The Emperor’s oral decree reached the Xie family the day before Xie Daozhi’s burial.

The decree expressed regret and grief over Xie Daozhi’s sudden death, stating that the Emperor had lost an arm, the court had lost a loyal minister, and the common people had lost a good official.

Loyal minister, good official—this was the final verdict on Xie Daozhi’s life.

The wake lasted seven days before burial. More than half of the civil and military officials from court came. The funeral procession was vast and mighty, stretching for several miles.

Yan Sanhe was officially Xie Daozhi’s goddaughter. For this final journey, she and Li Buyan went together to see him off.

The burial site had been chosen by Zhu Yuanmo two years ago for the old ancestor’s final resting place—also an auspicious feng shui location with mountains and water nearby.

When the auspicious hour arrived, the coffin was lowered into the ground.

When the first shovelful of earth was scattered, the Xie family wept in chorus.

Young Master Pei wiped his tears while curiously leaning close to Yan Sanhe’s ear. “He died so suddenly—will the coffin crack?”

Yan Sanhe gave Pei Xiao a flat look. “I actually hope it does crack.”

That way they could investigate Xie Daozhi’s true cause of death.

Zhu Qing’s hands and feet were remarkably quick. In just three days, he investigated Xie Buhuo’s accounts—Xie Daozhi hadn’t taken any silver from his second son.

How strange.

The manor had no large expenditures, and he hadn’t privately had Second Master withhold money. So where did the silver Xie Daozhi gave Yan Xi come from?

Was it private savings?

That seemed unlikely.

Xie Daozhi essentially supported the entire large household alone. If he really had so much in private savings, how corrupt would he have to be?

Could it be that what Xie Daozhi gave wasn’t silver?

If not silver, then what could it be? His life?

There weren’t many people in this world today who could demand Xie Daozhi’s life!

These past days, besides Yan Sanhe’s head increasingly unable to remember things, it felt as if stabbed by needles, densely painful.

After a few shovelfuls of earth were scattered, the funeral procession returned to the manor. The Xie family members stayed to handle the remaining matters.

Yan Sanhe looked at Xie Zhifei from afar once, then walked down the mountain.

This person had grown even thinner, so thin his features had changed. His gaze lifted ghostlike—Young Master Pei said it was like a knife, heartbreaking to behold.

Young Master Pei also said that several times, he wasn’t shedding tears looking at Xie Daozhi’s coffin, but was forcibly moved to tears by Third Master’s gaze.

On the return journey, Yan Sanhe pulled Pei Xiao into the carriage.

“Mingting, I’m investigating Xie Daozhi’s cause of death and also investigating the relationship between Xie Daozhi and Yan Xi.”

Pei Xiao raised his head in confusion, his expression showing expected astonishment.

Getting closer, Yan Sanhe discovered this person had also lost a full circle of weight.

Not surprising.

The eldest daughter-in-law and Xie Xiaohua could only support the people and affairs within the Xie manor’s inner quarters. The officials from court who came to pay respects were all greeted and seen off by Young Master Pei.

“Mingting, Buyan.”

Yan Sanhe said, “I need you to help me recall—in this entire matter, is there anything else that seems off?”

Li Buyan’s eyes suddenly widened. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten even this?”

“Not yet.”

Yan Sanhe: “But one person’s observations and perceptions are limited. There are always places one overlooks.”

Pei Xiao frowned, thinking for a long time. “I feel there’s one place that’s off.”

Yan Sanhe: “Which place?”

Pei Xiao: “Xie Daozhi is dead. Where did those men in black he was supporting go? Did they all scatter?”

As he spoke, he nudged Yan Sanhe’s foot with his toe.

“Remember Wu Guanyue and his son? That pair of exiled rulers from the Great Qi nation—Wu Guanyue maintained a group of death warriors. After his death, these death warriors were given to his son Wu Shunian to use.”

