In the deathly silence, a sound rang out, oblivious to the atmosphere.

“Gurgle—”

“Gurgle—”

Under everyone’s gaze, the culprit Xie Zhifei snorted coldly. “Rest and eat.”

As if receiving a pardon, Zhu Qing quickly went into the shop to arrange food, Huang Qi hurried to feed the horses, and Young Lord Pei quickly pulled Third Master inside.

As his long legs crossed the threshold, Third Master turned his face and looked at Yan Sanhe very lightly.

This glance meant: Don’t think about leaving. Third Master chased after you without even bothering to eat.

Don’t think about leaving.

Try leaving and see what happens.

These two phrases expressed the same meaning, but with completely different attitudes.

The former was soft, the latter hard.

Yan Sanhe was precisely the type who responded to softness but not hardness. Without needing any face-saving excuse, she followed in openly and sat down at another table by herself.

Li Buyan looked at this table, then at that table. Without needing to think, she sat down beside Yan Sanhe.

Xie Zhifei caught this from the corner of his eye and ground his back teeth forcefully several times before suppressing the rage that had rushed to his head.

…

The waiter brought up the food and dishes.

The innkeeper looked apologetic. “My lord, it’s too late. The inn only has these few dishes—everything else is sold out. But there’s plenty of rice, eat as much as you want.”

“Thank you!”

Xie Zhifei reverted to that graceful, universally beloved Third Master and nodded to Pei Xiao and the other two. “Eat!”

The three picked up their bowls and chopsticks, all glancing nervously at the table beside them, then…

Wolfed down their food!

Li Buyan clicked her tongue in her heart and nudged Yan Sanhe with her elbow. “Look at those starving ghosts eating. They probably haven’t eaten anything since leaving the capital. How pitiful.”

Yan Sanhe remained expressionless.

Li Buyan covered her mouth and lowered her voice. “Actually, Third Master is quite decent. Looks unruly but is upright inside. He’s worried about you.”

Yan Sanhe turned her face and looked at Li Buyan with an uncertain expression: Whose side are you on?

“I’m just telling the truth!”

Li Buyan put on an innocent face, glancing at Xie Zhifei from the corner of her eye.

Repaying evil with kindness!

Look at this lady’s magnanimity—no one in the world compares!

Li Buyan had indeed guessed correctly. This was the first meal the four had eaten since leaving the estate.

Why hadn’t they eaten?

Because Third Master was rushing to catch someone and wouldn’t allow it!

After a bowl of rice, Pei Xiao finally had some energy. He kicked Xie Zhifei’s foot and leaned his head over. “Did you hear just now? She was afraid of implicating us, that’s why she acted first and reported later.”

Xie Zhifei looked at him with an unfriendly gaze.

“Show some sense—she did it for your own good!”

Pei Xiao picked up some cabbage with his chopsticks and put it in his bowl. Glancing at Yan Sanhe from the corner of his eye, he thought: Just for this cold exterior but warm heart, I have to marry her, right?

After the meal, the waiter came to clear the dishes. The innkeeper brought up a pot of tea along with six tea cups.

Four people sat at the table, with two more beside them.

Young Lord Pei played peacemaker. “Hero Li, come have some tea and discuss matters.”

Hero Li glanced at Yan Sanhe and gave Young Lord Pei a “Do I dare?” look.

Young Lord Pei looked ingratiating and blinked at Xie Zhifei: How about we go over there?

Before he finished blinking, he felt a gust of wind before his eyes—the person had disappeared.

He turned to look and saw that guy already walking toward Yan Sanhe’s table.

Damn, men are cheap after all!

Young Lord Pei quickly waved his hand. Only then did Zhu Qing and Huang Qi stand up and follow.

The previously empty square table suddenly filled with people.

Xie Zhifei looked at Yan Sanhe, his gaze somewhat piercing. “Since the inn has no rooms, shall we continue traveling directly?”

Yan Sanhe looked back at him. “Fine!”

Xie Zhifei: “There’s still half the journey left. In one stretch?”

