"I have never heard of this person."
Cui Buqu searched through his mind and could quickly be certain that he had never heard of Tuan Qinghe.
He had seen before the copy of the Wuling Manuscript that Fan Yun had taken back from Fangzhangzhou. With his photographic ability, if that person's name truly wasn't in the manuscript while possessing such surprisingly top-notch martial arts, then there would only be two possibilities left.
"Either he had never shown himself in the Jianghu, for if the Liuli Palace wanted to record his name and origin, along with his level of martial arts, they could not make it up themselves."
Or, just like Feng Xiao, even if his martial arts have already reached an unfathomable extent, he had never participated in any Sword-Sparring Competitions, nor did he fought with any top-tier martial artists in the Jianghu. The Liuli Palace could only take reference from people who have fought with him. If Feng Xiao's opponents did not roam the Jianghu either, then neither would he appear in the ranking.
However, in the battle at the tavern, he had defeated ten top-martial artists in a single breath. Even the Jinhuan Group's Young Master, Deng Lou was among them. One could rest assured that not long later, a place would be reserved for him in the Wulin.
Naturally, Second Commander Feng may not covet such rankings. He cared not whether he had them.
"There is another possibility." Cui Buqu continued.
Feng Xiao had just parted his lips, but Bing Xuan spoke faster.
Bing Xuan: "He used an alias."
Feng Xiao: "???"
Isn't this woman just snatching his lines on purpose?
Cui Buqu nodded.
Bing Xuan laughed upon realizing Cui Buqu and her synchronized. "Lord Cui and I thought the same. However, I observed this person to be unfamiliar with both the rules of the Jianghu and the customs of the Hans. It's possible that his name was not an alias, and that his martial arts originated from the Western Regions as Hulugu did."
Cui Buqu: "From what I know, during that year, among all Hulugu's disciples, the most famed ones were only Kun Xie, Duan Wenyang and Qin Shuanghan, three of them. As for the others, I would not know of them due to their lack of participation in the Western Regions nor the Central Plains."
He didn't say everything.
In reality, Cui Buqu had received news that the Göktürks had knelt to the Great Sui; the Seventh Prince Kuhezhen had brought horses from Göktürk to answer to the Emperor's summon to court.
Not long after Göktürk's prince stepped into the Central Plains, a top-tier martial artist that resembled Hulugu's teachings appeared on the Jianghu. Would there exist so many coincidences in this world?
One feared that both of these incidents were linked.
The Göktürks Prince's entrance into the capital had already spread to Luoyang. It's uncertain whether Bing Xuan truly was oblivious to the connection between the two of them, or she was just faking obliviousness, for she only nodded upon listening and said nothing more. She sighed instead: "It seemed like this person's identity is a mystery. One wouldn't be able to find anything within a short amount of time. If Lord Cui could obtain some information and if convenience permits it, could he send people to inform the Hehuan Sect of it?"
Feng Xiao snickered inwardly. Since the creation of the Sui Dynasty, things have changed. The Hehuan Sect's spies in the Imperial Court are wearing thin and this woman is using the opportunity to form a friendship with the Zuoyue Bureau in the long-term.
He coughed twice lightly to remind Cui Buqu not to fall for the seductions of this weasel so easily.
Cui Buqu pretended he hadn't heard it. "Naturally, it's doable. However, if you find your way to our doorsteps every time. We might not be available. One would want to know if there are any encampments of the Hehuan Sect in the capital that would be convenient for communication?"
Even if they were, it wasn't public. But if Bing Xuan refused to say it, it didn't mean that the Zuoyue Bureau could not find it. She was very smart. After hearing these words, before Cui Buqu had to ask again she had already confessed in generosity, spilling it out clean and clear-cut: "There is. But few people live there on usual days. Only when the disciples were sent to the capital for a mission, it would be put into use. It's the first manor after one turned right at the end of Anyi Ally."
This meant that the Zuoyue Bureau could investigate the truth of her words at any time possible.
Cui Buqu was very pleased with her willingness to cooperate, even his voice became gentler. "Since Maiden Bing Xuan and I met like old friends and formed a closer friendship each time we met, if you aren't in a hurry, why don't I treat you to a meal in the city before we part ways?"
Feng Xiao "…"
Didn't they agree not to stop here and pass straight through Luoyang? Once this man surnamed Cui saw that he could gather more information about the Jianghu from this woman, he had just leisurely changed their plans.
As if he could hear the unspoken criticism, Cui Buqu turned his head and feigned understanding: "If Second Commander Feng is in a hurry, he may move ahead first."
Feng Xiao twitched his lips. Want to shoo him away? Not a chance!
He forced himself to smile: "I also want to hear Maiden Bing Xuan talk about the Sword-Sparring Competition of Gaoshan and how it went. Though I cannot be there physically, my heart is there."
Bing Xuang said in confusion: "Many thanks to Lord Cui's good intentions, but there is one more thing. This humble person must report to both of you first. It happened last night before I left Luoyang, the Yangdang Estate encountered a murder. The Lin family of Luoyang, all fifty people, were wiped out within a single night."