Pei Xiao pinched his chin. “Maintaining death warriors is very expensive. Logically speaking, before committing suicide, Xie Daozhi should have passed them to the next generation. Disbanding them would be such a waste!”

“Good question, truly suspicious!”

Yan Sanhe gave Pei Xiao a thumbs up, her gaze shifting. “Buyan, what about you?”

“Me?”

Li Buyan scratched her head. “I don’t feel anything’s particularly off, except for that incense stick.”

These past days she hadn’t bothered about Young Master Pei either. By herself, she’d visited all the temples in the capital, devoutly offering incense and prayers. Yet that incense stick maintained its nature, burning shorter and shorter.

At night she tossed and turned in bed, thinking it over repeatedly.

The more she thought, the more afraid she became.

“Oh right, Sanhe, that day Young Master Pei and I were eating at Spring Breeze Tower when we encountered an assassin. That assassin also used arrows, and their skills looked quite good. I pushed open the window and even saw the person’s figure.”

Pei Xiao’s eyes also suddenly widened. “What’s off about that?”

“I don’t feel anything’s off. Isn’t it just that you mentioned the men in black? I was thinking, Mister Xie was quite capable—the men in black he maintained all had such excellent skills.”

Li Buyan’s lips curled down. “One arrow through the heart, not to mention escaping so quickly—how many years of practice would that take?”

The words just fell when a shout came from the distance: “Imperial Physician Pei, Imperial Physician Pei… the old madam is not well…”

Pei Xiao was so anxious his veins bulged. Disregarding everything, he jumped from the carriage.

“Everyone from the Xie family is on the mountain. I must rush back to look after the old madam. I’m riding ahead.”

The curtain fell. Li Buyan nudged Yan Sanhe with her elbow. “Do you want to go see?”

“I won’t add to the chaos.”

Yan Sanhe looked at the swaying curtain and said softly, “Everyone must do what they should do.”

What she needed to do was find the true reason for Xie Daozhi’s suicide.

…

Since her son’s death, the old madam, grief-stricken, neither eating nor drinking, had fallen into a coma. Her health declined day by day.

Occasionally waking, she would clutch her young grandson and cry, then exhausted from crying, would sink back into deep sleep.

In just over ten days, the originally prosperous Yang-shi had withered into a shriveled old woman, faintly showing signs of approaching the end.

The three Xie brothers could only guard the old madam constantly.

Elderly people sometimes lived on a thread of vital energy and spirit. Her son’s unclear death scattered the old madam’s vital energy and spirit in one blow, giving rise to the wish for death.

Once a person harbored the wish to die, even immortals couldn’t save them.

Twenty-one days after Xie Daozhi’s death, in the afternoon, Yang-shi suddenly rallied and said she wanted to see Yan Sanhe.

When the three Xie brothers heard this, they knew things were gravely amiss.

Xie Zhifei immediately had Zhu Qing go fetch her.

When Yan Sanhe arrived in haste, the old madam had already changed into clean clothes and re-pinned her hair.

Actually, in her memory, there was no longer a person called Old Madam Yang-shi. Li Buyan had explained to her the entire journey.

Xie Zhifei knew Yan Sanhe’s temperament well and quickly whispered first, “Yan Sanhe, in a moment the old ancestor she…”

“She is your grandmother.”

One sentence made Xie Zhifei’s Adam’s apple tremble continuously. She is your grandmother—even for your sake, I won’t hold anything against her.

“I’m going in.”

“Mm, go ahead.”

Yan Sanhe lifted the curtain and entered the room. Seeing the old woman on the bed, she couldn’t help but be overcome with sorrow.

Before Grandfather Yan Xing passed away, he had also called her to his side like this, also leaning against the headboard, also with a pair of eyes eagerly hoping for her to come.

Yan Sanhe thought that in her eighteen years of life, she seemed to have only done one thing—constantly bidding farewell to people.

Farewell to the living.

Also farewell to the dead.