Zhou Ye’s face suddenly flushed red as he stammered, “It… it doesn’t count as stealing. That silver was just sitting on the chair. I… I just took it conveniently.”

“Master, don’t punish Brother Zhou Ye. We…”

“Ah Qiang!”

Zhou Ye’s eyes suddenly bulged, his tone unprecedentedly severe. “Shut up!”

Ah Qiang?

Wasn’t this person supposed to have gone with the official seals to find the monks? How did he suddenly appear again?

The six people were all dumbfounded.

But…

There was something even more dumbfounding.

Zhou Ye strode to the wheelchair, knelt down, and in a very soft, gentle voice said, “Let me carry you to sit over there, alright?”

The person called Master reached out his hand, touched Zhou Ye’s hair, and said one word: “Alright!”

Zhou Ye carried the person into the armchair. Worried he wasn’t sitting comfortably, he fetched a brocade cushion from inside the house and placed it at his waist.

That person was comfortable now. His gaze didn’t look at Yan Sanhe and the others, but fell lightly on the mess on the ground.

Zhou Ye quickly gave Ah Qiang and the others a look.

In just moments, the mess was cleared away. The clean blue stone bricks, having been washed with water, gleamed slightly under the palace lanterns.

“Such hospitality is lacking. My apologies.”

That person smiled apologetically at Yan Sanhe, deep wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.

Yan Sanhe stood there stunned.

Though this person had a body ravaged by time, compared to the portrait she’d drawn, he was still several times more handsome.

If he was already this handsome, what about Wu Guanyue?

“Ah Ye, untie them. Young Master Pei and Young Master Xie’s clothes are dirty—fetch two of my old robes for them to change into.”

Even with Yan Sanhe’s clever mind, she was now confused by this “Master’s” words and actions.

We used courtesy before force.

They’re using force before courtesy?

She turned around, staring blankly at Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao, only to discover these two looked even more confused than her.

The black-clothed men untied the five people. Others presented two half-worn robes to Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao.

Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao exchanged glances. Without wasting words, they walked into the house and quickly removed their dirty clothes, changing into the old robes.

The garments fit Master Pei perfectly, but Third Master’s tall frame made the clothes rather tight.

As a military official, he didn’t have the same concerns as civil officials. He simply left it open as he walked out.

Everyone’s gaze glanced toward him—except Yan Sanhe. Yan Sanhe’s attention was entirely on that person.

She boldly approached and called out his full name: “Wu Shunian?”

That person nodded. “Eyes empty at mourning processions, dreams broken in the years of drying books.”

Yan Sanhe thought for a moment. “A figure solitary in secrecy, divine mountains and unusual immortals opposed.”

Wu Shunian hadn’t expected this young lady could continue the verse, and even knew the previous line. His face showed considerable pleasure.

“This is his least famous poem.”

“Whose poem?” Pei Xiao muttered softly.

Yan Sanhe glanced at Pei Xiao. “Compared to ‘Keep the red loyalty to illuminate history,’ compared to ‘Sighing in solitude at the Ocean of Solitude’—these two famous lines—this one is indeed unknown to most.”

My goodness!

A famous general from the previous dynasty.

Pei Xiao looked at Yan Sanhe with shock and trepidation: Who knew this divine woman was also full of literary knowledge!

Just then, Wu Shunian reached out and tugged at Zhou Ye’s clothes, looking up and calling, “Ah Ye!”

Zhou Ye’s eyes softened. “Someone, boil water for tea. Bring three chairs for Miss Yan, Young Master Pei, and Young Master Xie.”

“Yes.”

In Yan Sanhe’s eyes, deep as wells, lay two layers of shock.

One layer of shock: Wu Shunian’s attitude toward them.

One layer of shock: Wu Shunian and Zhou Ye’s relationship.

The two looked like master and servant, but upon careful observation, didn’t quite seem like it.

The square table was brought out again. On it sat a pot of clear tea and four teacups. What was different was that Zhou Ye, who had originally sat facing south, now stood behind Wu Shunian.

His stance wasn’t like a guard’s stance—rather, he had one hand resting on the back of the armchair.

This gesture seemed to enfold Wu Shunian entirely within his protective circle.

“Young Master Pei.”

Wu Shunian slowly turned his eyes, settling on Pei Xiao. “Your Baiyao Hall has a medicine called Resurrecting Pill.”

Pei Xiao asked, “How do you know?”

Wu Shunian replied, “Not only do I know, I’ve been taking it for many years. It’s just rather expensive.”

My goodness!

No wonder when he entered the residence, he’d smelled the scent of Resurrecting Pills.

“Expensive has its reasons.”

Pei Xiao habitually rolled his eyes.

“Resurrecting Pills contain resurrection grass that grows on Kunlun Mountain cliffs, protected by poisonous snakes and spawning creatures. Just harvesting this grass takes enormous effort, not to mention it also contains hundred-year ginseng…”

Wait!

Pei Xiao suddenly stopped, his gaze fixed on Wu Shunian.

Resurrecting Pill—as the name implied, it was for critically ill people to take to revive them.

This person before him…

This person was thin as bones, sunken eyes, ashen complexion—clearly showing signs of approaching death.

Pei Xiao thought: He probably won’t live much longer.

Wu Shunian was very frank. “If you’d come a few days later, you might not have seen me.”

“Master!” Zhou Ye’s voice was displeased.

“Ah Ye is good in every way, except he can’t bear to hear me say these things. Just this one thing…”

Wu Shunian smiled faintly. “…isn’t good.”

Except for Zhou Ye, no one could respond to Wu Shunian’s words. Yet Zhou Ye kept his face stern and didn’t make a sound.

The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.

Wu Shunian lowered his head, made his hand into a fist and placed it at his lips, coughing hoarsely.

Zhou Ye’s eyes flickered slightly. He bent down and asked softly, “Cold?”

Wu Shunian hummed in acknowledgment.

Zhou Ye immediately returned to the house and, like magic, produced a thin blanket, covering Wu Shunian’s knees with it.

Wu Shunian smiled again, a hint of small satisfaction at the corners of his eyes.

Yan Sanhe shifted her gaze away, only to meet Xie Zhifei’s. The latter lightly closed his eyes, signaling her to speak quickly before complications arose.

She clenched her palm slightly. “Wu Shunian, do you know why we’ve come?”

“I know.”

Wu Shunian’s eyes half-closed. “In his youth, my father had a childhood sweetheart. Earlier this year she died, but her coffin won’t close. Her inner demon is my father.”

Yan Sanhe was surprised by how calmly he spoke. “You’re not shocked by this?”

“I’m forty-six this year. Living to my age, forget coffins not closing—even if your maternal grandmother returned from the dead, I’d believe it.”

Wu Shunian sighed softly. “The only pity is that my father can no longer return from the dead.”

Wu Guanyue is dead?

Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao simultaneously looked at Yan Sanhe: What do we do?

Yan Sanhe had somewhat anticipated this and calmly said, “If the old matriarch’s inner demon truly is your father, would you be willing to dissolve念化魔for the old matriarch in his place?”

Wu Shunian asked, “I can do this?”

Yan Sanhe nodded. “You’re his son, his only bloodline. None but you.”

“May I ask—if the old matriarch’s inner demon cannot be resolved, if the coffin never closes, what will the consequences be?”

Wu Shunian smiled gently, like an old fox.

“You traveled thousands of miles to come here—the matter must be significant!”