Feng Xiao's entrance would always be bombastic regardless of any situation.
He didn't climb his way out from a hole like Cui Buqu and Xiao Lu. Therefore, he descends from the air of a sky that seemed to belong to another dimension. Using his face that has seduced a countless number of people throughout the years, his robes bellow behind him as he smiled at both men on the ground.
A person akin to a deity, like ice-cold snow and a tree craved of jade.
Qiao Xian's abilities prove unrivalled when it changes Feng Xiao's looks completely, yet it retains his original charm. Even if the disguise he wears now proves difficult to recognize him, his original charms, elegance, and attractiveness that were not defined by gender remains in his looks.
Even if Cui Buqu is used to watching him, he still couldn't help feeling bedazzled by the sight. Therefore, there is no need for Xiao Lu, who is meeting Feng Xiao for the first time, to feel astounded.
"Is this maiden the one everyone calls by the name of the Orchid Goddess in Jianghu, Yuan Fang?"
"Wait, that is incorrect. Perhaps Yuan Fang is beautiful in a more gently manner, she would not have the authoritative aura you exude." Not awaiting Feng Xiao's reply, Xiao Lu shakes his head and examines Feng Xiao more closely for a moment before saying, "You are a man in guise of a woman, are you not?"
Feng Xiao neither confirms nor denies it. He only says, "My surname is Feng, the Feng that means 'Pheonix'. You can call me Feng-Er. Master Daoist Cui is a man of high standards, he would not befriend ordinary people. Since you are conversing with him like friends of old, I cannot help but think you are a dragon and phoenix among people."
Although on the surface, it seems like Feng Xiao is praising Cui Buqu's high expectations of people, in reality, Feng Xiao is simply roasting him for having unrealistically peak expectations from others. Cui Buqu replies coldly, "Brother Xiao saved my life. He is my saviour. Naturally, I will behave modestly in front of him, otherwise, this man who is speaking to you at this moment right now, Brother Feng, would have long became a wandering ghost."
Feng Xiao replies with a smiling face, "A-Cui, are you sulking about the fact that I did not make it in time? I am terribly sorry. When we return home, I will just let you hit me a few times to vent it all out, how about it?"
Cui Buqu has spent half a day in the stone vault soaked in water. He was damp all over. So once a hustle of wind picks up and blows, he couldn't help sneezing a few times. This made him feel even more unpleasant when he looks at Feng Xiao, who is undeniably clean and untainted by dust.
"This Brother Xiao is known as Sir Song Xue, who learned martial arts through books. His skills are admirable. I fear when it comes to marital arts, he is not below you. The world is vast, yet the two of you could meet. Why not consider a friendly spar between yourselves?"
There is no need for Cui Buqu to explain it, for Feng Xiao could also feel that Xiao Lu's martial arts were not bad at all, so he immediately lashes out with a palm.
"In that case, let me see a few moves from Brother Xiao!"
Xiao Lu's palm connects with his, and both parties feel their insides swell with power, turning their surroundings into a circle of moving energy. Even Cui Buqu is pushed back a few steps.
There is a loud 'ping!' and both of them separate in the air, flying backwards a few spaces in their respective directions before landing lightly atop two tree branches.
Xiao Lu smiles, "Brother Feng's martial art skills surpasses the ordinary. I am not your opponent, how admirable!"
Then he turns towards Cui Buqu, "Lady Mei's parents are still waiting for news of her. Her sect has also sent out a few people looking for her. I should quickly deliver her back, as for the remaining women in this place, I shall leave it to you."
Cui Buqu heeds his word, putting his hands together, he says, "The journey ahead is far, Brother Xiao please take care."
Xiao Lu heaves Lady Mei onto his back, "When there is a chance you can come to the Chen capital, I will serve you some plum blossom wine, a making of my own hands."
As both of them watch him leave, Cui Buqu suddenly remembers someone isn't out yet.
"Where is Bing Xuan?"
Feng Xiao sighs, "After I've chased one off, there is another one. Master Daoist Cui, before these incident, there is Maiden Bing Xuan who is willing to surrender Duan Qigu's treasure stove in exchange for your safety, after that there is Xiao Lu to save you from the midst of danger. Thankfully, you are not a lady, otherwise, wouldn't you have to marry them all?"
"I also feel relieved that you are not a lady, otherwise, I fear with every husband you wed, he will just eventually divorce you. You would be the lady in recorded history with the most divorce counts." Cui Buqu replies smoothly before reaching out his hand, "Give it to me."
Feng Xiao, "What?"
Cui Buqu, "Your robes. Lend them to me."
