After Cui Buqu finished half of the bowl of congee in front of him, he turned towards the person that came and watched him taking the other bowl for himself before dining on it.
"I took that for myself." Cui Buqu said. He did not reach out to snatch the bowl back, because that wasn't his style.
Feng Xiao, "With your usual appetite, you can hardly finish one bowl yourself, so why would there be another one?"
Cui Buqu, "Because that was all the congee left in the inn, so I told them to serve me everything."
Feng Xiao spoke slowly and properly, "With Master Taoist Cui's personality, you would pour everything away if you couldn't finish it rather than put it on the table in front of my eyes. Since you put it here, doesn't that mean that you are already prepared for the fact that I will see it?"
Cui Buqu said plainly, "I have taken a sip from that bowl of congee."
Feng Xiao really did pause for a moment, but in the next second, he still poured everything down his throat as if nothing was unusual.
Cui Buqu could not stop himself from glaring at him for a while. He found it very difficult that a germaphobe like Feng-Er had turned indifferent over it.
Feng Xiao finished all the congee in one go and then smiled at the other, "If someone had taken a sip before, there would be marks left behind on the edge of the bowl. A-Qu ah, was it really so difficult for you to admit your moment of soft-heartedness to preserve a bowl of congee for your comrade?"
After he finished, he didn't wait for the other to be provoked before changing the topic immediately, "Last time you said Ning Shewo went North, but actually, the Jiejian Bureau had already received particular information: that the Yandang Estate's Young Master Lin Wei had also left home just recently, and right now he is heading to Donghai Jun."
Cui Buqu really did abandon the thought of bickering with Feng Xiao. He squinted his eyes, "So, it really is Donghai Jun!"
Feng Xiao replied knowingly, "Have Ning Shewo's whereabouts also advanced?"
Cui Buqu, "A few days ago, Ning Shewo had already arrived at Dongchu Zhou. Dongzhu Zhou and Donghai Jun are not very far from each other, at most one day apart. In theory, both of them could meet very quickly."
This man, Lin Wei, had met Feng Xiao a few times. Later on, in the Linlang Guild's auction event, when Cui Buqu was concealing his identity, mistaken by Feng Xiao to be the murderer of the Khotan Ambassador and was held custody by his side, he had witnessed Lin Wei's devotion to Feng Xiao, the former had even seen him as a love rival.
As for Donghai Jun, they managed to find it from the poem hidden on Duan Qigu's corpse; a poem that made no sense whatsoever even if it was plagiarized by the poet. After an entire day of beating around the bush, Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao only vaguely managed to discover these two places: Donghai Jun and Jieshi. However, they have yet to discover where the gathering will be taking place.
Feng Xiao waved his fan and said, "Jieshi Mountain is situated in Feiru county, it should belong to the region of Beihai Jun. I have sent people to Beihai and Donghai to scout for information and they discovered something very interesting."
He was leaving it in suspense and refused to continue.
Cui Buqu said plainly, "There is a mountain and a pavilion in Shetan of Donghai. The mountain represents 'returning to the mountains', and the pavilion represents 'the pavilion of yearning'; the pavilion is at the foot of the mountain and the mountain is next to the pavilion. This happened to form the last sentence of the riddle: When I return safe from this dreadful strife, my spirit shall forever live with thee."
Feng Xiao extended his hand, "I see you've discovered it on your own, it seems like I should have minded my own business."
Cui Buqu muttered dully, "Nanjin Huan and Northern Yangdang; the martial arts of the leader of the Jinhuan Group and the Yangdang Estate are not considered top-tier, but they've managed to grasp the entire business involving the Southern water canal transport, evolving into one of the wealthiest houses in the Northern Dynasty. If the Yunhai Thirteen Stories wanted to commit to something huge, the first thing they need is a source of continuous funds. So it wouldn't be strange for them to pull these two houses to their side."
He put down his bowl, "What I find strange is the motives behind these people. Yu Xiu wanted to lend Princess Qianjin a hand and since he had no sire or mother, nor any relatives, he was considered a desperate man. Duan Qigu emerged from the background of a bandit, but after that, he turned over a new leaf and controlled half of Qiemo city. He too learned to treasure his own life, his refusal to ally with the Yunhai Thirteen Stories was what got him killed. However, Ning Shewo and Lin Wei do not seem to have motives in aiding the Yunhai Thirteen Stories. So, how in the world did they get persuaded into it?"
