[Wushuang] Chapter 99 – QuQu, You Are Quite Cute When You Behave This Way
After Cui Buqu finished half of the bowl of congee in front of him, he turned towards the person that came and watched him taking the other bowl for himself before dining on it.

“I took that for myself.” Cui Buqu said. He did not reach out to snatch the bowl back, because that wasn’t his style.

Feng Xiao, “With your usual appetite, you can hardly finish one bowl yourself, so why would there be another one?”

Cui Buqu, “Because that was all the congee left in the inn, so I told them to serve me everything.”

Feng Xiao spoke slowly and properly, “With Master Taoist Cui’s personality, you would pour everything away if you couldn’t finish it rather than put it on the table in front of my eyes. Since you put it here, doesn’t that mean that you are already prepared for the fact that I will see it?”

Cui Buqu said plainly, “I have taken a sip from that bowl of congee.”

Feng Xiao really did pause for a moment, but in the next second, he still poured everything down his throat as if nothing was unusual.

Cui Buqu could not stop himself from glaring at him for a while. He found it very difficult that a germaphobe like Feng-Er had turned indifferent over it.

Feng Xiao finished all the congee in one go and then smiled at the other, “If someone had taken a sip before, there would be marks left behind on the edge of the bowl. A-Qu ah, was it really so difficult for you to admit your moment of soft-heartedness to preserve a bowl of congee for your comrade?”

After he finished, he didn’t wait for the other to be provoked before changing the topic immediately, “Last time you said Ning Shewo went North, but actually, the Jiejian Bureau had already received particular information: that the Yandang Estate’s Young Master Lin Wei had also left home just recently, and right now he is heading to Donghai Jun.”

Cui Buqu really did abandon the thought of bickering with Feng Xiao. He squinted his eyes, “So, it really is Donghai Jun!”

Feng Xiao replied knowingly, “Have Ning Shewo’s whereabouts also advanced?”

Cui Buqu, “A few days ago, Ning Shewo had already arrived at Dongchu Zhou. Dongzhu Zhou and Donghai Jun are not very far from each other, at most one day apart. In theory, both of them could meet very quickly.”

This man, Lin Wei, had met Feng Xiao a few times. Later on, in the Linlang Guild’s auction event, when Cui Buqu was concealing his identity, mistaken by Feng Xiao to be the murderer of the Khotan Ambassador and was held custody by his side, he had witnessed Lin Wei’s devotion to Feng Xiao, the former had even seen him as a love rival.

As for Donghai Jun, they managed to find it from the poem hidden on Duan Qigu’s corpse; a poem that made no sense whatsoever even if it was plagiarized by the poet. After an entire day of beating around the bush, Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao only vaguely managed to discover these two places: Donghai Jun and Jieshi. However, they have yet to discover where the gathering will be taking place.

Feng Xiao waved his fan and said, “Jieshi Mountain is situated in Feiru county, it should belong to the region of Beihai Jun. I have sent people to Beihai and Donghai to scout for information and they discovered something very interesting.”

He was leaving it in suspense and refused to continue.

Cui Buqu said plainly, “There is a mountain and a pavilion in Shetan of Donghai. The mountain represents ‘returning to the mountains’, and the pavilion represents ‘the pavilion of yearning’; the pavilion is at the foot of the mountain and the mountain is next to the pavilion. This happened to form the last sentence of the riddle: When I return safe from this dreadful strife, my spirit shall forever live with thee.”

Feng Xiao extended his hand, “I see you’ve discovered it on your own, it seems like I should have minded my own business.”

Cui Buqu muttered dully, “Nanjin Huan and Northern Yangdang; the martial arts of the leader of the Jinhuan Group and the Yangdang Estate are not considered top-tier, but they’ve managed to grasp the entire business involving the Southern water canal transport, evolving into one of the wealthiest houses in the Northern Dynasty. If the Yunhai Thirteen Stories wanted to commit to something huge, the first thing they need is a source of continuous funds. So it wouldn’t be strange for them to pull these two houses to their side.”

He put down his bowl, “What I find strange is the motives behind these people. Yu Xiu wanted to lend Princess Qianjin a hand and since he had no sire or mother, nor any relatives, he was considered a desperate man. Duan Qigu emerged from the background of a bandit, but after that, he turned over a new leaf and controlled half of Qiemo city. He too learned to treasure his own life, his refusal to ally with the Yunhai Thirteen Stories was what got him killed. However, Ning Shewo and Lin Wei do not seem to have motives in aiding the Yunhai Thirteen Stories. So, how in the world did they get persuaded into it?”

“This isn’t strange. Everyone in this world has weaknesses; some people value wealth, and others value their own lives. Didn’t even someone like Yu Xiu, who did not fear death nor value wealth have someone like Princess Qianjin whom they couldn’t let down? Although the Jinhuan Group was powerful in the Southern Dynasty, it was because they had the support of the Emperor of said Dynasty at their backs that they could keep themselves afloat. Last time, didn’t the adopted son of Ning Shewo bid for the treasuries in the auction of the Linlang Guild to bribe the guards close to the Emperor? This has proven that the Jinhuan Group watched the wind before they set sail. As for the Lin family—“

Feng Xiao smiled for a moment, “Perhaps you have investigated Lin Wei, but something you have yet to know is that twenty years ago, something happened in the Yangdang Estate. That time, Lin Wei’s grandfather had a pair of sons who were identical twins. Lin Wei’s father was the little brother, so he had an older brother who was originally the successor of the estate. However, twenty years ago, his older brother went missing while he was on his way home. Lin Wei’s grandfather sent people out to search for him for a very long time, but in the end, they found his corpse by the river, indicating that he drowned. However, how was it possible for a practitioner of the martial arts to drown? When no conclusion was drawn for that case, the next successor of the Yangdang Estate was naturally Lin Wei’s father.”

As he watched Cui Buqu in profound thinking, he added, “Are you pondering over whether the little brother murdered his own big brother over the position of the successor?”

Cui Buqu shook his head, then nodded again with a confused expression on his face.

“I suddenly thought of something else that is unrelated to this case, so I will leave it aside for now. Listening to what you said, the brothers seemed to be on good terms, so would it be impossible for them to murder each other over the Yangdang Estate?”

Feng Xiao replied knowingly, “The brothers fell in love with the same woman. The elder brother sacrificed his love life for the sake of his little brother and even confessed to their father that he had no intention of succeeding the estate. Under such circumstances, there was no reason for the younger brother to murder his older brother.”

Cui Buqu spoke slowly, “Then, what if the current ‘little brother’ was actually the older brother? The older brother murdered the little brother, so there was no longer a rivalry for the estate’s successor. His old love once more returned to him. Since both of them looked identical, no one from the outside would be able to tell, and if their speech and mannerisms were also identical, they could even cheat past their own family members.”

Feng Xiao remained silent for a while before saying, “Why should I sit here early in the morning listening to you babbling supernatural fantasies?”

Cui Buqu replied in his heart: Because you drank that bowl of congee.

“Why are both my Lords looking so severe?” A clear and light voice of a young woman interfered as Ninth Lady Cui walked over, to remind them of the impending journey.

Today, she remained dressed in azure-colored robes, but the cuttings of her robes were different from the ones she had worn yesterday. It wrapped around her waist more tightly and there were green ribbons tied to her hair. As the saying goes, ‘a woman should dress herself up for her beholders’, so when Ninth Lady Cui noticed that Feng Xiao’s gaze lingered on her recurrently, she couldn’t help feeling happy inside her heart.

“I’ve already sent people ahead to notify grandfather. Perhaps we can arrive in the Cui manor before noon. When the time comes, grandfather will most definitely welcome you with a feast and ask you to make yourselves at home.” Ninth Lady Cui was desperately looking for a subject to converse but couldn’t help feeling a little shy, so after she finished sheepishly, she excused herself and ran ahead to Doctor Sun.

Feng Xiao commented, “Although you and her are siblings, you are both very different.”

Cui Buqu did not pay him any attention and climbed up the horse carriage.

Feng Xiao followed closely behind him, determined to pry his mouth open, “After so many years of not returning home, are you perhaps feeling a little bit sentimental and uncomfortable all over?”

Cui Buqu gave him a cold laugh, “Although the Cui family is incomparable to those Wulin aristocrats, Cui Yong is not as pleasant to converse with as you think. Don’t think of making me play a hand in this matter. If you want the zither Yu Yin, Commander Feng, you will have to depend solely on yourself!”

Very quickly Feng Xiao witnessed what Cui Buqu’s ‘not as pleasant to converse with’ meant, and the Cui Yong which Ninth Lady Cui claimed to be ‘easy to get along with’.

The man had white hair and a white beard. He wasn’t very tall, but his eyes were piercingly sharp, making him look unlike any common old man.

When Doctor Sun and Ninth Lady Cui were present, his tone was warm and wore a gentle gaze, like a common man who missed his granddaughter and an old friend. However, once his gaze fell upon both his visitors Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu, his look changed into a scrutinizing one.

“Young Master Pei, are you in any way related to one of the three Pei branches from Hedong Pei Clan?” Cui Yong asked.

The surname Pei belonged to one of the most prestigious families. After the Qinhan Dynasty, history changed and clans like the Hedong Pei Clan and the Yanjin Pei Clan were born. When the genealogy books of these families are taken out for cross checking, one will find that they share the same ancestors, and are no less inferior to the Cui Clan.

Feng Xiao smiled and said, “I am from neither. My ancestors are common folks, they bear no titles or names. When it reached the generation of my grandfather, we managed to uptake the rank of an officer or two. Yet because I am the only son in three generations, I may come off a little bit willful.”

Cui Yong nodded his head in indifference. In reality, his focus was never on Feng Xiao. Every since both of them entered, his gaze would linger on Cui Buqu from time to time, boring deep holes within.

“And Young Master Feng?” He asked Cui Buqu.

Cui Buqu replied indifferently, “Not much different from Brother Pei.”

Cui Yong asked dully, “May I inquire where is the hometown of Young Master Feng?”

Without waiting for Cui Buqu to reply, Cui Yong laughed, “Don’t be mistaken. I only asked that question because when I look at your face, you seem to resemble an old friend of mine.”

The corner of Cui Buqu’s lips raised. There was no smile that lingered in his gaze, “I have neither a sire nor a mother. They have both passed away long ago.”

Cui Yong was stunned, yet he could not help but ask more, “Are there no other family members of yours?”

Cui Buqu, “None.”

Cui Yong still wanted to prod further, but Doctor Sun spoke at the right time, “Host Cui, I have aged and it would be inconvenient for me to remain standing for long. It’s also the first time these two little fellows pay a visit. If you interrogate them like that, they will feel intimidated. Why not offer them shelter first? It won’t be too late to catch up a bit later.”

Although Doctor Sun was an employee in the Cui Clan’s medicine stall, he and Cui Yong had known each over for over ten years and Cui Yong himself was a frequent patient of Doctor Sun, so it was not considered inappropriate for him to talk to him in such a way.

Cui Yong cast Doctor Sun a glance before he patted his head and laughed, “I was too impatient. Both of you came at just the right time. Tomorrow it’s the Pomegranate flower Literary Festival. Since you enjoy literary writing, you will surely enjoy the festival.”

Feng Xiao hid away his usual wayward and elegant behaviour, but he was brimming with tingles of being reserved and prideful. This indeed made him look convincing enough that he had just started out with quite an extraordinary set of talents. However, he dared not overdo his acting as a scholar in front of Cui Yong. “We have indeed come here this time for the festival. I heard that this year, the new prefecture’s magistrate will also be attending.”

Cui Yong gave a knowing expression. Young people who wanted to borrow this stage in Boling to prove themselves in front of the prefecture’s magistrate were very normal.

He caressed his beard and said, “That is right. However, the number of people who will be attending the literary festival this year will be a lot more than last year. Young talents are everywhere. I fear it would not be easy for you to snatch for the first-hand.”

Feng Xiao raised his head, “Without so many people, how could one prove themselves? When it comes to talents, age is just a number. Even if all the talented scholars of the world are present, I shall still dare attempt to try!”

The side of Cui Yong’s lips twitched. He thought in his heart that this man really is so bold that he’s not afraid his tongue would be cut by strong winds, but on the surface, he remained smiling, “Good. Young folks should be having such ambitions!”

He took a glance to the side to notice Ninth Lady Cui’s lingering gaze on Feng Xiao. How could he not understand what his own granddaughter was thinking about? She was obviously being seduced by beauty. However, this Pei Jingzhe was a prideful man who knew not how to be humble. He wasn’t even from a prestigious house. No matter how he looked at it, he was not a fitting match for Ninth Lady Cui.

Cui Yong silently crossed out Feng Xiao’s name in his heart. He was prepared to order the servants to prepare two rooms that were far away from the room of Ninth Lady Cui.

But at that moment, a noise came from outside.

The squabbling of a man and a woman accompanied by footsteps came closer and closer. Before Cui Yong could stop them, both of them had already burst in.

“Let go of me!” The woman’s wrist was held in the man’s grip as they struggled.

The man had a face filled with fury. After he barged in, he said fiercely, “Father, I want a divorce!”

“How dare you!” The woman stopped struggling when she heard it and raised her voice into a shout.

“Why wouldn’t I dare?!” The man laughed coldly.

“Quiet, all of you!” Cui Yong shouted angrily. With a slap on the table, both man and woman got a grip of themselves, no longer daring to continue the ruckus, but the disdain on their faces still remained.

“At this moment, there are guests present. The way both of you behaved is really beneath yourselves. Get out, all of you! Whatever is your problem, we will speak of it later!” Cui Yong said with a cold expression, but his look implied that he wasn’t a stranger to his son’s bickering with his wife.

The woman abandoned all thoughts and knelt down, wailing as she said, “Father! This accursed Cui Lin dared to disrespect the family’s rules! He kept a mistress outside, while saying he wishes to divorce me. You have to speak for me!”

Cui Lin laughed coldly, “That woman is a good citizen. Were you thinking that she is one of the servants, free for you to do as you please?! I will put my verdict here: If you dare touch her, then you will be punished by the rules. When that time comes, even the gods would not be able to save you!”

“Get out, all of you!” Cui Yong shouted furiously.

With those few sentences, it was enough for Feng Xiao to determine the other’s identity.

This man must have been the third among all of Cui Yong’s four sons, the most useless, Cui Lin.

It was said that Cui Lin had always been the distinguished younger son. When he was little, he gained the favour of his parents. However, due to the fact that he was overly spoiled by them, he had achieved nothing and at present, there was never a peaceful day within his own family. He still needed his own father to step out and solve his own problems.

It was very difficult to believe that such an ordinary man was Cui Buqu’s birth father.

Then, he looked at Ninth Lady Cui, whose eyes were rolling in tears as she watched her parents argue in front of their guests. One of those guests was even someone she had a crush on, so it was inexplicably awkward and difficult for her.

Feng Xiao was getting interested as he watched the ruckus, but then he heard Cui Buqu say, “Host Cui, there is no need to be furious. We should be excusing ourselves.”

Cui Yong forced a smile, “Ninth Lady, please settle down both of these Young Masters, then escort Doctor Sun back personally.”

Ninth Lady Cui hurriedly agreed, lowering her head as she left with Doctor Sun, not daring to take another look at Feng Xiao.

“Wait.”

Just as Cui Buqu was leaving, he was stopped by Cui Lin.

The latter walked up to him and stared at him with a strange gaze, “Who are you?”

He reached out to grab Cui Buqu, as if he wanted to pull him in front of him so he could take a closer look. However, his hand was stopped midway by a fan.

Feng Xiao smiled, “Please have some self-respect.”

Cui Lin ignored Feng Xiao, as he kept glaring at Cui Buqu, “You look… a little bit familiar.”

Cui Buqu faked a laugh, “Sire, how many people have you told this to?”

Cui Lin felt uneasy, “You look a bit like…”

“San Lang!” Cui Yong’s thundering voice broke his thoughts.

