Tang Jianxi clearly remembered that night—he and Martial Sister didn’t continue discussing the Tang family but talked about other things.

He told her about his experiences over the years, which good books he’d found, which fine operas he’d seen, what stage he’d reached in his study of mystical arts, how many pots he’d ruined practicing alchemy, how he bickered with Tao Qiao’er…

She propped her chin on her hand listening with great interest, occasionally interjecting a comment or two, just like before when they were at the Tang residence.

He couldn’t remember when he left.

He only remembered the look in Martial Sister’s eyes as she saw him off at the door—containing a smile, tinged with sorrow. Each time he looked back, his heart would palpitate and he couldn’t breathe.

Tang Jianxi choked out a sigh, nodded heavily, and bit out four words: “She died by swallowing gold.”

As the words fell, Young Master Pei suddenly stood up, forcefully pulled open the door, and strode out.

Tang Jianxi didn’t know what happened. “Young Master Pei, he…”

“He thought of his Ninth Sister.”

Xie Zhifei also stood up. “I’ll go check on him.”

Tang Jianxi’s gaze moved to Yan Sanhe. “Young Master Pei’s Ninth Sister…”

“Also took her own life in prison.”

Yan Sanhe stood up. “Master Tang, have some tea and rest a bit to recover. I also need to go check on him.”

“I’m going too!”

“Me too!”

“And me!”

In less than a moment, the room emptied completely.

Tao Qiao’er, tired from standing, moved a round stool and sat down beside Tang Jianxi.

“Zhenge, don’t you feel these young people are all quite good? They have human flavor.”

Tang Jianxi nodded. After a moment of silence, he added, “It’s just that Miss Yan is too clever.”

Extreme cleverness inevitably brings harm!

—

Pei Xiao had originally wanted to find some dark, secluded place to privately grieve for a moment. But one person followed him out, then two, then three, four, five—all followed.

“What, what is this?”

He was furious. “I’m going to take a piss—are you all going to follow me for that too? Is that appropriate?”

Li Buyan frowned deeply. “Young Master Pei, you’re the first person to tell such an outrageously shameless lie.”

Young Master Pei: “…”

Am I that obvious?

Huang Qi looked at his master with a face full of sympathy. “My lord, don’t be sad. When we return to the capital, this servant will accompany you to Ninth Miss’s grave to burn paper offerings.”

Young Master Pei: “…”

Burn what? It’s not even Qingming Festival!

Zhu Qing cleared his throat. “Does Young Master Pei want to fight someone? Pick me—I won’t fight back.”

Young Master Pei: “…”

Crude martial oaf!

You might not hurt, but my hands would hurt!

Xie Zhifei reached out to ruffle his hair. “I won’t stand on ceremony with you. Third Master will cover all the silver for the entertainment houses.”

Get lost!

Young Master Pei swatted his hand away.

In front of my Sanhe, trying to tempt me into wrongdoing—couldn’t you wait until my Sanhe isn’t around before tempting me?

“Pei Mingting.”

Yan Sanhe crossed her arms. “Would you like me to summon your Ninth Sister’s soul so you can…”

“Stop right there.”

Young Master Pei’s face filled with horror. “Don’t trouble my Ninth Sister anymore. Let her peacefully reincarnate!”

“I’m teasing you. Even if I wanted to trouble her, I don’t have that ability.”

Can you tease about such things?

Young Master Pei’s face contorted. “All of you, get lost! Get lost now!”

You people stirred things up until my grief completely disappeared!

Li Buyan smiled. “Young Master Pei, the last person who told me to get lost has already gone to meet King Yama.”

Young Master Pei froze.

“You…”

Li Buyan tilted her head. “Huang Qi, could you bear it?”

Huang Qi shook his head vigorously.

Li Buyan: “Zhu Qing, what about you?”

Zhu Qing shook his head vigorously.

Li Buyan: “Miss?”

Miss thought for a moment. “Currently can’t bear it.”

Li Buyan: “Third Master?”

Third Master pondered. “Won’t be able to bear it in the future either.”

“There!”