Feng Xiao replies curiously, "Why should I lend it to you? You want me to take off my clothes under broad daylight, isn't this just using the opportunity to sneak a look at my beauty?"
Cui Buqu says expressionlessly, "If I fell ill here, I would need to lie down for a few days. So when will we ever make it to the Sanmi Mountains? If you do not feel this is urgent, then I don't find it urgent too."
Feng Xiao: "..."
He could only choose to take off his clothes and toss them towards Cui Buqu.
With an additional layer of clothes on him shielding him from the cold wind, only did Cui Buqu's coughs stopped.
"What can be done over there?"
Feng Xiao kicks Duan Qigu's corpse, "Take everything. Qiao Xian and Gao Yi will take care of the aftermath. Did you find anything on him?"
When this is mentioned, Cui Buqu couldn't help feeling angry, "By the time I came out, he is already turned into a human stick by Yan Xuexing, so I could not ask him anything. Now we can only be dependent on Yu Heng."
Feng Xiao mumbles, "Then this is going to be difficult."
Cui Buqu wrinkles his brows, "It simply cannot be that even Yu Heng is dead?"
Feng Xiao, "Of course not. However, because the Yunhai Thirteen Stories's existence are held in such high degree of secrecy, there is definitely some sort of mechanism that forbids them to expose their secrets. Before this, didn't we find out nothing from Duan Qigu? If I am correct, then Yu Heng would also only know the person before himself, which is the Master Ten of the Yunhai Thirteen Stories."
"Actually, this isn't completely in vain." Cui Buqu takes out a letter, "I found this on Duan Qigu."
Once Feng Xiao catches sight of the blood-stained letter, he immediately refuses to take another step forwards.
"Tell me what is written on it."
Cui Buqu says slowly, "I come to view the boundless ocean, from Stony Hill on eastern shore."
Feng Xiao, "Cao Cao's Poem."
Cui Buqu, "But if, alas! the Fates should death decree, My spirit will for ever live with thee."
Feng Xiao yields a strange look, "It doesn't connect to the sentence before it nor the one that comes next. What is this person trying to do, make us guess a riddle?"
Cui Buqu did not pay him any attention, he simply continues, "The third line is, before the disdain of younger days. The forth, from where can I watch the milky way."
Feng Xiao: "...What is this stupid dog butt of a poem that makes no sense at all?
Cui Buqu, "I already found a few leads. Later when we return, we can discuss it, but I still need to beg you for a favour."
Feng Xiao, "When Master Daoist Cui speaks so politely like this, I know that it is nothing good. I refuse."
Cui Buqu sneezes and says, "I am about to pass out."
As his words passes through his lips, his entire person starts falling against Feng Xiao.
Originally, Feng Xiao is about to reach out to hold him by his arms, but once his eyes catch sight of the blood soaking his robes, his hand immediately retreats.
Cui Buqu loses his balance and falls to the ground with a loud 'dong!' and lies flat on it.
Feng Xiao coughs, looking left and right, as if he is looking for a fool to carry Cui Buqu for him.
At this moment, a female voice sounds, "Master Daoist Cui?"
Feng Xiao did not even hesitate to immediately pull Cui Buqu behind his own body, as if to protect him from being devoured by the lady demon.
Said 'lady demon' suddenly shows herself, she is the one what is missing a while ago, Bing Xuan.
She is drenched wet, showing the curves of her body under her clothes, but she moves freely and naturally with no intention of seducing.
"Master Daoist Cui! Is he alright?" Bing Xuan sees Cui Buqu on the ground and lets out a shocked look, as if she wants to move forward to hold him.
"He just fainted from being exposed to the cold. After taking some medicine, he will be alright." Feng Xiao immediately carries Cui Buqu onto his back.
If Cui Buqu is 'kidnapped' by the lady demon, then he can forget about the alliance with Khan Apa.
Although Jin Lian is still present and they could still journey to Western Göktürk safely, but to convince Khan Apa to turn his heart towards the Sui Empire would not be achievable simply with martial arts or bickering mouths. Feng Xiao believes that Cui Buqu holds some news or triumph cards that he himself does not know of yet.
As he thought of this, Feng Xiao sighs and jumps, heaving Cui Buqu higher onto his back into a more comfortable position.
Bing Xuan, "I vaguely know the Arts of Qibo, may I see Master Daoist Cui's condition?"
Feng Xiao, "There is no need. There are physicians who will attend to him when we return."
Even though Feng Xiao cuts off her offer abruptly, Bing Xuan did not feel disappointed. She simply laughs, "Then, it is quite late. I should leave. May I know if Lord Feng has seen which direction Young Master Yan has headed to?"