Cui Lin shut up, not daring to say anything more.

Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu left the place shoulder to shoulder. Behind them, voices blended into background noises. Even so, the sound of Cui Yong lecturing his son and daughter-in-law could still be heard.

“Everyone heralded the Cui family to be a prestigious clan, but it seems like within this vast and lofty manor, even they could not avoid these trivial family matters happening!” Feng Xiao flipped his fan open and fanned himself before sighing, “A-Qu, thankfully you didn’t grow up here. If you grew into such an unsightly manner like Cui Lin, you might as well run your head into the wall and commit suicide!”

Cui Buqu said, “Members of the Cui family are not completely useless. Cui Lin’s little brother, the fourth son Cui Pei, may be the youngest of them all, but he has been intelligent since he was little and made a name for himself. Both his other brothers are mundane, but they are not as dispicable as him.”

His voice was very calm, as if the man he was speaking of was not his own father.

Feng Xiao couldn’t help doubting whether his own theories were correct.

To determine a gentleman by his background was an extremely idiotic choice.

People who were made for greatness would never be dragged behind by their birth. Feng Xiao never thought of using his enemy’s birth against them.

Now, however, his curiosity for Cui Buqu was growing with every next sunrise, Cui Buqu alone held his complete interest.

At this moment, perhaps he hadn’t thought of delving into those two ideas to tell their differences.

There was a cottage next to the Cui manor especially used for treating guests. Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao were both brought there, the two rooms facing counterfeit mountains. Outside the door was a curved hallway and a spring lake. The Cui family also sent two beautiful maidservants to attend to them. Their treatment was thorough, leaving no room for discomfort; even Feng Xiao who had indulged in all the luxuries in the world could not help praising them in satisfaction.

Cui Buqu couldn’t help himself from mocking him, “Cui Yong hopes to make use of beautiful faces to seduce you, so that Ninth Lady Cui can witness for herself how the person she looked up to was such a cheap man. However, Cui Yong would never have guessed that your standards are so high that nothing would have stopped you from taking your own reflection in the mirror as your wife!”

Feng Xiao laughed, “Haha. QuQu, did you notice that whenever you are unhappy, you especially love to mock others?”

Cui Buqu’s face remained expressionless, “No.”

Feng Xiao patted his shoulder, “You’re cute that way, keep it going!”

Cui Buqu looked at him as if he had gone mad.

All of a sudden, Feng Xiao moved very close. Cui Buqu frowned, wanting to move away, but his path was quickly barricaded by Feng Xiao, before he was dragged in front of him. Feng Xiao looking sensuously mysteriousness.

“The Cui family and you shared such a deep past, even if you have gone separate ways, it is unavoidable for you to feel uneasy when you think about it. However, you still accompanied me here to retrieve the zither Yu Yin. Say, were you doing this just for me?”

Cui Buqu remained silent for a moment, before speaking slowly, “The Zuoyue Bureau discovered that Cui Yong’s eldest son, who is also the present treasurer of the Cui family business, Cui Da Lang, has been exchanging secret messages with the Linchuan Palace Academy of the Southern Dynasty. They have even aided one another financially in private. Every year, provisions worth at least a thousand silver ingots went through the Jinhuan Group and made their way to the South.”

Between the Jiejian Bureau and the Zuoyue Bureau, one investigated movements that happened within the Imperial Court, and the other placed their focus on happenings in the Jianghu province. Although sometimes their tasks overlapped, ever since the establishment of both agencies, there was a difference in their duties. Presently, Feng Xiao was not surprised that the Zuoyue Bureau obtained leads through the Linchuan Palace Academy that the Jiejian Bureau knew nothing of.

Feng Xiao spoke with an startling tone, “I initially thought that you finally found it in yourself to spend your time leisurely, yet here you are solving cases again.”

“I’m not here just to solve cases.” Cui Buqu lightly broods, “It is true I do not hate the Cui family, but I never said that I do not hate Cui Yong and Cui Lin.”

Determined, he mustered a smile, “However, my goal this time is indeed to watch the collateral branch of the Cui family from hundreds of years crumble within a single night.”

……

Although Cui Lin argued with his wife and made a scene before his father, he did not manage to reach a conclusion and instead sustained a lecture from his own father. As vengefulness brimmed in him, the more he thought of it, the more he sulked. He had no mood to even visit his mistress. He roamed around in the end and wandered heedless into the Dingshi garden where their guests resided.

To him, something that happened more than twenty years ago was too far in the past. However, Cui Buqu’s presence had once again dug up his memory from many years ago.

Although the other claimed not to be a Cui, his eyes had too much of a resemblance that Cui Lin couldn’t help feeling disturbed.

That was the biggest mistake in his life, and it was also the mistake he never wanted to be revealed.

For the sake of this secret, he was held in custody by Cui Yong for years, not even taking a step out of Boling county.

In the county of Boling, words of the Cui family still held some amount of power. Cui Lin did not protest against Cui Yong’s banning of him never leaving Boling. When he was young and ambitious, everything vanished along with this verdict. So what more could he do aside from indulging himself in his desires of lust?!

Cui Lin was anxious, and once again he thought of Cui Buqu.

Not only were his eyes familiar, for even that cold, piercing gaze was striking. It was only because he just wasn’t just as beautiful, so his face did not draw much attention.

There was a fire burning in his heart. It made him both anxious and curious, burning more and more vigorously, so much so that he couldn’t help wishing he could vent it all out.

The more Cui Ling thought, the more he couldn’t suppress it. He wanted to take another look at Cui Buqu so that he could relieve himself.

Once he arrived in Cui Buqu’s room, he saw Cui Buqu’s maidservant bringing a pot of water out, mumbling to herself with a confused look.

“Bai Yu.” Cui Lin called after the maidservant, “Is that Young Master Feng in the house?”

The maidservant immediately said, “Young Master Feng and Young Master Pei have gone out.”

Cui Lin furrowed his brows, “It’s already so late, yet they went out?”

The maidservant interjected, “Young Master Feng gave me a new name, so now I am no longer Bai Yu.”

Cui Lin felt displeased, “As someone who was only passing by, living here for a few days, and he dared to change your name?”

The maidservant, “Yes. Young Master Feng even said that this was an excellent name. Once all the lords in the Cui family heard of it, they would be overjoyed. So I simply listened and thought it was strange. It’s called Yu Mo.”

Cui Ling became impatient, “Fish ink?”

The maidservant, “Young Master Feng said, it’s Yu from ‘superfluous’, and Mo from ‘Jasmine’.”

Yu Mo, Yu Mo…

Cui Lin searched the vast sea in his mind twice, and suddenly his eyes opened themselves wide with a look as if he’d just seen a ghost.

Yu Mo!

Host Cui: The raws used 东翁, which is a form of address when a friendly visitor addresses the host of the house.

I drew a family tree of the Cui family to make it easier for everyone.
As mentioned before,
Cui Da/Cui Da Lang = Eldest Cui
Cui Er = Second Cui
Cui San = Third Cui
Cui Si = Forth Cui

[Wushuang] Chapter 100 – Because This Story Was Related To Cui Buqu
Content warning: Mention of rape to a secondary character.

This name, Yu Mo, was like a book that had been abandoned for years; left to accumulate dust yet falling down from its shelf all of a sudden to open itself in front of Cui Lin.

Leaving him defenseless and unprepared.

Those memories were taboos, and more than that, they were shameful. They weren’t only his shame, but also the shame of the entire Cui family.

It was a mistake he had made when he was young and wild. It was a tragedy that he would never wish to recall in the entirety of his life.

A loud, thundering ring sounded on the top of his head!

His entire body shivered as he raised his head unconsciously.

The sky outside the eaves was bright for a moment like daylight, but then it turned abruptly dark.

Black clouds suddenly floated into a pleasantly bright evening, concealing all the moonlight that sprouted like a willow branch.

Heaven and earth sank into darkness. Wind and rain emerged.

Cui Lin’s brain was in chaos; it switched between blurry visions of the faces of Yu Mo and Cui Buqu. They blended and mixed inconsistently.

“…San Lang! San Lang!” The maidservant couldn’t remember how many times she called, until Cui Lin finally looked back at her with a pair of hazy eyes.

The wind bellowed colder than before, pushing Cui Lin two steps backward.

“You look terrible. Should I call for a physician or the mistress?”

Bai Yu’s words managed to roughly bring Cui Lin back to reality.

“Right! We need to tell Father. Tell him immediately!” Cui Lin pushed the maidservant aside before hurriedly running past her.

The continuous splattering of raindrops resumed, and the night’s breeze brought a drizzling rain.

However, Cui Lin did not feel cold at all.

His footsteps kept getting quicker and quicker. In the darkness, he ran rashly with heavy sweat and a panicked expression.

……

Cui Buqu, too, did not feel cold.

At the side of his foot was a small lump of a hill not far away from Anping city.

Before him was a small forlorn grave.

Not far from the grave was a cemetery, and that place was the true burial grounds of the Cui family.

Feng Xiao read the tombstone of the grave before him.

Here lies Yu Mo.

There were no prefixes or inscriptions.

When people from the countryside passed by, the most they could try to guess was that the grave’s owner was a female. As to whether she was married or not or what happened to her, or who established her grave, they could not have known. They would definitely not be able to guess that she was related to the Cui clan.

“This is surely a very long story.” Feng Xiao said.

He has heard of many tales before.

Every person of Jianghu who had managed to make a name for himself would surely have his very own vicissitude, rocky or magnificent past. However, Feng Xiao was an exception. He had always sailed a smooth journey like the proud son of Heaven. He never liked to hear the tales of others, for even if he listened to a countless number of them, they were tales that belonged to someone else. Regardless of whether he felt sympathy or fury towards them, it would be pointless.

Yet now, he really wanted to hear the story of Maiden Yu.

Because this story was related to Cui Buqu.

“Perhaps thirty years ago, maybe even earlier, there was a family who taught and farmed as a living named Yu. They had no sons, only one daughter, whom everyone called Maiden Yu. From the moment I was able to think, she was already dead. Judging from paintings of her drawn by others, she must have been beautiful.”

The sky was slowly turning dark.

The only source of light was the lantern placed before the grave by Feng Xiao.

That gentle light illustrated the contour of both men who stood before the grave, as it grew dimmer in the drizzle.

As if reeling back in times of the past.

Yu Mo wasn’t only a beauty, she also possessed the ideal image of beauties that existed in the hearts of many people; for example, a woman of pure heart and spirit, or a man of scholarly virtue.

Father Yu was a man of literary reputation among the locals. Although he hadn’t obtained the post of an officer, many poems and literature have been wrought under his pen. Many people heard of his name and came to pay him a visit, however, the only one was retained by Father Yu to become a disciple of his was a man surnamed Yuan, named Sheng. He was the childhood friend and senior apprentice-brother of Yu Mo who she grew up with.

As Father Yu watched his daughter grow up into an elegant and beautiful lady, he had the intention of uniting her with his disciple through marriage. However, Yuan Sheng desired to leave their house to see the world, and once he left, he never returned.

One day when Yu Mo was out to pay some relatives a visit, on her way home, a violent rain poured down all of a sudden. The currents of the waters were fierce, Yu Mo and her maidservant wandered astray from the family and stood by the riverbank. It was there when her path crossed with a member of the Cui family who was there for a saunter. The other party had seen that she was unable to cross the river, so he came forward on his own accord, waddled two trips across the river to carry Yu Mo and her maidservant on his back to the other side. Yu Mo was extremely grateful. She asked the other party his name in hopes to ask her father to thank them personally in the future. The other party said that his name was Cui Hang and that he was from the collateral branch of the Cui clan, ranked the second among his siblings.

When the story paused here, Feng Xiao asked, “A lie?”

Cui Buqu nodded his head, “It was a lie. The other party was Cui San. Due to being mischievous when he was young, he often played truant and ran off on his own to play. He feared his father’s wrath, so he falsely claimed the name of his second brother.”

After that, the Yu family sent someone to thank the Cui family. At the same time, Cui Er had reached a matured age, and the Cui family was searching for a candidate to be his wife. At the same time, Maiden Yu’s mannerisms and looks both fulfilled their criteria, so both of them were to be wed.

Without the incident of Maiden Yu crossing the river, this marriage would simply be one between a literary gentleman and a beautiful maiden. Yet, that tale was like adding flowers to a brocade, turning it into a fated match made in Heaven.

Feng Xiao remained silent for a moment, “So, this was actually a comedy of errors, a tragedy of woes?”

Cui Buqu smiled, “Not at all. Although it was a mistake, it was not a tragedy. After Maiden Yu married into the Cui family, she discovered that, the one who carried her across the river that day was actually Cui San, and that the rushed meeting that day wasn’t quite love at first sight. Maiden Yu and Cui Er found each other to be a perfect match and fell in love. Both of them watched falling snow and talked about poems, watched flowers and chatted about spring waters. They roamed the wilderness and unexplored mountains together, very quickly everyone referred to them as the perfect couple.”

……

This episode of rain looked like it wouldn’t be stopping anytime soon.

Cui Lin could not even bother himself to bring an umbrella. He was running through the rain.

Lighting struck across the horizon and was cast onto his face.

The colour of his face was paler than the sky itself.

In the parlour of the Cui manor, a boisterous crowd was accompanied by the brimming light of the lanterns.

On Cui Yong’s face was the joyousness it did not have when he was lecturing Cui Lin and his wife.

For the most outstanding son of the Cui family, Cui Pei, had returned.

“You finally dared to come back. Do you even remember this is your home?” Although his tone was reprimanding, everyone could tell that Cui Yong wasn’t truly angry.

Cui Pei also laughed as he responded, “Originally, I was traveling south to visit an old friend, but I passed near Boling and heard that there would be a Pomegranate flower Literary Festival. So haven’t I come home now?”

Cui Yong spoke through his beard as he glared at him in the eye, “If there was no literary festival, would you not have come back?”

“How could that be!” Cui Pei laughed loudly, “The father is here, as are all his children, so am I not home now?”

Towards his beloved son, Cui Yong was happy for a moment, but his smile paled all of a sudden, “Ever since Maiden Yuan passed from illness, you were unwilling to remarry, insisting on wanting to travel the five mountains and three rivers. I know that you never actually missed this home.”

Cui Pei, “Father…”

Cui Yong waved his hand, “There is nothing more to say. Your return is a good thing. Stay for three months or two, why don’t you?”

Cui Si watched his old father in full white beard and an aging face, for a moment, he was unable to bring himself to reject him.

Outside the door, there was a sudden sound of footsteps.

Cui Lin’s shadow carelessly barged into the vision of both men.

He was drenched and panting, strands of hair plastered to his face, cornered to an indescribable tight corner.

Before Cui Yong’s face could dull, Cui Lin had already exclaimed in panic, “He did not die! He’s back!”

“San Lang!” Cui Yong bellowed at him, “What is this madness! Didn’t you see that your fourth brother has returned?!”

Cui Lin had not yet calmed down, his voice rose, “Him! That Feng Xiao is him! Did you know what name he just gave Bai Yu? It was Yu Mo! Maiden Yu! Do you still remember her?”

The colour on the face of both sitting men changed.

It was a rare sight for Cui Yong to lose his composure. He pressed onto the table, wanting to get up, but his knees wobbled, and he sat back down.

“Have you mistaken?!” He exclaimed questioningly at Cui Lin.

Cui Lin shook his head with all his might, “No. I have asked Bai Yu a few times. She said that Feng guy even taught her from which two words it came from: Yu from ‘superfluous’, and Mo from ‘Jasmine’.”

Cui Yong remained silent for a while, then he suddenly turned to Cui Pei, “That year, you came back and said he was dead.”

Cui Pei laughed bitterly, “During that year, I brought him to Doctor’s Sun with the intention for the doctor to save him with all his abilities. However, by the time I arrived, Doctor Sun said that the child was beyond saving. He died. Before the child passed, he begged for a casual burial, since the Cui family never considered him their own, so it was impossible for the child to be buried with the ancestors; so why not just bury him anywhere to be free? Doctor Sun’s heart had a moment of weakness, so he agreed to his request. I even saw the child’s grave with my own two eyes. I even made him his tombstone later on.”

