Pei Xiao forcefully pinched himself.

“That… in a moment at the magistrate’s office, don’t use this attitude when speaking to your brother. Must be meek and obedient, respectful, gentle.”

Yan Sanhe gritted her teeth.

“Don’t grit your teeth. Your gaze also needs to be gentler. A precious young lady’s eyes are soft, soft enough to produce water…”

“Yan Sanhe, there aren’t so many requirements.”

Before Yan Sanhe exploded, Xie Zhifei quickly spoke up, smiling: “Expressionless, eyes straight ahead, silent—that’s fine.”

This I can do!

Yan Sanhe snorted coldly, flicked her sleeve and strode away.

She was used to walking fast and forgot about the skirt hem underfoot—she stumbled.

Xie Zhifei: “Sanhe, careful!”

Li Buyan: “Miss, careful!”

Pei Buwán: “Spirit medium, careful!”

Amid three warnings, spirit medium Yan Sanhe tumbled down with a thud, the buyao flying several zhang away.

Dead silence. Third Master Xie roguishly curved his lips.

Sanhe?

Mm, rolls off the tongue nicely.

…

Nanning Prefecture.

The magistrate’s office.

The yamen runner examined the official seal and said respectfully: “Lord Pei, please wait. I’ll immediately report to the magistrate.”

Pei Xiao asked casually, “Your master didn’t go to the mountains and fields today?”

The runner froze, thinking: How does he know our master has this habit?

“Master didn’t go out today.”

Pei Xiao glanced at Xie Zhifei: Our luck isn’t bad.

Xie Zhifei looked at Yan Sanhe beside him with her rigid face, looking like someone owed her fifty thousand taels: This is called misfortune in the east, fortune in the west.

The runner returned quickly. “Lord Pei, the magistrate invites you in.”

“Lead the way.”

“Yes!”

The group entered the magistrate’s office. Passing through two vermillion gates, they saw a middle-aged man standing under the eaves with hands behind his back.

The man was around forty, ordinary-looking, dark-skinned, three deep川-shaped wrinkles between his brows, appearing quite weathered.

Without the official robes adding authority, one couldn’t tell this person was actually the Nanning Prefecture Magistrate—Zhou Ye.

A magistrate was rank five, Right Counselor was rank six—official rank determined who greeted first.

Pei Xiao stepped forward and clasped fists enthusiastically. “Magistrate Zhou, long admired your name. Pardon the intrusion, pardon the intrusion.”

Zhou Ye nodded slightly. “Lord Pei honors us with your presence. Forgive our poor reception. Please!”

After official courtesies, they entered the inner hall. The furnishings were simple and austere.

Everyone sat. Runners served tea.

The tea wasn’t anything special, with tea stem fragments floating on top.

Yan Sanhe was about to drink when she heard Xie Zhifei cough behind her.

Precious young ladies ate well, drank well, used well—this kind of tea couldn’t catch their eye.

Yan Sanhe was already holding in a belly full of anger. Now reminded by Third Master, holding the tea cup—drinking wasn’t right, not drinking wasn’t right either.

So irritating!

Just then, Zhou Ye’s gaze swept over all six people, finally settling on Yan Sanhe.

“This is my youngest sister. After Mid-Autumn she’ll marry. This trip out…”

Pei Xiao sighed heavily. “Won’t hide it from Magistrate Zhou—even I think that match isn’t suitable…”

“Clack!”

Yan Sanhe set her tea cup heavily on the small table, her face darkening.

Finally found an opportunity to vent.

“Magistrate Zhou, look, just look.”

Pei Xiao looked utterly distressed.

“Spoiled her until she’s lost all manners. Insisted on coming along—no one could dissuade her. Completely helpless.”

Zhou Ye had no interest in great household affairs. He withdrew his gaze and said seriously: “Lord Pei’s journey for this assignment is for…”

“Ahem!”

Pei Xiao’s expression was frank. “This trip was originally to inspect our temples in the two Guangs, while also handling some private matters.”

Since it was private matters and he’d come to the door…

Zhou Ye said straightforwardly: “What does this official need to help with?”

“Simple.”

Pei Xiao leaned closer, smiling: “Please give me travel documents for the Great Qi Kingdom. If convenient, also write a letter of introduction—I want to visit the Great Qi Kingdom’s Provincial Administration Commissioner.”

Zhou Ye frowned. “Lord Pei wants to go to the Great Qi Kingdom?”

Pei Xiao smiled awkwardly. “Yes, since I’m here, I’d like to go see it.”

“Lord Pei, it’s not that this official won’t accommodate you, but though the Emperor established a Provincial Administration Commission in the Great Qi Kingdom, it’s still a foreign land.”

Zhou Ye refused decisively. “Lord Pei better not go.”

Lord Pei furrowed his brows, bit his lip—an expression of great difficulty.

“Magistrate Zhou, this is a long story. Please hear me out. My maternal grandmother passed away at year’s end. In the months before her death, she kept mentioning old matters…”

Following the previously agreed story, Lord Pei spoke with more cadence and rhythm than teahouse storytellers.

The image of a filial descendant was vivid indeed.

After Magistrate Zhou listened, his expression was quite moved, yet he didn’t immediately agree.

“Lord Pei may not know—the Great Qi Kingdom’s people are fierce, and the common folk are very unfriendly toward us Hua Kingdom people.”

“Why is that?”

“This too is a long story—truly can’t be explained in a sentence or two.”

Magistrate Zhou looked up at the three guards behind Pei Xiao.

“Lord Pei only has three personal guards, yet two female family members accompany you. How about this—I’ll assign eight more guards to follow. What does Lord think?”

“This…”

Pei Xiao hesitated, glancing at Yan Sanhe.

Guards following meant safety, but also no freedom. If he refused to let them follow, this Magistrate Zhou probably…

After weighing pros and cons, he smiled: “Then this subordinate is most grateful.”

“Lord Pei need not be polite.”

Magistrate Zhou waved his hand.

“Coming all this way, your safety is paramount. If anything should happen, I as Nanning Prefecture’s magistrate probably couldn’t continue in office either.”

“Right, right, right!”

“Miss Pei is flower-faced and moon-beautiful. Upon reaching the Great Qi Kingdom, please keep your veil properly worn to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

“…”

Yan Sanhe froze briefly before realizing Miss Pei was herself. She quickly replied with two words: “Many thanks!”

Zhou Ye stood. “Lord Pei, please enjoy tea. I’ll return shortly.”

“No rush, no rush.”

Once Zhou Ye left, the hall grew quiet.

Xie Zhifei feared the atmosphere would grow too cold and seem suspicious, so he said to Li Buyan beside him: “Take Miss to walk in the courtyard, see the scenery.”

Yan Sanhe still had a sullen face. “It’s too hot outside. I’ll sit here.”

Li Buyan shrugged at Xie Zhifei, indicating she listened to Miss.

Xie Zhifei lowered his head with a playful smile.

This girl had been awkward since falling that morning—not even acting like a precious young lady anymore. Now she truly looked the part.

Little did he know, the “precious young lady” wasn’t awkward about that fall, but about this deadly heavy buyao on her head.

Taking advantage of no outsiders present, Yan Sanhe was about to adjust the buyao when her head turned and she happened to see someone smiling with lowered head.

That Xie dares to laugh?

Yan Sanhe snorted. “Little Xie.”

Xie Zhifei quickly responded: “What are Miss’s orders?”