Walking closer, Xie Zhifei didn’t lift the carriage curtain. Instead, he spoke through it.

“Yan Sanhe, you go back and catch your breath first. After you’ve rested well, I’ll accompany you to the Zhu residence.”

The carriage was quiet for a moment before a voice came through.

“I advise you to rest well too. Your body…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely live to be a hundred years old.”

Xie Zhifei patted the carriage body, “Go on, Li Daxia. Don’t delay.”

Li Buyan tugged the reins and turned to glance at Xie Zhifei. She couldn’t hold back.

“Buddha needs gold decoration, people need proper clothes. Third Master Xie, no matter how good-looking a man is, once he’s disheveled, he’s worse than a dog.”

“Who are you calling a dog? You women, when disheveled, are worse than female ghosts.”

Young Master Pei kicked at empty air and turned to comfort his brother, only to see a mysterious smile floating on his brother’s face.

Had this person’s brain been rattled silly by the carriage?

How could he be smiling so happily after being insulted?

Xie Zhifei was indeed happy.

These past ten-plus days had been bitter and dirty, but opening his eyes to see her, closing his eyes with her right beside him…

It was happiness like a dream!

“Get in the carriage.”

Pei Xiao saw he was still wearing light clothes, “It’s cold in the capital. Don’t catch a chill.”

“Let’s go!”

Xie Zhifei climbed into the carriage and rubbed his face, asking: “Tell me everything about the Zhu family matters, the capital matters, matters at my office—tell me carefully along the way.”

Young Master Pei, enduring the stench from his body, spoke in a low voice…

Xie Zhifei could never have imagined in his dreams that Du Yiyun would end up betrothed to the Prince of Han’s legitimate son Zhao Yixian. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.

The Du family had clearly already chosen their side.

“What, still thinking about your old flame? She’s climbed a high branch and is about to become a phoenix.”

“Yes.”

Xie Zhifei laughed coldly: “I’m still wondering who will marry the Imperial Grand Prince in the near future, and who will marry you!”

Pei Xiao couldn’t help but freeze.

Right—Zhao Yixian was two years younger than Huairen, yet his engagement was already set. Huairen’s marriage was probably just around the corner.

His marriage couldn’t be decided by just anyone—the Emperor would definitely arrange it personally.

Once Huairen’s marriage was settled, could his and Xie the Fifteenth’s be far behind?

Sigh, no wonder Xie the Fifteenth laughed coldly. He had someone in his heart, and nine times out of ten, she wasn’t the one his father and mother favored.

Damn it, twisting and turning, they still couldn’t escape parental arrangement and matchmaker’s words!

Utterly meaningless!

For the rest of the journey, the two brothers didn’t speak, traveling in silence all the way to the Xie residence.

…

At the Xie residence.

Old Madam, the mistress, and Steward Xie had already received word and were waiting anxiously in the courtyard.

Xie Daozhi had also returned early from the office.

His son had been gone for over two months, leaving without a word. From autumn to winter—how could a father not worry?

As soon as Xie Zhifei entered, Old Madam and the mistress’s tears flowed like a flood.

How had he ended up like this—was there any difference from a beggar?

Xie Zhifei was too tired to speak. He called out that he was hungry and pulled Steward Xie straight to the bathhouse.

In the bathhouse, hot water had long been prepared—more than ten buckets of it.

Xie Zhifei stripped himself bare in three moves and sat down in the water.

Xie Xiaohua pinched his nose and threw the clothes outside. Turning around to see Zhu Qing looking worse than a beggar, he quickly waved his hand:

“I’ll attend to things here. You go wash up quickly. Wash thoroughly and rinse a couple more times.”

Zhu Qing sniffed himself—he didn’t smell anything foul.

In the courtyard, Old Madam wiped away a few tears and pulled Lady Wu away.

After a few steps, Wu broke free from Old Madam’s hand and quickly walked to her husband’s side, tearfully pleading:

“Master, please transfer Third Son to a different position. The Five Cities office work is too hard.”

Was this really about the office work?

Xie Daozhi didn’t know how to explain to his wife. He only nodded to comfort her: “If there’s an opportunity, I will.”

Wu turned back three times as she walked away.

