, knowing he was sure to come. After all, Huang Lüe was the pivot on which this whole case turned. Rong Qing couldn't ignore the temptation of such an important potential lead.
The moment Rong Qing arrived, the trap had snapped shut. Huang Lüe had been silenced, and Rong Qing was caught red-handed in his study in the middle of the night.
Distantly, Rong Qing heard Yang Yun questioning the servant in blue. "Did you let the censor in?"
The servant lowered his head, his face concealed in shadow. "Yes. Censor Rong said he had something important to discuss with the magistrate. After asking the magistrate for his instructions, this humble servant invited Censor Rong inside."
"What did they talk about?" asked Yang Yun.
"I don't know," said the servant. "I was ordered to keep watch outside the door—but I heard the two of them argue, and the yelling grew louder and louder. The magistrate shouted, 'I'm an official of the imperial court; it's my duty to uphold the imperial court's laws! I won't let you do as you please!' I heard the inkstone being knocked over and the tables and chairs being overturned. When I saw things were getting out of hand, I called for help. I got the door open as quickly as I could, only to find…"
His voice trembled, as if he'd really heard everything he described. Rong Qing laughed bitterly, not bothering to refute him. No matter what he said, Huang Lüe's death was firmly pinned on him. This was a script, written and finalized long before tonight. It didn't matter whether Rong Qing was there or not; the play would go on regardless.
Yang Yun acted like he hadn't heard Rong Qing's laugh, and the other officials did the same. "What did you find?"
Rong Qing glanced at Li Yan, who hadn't once lifted his head to look at him. Why had he thought the deputy magistrate an honest man? This entire time, the only one he could have won over was Huang Lüe. Now Huang Lüe was dead, and he had taken his secrets with him.
"This humble servant found County Magistrate Huang on the ground; Censor Rong was standing over him with a dagger in his hand. When he saw I'd opened the door, he lunged toward me. I was terrified—I fled as fast as my feet would carry me, then locked the windows and doors before calling for help. Afterward, your lordships received the news…"
The servant in blue was clear and methodical as he recited his tale. One day he'd make a shrewd and capable subordinate. Had Rong Qing not been the target of his accusations, he would have hired the man himself.
At this point, Rong Qing felt that producing his last piece of evidence—the secret letter—would be a useless exercise. Even so, he clung to his last glimmer of hope as he drew the letter from his lapels and placed it on the table. "This is a letter from Huang Lüe. He sent me three paintings, warning me that the imperial grain in Guangqian County had been embezzled by the local officials. Not a mouthful of this grain made it to the refugees. The conspirators not only misappropriated the resources of the court, they let the people starve. To quell potential unrest and stop the court from investigating, they resolved to finish what they started—they massacred a large group of refugees outside the city. I've uncovered several corpses beneath the tree in the city's outskirts. Yang Yun, how do you explain this?"
Yang Yun opened the letter and examined it with a critical eye. "Censor Rong, I do want to believe you. However, I must say that I've seen County Magistrate Huang's handwriting before. This letter wasn't penned by him."
Rong Qing wasn't at all surprised to hear this. If Yang Yun had known Huang Lüe sent the three paintings and deliberately sent a fake letter to lure his prey to the county office, everything made sense.
As for the illustration at the end of the letter—the trees and mountains in Huang Lüe's style—the murderer had likely forced Huang Lüe to paint it before killing him in order put Rong Qing's doubts to rest.
Rong Qing was forced to admit that, up against the sly old fox Yang Yun and the iron fortress that was Guangqian County, he had fallen face-first into the mud and bloodied his nose. "Are you satisfied, Yang Yun? When I first arrived, you were like an old and experienced hunter. You waited silently for your prey to leap into the trap of its own accord."
"Censor Rong, do you hear yourself? I can't understand a word you're saying." Yang Yun sighed, and a faint look of pity crept over his face. "Corpses? Li Yan, Wu Yi, do you have any idea what he's talking about?"
At this, Li Yan finally took a step forward and cupped his hands politely. "The corpses he refers to must be from the refugees who died of disease. To stop the spread of infection, the magistrate ordered that they all be buried together. The flood was at its worst then, and the matter was urgent; I fear the job was done hastily."
"I see." Yang Yun nodded and looked at Rong Qing. "But Censor Rong, why on earth would you kill County Magistrate Huang?"
