Haven’t they all returned!

Pei Mingting nodded honestly.

“Found nothing?”

Pei Mingting nodded again.

Xie Zhifei felt a lump in his throat. “Could this girl have jumped out of a rock crevice?”

“You’re thinking the same thing I thought.”

Pei Mingting made a clicking sound. “And that Li Buyan—can’t find anything about her either. Sometimes at night when I think about it, I get chills. Could neither of them be human!”

Trust you to think of that.

Xie Zhifei was about to scold him when someone outside called, “Young Master Pei, Master Pei and Madam Pei are leaving.”

Pei Mingting looked pitifully at Xie Zhifei. “I’ll head back first. We’ll discuss Water Moon Convent later.”

“I’ll see you out.”

The two walked out of the courtyard. Pei Mingting suddenly stopped.

“Wushi, help me pass a message to Yan Sanhe. As long as she accepts, I dare pierce the heavens for her.”

“Now you’re not afraid she’s a ghost?”

“Even if she’s a ghost, I like her!”

Pei Mingting looked at him with disdain. “Forget it. This feeling—you wouldn’t understand.”

Xie Zhifei: “…”

“Don’t see me out. Your injuries haven’t fully healed!”

Xie Zhifei watched his retreating figure, feeling both like beating him to death and feeling melancholy for him.

The so-called sorrow of the hare at the fox’s death—Mingting couldn’t make his own decisions, so what about him?

Could he?

The answer could be glimpsed from his elder brother and sister-in-law.

Before their marriage, both had secretly liked other people, but neither could withstand those four words: parents’ orders.

Though the couple seemed harmonious these past years, only he, their closest person, knew that both elder brother and sister-in-law actually lived quite stifled lives.

Zhu Qing saw Third Master standing motionless as if possessed and quickly advised, “Master, let’s go back.”

“Mm.”

As Xie Zhifei turned around, he suddenly saw several servants looking around furtively. His expression immediately darkened.

“Zhu Qing?”

“Master.”

“Go summon Steward Xie.”

“Yes!”

Hearing Third Master wanted him, Steward Xie’s legs pumped like pistons.

“Third Master, what are your orders for this old servant?”

Xie Zhifei gave him a cool glance. “Come, feel my chest.”

Steward Xie didn’t dare extend his hand, looking at his master’s expression. “Third Master, is your… chest uncomfortable?”

“Right, I called you here to massage it.”

Steward Xie was so clever. He quickly leaned in. “Master, your chest discomfort must be because this old servant did something wrong. Please speak freely—this old servant will change immediately.”

Xie Zhifei picked at his ear, deliberately drawing out his words. “I can’t stand hearing gossip.”

Gossip?

Whose gossip?

Steward Xie’s eyes rolled. Thinking of Young Master Pei’s actions today: “Third Master, rest assured. If anyone leaks even a hint about Young Master Pei’s matter, I’ll tear their mouth apart.”

“Just Young Master Pei’s?”

Steward Xie panicked. Besides Young Master Pei, there was also…

Right!

The mistress of Jingsi Residence.

“Third Master, set your heart at ease one hundred percent.”

Steward Xie quickly said, “A young lady’s reputation is paramount. This old servant will certainly keep the lower servants in line. Anyone who dares speak half a word wrong about Miss Yan, I’ll break their legs.”

“I trust you to handle things.”

Xie Zhifei smiled at Steward Xie, smiling with particular kindness and affection.

“Go then. Show some methods. Otherwise, that manure-carrying vacancy at the estate will be your destination, Xie Xiaohua.”

Xie Xiaohua: “…”

…

When a person concentrates on work, outside gossip can’t enter their ears.

After copying several pages, Yan Sanhe had Li Buyan carry her back to the bamboo couch. An injured foot couldn’t hang down too long—it needed to be elevated.

“When Jingchen wrote these Buddhist scriptures, her mind wasn’t very calm.”

Yan Sanhe rubbed her aching wrist. “She was using writing to forcibly suppress the emotions in her heart.”

Li Buyan: “Like you are now?”

Yan Sanhe nodded. “So you see her brush strokes end a bit hastily. If her emotions were stable, she definitely could have written even better.”

Li Buyan leaned in to look closely but couldn’t discern what “hastily ending strokes” meant.

“Third Master Xie’s judgment was correct—she came from a prominent family.”

Yan Sanhe said, “In a bit, make a trip and trouble him to investigate whether eighteen years ago, any women from prominent families or official households in the capital became nuns.”

“No need to trouble him—he’s here.”

Li Buyan pushed open the window and smiled at the person standing outside. “Third Master, eavesdropping under windows isn’t gentlemanly behavior.”

Xie Zhifei was perfectly composed. “Does Miss Li think I look like a gentleman?”

Li Buyan: “…” You don’t look like a gentleman—you look like a lecher.

Xie Zhifei met Yan Sanhe’s gaze. “I’ve already had the Military Commissioner’s Office investigate.”

Yan Sanhe didn’t hide the surprise on her face, which showed complete approval in her expression and eyes.

“The capital isn’t large, and prominent families number only a few hundred. Within three days, results will definitely emerge.”

Xie Zhifei added, “Unfortunately, we don’t have a portrait of Jingchen. Otherwise, it would be faster.”

“Thank you for your trouble.”

Yan Sanhe spoke with genuine sincerity, but he felt it wasn’t enough. “Yan Sanhe, just one sentence is far too casual!”

Having the precedent of the green date, Yan Sanhe expected he wouldn’t be too excessive. “Tell me, what wouldn’t be casual?”

“Then…”

Xie Zhifei’s lips curved up, that roguish air emerging again. “Tell me why you refused Young Master Pei?”

Yan Sanhe replied very calmly, “Don’t like him, won’t reach high, won’t wrong myself.”

“Won’t wrong who?”

“Myself.”

“Don’t like who?”

“Him!”

Yan Sanhe looked at him. The sunset reflected in his eyes and brows, making them handsome and gentle. “Third Master, do you have more questions?”

Third Master rubbed his nose and smiled.

Smiled until he almost couldn’t stand steady.

It was like he’d been holding a treasure in his arms, then someone took a fancy to it and nearly snatched it away. After all that fuss, the treasure remained safely tucked in his arms.

“No more questions.”

Xie Zhifei forcibly collected his smile and said seriously, “On the way back, I thought about several uses for gongs. Want to hear?”

Yan Sanhe hadn’t answered yet when Li Buyan’s eyes widened another degree.

On her way back, she’d been thinking only about Yan Sanhe and Young Master Pei’s business. Yet Third Master Xie still had the mental space to think about these things?

“I want to hear. Speak!”

“Funerals, burials, weddings, marriages—gongs are definitely used. Besides that, when emperors make tours or high officials travel, they also need gong and drum escorts.

When scholars pass examinations, or families have celebrations—red or white affairs—they beat gongs. Even street performers selling martial arts start with gong sounds.”

Xie Zhifei continued, “Oh right, opera uses small gongs. Once the drum beats and small gongs sound, the play has begun. When your foot heals, I’ll take you to hear opera sometime.”

Yan Sanhe didn’t hear the last sentence at all—her mind was already racing.

There were far too many places where gong sounds could be heard. Which type of gong sound was it that Jingchen couldn’t forget, to the point where her obsession became demonic?

“Oh my, what a coincidence again—Third Brother is here too?”

Not coincidence—more like a persistent ghost.

The sharp gleam in Xie Zhifei’s eyes flashed and vanished. Turning around, he smiled with utter geniality. “Second Brother, long time no see!”