Zhu Qing carried Xie Zhifei on his back to the second gate, where Pei Xiao was waiting.

“What did she say?”

“As long as Zhu Yuanmo says not to investigate, she will absolutely refuse to continue investigating.”

Even with Yan Sanhe’s personal guarantee, Xie Zhifei actually felt not a bit of joy in his heart.

Not because he feared Yan Sanhe would go back on her word, but because he feared facing the Zhu family, especially his eldest sister-in-law.

Everyone cherishes their life.

Even Taiwei, in that condition, still clung to life for over a decade.

How innocent were his eldest sister-in-law and the others?

How innocent were the children of the Zhu family?

Could he really watch them die one by one from their heart demons?

How could his heart bear it!

Pei Xiao took one look at Xie Zhifei’s expression and knew what he was thinking, but could only sigh helplessly.

When an arm twists against a thigh, when an egg strikes a stone, with an entire extended family’s life and death hanging in the balance—how could one act as one pleased?

The three walked silently out of the courtyard. Looking up, they saw Xie Erli standing in front of the carriage.

Returning after having left?

That meant he had something important to say.

Without a word, Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao obediently boarded the carriage, one in front and one behind.

As the carriage started moving, Xie Erli spoke. “Third Brother, Mingting, this matter ends here.”

“Elder Brother.”

Xie Zhifei said solemnly, “Even if you hadn’t said so, Mingting and I were planning to do just that.”

“Yes, Yan Sanhe also doesn’t plan to continue investigating.”

Pei Xiao said, “Elder Brother can rest completely assured. Although Chengyu and I are rascals, we understand what’s important.”

“As for Elder Brother…”

Xie Zhifei looked at his brother with some sympathy. “Your ties to the Zhu family run deeper, so it must be more difficult for you.”

The words were vague, but Xie Erli understood them very clearly.

Difficult in what way?

Difficult because of Zhu Weixi.

A married couple, sleeping in the same bed, eating at the same table, together morning and night—could he really watch her go to her death with his eyes wide open?

Xie Erli’s expression froze.

At this moment, he realized his trip had been somewhat unnecessary. His younger brothers not only understood clearly in their hearts—they even saw things more transparently than he did.

“Stop the carriage.”

Xie Erli patted Third Brother and Mingting on the shoulders. “We’re not going the same way. I’m returning to the Zhu residence.”

“Elder Brother?”

Xie Zhifei grabbed him. “What’s…Elder Brother Zhu’s position on this?”

Xie Erli fell silent for a moment, then said with some bitterness in his mouth:

“He told me to wait until Madam’s affairs are concluded, then take your eldest sister-in-law home. Don’t go to the Zhu residence for now. He also said…save whoever can be saved.”

Xie Zhifei’s eyes grew somewhat moist.

Elder Brother Zhu’s mind was clear. He also didn’t want to implicate others.

…

Zhu Yuanmo fell ill with a high fever that wouldn’t break. He lay sick and confused, not knowing whether it was day or night.

Imperial Physician Pei personally took his pulse and said it was acute internal fire attacking the heart, with pathogenic wind entering the body.

After several doses of medicine, not only did his condition not improve—it worsened. This frightened Zhu’s Second Brother and Zhu’s Third Brother, who repeatedly questioned Xie Erli about what had happened that night.

Xie Erli’s words were identical to Zhu Yuanmo’s—he would only speak after Madam’s funeral was over.

When Zhu’s Second Brother and Zhu’s Third Brother saw this situation, they knew the matter was no small thing. They could only force themselves to rally their spirits and handle the funeral arrangements in their elder brother’s place.

With the household’s eldest son absent from the mourning hall, the guests who came to pay their respects discussed it among themselves, saying all sorts of things.

On the third day, Zhu Weixi also collapsed without warning in the mourning hall.

Xie Erli swept her up horizontally in his arms and rushed straight to the inner quarters.

With this embrace, his heart filled with great distress.

Too thin.

So thin he needed almost no effort at all.

Beside him, Chuntao saw the master’s footsteps slow and assumed he found the First Madam too heavy. She quickly said, “Master, let this servant carry her on my back.”

Xie Erli’s gaze shifted. Chuntao was startled by the cold light in his eyes and quickly stepped back half a step. For the remaining half of the journey, she didn’t dare say another word.