"This isn't strange. Everyone in this world has weaknesses; some people value wealth, and others value their own lives. Didn't even someone like Yu Xiu, who did not fear death nor value wealth have someone like Princess Qianjin whom they couldn't let down? Although the Jinhuan Group was powerful in the Southern Dynasty, it was because they had the support of the Emperor of said Dynasty at their backs that they could keep themselves afloat. Last time, didn't the adopted son of Ning Shewo bid for the treasuries in the auction of the Linlang Guild to bribe the guards close to the Emperor? This has proven that the Jinhuan Group watched the wind before they set sail. As for the Lin family—"
Feng Xiao smiled for a moment, "Perhaps you have investigated Lin Wei, but something you have yet to know is that twenty years ago, something happened in the Yangdang Estate. That time, Lin Wei's grandfather had a pair of sons who were identical twins. Lin Wei's father was the little brother, so he had an older brother who was originally the successor of the estate. However, twenty years ago, his older brother went missing while he was on his way home. Lin Wei's grandfather sent people out to search for him for a very long time, but in the end, they found his corpse by the river, indicating that he drowned. However, how was it possible for a practitioner of the martial arts to drown? When no conclusion was drawn for that case, the next successor of the Yangdang Estate was naturally Lin Wei's father."
As he watched Cui Buqu in profound thinking, he added, "Are you pondering over whether the little brother murdered his own big brother over the position of the successor?"
Cui Buqu shook his head, then nodded again with a confused expression on his face.
"I suddenly thought of something else that is unrelated to this case, so I will leave it aside for now. Listening to what you said, the brothers seemed to be on good terms, so would it be impossible for them to murder each other over the Yangdang Estate?"
Feng Xiao replied knowingly, "The brothers fell in love with the same woman. The elder brother sacrificed his love life for the sake of his little brother and even confessed to their father that he had no intention of succeeding the estate. Under such circumstances, there was no reason for the younger brother to murder his older brother."
Cui Buqu spoke slowly, "Then, what if the current 'little brother' was actually the older brother? The older brother murdered the little brother, so there was no longer a rivalry for the estate's successor. His old love once more returned to him. Since both of them looked identical, no one from the outside would be able to tell, and if their speech and mannerisms were also identical, they could even cheat past their own family members."
Feng Xiao remained silent for a while before saying, "Why should I sit here early in the morning listening to you babbling supernatural fantasies?"
Cui Buqu replied in his heart: Because you drank that bowl of congee.
"Why are both my Lords looking so severe?" A clear and light voice of a young woman interfered as Ninth Lady Cui walked over, to remind them of the impending journey.
Today, she remained dressed in azure-colored robes, but the cuttings of her robes were different from the ones she had worn yesterday. It wrapped around her waist more tightly and there were green ribbons tied to her hair. As the saying goes, 'a woman should dress herself up for her beholders', so when Ninth Lady Cui noticed that Feng Xiao's gaze lingered on her recurrently, she couldn't help feeling happy inside her heart.
"I've already sent people ahead to notify grandfather. Perhaps we can arrive in the Cui manor before noon. When the time comes, grandfather will most definitely welcome you with a feast and ask you to make yourselves at home." Ninth Lady Cui was desperately looking for a subject to converse but couldn't help feeling a little shy, so after she finished sheepishly, she excused herself and ran ahead to Doctor Sun.
Feng Xiao commented, "Although you and her are siblings, you are both very different."
Cui Buqu did not pay him any attention and climbed up the horse carriage.
Feng Xiao followed closely behind him, determined to pry his mouth open, "After so many years of not returning home, are you perhaps feeling a little bit sentimental and uncomfortable all over?"
Cui Buqu gave him a cold laugh, "Although the Cui family is incomparable to those Wulin aristocrats, Cui Yong is not as pleasant to converse with as you think. Don't think of making me play a hand in this matter. If you want the zither Yu Yin, Commander Feng, you will have to depend solely on yourself!"
Very quickly Feng Xiao witnessed what Cui Buqu's 'not as pleasant to converse with' meant, and the Cui Yong which Ninth Lady Cui claimed to be 'easy to get along with'.
The man had white hair and a white beard. He wasn't very tall, but his eyes were piercingly sharp, making him look unlike any common old man.
When Doctor Sun and Ninth Lady Cui were present, his tone was warm and wore a gentle gaze, like a common man who missed his granddaughter and an old friend. However, once his gaze fell upon both his visitors Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu, his look changed into a scrutinizing one.
"Young Master Pei, are you in any way related to one of the three Pei branches from Hedong Pei Clan?" Cui Yong asked.
The surname Pei belonged to one of the most prestigious families. After the Qinhan Dynasty, history changed and clans like the Hedong Pei Clan and the Yanjin Pei Clan were born. When the genealogy books of these families are taken out for cross checking, one will find that they share the same ancestors, and are no less inferior to the Cui Clan.