Cui Lin interrupted him in panic, “Other than him, who would have known Yu Mo! The Yu family only had single sons through three generations, and a single daughter when it came to Maiden Yu. ‘Feng Xiao’ is definitely an alias!”

“What nonsense are you babbling about?!” Cui Yong bellowed furiously, “Even if he is still alive, he is your biological son! Are you afraid he’s back for revenge?”

Cui Lin’s face grew very pale for a moment. He stood there in a daze, no longer able to speak another word.

Cui Yong inhaled a breath and forcibly regained his composure.

“His surname is Feng. The Yu family does not have any relatives by the name of Feng. There are no families of Feng in Boling either. However, Maiden Yu had a senior apprentice-brother. Could it be him instead?”

He looked at Cui Pei as if waiting for an answer.

Cui Pei stared at his usually firm and resolute father. It was the first time his heart generated a feeling that his father had truly aged, so he could not help but sigh, and said the words that Cui Yong loathed to hear the most.

“I have never seen that young man, but if he is truly that child, then he shouldn’t he look like San Lang, or perhaps Maiden Yu?”

Cui Yong pressed his lips and did not speak for a long time.

Cui Lin’s face grew paler.

Cui Pei suddenly understood, “In that case, he really is…? Names can be falsely claimed, so it cannot be taken for the truth. No matter if he was alive or not, since he knew who Yu Mo was and leaked information to third brother on purpose, then he must have known what happened during that year. Father, please invite him over.”

He sighed, “Regardless of whether he’s here to apologize, or own up for crimes, these words need to be spoken clearly in the end.”

“Father…” Cui Lin said weakly, “I do not want to see him, I do not want to see him!”

After the beard swayed for a long time, Cui Yong finally spoke, “Si Lang, call your eldest brother back immediately, and send someone out to ask for those two men. Bringing them back is a must!”

……

Light drizzling rain splattered atop the tombstone, drenching the simple and crude grave wet, like all the tears the grave’s owner never had the chance to shed when she was alive.

It was unknown since when the lantern’s flame was extinguished by the rain.

In the starless and moonless night, although the year had reached Summer, the chill remained.

They did not bring any umbrellas when they came out. Cui Buqu never intended to bring one either, allowing his shoulders and hair to be damped in droplets of rain.

Since the tale had begun, he would have to finish it.

A story that was sweet in the beginning, but ended in tragedy.

Cui Buqu, “The good times did not last. A fever claimed Cui Er, and he never woke up from it. Soon, he departed from this life and left Maiden Yu widowed without any children. The Cui family did not request for her to remain widowed to Cui Er, and the Yu family was also heartbroken for their daughter, they wished to take her back to remarry again. However, Maiden Yu herself had been unwilling. Cui Er and her shared a deep, profound love. She would rather remain widowed for life, as she would never find someone as wonderful as him. However, when Cui Er and his wife lived in blissfulness with each other, while everybody praised them, there was one person who was secretly soused in jealousy.”

What level of intelligence was Feng Xiao at? In the blink of an eye, he’d guessed the answer, “Cui San Lang, Cui Lin.”

Cui Buqu, “That is correct.”

Ever since that fated day, Cui Lin was drawn to Maiden Yu’s beauty. He hated himself for falsely using his second brother’s name, otherwise, all the blissfulness that came afterward along with Maiden Yu would have belonged to him. He married his own wife afterwards, but the couple was not loving with one another. He accumulated all of this resentment in his heart and that made it even more difficult to behave normally in front of his loving second brother and his wife.

Yet the past belonged to the past, even if it was difficult to accept it, Maiden Yu never belonged to him.

Who could have guessed that the second brother died young, leaving Maiden Yu alone in this world? Maiden Yu herself was willing to remain widowed, and most of the times of the year, she remained in the room she used to share with her husband, writing poems and painting in reminiscence of him.

The fire in Cui San’s heart burned more and more vigorously. Finally, a day came, he slipped into the villa drunk, ordered people to distract those around Maiden Yu away from her, and then raped her.

His reasoned with himself. Since Maiden Yu refused to remarry and was relocated into the villa, the possibility of them meeting each other again was rare. Additionally, the one who met Maiden Yu first was him, and it was Cui Er who stole his woman away from him.

Feng Xiao raised a brow, “Since Cui San liked Maiden Yu so much, why did he not object to the marriage when it was arranged?”

The corner of Cui Buqu’s lips raised, “That is because during that time, the Cui family had already arranged a better marriage for him. The other party was the youngest daughter of the collateral branch from the Fanyang Lu clan. This pedigree was even higher than the Yu family’s. To Cui San, this pedigree was his pride, but it was a wrong thought in passing which later became the regret of his life.”

Feng Xiao snickered, “As expected.”

Maiden Yu had always been soft, yet she struggled with all her life that night. Even after the incident was through, she refused to be Cui San’s mistress. She even strongly objected to it, and immediately spilled out everything to Cui Yong.

Cui Yong was taken aback, so he immediately questioned Cui San and practically beat him to death. If not for his wife’s pitiful begging of mercy, he would have disowned Cui San.

However, this was still a gravely shameful matter. If it spread, then the Cui family’s hundred-year fame would be lost, and even Maiden Yu would be discriminated against by society. If that time came, even if Maiden Yu was unwilling, she would have to leave the Cui family, and she could no longer be Cui Er’s widow.

In order to remain a couple with Cui Er in the afterlife, Maiden Yu told Cui Yong that she was willing to tolerate it and pretend that it never happened, on the condition that she never wanted to see Cui San in her life ever again.

Cui Yong agreed. He let Maiden Yu live in another villa after that and posed strong guards to be her defense, forbidding anyone from getting near her again. Cui San was under house arrest in the Cui manor, not allowed to take a single step out.

However, after that night, Maiden Yu discovered that she was pregnant.

As to whose child it was, that was a given.

Feng Xiao, “That child… was you?”

Cui Buqu replied, “Yes, it was me.”

His manner of speech was very calm, as if he was recalling the story of someone else.

Droplets of rain splattered on his head and shoulders. Everything was cold, even his heart.

Between Heaven and Earth, everything became a blur.

But the sigh next to him was clearer than anything.

Yet how would Feng Xiao, who had always been unrestrained, wayward, and never took someone else’s matters to heart, sigh like that?

Cui Buqu smiled. He had definitely misheard it.

“I still have a lot of questions to ask.” Feng Xiao refrained from waving his fan. To wave a fan in the mist of wind and rain, after all, was very stupid.

Cui Buqu said plainly, “I know. That is because this story has not yet ended.”

[Wushuang] Chapter 101 – Could Your Qiao Xian and Zhangsun Compare To One Out Of Ten Thousand Of Me?
Maiden Yu and Cui Er loved each other deeply, yet they were separated by life and death so early in time. Even if the road ahead was a long journey, to her, it was simply mourning her late husband. However, that shameful incident was a nightmare prolonging until the present, for even a bastard was produced.

During a thundering storm through the night, she found it difficult to sleep. One moment, she felt that she had betrayed her husband and wanted to ingest some medicine to abort the baby, yet in the next, she felt that the child was innocent for it was not his choice to choose such a terrible biological father.

At the same time, grievous news came from the Yu family. When Father Yu came to the village to visit his daughter, he had experienced a fall. It hadn’t been too severe in the beginning, but his situation turned for the worse all of a sudden.

Once Maiden Yu heard of it, she abandoned everything to hurry back to her own family to accompany her father by his bedside. She didn’t even tell him what happened, fearing that her father would pick a fight with the Cui family and worsen his condition.

However, even having the light of his life by his bedside could not heal him. After all, he was in his senior years and that fall had caused him to hit his head. Not long after, he passed. Mother Yu suppressed all her grief as she made arrangements for his funeral, and very quickly she too fell ill and never woke up.

The Yu family was sustained by only sons for a few generations, but when it reached Yu Mo, she was the only daughter. Yu Mo lived apart from her family in foreign lands, so even if she had the heart, there wasn’t much she could help with, and she definitely could not counterbalance the Cui family. Yu Mo did not wish to burden her mother more, so she swept this under the rug.

“When women encounter these sorts of incidents, they would usually mourn and weep from sorrow or simply submit to fate and allow themselves to be pushed around by everyone. Maiden Yu was like any other wise and fragile lady, she had never even roamed the province of Jianghu, yet she managed to weather through this all with a tough heart even after one tragedy came after the next. This is truly respectable.”

Feng Xiao raised his head to look at the sky. The rain abated; light drizzles diminished into little flying needles that dampened their clothes. However, Cui Buqu’s shoulders and back were all heavily wet.

Naturally, Feng Xiao was nowhere near better. Had it been on usual days, he would have already furrowed his brows, returned to take a bath and changed into a new set of clothes. Tonight, however, he could miraculously stomach it as he stood here. He has surprised even himself.

He did not pester Cui Buqu to return, because he knew that today, the reason Cui Buqu came here wasn’t just to tell him a story. More than that, he was giving a sense of justice to the owner of the grave.

Additionally, Feng Xiao was very curious about the next part of the story.

Since he guessed the beginning wrong, then there would be incidents taking place later on which were also beyond his expectations.

Cui Buqu said plainly, “Her heart was definitely tough, however, things may not be as people wished all the time.”

Father Yu’s death caused Maiden Yu to lose her closest family member. It made her completely reject the decision to abort this child.

Because then, at the very least, she would still have someone blood-related to her in this world.

As Yu Mo was still a widow of the Cui family, she couldn’t conceal the truth from everyone when it came to giving birth to a child, therefore, she paid Cui Yong a visit and told him everything.

Originally, Cui Yong had thought that by putting Cui San under house arrest, this matter would end, but since there was subsequent follow-up like that, he had been so shocked that he couldn’t speak.

He strongly objected when Maiden Yu proclaimed that she was determined to give birth to the child, because if Maiden Yu gave birth to a child now, then everyone would know that the child wasn’t the child of Cui Er. Even if Cui Yong understood that the child was a descendant of the Cui family, the affair between an uncle and his sister-in-law was such a shameful matter, it can never be exposed in front of others.

However, Yu Mo had enough arguments to persuade Cui Yong. She said that if even she did not have this child, she would have adopted a son of the Cui family in future so that she could continue the bloodline of Cui Er, but instead of picking that choice, why not just allow her to give birth to this child in secret? And tell everyone that he was adopted from a distant branch of the Cui clan, then place him under the name of Cui Er. This would have been perfect.

Maiden Yu was determined not to abandon the child. The words she had spoken were also quite movable. After spending a very long time thinking, Cui Yong finally agreed and allowed Maiden Yu to live in the village for a longer period of time. Cui Yong even sent people whom he trusted to attend to her.

Unfortunately, there was no secret that wouldn’t be unraveled in this world. The news of Maiden Yu’s pregnancy spread and finally reached the ears of Cui San’s wife, Maiden Lu.

Maiden Lu herself came from a prestigious clan. How could she stomach her husband giving her this kind of shame? Naturally, she was furious.

She knew that even a little wind of anything regarding the child’s background in the future would be like a slap to their face. Since she is Cui San’s wife, then she would also be shamed. So, Maiden Lu switched out the medicine meant for Maiden Yu in secret. Yu Mo did not realize this and nearly had a miscarriage. Thankfully, she was lucky and was discovered early. But unfortunately, her body had been damaged, and even the child inside of her was incomplete. It made Maiden Yu’s birth extremely difficult. After the child was born, illnesses harassed him inconsistently.

The chilling wind bellowed and Cui Buqu coughed twice.

“When I was young, my body was never well. I refused to speak. My reflexes were slow. I seemed to love sitting alone on my own most of the time, paying no one any attention. It was as if something was wrong with my brain. I might have been a mute.”

Feng Xiao sighed deeply, “Your background was never meant to be something proud. If your health was unwell, it was very difficult to make it to adulthood. Whatever was spoken about succeeding Cui Er’s bloodline would not have been much use at all. So, Cui Yong definitely regretted it.”

Cui Buqu smiled, “That is right. He did regret it.”

Cui Buqu’s existence required depleting the manpower of the Cui family to suppress all rumors revolving around it. They needed to make up a false branch of the Cui clan to cover his identity, and they even needed to console Maiden Lu to avoid her from reaching out to her family and triggering unrest between the Cui and Lu families. Additionally, this child was born riddled with illnesses. They were wasting resources to do something with no guaranteed end.

However, if he died, then everything would be well. The Cui family’s disgrace would no longer exist.

So Cui Yong finally had the intention to kill.

It was easy to solve the problem of a child. He did not even need to do it himself. The only obstacle in his way was Maiden Yu alone.

Although Maiden Yu was ill, she could feel that her child wasn’t in a prime condition, so she kept him with her at all times, never leaving his side day and night. With every meal given to the child, she would taste it herself first. She kept track of everyone by her side getting in and out one by one. Maiden Yu knew that it was impossible for her to protect her child, so she dragged herself to look for someone.

She did not look for Cui Yong, neither did she look for the eldest son of the Cui family, Cui Da Lang. She instead sought out the youngest son of the Cui family, Cui Pei.

Maiden Yu begged Cui Pei. She told him that she didn’t have much time left, and begged him to take care of Cui Buqu.

Cui Pei’s heart was soft, so he agreed.

Not long after, Maiden Yu passed away. Cui Pei wasn’t married yet and fearing that since he often left the house, he was unable to protect the child, so he took Cui Buqu to pay Cui Yong a visit and begged him to spare him as Maiden Yu’s dying wish, even if he was sent far away to hide his name.

Among all his sons, Cui Yong loved this youngest son of his the most. Although he thought that he was soft, under the pitiful begging of the other, he finally agreed to let this child remain. The only requirement is that he shall be recorded as a servant of the Cui family and grow up under that identity. No one should ever tell him his past.

A few years passed. The rumors of that toiling year died down. The younger generations of the Cui family had grown up. Although they knew nothing of what happened a few years ago, they knew that there was a child of the Cui family that was raised among their servants. The seniors mentioned him from time to time, but once he was mentioned, their expressions were always strange and their words were scarce as if there were a lot of things they were unable to tell. When curious folks asked the seniors, they would even be lectured.

After a long time, they knew that this child who didn’t even have a name, contained a lot of secrets and that the seniors of the Cui family did not like him.

Children were ignorant and yet they were sensitive. They would notice and surmise the thoughts of their elders and thus knew that they could unrestrainedly play pranks on that little child, giving him a variety of names like A-Cao and A-Hua, A-Mao and A-Gou. They gained entertainment by being mischevious, placing all kinds of creepy crawlers on his body and mixed dirt in his meals, even going so far to punch and kick him.

That child was obviously born with an ill body. He struggled to survive and fell ill every two to three days, dragging a broken body as he worked with the other servants of the Cui family. Yet he refused to die. He knew that it was pointless for him to report his bullies, because the only one who could protect him, Cui Pei, was often out traveling. He could not remain by his side around the clock to protect him. So gradually, he learned to fight back, however, it was still unavoidable for him to be bullied at least a few times a month.

Fevers and colds came regularly. Even if his frail life was ravished back from the hands of the Judge of Hell, his body still became weaker and weaker.

He could not even attend classes regarding the Cui family’s ethnology and could only use his sweeping chore as an excuse to hide outside the house, eavesdropping on a few sentences from the adjacent wall. No one could see him using the couch grass broom as he drew lines on the ground, using his fingers to write the words ‘Spring and Autumn’, ‘Turn Left’ in the sand.

Once in a while when Cui Pei returned, there came his good days. Cui Pei would bring him to Doctor Sun’s to mend his health, and he would also bring him to the villa to pay his birth mother a visit. He would tell him of the things that happened in the past. Cui Pei had considered bringing Cui Buqu with him when he went out traveling, but Cui Yong objected to it. Cui Pei could not make an enemy of his own father for the sake of his nephew with a shady past since after all, Cui Buqu’s body couldn’t have withstood the strain of long journeys.

