Peerless ( Meng Xi Shi )

Note: Feng Xiao used "妾" (qie) to address himself in the raws, which literally translates to "this concubine/wife of yours" but in this context, it's a form of address when a wife is speaking to her husband, she would use "qie" to refer to herself. I've decided to translate it to "Your wife, I," which technically makes no sense, but I personally think it delivers the humour that's part of this arc.

Presently, people of literature would reprimand others with words like 'traitor, how dare you scheme behind my back! Lecherous!', but another type of people would often use the female gender as a metaphor such as 'you cry like a woman' as if they were laughing because the other made themselves resemble little timid ladies. One could say that it was degrading to be treated like a helpless woman.

Feng Xiao despised these sort of discriminations. When one has reached to positions such as Cui Buqu or himself, they know the world and its people. They wouldn't care whether the other is a man or a woman. To them, there were only two types of people: friends and enemies, and or useful and useless people.

People like Qin Miaoyu who knew their worth had earned Feng Xiao's willing mercy and allowed her to live. Su Xing, however, had been deprived of privilege. Feng Xiao would never allow himself to judge someone else by their gender.

But now, there is a tiny problem right in front of him.

Was his hair and clothes more important, or was his pride as a man more important?

A real man would be willing to bend his knees—the same way he hung on the cliff that night and called Cui Buqu 'Dad'. So Feng Xiao had no hesitation before choosing the first.

Their group still consisted of four people, only that certain changes had taken place.

To avoid being slowed down, they took no servants on the journey. There were only four people, two carriage drivers, and a guide to Qiemo. This was also appropriate for Cui Buqu's fake identity as Master Ye. As someone from only a small family of merchants, he should not be wealthy enough to bring along a cluster of servants.

They left the City of Six Crafts and travelled on three horse carriages. With considerations for Cui Buqu's health, they travelled at a slow and steady speed against the sandstorms for more than ten days to practically half a month. Only after they came out of the endless expanse of yellow sand, they could see the contour of the city in the distance.

"In front would be Qiemo?" Cui Buqu coughed twice and swept the curtains of the carriage apart. What entered his nose was a strong sense of heat.

This was the heat of the sand that was under a strong, burning sun for a long time, before they were swept up by strong winds.

He couldn't help but cough.

Another hand reached forward to shut the curtains back in place.

"My Lord, your body is weak, so don't look out and shove your face into the sand. If you fall ill again, your wife will be worried."

The voice was incredibly gentle, provoking a desire in everyone who has heard it to see her face.

Unfortunately, Cui Buqu was not one of them.

Other than refusing to turn his head to look, he didn't even want to hear her voice. His coughs only became more violent.

"Aiyo ~ look at you. Your wife, I had only said a few words, and you are already excited! One we enter the city later, let us quickly find an inn, then your wife, I will quickly satisfy your thirst."

The voice refused to stop despite seeing his condition. It had instead spoken even more excitedly.

Cui Buqu turned his head slowly, his face expressionless, "What does 'satisfying my thirst mean'?"

"That's right, that's right, your wife knew that this journey had been inconvenient for you. It was even boring. Once we arrive at the inn, I can take care of you very well~!" Once he glared at the woman, she fell into a state of shyness with an embarrassed afterglow radiating from her, "No matter what, your wife is still a woman, do you really want her to speak so explicitly? If the others hear of it, they would think I am a harlot!"

Cui Buqu felt his head hurt, he pressed on his temples, "There are no outsiders here; can you please speak human language?"

The woman looked as if she was undeserved. "What language is your wife speaking in, if not human language? They say that after you marry a wife for three years, even Diao Chan would turn into a sow1; I feel that my husband, you are also the same!"

Her figure was towering, so as she sat cross-legged in the carriage, making the carriage a little cramped.

Long flowing, shiny black hair was tied up into the most commonly seen bun of a married woman, bundled loosely behind her head, and in between strands of her hair were a few red threads that made her skin shine and glowed. Aside from the fact that other's looks were not as gentle as Jiangnan women, she didn't fall behind in beauty at all. At least she was the sort of beauty that would make one unable to forget her upon the first glance laid.

Cui Buqu was unable to admire this beauty; he had even wanted to kick that person down his carriage.