Feng Xiao smiled and said, "I am from neither. My ancestors are common folks, they bear no titles or names. When it reached the generation of my grandfather, we managed to uptake the rank of an officer or two. Yet because I am the only son in three generations, I may come off a little bit willful."
Cui Yong nodded his head in indifference. In reality, his focus was never on Feng Xiao. Every since both of them entered, his gaze would linger on Cui Buqu from time to time, boring deep holes within.
"And Young Master Feng?" He asked Cui Buqu.
Cui Buqu replied indifferently, "Not much different from Brother Pei."
Cui Yong asked dully, "May I inquire where is the hometown of Young Master Feng?"
Without waiting for Cui Buqu to reply, Cui Yong laughed, "Don't be mistaken. I only asked that question because when I look at your face, you seem to resemble an old friend of mine."
The corner of Cui Buqu's lips raised. There was no smile that lingered in his gaze, "I have neither a sire nor a mother. They have both passed away long ago."
Cui Yong was stunned, yet he could not help but ask more, "Are there no other family members of yours?"
Cui Buqu, "None."
Cui Yong still wanted to prod further, but Doctor Sun spoke at the right time, "Host Cui, I have aged and it would be inconvenient for me to remain standing for long. It's also the first time these two little fellows pay a visit. If you interrogate them like that, they will feel intimidated. Why not offer them shelter first? It won't be too late to catch up a bit later."
Although Doctor Sun was an employee in the Cui Clan's medicine stall, he and Cui Yong had known each over for over ten years and Cui Yong himself was a frequent patient of Doctor Sun, so it was not considered inappropriate for him to talk to him in such a way.
Cui Yong cast Doctor Sun a glance before he patted his head and laughed, "I was too impatient. Both of you came at just the right time. Tomorrow it's the Pomegranate flower Literary Festival. Since you enjoy literary writing, you will surely enjoy the festival."
Feng Xiao hid away his usual wayward and elegant behaviour, but he was brimming with tingles of being reserved and prideful. This indeed made him look convincing enough that he had just started out with quite an extraordinary set of talents. However, he dared not overdo his acting as a scholar in front of Cui Yong. "We have indeed come here this time for the festival. I heard that this year, the new prefecture's magistrate will also be attending."
Cui Yong gave a knowing expression. Young people who wanted to borrow this stage in Boling to prove themselves in front of the prefecture's magistrate were very normal.
He caressed his beard and said, "That is right. However, the number of people who will be attending the literary festival this year will be a lot more than last year. Young talents are everywhere. I fear it would not be easy for you to snatch for the first-hand."
Feng Xiao raised his head, "Without so many people, how could one prove themselves? When it comes to talents, age is just a number. Even if all the talented scholars of the world are present, I shall still dare attempt to try!"
The side of Cui Yong's lips twitched. He thought in his heart that this man really is so bold that he's not afraid his tongue would be cut by strong winds, but on the surface, he remained smiling, "Good. Young folks should be having such ambitions!"
He took a glance to the side to notice Ninth Lady Cui's lingering gaze on Feng Xiao. How could he not understand what his own granddaughter was thinking about? She was obviously being seduced by beauty. However, this Pei Jingzhe was a prideful man who knew not how to be humble. He wasn't even from a prestigious house. No matter how he looked at it, he was not a fitting match for Ninth Lady Cui.
Cui Yong silently crossed out Feng Xiao's name in his heart. He was prepared to order the servants to prepare two rooms that were far away from the room of Ninth Lady Cui.
But at that moment, a noise came from outside.
The squabbling of a man and a woman accompanied by footsteps came closer and closer. Before Cui Yong could stop them, both of them had already burst in.
"Let go of me!" The woman's wrist was held in the man's grip as they struggled.
The man had a face filled with fury. After he barged in, he said fiercely, "Father, I want a divorce!"
"How dare you!" The woman stopped struggling when she heard it and raised her voice into a shout.
"Why wouldn't I dare?!" The man laughed coldly.
"Quiet, all of you!" Cui Yong shouted angrily. With a slap on the table, both man and woman got a grip of themselves, no longer daring to continue the ruckus, but the disdain on their faces still remained.
"At this moment, there are guests present. The way both of you behaved is really beneath yourselves. Get out, all of you! Whatever is your problem, we will speak of it later!" Cui Yong said with a cold expression, but his look implied that he wasn't a stranger to his son's bickering with his wife.
The woman abandoned all thoughts and knelt down, wailing as she said, "Father! This accursed Cui Lin dared to disrespect the family's rules! He kept a mistress outside, while saying he wishes to divorce me. You have to speak for me!"
