With Madam Zhu and Steward Xie in charge, who in the Xie manor dared cause trouble?

In barely a day, even the stable boys knew that Tranquil Reflection Residence housed a master who couldn’t be offended or discussed.

Yan Sanhe knew nothing of these external storms and waves—she’d once again begun her pattern of never stepping outside the main gate or secondary gate.

The Young Master and Third Master stopped visiting.

The visitors changed to the Eldest Mistress and Second Miss.

Their temperaments were completely different—one quiet, one talkative. The only similarity was that both stayed only for a single cup of tea before leaving, as if by agreement.

After another half month of such days, Yan Sanhe began feeling restless.

By her calculations, that person should be entering the capital soon.

March—when grass grew and orioles flew.

On this day of beautiful spring weather, Yan Sanhe planned to go out once more. Later there might be neither time nor opportunity to see the capital’s streets and alleys again.

She followed her usual practice, bringing Tangyuan and leaving through the Xie manor’s back gate.

Halfway there, no one called “Stop!” from behind, but someone blocked the path ahead.

Yan Sanhe looked at Xie Wanshu’s hopeful gaze and felt somewhat unable to bear it.

Young ladies of the capital’s prominent families were all raised in inner chambers. Apart from specific festival occasions, they normally couldn’t go out at all.

Yesterday when Xie Wanshu heard Yan Sanhe was going out, she immediately became envious. An eighteen-year-old girl in the bloom of youth—how she wanted to see the bustling marketplace life outside.

Yan Sanhe hesitated for a long while before finally compromising, turning to Tangyuan. “Go tell the Eldest Mistress.”

Half a month’s time—they’d met in total only three to five times. Each time, one spoke endlessly while the other listened in silence. She didn’t dislike this Second Miss.

But the Xie manor had its rules. Without the Eldest Mistress’s permission, she absolutely couldn’t take Xie Wanshu out.

Yan Sanhe understood this principle very clearly.

Tangyuan responded “Yes” and ran off.

Xie Wanshu stepped forward, her face full of gratitude. “Elder Sister Yan, I won’t run around. I’ll listen to you.”

Yan Sanhe nodded, still not very talkative.

Tangyuan returned quickly, with two old servants and two guards accompanying her.

“The Eldest Mistress says having more people along provides better protection on the road. The Eldest Mistress also says the carriage is already prepared. Finally, the Eldest Mistress gave this servant one hundred taels of silver, instructing that if the young ladies see anything they like, they should simply buy it.”

This meant she agreed.

Yan Sanhe glanced at the delighted Xie Wanshu and bit out two words from her lips:

“Depart.”

…

Perhaps because the weather had warmed, there were many more pedestrians on the road than last time.

In narrower alleys, carriages even had to queue to pass through.

Yan Sanhe saw Xie Wanshu holding back the carriage curtain, stretching her neck and watching outside unblinkingly, and her heart suddenly softened.

“This carriage moves like a tortoise. How about we get down and walk?”

“That would be wonderful!”

Xie Wanshu was overjoyed. “Elder Sister Yan, let’s link arms so we don’t get separated.”

Link arms?

What foolish talk was she speaking!

Yan Sanhe snorted inwardly and jumped down from the carriage first.

As a proper young lady, Xie Wanshu naturally couldn’t act like Yan Sanhe—she was helped down by two old servants.

As soon as she stood steady, her hand naturally linked with Yan Sanhe’s.

Yan Sanhe’s body stiffened like a corpse lying in a coffin. Though her expression remained relatively calm, the corner of her mouth twitched violently.

Between the choices of shaking off the hand or pushing the person away, she chose to continue being her corpse.

“Elder Sister Yan, look quickly—the Treasure Jade Pavilion! Shall we go see?”

“What’s there to see?”

“It’s full of good things. Let’s go, let’s go.”

“…”

A charming young girl acting coquettish toward her—this “corpse” Yan Sanhe resignedly moved her feet.

Following behind, Tangyuan’s eyes widened.

She’d finally figured it out—Miss Yan didn’t give the manor’s young masters pleasant looks, but toward women, she had no temper at all.

