The manor, compared to the others, did not look any different.
At most, the window papers were thicker, and the roof was lower than the other houses. The sunlight inside the manor was so dim that even in daylight, candles were lit all over the place. It evoked a strange feeling of being oppressed.
Other than that, the furniture was complete. If inspected, it still exhibited freshness. Even the gap between the wooden planks did not gather dust.
Cui Buqu cast a glance over the entire place. "No one lives here, do they?"
Feng Xiao smiled gently, "Merely the servants and maids. I allowed people to refurbish this place so that it could be a temporary torture chamber of the Jiejian Bureau."
Being faced with such a threat barely intimidated Cui Buqu, "What you mean is, right now you're going to enforce punishment on me?"
Feng Xiao bent slightly, levelling his gaze with Cui Buqu's, "Just look at yourself—your reaction. You don't act or look like an innocent person at all. How can I not be suspicious of you?"
Cui Buqu responded helplessly, "Could you be more unreasonable? If I were to lament of being framed, would you have let me go? Even if Lady Qin had any relationships with the Zixia Daoist Temple, it is in the past. I do not know that woman! I presume you have already searched the temple from top to bottom, have you found anything to be suspicious?"
Feng Xiao, "The grander White Cloud Temple is in the city, why, did you not go there?"
Cui Buqu, "I would rather lead a pack of chickens than live at the tail of a phoenix. Zixia Temple was deserted. If I could raise it back to its former glory, would that not bode well for me? Furthermore, it was better than living under the orders of someone else. Surely, you accept this reason?"
Feng Xiao shook his head. "No, it does not make sense. Two months ago, Linlang Guild sent out news that they would be carrying out an auction in the City of the Six Crafts. At the same time, you arrived. That coincidence is suspicious in itself. The Khotan ambassador died, Lady Qin and the jade went missing. For all we know, the jade might even appear at the auction hall. Why did you come? Lady Qin? Or is it the jade? Where are the things hidden? Zixia Daoist Temple, or the Linlang Guild's auction?"
Cui Buqu. "The more you speak, the more I fail to understand you."
Feng Xiao, "That is fine. You can take your time here contemplating. When you've made your decision, you can come to me."
Cui Buqu, "My health has never been well. I'm afraid I won't be able to stand any form of punishment."
Feng Xiao spoke with meaning, "Did you think that physical pain was the only unbearable pain in the world?"
That was all he said. Not even awaiting a reply from Cui Buqu, he walked out.
Pei Jingzhe casting a glance at Cui Buqu, left as well.
In the blink of an eye, everyone in the house vanished.
The few candles present were left extinguished. The door closed, plunging the manor into darkness.
Consequently, the curtains outside were also pulled down. No one knew what orders Feng Xiao gave, for every window was sealed from the outside and covered up with a black cloth, sealing out every single trace of light.
Presently in the manor, one could not even see their fingers should they extend their hand. From the outside — never mind if someone was walking around — the one inside would not be able to hear even the sound of insects or birds.
The calm of the night brings with it deep, saddened thoughts, as well as the sorrow of scholars, but this particular silence was one that was accompanied by the gentle breeze and the bright moon. Once silence reached its peak, it could morph into something extremely terrifying.
Cui Buqu's face paled the moment he walked towards the closed doors. The helplessness and anger he had expressed before were no longer present.
When the black curtains were pulled over the windows just now, he even snorted.
Cui Buqu knew what the other man wanted to do.
For one to lose all their senses, to exist in a void of emptiness, one's mind could drift into uncharted territories, allowing themselves to be consumed by their thoughts.
Without the sounds of people, even if they shouted and screamed, the only voice they would hear was their own. To not know if it was broad daylight or midnight — be it two days or even longer, by the fourth or fifth day, perhaps even after ten days or half a moon, they would soon forget time. Finally, they would indeed not know if they were still alive or dead, whether they were still in the world of the living or the underworld.
Even the toughest of men would cower and weep for forgiveness with such consistent tortures.
Cui Buqu had once seen a martial artist with two long swords from the famed Jiangdong Wulin1 living under a similar environment for half a month. When he finally emerged, his body was riddled with scars that he had carved himself. He had been injuring his own self to remind himself that he was still alive.
Methods that could kill, such as this, but yet not drawing even one speck of blood were the ways of the Jiejian Bureau.
Now, this sort of method was used on him, Cui Buqu.
He thought that Feng Xiao had been prepared prior. Even if Cui Buqu had tricks up his sleeves, to live in this manor for half a month, it was impossible that he would make it. When that time came, he would answer all the questions he asked without exception. How sublime.
Cui Buqu picked up the mat and walked around the house. He found a pillar and sat next to it, crossing his legs.
He had no knowledge or skills in martial arts, but he had learned some techniques about meditation in the past. As he closed his eyes, he began to release his mind, feeling his environment and excluding himself from all unnecessary thoughts.
Although some monks and Daoists could sit like this for a dozen days, those were the people who had trained since they were very young. They went on expeditions often and could even fight a winning match against ten normal people using less than ten moves.
Cui Buqu did not even know how long he could stay like this, but the one thing he knew was that Feng Xiao would never let him off easily.
Those of the Jiejian Bureau only knew how to use these methods to get what they wanted.
…..
"My Lord, it has been three days." Pei Jingzhe placed a container of new tea leaves down as he spoke.
"En, three days. So what of it?" Feng Xiao's head was tipped down, reading the reply he had just gotten from Qiemo as he answered Pei Jingzhe calmly.
"That Master Daoist Cui has been in the manor for three days. He does not know martial arts. If this continues, I'm afraid something bad will happen." Pei Jingzhe reminded cautiously.
