THE MOST POPULAR method of testing for poison was via silver needle, but this could only detect arsenic. There were plenty of unknown poisons silver failed to identify.
Qin Miaoyu was thorough. She hadn't only dipped a silver needle in the bowl but also called for someone to bring in chickens and ducks and fed the birds the soup. An hour had passed and the birds were still flapping around, completely unaffected. Unless this was a slow-acting poison that required several days to do its work, the soup was just soup.
Cui Buqu listened to her explanation, then examined the bowl. After all the tests, a shallow splash of soup remained at the bottom. He picked the bowl up and sniffed it, just as he'd done back at the manor. "The soup is cold, but there's a faint fishy scent."
Qin Miaoyu nodded. "They added fish maw. Silver ear mushrooms and lotus seeds, boiled together with fish maw. It's an effective beauty tonic."
Cui Buqu knew little about beauty or skincare and never made unwarranted conjectures on topics he was unfamiliar with. He refrained from commenting. "A letter from Zhangsun just arrived. He wants me to return to the capital as soon as possible. Go ask Feng-er if he prefers to stay and continue the investigation or hand the case over to the officials of Luoyang for now and return with me."
Cui Buqu's intuition, honed by extensive experience, told him the investigation here was at an impasse. The perpetrator had fled before they arrived, so unless they struck again or Lin Yong provided new leads back at the capital, they would make no further progress.
"Regarding the corpses," Cui Buqu continued. "I'm recommending the Luoyang officials call in additional experts to conduct their own examinations. I'll leave a Zuoyue guard here to assist; if any new discoveries arise, they'll report back to the capital. The Jiejian Bureau might consider leaving some personnel here to do the same."
Qin Miaoyu was surprised but quickly replied, "I'll go ask the deputy chief now!"
"Wait." A trace of hesitation surfaced on Cui Buqu's face. Qin Miaoyu wondered if she was seeing things—Cui Buqu was a decisive person. He almost never looked unsure.
After a moment, he asked, "Does going to bed late dull the complexion?"
Qin Miaoyu was baffled. Something told her Cui Buqu's words held a deeper meaning. There was some secret here—one she needed to puzzle out herself—but her mind was momentarily blank. "I suppose so," she responded after a pause. "It should."
"Do you usually go to bed late?" asked Cui Buqu.
Qin Miaoyu blinked. "Back in the Kingdom of Khotan, I discovered some secret beauty techniques and created a miracle cream: As long as you use it diligently, late nights are of no concern. If your lordship is interested, I'd be more than happy to offer it to you. Or…" Realization dawned. "Do you wish to gift it to our deputy chief?"
Cui Buqu stared at her. "Gift it to him? Why would you think that?"
Qin Miaoyu cursed herself for misspeaking. She watched him discreetly.
Suddenly Cui Buqu smiled. "I was merely thinking your skin is radiant, like jade—truly beautiful," he said gently. "It would be a shame to see it dulled by these late nights. There are many beauty secrets in the palace you might find useful. Next time I'm there, I'll ask the empress for a certain formula on your behalf."
Startled by the unexpected flattery, Qin Miaoyu's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Of course. Although you're a member of the Jiejian Bureau, you've made great contributions to our efforts against the Thirteen Floors of Yunhai. The empress is known for her generosity; allow me to speak to her."
Any woman would be moved upon hearing these words, Qin Miaoyu not excepted. "Thank you very much, Chief Cui!"
From the moment they'd arrived in Guangqian County, their days had been a whirlwind. Qin Miaoyu was a skilled martial artist who had experienced her share of rough living, but even she couldn't suppress a contented sigh when she entered her room and saw the steaming soup and dishes the station porter had delivered.
This was how life was meant to be: filled with wealth and luxury. It should brim with bliss, one's desires fulfilled with the lift of a finger. She'd embraced this ideal from the day she'd joined the Buyeo Sect and received her orders to become Yuchi Jinwu's concubine and get close to the king of Khotan.
But everything had changed when Feng Xiao caught her in Liugong City: She was forced to surrender, turn over all the information she had, and join the Jiejian Bureau. Now she rose earlier than the roosters and slept later than the dogs. The cases she handled were delicate, and too often her life hung in the balance. Sometimes she found herself up against top-tier experts. Forget wealth and luxury—even going to sleep at a reasonable hour was a blessing.
She sensed Feng Xiao had yet to fully trust her. Her sectmate Su Xing, who had also been planted in Liugong City, had killed the Lu family's only daughter. He was long dead. Only Qin Miaoyu had survived—and in order to preserve her own insignificant life, she worked tirelessly. Day by day, she'd grown increasingly accustomed to living without luxuries, until even the sight of a warm meal brought her to tears.
