THE FIELDS WERE MUDDY after the rain. Dewdrops glimmered, and the scent of fresh grass lingered on the breeze. At a teahouse just off the main road, the noon sun shone down on two men and two horses.
There was only one worker at the teahouse. He hurried over to greet them, helping both men tie their horses to the hitching post before bringing fodder and water.
"Such a small place, but you have everything," Pei Jingzhe said in surprise. "Is business here good?"
The man, who served as the shopkeeper, waiter, and cook all in one, laughed. "You flatter me. I live in that small village right by the main road. It's less than a mile round trip. It's neither time for the spring sowing nor the autumn harvest, so I do a little business here to make things easier on passing travelers."
His remark was directed at Pei Jingzhe, but his eyes darted toward the man beside him. Seeming to sense his gaze, Feng Xiao lifted his head to look at him.
The man looked a bit embarrassed at being caught out. "My lord, forgive me for staring; you're very handsome—I've never seen anyone as elegant as you. I couldn't help but take a few more glances."
"You're quite good-looking yourself," said Feng Xiao. "Though you're nowhere near as handsome as me."
The man scratched his head. "My mother always said I was the best-looking one in our village."
Feng Xiao smiled. "Did your mother ever tell you you're actually a cross-dressing woman?"
The man was taken aback. Then he burst out laughing. "My lord jests. I'm a man through and through."
Feng Xiao looked him over. "The village you mentioned lost most of its able-bodied men to war," he said slowly. "The remaining inhabitants are the elderly, infants too young to speak, and women. Yet you are both young and strong. If you're not a cross-dressing woman, what are you?"
Pei Jingzhe had just raised the teacup to his lips when he heard this. He suddenly felt that the cup was scorching hot and yearned to fling it away.
The man noticed Pei Jingzhe's movements and laughed again.
"What are you laughing at?" Pei Jingzhe asked.
The man grinned. "I'm laughing at how pathetic Deputy Chief Feng's subordinates are! Look at you. How on earth did the Jiejian Bureau manage to eradicate so many experts from the Thirteen Floors of Yunhai? It's truly unfathomable."
Pei Jingzhe leapt up and glared at the man. If Feng Xiao hadn't said anything, he would have attacked. But—
"You're not his match," Feng Xiao said.
The man smiled again. "As expected, Deputy Chief Feng is most astute."
"Who are you?!" cried Pei Jingzhe.
"Who he is isn't important," said Feng Xiao. "Your question should be 'why is he here?'"
The man nodded. "Then why don't you tell me, Deputy Chief Feng—why am I here?"
"You know my name," said Feng Xiao. "So you've been waiting for me specifically. But I have no idea what you want so badly that you'd set up a roadside shelter in the rain just to meet me."
"I want your sect leader's seal," said the man.
His appearance wasn't particularly striking—in contrast to Feng Xiao's jade-like complexion, his skin was tanned by the sun. But as he spoke those calm and unremarkable words, an invisible pressure rolled toward them. Pei Jingzhe found his knees buckling and had to grab the table for support in order not to embarrass himself. Shit.
As the saying went, those with good intentions didn't show up uninvited. Pei Jingzhe fretted silently. If his real lord were here, he would have nothing to worry about. But right now…
If something could go wrong, it would. Pei Jingzhe's unease was instantly vindicated when the man narrowed his eyes at Feng Xiao.
"You're not Feng Xiao."
Feng Xiao fanned himself, unperturbed. "Why do you say so?"
The man glanced at Pei Jingzhe. "Just now, his expression was panicked. He's afraid I'll attack. Besides, the real Feng Xiao would have recognized me by now."
Feng Xiao smiled. "Miao Wenxin, it's true I'm not your match. But if you harm me, you'll find yourself even further from what you want—the Fajing Sect leader's seal."
His identity exposed, the man snorted. "You know who I am. But who are you?!"
Miao Wenxin had never been able to keep his temper in check. If he had, he wouldn't have lost the position of Fajing Sect leader. When he saw that the fake Feng Xiao was unwilling to answer his question, fury surged in him. He struck out with his palm.
In recent years, Miao Wenxin had become infamous in the jianghu for massacring entire families. People quaked in fear upon hearing his name. He spent some of his time in the south and traveled in Goguryeo at others. The Central Plains were currently divided, but even if they had been unified, someone as powerful as Miao Wenxin would have been difficult to capture.
