Peerless ( Meng Xi Shi )

The night was cold, and the fog is thick, and trickles of mist lingered while the dead cried.

In between being half-asleep and half-dreaming, the people in that inn could all practically hear that voice coming from afar, riding upon the cold wind as it drifted close and floated into houses and rooms, into their ears, keeping them awake and away from their dreams.

All these remained until Feng Xiao started shouting. Let alone normal humans, even if they had been a ghost they'd have been frightened into a state of mute.

Cui Buqu was not a ghost, in fact he was living in the same house as Feng Xiao, so he was also forced wide awake.

His health wasn't in a prime state, so naturally his heart was beating rapidly once he was awake. This time was not an exception either.

But Feng Xiao even turned his head around and said innocently, "Were you woken up? I am sorry, I was shouting towards the outside, you can go back to sleep."

He thought that Cui Buqu would throw a temper, but after a long time, the other was still sitting on the bed and staring into the distance absent-mindedly. His face was empty and sleep was still thick in his eyes.

Feng Xiao thought in his heart: could it be that he was scared numb by his shouting just now? He walked over and held Cui Buqu's chin, turning the other's head to look at himself.

He knew that every time when Cui Buqu rose from his bed, this would be a familiar and recurring sight. The time he'd spend looking absent-minded would depend on whether he had enough sleep or not. The dark circles under his eyes were indication that he did not have enough sleep.

At this moment, Cui Buqu was at his weakest, most vulnerable state, and also the state where he was the easiest to bully.

Feng Xiao's playful heart was moved, so he touched the other's head and said in a kind voice, "My good son, it's time to wake up and see a ghost."

Cui Buqu finally woke up and slapped his hand away, then he sighed.

"We are not going to see a ghost, we are going to become a ghost."

Other people might not know what he was talking about, but Feng Xiao knew. He felt that this was very interesting.

"Could it be that someone thought of a similar plan as we did?"

Cui Buqu did not answer him, but asked instead, "Do you remember that when we first lived in this inn, that tour guide called Chen Cheng said before, that when this inn was proclaimed haunted, someone once found a corpse from that well?"

Feng Xiao, "Later on I also investigated. According to what they say, the well had a few wilted bones. It was unknown who they belonged to or when they got there. It was also unknown that whether they were long dead before they were thrown inside, or died only after they were thrown inside. Because it had been years, no one came to verify them, and it was hastily buried after that."

Cui Buqu rubbed his eyes gently, as if he wanted to rub away the fatigue.

"I even remembered that when Chen Cheng mentioned about the empty well that time, his face was full of fear and shock."

Feng Xiao continued, "And yet when others spoke of it, they were filled with curiousity and fear."

Cui Buqu, "The well, Chen Cheng, Li Fei, third in charge, Duan Qigu, are there connections between these few people?"

Feng Xiao, "Li Fei and third in charge are people that belonged to Xing Mao's group, so logically they are unrelated to Duan Qigu."

Cui Buqu, "But the third in charge and Yu Xiu schemed in the dark and plotted to kill Duan Qigu, this is definitely not within Xing Mao's control. So, if other people had relationships we do not know of, then it wouldn't be strange."

Cui Buqu was not the only one who was shouted awake by Feng Xiao, a few other people were complaining as well.

Who was it that had no sense of courtesy, turning this night into a rowdy and crowded one?

There were also people who was courageous and dauntless, grabbing their coats to go to the well to take a look. And some were sitting at the side of the table, drinking tea that had grown cold, looking completely undisturbed.

Feng Xiao then asked Cui Buqu, "Look at how I am dressed now, would I look even more convincing than that actual ghost?"

He showed the disguise that Qian Xian has put up for him. His hair was untied, long strands sprawled over his shoulders, and on his body there was only a thin cloth, as if he could not feel the cold at all.

Under the candlelight, a handsome face yielded a gentle light, looked absolutely flawless.

Cui Buqu looked at him for a while more, "Put on another later of white powder, then you would look even more convincing."

Feng Xiao laughed, "You are right. Then let me get more powder from Qiao Xian."

After he spoke, he stood up and headed towards the outside, once he reached the door, it was as if he thought of something and turned back.

"Right, when I came back in the evening, I saw in which room Yu Xiu was living in, but he is no longer there. I feel that he most probably left."

Cui Buqu's eyebrows furrowed.

Yu Xiu was like a ghost, moving in and out unexpectedly, his traces like a mystery.

If this world had people that was crafty to not let Cui Buqu see through them, Yu Xiu was one of them.

Since the case of the Jade of Heaven's Lake came to an end, there was no need for Yu Xiu to remain in the City of Six Crafts, so logically he should return to the capital and to Prince Jin's side. However, he didn't. Instead, he turned towards the West and even instructed the third in charge to murder Duan Qigu.

