Peerless ( Meng Xi Shi )

After he finished listening to the Lu family's story, Cui Buqu gave a profound thought.

Once Qian Xiao caught that look, she knew that he was thoroughly interested in the matter, "You want to interfere in the Lu family's matters?"

Cui Buqu, "This is an exceptional opportunity to make the Jiejian Bureau split the glory."

Qiao Xiao hadn't expected him insist on clinging to Khotan ambassador's murder case, but she did not utter a word.

"But Feng Xiao is not a good encounter."

Cui Buqu, "There is no need for me to ask, compared to the Lu family, of course, the most suspicious person to hold the Jade of Heaven's Lake, Qin Miaoyu, is more important right now. He needs to busy himself with searching for Qin Miaoyu in the city; he has no time to meddle with the Lu family's affair. However, Feng Xiao knows that Pei Jingzhe is not capable of taking care of the Lu family's matter; he will definitely order Pei Jingzhe to seek our help."

After he finished speaking, he suddenly felt that his appetite was quite good. Not only did he consume the chicken soup, he even ate a large bowl of Yangchun noodles.

As he put the bowl down, news of Pei Jingzhe's arrival came.

Qiao Xian could not help but give in, "Commander, nothing really escapes you!"

"Feng Xiao has the guts to pick things up as much as he knows how to put them down; he is someone who holds big ambitions, compared with fighting with the Zuoyue Bureau — to him — solving the case and finding the jade is his top priority." As he stopped here, Cui Buqu felt something was a little suspicious, "Those noodles, just before, why does it feel similar to the ones I ate in the Zuoyue Bureau?"

Qiao Xian smiled, "In that case, is it delicious or not delicious?"

Outsiders had always thought that she was cold and difficult to approach; they would not have had the opportunity to see her smile gently like this.

Cui Buqu, "Of course it is delicious. The Yangchun noodles from the Zuoyue Bureau are the only noodles I am used to eating."

Zhangsun, "Qiao Xian made it."

Cui Buqu showed a look of surprise, "Since when did you learn how to cook?"

Qiao Xiao, "Before I set out, I learnt it from the chef. I'm afraid you are not used to eating outside, who knew you also…"

When she thought of what Cui Buqu went through the last few days, she truly wanted to kill Feng Xiao.

"I am the one who willingly allowed myself to be caught; staying by his side, naturally, I expected this." Cui Buqu replied passively.

He seldom told others what his intentions were, but since Qiao Xian was utterly loyal to him; towards her, he was more willing to reveal more.

In the middle of their conversation, Pei Jingzhe was invited inside by the servants.

When he saw how Qiao Xian glared at him coldly, he felt a little undeserving.

"Good day, Lord Cui." Pei Jingzhe greeted him politely. He already knew Cui Buqu's identity from Feng Xiao, and thinking back about how they treated him these past few days, he could not help feeling guilty.

"Where are the presents?" Cui Buqu extended a hand towards him.

"What?" Pei Jingzhe was taken aback.

Cui Buqu answered lazily, "Since you came here to ask for my help, how could you come empty-handed? Is this the ways of your Jiejian Bureau?"

How did you know that I came to ask for your help? When those words reached his mouth, he swallowed them back down and smiled, "As you said, our Lord knew you were unwell, and after going through such hardship, you, no doubt, needed to rest, so I came here today to pay you a visit. As for the gift, I have already passed it to the servants of your house."

When Qiao Xian and Zhangsun came to the City of Six Crafts, they bought a little manor and employed two to three servants that were deaf or mute. Compared to the Zixia Daoist Temple and the Five Tastes restaurant, this was more peaceful and quiet and could be used as a place for resting.

However, after Cui Buqu's real identity as the Commander of the Zuoyue Bureau was exposed by Feng Xiao, with his intellect, he could surely guess the location of this manor. He even found out that the "Five Tastes" restaurant was one of the Zuoyue Bureau strongholds.

"I am tired, send him away." Cui Buqu did not care about his nonsense and proceeded to lie down, turning his back away.

Pei Jingzhe wanted to step forward, but Zhangsun Bodhi had already taken a step forward and barred his path.

"I do have something to ask of you." Pei Jingzhe thickened his skin and honestly spoke.

Qiao Xian glared at him coldly, "Is it you who asked for help, or was it, Feng Xiao?"

Pei Jingzhe, "Is there a difference?"

Qiao Xian, "The difference is huge."

According to what she said, it meant that Pei Jingzhe was nothing to them; if Feng Xiao had not made him come, then he would have already been chased out by them.

Pei Jingzhe felt cornered all of a sudden, like he was a sheep that walked into a wolf's pack, unable to fight back. Now he understood why before he came here, Feng Xiao told him to be completely honest, no need to hide anything because he knew that Pei Jingzhe was never a match for the Zuoyue Bureau.

When he thought until this point, he was a little bit dissatisfied, but he could not help saying, "Truth be told, I came here by orders of my Lord."

Cui Buqu did not even turn around to look at him, his back still facing him as he lay on his bed.

