FENG XIAO SPUTTERED a laugh. "Ququ, you're such a joker. Consider those other top martial masters. Are any of them as handsome and graceful as me?"
"I don't know if they're handsome or graceful," said Cui Buqu without expression. "But if we're speaking of top martial masters…" He pointed at the cushions squashed under Feng Xiao. "I fear none of them are as thick-skinned as you."
Feng Xiao clicked his tongue. "You gave out my name earlier and I didn't even complain. What's there to worry about. Come now, I'll leave you half the bed here tonight."
Cui Buqu wasn't as fastidious as Feng Xiao, but it had been far too long since this inn had washed and aired its bedding. He could smell the staleness of the sheets from where he stood, and a closer examination revealed snot, blood, and tea stains, as well as some mysterious yellow spots whose origins he didn't dare contemplate. Truth be told, Cui Buqu found it hard to stomach. Even the floor seemed cleaner.
After wavering at length between sleeping on the floor and sharing a bed with Feng Xiao, he reluctantly chose the latter. There was no sense in torturing himself. The floor was cold and hard, and while perhaps most people could sleep on it for a night with no ill effects, it would certainly make Cui Buqu sick.
Feng Xiao waved a hand and threw a few copper coins to the porter. The man happily pocketed the money and left, closing the door behind him.
Cui Buqu was in chronically poor health and prone to fatigue. If he didn't get a good night's sleep, he'd be only more exhausted the next day. He had no interest in bickering with Feng Xiao. He lay down in his robes and was soon fast asleep.
But on the other side of the bed, Feng Xiao was wide awake. He tossed and turned. These inn beds were far from sturdy, and the frame creaked whenever Feng Xiao turned over, which he did frequently. First he faced left, then right. He turned to lay flat on his back, then faced left again…
Cui Buqu couldn't take it anymore. He sat up. "Are you going to sleep or not?"
"I have a question," said Feng Xiao innocently. "If I don't get an answer, I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep."
"I only promised to bring you here to look for Yuyin." Cui Buqu's voice was chilly. "Tomorrow, Cui-jiuniang will take us to meet Cui Yong, the head of the Cui family. That's your chance. From there, how you acquire the qin is up to you." He turned over and pulled the covers back over himself, ignoring Feng Xiao.
Feng Xiao smiled. "Ququ, if you're going to be so hard-hearted, you could have sent someone in your stead or simply pointed me in the right direction. Why come all the way here with me in person? Could it be…"
They were mere inches from each other on the bed. When he leaned forward a little, Feng Xiao could smell the soap in Cui Buqu's hair. This man's hair was nothing like his awful temper. It was soft and smooth, though thinner than average thanks to his poor health.
"Could it be that Daoist Master Cui came here with another purpose?" Feng Xiao drawled.
Cui Buqu lay with his back toward him, completely still.
Feng Xiao's smile never wavered. "When you first saw Cui-jiuniang, your face froze. I took a close look at her—her eyes really do resemble yours. You must be closely related to the Cui family. Perhaps you're even Cui-jiuniang's brother. Yet after all these years, they have no idea you exist. It seems you don't want any connection with them—which means you're here for something else. The Thirteen Floors of Yunhai, perhaps?"
He prattled on. "Back when you shared that Ning Shewo, the leader of the Jinhuan Guild, was heading north, I told you I'd also received a message. Do you remember? I wasn't lying. It's a message you'd find very useful. If you want to know more, I'm happy to talk about it."
Cui Buqu still didn't so much as twitch.
Feng Xiao found it hard to believe that Cui Buqu could fall asleep so quickly. He leaned over for a look, only to realize there was something stuffed in Cui Buqu's ears.
Feng Xiao blinked down in astonishment at the two balls of white cotton peeking from beneath Cui Buqu's hair.
A smile tugged at the corner of Cui Buqu's lips. He dreamt that he shoved Feng Xiao into a deep pit. He watched Feng Xiao jump up and down at the bottom, shouting at him, all while he stood up above, arms crossed in satisfaction.
***
With his ears stuffed with cotton, Cui Buqu slumbered in blissful silence. No irritating noises could penetrate, and following that wonderful dream, he slept soundly through the night until he woke naturally the next morning.
He turned over and saw that the other side of the bed was empty—Feng Xiao was nowhere to be found. From beyond the door came the murmur of conversation.
Cui-jiuniang had risen at dawn to wash. She stood in the courtyard in an odd pose, but smiled when Feng Xiao emerged. "Pei-gongzi!"
Feng Xiao walked over. "Is Jiuniang practicing the five-beast exercise?"
"Yes," she said awkwardly. "Doctor Sun taught it to me just a short while ago. I'm afraid it's a bit embarrassing."
"No need to put yourself down," said Feng Xiao. "I've also practiced the five-beast exercise before. I can see you've made good progress with it already. The Cui family has a prestigious reputation and has produced many great talents over the centuries. It's only natural that you're also talented and clever, as well as a quick learner."
Cui-jiuniang's cheeks went red at his praise. "Pei-gongzi flatters me. The real clever one in our family is my older cousin, Cui Fei. He was a precocious child; by fifteen, he was famous in the city for his outstanding literary talent. Right now, he's working with some others on our county annals. The former commandery governor wishes to recommend him to the court."
Her voice was warm with pride. Feng Xiao listened with a smile until he found the right moment to interject. "What about your other relatives? I trust they're all quite exceptional?"
