Both Zuoyue guards were very surprised, because they realized that this little room wasn't filled with gold and silver like they thought it would be. It was instead, occupied by many paintings—on the table, on the ground, and even a few more scrolls that were scattered or unopened.
Cui Buqu was shocked, because he recognized the person in the painting.
Her head was turned back as she stood with the upper half of her body naked.
Half-sprawled on the bed, with half her chest peeking out.
Light and fluttering like she was there and wasn't.
They were not like Li Yan's vulgar and explicit Spring Palace Paintings. The woman in these paintings was either looking at them with half-lidded eyes or she was smiling behind a fan, from the tenderness of a young lady to the grace of a woman, the same person illustrated in different charms through the years. The painter had surely grasped the romantic charm of the person in the picture; every knit of brow and every smile lively.
Cui Buqu did not even need Yang Yun to admit it himself. He could guess the person in the paintings.
"Couldn't have believed, you and Princess Leping had such a thing." Cui Buqu gave Yang Yun a half-hearted smile, "No wonder once I look at you, I think of Princess Leping's kept man."
Yang Yun closed his eyes as he sat, feigning deaf and mute.
As things have progressed now, there is nothing he could stop, and so he could only divulge such a face.
Both Zuoyue guards exchanged looks and felt a chill up their necks.
These sorts of secrets within the royal family were not something they should know about.
Yet Cui Buqu didn't allow them to leave. He pointed to the brick behind them instead: "Use your knives to crack open that wall."
Yang Yun's expression wavered. He opened his eyes, finally stopped feigning mute. "How did you know about that?"
Both Zuoyue guards obeyed their orders. After sharp knives scraped the wall a little, white debris fell, very quickly revealing the gold behind it.
"Commander?"
"Continue."
Blades trailed along the scratch as they scraped its surroundings, quickly revealing something.
Behind a thin layer of debris was a shining golden wall.
A golden wall formed by bricks of gold.
Even if it was only one side, it was incredibly shocking.
"Something is strange in the crevice!" The other Zuoyue guard suddenly shouted.
He reached out with five fingers and inserted them into the crevice. Under his strength, both walls split open bit by bit, finally revealing a tunnel.
Light flickered brightly in the tunnel. Candlelight wavered. It was obvious there was another exit.
Cui Buqu gasped in surprise: "Governor Yang, this secret cellar of yours is certainly more well-built than the Hero of the Northwest's, Duan Qigu. You should really show that brute what it means to be royalty!"
Yang Yun said angrily: "It doesn't fall upon you to degrade the Yang Clan. You are just a dog my sister-in-law raised...ah!"
A Zuoyue guard kicked him to the ground and gave him a beating. Not long later, he had a blue-black nose and a swollen face.
Cui Buqu watched, but denied acknowledgement. He placed all his attention on admiring that golden wall, as if flowers would bloom from the gold.
He waited until Yang Yun's cursing turned into begging for mercy before turning around to examine him and feigned surprise. "Governor Yang, although you are embezzling rations, devalued human lives and desecrated a princess, the country has its own laws. Even if you beat yourself up like that, the Ministry of Justice wouldn't beg for mercy from His Majesty on your behalf."
Yang Yun no longer wished to talk.
"Commander, the tunnel leads to a manor and inside lived a woman and two mute maidservants!"
The Zuoyue guard who went forward to investigate returned quickly. He also brought the woman back with him.
The woman dressed in palace robes was around two decades old. She had a lithe and graceful figure, her face like one out of a painting. Only because she looked quite startled, it lacked a bit of beauty.
Cui Buqu gave her a look, then smiled: "Governor Yang, the sky is lofty and the Emperor sits afar, how carefree you are to do as you please!"
This woman was obviously a much younger version of Princess Leping.
Yang Yun hoarsely said: "Now can you make them leave?"
Cui Buqu waved his hand, and both Zuoyue guards, taking that woman, walked soundlessly back up.
That woman turned around to look at Yang Yun again and again, as if she was completely clueless and ignorant to her current situation.
Yang Yun did not look back at her.
"Speak." Cui Buqu adjusted his robes and found a seat.
Yang Yun naturally did not get to enjoy such luxuries. Both his hands and legs were tied, and he was forbidden to sit, neither could he stand. He could only lean against a wall squirming, so it was needless to say how difficult it was for him.
"What do you want me to say?" Yang Yun said coldly, "Haven't you seen it for yourself? What more can I say?"