Rong Qing roared with laughter. "You tell me! Why did I kill Huang Lüe?"
Yang Yun watched him impassively. "Huang Lüe is dead, and only you know why. You may be an imperial envoy, but even you must be held accountable for the unlawful killing of an official. If you cannot provide a valid reason for your actions, I will be forced to detain you until the imperial edict arrives, at which point the appropriate punishment will be meted out."
"Indeed, it seems one can be condemned on any pretext at all!" Rong Qing pointed at Yang Yun and said harshly, "Do you dare return to the capital with me, where we can have this debate in front of the emperor?!"
Yang Yun shook his head. "You are an imperial censor, yet you knowingly broke the law and killed the county magistrate. Still you refuse to repent. Seize him!"
He raised his hand, and constables swarmed forward, flanking Rong Qing and restraining him.
"Let me go! I'm an imperial censor! You dare defy your superior?!"
Rong Qing couldn't go down without a fight. If they captured him, it was only a matter of time before he passed away in custody under dubious circumstances. The emperor might even find a report on his desk, detailing his crimes and stamped with his own seal. Perhaps other censors would come later to exonerate him—but Rong Qing was human, and had only this one life. By then, it would be too late.
He struggled desperately, yelling and cursing, hoping to sway the constables. But he was quickly disappointed. They obeyed Yang Yun without question and remained utterly unmoved by anything Rong Qing said.
Li Yan, Wu Yi, and the others also turned a deaf ear to his protests, acting as if he wasn't there at all.
"Let me go! Let me go!" No matter how hard Rong Qing dug his heels into the ground, he was slowly dragged toward the door. Was he really going to fail here and die without achieving anything? Facing his own sorry end, Rong Qing's disappointment turned into despair. Anger and grief howled within him.
At that moment, a voice both familiar and strange rang out from beyond the door: "Who dares lay their hands on an imperial censor?"
It was as if the voice of heaven itself had boomed down from the clouds. Rong Qing whipped his head around with such force he feared he'd broken his own neck. But he barely noticed the pain as he stared out of the room.
The others had also turned toward the sound, their faces blank with surprise. Who would dare vouch for the murderer, Censor Rong?
A figure appeared in the doorway. He strode toward the crowd with a cold solemnity, his cloak fluttering in his wake. He appeared sickly and alone, yet it was as though he commanded an army at his back. The petty officials were visibly intimidated and instinctively shrank back to clear a path for him.
"Cui-xiansheng!" Overcome, Rong Qing almost burst into tears on the spot. He'd never felt more grateful, more reverent, toward Cui Buqu than he did at this moment. In Rong Qing's eyes, Cui Buqu's figure had become a towering colossus.
Looking up at his virtue like a mountain, we walk the bright road in admiration.
Unfortunately, the others didn't share the sentiment. County Lieutenant Wu Yi had been frantically looking for a chance to show off before the commandery governor. Seeing Cui Buqu, he stepped up to the threshold to bar his way. "Where did you come from, you rebel? Get—"
"I am Cui Buqu." Cui Buqu spoke over him before he could finish. He pulled out a wooden token and tossed it at Yang Yun.
Yang Yun dodged, and the token hit Li Yan on the calf. Li Yan grimaced in pain. He lifted a foot to step on that accursed token, but Cui Buqu's next words stopped him in his tracks.
"The chief of the Zuoyue Bureau has authority equal to the Six Ministers and the prerogative to act first and report later." Cui Buqu looked around, the picture of arrogant impatience. "In short, I outrank Yang Yun. Understand?"
Li Yan and Wu Yi looked at each other. The lieutenant was first to speak. "I know of the imperial court's Three Departments and Six Ministries. But I've never heard of any Zuoyue Bureau."
Cui Buqu sneered. "It doesn't matter if you've heard of us, as long as Yang Yun has. Yang Yun, as the commandery governor and a relative of the royal family, do you dare claim you've no knowledge of the Zuoyue Bureau?"
"Aren't you Cui-xiansheng, Censor Rong's aide?" asked Yang Yun after a moment. "When did you become the chief of the Zuoyue Bureau? Rong Qing is willing to murder officials of the court. How do I know you're who you say you are?"
"You haven't shown your face once since we arrived," said Cui Buqu. "How did you know I was Rong Qing's aide? Could it be that Commandery Governor Yang was in fact apprised of everything, but preferred to wait in the shadows for his prey to stumble into the net?"