Qiao Xian's skills were incredible, for she did not only make Feng Xiao's features look more conspicuous, but she had made him look like a foreigner that came from the Western regions. She even hid Feng Xiao's Adam's apple, and a lot of his manly features that were obvious were also cleverly hidden.

Women from the Western regions were always born with deep and high eyebrows; their bones were also broader than women from the Central Plains. When other people look at Feng Xiao, they would not have thought that he was a man in disguise of a woman.

It was only after Feng Xiao was disguised as a woman, he insisted that Cui Buqu was to be 'her' husband, Master Ye. At first, Cui Buqu treated it like a joke and agreed, but in less than half a day, he quickly regretted it.

But there was no remedy for regret in this world, he could only walk until the end of the road he chose.

Thankfully, Qiemo was within sight, and his ears could finally obtain some peace and quiet.

Qiemo City was the intersection that linked all roads from the West and East, but it was located very far from the Central Plains. Not three years after the Sui Dynasty was established, the Imperial Court had focused all its strength and power onto the Kingdom of Göktürk and the Southern Chen Dynasty. They did not have the time now to take care of a small city that was situated far from their reach. Last year, the Emperor still gave orders to establish a bureau in Qiemo and send forth a magistrate and some guards to man the city in order to establish the dominance and power of the Imperial Court. But in reality, it was just to tell people from all four cardinal directions that although the Sui Dynasty has not placed their attention on Qiemo yet, it did not mean that they have abandoned the place.

Thirty years ago, the Kingdom of Shanshan was annihilated by the Western Wei. The King of Shanshan was fortunate enough to live, and he came to Qiemo to settle down. Years after, he established his own dominance in the city. Qiemo was also a place all the merchants coming to the Western Regions from the South would have to pass by, so many people stopped to take a breather, and after a while, three powers ruled over Qiemo.

The first was the magistrate sent by the Sui Dynasty, Gao Yi.

The second was the descendant of the late King of Shanshan, Xing Mao.

The third was a wealthy man from the Western regions, Duan Qigu.

The first two were easier to understand. Gao Yi was sent by the Sui Dynasty to man the city. As a magistrate, he had also brought a few soldiers with him; although the Kingdom of Shanshan was annihilated, they have lived here for three generations. At present, Xing Mao was the eldest grandson of the last King of Shanshan. According to hearsays, the survivors of Shanshan that lived in the city would address him by 'Your Majesty'.

The last was Duan Qigu, who came to be from the background of a horse bandit and a robber. During his early years, he was already conquering and robbing in the Western Regions, so once he arrived here, it made everyone filled with anxiety. When merchants from the Western Regions ran into him, they would only have two choices: either they give him all their valuables, or they give him their lives. After that, Duan Qigu turned over a new leaf and settled down in Qiemo, but the power he had these years still remained, so no one dared to look down on this bandit who was once a big shot from the Western Regions. Duan Qigu was involved in both legal and illegal activities and sowed his roots deep within Qiemo.

Compared to the other two powers, the Magistrate of Qiemo, Gao Yi, was the weakest.

After Cui Buqu and his group entered Qiemo, this was what greeted them.

Citizens from all varying origins mixed with each other, a thousand different clans were formed, thieves and officers and low ranking society walked among one another, everything and anything. Added with the conflicts given by the three powers, a small Qiemo city was made even rowdier and crowded compared to the City of Six Crafts.

"Elder brother, let us go to the inn and settle down. The sky was getting darker, and it wouldn't be wise to continue travelling. Let us rest for two days or so before departing." After entering the city, Qiao Xian told Cui Buqu.

She was now disguised as the family friend of the Ye family, Li Chong who brought his wife A-Lian to head towards Kucha to do some trading business.

Qiao Xian was originally a very tall woman herself. She held the same air of a goddess and now that she was wearing a disguise, it was hard to think about what she'd done to herself. She had a round belly and looked nothing like her ordinary self. She even had a beard and her skin looked rougher than normal men. No one would have believed her if she claimed to be a woman.

Real disguises weren't only to change one's exterior looks, but even their voice, tone, and mood were all completely altered. It was as if they had morphed into a different person entirely. Even Cui Buqu did not have this ability, but Qiao Xian has mastered it. The voice she used right now sounded like she was someone who grew up in the City of Six Crafts.