Cui Buqu: "I have no interest in knowing whether it was one-sided or mutual between you and Princess Leping. As for the emblezzing of rations, naturally the Ministry of Justice and the Imperial Censorate would take care of them. What I want to know is the relationship between you and the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai."
Yang Yun bargained: "If I confessed, what can you give me in return?"
Cui Buqu curled his lips. "I would burn every single painting here and release that woman. Everything in this cellar of yours will be forever a secret."
An affair between an uncle and niece naturally could never see the light, especially when Princess Leping carried both the identity of a princess and the Empress of the former dynasty.
Yang Yun protested: "Since the first year of Kaihuang and after I left for Guangqian, I have never met the princess. These paintings cannot prove anything!"
Cui Buqu laughed coldly. "What about that woman outside? And the former kept man of the princess? The Emperor and Empress have seen him before. What do you think they would think? Originally, for the sake that you are a Yang, the most you would get is banishment to a thousand li away. But if they knew about this, I fear you can drop the hope of staying alive."
Yang Yun viciously sneered: "Neither would they let you go!"
Cui Buqu coughed twice: "Since Governor Yang refused to say, then I could only ask someone else, like County Official Wu Yi, as well as people around you. They should know at least a little bit."
He rose to his feet, yet Yang Yun couldn't hold back.
"Wait!"
Cui Buqu turned around.
Yang Yun spoke reluctantly: "I only wanted to sell those grains for money. I have never thought of treason. The idea of waiving taxes by donating grains was also given to me by a person with the surname Xiao!"
Now that everything was exposed, he naturally pushed all the responsibilities onto the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai. Cui Buqu did not question whether that was the truth or a lie, he only asked: "What is his name? Why would you believe what he said?"
Master Xiao came to Guanqian Prefecture three years ago. He found Yang Yun who had just assumed the role through ties with the Li family, and knew that Yang Yun liked nothing but golds and silvers. Thus, he gave him what he liked: two golden statues of Buddha. He got close to Yang Yun swiftly, and offered the newly assumed Yang Yun ideas as he was hasty to prove himself. Slowly, Yang Yun could feel that this Master Xiao was a crafty man, and so both of them grew closer.
Master Xiao claimed to be a Southerner who came to the Great River of the North and South to conduct business with spice. Yang Yun knew that Xiao was the surname of an aristocratic family in the South, but he didn't ask about it much, because when Master Xiao visited him, each time he gave him quite an amount of benefits. However, this cannot satisfy Yang Yun's greed, and so he set his gazes on the Imperial Court's granary.
As he listened to this, Cui Buqu knew for certain that Master Xiao was Xiao Lu.
Three years ago, during the process of strengthening the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai, they would need gold and grains for support. Xiao Lu used two golden Buddha statues to bribe Yang Yun, but in reality he obtained even more benefits through the grains obtained from waving taxes. He knew for certain even without asking that two years ago, the permit to waive taxes given to Yang Yun by the Imperial Court was instead sold to the native distinguished families by Yang Yun. Xiao Lu definitely had a hand in this, and earned his fill.
If they knew how to stop here and not embezzle the grains from the Imperial Court this time, or if Rong Qing wasn't so serious about it, everything would have gone as usual.
Yang Yun said: "After this flood, it was also Master Xiao who urged me to pocket all these grains..."
Cui Buqu raised his hand, forbidding Yang Yun to continue.
"Something isn't right."
Yang Yun found it baffling: "What isn't right?"
"I think that Master Xiao would not be such a short-sighted person. He has already obtained a lot of benefits from you, and should know the saying that one should not bite off more than they could chew. It is only when streams go a long way, can one travel far. But this time you people impatiently embezzled all these grains, leaving nothing to those flood victims. This is the reason you exposed yourselves. Even Huang Lue knew of the severe consequences, that he'd rather send us information in the dark rather than burden himself with such a bad reputation." Cui Buqu looked at him, speaking slowly, "I reckon you'd best be honest. Do not think that now that Master Xiao isn't here, you can escape your crimes. Is this your idea, or his?"
Yang Yun's gaze flashed. He dared not look him into the eye. "It's naturally his idea!"
Cui Buqu laughed coldly and stated: "Governor Yang, Master Xiao is from the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai. He habours evil intentions, strived for something big. Two years ago he allied with you because there is something on you he can take. He would never do it just for the sake of grains. If you hadn't turned against him this time, we would not have caught you so easily. With Master Xiao's abilities, he could at least fight a few rounds with me. Now that you're like an abandoned child, this means that he knows you have nothing left to give."
