Feng Xiao had never once entrusted his life onto someone else's hands.
Even in his gravest times, he still had power over his own fate; at the very least, he made his own decisions and chose his own path.
Last night, however, was far more than he expected.
When he was fighting with Tuan Qinghe, he would never have thought that the other would use such underhanded methods with a martial skill of that calibre and plant a gu worm onto his body.
This was his first mistake.
After the fight, Tuan Qinghe left after he came out of nowhere. Although Feng Xiao was suspicious of it at first, he hadn't thought about the fact that the other knew he was heading to Prince Qin's manor to attend the banquet and was just there to wait for the bait.
This was his second mistake.
Only until the moment he woke up from his delusion did he understand, and from the moment he saw Xiao Lu appear, the gu poison had already taken effect.
And it wasn't only him whose gu poison was taking effect.
"During that time, I attacked once with a sword, but I held back and didn't use my all. When that sword went down, only one person would be wounded, but they wouldn't be having a wound that would endanger their lives."
"After I came to my senses, everything was in chaos. The Crown Prince was shouting, drawing the guards from inside the manor. I could only manage to roughly survey the scene."
"The deceased is the Crown Prince's concubine, as well as a few servants and maidservants. The wounds on their bodies were all made by swords. The Crown Prince's concubine died via a sword through her heart. A few others died after their necks were sliced."
"The Crown Prince, Prince Jin, and others might have fallen to the same scheme. Everything they saw was illusions. In their illusion, I am the murderer. But how could it be possible that everyone had gu planted on them?"
Feng Xiao only briefly illustrated the situation, and Cui Buqu very quickly offered his questions.
"During the chaos, where were all of you? Out in the open or within a confined space?"
Feng Xiao, "In a flower hall. The doors and windows were opened, accompanied by songs and dances. The songs came from across the pond, and there are no musicians within the hall."
Cui Buqu, "Any fragrance?"
Feng Xiao, "The fragrance on the women, the scent on the men, as well as the incense lit by the host. There were all kinds of fragrances. It's impossible to tell whether there was the scent of machilus wood or not."
Cui Buqu remained silent and said: "Gu poison is bred by feeding it the blood of its master. It's linked to the lifeline of its master while the elements of fragrance, colours, and music, are leveraged to utilize its potential. However, pros and cons apply to all worldly matters, especially a technique like the gu poison which manipulates the minds of others and sends their owners into disarray. They're not items easily accessible. One would need to pay a hefty cost to breed them, going so far to bet their life on it. If the gu dies, so will their master."
Feng Xiao raised a brow. "The Yandang Estate, the suburb of Luoyang, Prince Qin manor. That is to say, we have already wounded the enemy three times. How tough his life is, to still be alive until now?"
Cui Buqu, "When Kuhezhen came to the Central Plains, he would need to bring the Shaman of the Göktürks. The number of people who could use their lives to breed gu is not large, but not small either. In the suburb of Luoyang, the Shaman manipulating the gu died where he stood. Yet, you were still poisoned, this proved that there is still someone."
He paused for a while, "However, this sort of gu worm is extremely difficult to get. I am taking a guess that the enemy is also at their wit's end, otherwise, the Crown Prince, Prince Jin, and the others would not have recovered so quickly. This meant that they weren't poisoned by gu, at most, they were only drugged by fragrances or the sound of music into delusion, and saw in that delusion that you killed someone."
Feng Xiao walked to and fro, deep in thought.
The smell wasn't too terrible here, though, naturally, it wasn't to Feng Xiao's liking.
His love for cleanliness has reached the utmost degree; on usual days, as long as his clothes had a stain, he would have changed them.
With his capabilities, he could have absolutely left the prison on his own.
But if he were to do that, he wouldn't just not help with the case, he would even make the entire situation even more complicated.
One could imagine, after such a huge commotion in Prince Qin's manor, the upper and lower courts were both shaken by it. All eyes were on Feng Xiao.
At this present moment, one wouldn't know what had become of the manor of Prince Qin and the Imperial Palace.
Cui Buqu understood this, so after knowing that Feng Xiao is physically well, he returned to the cool and calm that he carried around on usual days.
Only when he was in such an attitude, could he prepare himself to brace the impending horrendous storms.
"Someone must have fallen for the gu's poison and killed in his frenzy, but when I was conscious, I did not see such a person. There could only be one possibility, is that the killer was already killed. Even if the gu poison could be secretly snuck in, how could that fragrance and music that drew people into an illusion be explained?" Feng Xiao appeared to be asking Cui Buqu, but in truth, he was asking himself.
In both of their hearts, there was already an answer.
Cui Buqu expressionlessly said, "There is an insider in the manor of Prince Qin, and the insider is most definitely present. The Crown Prince's concubine is dead, so he couldn't possibly be a suspect. It's also difficult for those without high status to achieve these things, unless—"
Feng Xiao continued, "Unless it's a manager of Prince Qin's manor, Prince Qin's concubine, or perhaps, Prince Qin Yang Jun himself."