An ominous feeling rose in Pei Jingzhe. He, too, had heard this man's name. He felt the crushing wind of Miao Wenxin's palm sweeping toward them like a raging storm of ice and frost and swiftly countered, thrusting his sword at Miao Wenxin's face.
To his surprise, Miao Wenxin abandoned his attack on Feng Xiao and turned to target him instead.
Pei Jingzhe fell back at once. Within seconds, the two were fighting furiously on the main road beside the teahouse.
After all the trouble they'd had with the Thirteen Floors of Yunhai, Pei Jingzhe had begun to feel increasingly inadequate, both physically and mentally. He feared his shortcomings would hold the Jiejian Bureau back. Determined to improve himself, he became more diligent in his training. But success on the path of martial arts depended on three things: talent, effort, and experience. Despite his efforts, Pei Jingzhe lacked any extraordinary aptitude, and his lack of experience amplified his struggles. How could he possibly catch up in such a short period of time? The longer he fought, the more panicked he became. No more than twenty moves later, Miao Wenxin struck his acupoint and landed a heavy blow on his chest. Pei Jingzhe crashed to the ground.
"Trash!" Miao Wenxin sneered at them. "The two of you dare pose as members of the Fajing Sect with your paltry capabilities?"
He approached Feng Xiao, his steps deliberate.
Feng Xiao sighed. "Are you not curious, Miao Wenxin? I might not be the real Feng Xiao, but I know everything about you and the Fajing Sect. I even know what you came here for."
Of course the fake Feng Xiao wasn't a match for Miao Wenxin—because he was Cui Buqu in disguise. The chief of the Zuoyue Bureau didn't know a lick of martial arts. Forget about a palm strike—even a flick of Miao Wenxin's finger would leave him gravely injured. But such was Chief Cui's power: Even in this scenario, a single sentence from him stopped Miao Wenxin in his tracks.
"Hand over the sect leader's seal and I might spare your life," he said.
Cui Buqu smiled. "The seal isn't with me, but I know where it is."
Miao Wenxin moved like lightning. He sealed Cui Buqu's acupoints and grabbed his shoulder. "Take me to it."
***
And where was the true Deputy Chief Feng at this moment?
He was handling a case. More specifically, he was wearing Cui Buqu's face as he played weiqi and discussed philosophy with a woman from Silla. The woman was no ordinary commoner, but rather Commandery Princess Bogyeong, the daughter of the nation's king.
Fragrant incense curled through the air as the princess chatted and laughed. No matter how one looked at it, Feng Xiao seemed here to enjoy himself rather than investigate. Standing beside them, Qiao Xian could see that Feng Xiao's hand was practically on top of Princess Bogyeong's delicate fingers. He pulled Cui Buqu's face into a lecherous grin. Qiao Xian's eye twitched.
"What's wrong with your guard?" asked Princess Bogyeong sweetly. "Does he want you to leave?"
"Please pay him no mind. He's unwell; he was born with a condition that makes him twitch from time to time. But he's loyal, so I kept him around. If you find him off-putting, I'll send him away."
You're the one who's unwell! thought Qiao Xian. She wiped all expression from her face and stared straight ahead.
The tale of how she had ended up here with Feng Xiao, disguised as a man, was a long one. Silla was one of a trio of kingdoms in the northern peninsula, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, that had maintained a delicate balance of power for years. Goguryeo had been bent on invading the Central Plains for just as long. They'd tried several times, using methods both covert and overt, and their royal house had even established the Buyeo Sect, which had served the Thirteen Floors of Yunhai to oppose the Central Plains.
The Thirteen Floors of Yunhai had collapsed with the death of Xiao Lü, but remnant forces remained hidden in the dark, plotting their revival. And although Goguryeo and Silla were mortal enemies, Princess Bogyeong happened to have deep ties to the fallen Buyeo Sect.
Feng Xiao had learned from Cui Buqu that Princess Bogyeong had a reputation for promiscuity and a fondness for beautiful men. Years ago, a martial arts manual belonging to the Hehuan Sect had fallen into her hands. The book detailed parasitic cultivation techniques, and she'd taken to them like a fish to water. As if this wasn't enough on its own, the king of Silla spoiled her rotten, and thus the princess did whatever she pleased in her home country.
