NATURALLY, Feng Xiao did no such thing. Instead, he provoked Cui Buqu further. "Push me away if you can."
Cui Buqu was using all his strength just to breathe, completely dependent on Feng Xiao's internal energy to relieve his suffering. Even if he had the wherewithal to push him off, he couldn't very well bite the hand that was feeding him.
Having been given an inch, Deputy Chief Feng took his mile. He pulled Cui Buqu into his arms and buried his face in the crook of his neck, the heat of his breath leaving a searing trail from the corner of Cui Buqu's eye to behind his ear.
Feng Xiao was a fastidious person himself and applied an even harsher standard to others. Rarely did he allow anyone so close to him. Even his maids were required to wash their hands thrice just to help him change. Yet he found the astringent fragrance of medicine on Cui Buqu uniquely alluring, both pleasant and distinct. He didn't hesitate to gather that delicate, bony frame to himself, leaving his mark on the pale and icy skin.
Feng Xiao felt that he was unwell—profoundly unwell. What was more frightening was that he didn't want a cure.
"Giving me those three ice-fungus pills was as useless as casting a stone into the sea. If my mind failed to recover, or if the qi deviation destroyed my body entirely, I wouldn't just be unable to return your kindness. The Jiejian Bureau might accuse you of aggravating my injuries. Cui Buqu, you've never been one to engage in losing ventures; your calculations are always flawless. Don't tell me this didn't occur to you."
He didn't expect Cui Buqu to give him an honest answer, but he obstinately asked anyway.
Their eyes met.
In Cui Buqu's eyes, Feng Xiao saw feebleness, pain, and exhaustion. His was a broken body riddled with unending illness. His fragile shell couldn't withstand a palm strike at half strength, and a mere gust of wind or fall of rain would leave him bedridden for weeks. It was a body always on death's door; any physician, upon examining it, would come to the same conclusion: Cui Buqu wasn't long for this world.
Yet the owner of that body had somehow lived to this day.
Very few understood how resilient that crumbling wood was, but Feng Xiao did. If Cui Buqu had been able to practice martial arts, his achievements might surpass even Feng Xiao's. Their world teemed with regrets and what-ifs; in the end, much came down to fate. Yet fate was something Cui Buqu put no stock in. He'd dragged his broken body this far with a will firmer and more unyielding than anything.
"You did a favor for someone who might not be able to return it, even at risk to your own life. That's not like you."
Cui Buqu closed his eyes. The soft redness at the corners grew more pronounced. Like a dab of rouge, it added a touch of allure; the color transformed his face from wan to vivid.
Feng Xiao was quite pleased with himself.
"Aren't you awake now?" Cui Buqu replied hoarsely.
"But what if I didn't wake up?" Dissatisfied, Feng Xiao continued to press him.
Cui Buqu's body was cold. Only by holding him tightly could Feng Xiao extract a bit of warmth. If he wanted to breach Cui Buqu's defenses and glimpse his innermost heart, this was his only chance. Cui Buqu opened his eyes slowly. "If you didn't wake up…the Jiejian Bureau would have a debt to repay."
Feng Xiao was momentarily speechless. "You really won't let anyone else win, even a little," he said, his tone faintly sardonic.
"Every time I look at you, I feel like your high standards are truly justified. A face like yours is a rare find indeed." Cui Buqu sighed.
"Finally you've said something sensible." The frustrated peacock was instantly appeased. He puffed up with pride, ready to spread his vibrant tail.
"It's only such a pity you can speak."
Deputy Chief Feng blinked as Cui Buqu gazed at him earnestly. "A flowering oleander is beautiful adorning its branch; there's no need for it to make a sound."
Feng Xiao's voice rose slightly. "So you were using 'oleander' to insult me?"
Cui Buqu coughed. "Weren't you mentally cursing me as an invalid yourself?"
"Of course not," Feng Xiao said. "I was cursing—"
Their eyes met again. Cui Buqu's gaze was steady, light glimmering within his inky irises.
Feng Xiao caught himself just in time. "I mean—I'm as fresh as the spring breeze, pure as moonlight. Those like myself naturally have a heart free of selfishness and full of sincerity. Unlike you."
Cui Buqu snorted. He didn't have the energy to bicker. Still, their conversation had distracted him from his agony, and his body had warmed a little in Feng Xiao's arms. It wasn't as unbearable as it had been.
Feng Xiao forged ahead—if Cui Buqu refused to give him an answer, he'd come up with one himself. "You gave me the three ice-fungus pills because you were sure I wouldn't die."
That's right. Even if the whole world perished, you'd probably be fine, Cui Buqu thought to himself. Someone as self-obsessed as you would be happy alone as long as you could spend your days as resplendent as a peony. But he didn't show the slightest hint of it on his face—as if Feng Xiao needed another reason to congratulate himself.
"The ice-fungus pills are poisonous," he replied coldly. "I wanted to see if I could manage to kill you while you were ill."
Feng Xiao smiled. "Cui Buqu, I love the way you spout blatant lies with a straight face. You're too adorable."
As if to prove just how much he loved this adorable side of Cui Buqu, he surged forward in another imperious kiss, seizing the chance to indulge himself. He swept the lingering aroma of medicine from Cui Buqu's mouth, marking him both inside and out with his own scent. Only then was he satisfied.
When he felt how still Cui Buqu was beneath him, he said knowingly, "You can't even pretend to resist anymore. You must have been yearning after my beauty for ages but were afraid I'd reject you. Is that why you're playing hard to get?" Without waiting for Cui Buqu to respond, Deputy Chief Feng sighed. "Well, I shall take pity on you. Who made me such a thoughtful and gentle person? I've agreed."