Even more members of the Cui family, unlike the little children who bullied him, would still stare at him with queer, disdainful gazes, ironically remarking right in front of his face about how tough this child was. It was a miracle he could live until the age of nine without dying.

There was nothing different in the things he wore and ate compared to the servants of the Cui family. Cui Yong did not torture him on purpose, but he was deliberately neglecting him. He knew that Cui Yong was curious. He was curious as to why his body, despite being so ill, could still sustain one hardship after the last.

That was because he wasn’t the slow, stupid kid that everyone said he was. He knew how to protect himself, using strategies to avoid troubles and working hard to stay alive.

However, he was still young. The sky above his head restricted him, even after beating around the bush and fumbling in circles, all he wanted was to find a way to live.

Cui Pei told him that he actually had a name. His grandfather had named him Cui Jie, hoping that he would resemble a stepping stone, taking one step at a time as he moved forward.

He knew that the meaning behind these two words was not the one he was told.

He would rather be called A-Mao or A-Gou, but he was not willing to be called Cui Jie.

During his ninth year, he fell heavily ill, worse than any previous time he experienced, and yet he was abandoned on the bed alone with no one to care for him. Thankfully, Cui Pei came back on time and carried him on his back to Doctor Sun’s.

The Zhou Dynasty was still reigning during that year. Cui Pei was noticed by the Emperor for his outstanding talents and was requested to have an audience with him in the capital. So Cui Pei left him in Doctor Sun’s care temporarily.

He knew that his chance finally came. He begged Doctor Sun to let him go and tell the world that he died from an illness. Since every single person within the Cui household looked forward to his death.

If he vanished, then the knot in the Cui family’s heart would be undone. They would heave a long breath of relief on this matter.

He knew that Cui San’s wife, Maiden Lu, had always wanted him dead. Cui San obviously knew, but he chose to step aside. Even if he could escape it once or twice, he could not escape her forever. He considered his grandfather, Cui Yong, to still have a silver of sentiment for him, but Cui San and Maiden Lu wouldn’t have been so compassionate.

He needed to leave. Even if he died out in the open, he was free.

Doctor Sun was vaguely informed about his past. He could not bring himself to reject his plea, so he finally agreed to tell that lie to the world. He even made him a few pellets to bring around with him, gave him clothes, and delivered him to a merchant group that was traveling south.

Cui Buqu spoke calmly, and Feng Xiao listened silently.

There were no bombastic exaggerations in his words, but hidden in it was thrill.

Feng Xiao had seen people that experienced worse than Cui Buqu, but they had not managed to live until adulthood. He had also seen people who were more determined and stubborn than Cui Buqu, but those people, including himself, had never experienced even one or two-tenths of the hardships Cui Buqu experienced.

When Heaven bestowed a great responsibility upon someone, they would be exhausted, beaten, starved and find everything against their favor, for it was only through such experience that it could strengthen their hearts and enhance their abilities.

Everyone could recite these words from books, but how many of them could stay determined until the end?

How many people have given up before the end? How many have given up themselves due to fatigue?

“Since Doctor Sun pitied you, why didn’t you remain by his side?” Feng Xiao asked.

Cui Buqu replied to him plainly, “Doctor Sun also has friends and relatives that lived locally. How would he make an enemy of the Cui family for my sake? To do his best and listen to Fate is already his greatest kindness. I am already grateful for this favor of his.”

Feng Xiao, “So, you renamed yourself Cui Buqu, meaning that you would never return to the Cui family for life?”

Cui Buqu shook his head. He balled his fists and coughed in a low voice, “Maiden Yu’s original intentions for me was to be the offspring of Cui Er. The reason I used the surname Cui was to honour her wish. As for Buqu, every one of them wanted me dead, they were waiting for the time I would die—“

A profound smile appeared on his lips, “Yet no one can make me choose that path. I chose to live. Even if living with illnesses hurt, even if my life was torture, this determination still burns.”

He looked at the tombstone, yet Feng Xiao was looking at him from behind.

It was as if a fire had suddenly ignited in his heart, burning wordlessly.

After a long time, Feng Xiao turned his gaze away, “Then when you travelled south, where were you heading?”

Cui Buqu, “Looking for a place to belong.”

The world was chaos. Even if a child like him was wary enough, it was still very easy for him to meet nefarious people. Doctor Sun had been meticulous enough to deliver him to the care of a group of trustworthy merchants so they could guarantee his safety more. However, when the group of merchants arrived at their destination and made their exchanges, he would still need to be on his own. No one can protect him forever.

The leader of the merchant group admired his sharpness, so he offered to let him remain and help out. Cui Buqu considered the pros and cons and felt that since he was alone, it would be difficult for him to care for himself, so he agreed. From then on, he followed the merchant group in their travels. From the leader, he learned how to take care of inventories, how to observe a man’s language and countenance. He learned more and more words and he met more and more people. However, the condition of his body did not turn better because of this. The burden he experienced in his early years followed him into adulthood as he aged and worsened. The leader adored him and his talents, so he pitied him. Since he did not have any children of his own, he nurtured him like one of his own, even bringing him to very famed physicians.

It was a pity that the leader unwittingly offended a group of gangsters that called themselves the Qixing Gang. They were pursued by the chieftain to be killed. Cui Buqu lost his support and was alone ever since and led a wandering life, all until he met Fan Yun who later became his teacher.

He was born intelligent with a photographic memory. He remembered most of the things that happened when he was young, even if some of them were slightly blurry in memory. Once he succeeded the Zuoyue Bureau, he managed to seek out the truth when he sent his men to investigate.

Feng Xiao said, “Then, the Qixing Gang surely had a very miserable end.”

The corner of Cui Buqu’s lips curled, “The Qixing Gang’s chieftain was supported by the Demonic Sect, Hehuan Sect, from Jianghu. They thought that no one would dare to make an enemy of them. I deployed a small tactic, provoking the fury of the number one organization of the Chen Dynasty, the Linchuan Palace Academy, to attack the Qixing Gang. They were annihilated.”

Who said that people who didn’t know martial arts could not live in the province of Jianghu? Whoever made an enemy of Cui Buqu would not even realize what they had done until the day they died.

Feng Xiao, “So these years, you weren’t just tolerating the Cui family, but you were looking for a chance?”

Cui Buqu, “People who are concerned over fame and names like Cui Yong, would find it worse than death to watch the entire Cui family crumble piece by piece, watching himself fall from the seat of power in the Cui family. There was also Cui San. These years, he was also held under house arrest in Boling, not allowed to take even a step outside. His wife was disappointed in him. Both of them squabble every day. He couldn’t stand the loneliness and got himself a mistress, yet this was also found out by his wife. The Cui family never had a day of peace. To live their lives in this way was even crueller than killing them with a single strike. Only in this way, they can experience suffering.”

Feng Xiao, “So, last time you said that Cui Da Lang was financially aiding the Chen Dynasty’s Linchuan Palace Academy. Was that the truth or a lie?”

Cui Buqu raised an eyebrow and coughed, “Naturally, it is the truth. I originally had my own ways of dealing with the Cui family, but since Cui Da Lang gave me his own evidence, there was no need for me to waste my strength.”

Feng Xiao smiled, “Good. Very good. I love listening to stories like these. This is the Cui Buqu that I know. Taking vengeance without mercy!”

Cui Buqu’s coughing didn’t stop. He coughed repeatedly until he bent his back.

“Alright. The story has ended. Maiden Yu has also heard it. This time, you would definitely avenge her!”

Feng Xiao couldn’t bring himself to turn away from him. He reached out to help him, “Look at the way you cough. I fear that if you stand a while more, you won’t be able to see the next sunrise. I still wish to see what happens when we return!”

He hadn’t used much strength at all, but Cui Buqu was dragged until he almost fell.

Feng Xiao reached out in time. Heavy and damp robes fell into his hands, he could almost squeeze the water out of them.

“If I wasn’t here, would you still be able to go back?” Feng Xiao twitched his lips before forcibly carrying the other person on top of his back.

“If you weren’t here, the one with me would be either Qiao Xian or Zhangsun. Worse come to worse, there would still be Zuoyue Guards.” Cui Buqu coughed as he spoke, his tone and expression were both very calm. “The Cui family is definitely looking for us everywhere now. If we go back now, we might be able to watch the show.”

“Can your Qiao Xian and Zhangsun compare to one out of ten thousand of me?” Feng Xiao laughed coldly, complaining as he walked, “They’re all just bones. Fortunately, I am still willing to condense into a simple man and carry you on my back in person. I am wet all over, this set of robes is also done for.”

Since someone was carrying him, Cui Buqu would also try to avoid being contentious. He had suffered the wind and rain. His head was also all wet and he felt a little dizzy. Unbeknownst to him, he placed his head on the base of the other’s neck. Through that, he felt warmth flowing in him, melting down the cold.

He comfortably sighed, “It is your honor to carry me.”

Feng Xiao, “Would you believe me if I said I’d let you fall right now?”

Cui Buqu, “Then you wouldn’t be able to see the excellent show later.”

As both of them walked further away, their shadows also disappeared.

Yu Mo’s grave was all alone, wordlessly facing the lantern in front of it.

As the rain dissipated, the moon reappeared once again, painting both the grave and the lantern a colour of silver.

Green leaves fell from trees and landed on top of the tombstone; raindrops that gathered in the heart of leaves also trickled down the side of the tombstone, melting the frost, like the tears of a maiden through her smile.

A-Cao and A-Hua, A-Mao and A-Gou: A-Cao (Grass), A-Hua (Flower), A-Mao (Cat), A-Gou (Dog) it’s like calling Cui Buqu names.
Fan Yun: Just in case, Fan Yun was mentioned in Book I when Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao first met. Although Cui Buqu was bullshitting for the greater part, he wasn’t completely lying.

[Wushuang] Chapter 102 – Never Once Have I Coveted The Surname Of This Clan
One name caused the Cui family to descend into chaos.

No one was more terrified than Cui San.

After so many years, it wasn’t the fact that he didn’t know what he did. It wasn’t because he knew what he did wasn’t something to be proud of, something that would not be tolerated by the world. However, people would usually feel a sense of avoidance towards the mistakes they have made, as though if they didn’t pay it attention, then nothing bad would happen because of it.

More than twenty years have gone by, he had already cast the name ‘Yu Mo’ to the back of his head. He had never thought that there would come a day when that name would forcibly split open the past he refused to think of again, tearing open that memory which was dripping with blood.

He couldn’t help turning his head to look at his father.

Cui Yong was shocked at first, but after that, he managed to calm down very quickly; nothing could be read on his face, and it remained that very strict and steady look of the Cui clan elder.

Cui San’s anxiety gradually waned away gradually.

That’s right. Yu Mo had been dead for so many years. The Yu family had all died out. Even if that child was lucky enough to live until now, what could he do? Maiden Yu wasn’t killed, she had died from her own illness. As for that child, the Cui family never killed him. They even spared his life. If he had grown into an adult and held resentment for the Cui family, regardless whether it was power or morals, it would not stand—the Boling Cui clan has been a hundred-year long prestigious family. How many famed officials and soldiers have they produced? How many members of royalty’s backgrounds could compare to them? How could their family be overturned so easily?

Cui Pei observed his third brother with a cold gaze. He watched how he transitioned from being terrified and uneasy, to releasing a breath of relief. It was as if he could guess what he was thinking about and couldn’t help but ask, “Third brother, if Young Master Feng really is that child then how do you plan to confront him? You couldn’t possibly want father to stand out for you and take care of the things you did?”

Cui San was scared for a moment and spoke angrily, “I have already received my punishment for everything that happened that year. I’ve been held in Boling by father until today. Is this not enough? Ever since he was born, I have never really seen him, nor have I done anything to him. How can this be called a confrontation?!”

He swallowed, feeling that the motivation behind his words was not enough, for the guilt still brimmed in his heart, so he added, “It’s because he ran away from home later on, otherwise the Cui family would still be raising him. Since he was alive all these years, he never sent a word back. This only proves that he is unfilial, disloyal, and unsentimental! Not pursuing the matter is already our greatest generosity. He should confess and ask us for forgiveness!”

Cui Pei was angered into laughter, “So you can really speak for yourself! If it hadn’t been for you who tolerated third sister-in-law attacking the child while I was away, why would he run away? He did it because he couldn’t stand the torture! He was only nine that year, even with Doctor Sun’s help, he was still alone. The world is big and vast, where could he go? Weren’t you the cause of all of this?!”

If Cui Buqu never came back, then Cui Pei’s resentment would have remained inside his heart. On the surface, he would still be brothers in arms with Cui San. The Cui family would be getting along pleasantly as their business flourished. In this generation, there would be Cui Pei, in the next generation, there would be Cui Fei. From generation to generation, the starlight would transcend. Perhaps during the Qingming Festival, he would think about his second sister-in-law and that pitiful little child. He would have gone to her grave to offer some incense and pray, sighing with regret.

A single stroke cannot write two ‘Cui’ characters. On top of him, there was his father with powerful authority, and below him, he had to think for his sons and daughters. Cui Pei admitted that he was weak, unable to free himself from the glory and imprisonment of the Cui family for life. So he couldn’t make an enemy of Cui San for the sake of his second sister-in-law and her child who died years ago and unravel all the shady secrets of the Cui family, pushing them in a tight corner.

Yet now, a Young Master Feng whose face he hadn’t seen yet reeled back all the past, along with the guilt that Cui Pei had kept in his heart for many years.

“Shut up, all of you!” Cui Yong shouted, “As of now, the origins of that Young Master Feng have yet to be revealed, yet you already began bickering among yourselves. Don’t you all feel preposterous?!”

Cui Da had just been informed of the news and quickly rushed in. When he arrived at the door, he already heard his father’s shouting, so he immediately put his hands together and said, “Please be at peace, father. There is nothing that cannot be said. Si Lang (Cui Pei) just came home, so you shouldn’t ruin your mood.”

On the journey here, he was already surprised to hear the housekeeper when he told him everything, so right now he was completely calm, “Father, since that person could name Yu Mo, even if he wasn’t the child, it might be possible that he shared a past with Maiden Yu. The name he gave, Feng Xiao, was familiar to me. When I think about it, it’s as if I’ve heard it mentioned by someone before. The Second Commander of the Jiejian Bureau, established by the present Emperor, also had the surname of ‘Feng’.”

Cui Yong furrowed his brows, “The Jiejian Bureau?”

Cui Pei said, “That’s right. I have already heard about this matter. It’s said that the Jiejian Bureau holds the same degree of power with the Six Ministries. They specialize in aiding the Emperor to take care of private affairs between countries and investigating the movements of Göktürks.”

He looked at his father as he spoke, so he didn’t notice the change in Cui Da Lang’s expression.

Cui Yong spoke in a deep tone, “The Emperor will not ask after family affairs. Even if Feng Xiao really is the Commander of the Jiejian Bureau that you spoke of and shared a past with Maiden Yu, it cannot be linked back to the Cui family. The rise of heroes during the end of the Han Dynasty, the change of two Jin Dynasties, and when war broke out in the North; which Emperor since those times wasn’t supporting the Cui clan so we could sustain until today?”

There was a sense of pride in his words. Everyone took note of it and nodded their heads.

That little bit of guilt in Cui San’s heart had long flown out of the window.

As for Cui Da Lang, he never took this matter seriously from the beginning. He told Cui Yong, “Father, I think that if the other didn’t mention Maiden Yu, then we should also feign ignorance. There is no need to bring it up.”

Cui Yong also felt that he was a little impetuous before. With only a name, he had sent people out to look for them, wasn’t that just admitting that something was wrong about himself?

Cui Pei sighed a silent breath.

He raised his head and looked outside the hall. The courtyard was vast, and there was an old tree planted in the patio whose years were far more than his and Cui San’s age combined.