Feng Xiao simply points in one direction that leads nowhere, "That way."
"Many thanks. Please convey my sincerest apology to Master Daoist Cui, just say that I am on my way to look for Young Master Yan. When we meet again, I shall ask after him." Bing Xuan leaps into the air and left.
Feng Xiao, "Go. Go."
When he sees his imaginary troubles leaving one by one, only did Feng Xiao carries Cui Buqu on his back as he returns.
As he walks, he talks to himself, "Cui Buqu ah, Cui Buqu, look at me snatching you away from the hands of a man-eating demon, and did not mind the smell of blood on your body as I carry you on my back. If you're not awake right now to see this favour I've done for you, then that is completely fine. But once you wake up, I will remind you about this every day, and will definitely figure out a way for you to return it to me!"
...
In the few days Cui Buqu is in a coma, Qiemo was turned upside down.
To speak of it accurately, is that the three pillar of powers that held Qiemo has begun to shake.
Practically everyone, even Gao Yi himself, did not anticipate that the 'weakest pillar' of the three suddenly became the ultimate victor.
Once Duan Qigu dies, the power of the Duan family crumbles like a fallen tree. Xing Mao was captured alive, but since the Xing family has been there for generations, they cannot just kill them all like that, so it was requested of them to go under questioning, before their powers and influences were all confiscated.
No matter what, Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao's respective involvements this time helped the Sui Empire to conquer an entire city is a conquest of commendable level.
Even Feng Xiao himself feels a little surprised. Because that time, when he listened to Cui Buqu's daring plans, his first thought was that this man has gone mad.
However, the truth proves that Cui Buqu did not go mad. Even if he did not know any martial arts and was unable to rush into the premise to assassinate his enemies, nor did he schemed his plans aloft a high tower gathering manpower, yet he manages to not use a single soldier nor an ounce of strength to sow distrust between the Duan and Xing family and trigger them to take a move on each other, while he himself sits behind waiting for the prey to be caught.
But of course, there are other factors to this victory, such as Yan Xuexing's revenge and the Yunhai Thirteen Stories who wanted to silence Duan Qigu. Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao only pushed the wheel and set events into motion. In the end, it was making use of the suspicions of the hearts of people and making use of their greed and selfishness.
Perhaps the messenger that rode hard on horseback through the night to return to the capital has not yet arrived, therefore, the Imperial Palace has not responded to their news, so it would take a few more days for them to grant punishment and compensation. Within a single night, Gao Yi received one good news after the next, and could not stop himself from smiling every day. Every time before he gives an order, he would first ask for Feng Xiao's opinion. Thankfully he did not visit him seven to eight times a day, because Feng Xiao immediately feels annoyed and frustrated the moment he sees Gao Yi's face.
When Cui Buqu wakes up, he sees Feng Xiao holding a fan, sitting by the window looking vexed with a scroll in one hand.
Because the last time they drew too many attention, both their identities could not escape being exposed. Everyone should know who they are by now since practically everyone has seen them. If Fo Er is in Qiemo, he would have already came here once he receives news. Feng Xiao also finds it too tedious to keep pretending to be a woman, so he took off his disguise and returned to his original self.
Because he is born with these handsome looks, let alone holding a fan, even if he was squatting as he ate, it is also quite a pleasant sight to wake up to—if there is still warm incense burning in the room, and plum blossoms were blooming outside the window.
Cui Buqu knew long ago that with this man present, he would not let pass a single opportunity to prove himself.
Just like an oleander, even if it is hidden in the midst of green leaves, it would bet hard with its life to bloom into a beautiful flower.
"My dear Master Daoist Cui, it seems you are awake." Feng Xiao reaches out two fingers, "I have one good news and one bad news. Which one would you like to hear first?"
Cui Buqu answers coldly, "I want to drink some water and eat."
Author's Notes:
Cui 'I won't give you any face' Buqu!
Dragon and pheonix among people: This means that that person is outstanding among his peers.
I come to view the boundless ocean, from Stony Hill on eastern shore: A line from Cao Cao's Poem, 'The Sea', a full English translation of the poem can be found here.
But if, alas! the Fates should death decree, My spirit will for ever live with thee: The last line of the poem 'A Soldier's Farewell To This Wife'. Full English translation found here.
Before the disdain of younger days: A line from the poem 游南亭/The Southern Pavillion by Xie Lingyun, the Duke of Kangle. I couldn't find an English translation for the poem.
From where can I watch the milky way: A line from Chu Guangxi of the Tang Dynasty. I found this in an Ebook here. But I took the screenshot for this poem specifically.
Qibo: Qibo is a mythological Han Doctor.