Pei Jingzhe could only continue, "My Lord wishes for Lord Cui to interfere in the matter of the Lu manor, to search for Qin Miaoyu's accomplice."

Cui Buqu, "So, where are the presents?"

Pei Jingzhe was taken aback, now realizing what the other meant by presents.

If he wants to ask for help, it was expected to offer something back in return.

"My Lord says he is willing to split the contribution this time. After this matter is done, he will send an edict to the Emperor prove that the Zuoyue Bureau has contributed in kind."

Of course, Feng Xiao would not have put it so politely; he could imagine, minutes before, the Second Commander Feng would have placed a foot on the table, saying in a frivolous way: Do I look like I would be cheated so easily? For now, give him half the contribution; I will definitely take it back in the near future. Just go in reassurance; if his appetite is like a lion and bargained endlessly, I will reclaim twice the amount in future.

Listening to how this sounded like a stage play, Pei Jingzhe could only rephrase his words.

Cui Buqu snorted, "He would never speak in such a way; instead, he would have said: 'See what that Cui Buqu wants before he would be willing to help; if he is absolutely greedy, I will return the favour tenfold in the future.'"

Pei Jingzhe's lips twitched as he heard, in his heart, he added, You both really know each other well.

Cui Buqu, "I can offer my assistance, but I have one requirement. I want Fo Er's head on a spike."

Pei Jingzhe, "This…"

Cui Buqu, "If you refuse, we can forget about working together; you can leave now."

Pei Jingzhe immediately said, "Lord Cui, please be patient; I will agree to this on behalf of my Lord!"

The Lu family's case was indeed urgent; one might not say that Lu Ti had already written a letter to get help. Surrounding the Lu manor was only a temporary solution; but, to avoid more problems piling up, it was still better to solve it as quickly as possible.

"If you had agreed to it earlier, I would not have needed to lie down right after I had just eaten and feel stuffy."

Pei Jingzhe twitched his lips, "It's all my fault!"

He brought Cui Buqu and the rest to the Lu manor, on the way Pei Jingzhe could not help observing Qiao Xian, yet she only glared at him coldly, so he turned his head back.

"Lord Cui, how should I address this lady?"

Cui Buqu half-heartedly laughed, "Are you interested, or is Feng Xiao interested?"

Pei Jingzhe, "How is this different?"

Cui Buqu, "If you are interested, you go ask her yourself, if Feng Xiao is interested…"

Pei Jingzhe waited for him to finish his sentence, but the subject abruptly changed.

"Then I would definitely not tell you."

Pei Jingzhe, "…"

He finally noticed that no one in the Zuoyue Bureau treated him like a friend.

But, of course, who asked his Lord to be so cruel, using the Naihexiang on someone on their first meeting. At first, Pei Jingzhe thought that the Zuoyue Bureau and Jiejian Bureau would not have considered each other outsiders; but now, this was even more difficult than he thought.

A miserable grey cloud hung over the Lu family.

Lu Ti's treasured daughter was dead, originally, he was already upset, and now his manor was surrounded heavily by outsiders; this was simply spreading salt over his wound.

Eagleriders under Feng Xiao did not suffice, so he took a few people from County Magistrate Zhao — pretending not to acknowledge that County Magistrate Zhao was quite unwilling — not only because he refuse to risk offending Lu Ti, but he was also unable to defy Feng Xiao's orders. He was trapped in a predicament. So he could only give the case to County Official Liu Lin, telling him to be a bit more merciful if he could.

To hold a burial for Little Maiden Lu, they needed to purchase a few items. Liu Lin brought people to the Lu manor, but by orders of County Magistrate Zhao, he allowed the Lu family to leave through the back door and pretended not to see. Who knew that Cui Buqu, Pei Jingzhe and his group of people ran into them.

"Stand there! Who let you out!" Pei Jingzhe was both surprised and furious, stepped forward to hold them down.

The housekeeper of the Lu family suppressed his fury and begged, "Our Lady passed away, we need to hold a funeral, we cannot just leave her like that, please show us some mercy!"

Pei Jingzhe, "We can let Liu Lin send a few people to purchase whatever you want; however, people from the Lu family are not allowed to leave!"

At long last, the housekeeper could not stand it and shouted, "You people are really bold! Our Lady has not even got married, and she was met with such an incident. Our mistress wants to hold a more extravagant funeral for her; to avoid her feeling lonely on the road, she wants the best of everything. If we ask outsiders to buy for us, how would they do their best?! Are you people so demented that you would not even spare a dead person?!"

"The ones who would not let go of the dead are you yourselves." Cui Buqu glared at them coldly as he pointed at the person standing behind the housekeeper — a female servant with her head low. "He is a man in the disguise of a woman, detain him."

Pei Jingzhe was taken aback, yet Qiao Xian and Zhangsun Bodhi acted without thinking twice; as Cui Buqu's words were beginning to dissipate in the air, they were already on their feet, holding down the tall female servant.

