FENG XIAO HAD NEVER entrusted his life to anyone else. Even in the most harrowing of circumstances, he insisted on taking his fate in his own hands. No one but him would choose whether to advance or retreat. But the treacherous situation he'd encountered last night had been completely outside his expectations. He'd never imagined a formidable fighter like Tu'an Qinghe would resort to such dirty tricks as poisoning him.
He had miscalculated.
After their skirmish, Tu'an Qinghe had vanished. And despite Feng Xiao's suspicions, it also hadn't occurred to him that Tu'an Qinghe had ambushed him specifically because he was heading to the Prince of Qin's banquet.
This was another miscalculation.
Only when Feng Xiao snapped out of his hallucinations did he realize the gu had taken hold of him from the moment he'd seen Xiao Lü. And it hadn't affected only him. He briefly summarized the events of the evening.
"When I struck out, it wasn't with my full strength. Even if I stabbed someone, they'd merely be injured, not dead. But when I came to, everything was in chaos. The crown prince was shouting in panic and summoning the estate guards. I only had time for a brief look around.
"The princess consort was dead, as well as a couple of guards and maids. Each bore sword wounds: The princess consort had been pierced through the heart, while her attendants' throats were cut. The others—including the crown prince and Prince of Jin—had succumbed to the same technique. Their senses were confused, and in their minds, I was the assailant. But could so many people really have been under the influence of the gu?"
Cui Buqu had a question of his own. "Where were you when the chaos broke out? In the open? Or inside?"
"In the guest hall," replied Feng Xiao. "The doors and windows were wide open, and there was music and dance. The music was coming from across the pond; there were no musicians in the building."
"And the fragrance?"
"The women's perfumes and men's scented sachets mixed together with the incense in the hall. I couldn't tell if there was any aromatic cypress mixed in."
"Poisonous gu are nourished by the blood of their creator," Cui Buqu muttered. "When the proper scents, sights, and sounds are introduced, the gu's power will be fully unleashed. But all power comes with a price—this is especially the case for gu that control people's minds. The worms take immense effort to cultivate, and they're bound to the creator's life. If the gu perishes, the creator will be affected as well."
Feng Xiao cocked a brow. "Yandang Mountain Estate, the woods on the outskirts of Luoyang, the Prince of Qin's residence. We've harmed the culprit three times already, yet he hasn't died. Isn't he a bit too resilient?"
"When Kuhezhen entered the Central Plains, perhaps he brought some of the head shamans of the Khaganate with him. There's a reasonable number of people resistant to gu. On the outskirts of Luoyang, the shaman controlling the gu died in front of us when the worm was destroyed. You were poisoned with another one, which means they have more than one person creating them."
He paused. "But this kind of poisonous gu is exceedingly rare. I suspect the culprit has reached the limit of what they can create—otherwise the crown prince and the Prince of Jin wouldn't have recovered so quickly. They weren't poisoned by the gu, but simply bewitched by the fragrance and music into viewing you as the assailant."
Feng Xiao began to pace in the narrow confines of the cell, deep in thought. His prison didn't exactly reek, but he disliked it nonetheless. He was intensely fastidious; even a minor stain meant the entire outfit had to be replaced if at all possible. He was powerful enough to break out by force, but doing so would only hurt his case and add additional complications.
After this incident had shaken the Prince of Qin's banquet, the entire court would be on high alert. All eyes were on Feng Xiao. The prince's residence and the palace must be in an uproar. Who knew what chaos was brewing?
Cui Buqu was aware of this as well. Now that he knew Feng Xiao was fine, he became even calmer than usual. They had to keep cool heads if they were to weather the coming storm.
"Someone else must have been infected by the gu and killed the princess consort," said Feng Xiao. "I didn't see anyone running berserk after I returned to my senses, so the only possibility is that the killer was killed themselves. But even if someone could smuggle the gu in with no one the wiser, what about the hallucination-inducing incense and music? What's the explanation there?"
Feng Xiao seemed to be asking both Cui Buqu and himself. Almost before he finished speaking, both had reached the same conclusion.
"There's a mole in the Prince of Qin's residence," Cui Buqu said with certainty. "Whoever it is was also at the scene of the crime. The crown prince's consort is dead, so it can't be her. Yet anyone of lesser status would have a hard time orchestrating this. Unless—"
"Unless they were the steward of the residence, the Prince of Qin's consort, or the Prince of Qin himself," Feng Xiao finished for him, then lapsed into silence as he suddenly recalled something.
