When Xie Zhifei saw the corpses of those two night watchmen, his heart went cold. The knife wounds on their necks were identical to Chen Pi’s.

Not only were the wounds similar, but the killer had also pushed open the door to enter, slit their throats, and then swaggered away.

“We can confirm that all three murder cases were committed by the same person.”

As Yan Sanhe made this judgment, she added, “No matter what, we must not disturb the Xiang family again. If the Crown Prince’s people have already gone, have Ding Yi and Huang Qi return.”

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

Ding Yi and Huang Qi entered one after the other, yawning.

Yan Sanhe remained uneasy. “Ding Yi, how many people did the Crown Prince send?”

Ding Yi: “He sent four.”

Li Buyan: “Four against one—that should be quite safe.”

Huang Qi: “It would be best to capture that assassin alive and interrogate him about the mastermind.”

Pei Xiao changed from his usual optimistic demeanor: “I’m afraid it won’t be that easy.”

“Young Master Pei, we shouldn’t boost others’ morale while deflating our own.”

Ding Yi, having stood guard all night, was still full of vigor: “Miss Yan, what should we do next? Assign us our tasks.”

“Sleep!”

Yan Sanhe clasped her hands behind her back. “I’m going to walk in the back garden.”

Ding Yi looked up at his master: “Master, why is she telling us to sleep in broad daylight?”

Xie Zhifei didn’t answer, his gaze lightly glancing toward Li Buyan beside him.

Li Buyan patted Ding Yi’s shoulder and winked at Huang Qi: “Come, this young mistress will take you to see that incense stick.”

After seeing the incense stick, both Ding Yi and Huang Qi completely deflated and obediently went to bed to catch up on sleep.

When they woke from their nap—

Miss Yan was still pacing in the garden.

Third Master stood in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, his silhouette deep in thought.

Young Master Pei was copying the Diamond Sutra beneath the window, saying he needed to calm his mind.

Li Buyan was still writing her last will, with dozens of crumpled paper balls scattered at her feet. Each time she tossed a paper ball, she let out a sigh.

Ding Yi and Huang Qi exchanged glances and decided to return to their room to sleep. Only sleeping wouldn’t annoy their masters or result in deductions from their monthly wages.

For three consecutive days, the villa was like a coffin—full of deathly silence with no sign of life.

The Zheng family case had truly reached an impasse.

Early one morning, Ding Yi and Huang Qi really couldn’t sleep anymore. The two decided to stroll around the streets.

Just as they reached the side gate, they saw a carriage stopped outside.

A person jumped down from the carriage—it was none other than Xiang Yanrui, the husband of Second Miss of the Zhu manor.

Ding Yi and Huang Qi’s scalps exploded. After exchanging glances, Huang Qi took off running toward the courtyard while shouting:

“Miss Yan, Miss Yan, something terrible has happened! Young Master Xiang has come here seeking his own death!”

Yan Sanhe was discussing matters with Xie Zhifei in the study. Hearing the shouting, the two exchanged bewildered looks.

Xiang Yanrui had come looking for them at this time?

Why?

Xie Zhifei lifted the corner of his robe: “I’ll go greet them.”

The word “good” in Yan Sanhe’s throat hadn’t yet emerged when Ding Yi’s voice carried from the distance again.

“Miss Yan, Miss Yan, Young Master Xiang’s father has also come!”

Master Xiang?

Yan Sanhe’s expression stiffened. “Xie Zhifei, I’ll go greet them with you.”

…

Even without approaching them, one could tell from afar that they were father and son—their face shapes, body builds, and even their thick lips were identical.

A flash of doubt crossed Xie Zhifei’s eyes.

When he went to Xiang Yanrui’s place to retrieve the waist token and cowhide, he had urged him to be careful in all matters. Coming to the door with Master Xiang at this time…

Ah, he really didn’t know if this was good or bad.

The two groups met at the second gate.

Before Xie Zhifei could exchange pleasantries, Xiang Yanrui said steadily, “Third Master, this is not the place to talk. Let’s go to the study.”

Xie Zhifei and Yan Sanhe exchanged glances: “Please, come inside.”

…

“This is my father.”

Although Xiang Yanrui spoke slowly, his actions were swift, getting straight to the point.

“A few days ago, my father saw that lotus flower in my courtyard and felt it looked somewhat familiar.”

Familiar meant he had seen it somewhere before.

Yan Sanhe immediately guessed the father and son’s purpose for coming, her voice reacting faster than her brain.

“Xiang Yanrui, wait a moment.”

Xiang Yanrui: “What is it?”

“…”

Yan Sanhe didn’t know how to begin. After thinking it over, she decided to speak frankly.

“I didn’t mention to you that these two items are evidence from the Zheng family massacre case.”

“Young lady, once you said this waist token was from the Qi Kingdom, he guessed it.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Master Xiang.

Master Xiang clearly was a craftsman—his palms were large and wide, his fingers especially long with prominent knuckles.

“The Zheng family case is known throughout the realm. This waist token—half kept, half destroyed—our Xiang family works in the Ministry of Works, so we’re half-officials. We know a thing or two about it.”

Yan Sanhe spoke meaningfully: “So Master Xiang has come now to resolve our doubts?”

Master Xiang shook his head: “I wouldn’t dare claim to resolve doubts. I just recalled some matters from years past and wanted to share them with you.”

“Aren’t you afraid?”

Yan Sanhe: “The last person who told us about matters from years past had his throat slit yesterday.”

Master Xiang’s expression changed: “Truly?”

“Absolutely true.”

Yan Sanhe turned her face away: “Please go back, Master Xiang. Though the case is important, your lives are also important. We’ll think of another way.”

Zhu Weijin’s new life had only just begun. Yan Sanhe couldn’t bear to let her fall into the abyss again.

How rare it was—there was light in her eyes now.

Master Xiang’s gaze turned to his son.

After receiving his father’s look, Xiang Yanrui fell into a long silence.

In the study, deathly quiet prevailed.

Just when Yan Sanhe thought he would rise to leave, Xiang Yanrui suddenly spoke:

“Miss Yan, my father wasn’t personally involved in these events. He just has some knowledge about them, so there should be no problem. Moreover, we’ve already come. If something truly were to happen, it seems there’s no turning back now.”

Deep in Yan Sanhe’s eyes was an indescribable complexity.

Heaven was fair—it hadn’t given Zhu Weijin a good childhood, but it had given her a good in-law family and a steady, reliable husband.

How rare it was that Xiang Yanrui could speak this way.

On Yan Sanhe’s face, which had been wooden and numb for three whole days, a smile emerged. “What knowledge does Master Xiang have? Could you share it with us younger generation?”

This smile was like sunlight breaking through dark clouds, directly piercing everyone’s eyes.

Xie Zhifei’s peach-blossom eyes lifted accordingly.

Young Master Pei’s mind calmed. Well, copying however many Diamond Sutras couldn’t compare to one smile from the spirit medium.

Li Buyan tapped her temples. Anyway, that will hadn’t been written well—might as well tear it up.

Ding Yi and Huang Qi breathed a long sigh of relief: Two grown men—what’s with strolling the streets? How unmanly!

“It’s not really knowledge, just an experience I had in the Qi Kingdom.”

Master Xiang picked up his teacup, took a sip, set it down and said: “I went to the Qi Kingdom five times in total. Four times were to find the finest sandalwood there, and once was to learn a craft.”

Yan Sanhe was slightly startled at this.

“The Hua Kingdom is large, the Qi Kingdom small. What could there be worth learning for you, Master Xiang?”