This man was as difficult to deal with as the rumors said.
It would be a mistake to engage him in a verbal debate, Yang Yun thought. His face remained as placid as still water, the aura of his office as mighty as a mountain. He remained unmoved. "No matter what you say, Rong Qing is Huang Lüe's murder—"
"He is a suspect," Cui Buqu interrupted again. "As long as the Three Judicial Offices have yet to determine his guilt, Rong Qing cannot be called the murderer. I've reported this matter to the emperor already; we can expect a reply soon. Until then, Governor Yang may not restrict or detain the censor for any reason."
Yang Yun's lip curled. "What a coincidence. Before coming here, I also sent a memorial to the emperor, informing him of the absurd actions Rong Qing has taken here under the guise of his work as a censor. Slandering his colleagues, interfering with relief efforts, deliberately inciting unrest with his lies, and a dozen other crimes!"
Rong Qing couldn't contain his fury. "You—you're full of shit!"
Yang Yun didn't so much as glance at him; his eyes remained pinned on Cui Buqu.
"Huang Lüe lost his life thanks to the censor's foolishness. As a representative of the people of Guangqian, I cannot sit idly by. Before orders come from above, Rong Qing must be detained. Nobles and officials are subject to the same laws as the people. If later investigation exonerates him, I will ask His Majesty for punishment myself."
But Cui Buqu refused to compromise. "I've already summoned the nearest Zuoyue guards here; they'll arrive any moment. His Majesty himself asked me to accompany Censor Rong, so I will handle this matter myself. You need not trouble yourself, Commandery Governor Yang."
Yang Yun narrowed his eyes. Even the dimmest of fools could see the shape of the confrontation unfolding in this room. Neither side would give an inch. Officials of all ranks watched, their faces alternately blank and full of awe. They remained dead silent, not daring to interfere.
Though Rong Qing was an imperial censor, he was new to his position, and both impulsive and irritable. By himself, he was nothing to worry about. But his fall had drawn out the true deity standing behind him. As the saying went, "In a confrontation between gods, mortals will suffer." No one wished to be caught in the crossfire. Better to wait for one god to emerge victorious before picking a side.
"Three days," Yang Yun said finally. "I will give you three days. If they pass without word from the court, I will arrest Rong Qing and bring him in for questioning. You and I can each make our cases to His Majesty!"
Cui Buqu gave him a hard look. "Very well."
Yang Yun laughed and cupped his hands. "Cui-xiansheng came here in disguise. I apologize for the poor hospitality."
"Ignorance is not a crime," Cui Buqu said coolly. "Commandery Governor Yang needn't be so courteous. Please prepare to have County Magistrate Huang buried properly. I will send someone to investigate the cause of death later."
"Naturally," said Yang Yun. "This is a strange and confusing matter. We must bring the truth to light."
As the two old foxes maintained their too-polite back-and-forth, the tense atmosphere gradually dissipated. Everyone let out a sigh of relief.
Rong Qing's suspended heart had also temporarily settled in his chest. When Cui Buqu mentioned Huang Lüe's body, he started to speak, but swallowed back the words. If Cui Buqu could have heard his thoughts, he'd certainly have agreed that Rong Qing had finally grown a little wiser.
Yang Yun didn't stay long. He and his people departed swiftly, leaving Cui Buqu and Rong Qing alone in the quiet relay station.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Rong Qing turned to say something when he saw Cui Buqu hack up a mouthful of blood, instantly dyeing the front of his robes red.
"Cui-xiansheng!"
Stunned, Rong Qing almost tripped over himself rushing to support Cui Buqu, taking on most of his weight to keep him from collapsing. Only then did he realize the power Cui Buqu projected a moment ago had been an act.
One could hardly blame the censor. Cui Buqu's presence had intimidated even Yang Yun. Had the governor known Cui Buqu was struggling just to stand, forget the three-day grace—he'd have struck while the iron was hot and thrown them both in prison immediately.
There was no need for Cui Buqu to speak. A cold glance was enough to remind Rong Qing of what he'd done wrong. He didn't dare waste his breath justifying himself and confessed everything, his words tumbling out in heap. "I was wrong, Cui-xiansheng! I didn't listen to your advice and acted on my own! That's how I got into this mess. I promise I won't act recklessly ever again. I'll do whatever you say!" Rong Qing swore sincerely, then gritted his teeth. "Yang Yun must be the one behind everything. Huang Lüe died on his orders as well!"
