Mama Chen’s eyes widened, staring directly at Yan Sanhe.

After staring for a moment, she suddenly slapped her thigh. “Miss, I remembered something.”

“Speak quickly.”

“Once she dreamed something in the middle of the night. Without even putting on outer clothes, she ran outside.”

Speaking here, Mama Chen’s emotions suddenly surged.

“I was sleeping on the couch and heard movement. When I got up and looked, I was scared witless—I quickly chased after her.”

“Where did the old madam go?”

“No one would guess—the old madam actually ran to the vegetable garden.”

Mama Chen slapped her thigh again. “I couldn’t worry about hierarchy at that moment. I shouted loudly at the old madam twice, but she acted as if she didn’t hear, like she was possessed by a nightmare.”

“And then?”

“Then I slowly approached, wanting to help her. She suddenly turned her head and told me someone was going to steal her vegetables. She also said if only Little Black were there.”

Everyone’s eyes in the small inn went straight. No one dared breathe loudly, fearing they’d disturb Mama Chen’s recollection.

Yan Sanhe’s heart jumped. “Mama Chen, who is Little Black?”

Who is Little Black?

After thinking for ages, Mama Chen said with a mournful face, “Miss Yan, I didn’t dare ask!”

“Why didn’t you dare ask?”

“The old madam suddenly cried.”

“How did she cry?”

“She wailed twice, dropped two tears, then immediately came to her senses.”

Mama Chen recalled: “After coming to herself, the old madam said she’d been possessed by a nightmare and had me help her back to her room.”

Yan Sanhe: “After returning to the room?”

“I attended the old madam to sleep. The next day when she woke, she acted as if nothing happened. I also didn’t take it to heart. Miss Yan…”

Mama Chen asked cautiously, “That Little Black—is it the black dog Miss mentioned?”

Yan Sanhe remained silent, not speaking.

The room fell into deathly stillness where a pin drop could be heard.

Xie Zhifei again felt his heart being gripped. “Yan Sanhe, does it match?”

Yan Sanhe frowned tightly, still saying nothing.

Pei Xiao couldn’t bear his buttocks’ intense pain and jumped up, his gaze blazing. “Auntie, I beg you—please speak! Are you trying to kill me with anxiety!”

Yan Sanhe looked up at Pei Xiao once, then nodded lightly.

“Black dog, Little Black, guarding the house—I think… it should match!”

As Yan Sanhe predicted, the time when the old madam’s heart demon occurred had to be pushed back fifty years.

Before she entered the capital at sixteen.

A fifty-year heart demon?

Yan Sanhe almost didn’t dare think further.

“Zhu Qing, arrange for Mama Chen to rest first.”

She tapped the table with her fingers. “Whichever of you two can make decisions, come outside with me.”

Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao exchanged glances.

Xie Zhifei: You make decisions, or I make decisions?

Pei Xiao: By rights it should be me, but I fear I can’t handle Yan Sanhe.

Xie Zhifei wanted to roar: Ancestor, what are you trying to handle her for?

Pei Xiao glared at him: What do you understand? This is called…

“Ahem ahem ahem…”

The two looked up.

Li Buyan crossed her arms, lifting her chin toward the doorway. Yan Sanhe’s back had already walked into the night.

Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao’s scalps tingled as they nodded simultaneously: We both make decisions!

…

The small inn was isolated—no village ahead, no shop behind, desolate as a lone grave.

In the total silence, cool night wind blew past. Yan Sanhe walked to a tree and stopped, hearing someone chase after her from behind.

She turned and spoke coldly, not a single wasted word.

“Old Madam Ji’s natal family is in Guangxi. Buyan and I are preparing to depart immediately.”

Before Xie Zhifei could even stand steady, these words were like a gust of wind knocking him into disarray.

“You and Li Buyan?” Pei Xiao was so shocked his voice cracked. “To Guangxi?”

Xie Zhifei pushed Pei Xiao back and stepped forward. “Yan Sanhe, this isn’t child’s play.”

Yan Sanhe’s gaze pressed down. “Do I look like I’m playing with you?”

“…”

Xie Zhifei took a deep breath. “Yan Sanhe, do you know how far it is from here to Guangxi? Even riding fast horses non-stop, a round trip is at least two to three months.”

Yan Sanhe: “So?”

Xie Zhifei was choked by her question. “So we need to plan carefully!”

Pei Xiao interjected with worry for the nation and people. “This journey—what do we eat, what do we drink? Also, we only know the old madam’s natal family is in Guangxi. Guangxi is so vast—various prefectures, provinces, counties. How do we search?”

“We?” Yan Sanhe sneered coldly.

“Shouldn’t it be we?”

Pei Xiao’s face transformed from worrying about the nation to cherishing jade and fragrant flowers. “Surely we can’t let you two weak women travel alone?”

“Weak women?”

Yan Sanhe glanced at Lord Pei’s lower waist area.

Who was this person mocking?

Seeing her staring at his lower region, Pei Xiao’s face flushed with embarrassment. He quickly pushed Xie Zhifei forward to block the shame.

After several exchanges, Xie Zhifei understood Yan Sanhe’s temperament too well. His tone immediately softened.

“Mingting’s concern is valid. Guangxi borders the Great Qi Kingdom. That area has endless bandits and violent criminals. Besides the northwest and coast, the Ministry of War allocates the most military funds there yearly.”

“So?” Yan Sanhe still used those two words.

Xie Zhifei: “So we really need to plan carefully.”

Yan Sanhe: “How should we plan carefully?”

“First return to the capital. Prepare adequate provisions, bring enough silver. I’ll mobilize about a hundred troops from the Five Cities Military Command Bureau, bring the Command Bureau’s documents…”

“Need we also bid farewell to Master Xie, the old madam, and your eldest brother again?”

Yan Sanhe sneered coldly. “While we’re at it, stop by Hundred Remedies Hall for some medicine, or buy two roasted ducks?”

Xie Zhifei: “…”

Why always bring up sore points? Pei Xiao silently complained.

Yan Sanhe: “I don’t have so much ‘careful planning,’ and there’s no time for careful planning.”

Xie Zhifei: “Yan Sanhe, actually…”

Yan Sanhe: “Are you a man?”

No matter how good Xie Zhifei’s temper, rage was building. “What does this have to do with whether I’m a man?”

Yan Sanhe: “If you’re a man, don’t nag endlessly. One spit of saliva, one word—why so much nonsense?”

Xie Zhifei: “…”

“Just leave two horses. Don’t worry about the rest.”

Yan Sanhe stepped forward. A large hand grabbed her arm. Looking up, Xie Zhifei’s face was unprecedentedly cold.

Cold as rigid ice.

Must she be forced to speak the truth?

Yan Sanhe hesitated briefly before speaking. “I’m rushing for three reasons.”

Xie Zhifei: “First?”

“First, being a wandering ghost isn’t easy. The underworld won’t accept them, they can’t reincarnate.”

Yan Sanhe looked at him coldly. “That’s actually also a world where the strong bully the weak. The old madam is so elderly—who can she fight?”

Xie Zhifei asked before Pei Xiao’s expression could change: “Second?”

“Second, hundreds from the Ji manor top to bottom are imprisoned. Who can guarantee each one is safe and sound? Who can guarantee the young ladies and maids won’t suffer even slight harassment?”

Yan Sanhe sneered coldly. “Third Master Xie may have extensive connections, but there are always places your eyes can’t see, places your hands can’t reach.”

Third Master Xie’s breathing caught. His entire body froze along with it.