"Hm?" Cui Buqu murmured, urging Feng Xiao to continue.
"The bowl of deer blood." Feng Xiao sighed softly. "When I entered the palace to meet the emperor, I happened to witness Yang Jun asking His Majesty for a bowl of deer blood to drink. Deer blood is pungent and salty; it invigorates the yin and strengthens the yang, so many nobles are fond of it. Yang Jun has asked for similar things in the past. At the time, I didn't see anything amiss."
"Whether Yang Jun was the culprit or someone else, seeking them out now won't help," Cui Buqu pointed out. If the prince wasn't the culprit, he obviously wouldn't confess. And if he was, he was even less likely to admit to it. The deed was done, and most of the evidence likely disposed of by now. "But if their only goal was to confine you here, their methods were excessive."
"The Buddhist ceremony is scheduled for the day after tomorrow, and now the princes are certain to miss it. After this incident, the emperor will be more determined than ever to offer prayers and blessings. He would never consider canceling the ceremony."
"Not the day after tomorrow," said Cui Buqu. "It's past midnight. Today is the sixteenth."
He brushed the dust from his clothing and pulled his cloak more tightly around his shoulders as he readied himself to leave. "I should get going."
He'd gotten all the information he could from Feng Xiao. Staying any longer would be meaningless, and a day and a night was ample time to accomplish many things.
"Don't come here in such a sorry state again, Chief Cui," Feng Xiao said languidly. "You'd be putting this prisoner to a lot of trouble, relying on him to heal you. Next time I might not be so amenable!"
Cui Buqu sneered. "When have you ever been amenable? Wait here obediently. Whether you're exonerated or not will depend on my venerable self's mood."
He said no more but turned on his heel and strode away. He didn't pause for an instant, and the echo of his steps grew distant and faint until they dissolved into the darkness. The cries and wails of other prisoners had quieted at some point. Now there were only soft moans, barely audible—though that made the atmosphere of the prison all the more unsettling.
Feng Xiao furrowed his brow.
He wasn't afraid of the prison. He simply hated the damp and the filth, the corners filled with moss and lichen, the ever-present scuttle of insects in the shadows. He could leave now if he wished, but escape would only give their enemies another opening to exploit.
Feng Xiao sighed, moved by the magnitude of his own sacrifice. Only the most noble and virtuous of individuals would willingly endure this environment, yet Feng Xiao was such a one.
***
Cui Buqu stood at the gate of the Ministry of Justice's prison.
Upon seeing his displeased expression, the guards quickly offered their apologies. "Chief Cui, we're not making things hard for Deputy Chief Feng on purpose. This incident has caused too much of a stir; the entire city is in an uproar. We're under strict orders from His Majesty that no one is to enter or visit, but your lordship…"
It was not uncommon for visitors to offer the guards flattery or bribes, but it was unheard of for the guards to offer apologies to a visitor. Then again, they were up against the chief of the Zuoyue Bureau—they simply didn't have the courage to suffer his reprimand.
Cui Buqu nodded. "It's not a bad idea."
"Your lordship is the excep—ah?" The guard was still trying to articulate himself and was taken by surprise. He wondered if Cui Buqu was perhaps being sarcastic.
"His Majesty puts great trust in Deputy Chief Feng, but he cannot act unilaterally against public opinion. It's likely Deputy Chief Feng will be here quite some time."
"Yes," the guard answered quickly. "My humble self thinks the same."
"Would you like to earn some extra money?" asked Cui Buqu.
The guard stared at him, bewildered.
"Find some unwashed chamber pots and clear out the space on either side of the deputy chief's cell; store them there. In less than half a day, Deputy Chief Feng will willingly offer you money."
The guard was dumbfounded. "That…doesn't seem advisable?"
Cui Buqu chuckled. "Not only will he offer you money; I will too. If you're worried about him seeking revenge, I can write you a note. The Zuoyue Bureau is short of guards. Once this matter is settled, I'll have you transferred there to carry out your duties under the bright sun. Surely that's preferable to languishing in this dark and dreary place."
Seeing the glimmer of interest on the guard's face, Cui Buqu said no more. He patted the man's shoulder and left.
He didn't return to the Zuoyue Bureau, nor did he go to the Prince of Qin's residence. Instead, he mounted his horse and rode straight for Daxing Palace.
A luminous full moon hung in the sky, illuminating the city and scattering the clouds. It was the sixteenth day of the first month, three-quarters past two in the morning. No one, including Cui Buqu, anticipated then that after this long night, the empire would experience yet another monumental upheaval.