Cui Buqu's gaze froze.
The Yandang Estate was located in the suburb of Luoyang City. Their Young Master was "Master Seven" of the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai. During their last trip to Tiannan Mountain, Lin Wei was the only high-level authority that was caught alive. He was brought back to the Zuoyue Bureau after that and gave away no few amounts of information. However, Lin Wei was just a treasurer of the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai in the Northern Region. Strictly speaking, he didn't propose a threat to Xiao Lu, neither was he nearly as strongly informed as Fan Yun. Seeing that they couldn't ask much, Cui Buqu let him remain in the Zuoyue Bureau for future purposes.
Hearing this information, the first thought to his mind was: Xiao Lu wanted to eliminate all witnesses.
However, this theory could be invalidated at any time. According to what he knew, Lin Wei might be doing these things in secret without his father's knowledge. If Xiao Lu wanted to use his family to blackmail Lin Wei from spilling more information, he wouldn't have killed them all. This would only force Lin Wei to become the enemy's ally.
If it was not the Thirteen Pavilions of Yunhai, then who could it be?
Feng Xiao and himself exchanged glances and Cui Buqu nodded his head slightly.
Feng Xiao asked Bing Xuan: "Since it's unrelated to the Hehuan Sect, why did you offer this information on your own accord?"
Bing Xuan said: "The Luoyang authorities sealed up the estate quickly and because the Sword-Sparring Competition had just ended, we were even invited to aid in the investigation. Speaking of which, it was riddled with suspicions. These fifty lives all murdered each other. Husbands and wives, masters and servants; there were even some of them who injured themselves and bled to death. When we arrived, not one soul was alive in the Yandang Estate. In the Jianghu, there aren't many martial art techniques that could make one lose their consciousness and self-destruct against their own will. However, thankfully, it exists in the Demonic Sect."
Feng Xiao: "The Demonic Heart-Enchanting Melody."
Bing Xuan: "That is right. This martial art technique is known to all three Demonic Sects. However, the Hehuan Sect had no strive with the Yandang Estate in the past nor the present. We would not annihilate them all, hence I want to inform both Lords of this."
Feng Xiao snickered: "The fact that you report this on your own would not strip yourself of suspicions. Sometimes, when one is too eager, it would instead make themselves look suspicious. And just as you said just now, you were obviously just passing by, but from the looks of it now, you knew that we would be passing by Luoyang and so you waited here on purpose!"
Bing Xuan sighed: "Truth to be told, when Lord Cui was investigating the case of embezzling rations in Guangqian County, he did so with such a scene. No one in Guangqian County is oblivious to this. During that time, a disciple happened to be staying there and needed to spare no effort to ask around the time of your departure. After I received that information, I estimated that both of you would pass by Luoyang during these few days and hence waited here. I hold no ill will. If Commander Feng refuses to believe it, I am willing to follow both of you back to Luoyang to prove my innocence."
Cui Buqu slowly said: "I trust you."
Feng Xiao's face blackened abruptly.
Cui Buqu: "I trust that you didn't tail us on purpose, but whether you are innocent or not, it would have to wait until further counsel is through."
Only then did Second Commander Feng's blackened face slowly regained its colour.
Bing Xuan got to her feet to adjust her garments: "Thank you for your understanding. This humble one is eternally grateful. The Hehuan Sect is not involved in this incident. The reason I did this was just to clarify misunderstandings. I beg both Lords to unravel the truth and restore our innocence."
She knew very clearly that the Hehuan Sect had a hundred things waiting to be done. It could no longer sustain any wave of events. If the crime of murdering an entire family was clasped onto her own sect, the combined strength of the Zuoyue and Jiejian Bureaus could most certainly overcome the powers the Hehuan Sect had in the Northern Dynasty. When that time comes, her sect would have it difficult.
But now, there was no use for her to explain further. Before the truth was clear, Cui Buqu would not promise her anything.
Since a murder case happened, this travelling group of people could not stall any longer. They would have to head to Luoyang City immediately.
Bing Xuan was along at the back, following behind them.
Second Commander Feng once again stepped into Cui Buqu's horse carriage.
Cui Buqu did not shoo him down, because Feng-er's mood didn't look well. He didn't look like he came here to create mischief.
"After Lin Wei was seized by the Zuoyue Bureau, I sent some people to keep their eyes on the Yandang Estate in the dark. Who could have known that such a massive thing happened, yet I know nothing about it."
The Jiejian Bureau had deployed spies perfectly across the lands, including the City of Six Crafts and the outskirts of the city, so let alone a great city like Luoyang within the Central Plains. Even if Feng Xiao rode to the horizon, to the end of the world, as long as he wanted to know something about someone, the news would have their way of flowing into his ear very quickly.
The Zuoyue Bureau's ambit might not compare to the Jiejian Bureau's, but Feng Xiao believed that with Cui Buqu's discreteness, he would most definitely spy on the Yangdang Estate as well.
Yet on their way here, not even a whisper of information came.
As both of their gazes met, there was only one possibility that came from their hearts.
It proved that even their spies were dead.