Yang Yun's expression paled. "I don't know what you're saying!"
Cui Buqu: "That is fine. We can seize Master Xiao, then you can take your time confessing everything. It wouldn't be too late. The Zuoyue Bureau lives to deliver methods that can make you speak the truth. These paintings and that woman, I will submit them to the Empress as promised."
Yang Yun was furious: "Cui Buqu! What did you promise me before? You cheating little scoundrel!"
Cui Buqu gave him an innocent expression. "What did I promise you before? I don't remember anymore."
Yang Yun: "You son of a bitch... Help me! This is murder!"
Those golden bricks in the wall were not solid to begin with, and Cui Buqu easily took a brick out, aimed it at Yang Yun's shoulders and head before hitting him. Yang Yun's hands and legs were tied, he couldn't even move and whenever he tried to run he fell. Hence, his cussing turned to pained howls.
"Please stop hitting! Please stop hitting! I'll tell you everything." Governor Yang's hair fell unruly around him, mucus trailed down his nose as he cried. Where was the suave look he once had?
"Shouldn't you be happy that I am using your beloved gold bricks to hit you?" Cui Buqu sighed, felt a little regrettable, "It's a pity I have insufficient strength, otherwise you would have been happier."
Yang Yun said in his heart: Thankfully your ailing prick has insufficient strength, otherwise I've been beaten to death.
Just as he was thinking about this, his lapels were violently grasped and pulled forward!
"With the number of lives you forfeited for those rations, it wouldn't be enough even if I killed you here."
Cui Buqu looked at him with the same gaze he'd use to look at a dead man. Yang Yun's heart froze for half a moment, his body growing stiff.
"But unfortunately, I am a subject of the Great Sui. So I need to obey the rules and refrain from punishing you in private." Cui Buqu patted his face, "Governor Yang, do you have epileptic seizures? Why did you run into the wall just now all of a sudden and injure yourself like this?"
Yang Yun: "..."
Cui Buqu gently said: "Come, after we've gone up, I will let a physician treat you."
He reached out to help Yang Yun, yet the latter fearfully backed away as if he had seen a ghost or a demon.
Cui Buqu paid him no attention. He went up himself first, before allowing the Zuoyue guards to bring him up.
At this moment, the guards of the Governor's Residence timidly delivered a letter.
He didn't raise his head, there was no signature, only one sentence.
It's been a long absence, you are missed. The Zhao Family's Teahouse, an old friend awaits.
Pei Jingzhe and Qiao Xian caught him holding the letter silent for a long time, so they made their way here.
"Master Cui, whose letter is it?"
Cui Buqu gave them a look and said in disinterest: "Xiao Lu."
Qiao Xian's expression changed slightly.
Pei Jingzhe instead inhaled a cold breath. "The Pavilion Lord of the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai? That biggest devil?"
Cui Buqu thought that the 'biggest devil' nickname Pei Jingzhe had given the other was interesting, so he couldn't help smiling.
Xiao Lu's exterior and mannerisms are identical to his conduct. It was very difficult for someone else to link him to a devil. Perhaps Feng Xiao looked even more like a devil than him.
Cui Buqu had only met Xiao Lu once, and the few times they fought were from a distance, each of them had lost and won in their own right.
The Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai had lost Yu Xiu, Gao Yun, Duan Qigu, Fong Xiaolian and other capable people. But Gao Yun, as a Goguryeon, Xiao Lu had used Feng Xiao to eliminate him so he could acquire the resources of the Fuyu Sect. Duan Qigu had wandered astray, no longer wished to participate in the operations of treason of the Thirteen Pavilions, and thus was eliminated as well. On the other hand, on Cui Buqu's side, the Jade of Heaven's Lake was found and lost again, falling once more into the enemy's hands, yet Cui Buqu hasn't even captured Xiao Lu until this moment.
When they met their match, each time, before the last second of their collision came, even Cui Buqu could not determine who would be the victor and who would be the loser.
"Commander, let me go." Qiao Xian suddenly knelt, her head hung low as she pleaded.
"You want to go?" Cui Buqu looked down at the top of her head, his expression unreadable, unable to tell whether he was happy or furious.
"Yes."
"Xiao Lu's martial arts are not beneath Feng Xiao. This time it's possible he is making the move in person. Fighting against him, you don't have any chances of victory. Even if this is the case, would you still choose to go?"
"Yes."
Pei Jingzhe watched both of them, as if there was something unresolved between them, but he hadn't opened his mouth to interfere.