She kept all her temper restrained!

The Treasure Jade Pavilion was indeed luxurious and imposing.

The shopkeeper wore brocade robes and smiled warmly. “Young ladies, what would you like to purchase?”

Xie Wanshu: “We’re just casually looking.”

This casual looking made her unable to move her feet—she touched this and asked about that, trying things on and wearing them.

The shopkeeper had a keen eye and immediately recognized that the pretty one had delicate skin and tender flesh, with dignified and graceful bearing—she must be a mistress raised in the inner chambers of a prominent household. He became even more attentive in his service.

Yan Sanhe had no interest in these jade pieces and hairpins. She gave Tangyuan a meaningful look and walked outside for some fresh air.

But before she could exhale this breath, she saw a familiar figure in the crowd.

“Li Buyan?”

Yan Sanhe took a sword step forward, only to be blocked by several people entering the shop.

She said “Excuse me” and quickly circled around those people to chase after her.

After chasing several dozen zhang, where was any sign of Li Buyan? In the din of voices, it seemed she’d simply seen incorrectly.

No, she couldn’t have seen wrong—it should be her.

This girl had entered the capital.

Yan Sanhe laughed softly, and the incomparable beauty between her brows and eyes poured forth unseen by anyone, causing passersby to frequently turn back to look at her.

Yan Sanhe was completely unaware. After standing briefly, she turned to walk back to the Treasure Jade Pavilion.

Just reaching the entrance, the upward curve of her lips sank.

Inside the shop, a brocade-robed man thin as a bamboo pole was grabbing Xie Wanshu’s sleeve, lewdly teasing her.

Xie Wanshu had never encountered such a situation—both shocked and frightened, tears streaming down in her urgency.

Tangyuan and the other Xie manor servants were blocked by that brocade-robed man’s attendants. The two guards had already been knocked to the ground, groaning and unable to get up.

“Let her go!” Yan Sanhe exploded with rage.

The brocade-robed man glanced at Yan Sanhe. “Yo, another pretty one.”

“I told you to let her go!”

“Still a little spitfire—Master loves spitfires. They’re flavorful enough in bed!”

Flavorful your sister!

Yan Sanhe sneered coldly. With a flick of her sleeve, the hidden dagger fell into her palm as she rushed directly forward.

Seeing her charge over, the brocade-robed young master reacted quickly, grabbing Xie Wanshu to use as a shield.

Yan Sanhe had long anticipated this move. Her body turned nimbly, circling behind him—but she didn’t strike with the blade. Instead, her foot extended first.

This kick was both forceful and cunning.

The brocade-robed young master never imagined that in broad daylight a woman would dare kick him in that particular place. He immediately let out a piercing scream and rolled on the ground clutching his groin.

Everyone was stunned.

Those attendants recovered after a moment’s daze and were about to step forward to help, but were frightened into immobility—

Because their young master had a gleaming dagger pressed against his neck.

“Flavorful enough?”

Yan Sanhe pressed the dagger forward, and blood flowed down his neck.

“Want to add more spice?”

The brocade-robed young master was still wailing and clutching his vital parts—forget adding spice, even if she added poison, he had no strength to say “no.”

“All of you kneel down, throw away your blades, hands on your heads.”

The attendants looked at each other—none dared gamble with their master’s life. They could only obediently throw down the blades in their hands, kneel, and clasp their hands over their heads.

“Tangyuan, take Second Miss back first.”

“Miss!”

“Do you dare disobey my orders?”

Yan Sanhe’s eyes widened, her face full of killing intent.

Tangyuan didn’t dare disobey. “Second Miss, let’s go first!”

“Elder Sister Yan, I won’t go, I…”

“Then don’t call me Elder Sister Yan!”

Yan Sanhe’s heart surged with rage.

Beautiful women were lovely to look at, but they were trouble.

Couldn’t she see the Treasure Jade Pavilion’s shopkeeper cowering in a corner, trembling and not daring to make a sound? This showed the waste in her hands was no ordinary person.

Weren’t your father, eldest brother, and third brother all influential figures in the capital? Hurry up and find them!

Call for reinforcements, you silly girl!