Xie Daozhi’s mood was somewhat anxious.

He took a deep breath and raised his hand to hold the incense stick over the candle flame.

The flame flickered, and the incense tip gradually caught fire.

Xie Daozhi’s heart eased, and he let out a long breath. However, before that breath was fully released, he felt his hand tremble—the incense stick suddenly broke in two.

“Miss Yan, what’s happening?”

Xie Daozhi was so frightened his heart trembled as well. “I was very sincere. I’ve already let go.”

“…”

“Miss Yan… Yan Sanhe, Yan Sanhe!”

In the moonlight.

Yan Sanhe’s gaze was vacant, her face showing expressions of surprise, fear, and bewilderment…

If incense won’t light, it means the person lighting it isn’t sincere.

If the incense suddenly breaks…

That means Yan Xing’s heart demon isn’t this letter. She had been wrong from the very beginning.

But how could she be wrong?

Those were three lives—a son, grandson, and daughter-in-law—all close relatives!

Yan Sanhe’s dark eyes blinked once, then again. Her throat produced an unclear sound: “Where did it go wrong?”

Xie Daozhi felt that Yan Sanhe at this moment looked exactly like a wandering ghost, and his mood immediately shifted from anxiety to panic.

Since this woman had stepped into the Xie residence, every word and action had been extremely mature—nothing like a seventeen-year-old girl.

She forced him to acknowledge his relationship with Yan Xing…

Produced a marriage compatibility document from decades ago…

Investigated the old case of three deaths…

Brought up things about coffins not closing, dissolving obsessions, heart demons…

One moment the incense wouldn’t light…

The next moment the incense broke…

Could it all be false?

Did she have some other purpose?

Like a basin of ice water splashing over him, Xie Daozhi shuddered violently with realization, then rushed forward and roughly grabbed Yan Sanhe’s arm.

“Speak! Who exactly are you? What’s your real purpose in coming to the Xie family?”

The pain in her arm brought Yan Sanhe back to her senses.

She looked at the person before her, her voice as insubstantial as if floating up from hell. “Wrong—it was actually wrong.”

“What’s wrong?”

Xie Daozhi roared: “Explain yourself clearly!”

“I can’t explain it clearly to you.”

“If you can’t explain clearly, then don’t think of leaving!”

Yan Sanhe bent her elbow, striking Xie Daozhi directly in the ribs, causing him to stagger back half a step, gasping in pain.

This change happened so quickly—in the blink of an eye—that even the two people nearby couldn’t see clearly what had occurred. Yan Sanhe had already shouldered her bundle.

“The situation has changed. I don’t have time to explain to you. I must take my leave!”

“Someone, quickly come!”

Xie Daozhi’s face showed towering rage. “Seize her! Don’t let her escape!”

Yan Sanhe froze momentarily, a look of determination flashing across her face. Her feet slid, bringing her to Xie Erli’s side, and her sleeve gave a slight shake.

A sharp dagger pressed against Xie Erli’s throat, so cold it made him shiver involuntarily.

“Miss Xie…”

“Shut up!”

Yan Sanhe’s voice suddenly rose. “Xie Daozhi, if you want your son safe and sound, immediately have everyone stand down and prepare an excellent fast horse for me.”

Xie Daozhi had never anticipated that in the blink of an eye things would turn out this way. Still in shock and before he could think of how to respond, he heard Xie Erli cry out “Ah!”

The dagger pressed forward another half inch.

“Everyone hurry! Otherwise…”

All the blood in his body rushed to Xie Daozhi’s head.

“Don’t anyone move! Not a single person moves! Steward Xie, prepare a horse—quickly prepare a horse!”

Steward Xie staggered out, but his foot caught and he fell flat on his face.

He couldn’t care about the pain!

He scrambled to his feet in a panic and hobbled out of the courtyard, running and shouting, “Where’s the horse? Quickly bring a horse!”

This one shout threw the entire Xie residence into chaos. In just moments, everyone in the Xie household knew that the eldest young master had been taken hostage by a woman.

Yan Sanhe pushed Xie Erli forward as they walked.

Xie Erli’s heart pounded—not from fear, but because Yan Sanhe was pushing him to walk so fast they were practically running, leaving all the Xie family guards behind.

They quickly reached the main gate. Xie Erli gasped for breath walking backwards, but in his heart he was still thinking of fighting back.

No matter what, he couldn’t let this woman escape!

This person was too strange, too dangerous!