Peerless ( Meng Xi Shi )

Zhangsun Bodhi was not a man who sought entertainment.

His personality, from the eyes of spectators, looked a little bitter. When he was in the Zuoyue Bureau, he would recite menu scripts or make tea. His life was even dryer than that of normal monks. However, to him, it did not feel bitter; it felt natural.

At that moment, every man in the city would have loved to be in his position. Watching Yunyun dance to the slow music, her legs long and fair and soft. As they moved, the golden bells on her legs jingled. However, Zhangsun did not act unnaturally. He sat with his back straight and relaxed, both hands on each other, the prayer beads sitting in his palm. All his attention was given to the performance in front of him as if he was watching one of the best martial artists performing.

Lady Yunyun had experienced many different kinds of situations; hence she could finish a dance flawlessly even under his gaze.

"Was it perfect?" She took the cloth given to her by her maidservants and replied as she laughed.

"It was." Zhangsun merely replied with two words. However, they sounded more sincere compared to a thousand compliments in her ears.

"Then tonight, you…" Yunyun only said four words and did not continue.

Originally it was not the first time she let a guest stay overnight, but she knew not why, this time, it was difficult for her to express her words. Perhaps because Zhangsun's expression looked too formal; he did not look like a man who would share a bed with prostitutes.

Although the people outside praised and glorified her and spoke of her as though she was even more difficult to be bought than gold, Yunyun knew in her heart that, at the end of the day, she was just another person who had no choice in life, a fish struggling fruitlessly in a fisherman's net.

Suddenly, the man got closer to her and the façade that she had put up immediately crumbled. Her shoulders became stiff, and her body suddenly refused to listen to her. She wanted to step back but was unable to. She could only let the other's nose drift near her.

"The scent of you is truly exceptional." Zhangsun said.

Yunyun's ears turned red. "Yes, it's the smell of mandarins, added with a little bit of the smell of trees and grass."

Zhangsun, "It is a pleasant smell."

Both of them were practically stuck close to each other. Yunyun's waist and shoulders were held by strong arms, she could not move, but her heartbeat gradually became faster.

This man, to her, was even more handsome than any other man she had met. He was filled with energy, and they had shared such an obscure fate.

Zhangsun, "Are you the one who made this perfume?"

Under his seduction, Lady Yunyun seemed to have lost all her guard, "No. Someone made it for me."

Zhangsun Bodhi, "Could you make one for me too?"

"Sure…" Yunyun stuttered before feeling herself being let go suddenly. Confusion appeared on her face.

Zhangsun, "It is not yet dark."

Yunyun's face turned red. It was not that appropriate to do that in the morning. Besides, the place they were in was not like the rest. In front of this man, she wanted to give a good impression.

"Then, my lord, what would you like to do? Should I dance once more for you?" She combed her hair and smiled gently.

"I want to make a painting on you." Zhangsun Bodhi said.

Yunyun was stunned.

Zhangsun Bodhi, "I have watched dances in the palace. You do not fall behind compared to them. I want to put it onto paint and paper, so you can see for yourself."

Had it been any other person who said those words, she would only offer a smile, but presently the man who said these words was someone who paid a lot of attention, and his look was severe. She trusted his words completely.

No one had ever said they wanted to paint her.

Yunyun raised her head and gave a very exuberant laugh, "Of course!"

Outside the room, Hong Zhu had brought some food with her, but the room's doors were closed, and there remained silence.

Her footsteps stopped, bringing with it a little bit of excitement, using a shoulder she parted the doors a little, looking through the translucent veil. However, it was not as she has imagined it. There was neither music nor action. Yunyun's back was turned towards her, unmoving.

Looking at the man who just barged inside just now, they were not kissing or hugging, but he was standing in front of the study, drawing something.

Hong Zhu looked at Zhangsun Bodhi's drawing for a good while; the envy blatant in her eyes. However, the two people in the room were oblivious, as if they did not notice the maidservant eavesdropping outside.

In the end, she felt disinterested; twitching her lips, she quietly left, bringing the wine and food back to her own room. She was not aware that behind her, a white shadow had appeared.

Qiao Xiao had first wanted to question Hong Zhu, but after observing her, she decided against it.

Everyone had their faults. The scariest thing was not being able to find out your enemy'weakness.

Hong Zhu's weakness was already apparent to the eye.

Or, if they changed the way they questioned her, Qiao Xiao's inquiry would be answered far more effectively.

....

In the Qiushan manor, Cui Buqu stared at the Jade of Heaven's lake and spoke warmly, "The present King of Goguryeo is its fifty-second ruler. The surname 'Gao' is the imperial surname of the Goguryeoians. Although few in the Central Place know of Gao Ning; in Goguryeo, he is no small matter. They say his sword style is nigh unparalleled. Once, he defeated the top twelve martial artists from Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. The king was satisfied with his performance and knighted him as the number one martial artist of Goguryeo. He was permitted to carry his sword and mount horses within the palace."

After being deceived by Cui Buqu, Pei Jingzhe felt a little salty in his heart; so he could not stop himself saying, "Goguryeo is a small kingdom. It is rare to even to meet the people from there. I fear that the so-called 'top martial artist' is simply just for their standards; but within the Central Plains, they are probably no match for anyone."

It was odd to find Cui Buqu agreeing with him, "Not bad. However, this time, Gao Ning indeed had the intention of taking the Jade of Heaven's Lake. There are no martial artists in this world that would refuse an opportunity to improve themselves. Many others are cornered like a bottle's neck, unable to move up or down, but with the jade; they might have a chance at a breakthrough."

Pei Jingzhe, "But this is just assuming, there is no way for anyone to know whether it is real or a bogus."

"A sliver of hope would suffice. People will take the chance." Feng Xiao knuckled the table, "Now back to the main topic. Do you all feel that, if you wanted to steal something, would allow it to appear in front of the eyes of the public, so it would garner the attention of everyone else?"

Pei Jingzhe, "I would use the Linlang Guild's influence, let it become one of the auction items, and take it away just like that. Since it came from Linlang Guild's auction event; it would also be a lot more convenient to vanish with the jade. The chairman of the Linlang Guild, Wen Liang, is still in prison now, so it is possible for such a thing to take place. Could it be that because Wen Liang was captured by us, their plans failed, so the jade was able to fall into our hands?"

Feng Xiao shook his head. He thought that the whole matter would not have been so simple. There had to be something that he must have left out.

This case looked simple on the surface: a murder and robbery case. However, it could be dissected from within, and then one would find that it was even more complicated than before. It was as if they had found a clue, but were immediately thrown back into the chaos.

Feng Xiao could feel that someone was playing the chess with an invisible hand. Some hands that had the intention to cover its goals; some hands that wanted to observe from the side.

As he thought of this, he turned towards Cui Buqu.

The latter felt his gaze on him, so he looked towards his way, looking impassive.

Damn sly fox, Feng Xiao muttered in his heart.

Accursed show-off oleander, Cui Buqu smiled darkly

Oleander, beautiful on the outside and poisonous within; using it to describe Feng Xiao, he thought, was undeniably far from inappropriate.

Pei Jingzhe did not realise the intense stare between the two men in front of him. He contemplated for half a day and said, "Could it be, that there was originally two Jade of Heaven's Lake: one bogus and one that is the real?"