Agreed to what? thought Cui Buqu. Aren't you getting ahead of yourself, Feng-er? But what was there left for Cui Buqu to say? His only reply was a cold laugh.
A knock sounded at the door, and Qin Miaoyu's voice drifted in. "Chief Cui, it's me."
"Come in." His symptoms had passed, and the pain had somewhat abated. His voice was no longer so feeble.
"Chief—" The rest of the words froze on her tongue as she spotted Feng Xiao. She suddenly remembered she was still wearing the face of her superior. The two Feng Xiaos stared at each other, making an absurd picture.
After the battle at the tavern, Qin Miaoyu should have removed her disguise, but Cui Buqu had told her to keep it on. Since Feng Xiao had asked them to heed Cui Buqu's orders before he entered seclusion, she'd happily complied, using the guise of Deputy Chief Feng to intimidate the likes of Wu Yi. Now, in the presence of the man himself, she felt a bit sheepish.
Feng Xiao cocked a brow, and Qin Miaoyu gave him a simpering smile. Despite his frivolous attitude, her superior wasn't an easygoing man. Everyone possessed two faces: If Feng Xiao's first face was flamboyant and narcissistic, his second was ruthless and unforgiving toward those he deemed enemies. Qin Miaoyu had suffered greatly at his hands once already and had no wish to tread that path again.
But with Chief Cui present, her lord would surely spare her—right?
As she thought, Feng Xiao cast her no more than a fleeting glance.
Qin Miaoyu breathed a discreet sigh of relief, then started in on her report: "Chief Cui, Li Geng's eldest son provided us with the location, and we've already searched and found the grain. It's all fresh. The Li family will deny it vehemently, but it must be part of the batch the court sent for the relief efforts. We've also uncovered considerable quantities of grain at a few other households. Our people are still totaling the amounts, but we estimate it makes up around a quarter of that sent by the court. At present, that's all we can find. The rest was sold at high prices to local villagers during the initial shortage; there's no way to recover it."
Cui Buqu nodded. "Tell them to keep the records in good order. Round up a few of Li Geng's sons and some members of the Ding family; we'll have Rong Qing escort them back to the capital."
Qin Miaoyu was puzzled. "What for?"
"I said I wouldn't kill them, but I didn't say I wouldn't interrogate them. The Li and Ding families have amassed enormous wealth working with Yang Yun. Once they reach the capital, they'll do everything in their power to evade responsibility. I'll notify Zhangsun to have them first brought to the Zuoyue Bureau for questioning. These wealthy families have many sons; internal strife must already be brewing within their clans." Cui Buqu smiled coldly. "If we exploit those conflicts, we may uncover a fair number of secrets."
"Yes sir," said Qin Miaoyu respectfully.
Cui Buqu's scheming came as no surprise to her. From the moment she'd met the Zuoyue chief, he'd been someone who always thought three steps ahead. This might have posed no challenge to a healthy man, but considering the state of Cui Buqu's body, wasn't it exhausting to maintain such mental acuity? Several impressions rose in her mind: Mental and physical depletion. A shortened lifespan. A lamp burning the last of its oil.
None of them were particularly auspicious.
Feng Xiao, still sitting beside him, finally spoke. "Qin Miaoyu. I presume you've been carrying out his orders using my face these past few days?"
Qin Miaoyu instinctively glanced at Cui Buqu. He'd closed his eyes and turned his head away, obscuring his expression—his posture indicated he had fallen asleep.
I've been had!
The faint unease that had niggled at Qin Miaoyu for several days reared up in full force.
The day they had addressed the wealthy families, Cui Buqu had told her Feng Xiao was in seclusion, but that he needed to borrow Feng Xiao's authority. Firstly, the Jiejian Bureau's reputation would carry more weight—more people knew their name, so their involvement would stabilize the situation quickly. Second, although she lacked Feng Xiao's absurd strength, these wealthy landlords weren't martial artists either. Feng Xiao's presence alone would suffice to intimidate them.
Qin Miaoyu hadn't thought much of it. She was a spy from the Jiejian Bureau now—no longer did she need to treat her orders with caution. As Feng Xiao had commanded, she obeyed Cui Buqu without hesitation. Perhaps she'd been comfortable too long and forgotten her previous vigilance. Only now did she realize what was amiss.
Outsiders didn't know she was Qin Miaoyu; they would only see her as Feng Xiao. They would think this case was jointly handled by the Zuoyue and Jiejian Bureaus; if they offended anyone, both bureaus would bear the burden.
The Zuoyue Bureau was responsible for cases related to the jianghu. If not for the interference of the Thirteen Floors of Yunhai, they would have no true authority to act here. The defeat of the martial experts at the tavern, Xiao Lü's severe wounds—most of the credit for these lay with the Jiejian Bureau. But no observer would know this; they would only believe the Zuoyue Bureau had done a splendid job.
And what of the Jiejian Bureau? For all their efforts, any blame for offending the families of Guangqian Commandery would fall on them. When Cui Buqu went to claim credit, all he'd have to say was a breezy It was all thanks to the Jiejian Bureau and that would be that.
Feng Xiao sighed and turned to Cui Buqu. "I almost died defeating Xiao Lü; my soul was wandering before the gates of hell. And you still set me up? Cui Buqu, don't you feel the slightest guilt?"
Despite the traces of illness that lined his face, Cui Buqu's expression was serene. He seemed to have sunk into deep slumber, a rare thing for him to come by. He even emitted a few gentle snores.
No matter how Feng Xiao thundered and roared, it was impossible to wake someone so determined to feign sleep.