Yan Sanhe: “Just depends if you all can handle it.”

Xie Zhifei: “We can handle it, but the horses can’t.”

Yan Sanhe took out two bank notes from her bundle and lightly slapped them on the table. “If there’s silver, there’s a way.”

“We’ll depart in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.”

Xie Zhifei took the bank notes and walked toward the innkeeper. After a few steps, he turned back and looked down at Yan Sanhe.

“That bastard who cursed earlier, should we…”

“One less thing is better than one more thing.”

“Done!”

Xie Zhifei turned and left again. Yan Sanhe immediately stood up. “I’m going outside for some fresh air.”

The three men at the table looked at each other, all somewhat dazed: How did they suddenly make up?

Only Li Buyan looked meaningfully at Yan Sanhe’s retreating figure, an old saying inexplicably floating through her mind: Fighting at the head of the bed, making up at the foot!

…

Xie Zhifei acted decisively, adding some silver to exchange for six horses. The six of them followed the official road straight toward Hejian Prefecture.

Twelve hours later, the three characters “Hejian Prefecture” appeared above the six people’s heads.

Finally arrived!

Entering the city gate, they found the nearest inn, requested three rooms, and the six of them each went to their rooms without another word to bathe, change clothes, and sleep.

This sleep lasted until late morning the next day.

When Zhu Qing and Huang Qi opened their eyes, they went out to inquire about Old Master Tang.

Young Lord Pei had the waiter bring up hot water, planning to bathe and change clothes again.

Yesterday he’d been too tired and sleepy, just washing casually without getting clean. As they say, fine feathers make fine birds. His clothes were new, but he needed to be clean too, to show Yan Sanhe his vitality and spirit.

But just as he stripped naked and got into the wooden tub, Zhu Qing and the others had already returned.

Obviously, Old Master Tang was quite famous locally and not at all difficult to find.

Xie Zhifei leaped up from the bed and called to the person behind the screen: “You take your time washing. We’re going to Yan Sanhe’s room to discuss things.”

“Hey, hey, hey… can’t you wait for me!”

“Bang!”

Young Lord Pei’s response was a heavy door-slamming sound.

“That brat, acting like he’s rushing to be reborn!”

The guy rushing to be reborn knocked on the door of the adjacent room.

Li Buyan opened the door. At a glance, he saw Yan Sanhe sitting properly.

Their gazes met. Yan Sanhe pointed to a chair, indicating he should sit.

Xie Zhifei sat down, poured himself a cup of tea, moistened his throat and said, “We’ve made inquiries. Zhu Qing, you tell them.”

“Miss Yan, Old Master Tang lives on Muli Mountain in Shanguan County of Hejian Prefecture. From the inn, it still takes over two hours to get there.”

Yan Sanhe: “He lives on the mountain?”

Zhu Qing nodded. “That’s what they say.”

Yan Sanhe: “Is the mountain high? Can horses go up?”

Zhu Qing: “They say they cannot.”

Xie Zhifei: “‘They say’ isn’t reliable. We’ll see when we reach the foot of the mountain.”

Yan Sanhe: “Spend some silver to find someone to guide us.”

Zhu Qing: “Miss Yan, someone’s already been found and is waiting outside the inn.”

How thorough!

Yan Sanhe: “Let’s go downstairs and eat first. We’ll set out after eating our fill.”

“Yes!”

Zhu Qing turned and left.

Only three people remained in the room. Xie Zhifei’s bottom sat firmly in place with no intention of leaving. Instead, his gaze looked unfriendly as he stared at Li Buyan.

What does that mean?

Think I’m superfluous?

Li Buyan cursed “dog man” in her heart, picked up her bundle and said to Yan Sanhe, “Sanhe, I’m going to check the saddles.”

Xie Zhifei saw that Yan Sanhe was also about to stand up and commanded Li Buyan as if he owned the place: “Close the door on your way out.”

Yan Sanhe suddenly looked up at him.

He said flatly, “I have a few words to say to you.”