"Your own hands are stained with as much blood as all of us. Why are you suddenly feeling sympathy for a Daoist?" Feng Xiao raised his head to look at him.
Pei Jingzhe exclaimed, "I am simply worried this would hinder your advancement in the case. If he is suspicious as you say, after he is dead, would you not have lost an important lead?"
Feng Xiao did not respond to him. Instead, he gave him the letter in his hand.
Pei Jingzhe accepted the letter and read it carefully, "It is the Jade of Heaven's Lake! To gain the trust and favour of the emperor, his Majesty would send soldiers, to solve the Göktürk problem, this Khotan king truly did give his everything!"
Feng Xiao said, "Yuchi Jinwu is dead. The Khotan King would send more ambassadors here to deal with the case. It is expected for the Jade of Heaven's Lake to be found as well."
Pei Jingzhe gave a stiff smile, "If this case is solved, I fear you would no longer avoid Princess Lanling. Is this also not compromising your original intentions of leaving the capital…?"
Before he could finish his sentence, Feng Xiao cuffed him lightly. Pei Jingzhe almost bit his tongue. Quickly gathering himself, he once again put on a serious look, "According to my judgement, the disappearance of Lady Qin is related to the Jade of Heaven's Lake. If we can find her, then we would be able to find the jade."
The jade was lost on the outer skates of the city. Carrying the jade, the culprit could only go to two places: The City of Six Crafts or Qiemo County.
However, Qiemo leads to Khotan, going there would mean going back. The culprit would certainly not bring the treasure and hide in the wild all the while. So the only possible conclusion was that they were still in the City of Six Crafts hiding, and making use of the Linlang Guild's auction event to send it away in secrecy.
Pei Jingzhe, "Now that we know it is related to Lady Qin, there are three clues altogether. The Jade Buddha Temple rings no alarms as of now. That might just be the place for Lady Qin to appear normally, blending into society. At Zixia Daoist Temple, I have brought a few people to search the place and nothing suspicious is there either. Lastly, there is the house of the aunt that Qin Miaoyu used to live in. Her family — all six of them, old and young — died in a fire a while ago. The coincidence was that when they died, it was the same time Yuchi Jinwu departed from Khotan."
After a while, Feng Xiao did not interrupt him, so Pei Jingzhe continued, "So I suspect that this Qin Miaoyu might be a false identity from the beginning. She accumulated and lay in hiding so she could wait for the day that Yuchi Jinwu got interested in her, and so she could go to Khotan with him and get near to the Jade of Heaven's Lake."
Feng Xiao, "She was his concubine for four to five years. How could she anticipate this would happen, a whole four years ago, that Yuchi Jinwu would be travelling to the Central Plains?"
Pei Jingzhe, bewildered, realized the mistake in his trail of thoughts, "Then, could it be that the real Qin Miaoyu was switched out even before Yuchi Jinwu was elected as the ambassador?"
If they were planning to frame the Sui Empire for the ambassador's murder, the best course of action would be to murder Yuchi Jinwu in the Sui Empire's palace and steal the jade there. This was the most effective way to turn Khotan and the Sui Empire into enemies.
However, should they have chosen this method, as Jinwu's concubine, Lady Qin would have had to enter the kingdom and interact with her old acquaintances in the City of Six Crafts. Her identity could have been revealed. It would be a matter of time for her cover to be blown by her most beloved aunt and her family. This was why her aunt had to die.
Perhaps there were some changes to the original plan that forced Lady Qin to carry her plan out much earlier than intended. Conceivably the ones who did the murder were not allied with Lady Qin. With all these loopholes in the mystery, it would be impossible for them to find answers at the drop of a hat.
Pei Jingzhe said, "I've followed your orders and allowed Magistrate Zhao to monitor those who enter the city every day, inspecting them personally to ensure they carry nothing suspicious in or out the city. However, there are some issues on the side of the Linlang Guild."
Feng Xiao's forehead wrinkled, "What troubles?"
Pei Jingzhe gave a bitter smile, "The Linlang Guild holds the support of the Longxi Li Clan and the Boling Cui Clan. They also have the support of the Princess Leping. His Majesty often feels guilty towards the princess and has tolerated her on many occasions — you know this. If the culprit is making use of this fact, then it would not be difficult for them to smuggle the jade out of the city."
Feng Xiao rose to his feet, "So what if there is the princess? Wouldn't she have to kneel before her father and brother, and follow their orders? When will the auction of the Linlang Guild begin?"
Pei Jingzhe replied, "Tomorrow. I have given orders for scouts to keep an eye on the activities going on in the auction. If there is anything suspicious, immediate action will be taken."
Feng Xiao said, "Yuchi Jinwu's murder took place outside the city. This is a serious issue. They would not be so careless in the future. Caution, for them, is only natural. You…"
Before he could finish his words, a man from the Jiejian Bureau rushed in.
"My Lord, there is a brawl in Ruyi Tavern, someone died! Magistrate Zhao has already sent for people to invite you to take a look."
On the usual, no one would dare to bother members of the Jiejian Bureau. If Magistrate Zhao sent people for him, it could only mean that he dared not offend both parties involved in the incident and wanted him to secure the fuss.
Feng Xiao hummed, "I will be there."
Pei Jingzhe quickly stopped him, "My Lord, don't be in a haste! If that Master Daoist Cui refused to bend the knee, what should be done?"
Feng Xiao, "Use the naihexiang drug on him."
Pei Jingzhe's shocked expression was obvious, "What if he could not stand it…"
Feng Xiao, "It matters not if he becomes crippled, as long as there is still life in him."
His face was calm, expressionless, with a coldness that seemed to linger.
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[1] Jiangdong Wulin: The name of a Jianghu alliance/sect.