Cui Buqu said lightly: "Good, then go."
Qiao Xian grasped her sword tightly, rising to her feet as she left.
Cui Buqu: "Come back alive."
Qiao Xian's heart shook: "This subject will try her best."
Pei Jingzhe immediately said: "Xiao Lu's level of martial arts are unfathomable. How can you let her... alone..."
Qiao Xian heard him, but didn't listen. She flipped herself onto a horse running past next to her, urged it on, and drove forth, disappearing into the foggy dark night.
"You are sending her to suicide!" Pei Jingzhe could no longer hold back and shouted at Cui Buqu, before running towards another horse, mounted it and followed after her.
Cui Buqu watched them leave, then told Guan Shanhai: "Let us go to the Stormy Tavern."
Guan Shanhai didn't understand. "Hasn't Second Commander Feng gone there?"
Cui Buqu sighed. "It was exactly because of that, I have to go. This letter from Xiao Lu made it clear that no one is at the Zhao Family's Teahouse. That means he would give all he could to ambush Feng Xiao and kill him at the Stormy Tavern."
Guan Shanhai was enlightened. "So, as you send Qiao Xian to the Zhao Family's Teahouse on purpose, it has instead saved her life."
"Since she has made her choice, I will protect her." Cui Buqu pulled the reins, "Let us go pull off a "hero saving the beauty"!"
Guan Shanhai's severe wounds haven't healed. Once he heard these words, he practically choked to death. In his heart, he said: Both of us, one is ill and one is wounded, how can we still save a beauty? We would just be serving ourselves on a platter!
But Cui Buqu was already driving into the distance. Guan Shanhai could only thicken his skull and abandon his life to accompany his Lord, following closely on horseback.
...
Guanqian County has a street with a very beautiful name, called the Long Street of Peach Blossoms.
The Stormy Tavern was situated at the end of this street.
It was midnight at the long street. At the doors of the Stormy Tavern stood three people. Their height, figure, exterior and face are identical.
Their bodies gave out the thick scent of blood. Had it not been for their black robes, blood stains would be visible all over their robes.
It might be their own blood, or the enemy's.
One Feng Xiao was holding the blood-stained fan in his hand, he said in disgust: "Can I not hold this plaything anymore?"
Another Feng Xiao kindly reminded him: "Even if you throw that fan away, your robes are still soaked in blood."
The first Feng Xiao stomped his feet: "You little rascal! Hinting me to take off my clothes?"
The second Feng Xiao felt wrongfully accused. "Since when have I said that?"
The third Feng Xiao could stand it no longer. "Can you people please refrain from making those expressions with my face?!"
The first Feng Xiao spoke tenderly with giggle: "Second Commander ~ I just want to switch back into myself, but look at those dogs who don't know what's good for them, blocking the path and refusing to leave no matter what. Help me chase them away so I could take a shower and change my clothes. This scent is just making me want to vomit!"
Feng Xiao warned: "Qin Miaoyu, try using my face to play coquettish again and see where that gets you."
The first Feng Xiao finally stopped talking.
The second Feng Xiao wanted to say something, but Feng Xiao stopped him. "Ming Yue, shut your mouth."
In the center of the long street, not far in front of them, the Jinhuan Gang's Young Master Leng Dou was leading six top-tier martial artists waiting.
This was the second stage.
Just now Feng Xiao, Ming Yue, and Qin Miaoyu used a whole four hours to kill every single one of the eleven top-tier martial artists in the tavern. The only fish that escaped was the heavily wounded Yuan Sansi.
But they paid a high price for it.
Qin Miaoyu's arm was twitching unnaturally, blood dripping down drop by drop. Her joke just now was just an attempt to shift her focus off the pain.
Ming Yue's stomach suffered a wound. Although he had tapped his acupoint to stop the bleeding for now, his cultivation was damaged and was in urgent need of treatment.
As for Feng Xiao, no one could see whether he was injured. He looked normal, his expression unchanged.
"Leng Dou, Ning Shewo refused to show himself, and so he sent a foster son like yourself to your death. If I were you, I'd turn around and leave." Qin Miaoyu sighed and told the one leading the opposition.
"Leng Dou, Ning Shewo joined the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai but in reality he has tossed the entire Jinhuan Gang's lives into a rich gamble. Although you are his foster son, you are also the Young Master of the Jinhuan Gang. Whether it's for a righteous cause or personal benefits, you should know when to lift and when to put it down." Ming Yue also said.