However, this old tree was a lot younger than the Cui family’s genealogy.

An aristocratic family would naturally have their own pride. Even if Cui Yong mentioned the present Emperor, there was no need to be terrified, so he definitely would not take a simple Feng Xiao seriously.

However, if Feng Xiao was truly a Commander of the Jiejian Bureau who mentioned Maiden Yu on purpose to gain his attention, then how could it be that simple?

Cui Yong delved into his past glory, refusing to look forward.

Cui Pei roamed the world and gained much worldly knowledge from it, however, he wasn’t in complete control of the Cui family.

He could only sigh and reason that his father had grown old.

Not long later, a servant from the outside came to report that both guests had returned. It was raining outside and they did not bring an umbrella, so they were drenched wet. They were going to take a shower and change first before coming to greet their host.

Cui Yong nodded his head and didn’t just sit there. He ordered the kitchen to prepare some dishes. Since the brothers gathering together on the same table was not often seen, dinner was almost ready.

When Cui Buqu stepped into the inner hall, a few gazes fell upon him at the same time.

He turned a blind eye to it and showed no formality, instead, he laughed, “Host Cui called us in the middle of the night, may I know if there is anything of importance?”

Cui Pei examined him closely and found that he couldn’t link the connection between that skinny and silent child with this young man.

Cui Yong had already returned to his usual calmness and level-headedness. He caressed his beard and smiled, “Nothing at all. You people are not locals, and tonight the roads are slippery, I fear you cannot find the way back, so I’ve sent someone to look for you. If you haven’t had dinner, I will have someone deliver it soon.”

Cui Buqu sighed, “To be frank with you, it has been very long since I came back. I almost could not recognize my own hometown. The blue mountains and green rivers were still the same as they were before. This time, other than participating in the Literary Festival, I also came to pay my late mother a visit.”

Deathly silence.

Everyone present was stunned for a moment. No one could have guessed that Cui Buqu would have been so frank, getting straight to the topic immediately.

Cui Pei excused himself and stood up, looking a little bit emotional.

If Cui San and Cui Yong could see that Cui Buqu looked familiar, naturally he could also see it. Those two brows, his jaw, were almost seventy to eighty percent like his mother.

“You—Who is your mother?” He suppressed his emotions and asked gently.

“Didn’t you all manage to guess already?” Cui Buqu smiled.

Feng Xiao realized that Cui Buqu’s smile was unlike the ones he gave on normal days.

Or perhaps, it was very different from the ones he gave him.

Cui Buqu never smiled often; most of his expressions were sneers, mockery, and that sort of laugh he gave whenever he successfully pitted someone like a fox who stole successfully. He was very controlled, and would often hide his intentions in his eyes. Often, when he won an argument with Feng Xiao, or when he had the upper hand, his lips would curl and his eyes would squint altogether, softening the coldness which sat on his brows.

However, they have never gave this sort of gaze: a look that seemed like smiling but wasn’t, more accurately, hiding his true intentions behind a smile. It gave one a feeling as if they couldn’t determine whether he was truly happy or angry.

Feng Xiao who discovered this detail was like a hunter who finally caught the fox’s tail; he felt his heart singing in glee, he couldn’t help taking out his fan from his sleeve and flipped it open.

No one would pay attention as to why he fanned himself during a rainy night, for everyone had already placed their attention onto Cui Buqu.

Cui Yong spoke in a dull voice, “You people have just happened to pass by and met Ninth Lady. I found you youthful and talented, only because of my love for young talents I’ve decided to let you stay the night. If you have been poorly attended to, then just be honest with it. Why is there the need to behave in such a strange manner!”

Cui Buqu smiled lightly, “After so many years, Host Cui you are still the same. You have not changed at all. You have always spoken in one way or the other, appearing to be absolutely fair and just, but in reality you have always played favourites. Your son ruined my mother’s reputation and gave birth to a bastard like myself, yet he still tolerated his wife causing harm to his sister-in-law’s life. For the sake of the Cui family’s name, you decided to conceal the entire matter. If I didn’t live, how would I be able to reclaim justice for Maiden Yu and settle off old scores?”

The words ‘settle off old scores’ caused Cui Yong’s heart to jump.

He slapped the table and rose to his feet, “So you really are Cui Jie! In the past when you were young, you could not have known what happened. The Cui family raised you, yet not only did you run away without a word and refused to send a word home for many years, today you even dared to reprimand your own elders, biting the hand that feeds!”

Cui Da Lang also spoke, “That right, A-Jie. In these years when you weren’t here, we all missed you. Doctor Sun claimed that you died, father was even saddened to tears. Since you are alive now, of course we are glad. As for the matter regarding your mother, there’s more to what happened. Please sit down first, so we can converse thoroughly about it, let us not make a fool of ourselves in front of outsiders.”

Feng Xiao practically laughed out loud.

The words they used to temper justice with mercy could be used to cheat past normal people. If Maiden Yu’s son hadn’t been such a prospective child, he could never have faced the Cui family alone, and after hearing these words, perhaps he might feel a sense of unjust but in the end, he could only admit defeat.

However, what sort of a person was Cui Buqu?

To continuously give rise to winds and waves, sending every member of the Yunhai Thirteen Stories under the Heavens into chaos. Even Prince Jin, who had received endless love and favours, had to curry favours with him. Cui Yong’s words, when spoken before Cui Buqu, were practically laughable.

Feng Xiao dared to bet with Pei Jingzhe’s head that right now that Cui Buqu was leisurely watching the Cui family playing a show. He wasn’t in a hurry to show his own hand, as if he was toying with a mouse, waiting for them to show their final imperative call.

As expected, Cui Buqu laughed, “During that year, although I was young and seldom spoke, there are many things I remember, for example, how the Cui family servants who received orders to raise me mixed poison into my food under the instructions of Maiden Lu with the intention to poison me to death. It was a pity that my life was tough and I was always on alert, insisting not to ingest food for three days so I could faint from hunger in front of everyone when the prefecture’s magistrate came to visit Host Cui so that he might never escape questioning. Right now when I think back about it, taking my background into consideration, the fact that the Cui family didn’t kill me was truly a gift from the Heavens!”

Every member of the Cui family’s expressions was in patches of red and white. Even the older ones like Cui Yong practically lost his composure.

Cui Buqu was like a perpetual thorn in his heart. As long as he lived another day, he would suffer for another day. However, he couldn’t afford to bear the name of murdering his own grandson, so he could only let him live and let fate run its own course. Cui Yong wasn’t ignorant of the fact that the other was bullied pitifully, but he turned a blind eye to it, only paying attention whenever he came across it, but if he didn’t then he feigned oblivion.

However, who could have guessed that that child who shouldn’t have lived long didn’t die in the streets, but even came back after so many years to confront them face to face?

Among all present, only Cui Pei walked forth filled with emotions, wanting to place a hand on Cui Buqu’s shoulder, but a fan reached out to barricade his path, so he could only stop his steps.

“A-Jie, it really is you! All these years, I have deeply regretted, I’ve regretted failing your mother’s dying wish before her passing and caused you so much suffering as you strayed outside. It’s thanks to Heaven’s blessings that you are safe and sound. Please come back and be named under me. I will treat you as my own, and never will you ever be bullied again!”

Cui Yong furrowed his brows, as if he wanted to say something, but held himself back.

Cui Buqu, “My name is not Cui Jie. It’s Cui Buqu.”

Cui Pei was shocked, “Which ‘Buqu’?”

Feng Xiao said coldly, “’Buqu’ which means ‘refuse to go’. How pleasant it is to the ears, and how extraordinary a name; when others hear of it, they would definitely ask about its origin. Won’t all these filthy secrets of the Cui family be known to all then?”

Cui Pei’s expression was rather pale and he laughed bitterly, “Those were my wrongs. My wrongs!”

Cui Da Lang spoke in a low voice, “A-Jie, we all know that the resentment in your heart isn’t light, but times have changed and that generation is gone. Whatever happened in the past, just let them be. Since you’ve already returned, then don’t leave…”

Feng Xiao laughed and said, “And let you people poison him a few more times? Or was it that you people will stop perceiving him as your disgrace? Could he be recorded in the genealogy, could proudly be introduced by all as one of the Cui family, and after his death, will he be buried in the Cui family’s ancestral burial cemetery?”

Cui Da Lang’s words were all spoken by him, so he simply choked on them, his eyes glaring but failing to continue.

Cui Yong watched Cui Buqu and said slowly, “If you are willing to come back, I can be the judge of it. You can be adopted by Si Lang, and then you can rightfully become a member of the Cui family. No one will ever speak nonsense again.”

Not only Feng Xiao wanted to laugh, but Cui Buqu too wanted to laugh.

Both of them exchanged glances, and from Feng Xiao’s eyes, Cui Buqu saw pity.

Yet it wasn’t pity for Cui Buqu, it was pity for Cui Yong.

He pitied him for he had gone old. He sat on the throne of the Cui family’s elders for far too long and became blinded.

If Cui Buqu really coveted the identity of a Cui, then why was there the need for him to come back only after so many years? He even dared to speak as if he was bestowing a favour. Was he hoping for Cui Buqu to thank him sentimentally like he was thanking the Emperor’s edict?

Feng Xiao: ‘Master Taoist Cui, how glad to know that you took after your mother.’

Cui Buqu could hear these words from the movement of the other man’s lips. He coughed twice, not wanting to pay Feng Xiao any attention, and instead turned towards the Cui family and said, “I’ve said before. My visit this time was first, to pay my late mother a visit, and secondly, was to participate in the pomegranate flower Literary Festival. As for the Cui family—“

His gaze fell on Cui Da Lang, Cui San, yet it lingered on the latter longer, before falling onto Cui Yong.

“From the beginning, I never had the intention to be one of the Cui clan. Never and won’t ever be. Perhaps you people perceived the Cui clan as something even more important than Heaven itself, but the reason my surname is Cui was to fulfill my mother’s wish when she was alive. It is completely unrelated to Boling Cui.”

The angle of his lips was cold, but soon it disappeared. Every word he said was clearly delivered into the ears of every single member of the Cui family, “Never once have I coveted the surname of this clan. Let alone be recorded being your genealogy, even if you present me the entire Cui family, I have zero interest.”

“If Host Cui does not have any matter of importance, then we will be turning in to rest, so we won’t fail to wake up tomorrow for the Literary Festival. Please excuse us.”

Cui Buqu threw a bomb into this pond that was the Cui family, scaring all the fishes and prawns and causing them to flip and jump about. Yet, he himself left after excusing himself, robes swaying in the wind with an air of superiority.

[Wushuang] Chapter 103 – Before The Fifteenth Day Of July, Cui Buqu Was Possessed
Both of them swaggered off, leaving those few members of the Cui family in the hall steeped in deep and long silence.

Cui San was guilty at heart since, in the end, this matter was related to him. Throughout the conversation, he hadn’t uttered a word and couldn’t help wishing that everyone around him could just forget about his own existence.

The truth remained that Cui Yong had no time to pay Cui San any attention. He realized that he’d forgotten to ask about Cui Buqu’s identity and origin a moment ago because Cui Buqu was hurrying him. Until now, he didn’t even inquire about his falsified use of the name Feng Xiao, and whether he was really related to the Jiejian Bureau, or simply just waving a paper tiger.

Cui Da also came to realize this issue, so he asked his father, “This man didn’t come with good intentions. I fear he will create a disturbance in the Pomegranate Flower Literary Festival. Should we expel them and forbid them to show up tomorrow?”

Cui Pei stifled his anger as he said, “Father, elder brother, despite it all he is still one of the Cui family’s bloodline. Now it’s already deep in the night, if we expel them, where can they go? Bonds between enemies are easily wrought but not easily undone. We should take appropriate care of this matter.”

Cui Da furrowed his brows, “Si Lang, after so many years, are you still so naïve? If he wanted to reconcile, why would he pick a time like this to reach our doors? Obviously he wanted to make it difficult for us in front of the scholars from all four cardinal directions, as well as the local villagers and the new Prefecture’s Magistrate!”

Cui Pei raised his voice, “This is what we owed him since the beginning! Are you expecting him to return happily and thank us for raising him?”

Cui Da Lang also became furious, “Does he not owe us that? Had it been for someone else, they would have smothered a bastard like him to death! How would they raise him into adulthood?!”

Blood bubbled within Cui Pei; after all these years of guilt, seeing Cui Buqu at the peak of his life before him caused him to birth the courage to talk back to his elder brother. He pointed at Cui San, his hands shaking under all the fury toiling in him, “Forgive me for saying what is not pleasant to the ears, but the one who should be smothered to death isn’t him, the one who ruined someone else’s repute isn’t him either, it should be third brother!”

Cui San really did jump, “Si Lang (Cui Pei), why are you defending that mother and her child? Could it be that you have always been lying in wait for her? Don’t tell me that bastard is actually your…”

Not waiting for Cui Pei to raise his fist to punch someone, Cui Da already took a step forward and gave Cui San a fitting punch to his face, sending him to the ground.

For a man who had always been prudent and modest, at this moment he lost his temper and shouted in resolution to the servants, “San Lang (Cui San)is behaving abnormally. Gag him and drag him away!”

Cui Yong remained silent through the entire process of Cui San struggling wildly before finally being dragged away, and approved of his eldest’s method of disposal.

Cui Pei exhaled heavily, forcibly calming himself down before speaking, “Father, we cannot run them out now, otherwise, they might seek out the Prefecture’s Magistrate in a moment of fury and publicize the incident, and by then that would be unsightly for us. If he really does belong to the Jiejian Bureau, and the matter is laid before the Emperor…”

Cui Da interrupted him, “The Emperor takes care of thousands of matters in the day, how would he pay any heed to these trivial sorts of matters? Additionally, the Emperor himself came from the noble house of Guanlong. Taking into consideration all the powerful families under the Heavens, which house has never committed a few deplorable things? From the way I see it, we should run them out of Boling to prevent the prolonging of this nightmare!”

“Father!” Cui Pei exclaimed furiously, “When his birth mother passed that year, members of the Cui family bullied him because there was little to no one left in his mother’s family. Her name was tainted, so she was forbidden to be buried with Er Lang (Cui Er). We were in the wrong first, and all that child wants is justice. Couldn’t we just ask him here and tell him everything, before permitting second sister-in-law to enter the Boling Cui’s ancestral burial site and end his decades-long fury? When things get worse enough for people to remember it, would that be beneficial to the Cui family?”

As he watched both his sons bicker among themselves, spiraling into a row that was no longer diplomatic and neither could convince the other, Cui Yong finally raised a hand and did a gesture, signaling for them to quiet down.

“Can you guarantee that you are able to convince him?” Cui Yong turned towards Cui Pei.

Cui Pei remained silent for a while, before asking him back, “In this generation of the Cui family, the fifth position should have belonged to him, but when he was born, you recorded his name under the servant’s, so he has never been in our genealogy book. Now that he has returned, father, will you have a change of thoughts?”

As he listened to this, Cui Da Lang once again felt discontented, “To allow his mother into the Cui family’s ancestral burial site is already being generous. If he formally entered the Cui family, how can we explain him to the world? What will the younger generations think once they know about it? It was a shameful past from the beginning, should we really illustrate everything out clearly?”

Cui Pei remained silent, he only looked at Cui Yong.

……

“With how rashly you’ve alerted the enemy, I fear they will be sending us on our way quite soon.”

Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao swaggered back to the adjacent manor, their sleeves billowing as they sauntered. The servants of the Cui family would have heard of a thing or two by now, but without their master’s orders, they could not hinder Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao’s entrance. Only that on their way back, it was unavoidable to receive odd gazes from them.

“They won’t.” Cui Buqu replied very calmly, “They will definitely be debating incessantly right now. However, Cui Yong will be fearful of us being driven into fury from embarrassment and publicize the incident. So before the Literary Festival ends, they will still elect to conceal the matter and pacify the people. They will choose to convince us to be calm and once the scholars, as well as the Prefecture’s Magistrate, leave tomorrow, he will seek us out to settle the deal.”

