The tent was somewhat stifling in the evening, everyone’s forehead covered with a thin layer of cold sweat.

“General Bu, I must trouble you to personally guard outside. What I’m about to say cannot be heard by anyone.”

“Miss Yan, could you substitute someone else?”

Bu Liu’s eyes held pleading: “I want… want…”

“Want to stay and listen?”

“Yes!”

Afraid Yan Sanhe wouldn’t agree, Bu Liu stepped forward: “I swear by my Bu family army, I swear by my mother, I absolutely won’t let anyone hear what Miss says…”

“Yan Sanhe, he’s trustworthy.”

Xie Zhifei gave her a faint smile: “If only for my sake.”

Yan Sanhe was silent for a moment, then raised her chin toward Li Buyan. Without a word, Li Buyan turned and walked out of the main tent.

The tent curtain fell, bringing out a bit of wind that made the candlelight flicker a few times.

Yan Sanhe paced a few steps in the tent, then stopped before Xie Zhifei.

“Suppose you’re the Emperor. You learned about the Zheng family twins matter. What would you do?”

Xie Zhifei: “Eliminate them completely.”

Yan Sanhe: “The Zheng family’s one hundred eighty members have already become ghosts beneath the blade. Only old General Zheng Yu remains on the battlefield. What would you do then?”

Xie Zhifei: “Still those four words—eliminate them completely.”

Yan Sanhe: “Why be so absolute?”

Xie Zhifei: “One is sovereign, one is subject. The subject betrayed the sovereign.”

Yan Sanhe: “So when the war situation was still relatively smooth, he dispatched his only confidant Yan Ruxian to the northern territories precisely to eliminate them completely, correct?”

A trace of murderous intent imperceptibly revealed itself in Xie Zhifei’s eyes: “Correct!”

“Then the first suspicious point I mentioned has found its reason.”

After speaking, Yan Sanhe paced before Pei Xiao.

“Zheng Yu was a great general of his generation, with illustrious military achievements. Even with graying hair he still campaigned for the nation—truly a loyal minister. To kill a loyal minister, one must have a reasonable justification to silence the world’s voices.

So Young Master Pei, if you were the Emperor, what reason would you find?”

Pei Xiao’s heart tightened: “Dying in battle for the nation would be the best reason.”

Yan Sanhe: “Zheng Yu died on the battlefield just as they wished. Young Master Pei, do you think this is coincidence?”

“Coincidence my ass!”

“Then we can draw a conclusion.”

Yan Sanhe smiled coldly.

“Zheng Yu’s death was not willing but forced—he had no choice but to die. If he didn’t die on the battlefield, he might have been killed by other means.

In any case, he absolutely could not have returned alive to the capital. Thus, the second suspicious point has also found its reason.”

As the last word fell, Bu Liu stood up with a start, his expression nearly lost.

His gaze looked directly toward Xie Zhifei.

“Third, Third Master, what’s this about the Zheng family twins? What does it mean that a subject betrayed the sovereign?”

Xie Zhifei’s palms broke out in cold sweat: “One of the twins is someone who absolutely should not be alive in this world.”

Bu Liu staggered forward a step: “Someone who absolutely should not be alive in this world—what kind of person would that be?”

Xie Zhifei’s gaze sharpened: “Don’t ask. Knowing more won’t benefit you in the slightest.”

“This is why I didn’t want you to stay.”

Yan Sanhe’s expression was calm: “Xie Zhifei isn’t threatening you. You don’t need to know, nor should you know.”

“General.”

Pei Xiao walked over and patted his shoulder: “People shouldn’t be too curious. Just listen—we won’t harm you.”

Bu Liu looked at Young Master Pei, looked at Yan Sanhe, his gaze finally landing on Xie Zhifei’s face.

Xie Zhifei gently closed his eyes.

Only then did Bu Liu slowly retreat several steps and collapse into a chair, saying dejectedly: “Fine, I won’t ask.”