Cui Lin laughed coldly, "That woman is a good citizen. Were you thinking that she is one of the servants, free for you to do as you please?! I will put my verdict here: If you dare touch her, then you will be punished by the rules. When that time comes, even the gods would not be able to save you!"
"Get out, all of you!" Cui Yong shouted furiously.
With those few sentences, it was enough for Feng Xiao to determine the other's identity.
This man must have been the third among all of Cui Yong's four sons, the most useless, Cui Lin.
It was said that Cui Lin had always been the distinguished younger son. When he was little, he gained the favour of his parents. However, due to the fact that he was overly spoiled by them, he had achieved nothing and at present, there was never a peaceful day within his own family. He still needed his own father to step out and solve his own problems.
It was very difficult to believe that such an ordinary man was Cui Buqu's birth father.
Then, he looked at Ninth Lady Cui, whose eyes were rolling in tears as she watched her parents argue in front of their guests. One of those guests was even someone she had a crush on, so it was inexplicably awkward and difficult for her.
Feng Xiao was getting interested as he watched the ruckus, but then he heard Cui Buqu say, "Host Cui, there is no need to be furious. We should be excusing ourselves."
Cui Yong forced a smile, "Ninth Lady, please settle down both of these Young Masters, then escort Doctor Sun back personally."
Ninth Lady Cui hurriedly agreed, lowering her head as she left with Doctor Sun, not daring to take another look at Feng Xiao.
"Wait."
Just as Cui Buqu was leaving, he was stopped by Cui Lin.
The latter walked up to him and stared at him with a strange gaze, "Who are you?"
He reached out to grab Cui Buqu, as if he wanted to pull him in front of him so he could take a closer look. However, his hand was stopped midway by a fan.
Feng Xiao smiled, "Please have some self-respect."
Cui Lin ignored Feng Xiao, as he kept glaring at Cui Buqu, "You look… a little bit familiar."
Cui Buqu faked a laugh, "Sire, how many people have you told this to?"
Cui Lin felt uneasy, "You look a bit like…"
"San Lang!" Cui Yong's thundering voice broke his thoughts.
Cui Lin shut up, not daring to say anything more.
Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu left the place shoulder to shoulder. Behind them, voices blended into background noises. Even so, the sound of Cui Yong lecturing his son and daughter-in-law could still be heard.
"Everyone heralded the Cui family to be a prestigious clan, but it seems like within this vast and lofty manor, even they could not avoid these trivial family matters happening!" Feng Xiao flipped his fan open and fanned himself before sighing, "A-Qu, thankfully you didn't grow up here. If you grew into such an unsightly manner like Cui Lin, you might as well run your head into the wall and commit suicide!"
Cui Buqu said, "Members of the Cui family are not completely useless. Cui Lin's little brother, the fourth son Cui Pei, may be the youngest of them all, but he has been intelligent since he was little and made a name for himself. Both his other brothers are mundane, but they are not as dispicable as him."
His voice was very calm, as if the man he was speaking of was not his own father.
Feng Xiao couldn't help doubting whether his own theories were correct.
To determine a gentleman by his background was an extremely idiotic choice.
People who were made for greatness would never be dragged behind by their birth. Feng Xiao never thought of using his enemy's birth against them.
Now, however, his curiosity for Cui Buqu was growing with every next sunrise, Cui Buqu alone held his complete interest.
At this moment, perhaps he hadn't thought of delving into those two ideas to tell their differences.
There was a cottage next to the Cui manor especially used for treating guests. Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao were both brought there, the two rooms facing counterfeit mountains. Outside the door was a curved hallway and a spring lake. The Cui family also sent two beautiful maidservants to attend to them. Their treatment was thorough, leaving no room for discomfort; even Feng Xiao who had indulged in all the luxuries in the world could not help praising them in satisfaction.
Cui Buqu couldn't help himself from mocking him, "Cui Yong hopes to make use of beautiful faces to seduce you, so that Ninth Lady Cui can witness for herself how the person she looked up to was such a cheap man. However, Cui Yong would never have guessed that your standards are so high that nothing would have stopped you from taking your own reflection in the mirror as your wife!"
Feng Xiao laughed, "Haha. QuQu, did you notice that whenever you are unhappy, you especially love to mock others?"
Cui Buqu's face remained expressionless, "No."
Feng Xiao patted his shoulder, "You're cute that way, keep it going!"
Cui Buqu looked at him as if he had gone mad.