Feng Xiao, “That fourth uncle of yours, Cui Pei, promised Maiden Yu before her death that he will protect you but failed to do so. If he had protected you well, you could have led a better childhood.”

Cui Buqu said expressionlessly, “He still has a conscience, but his abilities were limited, and he was the youngest among his siblings. He cannot make an enemy of the entire Cui family just for my sake. Had it not been for the fact that she could not depend on anyone else in the Cui family during that time, Maiden Yu would not have entrusted me into his care. As people, we must eventually be responsible for ourselves, so I do not resent him.”

Feng Xiao smiled, “Then I should thank him. If he had insisted on keeping you by his side, then today, I wouldn’t have a rival I respect.”

Then his days would have been quite boring compared to now. However, these were words with an undeveloped implication, so he didn’t voice them out loud.

Yet, Cui Buqu could hear him. He nodded understandingly, “I understand. I have also come across many people like Commander Feng, such as Prince Jin for example, and people from the Yunhai Thirteen Stories. Proud sons of Heaven who had everything they wanted, yet when it came to intelligence quotients, they were only above average…”

Feng Xiao gave a sound “Hmph” through his nose, raising his tone on purpose as if he was threatening, “Only above average in terms of intelligence quotient?”

Cui Buqu was unfazed, he continued speaking, “As days were too boring, they look for something to do, or find someone to rival with. These sorts of behaviors are downright ridiculous and also masochistic.”

Feng Xiao answered him sarcastically, “And who in the world could it be that originally received orders to form an alliance with the Göktürks, yet after hearing about the Khotan Ambassador’s murder, he exhausted his mind to make every attempt at ravishing the glory of solving it? In the end, he was poisoned with the Naihexiang drug and almost lost his life. To kill a thousand enemies while sacrificing eight hundred of his own. Isn’t this the behavior of a masochist?”

Cui Buqu twitched his lips, “Am I not just delivering myself to Commander Feng’s door since he felt that his life was too boring?”

Feng Xiao laughed, “Haha! I like the way you say this! I wager the Cui family only thought that as long as they allow you into the genealogy book and to formally welcome you as a member of the Cui family, you will be infinitely grateful and forget everything in the past. It’s a pity they’re foolish beyond imagination to not know what sort of a person Cui Buqu is to think that you would come for something so trivial?”

Cui Buqu sighed, yet he felt no pity at all. His expression was only one of mockery, “They are not foolish. It’s only that when one sits upon a throne for too long, they’ve grown to underestimate the values of others.”

However, the grace of the Zuoyue Bureau’s commander didn’t last long. As he finished speaking, he sneezed continuously a couple of times.

Feng Xiao chuckled at his misfortune, “Look at your body, and still you want to get drenched by the rain. Before you can setback the Cui family tomorrow, you’ve already fallen down.”

Cui Buqu sneezed until his nose itched, even his voice became muffled.

“I will be fine after a good sleep. However, in a while, Cui Pei might seek me out. In order to present you with a good theatre tomorrow, I will need the help of Commander Feng to steady your course.”

Feng Xiao raised a brow, “Where are your Zuoyue guards?”

Cui Buqu, “Sent off by me to conduct some things. They will be back tomorrow.”

“That’s not right.”

Feng Xiao’s steps suddenly halted.

Cui Buqu covered his nose, intending to force that itchiness back, but doing this only made his sneeze brim up his eyes, causing them to be puffy and wet.

“Without Qiao Xian at this moment, it’s not wise to send for a doctor. The Cui family would give anything for me to die from illness, so I better return to take my medicine and lie down. These trivial matters will need to depend on Er-lang.”

Feng Xiao was stunned by the gentle tone rarely found in the other. He looked at Cui Buqu’s tearful eyes and neglected to say the refuting and ridiculing words in his mouth; added with the pleasant address of ‘Er-lang’ floating into his ears, he immediately suspected that Cui Buqu was possessed despite the fact that the month of July had yet to come.

Watching the other’s back, he suddenly remembered what he had forgotten to say just now.

“Stand right there.”

Cui Buqu did not look back from his staggering steps and vanished within his sight in the blink of an eye.

Feng Xiao: “…He really is faking it.”

So, was he here to watch the theatre, or to be Cui Buqu’s Zuoyue guard?

He touched his chin, pondering seriously over this question.

……

Pomegranate flowers bloomed in May.

In reality, pomegranate flowers bloomed throughout the summer, and the so-called Pomegranate Flower Literary Festival had only borrowed its name. In the year before, the literary festival held by the Cui family had used the concept of Wang Xizhi’s Orchid Pavilion, varying through the years.

From the county of Boling, all the way to the northern part of the country, the Cui clan’s literary festival was renowned. Every year a myriad of people would participate in hopes that they would spring into fame, and among them, there was no lack of scholars that already have a name for themselves. The past Prefecture’s Magistrate had a reputation for his love of talents, and every year he came here to be seated as a local guest, scouting for champions in the festival whose performances were outstanding. They might even be recommended by him to the Imperial Court to take up the post of an official. Presently, the dynasty had changed, and a new Prefecture’s Magistrate had taken up the post, but to display his affection for the people and share in their happiness, the new Prefecture’s Magistrate informed the Cui family that he will attend the festival in person.

The literary festival will be held in one of the courtyards of the Cui clan. The land adjoins a country park with blue streams. It contained pear blossoms that have yet to wilt and waters that yielded flawless reflections, enclosed by walls and opened wooden gates. From inside the courtyard to the outsides, one was free to roam through a few pomegranate trees that were planted. Maidservants came carrying fruits and wine with scented clothes and gorgeous hair, scholars wore fluttering robes with wide sleeves and jade that hung by their sashes. These things were too much for one to take everything in at a glance.

Cui Pei stood next to Cui Yong, introducing to him all the honored guests that came forth to pay respects. Among them were greatly respected seniors of the literary world as well as poetry singers that were his friends of old. With his literary talents, even if he couldn’t emerge as the champion in today’s literary festival, he would still be in the limelight.

However, it was unknown why in Cui Pei’s heart, he felt uneasy and anxious, for even his eyelids could not stoptingling.

Cui Da Lang, who was attending to a few guests somewhere else, found a chance to approach Cui Pei and dragged him aside, before asking in a hushed voice, “Yesterday when you sought him out, what did he say?”

Cui Pei laughed bitterly, “He fell ill from being out in the rain and took a rest. I was stopped by that friend of his, so I didn’t meet him.”

Cui Da Lang furrowed his brows, “How impudent! It seems he is waiting for us to take more steps backward, so he could reap more benefits.”

Cui Pei, “Elder brother, I do not believe he is that sort of person. Otherwise, he would have come back earlier all these years. The Cui family has failed him in the end.”

Cui Da Lang disagreed, “He is definitely related to the Jiejian Bureau in one way or another, and think that he can use that against us, that’s why he behaved so cockily, wanting to return home in silken robes. Nevertheless, whatever he wishes to do today will fail, because we’ve had men keeping watch on him. Once they say anything that shouldn’t be said or do anything that shouldn’t have been done, then we can immediately have them dragged away.”

Midway of speaking, the Local Magistrate and Prefecture’s Magistrate arrived. By their sides clustered the local high and low ranking officials of the county. The atmosphere of the place brightened up once more.

Cui Da Lang could not spare the time to tell him in detail. He quickly assisted his father to move forth and pay their respects.

Cui Pei pushed his way through the sea of people, and only through great difficulty, he found Cui Buqu’s head among many others. The latter was standing with Feng Xiao under a pear blossom tree situated neither far or close, festive smiles hanging upon their faces similar to the other scholars present. They looked as if they would enter the stage to participate in the literary competition anytime soon.

The elegant sight of pear blossoms rendered Feng Xiao’s peerless grace even more conspicuous. Even Cui Pei, who had placed all his focus on Cui Buqu, could not help but divide his focus partially to Feng Xiao.

Then, he suddenly recalled something: Since Cui Buqu had been using the false alias ‘Feng Xiao’ in the beginning, then wouldn’t this friend of his be using a false name as well? How was it possible for a man as flawless as fine jade like him to possess such a mundane background and identity?

On the other hand, Cui Yong was at the peak of his excitement.

After conversing with the Prefecture’s Magistrate and his men, he rose to his feet to place his hands together while facing the audience, illustrated the original intentions of the literary festival and expressed his welcome, he said, “All the people who came to the literary festival today outnumbered those who came last year. The seats are filled to the brim and extraordinary guests enrich the place. This old man declares that today, a thousand masterpieces that surpassed the old times will be made, and to prove my sincerity, I am willing to offer a treasured zither as a reward to the best participant today!”

Wang Xizhi’s Orchid Pavilion: Wang Xizhi (303-361) is a Chinese calligrapher, writer and politician who lived during the Jin Dynasty (265–420), best known for his mastery of Chinese calligraphy. ‘Preface to the Poems Collected from the Orchid Pavilion’ was his calligraphy work. In the raws, 王右军 (Wangzuo Jun) was used, but they are the same person.
Eyelids could not stop tingling: Usually, it’s a bad-omen when one’s eyelids are tingling. As if something bad is going to happen.

[Wushuang] Chapter 104 – Then, What Kind Of Person Are You?
When he heard Cui Yong speaking of the zither Yu Yin, Feng Xiao sneezed.

“This isn’t right, this really isn’t right.” He rubbed his nose.

On the other hand, Cui Buqu was in a good mood, “Since yesterday night you kept repeating ‘this isn’t right’. What on earth is ‘not right’ to you?”

Feng Xiao groaned, “Everything isn’t going right.”

Cui Buqu did not prod further, “I never thought that Cui Yong would willingly take out the zither Yu Yin and gamble on it. Are you planning to rob it openly in broad daylight, or quietly steal it away?”

Feng Xiao cast the zither a leisure look; with his brilliant eyesight, he could see the zither clearly without needing to examine it up close.

Cui Yong used a finger to pluck the string a little bit, and the sound of the zither overflowed the place, touching everyone’s heartstrings.

It was certainly an excellently made zither.

An excellent top-quality zither when in the hands of skilled musicians, is able to produce the clear songs of nature, and when in the hands of people with deep profound inner strength, it too can bring results that were beyond expectations.

Yu Yin was not the number one zither beneath the Heavens, and to Feng Xiao, it was not a must to obtain it, but since they crossed paths and it was sitting just a few meters away from him, it would be a pity if it didn’t fall into his hands.

He pondered over how he should get the zither when he heard Cui Buqu’s words, he responded, “Why? Can’t I just rely on poetry to prove myself, so that Cui Yong has no choice but to give me the zither himself?”

Cui Buqu felt a little taken aback, “I couldn’t have believed that Commander Feng possessed literary skills that could outmatch the exemplary scholars present here. Can I experience it first-hand now and satisfy my curiosity?”

Feng Xiao snorted a laugh, “A poem from me is worth a Yu Yin zither. If I recited it for you, what can you give me in return?”

Cui Buqu remained silent for a moment, “Both my sleeves are empty with nothing but clear wind1. You’d better keep your skills to stun all the people present later.”

At this moment, Cui Yong’s opening speech had already given rise to a thousand waves of excitement.

Although there were more than a dozen people present who didn’t know martial arts, this didn’t prevent them from having heard of the zither Yu Yin’s name. Even if they hadn’t heard of it, the zither that Cui Yong would take out and use as a gambit would definitely be a zither of a brand. Right now, originally those who came here simply to join the crowd had also begun to brew stunning poetries in their hearts.

Cui Yong caressed his beard and smiled. As he conversed with the Prefecture’s Magistrate, his gaze intentionally and unintentionally fell upon the direction of Cui Buqu and his company.

Cui Buqu noticed this, and Feng Xiao had noticed it earlier than he did.

“Look at how terrified you’ve made him; he’s like a bird that’s being startled by the mere twang of a bow. How long before you plan to end his misery?” Feng Xiao scoffed as he said.

“Wait.” Cui Buqu’s gaze fell upon someone else’s. He picked up his footsteps and walked towards the direction of Cui Yong; yet Feng Xiao reached out to hold his wrist, so he had no choice but to look back and replied to him honestly, “This new Prefecture’s Magistrate was also an old family friend from those days.”

An old family friend. Little to no one was left of the Yu family, and he believed he had also seen all the people from the Cui family that mattered.

At the stroke of lightning and meteors, Feng Xiao recalled the story of Cui Buqu and thought of one person.

“…Maiden Yu’s senior apprentice-brother?”

Cui Buqu nodded, “Yuan Sheng was bereaved of his father at a young age. Father Yu couldn’t bear to watch his talents go to waste, so he took him in as his apprentice and invested efforts into nurturing him. However, Yuan Sheng left to see the world and until presently his whereabouts were unknown. In truth, he went to Nanbei before he was nominated to be an official, and was offered the name Yuan Sansi. This became his name. He began from the magistrate of Huozhou, before he was promoted to the Prefecture’s Magistrate of Boling today. As the saying goes, to return to one’s hometown in silken robes.”

Perhaps Yuan Sheng was just coincidentally relocated to this place, or perhaps, he had quietly returned that year to visit his family and after hearing of Maiden Yu’s case, it provoked him to pursue this path, hoping to avenge her one day. However, these were no longer important. With Cui Buqu present, he will finish what he came to begin. Yet since the only old family friend also showed himself, if he wanted to see him and ask a little about his birth mother, it was perfectly reasonable.

Feng Xiao released his grip as if he was waving a little kitten or puppy away, “Go then, go then. I also want to start exhibiting my poetic talents.”

Cui Buqu was very suspicious of the words he spoke, but after looking at him for a while, he turned around to leave.

Feng Xiao shook his fan and smiled as he walked towards the crowd of people that gathered.

“Pomegranate flowers bloomed beautifully in May…”

A young scholar in white robes and black sash chanted in a high tone. Someone from the side was wielding his brush furiously as he recorded all the poetry songs made by everyone.

The ones nominated to judge were a few local scholars. One of them was an elder who once worshipped the doctor Yu Bozhong from the former dynasty, therefore he was one of the leaders of the northern literary world.

Although the theme was pomegranate flower, the poetry songs were not limited to just pomegranate flowers. When talents assembled, there were a variety of delicacies, and none of them couldn’t be turned into a theme itself. If someone wished to craft something out of the ordinary, to write something of a tragedy, it was not forbidden. As long as it comes out extraordinary, there was no need to worry that this single event would not make them famous.

Everyone employed their full set of skills, depleted their brain to cudgel for ideas. Some of them had written their piece prior, and knew it by heart, only for the sake of gaining the attention of a famed scholar. As for those who already made a name for themselves in the literary world, naturally, they were expected to perform excellently, only then would they be living up to their name.

That young scholar finished reciting his poetry and was nervously waiting for his senior to remark on his work. Those elders did not shame him, they only laughed and said, “Beautiful and worth recommending. It’s definitely an above-average piece of work.”

Hearing this, the scholar knew that those words embodied the implication that his poetry was mundane. So let alone being the top three, it would be difficult to make it to the top ten. He felt a little upset in his heart but dared not be impetuous. He immediately raised his hands and sat down politely, offering the stage for the next one in line.

When it came to writing, it really did partially depend on one’s talents. Were it those sorts of pieces brimmed with flowery proses, then even if one memorized a few more books, even if they couldn’t learn to write it, they could still vaguely mimic it. Only those masterpieces that could send one to strike the table and call for an applause can be found by accident, ever since the Wei Jin Southern and Northern Dynasties, it had only been for a few such people like San Cao and Xie Lingyun.

Moreover in a gathering such as this, the more someone stood out from a crowd, the more their voices would be heard by all of the participants present.

“This one’s talents are mundane, but I fell in love with the zither Yu Yin at first sight, so I too have poetry to offer. Should my piece satiate the criteria of Host Cui, then Host Cui shouldn’t be miserly.”

