Seeing his master’s ugly expression, Zhu Qing knew what he was worried about.

“I inquired—they said she suffered some external injuries, other than that… nothing happened.”

Xie Zhifei’s vision darkened, his body swaying.

Zhu Qing quickly supported him. “Master?”

“Good thing nothing happened, otherwise…”

The words that followed, Xie Zhifei not only couldn’t say, he didn’t even dare think further.

“Master, what’s the next step!”

“When Xu Lai returns and sees his son is fine, he’ll slowly calm down.”

“How does Master know that beast is fine?”

“How much strength could Yan Sanhe have? Embroidered fists and fancy footwork at most.”

Zhu Qing nodded.

Xie Zhifei stroked his chin. This matter had him so anxious his stubble had grown faster than usual.

“Once he calms down, Father can sit down and talk with him. Molesting our Xie household’s Second Miss—even if this case reaches the Emperor, the Xie family still occupies the position of being in the right. He’ll soften.”

Zhu Qing: “I’ll immediately send someone to intercept the master.”

Xie Zhifei looked at Zhu Qing with great appreciation. “Have him go directly to the Xu household. This matter needs to be privately settled. Also, the attitude should be strong.”

“Yes!”

“Where’s Pei Xiao?”

“Waiting for Third Master outside the Ministry of Justice office.”

The lightness that had just lifted from Xie Zhifei’s chest immediately felt like a large stone was pressing on it again.

Matters in the capital—as long as they didn’t pierce the heavens, there were always ways to think of solutions.

But this matter of dispelling obsessions…

“Zhu Qing.”

“Master?”

“Instruct my father—no matter what, he must get the person out, and quickly!”

“Yes!”

In this matter, that little ancestor in the prison was key.

…

Outside the office.

Pei Xiao paced back and forth like an ant on a hot pan under the shade of a tree.

“Going in for so long—could this kid have fallen into the Ministry of Justice’s latrine?”

Pei Xiao stamped his foot. Not caring about anything else, he’d rush into the Ministry of Justice to fish someone out of the latrine.

Having walked just a few steps, someone approached from the side.

“Poof!”

Two shoulders crashed heavily together.

Already in a foul mood, and someone without eyes actually bumped into him?

Pei Xiao lifted his eyelids, his gaze fierce. “Can you walk or not? Do you have eyes? Are you blind?”

The person who bumped him didn’t answer back, just raised their eyebrows to look back at him.

“What are you looking at?”

Pei Xiao thrust his body forward. “Keep looking and I’ll gouge out your dog eyes!”

“How many drinks have you had to be this arrogant?”

That person’s mood also seemed poor, also thrusting their body forward.

Hey!

Still a vicious dog!

Only then did Pei Xiao properly size up that person.

With this look, a question arose.

Was this person a woman or a man?

To say a woman, yet dressed as a man.

To say a man, but that face was clearly a woman’s.

Pei Xiao’s gaze moved from this person’s lips down to their feet, then from their feet forcibly back up to their lips…

After several rounds, he revealed a disgusted expression.

“Forget it. I don’t fight with women. Get lost!”

That person’s lips parted to spit out a few words: “That’s because you can’t win.”

Pei Xiao looked down at her condescendingly, sneering repeatedly.

“You should be grateful you’re a woman. I, Master Pei, don’t want to touch women with even one finger—bad luck. Get lost… get lost!”

“Most hate those who blather endlessly but don’t make a move. Can you only talk?”

That person lifted the back of their foot, lightly pushing forward. Pei Xiao felt two steel needles pierce into his calf, and he fell to his knees with a thud.

He grimaced in pain, sucking in cold air repeatedly.

“Tch!”

That person snorted coldly, striding in large steps to the base of the Ministry of Justice steps, lifting their slender neck, gaze falling on the plaque with the two characters “Ministry of Justice.”

“You fucking stop right there!”

Pei Xiao gritted his teeth, supporting himself on the ground to crawl up. As his head and butt lifted simultaneously, he saw that person suddenly accelerate toward the stone lion at the entrance.