But her arrogance was only one aspect of her character. According to reports obtained by the Zuoyue Bureau, she maintained clandestine communications with both the Thirteen Floors and the Göktürks. She even had a complex built in Silla, Mangseong Pavilion, where she kept a number of handsome young men. Ostensibly this was for her own amusement, but in truth, it was a facility for training assassins used to eliminate the crown prince of Silla's enemies. Her Mangseong Pavilion had also collaborated with the Thirteen Floors to stir up trouble in the Central Plains.
Feng Xiao's own sect, the Fajing Sect, had once had a member by the name of Miao Wenxin. He had been the martial brother of the previous sect leader, Guang Lingsan. Yet at some point they turned on each other, and Miao Wenxin had renounced the sect and disappeared. Rumor said he'd gone to Silla, where he'd grown close to Princess Bogyeong and—perhaps—become a trusted confidant.
Cui Buqu had recently been ordered to look into several murder cases involving court officials. After a thorough investigation, all leads pointed to this Miao Wenxin. The case now not only had the attention of the Zuoyue and Jiejian Bureaus, it also involved Feng Xiao's sect. Naturally both Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu had taken a special interest.
As for why the two were disguised as each other, the first reason was that, while Princess Bogyeong had a taste for handsome men, she disdained those like Feng Xiao, who overshadowed her brilliance. She much preferred a man like Cui Buqu, the fair and handsome Daoist scholar. The colder and more aloof a man was, the more he hewed to her taste, and so Cui Buqu was the most suitable choice.
The second reason was that Princess Bogyeong was surrounded by experts. She herself was a decent martial artist, while also being sly and unpredictable. Although Cui Buqu was clever, he'd be easy prey in an ambush. Feng Xiao had thought it safest if he handled the case himself.
As for the third reason, before they'd set out, they'd finally received news of Miao Wenxin's whereabouts. Cui Buqu had taken men in pursuit, leaving Feng Xiao on his own. He'd had no choice but to be the one to confront Princess Bogyeong whether he wished to or not.
The princess's true interest wasn't in the game. They'd barely started playing when she fluttered her lashes at Feng Xiao. "Zhou-langjun, you said you're an old acquaintance of Miao Wenxin. Why have I never heard Miao-lang mention you?"
She merely brushed Feng Xiao's fingertips, yet the touch was seductive and lingering, like she was unfastening his garments instead. Even the most experienced of men would find themselves helpless before such charms. Sure enough, Feng Xiao's gaze flickered, and he took on a dazed look, as if entranced. A moment later, he seemed to master himself and bring his focus back to the match.
Princess Bogyeong was secretly delighted. She loved men, but what she truly enjoyed wasn't the pleasures of the flesh. It was watching exceptional men grovel at her feet. The prouder and more aloof a man was, the more she relished the challenge. And Feng Xiao was, without a doubt, the finest specimen she'd encountered in some years.
"I'm not surprised he didn't mention me. When he fled our sect, he stole one of our manuals—he's too ashamed to bring up his martial siblings. But he was good to me while we were both in the sect, and we still share some sentimental attachment. The sect recently got word that he was in the Central Plains and issued an order to kill him. I heard the princess was acquainted with him, so I came to pass along a warning."
"Hm?" Princess Bogyeong's soft hum was sweet enough to melt men's bones. "So you came for him, and not for me."
She raised a slender finger, rosy at the end where it'd been dipped in the juice of balsam flowers, and lightly poked Feng Xiao's forehead. "Scoundrel!"
"But after meeting the princess…" Feng Xiao sighed softly. Princess Bogyeong raised her lovely eyes to look at him. He finished, "I thought it a pity."
"What's a pity?"
"The princess is so lovely and charming, while Miao Wenxin's looks and conduct are the opposite. Yet you took such an interest in him. Isn't that a pity?"
He did his best imitation of Cui Buqu's cold and arrogant countenance and biting tone. As expected, Princess Bogyeong was momentarily overwhelmed. Then she giggled sweetly. "Miao Wenxin isn't as bad as you say—but compared to you, he's as a spark to the bright moon. A vast chasm lies between you." She threw down her weiqi piece and pouted. "I don't want to play anymore. Let's do something more exhilarating."