The one speaking was Feng Xiao. Everyone felt that something glimmered before their eyes at the other’s handsome face, like a phoenix leaping into the tableau, a radiant enchanted day in spring, where the gardens bloomed splendidly.

Cui Yong’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

He had seen Cui Buqu speaking with the new Prefecture’s Magistrate just now, but he couldn’t stop him on purpose, so he could only allow Cui Da Lang to keep an eye on him. If the other said anything that wasn’t supposed to be said, then he’d have someone to gag his mouth and take him away. The most they would need to do was to apologize to the Prefecture’s Magistrate afterward, yet what they didn’t expect was to see Feng Xiao appearing here after they’d taken care of Cui Buqu.

With just the two of them, they couldn’t have done anything. Even if they spilled out everything in front of everyone, Cui Yong had his own ways of dealing with it. However, with how they’ve appropriately obeyed every rule at present, such a scene was difficult for him to control.

Everyone was naturally more tolerating of beautiful people. Even an elderly man with a white head like Yu Bozhong could not avoid it, so he joked, saying, “If this little friend can really offer a splendid masterpiece, even if Host Cui is being stringy, I will snatch the zither and gift it to you.”

Feng Xiao smiled, “Then I offer my thanks. My piece is a wujue2.”

The elder nodded, “Let it be heard.”

The ears of spectators all were also stricken themselves. They wanted to hear what sort of poetry this handsome and young man could do that would shake the heavens and earth and could make the gods and demons cry.

So Feng Xiao pursed his lips and began chanting, “Pomegranate flowers bloomed beautifully in May, Boling holds a grand occasion. All the scholars fought for name and fame, thus came I for the zither Yu Yin.”

Silence.

Awkward silence.

The sort of silence that even spring orioles forgot to sing.

Everyone retained the look they were wearing before they heard the poetry a minute before. They did not even have the time to revoke the smile that hung frozen and dazed on their faces.

It was a pity for the Heavens to see, but ever since the first literary festival held by Boling, they have never heard of such a rotten wujue!

This can no longer be called a wujue, at most, it can only be called a doggerel that was only plain and mundane.

The crowd was certainly shaken, but there was no glamour.

From where did this blockhead leap out from? How dare he shame himself by reciting such an unsightly poem in a literary festival?

Even that white-haired elder that was fairly charmed by Feng Xiao just now, who was armed with the virtue of patience, was practically forcing a smile on his face, “The poetry from this little friend, er, is barely passable, a great many improvements await. Try to practice more often on usual days.”

Cui Yong practically dropped his molar laughing, and in his heart, he said: The kind of assistants sought by Cui Buqu, are but only pewter spearheads that shine like silver3 who thought he could gain the upper hand simply by having some looks?

Yet Feng Xiao didn’t show an ounce of feeling ashamed. He said with a face full of innocence, “Didn’t Host Cui said that the most prominent talent present would be rewarded with the zither Yu Yin? Yet why since I’ve recited the poetry, you’ve gone back on your words?”

Cui Yong replied plainly, “With a poem like yours that wouldn’t even be considered true poetry, even if the old man I have you the zither Yu Yin, I fear people would think that you are an estranged grandson of mine.”

Everyone laughed in unison and praised Host Cui’s humor.

Feng Xiao disagreed, “There is no best writer; nor is there a second best fighter4. On so-called good poetry, different people have different opinions, no one can submit to the other. As for rotten poetry, everyone present could clearly determine it. Just now you said ‘the most extraordinary poem present’, but you did not say whether it was the best nor the worse, so I do not think that I’ve breached any rules.”

Cui Yong twitched his lips, “This gentleman, there is no longer the need to dally here. You may leave.”

The gaze everyone used to look at Feng Xiao was a little strange; they either thought that his brain was damaged, or that he was purposely currying favor in front of the crowd, to gain attention through walking the crooked road.

Feng Xiao was the only one who didn’t take it to heart. He remained smiling, and when Cui Yong asked him to leave, he really did as he was told, leaving as he waved his fan. Those left were the female scholars who didn’t mind how rotten his poetry talents were as they gathered in crowds, asking all sorts of questions and drawing the envy of a few male scholars.

The new Prefecture’s Magistrate Yuan Sansi watched the young man before him who had a pale and sickly complexion and waved his hand, ordering the servants from his left and right to leave.

“You have something to tell me?”

Originally, common people would not be able to speak to the Prefecture’s Magistrate so easily.

However, today was the literary festival, and most of its participants are people of letters. Since the Prefecture’s Magistrate came to share the festive of the people, naturally he couldn’t throw his weight around.

The most important thing was, when he saw Cui Buqu, he couldn’t help feeling that he looked familiar, as if he could recall an old family friend.

Cui Buqu nodded, “After a while, there will be a theatre. Prefecture Magistrate, you needn’t interfere. All you need to do is to watch, and after the incident is through, I have something else to discuss with you. So I beg your patience not to leave this place too quickly.”

Yuan Sansi was very suspicious, but he couldn’t pay attention to his boldness and asked, “What theatre?”

Cui Buqu looked at Cui Da Lang who was approaching, and he smiled from the corner of his lips, “A theatre regarding how the Cui family colluded with the Southern Dynasty.”

From the way Cui Da observed, Cui Buqu’s conduct before the Prefecture’s Magistrate seemed as though he wanted to say something but couldn’t.

The other has no post as an official, neither did he have an aristocratic family to back him up, however when speaking to the Prefecture’s Magistrate, he was neither proud nor was he humble, he even looked as if he was a superior speaking to his subordinate. He really did have an exaggerated opinion of his own abilities.

Yet as he walked close and heard the words ‘how the Cui family colluded with the Southern Dynasty’, his face turned pale.

“What nonsense are you talking about!” Cui Da Lang barked at him.

Yuan Sansi felt very shocked. His gaze bounced between the two of them. He was very intelligent, not saying a word before he knew what was happening regarding the entire matter.

However, to be concerned is to be in chaos. Cui Da Lang was not as calm as Yuan Sansi.

Cui Buqu smiled faintly, “Whether I am speaking nonsense or not, you could question yourself. This matter is entirely on you alone, or was it Cui Yong’s? If other members of the Cui family are involved, then mercy will be offered to honesty. Now you still have the chance, but after a while, I cannot say the same.”

Cui Da Lang forcibly calmed himself down, before speaking with a heavy heart, “A-Jie, I know that you still resented the Cui family for everything that happened when you were young. However, didn’t everything the Cui family did was for the sake of your mother’s reputation? It was also to protect you. If your background was known to everyone, can you really bear the brunt of those rumours and accusations?”

Yuan Sansi couldn’t help but interfere, “What are you saying? What reputation, background?”

The corner of Cui Buqu’s lips raised, speaking with a calm and gentle tone rarely found in him, “Do you people still not know the old name of this new Prefecture’s Magistrate? His name was Yuan Sheng, he was the apprentice disciple whom my maternal grandfather took in, the apprentice-brother of Maiden Yu that left home and lost word of.”

As he finished saying, he wasn’t surprised to see the shocked look on both of their faces.

Yuan Sansi for the ‘Maiden Yu’ that came out of his mouth, and Cui Da Lang for the true identity of Yuan Sansi.

Originally, it was an old past that had been buried deep in yellow soil, never to see the light of the day again, but who could have guessed that all the old parties involved would be gathered once again. Dead people were found to be alive again, and missing ones came back with an entirely new identity.

After a long moment of silence, Cui Da Lang was speechless, but in reality, a tidal wave of storms have already been brewed in his heart.

Yet Cui Buqu didn’t allow him a moment to catch his breath. He laughed as he said, “Since you have lost the chance to be honest, then do not accuse me of not being merciful.”

Before Cui Da could entirely digest these words, he heard Cui Buqu exclaimed in a loud voice, “Step out, all of you!”

Who to step out?

From where are they to step out from?

Cui Da was delayed for a moment, before turning towards the direction of the sound. He saw that all around the garden, a group of guards in black emerged silently, reaching Cui Buqu’s feet silently before kneeling on a knee.

Cui Buqu said coldly, “How did matters go?”

“Commander, everything has been settled.” The one in charge spoke with his head low. Within these two days he had been executing Cui Buqu’s orders, approaching the nearest Ye city to mobilize a huge group of Zuoyue guards here for this exact purpose: to catch all the Cui family in a single draft, not allowing a single one of them to escape.

Cui Buqu brought two Zuoyue guards with him. One of them was sent to gather enough manpower, and the other was tasked to slip into the Cui family’s home last night to search for evidence. As Cui Buqu divulged his identity, everyone in the Cui family was in chaos and paid no attention to anything that was happening, thus the Zuoyue guard successfully gathered the evidence and accomplished his mission.

“Surround the courtyard, take down Cui Da, then let them bring you to search his study and bedroom.” Cui Buqu said with the utmost satisfaction.

Cui Da Lang felt both his arms being twisted behind him till it hurt, only then he realized in shock that this wasn’t a dream.

“Unhand me! Unhand me! Cui Jie, you treacherous, heretic bastard!”

The appearance of the Zuoyue guards and Cui Da’s uproar drew everyone’s attention. Cui Yong received news and hurriedly rushed over, colour draining from his face: “Let him go! What are you people intending to do?!”

Cui Buqu paid him no heed as he divulged a seal, turning it between his fingers before tossing to a Zuoyue guard, who flashed it before Yuan Sansi, Cui Yong, and everyone.

“He is the Commander of the Zuoyue Bureau that was elected by the Emperor himself. By his Majesty’s orders, he was tasked to investigate the case of the Cui family colluding with the Southern Dynasty. As of now, the investigation has come to light. Since four years ago, the eldest of the Cui family, Cui Xu, financially aided the Southern Dynasty’s Linchuan Palace Academy. Three years ago, a disciple of the Linchuan Palace Academy, Yue Gu, failed to assassinate the present Emperor and fled to Boling, taking an anonymous shelter under Cui Xu for a few days. One year ago, drought plagued the northern regions, victims are innumberable. The Imperial Palace opened the vault to offer provisions, allowing officials to bring them to aid victims. Yet Cui Xu and Yue Gu conspired together, using the chance to spread rumours regarding the Imperial Palace’s disinterest in relieving the victims and thus allowing them to perish on their own. Then, they allowed Yue Gu’s accomplice to rob those provisions in the forests and cart them south, resulting in the starvation of drought victims and giving rise to a rebellion.”

With every word he spoke, Cui Da Lang’s colour drained from his face a little more.

Cui Yong looked at his eldest with an unbelievable expression.

The Cui family operated through many generations. Even the change of dynasties was not able to uproot them, because regardless of which Emperor of any dynasty sat upon that throne, they will need talents, and talents brimmed from the Cui clan. That was where the value of their aristocratic family lies.

The north and the south stood independently, and as the winds and clouds toiled, a countless number of heroes emerged one after the other. They hoped to prove their worth and shake the world. A great many aristocratic families also had their own standing, and when it came to Cui Yong’s generation, he saw potential in the greatness of Sui Emperor, so he had chosen to side with the Northern Dynasty. However, among all his sons only Cui Pei alone stood out, and thus he turned his attention upon his eldest grandson, Cui Fei. Who could have guessed that his eldest had committed such a huge offense behind his back!

Cui Xu’s responses and look laid bare to everyone that Cui Buqu wasn’t framing him.

Everyone was stunned, they were in awe of the superiority of the Zuoyue Bureau, thus they dared not utter a word.

Thus, Cui Buqu who stood among the Zuoyue guards held an air of superiority that made one too afraid to look at him in the eye.

Cui Pei had seen his eldest brother walking towards Cui Buqu prior and feared that the first would make it difficult for the latter, so he had originally intended to walk forward to help him, yet he’d run into this scene and was frozen on his spot.

Ninth Lady Cui who was originally speaking with Feng Xiao by the sidelines, at this moment, she also couldn’t help turning towards Feng Xiao perplexed.

“If he is the Commander of the Zuoyue Bureau, then who are you?”

[1] Both my sleeves are empty with nothing but clear wind: uncorrupted and therefore poor.
[2] Wujue: A four-line poem with five characters to a line and a strict tonal pattern and rhyme scheme.
[3] Pewter spearheads that shine like silver: Impressive-looking but a useless person.
[4] There is no best writer; nor is there a second best fighter: ‘There is no best writer’ means that no one can be the best, because the marks given to someone’s poetry entirely depends on the person themselves—these are like essays, it depends on whether what was written suited the teacher’s tastes; while ‘nor is there a second best fighter’ means that martial arts are the opposite of literature—if you lose, then you lose. No one can lose and still rank the same as someone else, for it’s more easily determined.

[Wushuang] Chapter 105 – All Right, All Right! Your Ruthlessness Prevailed!
Cui Yong didn’t know what Ninth Lady Cui asked Feng Xiao, or what Feng Xiao answered her. At this moment, all his focus was invested in the unexpected change of events before his eyes.

Originally, he thought that the most Cui Buqu could do was to unmask the whole incident in front of everyone, or perhaps seek out a chance to speak with the Prefecture’s Magistrate and invite him to uphold justice. Regardless of what the other wanted to do, the Cui family would know how to deal with him. With just a Cui Buqu alone, in the end, it would be simply a case of fighting against overwhelming odds, and he would have retreated without victory. If he knew his place, then Cui Yong could still take a step back and either let him pursue Cui Pei in studies, or allow him to manage one shop belonging to the Cui family. After the one coaxes, the other coerces, it would be enough to make Cui Buqu submit.

In life, one’s greatest dependence was his family’s clan. At most, they could give him a wife; but with how talentless Cui Buqu was and with such a fragile and weak body, they feared that getting him a wife would be nigh impossible. The fact that he was able to live for so many years was already hard-earned. If the Cui family was willing to take a step back and allow him to remain, they were already showing the greatest philanthropy and generosity.

Cui Yong also believed that the reason Cui Buqu came back to create such a scene was for this purpose alone. Exposing his background to the world would do him more harm than good, but if Cui Buqu still had a brain, then he wouldn’t make such an idiotic move.

However, Cui Yong could never have believed that the other took the unorthodox path and chose to attack from Cui Da Lang’s flaw.

Then, he looked at those Zuoyue guards, clad in blacken robes and equipped with long swords and looking ferocious, yet they would only hearken to Cui Buqu’s orders alone. Even if Cui Yong continued to deceive himself, he knew that this was a reality that cannot be altered.

The Cui Buqu before his eyes was not the Cui Buqu from before, and no longer was he the same person who allowed the Cui family to step all over him or push him around as they pleased.

For the first time in his life, Cui Yong felt the true meaning of a heart confused and disconcerted.

He could not question his eldest on the spot, for that would only give Cui Da Lang the chance to say things that shouldn’t be said.

“Since Cui Xu has committed such an offence, then the Prefecture’s Magistrate should step out and question him, it shouldn’t be you who…” Cui Yong bit the inside of his cheek as he forcibly suppressed the fury in his heart. He walked quickly in between his eldest and Cui Buqu, although he knew that doing that was pointless.

Cui Buqu spoke coldly, “Such a great offence should be taken with special care, so naturally it cannot follow the usual protocol. Bring the man away!”

“Wait!” Cui Da’s face was as white as ash, yet Cui Yong wanted to struggle in his deathbed, “The way you do your job with simply just taking anyone you wish; you speak of evidence, but that “evidence” has yet to make it to your hands. It’s difficult to accept! Since the Han Dynasty, my house prospered over centuries, yet what we’ve depended on wasn’t the Emperor’s favour, but the strength of character of our members, the strength and influence of our house. Today, if you take my eldest away, all the aristocratic families beneath the Heavens will surely be bitterly disappointed because of this. I request an audience with the Emperor, to uphold justice for us!”

There were many members of the aristocracy present; as the saying goes, “If the rabbit dies, the fox grieves”, so when they heard Cui Yong’s words, they couldn’t help feeling a heart full of sorrow.