He recalled something all of a sudden, his voice slowed down until it was inaudible.
Cui Buqu felt it was strange. He couldn't resist from nodding, his voice pitched, making him continue.
"I recalled. It's that bowl of deer's blood."
Feng Xiao lightly sighed, "When I entered the palace to have an audience with His Majesty, I ran into Yang Jun asking His Majesty for a bowl of deer's blood. The salty nature of deer's blood could nourish the yin and strengthen the yang; the noble caste and members of royalty loved this. Last time, Yang Jun did a lot of similar things, so I did not suspect him."
Cui Buqu, "Whether or not it was Yang Jun, nothing can be done by seeking him out now."
If it wasn't him, logically, he wouldn't own up to it. If it was him, all the more to deny it. Since the incident happened, the evidence must have already been destroyed.
Cui Buqu, "If all they did was just to lock you up in here, it's a big effort with little achievement."
Feng Xiao, "In the festival of the Buddha's Birthday that will take place two days later, those few princes would most certainly be unable to participate. Additionally, because such a matter has happened, the Emperor would use the festival to pray for blessings. It's impossible to put off this festival now."
Cui Buqu, "It's no longer two days later. Now is already past midnight, it should be the sixteenth of the first month."
He flicked away the dust on his clothes and undid the strings of his cloak to tie it back again. This is a gesture that meant he was about to leave.
"I should be leaving."
He had asked Feng Xiao all that he needed to ask, there's no longer any good reason to stay.
The time of a single day and night was enough to do a lot of things.
Feng Xiao drawled, "Commander Cui, don't you dare return wounded again and make a prisoner like me worry for days on end, so much so that I would have to think of ways to nurse you back to health. This time, I won't be so easy to talk with!"
Cui Buqu laughed coldly, "Since when were you easy to talk with? Wait here patiently. Whether or not your crimes will be proven innocent will all depend on the mood of His Excellency that is I."
Too lazy to banter further, he turned around and left, his footsteps never stopping. In the resounding echoes of his footsteps, he got further and further, and very quickly blended into the darkness.
It's unknown since when the wails and cries in the prison quietened down, fading in and out, like they were there and then weren't, making the place appear all the more like a sinister forest.
Feng Xiao furrowed his brows again.
Naturally, he wasn't afraid of sinister forests, but he hated the walls that were filthy and damp, growing full of green moss. From time to time he could even see worms wiggling in them.
It's not impossible for him to leave now, but without him, doesn't that mean the enemy could sit back and do their work more easily?
Feng Xiao sighed, feeling touched by his own self-sacrifice.
How high a calibre would someone need, for him to stomach an environment such as this and remain here?
None but Feng Xiao.
Cui Buqu stood at the gates of the prison of the Ministry of Justice.
The guards looked terrible when he walked out. Before the other could do anything, Cui Buqu apologized first.
"Commander Cui, it's not that we are making it difficult for Commander Feng on purpose, but this incident is truly drawing far too much attention. Now, commotions are raining in the city, His Majesty laid orders that no one is to pay him a visit, so why did you…"
All this time, there were only prison guards who accepted bribes and flattery. There were also rumours of prison guards receiving apologies from the prisoners who begged for their understanding, but when faced before the Zuoyue Bureau's Commander, they had no such gut.
Cui Buqu nodded, "It's a job well done."
"Why did you still… ah?" The prison guards were just thinking about how they should be wording it. They were unprepared for such a complimentary answer and even thought that Cui Buqu was being sarcastic.
Cui Buqu asked, "His Majesty deeply trusts Commander Feng, but despite that, he cannot do as he pleased, so I fear he will have to live here for quite some time."
The prison guards immediately, "Yes, this humble one agrees."
Cui Buqu, "Do you people want to earn some side income?"
The prison guards raised their gazes.
Cui Buqu, "Find a few chamber pots that haven't been washed, empty out the cells on the left and right of Commander Feng's and use them to store these chamber pots. Not half a day later, Commander Feng will give you money on his own whim."
The prison guards were tongue-tied. "This… wouldn't be too good, would it?"
Cui Buqu smiled, "Not only will he give you money. I will also give you money. If you're afraid that he will take revenge on you after this, I will write a note. The Zuoyue Bureau needs a few guards. After this matter is done, I will transfer you there and you may work proudly. Would those days be better than standing guard in a dark and eerie forest day and night?"
Watching as the prison guards were slowly convinced, Cui Buqu spoke no more. He patted the other's shoulder and left.
He did not return to the Zuoyue Bureau, nor did he head to the manor of Prince Qin. He got up his horse and went straight for the Palace of Daxing.
At this moment, above their heads was a bright moon and clear sky, void of stormy and dark clouds. This is the time of the sixteenth of the first month, three quarters past the time when oxes are chewing the cud (1AM – 3AM).
Everyone, including Cui Buqu, would never have thought that after this long night, there would be a massive change of events once again falling upon this empire.