The female servant could not help raising her head. Pei Jingzhe found that she looked familiar, and immediately recognized her on the spot. It was the cousin brother of Little Maiden Lu, the man who almost married into the Lu family — Su Xing.

Coming back to the current situation, Su Xing himself looked quite prim and proper; this time he hid behind the housekeeper and among a few tall servants. From afar, he did not look obvious at all; if they had not met each other on the road and being exposed by Cui Buqu, he certainly could have simply gone unnoticed.

Pei Jingzhe, "Su Xing?"

Su Xing was exposed, yet he did not panic. He slowly spoke, "She is my cousin sister. Whatever she liked, hated, even Uncle and Aunt might not know. I followed the housekeeper out, so I could buy her the things she liked so that she would not feel lonely down there, can I not do this?"

His eyes were swollen and puffy, and his face looked skinny, short hairs of beard sprouting under his chin as if he had just been through a round of pain. Whoever saw this face could not call him cold-blooded; instead, they would have said that they were ill-fated, separated by life and death.

Pei Jingzhe, "Why did you masquerade as a woman?"

Su Xing, "My cousin sister and I were betrothed once; since she had not married yet if I used the name of the Lu family to buy her funeral things, would that not sully her name? My cousin sister is clean, and she should leave cleanly as well."

Cui Buqu looked at him silently for a while and told the housekeeper, "The matter will conclude today, after that, I will return your freedom. I consider myself and the Lu manor to have met by fate, so please let me offer my prayers to Little Maiden Lu."

The housekeeper knew Cui Buqu; due to the Zixia Daoist Temple, his medical abilities were widespread and heralded in the city. The housekeeper's mother was one of the people who were treated by him.

He sighed and extended a hand towards the back, "This way."

The hall held three generations of the Lu family. Lu Ti still had a mother that was alive; in the year before the last, a coffin was already made for her to allow her to rest here. Who knew that his mother was ultimately not the one to use it; instead, it was his daughter.

The coffin was there, but there was no cenotaph or candles and paper money. It was why the Lu housekeeper wanted to go out to purchase them.

Once Liu Lin saw Pei Jingzhe and the others come in, the colour on his face drained, afraid that Pei Jingzhe would inquire about the people who went out.

But Pei Jingzhe did not pay him any attention and allowed the housekeeper to take them to the hall before inviting Lu Ti to come over.

The coffin was already shut, and the hall that was used to welcome visitors had now turned into a funeral hall. The pot used to burn paper money was already prepared, yet there was nothing inside. Mistress Lu, Madam Li wore white all over, looking devastated as she sat in the hall, looking at the coffin with a lost expression. Two female servants were at her side convincing her, yet she paid them no attention. The Lu manor was utterly silent and morose.

Cui Buqu stepped over the threshold and took the joss sticks from the female servant and bowed towards the coffin, before approaching the incense to place the joss sticks there, and then he came before Madam Lu.

"Be at peace."

Madam Li had been upset for many days, her face was worn, and she could not even care for her usual appearance.

She did not respond much even after hearing those words, so the old lady at her side could only respond in her stead, "Many thanks, Master Daoist Cui."

Cui Buqu, "I wish to examine the body in the coffin."

Once he said those words, all eyes within the manor fell upon him.

Not only did the Lu family's servants gasp, even Madam Li, who was lost in her thoughts, raised her head to look at him.

The housekeeper shouted in anger, "Did you not come here merely to give your prayers?!"

Cui Buqu, "I came to give my prayers, but also to investigate, I suspect the death of Little Maiden Lu is not a suicide."

The housekeeper, "Master Daoist Cui, although you have done a favour for our Mistress, a dog of the Jiejian Bureau cannot do whatever they want!"

Pei Jingzhe silently spoke in his heart; The Jiejian Bureau absolutely cannot afford this man.

Cui Buqu had just woken up; he had not fully recovered yet, so he felt tired. Without waiting for the housekeeper to offer him a seat, he went to find somewhere to sit down.

"Stop talking nonsense, when I say open, do I need to open the coffin myself?" He told Pei Jingzhe impatiently.

"Step over my corpse first before you open the coffin!"

As Lu Ti rushed to the hall, he heard Cui Buqu's last sentence and became furious; he wanted nothing more than to beat up Cui Buqu at that moment.

Qiao Xian saw this, so she immediately moved forward to push Lu Ti. White robes fluttered in the air, seemingly light and weightless, yet somehow managed to push Lu Ti five to six steps back; the latter needing to hold on to the wall before he could hold his ground.

Cui Buqu did not pay them any attention but uttered three words.

"Open the coffin!"

Before Pei Jingzhe came, Feng Xiao had ordered him to obey all Cui Buqu's orders. No matter what he asked for, as long as Cui Buqu agreed to help, Pei Jingzhe followed his orders completely.

Right now, since the other party spoke, although it sounded very ominous, the Jiejian Bureau already had a strained relationship with the Lu family, so they could not care less to offend them one more time. At that moment, he did not hesitate; walking to the coffin, he mustered his strength and pushed the cover right off.

As Little Maiden Lu's parents watch the scene unfold, they could not help but cry.