After she’d gone far, Xie Daozhi quietly asked Pei Xiao: “Where’s Miss Yan? How is she?”

Pei Xiao replied with four words: “Not fit for human eyes.”

“That child has suffered.”

Xie Daozhi sighed: “You go to the bathhouse and tell Steward Xie to pick out more tonics from the storehouse and send them over.”

“Alright.”

“Also, when will Miss Yan go to the Zhu residence?”

“Don’t be anxious, Uncle Xie. She’ll go after resting.”

How could he not be anxious? Others didn’t know the current situation at the Zhu residence, but he kept accounts—his son had secretly told him. It was a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand times more dangerous than their own situation back then.

Xie Daozhi took a deep breath and suppressed the anxiety in his heart.

…

When Pei Xiao entered the bathhouse, Steward Xie was recounting the Xie residence’s trivial matters.

“Regarding Master Zhu’s matter, Old Madam and the mistress are completely in the dark. Old Madam wanted to visit Miss Yan at the side courtyard several times but was stopped by the master each time.

Second Master and Second Miss went to the side courtyard once and came back empty-handed. This month, matchmakers came to our house to propose matches for Second Master. The young ladies were quite good, but Concubine Liu politely declined.”

Xie Xiaohua pursed his lips: “This old servant sees that they haven’t given up on Miss Yan yet!”

The second branch always played the same tricks. Xie Zhifei was already tired of hearing about it.

“How are Elder Brother and Sister-in-law? I didn’t see them just now.”

“There’s just over two months until New Year. First Master is quite busy at the office. Every day after work, he still has to visit the Zhu residence. When he comes back, it’s only to sleep for a bit.”

Xie Xiaohua: “When Master Zhu’s health deteriorated, even his mother Lady Mao became anxious. I heard she’s been constantly seeking medical treatment. So First Mistress spends more time at the Zhu residence. Young Master has been left in Old Madam’s care.”

“Fifteenth.”

Behind him, Young Master Pei interjected: “Lady Zhu’s illness—my father says it’s nothing serious, just anxiety and stress.”

Hopefully it’s nothing serious.

Xie Zhifei asked again: “Brother Zhu’s illness—how is your father treating it? I heard on the road it was quite dangerous?”

“My father isn’t treating it.”

Xie Zhifei was shocked, “What do you mean?”

“Even if you used your toes to think, you definitely wouldn’t guess…”

Young Master Pei pulled over a small stool and sat down, lowering his voice to the minimum, then said mysteriously:

“Brother Zhu set up some kind of Qiankun Eight Trigrams Formation in his room—seems like it can ward off evil spirits. I’m not clear on the specifics, but it’s very strange and peculiar.”

Xie Zhifei didn’t believe it, “And that’s it? No problems?”

“My father says the pulse and everything are normal. It’s just that he gets thinner day by day. I figure he must have thought of some method to control the condition first, then wait for Yan Sanhe to return.”

Hearing this, Xie Xiaohua was so frightened his fat face trembled. He thought to himself: My goodness, I need to treat First Mistress even better in the future.

The Zhu family—can’t be provoked, can’t be provoked!

Young Master Pei patted Xie Zhifei’s shoulder.

“Fifteenth, even if Yan Sanhe doesn’t let me follow, I’ll shamelessly tag along for this heart demon. It’s too damn curious. What could Master Zhu be unable to let go of?”

Who knows!

Xie Zhifei suddenly sank his body down, held his breath for a while, then burst up with a splash and wiped his face:

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you—Yan Sanhe said it herself: extremely dangerous.”

“Tch, trying to scare who?”

Young Master Pei looked completely unconcerned: “With the spirit medium there, she’ll definitely cut down Buddhas and demons alike, charging forward invincibly.”

Xie Zhifei hadn’t thought much of it before, but hearing him say this, he inexplicably recalled the resolute expression on Yan Sanhe’s face when she’d mounted her horse.

“Mingting.”

“Ah?”

“Send someone to watch the northern branch of Han Family Escort Agency for me. As soon as Han Xu returns, notify me immediately.”

Young Master Pei was somewhat depressed, “Why watch him?”

Xie Zhifei casually made something up: “I think this fellow is suspicious.”