An injured general has only one thing left to do—retire to his hometown.

And once he retired, the Bu family army would disperse.

If the Bu family army scattered, it meant the Zheng family army scattered.

By rights, with such a major incident, Xie Zhifei should ask Zhao Huairen to help investigate no matter what. But now it seemed…

“Then we’ll do as he wishes and keep it quiet for now.”

Xie Zhifei asked again: “What did you find from that corpse?”

Zhu Qing: “A death warrior. Poison hidden in his teeth.”

“Death warrior?”

Xie Zhifei sneered. “There aren’t many in the capital who can afford to raise death warriors.”

Hearing this, Zhu Qing’s brow furrowed slightly. “Does Master think those people weren’t after General Bu?”

“Who knows? They might have been coming for me.”

Xie Zhifei’s long lashes lowered.

“At least one thing is certain—someone knows Bu Liu’s or my every movement intimately.”

Hearing this, Zhu Qing felt cold seeping from his bones.

This danger to the master had occurred precisely when he wasn’t by the master’s side. General Bu had also been isolated.

What did this mean?

It meant a pair of eyes had been constantly watching the master or General Bu.

He didn’t know about General Bu, but the master had always kept a low profile in his actions. How could he attract death warriors?

“Master, we can’t rely solely on Bu Liu. We must investigate secretly too.”

“We must!”

…

In the carriage.

Zhang Kui was saying the same thing.

“Boss has always kept a low profile, just training troops every day. How could he attract death warriors? Could those people have been after Third Master Xie?”

“Regardless of who they were after, we must find out.”

Bu Liu glanced at Zhang Kui. “I’m entrusting this matter to you.”

Without the boss assigning it, Zhang Kui wanted to take on this task anyway. Though he had no leads, harming his boss was harming him.

“Rest assured, Boss. I’ll investigate thoroughly, inside and out.”

Bu Liu trusted Zhang Kui’s work. This young man had followed him for six years and was most reliable.

Having assigned one matter, another surfaced.

Bu Liu was silent for a long while before finally saying: “Xu Nian’an can’t be kept anymore. Go personally and tell Third Master—just have him silence the man.”

“Boss?” Zhang Kui was shocked.

Xu Nian’an was the boss’s lifeline.

No matter how badly this kid misbehaved, even if he went completely off the rails, the boss gritted his teeth and endured it, enduring for over ten years. Why now…

“If he doesn’t shut up, the Bu family army is finished.”

Tears slid from Bu Liu’s eyes. “In the end, I’ve wronged his father!”

“How have you wronged him? If not for Boss cleaning up his messes, he’d have died countless times already.”

Seeing the boss was truly heartbroken, Zhang Kui quickly added: “Is there truly… no way to save him?”

“Sharing a bed with a spy for three months—what salvation is there?”

Bu Liu sighed softly. “Ask Third Master to give him a quick end, no suffering. After my wounds heal, I’ll personally go thank him.”

Zhang Kui wanted to speak but hesitated. “Boss, can we trust this Xie person?”

Though yesterday he and the boss had fought side by side through life and death;

Though he had invited Imperial Physician Pei from the Imperial Medical Bureau to treat the boss’s wounds;

But hearts are hidden behind flesh.

Who knows what schemes that Xie fellow was really plotting?

Besides, who rushes to help someone after just one meeting?

Bu Liu closed his eyes, feeling unspeakably exhausted throughout his body. “Whether we can trust him or not—investigate and we’ll know.”

“Boss, leave it to me too.”

“No need!”

Bu Liu shook his head. “This person, I’ll investigate personally!”

Investigate him thoroughly!

…

Xu Nian’an died at night, his last breath.

The cause of death was the severe wound on his back.

Because nothing had been extracted from his mouth, the corpse was claimed by the Bu family army. It was said that when Xu Nian’an’s widowed mother learned of this, she fainted on the spot.

Upon waking, this woman went to the Bu family army camp and cried and cursed at the gate for two full shichen. Every word accused Bu Liu of ingratitude, of causing her son’s death.

Bu Liu didn’t appear. He let her curse. Only after she tired did he order guards to escort her home.

Her outburst actually raised Bu Liu’s prestige among the military officers even higher.

Everyone discussed how General Bu had pampered this adopted son for over ten years, to the point of giving him the stars if not the moon.

But when facing matters of principle, he showed no mercy—beating when needed, killing when needed.

General Bu’s matter had just concluded when Marquis Wu’an submitted a memorial to His Majesty, voluntarily requesting to lead troops against the Tartars next year.

His Majesty praised Marquis Wu’an a few times but withheld decision on the memorial.

When news reached Xie Zhifei’s ears, he knew that He Yun kid had played a role.

For his precious son’s sake, Marquis Wu’an was preparing to confront the Prince of Han.

So he had Zhu Qing pass word to the Grand Imperial Grandson to find an opportunity to drink and converse with Marquis Wu’an.

There was more good news besides these two items.

Pei Yu had gone to the Bu family army camp and said Bu Liu’s two wounds were recovering well, the wounds beginning to heal.

Hearing this, Xie Zhifei immediately imitated Young Master Pei and chanted “Amitabha.”

Pei Yu also brought back a century-old ginseng, saying it was from Bu Liu to help Third Master recover.

Third Master’s injuries needed time.

But time was exactly what Third Master lacked most.

Yan Sanhe and the others would enter the capital soon. No matter what, as the one who’d stayed in the capital, he wanted to go welcome them.

When Pei Yu heard this kid wanted to get out of bed, without another word, he directly lay down on the ground.

Want to go?

Come!

Step over this Imperial Physician’s corpse.

Xie Zhifei exhausted kind words and flattery. From start to finish, Pei Yu had only two words: No way.

The days passed one by one.

This night, Third Master was just about to sleep when Zhu Qing rushed in excitedly. “Master, Miss Yan and the others are a hundred li away.”

“So soon?”

Xie Zhifei quickly climbed up. “Quick, quick, carry me to the city gate to wait.”

“Imperial Physician Pei won’t allow it.”

“If he won’t allow it, I’ll die to show him!”

Xie Zhifei couldn’t wait any longer. “Tangyuan, Tangyuan, help me change clothes. The crimson one—it makes my complexion look better.”

These days, Tangyuan had personally attended to all Third Master’s needs and had become quite practiced. In no time, he’d helped Third Master change.

But just then, someone arrived from the Zhu residence.

It was Old Steward Zhu Jing, his face like a funeral. “Third Master, the Madam is failing. Even ginseng soup won’t go down.”

So soon!

Xie Zhifei suppressed his shock. “Where’s your eldest master?”

“Both the eldest and third masters are keeping vigil by the bed. Oh, and the eldest son-in-law is there too.”

Zhu Jing: “The eldest master sent this old servant to ask Third Master—should we… prepare for the funeral?”

“This…”

How would he know?

“Hurry back and tell the Madam that Miss Yan and her group are already a hundred li away. Miss Yan must have learned much news. Tell her she must hold on no matter what.”

Hearing this, Zhu Jing forgot even to take his leave and rushed out, shouting as he ran:

“Miss Yan is returning, the Madam is saved! Miss Yan is returning, the Madam is saved!”

Xie Zhifei felt heartbroken listening. “Zhu Qing, quickly!”