Although the two of them pulled off practically life-like Feng Xiaos, Qin Miaoyu's martial arts were average to begin with, Ming Yue wasn't used to using a zither. Among the three of them, Feng Xiao contributed the most.
But the same trick cannot be used again, for the enemy would not be deceived twice.
Leng Dou lived up to his name; his face was cold and passive like water. He slowly unsheathed his knife, his gaze focused on the real Feng Xiao from the beginning.
"Even though you defeated twelve top-tier grandmasters just now, you have already been injured. Even if you can pass my stage, there is more awaiting you soon after. Why not surrender now, so I can turn it over to the higher-ups?" He told Feng Xiao.
Qin Miaoyu suddenly said: "Second Commander, I have no clue how to use a zither. Just now, I'm thankful that I didn't cut my own hands. This time, let me use something I find convenient ~"
Feng Xiao gave a cold laugh. "Try using this old man's face to play coquettish again, I will sew your mouth up!"
Just as his words were spoken, he already leaped out, appearing right in front of Leng Dou!
Leng Dou's eyes opened wide.
He knew Feng Xiao's martial arts were excellent. Before this, even masters like Yu Xiu and Fan Yun could do nothing to him, so let alone himself and six martial artists from the Jinhuan Gang. Perhaps it gives off a pleasant sound on the lips, but in reality, when faced before such a highly skilled martial artist, they would not even last a few moves.
But that was only usually.
Just now, Feng Xiao has just braved through a ferocious battle in the Stormy Tavern. Regardless of how excellent his martial arts were, he would be weared down. Even if he couldn't kill Feng Xiao, as long as he could make the other heavily injured, this trip he made tonight would not be in vain.
But Leng Dou has never thought that Feng Xiao's qinggong would have achieved such imaginable speed!
Like a ghost, like flowing clouds, soundless and breathless.
From the moment he saw his enemy appearing before him, Leng Dou's knife had already left its sheath, but following it was a force that forcibly pressed it back into its sheath and kept it in place. Leng Dou felt a piercing pain through his chest.
The pulses of his heart have stopped.
Until his death, Leng Dou maintained that look of disbelief on him.
As for those six martial artists behind him, they all howled and attacked at once, avenging their Young Master!
Feng Xiao suddenly leaped into the air.
With a single step, he has already reached the backs of those six people. Turning around and launching a hand, zither strings shot out towards three of them.
What had been originally five zither strings, two were depleted in the tavern. Presently, only three were left.
These three zither strings would carry at least six lives on them. Had it been usual, Feng Xiao would have tossed them away in disgust, but now he has no choice but to pinch his nose and deign himself using them.
Six martial artists. Three zither strings. There are three more people left.
Ming Yue and Qin Miaoyu also attacked.
One held a long sword, the other with fluttering sleeves. Their killing aura morphed into an overflowing cold glare rolling towards their enemies.
Thunders rumbled and layers of lightning sparked, as if an omen that an impending storm was coming and that the bloody rain and foul wind had come to liven up the atmosphere with rolling drums.
On the Long Street of Peach Blossoms, at this moment, falling atop the green bricks were not peach blossoms but spots of blood.
Fresh blood splattered atop the rock, like the blooming of peach blossom petals.
Perhaps from today, the Long Street of Peach Blossoms would have a new meaning behind it.
A slaughter was happening on the long street glares and shadows of swords and knives as the scent of blood filled the air.
Yet both sides on their street were soundless, so quiet that everyone has forgotten citizens still lived in those houses.
Six people took their turns falling along with their Young Master, sharing the same place of burial, denied to die in everlasting peace.
Qin Miaoyu staggered two steps. Her legs gave away, they could no longer support her body, and she fell limp straight to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
When Feng Xiao saw this, he suddenly added: "Cui Buqu's spitting blood out looks much better compared to you."
Qin Miaoyu: "…"
She really wanted to grasp one of those Jinhuan Gang's knives from her side and hurl it at Feng Xiao, but she dared not.
Ever since she abandoned the dark side for the light one, she was taken in by the Jiejian Bureau and worked under Feng Xiao.
Additionally, someone who did not even pant his face red after killing so many people, behaving as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, was truly scary.
Ming Yue didn't spit out blood, but he was feeling a little light-weighted. His face turned pale green, helping himself against the wall, he quickly regulated his breathing. Because he knew that there were even more difficult stages behind waiting for them.
Qin Miaoyu shouted loudly: "Who else is there?! Scamper out to your momma!"
Ming Yue warned her: "You are already injured, save your breath."