A few people stepped out to beg for mercy, even the magistrate spoke, “Today is the grand ceremony of the literary festival. On such a virtuous day, even if there is a case, can it not be taken care of after the festival?”

As everyone listened, they nodded their heads in agreement. Someone even asked the Prefecture’s Magistrate Yuan to step out, but as a new official who succeeded his post and should have originally sided with the people, he reverted from his familiarity just now, remaining silent as an onlooker.

Cui Buqu looked towards Cui Yong and saw the threatening look in his eyes.

Today, he has finally seen the power of a family of influence.

If he dragged Cui Da Lang away now, after a few days, a few edicts about him will appear on the Emperor’s desk.

The joint powers between aristocratic families was something to be taken seriously, and Boling Cui was definitely worthy of this capability.

Only, it was a pity that Cui Yong’s opponent was Cui Buqu.

Cui Buqu raised his hand and waved a finger at the Zuoyue guards. Before the eye could blink, the Zuoyue guards ignored everything spoken by onlookers and simply dragged Cui Xu away forcibly.

“Cui Xu sowed illicit relations with foreign countries. Upon valid evidence, he will now be taken into custody and questioned by the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Four Judiciaries of the Zuoyue Bureau. If anyone has any objections, you may proceed to the capital to raise an appeal. However, if I discover anyone to be an accomplice, I fear that your appeal will not stand, and you will join Cui Xu instead to keep him company. This can be called, as people say, ‘To share life and death together with morality that transcends the Heavens.’”

His tone was arguably gentle and soft, but as far as one can tell, people who met his gaze couldn’t help but look away, not daring to see him eye to eye.

Watching this all, Cui Yong’s heart sank into hopelessness. In his heart, he knew that other than the Cui family, no one would dare put up a squabble with Cui Buqu today.

“Save me father, save me!” Cui Da shouted, yet his voice was drifted apart in the end.

Their relationship was profound, his heart hurt. Cui Yong was unstable to stand it in the end, he dragged himself forward but very quickly stumbled down. Thankfully, Cui Pei’s reflexes were quick and held his father in time.

“You! You’re avenging a personal grudge in the name of public interest!” Blood veins appeared in Cui Yong’s eyes. He glared at Cui Buqu, uttering every single word.

Cui Buqu raised a brow, “Ridiculous! What grudges do I share with the Cui family?”

Words slipped from Cui Yong’s mouth, “You are obviously bearing grudges for your dead mother, and from when you were young—“

“Father!”

Cui Pei’s words woke Cui Yong to his senses. The rest of his words remained unspoken upon the realization.

Cui Yong’s lips quivered.

Of course, what could he say? Maiden Yu’s identity, or Cui Buqu’s past?

Regardless of which, it would only bring shame to the Cui family.

Cui Buqu stared at him with a smile that didn’t look like a smile, as if he was certain that Cui Yong wouldn’t dare to speak nor ask.

Cui Yong felt a surge of intense emotions caused by this smile. He felt his chest suffocating, he couldn’t breathe.

Zuoyue Bureau. Zuoyue Commander.

Who could have guessed that all these years drifting in the outside, not only did Cui Jie live a pleasant life, he even returned with an identity which overrides power from that of usual people.

Even if he became an official, had he been just like any magistrate of a county or prefecture, the Cui family would not need to fear.

Yet, he reached the Heavens with a single step, succeeding as the Zuoyue Bureau’s commander at such a young age.

The eldest grandson of the Cui family, Cui Fei, who was a few years older than him was only a scholar with a little amount of fame.

Cui Yong couldn’t help but regret it. Had his attitude been softer yesterday night and allowed Cui Pei to let Cui Jie into the family’s genealogy, perhaps this incident would not have happened today.

However, there was no ‘what if’s in this world. Like the year Doctor Sun announced Cui Jie dead, no one would have suspected the truth, and no one would have sought it out either, because during that time, none of them took Cui Jie seriously.

Compared to Cui Yong, Cui Pei’s inner thoughts were even more of a mess. Guilt existed within his heart, so he couldn’t bring himself to reprimand him, yet he also couldn’t watch his eldest brother being dragged away. So he could only beg tactfully, “Cui…Commander Cui, my father’s day of birth is half a month away. May you raise your hand high so I may pass under it as your mercy, and come back to arrest this man half a month later?”

Cui Buqu raised a brow, “Why don’t you say then, ‘after his next birthday, and the year after it’?”

These words obviously meant that his pleas were rejected. Cui Pei’s heart was filled with bitterness.

Felicity never turned out in pairs, disaster piled up one after the last; it was as if the Heavens wanted the Cui family to experience all manners of wind and rain today.

Cui Da Lang had just been taken away, then the county’s magistrate brought a few men to their doors and said that something happened in the Baoning Hall of the Cui family. Doctor Sun issued a wrong prescription and that it had cost someone their life. Right now, he was already arrested, but since Baoning Hall was under the Cui family’s name, on the day someone died, everyone related must be brought back for questioning. Among them included Cui San and all the employees.

The employees have been taken away, yet Cui San remained in the Cui family. Thus, the assistant county magistrate brought men to their doors.

The assistant county magistrate knew that the Boling Cui clan was powerful and that today was the Literary Festival, so he feared that it wouldn’t be easy to deal with. Originally, he wanted to wait until the festival was over so he could seek a solution from the county magistrate, but he couldn’t have known that Cui Buqu would act first and arrest Cui Da Lang. A thought clicked on the assistant county magistrate’s head; this was a good opportunity for himself. Refusing to let the opportunity pass, he gathered all his men and approached their doors.

As the saying goes: ‘rain happened to pour continuously when the roof was leaking’; Cui Yong practically turned pale on the spot.

He didn’t even cast a look at the assistant county magistrate, his finger pointed at Cui Buqu and with a trembling voice, “All right, all right! Your ruthlessness prevailed!”

Cui Buqu didn’t care enough to explain that this has nothing to do with him, he turned to the assistant county magistrate, “Since an incident happened, take whoever you deem necessary. However, I wish to listen to the trail, may I know if it’s permitted?”

The magistrate prefecture that hadn’t uttered a word just now also said, “I too wish to witness it.”

Since both his superiors have spoken, how would the assistant county magistrate dare to decline? He immediately said, “Both of you, this way please!”

Once both of them left, the remaining guests were at loss of what to do. Who would still have the mood to craft poems? Every one of them rose to their feet and left.

Cui Yong had no heart to accompany them. He allowed the servants to help him sit alone in the study and allowed Cui Pei and the housekeeper to send the guests on their way.

Once the women of the Cui family heard the news, they immediately rushed here to beg Cui Yong to rescue the men. However, Cui Yong knew clearly in his heart that Cui San’s matter was done for, and he feared that there was no escape for Cui Da Lang as well. He could save neither of them.

The only one who could save them couldn’t wait to see the Cui family turn into a joke. How would he extend a helping hand?

Cui Pei, who returned from sending off guests, pushed the door and entered. His heart twitched when he saw his father who seemed to have aged a few years.

His old father’s voice was dull as he raised his head and asked him, “Say, do you think that if I begged him in person right now, and knelt on my knees, he would show mercy?”

As for who ‘he’ was, it was needless to say. Cui Pei understood.

“I fear he will not.” After a moment of silence, Cui Pei answered honestly.

Cui Yong closed his eyes, “It was my fault. Either I remain and do nothing at all, or leave no room for manoeuver. I failed to be cruel enough during that year, thus leaving a seed of trouble.”

“Father!” Cui Pei was shocked. Listening to him, it was as if Cui Yong didn’t regret that he wasn’t kind to Cui Buqu, but he had regretted that he hadn’t cut out the grass and destroyed its roots.

Cui Yong replied blandly, “I have placed the most faith in you. Your prudence surpassed all your brothers. The only flaw in you is that your heart is too soft, and you are too kind.”

Cui Pei remained silent for a while, “Elder brother truly collided with the Southern Dynasty?”

Cui Yong laughed bitterly, “Ever since Da Lang was little, he had enough diligence to spare but he wasn’t gifted enough. I had never dared to completely let go, fearing he wouldn’t have been able to carry such a hefty responsibility. Who could have guessed that in order to prove his abilities, he walked the perilous path…”

Cui Pei immediately said, “Just now Cui… he also said that elder brother will go through the Four Judiciaries’ questioning, perhaps we can still hope for a turn of events. However, someone lost their life at Baoning Hall, this is a hard-press. Doctor Sun had saved lives aplenty, how could he deliver a wrong prescription and killed someone? There is more than meets the eye. Father, please think of a way to rescue them!”

Cui Yong replied coldly, “There is no need for you to worry. Without Doctor Sun’s help that year, how would he be able to stage his death and escape? If that vile spawn’s conscience is still intact, he would definitely devise a way to absolve Doctor Sun of his charges!”

Cui Pei was stunned on the spot. He only felt that the version of his father right now was unfamiliar to him.

“Grandfather! I have something of importance to speak!”

The sound of knocking on the door broke the silence between both father and son. Ninth Lady Cui’s voice sounded from the outside.

Cui Pei inhaled deeply, suppressing all the chaos in his heart as he turned and opened the door, speaking in a low voice, “Ninth Lady, return to take a rest, here…”

Ninth Lady Cui interfered and spoke with urgency, “Forth uncle, listen to me. The man with the Zuoyue Bureau’s Commander is the true Second Commander of the Jiejian Bureau Feng Xiao. I heard that the Jiejian Bureau and the Zuoyue Bureau both walk their own paths, neither one is inferior to the other and they each hold their own set of powers. If we can invite Young Master Feng to step out and reason, perhaps there can be hope to save First Uncle and father!”

Cui Pei was stunned for a moment, “What you said, is true?”

Ninth Lady Cui nodded her head, “When I first entered the city with them, Young Master Feng did not behave like Young Master Cui’s subordinate. They even bickered with each other frequently on the road; to say they were friends would not be quite the case.”

Cui Pei turned around to look at Cui Yong.

Naturally, Cui Yong heard their conversation.

“Has he left?”

Ninth Lady Cui immediately said, “Only after ceaseless begging from me was he willing to stay a while more.”

Cui Yong remained silent for a moment, “Ninth Lady, go—no, Si Lang, follow Ninth Lady and have him invited here together.”

Feng Xiao really was still here.

He didn’t accompany Cui Buqu in his departure, and instead remained and under the company of Ninth Lady Cui, he roamed the gardens and watched the variety of colours of flowers. He was carefree and content, compared to the Cui family’s anxiousness, he looked fresh.

Ninth Lady Cui left and returned to invite him over along with Cui Pei. He didn’t feel surprised by it, and laughed instead, “I thought that Host Cui would have come himself.”

Cui Pei gave him a solemn bow, “My father has just been through a series of grievances just now. He is experiencing precordial discomfort and found it difficult to even take a step forward, so we can only ask Young Master Feng to come forward himself.”

“Experiencing precordial discomfort?” Feng Xiao pondered and smiled, “Cui Buqu carried with him heart diseases and stridor. Shouldn’t he have been experiencing precordial discomfort ever since he was born?”

Cui Pei laughed bitterly, “Are you…feeling indignant for Young Master Cui? It seems father’s pleading will be hopeless.”

“Before speaking, how can you know it’s hopeless? Perhaps your father can relay a condition that I am satisfied with.” Feng Xiao raised his fan, and with such a faint gesture, one can see that he has been in a commanding condition for many years. “Lead the way.”

Cui Pei was feeling mixed emotions, midway in the journey, he couldn’t help but inquire in a low voice:

“Cui Jie… has he been faring well all these years?”

Feng Xiao, “Who is Cui Jie?”

Cui Pei was dejected, “My apologies. This name really should just be thrown away.”

Feng Xiao ridiculed, “Those subordinates of his, no matter which one you choose, they treated him like priceless treasure, and like invaluable gems. They fear that he can be harmed by the slightest bit, couldn’t wish for anything but to take his place and be hurt themselves instead. Tell me, do you think he fared well?”

Cui Pei spoke in a harsh voice, “Naturally, he’s fared very well.”

Feng Xiao, “If you left the Cui family, you would lose at least half the capital of what you are proud of. As for him, even if his surname wasn’t ‘Cui’, he would have still been Cui Buqu.”

Ninth Lady Cui could not understand the ups and downs held in those words. She had a half-baked knowledge of what was going on, her face riddled with confusion.

Cui Pei refused to say more, not willing to humiliate himself further.

He thought that his father really had committed a grave mistake. He wasn’t wrong because he didn’t murder Cui Buqu when he was young, but he was wrong because he allowed that child to be born, but he never loved or was kind to him.

Otherwise, would he have had the need to worry that none of his bloodlines were left today?

Cui Yong at last, waited for Feng Xiao’s arrival.

To him, these fifteen minutes felt as if he’d waited half his life.

Dismissing Cui Pei and Ninth Lady Cui, he rose to his feet as he trembled and knelt before Feng Xiao.

“I beg Young Master Feng to spare Cui Xu’s life.”

The corner of Feng Xiao’s lips raised in keen interest, “Why should I save him?”

He didn’t allow Cui Yong to rise to his feet, so Cui Yong could only stomach his knees hurting as he sprawled into a bow.

“The Jiejian Bureau was established by the Emperor himself. The power they wield is tremendous, and their position is not inferior to the Zuoyue Bureau. In all of Boling, you are the only one who could save Da Lang’s life. I understand that you possess high aspirations and interests, and that prosaic things would never meet your standards. I am willing to offer the zither Yu Yin and Emperor Wu of Han’s beloved suet jade bottle as a gift.”

Feng Xiao laughed, “Didn’t Host Cui say before that my poetry was not fit to be seen? If you gave me the zither Yu Yin, wouldn’t other people think that I am your grandson?”

Cui Yong grovelled his head, “This old man failed to recognize a great talent and have spoken such bizarre words, I beg for atonement from Young Master Feng.”

Feng Xiao, “That is to say that, Host Cui, you think of my poetry being decent?”

He had never begged someone else in such a dejected manner before in his life, but for the sake of his eldest son’s life, Cui Yong could only condescend himself, pinching his nose and utter things that were against his heart.

“Young Master’s poetry is fresh and refined with the air of aristocracy. It inherits the style of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, suffice to emerge as the grandmaster of a new generation. It looks seemingly vulgar, but it is actually elegant. My eyesight was dimmed, and I haven’t been able to tell in detail. To speak in such a way, I have sullied your efforts. Another day, I will compose an article to right your name.”

Cui Yong’s exaggerated as if it were raining flowers with a stoic face. It was extremely disgusting.

Feng Xiao, however, felt his heart soothe as he listened. Even his voice sounded delighted, “It seems like Host Cui isn’t too willing to accept me as your grandson?”

Cui Yong laughed bitterly, “How would I have enough merit for such grace? Young Master is a generous and tolerant man, you would not haggle with us.”

Feng Xiao shook his head, “Would it not be too cheap for the eldest son of the Cui family to be worth only a zither and a jade bottle?”

This meant that he intended to bargain.

Cui Yong gritted his teeth, yet he has no choice, “I have four granddaughters in my name. Among them, Ninth Lady Cui’s looks take the lead. She is well-mannered and well-learned. If Young Master does not mind, you may marry Ninth Lady.”

Feng Xiao, “As a wife? Then wouldn’t I become your son-in-law?”

Cui Yong closed his eyes, feeling cornered to the wall, but since their conversation had reached this point, it was not his choice to regret it.

“Be it wife or concubine, it will be as you wish.”

Author’s Notes:

Feng Xiao: How was my poetry?

Cui Yong: I have never heard such rotten poetry.

Feng Xiao: Giving you another chance.

Cui Yong: Fresh and refined, with the air of the aristocracy, and the style of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, enough to be the grandmaster of a new generation.

If the rabbit dies, the fox grieves: to have sympathy with a like-minded person in distress.
Rain happened to pour continuously when the roof was leaking: Unfortunate events happened continuously.
Cut out the grass and destroyed its roots: Get rid of something once and for all.