Sorrow welled up within her heart. It seemed like she was going backward. Not long ago, she'd been surrounded by servants. Now—
"Qin-jiejie." Pei Jingzhe's voice came from outside. "After discussing with Chief Cui, our lord has decided to set off before dawn."
"Got it!" Qin Miaoyu called back. The sound of Pei Jingzhe's footsteps gradually receded. She put aside her melancholy, picked up her bowl, and began to eat. Less than six hours remained until they departed. And after she finished eating, she still had to wash before bed.
Wasn't she a frail and delicate woman? Why should she have to suffer such a miserable fate?!
If she could travel back in time, she'd give her past self—the one who'd stolen the Jade of Heaven Lake—a harsh slap on each cheek. It's your fault for being greedy and shortsighted! Pack your bags and flee now, or you'll find yourself in the tiger's den as a glorified pack mule!
Qin Miaoyu wolfed down her food while weeping over her hardships.
The sun rose late at this time of year, the skies dark until almost seven in the morning. By the time she finished washing, it was past two. If she lay down now, she'd only have to get up again soon after, so she remained clothed and simply settled on the bed and meditated.
As morning approached, she roused herself and opened her eyes, slipping off the bed to put on her shoes and prepare for departure. The attendants at the relay station made their own preparations. By the time she arrived, the horses had been fed and were only waiting for the grooms to harness them.
Qin Miaoyu, perceptive as she was, felt the biting cold outside and immediately realized the bedding in the carriage wasn't thick enough for Cui Buqu. Though it might suffice for an ordinary person, someone of Chief Cui's constitution was sure to take a chill. Recalling his promise to procure some of the palace's beauty products for her, it occurred to her that if he fell ill during their journey, his entrance to the palace would be delayed. Determined to prevent this at all costs, she asked an attendant to fetch an extra blanket.
A delicate layer of frost still blanketed the carriage; even the footboard at its front, where the carriage's owner would board and where the coachman would sit, hadn't escaped its icy touch. Qin Miaoyu gave it a glance as she always did and froze.
The lantern at the station entrance swayed in the wind, flickering in the predawn darkness.
Pressed into the white frost were two footprints.
The prints were shallow, almost invisible. From their placement, it appeared someone had stepped right into the carriage. Hair rose on the back of her neck. All her fatigue vanished as she stumbled back a few steps, yelling, "Who's there? Come out!"
No sound came from within the carriage, but her voice had startled the others. They rushed forward; Qin Miaoyu drew Pei Jingzhe's sword from the sheath at his waist and sliced the curtain into two.
A figure sat cross-legged inside, barely visible in the dim light. His pale face was twisted, eyes wide open and mouth slightly ajar as he stared at Qin Miaoyu with an expression of terror and agony.
"Zhou Lao-Qi!" Pei Jingzhe gasped.
He was an eagle rider from the Jiejian Bureau who should have been undercover at Yandang Mountain Estate. After Lin Yong's capture, he'd been ordered to infiltrate the villa as a servant while secretly monitoring their every move. In the course of this gruesome case, both the Jiejian and Zuoyue Bureaus had had a spy go missing. Now one of them was accounted for.
But where was the spy from the Zuoyue Bureau?
In the face of everyone's shock, Zhou Lao-Qi remained motionless, his agonized stare unchanged.
"He's dead," Ming Yue called out from the entrance. He had yet to recover from his injuries and spent most of the time resting in his carriage. But now his movements were swift as lightning; though he was nowhere near fully healed, it was clear he was much better. He grabbed Zhou Lao-Qi and made to pull him out of the carriage, but the man barely budged.
Ming Yue set his mouth in a grim line. He pulled harder. The carriage swayed a little, but it was as if Zhou Lao-Qi had been glued to the interior.
"There's something under the carriage." Cui Buqu coughed several times. He'd come out upon hearing the commotion, his complexion even paler than the night before.
Pei Jingzhe ducked down to look beneath the carriage and exclaimed in horror, "There's a sword stabbed through the bottom!"
He pulled out the sword, and Zhou Lao-Qi finally slumped forward.
Everyone was aghast. It made sense now that Ming Yue had failed to move him—someone had placed Zhou Lao-Qi inside the carriage and nailed him in place. What was more, judging by his expression, he'd been alive when the sword pierced him.
To be impaled and left to slowly die in the dark—how must he have felt? Pei Jingzhe's insides clenched in sympathy; it would have been an agony few could endure.
"They're trying to intimidate us," said Ming Yue.
Pei Jingzhe's heart leapt into his throat. Their enemy was powerful enough to kill everyone in Yandang Mountain Estate; Zhou Lao-Qi had never stood a chance of escaping. His presence here was a message: The enemy not only knew he was a spy, but also that Feng Xiao and the others had arrived. Torturing Zhou Lao-Qi to death in front of them was more than just a stunt meant to provoke Feng Xiao—it was a direct challenge to the entire Jiejian Bureau.