Feng Xiao couldn't help himself nudging him with the tips of his toes. "Could you not make such an honest and straightforward expression with my face?"
In the next second, the enemy Qin Miaoyu invited truly "scampered" out.
There was only one person.
He walked out from the other end of the long street.
As if he had all the time in the world.
He looked like he came to the Long Street of Peach Blossoms to watch the flowers, and not for a slaughter.
This person even held an umbrella in his hand. Perhaps it was prepared due to the weather.
Qin Miaoyu thought he was a passerby who lost his way and couldn't help but warn gently: "Sir, this place is dangerous. Leave quickly."
Feng Xiao raised an eyebrow. "Although his face is reluctantly acceptable, why would you think that a normal person wouldn't be sleeping in the dead of the night and came here instead? If you do that again, there's no need to remain in the Jiejian Bureau. My place doesn't accept fools."
Qin Miaoyu felt wronged. "Everyone is already so tired, what use is there to keep fighting and killing? If saying something nice could make him leave, wouldn't we have saved our breaths?"
Feng Xiao didn't show her any mercy nor allowed her to keep her fantasy. "Stop dreaming, that's the Pavilion Lord of the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai!"
What? Qin Miaoyu felt stunned, turned around to stare and stare again at the person who came, as if she found it very difficult to believe that such an elegant-looking, gentle, handsome, and mannerly person could be their most difficult enemy.
Xiao Lu laughed lightly.
He stopped at a distance.
"Commander Feng, how have you been faring?"
Feng Xiao snorted impatiently: "If you want to fight, then let's fight. Stop the nonsense."
Xiao Lu was extremely understanding. "You are injured just now. If you fight again now, I fear you are not my match. Take some rest. I would never take advantage of it."
Not taking advantage? When why did you send so many people before you in the first place?
Feng Xiao wanted to curse him this way, but thought he should just leave it and save his strength for the fighting.
Because he knew that Xiao Lu wasn't wrong.
The drawing of breaths of top-tier masters could be felt by another. He felt Xiao Lu's, and Xiao Lu felt his.
Qin Miaoyu was equal to none, so there's no hope there.
Although Ming Yue had excellent skills, he wasn't Xiao Lu's match. Moreover, he's wounded.
As for Feng Xiao himself, had it been before, perhaps he had the strength to fight a battle with Xiao Lu, but the fight in the tavern with the last batch of people really watered his strength down. Although it was easier fighting Leng Dou and his people compared to Yuan Sansi and the others, his prior wounds were worsened by this fight and were getting out of hand.
Xiao Lu had taken everything into his calculations.
But he couldn't retreat. Feng Xiao thought, for once his side retreated, then Cui Buqu's side would be in danger.
"The last time we met, how difficult was it for you to hide your true strength and feign losing to me? A person as proud as you must have felt very embarrassing, and so you accumulated enough energy determined to win me. It's a pity that top-tier martial artists riddled the lands. Even if you defeated me, you cannot be considered number one." Feng Xiao said.
Xiao Lu smiled slightly. "Why would I want to be number one under the Heavens for? This humble man Xiao only wants to commit treason, not roam the Jianghu. Are you simply just afraid that I would turn my attack onto Cui Buqu? Commander Feng, there is no need for you to worry. I would not kill him. Today, the one I want to kill, is you."
As he finished his words, the sound of horse hooves came from afar.
Both of them gave a moment of silence as they listened to the sound, their gazes frozen.
Yet what they saw in the midst of the night fog, was a person on horseback riding forth in rustling robes, his figure thin and tall.
Xiao Lu could recognize that person and he couldn't help feeling stunned. He turned around to look at Feng Xiao who looked similarly surprised.
The incoming guest pulled the reins, his horse raised its hooves into the air, its neigh stopping abruptly.
"Commander Cui, your nose really is like a dog's. You go wherever there is trouble!" Second Commander Feng snorted a laugh, mockingly said, "Xiao Lu is my prey. Today the Jiejian Bureau must seize him. If you fight with me for it, I will kill you first!"
"Feng Yuntian."
His figure was indistinct through the curtain of foggy darkness. He was intangible, but his voice alone hasn't changed one bit.
"Of what you asked me yesterday, I answer you now:"
"I say, yes."
Feng Xiao's breath abruptly jerked!
What had he asked yesterday?
He had asked: Would you entrust your back to me?
====
Author's Notes: P.s: Qin Miaoyu is the concubine of that Khotan Ambassador who showed up in the first arc. After that, she was taken in by the Jiejian Bureau.