Her fingers trailed up Feng Xiao's wrist and arm, separated from his skin by a single layer of fabric. Her gaze on him was ravenous, as if she wished to devour him whole. She cast a glance at Qiao Xian and giggled. "Your guard is quite handsome himself. If he insists on staying, why not let him join in on the fun?"
Feng Xiao hooked a finger beneath her chin. "What kind of fun?"
"Whatever you like," said the princess. "I'll follow your lead. However, I have one condition. You must bring the real owner of your face to me. I've no interest in a low-quality counterfeit."
Before Qiao Xian could react, the two maids who'd been standing like wooden puppets behind the princess were lunging toward her. Qiao Xian had surrendered her sword upon entering, yet even unarmed, she held her ground against her two opponents.
Princess Bogyeong had no interest in the fight. Her eyes remained fixed on Feng Xiao. "Every move you make, every frown and smile, is beyond what the average person can replicate. You must be quite handsome yourself. Let me see your real face, then we can discuss your motives for approaching me under the guise of Miao-lang's sectmate."
Feng Xiao smiled. "I've long heard of the princess's beauty. When the opportunity to see you arose, I couldn't help but be curious."
"And now that you've seen me, what do you think?"
"You're nothing special."
The princess's smile turned cold. "I dare you to say that again."
"I said you're ordinary—no different from the mediocre masses. And your laugh resembles the clucking of a hen! If I didn't think you had information on the remnants of the Thirteen Floors, my venerable self would never waste my precious face and time on you. Now that everything's out in the open, it certainly makes things easier. Come, I'll let you choose: Will it be the Zuoyue Bureau or the Jiejian Bureau?"
"The gentleman has no manners. You dare speak to me this way in my own territory?!" Princess Bogyeong sneered. "Go on then, but first tell me—can you move anything right now besides your mouth?"
Feng Xiao found it was true: He was frozen in place. "What did you do to me?"
The princess's beautiful lip curled. "The weiqi pieces. From the moment you touched them, you were poisoned by a secret drug from Silla. Without the antidote, your flesh and bones will grow increasingly stiff until you die as rigid as a wooden puppet. You can become one of the dolls in my collection; won't that be nice?"
She stroked Feng Xiao's face, ghosting her fingers over his chin. "Where does the mask start? I can't find the seam. Whoever disguised you must be remarkably skilled."
Feng Xiao smiled. "The artist is fighting your subordinates right now. Could you please remove your fingers—you're so ugly I'll need to take several baths now that you've touched me."
Princess Bogyeong felt a sudden sharp pain in her chest. She flew backward and crashed heavily to the floor.
The two maids were stunned. Before they could rush to their mistress, Feng Xiao flashed in front of them.
They were decent martial artists who could hold their own against Qiao Xian, but before Feng Xiao, they were little better than clay chickens. Neither of them could land even a single blow.
Princess Bogyeong clutched her chest on the ground, coughing up blood. Her eyes were wide with disbelief. "How did you—"
Feng Xiao shook his head. "I did wonder why Xiao Lü never valued you. With your skills, why couldn't you secure a position within the Thirteen Floors yourself? Turns out you were simply too stupid. If you can use poison, why can't I?"
Princess Bogyeong coughed up more blood in rage, her eyes bulging.
Feng Xiao turned to Qiao Xian. "Your lord spent so long coddling you, yet you're completely useless in his time of need. If he were here today instead of me, wouldn't this woman have devoured you both?"
Qiao Xian internally rolled her eyes. How do you know this wasn't all part of our lord's plan? He knows you're good at dealing with this type of woman. He just gave you a chance to show off.
Feng Xiao ignored her silent censure. He dusted himself off and sauntered toward the exit. Before leaving, he tossed instructions over his shoulder. "Summon some people and clean this up properly. Princess Bogyeong has many capable subordinates; don't mess up something this easy."
"What about you?" Qiao Xian called after him.
"Me? Naturally, I'm going to play the hero who saves the beauty."
He disappeared through the door without looking back.
***
Somehow, Feng-er hadn't expected that following the hints Cui Buqu left him would lead not to the rescue of a beauty, but instead to this bizarre scene: Miao Wenxin, tied to a tree, screaming a torrent of filthy words. Even Feng Xiao frowned at the racket.