If Cui Buqu had the energy, he'd have slapped Rong Qing on the head at least a dozen times by now. But he was too weak even to berate him; he had to hoard his strength for more important things. "We were attacked at Qixia Villa. Qiao Xian and Guan Shanhai are both seriously injured. I only escaped because they held the enemy back."
Rong Qing's eyes widened in horror. "So Yang Yun really has been watching our every move. Could there be someone around us…"
Cui Buqu shook his head and spoke quietly: "Our top priority is to rescue Qiao Xian and Guan Shanhai as soon as possible. I left them in a cave with no medicine or water. The enemy might find them at any time."
"I'll go with your lordship, and we'll take Xiao-Liu with us. He's very strong; he can help!" Rong Qing nodded to himself, and then asked doubtfully, "You cowed Yang Yun, so why not ask for Huang Lüe's body as well? They're sure to tamper with the evidence."
"We're in their territory. Certainly I could order them not to touch the corpse, but that wouldn't stop them. They'll erase all traces of their involvement and leave no evidence. Give up hope of finding anything on the body."
Rong Qing was silent a moment. "You were lying to Yang Yun about the memorial and summoning the guard, weren't you?"
Cui Buqu closed his eyes and nodded. "It was the only way to deter him. Any time we can buy is valuable."
They'd already lost the initiative in this game of chess. Their opponent seemed able to predict their every move, hemming them in at every turn and eliminating any possibility of escape. Cui Buqu was certain he'd seen murderous intent in Yang Yun's eyes. If not for Yang Yun's fear that Zuoyue guards really were awaiting orders outside Guangqian County, he would have already taken action.
Traps and enemies surrounded them on all sides. Yet with every move he made, Cui Buqu had a strange feeling of impotency, like punching cotton. This might not be the most difficult dilemma he'd encountered, but of all his enemies, this one certainly knew him best.
Cui Buqu had Xiao-Liu assist him in applying medicine and changing his clothes. It was only when he shrugged off his outer robe that Rong Qing realized Cui Buqu had been stabbed in the chest. Fortunately it was only a flesh wound—there was no internal damage. But it had bled quite a bit, and needed tending with salve and gauze.
After a hasty bandaging job, Cui Buqu left with Rong Qing. They carefully dodged several pursuers before they at last emerged from the city, then ran northward.
To prevent the enemy from finding Qiao Xian and Guan Shanhai's hiding spot, Cui Buqu had taken advantage of the terrain to secure the area around the cave with a small array. Anyone who entered this part of the forest would become lost, unable to find the cave or leave the trees.
Yet the moment he entered the woods, he frowned. Rong Qing immediately noticed something amiss. "What's wrong?"
"The array's been changed."
"Someone was here before us!" Rong Qing cried.
Regardless of what awaited them ahead, Cui Buqu had to go on—Guan Shanhai and Qiao Xian might still be waiting for him in the cave. Internal injuries could be treated with meditation, but external injuries healed slowly without medicine. And without water or food, Guan Shanhai and Qiao Xian would quickly weaken.
Even Rong Qing understood what was at stake here. After his shocked exclamation, he quietly followed Cui Buqu.
The fog in the forest was thick; even the bright morning light failed to penetrate it completely. Only the heavens knew why the fog would be so dense at this time of year. A gust of mountain air blew toward them, throwing sand into their faces. Rong Qing squinted and rubbed at his eyes. The motion took him only a second, yet when he opened them again, Cui Buqu and Xiao-Liu were gone.
Elsewhere in the mist, the laughter of young maidens echoed in Cui Buqu's ears.
The voices seemed to waver, first close then far away, like a feather tickling his heart. It was enough to make anyone's imagination run wild. They kept up a constant murmur, yet seemed to be saying nothing at all.
Cui Buqu stilled himself and listened.
Shing—
It was neither the ringing of gong nor a chime, but a sound like someone running a blade along a bell, drawing out a long and lingering note, impossibly shrill. Cui Buqu trembled slightly. The sound drilled into his head like an awl. Pain came instantly, but it was too late to cover his ears; he could only endure as his vision went dark. His chest felt like it was being squeezed, and he longed to vomit blood.
A pair of hands covered his ears.
With their warmth came a protective barrier of internal energy, keeping the zither's assault at bay. From behind, a familiar presence enveloped him.