Cui-jiuniang shook her head. "I'm afraid not. Other than my cousin, the rest are… Some died young, while others have begun raising their own families. The only one my age who's still studying at home is my fifth brother."
Cui-jiuniang's grandfather, Cui Yong, had four sons. The eldest was over fifty, good-natured but not particularly capable. If nothing went awry, he'd inherit the family business one day.
The second son had passed when still a young man, some thirty years ago.
The third son, Cui Lin, was of mediocre talent, and had two children of his own: a son and a daughter. His daughter was Cui-jiuniang, and his son was Cui Bin, the fifth brother she'd mentioned.
The fourth son, Cui Pei, was known for his gift in poetry. He traveled frequently and had many friends across the land. He was Cui Yong's youngest and most favored child.
The Cui clan was well-known in Boling Commandery, and a prominent family within their local circle. Upon being instated, all new commandery governors came to pay their respects. These old aristocratic families enjoyed great status and prestige; even the imperial family tread carefully around them. The Yang family, current rulers of Great Sui, was itself a famous clan from Guanzhong. All these powerful clans shared close ties. Their relationship to the imperial family wasn't like that of the common people, who saw the emperor as a distant and awe-inspiring figure.
The family's notoriety made it only too easy to obtain general information about them. Feng Xiao had known everything about the Cui clan's makeup long before they'd arrived. If the family had any deeply buried secrets, they weren't the kind young girls like Cui-jiuniang would know.
Cui Buqu walked into the courtyard to find Feng Xiao and Cui-jiuniang chatting and laughing like old friends. The young lady greeted him with a smile. "Feng-gongzi, you're awake. There's breakfast in the front hall; go on and eat. When you're ready, we'll enter the city, and I'll take you to my grandfather."
"Your grandfather must be a busy man," Cui Buqu muttered. "I fear he won't have time to meet us. Why don't we just leave it be? We'll have a chance to meet him on the day of the festival."
Suspecting this young scholar was simply nervous, Cui-jiuniang reassured him. "My grandfather is friendly and approachable. He's very kind, so please don't worry. And he loves talking to young people. He won't make things difficult for you, I promise."
Cui Buqu smiled faintly at her. "I can see how you idolize your grandfather. He must be a great man."
Though Cui-jiuniang was none the wiser, Feng Xiao noticed the hint of mockery in Cui Buqu's eyes. His words weren't praise, but sarcasm.
"In that case, we'll go find breakfast, Jiuniang," said Feng Xiao, smiling brightly. "We'll come and find you later."
While the girl was mesmerized, he took the chance to take Cui Buqu's sleeve and pull him away. Feng Xiao marched him all the way to the front hall before he slowed down and smiled. "You hate them that much, yet you were willing to come here with me. Oh A-Qu, I'm so moved."
Cui Buqu rolled his eyes. "Deputy Chief Feng has quite the imagination."
"Jiuniang grew up in the lap of luxury, pampered and loved. Yet you left home at a young age and suffered untold hardships, ruining your health. If I were you, I'd hate them too. But Cui-jiuniang is no fool. If you keep up your jibes, she'll notice eventually. I presume you didn't come here to tell her you're her blood relative?"
Cui Buqu's steps slowed. Feng Xiao chuckled.
"I wasn't sure before, but now I see I'm right."
"Deputy Chief Feng," said Cui Buqu. "Have you nothing better to do?"
"Cui Buqu, everything about you is a mystery. To personally solve each of them, one by one… Wouldn't that be greatly entertaining?"
"You made two mistakes," said Cui Buqu coldly. "I didn't endure hardships and become ill because I left the Cui family. It was because I was ill and had no way to live that I left them. Secondly, hatred springs from love. I don't hate the Cui family; they are strangers to me. You cannot threaten me with my past. Just let me help you find Yuyin, and forget about the rest!"
He stalked off, paying no more heed to Feng Xiao, who was left with the sight of his retreating back and the sound of suppressed coughing.
Feng Xiao pursed his lips and leapt into the air. When he landed, there was a bird clutched in his hand—an innocent sparrow that had the misfortune to fly overhead. "How many times must I tell you before you understand?" he groused at the sparrow. "I've no interest in Yuyin! You thrash about, you close your eyes and ears, and you're too clever by half!"
He tapped the sparrow's fluffy head several times. Vexed, the bird chirped loudly and pecked at his fingers. He relaxed his hand, and the plump bird sprang from his clutches and soared into the sky, terrified it'd be caught again.
Feng Xiao smiled. If it'd been Cui Buqu he held, he wouldn't have been like that sparrow, so desperate to escape. He wasn't a helpless sparrow, nor was he an ailing eagle. None of this world's mediocre lifeforms were a fit comparison. He was no fragile flower growing in the protective shade of a great tree, dependent on his family's status and reputation. He was Cui Buqu, the only one of his kind in the world. A man capable of carving a path to heaven even when pushed to the edge of a cliff.
"Ah well, no matter. You're Cui Buqu, after all." Feng Xiao patted off his hands and flicked the dust from his sleeves, then headed into the front hall. It was late in the morning by now; there wasn't much breakfast left. Almost everyone preparing to enter the city had already set out. The two Zuoyue guards had also already finished their meal and were waiting outside.
Cui Buqu sat alone at a table, slowly chewing a steamed bun. In front of him were two bowls. Both were filled with congee. There was quite a bit less congee in the second bowl, but still, it wasn't empty.
Once again, Feng Xiao found his mood had inexplicably lifted.