The two returned to the courtyard. Li Buyan looked at their still-clasped hands, so shocked he couldn’t speak for quite some time.

Third Master Xie, I, Li Buyan, have thoroughly underestimated you.

What a man!

Just as Li Buyan was silently praising Xie Zhifei, Pei Xiao had already rushed over and grabbed him by the collar.

“Xie Fifty, come here. I need to talk to you.”

“I’ve already made my decision. No amount of persuasion from you will change it.”

Xie Zhifei looked at Pei Xiao very seriously. “I told you long ago—she ranks first, you rank second.”

Damn!

Damn!

Damn!

Pei Xiao glanced at Yan Sanhe standing nearby and completely lost his temper. “Xie Zhifei, do you know what this decision means?”

Xie Zhifei: “I know.”

“You know, and yet you still…”

Pei Xiao was frantic. “Don’t you care about your life anymore? Think about the Xie family, think about your eldest brother.”

Xie Zhifei’s lips curved slightly. “I can’t think about all that, and I can’t worry about all that. Mingting, you should go back.”

“Yes, Young Master Pei, go back.”

Li Buyan crossed her arms, smiling. “I lost one round, won one round—we’re even now.”

When Pei Xiao heard this, his anger flared. “Who the hell said we’re even?”

“Could it be that Young Master Pei also wants to accompany his brothers to their deaths?”

Li Buyan’s face showed exaggerated regret. “Then I’ll have lost everything.”

“You…”

Pei Xiao glared fiercely at Li Buyan, wanting to strangle him.

“Miss Yan.”

At that moment, Zhu Yuanmo emerged from inside. “The day Taiwei died, there was something I didn’t mention. Now is the time to speak of it.”

As expected—I predicted this.

“Come, let’s talk inside.”

Yan Sanhe gently withdrew her hand and walked before Pei Xiao. “Mingting, ignore Buyan. Go back, and don’t come here again from now on. Your choice is the right one.”

After speaking, she turned to look behind her. “That person is a complete fool.”

That person followed over and patted Pei Xiao’s shoulder. “It’s fine for me to be foolish, but you absolutely must not follow my example. I’ll come find you at your home later.”

Li Buyan also came over, her face completely devoid of any playful expression.

“I care about saving face—I can accept a draw, but I can’t accept losing twice.”

The most genuine light shone in her eyes. “Young Master Pei, safe travels. We won’t see you out.”

The door slowly closed.

Pei Xiao stood alone in the courtyard, suddenly feeling this world was truly absurd—so absurd that he also wanted to push open that door and walk inside.

But…

Behind him stood the Pei family, his parents, and Zhao Huairen!

…

Inside.

Zhu Yuanzhao and Zhu Yuanhao walked before Xie Zhifei. Both bowed deeply to him simultaneously.

Xie Zhifei quickly stood up, supporting each with one hand. “Second Brother Zhu, Third Brother Zhu, please, there’s no need for this. I’m not doing this because of you.”

“It’s the same regardless of who it’s for.”

Zhu Yuanmo closed his eyes lightly. “Those who kick you when you’re down are common; those who send charcoal in the snow are rare. The danger in this matter is extreme.”

“Big Brother Zhu, let’s not discuss this. Let’s talk about the main issue.”

“Good, the main issue.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s gaze shifted. “Miss Yan, that matter concerns…”

“Bang!”

The door was kicked open. Young Master Pei stormed in angrily, making a strangling gesture at Xie Zhifei with his hands.

Then he plopped into the grand armchair, crossed his legs, and sneered at Li Buyan. “You lost. Remember to pay me later.”

Before Li Buyan could respond, he arrogantly pointed. “Close the door.”

Li Buyan stood stunned.

Xie Zhifei’s eyes grew warm.

Yan Sanhe evaluated this person in her heart: He’s excessively good to Xie Zhifei.

Zhu Yuanmo rose personally to close the door, then personally walked before Pei Xiao and bowed deeply.

Pei Xiao sat upright and accepted it without any modesty.

Of course.

I, Young Master, am risking my life for the Zhu family—what’s one bow? Even kneeling and kowtowing to me three times wouldn’t be excessive.

“Let’s get to the point.”

“Yes, Young Master Pei.”

Zhu Yuanmo sat down and continued what he hadn’t finished saying.

“The Crown Prince’s Witchcraft Case occurred in the thirty-first year of the Yuanfeng era. In the twenty-ninth year of Yuanfeng, my grandfather passed away, and he took his position as family head. Two years after assuming that position, the Crown Prince’s Witchcraft Case occurred.”

Yan Sanhe nodded—it matched perfectly with the timeline in her mind.

“Continue.”

“The Witchcraft Case involved someone writing the Late Emperor’s birth chart on a puppet and casting curses on it.”

Zhu Yuanmo paused. “Miss, you may not know this, but the birth charts of imperial family members are actually secrets.”

Yan Sanhe raised an eyebrow. “Secrets?”

“Yes!”

Zhu Yuanmo: “Most people only know the year, month, and day. As for the specific hour of birth, besides the person themselves, only their biological parents and the midwife know clearly.

When an imperial prince becomes emperor, his birth chart becomes a secret among secrets.

On the day of enthronement, if the midwife is no longer alive, that’s that. But if she’s still living, she must die. This is to prevent someone from leaking the emperor’s birth chart and allowing certain people to commit evil deeds.”

Yan Sanhe’s response was very swift.

“What about your Bureau of Astronomy—do they know?”

Zhu Yuanmo nodded. “In the entire Bureau of Astronomy, only the Director and Deputy Director know. When I took over the Bureau of Astronomy from him, he gave me a document containing the birth charts of all imperial family members.”

Young Master Pei couldn’t wait to ask: “Did it include the Emperor’s?”

“One sheet specifically recorded the Emperor’s birth chart.”

Zhu Yuanmo looked at Young Master Pei. “He instructed me that this sheet of paper was connected to my life—I must keep it absolutely secret.”

Yan Sanhe couldn’t sit still. She sprang up and paced back and forth in the room several times before stopping in front of Zhu Yuanmo.

“By telling me all this, you’ve once again proven that what Taiwei said was correct—the Former Crown Prince’s Witchcraft Case is indeed connected to Zhu Xuanjiu.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s brow furrowed tightly. “I want to tell Miss Yan that he was among the very few who knew the Late Emperor’s birth chart.”

“I think matters are already quite clear.”

Young Master Pei sat in the hall, his confidence remarkably strong.

“After Zhu Xuanjiu took his position, he used Tianshi to leak the Late Emperor’s birth chart to Yan Ruxian. Yan Ruxian then leaked it to Prince Zhao. Prince Zhao used this to orchestrate the Witchcraft Case, forcing the Former Crown Prince to rebel, ultimately achieving his goal of ascending to power.”

As the last word fell, the entire hall fell into deathly silence.

Young Master Pei saw everyone looking at him, and sudden waves of fear washed over his heart.

Bodhisattva, how could I say such things so smoothly?

A capital offense, a capital offense!

“Everything is just our speculation. The Witchcraft Case still needs to be investigated.”

Yan Sanhe looked at Zhu Yuanmo, her speech suddenly slowing. “And we still need to figure out why Zhu Xuanjiu dared to do this. How did he dare?”

“Miss Yan, these are also things I want to know.”

Zhu Yuanmo ground his teeth.

Setting aside the Zhu family’s rules and regulations, considering just the principle of “when the birds are gone, the good bow is put away”—how did he manage to emerge completely unscathed after the Witchcraft Case?