Ming Yue was an amiable man, rarely angry. But at that moment, he was furious. "Erlang, we should stay in Luoyang and uncover the truth!"
Cui Buqu interjected before Feng Xiao could respond. "I suggest we leave now—this very minute."
Ming Yue respected and admired Cui Buqu. He suppressed his anger and said, "Chief Cui, this person is tracking our every move. If we don't eliminate the threat now, we will be in even more danger."
Pei Jingzhe and the others were silent, but their determined expressions mirrored Ming Yue's.
"Before sleeping last night, I inquired about the situation at the relay station," Cui Buqu explained. "Luoyang's relay station is large; in addition to us, there are three other groups staying here at the moment. One is a group of four heading to Xin'an County; another a group of six traveling scholars passing through. The last is a group of thirty-six who wish to enter the city, led by Duchess Yang Cheng, the daughter of the emperor's late brother, Prince Jing of Cai. When you add in all the staff and servants at the relay station, there are too many people. Word travels fast; our plans to leave must have leaked overnight. We could stay and investigate, but it's certain to delay us, and we might not find anything substantial. I suspect this is exactly our enemy's intent."
Feng Xiao, who had been silent until now, offered his conclusion: "You think they're trying to stop us from leaving Luoyang."
"Precisely." Cui Buqu nodded. "The more they want to stop us, the more imperative it is we return to the capital at once. Time is of the essence. We must depart right away."
Ming Yue's brow furrowed, but he could find no objection to make.
As for Feng Xiao, he had already made up his mind. He had Pei Jingzhe notify the relay station and asked them to take Zhou Lao-Qi's body for proper burial. Cui Buqu took the carriage that had been Guan Shanhai's. The group swiftly gathered their belongings and prepared for departure, leading their horses out without even bidding the attendants at the station a farewell.
Three carriages set out from the city: Guan Shanhai and Ming Yue shared one, and Qin Miaoyu and Bing Xian rode in the second. Cui Buqu's carriage was sandwiched in the middle for his protection, flanked by several Zuoyue guards and Jiejian Bureau eagle riders.
Cui Buqu had just settled himself in the carriage, deep in thought, when Feng Xiao abandoned his horse and lifted the carriage curtain to slip in uninvited.
"It's so much warmer in here!" As Cui Buqu looked at him, speechless, Feng Xiao sighed comfortably and met his eyes. "The enemy is in hiding while we're in the open, so I've no choice but to risk my own safety to protect you. Don't forget who helped you stop Bing Xian last night."
Outside, little Pei-langjun, unable to share in his master's luxuries, was shivering in the cold wind on horseback.
Cui Buqu thought of the rare sight he'd glimpsed last night—an exhausted Feng Xiao—and bit back a retort. He pushed the waterskin he'd prepared over to Feng Xiao. "Here—it's warm."
Feng Xiao arched a brow. His sharp eyes caught sight of another waterskin of the same type nestled in the corner of the carriage.
So Cui Buqu had prepared this one specially for him.
The shadow of a smile flitted over his face as their gazes met. He accepted the waterskin and took a sip. The water had been freshly boiled before they left and was still warm. It slid down his throat, leaving a faint sweetness in its wake.
Feng Xiao blinked. He thought he'd imagined the sweetness due to his buoyant mood. But after a second sip, he realized it wasn't so—the water really was sweet.
"What did you put in this?"
"Poison." Cui Buqu flipped open his book without raising his head.
"Ahh." Feng Xiao drew out the sound. "Ice-fungus pills."
For a moment, Cui Buqu was silent. "My apologies, I gave you the wrong one. That was for Qin Miaoyu," he said coldly.
Feng Xiao sighed. "My venerable self is indeed peerless in all respects, with countless admirers across the land. But you shouldn't let that stop you from expressing your affection openly—why try to hide it?"
Cui Buqu sneered. "It's true I can't stand the ordinary or mediocre. Just because Deputy Chief Feng has taken a liking to me doesn't mean I return the sentiment. Don't you think concealing your feelings like this reflects poorly on you, a grandmaster of martial arts?"
"Who says I like you?" A faint smirk tugged at Feng Xiao's lips. "What could I possibly see in an invalid like you? Don't be so full of yourself. Maybe you're the one who likes me."
Cui Buqu snorted. "You think I'd like a featherless peacock who's gilded on the outside and rotten on the inside?"
They locked eyes for a moment, then both looked away and ignored each other.
Ah, thought Feng Xiao. What a liar!
Cui Buqu sneered to himself. How dishonest!