“Now we must verify this conclusion, and to verify it…”

Yan Sanhe’s gaze shifted, looking directly at Xie Zhifei.

“I must see two people. Once I see them, the third suspicious point will naturally have its answer.”

Xie Zhifei: “Which two people? Tell me.”

Yan Sanhe: “One is Yan Xi. The other… is the Han Prince.”

Clatter!

Huang Qi, who was leaning against the weapons rack, stumbled and knocked a large saber down from the rack.

Mother of—

He stared wide-eyed at Yan Sanhe, hardly able to believe she could speak those two words “Han Prince.”

Forget Third Master and Young Master Pei being unable to see him—even His Highness the Crown Prince didn’t have that capability.

The Han Prince was imprisoned by the new Emperor. Not even a fly could enter the Han Prince’s residence.

“Yan Xi is easy to see. Let’s see Yan Xi first.”

Xie Zhifei’s Adam’s apple moved several times: “We’ll discuss the Han Prince later.”

“If it really won’t work, I’ll have my father…”

Pei Xiao’s words stopped halfway, forcibly cutting off.

He’d broken off the engagement with the Yin family. His father was probably preparing hundreds of needles right now, wanting to stab his unfilial son to death.

“Unless the Emperor speaks, even your father can’t get in. The Han Prince’s residence has dedicated imperial physicians.”

Xie Zhifei’s gaze lifted: “Zhu Qing, you return first and discuss Yan Xi’s matter with His Highness.”

Zhu Qing: “Should I mention the Han Prince matter?”

Xie Zhifei: “No. We’ll figure something out ourselves. We can’t implicate him.”

“Yes!”

Zhu Qing turned to leave, then suddenly remembering something, turned back to ask: “Miss Yan, when do you want to see Yan Xi?”

Yan Sanhe: “Tonight. See him as soon as we return to the city.”

…

Saying they’d return to the city, they returned to the city.

Yan Sanhe lifted the tent curtain and was startled in her tracks. Under the bright moonlight, a mass of dark figures stood.

“I’ll go out first.”

Xie Zhifei walked out from behind her, facing pairs of eyes looking toward him filled with anticipation:

“All you former Zheng family army soldiers, rest assured—there are some matters we will definitely investigate thoroughly and give you an explanation.”

One person stepped forward, clasping fists toward Xie Zhifei.

“Lord Xie, you’re mistaken.”

That person’s expression was solemn: “It’s not giving us an explanation—it’s giving old General Zheng underground an explanation, giving the Zheng family an explanation.”

Xie Zhifei’s heart surged, nearly unable to stand steady.

Bu Liu quickly walked out from the tent, his tone carrying unprecedented authority: “All of you, return to camp.”

That person didn’t move. Neither did those behind him.

Bu Liu’s face immediately flushed with anger as he said sternly: “What, you dare disobey even my orders?”

“General Bu, calm your anger.”

Xie Zhifei walked before that person, saying word by word: “I’m not one to make empty promises. If you don’t trust me, you should trust Lord Pei of the Buddhist Registry.

Lord Pei has nothing whatsoever to do with this matter, yet still accompanies me running around every day, all for the sake of bringing the truth to light.

In this world, there are bad people, but you must also believe—in this world there are even more good people.”

That person’s expression changed several times, then suddenly knelt on one knee and said loudly: “We request Lord Xie and Lord Pei to investigate and bring the truth to light.”

Swoosh—

Behind him, everyone knelt on one knee in unison: “We request Lord Xie and Lord Pei to investigate and bring the truth to light.”

The shouts shook the heavens.

Xie Zhifei’s tears nearly burst from his eyes. He remembered something his father had told him as a child:

“Huaizuo, our Zheng family isn’t a great clan. Your grandfather abandoned home and livelihood, went through life and death battles to earn a name for the sake of children and grandchildren. Someday you’ll understand the supreme glory the surname Zheng brings you.”

I finally understand, Father.

Xie Zhifei said in his heart.