Imperial Physician Pei came hurriedly. After taking her pulse, he found her condition almost identical to the eldest master’s, except with additional excessive worry and deficiency of both vital energy and blood.

After administering acupuncture and writing a prescription, Imperial Physician Pei patted Xie Erli on the shoulder and left without a word.

The mourning hall couldn’t be left unattended. Xie Erli instructed Chuntao to take good care of the First Madam.

Zhu Weixi rested for a day and night, then returned to the mourning hall.

Xie Erli looked at her pale face. Those words “Why don’t you rest a few more days” stuck in his throat but never came out.

On the day of the funeral procession, Zhu Yuanmo appeared before everyone in mourning clothes.

His cheeks were sunken, with two deep nasolabial folds on either side of his nose. More than half of his black hair had turned gray-white. The entire man looked aged and decrepit.

Never mind how shocking outsiders found it—even his own brothers and sisters were too stunned to speak.

Elder Brother was only in his early thirties, in the prime of life!

Xie Zhifei represented the Xie family in seeing Madam Mao off on her final journey.

After seven days of rest, his leg had mostly healed, though he still couldn’t exert too much force. Ding Yi and Zhu Qing supported him, one on the left and one on the right.

Ding Yi had returned from Xuanhua Prefecture the night before.

Upon seeing his younger brother’s corpse, Taiwei’s elder brother wept bitterly but asked no further questions. He simply kept thanking Ding Yi and had his brother buried that very night.

Even Ding Yi felt this elder brother was a smart man—knowing what not to ask and what should be done, keeping clear accounts in his heart.

The funeral procession was very long. Filial sons and virtuous grandsons dressed in hemp mourning clothes walked behind the coffin, kneeling every few steps, bowing every few steps, their wailing shaking the heavens.

Watching this grand and glorious display, Xie Zhifei thought of Madam Mao’s life and felt indescribable emotion and lament in his heart.

At this time, both sides of the road were already crowded with commoners watching the spectacle.

In just half a year, three coffins had been carried out of the Zhu residence—a rare occurrence. The common people whispered to each other, discussing in hushed voices.

Suddenly, a familiar face appeared in the crowd—it was Imperial Guard Captain Han Yong.

Xie Zhifei glanced at Zhu Qing, who immediately walked quickly to Han Yong’s side in two or three steps.

Han Yong tilted his head and whispered a few words in Zhu Qing’s ear, then raised his chin toward Xie Zhifei before turning and leaving.

Zhu Qing returned to Third Master’s side and said in his ear, “Captain Han says the residence has been found.”

Good brother!

Xie Zhifei covered his fist at his lips and said quietly, “Go to the courtyard right now.”

“Yes!”

Zhu Qing followed for another stretch, slowly grinding his way to the back of the procession, then took advantage of an unguarded moment to quickly disappear into the crowd.

The funeral procession reached the North City Gate, where dozens of carriages had already stopped.

The guests no longer walked but boarded their carriages one after another.

When Xie Zhifei lifted the carriage curtain, he discovered Pei Xiao sitting inside. The man’s eyebrows drooped as he looked at him with a face full of melancholy.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Xie Zhifei climbed into the carriage. “Tell me, who bullied you? Third Master will settle accounts for you.”

“He came to see me yesterday, asking about the Zhu family’s heart demon. I could only say there were still no leads.”

Pei Xiao’s tone shifted. “But I can’t keep saying there are no leads forever, can I?”

Just as he’d guessed—it was about this matter.

Xie Zhifei sighed.

To be honest, these past few days he’d used his leg injury as an excuse not to go to the cabinet shop, precisely because he didn’t know how to face Zhao Yishi.

“Right now we can still use Madam’s funeral as a cover, but what about later?”

Young Master Pei was worried sick. “Later, if we don’t investigate this heart demon, how will we explain it to Huairen? Oh my, my brain is about to explode.”

Xie Zhifei had no words in response.

His had already exploded long ago. Every night it exploded.

The reason the Grand Prince paid such close attention to the Zhu family’s affairs was because he planned to gradually make use of Zhu Yuanmo after the Zhu family’s heart demon was resolved.

Now the heart demon investigation was halfway done but couldn’t continue.

The reason it couldn’t continue was because it implicated the former Crown Prince.

The consequence of not continuing was that the chess piece called Zhu Yuanmo was essentially wasted.

Confess honestly?

Or keep it tightly concealed?

Simply at wit’s end!