Yet Duan Qigu did not know who Yu Xiu was.

What relationship did Yu Xiu and Duan Qigu share?

What is his goal?

The fact that this inn was said to be haunted, did it have anything to do with him?

If it was not Yu Xiu's doing, then who is behind this?

A small city like Qiemo had hidden such secrets, and these secrets had been buried for many years, all erupting at once.

With Feng Xiao's participation and also that of himself, it would be even more crowded than before.

Cui Buqu thought as he slowly flip his covers open, bending over to put on his shoes.

A sudden gust of wind bellowed, the window screeched and was pushed open at once, the candles flickered and went out, the moon outside the window gave a solemn, pitiable expression of half its face.

"Qu...Qu..."

Cui Buqu: "..."

He was expressionless on the surface, "I want you to scare Gao Yi, not to scare me."

...

There was a bottle of wine in front of Duan Qigu.

He was originally a horse thief, to put it clearly he was originally a robber.

Men of the pugilist world enjoyed saying that hatred and kindness can be resolved by simply dousing themselves in wine.

But Duan Qigu hated drinking.

He felt that wine tampered with the mind, to the point that even if one died, they wouldn't even be aware of it.

When he was young, Duan Qigu had a few accomplices who lost their lives like this.

From then on, he had never touched wine.

But ever since today, he felt increasingly troubled than before, it had already reached a point where he was dousing pots after pots of wine to cure the thousand worries swirling in his head.

From the time he had nothing, to now where he had everything, he had lost a lot, but also gained a lot; his had many friends, but also many enemies.

There were a lot of enemies who would love to see him dead, and even though Duan Qigu never put them in his eyes, he would even give them a light mocking laugh.

Because those enemies were not even worth a mention, according to Duan Qigu.

However, today was different.

His beloved concubine was holding a pot of Ice Sugar and Pineapple soup and walked in, when she saw Duan Qigu sitting by the table looking troubled and pensive, as if he had something he couldn't let go of.

"My Lord—" She dragged her words on purpose and brought a little seductiveness.

Usually, when Duan Qigu heard her voice, he would have gave a smile and rose to his feet.

But at this moment, he did not hear her, and did not move either.

The concubine was a little dissatisfied, so she moved forward to put down the pot of soup.

With a pat, the clay and the wooden surface clanked. It wasn't a loud sound, but Duan Qigu wavered a little, as if he was frightened by the sound.

At a close distance looking into his beloved concubine's face, Duan Qigu leaned further back, the flesh on his face tightened.

His concubine had never seen him like this, so she was also taken aback.

In the next moment, she only felt pain in her stomach. Something flashed before her eyes, and it was Duan Qigu who kicked her with his foot before she flew out of the door.

The door was broken apart, and the concubine was heavily wounded as she fell to the ground. She spat a mouthful of blood, the fear had yet to leave her face, and she simply fainted from pain.

The guards at the door were all shocked stiff and was wondering what had happened in the room. Once they rushed in, Duan Qigu was sitting there perfectly fine, only that his face was green in colour and his chest was heaving up and down, breathing frantically.

"Master?"

"Leave! There is nothing here." Duan Qigu waved his hand, "Bring her away."

His wife rushed here, and couldn't help but assume that the concubine had did something to anger Duan Qigu.

This concubine was usually well-loved. The other had never put her in her eyes, so Duan Qigu's wife had long since loathe her. Although at this moment she was a little worried, her heart also felt a pang of happiness.

Duan Qigu was not interested in the jealousy of women. He said a few sentences to send his wife away, and did not ask for his other concubine to attend to him. He simply rose to his feet and went into the gardens to lighten his stress.

The night is long, and people are quiet.

But the garden resumed to be filled with lanterns to light up the entire place.

This could demonstrate the wealth of the Duan family.

After Duan Qigu walked for some time, he slowly felt himself calming down, but his mood was still not in a good state.

He did not tell anyone that, just now, when his concubine raised her head, what he saw is another face entirely.

Perhaps he was simply too tired.

Perhaps he was too affected by the party in that morning.

Once Duan Qigu thought about the third in charge who died, and the Yan Xuexing mentioned by the Qiyue Disicple, his eyebrows slowly furrowed.

"Duan...Qigu..."

At that moment, a voice came to his ears.

As if a woman's throat was held and forced her voice out.

As if she was dead but forced her eyes open to look at him, blood trickling from the corner of her lips, staining all over her teeth, and cursing from the depths of Hell.

"Who?! Come out and see me! Save yourself from pretending to be a ghost!" Duan Qigu shouted angrily.

Behind him were two servants looking at each other, but they were unsure of what to do.

They have not heard anything at all.