The beauty he sought was reading in the shade of the tree, as if Miao Wenxin didn't exist.
Feng Xiao hadn't anticipated that Cui Buqu would confront Miao Wenxin so quickly. Miao Wenxin was a skilled martial artist. Even two of Pei Jingzhe shouldn't have been enough to defeat him, let alone the sickly Cui Buqu. Despite acting separately, it seemed they'd each met with similarly unforeseen events. For example, Feng Xiao hadn't foreseen that Princess Bogyeong would be even uglier than he imagined…
But he digressed.
Feng Xiao looked more closely at Miao Wenxin and found that what he had assumed to be ropes binding him to the tree were in truth zither strings that cut into his flesh. "Who was here? Guang Lingsan?" he asked suspiciously. "Don't tell me you were colluding with him the entire time?"
Cui Buqu looked up from his book. "What do you mean colluding? I should have expected your dog mouth to put it that way."
Feng-er snorted and plucked up a stone. He threw it at Miao Wenxin's mute acupoint, cutting off his stream of profanity.
"He was willing to see you but doesn't have the guts to meet with me?"
"I suspect he wanted to spare himself the sight of a peacock strutting about."
The last words came out around a cough. One was followed by several more, until he was forced to set aside his book and clutch his chest.
Feng Xiao looked at Cui Buqu with disdain. He knelt and pulled him into his arms, channeling internal energy into him to soothe his breathing.
"Why didn't he take Miao Wenxin with him?" he said when he was done.
"Leaving him with the Zuoyue Bureau has its uses. We can extract valuable information about the Buyeo Sect and the remnants of the Thirteen Floors from him; he knows we won't miss any clues." Cui Buqu coughed twice more and added, "Guang Lingsan has been tracking Miao Wenxin's whereabouts for some time. He was the one who came to me and shared this lead in the first place."
"But you didn't tell me." Dissatisfaction colored Feng Xiao's tone.
Cui Buqu's lips curved, ever so slightly. "That was at his request as well. I'm impartial in this; I can't go back on my word. He has his own reasons for not wanting to see you."
Feng Xiao sneered. "He's just afraid I'll return the Fajing Sect to him!"
Cui Buqu doubled over again, his coughs growing louder. Feng Xiao fell silent. He began channeling internal energy to Cui Buqu in even greater quantities.
The essence of the Jade of Heaven Lake had improved Cui Buqu's health significantly, but he'd never be truly well. His ailments were chronic, a result of ill health at birth exacerbated by torment suffered in his childhood. From time to time, some malady or other was guaranteed to flare up and trouble him.
It was a long time before his coughing gradually eased.
Miao Wenxin, gagged and bound to the tree, felt he was about to suffocate.
He'd spent the first half of his life prideful and defiant, the second half drifting aimlessly. After leaving the Fajing Sect, he'd thought a wider world with grander opportunities awaited him. Yet after years of collaborating with the Buyeo Sect and conspiring with Princess Bogyeong, he seemed to be going in circles, unable to earn any of the recognition he felt he deserved. The Fajing Sect was the most elusive of the three demonic sects, their forces hidden deep within the imperial court—yet even after casting them aside, Miao Wenxin had wasted so many years and achieved nothing. He was more miserable now than ever. Of course he was dissatisfied.
That resentment yearned for release. But when Guang Lingsan had captured him, he'd said nothing. He'd simply tied him to this tree and drifted away. Even the pair in front of him—
These two…
Miao Wenxin watched as the Feng-Cui pair whispered in each other's ears, their cheeks brushing. They were ignoring him completely, as if he was a tree trunk or a stone. It was infuriating!
Anger roiled in Miao Wenxin's chest. He wanted to howl at the sky and drown them both in his spittle. But even when he choked on his own blood in rage, neither of them turned to look at him.
How he hated them! If the heavens would only grant him another chance, if he could return to the time when he'd still been in the Fajing Sect—
Darkness clouded his vision, and he knew no more.
"This guy is too annoying. I can't enjoy myself at all if I have to look at him!" Feng Xiao complained, hoisting Cui Buqu up in his arms. "I'll send Pei Jingzhe to deal with the mess."
Cui Buqu rolled his eyes.
Pei Jingzhe, feeding mosquitoes a distance away, felt an inexplicable shiver go up his spine.