The grand-nephew’s hand shrank back in fright as he hurriedly looked at Yan Sanhe.

“Sit!”

Yan Sanhe pointed at a chair beside them. “I have a few more questions for you.”

Hu Yong looked at the silver and swallowed, forcing out a smile. “I won’t sit. What else does the honored guest wish to ask?”

“Over these years, has the old matriarch sent your family New Year gifts or silver?”

This question seemed to touch on Hu Yong’s sore spot.

“There used to be—satin fabric, ginseng, silver—but for some reason, nothing has come these past few years!”

“These past few years—which years exactly?”

“Well… nearly ten years now!”

Yan Sanhe was shocked.

“So that means, for the previous forty years, the old matriarch continuously supplemented your family with things?”

“Isn’t that as it should be!”

Hu Yong patted his chest, looking as if it were perfectly natural. “We’re her legitimate blood nephews—from the same vine.”

Yan Sanhe frowned. “I heard your family used to fish. Now that you’ve moved into the county town, what do you live on?”

“On my aunt, of course!”

“No one works at all?”

“Work at what? Whatever slips through her fingers is enough to feed our whole family for a year.”

You shameless creature!

Even Third Master finds this disgusting!

This time, Xie Zhifei wanted to curse even more than Master Pei!

Yan Sanhe also felt disgusted and wanted to curse, but more than that, she felt the old matriarch wasn’t worth it.

A woman struggling bitterly in a deep compound, only to have these bastard dogs benefit in the end.

“Since the old matriarch stopped sending silver these years, what do you eat and drink?”

At this mention, Hu Yong’s face showed heart-wrenching grief.

“The family still has over ten mu of paddy fields. Renting them out earns a bit of money each year, but it’s been hard on the younger generation.”

“Did you send word to the old matriarch?”

“We did, year after year, but never got a reply.”

Hu Yong secretly pinched himself and finally began to wail.

“Auntie, why did you just leave like this? With you gone, who will the old Hu family depend on!”

Yan Sanhe glanced at Li Buyan.

Li Buyan shouted sternly, “Stop that wailing! Tomorrow at the first quarter of the hour of Yin, wait at the Guandi Temple gate.”

Hu Yong quickly asked, “What does the honored guest intend…”

“To lead us to the old Hu family residence.”

After Li Buyan finished speaking, she brazenly pocketed the silver. “I’ll keep this silver for you first. After we return from the old residence, I’ll give it to you.”

Hu Yong was dumbfounded. Since when did silver that was taken out get taken back?

Yan Sanhe stood up. “Master Pei, Third Master, let’s return!”

“Let’s go!”

Xie Zhifei uncrossed his legs, glanced lightly at Pei Xiao, and left shoulder to shoulder with Yan Sanhe.

Pei Xiao understood that glance all too well.

He slowly walked to Hu Yong’s side and sighed heavily. “By generation, I should call you Uncle.”

“Indeed! Your mother and I are legitimate first cousins.”

Uncle Hu wore a fawning smile. “How has little sister’s health been these years?”

Pei Xiao patted his shoulder. “Wait until we’ve visited the old Hu residence tomorrow, then we’ll talk.”

Talk about what?

Had the old matriarch left something for the Hu family before she died?

Hu Yong’s heart leaped with joy. He no longer cared about the hundred taels of silver that had flown away. “Nephew, rest assured—I’ll definitely be there on time tomorrow at the hour of Yin.”

Go to hell with your nephew.

Get lost!

Pei Xiao cursed furiously in his heart.

…

Once again at the first quarter of the hour of Yin, once again those same horses and people, plus a grand-nephew bouncing along in front leading the way.

Two and a half hours later, they arrived at the old Hu family residence.

The small village nestled by mountains and water, with bamboo groves covering the mountainside. Every household here made their living by fishing.

Yan Sanhe thought to herself: Now she understood why the old matriarch liked that courtyard—because the environment where she grew up had bamboo groves.

Seeing strangers enter the village, villagers rushed out to watch the excitement.

Hu Yong was extremely pleased, holding his head high as he boasted to the gawking villagers.

“These are honored guests from the capital, from our old great-aunt’s family. They’re all high officials—sixth rank!”

Yan Sanhe couldn’t stand listening any longer. “Hu Yong, go bring the person.”

Hu Yong bowed and scraped. “Yes, yes, right away.”

Yan Sanhe gave Zhu Qing and Huang Qi a look, and the two immediately followed Hu Yong.

When Miss Yan said “bring,” she meant truly bring.

Hu Yong was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong—Miss Yan was having them keep an eye on him.

“Buyan.”

“Miss, rest assured.”

Li Buyan stuck the foxtail grass in her hand into her mouth and strolled off, swinging her arms.

Pei Xiao very proactively approached Yan Sanhe. “What should I do?”

“You and Third Master…”

Yan Sanhe glanced lightly at Xie Zhifei. “Accompany me for a walk by the riverbank.”

So leisurely?

Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao exchanged glances and followed along.

At this point, the Beicang River suddenly widened, with over a dozen fishing boats moored along the shore.

Looking into the distance, the far bank showed rolling green mountains, with several village settlements hidden beneath the lush forest.

“Now I finally understand why the old ancestor liked to sit by the Heart Lake.”

Pei Xiao couldn’t help but sigh. “Forget everything else—just looking at this river makes one’s mood lighten.”

“Master Pei, Third Master.”

Yan Sanhe suddenly asked, “What kind of person would make you remember them to your bones, never forget them until death?”

This question was too sudden.

Master Pei racked his brains recalling his life experiences and answered very honestly with three words: “I have none.”

“And Third Master?”

Xie Zhifei stopped walking, his dimples deepening as if hiding that bit of private thought within.

Yan Sanhe, seeing he didn’t speak, turned to look at him.

Xie Zhifei casually plucked a leaf and gently twisted it between his fingers—this gesture made him look somewhat roguish.

“People who are lost forever make one remember them to the bone.”

“Xie Fifty, who knew you could say such tooth-aching words?”

“I’m speaking from your old ancestor’s perspective.”

Xie Zhifei’s lips curved slightly.

“For her, wasn’t that lover the person she lost forever? Doesn’t that make her remember him to the bone?”

“That makes sense!”

Pei Xiao pointed at him. “You’ve made progress recently.”

“Quite a bit of progress indeed!”

Xie Zhifei looked down at Yan Sanhe, asking seemingly casually, “By the way, what kind of person would make Miss Yan remember them to the bone, never forget them until death?”

Yan Sanhe thought of her blank life and answered very honestly with three words: “I have none.”

Precisely because she had none, she needed to ask them.

For an old woman who had experienced countless hardships, excelled at calculation, and seen through worldly affairs—would she truly develop a demonic obsession over that bit of unforgettable young love, that seeking but not obtaining?

It felt too superficial somehow.

“Miss Yan, Master Pei, Third Master, we’ve found the person!”

In the distance, Zhu Qing waved and shouted loudly.