Her foot pressed forcefully on the stone lion’s head, her body borrowing momentum upward, leaping high, then kicking out in mid-air.

“Crash—”

“Clatter—”

The plaque shattered on impact as that person landed steadily.

This, this, this…

That, that, that…

Pei Xiao’s mouth gaped wide enough to stuff two eggs inside.

The sound alarmed the bailiffs guarding the Ministry of Justice entrance. Several people immediately rushed out.

First seeing the plaque shattered all over the ground, then seeing that person with head raised and chest out, coldly sneering back—all were stunned.

“Hand over Yan Sanhe to me, otherwise…”

That person swept back their long robe, slowly drawing a soft sword from their waist, murderous aura surging between their brows.

“One comes, I kill one. Two come, I kill a pair.”

Pei Xiao: “…”

Amitabha Buddha, so I truly can’t win!

Bailiffs: “…”

So there really are those unafraid of death, daring to single-handedly challenge the entire Ministry of Justice office? Living long enough to see everything!

“Looking for death, are you? Brothers, seize her!”

The slogan was shouted very well—just not a single person dared move.

One bailiff was extremely shrewd. He turned and ran, shouting as he ran, “You all go first—I’ll go call for people!”

“Hold on!”

An arm blocked his path.

That bailiff looked up—it was actually Third Master Xie.

Xie Zhifei gave that person a deep look and said sternly, “This person is holding a weapon, causing trouble and provoking disorder. I’m taking her back to the North City Military Commissioner for interrogation.”

That bailiff heard this—something’s wrong.

This wasn’t causing trouble and provoking disorder—clearly coming to smash our Ministry of Justice’s place. He was just about to object when from the corner of his eye, he saw that person lift their soft sword, lightly pointing at Xie Zhifei.

“You want to stop me?”

“Duty requires it.”

Xie Zhifei took the matching sword from his waist, stepping across the threshold, walking down the steps one by one.

“Obediently follow me back to the Military Commissioner for interrogation. Otherwise, my sword doesn’t recognize people either.”

“Xie Wushi!”

Pei Xiao shouted urgently, “What fucking hero are you trying to be? This woman is formidable—quickly get out of the way.”

Before his words finished, the sword in Xie Zhifei’s hand moved.

That person’s brows pressed down, meeting him and tangling in combat.

Zhu Qing, seeing that person strike, knew this wasn’t an ordinary person. His own master was simply no match for her.

“Third Master, I’ll help you!”

Just as Zhu Qing shouted loudly, Xie Zhifei suddenly pressed down with his sword hilt, using a voice only the two of them could hear:

“Yan Sanhe will be out very soon. Don’t send yourself in—come with me!”

That person’s brow center jumped, eyes gloomy and cold, seemingly not quite believing.

“Trust me.”

Xie Zhifei forcefully nodded at her. Exchanging a glance with the leaping Zhu Qing, simultaneously, two swords thrust toward that person.

The moves looked extremely vicious. Insiders could see at a glance they were feints.

That person’s mind warred internally for a moment, then went with the momentum, rolling on the ground—by sheer coincidence rolling right to Zhu Qing’s feet, shoulder grabbed firmly by Zhu Qing.

Immediately after, Xie Zhifei’s long sword lay horizontally under her neck.

“…”

Everyone’s eyeballs nearly fell out.

Xie Zhifei said sternly, “Zhu Qing, take her away!”

Zhu Qing lifted that person up. “Yes!”

“Xie Sanye, Sanye, my Sanye!”

The bailiff quickly ran over, face full of bitterness. “This, this—we can’t explain to our superiors!”

“Simple!”

Xie Zhifei pulled out a banknote from his chest and tossed it into his hand.

“The silver for the plaque—Third Master pays. The extra is for the brothers to drink. But the person I must take away!”

The bailiff looked at the silver: “…” With silver in hand, why would I stop you!

Pei Xiao rubbed his aching knee: “…” Something seems wrong here!