Li Buyan patted Young Master Pei’s shoulder and smiled. “This hero is letting you off.”

Young Master Pei: “…”

Damn!

So my life was granted by this troublemaker?

—

The mountaintop at night was very quiet, with only the sounds of insects chirping around them.

Seeing that Young Master Pei’s expression had returned to calm, Yan Sanhe said, “I’m going over there to feel the mountain wind and organize my thoughts. I’ll be back in a moment,” then walked toward the depths of the night.

If Pei Xiao hadn’t suddenly left, she would have also asked Tang Jianxi to pause and rest a bit. She needed to carefully consider this master and servant pair from the Tang family.

When noble people lower themselves, like when petty people gain power, both make one sigh endlessly and curse heaven’s blindness.

The maidservant’s final resting place should have been a mass grave.

The more dignified burial would wrap her in a tattered straw mat. The most tragic would leave her body uncovered, exposed to wind and rain, until before turning into a pile of white bones, Chu Yanting secretly came to collect her remains.

Then what about Tang Zhiwei?

Overnight, the Tang family was raided. Her father Tang Qiling died in prison, her closest maidservant died in her arms…

Walking from heaven to hell in one journey—with what kind of mindset did she endure humiliation and live on?

“Are you feeling sad for that master and servant pair?”

Yan Sanhe’s steps halted. She turned around. The man’s bright black eyes were particularly striking in the pitch-black night.

“Why not think of it from another angle? That master and servant pair were actually somewhat fortunate. Though the maidservant died, Chu Yanting remembered her for many years.”

Xie Zhifei’s gaze was gentle and sincere.

“Tang Zhiwei is even more remarkable. At least after her fall, many people cared for her and helped her. At least her latter years at Water Moon Convent were peaceful and calm. At least even now, there’s still a Guihua who will fight to the death with those who bullied her for her sake.”

Yan Sanhe smiled bitterly.

Whatever words came from Xie Zhifei’s mouth always seemed to make perfect sense.

After hearing him say this, she suddenly felt that Tang Zhiwei being able to survive, being able to be redeemed from the Jiaofang Bureau, finally entering Water Moon Convent—not only was it fortunate, it was quite blessed. Her life wasn’t bitter at all.

“Let’s go back, Third Master.”

Yan Sanhe walked to his side and looked up at his profile. “Third Master serving in the Five Cities Military Commissioner’s Office is such a waste.”

“Where should I go?”

“You should go sit in consultation at the Pei family’s Hundred Medicines Hall. The Hall’s medicines treat bodily ailments; Third Master’s words treat heart ailments.”

Xie Zhifei laughed heartily.

After laughing, he looked at her and said very slowly, “Yan Sanhe, other people’s heart ailments have nothing to do with me. Whoever wants to treat them can treat them.”

But there’s one person’s heart ailments—even if I must climb a mountain of swords or descend into a sea of flames, I must cure them for her.

Flirting again?

Yan Sanhe calmly walked forward, brushing past him.

Get lost, Auntie says!

—

Sitting back in the study, everyone’s expressions had returned to calm. Tao Qiao’er personally changed out the cold tea for hot tea.

Yan Sanhe waited for her to sit down, then spoke very calmly.

“Master Tang, Chu Yanting’s beloved died in prison, and died so miserably. Just this alone was enough to make him stand firmly beside the Former Crown Prince, correct?”

Tang Jianxi nodded.

“And you, Master Tang—though you were from the same school, though Tang Qiling also introduced you to the Former Crown Prince, though you also experienced the Tang family’s downfall—in the end…”

Yan Sanhe: “You walked a completely opposite path from him. Why?”

Tang Jianxi smiled helplessly and bitterly.

“Let me guess.” Li Buyan looked at Tao Qiao’er. “Was it because of attachments?”

Huang Qi continued, “There’s another possibility. Because Master Tang was Tang Qiling’s student, he faced exclusion in official circles and had no hope of advancement, so he chose to retire.”

“Zhenge.”

Tao Qiao’er suddenly called out. “Some matters don’t involve the Tang family. I’d like to tell these young people about them.”