All of a sudden, Feng Xiao moved very close. Cui Buqu frowned, wanting to move away, but his path was quickly barricaded by Feng Xiao, before he was dragged in front of him. Feng Xiao looking sensuously mysteriousness.
"The Cui family and you shared such a deep past, even if you have gone separate ways, it is unavoidable for you to feel uneasy when you think about it. However, you still accompanied me here to retrieve the zither Yu Yin. Say, were you doing this just for me?"
Cui Buqu remained silent for a moment, before speaking slowly, "The Zuoyue Bureau discovered that Cui Yong's eldest son, who is also the present treasurer of the Cui family business, Cui Da Lang, has been exchanging secret messages with the Linchuan Palace Academy of the Southern Dynasty. They have even aided one another financially in private. Every year, provisions worth at least a thousand silver ingots went through the Jinhuan Group and made their way to the South."
Between the Jiejian Bureau and the Zuoyue Bureau, one investigated movements that happened within the Imperial Court, and the other placed their focus on happenings in the Jianghu province. Although sometimes their tasks overlapped, ever since the establishment of both agencies, there was a difference in their duties. Presently, Feng Xiao was not surprised that the Zuoyue Bureau obtained leads through the Linchuan Palace Academy that the Jiejian Bureau knew nothing of.
Feng Xiao spoke with an startling tone, "I initially thought that you finally found it in yourself to spend your time leisurely, yet here you are solving cases again."
"I'm not here just to solve cases." Cui Buqu lightly broods, "It is true I do not hate the Cui family, but I never said that I do not hate Cui Yong and Cui Lin."
Determined, he mustered a smile, "However, my goal this time is indeed to watch the collateral branch of the Cui family from hundreds of years crumble within a single night."
...
Although Cui Lin argued with his wife and made a scene before his father, he did not manage to reach a conclusion and instead sustained a lecture from his own father. As vengefulness brimmed in him, the more he thought of it, the more he sulked. He had no mood to even visit his mistress. He roamed around in the end and wandered heedless into the Dingshi garden where their guests resided.
To him, something that happened more than twenty years ago was too far in the past. However, Cui Buqu's presence had once again dug up his memory from many years ago.
Although the other claimed not to be a Cui, his eyes had too much of a resemblance that Cui Lin couldn't help feeling disturbed.
That was the biggest mistake in his life, and it was also the mistake he never wanted to be revealed.
For the sake of this secret, he was held in custody by Cui Yong for years, not even taking a step out of Boling county.
In the county of Boling, words of the Cui family still held some amount of power. Cui Lin did not protest against Cui Yong's banning of him never leaving Boling. When he was young and ambitious, everything vanished along with this verdict. So what more could he do aside from indulging himself in his desires of lust?!
Cui Lin was anxious, and once again he thought of Cui Buqu.
Not only were his eyes familiar, for even that cold, piercing gaze was striking. It was only because he just wasn't just as beautiful, so his face did not draw much attention.
There was a fire burning in his heart. It made him both anxious and curious, burning more and more vigorously, so much so that he couldn't help wishing he could vent it all out.
The more Cui Ling thought, the more he couldn't suppress it. He wanted to take another look at Cui Buqu so that he could relieve himself.
Once he arrived in Cui Buqu's room, he saw Cui Buqu's maidservant bringing a pot of water out, mumbling to herself with a confused look.
"Bai Yu." Cui Lin called after the maidservant, "Is that Young Master Feng in the house?"
The maidservant immediately said, "Young Master Feng and Young Master Pei have gone out."
Cui Lin furrowed his brows, "It's already so late, yet they went out?"
The maidservant interjected, "Young Master Feng gave me a new name, so now I am no longer Bai Yu."
Cui Lin felt displeased, "As someone who was only passing by, living here for a few days, and he dared to change your name?"
The maidservant, "Yes. Young Master Feng even said that this was an excellent name. Once all the lords in the Cui family heard of it, they would be overjoyed. So I simply listened and thought it was strange. It's called Yu Mo."
Cui Ling became impatient, "Fish ink?"
The maidservant, "Young Master Feng said, it's Yu from 'superfluous', and Mo from 'Jasmine'."
Yu Mo, Yu Mo…
Cui Lin searched the vast sea in his mind twice, and suddenly his eyes opened themselves wide with a look as if he'd just seen a ghost.
Yu Mo!
Host Cui: The raws used 东翁, which is a form of address when a friendly visitor addresses the host of the house.
I drew a family tree of the Cui family to make it easier for everyone.
As mentioned before,
Cui Da/Cui Da Lang = Eldest Cui
Cui Er = Second Cui
Cui San = Third Cui
Cui Si = Forth Cui