After obtaining Cui Buqu's permission, Qiao Xian instructed the guide to recommend an inn.

"There is no need for the grandest, but it must be comfortable. My brother has a fragile body, so he needs all the rest he can get." Qiao Xian's voice was rough and rich, completely unlike the clear and icy cold voice she used to have. Even if Feng Xiao was used to it during the journey, he couldn't help giving her an extra glare.

If she had still been a tall, fair and beautiful maiden, she would have to endure teases and harassment, but now Qiao Xian was completely free of this problem, because even if someone paid them any attention, they would not even look at the new disguise Qiao Xian was wearing, nor a middle-age woman like Jin Lian, they would all focus their attention on Feng Xiao who was fair and tall.

The guide immediately agreed and brought them to an inn.

"I know you are Hans, so you're definitely not used to those Shanshanian's or Kucha's people's inns. This inn has been in the city for five to six years now; when I bring outsiders around here, this is also where they lived!"

When Jin Lian came from Göktürk to the City of Six Crafts, she also accommodated here before, but during that time, there were soldiers, so she didn't need to worry. On this journey with Cui Buqu, she would stay out of the trivial matters, so she didn't think about it as she followed Qiao Xian into the inn.

But Cui Buqu suddenly said: "Wait."

Everyone stopped and looked at him.

"What is this?" Cui Buqu pointed at the entrance of the inn, and nailed on it was a small wooden sign.

The wooden sign was the size of the palm of an infant; on top of it was the engraving of a curved moon, on top of the moon was an ostrich2.

Usually, very few people would notice the wooden sign when they came in. Even if they saw it, they would not think it meant anything. They only think that the inn has a special sign. Many inns in the Central Plains would also use their own signs as markings on their branches to promote their brand.

The guide smiled. "You are all from the Central Plains, of course, you would know that a lot of inns would have their own signs?"

Cui Buqu looked at him expressionlessly. "We want a comfortable inn, not an inn that will bring us trouble. You brought us to an inn belonging to Duan Qigu, was it because he has given you some sort of benefit?"

When tourists came, more than often they would be scammed a few times or encounter a few troublesome incidents sometimes. But due to Qiemo being a complicated place, even the inns were categorized. Duan Qigu and Xing Mao were both strong in Qiemo, so within the city, other than inns, there were also a few travelling services and restaurants that belonged to them. People from the Jianghu were usually fearless; the curious ones and the ones being hunted would often live in inns that belonged to Duan Qigu to escape inspection of the Sui Dynasty. It was also to blend into both legal and illegal factions to scout for information they wanted.

Normal civilians would rather live in more expensive inns, but they would never come here.

Cui Buqu and his group were not afraid, but they would rather keep a low profile on this journey. The less obvious their presences were, the better. In their identities, they were good civilians, so they would not have chosen to live in Duan Qigu's territory either.

Duan Qigu did not expect Cui Buqu to be familiar with this, so he gave a dry laugh, "Isn't it just me trying to save money for you people?"

Qian Xian walked forward and patted his shoulder. "Bring us to a proper inn."

Her pat looked gentle, but the guide could already feel the pain slowly radiating from where she had patted. He wanted to yelp in pain, but no voice came from his mouth. Only then he realized that he has completely underestimated these people. Although they didn't look like much on the journey and kept a low profile, they were not foreigners that were easy to cheat.

Qiao Xian threatened. "We will look for someone else if you don't know how."

How would the guide dare procrastinate a moment longer? He immediately nodded his head, even his tears were threatening to spill.

[1] Marry a wife for three years, even Diao Chan would turn into a mother pig: This is a Chinese proverb. The original one was 'Become a soldier for three years, even a mother pig could turn into a Diao Chan', which meant that is you went for training as a soldier for three years, even if you're fat you can turn into Diao Chan. Diao Chan is one of the four beauties of China, the others are—(cough cough go Google yourself). So Feng Xiao is kind of saying that if a man married a woman, within three years, the beautiful woman would turn into a sow, probably due to having a good life and not having to work since the husband does most of the chores.

[2] Ostrich: The last character of Duan Qigu's name 'Gu' is the same character for ostrich.